Hermione Investigates

(Disclaimer: I have no business connection with HARRY POTTER. My only purpose in writing this story is to have fun and maybe share it)

(Author's note: This story is set in the summer between Goblet of Fire and Order of the Phoenix.

CHAPTER I

I tapped on the wall behind the Leaky Cauldron and watched it unravel. This is the first time I've come to Diagon Alley alone, without either my parents or the Weasleys. I pointed out to my parents that since I've been shopping in Hogsmeade for two years, I could certainly take care of myself in Diagon Alley. I didn't mention Voldemort's return.

I didn't involve the Weasleys because this was a personal expedition. It was tiring, having to go to the library at Hogwarts everytime a question wasn't solved by my schoolbooks. I wanted to buy some tomes of my own. And I had money, because Harry had given me some of his winnings from the Triwizard Tournament.

As I came out of Gringotts with a number of Galleons in the pockets of my robe, I spotted the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, walking down the street with a toad-like woman dressed in pink. Up to a few weeks ago I had considered him just a fussy, mildly dotty old man. Then I heard how he had ordered dementors to kiss Barty Crouch the Younger and consume his soul.

I had never thought much about souls until then; my upbringing had not been very religious. But if potentially immortal souls existed, then the idea of destroying one was horrifying. Even Dante, writing about the Inferno, hadn't talked about destroying souls; just tormenting them. What's worse, Fudge had just ordered it. Nothing about a trial. Professor Dumbledore was irate because Crouch might have given us useful information, albeit against his will. I was shocked because Cornelius Fudge had used a power that no modern government official had or should have. It had been centuries since the King or Queen of England could simply order "Off with his head!"

I didn't want to speak to Fudge; I didn't think I could be civil. So I hurriedly turned around, and promptly bumped into a young woman who was behind me.

"I'm terribly sorry," I said. "I wasn't looking where I was going."

"It's alright," said the other. "I'm always banging into things."

"Tonks?"

"Hermione!"

We exchanged a hug. Tonks and I had met a year ago, and had had a thrilling adventure, which we had both sworn never to discuss. But since I was at Hogwarts during most of the year, and Tonks worked as an Auror in London, we hadn't seen much of each other. Furthermore I had an excuse for not recognizing Tonks immediately, because she had dyed her hair green.

"Wot d'ya say we have a butterbeer together, at the Leaky Cauldron?"

"Well, OK." My personal preference would have been to share some ice cream at Fortescue's, bur I realized that saying that would sound childish.

We went back through the wall into the pub which, as always, looked rather drab after the sight of all the magic shops. Tom, the barman, seemed to know Tonks pretty well, to the point of removing everything breakable from her vicinity.

"So," said Tonks. "Hogwarts seems to be a much more exciting place than when I went there. The Twi-wizard Tournament! Though what I've heard of it seems to be rather confusing."

"It was confusing to be there, too," I admitted. "What did you want to know?"

"Well, first of all, how your friend Harry got dragged into it. I thought it was supposed to be between champions of the three schools. Diggory from Hogwarts, Delacour from Beauxbatons, Krum from Durmstrang. Why was Harry Potter involved?"

"Because Voldemort had his minions put a spell on the Goblet of Fire, to make it nominate a fourth champion. And instead of investigating why it behaved so oddly, everybody just did what they were told," Hermione said bitterly.

"Voldemort?" echoed Tonks. At least she didn't seem to be one of the witches who panicked when the name was uttered. "But Voldemort's dead. He got zapped by his own spell, trying to kill your friend more than a dozen years ago."

I felt sudden dread at that. I knew that Fudge had expressed disbelief at Harry's story, but I had taken it for granted that he would be cautious, and ask the Aurors to look into the possibility. If he had, Tonks, who was a junior Auror, would have heard something about it. Since she had not, it sounded like Fudge was convinced that the story was false, and was doing nothing to prepare the Wizard World of England against the danger. Everybody was vulnerable, except for those who were heeding Dumbledore's warning.

"No!" I said desperately. "Voldemort IS alive. He survived the zapping in a weakened form, and he got back to normal just last month."

"How do you know?" asked Tonks in surprise, knocking over her mug of butterbeer.

I dodged the spilling liquid. "Harry saw it, and he told me."

"And you believe him?"

"And Dumbledore believes him! Harry does not tell lies!" I said angrily.

"Sorry. It's just that – I've heard nothing of this."

"I know. Fudge didn't believe him, so apparently he's not publishing it about."

Tonks pondered. "It's possible that Fudge has put a small, elite team on the matter. That he doesn't want to discuss it more widely because he fears that it will create a panic."

"I suppose," I muttered, unconvinced.

"I'll tell you wot," said Tonks. "I may be low in the pecking order, but I know Aurors who are much higher up, and who would probably be willing to level with me. I'll see if something is getting done."

"Thank you," I said, but she was still worried. If the Ministry of Magic was doing nothing, then opposition would depend on a school headmaster who was in Scotland most of the time, and a junior Auror with a tendency to knock things over. Just that, ranged against the most powerful wizard in the world.

TO BE CONTINUED.