The Old Ways
After the Tri-Wizard Tournament is officially announced, Ron and Harry find it very difficult to get a moment of Hermione’s time.
She walks into classes at the very last second. Sometimes, she’s skipping meals and when she is with them at the Great Hall, her nose is buried in books and she’s muttering about how the library’s resources are missing important texts.
By the time September 19th rolls around, nothing else has been announced about the Tri-Wizard Tournament. That doesn’t stop students from talking about it though or from asking teachers about it. However, none of the answers they get are very helpful.
For this reason, both Ron and Harry try to give Hermione her space for a while, since it’s clear she is seeking out the answers they’re all looking for. However, today is a special day and it’s time to make an exception to that rule.
They find her in the library after dinner.
“Hi Hermione, how’s it going?” Harry asks.
Hermione makes a noise of acknowledgement but doesn’t look up so Harry reaches over and shuts her book for her. This gets her attention.
“Harry! I was reading that,” Hermione protests. A loud ‘shush’ can be heard from Madam Pince though she is not visible.
“Hermione, it’s time to take a break,” Harry tells her, being careful to keep his volume low.
“Absolutely not. There is so much information to gather about this tournament. Did you know -”
Ron slinks in to the chair next to her and pushes a neatly wrapped present in front of her.
“What’s this for?” she asks.
“Honestly, ‘Mione, did you forget it was your birthday?” Ron says.
“Oh,” she whispers, “you got me a gift?” Ron nods and Hermione unwraps the present. It’s a book: Keeping with The Old Ways:Proper Etiquette for the Young Witch or Wizard.
Hermione gasps, looking back at Ron in bewilderment, “Ron! I’ve been looking all over for this book. How did you find it?” Her voice rises again and another ‘shush’ comes their way, this time Madam Pince can be seen glaring, leaning out from behind the nearest bookshelf.
“Sorry,” Hermione says sheepishly and then, holding the book up, “Ron found the book I’ve been looking for.”
At this, Madam Pince actually offers a small smile, something that Harry and Ron have never seen from her before. But her finger rises up to her mouth in a hushing gesture once more. The prickly librarian has developed a bit of a soft spot for Hermione. And for book enthusiasm.
Hermione turns back to Ron and asks him again how he managed to find it.
“It’s all you’d talk about at meal times so I owled Mum to send a copy. Most households have it and since there are so many of us, we actually have a few. She is thrilled that at least one of us is taking an interest in wizarding etiquette.”
“Thank-you,” she says, her eyes darting back to the book.
“So, actually that would be Mum’s gift for you. This one is mine,” Ron says and Harry can tell he’s a bit nervous. Ron slides over a much smaller and not so neatly wrapped present. Hermione looks at it curiously for a moment before unwrapping it and sliding the lid off the box.
Inside is a gold colored hair barrette with red gems of some sort. It’s not that expensive of a piece but it is more ornate than anything Harry has seen the Weasley family wear.
“Ron,” Hermione says looking up from the barrette to meet his gaze, “this is so pretty!” She leans over and hugs with him such force his chair wobbles back a bit. Harry waits patiently, giving Ron a thumbs up when their eyes meet. Ron’s cheeks are almost as red as hair.
“Ah-hem,” Madam Pince is now standing in front of them.
“Sorry,” Hermione says again, breaking away from Ron.
“Why don’t we head back to the Gryffindor common room for my gift?” Harry says.
“A wise idea,” Madam Pince concludes.
The next morning, Harry finds Ron pacing nervously in their dorm, clearly not looking forward to breakfast, which is not Ron-like behavior.
“What are you worked about now?” Harry asks, genuine concern in his voice.
“What if Hermione thinks the gift is too much?”
Harry scoffs at this, “Ron, I have never seen Hermione receive both a book and something other than a book and respond more enthusiastically to the not-a-book. She barely even touched the fancy quills I gave her.”
“Y-yeah but that barrette. It’s a specific kind of gift. It – it’s the first step in a series of things I could do to tell her that I … that I want to court her! What was I thinking?” Ron continues to pace, his hands pulling at his hair.
“Ron… Hermione likes you too. You know that right?”
“You think that but you’re my best mate, of course you are going to say that.”
Harry rolls his eyes. “Honestly, she may not get the significance of it. She has been saying there are no books on the subject.” Ron stops and looks at Harry.
“She’ll figure it out when she’s finished that book Mum sent,” Ron says. Harry grabs his shoulders when Ron moves to start pacing again.
“Ron, I am going to tell you something that you cannot tell anyone else, especially Hermione okay?” Ron gives him a look but doesn’t say anything, so Harry continues.
“Hermione likes you, okay?”
“You already said that. Also, you don’t know-”
“I do know. Hermione is just as annoying about this as you are. ‘Harry, what do you think Ron would like to do this weekend?’ ‘Harry, does Ron think I’m annoying?’ ‘Harry, why would Ron date Lavender Brown? Lavender, of all people! He could do better than that.’ ‘Harry do you think Ron would ever like me back?’” Harry says, making his voice sound higher than normal. It’s not a great impression of Hermione but the point gets across.
Ron’s nervous expression morphs into one of triumph and Harry decides a second warning is necessary.
“Ron, you wipe that smirk off your face right now or I’ll tell you what you sound like. Not a word,” Harry says.
“Right,” Ron says and it’s clear he’s trying to stop smiling but he can’t.
As September bleeds into October, everyone is still waiting for the first task to be announced. Word around the school is that the first task is always scheduled before Christmas so Harry figures it’s only a matter of time.
But there are two things that have Harry’s focus over that.
The first is how the Slytherins are behaving. Never a friendly bunch, particularly with other houses, it is impossible to miss the change in their demeanor. It happens nearly overnight. They are greeting everyone as though they were old friends. They offer compliments when members of the other houses get questions right in class.
They even show up to the first quidditch game with words on their lips that it will be a pleasure to watch no matter who wins. Slytherin beats Ravenclaw in that first game but their attitude does not waver when Harry catches the snitch in Slytherin’s second match, this time against Gryffindor.
Then there’s the strange branches they give out during meals. Every breakfast, lunch, and dinner there are a handful of Slytherins who walk up to the other tables, approach the confused occupants and then offer them compliments and branches with a slight bow. After, the Slytherin will return to their own table to approving looks and words from their housemates.
Harry’s received a few of these already but when he sees Malfoy standing in front of him with three branches in his hand, he rubs his eyes vigorously. When he opens the again, Malfoy is still there though he looks somewhat amused now. So, not a hallucination after all.
“Granger,” he says, “you are the brightest witch of our age. Your intellect, bravery and conviction in the face of evil sets an example for us all. Know that my uncouth words to you in our youth were born of nothing but jealously. Please accept this gift as both thanks and apology,” Malfoy hands Hermione a branch. Too stunned to speak, Hermione gingerly takes the branch with a nod. Malfoy bows in response and turns to Ron.
“Weasley. Despite being one of many, you truly stand out among the rest. Your unwavering loyalty and support to all wix regardless of blood status is admirable. Know that despite what you may fear and what I have certainly said, history will not forget you. Please accept this gift as both thanks and apology.” Malfoy hands Ron a branch. Ron, eyes wide in shock, turns to Hermione who only shrugs. Ron takes the branch and Malfoy bows, his attention now on Harry.
“Potter. You are the both the strongest and bravest wizard I have ever had the pleasure of being acquainted with. I know that you do not need to hear this from me, but I want to say it nonetheless. Nothing I could offer you could begin to atone for the cruelty I’ve shown you. Still, I offer you this branch as both thanks and apology with hopes that you might take it regardless, for you are a better man than I,” Malfoy says.
Unable to stop himself, Harry reaches for the branch immediately. Malfoy’s expression is unreadable as gray eyes bore into green. He bows and walks away without another word.
When Malfoy is safely out of earshot, Ron is the first to speak.
“What the bloody hell was that?!”
“It’s part of the tournament, Ron. The fourth house is called to initiate rituals of unity with the houses of the three champions.”
“Yeah but that speech was clearly specific to us,” Ron adds.
“So, it was all for show?” Harry asks, eyeing the branch in his hand. It’s still warm from where Malfoy had held it.
“It might be. It might not be,” Hermione says, “each member of Slytherin is called to offer branches to at least one member of the other houses. But Malfoy could have picked any Gryffindor.”
“What’s with the branches anyway?” Harry asks.
“They’re olive branches. It means peace,” Hermione replies.
The second more pressing thing on Harry’s mind is the fact that when he looks up at the goblet, the black rose is now gone.
Of course that’s a whole other mystery: the roses. When talk of the three champions had died down, it was replaced with speculation on what the roses meant.
There is a rumor that they bloom for a fourth, secret champion but nobody knows much beyond that. Hermione, despite having read every book she could get her hands on has very little to offer on the subject other than that the rumor is probably correct.
There isn’t much more information to glean from other students either, even the ones who grew up listening to tales of the Tri-Wizard Tournament history. The tournaments are rare but have happened all over the magical world.
The only thing that is consistent among the stories is their inconsistency. Despite being bound by eccentric and complicated rules, each tournament is somehow perfectly tailored to those who are called to participate. And apparently everybody, not just the champions, is participating.
There is no opportunity to point out the missing rose though, because as soon as Harry notices it, he’s being approached again. This time, it’s Professor McGonagall who leads Harry to Dumbledore’s office.
Padma and Justin are there as well. Dumbledore and Trelawney welcome him in excitedly: it’s time to prepare for the first task.