The Missing Neville

"...You really robbed Gringotts?"

Hermione was a little bewildered. She had clearly just come back from the Great Hall, and the Daily Prophet did not exactly publish extra editions.

The corners of Kane, Harry, and Ron's mouths twitched uncontrollably. How were they supposed to explain this?

"Of course not! We earned this money selling hats!"

Ron, who had finally gotten his hands on a large sum of money only to have Hermione accuse it of being dirty, nearly spat as he hurriedly defended himself.

"Hats... You don't mean the ones you made with compost bins, do you?" Hermione asked in surprise.

"Mm-hmm." Kane nodded.

"So the money-making plan you told me about was selling hats?" Hermione pressed.

"What else did you think it was?"

For a moment, Hermione awkwardly kept touching her nose, chin, forehead, and lips, as if her whole face itched.

There was no other reason. It was just too embarrassing.

"So this money..." Kane took out the check for 1,100 Galleons that he was still holding. He regretted not rounding it off somehow, such as handing out another hundred.

But Hermione hurriedly shook her head. "No, no. I didn't work with you, so I can't take this money."

"Everyone who sees it gets a share. A hundred Galleons." Kane thought Hermione was merely being polite, but she bolted in a flash.

Kane put the money back into his pocket and shrugged at Harry and Ron.

What was Hermione doing... No idea.

The next time they saw Hermione was during Defense Against the Dark Arts the following day. Perhaps Lockhart and Dumbledore had worked out some of the details of the lessons recently. Although his magical knowledge was still rather lacking, the quality of his classes was at least getting better and better.

Unfortunately, Lockhart was the sort