Hydrus sighed; leave it to Ron to only think about the Cup. "So you want me to go back to Hogwarts and face all those people who think I'm the new Dark Lord just so Gryffindor can win at Quidditch?"
"You did it before," came the defensive comeback.
"And I was miserable," he retorted.
"Well, yeah, but you survived."
"Ron, I'm not going back to Hogwarts. Ginny is a good seeker, so you guys will be okay," the dark-haired teen said with a tone of finality.
"Whatever," Ron said with a sulk. If it hadn't been for his mum's and Hermione's nagging he wouldn't be going back.
"Harry, are you sure you won't come back? Education is really important," Hermione asked in a worried tone. She wondered how Harry was going to get a job if he didn't have his school credentials.
"I'm sure," Hydrus said as the glanced her way. "I've already talked to McGonagall and she said as long as I'm of age and I have my OWLs then I don't need to go back." That tidbit of information had been nice to learn. Not that he planned on getting a job, but he didn't want the Ministry breathing down his neck either.
"I could talk to her and see if she can't get everyone else to leave you alo…" Hermione said a determined look in her eye.
"No," the younger wizard interrupted, "that won't work. It'll actually make it worse. Besides, the teachers can't be everywhere." He knew Hogwarts was extremely understaffed compared to other schools. "And even if the students were caught, what would happen? They'd lose points and further blame me for that. No, it is better that I do my own studies."
And awkward silence filled the room as each young adult mulled that over. Hermione, after a few minutes, nodded her head in understanding, while Ron was still lamenting about the Quidditch Cup.
"What are you going to do about your NEWTs?" Hermione questioned, once again.
"I'm planning on self-study. When the time comes I can take the test privately."
"That's wonderful," the curly-haired girl replied. "If you need any help, just owl me and I will do my best," she offered.
"I think I'll be okay. But if I need you I'll let you know, I promise," the dark-haired man said sincerely.
"So, what was in the vaults? And did you ever find out why they left them to you?" Hermione inquired, changing the subject. Not realizing it was a sore topic for the other two in the room, Ron having not told her about the disagreement.
"There were some knick-knacks and gizmos in three of them. The Black vault was filled with Dark stuff, so I had Kreacher get rid of them," Hydrus hedged, he knew if he told her everything she would figure out his plans. "There were some journals in my family vault. I got to read about my parents' hijinks in school. Mum's diary talked a lot about Snape, while Dad's was mostly about the Marauders. They were pretty cool," he said in what he hoped was a casual voice. "I only found out how one of the vaults came to me. The last Frostwell wrote that he wanted me to have his stuff, so it wouldn't be confiscated by the goblins," he lied. He didn't mention the gold, because he didn't want to fight with the still sulking redhead.
"I guess that's understandable, the others probably felt the same way. Can I see some of the devices? There might be something useful," Hermione asked excitedly.
"Sure," he said fondly. "I'll go and get a few. Wait right here, and I'll be back in a minute." With that he rose from his seat and went to the kitchen, once again erecting warning wards. He summoned a few of the lesser inventions out of his pocketspace. These were simple things, like a calculator that worked on magic and a battery operated thingamajig that twirled when there was more magic in the air. He felt that by giving these to his bookworm friend, she might be able to understand them and start her own research. It would keep her mind off her woes and hopefully give her a better perspective on what to do about her parents if she wasn't fretting over the dilemma constantly.
Having done that he pulled down the ward and went back into the parlor, he then handed them over to his ever inquisitive friends.
"Oh, Harry, these are amazing!" she exclaimed when she noted the calculator was charged by magic, there were small grey squares at the top, like tiny solar powered panels. "Think of the things we could do with this. If I can get more to work Arithmancy would be so much easier."
"Well, I'm sure you can understand them better than I can. So they're yours to do with what you want," he said with a wave of his hand.
"Oh, thank you, Harry," the young woman said sincerely, and then she turned her focus back on the items in her hand.
"What'd you go and do that for?" Ron asked. "Now all she's going to be doing is studying," he pouted.
"It's what makes her happy," Hydrus replied with a casual lift of his shoulder. "Don't you want her to be happy?" His piercing eyes looked at his so called best mate, warning him to answer correctly. His thoughts turned to the fact that maybe these two shouldn't be a couple. Hermione will only be repressed by the lazy boy.
"Of course I want her happy, but why can't she be happy with just being with me?" came the wrong answer.
"Honestly, Ronald, I thought you knew me better than that," huffed the girl in question as she put the two trinkets in her expanded purse that she carried with her everywhere. You never know when you need something in that bag, even if it is just a pepper-up potion.
"Yeah, I thought so too," the confused young man replied.
Again an awkward silence filled the room. Hermione broke it with a sigh and said, "I think Ronald and I need to talk, so we'll see you later, Harry." And with that she got up and pulled the pouting boy towards the fireplace.