The Blood Rite

Albus Dumbledore returned no more than 15 minutes later with the minister of magic, Kingsley Shacklebolt and, Remus Lupin, and Tonks. Hermione looked up curiously as he explained. "We needed some extra witnesses for the Blood Rite to be performed properly, and then once it is completed, we will be going to attend to your 'father'." Tonks said, smiling at Hermione. "I'm so sorry Hermione."

Hermione looked up and smiled, accepting the hug that Tonks was offering her. "Thank you." She replied, Hermione always liked Tonks – as though she the fun and crazy aunt of the family.

The minister of magic cleared his throat with impatience and said, "Ok, this is how this is going to work. Molly, Arthur, please sit on either side of Hermione." The couple silently obeyed. "Some of this is performed much like the Unbreakable Vow – but there is no chance of death…well, lets HOPE not." The room chuckled.

The minister pulled from his robes an elaborately decorated knife. "This knife was created during the first war with Voldemort. As part of the Blood Rite, it was designed in order to protect those who were marked for death. By binding oneself to another through flesh and blood, this rendered the threatened witch or wizard untraceable – that is, unless the enemy was aware that the ritual occurred and who the person was now bound to." The minister continued, "all three of you are going to place small cuts – which will be healed afterwards – on each of your palms. Molly and Arthur will hold hands with each other, and their free hands will hold onto both of yours, Hermione, palm to palm. I will then magically bind your wrists together as one does with the unbreakable vow, this part will enable the flow of blood between the three of you. I will ask questions of all three of you, and upon the completion you will be a flesh and blood Weasley. Understand?"

Hermione took a deep breath, she felt as though her whole body was vibrating with anxiety, fear, and anticipation. This was it. No turning back now. She was about to close the door completely on her past life – one which (apart from her mother) afforded her nothing but grief and pain as of late. The only direction from here was up, and she would face this new future with strength and a renewed sense of love.

"Hermione?" Molly asked softly, "are you sure you are ready for this dear?"

"Yes" Hermione replied immediately. "We need to do this now."

"Very well." The minister said, handing the knife to Arthur Weasley, who looked from his wife to Hermione, and made deep enough cuts into the palms of his hands in order to draw a sufficient amount of blood. He handed the blade to Molly, who took it without fear and copied her husbands actions. Hermione was the last to take the blade. She looked down at it in fear – the point of no return, but then – there was nothing for her to return to. With a look of determination on her face, Hermione dragged the sharp end of the blade down her palms – probably deeper than she needed to, for the blood began to flow freely and quickly. Hermione looked at her palms curiously, 'God how good the pain felt' – Hermione never thought anything like that in her life, which both scared and excited her as adrenaline shot through her veins. Bewitched by the sight of blood streaming down her hands and wrists, she was almost excited by the sight of it. She felt free, this pain and blood was of her own making – on her terms, not anyone elses – it felt a little intoxicating.

The others in the room watched the curious and uneasily calm expression on Hermione's face as she watched herself bleed, and exchanged a mixture of confused and concerned glances. "Hermione." Molly Weasley said, attempting to pull Hermione out of her mind. Hermione continued to stare at her palms, lost in the depths of her thoughts – far away from everyone else.

"Hermione!" Molly shouted. Hermione snapped out of it, shook her head and looked up. "Sorry." She said. Another exchange of glances swept through the room.

"Alright, let's do this." The minister said impatiently.

Molly and Arthur held hands, interlocking fingers, then did the same with Hermione – as they completed their circle. The minister of magic pulled his wand out and applied the binding charm to each of their interlocked hands. Molly, Arthur and Hermione each felt something surge through their hands, which slowly began to spread up their arms to the rest of their bodies.

"Do you, Molly and Arthur Weasley, willingly take Hermione Jean Granger into your family?"

"We do." The Weasleys replied.

"Do you accept her as the flesh of your flesh, the blood of your blood?"

"We do." The Weasleys replied again, while the 3 of them in the circle noticed that the warm, tingling feeling seemed to be pulsating through their bodies – they could feel their blood flowing through each other.

"Do you, Hermione Jean Granger, willingly enter in the Weasley family – to become flesh of their flesh, blood of their blood – leaving the life you previously led in entirety?" The minister asked of Hermione.

"I do." As Hermione said this, the three of them felt the pulsing in their veins increase. It was a sensation unlike any other they have felt before, as they felt themselves being drawn closer to each other.

"As minister of magic, I hereby declare you now to be Hermione Jean Weasley, bound to Molly and Arthur Weasley by flesh, blood, magic, and of course – family."

As soon as the minister spoke these words, Molly, Arthur, and Hermione felt the intensity shoot through their veins as a golden light shown around them. Hermione breathed in hard, closing her eyes, she screamed and fell backwards into Cedric's arms. The three separated their hands and saw that their palms were healed and the blood was gone, leaving only tiny scars as evidence of their pact.

"Hermione!" Cedric called out, her body was limp in his arms, hear head hanging back – limp as a ragdoll. "Hermione!" he called again, as he lifted her head, "Come on bebe, wake up."

"Don't worry Cedric," Albus said quietly, "this is what is supposed to happen to Hermione. It is almost like, what do the muggles call it? A 'reboot'? She should awaken momentarily.

Cedric stroked Hermione's hair and kissed her forehead, rocking her back and forth lovingly. Hermione inhaled sharply as she opened her eyes slowly. "Ced?" she asked.

"I'm here petite bebe." He whispered quietly, "I told you I will always be here."

"I am so tired." Hermione said in a disoriented voice as she snuggled into Cedric, who encircled his arms around her on the hospital bed. The room took a collective sigh of relief as Hermione drifted off to sleep almost instantly.

"Come everyone, Miss. Weasley is being well attended to, let's give them some privacy." Dumbledore said quietly as the group – with the exception of Poppy, who went into to retrieve some more potions and bruising cream – returned to the headmaster's office.

"Well I must get back to the ministry, good luck with Mr. Granger." The minister said in a short tone of voice as he exited through Dumbledore's floo.

The group was quiet for a moment, processing what all happened over the past several hours. Kingsley cleared his throat and began, "Tonks, Remus and, Albus and I are going to the Granger house. With any luck, this will be quick and we should be back soon." He got up and walked to the floo.

"Minerva, I suggest you take the Weasley's to your office and retrieve their children, as there is much to be discussed." Minerva nodded her head and swept majestically out of the office followed by Molly and Arthur.

Tonks, Remus and Albus followed Kingsley through the floo to confront Mr. Granger. With any luck, maybe his "friends" would be there as well – each was secretly hoping.

A great deal of commotion occurred in the Granger living room as 4 extremely powerful, and mightily pissed off wizards and a witch stepped out of the fireplace.

Mr. Granger was not, in fact, alone. He was with his friends who Albus recognized from Hermione's memory. "That's all of them." Albus stated in a stone-cold voice.

Mr. Granger and his friends were so shocked that their chairs at the poker table fell over as they jumped up and backed away – not sure if what they were witnessing was really happening, or just some sort of intoxicated hallucination. "Mr. Granger." Albus said in a quiet voice which was full of anger and contempt. "There is a situation in which we must discuss." Kingsley, Remus, and Tonks flanked Dumbledore. They seemed to tower over the drunken group, as though their feelings of rage made them grow with each passing second. Each possessed a determined look on their face, with the exception of Tonks – who had a half smirk, half smile on her face – she knew what was coming and she was looking forward to it.

"I know you!" Mr. Granger slurred out, "You're that crazy coot that helped my daughter destroy my family!" Mr. Granger's friends looked at him in disbelief, they had no idea what was happening.

"You single-handedly destroyed your family, Granger." Lupin said, his voice full of fury. "You left your child in pieces."

"Hermione!" Mr. Granger said, laughing, "I should have known that's why you're here! Well I hate to break it to you, but the girl's a liar – that's all she's done since she killed my wife – lie!"

"I don't recall Hermione saying anything about her father to us, to you Tonks?" Albus said with a half-smile. "what is it you think she is lying about Mr. Granger?"

His face dropped as he looked from witch to wizards.

"Her memories, injuries and behavior were all the evidence we needed. You obviously know what I am speaking of since you offered up that she is "lying" without us having to say it." Albus said, amused that he was making Hermione's ex-father sweat. "Well, you won't have to worry about Hermione anymore, we are here to tell you that she will not be returning to this home, to you, or to your 'friends'." Albus continued.

"You can't do that! She is MY daughter, MY property!" Mr. Granger screamed out.

Fire flashed in the wizards' eyes as Tonks strode up to Mr. Granger. They were standing toe-to-toe, and even though Tonk's was considerably shorter than him, she very well could have been 10 feet taller as she said in a menacing voice. "You will never speak of Hermione in that way, or ANY way again. She is no one's property – especially yours, nor is any other woman for that matter. Mr. Granger didn't flinch, for he knew what a witch was capable of – his friends, however, not knowing about the magical world, made a horrendous mistake. They strode up to Tonks, smiling and licking their lips.

"Aw come on sugar, you really came here so we could show you a good time, didn't you?" One said, as they circled Tonks like a pack of wolves. Tonks didn't move or flinch. Neither did Albus, Remus or Kingsley. In fact, Remus folded his arms and leaned against the wall with a smile on his face – he knew it would be over shortly, these 'men' had no idea how big of a hole they were digging themselves in.

Tonks stood tall as one said "'Mione liked it rough, you look like you do too – maybe it's just what you need." The one man went to spank Tonk's on the butt – but before he even had a chance to strike – he was thrown across the room. He landed against the wall and slumped to the floor. If there wasn't a wall there – he probably wouldn't have stopped flying until he hit the house across the street. "I was hoping you would do that." Tonks said to him. The room became a mass of blinding light as Tonks threw stuns and curses at the rest of the perpetrators. It was over in the matter of 4 seconds.

"Well." Kingsley said, clearing his throat. Neither he, Remus or Albus had moved from the front of the floo. "I thought this was going to take longer. Looks like we didn't have to come with Tonks after all."

Tonks chuckled as she surveyed the damage. "You doubting my mad skills, Shacklebolt? Actually, it's a good think you were here, otherwise who knows what I would have done." She said thoughtfully.

She returned to Remus's side. "Well done, dear." He said, planting a kiss on her cheek.

Albus walked towards the unconscious men in the room and raised his wand. "Obliviate", he said – pointing his wand at each one. He returned to the fireplace, "They will have no memory of Hermione ever having existed."

"Should we repair the room?" Kingsley asked.

"Why bother?" Said Remus, "They're all drunk anyway, maybe they will think they did it."

"True." Kingsley agree.

"Well, I am going to Miss Granger's room to retrieve anything she might have left there. You may return to the ministry to fill out your reports – I will return to the castle shortly." Albus said. The three aurors left through the floo as Albus walked upstairs. With one wave of his wand, he sent the rest of Hermione's belongings to the Weasley home – HER home, then returned to the castle with an immense feeling of satisfaction.

More to come, please review!