25th of January, 2006.
Wizengamot, Level 10, Ministry of Magic
"Miss Hermione Jean Granger, is it true that during the period of thirty one days, starting from the twentieth of December, 2005 and up till the nineteenth of January, 2006 you haven't been present at your office in C.Y.W organization?" asked the old wizard with a face that lacked expression.
"Yes." Hermione replied with a shaky voice. Her eyes scanned the room which was dominated by witches and wizards in plum colored robes. Three men and two women sat in front of her, wearing black robes.
"And is it true that you haven't been in contact with Helena Montgomery who was replacing you over the course of said month?" the wizard asked.
"Yes, but that's because I've already prepared her for almost every emergency that could possible happen, and clearly asked her to owl me in case she needed any assistance." Hermione argued.
"And is it true, Miss Granger, that you were aware of the rather shady history of Alec Earhart and the circumstances of ending his career at Gringotts Bank?" the old wizard eyed Hermione skeptically.
"Yes. And I'd like to point out that I accepted him as an employee based on a formal recommendation made by Mark Odgen, head of the Wizard Reformation Department. I'd like to present him as a witness." Hermione pursued.
"Mark Dimitrius Odgen" the old wizard called. A young weedy man with short brown hair, thin rounded glasses and fragile looking features, started walking towards Hermione until he was standing next to her.
"Your wand please, Mr. Odgen." the old wizard requested politely.
Mark Odgen handed over his wand with shaky hands. He was attending a trial for the first time in his life and the whole situation disoriented him. Beads of sweat formed on his forehead as he clumsily adjusted his glasses.
"Mr. Odgen, was Alec Earhart one of the subjects of the wizard reformation program?" the old wizard asked, handing back the wand to Mark after performing the regular identification spells.
"Y-yes..I studied his case myself." Mark replied in a barely audible voice.
With a flick of his wand, the old wizard produced a letter that floated before Mark's eyes.
"Did you write this letter of recommendation and send it to Miss Granger?" the old wizard asked.
"Yes." Mark confirmed with an eager nod.
"On what basis have you decided that it was safe to let Alec Earhart work for C.Y.W organization?" the man inquired
"We have been keeping him under intensive monitoring for over seven months now. During which he had taken several temporary jobs where we had his progress reported." Mark paused to clear his throat and adjust his glasses once more. "When he showed no signs of criminal behavior, I decided it was about time he took a decent job. He has a wife and two kids, one of them just started school this year and he needs a constant income." he added sympathetically.
"Then how do you explain the fact that he embezzled five thousand Galleons from funds given by the ministry to C.Y.W organization?" the old wizard quizzed.
"Well..he's human after all. We can't predict human behavior nor can we control it. We just do our best to reform it." Mark rationalized.
"So you hereby hold full responsibility for the employment recommendation of Alec Earhart in C.Y.W organization?" the old wizard emphasized his question strongly.
Mark hesitated for a moment. He glanced at Hermione who looked down at him in despair from her high chair.
"Yes." he mumbled, color rising to his skinny cheeks.
"That would be all, Mr. Odgen." the old wizard announced. Mark walked back to his seat, almost tripping over one of the steps as descended the stairs.
"Is there anything you'd like to add Miss Granger?" the old wizard finally looked back at Hermione.
"I want to make it clear that I had a good reason behind going on such a long vacation on such a short notice." Hermione said, "My mother was sick, she had to undergo surgery and she stayed in bed for almost a month, totally dependent on me since my father couldn't leave his job and stay with her." she explained, "I could not have possibly brought her to live with me in the wizarding world, and this was the first time I leave on vacation ever since I started C.Y.W five years ago. And.."
"It's alright, Miss Granger." the old wizard interjected, "I believe the Wizengamot have heard enough already." he added with a tone of finality.
The old wizard took his place next to the members of the committee. He waved his wand above his head in a circular motion and mumbled "Muffliato."
Hermione sat nervously, watching the men and women as they made a decision that would affect the one thing she had devoted her past six years to. She glanced at Harry and Ginny and they both smiled at her reassuringly.
The old wizard once again waved his wand above his head and the buzzing noise that filled everybody's ears was gone. The chief Warlock looked down at a parchment in his hand then at Hermione.
"Miss Granger, considering your impressive history with the Ministry of Magic in general for the past eight years, and with C.Y.W specifically for the past five years. As well as your undeniable efforts during the Second Wizarding War. We have decided to keep you as Chief Witch of C.Y.W organization." the warlock announced, and Hermione sighed with relief.
"However" he went on, "that recent incident showed a flaw in your management techniques. One that might be viewed as recklessness with the ministry funds. Something that shall not be tolerated." the warlock berated sternly.
"So as an attempt to reform that flaw. You are to spend a amelioration period of six months in a corporation strongly affiliated with the ministry. One that could be used as an example for impeccable management. Over the course of six months, you will study how this corporation is ran in order to apply those new techniques to your own organization."
"But what happens to C.Y.W during those six months?" Hermione questioned.
"It will be placed under the supervision of the ministry. One of our officials: Tom Herbert, will fill in your position until you're back." the warlock informed. "You will be owled a letter with further details this evening at 7 o'clock." And with that, the warlock brought the trial to an end.
Later that day, Hermione, Harry and Ginny gathered at Hermione's house to celebrate the fairly good ending of Hermione's troublesome situation.
"I can't believe this is finally over!" Hermione exclaimed as she threw herself on one of the chairs.
"It's not really over yet, six months is such a long period. I still think they were too harsh." Ginny contradicted.
"Five thousand galleons is a huge sum of money, Ginny." Harry argued, "Hermione's organization is fully dependent on ministry funds. They can't afford having that incident repeated again."
"It's alright, Ginny." Hermione smiled at her, "At first, I was taken aback by their sentence. I mean..it felt degrading. Like they were telling me I'm not good enough to run my own organization." she admitted, "But then I decided I'll have a positive approach about this. Maybe it would be a healthy change for me...with everything that's been going on lately." Hermione's voice trailed off.
Ginny's smile faded and a frown creased her forehead. "My brother is a blithering idiot." she muttered under her breath.
"Ron's great, Ginny. We just couldn't be together any longer." Hermione said, refusing to let Ginny dwell on the matter any further.
"His loss." Ginny shrugged impassively, "Let's have a drink."
A brown owl started tapping its peak at the window. Hermione opened the window and let it in. The owl stood patiently and almost solemnly as Hermione released the letter attached to its leg. The minute Hermione freed the owl from the message it held, it flew out of the window. Ginny was busy unsealing the bottle of Firewhiskey Harry had brought and pouring each of them a glass.
"What should we drink to?" Harry asked.
Hermione and Ginny looked at each other thoughtfully for a while.
"To a healthy changes." Hermione toasted.
"To a healthy change." Harry and Ginny repeated, clinking their glasses together.
Hermione opened the letter. Holding her glass in one hand and the letter in the other, she started reading. Minutes later, Hermione was choking on her drink. She was coughing and spluttering all over the letter.
"Hermione, what's wrong?" Ginny rushed to her side.
Unable to find her voice, Hermione pushed the letter into Ginny's hand. Ginny's eyes skimmed through the letter. Her eyes widened and she looked up at Harry.
"Ginny what is it? Give me that letter." Harry urged, growing impatient with the air of vagueness. He took the letter from Ginny's hand and started reading it.
"Ms. Hermione Jean Granger,
As per the trial held on the 25th of January, 2006. You are to start a six months amelioration period at the Malfoy Corporation. Your presence is requested at the corporation's headquarters at 36 Bridge St, Westminster, London.
Mr. Draco Malfoy, the current Chief Wizard of the corporation, will meet you at nine thirty o'clock in the morning. George Bagshot, an official from the Department of Magical Law Enforcement will be present at your house to accompany you at a quarter past nine.
Best regards,
Edward Bones
Chief Warlock"
Harry's mouth fell open. He gaped at the letter for a moment then he looked at Hermione was was still sitting on her chair wide eyed. He exchanged a glance with Ginny and before either of them could stop it, they burst into laughter.