Yes, I finally updated! Give a guy a break, I haven't quite felt like writing lately. No caution required for this chapter, just a bit of anger being lashed out. Enjoy!
Half an hour later Hermione was downstairs and ready to go. "So, uh, is your car in the drive or by the curb? I thought maybe we'd travel the easy way today."
Lexi jumped up off the couch when she heard Hermione, one hand holding her chest. "Christ girl. You just scared the shite out of me."
"Sorry, I thought you'd hear me coming down," Hermione replied.
"I uh, I don't have my car today actually. I apparated over here," Lexi said somewhat shamefully.
"I hope you didn't just pop up on the porch. It's not exactly a wizard friendly neighborhood. The backyard or the alley across the way are the best choices."
"No worries there. I apparated to the alley. I saw it when I picked you guys up last night."
"So, have you been to the Ministry here?" Hermione asked, changing subjects while holding her arm out for Lexi to take.
"Can't say I've had the pleasure," came the reply along with a smirk.
A soft pop and a blink later found the two girls in the atrium of the Ministry. Hermione didn't dawdle any and immediately led the way to the information desk to find out where they needed to go.
Hermione was thankful that Lexi had accompanied her today. The stares and standing about of the majority of Ministry patrons were working her nerves making her wish she were elsewhere. They made their way as quickly as possible to the lifts and proceeded to level 6 and the Department of Magical Transportation. The girls stepped out of the lift into the lobby and walked up to the front desk.
"Um, hi," Hermione said to the lady attending. "I wish to speak to someone about opening the floo at my home."
"Name?" the nameless lady asks without looking up.
"Granger. Hermione Granger."
"Yes, sure you are," the lady replies without looking up.
"Yes, I am." Hermione responds surly. "Surely I don't need to go get Kingsley to assist me in this god-forsaken place! Are you going to point me where I need to go or not? I don't have time for this!"
Lexi glances over at Hermione with an eyebrow raised and a smirk gracing her lips. Definitely don't want to get on her bad side, she thinks to herself.
The lady of the desk lifts her head so fast at Hermione's outburst that people standing close by could clearly hear the pop of vertebrae in her neck. "Miss Granger," she stutters out, "please accept my apology. You'll wish to visit with Mr. Sanders, end of the hall on the right."
"Thank you," Hermione replies and swiftly starts walking in the given direction. Lexi scrambles to catch up with her.
Hermione stops at the last door in the hall and knocks on the door, stepping inside when she hears "come in."
"Mr. Sanders? Hermione Granger. I wish to set up the floo at my house."
"Ah, Miss Granger. How lovely to meet you. Yes, yes, let's see what we can do for you."
Mr. Sanders pulls out a rather old, tattered ledger from a drawer in his desk and proceeds to open it somewhere towards the middle. After shuffling through about thirty or so pages, he finally finds what he's looking for.
"Oh dear," he says, sounding a bit disappointed.
"Sir?" Hermione starts.
"It seems that I can't activate your floo dear. You see, it is unlawful to do so in the house of muggles. Surely you understand this?"
"No muggles live there, sir," Hermione replies. "My parents died this last summer. It apparently was a horrific car accident while on vacation."
"Can this be verified Miss Granger?"
"Yes sir," she says while reaching into her faded and torn handbag. "Here's their obituary sir. I just recently found out. They had gone to Australia and I never heard from them. I had to find out the truth of the matter myself by going down there and searching for them."
"My condolences Miss Granger," he replies as he hands her back the obituary. "Do you know the status of the property? Was it indeed left to you? I'm sorry to ask all these questions, but we have to know for sure. I'm sure you understand this?"
"No, I'm not quite sure I do sir. Of course everything would be left to me! I was their only child! Perhaps I should go get Kingsley after all. I know he would never stand for this kind of treatment."
"Now, now Miss Granger... "
"Oh don't you Miss Granger me! I'm the reason you're bloody well still alive! If it weren't for me, you-know-who would still be alive and we'd all be dead. And yes, I am on a first name basis with our dear Minister. Are you going to open my floo or not?"
Lexi was finding it quite difficult to not laugh out loud at the incredulous look Mr. Sanders was giving Hermione. He looked like a fish out of water as his mouth was opening and closing so quickly. Seeing as he couldn't quite shake the shock of Hermione's outburst, she cleared her throat quite loudly.
"It'll be set up before you arrive home Miss Granger! No need to get the Minister involved now is there?"
"Oh I think he will be involved anyhow. I haven't quite had the best experience in this office."
Hermione turned abruptly and stomped out the door back toward the lifts with Lexi hot on her heels. Once inside the lifts, they both breathed a sigh of relief.
"That was brilliant!" Lexi said to Hermione. "I never want to be on your bad side. That was scary brilliant."
Hermione simply grinned at Lexi's comment. They arrived back in the atrium and proceeded toward the floos so they could go to their next destination, Gringotts Bank.
Hermione had barely taken a step inside the bank before she was suddenly grabbed and pushed back against a wall. She didn't have a clue as to what was going on and was trying not to let her anxiety rise. Her mouth opened to protest what was happening but she couldn't speak. She heard Lexi screaming at someone nearby and strained her ears to hear what was being said.
"We know who this thief is. She is not welcome here!" The speaking goblin turned to look at Hermione. "You are not welcome here thief," he spat out while emphasizing the last word.
"I never stole from you!" Hermione cried out. "You know why we were here that day, and you know exactly what it was we took. If you want me to pay for what I did then let's work something out.. But if that's the road we take, then I suggest getting Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley here, as well as Kingsley Shacklebolt."
The goblin recoiled some as the mention of Harry, Ron, and Kingsley but he dared not step back.
"Look," Hermione calmly continued, "I don't want to be here anymore than you want me here. I simply want to check the status of my vault."
A loud bang of the front doors surprised goblins and wizards alike.
"What is the meaning of this, director?" Kingsley asked in his bold, baritone voice.
The goblin looked disgustingly at the minister. "This is no concern of yours Minister. The thief is not welcome here."
"Miss Granger is no thief, director. She stole nothing of value from this bank. The object you accuse her of taking housed a piece of Voldemort's soul. A piece that had to be destroyed in order for him to be destroyed. Or do you wish that he were still here and you were at his mercy? Let her go, now."
The two goblins holding Hermione against the wall looked on in fear, eyes bouncing between the director and the minister. Slowly, they backed away from Hermione and disappeared before the director could say anything. Thanks shown in Hermione's eyes as she looked at Kingsley.
"I believe Miss Granger wishes to visit her vault," Kingsley reminds the director.
Fury still flashes in the goblin's eyes, though he withdraws to avoid further conflict with the minister. Turning swiftly, he walks toward the back of the bank, glancing back to see if the wizards are following.