Conversations

As the first light of dawn crept into the room the following morning, Andromeda stirred from her slumber, the rustling of sheets and the sound of Kingsley's footsteps signaling his departure from the bed. She took a moment to admire his form as he got dressed, appreciating the chiseled lines of his body before finally speaking up.

"Good morning," she whispered softly.

Kingsley turned to face her, a smile playing on his lips. "Good morning," he replied, leaning in for a kiss.

They exchanged some small talk before Andromeda brought up the favor she needed from him. "I'm working with Hermione on a project, examining some things that occurred during the war. We need more data points and I was wondering if you'd be willing to donate a memory, it doesn't matter what the memory is, whatever you're comfortable with."

Kingsley nodded. "I'd love to hear more about this project later, but of course I'm willing to help out. One second."

Andromeda watched as Kingsley summoned a vial and added a memory to it. She couldn't help but feel grateful for his willingness to help. She knew this project was important and hoped that they'd be able to make a difference.

"Thank you," she said, giving him a kiss goodbye as he headed off to the ministry.

Andromeda smiled and lay back in bed, lost in thought. She thought about the night she spent with Kingsley and also wondered how successful the others would be in collecting memories. She hoped they would be able to gather enough data to figure out what had changed and how to fix it.

###

Hermione, Harry, and Ginny arrived at the Burrow for dinner on Monday evening. As soon as they walked into the kitchen they were immediately hit with the welcoming smell of Molly's cooking. Molly was in the process of setting a heaping dish of roast beef down in the center of the table.

As they all began to serve themselves, Arthur spoke up. "We wanted to apologize again, Hermione, for Ron's behavior. It was unacceptable."

Hermione gave a small nod. "Thank you, Arthur. I appreciate that. But please don't worry, Ron's actions are his own. I don't hold his behavior against the rest of the family. You've all been wonderful to me."

Molly looked relieved, and she patted Hermione's hand. "You know you're always welcome here, dear. You're family."

Hermione felt a swell of emotion at the gesture, grateful for their acceptance and support. Arthur added, "Anything you need, Hermione. We're here for you."

Hermione took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts before making a request. "Actually, there is something I'm working on, and I was hoping you could help by donating a memory as a data point."

Arthur and Molly looked intrigued. "Of course, dear," Molly said. "What kind of memory do you need?"

Hermione shook her head. "It doesn't matter, really. We're just using it to help with some calculations."

Harry chimed in. "If you need more information about what we're doing, we're happy to explain it to you."

Arthur waved him off. "No need, Harry. We trust all of you." Arthur summoned an empty vial and extracted a memory to offer, while Molly followed suit.

"It definitely will," Hermione confirmed.

As they finished their meal, Hermione felt grateful for the support of the Weasley family, and knew that she could always count on them in times of need.

###

Tuesday afternoon saw Ginny arriving at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes to ask George about donating a memory to help the investigation. Ginny walked into the bustling shop, full of customers, and made her way through the crowd, dodging the various products and customers alike, she scanned the room for her brother's familiar face.

Spotting Verity, one of the shop assistants, Ginny approached her with a friendly smile. "Hey Verity. Have you seen George around?" she asked.

Verity looked up from her task, a bright smile on her face. "Oh, hey Ginny! Yeah, I think he's up in his apartment.

"Thanks," Ginny said, making her way up to George's apartment. She knocked on the door and was greeted by the sounds of laughter and chatter. George opened the door with a grin, a sandwich in his hand.

"Ginny! What brings you here?" George asked.

"I was hoping to talk to you about something," Ginny said, stepping inside. She saw Bill sitting at the kitchen table and gave him a smile. Ginny jumped up and down inside since it saved her from having to find Bill later.

"What is it?" George asked, taking a bite of his sandwich.

Ginny explained the situation with the alternate timeline and the need for more data points. "We're trying to figure out who's been affected by the timeline change and how much, and we need more memories to refine the data," she said.

Bill looked up from his plate, "Alternate timeline? What are you talking about?"

Ginny went on to explain the full situation to both of her favorite brothers, watching as their expressions turned to shock. Without hesitation, they summoned empty vials and donated a memory each.

George spoke up, "If you guys need any additional help, you know where to find us. We're always up for a good cause."

Bill nodded in agreement. "Count me in too. Let me know if there's anything else I can do."

Ginny took possession of both vials, "Thank you. This is going to be a huge help."

As she made her way back down the stairs and out of the shop, Ginny couldn't help but feel grateful for her brothers' willingness to help. She only hoped her next conversation went as smoothly.

###

Elsewhere in Diagon Alley, Draco was sitting at a small table at the back of a fancy restaurant, enjoying a light lunch and a glass of wine when Pansy Parkinson walked in. She spotted him immediately and made her way over.

"Draco, darling," she cooed, taking a seat across from him. "What brings you here?"

Draco smiled. "Actually, I was hoping to talk to you about something. It's regarding an investigation I am helping to conduct."

Pansy raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Go on."

Draco explained the situation to her, how they were trying to determine who had been affected by the timeline change and needed more data points. Pansy immediately understood why Draco had thought she should be included, that she had been on the opposite side during the war and her memories would be valuable.

"Plus," Pansy added with a smirk, "there was too much Weasley representation anyway."

Draco laughed. "Exactly. So, would you be willing to donate a memory?"

"Of course," Pansy said, and after a moment handed him a small vial filled with a shimmering silvery liquid. "Anything to help out."

The two continued their lunch, discussing various topics and catching up on gossip.

"Any interesting news?" Pansy asked.

Draco grinned. "I have gossip of such proportions it will shatter your mind."

Pansy rolled her eyes. "I'll be the judge of that."

Draco leaned in close and whispered in her ear. "Hermione and my mother are soulmates and they're dating."

Pansy's jaw dropped open, her mind blown. She sat there in stunned silence for a few moments before finally finding her voice. "What?! That's… that's insane!"

Draco nodded, a satisfied smirk on his face. "I told you it would shatter your mind."

Pansy was still stunned in disbelief. "I never would have seen that coming."

"I know," Draco said, smirking. "I couldn't believe it either."

Pansy shook her head, still trying to process the news. "I need a drink," she said, calling over the waiter for another glass of wine.

###

Ginny knocked on the door of the small cottage in a wizarding village near London. She had never been here before and wasn't sure what to expect. Percy Weasley answered the door and looked shocked to see her standing there.

"Ginny? What are you doing here?" Percy asked, hesitantly inviting her in.

Ginny took a step forward and began to explain, "I'm helping Hermione investigate some things that happened during the war. We are collecting additional memories to help refine the data. I was hoping you would be willing to donate a memory."

Percy's expression quickly turned from surprise to suspicion. "Do you have proper investigation permits?" he asked.

Ginny felt her frustration growing. "Permits? I didn't even know research required permits," she said, exasperated.

Percy's tone turned patronizing. "Of course it does, Ginny. You can't just go around researching without the proper authorization. There are stringent regulations that stipulate the need for individuals engaged in any form of research to obtain a triple-permit. Any research conducted without permits is a violation of the Magical Research Authorization Act of 1832 ."

Ginny looked at him incredulously, thinking how ridiculous the Wizarding world's bureaucracy had become if you needed a permit to do research. She wondered if that meant students at Hogwarts doing homework were in violation. She was half tempted to ask.

"I'm afraid you'll have to stop immediately. Additionally, I'll be informing my superiors at the Ministry tomorrow." he said, showing her out of the cottage with a huff.

Ginny walked away, cursing her brother and his blind adherence to rules and protocol. Though a slightly evil part of her was looking forward to telling Hermione she has been violating wizarding law for researching without a license since she was eleven.

###

Hermione and Draco arrived at the Ministry on Wednesday morning, taking the elevator down to the Department of Mysteries. They arrived at Saul's office and knocked on the door. Saul's voice called out, "Enter!" and they walked in to see him sitting at his desk, looking over some papers.

"Good morning, Saul," Hermione greeted him, and Draco nodded his head in acknowledgment.

Saul looked up and smiled. "Ah, Hermione and Draco. I was wondering when you would finally come and talk to me in person, Hermione. Please, have a seat."

They both took a seat across from Saul, and he leaned forward, clasping his hands together. "So, what brings you both here today?"

Hermione launched into a detailed explanation of the device she had created, how they suspected Bellatrix had been under the influence of the Dominion Ring, and how both her and Draco's lives, among others, had varied significantly from the original timeline. She spoke rapidly, her excitement growing with each passing word.

When she finished, Saul leaned forward, his eyes bright with interest. "Fascinating," he murmured. "And you're looking to collect more memories to refine your understanding of how events in this timeline have varied, aren't you?"

Draco spoke up. "Yes, that's why we're here. We were wondering if you would be willing to donate a memory."

Saul didn't hesitate. "Of course. I'll donate a memory. Draco, make this your priority. I'm authorizing you to work on a classified away mission so that others don't question your absence."

Hermione felt a surge of gratitude towards Saul. She had hoped he would be willing to help, but she hadn't expected him to go this far.

Saul continued, "Hermione, while you're not an employee of the Ministry, I'm going to set up an eyes-only contract with the DoM for you. That way you'll be compensated for your work and provided with cover for any of your activities. This is too important to potentially have some bureaucratic dipshit, discover what you are doing and interfere using some asinine obscure law no one knows or cares about. You both know how I feel about 95% of the Ministry's workforce."

Both Hermione and Draco snorted. "Thank you, Saul," Hermione said, smiling. "We really appreciate it."

Draco nodded. "Yes, thank you."

Saul waved a hand. "Think nothing of it. Just make sure you keep me informed of any developments."

Hermione and Draco stood up, and Saul handed over a memory vial. "We will," Hermione promised.

As they walked out of the Department of Mysteries, Hermione felt a sense of excitement coursing through her veins. They still had a long way to go, but they were making progress.

###

Luna apparated to the Hebrides, feeling the wind whipping her hair around her face. She walked towards the large cottage near where she arrived, a sense of familiarity washing over her. As she reached the front door, it swung open before she could knock, revealing the warm light and bustling activity within.

"Hello, Luna!" a voice called out. It was Newt Scamander, the eccentric wizard and magizoologist who was a longtime friend of her family. He greeted her with a warm smile, his eyes crinkling.

"How are you doing, Newt?" Luna asked, looking around at the many creatures roaming the cottage.

"I'm doing well, thank you," he said. "And my future granddaughter-in-law?"

Luna blushed. "I'm good, thank you. Although Rolf hasn't proposed yet, so I'm not sure about that 'future granddaughter-in-law' part."

Newt chuckled. "Oh, I have no doubt he will, my dear. Now, are you here for this?" He held up a vial with a memory already inside.

Luna took the vial and examined it. "Yes, I am. Thank you, Newt." She gave a knowing look at the older gentleman. "Have you been communicating with the Demiguises again?"

Newt's eyes twinkled. "Quite possibly. You learn all sorts of interesting things. Why don't you stay for some tea?"

###

Neville sat at the large wooden table in the Hogwarts teacher's lounge, surrounded by his fellow colleagues. Hagrid, Professor Flitwick, Madame Pomphrey, and Professor Vector were all chatting about the latest student antics, laughing and sipping their tea. Neville couldn't help but smile at their easy camaraderie. It was moments like these that made him appreciate his job as a professor.

As the conversation died down, Professor Vector let out a wistful sigh. "I miss the well behaved and exceptional students," she said. "Like Miss Granger."

Neville's ears perked up at the mention of Hermione. It was the perfect opening to bring up the topic of the investigation. "Actually, I've been helping Hermione with something," he said, feeling a bit nervous about broaching the subject.

The other professors turned to him with curiosity. "Oh?" Professor Flitwick asked. "What kind of thing?"

Neville took a deep breath. "We're collecting memories from people we trust," he said.

The others looked intrigued, and Professor Vector leaned forward. "How can we help?"

Neville grinned. "Hermione has created an invention that allows her to understand what has occurred in the past using a single memory from a person's life. I was hoping you would all be willing to contribute."

Hagrid put down his tea and patted Neville on the back. "Anything for Hermione."

The others nodded in agreement, and Neville pulled out a few vials from his pocket, handing one to each colleague. "Thank you all so much. This will really help us with our investigation."

As he left the professor's lounge, Neville felt a certain excitement build. He was looking forward to Saturday.

###

Narcissa smoothed out the front of her dress, trying to contain her nerves as she and Hermione made their way through the halls of Hogwarts. She glanced at Hermione, who looked a bit tense, but also determined. Narcissa knew that Hermione had a deep respect and fondness for McGonagall, and hoped that would make a difference in their meeting.

They arrived at the office and Minerva greeted Hermione warmly, showing the obvious affection the two women had for each other. Minerva took a seat behind her desk, gesturing for them to take the chairs in front of it.

"I must admit, I was surprised to get a message to meet from such an unlikely pair," Minerva said with a hint of amusement.

Hermione looked a bit flustered and blushed slightly. Narcissa smiled inwardly, knowing that she was thinking about in what way they were a pair.

"Unlikely pairs are actually why we're here," Narcissa said, deciding to take the lead. "Well, it's another unlikely pair. We wanted to talk to you about Bellatrix."

Minerva stiffened visibly at the mention of Bellatrix's name. "I had no interaction with her after she left Hogwarts," she said curtly, her expression turning icy.

Narcissa gently placed a hand on Minerva's arm. "I know about your relationship with her, Minerva. I saw the two of you together on the night of my graduation."

Minerva's face paled slightly, and she pulled away from Narcissa's touch. Hermione stepped in then, taking over the conversation. She explained everything they had discovered, about what Narcissa heard at the moment of Bellatrix's death, the investigation, going into the past, finding out they were all currently in an alternate timeline and how a time-traveler had put Bellatrix under their control, a compulsion that didn't break until Molly's final spell hit.

Minerva's eyes widened as she processed the information, her eyes flickering back and forth between Narcissa and Hermione. When they had finished, she sat back in her chair, looking shaken.

"I had no idea," she said quietly. "I had no idea that Bellatrix was under someone else's control. I thought she was acting on her own. I thought I had misjudged her and our relationship."

Minerva took a moment to collect herself and asked "What do you need from me?"

Hermione pushed down her instinct to comfort Minerva and instead focused on what they needed from her. "We were hoping you could help us in two ways. First, by donating a memory to help us understand the changes in the timeline better, and second, by telling us about your romance with Bellatrix and what you remember from around the time she seemed to change."

Minerva nodded, "Of course. I'll donate a memory." She pulled out a wand and transfigured a paperclip on her desk into a vial. Minerva closed her eyes as she focused on the memory she wanted to give them, then placed the silvery strand in the vial and handed it to Hermione.

"Now," Minerva said, opening her eyes. "I'll tell you what I remember. It was the week of your wedding, Narcissa, and Bellatrix had agreed to move to Hogwarts and join the staff as the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor. We had plans to move into one of the rooms available for married staff. Bella was going to resign her position as an Auror the next week after she hoped to use some connections at work to protect Andy."

"The night before the wedding," Minerva continued, "Bellatrix was going to help you leave and set you up in a small cottage I own. It was under a Fidelius Charm, so you would be protected from your parents' wrath. The cottage had a floo connection to Hogwarts, and I was going to set things in motion to allow you to continue your potions mastery under Slughorn."

Minerva paused for a moment, her face clouding over. "Obviously, that never happened. I didn't see Bellatrix for another two weeks after that, in Hogsmeade. By then, I had already begun to hear rumors about Bellatrix being corrupt."

Minerva's face grew darker as she continued, "I confronted her about it, but she just sneered at me and told me she would never stoop so low as to be with a half-blood dyke like me."

Narcissa's grip on Hermione's hand tightened at the mention of the insult. Minerva noticed and continued, "After threatening to turn her into a mouse and hunting her in my animagus form if she ever spoke to me that way again, I never spoke to her again."

Hermione and Narcissa said their goodbyes walked out of the headmistress' office into the dimming light of the late afternoon. Minerva's memories had provided them with valuable insight into Bellatrix's actions before the timeline was altered, but it was clear that the conversation had taken its toll on the normally composed woman.

Narcissa looked over at Hermione. "That was a lot to take in," she said, her voice barely above a whisper.

Hermione nodded "We have a lot to go through," she said, "but at least it confirmed our estimate of when Bellatrix changed."

Narcissa put a comforting arm around Hermione's shoulders as they made their way to the apparition point. "And we have Minerva's memory to help us," she added. "I hope the others were just as successful."