A betrayal of a different type

Chapter 32

" I think I have it!" The brown haired witch proclaimed, a triumphant gleam in her eyes. 

" Your toothbrush?" Ron inquired dismissively, looking up from his trunk. One leg of his trouser dangled over the edge of the trunk, his school book laying haphazardly on top. He shifted from the floor on which he sat. 

" I- what?" Hermione blinked, her mind struggling to match the conversation to her thoughts. 

" Your toothbrush." The male explained to his friend who sat on his bed amidst a pile of books and scrolls. " The one you were hell bent on searching for in the morning. Almost caused you a panic attack. Dunno why you didn't summon it though. Or conjure one. Or even duplicate or buy a new one." 

" What- I- This is not about my toothbrush Ronald. Though I thank you for your unnecessary commentary." She replied primly, nose upturned. " I found the activation phase. Or at least narrowed it down to four possible outcomes. Though since both Hogwarts and the train are warded against portkeys not created by the Headmaster, we shall have to wait until we reach the Platform." 

" So what are they?" He asked with curiosity. 

" They were quite hard to narrow down. I went through his works to some details about his brief stunt as a pianist." She continued as if he had not said anything. " In the end I got it from one of my muggle books. The last known appearance of Nicholas Flamel was in 1762, to watch an opera in one of the Parisian theatre houses. Luckily there are only four known houses that were active during that time.  'The Opéra de Paris, The Comédie-Française, The Comédie-Italienne and The Opéra-Comique.' The phase is any one of those four, as we do not really know which of those he really attended." 

" Okay." He nodded, going back to the tedious work of packing his belongings. 

" Okay! That's it? Okay?" She exclaimed. 

" I think you need to calm down Mione." Ron stated, a bit worried for his own sake. His friend was, after all one of the best with her wand. 

" Calm! Calm, you say!" She shouted. 

" Okay." He repeated. With a careful hand, he took her wand from her reach and gave her one of Harry's sleeping potions. " I think you really need to rest." 

Whatever she may have said was unable to escape her yawn after she gulped down the potion. In a few seconds, she slept soundlessly in the middle of her work. 

" Why do I have a feeling that this is how she fell asleep at her home?" He questioned himself. With a sigh, he set about rearranging her work into something she could easily pack. 

                                                                                       ***

" Ah, Miss Lovegood. I would have thought that you would be busy packing for the holidays." Remarked the Headmaster. His eyes, bright cerulean twinkled in delight. His half moon glasses seemed to be polished and decorated with mistletoe in the spirit of the holidays, while his robes were a Gryffindor red with Slytherin green garnishes. 

Luna Lovegood who had had hollowed out a tree to fit in it, looked up from where she carved. " It would be hard to, I suppose. I never unpack you see. It would be a waste of time when you have to pack it all again. I sometimes don't even bring my books. Saves time, you see. Besides the nargles are just waiting. Speaking of nargles Sir, why do you insist on carrying that nest?" 

" Well, that is rather wise of you." The Headmaster spoke. " And the reason I wear this, is the same reason, I suspect, you wear a Christmas Tree. Carving, I see?"