Back in her hotel room, Hermione realized the enormity of what she had just done. In her panic, she had forgotten to erase the memories of the guards and had therefore probably singlehandedly exposed the Australian, and possibly the world's, Wizarding community. But right now that was the least of her problems. She pondered on the events that had led up to this…

FLASHBACK TO THREE DAYS EARLIER:

It was a simple investigate-find-restore operation, as Hermione had described it to Ron earlier that very same week. However, that had been back when Australia was just a map. Now, seeing the enormity of Australia, she realized that it wasn't so simple anymore. So, after a few days of aimless tourism, she started Step One in Sydney.

"Excuse me, ma'am, but would you happen to know a Wendell and Monica Wilkins?" she said, batting her eyes at the Information Clerk of her hotel.

"Oh, yes, hasn't everyone?" Hermione instantly started to worry. If they were local celebrities, that would make it harder for her to restore their memories and get them out unnoticed. "It was a huge tragedy. They'd gotten settled, were here for about eight months or so, made some friends around town; did you know they had just had an ankle biter?"At this point Hermione was going frantic. Tragedy? A baby? What in the world had she missed while she was with Harry and Ron?

"But then, there was the accident," the clerk said, and Hermione gulped. "They were just minding their own business, driving along, when outta nowhere, there's this huge ka-bloosh, and all of 'em, exploded!" Hermione was horrified. She felt her eyes welling up with hot tears as the clerk went on. "Why're ya askin' 'bout it? Ya don't see many Brits askin' 'bout tha Wilkins."

Hermione quickly made up a cover story. "I, um, I was their daughter."

"Really?" said the clerk. "'Cause they ne'er mentioned a daug-"

"Probably not," said Hermione. "You see, I was born back when they weren't married, and they adopted me out, and, well-"

"Oh, you poor dearie," the clerk said, scribbling a note on a little sheet of paper and passing it to her. "Here, lemme make ya some tea, it'll cheer ya up right good,"

"Oh, thank you," said Hermione meekly, looking down at the note. It read, Don't meddle in the affairs of the Wilkins.

LATER:

A chilly wind swept across Hermione as she walked, extremely depressed over her parents' deaths and yet extremely curious as to what happened. At this moment she resolved to find out why the clerk slipped her that note, and turned on her heel to find a man dressed in black following her. Suddenly scared, she turned around to see another man in black coming out of an alley in front of her. Frightened, she silently cast "Homenum Revelio" and sensed the presences of five others surrounding her. At this moment she heard a whistle and dodged sideways, narrowly avoiding a tranquilizing dart.

Hoping she could take seven men without indiscreetly using magic, she ran ahead, tackling the man in front of her and smothered him with a chloroform rag she found in his hand. At this point she ducked to avoid another tranquilizer. Muttering something about not being an elephant, she darted around the alleyway and poked another man's eye out with her wand. Then, Apparating up on top of the building behind her, she kneed another assailant in the crotch, sending him falling off the building in extreme pain.

Apparating down, she wrestled a guy to the ground and stole his gun, then used it to knock out another guy who she then proceeded to use to clobber another man*. Counting, she realized that there was one man left, who suddenly appeared, pressing a gun barrel against her neck.

Speaking in a strong Australian accent, he said, "Would you mind comin' with me, dearie?"

Hermione retorted, "Not on your life," while silently shooting a Jelly-Legs Jinx at him. As he flopped down, she rounded the corner, then Apparating back to the hotel.

Back in the hotel room, Hermione toyed with the idea of sending Ron an owl when an owl suddenly appeared in her window. Opening it up, she let the owl in, who dropped the letter and promptly began pecking Hermione's face off.

Shooing the bird out the window, Hermione reached down to pick up the letter, which read Meet me in the garden at midnight. After she finished reading this, the letter promptly disintegrated. This would normally serve as an omen to Hermione, but at the moment she was too curious to notice.

AT MIDNIGHT:

Hermione hesitantly walked out into the garden. The moon was big and bright, and she instantly thought of Ron. She sighed. Ron…

Suddenly there was a large clunking sound and Hermione saw stars as the world faded to black.

*Yes, Hermione really did beat someone up with an unconscious guy. It's awesome, isn't it?