Valentine’seyesdartedtoMalfoyashesaid,“Afewweeksago,ofourse!YoudroppedyourloakroomtiketatClubBezemkas.Thegossipolumnsallreportedthatyoustayedhere.Anyway,mynameisValentinedeRusso,I’mthehotelmanager.Ifyou’reinEdinburghagain,Iwouldlovetoofferyouaroomforyourtrip.Onthehouse.”
Malfoynarrowedhiseyesandfakedasmile.“Yes,wehadsuhalovelytime,”hepurred.“Wewouldappreiateitifweouldhavethesameroomonthefourteenthfloor.Ithadsuhabeautifulview,didn’titHarry?”
“Er—”Harryhadbarelybeenpayingattention.AllheouldthinkaboutwasstoppinghimselffromtaklingValentinetothegroundandarrestinghimforMarwanZivantus’murderandBertrie’skidnapping.AvoieinhisheadthatsoundedsuspiiouslylikeMalfoy’spointedoutthatMarwanhadn’tevenbeenmurderedyet.“Yes,”Harryagreedfinally.“Itwasanieroom.”
“Well,letmeseeifweangetyoubakinthatroom,”Valentineledthemtotheounter.Heshuffledbehindandsiftedthroughsomeparhments.“Whatroomnumberwasit?”
Harrypaled.He’dneverlookedatthenumber.Heknewexatlywhereitwasbutheouldn’teventhinkofwhatthenumberhadbeen.Merlin,hereallyhadmadeaterriblehotelporter.
“1409,”Malfoysaid.
Valentinenodded.“It’savaible,”hefurrowedhisbrow.“We’lljusthavetomoveafewthingsaround.Andwhatolorswouldyoulikedispyed,MisterPotter?GryffindorRed?”
“Green,”Harrysaid,justasMalfoyanswered,“Blue.”TheyturnedandgredateahotherandthenHarryrealizedtheroomhadbeendeoratedingreenandblue.“Both,”hefinallysaidbutkepthisgazetrainedonMalfoy.
“Fantasti,”Valentinesnappedhisfingersandthespellkeyappearedinhishand.“Hereyougo,MisterPotter.Thehouseelvesshouldhaveitdeoratedbythetimeyougetupthere.Please,ifyouneedanything,donothesitatetoask.”
Harryturnedbaktohimandfshedafakesmile.“Thanks,Valenio,”Harrysaidandwalkedaway,hisjawlenhingsohardhethoughtitmightbreak.HeandMalfoydidn’tspeakastheywaitedfortheliftandwentuptotheroom.
HermionesatoutsideRon’soffieintheDMLEignthevariouspeoplewhogawkedather.StillintheridiulousChristmasjumper,shefoundherselfbothtooexhaustedtomoveandtoobusyrelivingtheeventsoftheday.Notonlythat,butshestillhadn’theardfromRonanditwaswellafterthreeinthem.
AftertheEdinburghaurorstookovertheseneinHaddington,Hermionemadesuretheotherswerealright.Theywereolletivelyinshok,mostlythattheirpnhadworkedbutalsobeauseabsolutelynothinghadgonewrong.BertriewassafeandsoundandParkinsonseemedtosoftenwitheverypassingminuteintheyounggirl’spresene.Pansy’sreliefwasalmostontagiousuntilLunamentionedHarryandDrao.
“Whatevertheydid,itworked,”Pansysaid.ShewinkedatHermione,“Evenifwedidmostofit.”ThenIgoraandanotheroffiial,AurorPhillips,apparatedwithPansyandBertrietotheEdinburghMainOffieandHermionewasleftwithanaddledaMLaggen,andLuna,whoappearedtobesettlingherarrawithoneoftheSolstieFae.Thesmallwingedmanglitteredbrightinthedarkness,andjudgingbyLuna’sinreasingfrown,seemedtodriveaveryhardbargain.