Hermione was thrilled that day. After holding her Sequence Card for over a month, she could finally attend a meeting of the Throne.
When she arrived at the wondrous Room of Requirement, she grew even more excited.
The solemn grandeur of the pentagram hall, the fifty-two magnificent seats, and the black-and-gold throne towering above them all.
Every sight set Hermione's heart racing. She felt the blood surge through her veins and clenched her fists several times to keep herself from crying out and losing her composure.
"Hermione, yours is the tenth seat in the wind section at the upper right. That section is reserved for Ravenclaw."
Beside her, Draco explained in a flat tone.
He felt a little indignant. Why was he the ten of spades while Hermione was also a ten-the ten of clubs!
With Theodore still holding the nine of spades, Draco was feeling the pressure.
Hermione already knew how Draco hid his feelings behind a prickly attitude, so she paid it no mind.
Shawn had told her that the boys at school were much easier to understand if she mentally subtracted three years from their ages.
Hermione approached her assigned seat and straightened the little blue-and-white formal dress she had carefully chosen. Only after taking a deep breath did she solemnly settle into her magnificent chair.
Her back rested against the soft, comfortable backrest. She felt both honored and weighed down. This was responsibility.
Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced twice at the higher-ranking seats nearby, then spotted Alice sitting diagonally opposite her, poised and elegant in an even higher-ranking seat.
Hermione told herself, Hermione Granger, you're every bit as good. You're the best!
Once Alice and the others had taken their seats, they all waited with solemn expressions.
A few minutes later, Shawn