Thursday afternoon, during their last class of the day, Harry noticed Luna, Ginny and Hermione grinning like idiots for no apparent reason. "What are you grinning about?" he whispered to Hermione.

"Nym's here a day early," she replied in thought; "Distract Ron for us after class? I'm not in the mood to explain..." Harry smiled and nodded; he might not understand the relationship between the five of them, but since he'd never seen any of them happier, he didn't question it too much.

"Hey, Ron," Harry said as they gathered their things; "let's grab out brooms and practice a bit after dinner?"

"Sure Harry," Ron replied with a grin and then turned to ask Ginny of she'd like to join them when he realized she was already gone.

In reality the three were already halfway to their quarters owing to the many shortcuts they used. While they still worried about Umbridge following them they knew she couldn't say anything about how easily they moved about the castle without admitting that she was following them.

"Nym!" Hermione all but squealed as they entered their quarters to find the Metamorph and Fleur busy in the kitchen. "You're early!" She exclaimed as she ran into her waiting arms and kissed her passionately, only stopping when she felt a tap on her shoulder.

"You're not the only one who missed her," Luna informed her as she took a turn showing Nym just how much she'd been missed.

Finally Ginny welcomed her home and gave her a burst of energy along with her kiss.

"Thanks for that, love, it's been a long week..." Nym said as she gave Ginny and extra squeeze before letting her go and returning her attention to the meal she was preparing. "Dinner is almost ready," she informed them.

"You didn't have to do that," Hermione admonished playfully, the grin she'd been wearing since she'd felt Nym arrive starting to hurt her face.

"Well..." Nym started as she handed Hermione the salad to take to the table; "I got here a little earlier than I expected..."

"A little?" Hermione laughed; "We weren't expecting you until tomorrow."

"Well... since there isn't really anything for me to do tomorrow except coming here to set up the projector and..." she paused for effect; "I thought I'd come a day early and set up a surprise in your..."

"Our," corrected Fleur.

"Our shared room," Nym finished and smiled; "A video player and TV... it was nice, while we were in France, to just shut off for a few hours and watch a movie."

"Thanks, Nym," Hermione replied and went to kiss her again.

"You two can spend some time alone, if you like, after dinner?" Ginny offered. "I can watch a movie with Fleur and Luna..." she trailed off at the looks of surprise on her wife and Nym's faces; "We've all missed you, love, but it's been a tough week..."

"We've all had a rough week," Hermione amended; "That dream of yours threw us all for a loop..." she added as she took Ginny in her arms.

"Dream?" Nym asked as she carried a steaming bowl of pasta to the table.

"You were all dead," Ginny replied, her attempt at keeping her voice even failing as it cracked near the end.

"I'm sorry?" Nym asked.

"She dreamt of what would have happened if she and I hadn't met," Luna explained and looked to Ginny; "We don't know, for certain, that everyone was dead..." she reminded her; "Your Mum only said that Nym and Harry were missing..."

"Pretty safe to assume they were dead," Ginny countered; "She did say Tom had taken over..."

"Enough," Hermione said tersely; "We're not ruining tonight with 'what ifs'."

"But it was just a nightmare, right?" Nym asked uncertainly as she took her seat.

"When was the last time our dreams have been nothing more than a dream?" Hermione replied and shook her head; "It's almost like, even though they changed things, we still have vague memories of what should have happened..."

"Doesn't make sense though," Luna piped up; "it was almost ten years in the future..."

"I didn't say they were our memories," Hermione corrected; "But never mind... Nym tell us about your week..." she could see that Nym wanted more of explanation so she offered; "I'll catch you up later?"

"Okay..." Nym replied with a smile; "So... Bill's not happy with his new assignment..."

"He should consider himself lucky," Hermione replied with an edge; "We should have had him arrested for what he tried to do to you..."

It had happened during their last week in the Valley. They'd been training extensively with Moody and the Goblins and they felt ready to, not only be tested themselves, but to see what their 'council' was capable of and so decided on a magical version of 'capture the flag' and given their opponents a couple of days to prepare before their 'game'.

All had gone according to plan, the seven incapacitating most of their council and were separated as they tried to locate the other team's flag when Hermione, Luna, Fleur and Ginny had felt Nym's fear and pain. They apparated directly to her only to find Bill attempting to rape her. Luna had had to hold Fleur back as she meant to tear the man limb from limb. Hermione had instead bound him magically and summoned Moody and Gringott. Between them they decided he'd be of better use in the Goblin mines than rotting away in Azkaban, a decision even his mother was in favour of.

He'd argued, of course, that he was only trying to show them the kind of person Nym really was. They'd countered that he'd only revealed his true nature. They considered wiping his memory of anything to do with the Seven when Gringott offered the alternative.

The four listened to Nym's stories as they ate. Everything was in place for Remus' attempt on Greyback's life that coming Sunday. The timing was significant as it was only a few days before the full moon and Remus would be at his strongest without actually transforming. It also meant that Greyback, as well as though loyal to him, would be at their strongest as well, but their plan was a good one and had every chance of working. There was still a question of whether or not Remus would be cured and what might happen when the other Werewolves figured out he was no longer like them, but as always, their contingency plans had contingency plans; worst case scenario would mean Remus would have to fake his death at Danny's hands, and remain in hiding.

After a couple of bottles of mead and a several joints, the five retired to their shared room for a movie. Ginny again suggested that Hermione and Nym take some time alone, but Hermione had countered that shutting off and watching a movie for a couple of hours sounded like just as good an idea much to their surprise.

"It's just..." she explained with a sigh; "I've missed this... our normal..."

They tried to watch a movie, they really did, but soon hands began roaming and the next thing they knew they'd forgotten about the movie playing and instead focused on each other.

It was a few hours later when, with Nym's head between her legs, Ginny and Luna each attending to a breast while she kissed Fleur that she pushed her away and yelled for them all to stop as she heard a very soft but distinct, "Help!" inside her head.

"What's wrong? Am I hurting you?" Nym asked as she popped her head up.

"Someone's in trouble," she informed them as she sat up; "Quickly... circle up..." she instructed, the others swiftly moving to follow her command. She linked hands with Nym and Ginny, Luna on Ginny's other side holding Fleur's hand and Fleur completing the circle by taking Nym's free hand.

Hermione centered herself a moment and then concentrated on the source of the distress call. The others began to feel her draw from their magic as she located the source deep in the heart of London.

"Sturgis..." she thought to him, hoping she wouldn't startle him and give himself away; "It's me, Hermione, are you okay?" When he didn't answer immediately she gently scanned his mind and then protected him from the man behind him that was attempting to control him. She tried again; "Sturgis... are you okay?"

"No... I think whoever is behind me has been trying to get to me for more than a week," he informed them.

"Do you know who's following you?" she asked.

"No, he was already Disillusioned when he hit me with his curse," he replied.

"Alright..." she replied and began drawing more magic from the others; "I'm going to try to scan him through you... this might feel weird but just go with it and keep playing along."

She quickly and carefully scanned the man behind him, discovering not only his identity but his plan.

"He's going to use you to try to get to Harry's Prophecy... you'll be okay so long as you keep playing along... we'll have someone there to intercept you as you get off the lift on the ninth floor."

Hermione opened her eyes and looked to Nym as she transferred her plan to her; "Got it?" she asked.

Nym nodded, kissed her quickly and then rushed to get dressed.

"What the bloody hell is..." Harry said as he entered their bedroom with Morgan; "Oh blimey..." he said as he noticed they were naked and summoned each of them a robe.

"I'll see you in Amelia's office in twenty?" Nym asked as she used her coin to contact both Amelia Bones and Kingsley Shacklebolt.

Hermione nodded; "Go... and be safe..." she said just before Nym disappeared.

"What's going on?" Morgan asked.

"Later," Hermione replied as she reached for Fleur's hand to again complete their circle.

"Can't we help?" asked Harry.

"Not this time," Hermione replied curtly and concentrated on Sturgis again and looked through his eyes to see where he was; he'd just entered the main atrium of the Ministry of Magic and was making his way towards the lifts. She could his fear and then felt it ebb as Luna sent him a wave of calm.

"It's going to be okay, Sturgis, I promise," she assured him as she sent a subtle hint to the man behind him to stun the already dozing Watch Wizard. "Tonks is waiting but she might have to stun both of you to make sure she gets him."

"I understand," he replied as he entered the lift. She moved her focus to Nym and watched through her eyes as she and Shacklebolt waited for the lift to arrive.

The moment the doors opened the two shouted, "Stupefy!" and knocked out both men.

"Homenum Revelio," Kingsley muttered and then bound the revealed man in ropes.

"Get him to a holding cell and we'll meet you in Amelia's office as soon as we're dressed," she informed Nym.

"Okay... love you all... see you soon," Nym replied.

Hermione let Fleur and Ginny's hands go in order to hold her throbbing head.

"You okay, love?" Ginny asked in concern.

"I will be," Hermione replied and then sighed as she felt Ginny take some of her pain. "Thanks, Shy..." she kissed her and shook her head; "That was the furthest I've stretched my gift since we helped Harry in the graveyard," she explained.

"You should have let us help," Morgan said as he handed her a glass of water.

"Not this time," she said as she accepted it and then climbed from the bed to gather her clothes. She noticed the others hadn't moved from the bed; "Well, get moving, you're all coming with me..."

"We are?" Harry asked in surprise.

"No..." Hermione replied as she walked over to the two boys and hugged them; "You're staying here..."

"But..." Morgan tried to protest.

"No, it's bad enough the four of us are going," she replied as she let them go and resumed getting ready. "And there's a reason I didn't let you help..." she slipped her vest and then a shirt over her head before continuing; "I know how difficult it was for us last year, and being boys, I can only imagine it's worse..."

"I don't see..." Harry began.

"If we'd drawn from your magic the two of you would have been subject to your magic's need to help each other replenish it," Fleur provided.

"I know you have Promise Rings but it doesn't always make it easier," Ginny added.

"Can you tell us, at least, what's going on before you go wherever it is you're going?" Morgan asked.

"Walden Macnair..." Hermione began.

"Buckbeak's executioner?" Harry asked.

"One and the same," Hermione replied; "He's been trying to get Sturgis Podmore alone for more than a week and he finally did tonight," she shook her head; "He was trying to use him to get your Prophecy," she said as she looked to Harry. She felt her coin grow warm in her pocket and took it out to check it: "All here, you coming?" it read.

"We'll be there in ten," Hermione replied and looked to the two boys again; "There will come a time when we need your help but..."

"You're trying to make it easier on us than it was for you?" Morgan asked tersely; "Maybe that's not your choice to make?"

"Morgan..." she said consolingly; "I know you want to help, I do, but..."

"It's okay, Hermione, go..." Harry interrupted as he took Morgan's hand.

"We'll need your help on Sunday while we watch over Remus and Danny," Luna offered.

"Good," Morgan replied and hugged his sister again; "See you for lunch tomorrow?"

"Probably," she replied as she pushed him away and started ushering the two out the door and towards the living room and the Floo. "Get some rest... big day tomorrow..." she teased.

"Don't remind me," Harry replied with a groan.

"You used the Floo to get here?" Luna asked.

The boys nodded.

"Better use it to get back then," Hermione advised; "How did you know to come anyways? I didn't think I called out to you..."

"I'm not sure exactly," Morgan replied with a shrug.

"I just knew we had to get here as quickly as possible," Harry replied and blushed; "If I'd known I'd be seeing the lot of you naked though..."

"Get..." Hermione replied with a laugh and again towards pushed them towards the fireplace.

"Be careful?" Morgan said as he stood his ground.

"We'll be fine," Ginny assured him; "We're only going to meet Amelia..."

"And question Macnair," Hermione added.

"By 'question' you mean scan?" asked Fleur.

"Yes," Hermione replied; "Quickest way to the truth and undetectable if we knock him out first..."

"I'm more concerned with what memories you'll be stuck with," Ginny confided.

"I was thinking we visit the Valley for my birthday?" Ginny smiled and nodded. "I can do another brain wash then if I need to..." she trailed off as her coin again grew warm in her pocket. "We need to go..." she smiled at Morgan and Harry; "Be good..." she teased as she flung some Floo powder into the fireplace and then pushed them both into the flames.

Hermione turned to the others; "Everyone kitted out?" she asked them and received their nod. "Just a sec..." she said and closed her eyes; "Dad?" she thought to Albus.

"Yes?" he replied after a few moments.

"I'm sorry to wake you but we're on our way to the Ministry and thought you should know," she informed him.

"Why? What's happened?" Albus asked as he stepped from the fireplace.

Hermione forced herself not to giggle at his nightclothes as she replied; "Macnair tried to Imperius Sturgis and force him to get Harry's Prophecy," she explained; "Sturgis is fine and Macnair is in custody..." she sighed, despite having given him the facts she knew it still needed more of an explanation. "I'm sorry..." she said as she went to hug him; "I'm too tired for a download at the moment..."

"And Amelia is waiting," added Ginny.

"You have a free period tomorrow, yes?" he asked as Fleur and Luna disappeared through the Floo.

"Yes, but we'll be using it to extend Rowena's magic down to The Commons..." Hermione replied.

"I'll meet you there and we can discuss it then," he offered.

"Alright," she replied as she hugged him again; "I'm sorry we didn't include you but there wasn't time."

"I understand, now go..." he said as he motioned his daughter and her wife towards the Floo.

"Thanks Dad," she replied gratefully; she already felt guilty for excluding the boys and didn't need more added.

When they arrived in Amelia's office a short time later Amelia asked immediately; "So I guess your 'Marks' work then?"

"I guess so," Hermione replied with a laugh.

"You didn't know they would?" Kingsley asked, the surprise in his voice evident.

"We couldn't be certain," Hermione admitted as she took a seat.

"I'm afraid I have some bad news," Amelia informed them.

"He's dead, isn't he?" Hermione asked to everyone's surprise.

"How did you know?" Amelia asked.

"Hermione scanned him when he was following Sturgis," Luna replied.

"I shared everything with all of you?" Hermione asked them in surprise.

"No, but I'm assuming, since you knew there was a chance he might have killed himself that you know how he did it," Luna replied.

"Suicide tablet hidden in one of his teeth," she replied; "I was hoping he'd be out long enough to remove it..." she sighed and rubbed her temples; "Damn it..." she muttered.

"We can still spin this to our advantage," Fleur said as she went to rub Hermione's back and looked to Amelia; "Perhaps it's time for Rita to write another article?"

"And what will the story be?" Amelia asked.

"Kingsley received an anonymous tip that someone was going to try to break into the Department of Mysteries tonight... imagine his surprise when he found Sturgis being forced to lead a disillusioned man inside?" Amelia was nodding so she continued; "He was left alone in a cell and discovered dead a little while later. An autopsy showed poison in his system, and on further inspection, a broken tooth was found with trace amounts of the same poison..." she sighed; "I just wish I knew why he killed himself..."

"Too afraid of what Tom would do if he failed?" offered Nym.

"No... I think..." she closed her eyes and concentrated on the little she'd gleaned from his mind; "Yes... Tom compelled him to take his own life if caught... shit..."

"What?" Ginny asked.

"He knows... Tom... he must know I'm a Telepath..." Hermione said fearfully.

"Severus would have warned us," Fleur said in an attempt to reassure her.

"True..." she shook her head; "Unless he's not telling Severus everything..."

"Maybe he still suspects?" Luna suggested.

"Maybe..." Hermione replied but sounded unconvinced. She looked back to Amelia; "We'll keep Nym's name out of it, yes?" she asked and again received Amelia's nod. She looked to Nym; "Come home with us and finish what we were in the middle of?"

"Don't have to ask me twice," Nym joked with a blush.

"Amelia?" Hermione said as she looked to the older witch again; "Is he marked?" She nodded. "Maybe we can get official guards for the Department of Mysteries now?"

"Already done," she replied and looked to her watch; "I'd better let the Minister know what's happened..." she smiled as she stood and looked to Hermione; "Think you can get that article to me in time for Saturday's paper?"

"And here I was thinking we'd done all our homework for the year..." Hermione joked.

A/N: Yes, I know in canon Sturgis was arrested on the 31st, I hope the why of why it was later makes sense.