Chapter 20

The news about the amendments to the Muggleborn Act broke a couple of days later. Whispers spread like wildfire through MQ well before the next morning's edition of the Daily Prophet. Actually MQ hadn't been so lively as long as Hermione had been there.

Some were angry, others were more philosophical. Hermione still didn't know what to think. People were all saying the things she had been mulling over in her head for a few days.

She bought a copy of the Prophet and took it back to her apartment to read. Frustratingly, the article, although on the second page did give much details. It did, however, note an information session by interested individuals in the ministry lobby in two days time.

Even Edna had heard about it and she was pestering Hermione to go and find out more about it. After protestations that it wasn't something for her, Hermione relented and agreed to go to the information session.

Edna kept quiet for the next couple of days. Both of them tried to ignore it, but it hung in the room like an unacknowledged cloud.

Hermione had started wearing her more modest dresses again and felt more comfortable than she had in a while. The gowns were stashed away under her bed. She kept them for now, waiting to see what Mr. Merrimen's preferences were before getting rid of them.

She still had enough cash, so she hadn't had to sell anything yet. But saying that, there was nothing in her recent possessions that she treasured other than Harry's things.

She really had more things than she had room for now. She tried to organise it all so it didn't take up too much space in her small room. Another chapter of her life packed away in boxes.

There was a sense of possibilities that she hadn't felt in a while. The feeling of freedom was wonderful, and pursuing Mr. Merrimen might counteract that, but on the other hand, it could work out really well. Niggling underneath was the possibility of returning to the muggle world, with its wide open possibilities of any kind of future she wanted. Provided she didn't want magic in it, that was.

The Ministry foyer was crowded ahead of the information session. It seemed every single muggleborn in the land was there. Beggars, whores, nicer whores and labourers of every kind. There were purebloods there as well, along with Ministry employees, obviously interested in finding out more about this change.

The information session was obviously delayed and people were getting restless. After a 45 minute wait, Percy Weasley took to the platform and went through the information the Ministry had available.

Apparently, the Ministry would perform a memory adjustment and any qualifying muggleborn would be turned loose in the muggle world along with a sum of £100. Once released, they will never have contact with the magical world again. Their wands would be confiscated and broken.

The procedure was simple, report to the Muggleborn Emigration Office, which would be set up the following day, where memories would be adjusted. From there, they would be taken to Piccadilly Square from where they are then expected to make their own way. If they run into strife from there, it is expected that the muggle authorities will step in. Anyone who went into the muggle world without a memory adjustment would be in breach of the Act and retrieved as before.

Percy stressed that there would be no more contact from the magical world. Every time he said it, a murmur would go through the audience. Some would gasp at the implications, while other didn't seem to mind.

Having heard most of it before, Hermione wasn't particularly disturbed. The idea of never having contact with the magical world again didn't really leave her with any particular sense of distress at this point. There wasn't much other than disappointment in it for her recently. All the good things had died with Harry.

That was a bit unfair, she recognised. There was Neville and Luna. But they were barely accepted by this society as it was.

Percy escaped the second after the information session concluded. People weren't exactly happy and there was tension building in the crowd. Slowly the crowd started to disperse and Hermione followed along the trek back to MQ.

Many felt like Connie, that they could not live without magic and forcing them to give it up was untenable.

Hermione loved magic, but not enough. The appeal of a free life was stronger than her love for magic. Knowledge had always been her passion, it just so happened that much of it related to magic, but in and of itself, it was convenient and efficient, but not much more.

As she walked along, deep in thought, she was yanked by the arm into a tight side alley. She knew the scent before she eyes actually saw him.

"What did you want, Malfoy?" She asked, annoyed at having her arm almost ripped out of its socket.

"You're not to go." He ordered.

"Go where?"

"Into the muggle world."

"What?" Hermione asked slightly confused. "You're not seriously telling me I can't go, are you?"

"Actually I am."

"Well that is not for you to say." Hermione pointed out matter of factly. "I can do as I please. I always could. Our little arrangement was just that. Payment, services rendered. Nothing more. You don't get to tell me what to do. About anything!"

"You're not going." He repeated coldly in expressionless way that almost reminded her of his father.

"And how exactly are you going to stop me?" She spat with a sharp look.

"Like this." He said and pulled out his wand. He muttered something before Hermione could react and a red light flew towards her and settled in her chest. It wasn't any spell she had heard off before. Hermione could only dumbly stare at him while he did another one. Her wand was practically useless for defence, so there wasn't much she could do.

She settled for a sharp slap.

"Undo it." She yelled, but he ignored her and turned to walk away. "You don't own me. I can do what I want."

"If you go near the Ministry, I will know." He said sharply, "So don't."

"You can't do this." She said and grabbed his arm. He yanked his arm away.

"I guess I just did." And he apparated away.

Hermione could only scream at the wall in anger and frustration. At least her slap left an angry imprint on his cheek. How dare he come here and tell her what she could and couldn't do. As if he had any say in it.

Was his only purpose in life to make hers miserable? It really seemed that way. And then he dared to perform magic on her against her will. That wasn't even legal. Not that anyone would take her seriously and he knew it.

There was nothing for her to do, but to return home and try to work out what he'd done to her. She very much doubted it was anything innocent done just to unsettle her. She was pretty sure he had done something to her. He had said something about him knowing if she went near the Ministry, which suggested some kind of tracking charm. She had no idea what the other one did. It was obviously dark magic. It wasn't anything she had heard before.

She screamed in frustration that he had performed dark magic on her. And forbid her freedom. How could he be so self absorbed and cruel? Actually that part wasn't really a surprise. Bastard.

When she got home, Edna wanted to know everything about what was said at the Ministry and Hermione recounted every detail she could remember.

Edna's gasps got worse and worse as she went along.

"You must do it, my dear." Edna said when Hermione was finished.

"What? No." She said. "Why, are you considering doing it?"

"Heavens no." Edna said. "I am eighty five. That would be most of my life."

"Most of mine too." Hermione said.

"But you are young enough to start over."

"No, I couldn't leave you." Hermione said.

"You must dear. This is no life. I've had a good life. A good husband and a long happy life. But you are young and you don't have the opportunities that I had."

"I don't want to leave." Hermione finally said, but she knew it was a half-truth at best.

"There is no reason to stay." Edna said. "Don't you think of staying for me. I can take care of myself."

Hermione wasn't so sure. But she didn't want to think about it anymore. Instead she told Edna that she had promised to go see Neville and Luna.

It would do her good to spend a night in their warm and welcoming kitchen. Both Neville and Luna were keen to hear what she thought about the new amendment. Hermione just wanted to shrug.

"I can't leave Edna." Hermione told them as they sat around the table eating some cheese and crackers.

"We can take care of her." Luna offered.

"I couldn't ask you to do that." Hermione said exasperated.

"It would be nothing." Luna said.

"Taking care of an elderly person is a lot of work." Hermione said.

"We know Mione. We've got my Grandmother and Luna's dad. One more is not going to be a great hassle."

"Besides, Dad might be open to a companion. He gets awfully lonely in that house." Luna said.

"I am not sure Edna would like to move in with a man. You know how ladies of her generation are."

"My grandmother is the same." Neville conceded. "But we can be there to help her if she were to need it."

"There isn't a future here for you anymore." Luna said.

"Things could change." Hermione said.

"True, they could. Maybe this is the first step." Neville said.

"Or they might not." Luna said quietly in what Hermione assumed would be the closest thing to arguing in the Longbottom house. "It is awful how you've been treated, forbidden to see you family, denied just about everything. Even if things got better, I am not sure such treatment can be forgiven."

It was true, Hermione hadn't even thought about it. Even if things went back to normal, she would never be able to forget how she'd been treated. She would be forever bitter. Maybe a memory wipe would be a kindness considering.

She didn't want to mention the fact that Draco had put some kind of hex on her and she was pretty sure she couldn't or shouldn't do anything until she at least knew what it was.

She would probably have to find some way to get Draco to remove if before returning to the muggle world was even a possibility for consideration.