Harry tried to collect his thoughts while he wrote the Ministry. However, since he was asking for sensitive information, his letter couldn't contain too much detail if it were intercepted.

"Just wondering if I missed any updates on the new situation. –AAO."

Harry gave Atticus an owl treat, sent him out the window, and fell back onto his bed. Going through his own mind proved to be more challenging.

"Why would I rather have Hermione around to comfort me than Ginny? That's…that's definitely not normal. Though it's not like I'm an expert on normal."

"It's not as if I don't love Ginny," he thought desperately. "It's just…Hermione was always there for me, during Hogwarts and when we were on the run, looking for Horcruxes. She still is, now that I think about it."

"So, you more naturally respond to Hermione caring for you because you're accustomed to it?" another part of his brain piped up.

"I s'pose…yeah, that's gotta be it!" Buoyed by this rational breakthrough, Harry continued thinking. "And Ginny hasn't had to do that for me since Voldemort was defeated. So I just think of Hermione as…"

Well, Hermione fit a lot of descriptions for Harry. He'd definitely call her his best friend, along with Ron, of course. She'd become his conscience at one point or another…he couldn't say when, but at some point, whenever he'd considered doing something reckless or mean spirited, Hermione's voice warned against his way of thinking. She took care of him…but again, so did Ginny!

And he loved her. Not like a sister…he'd only said that to placate Ron. How was he supposed to know what sisterly love was when he didn't have a sister in the first place?

"So…I just have a lot of feelings about my best friend. But why shouldn't I? We've known each other for ten years now. It's not weird…it's just the circumstances that are weird," Harry decided. With that, he went back down to join his friends in their various work endeavors. He pulled out a spellbook and began reviewing how to perform a Vanishing charm on natural objects—putting a criminal down a small hole and disarming them was becoming a popular method to avoiding combat among Aurors. However, after about thirty minutes, Atticus interrupted Harry's study session with news from the Ministry. The owl gave an important hoot, then flew to the kitchen for some water. Harry eagerly read the letter, then scowled.

"What is it, Harry?" Hermione asked. She and Ron had taken a break from work and were trying to decide what show to watch.

"There's no new information," he answered flatly.

"Well, that's a good thing, right?" Ginny chimed in.

"I guess," he admitted. "I just wish we knew more. We have so little intelligence on the Nex, even though dealing with them has become our number one mission at the moment."

"Maybe they realized that the Ministry's onto what they're doing," suggested Ron. "More importantly, the Ministry is actually competent these days, since they've added people like you and Hermione," he added, laughing. Hermione blushed at the compliment.

Susan put a couple of patient evaluation forms down and joined the group in the living room. She studied the letter. "Harry, when you say 'we,' you're referring to the Ministry, right?"

He frowned. "Of course."

"And, to a larger extent, the wizarding world?" she prompted.

"I s'pose, yeah."

"Well…you know the Nex is operating—or at least, they last were operating—near a Muggle town. What if they're doing things quietly around there…"

"And the news isn't getting back to us," he muttered. After pacing around for a second, he continued slowly. "And instead, the news is getting spread…"

"In Muggle newspapers," Hermione completed the thought.

Ginny and Ron looked up at them. "Blimey…how'd you all come up with that?"

That comment got overshadowed by Susan. "I'm going to go Apparate back to King's College…there's gotta be a Muggle newspaper stand somewhere at school!"

Harry couldn't help recalling Susan's comment from earlier. "Maybe she was right," he mumbled to himself.

"What was that, dear?" Ginny asked.

"Nothing—Susan just said maybe the Ministry should be looking more carefully into Muggle affairs, and I wasn't sure about it…"

"Harry, you can hardly blame yourself for what the Ministry does or doesn't do!" Ginny insisted. "You only started there two years ago. And they do keep contact with the Muggle Prime Minister. Maybe they'll get in touch with him more now."

Ron echoed his sister's sentiments. "I know you're…" Ron fixed him with a faux serious look. "The Vanquisher…" Harry snorted a laugh, and Ron, grinning, kept going. "But still, mate, you can't fix the world's problems in one go. And you shouldn't have to."

Hermione frowned. "What is it?" everyone asked.

"Well, like Ginny was saying…if the Muggle Prime Minister is in contact with us, shouldn't we have gotten some warning from him by now?"

"Of course, Hermione wouldn't overlook a detail like that," Harry thought. His mood soured at the potential for bad news, but he kept his tone light. "Well, maybe we're all just overreacting, and there's nothing going on. We've gotten lucky before, right?"

Susan returned, her face ashen. The Telegraph's headline tossed Harry's optimism into a grave.

ATTACK ON PRIME MINISTER IN LONDON

"It appears London is once again being subjected to attacks from mysterious folk. A stand-off occurred today, and it resulted in the hospitalization of Tony Blair. Blair claimed he was taking a walk near his office when he was accosted by an unknown man. A fight broke out when three passers-by saw and stopped the attempted kidnapping. The attacker vanished mysteriously. Blair commented, "The attacker let me know in very clear terms that he was part of a Ministry that I had previously trusted. I am strongly questioning whether I was right to trust these other people in the first place, and would like to thank those who saved me from kidnapping or injury."

No one has determined the reason for Blair to make such a vague statement, but both he and members of his office have confirmed that the intended audience will understand his message."

"So someone from the Ministry is a traitor!" Ron declared.

"Or…the Nex set this whole thing up," Harry countered.

"Those are the only two logical options, and neither one's good," Hermione admitted.

Harry grabbed the paper impulsively. "I've gotta get to the Ministry."

"And what if you're walking into a trap?" Hermione asked, her voice holding a touch of steel.

"She could be right, you know," Susan murmured.

"If it is, I don't want you lot all there…plus it's a sight harder to get guests in now," Harry added quickly.

"Well, I'd rather like to hear what the Ministry has to say about this. Plus, you know we can hold our own," Hermione said.

By now, everyone in the room had stood up, prepared to Apparate.

Harry looked at all of them. He knew they wanted information firsthand. "Fine. Let's go."