Although the rebelling socks let the Gryffs go about their business, their presence was not unfelt. Is that even a word? Roving bands of armed knee highs were seen patrolling the hallways and occasionally sock violence was whispered about. The students heard that Dumbledore was in negotiations with King Flush-o while the professors used their spare time to search for a way to undo Hermione's spell. She herself was quite frustrated with how her streak of never ever doing or saying or thinking or breathing anything wrong was apparently over. She trembled in class, fearful of whatever terrible outcome would occur next.

Ron, meanwhile, was up to something very secretive. He spent long hours working on notes, a frown of concentration on his freckled face. Sometimes, he would slip off, only to be found in the library.

"What's he up to, do you suppose?" Harry wondered.

"Obviously," Hermione pulled a quill from her hair to note something, "Someone is finally taking their homework seriously."

Behind her back, Ginny mimicked her and pulled faces. Harry snorted and, to distract Hermione, Ginny jumped in. "Actually, he's probably planning a comeback prank. He got a package yesterday, probably from the twins."

Hermione looked horrified, but said nothing.

After dinner, Ron slid onto a bench next to Hermione.

"Look, Hermione, you know those S.P.E.W badges of yours?" Hermione didn't get much interest with her brilliant equal rights endeavors, so she smiled at him so brightly he blinked and gulped several times in succession.

"Are you having some sort of facial spasm?" Hermione asked with concern.

"Yes, well, uh, I need help making some of my own," he said all in one breathe.

"Try breathing, Ron. It does wonders for the brain. Look, you can have some of mine," she was embarrassed to discover her own voice go rather breathless.

"No, you see... They're for my own society. S.P.I.T."

"Don't be vulgur. I'll do no such thing."

"No, it's called S.P.I.T." He pulled a few buttons from his robe. They all flashed SPLAT and hummed a tinny version of a Weird Sisters' song.

Hermione waved her wand, and they were all fixed. "What does SPIT stand for?"

"Sock Power - It's Time!" Ron said, managing pride and embarrassment simultaneously. "You can join, since I joined yours." He launched into an in-depth analysis of sock rights.

Hermione looked uncomfortable, shooting pleading glances to her classmate, who just as studiously ignored her plight, when Harry arrived. "Here, tell Harry!"

"I had no idea Hermione could move that fast," Dean leaned over and confided.

Ron opened his mouth, ready to share once again his glorious plans for the Sock Folk, when Harry interrupted. "You'll never guess what I heard. Ginny heard from Zymurgy, that troublesome prankster in her year, who heard from some third year, who was there... Draco Malfoy was attacked by a boggart!" He paused for emphasis.

"Why were you talking to my sister?"
"We talk," Harry looked annoyed. "We're friends. Will you listen, man? FOCUS! Malfoy had to deliver a message to the DADA professor, and they were doing a boggart lesson. He walks in and gets eaten alive by the boggart!"

Ron looked like a fish. A big one. With its mouth open. A big mouth. Let's all make a fish face... yeah. He looked like that. "Is he...?"

"Here's the thing, the kid who went just before Malfoy came in... he was a Muggle-born with an entirely too weird phobia of this giant Stay Puffed man from the Ghostbusters movie. Nevermind, Ron!" he yelled when Ron started to ask about it. "Malfoy was eaten by a mad marshmallow! They did the Riddikulus right away and rushed him to the infirmary, but I've heard he's gibbering about 'the fluff!'"

The boys laughed heartily, then Ron stopped. "Now... why were you talking to my sister?"