Harry Potter: Hydrus Black

"Sure," he said fondly. "I'll go and get a few. Wait right here, and I'll be back in a minute." With that he rose from his seat and went to the kitchen, once again erecting warning wards. He summoned a few of the lesser inventions out of his pocketspace. These were simple things, like a calculator that worked on magic and a battery operated thingamajig that twirled when there was more magic in the air. He felt that by giving these to his bookworm friend, she might be able to understand them and start her own research. It would keep her mind off her woes and hopefully give her a better perspective on what to do about her parents if she wasn't fretting over the dilemma constantly.

Having done that he pulled down the ward and went back into the parlor, he then handed them over to his ever inquisitive friends.

"Oh, Harry, these are amazing!" she exclaimed when she noted the calculator was charged by magic, there were small grey squares at the top, like tiny solar powered panels. "Think of the things we could do with this. If I can get more to work Arithmancy would be so much easier."

"Well, I'm sure you can understand them better than I can. So they're yours to do with what you want," he said with a wave of his hand.

"Oh, thank you, Harry," the young woman said sincerely, and then she turned her focus back on the items in her hand.

"What'd you go and do that for?" Ron asked. "Now all she's going to be doing is studying," he pouted.

"It's what makes her happy," Hydrus replied with a casual lift of his shoulder. "Don't you want her to be happy?" His piercing eyes looked at his so called best mate, warning him to answer correctly. His thoughts turned to the fact that maybe these two shouldn't be a couple. Hermione will only be repressed by the lazy boy.

"Of course I want her happy, but why can't she be happy with just being with me?" came the wrong answer.

"Honestly, Ronald, I thought you knew me better than that," huffed the girl in question as she put the two trinkets in her expanded purse that she carried with her everywhere. You never know when you need something in that bag, even if it is just a pepper-up potion.

"Yeah, I thought so too," the confused young man replied.

Again an awkward silence filled the room. Hermione broke it with a sigh and said, "I think Ronald and I need to talk, so we'll see you later, Harry." And with that she got up and pulled the pouting boy towards the fireplace.

"Yeah, see ya," the former Potter said to the disappearing couple. He truly hoped that those two came to an understanding, whichever way it went. He still felt Hermione could do better. There were times he didn't even know why he stayed friends with the youngest male Weasley. Maybe it was because he didn't want to let go of his first real friend, who was his age anyway —can't forget Hagrid. He made a mental note to write the gentle half-giant. Well, it was something to think about later; now that they were gone he could remove his glamor and get back to research.

With that thought in mind the dark-haired teen went back into the library and pulled the idiot's guides to electronics from his pocketspace and set about researching. A few hours of that mindboggling subject and he put those books away, it wasn't that he was stupid, it was just his lack of knowledge that made it harder. He then summoned his Rune and Arithmancy books, these particular subjects came easier and with them the inventions would start rolling soon. After a few more hours of studying Hydrus finally put everything away and went to make himself dinner.

He and Kreacher came to an understanding early in their relationship. The former Potter used cooking as a way to wind down after a busy day. However, the human was never allowed to do any cleaning. It worked for both of them.

The new Black went about making a quick chicken stir-fry, which he enjoyed immensely. He put the dirty dishes in the sink for Kreacher, settled at the table with a dish of chocolate ice cream, and brought out his list. He decided that tomorrow he was going to Diagon Alley to visit George; he had been putting it off after that disastrous dinner at the Burrow. He noted the parchment, rinsed his bowl and went to bed.

He woke early the next morning, hoping to avoid the crowds, got dressed and ate. He once again pulled on Sirius' hooded cloak, making a mental note to get some robes of his own. He Disapparated to the same alley by the Cauldron and made his way to the marketplace. In the weeks that he had been avoiding the area, there had been some remarkable changes.