Hermione stood slowly. Her knees were trembling, the residual magic still tingling all through her. She looked nervously around the circle. Each witch bowed their head to her in a gesture of salute, and she returned each nod with a goofy sort of grin. She felt the oaths and vows settle on her like a gentle mist. And she could feel a new level of connection joining her to them all, and an intense new power, as though she were now part of something visceral and much bigger than herself. It was intoxicating.