Disclaimer: I own nothing of the Harry Potter Universe. Please note that the names of companies mentioned in this story are made up. As far as I know "Down Under Bus tours" does not exist and there is no infamous "Castle Fachés" please don't go looking for it.

Chapter 4

Australia

After a few seconds the pressure released and Ron gulped in oxygen, no matter how many times he apperated he'd never get used to it. He was about to check himself over for any splinches when it occurred to him where they were, in the middle of a street with a whole lot of traffic heading towards them. Without a second thought Ron shoved Hermione towards the side of the road knocking the both of them to the sidewalk just in time for an eighteen wheeler to fly by.

Ron got up and pulled Hermione to her feet. They brushed each other off breathing hard. Once he caught his breath Ron turned of Hermione. "Bloody hell Hermione, with a whole continent to choose from you landed us in a city street, never mind, all you alright?"

Hermione was a bit shaken but nonetheless seemed to be ok. After a couple minutes she caught her breath and spoke "I sent my parents to live here in Sydney, but obviously not specifically where. All we know is that they're living under the names Wendell and Monica Wilkins."

As she was saying this Ron was looking across the street, at a tour bus station. He smiled and tapped Hermione on the arm. "Hermione, why don't we take a tour, it will take us all the way around Sydney and we might get a clue of where to look."

Hermione nodded and started to head across the street. Just as she got across the street she skidded to a halt,

"Ron! I just realized we have no money! We can't buy tickets." She was right; Ron didn't think that an Australian train station would accept knuts, sickles, or galleons. All of a sudden he realized that Hermione had started panicking.

"Okay…Alright….okay" she repeated over and over again. Really, Ron thought, she was hyperventilating on not having Australian money?

"Look, you're from a muggle family, do you have any English muggle money?" he said trying to calm her.

She glared at him, "Well, yes, as a matter of fact I do. But we can't buy something with English money, we need Australian dollars." Ron rolled his eyes thinking does she ever give me the benefit of the doubt? "Hermione, will you let me finish. I was going to say we could exchange the English money for Australian money." Hermione opened her mouth to speak, closed it, opened it again, closed once more and finally spoke.

"That's not a half bad idea. We have to find a bank" and she hurried off dragging Ron behind her. After around ten minute s they found a small bank and went in. There seemed to be only on person working at this bank, a smiling red haired girl with golden eyes. She had on a sky blue blouse with a gold name tag that read Julie. She looked up from her desk as they came in.

"Hiya mates, what can I do ya" she said in a cheerful tone as she walked to the window. That was when Ron realized that Hermione was now holding a wad of bills in her shaking hands.

"I-I-I would l-l-like to exchange these for Australian currency." She said timidly. The clerk, "Julie", smiled brightly and took the bills shifting through them briskly. She opened her register and counted some bills out. At last she handed the bills to Hermione who quickly stuffed them into her beaded bag.

"Thank you very much" she said hurriedly.

"No worries" Julie said waving as they walked out. Ten minute s later they had bought a ticket and were sitting down on a tour bus. They chose a seat in the very back so as to keep a low profile. They sat down as one last family came in. Once everyone was seated a young brown haired man in a checked sports coat climbed in and picked up the intercom receiver. He put the receiver to his lips and began speaking.

"Allo' mates, welcome to 'Down Under Bus Tours' I'm your guide Charlie Zanal. You're in luck because I know every place and every one here in Sydney and than some. So just sit back, relax, and enjoy the trip. First up on the right you can see the infamous 'Castle Fachés' home to…."

Ron looked out the window and thought. Well, we could get lucky and see Mr. and Mrs. Granger some where in the streets, he thought, or Hermione's could not even be in Sydney. There are many cities in Australia besides Sydney. He looked at Hermione sitting next to him hanging on to the tour guide's every word. The tour lasted an hour and a half and they didn't once see Mr. or Mrs. Granger, this was going to take a long time, Ron thought.

"Well that turned up nothing, but it did give me time to think" Hermione said walking off the bus, "They must be doing something for money, so if we just look for businesses with Wilkins in the name and we might find them." While she was saying this Ron noticed the tour guide suddenly looking at them, well, more of staring at them.

"Uhh… can we help you?" he asked the man pointedly. The man started, he had a long face with a pointed chin which went extremely red.

"I-I-I'm very sorry, I didn't mean to be rude at all, it's just that I know a couple named Wilkins." Mr. Zanal said stuttering slightly, "A couple of orthodontists actually, Wendell and Monica."

Ron and Hermione's jaws dropped. Ron couldn't believe this, in this whole country they had run into a tour guide that knew Hermione parents. He and Hermione exchanged looks of delight and Hermione spoke.

"That's them; those are the people we're trying to find, err… I wonder; could you take us to them? It's a matter of great urgency. We can pay you."

The tour guide laughed a rumbling laugh that sounded like it should have come out of a jolly fat man rather than him. "Yes, I can take you to them at once, but I won't charge you at all if it's a matter of urgency. Bert fire up the bus, we're going to take a quick trip."

The little old man revved the bus up and it lurched off. Ron and Hermione sat in a middle seat talking quietly. Neither of them could believe their good fortune.

"The one thing I can't believe is this, I modified their memories, sent them half way around the world, and they're still working on people's teeth, unbelievable." Hermione said giggling. The bus ride took about fifteen minutes with them all talking a laughing. Finally Mr. Zanal told Bert to pull over, they were there. Looking out the window they saw a small little blue cottage with a white picket fence and a perfectly mowed lawn.

"You know," he said as they got out, "They worked on my brother's son's teeth, they did a great job. They are very good at what they I can say that and... Oh my…" he had stopped chatting and was looking up above the house. Hermione and Ron looked up quickly to see what the man was looking at, and felt their blood run cold. There above the beautiful house, was the image of a green skull with a snake slithering out of its mouth.