Dudley never mentioned the conversation about magic. He didn't act any different with Harry either, although Harry was sure his cousin remembered it very well.
Harry didn't tell Hermione about his inheritance. At first, he wanted to learn some more about it. Then, he was reluctant to tell her that he was the offspring of some of the most important people in Magical Britain. Her friendship was enough for him. He didn't need her to admire him for things he had no control of.
Hermione was quick to find everything she could about Harry, now that she had access to the magical library and also knew how to reach Diagon Alley, and especially the book-stores there.
She called him about a week after his birthday. "Harry, do you know you're famous?"
He sighed. "Yes, I've seen some of those nonsense books. I wish I could eliminate them."
"I don't mean those junk stories. You appear in several books about fighting the dark and even mentioned in 'Hogwarts – a History' and a few history books of the modern era."
"It's just rubbish. I'm just a boy who lost his parents and had a few rough years before things started settling down somewhat. You know my uncle still loathes every 'freakishness'."
"Well, I know, but you should be aware of how others may see you, especially as your time at Hogwarts approaches. You should think about how you'd like to handle this fame."
"I've been thinking about it lately. I've just finished perfecting a kind of vanishing charm. I can now turn myself invisible, so I can move away without anybody noticing."
"Wow! You're really talented. Will you teach me how to do it as well?"
"We'll try it next time you visit."
"Oh, I'll love to try it. Harry, you may also try something simpler. I've read about a 'notice me not' charm. It doesn't make you invisible, it just makes people not notice you even though their eyes see you."
"That may also work. I'll give it a try."
By the time they met again, Harry was already able to make himself unnoticed even without becoming invisible. That gained him another tight hug from Hermione.
Despite his reluctance, he decided to tell her just a bit about his inheritance, so he could get her advice. "While at Gringotts, I've found out that I've inherited a position which allows me to ask for my own private dorms, once at Hogwarts. I was wondering if that's really wise, especially since I seem to be so famous in the magical world."
Hermione gave it some thought. "Getting your private dorms may spare you some unwanted attention from other students, yet it will also attract attention all by itself. It won't help you while in class or during meals, which are served in the Great Hall." She then frowned a bit. "There's no direct answer I can give you right now. I think you'll have to see what happens and 'play it by the ear', as they say."
"Why are you frowning, though?"
"I like to plan ahead, yet this situation doesn't seem appropriate for such planning."
"Can't we make a few alternate plans and switch as the situation changes?"
Hermione's face brightened. "Yes, I believe we can."
Hermione wanted to start planning. Harry stopped her. "I think we both still need to learn some more before we can plan. We need to find everything we can about Hogwarts and its current staff. I know its headmaster is supposed to be my magical guardian, yet he had extracted some money from my vault and that money was never used for my benefit, as far as I know, and he had never shown any interest in me, has not visited me even once since I've been put with my aunt. I need to learn more about him. Possibly about other staff members as well."
This brought a new frown to Hermione's face. "He's the Headmaster. He should care for every child under his authority. Isn't that part of his role?"
Harry sighed. "Hermione, not every person is up to the position one needs to take. I hear my uncle grumble about this and that every time he takes the newspaper in his hands. Many people in authority positions abuse their position for different reasons, mostly for greed. Nobody should be above suspicion, you know. You must treat everybody with due respect but not with unreserved trust."
Her frown deepened. "I know you're right, yet it goes so much against my sense of how things should be. It's hard to believe that a figure of authority would abuse its position."
"And yet the papers are full of stories like this," Harry commented.
She sighed. "Well, it only means I need to be wary of everybody. That's no fun at all."
Harry tried to change the subject a bit. "You know, I've just read about some mind magic. If we master it, we can be much safer when we go to Hogwarts. You know that we may encounter bullies there as well."
"Mind magic?"
"There's Occlumency and Legilimency, which complement each other. The first protects you against the second, which is intended to penetrate one's mind in order to read memories and thoughts or even influence the mind. I'm going to try and learn the protection as soon as I can. I suspect I may need it. As my friend, I suggest you do the same." He refrained from mentioning that the books only suggested learning this after reaching fourteen. A notebook, left by one of his ancestors, suggested it could be taught to children as young as six, and it was very useful against rivals.
They spent the rest of that visit browsing through the two books that Harry managed to find on mind magic.
As expected, Hermione tried to find some more information on the subject. She visited Diagon Alley a few days later. She called Harry as soon as she was back. "I've found no book about this in any of the three book-stores we've visited. At one shop it was suggested that such subjects were only to be found on Knockturn Alley, yet they warned us that going there, especially for a young girl, was extremely dangerous."
"Then, we're lucky to have found these books I own. I'll see if I can get another copy for you."
It was just a few days later that school started, making the children put aside their magical education for a while. Harry was also busy helping Dudley along. Dudley still needed Harry's presence, mainly for motivation, as he was doing quite well for himself. Harry was only thinking of Hermione's approaching birthday, contemplating the present that would fit her best and wondering if she would get her Hogwarts letter soon after her birthday or it would arrive during the summer, about the same time as his.
Dudley was certainly not the right person to consult with. Although he was friendly enough with Hermione, he didn't know her that well. There was only one other person he could consult with. "Aunt Petunia, can you help me decide on a birthday present for Hermione?"
It was still a new experience, consulting with his aunt about personal matters. Petunia also seemed surprised by his request, yet she tried not to let it show.
"She seems to be quite a bookish girl. Won't you like to give her a book?"
"I've already given her access to my whole library," Harry confessed, "and she keeps buying new books at Diagon Alley. She loves books, but maybe I should try for something else?"
Petunia tried to think about it. The girl was a lot like Lily, at that age, except Lily seemed to be more playful. What would have Lily liked at that age?...
"Girls love jewellery," she finally said. "You could give her a necklace or a bracelet or even a ring. Nothing extravagant, though, or it may embarrass her."
Harry got excited at her answer. "I think I've seen something like that in my vault. Do you think it may be appropriate?"
Petunia frowned. "I won't be able to take you there before her birthday. I have some social duties to attend."
"That's fine, Aunt Petunia. I've found a way to go there by myself, using the letter they sent me," he said, rushing to his room.
A moment later, she heard a kind of "pop" sound. When checking Harry's room, it was empty. Petunia sighed and closed the door.
Harry descended for supper, as usual. "Have you found what you were looking for?" she asked him.
"Yes. It's a set, a bit more elegant than what I saw at some shops, but it was the least elegant in there."
Petunia nodded approvingly. "Just make sure to wrap it nicely."
Harry smiled brightly. "Of course!"
\/\/\/
As Hermione's birthday occurred on Monday, they had the celebration on Sunday afternoon. The whole Dursley family was invited, along with some of Hermione's relatives. Harry was sad for Hermione not having any friends from school. He only hoped his present would cheer her up enough to make her forget that lack.
Despite her cousins' nagging, Hermione didn't open her presents immediately. She only took them all to her room and stacked them neatly on her desk. By the size and shape of the packages, Harry was quite sure they were all books. Harry's present also looked like a book, though. After retrieving the jewels from his vault, he looked for an appropriate jewellery box. He found nothing in his vault, but the toys store nearby had one that looked like a book and acted like a book, unless opened by a specific password. Harry set it to "Friendship and Magic".
Eventually, Hermione had to open her presents. She brought everything down to the living room, conveniently 'forgetting' to bring Harry's present as well. As expected, there were only books there. Her uncle bought her a romance for young girls. Harry was sure she liked nothing better than to shove it in his face, as it was clearly a worthless book. Her aunt brought her a book dealing with girls going through puberty. Hermione blushed deeply and put it aside. Her elder cousin was even less subtle, giving her a book about treating one's hair, along with a bottle of shampoo for difficult hair. Harry could feel her fighting to control her magic. He was sure this would have ended with some accidental magic, possibly harmful, had Hermione not been practising control for several months by then.
She got other, less problematic books, from her other aunt and cousins, and also from her grandparents. She was surprised at the book she got from the Dursleys, though. It was a practical guide for choosing the right clothing for the occasion, aimed at teenage girls. "I've seen that you were always dressed impeccably, and I thought you might appreciate such a guide, as you grow up," Petunia explained.
Hermione thanked her with a hug.
It was later, after her cousins had already left, when Hermione called Harry to her room. "It's a magical present, isn't it?"
"Some of it is," he answered cautiously. Although he was starting to feel the difference between magical and other objects, it was just the beginning, and he wasn't really sure about the jewellery.
Hermione frowned when she saw another book, although there was no title on it. The cover was decorated with an ornate gold-filled engraving, with a single word inside it. Hermione.
She opened the book. The pages were blank, as if it was an unused diary. "What is it?" she asked, looking at Harry.
"Friendship and Magic," Harry said, touching the spine of the book. "Open it now, please."
Hermione did so reluctantly and then gasped. There was a necklace, two earrings, and a ring in there, all looking magnificent against the dark velvet that lined the shallow box.
"Harry, this is too much!" she said.
"I only intended to bring you the ring, but I thought it was a pity to break the set into pieces. Besides, it comes from my vault, so it cost me nothing."
Hermione was still fascinated, admiring the beautiful jewellery.
"Don't you like to try it on?" he urged her.
"I've never worn earrings. I'll have to get my ears pierced," Hermione noted, her eyes still scanning the jewels.
"Why don't you try the ring first?" he suggested.
Hermione took the ring. "It seems too big," she noted. "It may fall down from my finger."
She still tried sliding it on her finger. To her astonishment, the ring shrank to fit. She was more surprised when a bright flash appeared around the ring, turning into a circle of light that moved to her feet and started scanning upwards, vanishing as it cleared her head. "What was that?"
"The goblin said this was a friendship ring, given only to someone very dear. It contains some very effective protection and healing charms. I think he also said 'runes', although I've not had time to find what it means. Do you like it?"
Hermione looked at her finger. The ring was magnificent, sporting a few small diamonds, surrounding a ruby and an emerald. "It's really beautiful, but it's too expensive to wear. I don't think my mother has anything as expensive."
"You may make it invisible by thinking at it, just as you taught me about mine. I think you may also make it look like a simple, cheap ring."
Hermione tried. The ring faded out, only to reappear like a simple ring, of the kind many young girls wear.
"Don't you like to try the earrings as well?"
"I have no piercing..."
"I believe the earrings will take care of this," Harry stopped her.
He grabbed one earring and took it up to her ear. The moment it touched, the ear seemed to change and the earring was fixed firmly. The second earring acted the same.
"It's weird," Hermione said. "I feel them going through my earlobes, yet they are still complete and non-pierced. How can that be?"
Harry smirked. "Magic!"
The necklace, at least, didn't pose any problem. Hermione had a feeling that her new jewels were giving her some more energy, making her more powerful, yet she was not going to discuss it. She just hugged Harry as tightly as she could, pressing two kisses on each of his cheeks. They both blushed fiercely at that.
"Shouldn't I take them down now?" Hermione asked after their faces returned to their normal colours.
"I believe you can keep them on at all times. You can probably make them change to something simpler or even hide them, just as you can with the ring,"
Hermione tried. Her diamond and platinum necklace became a simple line of crystal beads on a golden thread and her earrings changed from dangling diamonds, emeralds, and rubies to a single red stone, close to the earlobe, just like the earrings used after having one's ears pierced.
"I believe I can go to school with these," Hermione said, checking herself in the mirror.
"I think your parents and my aunt would like to see them in their original form, though," Harry commented.
When they went back downstairs, Dudley was in the study with both fathers, looking through a collection of some sort. The women were in the kitchen. "Go in, show them," Harry told his friend. "I'll keep the others busy," he added, going towards the study.