"I’ve paid the tithe dozens of times over. I can’t use that as an excuse for my hobby." Hermione reached out to finger the lose strands of his hair, so shining in the sunlight and unmarred for the moment by the brilliant red hues she was so used to seeing it soaked in. "At first the Black magic was so weakened from lack of attention it needed every drop I could feed it, but now, now I am doing it only for myself."