Hello,

I am in awe of your support. Likes, follows, and reviews. Unfortunately this is a speedy and short chapter. I hope you don't mind.

~Alex

A Conundrum

Minerva found her mind separated from her feet. She kept going back to Andromeda's words.

"I never cheated on Ted."

If Andromeda never cheated on Ted, then how could a first-year girl be at the castle in Gryffindor robes wreaking havoc with her mind… with her emotions. Nymphadora was older than Hermione if by that logic that stands, then Hermione is younger, and Andromeda indeed had an affair. Minerva blinked as she looked in front of her. Large doors to the infirmary stood before her. She took a deep breath, expelled it, and then put her hand on the panel and pushed.

She looked around and found Mr. Longbottom, and Mr. Potter in their beds, but when her gaze flitted over to where the girl should be the only evidence that showed she was there was an unmade bed.

"Morning Minerva," Madame Pomphrey spoke as she bustled about her infirmary tending to the boys. They woke and looked about and found Hermione's bed equally as empty.

"You might want to get to breakfast before it goes children," Minerva said cutting off questions she did not know the answer to.

Harry and Neville smiled and shuffled from their blankets and out of their infirmary. Minerva turned to Poppy.

"I don't know where she went only, she is not here, and the headmaster told me she was taken from the castle by her father. Somehow, he was notified of the Troll incident," Poppy informed the woman. Minerva only nodded and turned from the matron of the infirmary.

"She is different Minerva," Poppy said to her back. Minerva turned around and gazed into the warm eyes of the school healer.

"She was already healing at a rapid rate. I dare say I don't think I needed to give her any potions for her break, but she was already healing rapidly. When I gave her the potion, I gave her a sedative with it to help her mend. She was up within an hour as if nothing were amiss," Poppy told her.

"Who or what has the ability to heal like that?" Minerva asked quietly looking around wondering if ears could hear their chat.

"I don't know, but she is in fact, different, and that is an entirely different realm of different we have around here," Poppy said waving her wand and cleaning up and disinfecting the area the boys had just left. Minerva simply nodded.

Thank you," Minerva responded and then turned toward the doors.

Her feet and her mind were on the same page. She walked to the Great Hall and found the school during the last moments of breakfast and Albus Dumbledore in the regular highchair. She took her seat next to his, and a simple black tea and toast appeared. She picked up the butter.

"So, you have met with Mr. Granger?" she asked, and she saw him shift. That was unlike Albus.

"He is different. How did he know of the troll incident?" he asked looking directly at her accusing her.

"I know not. I was hoping you could tell me," she said as she pit into her breakfast. It felt like sawdust in her mouth, so she washed it down with a sip of her tea.

"No, I can't tell you anything. The man has a wonderfully blocked mind for a muggle," Albus confessed under his breath. Minerva tensed. So Rhun was right, he was looking in on everything, no matter if they were staff or student.

"Albus, Legilimency is illegal if no permission is allowed. You know this," Minerva hissed under her breath. Albus shifted back to his tea bringing to cup to his lips.

"I was giving you a peace offering with that information, Minerva," Albus argued. Minerva closed her eyes and shook her head. She pushed her plate away.

"Then you can watch my classes as payment for something illegal," she practically ordered her superior as she stood.

"Where are you going?" Albus asked.

"Take care of some business," Minerva said vaguely.

Out In the World

She looked at the muggle home in a cookie-cutter muggle neighborhood and sighed. The last time she was here she felt a shiver crawl up her spine but as she looked at the home, she found the commonplace of the dwelling so very … out of place, in a place where it should be IN place.

"I didn't think Hogwarts would send the Head of House to inquire on Hermione," a man's voice spoke from behind her. Her hand flew up to her mouth to keep the startled explicative from passing her lips. She looked at Mr. Granger. He wore a pair of khakis, a light blue button-down covered by a navy sport coat with brown loafers. No socks.

"It's November, aren't you cold?" Minerva spoke. She silently cursed herself. Was that the only thing she could come up with?

Mr. Granger tilted his head to the left and eyed the woman in front of his 'home.'

"One does not feel the cold as intensely as most where we are from," he replied and before Minerva could reply, he lifted his hand and gestured to the gate that separated the sidewalk from the lawn, "You are welcome here, Professor. I have heard many things about you," Mr. Granger said with a smooth voice. She looked into his eyes and found she could not pull away. They spoke of a depth that told of many things, many… lives.

"Please," he said softly urging her to the home and she walked before him feeling like she was not supposed to be there. She was supposed to be elsewhere. She should turn back and wait for the girl to return. Before she knew it, she sat on a sofa sitting with a cup of tea she didn't remember being put in her hands.

Death watched the woman. He knew something not many knew. He could feel fate and feel strings pull at people. He smiled to himself as he sat in his chair next to the fire, legs crossed and a cheek upon his fist. He should have seen it the first time the woman saw Hermione those months ago. Something has shifted, even ever so slightly, in her demeanor. It wasn't her posture, not her bearing on the situation, it was her soul. That is one thing Death had a market on, the soul.

"She spoke of you," he said to his guest and watch3d her heart flare and dampen, and then shaky hands place the teacup on the table next to her.

"Oh," was all the women could voice, and this made Death smile more. She liked his daughter, even if the woman didn't know who she was dealing with.

"You do realize she is different, don't you?" Death asked. Minerva said nothing and then he snapped his fingers. Minerva looked to the man challenging his presence. Then he Pointed to her other side.

"RHUN!" Minerva exclaimed shocked to see the sorting hat of Hogwarts sitting next to her on the sofa.

"Took you long enough to call me you vulture!" insulted the hat beside her.

A long silence followed and then laughter from the hat and the man near her filled the room. Death could see her discomfort and with mirth in his eyes swallowed his laughter, but his smile stayed upon his lips.

"Don't fear him, Minerva. He is not harmless by any means, but he is not harmful," Rhun spoke from beside her.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Minerva inquired with a high lilt to her voice.

"IM HOME!" came from the door Death continued to watch the woman silently and Hermione placed a jacket on the coat holder by the door, and ramble, "Gil has been doing a good job. He only needed help because it was a mass… shoot…ing," Hemione stopped as she walked into the room and saw Minerva. Minerva slowly stood.

"WHY ARE YOU HERE?!"

"WHO THE BLOODY HELL ARE YOU!"

Death clapped his hands together then rubbed them together.

"Shall we begin?" he asked with mirth in his eyes.

Once again, Death's smile fell. It seems there is hell to pay, and Death was about to foot the bill from not one but two very incensed women.