After fifteen minutes, Hermione had fallen silent, horribly aware of Mrs Weasley's halting sobs from another chair. Bill and George had each grasped one of her arms and guided her to a seat as soon as Hermione had told them that Voldemort had risen again.

As per her promise, she had left out the wand connection and everything the shadows had said, making it sound like Bethany had grabbed the Cup through a lucky guess - not too much a stretch, really; she would never have left Cedric there if she could help it.

Ron had sunk, white-faced, into the seat on the other side of her, staring wordlessly across the room, where white curtains hid Bethany from view. By now, she had been given a Dreamless Sleep Potion, for which Hermione was grateful, because it meant that she couldn't see, or sense, the sympathetic and pitying glances Mrs Weasley was throwing in her direction.

Ginny had attached herself to Bill's other side, clinging to her brother.

Hermione herself buried her face in Fred's shoulder, stroking Padfoot's head rhythmically.

After a few minutes, Padfoot lifted his head, wining softly, and Hermione raised her own, asking him a silent question.

In response, he jumped down and padded over to the curtained bed. Mrs Weasley half-rose in protest, but Ron squeezed his mother's hand, shaking his head.

Hermione followed him, slipping through the curtains in time to see Padfoot jump on to the bed, curling up at Bethany's feet. He looked over at Mandy and Arabella - who had returned halfway through Hermione's story - and whined again.

Hermione managed a small smile. "Right. Of course. Mandy, Arabella, can I have a word with you please? In private?"

Both women looked reluctant to leave Bethany's side, but the silent plea in Hermione's eyes convinced them, and they rose from their seats by Bethany's head, and followed Hermione into the main ward.

"Madam Pomfrey?" Hermione asked quietly. "Is there somewhere we can have a private conversation?"

Madam Pomfrey glanced up from checking over the real Mad-Eye Moody. "You may use my office if you wish, Miss Granger."

"Thank you." Hermione retrieved the transcript from her bag and led the two woman in to the office, looking around carefully to check for any portraits that could report back to the Headmaster.

There were none, so she locked and Silenced the door, before turning to face them.

"What's wrong, Hermione?" Mandy asked.

"Nothing's wrong," Hermione assured her, as Lily appeared beside her. "There's just a few things you should know. First of all, I'm an Empath."

Unlike when she told Ron and Ginny, there was no sudden spike of emotion in the air. Both women simple smiled at her, as though they already knew.

"Sirius told us that much while we were waiting in Dumbledore's office," Arabella told her gently. "He also said there was something else, but that was when you arrived."

Hermione nodded, taking a deep breath. "Okay, well, there's really only one way to do this. James and Lily are alive."

Beside her, Lily burst out laughing at the looks of utter shock and disbelief on their faces. "Okay, they win."

"Aunt Lily!" Hermione protested. "They're in shock; I don't blame them!"

"Hermione," Arabella said weakly, "did you just say what I think you said?"

"They're alive," Hermione repeated, handing them the transcript. "I used a Dicta-Quill."

Mandy took the parchment with a trembling hand, and Arabella read over her shoulder.

"Addie …" Arabella murmured, tears springing to her eyes.

Mandy sniffled, wiping her eyes. "I just can't … How did we not realise?"

"It's not your fault," Hermione said, a split-second before Lily did. "Why wouldn't you assume all investigations had been completed?"

"Well, yes," Mandy agreed, "but we still …" she trailed off, her gaze travelling to the door. "Do you hear that?"

Hermione frowned, flicking her wand at the door. "Keep it to yourselves for now; they don't want anyone else to know yet. Finite Incantatem."

Raised voices were approaching the Hospital Wing. Silently agreeing to put the discussion on hold, the three left Pomfrey's office to see that the Weasleys were on their feet, staring at the doors.

"They'll wake her if they don't shut up," Arabella hissed, moving to Bethany's side as she began to shift. She ran a hand through her messy hair, humming under her breath, and the girl stilled almost instantly.

"What are they shouting about?" Ron asked. "Nothing else can have happened, can it?"

"Oh, it can't have done," Hermione said, moving to Bethany's side.

"That's Fudge's voice," Mrs Weasley whispered. "And Minerva McGonagall's, isn't it?"

"It is," Mandy agreed, her voice thick with unshed tears. "But why they're arguing, I don't know."

"Regrettable, but all the same Minerva …"

"You should never have brought it inside the castle!"

The doors to the Hospital Wing burst open, causing everyone to jump. Padfoot jumped down from the bed to sit at Hermione's heels as she sunk into a chair beside Bethany, overcome by a sudden surge of anger.

Cornelius Fudge stormed in, McGonagall and Snape at his heels. "Where is Dumbledore?!" He demanded.

"Minister, this is a Hospital Wing!" Mrs Weasley protested. "And he's not here - don't you think you should …"

"What happened?" Dumbledore interrupted, sweeping in with a swirl of purple robes. "Minister, why are you disturbing these people? Minerva, I'm surprised at you - I asked you to stand guard over Barty Crouch …"

"There's no need to stand guard over him anymore, Headmaster!" McGonagall shrieked. "The Minister as seen to that!"

Hermione swallowed nervously. She had never seen her Head of House lose control like this. Her hair was coming loose from its normally tight bun, her fists were clenched, and she was almost shaking with fury.

"When we told Minister Fudge that we had caught the Death Eater responsible for tonight's events," Snape explained, far more contained, but sounding no less angry, "he seemed to feel his own personal safety was in question. He insisted on summoning a Dementor to accompany him into the castle."

"I told him you would not agree!" McGonagall added. "I told him you would never allow Dementors to set foot inside the castle, but …"

"My dear woman!" Fudge interrupted. "As Minister of Magic, it is my decision whether I wish to bring protection with me when interviewing a potentially dangerous …"

McGonagall's voice drowned him out. "The moment that … that … thing entered the room, it swooped down on Barty Crouch and … and …"

Hermione shuddered, ice flooding her veins. Padfoot whimpered at her feet, and she bent down to stroke his head, feeling him trembling.

Luckily, she didn't need eye contact to simply push words into someone's head. It's alright. You're alright. They won't come near you. It's gone now.

Again, she wasn't entirely sure he could hear her, but he definitely seemed to relax, at least physically.

"By all accounts, he is no loss!" Fudge blustered, ignoring everyone else in the room. "He was a raving lunatic! From what Minerva and Severus tell me, he seemed to think he was doing it all on You-Know-Who's instructions!"

Hermione closed her eyes, tuning out the rest of the conversation. The emotions swirling in the air were telling her more than words ever would.

Fudge was scared.

Terrified.

And he was so scared, that he was going to bury his head in the sand and pretend that the scary thing didn't exist, so it would go away.

By the time Fudge stormed out of the Infirmary, all that had been established was that Fudge believed every word Rita Skeeter had ever written, and that there was no way Voldemort could possibly have returned.

Bethany had woken up and joined in with gusto - Hermione had to hold Padfoot back when Fudge suggested that Bethany's word wasn't good enough, and Bill had to jump in to keep Mandy and Arabella from cursing the man, when he insisted that Bethany was either delusional or attention-seeking.

In the aftermath, the Infirmary was left in a stunned silence.

"Skeeter should be arrested for aiding and abetting," Bill said finally.

"Be fair," Fred said, a little scathingly. "You'd have to be an idiot to believe anything that cow writes."

"Fred," Hermione said softly, seeing Mrs Weasley flinch.

Dumbledore sighed heavily. "There is work to be done. Molly, am I right in assuming that I can count on you and Arthur?"

Mrs Weasley's eyes were wet with tears, fear encircling her like a black cloud. When she spoke, however, her voice was firm and steady. "You can. We know what Fudge is. It's Arthur's fondness for Muggles that has held him back all these years. Fudge thinks he lacks proper wizarding pride."

"Then I need to send a message to Arthur," Dumbledore said. "All those that we can persuade of the truth must be notified immediately, and he is well-placed to contact others at the Ministry."

"You'll have at least two other Heads of Department, Headmaster," Mandy said softly. "Amos won't take this lying down. He may not actively join the cause, but … he can't ignore this. He can't."

"That's only one," Arabella said. "Who's the other?"

Mandy allowed herself a self-satisfied smirk. "Well, you may know that Ludo Bagman was under investigation. Turns out that Bagman was in a lot of trouble with the goblins; he was trying to rig certain games to pay them off. They left him in place to finish commentating, but as of two hours ago, he is officially unemployed and officially the goblins' problem. So you are looking at the new Head of the Department of Magical Games and Sports."

Arabella gaped at her. "Wow … Congratulations - I wasn't expecting that."

"Neither was I," Mandy admitted, before looking back at Dumbledore. "I'll see what I can do, Albus, but I'm not leaving Bethany's side just yet."

"Dad can handle it," Bill assured her. "I'll go and tell him now."

"Excellent. Tell him what happened," Dumbledore instructed. "Tell him I will be in direct contact with him shortly. He will need to be discreet, however. If Fudge thinks I am interfering in the Ministry …"

"Leave it to me." Bill slipped his cloak on and kissed Ginny and his mother, before shaking Dumbledore's hand and leaving the Hospital Wing.

"Minerva, I want to see Hagrid in my office in an hour. Madame Maxime as well, if she wouldn't mind."

Professor McGonagall nodded, her lips still very thin, and swept out of the room.

"Poppy," Dumbledore said, "would you be so kind as to go up to Professor Moody's office, where I think you will find a house-elf called Winky, in considerable distress. Do what you can for her, and then take her down to the kitchens - Dobby will look after her for us."

Madam Pomfrey looked very confused, but did as she was told, whereupon Professor Dumbledore closed the doors carefully, and made sure Madam Pomfrey was out of earshot.

"Now it is time for two of our number to recognise each other for what they are. Sirius?"

Mandy put a gently hand on Bethany's shoulder, preventing her from getting up, and she and Arabella rounded the hospital bed to stand in front of Hermione.

"Molly's pretty handy with a wand if she thinks her children are threatened," Arabella explained to Hermione in an undertone, under the pretence of scratching Padfoot's ears. "Go on, Padfoot. We've got you covered."

Padfoot lifted his head, uncurled himself from Hermione's feet and reared up on to his hind leg, turning back into a man.

Molly screamed and jumped to her feet. "Sirius Black!"

"Mum!" Ron yelled, diving in front of her. "It's okay!"

"He's innocent, Mum," Ginny added, grabbing her arm. "Really he is!"

Snape looked furious. "Him?!"

"He is here by my invitation," Dumbledore said calmly. "As are you, Severus. I trust you both."

Sirius rolled his sleeves up, revealing unblemished forearms, completely bare of the Dark Mark Snape had shown them earlier, in an attempt to get Fudge to see reason. "I never gave you a reason not to."

Dumbledore gave him a stern look. "It is time for you to lay aside your old differences and trust each other."

Neither man moved, rigidly glaring at each other. Just like in the Shrieking Shack the year before, it was hard to tell which face held more loathing.

More than once, Hermione had to tighten her Empathy as the stand-off continued. Finally, she let out a sign and lightly nudged the back of Sirius's leg with her foot.

He glanced back, his face softening at her pleading look, and stepped forward reluctantly, his hand outstretched.

Snape regarded him for a moment, then shook his hand briefly, letting go as quickly as possible.

"Now, Sirius, I want you to wait for me in my office," Dumbledore told him. "Miss Granger, I want you to go with him."

"Me, sir?" Hermione asked, startled.

"You," Dumbledore confirmed. "The password is Drooble's Best-Blowing Gum."

Hermione was utterly bewildered, but she didn't query the request. Sirius at least seemed to have some idea about what Dumbledore was going to ask of him, but the sidelong glance he threw in her direction told her that he too had no idea what her role was going to be in it.

Nevertheless, he nodded, sitting on the edge of Bethany's bed. "Beth, I have a feeling that what Dumbledore wants will take me away from Hogwarts. Mandy and Arabella will stay with you, but I must to what I can. You understand, don't you?"

Bethany nodded, and Sirius hugged her tightly, kissing her hair. "Take care, kiddo." He stood up, and Mandy moved to embrace him.

"Take care of yourself," she whispered.

"Always, Talon." Sirius kissed her forehead, whispered something too quiet for Hermione to hear, and released her. He clapped Ron on the shoulder, shook Ginny's hand, offered a still shell-shocked Mrs Weasley a sheepish smile, and transformed back into the large black dog.

"Mione?" Ron asked.

Hermione shrugged silently, kissed Fred on the cheek, and followed Padfoot out of the Hospital Wing, up the first flight of stairs to the third floor.

The Dementor had clearly left by now, but the cold chill remained, and Hermione shivered as they reached the gargoyle.

She gave it the password, and they stopped on to the moving staircase, to be enveloped almost immediately in comforting warmth.

Once they were safely in the empty office, Sirius transformed and collapsed on to one of the sofas with a groan. "We just can't catch a break, can we?"

Hermione didn't answer - she knew he didn't expect one. She paced around the office, examining all of the strange silver instruments on the desks. A few she recognised from books, but most were bizarre and unfamiliar.

"So the Weasley twin …"

"Fred," Hermione corrected.

"Fred. How long's that been going on?"

"Since the Yule Ball," Hermione answered. "Don't make it a thing."

"Who's making it a thing?" Sirius asked innocently. "You happy?"

Hermione faltered. "I mean, I'm not very happy at this moment in time, but with Fred, yes, I'm happy."

"That's what I meant," Sirius said gently. "Beth … she didn't just go to the Yule Ball with Diggory, did she?"

Hermione shook her head. "No, they've been together since just before. This is going to … I don't even think it's hit her yet."

"Does she love him?" Sirius asked.

Hermione pulled a face. "She does, but I don't think she'd acknowledged it yet. She's … funny, when it comes to things like that."

Sirius frowned. "Things like what?"

Hermione shrugged. "Love. Affection. Jess has done her best, but the Dursleys are …" she trailed off, unable to find an appropriate word.

Sirius nodded, the frown darkening. "Did he love her?"

"Yes," Hermione answered with absolute certainty. "I don't think he'd told her that, because she would have told me, but … He did, Padfoot." She wiped at her eyes. "It's not fair."

"Hermione …"

"What does this one do?" Hermione asked, pointing to a strange spiralled item that looked like a metallic dog had left it.

"No idea," Sirius answered, not even bothering to look to see which one she meant. "I think the only person that knows what they all do is Dumbledore, and even then James and I had a bet going. I'm convinced half of them don't actually do anything."

"And I'm fairly sure he's going to win," James added, appearing beside Hermione. "Lily stayed with Bethany," he added, "but I want to know what Dumbledore wants.:

Hermione glanced up as the door to the office opened again, and Dumbledore entered. She could tell this would be a more relaxed visit than the last when he offered them a sherbet lemon.

"Now," Dumbledore said, once both had declined, "unfortunately, Fudge's attitude, whilst deplorable, is not entirely unexpected." He turned to Hermione. "Miss Granger, what is discussed in here is of the utmost secrecy. You cannot tell anyone, not even Miss Potter and Mr Weasley, at least for the moment."

Hermione nodded. "Of course, Headmaster."

"Good. During the last war, it became apparent to some of us that the Ministry was, perhaps, not doing as much to stop Voldemort as they could have been, despite all appearances to the contrary," Dumbledore said. "Prejudice and corruption had infiltrated the Ministry and were sitting right at the heart of it."

"Still are, judging by the names Beth gave us," Sirius muttered.

"I founded an organisation," Dumbledore continued, as though he hadn't spoken, "called the Order of the Phoenix to combat Voldemort in secret."

"A sort of underground resistance," Sirius added. "We all joined as soon as we graduated."

Hermione nodded slowly. She had heard rumours of such an organisation, and it certainly explained why Mandy was in Albania when James and Lily were attacked - she had been a MGS junior at the time, there was no reason for her to go to Albania.

And the way Sirius had worded it made her think it hadn't been a holiday.

"Sirius, I want you to go and alert Remus, and then lie low at Headquarters. Miss Granger, I want you to accompany him. I will have your trunk sent ahead, of course."

Hermione's mouth fell open, but it was Sirius who spoke. "Headmaster, she's underage! You can't really be suggesting …"

"I do not intend Miss Granger to join the Order of the Phoenix," Dumbledore assured him. "The Order remains solely for wixen who have left school. However, I would like her to be there for the first part of the first meeting, so she can help us explain your innocence."

"Couldn't you do that, Sir?" Sirius asked, concern lacing his voice. "There's another week of term left."

"But the exams have finished," Hermione said softly. "And I was actually there in the Shack. I saw Peter. Next to Bethany, I've got the next best chance of convincing them. But … I don't really want to leave Beth either, not after what's happened."

"I would also like you to have some company at Headquarters, Sirius," Dumbledore said gravely. "With your permission …?"

Sirius took the slip of parchment Dumbledore held out, a look of puzzlement on his face. "Why would you need my …?" He froze, staring at the parchment in his hand.

"Sirius?" Hermione asked, alarmed by the sudden paling of his face, and the panic rising in the air. "Padfoot?"

"I do not want Hermione anywhere near that place," Sirius said hoarsely. "Not unless you plan on completely fumigating it first. And you can't possibly ask me to go back there!"

"Sirius, the house has been abandoned since 1985," Dumbledore said patiently, "and there is a house-elf, is there not?"

Sirius grimaced. "Albus, if that house-elf has done any actual work since then, I will be very surprised."

"And," Dumbledore continued, as though he hadn't spoken, "as a former Auror, I'm sure you are more than a match for anything that might be in that house."

Sirius still didn't look happy, but he nodded reluctantly. "Is it safe?"

"As I said, Cornelius's position in this is not entirely unexpected," Dumbledore answered. "I have already taken the liberty of casting the Fidelius Charm. I am the Secret Keeper. If you would prefer we use somewhere else …"

"No," Sirius said with a sigh. "No, it is the perfect place. I'm still not happy about Hermione being there though."

"Go with him, Hermione," James urged, looking over Sirius's shoulder. "I don't know what Dumbledore's playing at, but I don't want him there alone."

"I can handle it," Hermione insisted, holding out her hand for the piece of parchment. "That's the address, right?"

Sirius hesitated for a second more, then handed it over with a sigh.

Scribbled on the parchment, in Dumbledore's loopy, narrow handwriting, were the words The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, London.

"You will need to keep that safe," Dumbledore told her. "Remus will need to see it before he can see the house. If you could ask him to gather the old crowd, Sirius, the first meeting will be on Saturday at 11 o'clock. Good luck."

"We'll need it," Sirius muttered, standing up. "I'll try and get a meeting room useable by Saturday, Headmaster, but I make no promises." He shook Dumbledore's hand, and turned to Hermione. "Beaky's hiding in the Forest. Go and say goodbye to Bethany and Ron, and I'll meet you down there."

Hermione nodded and waited for Sirius to transform, before letting them out of the office. They split up on the first floor, Padfoot loping left towards the marble staircase, Hermione running right to the Infirmary.

She burst in just as Mandy was about to give Bethany another Dreamless Sleep Potion. "Hang on!"

"Miss Granger!" Madam Pomfrey protested.

"Sorry," Hermione said breathlessly, "but I'm leaving early; need to say goodbye."

"Leaving?" Bethany and Fred repeated, with varying levels of surprise.

Hermione perched on Bethany's mattress, pulling her into a gentle hug. "Try and get enough sleep, Beth; I'll explain everything soon." She kissed her cheek, and rose to hug Ron as well, who looked uncharacteristically concerned.

"Where are you going?" He asked immediately.

"You'll find out soon enough." Hermione took Fred's hands. "Look after Beth for me, please?"

"Of course." Fred's eyes flickered towards his mother for a second, then drew her into a soft kiss. "Be safe, yeah?"

"Always." Hermione hugged him tightly, then hugged Ginny, Mandy and Arabella, and then left the Infirmary, and a very confused group of people.

As she reached the ground floor, she ran - literally - into Draco Malfoy, who steadied her, looked furtively up and down the corridor, and dragged her into the nearest alcove.

"He's back."

For the first time in four years, his usually well-crafted mask was nowhere to be found, and Hermione looked into eyes filled with trepidation.

"I know," she said softly. "Beth told us. They won't make you take the Mark, will they?"

"I don't think so," Draco answered, his right hand gripping his left arm almost unconsciously. "Not yet, at least. Mother wouldn't let me. But I … I need to get out."

Hermione didn't need an Empath to know how much that statement cost him. "I'll talk to people over summer and let you know. Be careful."

With an apologetic smile, she took off for the doors, running full-tilt towards the Forest. She reached the cover of trees in a matter of minutes - a personal record - and slowed to a jog, trying to catch her breath.

A low whistle caught her attention, and she slipped between a few trees to see Sirius standing with Buckbeak. She met the hippogriff's large eyes and bowed. He bowed back, and she patted his neck, still breathing heavily.

"Ready?" Sirius asked.

"As I'll ever be," Hermione said, pulling a face. "I hate flying."

"It is a strange experience, I'll give you that," Sirius admitted, "but do you really think I'd let you fall?"

Hermione smiled at that. "Of course not. I'm still afraid of heights though."

Sirius frowned. "That's strange. You never had a problem when you were a baby. I used to take you up on my bike; you loved it."

Hermione shrugged. "When I was four, I fell down the stairs. I remember looking down and thinking how high up we were, and then I fell. I guess that's where it started."

"You fell," Sirius repeated. "By accident?"

Hermione averted her gaze. "As far as I'm aware. I don't really … remember falling. Just waking up in hospital. Mum insisted I'd fallen."

Sirius took a deep breath. "Okay, well, we're not going to fall today. Would you rather sit in front of me or behind me?"

"In front," Hermione said. "I feel like that's marginally safer."

Sirius helped her on to Buckbeak's back. "Just remember that there's no difference between falling ten thousand feet and falling out of bed."

"Really?" Hermione asked as he jumped up behind her.

"Really," Sirius confirmed. He paused, gathering the makeshift reins. "At least until the landing."

Hermione blanched, leaning back against him. "Right, thanks for that."

"Sorry," Sirius said sheepishly. "Ready?"

"No," Hermione said, "but I never will be."

"Alright then. Off we go." Sirius nudged Buckbeak's flank with his heels, and the hippogriff tossed his head, before breaking into a gallop.

Great wings rose beneath them, Hermione squeezed her eyes tightly shut, and they took off, soaring into the night.