Chapter 166: Not as Good as the Fish in the Black Lake
The Quidditch frenzy at Hogwarts showed no sign of waning. The library's Quidditch books were all checked out, with a waitlist stretching until after Christmas.
"If I'd known, I would've come sooner," Harry muttered in frustration as he stood at the second-floor library entrance. Tomorrow night at 7:00 p.m. was his special training session, and he'd hoped to study up beforehand. But Madam Pince, the librarian, informed him there were no more Quidditch books available and that he'd need to wait until after the holidays.
"Nothing we can do about it," Ron said with a shrug. "Quidditch is all anyone's talking about right now. If you're clueless about it, people will make fun of you." He grinned, feeling proud. His own popularity had soared recently, thanks to his Quidditch knowledge and his two brothers on the Gryffindor team. Everywhere he went, younger students flocked to him for his insights—a new, exhilarating experience.
"What if we ask Hermione?" Harry suggested cautiously. "She borrowed Quidditch Through the Ages once... maybe she hasn't returned it yet."
At the mention of Hermione, Ron's grin instantly faded. His face fell, and he frowned. "I don't think so, Harry. She hasn't said a word to us since that day we came back from the fourth floor. And everyone knows Hermione never keeps a library book for more than three days."
Harry remembered now—Hermione was indeed that way. Since the start of term, she always carried two books: her class textbook and one borrowed from the library. She wasn't one to just lug books around; she read them too. She rarely socialized in the common room, often sitting alone in a corner with her nose in a book. Somehow, it had become common knowledge in Gryffindor that she exchanged her library books every three days.
Seamus Finnigan had even bet the two of them that she wouldn't keep it up for a month. Judging by things now, though, he was likely to lose that bet. If she borrowed another book tomorrow, Seamus would owe everyone in the dorm a box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavour Beans.
Harry didn't mind the sweets, but he couldn't quite grasp how Hermione managed to finish a book in only two or three days. For him, even finishing one in two weeks felt like a struggle.
"Forget it," Harry sighed. He didn't really want to face Hermione, either. The quiet authority of her academic reputation always made him uneasy.