They arrived with a faint pop and Bill steadied her. They had landed right outside the Stonehenge. Hermione was surprised to say the least."What are we doing here?" She asked"Well, I figured rather than read about familial magic, I’ll show it to you..." Bill saidThey walked into the henge and Bill walked up to a stone right in the middle. He pricked his finger lightly and a squeezed out a drop of blood to fall on the stone. He then chased an incantation and suddenly a blue helix like structure formed around him. It was almost like his DNA. The stones around them henge seems to have formed a soft glowing barrier magical around them."This is familial magic..." Bill said gesturing to the helix rotating around himHermione was mesmerised "it’s beautiful..."The familial magic has been passed down generation upon generation... Look here he said..." Pointing at a spot in the helix..."It’s red... but why?" She asked"That is probably a squib..." Bill explained "It is inevitable that magical lines have squibs... however even this squib can have a magical child... When that child comes of age, they too can come here and claim their familial magic... this not only adds to your power but gives you the capacity to draw on the power of the family..."So it makes you a channel?" Hermione asked"No, not a channel, more like a piece of a puzzle... the magic stabilises you and you stabilise the magic..." Bill explained"Okay... I think I understand..." She saidBill said another incantation and the glow that had emerged from him went back in and the henge was simply a pile of rocks again..."To answer your question, the clothes that a wizard wears are closest to his person at all times. They are constantly touching your body and so your magic is rubbing off on them... When you give an elf a piece of fabric that you own, you are using a piece, almost the size of an atom..."Hermione raise her eyebrow impressed that Bill knew about science "atom?"Whaaaat?" Bill said "I read... my father happens to be obsessed with muggles if you remember... "Hermione smiled and said "Sorry... go on... "Well you are giving a tiny piece of that familial magic away... That broken piece is powerful enough to sever the bond from the elf... While it may not do anything to your familial magic that tiny piece is enough to destabilise the elf’s magic entirely..."Then how is Dobby doing fine?"Well, if you notice, it wasn’t a Malfoy sock that was given to him, it was Harry’s. Even thought both Harry and Dobby don’t know it, he is bound to him and there will come a day when Dobby’s magic will force him to protect Harry..."So he’s not really a free elf?" Hermione"Well he thinks he is and isn’t that better?" Bill askedHermione was silent..."We should be heading back..." Bill said leading her outHermione was thinking about everything she learnt today when they reached back. Once they were back inside the wards the medallions disappeared...They were silent the entire way to the quidditch pitch but just before they left the castle Hermione said "Bill... Thank you, for today... it’s given me a lot to think about..."Anytime Hermione..."Bill..." She said before they stepped out... "Do you think I can claim my familial magic?"As they were entering the stands he said "Sure, we’ll have to trace back your lineage thought but you must have had a witch or wizard in the family a few generations ago..."She smiled and was about to ask for his help on the same when there was a scream. They rushed in to see Harry and Cedric had arrived with the trophy but something was terribly wrong.————The third task ended in a disaster. She had noticed that Draco, Blaise, Crabbe, Goyle and Nott were missing from the stands. The final feast was a somber affair. The mention of Voldemort’s name by Dumbledore had everyone feeling even more gloomy than before. She noticed Draco’s group not stand to honour Harry but she saw Blaise give her a meaningful look.Harry was still recovering. People were forming their own theories about how Cedric had died. Ron and Hermione were letting him process this on his own time. As the final weeks of the school year came near Hermione thought that she should use her bathing privileges again.————Draco Malfoy had received a letter from his mother after the third task. The gist of it was that the Dark Lord was truly back, his father had positioned himself in his inner circle again, things were going to change drastically over the summer and his last three of years in school were going to be very very different from the first four.He had shown that letter to Blaise who had stated that he understood that Draco needed to make certain decisions but he was going to be neutral like his family was. He even offered Draco to spend summer in Italy at his chateau and transfer to Durmstrang with him if need be. Draco had given his friend and eye roll. That was when Blaise had cast a charm on the door and put a barrier up against it."What are you doing?" Draco asked"This room is perfectly safe now... so let’s talk about Granger... Everything is going to change... It won’t be better for her... " Blaise said matter of factly"How is that my concern? Besides she has "The Chosen One’ and the weasel to take care of her.."So you’re saying that you don’t care... "yes..."So she’s fair game then?"yes.. wait what?"Is it yes or have you forgotten what fair game means?"No I have not and I think you can do better than some mudblood..."Oh I can, but I know Theo’s been looking for dames to... you know practice... and since things are going to be different maybe he can practice like his dear dad... We’ve all heard the stories of how..." Blaise was just stating fact after fact and Draco was getting angrier by the minute"Shut up! Shutup! Shutup! Shut! Up!" Draco yelled"No point throwing a tantrum Draco... answer the question? Is she fair game?"Draco looked stressed..."I can’t, I don’t know..."Wrong answer... You’ve had enough time... decide now and lay this to rest..."Draco looked at him "I really hate you..."Feelings mutual... so are you going to go snog her senseless in front of Potty and weasel or are we keeping it all hush hush"Draco set his jaw and gave Blaise a dirty look"Hush hush it is..." Blaise said smilingAs he released the charms the door of the dormitory opened ever so slightly.It’s a start thought Blaise...It’s the end thought Draco...