Valentine’seyesdartedtoMalfoyashesaid,“Afewweeksago,ofourse!YoudroppedyourloakroomtiketatClubBezemkas.Thegossipolumnsallreportedthatyoustayedhere.Anyway,mynameisValentinedeRusso,I’mthehotelmanager.Ifyou’reinEdinburghagain,Iwouldlovetoofferyouaroomforyourtrip.Onthehouse.”

Malfoynarrowedhiseyesandfakedasmile.“Yes,wehadsuhalovelytime,”hepurred.“Wewouldappreiateitifweouldhavethesameroomonthefourteenthfloor.Ithadsuhabeautifulview,didn’titHarry?”

“Er—”Harryhadbarelybeenpayingattention.AllheouldthinkaboutwasstoppinghimselffromtaklingValentinetothegroundandarrestinghimforMarwanZivantus’murderandBertrie’skidnapping.AvoieinhisheadthatsoundedsuspiiouslylikeMalfoy’spointedoutthatMarwanhadn’tevenbeenmurderedyet.“Yes,”Harryagreedfinally.“Itwasanieroom.”

“Well,letmeseeifweangetyoubakinthatroom,”Valentineledthemtotheounter.Heshuffledbehindandsiftedthroughsomeparhments.“Whatroomnumberwasit?”

Harrypaled.He’dneverlookedatthenumber.Heknewexatlywhereitwasbutheouldn’teventhinkofwhatthenumberhadbeen.Merlin,hereallyhadmadeaterriblehotelporter.

“1409,”Malfoysaid.

Valentinenodded.“It’savaible,”hefurrowedhisbrow.“We’lljusthavetomoveafewthingsaround.Andwhatolorswouldyoulikedispyed,MisterPotter?GryffindorRed?”

“Green,”Harrysaid,justasMalfoyanswered,“Blue.”TheyturnedandgredateahotherandthenHarryrealizedtheroomhadbeendeoratedingreenandblue.“Both,”hefinallysaidbutkepthisgazetrainedonMalfoy.

“Fantasti,”Valentinesnappedhisfingersandthespellkeyappearedinhishand.“Hereyougo,MisterPotter.Thehouseelvesshouldhaveitdeoratedbythetimeyougetupthere.Please,ifyouneedanything,donothesitatetoask.”

Harryturnedbaktohimandfshedafakesmile.“Thanks,Valenio,”Harrysaidandwalkedaway,hisjawlenhingsohardhethoughtitmightbreak.HeandMalfoydidn’tspeakastheywaitedfortheliftandwentuptotheroom.

HermionesatoutsideRon’soffieintheDMLEignthevariouspeoplewhogawkedather.StillintheridiulousChristmasjumper,shefoundherselfbothtooexhaustedtomoveandtoobusyrelivingtheeventsoftheday.Notonlythat,butshestillhadn’theardfromRonanditwaswellafterthreeinthem.

AftertheEdinburghaurorstookovertheseneinHaddington,Hermionemadesuretheotherswerealright.Theywereolletivelyinshok,mostlythattheirpnhadworkedbutalsobeauseabsolutelynothinghadgonewrong.BertriewassafeandsoundandParkinsonseemedtosoftenwitheverypassingminuteintheyounggirl’spresene.Pansy’sreliefwasalmostontagiousuntilLunamentionedHarryandDrao.

“Whatevertheydid,itworked,”Pansysaid.ShewinkedatHermione,“Evenifwedidmostofit.”ThenIgoraandanotheroffiial,AurorPhillips,apparatedwithPansyandBertrietotheEdinburghMainOffieandHermionewasleftwithanaddledaMLaggen,andLuna,whoappearedtobesettlingherarrawithoneoftheSolstieFae.Thesmallwingedmanglitteredbrightinthedarkness,andjudgingbyLuna’sinreasingfrown,seemedtodriveaveryhardbargain.

MLaggenorderedHermionetoomebaktotheMinistryandtoherowndismay,shedidsowithoutprotest.Afterall,shehadpromisedIarusSabletonshe’domebakandworkonPandora.Shethoughtmaybeshe’dhaveamomenttobreathe,andmaybeamomenttoexpinthingstoRon.

““Mione?”

Sheboltedupfromthebenhandtookinthesightoftheloveofherlife.Sheouldn’thelpthergesighthatesapedherandpulledRonintoafirmembrae.“Wherehaveyoubeen?I’vebeensoworried,Ron.”

“Itoldyou—”hestartedandpulledbaktolookather.“Anyway,it’salrightnow.I’vejustgotinfromtheEdinburghoffie.”

Hermioneblinked.“Whatwereyoudoingthere?”

Rontitledhishead,aproudsmileonhisfae.“Iapprehendedoneofthekidnappers.Theonethatgotaway,apparently.IgoraStramitzgavemealoosesummaryofwhatyoudid.”Ron’sgazeshinedwithawe.“Blimey,Hermione,Iknewifanyoneouldpullitoff,it’dbeyou.”

“ButRon,howdidyoufindthekidnapper?Stramitzsaidthefiguredisapparatedbeforetheyouldevenidentifythem.”

“Ihatetosayit,“Mione,butIowemostofittoMalfoy.”Ronopenedthedoortohisoffieandledherinside.Takingoffhisrimsonaurorrobes,hepointedtohishestandtheChudleyons1892ChampionsT-shirt.“Andthislukything,”hesmiled.

Hermionebithertongue.Shewastootiredtodealwithhiskofself-awareness.Ronwasonvinedhisfavoriteshirtwasthereasonhe’dfinishedsomanyasessuessfully.He’dsmile,“WherewouldIbewithoutit?”AndHermionewouldshovesomethinginhermouthorhangethesubjet.Inthepast,whenshe’dpointoutthattheshirtwasworthless,thatitwasRon’sbrilliantmindandhisownabilitiesthatwerethereasonforhissuess,Ronwouldgetmad.He’dblush,stammer,andendupbelittlingtheahievementshe’djustbeensothrilledaboutseondsbefore.HermionelikedtothinkofitasGoldenTrioSyndrome.RonseemedtoompareeveryoneofhisvariousaomplishmentstoHarryorHermione’sgreatestaomplishments.

AspainfulasitwasforhertoletRon’sallousdisregardforhimselfgounanswered,shehadthevaguesuspiionthatsoonhewouldn’tbeabletoignorehisownbrilliane.Soonhe’dberewardedandthewholeMinistry,thewholeoftheWizardingWorld,wouldknowwhatshe’dalwaysknowntobetrue.Andshehopedmaybethenthisamazingmanwouldfinallybelieveit.

“Atfirst,Itriedtorundownsomeof

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