Hermione loosened her grip on her companion as soon as she appeared on the drive to Viktor's house. He immediately ran off ahead of her, and she rolled her eyes before trudging along in his wake. As she neared the house, she spotted Viktor in the garden, down on his hands and knees with a small fork.

He got to his feet and came to meet Hermione, holding out a hand to take the large backpack she carried. He lifted an eyebrow and his mouth twitched. "This is the friend you said you vould bring?"

Hermione grinned. "Viktor, meet Crookshanks."

---

Viktor almost smiled as he watched Hermione unpack tin upon tin of tuna and cat food. "I had thought perhaps you vere bringing some clothes..."

"I'll get the clothes when we go to see Mr Weasley. I don't think I'll be staying there for a while. Ron and Harry might have apologised—"

Viktor gave a disbelieving snort. "Harry, he say that he is sorry. The other one, he stand behind him and haff face like he is being used for Cruciatus Curse."

Hermione didn't know whether to laugh or get mad. Laughter won. "For Ron, that is an apology."

---

"My! Viktor Krum. This is a pleasure," Arthur enthused.

"It is pleasure for me also. Herm-i-own-ee is saying many nice things about you and your vife."

There was a grunt from the other side of the table. Mrs Weasley gave Ron a warning glare and, judging by the expression on his face a second later, Harry kicked him.

"Make yourselves at home, dears," Molly insisted. "Dinner will be ready in a few minutes."

"We already ate, Mrs Weasley," Hermione explained. "We really just wanted a word with Mr Weasley."

"Yes, Herm-i-own-ee, she says you vill be able to help me."

---

"Of course, dear. The more the merrier. Alastor says he'll come over for Sunday lunch and you can talk to him then."

"We might be a little late," Hermione warned. "Viktor's got a 'welcome to the team' party after the match on Saturday."

Mr and Mrs Weasley gave them both indulgent smiles. "That's fine, as long as you make it by the time the food's ready."

"You're going to some party with the Prides?" Ron demanded. "You don't even like Quidditch!"

"It's a party, Ronald, not a match," Hermione argued. "Just Viktor's team and their partners and someone's brother's band."

---

"Someone's brother's band?" Ron almost spat his dinner back out. "As in Meghan M^cCormack's brother's band?" he demanded petulantly.

Hermione shrugged and turned to Viktor. "If she's the Keeper?"

Viktor nodded, doing his best not to scowl at Ron in front of Mr and Mrs Weasley. "I vas thinking it vould be a surprise. Like our first date."

"We're meant to be in hiding and you're going to parties with the Prides and The Weird Sisters?"

"And the Magpies," Viktor added helpfully. "Ve are playing against them in the league, but many Scottish players on both teams, so they come."

---

"Ron nearly exploded," Hermione told Severus. "He kept on about how we're supposed to be in hiding, but he was really just annoyed that he didn't get invited. It was Slughorn's parties and the Yule Ball all over again."

Snape smirked. "Should you arrange your social life to suit Mr Weasley, you would be on a very short leash indeed, but do be careful. His fears are not entirely without foundation. After the newspaper coverage, it would not surprise me if some of the Dark Lord's supporters were watching for a chance to kidnap 'The Brains Behind Harry Potter'."

---

"Not you, too?" Hermione asked.

"Have I told you not to go?" Severus asked calmly. "I am simply pointing out that many of the players you will meet were recruited during Slytherin's seven-year winning streak."

"What?" Hermione squeaked.

"At least three first-string players on either team," Severus supplied before she could ask. "So far as I'm aware, none of them are Death Eaters, but they don't need to be. Obviously, I cannot speak for their guests."

Hermione looked miserable.

Severus tilted her chin back with one finger. "That bracelet of yours works both ways. If you need me, use it."

---

Hermione stared at him. "I couldn't. There's no way I could summon you into the middle of a fight with Death Eaters... or anywhere I might end up being held."

"Hermione," Severus sighed with a hint of impatience. "Your Occlumency is moderately good, but it's not yet that good. If you are taken, it won't make any difference if I'm seen coming to your rescue because we'll both be lost in any case."

"And I thought you were offering to be my knight in shining armour."

"I'm teaching you to fight for yourself. Isn't that better?" he drawled. "Now... Caecus?"

---

It took Hermione little over an hour to master the wand movements for the Blinding Curse that Severus had derived. Like the Killing Curse, it was sufficiently powerful to penetrate a shield spell. Unlike the Killing Curse, it merely incapacitated its victim, did not carry an automatic life sentence in Azkaban and was reversible if one knew the appropriate counter.

"Maybe I shouldn't go," she suggested.

Severus clenched his jaw and tossed his head so that his hair settled back from his face. "Go... Enjoy yourself. Just be aware of where you are and who you're with... You deserve it."

---

Severus began to make a list, starting with the players on both teams. He then added the names of those spouses he knew. He ignored the band — no danger and too inconvenient. He dredged his memory to come up with team owners and managers. He worked his way down, marking little crosses next to certain names.

He switched quills and circled several names in red ink. Two of the red-ringed names had no crosses next to them.

He pushed himself to his feet and headed for his lab. This was going to make a dent in his Polyjuice stores.