"I am not talking about protection and preparedness! I am talking about you showing a disturbing pattern of taking shortcuts and ignoring the foundations that your works should be built on! I am talking about you being defenseless if someone were to simply take away your tools! I am trying to look out for you!"
"Well then stop telling me what to do, Hermione! I know what I'm doing!"
"I don't think you do, Harry," Hermione said quietly. She shook her head and turned her back on him wiping away a tear. "I am worried about you."
"I know what I'm doing," he muttered turning back to the table and sitting down.
"Uh, if you guys are done shouting," Parvati said raising a hand, "would one of you tell me who this Shiva woman is? It's kind of annoying."
Harry scowled and turned to the girl. "And why is a name annoying?"
"Because Shiva is a man," she said with a huff.
Harry's just stared at her. "What?"
"Shiva is a man in my mythology. Not a woman. So I'd like to know what girl is using his name because it's weird."
Harry's anger cooled as he frowned in confusion. "Shiva is Professor Babbling. It's a nickname from when she was in school because she blew stuff up and some classmates said that she was the goddess of destruction…"
Parvati slapped a hand to her head and started muttering. After a minute she raised her eyes to Harry and said, "I hate when wizards appropriate my religion without understanding it! When you see her would you mind telling her to pick up a book on Hinduism please? Honestly, just because we have magic doesn't mean we should discount everything Muggle!"
"Err…" Harry's confusion deepened. "So…Shiva isn't the goddess of destruction?"
Hermione twisted to look at her roommate as well. Her earlier frustration had mostly melted off her face and been replaced entirely by curiosity. "I know that Shiva is in the Hindu pantheon. I remember reading that as a little girl."
"Shiva's in the pantheon alright," Parvati nodded. "He's one of the main three and is more or less regarded as the aspect responsible for destruction but he's a man not a woman."
"Are you sure?" Hermione asked in genuine curiosity.
Parvati sighed shaking her head. "Yeah, pretty sure, Hermione. My namesake is his wife after all."
Harry's eyes widened. "Wait, what?"
"Well, technically I suppose she's his second wife, but Parvati was his first wife reincarnated too so depending on your point of view she's his first, his second and his only wife." She waved her hand dismissively. "Look, there are some stories in the myths about Shiva and Parvati being two halves of a whole and Shiva appearing to people as half man half woman, but the woman half is usually understood to be Parvati."
"Oh." Harry nodded filing this away. He was never going to let his guardian live this down.
Hermione was frowning and sadly shook her head. "I can't believe I got that wrong…I'm usually so good at remembering things like that…"
"Well, it's not your religion. It's mine," Parvati sighed. "I guess it's not Professor Babbling's either since she invokes some Goddess or other. But I'd still appreciate it if you give her a heads up. I don't have a problem with her nickname – even if it is weird to hear a girl called that – but I do take issue with people talking incorrectly about my gods and goddesses."
Harry nodded. "I'll let her know. Sorry if we offended you, Parvati." He shrugged and said, "I honestly had no idea about any of that."
"Yeah, I know, Harry. Hermione," Parvati looked to the older girl and rolled her eyes, "just because you almost always get things right it doesn't mean you know everything. Neither of you do." She looked pointedly between the two friends who had the decency to look at the floor. "Harry, Hermione is right. You're being an idiot by ignoring the basics. Even I know that and I hate extra work. Hermione, Harry is right. He does what he does well so stop berating him for being prepared. Both of you stop acting like five year olds and start listening to each other." Shaking her head Parvati turned and headed back up the stairs to the dorms. The few people nearby slowly started to walk away now that the show was over.
Harry sighed and turned back to his work. Just because Parvati was right didn't mean he'd immediately cave and apologize. He had some measure of self respect now after all.
Early during breakfast the next day Harry was joined by Susan. She carefully glanced around and, seeing nobody nearby, nodded to herself. "Harry," she said. "Aunt Amy is coming tomorrow morning to talk with you. She sent me a letter and asked me to set up a meeting spot. I asked the elves and they gave me a room you could use. It's on the seventh floor across from the tapestry of the dancing trolls. Just walk past the tapestry three times thinking about a room where you can't be overheard and the door should open."
Harry nodded to her. "Okay, thanks for the heads up. Why can't we do this in an unused classroom though?"
"Got me," Susan shrugged. "She just asked for it to be safe from any potential eavesdropping. That was the room the elves directed me to."
"What elves?" Harry asked.
"The house elves. You didn't know about them?" She snorted in response to his shaking head. "Wow. How did you think all the food popped up during the meals or how all our clothes got cleaned? Never mind, they tend to stay in the kitchens or out of sight. Most Hufflepuffs and the Weasley twins can show you the kitchen if you want. It's sorta near our common room and I've seen the twins sneaking in every so often. The point is, my aunt said this was important."
"I'll be there," Harry said, smiling. "Thanks for the heads up, Susan."
"Glad to help, Harry," she replied. "Feel free to take anyone you want to invite with you."
"Hermione?" Harry ventured softly. He still hadn't gotten the nerve to apologize to his friend for his outburst. He felt awful about it, but a simple 'I'm sorry' didn't seem like it would be sufficient. He needed to do something bigger. Something to show he knew how much of a prat he had been and that he truly regretting it. For the moment though, the coming meeting was more important and he needed to ask his friend while he had the chance. "Hermione?"
"Yes, Harry?" Hermione replied without raising her head from her book. She was curled up on the armchair in the Common Room and her voice was utterly neutral. Harry just cringed.
"Amelia Bones is coming to talk to me tomorrow around eight o'clock." He paused but the only response from his friend was raised eyebrows. "I'd like you to come to the meeting if you don't mind…I really value your opinion, Hermione."
"Is that all?"
"Umm…yeah?"
Hermione sighed. "Very well, Harry. Where is it?"
"Seventh floor corridor across from the tapestry of the dancing trolls. You might have to walk past the tapestry a few times thinking of a meeting room if you can't see the door."
"That sounds like an awfully complicated place to hold a conversation," Hermione commented frowning. "I didn't know Hogwarts had rooms that protected."
"Had no idea myself. I was just passed the information by Susan. I checked it out a little while ago and it seems to work fine," Harry said shrugging.
"Alright then. I'll meet you there, Harry." She turned her eyes back to the book in clear dismissal. Harry cringed again. He really needed to figure out his grand gesture soon.
Harry had only been sitting at the table for a minute or two before Daphne walked in. She looked around with an approving nod and moved to sit next to him. "This is good. Silencing charms on the walls, anti-eavesdropping wards, no windows and no portraits. We might have to use this room more often. My father had to spend quite a bit for a setup like this. I wonder why there's one in Hogwarts."
Harry shrugged. "I didn't even know there was a room in this corridor until yesterday."
Shiva walked in then and quirked her mouth in confusion. "You know, I could've sworn there was a storage room here with blank rune stones and carving implements. I guess that was another section? Is there a second tapestry of that idiot with the dancing trolls?"
"You've been here longer than us, Shiva," Harry pointed out.
"Well yeah, but still…"
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