Hermione wouldn't have been herself if she hadn't taken charge of Harry and Ron's studies from the very first days of their friendship. She didn't expect them to study as much as she did, but doing their homework was now compulsory.
One day, as Hermione was leaving the girls' dormitory, she was just about to head down to the common room when she heard Ron's voice from below.
"You know, life was easier before we became friends with Hermione. Nobody was constantly nagging us about homework, and we had a lot more free time."
Hermione froze on the top step. For a moment, she could hardly breathe. So that was what Ron thought of their friendship. She was trying to help them, giving up her own time for them, and it turned out he thought he'd been better off without her.
Well, fine then.
She was about to march downstairs and tell Ron exactly what she thought of him, but her feet seemed rooted to the spot, and a lump suddenly rose in her throat.
"Maybe we did have more free time," Harry said. "But we knew a lot less."
"Well… yeah, I suppose," Ron admitted reluctantly.
"And I honestly don't know how I'd find the time for both studying and Quidditch practice if Hermione wasn't helping us."
Ron was silent for a few seconds.
"All right," he finally admitted. "You're right about that. It wouldn't be easy without her. But I still think she goes a bit overboard with the homework."
Hermione pressed her lips together angrily. Despite everything, Ron was still Ron. She stood there for another moment, then, swallowing her hurt, quietly stepped back to the girls' dormitory door and slammed it shut. She started down the stairs as though nothing had happened, deliberately making sure her footsteps could be heard this time.
"Harry!" she called from the stairs. "I've found something for you."
When she reached her friends, Hermione handed Harry a book. Its title was written in gold letters on the cover: Quidditch Through the Ages.
"This should help you understand the game better," she said.
"A book?" Ron repeated sarcastically.
"Yes, a book!" Hermione snapped without looking at him. She knew that if she turned to face Ron now, she would be sure to say something cutting. "A little knowledge never hurts."
"Knowledge? In Quidditch?" Ron wouldn't let it drop. "You need to practise, not…"
But Harry had already taken the book and begun leafing through it with obvious interest. Ron looked at his friend and stopped mid-sentence. Only then did Hermione turn to him and raise her eyebrows pointedly.
'Well? That shut you up, didn't it?' her look seemed to say.
Hermione herself couldn't really see the point of Quidditch, or any other sport, for that matter. Sport mostly baffled her. Why, for instance, try to cycle a few laps faster than everyone else? If you could ride that fast, why not just cycle to school or work? But since Harry had become so keen on Quidditch, Hermione decided to take the opportunity to slip in a little extra knowledge while she was at it. After all, Quidditch Through the Ages wasn't just a book about sport. It was a history of the game.
To Hermione's surprise, Harry took a real liking to the book, and over the next few days he barely put it down. So when Snape spotted him with the library copy in the courtyard one day and confiscated it without another word, Harry took it almost as a personal tragedy. By that evening, he was determined to get the book back, whatever it took. Hermione and Ron tried to talk him out of it, but it was no use, and Harry went off to find Snape.
He came back quite soon, though. Without the book, and with such a look on his face that Hermione immediately knew something was wrong.
"Is everything all right?"
Instead of answering, Harry led them to a far corner of the common room, away from the other students.
"I went to Snape's office and knocked, but nobody answered. So I opened the door…" He lowered his voice even further. "Snape was standing there with his robes pulled up to his knee. His whole leg was covered in blood, and Filch was trying to do something about the wound."
Hermione frowned, but Harry went on.
"And I heard what he said. He said it was impossible to keep an eye on all three heads and dodge that thing's bite at the same time. You know what this means?"
Harry fell silent and looked at them expectantly. Ron and Hermione exchanged glances.
"He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween!" Harry burst out. "That's where he was going when we saw him – he's after whatever it's guarding!"
Hermione gave him a sceptical look.
"No – he wouldn't. I know he's not very nice, but he wouldn't try and steal something Dumbledore was keeping safe."
"Honestly, Hermione," Ron cut in, "you think all teachers are saints or something. I'm with Harry. I wouldn't put anything past Snape."
"And how do you even know the dog bit him on Halloween?" Hermione argued. "Or that he was trying to get past it? Maybe he just went to feed it. Has it ever occurred to you that the dog needs something to eat too?"
"More like someone than something," Ron said grimly. "And if it was all so innocent, why didn't he go to Madam Pomfrey? She could probably have healed his leg in no time. That means he's got something to hide."
"For your information, wounds caused by magical creatures aren't so easy to heal," Hermione informed them in a matter-of-fact tone. "It's not like treating an ordinary broken bone or a scratch."
That brought the argument to a dead end. Harry and Ron remained convinced that Snape had been trying to get his hands on whatever the three-headed dog was guarding. Hermione still thought they were jumping to conclusions, although even she had begun to have her doubts.
***
At last, the day of the match between Gryffindor and Slytherin arrived.
Hermione was about to watch a Quidditch match in person for the first time. The game itself still didn't seem worth much attention to her, but Harry would be playing today. Besides, just the day before, she'd found another reason to want Gryffindor to win.
She and Harry had run into Elliot Grimm and several other Slytherins in the corridor. They were talking animatedly about the upcoming match and, judging by what they were saying, had no doubt whatsoever that their house would win.
Hermione immediately felt uneasy. Harry was already visibly nervous about his first match, and running into a group of cocky Slytherins was the last thing he needed. She wasn't particularly keen on getting into another argument with Elliot herself, either. But she had no intention of turning around and running away. The last thing she wanted was for Grimm to think she was afraid of him.
She quickened her pace and tugged Harry by the hand, hoping to slip past them. But just then, Elliot spotted her.
"So, ready for Gryffindor's humiliating defeat?" he called out.
Harry, already pale with nerves, looked at him warily. He didn't know Elliot, but over the past few days he'd become ready to see a bad omen in practically anything to do with Quidditch.
"We'll see about that," Hermione snapped without stopping. "You can be sure you're in for a surprise."
"A surprise? Interesting. And where did you find it this time? Another stupid amulet from some dusty shop in Diagon Alley?"
Hermione's cheeks flushed. Elliot had made it quite clear at the very first Relicium meeting what he thought of her interest in amulets.
"Maybe," she called back over her shoulder. "You'll see for yourself during the match."
Gripping the bewildered Harry's hand tightly, she hurried away, pulling him along even faster.
"Well, look at that. I was wrong," Elliot said to his friends, loud enough for Hermione to hear. "Gryffindor does have a strategy after all. Those ancient, useless trinkets will make defeat a little easier to swallow."
The Slytherins burst out laughing. Hermione let out a breath but said nothing. As soon as they turned the corner, Harry asked,
"What amulets is he talking about? Have you really found something for me?"
She shook her head.
"Don't pay any attention to him. He's just trying to get under our skin."
That had been yesterday. Now Hermione was sitting in the stands among the Gryffindor supporters. She was doing her best to follow the game. The match itself turned out to be far more impressive than she had expected. The players raced around above the pitch on their broomsticks at tremendous speed, made sharp turns, dodged Bludgers and still somehow managed to pass the Quaffle accurately to one another. It certainly took excellent reflexes, agility and a great deal of practice. But Hermione couldn't shake the thought that all this skill was being put to use simply to chase one ball around and dodge two others. She shook her head in disbelief.
Still, however pointless Hermione found Quidditch itself, she kept a close eye on Harry. She kept picking him out among the players darting about above the pitch, so she noticed immediately when his broom suddenly jerked violently to one side.
Frightened cries rose from the stands. The broom bucked again, nearly throwing Harry off, and a moment later it flipped upside down. He clung to the handle with both hands, desperately trying to hold on.
Hermione's stomach clenched. This was nothing like simply losing control of a broom. Something was wrong with it. Hermione snatched the binoculars from Hagrid, who was sitting beside her, and scanned the Slytherin stand first. Almost everyone there was watching Harry. Some were shouting, others talking to the people beside them. With so many faces, it was impossible to tell who was merely watching and who might be responsible for what was happening.
Hermione bit her lip. How could she find whoever was doing this? Then Harry's words suddenly came back to her: 'Snape was trying to get past the three-headed dog.' She turned the binoculars towards the teachers' stand and found the Potions teacher.
He sat with his eyes fixed on Harry, his lips moving constantly. Hermione went cold.
"I knew it!" she blurted out.
Harry's broom jerked again, drawing more frightened cries from the crowd. There was no time to think. Hermione jumped to her feet and rushed along the row towards the teachers' stand. She had to practically force her way through the spectators. Everyone had forgotten about the match and was now watching Harry, who was clinging to his wildly bucking broom for dear life.
As she hurried towards Snape, Hermione collided with Professor Quirrell and knocked him off his feet. He went flying forwards and fell between the seats in the row ahead. Hermione didn't even stop to apologise.
When she reached the teachers' stand, she glanced at Snape again. His eyes were still fixed on Harry, and he was whispering something without pause. Hermione tightened her grip on her wand and hesitated. Breaking a school rule was one thing, but casting a spell against a teacher was quite another. Every part of her rebelled at the thought of such a blatant breach of the rules, but another frightened cry from the stands forced her to act.
She pointed her wand at the edge of his robes and cast the spell. The fabric burst into bright flames. Snape jolted in his seat and finally looked away from Harry. Hermione immediately put out the flames and, taking advantage of the commotion, hurried to lose herself in the crowd.
By the time she returned to her seat, it was all over. Harry had regained control of his broom and had somehow even managed to catch the Snitch, winning the match for Gryffindor. The stands erupted in applause and cheers. But Harry himself had no chance to join in the celebrations. As soon as he touched the ground, Hermione, Ron and Hagrid hurried him away to the gamekeeper's hut.
Before long, Harry was sitting in Hagrid's hut, clutching a cup of hot tea.
"It was Snape!" Ron burst out once they'd settled down. "Hermione and I saw him. He was cursing your broomstick. He kept muttering, and he wouldn't take his eyes off you."
"Rubbish!" Hagrid protested. "Why would Snape do somethin' like that?"
"There's a reason," Harry interrupted. "I found out something about him. He tried to get past that three-headed dog at Halloween. It bit him. We think he was trying to steal whatever it's guarding."
Hagrid stared at them in such astonishment that he seemed to have forgotten everything else Harry had said.
"How do you know about Fluffy?"
"Fluffy?" Now it was Harry's turn to be surprised.
"Yeah – he's mine…"
'Fluffy. What a lovely little dog,' Hermione thought. She already knew about Hagrid's fondness for dangerous creatures, but until now she had never imagined that a three-headed dog the size of a small house could be one of his pets. Just then, Hagrid raised his voice, and she turned her attention back to the conversation. It was obvious that he was already regretting having mentioned Fluffy at all.
"Now, don't ask me any more," he said with a frown. "That's top secret, that is."
"But Snape's trying to steal it," Harry insisted.
"Rubbish!" Hagrid snapped. "Snape's a Hogwarts teacher. He'd do nothin' of the sort."
Not so long ago, Hermione herself had defended Snape using almost exactly the same arguments. Now, though, Hagrid's reasoning didn't seem nearly as convincing.
"So why did he just try and kill Harry?" she shouted. "I know a jinx when I see one, Hagrid. I've read all about them! You've got to keep eye contact, and Snape wasn't blinking at all, I saw him!"
"I'm tellin' yeh, yer wrong!" Hagrid was clearly starting to lose his temper with them. "I don't know why Harry's broom acted like that, but Snape wouldn' try an' kill a student! Now listen to me, all three of yeh – yer meddlin' in things that don' concern yeh. You forget that dog, an' you forget what it's guardin', that's between Professor Dumbledore an' Nicolas Flamel."
"Aha!" Harry exclaimed. "So there's someone called Nicolas Flamel involved, is there?"
From the look on Hagrid's face, Hermione knew at once that he'd let something slip. The gamekeeper seemed to realise it at exactly the same moment. After that, the conversation quickly came to an end, and before long all three of them found themselves outside his door.
'He probably decided to get rid of us before we could pry any more secrets out of him,' Hermione thought with a twinge of frustration.
***
The first snow had dusted the ground and the trees of the Forbidden Forest. Now and then, the sun broke through the clouds, making the snow sparkle with countless tiny points of light and the ice on the branches shimmer with all the colours of the rainbow.
Hermione, Harry and Ron followed Hagrid along a narrow path, gradually making their way deeper into the forest. Almost complete silence surrounded them, broken only by the soft crunch of snow beneath their feet. Bare tree trunks stretched away into the distance, and only occasionally did the faint shape of some small animal appear among them. Despite the Forbidden Forest's sinister reputation, Hermione found it surprisingly beautiful and peaceful.
"I told Starry yeh'd be comin' with me," Hagrid said, breaking the silence.
Starry was the name he had given the female unicorn he was keeping hidden in the Forbidden Forest after her treatment. Hermione had almost stopped being surprised by the way Hagrid talked about animals as though they could understand every word he said.
"How did you look after her, Hagrid? It must have been difficult."
"Difficult, yeah, it was," Hagrid replied. "But I got straight ter work once I brought her back from the hospital. Unicorns need really clean water, an' they won't eat just anythin', either. Found Starry a good spot in the forest, not far from here. No one'll bother her there. Fed her special herbs an' berries, the sort unicorns like, yeh see."
There was unmistakable pride in Hagrid's voice.
"And she wasn't afraid of you at all?" Hermione continued.
"Well, she was a bit wary at first… that she was," Hagrid replied warmly. "But she got used ter me. I used ter feed her by hand when she couldn't walk on her own. An' Starry turned out ter be a clever one, too. Soon worked out I was only tryin' ter help her."
"And how is she now?" Harry asked. "Has she recovered completely?"
"Completely!" Hagrid smiled with satisfaction. "Stronger an' healthier than ever. By the way, did yeh know unicorns bring good luck? An' they say even just havin' one around can cure all sorts o' illnesses! How about that?"
"They bring good luck?" Harry repeated sceptically.
"That's what they say," Hagrid replied good-naturedly. "Unicorns are pure, gentle creatures. Even just seein' one is a stroke o' good luck. An' if one lets yeh come close enough ter stroke it, well, then yeh can expect a whole lot o' happiness. That's how it is."
After a short pause, Hagrid added with a smile,
"An' soon we'll have even more happiness around here… How many little ones d'yeh reckon Starry's goin' ter have?"
"According to the books, unicorns rarely have more than one foal," Hermione replied. Before setting off into the forest, she had managed to read everything she could find about unicorns in the library.
"Shame…" Hagrid sighed. "But yer probably right."
They fell silent again. As the path led deeper into the forest, the trees grew thicker, and less and less light found its way through the bare winter branches.
"How much further have we got to go?" Ron asked, looking around nervously. "We're not even supposed to go into the Forbidden Forest."
"Don't yeh worry, yer with me," Hagrid reassured him. "We're nearly there, anyway. Just wait here a mo'. I'll go an' see her on me own first, make sure everythin's all right."
Hagrid stepped off the path and soon disappeared behind the bushes. Harry, Ron and Hermione were left alone. Ron was clearly not happy about this. Hermione, too, found herself glancing around nervously.
Suddenly, a rustling sound came from the opposite direction to the one Hagrid had taken, and a shadowy figure moved among the bushes. Harry, Ron and Hermione drew their wands almost at the same time, peering tensely into the undergrowth. A few seconds later, the branches stirred, and a large animal emerged from among the trees.
At first, Hermione thought it was a deer. But as soon as the creature stepped into the light, she realised it was no ordinary deer. Enormous white antlers spread out in an intricate pattern, resembling a frozen snowflake. Its back and neck were covered in dazzling white fur, which gradually darkened further down, giving way to the familiar brown of a deer along its sides and legs.
The creature stopped and turned its head towards them. Its eyes sparkled in the sunlight like diamonds. Hermione stared at the strange deer, unable to look away, and suddenly felt a shiver run through her. At first, she thought she was simply cold, but the chill was growing stronger by the second. It seeped through her robes, crept beneath her clothes and began to stiffen her arms and legs.
Hermione tightened her grip on her wand, but her fingers were barely responding. Beside her, Ron was breathing heavily. She had to do something, but even that simple thought was becoming difficult to form. The world around her seemed to be slowing down and growing quieter, while the cold gripped her body ever more tightly.
Then, suddenly, the animal turned away. A few moments later, its white antlers disappeared among the trees. Hermione drew a sharp breath, as though coming out of a trance. Almost at once, the cold began to fade, leaving her trembling all over.
"Looks like yeh've met a Snowcorn," came a voice from behind them.
All three spun round. Ron let out a frightened yelp, and Hermione only just stopped herself from casting a spell, realising at the last moment that it was Hagrid.
"H-Hagrid, damn y-you…" Harry gasped, still shivering from the cold.
"Eh? Wha' was that?" Hagrid asked, not having caught his words.
"I… er… w-wanted to ask wh-what that was." Harry rubbed his hands together and shifted from foot to foot, trying to warm up. "I suddenly felt t-terribly c-cold."
"Ahhh… That'd be him," Hagrid explained. "Snowcorns give off cold all around 'em. They say their antlers were made by winter itself, fancy that! An' wherever one turns up, yeh can expect a bitter frost."
He looked towards the spot where the animal had disappeared.
"They don't often come near people. Even among wizards, not many have ever seen a Snowcorn. An' that's a good thing, mind yeh. Stay near one too long, an' yeh could freeze ter death."
"We noticed," Ron muttered.
"Doesn't the cold affect you?" Hermione asked, still rubbing her frozen fingers. "And why did it run away from you?"
"Well… er… there's not much that affects me, really," Hagrid replied. "An' as fer why it ran off, well, it ran off. Probably 'cause I'm so big, that's all."
"How come not much affects you?" Harry asked at once.
Hagrid suddenly looked uncomfortable.
"That's none o' yer business… Come on, then. Starry's waitin' fer us."
Still talking about their encounter with the Snowcorn, the three friends followed Hagrid. After making their way through the undergrowth, they emerged into a small clearing covered in soft, white snow. Tall spruce trees surrounded the clearing on all sides, and the crisp, frosty air carried the scent of their needles.
Starry was nowhere to be seen. It was only when they had almost reached the middle of the clearing that something suddenly stirred at the far edge. A white head rose from the snow, and a unicorn looked warily at the newcomers. Until then, Starry had blended almost perfectly into the snow. Even her frost-covered horn could easily have been mistaken for a large icicle from a distance.
"Wow!" Ron breathed, spellbound.
Starry really was a beautiful sight. But she clearly didn't appreciate Ron's admiring cry. She grew wary, got to her feet and began slowly backing towards the trees. Her rounded belly was clearly visible even from a distance, and it looked as though her foal would be born very soon.
"Starry, Starry, don't yeh be scared, it's only me," Hagrid said hurriedly. "An' I've brought the kids with me. I told yeh about 'em already, remember? This here's Hermione. She's the one who helped find yeh. Told McGonagall where they were keepin' yeh, she did. See?"
It seemed Starry had recognised Hermione too. She stopped backing away and looked straight at her. Hermione remembered that look. Last time, it had been filled with fear and an almost desperate plea for help. Now it was calm, but just as hard to look away from. After a few moments, Starry lowered her head slightly. Hermione froze. Somehow, she was sure the unicorn was thanking her.
"There yeh go… See? She's recognised yeh," Hagrid said quietly. "Go on, then. Go over ter her. Slowly, mind. Don't frighten her. I reckon she'll let yeh come close. An' you two," he added, turning to Harry and Ron, "stay where yeh are an' keep quiet. Unicorns don't much care fer men. Or boys, fer that matter."
Hermione took a careful step forwards. Then another. With every step, she expected Starry to grow wary and run away, but the unicorn stayed where she was. At last, Hermione was close enough to touch her and slowly held out her hand. Her fingertips brushed the soft mane. The unicorn's body tensed for a moment. Hermione froze, afraid to make the slightest movement. But Starry didn't pull away, and after a few seconds, she relaxed again.
Hermione gently ran her hand along Starry's mane. And suddenly, nothing else seemed to matter. A wonderful sense of peace came over her, as though the touch had swept away all the worries, hurt feelings and thoughts that had seemed so important only a short while ago. For once, she didn't even feel her usual urge to understand why it was happening. Hermione simply stood beside the unicorn, stroking her. The quiet, snow-covered clearing, the white mane beneath her hand, Starry's steady breathing. It was as though nothing else existed.
"I reckon that's enough fer a first visit," Hagrid said quietly.
His voice brought Hermione back to herself. She had no idea how long she'd been standing there. Perhaps only a few seconds. Perhaps much longer. Reluctantly, she ran her fingers along Starry's mane one last time, then lowered her hand and stepped back. She had the strange feeling that she had just been pulled out of a fairy tale and returned to the ordinary world.
She gave the unicorn one last smile and rejoined the others. Ron was watching her with undisguised envy.
They walked in silence for a long while on the way back. It was only when Hagrid's hut came into view that Ron finally spoke.
"That was beautiful!"
"Yes! Amazing!" Hermione replied at once. "Just like a fairy tale!"
Hagrid smiled with satisfaction.
"Aye… Not everyone gets ter see a unicorn. An' as fer touchin' one… well, not many get that chance."
Back at the castle, the three friends sat in the common room for a long time, all talking at once as they recalled everything that had happened in the forest. Late that evening, Hermione went up to her dormitory, still in high spirits. She climbed into bed and thought again of Starry, the snowy clearing, and Harry and Ron. What an amazing day. A real adventure. And her best friends by her side. With that thought, Hermione fell asleep almost at once, never noticing that the amulet resting against her chest was glowing brighter and brighter.