A bit of background information is needed I feel...

Chapter 4

'Sho, dyoo 'vanoo sisstanyet?' Ron asked Hermione through a mouthful of mash.

'Please, remind me why I agreed to marry you?' Hermione retorted with a smirk.

'Because I'm irresistible!' Ron replied after he had swallowed his mouthful.

Both Ginny and Harry snorted and he looked at them both, eyebrows raised. He turned his attention back to Hermione.

'So, do you have a new assistant, then? Were any of the people who you interviewed okay?'

'There was only really one who I could see actually being any good for the job.'

She stabbed a few of the beans and ate them.

'But…' Ron prompted, picking up on Hermione's less than enthusiastic behaviour.

She sighed.

'But there's a problem.'

…

'Can I ask you something before I explain myself?' Jasper asked Hermione, looking into her eyes.

'You may,' she replied with a nod.

'I didn't think my petty crimes were horrendous enough to warrant my file being kept open.'

He wiped his palms on his trousers, his nervousness taking on physical form.

Hermione took a deep breath.

'Well, I'm assuming you're correct, they are technically sealed. They're here because you're applying for a job in the Department of Magical Law. Had there just been one small incident then I wouldn't have been told about them, they would have been wiped. But…there wasn't just one incident, was there, Jasper?'

She didn't wait for him to reply.

'I haven't looked at them yet, but I have been given authority to read them should I wish. This one, however,' she flipped open the file she had been holding when she opened the door to him, 'I have read.'

She looked at him and he looked away, down at his hands in his lap.

'You're Muggle born, aren't you, Hermi–…Miss Granger?'

Hermione nodded.

'And you're an only child.'

It was a statement rather than a question, but she nodded in agreement anyway.

'Well, I'm guessing that your parents had no problem with you going off to school to learn to control your magical skills, and you didn't have any siblings who weren't magical who distrusted you and were probably a little bit jealous of your talents.'

Hermione didn't say anything, just looked at him once more, waiting for him to continue his explanation.

'There's five of us. Jack's the oldest. He's my half brother. He's a wizard. His dad left mum a couple of months after he was born and then she met my dad shortly after that. They had Sophie a year and a bit later, then Chris pretty soon after that, neither Soph or Chris are magical.'

He looked up at Hermione and saw she was still listening intently.

'With three kids they decided their family was complete, which was why it was a bit of a shock, when seven years later, mum finds she's pregnant. With twins. So my brother and me are the last two and we're both magical.'

He took a deep breath and looked up at Hermione, trying to hold eye contact with her as he continued to talk.

'I'm not…I don't want to come out and say that we weren't wanted, but…I dunno, occasionally I got the feeling that Dad resented the fact that he wasn't out doing whatever he wanted to do. Jack was at Hogwarts, Chris and Soph were at the local primary school and dad had his days to do what he wanted. He was made Chief Executive of the company his granddad set up, it was earlier than expected because his dad died and he took over the reigns, but, really, the Managing Director of the company did all the leg work and Dad had a lot of spare time on his hands. He loved it! He had most days to himself, and then suddenly he had twin boys to look after.'

He sighed and subconsciously ruffled his hair with his hand.

'Mum was a teacher and it seemed pointless her not going back to work when dad was at home most days, so she did. Sorry, all this probably isn't relevant, I tend to waffle on a bit. I'll get to the point soon.'

He risked a half smile and relaxed when Hermione returned it.

'Just take your time Jasper, we've got plenty.'

He took another deep breath.

'Thanks. Anyway, when we were four, before we started school, it was obvious we were magical. My brother and me…well…we weren't exactly friends when we were growing up, we only just about manage it now. We were always trying to score points off each other and were always winding each other up. We did uncontrolled magic at least once a week just because we got really angry at each other. It got so bad that dad was visited by someone from the muggle liaison office. He didn't like that at all; he thought they were questioning his ability to control his children. I think his small misgivings about magic grew into dislike that afternoon. It was bad enough we'd made the odd ornament explode but that took the biscuit I think.

'Anyway, it led to a lot of shouting between mum and dad, me and John, my twin, we heard it all, and we got the impression, at the precious age of four years old, that Dad really didn't like having to look after us. Having said that, I can't sit here and say we weren't cared for. Dad did love us, he just really disliked magic, occasionally he took that out on Jack as well when he came back from Hogwarts, and then, when we eventually went, things took a turn for the worse again.

'John hated being away from his Muggle friends. I mean really hated it. I made friends at Hogwarts, but they…well…they didn't care too much for the rules. Everyone thinks Ravenclaws wouldn't dream of getting themselves into trouble, but it's not true, it just means they plan their cover ups to the minute detail and get away with ninety nine percent of what they plan!'

Hermione smiled.

'Sorry, I really am waffling, aren't I?'

'I told you, Jasper, we have time, don't worry.'

He nodded.

'Well, after a while I started to dread going back home. I knew there would be shouting, what with John out 'til all hours catching up with his friends who he'd been separated from for weeks on end, and me missing my school friends. During the summer after fifth year, John had a really big argument with Dad, I tried to defend him, for once it was Dad being unreasonable, not John. Anyway, he threw us both out. John went to stay with his friends. I went to stay with my uncle. My alcoholic uncle. I want to blame him for the sate I got myself into, but, really, it was all my own doing.'

Jasper coughed and tried to clear his throat. Hermione took her wand from the desk and waved it. A glass of water appeared in front of her and she handed it to Jasper.

'Thanks,' he replied quietly.

'You're welcome.'

'The Muggle Juvenile Record will tell you I was—'

'Jasper, you don't have to tell me that, there's a reason these are sealed. If you'd done anything too bad I would have been told already.'

Jasper nodded.

'I understand, but I need to tell you.'

He looked at Hermione and gave a small shrug. She nodded and gave a small smile in understanding.

'I was arrested for trying to nick alcohol from the local offie, and then again for being drunk and disorderly. When they tried to arrest me the second time, I smacked a police officer. Somehow I managed to avoid any formal action, I had to see a couple of counsellors and I told them what they wanted to hear and by the end of the summer I was back at Hogwarts where no one knew what had happened.

'Sixth year was pretty normal except for…well…the reason for that other file. A couple of us had already passed our Apparition tests and were bored of Hogsmeade, so we Apparated to a village where one of my friends lived, still in Scotland, but Muggle. We went to the pub, got drunk and caused the Ministry to need to send workers to cover up our magic and Obliviate some of the local Muggles.

'First and, thankfully, last official warning from the Ministry, privileges taken away from us for the entire duration left of the school year, and never being trusted with anything major by any of the teachers at school. It could have been a lot worse, but, we were still bright, intelligent boys so they didn't give up on us completely.

He took another long drink from the glass and placed it back on the table. He turned the glass on its spot and nervously glanced up at Hermione.

'I appreciate you telling me all that, Jasper. It can't have been easy. I…I don't really know what I can say to you. I can't understand, our childhoods were totally different. I can't imagine what it would have been like for you with your dad's dislike of magic. It must have made things so hard. How about…no, sorry, that's none of my business.'

'No! Ask me! I don't mind explaining things, I have to! For my sake more than anything else.'

'I was just going to ask how your older brother, Jack did you say his name was? How did he get on with his step-dad, considering he was magical?'

'That's the thing, Jack was the one who got on with dad the best, it was like he wasn't magical, any magic Jack did use when he was with Dad was minimal and was, obviously, controlled and only when he came of age, so it didn't annoy my dad. I said that occasionally Dad took out his dislike of magic out on him, but Dad always apologised when he'd calmed down.

'There was never any mention that Dad wasn't Jack's real father. As far as anyone was concerned he was Jack's real father. He brought him up and Jack has never known anyone else to take that role. Apart from when Dad was already really annoyed because of me and John, he never held Jack's magical abilities against him.'

'I hate to say it,' Hermione said quietly, 'but that seems a little bit…hypocritical.'

Jasper smiled sadly.

'It is a bit, isn't it?'

They sat in silence for a minute. Hermione put the sealed files in her drawer but kept the open one on her desk.

'I appreciate your openness and honesty, Jasper, you didn't have to tell me all that, but you did and that took a lot of courage. But I am obliged to ask you to explain your official criminal record. I've only looked at the basic details, so I know you were charged with ABH.'

Jasper nodded.

'It was mine and my brothers' eighteenth birthday, we were out in town and we'd both had a bit too much to drink. One of his old school acquaintances called him a ponce for going to a private school and he wouldn't let it go, it all escalated into a fight and I couldn't leave well alone either. I told you I enjoyed Martial Arts, well, that stemmed from that fight. I vowed I'd never get beaten up that badly again so learned how to defend myself. Before I got the shit kicked out of me I managed to land a few punches myself. We were all caught, charged and, again, because I came off worse, I managed to escape prison or any serious penalty.

'When I went back to school after those Christmas holidays I decided I wasn't going to mess things up because of my dad, my brother or anyone else, especially me. I'd not studied too hard previously to then, but I hadn't done nothing either, I put my head down and managed to scrape a few N.E.. And that's…that's all there is to tell.'

'Jasper I—'

'Can I just say something,' he chuckled, 'one last thing?'

Hermione smiled and nodded.

'I'll understand if you can't employ me because of all that I've just told you, and I won't blame you for it at all. To be honest, I applied on the off chance my record would be…I dunno, overlooked or something just as unlikely. Stupid I know.'

'Not stupid, just hopeful. As I said, Jasper, I appreciate your honesty, but I need to discuss the situation with my superiors. I'll let you know as soon as I can.'

---

'Wow,' Ron said with a sigh, 'that's quite a big problem.'

'Well,' Hermione started before obviously choosing her words carefully. 'I know you lot are going to think me insane for saying it, but I think I trust him.'

Ginny's eyebrows disappeared into her fringe, Harry tilted his head to one side and Ron stabbed a potato and put the whole thing in his mouth.

'Hermione, he has three types of criminal record, all for aggressive behaviour! Is he really someone you want to have work for you?' Ginny asked, her voice getting louder and getting a few looks from the other members of the Weasley family around the table.

'Actually only two of them were for aggressive behaviour, the first was for theft.'

'Oh, yes, that makes thing so much better!'

'When did you say his last offence was?' Harry asked Hermione, ignoring Ginny's argument.

'His eighteenth birthday.'

'And nothing since then?' Harry asked.

'Nothing. Not even a question from either the Muggle or Wizarding authorities.'

'Well, then, maybe he did see the error of his ways. People can change for the better.'

Ginny snorted. 'Yes, because we all believe the Death Eaters who managed to avoid prison when they say they have changed their ways.'

'Gin, please don't criticize the way Kingsley had the Dark Suspects tried after the war. He had them do it as fairly as possible, just because one or two of the results weren't quite as we might have thought, it's the way the justice system works now.'

'I wasn't criticising Kingsley, Harry-'

'No, you were criticising our justice system, which Kingsley set up, you know it winds me up when you do that. And anyway, a few drunken incidents as a teenager is hardly the same as Death Eater activity!'

'He was of age for one of them!' Ginny retorted, intent on proving her point.

'Stupidity and mistakes don't stop when you come of age, Gin!' Ron said, speaking on the subject for the first time. 'Wisdom and Knowledge doesn't suddenly appear over night.'

'I know that!' Ginny snapped.

'What does your boss think?' Ron asked Hermione, before anyone else could speak.

Hermione sighed. 'He's left the decision up to me. If he'd been applying for a job like mine or higher then he would have been dismissed outright, but because it's an assistants role and because the offences are minor, it's up to whoever will be his superior, which is me.'

She looked directly at Ron and took his hand.

'What do you think?' she asked him.

Ron sighed and pushed a Cherry Tomato around his plate.

'It's like Harry said, isn't it? He's not put a foot wrong since and he was open with you when you asked him to explain everything. If you think you can work with him and trust him then why not give him a two-month trial or something similar? If he is genuine then he won't mind proving himself.'

Hermione considered Ron's suggestion and nodded.

'Yeah, a trial could work for both him and me. He might end up not liking the job, and if at the end either of us aren't happy then we can say goodbye and that can be the end of it. I can still be a reference for him if it's appropriate.'

'Well, I still don't think it's a good idea,' Ginny said, 'but I think the trial is a compromise.'

Hermione nodded.

'Sounds like a good plan,' Harry agreed.

Ron smiled at her. 'You'll make the right decision! It's the law, Hermione Granger can never be wrong!'

Hermione rolled her eyes at Ron's smiling face.

'It might be irrelevant anyway; there's still the checks on his family and the such like to get through yet. If there's anything too bad in those then he'll be dismissed as a candidate regardless of what I think.'

'Well, it's the weekend now, you don't have to think about it until Monday,' Ron said with a smile.

Hermione took his hand in hers and returned his smile.

The four of them went back to their plates and finished off their meals. As Harry stacked their plates Ginny turned her attention to Hermione.

'Sorry if I was harsh before, You're just, more trusting than I am, probably. Sometimes I catch myself still waiting for something to happen to one of us. I'm sure he's fine and he'll be a good assistant, just…be careful, okay? Please?'

Hermione smiled and took Ginny's hand.

'I know, and I will. Promise.'