By the fourth week of term, Tuesday had quietly come around.
In the Gryffindor girls' dormitory, Hermione was up and dressed before the first light of morning.
"Morning!" Parvati rubbed her sleepy eyes and smiled at the neatly dressed Hermione. "Happy birthday, dear! Are you off to see Jerry?"
Hermione shook her head with a gentle smile. "Not yet. He asked to meet me tonight. He'll wait by the Castle's front doors."
"The front doors?" A mischievous glint appeared in Parvati's eyes. "Are you planning to come back to the dormitory tonight? He isn't taking you into the Forbidden Forest after dark, is he?"
"Into the Forbidden Forest?" Hermione looked baffled.
"What couple at Hogwarts hasn't sneaked into the Forbidden Forest at night?" Parvati caught Hermione's hand, her eyes shining with excitement.
"I wouldn't know," Hermione said with a laugh. "But Jerry said he had a surprise for me!"
Parvati was still urging her on when Hermione gathered her textbooks and stepped into the stone courtyard outside the Great Hall. Two figures emerged through the morning mist—Jerry and Dumbledore, who had scarcely been seen lately.
From more than ten paces away, Hermione couldn't hear what they were saying, but she could clearly see Jerry's tight jaw and clenched fingers.
"Absolutely not, Jerry..." Dumbledore's silver beard stirred though there was no wind. As he sensed footsteps approaching, his low warning cut off like a snapped string.
By the time those blue eyes turned to Hermione, his face wore a warm smile, like snow melting in the first sunlight.
The furrow in Jerry's brow eased at the sight of Hermione, and the tension between him and Dumbledore vanished.
"Good morning, Professor Dumbledore!"
"Good morning, Hermione!"
"Jerry just told me it's your birthday." Dumbledore took a notebook edged in silver from an inner