Harry Potter and Percy Jackson half-blood heroes (Book 5)

Chapter 4

Percy woke up, got dressed into school robes and went downstairs to catch up. He met an angry Seamus who merely glared at him.

"What's the matter?" asked Hermione five minutes later, catching up with Percy, Harry and Ron halfway across the common room as they all headed toward breakfast. "You look absolutely — oh for heaven's sake."

She was staring at the common room notice board, where a large new sign had been put up.

GALLONS OF GALLEONS!

Is pocket money failing to keep pace with your outgoings? Like to earn a little extra gold?

Contact Fred and George Weasley,

Gryffindor common room,

for simple, part-time, virtually painless jobs

(WE REGRET THAT ALL WORK IS UNDERTAKEN AT APPLICANT'S OWN RISK)

"They are the limit," said Hermione grimly, taking down the sign, which Fred and George had pinned up over a poster giving the date of the first Hogsmeade weekend in October. "We'll have to talk to them, Ron." 

Ron looked positively alarmed.

 "Why?" 

"Because we're prefects!" said Hermione, as they climbed outthrough the portrait hole. "It's up to us to stop this kind of thing!" 

Ron said nothing

"They're not breaking any rules," Percy said wearing his square frames. They were new to the market that helped dyslexia and so far, they were doing wonders for him. "They're simply providing job opportunities. Maybe they require new ideas."

"But still!" said Hermione, as they climbed out through the portrait hole. "It's up to us to stop this kind of thing!"Ron said nothing.

"Anyway, what's up, Harry?" Hermione continued, as they walked down a flight of stairs lined with portraits of old witches and wizards, all of whom ignored them, being engrossed in their own conversation."You look really angry about something."

"Seamus reckons Harry's lying about You-Know-Who," said Ron succinctly, when Harry did not respond. Hermione, whom Harry had expected to react angrily on his behalf, sighed.

"Yes, Lavender thinks so too," she said gloomily. 

"Been having a nice little chat with them about whether or not I'm a lying, attention-seeking prat, have you?" Harry said loudly.

"No," said Hermione calmly, "I told her to keep her big fat mouth shut about you, actually. And it would be quite nice if you stopped jumping down Ron's and my throats, Harry because if you have noticed, we're on your side." 

There was a short pause. 

"Sorry."

"Don't worry," Percy said ruffling his hair even messier and he swore he saw Hermione smile.

"That's quite all right," said Hermione with dignity. Then she shook her head. "Don't you remember what Dumbledore said at the end-of-term feast last year?"

The boys looked at her blankly, and Hermione sighed again. 

"About You-Know-Who. He said, 'His gift for spreading discord and enmity is very great. We can fight it only by showing an equally strong bond of friendship and trust —' "

"How do you remember stuff like that?" asked Ron, looking at her in admiration.

"I listen, Ron," said Hermione with a touch of asperity.