The Importance of Intent: After the Credits

Booksmart - Part 1

September 19, 1997 10:30 p.m.

As she skulked

As she skulked through the corridors of Hogwarts Witchcraft and Wizardry under the invisibility cloak Daphne gained a new appreciation for her normal cloakmate.

"This is so cool!" her current cloakmate loudly proclaimed for what seemed like the millionth time, seemingly oblivious to the reason they were using the remarkable artifact in the first place.

"I swear if you don't shut up, I'm going to hex you and leave your body in an empty classroom," Daphne whispered in a much quieter voice.

"Stop overreacting," Tracey replied at the same unacceptably loud volume. "I can't help that I'm excited. This thing is amazing. Besides, no-one is going to catch us and even if they do McGonagall will- ow! Is that your wand?"

"I wasn't joking," Daphne whispered back as she dug her wand a bit further into Tracey's side. "Harry and I have never once come close to getting found out. I will never hear the end of it if I get caught with you doing this nonsense after everything we've set up."

"Okay, okay, you made your point," Tracey replied in a much quieter tone, "but the nonsense is going to be fun."

Daphne was glad Tracey did not see the smile of agreement on her face. "Well, we have to make it there safely first. So no more talking and put a silencing charm on those bottles..."

Fifteen minutes later they were standing in front of their destination. She quietly pulled out her coin and tapped out a message.

We're here. Please save me before this loud moron ruins everything.

Seconds later her coin warmed with Harry response.

On my way. Be nice to the moron.

"That is so cool, and I am NOT a moron" Tracey exclaimed loudly on purpose. It was too dark to see Tracey's expression but Daphne was sure she was smirking.

"We are moments away from pulling this off," she grit out. "Please. I'm begging you. Shut up."

Tracey quietly cast Lumos so her face was visible and stuck her tongue out in response. Despite herself Daphne smiled.

To her relief the door opened and they quickly made their way inside. After personally thanking Harry for his quick rescue the trio got down to business.

"She's in our common room revising our N.E.W.T. study schedule again," Harry said in a muted voice. "I've been sitting with her helping for the last sixty minutes while I waited on you lot."

"Aww...poor Harry," Daphne replied as she rubbed his arm in sympathy.

"She was so excited that I volunteered to review it with her...said it was her favorite birthday present. Don't tell her I only did it to keep her from going to bed."

"I'll thank you for your service later," Daphne whispered huskily in his ear, prompting a smile from Harry.

"Let's wait and see if you are still able to string together a coherent sentence and we'll take it from there," he joked as they entered the Heads' common room.

"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked, suspiciously eyeing the pair.

"Happy Birthday," they replied in unison.

"It's well after curfew and you've already wished me Happy Birthday," Hermione replied skeptically.

"We wished you a Happy Birthday but now we are wishing you a Happy Birthday," Tracey responded brightly, holding up the bottles of Firewhisky in her hands.

"Absolutely not," Hermione replied automatically.

"Hermione," Harry responded calmly, "don't you want to have a bit of mindless fun on your birthday?"

"That's beside the point," Hermione quickly countered, doing her best to look serious. She succeeded...for the most part.

"I'm going to take that as a 'yes,'" Harry chimed in as he helpfully gathered up Hermione's things. "You deserve to have a bit of fun. Let us help you have a bit of fun."

"But I'm Head Girl!" she proclaimed indignantly.

"You sound just like Percy," Harry replied in disgust. Daphne remembered when Ron's brother was Head Boy in their third year and had to agree. As uptight as she herself was at the time even she thought the boy needed to relax.

"And you sound like Ron," she retorted. "There is no scenario where a Head Boy should ever sound like Ron."

"I'm Harry Potter," he replied cheerfully, "the normal rules don't apply to me."

Daphne and Tracey snorted. Hermione folded her arms and glared.

"I'm kidding, Hermione," Harry replied before turning his gaze to Daphne and Tracey, thoroughly bemused. "I told you she would be like this."

"Oh I believed you," Daphne said with a grin. "I just didn't expect that she would be so passionate about it."

"She is going to bed," Hermione intoned before striding determinedly toward her bedroom.

Harry smiled and waved goodbye as Daphne and Tracey quickly followed Hermione. She had to give him credit. Everything Harry predicted had come to pass. She hoped the rest of his prediction would pan out.