AN: First off I have no real good excuse for my long absence other than work and travel and laziness on my part. That's the bare truth and I admit it. I continued to read but just couldn't find the will to write. A real block if you ever saw one. Anyhow I can assure you that this story will be completed and that I am back to my earlier self. I apologize to everyone who started to read this story especially as they will now have to read over the first three chapters to remember anything. I hope I will make it worthwhile. This is a long filler chapter that leads onto the good stuff. Sorry again and thanks for your continued support.

Chapter 4 - Away & Alarm

Ron threw himself heavily onto his hard bunk bed, landing on his back with a loud groan. He felt exhausted beyond his meagre eighteen year old body. Today had been a long day of training just like all the other days before...all two and a half months of them. Without looking up he heard Harry crash onto his own bed across the room and he smirked to himself surprisingly. This is what they has signed up for and there was no use in complaining. This was the path his life had taken...next to his best friend and in the middle of all that could be deemed dangerous and risky. He closed his eyes and let his lanky frame relax into the firm bed. He was exhausted but satisfied...he was holding his own and was even managing to surprised himself sometimes.

The Auror Department was re-organizing itself quickly after the war. Severely depleted and in desperate need of new recruits, the new head Auror in conjunction with the recently appointed Minister of Magic were implementing a new training programme geared to release the first batch of Graduate Aurors in a record eighteen months, a full six months ahead of normal time. However, in order not to dilute the quality of the famed department, the training schedule was brutal and unforgiving. There was no time for the department to relax...there were still a lot of pissed off death eaters, opportunists and deranged wizards in the magical world that needed to be rounded up and put away and there were still an awful lot of good and decent people that needed protection.

The last two and a half months has passed in a blur. Up at six o clock...two hours of non wand exercises, sprints, middle and long distance runs, drills and weight training...breakfast at eight o clock...three-four hours of theoretical classes including investigative procedures, combat and arrest procedures, offensive and defensive manoeuvres, stealth and concealment, protection, healing and spells...lunch at twelve o clock...three hours of field training including hand to hand combat, wand combat, special spell work, containment and crime scene work...break at four o clock...minimum of two hours on actual assignment with experienced Aurors in the field or in the office. This schedule was to continue for a full fourteen months Monday to Friday with Saturday and Sundays to be used for extra revision and exams which were to be held at regular intervals. A full weekend break was to be granted every three months until the end of training. Trainee Aurors were then assigned full time in the field under supervision for four months before graduating...brutal and unforgiving.

Yes the training was hard but after two and a half months he could feel satisfied with himself. Whether it was due to his long legs and lanky frame, years of Quidditch or his newfound drive, he was easily the fastest runner on the training courses. He currently held the record for the half mile and the mile runs as well as some of the shorter sprints. He was not as good as Harry in wand combat and spell work but he was close to the top of the class. For the first time in his life he was putting in the work and he was seeing the results. Hermione would have been proud to see him actually taking copious notes and studying in his spare time. She had always told him he was capable and he often found himself talking to her in his head as he plodded through the work. She was always with him...helping him on, encouraging him and soothing his exhaustion after a long day. She was always there at the back of his mind when he needed her. She had always been there for him and now was no exception...except for the annoying fact that now she was not really physically here with him.

Two and a half months without her and he had actually survived! That itself was his most remarkable achievement. The trainees were only allowed one day of mail every Friday and it seemed like his whole week was only really complete as he greedily read through her words to him as he lay on his hard bunk bed. As was expected, she wrote a note to him almost every day before sending them all on the Thursday so he always had a continuous rundown of her life in Australia from the week before to catch up on. God he missed her with every tired muscle of his body! He would never had made it this far without hearing from her. They had been together for so long but only really together as a couple recently...but now she was miles away without him and it hurt on so many levels that sometimes he was glad for the exhaustion to numb his feelings.

Still...it could never be the same when she was only a few moments away and while he tried to be strong and understanding, he frequently doubted himself. She had made a few friends in the special spell class with Ms. Ashworth and she sounded genuinely happy and fulfilled to be learning so many new things to fill up that never ending space in her head. She missed him for sure...she said it at the end of every note but he wondered...as only Ron Weasley could wonder...to what extent? She had wanted to reassert herself and from all appearances she was doing a good job of it. He had only gotten a trace of frustration in her last few letters as she had not yet come closer to solving the problem of recovering her parents memories...but she sounded resolute and he had tried to give her all the encouragement he could without sounding like a lovesick prat crying for the return of his girlfriend. Still it niggled him...she missed him but now that she was immersed in her work, did she really need him? Would she ever want to return now that she was doing something she loved? Was her love for him still as encompassing as his own for her?

He sighed loudly. Two weeks! He would see her again in two weeks and all would be well again. He could not fathom anything less. As he closed his eyes to the heavy drag of sleep, the heavy door of their quarters was flung open with a loud bang and he shot up quickly to see their evening supervisor Auror Stevens striding to the centre of the room.

"OK Listen up recruits! There has been an...incident of sorts at a wizard drinking establishment in London. All recruits are to report to the main training room in five minutes for briefing before we leave to the scene. Come on! Get you arses off your beds and move!

Ron quickly glanced at Harry who gave him a small shrug before they both stood and headed out the door.

o0o

Hermione made her way slowly along the still unfamiliar path to Ms. Ashworth's office. She had already shed her robes and uniform for the day and was glad for the cool relief. Even though the robes were lighter than the ones at Hogwarts, she still had not gotten used to the hot and humid climate and she felt a lot more comfortable in her jeans and cool blouse top. To be honest, it was not just the clothing or the hot weather that bothered her these days. It was a culmination of everything or nothing depending on how she looked at it.

It had been hard at the beginning being by herself, but it had also been exhilarating. The first month with Ms. Ashworth and the small group that she had picked was fresh and exciting. She had learned so much in that short time...things she never knew she could do and achieve with just the right teacher. Between her special classes and her research she had forged ahead diligently with a sense of purpose and she was able for the most part to shrug off her fears and her sense of loss. All she had to do was concentrate on her work and try to forget everything else.

When the school term started there was the added distraction of classes and of course the fact that she was the new girl around...and not only new but somewhat well know to her surprise. She quickly learned to withdraw from all the curious glances and whispers and slowly fell into a quiet routine that suited her. Classes in the morning and early afternoons...two hours of research after classes...special lessons in the evenings and more research and homework until time for bed where she would write to Ron before falling asleep. It was a routine she savoured and it worked for the next month.

The special class of spell builders chosen by Ms. Ashworth consisted of only five students. Besides herself there was a pair of brother and sister twins, Erin and Eric Ross who were close siblings as all twins tended to be and just happened to be the friendliest and warmest people she knew in the school. Tara West was the other girl in the group and unfortunately reminded her of another shapely pretty blonde who she was well rid of at Hogwarts. The big difference was that this one was very bright and very ambitious and soon made it clear that no new girl...even a somewhat famous one was going to outshine her. No open rivalry was allowed in front of Ms. Ashworth but Hermione had nothing to prove so she stayed as far away from the watchful girl as possible and left her alone for the most part. The second male was Andrew Grant who was just as pompous and egocentric as Tara but hid it behind a false facade of prim and proper friendliness. She actually wondered if she might have turned out to be a female version of Andrew if her life had not taken a very sharp turn in her first year with two wayward boys.

She shared a room with the two girls in the group but stuck to Erin and Eric as her only close friends the rare times she was not on her busy schedule. She had briefly mentioned Eric in her letters to Ron bearing in mind his jealous streak but it was done with a sad smile on her face. Yes he was good looking, tall and tanned and had a bright friendly smile but it was also obvious he was smitten with the seemingly unattainable blonde in the group. It was also hard for her to really look at Eric because when she did, his tanned unblemished smooth skin always brought to mind the opposite colour and texture she adored on the man she missed every moment of her waking day. No pale skin and no freckles to tempt her. No Ron next to her.

She missed him like crazy! And it had gotten worse with time. She tried to shut him out with work but while it had eased the pain in the beginning, the longer she was here the pain in her heart gradually began to build over the weeks until she felt numb. She had tackled her research in high expectation but had not been able to find a single suitable solution to restoring her parent's memories. Despite all the guidance from her teacher, she had not found one tangible way forward...not even one that she could risk again in front of them. She had made up her mind that she was not going to risk another failure until she had something solid enough to go on. But so far she had nothing. Nothing...and no Ron beside her.

She had taken her first free weekend out of the school to go into town and observe the little souvenir shop that they ran. She sat in the early light of the morning as the heat built up over the city streets and saw her parents open the shop, cleaning the windows and fixing the displays. She sat on a small bench on the other side of the street and watched as people came and left the shop. She was even tempted to go into the shop but resisted as her memory of the frantic shouting in their comfortable living room overcame her. The second time just last weekend she had seen a young girl who she presumed they had hired to help with the busy season smile and hug her parents as they opened the shop. She had sobbed her eyes out on the little bench and wished upon everything she knew that Ron could be there with her. She did not know how she was going to make it here without him and she was lost.

Ron was never a good letter writer and she never expected much but she was always surprised and hugely fulfilled when she would receive regular weekly letters from him. Granted some were short and mainly consisted of two line paragraphs but over the last few weeks she had come to realise that he was really achieving his dreams of being a good Auror. He was doing well in his training and he sounded proud of himself the way she always wished for him. She had always believed in him and felt bitter with herself that she had not always said it out aloud enough to him. He often thanked her in his letters for helping him but she knew it was mainly his own achievements and she was also proud of him. But...did he really need her again? Did he miss her half as much as she did him? Now that he could see that he was fully capable and able...would he really need her again? She was such a burden on him when she left...Oh God! She left him! Not in the real sense but she had chosen to remain and put all this space between them. What had he really thought about her? Was he better off without her and all her troubles?

As she neared the office corridor she shook her head clear to quell the tears that threatened to spill out..

Pull yourself together Hermione! He loves you. He would never stop loving you. He misses you. He said so a hundred times in his wonderful little letters. You are not a burden. You are his life and we have a plan to follow. One that entails jobs side by side, a cosy apartment, shiny sparking rings, white gowns and little beautiful babies. He deserves it. They deserved it. And she would do her damned best to play her part ever so willingly.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she almost ran into the twins who apparently had just come out of the same office she was heading for. They smiled softly together as they paused in front of the office door.

"Hey Hermione. Beth's expecting you." Erin grinned at her. "The next few weeks are going to be really exciting I tell you." she beamed at her.

"Will you stop calling her that Erin. She's our teacher after all." Hermione lightly admonished. "And what about the next few weeks will be any different?" she inquired suddenly interested.

Eric leaned over his siblings shoulder but with a less happy face.

"You will find out soon Hermione. Erin here is excited out of her knickers but I am a bit...apprehensive to say the least...and I still am not sure why we have to do a bloody medical. I hate people messing around with me." he said with a slight scowl now.

"Hush Eric. Let Beth...Ms. Ashworth tell her. Come on we will talk together after. See you later Hermione." Erin grinned again as she headed down the corridor.

Now intrigued as ever, Hermione reached out to knock on the door when Eric stopped her with a slight touch on her arm.

"Hermione...Erm...Can I ask you something?" he asked quickly glancing at his sister down the corridor.

"Sure Eric. What is it?" she replied with a puzzled look.

"Well...I can't really ask Erin about these...type of things. So I just wanted to pass something by you...you know...you may have a bit more experience than...well...anyone else I know...since you and Ron are...you know...together." his hands were in his pockets now and he looked a bit flushed even under his tanned face.

Hermione suddenly had a feeling she knew what this was about and she sighed softly.

"It's about Tara isn't it?" she said with a smile. Eric's head snapped up suddenly.

"How did...you know? he stammered a bit.

"Just tell me what this is about Eric. I have to get inside the office at some time." she smirked.

"OK...OK. Look I just wanted to know if it was a good idea to...you know...ask her out next weekend. Do you think she even likes me? It's a bad idea isn't it? What do you think Hermione? I know you don't like her but she's not that bad and I...so what do you think?" he begged. Hermione relaxed her shoulders with another soft sigh.

"It's not that I don't like her, she just reminds me of someone a bit. Look Eric you will never know how she really feels unless you talk to her at least. Ron and I wasted a lot of good together time because of the same silliness. Just tell her that you like her and what you like about her...not in a shallow way obviously and take it from there. If she's interested then good but don't make it the end of the world if she blows you off. You are certainly a decent boy and you have plenty of time for her to get to notice you...so go and let me get on with this." she laughed.

Eric gave her a genuine smile as he backed away.

"Thanks Hermione. I guess I have some talking to do." he laughed in return before turning and dashing off behind his sister.

Hermione finally knocked and entered the office with a shake of her head and another rare smile on her face. At least one of her friends had something to look forward to.

Embeth Ashworth's office was not the typical teachers room Hermione was accustomed to. It was sunlit, tidy and sparse with a comfortable sitting area that contained a small library. It reflected the teacher's private dwelling quarters where she had initially met the famous spell builder and she always felt comfortable to meet with her mentor here. The slim petit teacher greeted her warmly and led her to the sitting room where they sat opposite each other in soft comfortable armchairs.

Hermione was still intrigued with the previous conversation with the twins but she resisted the urge to ask prematurely. She waited patiently until the older woman began.

"Thanks for coming Hermione, how is your schoolwork coming along?" she asked politely. "I hope our evening sessions have not made it too hard for you."

"Not at all Ms. Ashworth. You know I enjoy your lessons and I have always worked hard to keep up my grades." she answered quickly knowing that this was just polite conversation as she waited again.

The small woman nodded and leaned back into her chair and looked at her with a more serious face.

"And your research?" she asked simply.

Whatever little patience Hermione was harbouring disappeared in an instant at this little question. She sat up suddenly and launched into her answer.

"I have gotten nowhere Ms. Ashworth. I have spent hours and hours researching and reading and thinking and I have found nothing to help me and my parents. I have followed all your advice but it is becoming so frustrating for me by the day. I am a bit stubborn by nature and I can get somewhat stuck in when I have a challenge especially one as important as this. Ron would always say..." she stuttered a bit but continued on unchallenged as she caught herself.

"I seldom give up on a task as you might know but I am at my wits end in coming any closer to finding a way forward in this. I do enjoy your lessons and the school is ok but I came here primarily to find a way to retrieve my parent's memories but it feels like I have hit a stone wall and to be honest I do not know how much longer I can stay. Plus it's not easy being away from home...well actually...not so much home as...I just miss Ron and my friends desperately." she ended with a slight catch in her throat and tears in her eyes.

The kind spell builder leaned forward again and took one of her hands in hers.

"Hermione...sometimes I forget what you have gone through and what you have accomplished in your young life. I know it has not been easy here away from all that you are familiar with but you are a remarkable woman and that is why I chose you to be here with me. I think we can safely acknowledge that there is no straight forward way to solve your problem. If there was you would have found it by now I can be sure of that. But that is why I have asked to see you today..." she again leaned back dropping her hands.

Hermione waited again as she held her breath. Was there another way? A not so straight forward way?

"I am sure you are somewhat aware that I have practiced some dark magic in the past. It is true. I have studied dark magic extensively and on occasion I have brought myself to actually practice it under very strict controlled conditions. We can only learn to defeat those who use this magic unscrupulously by studying and learning its effects and how to counter and control this evil form of magic. It is not for everyone to try and not everyone is able to study this Hermione." she paused to let this sink in.

Hermione's head was whirling. Was she saying that she was willing to teach the group some forms of dark magic? Wait...Oh God!...was this the other way to solve her problem? It was a question that instantly boggled her mind. Could she use dark magic to bring back her parents memories? Could she risk that? She could only stare at the woman across from her in anticipation.

"Hermione...there is a reason why our group is so small. It is very difficult to find witches and wizards who possess the skills and the learning ability to perform these complicated spells that you have been learning. But more than that, there is something extra that they must possess. I know you find Miss West and Mr. Grant a bit tedious but they have been chosen along with the twins because they also possess a deep rooted conviction and internal belief in what is good and right as opposed to what is evil and bad. Without that they will not be able to achieve what I plan to teach them in the end. You also have all the attributes Hermione. That is why you are here." she finished strongly.

"Are you planning to teach us dark magic or some form of it?" she asked with a lump in her throat.

The spell builder nodded slightly again before continuing.

"Not anything practical in the beginning but you will be starting some studies in this area of magic. You will have limited access to some of the darkest material you will ever read and you will be studying some spells in time under my supervision. I take this very serious Hermione and that is why you have to decide on your own if you wish to continue. It is not something you can take lightly. It will affect you in some way and that is why only you can make this commitment." the woman paused here but eventually continued.

"I should not be prodding you but just maybe you might find a way around your peculiar problem in your new studies. There is no guarantee you will find anything and even if you did there may be too much risk attached to it...but you said you never give up..." she ended knowingly.

Hermione felt a light pounding inside her head. This was huge. This was life changing. Could she possibly commit herself to this type of learning, studying and practice. Was she capable of this. Somewhere deep down she knew her answer was a resounding no...but...the possibility of getting her parents back loomed at the front of her mind. Was it worth it? Suddenly she realized that this was not a decision she could make on her own. She would have to consult the only two people she trusted with her life.

"Can I take some time to consider this Ms. Ashworth? I need to speak to a few people first." she requested.

"Of course. By all means. As I said I take this very seriously and I expect you to do the same. You will have to take a full medical examination before I even consider you further anyway. Dark magic has a way of affected the mind and body in ways we cannot always explain and that is why I insist on the medical to ensure that you are capable to withstand what you may experience in your studies. It is just a precaution but I insist on it. You can make up your mind after the exam." she explained as she stood up.

"Thank you Ms. Ashworth. I promise I will consider this with the utmost seriousness before I decide." Hermione stood up now with the small woman before leaving the office her mind twirling away.

Ron was meeting her in two weeks. She would speak with him and get his views. She could even ask Harry to come. She winched at the thought of not having Ron alone with her but she needed both of them to talk to.

Heading back to her room, she decided to do some new research later that night. Being who she was, she wanted to have as much facts at hand before making any decision which could affect her future, especially her future with the man she loved.

o0o

Ron and Harry paced up and down the front of the small drinking establishment checking and rechecking all the enchantments that were put up to prevent any unwanted access and to keep the crime scene as clean as possible. They had apparated to the site with the squad of recruits and the other senior Aurors and were put on duty outside. Various Aurors, Healers and other officials that they did not recognize came and left with always a horrifying look on their faces on the way out. Ron was biting at the chops to take a peek inside but Harry had to continuously control him.

"Wait Ron, we are not allowed in there as yet. Come on. Get back into position! We are only trainees remember?" he stated with a bit of exasperation.

"I know. I know, but don't you find it curious that everyone who has left seems either totally horrified or perplexed in some way? What the hell happened in there you think?" he asked as he tried to peek through the front door.

"I don't know but by the likes of it, it was not good." he agreed.

"Well I would think we would have something else to do but to stand her like some stupid guards. I mean how are we to learn if we can't even get to see anything." he scowled.

Just as Harry was about to reply in agreement no doubt, the door flung open and Auror Stevens popped his head halfway outside.

"Potter and Weasley! Get some replacements to take your place and come inside after. We need to speak to you. Hurry!" he barked before shutting the door again.

Harry quickly rounded up two new recruits before Ron grabbed his arm and dragged him inside the pub.

They quickly adjusted to the darkness before looking around at the various tables and benches laid out over the open room. What lay before them was nothing they had expected. Horrified and perplexed were not even the correct words to describe what they could see.

Not a drop of blood...no destruction. Not a table unturned. No sign of disturbance. But it was...horrifying.

The place was obviously crowded with patrons when it happened. Every person in the small pub was still seated or standing in the same spot when they had died. Everyone was intact but everyone had died with their mouths open wider than Ron though possible, eyes bulging from the sockets. It looked like a scene from a sick horror movie.

Head Auror Roberts quickly drew Ron and Harry aside breaking them from their initial shock to consult with Auror Stevens and the Minister of Magic Kingsley Shacklebolt. It was Kingsley who asked the first question.

"Good to see you Harry and Ron even though this is not the best of places to be greeting you. We found this place three hours ago exactly as you see it. Thirty-six people in all. All dead...like their life was suddenly sucked out of them. Nothing disturbed. It looks like it just simply happened suddenly. There was a fresh char mark on one of the central tables and we are checking it out but it could be anything. Preliminary examination by the healers reveal that each person's brain has been...well...fried for want of a better word. I know you two have been chasing after Voldemort over the last year and a half and we just wondered if you ever came across anything like this.

Ron quickly shook his head in the negative and glanced at Harry who was still staring into the room with a faraway look in his eyes.

"I saw this once in his head Ron...Voldemort...Early on when I couldn't really control it. Well something like this. It was just a glance inside but he was planning something like this. I never thought about it again." he sounded in a trance as he turned to the Minister.

"Someone was helping him with this. Someone who is obviously still at large. It's a bomb Kingsley. The worst kind. It's like a muggle bomb but infused with really dark magic. And it looks like they have perfected it." he spoke quickly.

"This was a test. A small test. A mind bomb. That's what I heard them call it. God help us if they have more or ones that are larger!"

o0o