"Harry," Hermione said. "I'm fairly sure that you weren't signed up for the daytrip to Beauxbatons."
Harry looked at her incredulously. "You do know what the training Mad-Eye and Dumbledore have been putting me through is like, don't you?"
"That's Professor Mad-Eye... um, Professor Moody and Professor Dumbledore," Hermione corrected him. "And of course I know about it - you've been telling me about it almost every day."
"Then what confuses you about my wanting to sneak away from it for a day?" Harry asked. "Or two days. Or as long as it takes them to find me. I can walk to China from France, can't I?"
"Wanting a day off is one thing," she replied. "Hitting Hannah Abbot over the head with a beater bat and sneaking aboard in her robes is another entirely. Don't let's even get started on the ridiculous wig you're wearing."
Harry shrugged. "It's for the greater good?" he offered. Oddly, it didn't seem to have such an effect on Hermione as it did on Professor Dumbledore.
"Besides, there is a reason that only girls are supposed to be here," Hermione added. "You do know that France has the largest population of part-Veelas in the world, don't you? And that there are thirty of them studying at Beauxbatons."
"No."
"And that once a year, all Veelas over the age of twelve go into what could delicately be described as 'obsessive kinky sex mode'?"
"That's describing it delicately?"
"Yes Harry, that's describing it delicately. Beauxbatons has wards however, to ensure that as long as they aren't in the presence of a male then they won't have to worry about that. I was reading in Beauxbatons: A History that it's increased the average age that a Veela has her first child by almost six years. That's why the only men allowed at Beauxbatons during those dangerous weeks are those with good occulumency. Those who don't have them... it's not pretty Harry."
"Why just a few weeks? Are they all like that at the same time?"
Hermione blushed. "It's like periods, Harry. Women tend to do that sort of thing together. The last Occulumens to drop his shields when visiting died of exhaustion, and his family fortune was eaten up in child support payments."
Harry considered this and then looked out of the window. "It doesn't look like more than a mile down to the ground. If I transfigure my watch into a broomstick then I might make it down before the transfiguration lapses." He tried to open the door, only to fail.
Hermione coughed. "The doors are locked in flight for safety reasons, Harry."
"What should I do?"
The smartest girl in Hogwarts considered. "Well, you have two choices. Firstly, lie back and think of England..."
Harry blushed. "How about the other option?"
Hermione pulled out her wand. "I'm reasonably sure I can transfigure you into a girl for the rest of the day..."
Harry looked at her incredulously. "You do know what the training Mad-Eye and Dumbledore have been putting me through is like, don't you?"
"That's Professor Mad-Eye... um, Professor Moody and Professor Dumbledore," Hermione corrected him. "And of course I know about it - you've been telling me about it almost every day."
"Then what confuses you about my wanting to sneak away from it for a day?" Harry asked. "Or two days. Or as long as it takes them to find me. I can walk to China from France, can't I?"
"Wanting a day off is one thing," she replied. "Hitting Hannah Abbot over the head with a beater bat and sneaking aboard in her robes is another entirely. Don't let's even get started on the ridiculous wig you're wearing."
Harry shrugged. "It's for the greater good?" he offered. Oddly, it didn't seem to have such an effect on Hermione as it did on Professor Dumbledore.
"Besides, there is a reason that only girls are supposed to be here," Hermione added. "You do know that France has the largest population of part-Veelas in the world, don't you? And that there are thirty of them studying at Beauxbatons."
"No."
"And that once a year, all Veelas over the age of twelve go into what could delicately be described as 'obsessive kinky sex mode'?"
"That's describing it delicately?"
"Yes Harry, that's describing it delicately. Beauxbatons has wards however, to ensure that as long as they aren't in the presence of a male then they won't have to worry about that. I was reading in Beauxbatons: A History that it's increased the average age that a Veela has her first child by almost six years. That's why the only men allowed at Beauxbatons during those dangerous weeks are those with good occulumency. Those who don't have them... it's not pretty Harry."
"Why just a few weeks? Are they all like that at the same time?"
Hermione blushed. "It's like periods, Harry. Women tend to do that sort of thing together. The last Occulumens to drop his shields when visiting died of exhaustion, and his family fortune was eaten up in child support payments."
Harry considered this and then looked out of the window. "It doesn't look like more than a mile down to the ground. If I transfigure my watch into a broomstick then I might make it down before the transfiguration lapses." He tried to open the door, only to fail.
Hermione coughed. "The doors are locked in flight for safety reasons, Harry."
"What should I do?"
The smartest girl in Hogwarts considered. "Well, you have two choices. Firstly, lie back and think of England..."
Harry blushed. "How about the other option?"
Hermione pulled out her wand. "I'm reasonably sure I can transfigure you into a girl for the rest of the day..."