A/N: I am so sorry for leaving you in the lurch. I had to wait for the muse to sort its shit out. And it did. In a big way. So, while this one isn't 4k words long, it's definitely a start. So here we go. The next one is mostly written and I have Monday off as well, so we should be back on track. Once again, I apologise for leaving you on a cliffy.

Also the Euro's are on... And then Copa América starts soon as well. Football is everywhere, my friends. Even I might get sick of it this summer lol

-0-

Hermione allowed herself a moment to watch as Minerva marched to the end of the corridor and flashed her a rakish grin before she set off at a run around the corner. What followed was a great blast of light from where she'd disappeared to and the feeling of pride in Hermione's chest was matched only by the concern.

But, as Minerva had so cleverly intimated, she needed to trust Minerva to do as she said she would. She nodded to herself and turned the way she felt Arthur might be. She strode through her corridor like she owned it. The power and the magic continued to tempt her just to unleash on everyone, but she stayed as focussed as she could be. She was just rounding the corner when a voice stopped her.

"You, halt!"

She did so out of habit, rather than any great need and she waited as a rather sinister looking man stepped into her field of view.

"Who's division are you? It's been raining in my office for 2 days."

"I am under Madam Umbridge, sir. She asked me to deliver the intelligence report as soon as I received it. Have you tried Finite Incantatum?"

His frown deepened and she cursed her cockiness. She had no idea if anything she was saying sounded right, but she tried her hardest to channel Minerva's demeanour whenever she spoke to someone who was so very far beneath her. She thanked Minerva in her head as it seemed to work.

"Of course I've tried that," he snapped. Upon closer inspection, Hermione was fairly certain he hadn't. "Well?" She blinked and tuned back in. "Let's have it!"

"What?"

"The report you idiot, the report!"

"Oh," Hermione bit back a laugh. "Right." She decided to keep it as simple as possible. "Well, I'm afraid to say that there are resistance fighters in the lobby. I believe even the Ministry itself is fighting."

"The Ministry -"

He blinked, stupidly And she couldn't help it. She didn't mean to implore him to go and look, but the tenuous hold on her power seemed to leap from her fingers and he looked more confused before he looked at her again.

"The lobby, you said?"

"Indeed, sir. They are sorely undermanned against such superior firepower. You would be a welcome addition."

It was all said with such a pleasant undertone that he could have asked after the weather, but the rather confused look on his face stayed on it while he turned away from her and disappeared down the corridor towards the lift. With any luck he'd be within the battle itself by the time he realised she'd Confunded him. If indeed that was what she did?

She had no idea and couldn't bring herself to care anymore.

She shook her head and made sure her wand was ready for anything before she stepped up towards a door that read MUGGLE-BORN REGISTRATION OFFICE. She tried the handle but it was locked and just as she was about to force it open a whole party of people came down the corridor. She picked up the nearest thing she could find and started reading it. The Daily Prophet had never been her fair, but she glanced over it as she stood there, trying to keep tabs on every single member of the passing party until she paused. All the air seemed to get sucked out of the room as she stared down at it. She blinked and brought the paper up to her face.

There on the front page was Umbridge, presiding over her new department, but that wasn't news to Hermione. What was news was the medallion hanging around her neck.

"Oh my god," she whispered. "It's right here!"

There was a massive explosion from somewhere under her feet and she realised she didn't really have time to lose. She stepped up to the door and banged on it aggressively. It cracked open a hair but she didn't stop to exchange pleasantries.

"Good afternoon," she chuckled as she blasted open the door with a wave of her hand.

The man in uniform flew backwards into a desk and she lazily stunned him while he was groaning on the floor. She looked wildly around the room and found Arthur staring at her.

"Arthur," she waved towards the door. "And anyone else who's willing to turn in their resignation. I would suggest you go now. The foyer is out of order so please find other means of exit. Thank you."

Everyone stood staring at her until Arthur finally found his tongue.

"GO!"

There was a rush of people that flew past her and she nodded to a few who thanked her. Arthur came last and she squeezed his arm as he stopped in front of her.

"I need your help," she said carefully. "Where is Moody?"

"I think he's downstairs in the cells. He was rather vocal about what they were doing and they obviously didn't like that."

"Right," she nodded. "We need to hurry. Can you go down there?"

"Me?"

"Yes, Arthur, you. We're it. Minerva is off -" She felt a squelch in her gut that she didn't much like but she closed her eyes against it. "Minerva is busy. I have to find Albus - I think he's with Umbridge."

Arthur paled.

"She's downstairs, I saw her earlier."

"What is downstairs?" Hermione blinked. Arthur hummed and hawwed until her stare made him speak.

"Interrogations."

Her blood went cold as she realised what he meant.

"The muggle-borns?"

He nodded regretfully and she felt her hands get hot.

"Hermione, I don't think you should -"

"I need to -"

Parva amica. [Little darling]

Hermione blinked and realised that she could hear Lucia in her head.

How are you -

I do not know, Little Dragon, but you must stay calm. You cannot save everyone in war. Right now, Albus needs you. When you have him, the next of our family needs you. We need you.

But they are -

Evil people will continue doing evil even if we oppose them - especially when we oppose them. Save as many as you can but stay the course. We need our family out first. I have no doubt that if Albus is safe, he can help you with that as well.

Hermione shivered as she realised what Lucia was telling her. Right now, her family was scattered across the building and she had no real way of getting them out. Her heart shuddered and she leaned against the closest desk for a moment.

"Hermione?"

"Arthur," she ordered. "Get Moody and then get out of here. If he won't leave, then leave him and you go. Go to where we buried Dedalus, okay?" Arthur's eyes widened and nodded. "Everyone is there already. Go, we will deal with everything else, later."

Arthur looked at her and she could feel the fear without even needing to take his hand. She did so and he held for a moment before he signed and nodded.

"Go. Don't look back. Protect yourself as you need, but do not engage. Get Moody, as fast as you can, and then go."

He did as he was told and Hermione looked around with a snarl. In a fit of childishness, she set her hands alight and set fire to as much as she possibly could. She paid special attention to the records scattered around the room and hoped beyond hope that it would, at the very least, slow them down. She waited for as long as she felt she could while it burned before she turned to leave.

Her feet stopped as she saw a glimmer of something in the distance.

Across the hall, over the gathering smoke billowing from the room behind her, Moody's magical eye was staring right at her. Her eyes widened as it seemed to realise who she was.

"No!" she called. "Accio!"

It flew from the wood and into her hand where she pocketed it neatly just as an alarm started down the hall. She raced towards the door and she rolled her eyes at the evil that had infected every inch of this place. If nothing else, they were terrified of resistance and had warded every inch of the place. It filled her with some glee, perhaps, that they were not as cocky as they seemed. She went straight to the door and flung as much power as possible against it. It seemed to bend and then snap back to its position. She growled and the last of her control snapped along with her power.

She heard them coming down the corridor and from the other side, heard the lift signal its arrival. In a fit of frustration, she unleashed the brightest, bluest torrent of fire she'd ever produced. Down the corridor it flew and she tried not to listen to the screams as it met her attackers. Down the other corridor, towards the lift, though she heard nothing as it slammed against the far wall; the last place she'd seen Minerva alive.

Concentrate. This was Amalle, now. Their steady understanding and their familiar voice calmed her and she rolled her neck. I have told you once before, little one. You are stronger than every entity in the building. Stop letting them make you believe you are less. Finish this. Bring our family home.

She felt the conflict in her head and she vaguely understood it to be Lucia trying to counter what Amalle was telling her, but Amalle had given her the permission she seemed to need. She pulled her hands apart and created a fireball that wound itself tightly between her hands. She implored Albus to get away from the door, hoping beyond hope that he could hear her as she threw it and put every inch of her force behind it.

The gleaming, black, door exploded into matchsticks and the fire licked the framework where it stood. She breathed hard as she looked at the open office and stepped forward. Her wand flew into her hand immediately as Albus rounded the corner with his wand at the ready as well. She was about to speak when she realised that all was not right.

Albus' blue eyes were clouded and there, wrapped around his neck, was the Horcrux.

"Oh shit -"

His wand produced pure magic as she leapt out of the way. She dived behind the wall outside the office and tried not to panic. A Draconvir she might be, but Albus Dumbledore was something more. She decided to do everything except fight him and she glanced around the corner.

"ALBUS?"

A spell crashed against the tile work of the corridor and exploded in her face. It was only luck that saved her from being blinded but she felt the shattered splinters embed themselves in her face. She roared in pain and hoped that Minerva would know she was fine, even though it hurt like hell.

"Albus, I am ordering you to stand down."

Another burst of magic made it clear to Hermione that it wasn't going to work that way.

"Al, I need you to hear me. I need you to let me help you."

She had to move, this time. She dived out of the way as his third spell succeeded in damaging the wall and exploding it into the gap where she had just been cowering. She got to her feet and took a deep breath. Whatever Umbridge had done to him, if indeed she had done so and not the Horcrux itself, had removed every sensible inhibition he'd ever had.

She had often wondered what a fully-powered Albus Dumbledore looked like. She surely would never, ever, ask that question again. Like with Bellatrix, Hermione did her best to avoid and evade, rather than all-out fight. She felt a glimmer of Minerva's worry and sought to soothe it, even as she leapt for her life over a desk that exploded around her.

"Whelp," Hermione muttered to herself as she found her feet while she hid and looked around for any advantage. "This is brilliant."

I'm coming, Leannan. Hold on.

Don't you dare!

I'm coming.

Hermione swore under her breath and made a point to make sure Minerva heard it. She knew, now, that she would not let Minerva face this man, in this form. He was too strong for any of them and though she trusted Minerva to face down Voldemort himself, she did not want her near this. Hermione might have been her soulmate but Albus was all but the same and she resolved to sort it before Minerva got here.

She nodded to herself and looked around the wall, horrified at the length of time she'd allowed herself to zone out. Albus' wand was pointed directly at her face and she stood slowly, with her arms out in surrender.

"Albus?" Hermione said softly. "Can you hear me? I need you to sight, Al. I need you to fight, so that I can take you home in one piece and I do not have to break Minerva's heart. Think of Minerva, Al. Her unwavering love for you. I know that we do not have that, you and I, but Minerva loves you, Albus. Hold onto that, if nothing else."

His wand arm lowered just a fraction and it was all she needed; a tiny chink in his armour. She leapt sideways, throwing her power into it as she did and she managed to somehow leap and step through the air until she was right behind him. She leapt onto his back and held on with all her might as he fought for a hold on her too. She wasn't too worried until he grabbed her riotous hair and yanked hard. She made one final lunge as he threw her off him and she landed against the wall, curled around her arm and moaning from the pain in her head.

His advancing footsteps were loud in her ringing ears until they paused. She blinked and tried to come to her senses, expecting a torrent of magic to overwhelm her, but instead, a step back and then another.

"Hermione?"

She blinked and looked up, finding Albus staring at his hands.

"Albus?"

"I'm -"

"Al? Are you okay? Are you with me?"

"I believe so?"

Hermione stood, holding onto the wall with her free hand as she wobbled just a little. She held out her hand and in it, was the Horcrux, twitching like a snake on the end of the chain.

"I could not fight it -" He muttered despondently. "I could not fight it on my own."

Hermione nodded, but she wasn't really listening. Instead, she was contemplating the power contained in this little thing within her fist. She stared at it and discovered everything she needed was right there. She could feel it, right in her hand. Amalle was not wrong; Hermione was the greatest magical being in the world, but with this as well? Whatever this was, Hermione felt like she was.

With this, she would be everything.

"Hermione?"

She blinked and looked up and everything was in a haze. She could physically see the magic in the place and it was so overwhelming. She stumbled forward and gripped the power harder as someone touched her.

"Hermione, you need to let it go."

A torrent of fire exploded from her arms, leaving the usurper ducking for cover. With this she could defeat the enemy for good and she sought to do that as she spun in a circle and set everything she could alight. There was a glee inside her that could not be contained and her eyes rolled back in her head as she saw even the walls starting to burn.

"Leannan?"

The voice was familiar but she didn't stop. She was laughing, it was so good just to let it all go.

"Leannan? Come back to me?"

Minerva. Go to her. Take her somewhere safe. We will all help.

Hermione blinked and for just a moment, she could see what was happening in perfect clarity. Just as she was about to let go, the haze descended harder. She blinked as someone gripped her hard and with a roar, disappeared with her in tow.