Fieldspak’sWonderousEpiphanyofAGreekMagi&Culturehadanentiresetiononthethhleaningandpurifiationproessofdises,theoften“troublesomeandeentri”aophonyofAGreianspells.Purimassetowaslistedthere,andshemust’veommittedittosomepartofhermemorywhenshe’dreadthebookthroughthefirsttimedaysago.Hermionedidn’tquestionit,butterwhentheyaskedwhyshehadpedtheurseinaesetake-awaybox,sheasuallyliedandsaidthesilverboxouldn’tbeusedtohousetheursesaseondtime.
Onebyone,theothersameinandHermioneastthesimplespelltoremovetheurse,untilfinally,onlyMalfoyremained.Heshowedupmidmtwodayster,asoftsmileonhislips.
“Ready?”Hermioneasked.Heraisedhisbrowandnodded,alookofuaintyonhisfae.“Itwillwork,”sheassuredhim.“Theothersareallbaktonormal.”
Hestaredbakather.“Wellgoaheadthen.”
“Purimasseto!”sheast.
Nothinghappened.
Sherepeatedthespell.
Again.
Andagain.
“Idon’tuand,”shepanikedandstaredbakandforthbetweenhimandthetakeawaybox.Hefollowedhergaze.
“Isthat—isthattake-awayfromaExpress?”
Hermionenarrowedhereyes.“Whyaren’tyouupset?Thespellisn’tw!Ian’treleaseyoufromtheurse!”
Draoturnedbakandsmiled,andHermionewassureshehadn’tbeensoperplexedinaverylongtime.“Youprobablyan’treleasemefromtheurse,”Draosaid,“beauseI’vealreadybeenreleasedofit.”
“What?”Hermioneried.“How?When?”
Draosmirked.“I’vehadalotoftimetothinkaboutit,butIthinkitwaswhenIfinallyaeptedmyFate,whenI’dfollowedthethreadsandtookmyrightfulpath.”
“Isee,”Hermionesaid,eventhoughshereallydidn’tuand.
“Oritould’vebeenwhenHarryfukedmeintothemattress,”headded.
Sheshrieked,“GETOUT!”
FifteendaysterwhentheMinistryhadgivenhertheOrderofMerlin,muhtoherdismay,shestillouldn’tlookDraoMalfoyintheeye.ShehadtokeepremindingherselfthatDraoandHarryhadbeenpushedtogether,notbyherErosmeddlings,orsomebizarretwistofFate,butbytherevolutionoftheself,theabilitytohange,andjudgingbytheoddoverheardoionhereandthere,aratherfriskyhousepnt.
TheChristmaseEarlyParty
“Ilookridiulous,”DraosaidunderhisbreathasPansyapproahedhim.“Ian’tbelieveIlefta—”hestoppedhimself“—aoneinalifetimeworkexperieneforthis.”TheARoomhadjumpedbakintofulltestingagainandafewoftheotherUnspeakableswerestedtoopenasealedurnfromagreatandaesewizardthatafternoon.