"Harry you are not listening to a word I'm saying!"

"Hermione, I hear you fine, I just don't know what you want me to do about it".

Harry and Hermione were standing in the Auror office at the ministry. All around them, a flurry of activity was taking place as a team of aurors were frantically getting ready to accompany Harry and Ron to Malfoy Manor.

Hermione had followed Harry's head through the floo into the ministry as soon as Harry had said that Malfoy had gone to the Manor.

For the past ten minutes or so, Hermione had been trying to explain to Harry the gravity of what Malfoy was going to do. Although Harry seemed to understand what Vercloft had told Hermione, he didn't seem to comprehend that Malfoy might actually be putting his life in danger by trying to destroy the amulet.

"Look, Malfoy needs to be there to destroy it. He is the only one who can get through to it. I understand what you're saying about someone needing to be there to help him and we will be. I don't know what else you want me to do" Harry whirled around at those words just as Tracey, Theo and a few members of Malfoy's team tumbled out of the floo.

"What did you get?" Harry asked as Ron too came striding over.

"Someone's disabled all wards at the Manor. We don't know who's inside though or where Malfoy is" Theo panted as he spoke.

As soon as Harry had learned that Malfoy had gone to the Manor, he had sent Theo and Tracey to scout the Manor before assembling at the ministry for a briefing before they descended on Malfoy's ancestral home.

"So, she's definitely there?" Harry asked.

Theo and Tracey exchanged a look "It would appear so".

"Wait, shouldn't we make sure though before we go in there in a full attack?" Ron asked.

"How do we do that?" Tracey asked back.

"Well, Malfoy would have sent a patronus with a message or something right?" Ron asked fastening his auror robes.

Again, Tracey and Theo exchanged a look which lasted longer than the earlier one.

"What is it?" Hermione asked.

The silence lasted a few seconds before Tracey sighed and gave Theo a small shrug.

"It's Malfoy. He can't cast a patronus" she said hesitantly.

Harry cursed quietly and hit the desk closest to him.

Hermione stared at Tracey curiously "Why?"

"Well, we never really learned that at Hogwarts and after… well, after that when he tried… he just… he couldn't cast one" Theo said absently adjusting his wand holster.

"Not even a non-corporeal one?" Ron asked incredulously.

Tracey gave him a hard look before shaking her head silently.

Harry stared intently at the floor with his hands on his hips for the space of a few minutes.

"Alright. Alright, everyone gather round" he waited until the others huddled around him, still staring at the ground. Hermione knew he was visualizing the Manor in his head and planning the attack.

"We know Malfoy is at the Manor, but we don't know where. We also know that Lucille Malfoy is most probably there along with her Masters. Our job is to take her out and more specifically, the amulet that she wears on a chain around her neck. Now, we know that Malfoy is the only one who will be able to break the wards on the amulet, so he needs to be protected. Preferably a few of you should stay with him until all this is done. Any questions?" he asked.

"Harry…" Hermione started.

"Yes" Harry cut in "if and when the amulet is found, Malfoy needs help to destroy it, so… whoever is there at the moment…" Harry then made a motion with his hand indicating that whomever was there should just go ahead and help Malfoy.

Hermione gave herself a mental facepalm and hid a groan. As much as she loved her best friend, she knew that he really didn't appreciate nuanced magic. He obviously hadn't understood what she had been trying to explain.

"Let's move out then. The wards on the Manor are down so no one should have a problem getting in. If you haven't been at the Manor before, please enter with someone who has" Ron shouted at the backs of the people who were already apparating out.

"See you 'mione" he called as he disappeared with a POP.

"Harry…" Hermione turned to plead with Harry again.

"Hermione come on. Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to him okay? I'll stay with him the entire time. I promise. You need to stay put alright?" he called as he too twirled on the spot.

Hermione stood where she was and fretted.

Harry did not understand what was at stake. At best, Malfoy would fail to destroy the amulet. At worst, he would die trying. Either of those was not a viable option.

Hermione's eyes fell on a copy of the sketch of Malfoy Manor that Lucille Malfoy had been studying. According to what they knew, Malfoy's half-aunt believed that the Manor was built on a site of ancient magic.

Hermione knew that this could very well be true.

Malfoy Manor was built centuries ago by powerful pure blood Wizards. It was entirely plausible that they had chosen that particular site for a special reason. Just what that would do to the power of the amulet, Hermione couldn't fathom.

Theoretically, sites of ancient magic were said to increase the power behind spells and charms performed on or near them. If that were true, certainly they had no idea what it could do to the power of a centuries old dark object. Which would mean that Malfoy would have to expend a rather large amount of magic to break down the wards on the amulet before he even got around to destroying it.

Hermione groaned in frustration.

She couldn't risk sending a patronus now to either Harry or Ron. She also knew however that there was no point in explaining this any further to Harry. She also didn't know whether or not Tracey and Theo knew what Vercloft had told her.

Hermione rubbed her temples.

There was a possibility that Lucille Malfoy was not even at the Manor. But who was she kidding. The wards had been disabled.

She stood up gripping her wand.

Draco Malfoy really owes me one, she thought as she apparated with a POP.