Dublin

Hermione managed to hold on to her breakfast after the Portkey to Dublin. Ron smiled at her as she blew out a slow breath and then held her hand over her mouth.

"All right there?"

She nodded. "I hate Portkeys. Not as much as I hate flying, but close."

"I know. Lucky you're so good at Apparating or you'd never go anywhere."

She sighed. "Too true. Come on, we need to check in, my meeting is at two o'clock."

"Go on then." Ron was delighted to be away for a few days. He looked around at the Irish city. He'd never been there before and was excited to see the sites. They'd landed in a side alley of the magical street in Dublin, known as the Draíocht Sráide, but often abbreviated to the DS. They were staying at the Ó Cléirigh Ostán around the corner. Ron followed Hermione as she walked around the stone building. He had to duck to go in the front door, but once inside the ancient structure opened up and he was happy the ceilings weren't as low as the door.

A cheerful blonde witch with curly hair was at the front counter.

"We have a reservation for Weasley," Hermione said.

The witch smiled and turned a huge registration book toward them. "Sign here."

A quill floated over the register. Hermione took it and signed. The witch cocked her head. "Weasley?" She looked from Ron to Hermione and back again. "You're not…you are, aren't you?"

Hermione glanced back at Ron, who smiled. "Yeah, but we don't like to make a fuss. Harry's not with us, if that's what you're wondering."

"No, no. Of course not." She smiled awkwardly but was clearly disappointed. Silence descended as the witch continued to stare at them.

Hermione cleared her throat. "So, um, could we get our key?"

"Oh, yes, of course, of course. Here it is." She handed the key to Hermione, who touched her wand to it until the key glowed green. "And a letter came for you Mr. Weasley."

"Oh?" Ron took the envelope she offered. It was from George.

"Thank you," Hermione said to the receptionist who'd returned to staring. She took Ron's arm, anxious to get out of the lobby.

As they walked upstairs, Ron opened the letter. "Bloody hell."

"What's wrong?" Hermione asked as she walked toward their room with Ron muttering behind her.

"I told George I was taking time off and here he's set up a meeting for me with a buyer this afternoon."

Hermione opened the door to their room. "What time?"

"Two-thirty," Ron grumbled and tossed the letter on a small desk by the door and looked around. "This is nice."

"Yes." Hermione opened the curtains and looked out on the courtyard below. "At least your meeting is around the same time as mine. Maybe it won't take long."

"That's not really the point, is it? He shouldn't be setting up meetings for me without asking. And he really shouldn't do it when I'm supposed to be on holiday."

Hermione gave a sympathetic smile. "I'm sorry. That is pretty rotten."

Ron shrugged. "Eh, I'll live. It shouldn't take long. The bloke is mostly interested in my trick wands, so at least we know he has good taste."

"Too right." Hermione stepped into the bathroom. "Oh, I love this."

Ron popped his head in the see a big clawfoot tub with a gilded rim and large, fancy candelabra on a shelf above it.

She looked at her watch. "I've got to go. Let's meet back here after."

He leaned down and kissed her. "All right then."

xXx

Hermione took the Knight Bus to Trinity College and walked through campus to find the entrance to the much older druidic college the current college was built on. As she walked by groups of students chatting on the green and others walking to class, she considered what her life would have been like if she'd been born a Muggle. She'd likely be a senior now at university somewhere. Prior to her Hogwarts letter arriving, her parents had her on track for Oxford or Cambridge, but entrance into the magical world had derailed all that. She entered the old library's long room. The stacks were roped off, but she knew magical people could slip through the ropes at the far end of the room. Making sure no tourists saw her, she stepped through the ropes and put her hand on a small plaque commemorating a long dead librarian. She went through the wall much like going through Platform 9 ¾ in London.

On the other side she was at one end of another long hallway with many doors on either side all the way down. A young woman was waiting in the hall and gave a little wave. "Miss Granger?"

Hermione had long since stopped correcting people that she was Mrs. Weasley now. Frankly, she didn't feel like Mrs. Weasley, that was Molly's role. She felt like Ron's wife, but that was different somehow. "Yes."

"I'm Anesu Shoko, Professor Ulster's senior assistant."

"Hello." The two women shook hands.

"The professor is running a bit late, so I thought I'd get you settled in his rooms and fix you a cup of tea."

"Lovely." Hermione followed Anesu almost the full length of the hall. Each door was a decorated differently. Some of them included names and titles of the occupants and others didn't. Toward the end of the hall, Anesu stopped at a green door with gold trim on the left. She pulled out a large gold colored key and opened the door. Looking back at Hermione as she started in, she said, "Have a seat, I'll just—" She screamed.

Hermione drew her wand as she looked past Anesu to see a man on the floor lying face down in a rapidly expanding pool of blood. She could see a gold knife protruding from the back of his neck. "Purdy!"

The little elf appeared immediately. "Yes Miss?"

"Go and get Harry and tell him to bring another Auror. And then could you fetch Ron for me."

"Yes Miss." Purdy disappeared.

Anesu was whimpering behind her. She'd gone quite pale and Hermione was worried she was starting to hyperventilate. "Let's get you outside." She Anesu sit down in the hall. A few doors were opened and other witches and wizards were peering at them.

"Nothing to see here," Hermione explained. "She's just gone a bit faint."

Since there was no other commotion, the scholars retreated back to their rooms.

"You're all right," she told Anesu. "Slow deep breaths."

Anesu nodded.

Hermione looked through the open door where she could see the man's feet protruding from behind the desk. She sighed and cast the spell to plait her hair into one long braid down her back like she'd worn in during the war. Why was nothing ever easy? She took a deep breath and stepped back in the room, mindful not to step in the blood, she put her fingers to the man's neck. No pulse. She'd been fairly certain he was dead, but it seemed irresponsible not to be sure.

She stepped back into the hall. "All right there?" she asked Anesu.

The young woman nodded. She looked better.

"Was that Professor Ulster?"

Anesu shook her head. "No. That's John Burke, his junior assistant."

"Have there been any problems with him?"

"No. He's only been here two weeks."

"Hermione?" Harry called as he walked up with another Auror named Jenkins. "Are you okay? Purdy said you needed me and to bring an another Auror, but the moment she dropped us off she disappeared again. What's happened?"

Hermione pointed into the room where Burke lay dead. Harry and Jenkins went in for a look. Hermione watched as Harry waved his wand over Burke's dead body.

"Hermione?" Ron said from behind her. "What's wrong? Purdy said you needed me."

"I do." She pressed herself against him and he wrapped his arms around her.

"What's happened?"

"Well, he's definitely dead," Harry said as he stepped out into the hall, but not by wand magic."

"Who's dead?" Ron asked. "The bloke you were meeting?"

"No," Hermione said, stepping out of his embrace. "John Burke, his junior assistant." She pointed to Aneso who was still sitting on the ground. "That's his senior assistant, Anesu Shoko. She was showing me to his rooms when we found him."

"So where is the man you were meeting."

Aneso sniffled. "He should be here any moment. He's always late."

Harry held out the gold knife. "This is the murder weapon. Does it look Goblin made to you?"

"It's fancy enough," Ron said. "What's that writing?"

Hermione leaned in to look. "I don't recognize the script, but someone around here might."

Harry hefted it in his hand. "Surprisingly heavy for its size."

"Maybe it's solid gold," Hermione said.

Harry held it up to look more closely at the inscription.

"See here! Put that down!" called a voice from the other end of the hallway. A man who didn't appear much older than Bill was coming toward them. He had an overstuffed haversack on his shoulder and was carrying a pile of books.

Aneso got to her feet when she saw him. "Professor."

He scowled at the unknown people outside his office. "What are you doing? Who are you people?"

"I'm Potter from the Auror Office. This is my associate Jenkins. And you are?"

"Professor Flynn Ulster. I work out of these rooms. What's happening?"

We're hear about your assistant," Harry said.

Clearly confused, Ulster looked at Anesu.

"Not that assistant," Harry corrected. "The other one."

"Burke? What's he done?"

"I don't know, but he's been murdered." Harry held up the knife again. "With this."

Ulster shook his head unable to take it all in. "No. That's not right. Can't be. I was meant to have a meeting with…" He looked at Hermione. "You, but…Potter from the…Good heavens. You're Harry Potter. But why would you…Burke can't be dead…I spoke to him only a few hours ago."

Harry looked at Hermione. "Are we sure it's Burke?"

"Yes," Aneso answered.

"All right then." He turned to Jenkins. "Could you pop back to St. Mungo's and get a house elf to pick up the body and then get back here to help with interviews. We're going to need to talk to everyone on this hall." He turned to Ron and Hermione. "Would you two knock on all the doors and tell everyone to stay put. No one in or out until they've been interviewed."

"You want help with the interviews?" Ron asked.

Harry glanced at Hermione and shook his head. "No. You're meant to be on holiday, I shouldn't even ask you to do as much as I have. Jenkins and I can handle it."

"It's no bother," Hermione said.

"Yeah, mate, it's fine," Ron agreed.

Jenkins returned with the house elf to collect the body.

Harry looked at Anesu and Ulster. "Is there anywhere else we can talk?"

The professor nodded. "A conference room at the end of the hall."

"Lead the way," Harry said and followed them to room with a large oval table and several chairs. He took a seat and Anesu and Ulster sat next to each other across from him.

Harry produced a notebook and a magical quill from his cloak. Unlike Rita Skeeter's Quick Quotes Quill, this quill faithfully recorded everything said. "So how long have you known John Burke?"