As she walked up to Tommy's house, Hermione glanced nervously over her shoulder. The knot in her stomach eased a little when she spotted the Auror nearby, keeping watch without drawing attention. 'Well, maybe nothing really will happen today,' she tried to reassure herself.
It was Tommy's mother who opened the door. She smiled and let Hermione inside. After the sweltering July heat, the hallway felt pleasantly cool, and the air carried the smell of fresh baking.
Hermione had barely stepped over the threshold when Blecko came running at her with a joyful bark. Recognizing her, the puppy immediately began to jump with excitement, wagging his tail so hard his back paws slid across the floor. At that moment Tommy shot out of the living room. It looked as if he had been waiting for her all day, and now he was beaming with joy — almost trying to outshine his own puppy.
"Hermione!" he burst out. "I'm so glad you came after all! Come on, I'll introduce you to everyone!" He grabbed her hand and, without waiting for an answer, pulled her into the living room.
The room had hardly changed since last summer. On the plaid sofa, covered with a blanket, sat three boys and a girl, deep in lively chatter. Across from the sofa stood a table piled with pizza boxes and bottles of drinks. By the window, in the same place as before, stood the old bookcase. The familiar wooden figures stood on one of its shelves — rabbits, owls, and deer. Last summer, Tommy had carved them during their walks in the woods: they would sit in the shade of the trees, and he would talk with enthusiasm about plants, animals, and his village life, while skillfully shaping a piece of wood into a future creature. She missed those carefree days badly now.
"Here! These are my friends!" Tommy said, stopping in the middle of the room and motioning toward the group on the sofa.
The first to get up was a solidly built boy with dark hair. He cast Hermione an appraising glance. The corners of his mouth barely moved in a polite smile. Then, lifting his chin and stepping forward, he said with deliberate carelessness:
"Oliver. You've probably heard of me…" He spoke as if he were a Hollywood star making a guest appearance. "Plenty of people know me around here."
Hermione held back the smile that almost escaped and answered calmly:
"Hermione. No, I haven't… I've been studying far from here this year."
Oliver shook her hand quickly, but noticeably harder than necessary. A flicker of boredom and regret crossed his face, as if he honestly felt sorry that she had only now been granted the chance to meet him.
A round-faced girl with curly blond hair got up from the sofa next. Her smile was wide, maybe even a bit too wide.
"Lucy," she said in an unexpectedly high, slightly squeaky voice, and shook Hermione's hand. "Nice to meet you. Tommy's talked a lot about you."
Then the other two boys introduced themselves — Henry and Lucas. They were much like Tommy: cheerful, messy-haired, and a little shy.
"Well, Tommy," Oliver suddenly said loudly, slapping the birthday boy on the back so hard he nearly toppled forward, "your princess has arrived! We can begin!"
Tommy flushed to the tips of his ears at Oliver's words. Hermione gave him a puzzled look, and Lucy, still sitting on the sofa, let out a laugh.
"The princess!"
Oliver looked around at everyone and, as though he were in charge for the evening, said:
"To the table, everyone!"
The kids silently took their seats and grabbed a slice of pizza.
"Too bad there's nothing stronger than cola," Oliver said with fake regret, letting out a heavy sigh. "I wouldn't have minded a drink."
Henry and Lucas laughed briefly, while Tommy nodded uncertainly and spread his hands, as if apologizing for not thinking of it.
The conversation at the table picked up on its own — about school, holidays, and the latest films. But the centre of attention kept shifting toward Oliver. You could have thought it was his birthday, not Tommy's. Oliver talked nonstop about himself, corrected others, and kept cutting in with his remarks. It felt less like a conversation and more like him running his own show. Tommy, however, didn't seem irritated. On the contrary, he watched Oliver with faint admiration and seemed proud that such a guest had come to his party.
Lucy sat next to Oliver and burst out laughing at each of his jokes. She kept fixing her blond curls, casting quick glances at the boys, but most of all at Oliver. She spoke in her squeaky voice a bit louder than necessary.
Blecko kept trying to beg for a piece of pizza, yapping and giving the kids a reproachful look with his big dark eyes. He went from one to another, wagging his tail, but it didn't work — Tommy's dad had strictly forbidden feeding the dog from the table.
"So, does anyone have a really scary story?" Lucas asked, leaning against the table. "Like, one that actually scared you?"
"Oh, I've got one!" Oliver said at once. Everyone turned toward him, waiting for him to go on. He finished chewing another slice of pizza and only then continued. "There's a shop in our town. They sell all kinds of old junk — broken clocks, antique toys, that sort of thing. So, this guy from my class once bought a little mirror there — small, completely ordinary at first glance. But then he started saying that at night he saw someone's face in the reflection. Not his own!"
"Uh-huh," Lucy teased. "Probably his own — he just doesn't recognize himself when he wakes up."
The kids snickered, but Oliver didn't back down.
"No, really! He even brought it to school to show us. We didn't see anything in it," he shrugged. "Then he threw it out, but he said the face kept showing up in his dreams. Can you believe it? Three weeks in a row!"
"So how did it end?" Henry asked.
"Guess it passed. Only now he won't go near mirrors. Not even in the bathroom."
"Interesting," Hermione said, thoughtful. Inside, she made a note to speak with the Auror on duty. It could easily be some magical thing that had ended up in Muggle hands illegally.
"And you?" Tommy turned to her right away. "Anything scary ever happen at your school?"
Hermione took a sip of cola and, after a pause, said:
"Yeah. Once my friends and I… uh… let's just say we ended up somewhere we shouldn't have," she began. "It was under an old building, in tunnels. We thought one of our teachers was doing something suspicious, so we decided to follow him."
"Tunnels? Underground?" Lucas repeated, eyes wide. "What, you've got bunkers under your school?"
"Well, more like a basement. Only a really big one. We found a way in — a hatch we had to jump down through. But we got stuck almost right away — everything was overgrown with… uh… some kind of strange ivy."
"Why would you even jump into some hatch? That's just…" Lucy started, curling her lip.
"Don't interrupt!" Oliver cut her off, none too politely. "And then what?"
Lucy stared at him in shock, then frowned at Hermione, her eyes flashing with anger. She crossed her arms and leaned back on the sofa, lips pressed tight.
"Well… we got tangled in that ivy," Hermione went on. "Harry — he's my friend — almost suffocated. I barely managed to get him and Ron free."
"And that's it?" Lucas asked, put off.
"No. It got worse. We made our way through the basement for a long time, I banged myself up all over, and Ron hit his head so hard he passed out. Then I barely got away from… er…" Hermione paused for a second, not sure how to describe the troll, "well, from a really scary beast. And Harry ended up one-on-one with that teacher, who nearly killed him."
"Nooo waaay!" Oliver dragged out, eyes wide, eyebrows raised. "You serious? Or just making it up?"
"Why would I lie?" Hermione shrugged.
Lucy snorted, shaking her head, but Oliver, taking Hermione at her word, suddenly grinned:
"I've always said — school never leads to anything good! Teachers and kids are natural enemies! Down with school! Bring on endless holidays!"
The kids burst out laughing, stomping the floor and slapping the table. Hermione shook her head, disapproving, but the corners of her mouth still twitched.
Only Tommy didn't laugh. He shifted in his chair and then, clearly working up the nerve, asked like it was nothing:
"And this Harry… is he… you and him… you know…" He trailed off, staring down into his mug.
Hermione was a bit surprised but answered anyway:
"He's my friend. Just a good friend."
Lucy snorted again at Hermione's answer, then sharply tossed a lock of hair from her face and clasped her fingers tight on her knees. Henry leaned toward Hermione with interest:
"So this Harry survived? Or…"
"Yes, we were lucky," Hermione nodded. "Ron and I managed to get out and call the headmaster. He… well, he sorted everything out and saved Harry."
"You don't say! Real heroes!" Lucy suddenly burst out. "All that's left is to make a film about you. Or maybe a series."
"I'll think about it," Hermione replied evenly, calmly sipping her cola.
An awkward silence fell over the table. Lucy looked away, as if she were bored. The shift in her attitude toward Hermione was impossible to miss.
"Let's have a contest!" Oliver suddenly suggested. "Who can eat the most pizza in one minute?"
He looked around at everyone with excitement, sure they would back him. The kids exchanged uneasy glances — it was clear they were already full.
"I'm in!" Lucy spoke up first, smiling at Oliver like this contest was the best idea ever.
"Great!" Oliver shouted. Lucy's enthusiasm alone seemed enough for him. "All right, let's go! On three! One, two, three!"
Oliver immediately started cramming slices of pizza into his mouth. From the side it looked like he was just gulping them down, hardly chewing. Lucy tried not to fall behind — she ate almost as fast, throwing quick looks at Oliver now and then, checking who was ahead. The others joined in reluctantly, without much spirit. Each ate slowly—more for show than from wanting to win. Only Hermione stayed out of it. She sat quietly, watching. Her eyes moved from Oliver, choking on another bite, to Lucy, whose face had turned red with the effort. The whole thing looked so absurd that Hermione could barely hold back a smile.
After a minute the contest was over. Oliver slapped the table with satisfaction and said:
"What did I tell you? I'm the Pizza King!"
Lucy wiped the corners of her mouth with a napkin and turned to Hermione. There was something challenging in her eyes, and a mocking note in her voice:
"What, princesses don't compete with the rabble?"
Hermione frowned a little but tried to play it off as a joke:
"Princesses prefer to watch from the side while others show their talents," she said with a calm smile.
But Lucy wasn't going to back off that easily. She pressed her lips together and said with a sneer:
"And here I thought real princesses knew how to show their own talents, not just watch others. Or are you not that kind?"
This time Hermione snapped:
"Honestly, I don't think eating pizza takes any special talent. More like a big stomach," she shot back, raising an eyebrow.
Lucy flushed red with anger.
"Oh, of course, princesses are too noble for simple games like this," she spat.
Oliver, who was clearly enjoying the whole thing, laughed loudly. Tommy, on the other hand, looked completely lost. Seeing the tension at the table rising, he quickly jumped in:
"Let's play a board game," he said with a strained smile. "Or maybe cards?"
Lucy said nothing, leaned back against the sofa, and once again folded her arms across her chest. Oliver glanced around the table, stretched, and said carelessly:
"Well then, since everything's already eaten, let's play. Unless you're scared to lose to the Pizza King." He grinned smugly again, picking at his teeth with a finger. "After all, a king is a king in everything."
Henry and Lucas, as always, nodded in agreement.
"So what games do you play at your school?" Lucy asked with a challenge, looking at Hermione.
Everyone turned to Hermione. She hesitated for a moment, running through options in her head. Gobstones and Exploding Snap wouldn't do for Muggles. Luckily, she thought of something more neutral.
"Well… we play chess," she said.
"Chess?" Lucas raised his eyebrows with interest. "I'd play. Unless you're afraid."
"I'm not very good," Hermione shrugged. "But if you want — I'll play."
Judging by his expression, Oliver wasn't happy with the idea, but Lucy lit up. She clearly wanted to see Hermione lose. Lucas probably played well.
"Let's see," Lucy said with a smirk.
The kids set up the pieces, and Hermione got white. Sitting across from Lucas, she said clearly and loudly:
"Pawn e2 to e4." She stared at the board, waiting for the piece to move.
Lucas and the others stared at her in surprise, and Lucy, of course, didn't miss her chance to jab:
"Oh, the princess can't even move a piece herself? Shall I help you, Your Highness? Or should I bow first?"
Oliver cracked up, and Henry and Lucas couldn't hold back their smiles. Hermione felt her face burn but caught herself and quickly moved the piece.
"I… it's just…" she started, trying to explain. "We're used to calling out chess moves so everyone can hear."
"Of course, Your Highness, we understand," Lucy said. She was pleased now, having made Hermione the butt of the joke.
Hermione pressed her lips together and didn't say another word, throwing herself into the game. She tried hard, but to her annoyance Lucas turned out to be a strong player and checkmated her in just ten moves.
"Congrats," Hermione said shortly, holding out her hand.
He grinned and shook it.
"Thanks, that was great!"
But Lucy didn't miss the chance to add her bit of poison:
"Well then, princess. Looks like chess isn't your talent either."
Hermione decided to ignore Lucy's jab. Meanwhile Oliver, already bored of the chess game, said loudly:
"Let's play cards instead. Chess is boring."
"Yeah, let's," Tommy jumped in right away.
"Fine by me," Henry said, waving his hand. He wanted something simpler too.
The kids pulled out a deck and started dealing. Then they all noticed Hermione, looking around with a worried face.
"What's wrong, Hermione?" Tommy asked.
"Do you have a fire extinguisher here?" she blurted out. And right then she realized she'd said something dumb again. After all, Muggle cards don't explode!
Tommy froze with the cards in his hands, not sure if it was a joke or not. Henry and Lucas exchanged puzzled looks, as if checking they'd heard right. Lucy lifted her eyebrows — her face lit up with surprised delight. She clearly saw that Hermione had just embarrassed herself again — and she was loving every second of it.
"What do you need a fire extinguisher for?" Tommy asked, confused. "Planning to set something on fire?"
Oliver scoffed, and Lucy burst out laughing, enjoying the scene.
"I…" Hermione tried to come up with an excuse fast, but nothing good came to mind. "I just asked."
Her face flushed again. She suddenly saw clearly how much her life had changed over the past year. Everything that had felt natural in the world of magic only got in the way here. Now she lived in a completely different world, and it looked like there was no way back.
Meanwhile Lucy's laughter kept getting louder. She was triumphant, like she'd just won an important contest. The others didn't hide their smirks either, trading puzzled glances.
'They probably think I'm crazy now,' Hermione thought with growing frustration. Upset, she lost at cards too, nearly forgetting the rules of the game in her agitation. After that, she decided it would be better to go home before the situation became even more ridiculous.
Hermione pulled Tommy aside and said quietly:
"Remember I told you I wasn't supposed to leave the house?"
"Yes," he nodded, looking at her with some worry. "But you've only been here a short time…"
"I know. But I really need to get back now," she said, giving him an apologetic smile. "I'm sorry."
Tommy looked upset.
"Well, if you have to, you have to. I'm just glad you came at all."
He was quiet for a moment, then, hesitating, asked anyway:
"It's not because you're mad at my friends, is it? At Lucy? She's actually fun, it's just… she really likes Oliver, and she… well…"
"No, no, of course not! I'm not upset," Hermione rattled off quickly. "I really do have to go. Don't worry, it's fine!"
"Well… all right then," he sighed. "Bye, Hermione. Come over again."
"Bye, Tommy," she said, and stepped outside.
As soon as the door closed behind her, Hermione let out a sigh of relief — only to hear Oliver's loud voice from the open window:
"Your friend's kind of weird, Tommy! Where'd you even find her?"
"I'd say more than that," Lucy chimed in, just as loud. "She's a total nutcase, if you ask me!"
Hermione heard Oliver and Henry laughing. She stopped for a moment, shook her head, held back her irritation, and walked on down the street.
'Oliver, you don't even know how right you are! I really am strange — very strange! Just not crazy at all!' she thought, her lips twisting into a smirk.
'Although… who knows?' flashed through her mind. She remembered all the mad adventures and dangers she and Harry and Ron had thrown themselves into over the past year at Hogwarts. 'Maybe Lucy is right after all?'
As she walked by, she nodded to the Auror on watch near Tommy's house and headed home. The Auror, unseen by anyone else, followed her at a distance.