分卷阅读8（2 / 2）

“Some brandy would be nice,” Snape replied equally as softly before he left.

“What are you still doing up, Hermione?” a somewhat tired voice asked. Hermione looked up from where she had been curled up in an armchair, reading.

“Couldn’t sleep. You?”

“Death Eater meeting. He’s feeling rather…destructive tonight. I wonder what made him so angry?” The last part was sarcastic.

“Do you think Malfoy didn’t go?” Hermione asked softly.

“The Marauder’s Map states quite clearly that Lucius Malfoy is currently sitting in Snape’s office. And Snape isn’t anywhere on Hogwarts grounds.”

Hermione nodded thoughtfully as Harry sat down on the sofa near her. His eyes flickered to a black object on the table. “Why do you have that, Hermione?”

“Research purposes. Be careful, Harry. It’s sharp enough to cut through stone as if it was jello.”

Harry frowned. “And Malfoy keeps wings of these in his back?” He picked up the feather gingerly. ““Mione? Are you sure this is that sharp?”

“Yes. Malfoy was angry, ergo his feathers were sharp.”

“Doesn’t seem sharp to me.”

Hermione’s eyes widened as she looked at the feather. Sure enough, the feather Harry held in his hands was not razor edged, but silken. Frowning, she reached for it but jerked her hand away when the part closest to her reverted back to its razor state when her hand neared it.

“Maybe it doesn’t think you’re a threat to Draco,” she suggested.

“Hermione, are you trying to tell me that these feathers can think?”

“No, but they can feel. They are the Veriae’s link to the magical currents running through the Veriae’s body.”

“So these are like the Veriae form of wands?”

“Right.”

“Found anything else out that I should know?” Translated: should I be watching out for anything if I annoy Malfoy?

“I don’t know yet, Harry. There are painfully few books about Veriae in the library. This one came from the Restricted Section.”