Hermione was pacing her office as the group was standing across her desk. There was a tension in the room as she flicked her wand, filling the wall with glowing writing as she thought. The loopy letters made up a list and different notes. Remus attempted to approach her, but Severus pushed him out of the way, craning his head toward the wall.
"This is ridiculous," Snape said.
Remus twitched his nose as he loomed close to the potion master. "Snape, don't start," he grumbled.
Severus pointed at the wall and sneered at Remus. "This has no plausible evidence."
"Despite your disagreement, you don't have a clue what I've been working on, Severus," Hermione responded with a dismissive wave.
"I may not," Snape started but Hermione narrowed her gaze at him.
"I meant what I said, Snape. I put my entire life into this last year," Hermione warned.
Sirius grinned and leaned toward Hermione. "You're so efficiently curt, Hermione. Quite the Professor vibe."
"Sounds like something your fond of," Fred teased the animagus.
"I might. Especially if she makes me go to detention," Sirius snickered.
"Sirius, you're ridiculous." Hermione groaned as she glanced at the wall. "It doesn't make sense."
There was a knock at her door, and Kingsley poked his head inside. "Oh, you weren't jesting. It seems we have two new additions to your club," he announced.
"Yeah, it's a bit crowded in here," Sirius snickered.
Kingsley walked into the room and stood next to Hermione, glancing up at the wall. "You think they're related?"
"It's looking like it," Hermione mused as she flicked her wand.
It added a few circles around different words. "Maybe Remus's theory on magical signatures doesn't just have to do with the absence, but the influence of magic. It could be a large scale consequence to it."
"How is it related?" Kingsley murmured.
Remus maneuvered around Severus and gestured to a few words. "It could be the theory of relativity in magic. Why would we be the ones to return?"
"Life, love, and death," Severus huffed.
"What?" Hermione asked as she glanced back at him.
Severus gestured to two of the words. "Magic needs energy. Energy comes from the source of life, and the emotion of the action." He straightened his posture and hemmed. "It's the composition of magical theory if Miss Granger remembers."
"I remember quite clearly, Severus," Hermione grumbled. "However, this wasn't a rounded argument until recently."
"You need to gather the full amount of evidence about each event and connect the possibilities to rule out an outside influence," Snape gestured to the wall with a nod.
Hermione nodded as she looked up at words. "Yes, I can see what you mean, Professor. You're saying that the crisis was a precursor to your arrival. However, what happens now?"
Snape smirked as he squared his shoulders. "We should gather your research. I'm curious."
Sirius rolled his eyes. "That's not going to answer how you showed up."
"Sirius, stop," Remus sighed.
"I showed up because it was the culmination to said effect," Snape hissed with a sneer.
"Well, now we need to find out how it happened and resolve it," Kingsley declared as he attempted to quell the argument.
"We're talking the entire world? Why us?" Fred asked.
"And that my friends is the question at hand," Kingsley declared. "Did the Veil show any signs of changing?"
"I noted a change from days ago. It was dim," Remus murmured.
"That is true, and it would take tons of magic to utilize an unknown magic. But how?" Hermione pondered as she glanced back at the men that came through.
"I'm not sure how, or why us as individuals," Remus declared.
"Should we expect more?" Kingsley asked as he scratched his chin.
Hermione twitched her nose and folded her arms. "I'm not housing any more of them, Minister."
Sirius barked out a stream of laughter and tilted his head. "You might just have to deal, love."
"I'm not living with them," Severus grumbled.
"You are until we have this situated," Kingsley growled. "Severus, I know you don't respect them, but I respect Miss Granger immensely."
Hermione rolled her eyes and breathed. "I'm not charmed by this either, but we need to contain some of this until we have more of an idea."
Kingsley pressed a hand to Hermione's shoulder and nodded. "This is now your top priority. The events are obviously correlated in some way. We need to find out how and why."
"I was afraid you were going to say that," Hermione sighed. "Alright, we'll start doing some digging. I have to contact a few people from Germany and Bulgaria to see if they've heard of any myths regarding it."
"Good, then we have the start to a plan. I will manage your tasks with Percy, and we shall keep this under wraps. Let's head back to Grimmauld Place. I have plenty to go over with our new additions."
Hermione nodded and shifted in her jacket. "Let's go, fellas. We have work to do," she declared.
Severus narrowed his gaze at Kingsley. "And if I refuse."
"There's always Azkaban, Severus. However, I hate to ruin your new life," Kingsley mused.
Snape sneered and waved to the door. "After you, Minister."
Hermione covered her lips to hide her smile. "Hopefully, we will have a decent day."
They wandered the barren halls of the Ministry of Magic and Hermione was reflecting. It wasn't of moments long past with each of them, or even fond memories. It was a memory of recent history she wasn't positive meant anything, but she was starting to believe it might have.
The night was glorious as Hermione shifted in her shawl. Her gown was amazing and came down to her ankles and glittered like stars in the evening sky. It was a warm spring eve, and she had wished Ron would have agreed to come. Kingsley was his boss at some point. Everything was completely disheveled by their disagreements, their silent misunderstanding, and worse... their acknowledgment that her deficits would end them.
Hermione wandered in the garden a moment longer before approaching Harry. "Hey, beautiful," he chuckled and straightened his dress shirt.
"Harry, where's my favorite redhead?" Hermione asked.
"Inside, she's talking with Luna about her latest expedition. I think Kingsley was looking for you for your speech soon," Harry said as he wrapped his arm around her.
Hermione leaned on him and breathed. "Giving a speech about my boss's marriage to his perfect woman? I mean, it's a difficult feat," she snorted.
"Very true," Harry sighed. "I'm sorry he's not here, Hermione. I know you both are trying, but maybe it will work out. Sirius said that bad times bring out the best in people."
"Worse in others," Hermione grumbled. "If they were here, our family would be better off. I still miss them. Their light was what seemed to bring it together in times we couldn't. I don't know how to fix this."
Harry grimaced. "Maybe you don't need to fix this one, Hermione. Have you both talked about it farther? I know he was optimistic to start trying again."
Hermione breathed as she shrugged. "Possibly, he didn't tell me about that. I haven't been home this week," she murmured.
"Teddy doing well? Drom says you spend your evenings with him. Must be nice before he goes back to finish his first year, right?"
"I miss Remus and Tonks, Harry. He deserved so much better for an end," Hermione said.
Harry bobbed his head as they walked the path. "Yes, it's unfortunate. They all were gone too early. Even Severus came around. I know it's odd, but I still miss it all. Life made sense with them around."
Hermione pursed her painted lips. "Then what? Try and explain a world that needed them still?"
"Something like that."
They wandered a moment, and Hermione pointed. "Sirius is out tonight."
"Granger," A sharp voice called.
Harry glanced back and groaned. "Your newest friend is coming," he grumbled to Hermione.
Hermione looked back to see Draco Malfoy in elegant black and silver dress robes. "I'll see you inside, alright?"
Harry kissed her forehead and nodded. "Alright."
Hermione curled her arms to her body. "Hello, Malfoy."
"I've been looking for you. Last night's full moon, I finished what you asked for," He announced as he stood next to her.
She waited for a moment. "Did it work?"
"Yes, but I got to ask why?"
Hermione thinned her lips and gulped. "I think it's best if I don't tell you."
Draco glanced at her for a second. "Okay, Granger. I'll give you that, but only because I know how insane you must be for needing it. Last-ditch effort to save your marriage?"
"Something along those lines, Malfoy."
Draco produced a large vial that glowed in the moonlight. He handed it to her, and she held the bottle with both hands. The witch stared up at the waning moon and sighed.
"I'll leave you to your thoughts. Just remember, you can't undo it, Granger. There's always a price," he reminded her before leaving.
Hermione listened for the silence and uncorked the vial. She held it to her eye-level and breathed. It was now or never. She took it to her lips and gulped the potion that felt like liquid light down her throat. It felt like it went to her fingers, and the glass slid from her fingers, dropping it to the ground.
It shattered, and she gasped for air as her fingers tingled. She couldn't catch her breath.
"Hermione, come get your fortune read!" Glenda called from the door.
The witch shook the uneasy feeling from her and pivoted. "Of course," Hermione said with a smile.
Hermione felt in a haze as she was pulled through the crowd. Didn't she have a speech? No, not until dinner. Glenda was laughing about something. Hermione nodded with a smile as she was disoriented.
A table with a purple cloth was in front of her as she was plopped in a chair. The area was shrouded in mist. The woman that sat across from her was a fan of Glenda's and enjoyed doing this for parties. Was her name Camila? No, Clamora?
"Hermione, let's see what the fates set for you," the woman hissed as she shuffled her black cards.
"What do I do?" Hermione felt drunk.
"Touch the deck," Clamora offered her cards.
Hermione touched the cards and felt a rush of excitement. Clamora set down four cards when Hermione pulled her hand away. The witch flipped each card and blinked.
"Dear, your cards, they're interesting."
Hermione stared down at them and saw the four arcana cards. The Hanged Man, The Moon, The Hermit, and The Fool. The foreboding words of Draco Malfoy echoed in her head.
"The price will be high for what you seek, my dear. An unconscious sacrifice will lead you to the path of a beginning, unlike any you've ever known. Love, loss, and pain will hold the key."
Hermione blinked and glanced at the woman. "I never believed in tarot cards. There's no key to the future."
"Well," the witch sighed. "Like this or not, it's coming. This is the path you lead. I can only hope you're prepared."
Hermione stood up and glanced back down at the cards. "I hope you have a good evening," she said politely and left the area.
"The cards never lie," Clamora called, and Hermione waved it off.
The buzz from her potion was still in full effect as she mingled back into the crowd. Even though she didn't believe… the cards imprinted into her mind. What could it have meant? Ridiculous…
"Hermione, it's time for your speech. Dinner will be served soon," Ginny declared.
She pivoted on her heels and gazed at the Potter. "Alright."
"You okay? Had a bit too much to drink?" Ginny asked as she touched her shoulder.
"Yeah, just a bit," Hermione huffed with a smile. "I'll be fine. It's all fine now."
It wasn't okay. Nothing was going to be fine. The following full moon, everything changed. It was the last night that the wizarding world was whole.
