A/N: Thanks to poka for following this series and reviewing! I hope I won't disappoint.
Chapter 2: New Normal
Monday, June 8, 1998 | Ministry of Magic
Hermione stood in front of her department suite. She stared at the words etched in the glass. Department for Ministry Reconstruction, Director Hermione Jean Granger . It was as overwhelming as the first time she saw it. She thought that could be due to the extended leave she had been forced to take after being appointed. Her hand went to her stomach. Stabbed. Kidnapped. Tortured. Paralyzed. Forced to experience a vision of the end of their world. Witnessed her future death. Blocked the killing curse. She guessed, depending on ones perspective, technically she was appointed, then stabbed, and then got a tour of her department. Her life was… complicated. Now her self doubt was a force. Not yet twenty years old. What business did she have running an entire department?
"Director Granger?" a voice called out behind her.
Hermione turned on the spot. Saw her executive secretary walking down the hall. Giving her a wave, "Good morning, Maddy."
"Is the new door not recognizing your touch? Maintenance said it was all set for you since security was increased," the young witch said, stepping up and opening the glass door for her boss.
Looking at the handle, Hermione hadn't even considered she might not be able to get in. "I hadn't tried it yet. I just got here."
"I wasn't expecting you so early. I thought it might take a bit to get back to work after such a lovely vacation," Maddy explained. As she walked through the department, files flew up from her bag and found their places on desks that were clearly assigned to people Hermione hadn't met yet. Lights lit up as the pair walked through the bullpen. Arriving at the inner director's suite, Maddy motioned to the handle. "Let's make sure it's working as it should."
Reaching out, Hermione pushed down on the handle. A faint glow indicated the recognition and the door swung open.
"There, you see. They've got their act together in maintenance. They get a bad rap, mostly because people call them when something is broken," Maddy chattered on, arranged her desk and headed for Hermione's office. "It's not like they broke the thing. It's not their fault. Not everything can be fixed with reparo."
Hermione stood in the threshold of the double doors. The bookshelves were filled. It was like a dream. She stepped in and ran a finger along the spines of the books, surveyed the titles.
"I took it upon myself to request all the books cross referenced in the books you specifically requested. Myrtle also sent a list of relevant reports she thought the Minister would want you to be familiar with. If there's something you need but don't see, or if I missed something there's a working catalog on your desk here. Just make annotations and I'll get notified."
Hermione looked at the large catalog. Her eyes narrowed. She wasn't sure how she felt about another record that transmitted her notes to someone else. It was clearly a silly fear. What sort of danger could it present? Especially if it resulted in the appearance of books. She should make time to meet with McGonagall sooner rather than later. "This is perfect. Thank you. Can you show me where those reports are? I should probably start there."
"Of course," Maddy said, pulled out the fancy desk chair for Hermione and then pointed to the smaller shelf directly behind the desk. "I put them here for now. So they would be within reach until you've decided which will need to be reviewed often."
Scanning the bound documents, there were thousands of pages. "Got it. I guess I know what I'm doing today."
Pulling one of the books out, Maddy put one of the slimmer items entitled Comprehensive Review of Problematic Ministry Policies in front of Hermione. "I'd start with this one. It's been really useful for me. But you're not doing this all day. The Minister has two meetings on your calendar. You'll need to head up to his office at ten."
As she flipped through the report, the thought of meeting with Kingsley made her stomach flip. There were any number of issues the Minister would want to talk to her about. Few of them would be pleasant. "He didn't happen to mention the topic? So I can prepare?"
With a flick of Maddy's wand, a scheduler on Hermione's desk flipped open. "The first is meant to be a weekly catch up. He has standing weekly meetings with all his directors. The second is a meeting with a legal team from the Wizengamot. I wasn't read in on the topic, but once I'm out of the office and you're alone, additional information will be visible. May I also recommend you hold a department meeting? Even ten minutes would be helpful. We're not fully staffed. The positions you made decisions on are filled and my staff is filled."
"Let's set it up before my first meeting with the Minister. And I'd like to schedule one-on-ones with everyone this week to properly meet."
"Say no more. We'll gather in the conference room first thing at eight. I'll set the rest by end of the day. Ring the bell if you need me," Maddy called out. The doors closed.
Taking a small breath, Hermione looked at her calendar. The notes that suddenly appeared weren't a shock, they still induced anxiety. Discussion regarding an official deposition and future testimony for the trials of Tom Riddle (cloned) and Sarah "Sadie" Smith (née Black). Well, now she had new things to worry about. She'd trust the process and wait for the meeting before stressing out over the thought.
Setting the report aside, Hermione looked around her office. She had an hour before her official day began. Her eyes shot down, thinking about the department in the lowest levels. There was one place she desperately wanted to go. The Department of Mysteries. The answers to many of her questions were hidden well and deeply in the items housed there. That wasn't her job though. Her hand felt for her mokeskin pouch. She had refrained from taking the memory potion. If she wasn't going to be in the time chamber or in possession of a time turner, she wanted another way to make sure she was protected. For many reasons, the memory potion didn't feel like protection if she was under its influence outside of the time chamber. She tried to push the darker thoughts down. Hermione leaned back. Took a breath. Protections from who? Tom, Bellatrix, and Sadie were all in custody. Even though the time turner was still missing there was no indication that someone working for them had it. What she knew of Bellatrix suggested the witch didn't trust anyone except Voldemort. Not even Tom. She hid the time device, Hermione was sure of it. Somewhere only Bellatrix could find. Or Voldemort. There was the fear. Voldemort might not have a body. He was capable of possessing someone who permitted it. That person might then have the knowledge.
She had people who worked for her now. Her responsibility was to them first. She had to trust the Unspeakables, the Aurors, and the Minister to bring her in if she was needed. And she would need to insist her involvement had a minimal impact on her department. Firmly grounded, Hermione saw a black board in the corner. Using her wand, she listed her Minister-approved directives. Summer school for muggle born students prior to entrance into Hogwarts, a beast and being resource center which would include free and anonymous access to wolfsbane potion, a request-for-freedom process for house elves, giant relocation services, a goblin cooperation embassy, a freedom of information department, free law clinics for all members of the wizarding community, whistleblower protections, a heritage preservation center, and a dark arts historian with a neutralization squad.
The employment files for the key positions Hermione needed to fill were in her bag. She had been close to setting up interviews when they were staying at Shell Cottage. It was time to get heads of each initiative in place. Rearranging her list, she decided some programs would be easier than others to implement. She needed some early wins that wouldn't be considered threatening. The political impact of Tom's manifesto couldn't be understated. The easiest and most timely would be the summer program. It would give her an excuse to reach out to Albus. She had the budget. They'd have to move fast to put a program together and identify the participants. Opening her bag, she pulled out the file of the application she had been considering for that program. Mary Cattermole. The witch had left an impression on Hermione. She knew Mary would have no idea. That the witch was willing to work for the Ministry after the threats she endured was a testament to her fortitude. Hermione rang the bell on her desk.
"Yes?" Maddy inquired from the door.
Hermione crossed the room and handed her secretary the application file. "Can you set up a time to meet with Mary Cattermole? I'd like to interview her as soon as possible."
"Right away."
Finding parchment in her desk, she penned a quick request to Albus to meet. Next to her fireplace was an owl service box. She scanned for the location of the headmaster to address the memo correctly. Surprised, he was listed as being in the Department of Mysteries. Once again she felt an urge to go down. She needed to be in her office, she told herself. Sending the memo via the interoffice service, she hoped he'd have time to visit her before he left.
Staring at her list, she started to rearrange it in order of how she felt they should implement. She was forced to admit that her second priority had to be a heritage preservation center. With the threat of Tom's ideology circulating, it was more important than ever that those who were from pureblood lines felt their legacy was valued and honored. She couldn't ignore the politics. She had two people she was considering for the head of the initiative. One person hadn't applied. It was another item to discuss with Albus. Horace Slughorn was equipped with the glad handing and schmoozing skills needed. He had a job, and she wasn't entirely certain his approach to staying relevant was respected by the most ardent of the remaining sacred twenty-eight she needed to reach. On the other hand, she had an Ollivander who applied, representing a deep tradition of magic and had the added benefit of being viewed as a relatively neutral party. It was Garrick's second son. Gideon took a much different path than his brother Gavin and she respected that. Putting both names on the board, she considered the list again.
Hermione wanted to put the dark arts historian with a neutralization squad third. She couldn't decide if it was a logical choice or an emotional one. Her next two choices were complementary to each other. A freedom of information department and whistleblower protections. It was perhaps needed in the event of worse case scenarios where the Ministry was infiltrated again. There needed to be a responsibility to the public to hold the Ministry accountable and a method for those inside the Ministry to report abuses without fear of retribution. Tapping her wand against the palm of her hand, she wondered if the dark arts historian was more or less important to that cause. Her chin came up when she decided to keep the order as it was. There was an obvious threat and many things about the dark arts they didn't really know. The evidence was on her right bicep. She rubbed at the white fire scars under her sleeve.
A knock at her door pulled her from her memories. Turning, she saw Maddy and a form lingering behind her.
"Director. The headmaster is here. He wondered if now was a good time to meet?" Maddy announced.
"Yes, thanks. Could you send in a tea service," she asked professionally then greeted her friend warmly. "You're just in time." She wanted to hug him, it felt like a strange action in the stately office that didn't seem quite like her own yet. Instead she rearranged some familiar high-backed leather chairs she had requested. Setting them up in front of her board. The tea service appeared on a small table between the chairs and the pair sat. Hermione let the teapot pour the tea. "You were in the Department of Mysteries?" she asked, picking up a cup.
Albus shifted uncomfortably and picked up his own tea. "I was. How was your vacation?"
"It was beautiful, peaceful," she didn't call him out on his change of subject. "Secure. Wasn't it?"
The older man smiled. "I didn't have the heart to tell Williamson his plan to secretly assign Aurors as security wouldn't stay a secret. From either of you."
"We both felt better knowing they were there. Probably for different reasons. It took us a few days to figure it out though," she admitted. "Likely a sign of how exhausted we were when we arrived."
"You look well rested now."
The small talk lingered between the two. Neither was sure what topic to broach first. Hermione decided she'd take charge. "You have some dates now I suspect?"
They both knew what she was referring to. Without word or argument, Albus pulled out the parchment Fiona had given to him the previous week. He handed it to her. Hermione looked down, set her cup on the tray. She wasn't in a hurry to unfold it and see the possible dates of her future death. Her hand shook as she reached for the corner. Dumbledore's hand reached out to steady hers. Their eyes met and they both knew the threat was real. They also knew the future could be changed.
Finally, strengthened by his presence and touch, she opened the paper. Her eyes scanned the dates. There were at least sixty dates that span two years. Two years. Could she ask Harry to put their life together on hold that long? Then her heart sank. "You only looked two years out. It's not that there aren't days later into the future that are possibilities."
"Fiona did the work," Albus said gently. "But yes. Two years. It's a place to start."
Hermione made a copy without asking and handed the original back to him.
"I thought about just destroying the room of requirement," he confessed.
Her eyes grew big and then she nodded. "I'd be lying if I hadn't wished for the room to be destroyed. If fiendfyre couldn't do it, I'm not sure it's even possible."
"You might be right," he agreed, nodding toward her list. "That's an ambitious plan."
"It's all desperately needed. I wanted to talk to you about Horace," she said, allowing the change in subject for the moment. "Are all his stories about his connections real or in his head?" she asked bluntly.
This made Dumbledore laugh aloud. "I suspect a mix of both. Are you thinking about asking him to join your team?"
The surprise was not lost on her. "I need someone the purebloods will respect to lead the heritage center. I know he already has a job he loves. He didn't apply so I'm not even sure he would accept if I wanted to hire him."
"I see your other option there is Gideon Ollivander. They both have their strengths."
"And weaknesses. Horace understands the politick. Gets the prejudices and knows better than most how to navigate it all. He's a bit of an outsider still. Gideon on the other hand he's not tarnished by taking any side per se. The Ollivander name is revered. But he's young compared to the witches and wizards he'd need to persuade," she explained.
"Gideon has certainly blazed his own trail. He played professional quidditch for the English National Team. He's a bit of a hero to those who pay attention to the game. When he retired, he went to work for the International Confederation of Wizards. He's not considered a Ministry man. He's certainly not controversial."
Even as he told her the details she already knew, it was useful to hear it said aloud. He was the right choice. "Gideon was my first choice until I read Tom's manifesto. The ability to get purebloods on board for anything I plan to do will likely be impossible. A known ally to the sacred twenty who has the reputation of being… impressed by the superficial… might be more well received," she said, choosing her words carefully. She didn't not like her old Potions professor. He just wasn't the type of person she looked up to. Her opinions for this particular task could be irrelevant if it was going to be successful. "I need someone who can act as if they're independent from me."
"Have you interviewed Mister Ollivander?" Dumbledore asked, making his opinion clear without stating it.
"Not yet. I'll have Maddy set up an appointment. Thank you," she said. She was still trying to find her authority and footing. His support of her original instinct was encouraging. "I do have an initiative that is a higher priority than the center. The muggleborn school program."
Albus smiled. "I noticed that was at the top of the list. Do you believe we can get it up and running this summer?"
"I hoped so. The timing seems to be right. If you're in favor?"
"Minerva has already expressed her desire to oversee the program from the Hogwarts' side. We have fifteen incoming students this year who would benefit," he said, looked at the board. "I am unfamiliar with Mary Cattermole."
"She's a muggle-born witch we helped last year. She was treated terribly by the ministry, nearly sent to Azkaban if we hadn't intervened. Her children were threatened. After all that, she still applied to work here. Thinks we can make the institution better. I think that deserves a chance to be a part of the work," she explained. "I don't know her maiden name. She was a Hogwarts student."
"Once you've made your hire, you're feel free to connect her to Professor McGonagall. We'll make the necessary arrangements," he confirmed.
"My department already has a budget for the program. We'll cover all the expenses. If you would like me to offset Minerva's time, I'm happy to add a line item," she explained, surprising herself by how official it all sounded. She still couldn't really believe how many galleons the minister had entrusted to her.
Silence once again settled on the pair until Albus finally asked, "I understand you're meeting with the solicitors for the Wizengamot today?"
"We're just going to have all the difficult conversations right out then," she said with a slight laugh. "It's on my calendar. I haven't thought much about it yet. Anything I should be concerned about?"
"Just that you don't have to do anything," Dumbledore said forcefully. "A deposition means you'd be interrogated by the defense legal team too. And you'd have to rehash everything in the trials. Even if you decide to participate, you can set the timeline. Make sure you're ready to open those wounds."
She clicked her tongue. "That implies those wounds are closed."
"My point," he conceded. He narrowed his eyes. "I know your attempt at therapy ended disastrously…"
When he trailed off she knew he was trying to find a way to address the sensitive request. "I'm going to reach out to Minerva. I know she's not a licensed therapist. She is a certified counselor. And has had her share of traumatized students to care for."
Albus sat a little straighter. "That is a sound choice."
"Right then. I guess the last issue you'd like to address is my request to hold the prophecy again."
"It is a concern. Yes."
"I'm doing it," she said forcefully and clearly not seeking permission.
It was Dumbledore's turn to laugh. "Well. That settles that then."
"I've proven I can control how the vision proceeds. I promised Harry he could be there. Might as well invite you too. There's knowledge in there that we might need."
"I agree," he said begrudgingly. "I would like to be there."
"Well it should be easy to find you. Have you taken a position as an Unspeakable?"
"I think I'm too old for such adventures. I have been under foot, studying the time records."
"And?"
"And there's nothing yet that requires action or sheds light on damage to the past. They have established protocols in place."
She nodded. "Fiona filled me in before my vacation. I guess there's not much more that can be done. Until we find the time turner Bellatrix hid, the threat will remain." Hermione wasn't sure if she was trying to convince herself or her friend.
A knock at the door interrupted them. Hermione turned in her seat. "Is it that time, Maddy?"
"It is Director. Everyone has gathered in the conference room. When you're ready."
"I'll be right there," Hermione said and turned back to Dumbledore. "I suppose, it's time to focus on my position and my team. Let the Unspeakables do their job. Perhaps that's good advice." She stood, Albus followed suit.
"Your advice is noted," he said, placed an affectionate hand on her forearm. "It's good to see you healing. Everyone in that room has been painfully and thoroughly vetted by the minister's staff and Williamson. You can trust them."
She stood on her toes and kissed him on the cheek before following her secretary to the conference room. It was more crowded than she expected. Only about a third of the department positions had been filled. Mostly researchers to gather information for the leadership team once they were hired. Everyone stood and she motioned them all to sit. Standing at the front of the table she made eye contact with several of them. "I want to thank you all for your patience. The establishment of this department has had some setbacks." It was the truth, technically, but not the full story. She thought about Albus' words. They were safe. They turned up for a job that could be seen as unpopular to work for someone who wasn't even twenty. They deserved the truth. Holding her hands out, she continued. "I'm going to be honest with you. You deserve to know the truth. The setbacks have been due to recent revelations you've no doubt read in the Daily Prophet. Voldemort was at one time a boy named Tom Riddle. Bellatrix Lestrange stole a time turner from the Department of Mysteries, went back in time, and managed to use the gemino charm on him. She learned this skill from the witches who invented the spell. Again using the time turner to do so."
Looking around the room there were a mix of expressions; some had clearly read the Minister's rebuttal, others were attempting to process this information. "The clone was brought forward in time. As I'm sure you're aware Voldemort and myself have a long history. This clone was provided the memories of Voldemort, preserved every year to ensure the clone would have complete access to the history he missed. He kidnapped me and injured me badly several weeks ago. Just as I was preparing to staff the department and start our important work. I'm sorry I wasn't here on your first day. You should know I reviewed the applications of each of you while I was recovering. I hand picked everyone of you in this room. You have my utmost confidence to fulfill the mission we've been entrusted with. Simply, to correct injustices and prejudices within the Ministry of Magic."
That got her chuckles. No one thought their mission would be easy. "I understand this work will meet resistance. That we'll be fighting centuries of tradition and prejudice. Not everyone will agree. If at any point you feel concerned or face threats as a result of your employment, I want you to know your safety and security is my highest priority. Report anything to me of concern. Even if it's only a feeling that something is off. Tom's lies will have a real impact on our work and community. I'll understand if, in light of these developments, you'd like a transfer. You didn't sign up to forfeit your safety and will understand."
At that chins went up in defiance. No one appeared to be looking for an escape route. "I'll be finishing the hiring process in the coming weeks. The work you're doing now will be critical to how quickly the leaders of each initiative will be able to get up to speed and get to work. I just wanted to thank you all for your hard work despite my absence. Maddy will be setting up one on one meetings with each of you. I'd ask that you consider those meetings an opportunity to address any concerns or needs you might have. In the meantime, if I'm in my office, my door is open to you. Are there any questions or concerns for the group?" she asked, held her breath.
People shifted in their seats. Several looked around. Finally a young, blonde witch stood in the back of the room. "Is Voldemort back?" she asked simply.
Murmurs suggested her question was one many had. "What's your name?"
"Lena."
Hermione pressed her left hand against the scare on the palm of her wand hand. How was she to answer that? The Minister clearly hadn't addressed it. It may have been due in part to a desire to focus specifically on Tom. "Lena. Voldemort isn't back. Tom Riddle may have his memories, may share DNA, but he's not Voldemort. And he's been apprehended for his assault on me. There will be a trial and he will be held accountable for his own actions," she explained. Knowing the situation was even more complicated. Albus said she could trust her staff. "You should know, this is important to our work, that the wizard known as Voldemort isn't completely gone though."
This got a reaction. She held up her hand. "We'll be establishing an initiative focused on documenting the dark arts and developing counters to these spells. As such, you need to know that horcruxes are real, Voldemort availed himself of them. One of the reasons Bellatrix was able to successfully stabilize the gemino charm when she cloned Tom Riddle was to make him a vessel for a horcrux. Voldemort's body was destroyed during the Battle for Hogwarts. As it was in 1981. Like 1981, his soul is bound to the world. The threat of Voldemort isn't over. It makes our work even more important. This is sensitive information that shouldn't leave our department until the Minister has determined the best way to inform the public; however, you deserve to know." She waited for more questions. It seemed she had given them perhaps more information than they expected. "If there's nothing else, I'll just thank you for trusting me to lead this department despite my age. I am not a traditional candidate for such a position. I won't let you down." Satisfied, she backed up and left the conference room to return to her office and her board.
Several minutes later, Maddy was once again knocking on her door. Hermione waited for the secretary to give her bad news. That the entire staff had walked out. "That was great. They needed to know their work is really important."
Letting out the breath she was holding, Hermione smiled. "If anyone does come to you with concerns, please accommodate them."
Maddy offered a curt nod and started laying out file folders. "I prepared summaries of the research done for each of your initiatives. I thought you might want a few updates before you meet with Minister Shacklebolt."
"I appreciate it. I'll review before heading up. I do have another interview to set up," she said, pulled out Gideon Ollivander's file and handed it to her secretary. "I'll try to narrow down the rest this afternoon after discussing my plans with the Minister."
Hermione opened the first folder and realized she had a lot of reviewing to do in a very short time.
~~/~~
"I don't understand how I came back from a week of vacation to so much paperwork," Harry complained to Tonks. "Aren't partners supposed to help with stuff like this?"
"We're partners, Harry. I'm not your servant. I have paperwork too, you know. Loads of it after everything that went down. Incident reports, confinement recommendations, prisoner transport," Tonks ticked each on off on her fingers. "What did you think I was doing? Lying on a beach, getting a tan, eating chocolates."
"I wasn't eating chocolates," he grumbled. "Was I Nelson?"
The older Auror choked on his coffee but stayed silent.
Signing off on his own incident report regarding Sadie Smith's arrest, he added it to his stack of completed files. The next file had him pausing. It was the arrest report for Tom Riddle. The front of the folder listed the Aurors who had already contributed and signed off on the documentation. Harry was the last one to add his account.
"Potter," Williamson called out.
Harry snapped to attention, earning an eye roll from Tonks. "He's wound a little tight today, sir. Go easy on him."
He wanted to argue with her. He was forced to admit she was right. All the unresolved trauma from the month before had been laid out in the reports. It was like reliving every moment while trying to figure out how to separate his emotions from the retelling. Stepping into his boss's office, his focus was on the report he had left to complete.
"Have a seat. How's Hermione?" Henry started.
"She's better. Physically. Most of her injuries have healed. The time away was good for her. I think."
"Good. If anything comes up and you need more time, consider further leave approved."
Harry rubbed at the kinks in his neck. He'd spent the better part of the morning looking down, carrying the stress in his tensed muscles. "I appreciate that. She really wanted to get back to work. I'm not sure I'd be able to convince her otherwise."
"I know you just got back and are getting caught up. I need the final report on Tom in an hour. Do you think you can finish it up?"
Part of Harry was glad for the deadline. It would help him focus on the task and not the contents. "I just started it. I can review everyone's input and start with the details that were unique to my perspective. If I can't get it all done in time, at least I can add those elements," he offered, wanting to ask what was happening in an hour.
"That'll do. Between Tonks, Albus, Hermione, and myself, I suspect the major details are covered. I want to make sure your experience is included. After all, Tom did use the killing curse. Just because it wasn't successful doesn't absolve him from the action."
"I understand," Harry said and was sure if he was dismissed. "Was there something else?"
Williamson shifted uncomfortably. "Tom is still requesting he talk to Hermione. He claims to have knowledge of the time turner and where Voldemort went but he'll only tell her."
"She's already decided she's willing to meet with him. I have concerns. Despite that, I do believe she's the only one who can say whether or not he's telling the truth. We talked about it last week. I trust her to set her boundaries and limits."
"I see. Well. I'll see her in this meeting and will discuss it with her."
"A meeting about Tom?"
Williamson nodded. "The legal team assigned to prosecute him is meeting with the Minister and the Director. The final report will determine the charges."
Harry stood. "I'll get on it now, sir." Returning to his desk he needed to focus. He couldn't worry about Hermione. She could take care of herself. And it was just a meeting. Flipping open the file a bit too aggressively, he started to read.
"Alright there, Harry?" Tonks asked, looked behind her to their boss's office and back at Harry.
"Yeah," he answered shortly. He didn't even know why he was frustrated. None of it was a surprise. He just hated feeling useless. He closed his eyes. Remembered seeing Hermione taking cover, looking terrified. He hadn't realized her fear was for him. Then the power of her spell enveloped him. He had felt her emotions. Her love for him. There was a brief moment of panic when he heard Tom invoke the killing curse. Levitated a few inches off the ground, Harry hadn't been unable to get out of the way. He could only wait for death to take him. It never did. Her love, her shield charm, protected him at great physical cost to her. Opening his eyes, he grabbed his quill and started writing.
~~/~~
Hermione was starting to release her anxiety. The minister had agreed with most of her priorities. He had interjected some insight causing her to reconsider. The summer program was clearly the most time sensitive initiative to get up and running. They had spent significant time discussing the heritage center and the necessity of it. In the end, they were both forced to recognize it was needed expeditiously due to Tom's actions. Gathering up her files and parchments she wondered if she should confess to telling her staff about the horcrux. She wasn't sure what his rationale was about leaving that detail out of his response to Tom's screed. She could guess.
"Was there something else?" Kingsley asked in a way that told her he was aware there was something on her mind.
Her movement stilled. She gave him her full attention. "I read your declaration in the Daily Prophet," she started. "I couldn't help but notice you left out the threat that Voldemort poses again."
Shacklebolt nodded. "It was a choice. A complicated one. You're afraid we're making the same mistakes my predecessors did." It wasn't a question, it was a statement.
"Well. Yes. The reason Voldemort was able to move about so freely for so long was because the general community thought he was gone for good. They didn't know about the Horcruxes back then. We do now."
"I'm not planning on leaving it out indefinitely. We just thought the greatest issue to address in that moment was Tom. To bring up the possibility that Voldemort might also return ran the risk of distracting people from the greater threat. Well, the more immediate threat."
Hermione understood. She still thought there was a way to warn the wizarding world of both threats. "I told my staff this morning," she pressed forward. "I'm not sure if I violated a security measure."
"Your staff have a right to know. They're the tip of the spear on addressing the policies that must be changed to make us all safer," Kingsley said, paused to accept files from Myrtle for their next meeting. He grimaced. "I will address the new Horcrux and how that had impacted the past in the next few weeks. We need to make sure the direct risks Tom poses are mitigated." Holding up the files, he gave her a sympathetic look. "Speaking of Tom. Are you ready to get our next meeting started or do you need a short break?"
"We can keep going," Hermione answered, put her files in her case and straightened her shirt as she sat back. She took a breath, tried to find a center of calm.
Kingsley pulled several chairs over to the sitting area with his wand, looked seriously at her. "You don't have to agree to anything in this meeting you're not comfortable with. We don't need to make any decisions right now."
Grateful for the guidance, she gave him a quick nod. Looking down at the palm of her hand, the scar was nearly healed, it had some red edges. It reminded her how little time had actually passed. Voices broke her thoughts, she looked up and stood to greet the Wizengamot team.
"Director Granger," a young woman reached out her hand confidently. "Ophelia Sideris, I'm the lead prosecutor assigned to the Tom Riddle and Sadie Smith cases. This is my legal aid, Balin Howard."
"Miss Sideris, Mister Howard, it's good to meet you," Hermione said, not sure if it was good yet or not. Movement at the door caught her eye and she saw Henry Williamson enter.
"Call me Ophelia," the solicitor offered and sat.
Everyone else took her lead, settled into their seats. Hermione looked at each person, waiting for someone to start the meeting. Finally, she settled on Ophelia. She seemed to be comfortable taking charge. "Ophelia. I understand you need something from me on these cases," she said, hoping her voice didn't betray her anxiety.
"We do. The most serious crimes both defendants have committed were against you. We of course have your statements. We'll need your testimony," the solicitor cut directly to the chase.
"What would that entail? Exactly," Hermione asked.
"We'd prepare you of course for the trial," Balin explained. He seemed to be trying to soften some blow. "And we'd aggressively object to any questions the defense asks that aren't relevant to the crimes."
Hermione wasn't sure where the discussion was going. "What questions do you think are relevant?"
Ophelia gave a knowing smile. It was clear to her that Hermione might be young, she wasn't naïve. "Your previous interactions with Voldemort–"
"–he isn't Voldemort," Hermione objected. Her voice was higher than she intended. "He might have his memories. They aren't the same person."
"We understand that's the official story; however, Tom is insisting his claims of resurrecting are true. It appears his defense team will be arguing this in order to distract you."
Squeezing the bridge of her nose, Hermione thought through the scenario. "Great," she finally said. "That means he can be charged with all of Voldemort's crimes."
"We can't have it both ways," Kingsley interjected. "We can't prosecute him as Voldemort if we intend to convince the legal system or the wizarding world that he's not."
"It won't preclude the defense from attempting to prove the assertion. Which will open you up to questions that might be… uncomfortable," Ophelia concluded. "The good news is that the defense request for an oral deposition during discovery was denied. You'll have to sit before the Chief Warlock to certify answers to written questions."
"These questions will also shed some light into the direction Tom's legal team intend to take during their cross examination," Balin added.
It was a lot of legal discussion that Hermione wasn't familiar with. "So they'll have questions regarding my statement and I can answer in writing?"
Ophelia nodded. "Yes. Once you're officially added to the witness list, the process will start."
"There's a sense that expediency is best," Kingsley explained. "We'd prefer not to prolong the process."
Williamson cleared his throat. He had been silent up until that point, most forgot he was even in the room. Once he had their attention, he tapped his finger against a file he was holding in his lap. "We need a plan for how we'll explain Harry surviving the killing curse. Again."
Of course they would, Hermione thought. The statements included Tom's attempt to kill Harry. "Do we know how to explain it? Precisely." She knew the theory she relied on to cast the spells. There were many questions about all the variables that had been required to ensure the theory worked.
Ophelia's brown wrinkled in confusion. "You don't know how you protected Mister Potter from the killing curse?"
Hermione looked to Kingsley for help. He cleared his throat. "We understand the spells. We're not sure it can be duplicated well enough to confirm all the elements that had been required for it to work. Let us worry about that question for now."
"We'll need an answer eventually. Tom's defense will be that he never cast the curse. If he had, Harry would be dead," Ophelia protested, clearly unhappy with the uncertainty. "That will be their argument."
"Understood," Kingsley said firmly. The discussion was over for the moment. "Anything else?"
"Well, yes," Balin said. "We understand Mister Riddle has requested a face to face meeting with Hermione."
"We still have an open case," Williamson interjected. "If the Director can get him talking and is willing to try, we're not turning that down."
"As you can imagine, anything said during that interview can be a complication. We'd like to be in the room. I imagine his solicitors will be present too."
"Tom's not going to let anyone else in the room with me and him. Except possibly Harry. Not his solicitors or you," Hermione was certain.
"There is an interview room with three observation rooms. We can set both legal teams up. This is something we need to do if we want to learn where the time turner went and where what's left of Voldemort might be," Williamson insisted.
It was hard to hear the definitive assessment. Hermione felt like she no longer had a choice. Not much in her recent past included choices. She had been honest when she told Harry she'd be willing to face Tom and it was true part of her wanted to. It was hard now to admit there wasn't really a choice in the matter if she wanted to make sure the future was safe. "Why don't you tell me what I should and shouldn't say. What, if any topic I shouldn't discuss with him," she offered to Ophelia and Balin.
"We'll put together a briefing. You'll let us know when the interview is set up?" Ophelia said, accepting the situation.
Williamson held up his hand to Hermione. "It will be up to the director."
At least she had that choice, she thought to herself. "Sooner would be better than later, I suppose."
"We'll coordinate with prisoner transport, give you some options, and let all legal teams know," the head Auror said.
Everyone looked equally uncomfortable. It seemed that was the best they could hope for.
~~/~~
Hermione was sitting at her desk at the end of the day finalizing decisions needed for meetings scheduled the following day. Her eyelids were heavy and her back was aching. In the back of her mind she knew she needed to schedule a follow up visit with Healer Halley. That seemed like a personal task and she didn't want to put more on Maddy's plate. Maybe she could call him, Hermione considered. They had a muggle phone installed in Godric's Hollow for her parents to contact her and the healer had a cell phone. If not a call, maybe an owl. Hermione sat back and tried to stretch out a particularly sensitive spot. She knew it was right at the center of the scar from the rune Tom had placed on her back and had very nearly killed her with. It had been foolish to think just because she got the use of her legs back meant there would be no additional repercussions. A brief memory flashed in her mind's eye of the incredible pain she felt along all her curse scars when the killing curse was transferred to her. It was very possible the scar Tom had meant to kill was used to save her life. Standing stiffly, she felt a strange tingle in her legs. A flash of worry had her wondering if her paralysis would return. Shaking her head, she knew she had just been sitting in the same position for too long. Walking along her floor to ceiling bookshelves, she admired Maddy's organization. It didn't take her long to find the book she sought in the section clearly focused on her dark arts historian and neutralization proposal. She knew her case was likely unique. Tom had combined a consuming curse with a runic enchantment. It wasn't unlike his mark the death eaters took and yet it wasn't quite the same either.
Shifting the weight of The Great Book of Curses, she tried to find a book on runes. Hearing her door open, she didn't turn. "Is there a section for runes?" she asked.
"For Merlin's sake, I hope so," Harry said from behind her.
Surprised, Hermione turned on her spot. "Hey you," she said, stepping closer and giving him a quick peck on the lips. "Is it time to go home already?" Her body told her it was well past time. She wanted to keep him from worrying.
"A few hours ago, actually," he explained, "I didn't want to interrupt if you were in the middle of something. Maddy said your meetings are over." Pointing toward the admin's direction he thought he could help her out by convincing her boss it was time to close up for the day. He took the book she was holding from her and gave her a curious look. "A bit of light reading?"
The call back joke was lost on her… much like his and Ron's reaction their first year to her idea of light reading. "Just something that's bugging me," she said, scanning the titles. Finding a familiar book, Ancient Runes, Hexes, and Dark Marks. Placing the new book on top of the one in Harry's hand, she poked her head out of the door. "Maddy, I'm leaving soon. You should head out." Turning back to Harry, he was placing the books in her bag. When he turned to her, she looked him over. "Happy?"
"I will be when we're home," he said, rubbed her back.
His hand hit a particularly sensitive spot and she gasped at the pain. Trying to get her breath she knew each second of silence would make it less likely that she'd be able to blow off any concern from Harry. He led her to a chair, helped her sit, and then moved to the door. "I'll have Maddy get a healer," Harry said, panic colored the words.
"No, Harry, I don't need a healer," Hermione finally said, knowing he'd need more information to be convinced. "Not tonight. This isn't an emergency. The scars are still sensitive. I spent too long sitting in one spot this afternoon. I just need to lay down for a bit."
Harry stood between Hermione and the door. It was clear he wasn't entirely convinced. "Has it been bothering you this whole time?" he asked, clearly conflicted. "Did it hurt like that last week?"
Shaking her head, she stood stiffly. Harry's misgivings were put aside to support her arm. "No. Honestly, no, Harry. It just happened today. This afternoon. It's been sore that's all."
"Then how do you know it's not serious?" His voice was a whisper. He was scared.
She understood his fears. They'd spent a week terrified she might never walk again. Hermione knew the only way to ease his concerns was to be honest with him. It wouldn't eliminate them, it would just remove the lack of control in the unknown. "I don't know for sure why it hurts. I was going to make an appointment with Healer Halley when we got home. It's felt different since the room of requirement," she confessed. "I was going to bring some books home. Tom chose to combine the ior rune and the consuming curse. Either on his own or he got the idea somewhere. There's possibly something I hadn't considered about the combination."
"So you're going to spend your night sitting in a chair reading?" he asked, picked up her messenger back and looped it over his shoulder.
Hermione took his hand and walked him out of the office suite. "I was hoping to relax on the couch. You can watch me read," she offered.
"I had something else in mind," he said as the lights shut themselves off behind them. "I can make the couch work."