Hermione's Secret Diary-Year 4

[Kiara Johnson]

thnx for the story.  Can't wait to read more.   :)

[Lily_Evans]

It makes me so happy when I can do something nice for somebody, and it makes me even happier when it gets noticed. I mean, of course Neville noticed, they were his fingernails, and of course he said "Thanks, Hermione, you're the greatest," like he always does. But Ron and Harry just sat and watched me clean him up, and then, when Neville went off upstairs, Harry said, "Where'd you learn that one, Hermione? We haven't gotten to it in Charms, have we?" I said no, and then told them about last year, when I had all that ink under my nails from all that extra class work. I told them how I'd gone and gotten help from Professor Flitwick so I could keep clean. Ron shook his head and said, "You know, I reckon you work harder than anybody in this school, and still you come up with time to do stuff like that. I'll never know how."

And now I feel warm all over, and my stomach's jumpy.... and I can't look at him. I'm not in the mood to tell you what I've discovered about elves, if you don't mind.

I don't mind.

I was going to go upstairs and work on elf rights, but now I just want to stay down here with.... my friends.

Well you don't have to write just now – why don't you go talk with him?

I don't really want to talk, I just want to sit by him, and I guess I'll write awhile because I don't know what to do with my hands. But I don't really have anything to write, either.... Gwen.... I'm just losing it. That's what this feels like.

I know.

I swear there are a million pins and needles sticking into me and he didn't even really do anything.... I just can't make myself sensible... I should just go to bed, but I can't bring myself to go upstairs– tell me something, tell me a story, distract me!

Well... there's always... would you like me to teach you a powerful spell?

Oh, yes, please, teach me something. That's the best distraction ever. What spell?

A very distracting spell. Amora Primus. Have you heard of it?

No! Tell me, tell me.

Very few people have heard of it – it's a powerful invocation – it only works under the rarest of circumstances, and it was only performed successfully once during my lifetime.

What kind of spell is it?

Roughly translated, the spell means "First Love".

Gwe - en!!!! You're never going to distract me that way....

Shall I stop?

NO!

All right then. You've heard in fairy stories, I suppose, of the magic power of Love's First Kiss?

Yes, in Sleeping Beauty and Snow White and things. The prince comes along, and.... Gwen. You're not going to tell me that's real?

Amora Primus is the spell behind the legend. It's the most forceful of the four basic kissing spells. The other three are rubbish in comparison – child's play – the kind of seducing spells that don't mean anything in matters of the heart. This one only reveals what already exists, and the only opportunity to perform it comes at the moment of a lover's near-death.

Oh! How does it work?

Well, suppose a witch's true love lies unconscious and perishing – suppose that help is too far off, and it's almost certain the man will die in moments. That is when the witch can place her wand-hand over his heart and invoke "Amora Primus" just before kissing him. If the invocation is successful, her kiss will restore him to life.

However.

It only works once. Once you have uttered "Amora Primus" with magic behind it, it will lose its meaning, and you can never perform it again. So it's imperative that you choose the moment wisely- this is one reason it's rarely performed, people are afraid to waste their chance. Also, you must be absolutely certain that the person who lies dying is your one true love – your only match. If he is not, then the spell will go into reverse.

You mean –

Instead of restoring the man, he will be killed instantaneously – this is the other reason it's almost never used. People are afraid to hasten their sweethearts' deaths. They're also afraid to find out that the person they think they love is not their one and only mate.

Ohhhhh.... that's amazing, Gwen.... but then if it succeeds, you know beyond all doubt that the man is your only match.... how roman tic....

Yes, it is. It's the most romantic spell on record, if you ask me.

And does it work only for women, or can men perform it, too?

It can be performed by either witch or wizard. Any other questions?

Yes, one more thing. Who was the one person in your lifetime that accomplished it properly?

It was I myself.

You!!

Yes. That was the day – that was the day that Lancelot discovered I was a witch – and all my fears were quelled, because I thought he would hate me when he found out.

Oh – oh, what happened?

We were... it was... well, that's another story.

No it isn't!

Oh, yes it is. Some other time. Period.

Oh, all right... but how brave you were – you risked it when no one else would! and it worked, so you really knew that he was your.... oh, Gwen, what a wonderful spell!

It was quite a moment. Have I sufficiently distracted you?

Well, you've certainly given me something to think about... Can I tell it to Ginny?

Certainly. I think people ought to know what their options are, in the event of an accident. Just warn her of the consequences of using it out of turn. I'm sure you two will be the only girls to know about this spell in all of Britain. It's ancient magic, and probably long out of practice. I'm not sure. We were all taught it in my day, but I haven't heard it referred to in at least two hundred years.

Goodness, two hundred years – OW!

What's wrong?

Ron just kicked me in the shoe! Hang on a minute.

[Kiara Johnson]

Yea!!!  oo that's a cool spell.   :)

[Lily_Evans]

Unbelievable. He wants to know what the second ingredient is in a Dehydrating Potion, because we're supposed to write up a summary of the recipe before we try it in class.

"Honestly, Ron – you've got the book right in front of you!"

"Yeah, but what's the point of wasting time? You know it, don't you?"

"I'm not going to tell you if you can't look it up!"

"Well, we know who your friends are then, don't we?"

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You helped Neville with the toad guts."

"That's different!"

"How?"

"It just.... it just is!"

"How?"

"Well, it wasn't homework!"

"It was detention stuff, that's almost homework."

"You're impossible."

"Yeah, so what's the second ingredient? Come on, you're making this a lot harder than it has to be."

!!!!! Do you see what I have to put up with? I'm going to find Ginny, and tell her about Amora Primus. If I stay down here, my romantic mood will be entirely spoiled. Never mind, it already is.

Ah yes. Reality.

Gwen, your reality certainly sounds like it was a lot nicer.

Oh, Hermione. One day I'll tell you a story to make you eat your words.

Sure, fine. I'm going to tell Ginny that her brother is the most irritating person in all Britain.

Yes. Did you tell him the second ingredient?

Of COURSE not!

Good. Goodnight, my dear.

Goodnight.

[brian]

this is cool! welcome back!

[Lily_Evans]

Thanks!!!! I'll write more later... :)

[Kiara Johnson]

bump!!!

[Lily_Evans]

September 4

At last! I've finished the manifesto! Do you want to hear it?

The manifesto? What are you talking about?

Well, I need a statement, don't I? If I'm going to do what you said, and rally people to my side about elf rights, then I'll have to explain to them why it's so important, so I've written up a credo for the group. Our heading is, "Stop the Outrageous Abuse of Our Fellow Magical Creatures and Campaign for a Change in Their Legal Status". I've done it up on a sheet of parchment. Now all I've got to do is put the heading on fifty badges, but I'm going to leave that until tomorrow, as it's too late tonight. But would you like to hear the basic idea?

Yes, please.

All right. First I've written a summary of elf history – pretty much the same thing I told you the other day. And then I've written:

OUR SHORT TERM AIMS:

To secure house-elves fair wages
Obtain holiday and overtime compensation
Legalize a standard minimum wage
To secure house-elves fair working conditions
Introduce pension plans
Guarantee sick leave
Outlaw physical and verbal harassment in the workplace

OUR LONG TERM AIMS

Amend clause three of the Code of Wand Use, which states that "No non-human creature is permitted to carry or use a wand", to exclude the elf species.
Appoint an elf to the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures.
So, what do you think?

Very well thought out, I must say.

Thanks! I can't wait to show Harry and Ron tomorrow – when I'm all done with the badges and I've got a collecting tin, then I'll be able to move this project out of the library and into the houses. I'll charge two sickles to join the campaign – that'll fund the leaflets – and I'll make Ron treasurer and Harry secretary.

My only big worry is that Ron won't bother joining, since he thinks that elves are happy being stepped all over. But I'm not giving up on him, I know I can change his mind – if I just explain it, he'll come around.

And if he doesn't?

Why? Don't you think he will? He's got to have an ounce of sense in there somewhere – I'll find it – I'll make him. Anyway, he's treasurer, so he'd better get used to it. I can't do this all by myself, and I've helped the two of them on hundreds of things. Now I've just got one other little problem.

Which is?

Well, "Stop the Outrageous Abuse of Our Fellow Magical Creatures and Campaign for a Change in Their Legal Status" doesn't fit on the badges. I don't know how to shorten it. S.O.A.O.F.M.C.C.C.T.L.S. doesn't even fit on there.

It's also rather difficult to remember. What you need is a slogan. Something short, catchy and memorable. Can't you think of any other way to summarize your cause?

Er.... not off the top of my head. Maybe if I took out "Outrageous"?

Well, no. I was thinking, scratch the whole heading, and think of a completely different way to say it. Try to do it in five words or less.

Okay..... Stand Up for Elfish... no. Elves are People... no. Non-Human Rights... oh, Gwen, this is hard. Hang on.

Start it with something like, "Campaign for the..." or "The _______ Society of _______". Think about it. Just mull it over, and you'll come up with something.

Well I have to come up with it by tomorrow after dinner, that's when I'm doing the badges. But all right, I'll see what I can come up with. "Society for the ______." I like that. "Society." All right, that's a good start – thanks, Gwen.

Anytime. Let me know what you come up with.

I will, tomorrow! 'Bye, Gwen!

[Kiara Johnson]

lol-bump!!

[Lily_Evans]

Thanks!

**

5

Brats, they're both brats. I can't believe they're calling it "spew". It's S – P – E - W. S.P.E.W. Not "spew". I should have known they'd be immature – Lavender's right, Ron can't be serious about anything important, and I don't even have time to be mad about it because Sirius is coming back and now I'm too worried for him and for Harry to get angry about S.P.E.W.

Slow down! I'm way behind – S.P.E.W.?

Yes, I managed to do it – it's the slogan – Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare. S.P.E.W. Isn't that perfect? And it fits on the badges, and it's great. If they wouldn't call it "spew" it would be even better. Why must everything important be reduced to a joke with them?

Well... the letters do spell spew.

Hmph!

I'm sorry, Hermione, but... well... what do you want me to say?

So what if they spell spew? What does it matter, when it stands for something real?

It's just that people are going to have a hard time wanting to wear badges that say spew.

S – P – E – W!!!!!

Right. Sorry. But you understand what I'm saying, don't you? It has nothing to do with you – I know you're mature enough to wear your.... unfortunate acronym. But can't you put something else on the badges?

No, they're all done! Oh, I could just scream.

Don't scream. Calm down, it's going to be all right, you'll be fine, it's only a name, and people will get over it. I'm sure you'll be able to convince everyone that it's the effort toward freedom that really counts for something. I know you will. You've worked very hard, and I'm proud of you.

Hmph.

Really, Hermione. It'll be all right.

Yes, it had better be. I'll make everyone see. They have to see. It's too much, going to meals three times a day and knowing that all the time, underneath the floors, these poor creatures are being taken advantage of, and I'm a part of that – oh, Gwen, it's so rotten.

You'll help change it. Look what you did for Buckbeak! You're a champion of the less-fortunate, I have utter faith in your ability to make a change.

Thank you, Gwen. You're always such a comfort.

I hope so. Now, back to that other thing you said – Sirius is coming back?

Yes. Remember Harry wrote him about his scar hurting? Well Hedwig finally came back with the reply today. Sirius said that Harry's scar is the latest in a series of unsettling reports that have reached him, and he's coming back and going into hiding nearer to Hogwarts – we don't know where – but close enough that he can be on hand if something happens. Harry's furious – he thinks now Sirius will be caught, and it'll be all his fault for complaining that his scar hurt. He's terrified of losing his godfather, now that he's finally found him. I would be, too. I wish Sirius would stay in hiding far away... but then I also think it's good that he's coming, because I don't feel right about all the funny things that've happened – like the Dark Mark and the Death Eaters.

And Harry's scar.

Yes, and Harry's scar. It's like a direct link to all these other things, and it scares me. Sirius said for Harry to go to Mad-Eye Moody if it hurts again. He said that since Professor Moody's here, he'll be reading the Dark magic signs, even if nobody else is. That's what Professor Moody used to do, as an Auror - and he was one of the best Aurors ever. They say that half the cells in Azkaban are full because of him. I believe it, now that we've had class with him. What a nightmare of a lesson he gave us today, Gwen. He frightened everybody.

Why? What did he do to you?

Nothing to us. It's what he did to these three spiders. He performed the Unforgivable Curses on them. First he put the Imperius Curse on one and made it do tricks, everyone was laughing – and then he said, "You'd like it, would you, if I did it to you?" Everyone got very still. No, we certainly would NOT. That's the curse those Death Eaters were using to contort the Muggle family in the sky, at the World Cup. That would be perfectly awful. It gave me the shivers – Gwen, I hope... nobody ever tries that on me.

They'd better not.

Yes. Then Professor Moody took out the second spider, engorged it to the size of a large hand, and put the Cruciatus Curse on it. It crumpled into itself – it looked like it would have screamed if it had a voice. It was awful to watch – and it really disturbed Neville. He was white and clenched – I haven't seen Neville look like that since last year, when that dementor came into our compartment on the Hogwarts Express. He was completely undone, just watching the spider get tortured. He's very sensitive.

But the worst was last – Professor Moody asked if any of us knew the third curse and I said yes. Avada Kedavra. Everybody flinched. And then Professor Moody pulled out the last spider....

Avada Kedavra – it's just a couple of words and a flash of green light. And that's... it. Dead. Harry just stared. That's how his mum and dad were murdered, just like that, just that fast. How awful for him to see a creature die just the way they did. I was watching him, and watching the spider, and trying to imagine what he must be feeling – but I never can. It's hard to know, with Harry. He doesn't let on at all. Moody said to him after class, "It seems harsh maybe, but you've got to know. No point pretending." Harry just acted like he was perfectly fine. He always does.

Neville didn't though – he was truly disturbed, couldn't string a sentence together. After Moody had made sure of Harry, he took Neville to his office for tea. Neville looked pretty scared to go with him, but later on, he told us that Moody had given him "Magical Water Plants of the Mediterranean" to read, because he'd heard from Professor Sprout that Neville's really great in Herbology. It cheered Neville up a lot to hear that. He doesn't get a lot of compliments about his class work.

That was very sympathetic of Professor Moody.

Yes, it's something Professor Lupin would have done. I guess Moody's rather perceptive, what with that magical eye. It's so weird, that thing. It rolls around in the socket like a cue-ball and it can see through wood, and the back of his head, and everything – he scared Lavender by seeing through her desk and catching her looking at her Divination horoscope under there. I imagine he can see through the very walls.

Oh, no. Gwen. You don't suppose that eye of his can see through clothes!

I'm sure it absolutely canNOT.

Yes, you're right, Dumbledore would never let... still it seems like if he can see through wood.... you know what? I'm not ever going to think about that again. But I'll say once more that it would be highly appreciated if next year, Hogwarts hired a NORMAL PERSON TO TEACH US. Oh, I should just give up. I'll have freed every elf in the world before Dumbledore hires an ordinary witch or wizard.

Speaking of elves, do you know what Ron said? Aside from making fun of my badges and calling my organization "spew", he actually said, "Hermione, open your ears. They. Like. It. They like being enslaved." I mean, is he insane? He can't really think that! He's too smart to think that – I know he doesn't act like he's smart, but he is. Ugh, why won't he grow up?

Patience.

Are the elves supposed to have patience? Oh, never mind, it's been a long day and I'm worried about Harry and Sirius so I'm getting snippy. I have to go to bed. I'm starting my campaign tomorrow, and whether Ron and Harry like it or not they're going to wear these badges and canvass the other students. And if they won't help, then I'll do it by myself. See you later, Gwen. Goodnight.

[Kiara Johnson]

Bump!!

[_Lavender_]

I was hooked when I saw your title. Its a great story! Please continue!

[Lily_Evans]

I finally finished the whole story1 So here's some more:

September 5

I hope she's kidding. She doesn't really expect me to go around Hogwarts wearing a badge that says "spew", does she? I mean, that's like an invitation for people to puke on me, or something. For a smart girl, she can be really dense about people. Nobody's going to wear those things, even if they think she's right about those elves, which she isn't. If they wanted to get free, they'd fight and get free. If they wanted to get paid, they'd ask to get paid. What the hell is the matter with the elves here at Hogwarts anyway? I mean, they've got a place to live, haven't they? And they've got food, haven't they? That's room and board, isn't it? That's compensation – I know some jobs just pay room and board – Charlie's first internship in Romania was just room and board, I remember him griping about it – nobody said he was a slave. I don't know why this is even a problem for Hermione, I mean, why does she get so bottled up about everything? It's like she just has to find a reason to be uptight. First year it was "rules, rules, rules". Second year.... second year she was Petrified half the time, so I'll give her a free pass on that one. Third year it was that d**n Time-Turner and all those classes. And now she's got some free time in her life, so she's scheduled a giant crusade. Who DOES that? She needs to RELAX. She spends her free time learning new Charms and saving the bloody planet. It's my nightmare. And if I won't wear that badge – which I WON'T – then she's going to get all offended and act like I'm not really her friend...I hope Harry won't wear it either, then at least I won't have to put up with the guilt all alone.

Harry's not well. He's wishing he'd never told Sirius about his scar hurting – I'd be freaking out if I were him. Sirius is the only good thing that's ever happened to Harry – family wise, anyway. If Sirius gets caught and Kissed by some dementor, Harry'd be devastated. I wish he'd stay out west, or down south, or wherever he is. Coming back to Hogsmeade is just asking for it. I'm sure he'll be Padfoot, though. That helps, knowing he's got that Animagus thing. You know, I wonder how hard that would be. I think I'd like to be a hippogriff. A rampaging hippogriff – which, by the way, I'll be trampled by on September the..... sixteenth. Yes, it's going to be a very sorry month, I have to say. Tut tut for me. Trelawney's going to lap it up – Hermione was right about her. She's a right old fraud. Reckon she's never said anything nearing a prediction in her life – except maybe that one trance Harry saw. He said Dumbledore even believed that one. But she couldn't have been right about that, I mean, could she? You-Know-Who coming back? That's got to be wrong, I mean, that was all over thirteen years ago – he's not "rising again", not in my lifetime. Weird to think I was just a little kid and all that was happening. I was too little – I don't remember any of it. I don't want to know what it was like, either, thanks. Trelawney'd better be wrong.

Well I think I'll go up to bed. Done with the fake homework – Harry's already up there keeping to himself about Sirius, doesn't want to be talked to right now, I think. Don't blame him. He's feeling crappy. And Hermione's just gone up, after a big wordy insult about my "inability to see anything outside my frame of reference," and my "selfish disdain for the feelings of others." She reads too much. So there's nothing to do down here 'cept write, and I'll be hexed if I'm going to write for fun. Although Gred and Forge are doing something writey – what IS that? They've been two heads bent over parchment ever since the World Cup. They're up to something. I bet they're trying to bring back the Wheezes. Mum'll kill, but I hope they do it. I'd like to feed Malfoy a Ton Tongue Toffee and see him choke on his big ugly licker.

Oh yeah, and I have to say, Moody gets big points for doing those curses right in front of us even though the Ministry says not to. They were incredible. I've never seen them before, and I've been hearing about the Imperius one all my life – he says he's going to put it on us and let us try and fight it! I can't wait! He loses a few of his points, though, for using giant spiders as his examples. Man, that was sick.

[Lily_Evans]

September 6


Gwen, do you think it's ever all right to lie?

Honestly?

Ha ha.

Well... it's a difficult question. What do you mean by "lie"?

I mean lie. Or hold back the truth.

Did you lie about something?

Me? No! Harry did. He wrote Sirius and said he only imagined his scar hurting, because he wants Sirius to stay out of the country, where the dementors can't hurt him. But it was a lie – Harry's scar was hurting, and I think Sirius should know it, because he might be the only person that can help him.

But when I tried to say all that at breakfast, Ron said, "Drop it," in such a sharp tone that I actually dropped it. And then, in the quiet, I started thinking... maybe I was wrong. Or maybe I was right, but it just wasn't my place to say anything. So I just stayed quiet, and started thinking about that... and I realized I'm always concerned about other people's business, and maybe I shouldn't say so much about what I think.... but then I thought, no, if I know something's true, I shouldn't keep it back. But what do you think? Is that lying?

You do ask the most perplexing questions. I think.... I think, in this case, that Harry wasn't trying to lie so much as he was trying to protect his godfather. And I think that sometimes it's best to hold your tongue and let people decide a course of action for themselves, even if you believe them to be making the wrong choice.

But why, though? I only want to help Harry. I want him to be safe.

And yet, perhaps it isn't any of your business. Aren't there certain things you wouldn't want anyone else's opinion on? Things you feel you have a right to decide for yourself?

Yes....

Well, just as you'd want Harry to keep out of those issues, you ought to respect his right to choose on this one. He feels this is an area where he is the authority. And that's all right.

I suppose... that's true. After all, it's his godfather, and his scar... Well, I won't try and make him write anything else to Sirius. We can wait and see what Hedwig brings back. But I'm still going to keep an eye on him, and I'm still going to Dumbledore if his scar hurts him again.

All right, well, that's all I wanted to ask. I've got to go. I've got to study.

Well! I haven't heard that one in months!

I know. Actually I don't have too much homework, either. This year is a cinch so far.

Careful – it's only the end of the first week.

Exactly, we've had a whole week of classes, and do you know what I disagreeignment is over the weekend? To read up on ways to block the Imperius Curse. That's it. Professor Moody recommended that we begin trying to build up our inner resistance. It's supposed to be a very difficult curse to fight off. I want to start practicing.

Why, is there some danger of your being cursed?

According to Professor Moody, we're "all in danger all the time – there's those that know it, and take the necessary precautions.... and there's those that find out the hard way."

He said that?

Among other things. And he shouted "CONSTANT VIGILANCE!" at our class about twenty five times. I think he's a bit loony. Who knows – he might put the Imperius Curse on us right in class. He threatened he might. I mean, I can't imagine he actually would, because he's not allowed. It's an Unforgivable Curse – using it on a human being is grounds for life in Azkaban. I'm sure the Ministry would have a fit. In any case, I'd better go read up on it.

Yes, you'd better. Talk to you soon, then.

'Bye.

[Lily_Evans]

September 6

Just making a record of this day. This is the first day, in three years at Hogwarts, that Hermione Granger has listened to a single bloody word I've said. I told her to drop it this morning, and she dropped it. I just wanted to put this down in the history books, so I could look back and cherish the moment, in case it never happens again – which it probably never will.

Harry's preoccupied. I really hope he's all right. And I really hope Sirius is, too.