Jessie's Way

"Are you hungry?" Ginny asks Hermione, providing the brunette with a plate of sausages.

"Yes, but I don't have an appetite." Hermione replies quietly.

"Try something, then go from there." Harry smiles at her warmly.

She gingerly nibbles the offered meat. As you know by now Hermione is never much of an eater, especially when she's feeling emotional, but Hermione hasn't had a proper meal since she walked out of the Boggart cave, and Alex didn't. That was two days ago, they returned to Hogwarts yesterday so it couldn't be blamed on the Durmstrang food menu.

To be fair it isn't just Hermione's appetite that's been attention in lessons is lackluster, her work is still respectable but nowhere near the usual top-student level; and Ginny is fairly certain that Hermione hasn't been sleeping well ifParvati and Lavender's morning complaints are anything to go by.

But beside all that, you only need to look at her and know she isn't talking to her is like talking to a doppelganger. She's her in a sense that she looks, sounds and mildly acts like the person she is meant to be, but that's where the similarities end. In fact, the normal Hermione would be crying over her girlfriend being missing. The others don't wish to see her sad, butat least then Hermione would be more herself.

Another observation that is easy to find is how much time Hermione is spending with her Gryffindor friends, which is nearly as much as it was before the BIA came along. Which is sort of bittersweet, it would be entirely much sweeter if Hermione couldactuallyraise a smile, or even a scalding or two.

There is a reason for Hermione's near constant presence. Hermione told the group of Gryffindors about the implosion that took place, and which is still rumbling, in the seems that there was this domino effect and Alex was the one to lead it. Hermione barely speaks to Ashley now, more the latter's doing, and Hermione speaks rather coldly to Jessie. Hermione agreed to help her because Jessie is officially now the only Brunette In Arms that she has, and they really do need to knuckle down on this investigation. Figuring out who Desmaggio'sinfiltrator is will decide the fate of the BIA. But resentment on Hermione's part is making the atmosphere between them rather uncomfortable.

Jessie may have had a point when she said not much was being done, and that Ashley missed the ball on what to prioritize, but to lecture the team leader like that after such an emotional loss was unnecessary. If she truly felt that angry she should've cooled down, and when they eventually recovered from their reaction to Alex's abduction she should've sat down and told Ashley what she thought. What was arguing going to solve? What was she thinking, moments after finding out that Desmaggio's plan was to destroy the BIA, and the first thing she does is instigate another loss in the team. Jessie knows she wasn't out of line for her argument, she was out of line for her spiteful words. That is what pushed Ashley over the top.

Now Desmaggio's plan is working exactly as he described it to Hermione. The man's arrogance and confidence in his plan is currently accurate. His ambition to destroy Hermione and rid the world of decent, life-saving heroines. But Hermione's defiance isn't at her own well-being, she simply couldn't fathom how the world could cope without the BIA. The stories she heard through the girls are akin to the best crime dramas since Agatha Christie, whilst also rivalling some of the most thrilling adventures that would make Hollywood producer eyes roll back in their heads. These weren't back-alley thugs they were dealing with, more like large international factions that have the magical power to physically conjure the apocalypse, or succeed in a world domination plot. Without the BIA, the world would've been taken over a dozen times over by now.

But Hermione always thinks of Alex whenever she vows to solve this investigation and stop Desmaggio. She thinks of her never coming back. She thinks of her oblivious parents back home who would be told their daughter was dead before they even knew anything of what she has been up to. She thinks of Harry, Ron and Ginny who could only watch from the sidelines as Hermione perished.

Hermione simply is going to make sure that none of those things happen.

So it is just Hermione and Jessie now, and they are coming out with genuine helpful approaches to solve this case. They revisited the theory of Hagrids form being the one that this imposter is impersonating. Both girls know that Hagrid is part giant, so therefore a possibility arises of the giant genetics. Similar to how Hermione experienced her Polyjuice mishap in second year, would Hagrid's giant genetics mean that the potion would be flawed?

They could find no information on this matter, so there sprung an experiment. Hermione was able to pinch the half-giants hair, passing the action of as plucking a louse from his head, and brought it back to BIA HQ. Jessie had a prepared Polyjuice potion, with a small ingredient change to enable the potion to soak into skin. This meant that they could test the potion without having to consume it. All it took was a tether of skin tissue dipped into the potion and when they pulled it out again after ten seconds, the skin changed in appearance. Jessie ran some magical tests on the new skin and it confirmed that the tether now had one hundred per cent resemblance to giant skin.

Although the theory was debunked and the information useful, Hermione was not and still isn't happy with the results. Hermione is hoping that information comes alight so that they could definitely rule out the giant's involvement.

"I keep telling you, we are not accusing Hagrid, if the impersonator is using Hagrid we are actually doing Hagrid a favour." Jessie reminds her.

"I know, but it feels like I wouldn't be. There was information against Hagrid opening the Chamber of Secrets, and this feels exactly the same as my second year." Hermione explains. "If Hagrid is genuinely Hagrid, how would I explain going behind his back. Especially as I can't tell him anything of what we're doing."

"You are the best person to scout him out, you know Hagrid better than most others. You know of how he acts, his tendencies, the way he holds himself. If he acts strangely or out-of-character then it's a justifiable clue. If it's justified then you have nothing to be guilty about." Jessie informs.

"That's easy for you to say, he's not your friend." Hermione replies once again with a cold tone in her voice.

Jessie ignores the chill in her words. "Perhaps it is easy, but I'm right."

Nothing was said further on that issue.

So to recap Hermione's situation at present: Her girlfriend is missing, the team leader relieved herself from her duties, she has heaps of unsavoury tension with the only remaining member of that team, their director is still behind bars and completely powerless, after her fifteen minute stint she is now last in the Tri-wizard tournament, she is probably the most unpopular student at Hogwarts, her grades and schooling is dropping like a pebble in water, she can barely function as a human being, and she may potentially be destroying a friendship with a half-giant.

I suppose you could call this the lowest point in this story

But there is one positive from this entire freak show, and they are sitting with her at breakfast.

"Miss Granger?" The Gryffindor Head of House breaks the silence, appearing at the empty space to the side of Hermione. Hermione politely lifts her head to encourage the professor to continue. "May I have a few moments of your time in my office?"

Hermione answers her by collecting her bag and slinging it over her shoulder. She gets up to follow, gives a half-hearted wave back at her friends and ducks her head again as the pair walk out the Great Hall. When they are settled in the Transfiguration professor's office, and Hermione is settled into an armchair with a gingerbread cookie clasped between her fingers, McGonagall begins to speak.

"Forgive me if I come across as intrusive, but I only have your welfare and happiness in mind. Your situation is understandably stressful; I'd truly be shocked if it wasn't. But as your professor, Head of House and a person who holds your wellbeing close to heart; I need to know that your eye is on the ball. I don't know what you girls are doing about these investigations; I give you my discretion and will not interfere with any processes you are going through. However I need to know that you're taking this tournament seriously." McGonagall explains.

Hermione shrinks into her seat, her willingness to talk about the tournament and anything to do with it is nonexistent. All it would ever remind her of is her missing girlfriend. McGonagall recognises and acknowledges this reaction "The last task is surely a sore subject to revisit for you; I'll try to be as sensitive as possible discussing it with you. It seems to me that you neither desire to do well in this tournament or even care an iota about it. If you don't wish to win it then so be it, but do not underestimate the importance of getting through it."

Hermione uses the pause to respond with "You are right Professor, but me not caring about this tournament is nothing new. I desired to be a part of the team that I currently already am a part of. Now that I have what I desired I no longer even need to win it. I appreciate your concern but I respectfully have to say that I don't need to have this conversation."

McGonagall raises an eyebrow over her lense-covered eyes "I beg to differ. As I said previously I have no problem with you surrendering competing to win it, but you need to survive it. Otherwise all this effort and everything you've gone through is for nothing."

"Professor it already is for nothing. It's a certain pattern that the tasks are taking, they are all being sabotaged by an outsider, other than these sabotages nothing has threatened me about these tasks so far. I'm trying not to be arrogant about it, but I really do have other worries than the tournament. More pressing and stressful worries that must be prioritized."

"Miss Granger, that is exactly the attitude that will get you killed in the final task. Sabotages beside, the final task is conventionally harder than both of the previous ones. You performed miracles in that first task even with the sabotage, but you still nearly died. The second task I believe you would've finished quite respectfully if it wasn't for the events that happened inside that cave, but you came out of it in such a scene that I have never seen from you before. If it involves this saboteur or not the final task cannot be overlooked."

"Professor, I'm not over-looking anything. I expect the next task to be multiple times worse than the previous ones, because I have high suspicions that the saboteur will strike again."

"The fact that you're assuming that you'll be sabotaged and are focusing only on this saboteur, that IS over-looking the task." McGonagall clenches her hands and sighs. "Please Miss Granger, I'm not trying to lecture you. I just want you prepared mentally for the final task, believe it or not if you're prepared for the task then you'll be prepared for this sabotage if and when it happens."

Hermione relents, she knows she needs the help so why is she fighting a woman offering her some? "Ok professor, what should I do?"

McGonagall gives her student a warm smile. "I want us to meet up one-to-one every week, just an hour of your time to discuss how you are feeling; to begin with at least. We don't need to go into depths straight away; and strictly personal matters can be off-limits if you're uncomfortable discussing them with me. I just need enough information to find certain solutions or options you can take regarding your mental deterioration."

"My mental deterioration?" Hermione frowns, offended by the Professor's wording.

"I would have stated a less brutal description, but it wouldn't give what's going on in your head much justice." McGonagall replies evenly "It's obvious to humans with perfectly working eyes and a half-functioning brain that you are struggling to cope."

"You will have to forgive me for my lack of strength; a girl my age is expected to handle life-threatening, heart-wrenching situations and come out unfazed, aren't they." Hermione sarcastically responds, something she normally would never attempt to respond with to her favourite professor in the school.

McGonagall lets off the sarcasm, something Hermione later will be thankful for. "Your mental state is nothing inappropriate. I haven't brought you in here to punish how you are coping; I brought you in here to see if I can improve it."

"Dumbledore put you up to this didn't he?" Hermione asks suspiciously.

McGonagall holds a sterner expression. "Whilst I mustn't take away the Headmaster's credit for the idea, I resent any notion that I have no investment in it. The Headmaster knows that when it comes to Gryffindor, you are my student. When your education is in jeopardy you convene with the Headmaster, but your well-being and happiness is my responsibility to uphold, and repair. And it's not just an obligation to me; I care for my Gryffindor students with a strict hand but a warm heart, I would do the same thing I'm doing now with any student in your position."

Hermione is touched by the passion in the woman's words and the disguised hurt behind them. "I'm sorry Professor, I wasn't implying anything contrary to that. I just...I don't think I need this...therapy."

"Of course you wouldn't, your pride and independence is one of the many things that haven't been affected, yet. But the facts are there Granger, you are not yourself. If you want to get through to see the end of this year, you need to learn to release and deal mentally with the problems being sent your way. Because you know better than I do that a lot more is to come, we can't have you breaking when we get there, or worse still before then."

Hermione looks at her uneaten gingerbread, as if the cookie itself is debating mentally with her. It obviously wins because Hermione eventually shrugs and replies "Well, I suppose even if you can't fix it, it's better just to talk about it with someone not involved."

"Positive thinking Miss Granger" McGonagall reaches for a quill and slides a sheet of parchment. She writes silently, allowing Hermione to look over and decipher what she is writing. McGonagall is writing up a weekly schedule and a focused objective for each session. When McGonagall finishes writing she adds "These objectives are merely estimations based on how you are feeling now, in a few weeks they may change".

Hermione takes the parchment that is handed to her and scans it. "Every Tuesday, nine pm. What if something BIA related demands priority?"

"Then simply don't turn up, these sessions are compulsory yet optional. You should be attending them, but I cannot force you to attend. However, I'd be sorely disappointed if you rejected going, opposed to other emergent things." McGonagall answers.

"I won't promise anything I can't keep, but I promise to do my best to not let you down" Hermione assures her.

"Not me Granger. It's you who shouldn't let down yourself. Have a nice evening Miss Granger."

"You have to do it. Tonight" Jessie declares as she comes to sit opposite Hermione. Hermione lowers her book and peers at Jessie from over it. "Good evening to you as well."

Jessie ignores the comment. "You have to visit Hagrid. Take Harry and Ron if it'll help you. Sit down with him and have a conversation. One that you commonly have with Hagrid. Ask about something magical creature related. However you go at it, don't make yourself conspicuous."

"Can I at least ask why it has to be tonight all of a sudden?"

"Because I have just found out that Hagrid is leaving tomorrow, whilst you are in class. He is gone for three months, this is our only chance to find out if this imposter IS Hagrid."

"What for?"

"Dumbledore says he's going to obtain the magical creatures involved in the final task, he's going all over the world to find them and bring them here. Although that might just be a decoy."

"Dumbledore knows he's a significant part of our investigation, he wouldn't let him leave."

"It was Dumbledore who instructed him to leave."

Hermione pauses. "Why would he do that? Dumbledore knows that we need him..." Jessie's expression looks awkward "He does know, doesn't he?"

"Well...not really. Nobody has told him. You can thank Ashley for that. Ashley decided that the Headmaster didn't need to know something that was simply theory, so we just told him about the Polyjuice discovery" Irritation creeping into her voice.

Hermione countered. "If he doesn't know we'll tell him."

"We can't now; Dumbledore might stop him from going. If Dumbledore stops Hagrid from going it might be questioned. Dumbledore's excuse would have to be completely plausible" Jessie counters.

"And you think he can't manage to do that, this is Dumbledore we're talking about. Besides who's to say that Hagrid doesn't go if we do tell Dumbledore."

"Hermione..."

"No, you complain about Ashley, yet here you are missing the point entirely. If we tell Dumbledore about our suspicions, then Dumbledore doesn't need to stop him from going. Dumbledore could send someone to follow or check up on him whilst he's away. If Hagrid is going where he is instructed to go, then it's a big indication that Hagrid is not the impersonated. If he doesn't go where he's supposed to go, it's an indication that he is. We might actually catch this impersonator if we actually use Dumbledore for help."

Jessie contemplates this and after playing the words over in her head a few times she smiles and responds "Impressive. You might actually be onto something."

"I can still talk to Hagrid tonight, who knows I might find something. But if I fail, which is quite likely, we end up possibly going months without finding out for sure. So whilst I'm at Hagrid's you go to Dumbledore and let him know. Without the Master and the Ministry, he is our most powerful ally." Hermione explains.

Jessie nods in confirmation. "I like that plan. Ok, we'll do it my way first, then whatever happens we'll do it yours."

"Fine"

"With ideas like that Hermione I can see you leading this team one day."

"Oh hell no."

"You got the cloak?" Hermione asks, fixing her jacket so that she's appropriately dressed to go out.

Harry and Ron clamber down the last few steps of the boys dormitory staircase and Harry holds out his hand. "Yeah, I've got it. But why are we visiting Hagrid so late? Can't we just see him tomorrow?"

"Harry, he's not here tomorrow. He'll be gone months; I don't want to miss the opportunity to wish him luck." Hermione answers him.

"Really? Where's he going?"

"I don't know, just heard from McGonagall that he's away on Hogwarts business." Hermione lies convincingly. "Now are we leaving or not."

Underneath the cloak and a few staircases down Harry speaks up again "He's probably busy packing Hermione, furthermore he IS a professor and may likely give us detention for breaking curfew."

Hermione dismisses his statement with a pfft, followed up by "Since when has Hagrid ever given us detention, and you two have visited him before this late."

"That was an emergency, this isn't"

"Hagrid's unlikely to turn us away, you know that."

"Hermione's right, Hagrid won't mind at all."

"Thank you Ron"

"But I DO. It's bleeding cold out."

Soon enough they make it to the doorstep of Hagrid's hut and Hermione loudly raps upon it. They patiently wait as sounds of heavy shuffling and Fang's grumbling barks gradually get closer to the door. The door is pulled open and Hagrid appears around the door just as the trio disentangle from underneath the cloak. " 'Arry, Ron, 'Ermione. Great to see ya, it's a little late."

"We know Hagrid, but we couldn't let you go without wishing you well." Hermione replies with a smile, stepping inside to ensure they definitely would not be turned away.

"Ah of course. Well make yaself comfortable, and i'll make ya tea."

The trio congregate and sit at the round table whilst Hagrid tends to fixing them up a nice, warm mug of tea. "So Hagrid, where you heading first on your trip?"

"Hawaii."

Ron's jaw drops. "No freaking way. What privilege have you been given for going there?"

"Dumbledore wants me ta find magical creatures there, our 'Ermione could probably work out what that creature is." Hagrid answers

"It wouldn't be the Lethifold would it?" Hermione enquires.

"There we are."

"Aren't they like Dementors?" Harry asks cautiously

"Not really, Lethifolds are magical creatures, and Dementors are non-beings, but they resemble each other." Hermione answers. "And they are both vulnerable to the Patronus charm. The only difference is the Lethifold attacks when its victim is sleeping, and they are only found in tropical climates. They are considered very dangerous."

"Not ta worry though, Lethifolds are easy ta catch" Hagrid responds.

Hermione makes a mental note of how Hagrid still underplays the dangerous nature of magical creatures. A good sign perhaps.

"Hagrid I'm pretty sure you shouldn't be telling me this, may I remind you of the horse radish stunt you pulled" Hermione teases the half-giant, although she observes his reaction closely.

"Oh, blimey. I shou'dn't 'ave told ya that, you're righ'" Hagrid meets her eyes and gives her an embarrassed smile. "I don't spose you can refrain from tellin' Dumbledore that will ya?"

"It's OK. My lips are sealed. Besides, it's not as if we didn't ask." Hermione chuckles back. Another trait of Hagrid's; his tendency to let slip things he's not supposed to let slip. Even his trademark "Blimey" and "I shoudn't 'ave told ya that" helps stack up material supporting his genuineness. But it isn't concrete evidence either.

The visit goes very much at the same jovial and comforting atmosphere throughout; Hermione even forgets that she is supposed to be keeping a unbiased eye on him. However the fact that Hermione feels comfortable enough to lower her guard means that if Hagrid is being impersonated, they must have researched and rehearsed the man very extensively.

It isn't until Hagrid politely asks Hermione to help him look for a box of matches he'd misplaced, that something untoward catches her attention. Hermione cautiously picks up the object. "Hagrid, where did you get this?"

Hagrid turns around and spots the object Hermione is showing to him. It is a jet black, twelve inch, fragile looking wand. Hermione recalls the theory that the impersonator Hagrid is using a secret wand. Hagrid looks upon it disinterested "Oh that, it's jus' some wand a student from my Magical Creatures class lef' behind. I couldn't recall whose, so I've been waitin' on whoever it is coming to claim it."

Hermione is not appeased by this answer. "Why not hand it over to McGonagall or another Head of House?"

"Nobody has come forward yet." Hagrid replies simply.

"That's beside the point Hagrid, you can't just keep a student's wand. The first thing you should've done was hand it over to someone, as a member of staff I should not be telling you this." Hermione does not buy the lost wand story for a second; Hagrid knows the procedure about lost wands. If you know who it belongs to it's to be handed back to them, if it's lost in your classroom or learning area you are to hand it in to one of the Heads of the houses you've had in class that day, if it's just found randomly on the floor it's passed to Filch who notifies the Headmaster, who then alerts the school at the nearest mealtime that if anyone is looking for their wand it would be found with Filch. EVERYONE knew that.

Hagrid's stern professor expression shows "'Ermione, there is no need ta be rude. Fair enough, I will hand the wand over to Filch first thing tomorrow."

Hermione knows her immediate point of call tomorrow morning. If Hermione does not find the wand in Filch's possession by the time her first class starts, Hermione will be telling Dumbledore to make sure Hagrid did not leave.

"Well...alright then. I think it's about time we head back to the castle, eh Harry? Ron?"

The two onlookers merely nod awkwardly, they bid Hagrid an awkward goodnight and a safe trip tomorrow before they file out the door, closing it behind them.

Once they obtain some distance from the hut, and the two boys recover the use of their voices, Harry mutedly addresses Hermione "What was all that about?"

"Hagrid did not follow standard procedure for a lost wand." Hermione bluntly puts it.

"We all make mistakes Mione, Hagrid was right you didn't need to jump on him like that." Ron chastises.

"As a matter of fact I did."

"What?"

Hermione takes a three sixty of any other person in sight, then she pulls the cloak over them all and performs the Imperturbable charm for good measure. Once all her security measures were in place Hermione begins to speak again. "I'm only telling you this because I trust you both, and as a friend of Hagrids yourself you deserve to know this. Me and the BIA have reason to believe that Hagrid could well be being impersonated through Polyjuice by Desmaggio's apprentice, you know, the saboteur."

"Hagrid is being impersonated? Is it even possible for a human to impersonate a half-giant?" Harry asks.

"I'm not sure if Hagrid is or isn't being impersonated, he's one of three candidates. It could be any of them or none of them. And yes, it is possible, we tested Hagrid's hair with a sample of human skin and the results were positive." Hermione explains.

"So why Hagrid?" Ron asks this time.

"Well, Bagman's body was found throwing distance from Hagrid's, Hagrid has also been involved in helping prepare my tasks, the tasks that were sabotaged. Also the Polyjuice potion we discovered in the forest, preserved in a dragon-hide flask, something Hagrid may own."

Harry nods his head, his mind understanding the suspicions. "That's the real reason why we visited Hagrid tonight. You needed to scope him out before he leaves."

"And you found something?" Ron adds.

"Me and the girls have a theory that if Hagrid is being impersonated, he would need a functioning wand to carry out Desmaggio's duties. The wand is evidence that Hagrid may well be the one."

"You're forgetting something, except for the wand is there anything unusual about Hagrid himself? If that wasn't Hagrid whoever it was knows him very well, nobody can copy someone that accurately without knowing him on a personal level." Harry informs her.

"So you're saying the impersonator could be someone he knows? Someone WE know?" Hermione entertains his thought.

"We may have more than a saboteur on our hands here, we may have a traitor." Ron concludes.

"Who else knows Hagrid that well, there can't be many?" Hermione queries.

"Dumbledore, though I think he's pretty safe. McGonagall but again, completely out-of-character. Ginny. Neville..."

Then Harry remembers the company Hagrid has been keeping this year. "Madame Maxime?"

"She has grown awfully close to him, and Desmaggio never outright said it was a man who was his follower" Hermione highlights "I think that is just speculation though. But she may potentially be the next point of call after tomorrow, if Hag-the impersonator escapes the interrogation tomorrow."

"Interrogation?"

"I may or may not have told Jessie to tell Dumbledore about our suspicions about Hagrid" Hermione relays "Hagrid said he would hand over the wand to Filch in the morning, if he doesn't then Dumbledore will be instructed to stop him from leaving and then we'd need to interrogate either Hagrid or the impersonator, whoever it turns out to be."

"I don't want to be in your shoes if you find out that it is Hagrid." Ron comments. "Or if it's not for that matter. I just don't want to be in your shoes, ever."

%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%

In the morning, Hermione's fears are confirmed. Hermione informed Jessie, before retreating to her bed, of what she had discovered on her visit to Hagrid's. Jessie immediately Patronus-called the Headmaster for an urgent meeting and Hermione can only assume that meeting went as planned.

Jessie nods confirmation to Hermione the instant she pops her head around her door frame. Hermione also notices how Jessie is positioned facing away from Ashley's door in her chair, the absent girl being yet to exit her bed chamber.

Hermione gets out her wand but Jessie's comment stops her. "He's expecting us; you don't need to call him. Password is Liquorice."

Hermione murmurs her thanks to Jessie and they both swiftly leave.

The moment they reach the top step of the Head's staircase the office door breezes open. Hermione is quick to ask after immediately stepping inside the room "Tell me he hasn't left yet?"

"Good morning Miss Granger." Dumbledore replies, seemingly distracted with stroking Fawkes' brow. "I'm afraid to say Rubeus has not shown himself this morning, and no wand has come into my or Argus' possession. I have yet to check with any of the Heads of houses, rest assured Rubeus is still on the grounds."

Hermione anxiously states. "He specifically said he'd hand it to Filch, and if he couldn't he would've certainly handed it to you." Hermione feels her gut tearing, can feel uncertainty kick in. They have to make the right call, a choice between letting an enemy escape and ruining a friendship forever. "Professor, we need to bring him up."

"I will personally meet with him and make sure he does. In the meantime, you may need your strength so please enjoy your breakfast, you can return in an hour or so. We will be back by then." Dumbledore informs.

Hermione's anguish only intensifies as both herself and Jessie vacate the room. Only an hour to wait.

AN; PTO

Hope you enjoyed

TBC...A Bad Call Is Not Acting At All