CHAPTER 1

Hermione swallowed nervously.

She was seated outside Dr Murphy's office, one leg crossed over the other and her file gathered carefully in her lap. She had dressed carefully that morning, well-aware of the gravity of the situation, but now she simply felt awkward and uncomfortable: the pleated, high-waisted skirt cut ruthlessly into the skin of her side, her high-heeled shoes hurt her ankles and she was one run away from tearing the stockings right off her legs. It didn't help that she had been waiting for a while. Her meeting had been scheduled for ten, and faithful to her obsession for punctuality she had turned up at his office at nine-thirty. It was now a quarter past ten and there was no sign yet of the doctor. She uncrossed her legs and then adjusted her file, before clearing her throat and addressing the anemic looking secretary who was flipping idly through a magazine behind her desk.

'Is the doctor going to be coming in soon?' she asked, curtly.

The secretary glanced up at her with wide, brown eyes.

'Oh, Dr Murphy's already in,' she said, 'He came in at nine. I think he's finishing up with a phone call. He's a busy person, you know.'

So am I, Hermione thought cuttingly to herself, but she refrained from talking. The man she had come to meet was not one to be taken lightly. Instead, she glanced once more at her watch and then lowered her gaze to the file on her lap.

She held it protectively, conscious of how much of her effort and hard work had gone into producing these results. After Hogwarts, she had chosen to major in Magical Psychology at the Garcia Institute in Paris, and had only returned to London a few months back. She had put together a collection of her case studies and experiments and approached the Ministry for an apprenticeship position, in response to which she had been assigned this meeting with Dr Murphy. Hermione knew about him, of course; he was a legend in the world of criminal psychology, specializing in the effects that magical energy sometimes had on the accepted norms of psychological analysis. She had been terribly excited to meet him, but her excitement was slowly dissolving into impatience and irritation.

She tapped the tip of one index finger against the file, wondering how much longer the doctor would be. The receptionist had finished her magazine and was stowing it into one of her desk drawers. She glanced at her own watch and then at Hermione.

'What time was your appointment scheduled for again?' she asked.

'Ten,' Hermione said, trying to restrict the annoyance in her voice.

The receptionist clicked her tongue sympathetically.

'Dr Murphy's very busy this week,' she said, as way of explanation, 'He has a lot of cases being referred to him all of a sudden. I take it you're from Garcia?'

Hermione nodded. 'I graduated this summer.'

'I thought so. All the good psych schools finish up around then, so all the referrals start coming in about now. You know- give or take a couple of months for tying up the paperwork and putting together the case studies. Applying for an apprenticeship are you?'

'That's right. I wrote to the Dep as soon as I got to London, which was when this meeting was scheduled. I was-' Hermione hesitated for a moment, and then said, 'I was actually hoping to hear that Dr Murphy was personally interested in hiring me, not just passing me on to one of his juniors. Probably wishful thinking, but there you have it.'

The receptionist tucked a strand of brass-colored hair behind her ear and flashed her an encouraging smile. 'Oh, you never know. Dr Murphy gets a lot of referrals, but if you particularly impress him he would definitely consider it. I happen to know the post could be open right now, at any rate. I'm Jane, by the way.'

Hermione smiled back, and then carefully pursued the topic. 'A post is open right now? Really?'

Jane glanced at the shut door that led to the doctor's office, and lowered her voice a notch as she continued.

'That's right. Dr Murphy's present apprentice- his name is Evans. Marshall Evans. He's been with the doctor for the last three years.'

Hermione frowned. 'But isn't the course traditionally for five years?'

'Yes, but the doctor's been experiencing some problems with Evans. He graduated from DePaul's, which you know isn't as prestigious as Garcia. I think the doctor wanted to give him a chance because he saw definite potential in him, but it doesn't seem to be working out. There was some talk a month or so back about terminating his apprenticeship contract. Between you and me, if you pull of a good impression today you have definite chances of making it into his list.'

Hermione digested this information. Although she had wistfully considered the possibility of working directly under Murphy, her realistic side had quashed many of these hopes, pointing out that a man who could produce such a prestigious brand name in the industry would no doubt already have an apprentice. But if what Jane was saying was true, she had as good a chance as any at getting the post- better really, because there weren't many psych schools that could compete with Garcia. She felt a slight thrill sparkle through her spine as she thought about it: a few months out of her course, and she could already be training under Dr Adrian Murphy himself.

It would be like a dream come true.

'But does Dr Murphy generally take apprentices who haven't had any work experience before?' she asked, cautiously.

Jane considered this. 'It's rare,' she admitted, 'But not unheard of. He does have some basic criteria he looks for though. You should-'

She broke off as the door to the office opened, and a tall, ginger-haired man strode out. Hermione sucked in her breath; she had only seen Dr Murphy once before, at a seminar on sociopathic behavior at the Garcia, and he was every bit as impressive looking as she remembered. He was large-framed, with broad shoulders but a paradoxically loose-limbed gait. Fine, gingery hair fell across a broad brow, and he wore narrow glasses over a pair of penetrating eyes. He was frowning slightly now, directing all his attention towards Jane.

'Block all my calls for the rest of morning,' he said, curtly, 'And Jane, please make sure I have a copy of the termination form tomorrow. It's bloody important.'

Jane nodded demurely, and Hermione felt her heart leap in her throat.

'What's my next appointment?' Dr Murphy asked.

Jane glanced at Hermione. 'You had an interview with Miss Hermione Granger at ten, sir. She's been waiting.'

Murphy turned to face Hermione, and a glint passed through his eyes.

'Miss Granger,' he said, raising his voice a couple of notches, 'I'm sorry I wasn't out before. Slight catastrophe to take care of.' He shuddered, glanced at Jane and mouthed the word Evans.

'That's quite alright, Dr Murphy,' Hermione said, reverently. All her impatience had vanished; she had stood up, clutching her file to her and looking up at the doctor with nothing short of worship in her gaze.

'Why don't you come in to my office?' he asked, holding the door open and gesturing for her to enter, 'Have a seat. Some tea? Jane- send in a couple of cups, would you?'

Jane nodded and Murphy shut the door behind them. He waited till Hermione had sat down before lowering himself into his own chair, and then began to rummage about in one of his drawers. Hermione stole the opportunity to admire his office: it was large and spacious, done up in in neutral colors that gave it a more expansive feel. His desk was a large-bodied mahogany affair, with an old-fashioned ink stand and a blown-glass paperweight. A few cream-upholstered chairs and a potted palm completed the furnishings.

'Here we are,' Murphy said, pulling out a thick file and putting it on the desk in front of him, 'This is the file that Garcia sent me, regarding you. Quite an impressive resume you have here, Miss Granger.'

Hermione tried to assume a modest expression. 'Thank you, Dr Murphy. I enjoyed my three years at Garcia very much.'

'I should think so. It's a brilliant place to learn psychology. I graduated myself from Garcia, though God only knows how long ago that was. So, you're here to apply for an apprenticeship are you?'

Hermione swallowed nervously. 'That's right.'

'Any idea what your future plans would be?'

'As you can see, I majored in criminal psychology,' Hermione said, gesturing towards the file, 'I'd like to work in association with the Azkaban authorities, actually. I believe there's a team that's loosely linked to the Wizengamot that operates from the Ministry?'

Murphy nodded. 'You've done your research, clearly. That's quite an ambitious goal, Miss Granger.'

'I know it is, Dr Murphy. But I'm confident that with the right application of my skill set it could be achievable.'

Murphy leaned back in his chair, and slid his glasses off his rather beaked nose. He exhaled audibly as he polished them on the front of his shirt.

'You realize, Miss Granger, that you'd need quite a high-profile mentor for that sort of aspiration? Your apprentice would give you crucial experience if you're seriously considering criminal psychology- especially if you want to tie up with the Azkaban authorities. And your mentor is key to giving you the right kind of exposure in such a situation.'

'I'm well aware of that,' Hermione said. She considered her next move, and then decided to take the plunge. 'A mentor who is well-known and respected in the industry would certainly be of much value to me. Someone such as- well, you, for example.'

Dr Murphy glanced up at her and raised an eyebrow. 'You do know that I am merely in charge of referrals, don't you, Miss Granger? My job is to put you in touch with a mentor who I believe would best enhance your capabilities in this field.'

'I know that,' Hermione said, calmly, 'But I also know that you do practice as well, and I know that you do hire apprentices to assist you in your work. It would be an honor, Dr Murphy, to train under you.'

'No doubt,' Murphy said, dryly. He hesitated for a moment, flipping through her file and pausing every now and then. Hermione could tell that he was impressed by her work, so she decided to push her advantage.

'Dr Murphy, I know I would benefit greatly by tutoring under you, but I also think I could be a great help to you. I worked very hard at Garcia. I have the records of some case studies and experiments right here, if you'll let me-'

'Miss Granger, let me be straight with you,' Murphy said, abruptly. Hermione fell silent. 'To be honest, I called you down here with that specific intention in mind. I have heard nothing but glowing reports from your professors in Garcia, and I find myself in need of a- er- replacement, at the moment. But you do understand that I consider myself to be one of the best minds in this field, and I expect a great amount of both potential and dedication in any apprentice I might take under my wing.'

'That's very understandable, Dr Murphy.'

'You're a smart girl, Miss Granger. It's obvious from your file over here. But there is a little more that I would expect from you if I were to hire you.'

Hermione felt her heartbeat accelerate slightly. 'Which is?'

'Nothing very difficult, my dear. Just a simple case study, actually. Most of the people you studied while in Garcia would have been privately known to you, of course. I know how the college works. I'm simply going to ask you to create for me a psychologic profile for a person who is a complete stranger to you.'

Hermione's shoulders slumped with relief. 'Of course,' she said, exhaling.

'I shall choose the person, of course. Probably someone employed by the Ministry, who might have a curious background that lends itself to much psychological scrutiny. I keep a list handy here for whenever I'm looking for fresh employment.'

He pulled open a drawer and pulled out a long scroll. Hermione could hardly believe her luck. She knew that drawing up psychological profiles for complete strangers could be a difficult task indeed, something she hadn't done before. But her theory was sound, and she was confident that she'd be able to do it. And then, maybe, in a few short months-

'Ah, here we are,' Dr Murphy said, tracing the tip of his finger down the list and pausing at a particular name. 'I've crossed these off, they're pretty much done. Ah- I think I've found one. This young man works in the Auror Department. Twenty two years of age, questionable heritage.'

'And all you want me to do is create a psychological profile for him?' Hermione asked, cautiously.

Murphy glanced up at her, a slight twinkle in his eyes. 'That's all, Miss Granger, but don't underestimate the gravity of this task. I will not be lenient while evaluating your assessment.'

'I understand that,' Hermione said, nodding.

'That's brilliant. Alright then, that's settled. I'm assigning you to Mr Draco Malfoy, graduate of Hogwarts such as yourself and currently employed as an Implementation Officer.'

Author's Note: Just something I'm experimenting with. Reviews will be much appreciated.