The Unbreakable Vow
Hogwarts prepares for Christmas, and Harry does his best to avoid giggling girls and mistletoe clumps. Ron now spends every evening kissing Lavender Brown who "seemed to regard any moment that she was not kissing Ron as a moment wasted." Ron and Hermione continue to ignore each other, while Harry and Hermione frequently study in the library together. Harry once again has found himself best friends with two people who are not speaking to each other.
Meanwhile, Harry continues doing well in Potions using the Prince's notes. In the library, Hermione warns him to be careful, but Harry says he has learned more from the Half-Blood Prince than from either Slughorn or Snape. But Hermione says she is referring to the girls who are infatuated with Harry—they might try to slip him a Love Potion. Filch has banned all Weasley's Wizards Wheezes items, but Love Potions aren't jinxes, curses, or concealment charms, so Secrecy Sensors won't find them, and simply putting them in perfume bottles will hide them from Filch. Romilda Vane is particularly determined to go to Slughorn's party with Harry. Hermione suggests that Harry invite someone to discourage the other girls.
Harry mentions Malfoy and the necklace again, but Hermione says the Secrecy Sensors would detect any powerful curse. Suddenly, Harry is clawed at by an outraged Madam Pince, the Librarian, who has seen writing in the Prince's Potions textbook. Harry and Hermione escape, and Harry wonders aloud if Pince and Filch have a relationship. Hermione is still angered by Harry's refusal to give up using the book.
In the Common room, Romilda Vane offers to share a Gillywater with Harry; catching a warning glance from Hermione, he quickly declines. Vane then pushes a box of chocolates on him (Chocolate Cauldrons with Firewhisky centers), which he takes and stashes unopened in his trunk.
The next day in Transfiguration, Ron accidentally gives himself a handlebar moustache, causing Hermione to laugh. In retaliation, Ron rudely imitates Hermione whenever she answers a question, finally sending her running off crying. Harry cannot wait to leave for the Burrow, hoping the distance will help heal Ron and Hermione's relationship. Harry, collecting Hermione's books at the bell, finds Hermione in a nearby bathroom, being comforted by Luna Lovegood. Hermione takes her things and leaves.
Luna tells Harry that Ron sometimes says funny things, but hurtful ones as well. Harry thinks Luna has a knack for telling unpleasant truths. Luna says she misses the D.A., as she felt she had friends there. She also says Ginny sticks up for her and stopped two boys from calling her "Loony." Harry decides to invite Luna to Slughorn's party—although he makes sure to say it is just as friends. Luna is surprised and quite happy, as nobody has ever invited her to a party before. Peeves suddenly appears hanging upside down from a chandelier and taunts, "Potty lurves Loony".
Soon, everyone knows Harry has invited Luna. At dinner, Ron rebukes Harry, telling him he could have asked anyone. Ginny scolds Ron and comments approvingly to Harry. Hermione is sitting alone, and Harry and Ron sit down some distance away from her. Soon, the other Gryffindor girls arrive and Lavender starts hugging Ron. Parvati and Hermione talk loudly about Slughorn's party; Hermione brightly comments that she is going with Cormac, and says she likes good Quidditch players, before leaving to get ready. Harry ponders the depths to which girls will sink to get revenge.
Luna wears silver-spangled robes to the party, eliciting giggles from some girls. Harry, relieved she is not wearing her Butterbeer-cork necklace or radish earrings, thinks she actually looks quite nice. He tells her a Vampire will be at Slughorn's party; Luna thinks he means Rufus Scrimgeour as the Quibbler was about to print a story that Scrimgeour is a vampire, but the Ministry quashed it. At the party, Slughorn introduces Harry to vampire expert, Eldred Worple, and his vampire friend, Sanguini. Worple offers to write Harry's biography; Harry declines, and makes a rapid escape as he has just noticed Hermione on her own. Hermione has just escaped McLaggen's attempts to take advantage of the mistletoe. She steers Harry and Luna to the refreshments table, where she can watch for his approach. Professor Trelawney is there, drinking. Snape is also present and Slughorn lets slip that Harry is a natural at Potions, just like his mother. Harry tells Slughorn that he is taking the required Auror subjects, after which Slughorn booms that Harry will make an excellent one. Luna then mentions a conspiracy theory about Aurors using Dark Magic and gum disease to take down the Ministry of Magic.
Harry is having a great time listening to Luna and Trelawney, when Malfoy is dragged in by Filch, who caught Draco gatecrashing. Slughorn laughs and reprimands him, but lets him stay, although Malfoy looks angry. When Snape asks for a private word with Malfoy, Harry excuses himself to go to the bathroom but instead eavesdrops on Snape and Malfoy. Snape probes Malfoy for information about Katie Bell, but Malfoy blocks him. Snape remarks that Malfoy's Aunt Bella must have been teaching him Occlumency. Snape knows Malfoy has been upstairs, working on some project. He offers to help, citing his Unbreakable Vow to protect him, but Malfoy says nothing and storms out, nearly hitting Harry under his Invisibility Cloak. Although Harry has been told Snape is a double agent working for the Order, what he has heard does not leave him any less mistrustful.
Meanwhile, Harry continues doing well in Potions using the Prince's notes. In the library, Hermione warns him to be careful, but Harry says he has learned more from the Half-Blood Prince than from either Slughorn or Snape. But Hermione says she is referring to the girls who are infatuated with Harry—they might try to slip him a Love Potion. Filch has banned all Weasley's Wizards Wheezes items, but Love Potions aren't jinxes, curses, or concealment charms, so Secrecy Sensors won't find them, and simply putting them in perfume bottles will hide them from Filch. Romilda Vane is particularly determined to go to Slughorn's party with Harry. Hermione suggests that Harry invite someone to discourage the other girls.
Harry mentions Malfoy and the necklace again, but Hermione says the Secrecy Sensors would detect any powerful curse. Suddenly, Harry is clawed at by an outraged Madam Pince, the Librarian, who has seen writing in the Prince's Potions textbook. Harry and Hermione escape, and Harry wonders aloud if Pince and Filch have a relationship. Hermione is still angered by Harry's refusal to give up using the book.
In the Common room, Romilda Vane offers to share a Gillywater with Harry; catching a warning glance from Hermione, he quickly declines. Vane then pushes a box of chocolates on him (Chocolate Cauldrons with Firewhisky centers), which he takes and stashes unopened in his trunk.
The next day in Transfiguration, Ron accidentally gives himself a handlebar moustache, causing Hermione to laugh. In retaliation, Ron rudely imitates Hermione whenever she answers a question, finally sending her running off crying. Harry cannot wait to leave for the Burrow, hoping the distance will help heal Ron and Hermione's relationship. Harry, collecting Hermione's books at the bell, finds Hermione in a nearby bathroom, being comforted by Luna Lovegood. Hermione takes her things and leaves.
Luna tells Harry that Ron sometimes says funny things, but hurtful ones as well. Harry thinks Luna has a knack for telling unpleasant truths. Luna says she misses the D.A., as she felt she had friends there. She also says Ginny sticks up for her and stopped two boys from calling her "Loony." Harry decides to invite Luna to Slughorn's party—although he makes sure to say it is just as friends. Luna is surprised and quite happy, as nobody has ever invited her to a party before. Peeves suddenly appears hanging upside down from a chandelier and taunts, "Potty lurves Loony".
Soon, everyone knows Harry has invited Luna. At dinner, Ron rebukes Harry, telling him he could have asked anyone. Ginny scolds Ron and comments approvingly to Harry. Hermione is sitting alone, and Harry and Ron sit down some distance away from her. Soon, the other Gryffindor girls arrive and Lavender starts hugging Ron. Parvati and Hermione talk loudly about Slughorn's party; Hermione brightly comments that she is going with Cormac, and says she likes good Quidditch players, before leaving to get ready. Harry ponders the depths to which girls will sink to get revenge.
Luna wears silver-spangled robes to the party, eliciting giggles from some girls. Harry, relieved she is not wearing her Butterbeer-cork necklace or radish earrings, thinks she actually looks quite nice. He tells her a Vampire will be at Slughorn's party; Luna thinks he means Rufus Scrimgeour as the Quibbler was about to print a story that Scrimgeour is a vampire, but the Ministry quashed it. At the party, Slughorn introduces Harry to vampire expert, Eldred Worple, and his vampire friend, Sanguini. Worple offers to write Harry's biography; Harry declines, and makes a rapid escape as he has just noticed Hermione on her own. Hermione has just escaped McLaggen's attempts to take advantage of the mistletoe. She steers Harry and Luna to the refreshments table, where she can watch for his approach. Professor Trelawney is there, drinking. Snape is also present and Slughorn lets slip that Harry is a natural at Potions, just like his mother. Harry tells Slughorn that he is taking the required Auror subjects, after which Slughorn booms that Harry will make an excellent one. Luna then mentions a conspiracy theory about Aurors using Dark Magic and gum disease to take down the Ministry of Magic.
Harry is having a great time listening to Luna and Trelawney, when Malfoy is dragged in by Filch, who caught Draco gatecrashing. Slughorn laughs and reprimands him, but lets him stay, although Malfoy looks angry. When Snape asks for a private word with Malfoy, Harry excuses himself to go to the bathroom but instead eavesdrops on Snape and Malfoy. Snape probes Malfoy for information about Katie Bell, but Malfoy blocks him. Snape remarks that Malfoy's Aunt Bella must have been teaching him Occlumency. Snape knows Malfoy has been upstairs, working on some project. He offers to help, citing his Unbreakable Vow to protect him, but Malfoy says nothing and storms out, nearly hitting Harry under his Invisibility Cloak. Although Harry has been told Snape is a double agent working for the Order, what he has heard does not leave him any less mistrustful.
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