Chapter 15: He Answers Back

The library table had become Draconia's by the second week of term, and by the third it had acquired a second chair.

She had not asked for the second chair.

It had simply appeared, one afternoon, with Harry Peverell sitting in it.

He was reading a book on boundary law with the concentration of a man defusing a bell.

"You may not," she said, "sit there."

"The chair was empty."

"It was empty because I preferred it empty."

"Then you should have said so at the time." He turned a page. "I'll go, if you like."

She looked at him over her quill.

He did not look up, and he did not move.

"You may stay," said Draconia, "provided you do not breathe in that way."

"What way?"

"As though the book were telling you secrets."

"It is," said Harry. "Section nine is very frank."

Across the table, Vivienne put her face in her hands to keep from laughing.

Georgina, beside her, wrote something in the margin of her ledger and underlined it twice.

Draconia returned to her essay.

It was on the second Accord clause, the one about the right of a pair to be relieved.

She had written the same sentence three times.

She tried a fourth.

After a while she became aware that the page had gone very quiet.

She looked up.

Harry had put down his book, and was watching her with his chin on his fist and an expression of grave interest.

"What?" she said.

"Nothing."

"You are staring."

"I'm listening." He tilted his head. "You hum."

"I do not."

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