Disclaimer: I am not JK Rowling and do not own Harry Potter

Chapter Five

Hermione skidded to a halt just outside the doors to the Wizengamot. Taking a deep breath to calm her breathing, she opened the doors and stepped inside.

"Miss Granger, thank you for coming on such short notice. Please take a seat," Mathilda Hopkirk invited, gesturing with one hand.

Warily, Hermione sat down, and then looked around the room. Several wizards and witches were seated, although it wasn't the full Wizengamot. However, all of the most senior members were present.

"Miss Hermione Jean Granger?" the most senior member asked, to confirm her identity.

"Yes, sir," she replied, knowing it was a standard question to open with during any meeting with the Wizengamot.

"You are engaged to be married to Mr. Ronald Bilius Weasley, correct?"

"Yes, sir," she replied, confused at the line of questioning.

"Miss Granger, you are familiar with contracts, are you not?"

"Not to the degree a solicitor would be, but yes, sir, I'm familiar with contracts."

"A contract came into our possession not long ago, Miss Granger. In the contract are some things which seem ambiguous, yet could easily be seen as trying to bring back darkness to the Wizarding world. I am going to hand you the contract. Please read it over and give us your impression."

The member of the Wizengamot silently passed Hermione the contract, and she began to read. Halfway through the first page, she looked up, frowning.

"Sir, I'm not sure I understand. This contract is the prospective marriage contract between me and Mr. Weasley. I haven't signed it yet, because I hadn't yet read through it. How can it be interpreted in the way you suggest?"

"You will understand once you finish reading it, Miss Granger. We will finish your testimony once you have been given a chance to read through it thoroughly. Please report back here to complete your testimony on Friday at two o'clock. You are dismissed until then."

"Yes, sir. Thank you."

Back in her office, Hermione pulled the copy of the contract the Wizengamot gave her from her bag, as well as the copy Ron had given her when he proposed. Although she had accepted his proposal, he had explained her acceptance wouldn't be binding until she signed the contract. Although she had never personally heard of such a thing, she accepted his assurance, while still planning the wedding with Molly. Now she laid both copies side by side, to see if she could find any differences. One thing on the second page stood out when the two copies were laid side by side.

"Any children born of the union must undergo a Blood Seal Rite, to ensure not only magical ability, but to increase the potential power of the sire."

She read this particular line again, not believing she had read it correctly. If it meant what she thought it did, she needed to not only visit a Wizarding solicitor to try to get it changed before she signed it, but discuss it with Ron, after she had calmed down. Because that particular line was not in the copy Ron had given her. Feeling her temper begin to rise further, she performed a Revealing charm on the copy Ron had given her.

Seeing the line appear after the charm had been cast, Hermione saw red. She pushed her chair back from the desk calmly, and stood. The look on her face, had Ron seen it, would have made him blanch in fear. Taking a deep breath, she sat down again, casting a Revealing charm on every page of the contract. She needed to find out what else had been hidden from her before she signed it. IF she signed it at all.