Hi, I'm sorry about the chapter being unavailable, unfortunately I had a few technical difficulties and had to take it down, but now it's all back to normal! I'm also sorry about the insanely long wait on this chapter, I have no excuse except the current chaos we have all be living in. That being said, enjoy the chapter, and if you do please review.

Plates and Bones

Weeks passed quickly, lesson seeped into each other, her magic still not stable but at least this time not all of the goblets turned into rats at once, it did turn into a giant one but hey, it was getting there

She was still having difficulties in defence; the swirling evil was distracting every time she entered that room. It's presence felt it was sapping her energy away. She hated it but had no idea how to deal with it. She had tries reading as much as she could unfortunately there wasn't a section of the library, even in the restricted section labelled; evil soul sucking clouds of black magic. Such a shame.

As she was trawling through any tomes she could hope to help her she found herself on the other side of the stacks to another first year group. A group of Hufflepuffs who were talking rather loudly.

"… she's my aunt, she works in the department of mysteries." Hermione's ears perked up the department of mysteries sounded extremely interesting.

"What's that?" another Hufflepuff asked.

"It's were all the weird things live in the ministry, but they're not run by the ministry. My aunt said they wouldn't be able to do their jobs if they were."

Hermione liked the sound of that even more. The girl continued "She's the head of her department, the unspeakables, they're the best trained, and deal with the really hard cases."

Hermione smiled peeking through the bookcase to see Susan bones, the girl who she had stolen the robes from. Time to find out who her aunt was as she walked over to the wizarding genealogy section. It didn't take long; the bones were of course a pure blood and their entire blood history printed out easy to access.

"Amelia Bones" she muttered under her breath as she walked back to her room.

It took her a while to start composing the letter, she wasn't quite how to write this. Practice had taught her that signing her name certainly didn't end well so a code name was needed.

Dear Amelia Bones,

I am afraid that the students of Hogwarts are in grave danger, Professor Quirrell had been possessed by a dark cloud of energy. I believe this to be linked with the killing of unicorns in the local forbidden forest. Drinking unicorn blood after all will cause a half like and I believe this is what is happening in the case of Quirrell.

I have attempted to help, but alas I fear this is above me, I beg you for your help, and your departments interference.

I will not disclose my identity for safety but will disclose a code word in case we require each other. I believe gargoyle may be suitable.

I beg once again for your help…

Yours sincerely

A worried party…

She sealed the letter and walked to the owlery. She looked at the school owls with trepidation but what choice did she have as she handed over the letter. Her hope pinned to this owl.

o0o0o0o0o

A few days passed and Hermione had been visibly distracted not paying much attention in , not doing her homework to its usual standard but nobody had seemed to notice it.

She was sat at dinner three days later, her table had a simple meal, soup bread. Filling and easy as she stirred aimlessly as the doors burst open.

A group of people swarmed through the door, 6 in total dressed head to toe in white a face covering over and walked towards the head table. Hermione grinned as she slipped round the table sneaking up against the wall. As they made their way further Hermione wished as she's done before to be invisible as she followed them.

"What on earth is going on here?" the headmaster bellowed.

He was silenced however when a white bubble appeared closing around part of the head table pushing all the professors away except for Quirrell. Hermione saw the bubble reaching the floor and dove for it. Determined not to left out of the loop, she needed to know what was going to happen.

The masks on the people all disappeared as Quirrell began stuttering. They however paid no attention to him.

One of them waved her wand then turned to another who only nodded.

They drew their wands and pointed it towards him.

Quirrell suddenly realising that this wasn't ideal, drew his wand but before he could smoke began pouring from his body as it started to crumble as he started to scream.

The group looked taken aback, unsure what to do about a smoke monster. As it stared to attack the bubble draining its power. Hermione took one look at the smoke and could hear a voice, whispering gently as it started to make its way towards her.

The monster wasn't a monster at all as it formed a vague humanoid shape. "You, you shall be my new body for my horcrux, a suitable host for a dark lord."

Hermione almost collapsed as she feels the pure evil of the entity stood before her, but the voice gives her an idea. It needs to be contained. She summoned a plate off the table and started to concentrate, pouring her magic into controlling it. The smoke after a lot of magic started to coalesce around the plate as it started screaming too.

It got smaller and smaller, as Hermione felt her magic get more and more depleted, she felt at some point more magic join hers feeling greatly relieved. As the smoke vanished completely she took a deep happy breath, as the people started looking around confused.

Hermione took another breath before collapsing onto the floor her invisibility dispersing, gasps filling her ears before she dropped.

o0o0o0o0o

She once again awoke to voices arguing, this she felt was getting predictable. The sound starting to clarify further as more time passed.

There was Dumbledore, Snape, McGonagall and another voice she didn't know.

They were shouting, about something she assumed her. As she awoke proper.

"I want answers!" Snape shouted.

"I certainly can't give them to you." The other voice said.

Hermione tired and feeling bad coughed slightly as all head in the room turned to her and the voices started shouting at her.

"What were you thinking… who are you… what did you think you were doing… dark witch…" words swirling her head spinning.

Hermione didn't answer, for a few moments before looking at the new lady.

"Um… I assume you are Madame Bones?"

They all stopped instantly. "Yes, I am, I understand you are Hermione Granger?"

"Yes, I am. It may be a little late but… Gargoyle."

Madame bones face changed again only slightly, first shock, then concern then intrigue.

"I order you to tell me right now what has happened." Hermione looked at the headmaster and steeled, sat up in bed a little higher gaining the element of advantage.

"Of course, sir, where would you like me to start?"

They all look shocked.

"At the beginning would be helpful, Miss Granger." Snape drawled.

"Right, a few months ago I noticed a dark cloud of evil looking magic surrounding the turban of professor Quirrell."

Snape's face changed.

"I informed my head of house. Professor Snape. Who informed me that would be impossible. After inquiring with other professors, I doubted my chance to be believed about supposedly seeing magic. Therefore, I wrote to the ministry and to the Aurors. To both of those letters I got no reply and was informed by headmaster Dumbledore I was wasting their time and was given detention. During said detention within the forbidden forest I came across a cloaked figure drinking the blood of the unicorn that reminded me of the magic I found on Quirrell."

All of the teachers looked pale. But she continued. "I then having no idea how to help, overheard you're niece, Susan, talking about your job and thought maybe, that you might listen and take me more seriously if you didn't know who I was. Turned out I was right."

The adults all looked at her for a few minutes.

"May I ask what it turned out happened to Professor Quirrell?"

Amelia bones answered. "A dangerous wizard had attached himself to Quirrell through the drinking of the unicorn blood as you had suspected. It was very dark magic indeed."

"Is that what a horcrux is?" she asked remembering what the voice had said.

McGonagall literally gasped, Snape went even whiter, and Dumbledore looked furious. Amelia "Yes, a very dark illegal piece of magic that you would be wise not to share with anyone."

Hermione nodded understanding this was not something she wanted to deal with again.

Amelia spoke up again. "I have a feeling I should be thanking you, without your intervention I have a feeling we would be dealing with a lot bigger of a situation."

Hermione nodded.

Poppy walked in looking around. "She's awake? Why didn't anyone tell me, right then out with you all. Really not telling a medi witch when her patient wakes up!"

Looking suitable chastised the group all left one after the other until Amelia was the last one. "I was wondering at a later date, if you would mind me owling you any further queries."

Hemione nodded, "Of course not, I would like that."

And with that Poppy was the only one remaining.

"I expected it to be bad, but really Miss Granger. You nearly killed yourself."

Hermione smiled at her tone.

"Sorry, turned out I couldn't have an easy end of year after all."

Poppy huffed, "How are you feeling?"

Hermione "Fine, really. Drained, this time for a good reason." She paused debating whether to ask.

"May I ask something, Confidentially?"

Poppy nodded careful.

"Who is the Dark Lord?"

A small gasp. Followed by a sigh. "He was a very dangerous wizard, the one Harry Potter killed as a baby."

Hermione obviously knew about Voldemort, but it was news to her of his other names. It certainly made sense though.

"I have a feeling he might not be as dead as everyone thinks."

Poppy gave the girl an extremely stern look before realising she wasn't lying.

"Oh Merlin!"

0o0o0o0o0

A few days passed, when a rather nice owl from Amelia bones flew in. The letter explaining what had happened, that the plate along with the horcrux had been destroyed. Which was of great relief.

It went on to thank her and said if she ever needed help again to be sure to contact her directly.

Hermione smiled at that reading the subtext.

The next day when she was getting a lot better, professor Snape came in with a large pile of papers.

"Your assignments."

Hermione rolled her eyes. But took them graciously.

"Defeating the dark lord gives Potter eternal fame but I still have to do homework."

Snape narrowed his eyes. "That does not leave these walls understand." Hermione rolled her eyes again.

"Of course, I wouldn't. what do you take me for? A glory seeking Gryffindor?

Snape nodded curtly before leaving the room.

o0o0o0o0o

Hermione completed all of her assignments to her usual standard happily getting back to work. It was too quiet, as she mixed it with revision for her end of year exams. Madame Pomphrey had told her that professor had become infected by a deadly disease and had to be transported to St Munogs and from there had dies of his injuries. She was to stick to that story as well.

After she was allowed to leave, she had to go straight back to it. Catching up with lessons, ignoring the weird stares the whispers. The rumour that was running prevalent was that it was Hermione that had given Quirrell the disease. That her fifthly mud blood had carried it. She let it run of her back like water, concentrating instead on her exams.

They were held in their rooms, the paper section extremely easy as she allowed the answers to flow from her brains. The practical equally so. The charms easy, the transfiguration second nature. She felt pleased that she would get high grades so when the results came out that she had gotten 50% in some of her subjects she was appalled.

Herbology was fine, as was potions, history of magic, and astronomy. But defence, transfiguration and charms all were failed. After she paused and waited for Professor McGonagall to be alone.

"Professor, I was wondering if you could explain why my grade is so low."

"Certainly, Miss Granger, you failed the practical portion."

Hermione eyebrows hit the sky. "But I did what you asked, I turned the rat into a goblet, a normal sized goblet. The snuff box was beautiful with gold inlay and everything. I don't understand."

Professor McGonagall furrowed her brow. "Miss Granger do not take that tone with me, you failed as your failed to provide the correct wand movements or words for the spells."

Hemione saw red, just because she didn't need that she was being punished. "Am I being punished for not having a wand?"

"Not punished, graded for not doing the correct work."

Hermione's eyes narrowed, as a stick looking like a wand appeared in her hand, pointing it at the glass on McGonagall's desk. Saying the spell loud and clearing along with the matching hand movements to turn it into a rat.

"Is that better now professor?"

"Seeing as you did not do it in the exam, I am afraid miss Granger it is a failure."

Hermione walked out of the room, furious and she found the same answers form the other professors. As she walked towards the dungeons furious.

The Slytherin prefect walked up to her and thrust a note at her feet before storming away. Picking it up and opening it.

Professor Dumbledore had requested her presence in this office once she had packed up her belongings for the holidays. A bad seed of a thought planted in her head and as she found no way to ignore it, getting her normal rucksack she placed a few things in that she wouldn't care if they were stolen and made her way up to his office the gargoyle moving out of her way.

She entered confidently, as the headmaster stood behind his desk.

"Miss Granger a pleasure to see you, I wanted you to be notified of the good news as quickly as I could."

"What good news professor?" she said her eyes only narrowing slightly.

Dumbledore smiled coly. "That your parents have decided to take you out of school a week early to go on holiday! I don't usually allow it but I am feeling generous."

She took a deep breath, he had to be lying, there was no way, absolutely no way that he'd found them.

"In order to let you go, I have to give you a present. Due to the fact that muggles cannot know of magic normally traces are placed within wands so that a minor cannot use them, but as you do not have a wand the ministry has thought it best to loan you these."

A pair of bracelets suspiciously looking like small silver handcuffs were contained with the box.

"They are magical suppression bracelets."

The seed from earlier started to grow into a fully fledged thorny thought,

"Your parents have been informed all about the school and your powers and are currently waiting through the fire place, if you wouldn't mind presenting your wrists."

Hermione had no choice; she knew that and Dumbledore certainly knew that. Obeying slowly, she presented her first thin wrist and felt the metal close, the second one went on, before Dumbledore waved his wand over them.

Her mind blackened from the pain, it felt like her entire body had be drained of everything. She was exhausted, unable to see straight and as she felt herself be guided and a flash of green before she saw something she had never wanted to see before the faces of her parents in front of her smiling.

o0o0o0o0o

Snape had been told by the Slytherin prefect that Hermione had been summoned to professor Dumbledore's offices and hadn't returned which was why he was why he was headed there himself.

Upon arriving and guessing through the list of repeated sweets, he ascended the stairs and marched into the office.

Dumbledore was writing at his desk, looked up to meet his eyes.

"Where is Miss Granger?"

Albus laughed his good natured grandpa laugh. he was hiding something.

"Miss Granger had gone home a little early to spend some quality time with her parents after the traumatic events of this year."

"Why?" Snape asked.

"To go on holiday."

Snape almost laughed "I highly doubt you would let a student leave school early for a holiday. She's not dying is she?" he said with his signature dismissive drawl.

Dumbledore "Well I did. And she is absolutely fine."

Snape began to speak again but the headmaster cut him off. "I as headmaster order you to leave this topic alone and under no circumstances to speak to miss granger until term begins. Her parents want her to have a break from magic. We should respect those wishes."

Snape felt the vow constrict him as another subclause was added. He nodded leaving the room slamming the door behind him.

o0o0o0o

There it is, I hope you liked, please fav, follow and review. They all make my day! Thank you.