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January 2011
Hogwarts England
It took an hour for Hermione to get to Hogsmead, she made her way to the castle to find the headmistress for permission to use the library for research. This was common for Hermione as Hogwarts had the biggest wizarding library in Britain. Her "on again off again" work for the ministry often brought her to its doors. As Hermione had been head girl in her last year (not to mention one of the golden trio), Professor McGonagall always gave her permission without question. It didn't take long for Hermione to verify her findings many times over. She even found another clue as to where they would need to be to ride out the devastation. Now, she cried. She sobbed into her handkerchief as she thought about what was to come. A thought then struck her. She cried for everything that would be lost but not once for her Ronald. Wouldn't her world have already ended if she truly felt something for him? It was then she realized that she either had gradually fell out of love with him (that's if she really loved him at all) or she was much stronger than she thought when it came to breaking up with a lover.
It was at this time that Professor McGonagall had stopped by to tell Hermione it was time for dinner. She needed to do so because Hermione often forgot to eat when she was deep in research. The Professor and Hermione had become quite friendly over the years. They made arrangements to get together at least twice over the summers for the occasional gossip and to talk about what has been happening in their lives. The Professor had missed Dumbledore dearly and talking to Hermione every now and then helped.
Usually the headmistress would send one of the students to fetch Hermione but today she opted to do it herself. She sensed there had been something amiss with Hermione when the young women walked into her office. Now, as she approached the table where Hermione sat, she could see that she was crying.
"Hermione my dear, what's wrong?" She asked.
Hermione was startled when she heard the professor speak but remained calmed.
"It's nothing Professor."
"It's not young Mr. Weasley wonderings is it?"
"What! Does everyone know about that?" Hermione brow furrowed with worry.
"Miss Granger, he's been hanging around with Seamus Finnigan and Dean Thomas. Now, you and Mr. Potter may have been to busy to notice during your school term but those two had a very notorious reputation for the way they treated their girlfriends. I caught them on a few separate occasions trying to turn water into rum in order to get them drunk. From there I shutter to think what may have happen if they succeeded. Since, young Mr. Weasley has taken up a firmer friendship with those two, I have no doubt what kind of mischief they've gotten themselves into. Seamus and Dean have more than likely gained great popularity with the women using Ronald's reputation of being part of what people have been calling the golden trio. "
"Actually, I was thinking how much I don't even care. I may be even kind of relieved. It seems somewhere along the line I've fallen out of love with him. He isn't the man I thought he was. He's become a muggle bigot and I don't stand for that kind of behavior."
"Then, why the tears child?"
"It's something about the research I've been doing. I'm sorry but I don't really want to talk about it."
"Very well." Professor McGonagall Replied.
But something in Hermione's eyes told here she was torn about her dropping the issue. Never the less, professor McGonagall changed the subject.
"I've come to call you to dinner. I won't have you starving yourself like you did when you were actually attending the school, nor will I allow the house elf's to break the rules about food in the library."
"But…"
"No. Miss Granger you will be eating in the great hall this evening. I shall be ordering the library closed during dinner hours, at least for today."
Defeated, Hermione pulled out one of her many bookmakers (courtesy of the G.L.E.) and placed it between the pages of the book she was reading before closing it. They walked out of the library together and headed to the great hall. Just as they were passing the hall to the headmasters office professor McGonagall stopped.
"Oh dear, I've forgotten my indigestion potion and we're supposed to be having stuffed peppers with marinara sauce. If I don't take it now, I'll have heart burn for the rest of the evening. You go on. I won't be a minute."
The professor moved down the hallway. Hermione continued onto the great hall. When Hermione was out of sight professor McGonagall had changed direction back to the library. Something had really been bothering her former student. Professor McGonagall knew Hermione had been torn about whether or not to relay the information to her. Had she simply asked about it she knew Hermione would probably evade the question or talked around the topic hoping the professor would reason it out. This had become a common trend for Hermione when she wanted to tell something but knew she shouldn't. However Professor McGonagall felt that she was getting to old for these kinds of games. So she walked into the library and began opening Hermione's books to where they were bookmarked. She read the information therein.
Three quarters into dinner professor McGonagall walked into the great hall. On her way to her seat she walked past Hermione and said in a calm voice.
"Miss Granger if you would be so kind to see me in my office before you leave tonight. I should like the chance to catch up on a few current events."
"Sure professor that would be nice." She replied.
A few hours later Hermione was all packed and ready to leave. She made her way up to the headmaster's office. She told the gargoyle she had an appointment with the headmistress. It let her through without a password. Professor McGonagall's office was kept pretty much the same as it had been when Professor Dumbledore had it but, with many finer personal pieces of which made it look more elegant. Upon entering, Hermione saw no sign of Professor McGonagall. She called out her name and got a response.
"I'm in the back room."
When most people come to have a conference with the headmistress they mainly stay in the bigger showy outer office but Hermione was being asked to come into the professor's smaller private office. This is the place where the headmistress does her real work. She does everything from grade papers to figuring out the finances of keeping the school running. Upon entering the office, Hermione noticed Professor McGonagall reading through a stack of books. The Professor waved her in and mumbled for her to take a seat; never taking her eyes off the book she was reading. Hermione took a seat. She looked at the stack of books and was able to read some of the titles. She took a sharp breath and quickly could see the same books. Professor McGonagall stopped and calmly said.
"These are magical copies of your books. They'll have disappeared before morning. I'm sorry. I was curious to find out what it was that had you so visibly shaken. I hadn't seen you this bad since Voldemort. Now, I can see he's small potatoes compared to this."
"You mean you believe it?"
"As a general rule, I tend not to believe prophets. Many tend to be charlatans looking for notoriety but this." McGonagall sighed before continuing. "You've compiled a lot of information from prophets of many different places and times that I am tending to lean towards believing, that is to say; I'm not totally convinced as I'm having a hard time seeing it happen but I can't outright deny it either. Tell me, what were you planning to do with this information?"
"That's just it. I have no Idea. It was brought to my attention by a muggle who walked into my library and started looking for books on demons and prophecies."
"A muggle?"
"Yes, Mr. Giles is very knowledgeable in the field of demonology and seemed to believe in the prophecies. There didn't seem to be a doubt in his mind."
"Who else have you told about this?"
"I haven't told anyone yet, except Harry and Arthur Weasley. I don't plan to tell anyone else for the time being. Who else would believe me without doing the research on their own? Besides, I need more to go on. Some of the prophecies tell of a place where one could be safe to ride out the devastation but I've only found hints as to where that could be but nothing concrete."
"And what will you do when you find that information?"
"Honestly, I have no Idea. I haven't gotten that far yet."
"I don't think I need to tell you to tread softly Miss Granger. The information you're sitting on could be very dangerous to us all true or not. Should this information leak out you could have rioting in the streets. You took a real chance telling Arthur. Especially, when he tells the rest of his family it'll be pandemonium."
"I've already thought about the consequences of telling the wrong people. But as far as Mr. Weasley, he's on the outs with the rest of his family. Apparently, they are all big celebrities for helping to kill Voldemort and are putting on the airs of a perfect life filled with praise and wealth. Ginny even has a list of people Harry can't talk to. He left her by the way."
"Well… the world really is falling apart isn't it."
"What will you do Professor?"
"I shall stay at my station until you find out more about the situation. I expect an owl when you find out anything knew. Until then, I'll have much to think about. Maybe between the four of us we can come up with a plan."
"What sort of plan Professor?"
"Well I don't know yet, do I? I need more information. 'We' need more information. Get us that Information Miss Granger, and we'll see where we can go from there."
January 2011 same day and four hours later
Ministry of magic
Harry and Arthur were at Arthur's desk going through a stack of papers. Just as they finished Hermione turned up at the open office door.
"Hello you two, did you find out anything?"
"Sorry Hermione. Not even one. I just hope it wasn't in one of those prophecies that were destroyed back in our fifth year. Harry responded.
Any luck on your end?"
"I've come up with a few confirmations and another clue. I think I should tell you Professor McGonagall found out about what I've been researching and now wants us to keep in contact with her."
"She believes in it then?"
"Not exactly, but she is interested to see what we come up with and what we're going to do about it. I think she might try to save the school, somehow."
"She'd be the one to do it. I can just see her making the whole of Hogwarts fly to any island left that would support it."
They all smirked at that, knowing it was impossible as magic could only do so much. Still, the image of it played in their minds as a whimsical and fun fantasy in the face of the horrific truth. Their imaginations ran wild, Professor McGonagall, was a tiny speck sitting on the roof of Hogwarts. Her hair a frightful mess, in one hand she had her wand in the other the reins of a hundred dragons that were attached and tethered to Hogwarts. They pulled the school through the skies and Minerva shouting spell and non-magical curses in a thick Scottish burr as half the children cheered on her foul language while the other half screamed that their headmaster had gone mad from stress!
Pulling herself out of the whimsy Hermione said. "I've got to be going home to get some sleep. I'll be going back to work tomorrow to meet up with Mr. Giles."
"What time should I come in?"
"Make it around lunch and you'll be doing us a favor. We always seem to be late for it or miss it all together."
"In other words, it's like old times. I'll be there."
"As fun as it would be to ask a muggle questions, I think it might be important to keep looking for prophecy holders. You never know, I might get lucky."
"Good thinking." Harry replied, "I have an Auror meeting tomorrow morning but Ill be back tomorrow afternoon to help; after I meet with the muggles. So, until tomorrow then."
"Good night, Mr. Weasley." Harry and Hermione said as they left, going in different directions.
"Goodnight, you two."