AN: I do not own Harry Potter.

Chapter 13: The Express

The greatest ex-Auror in living memory, one-time professor, and original member of the Order of the Phoenix, Alastor "Mad-eye" Moody growled something under his breath as he passed her a slip of parchment. Hermione took it and noticed the deep scarring on the back of his hand. She'd never noticed them before. On the parchment was a location. Number 12, Girmmauld Place, London, written in nearly illegibly small handwriting. London had a distinctive, overly flourished look to it. Moody snatched the parchment from her hand before she could inspect it further.

As she looked up, Crookshanks squirmed in her arms. As if by magic, a townhome magically appeared before her, pushing the other residences out of the way to make room. Dark bricks cascaded outward as windows and a large black door appeared. It looked like every other dilapidated home on the street. She shot an accusing look at Moody, who was inspecting the burning parchment in his palm.

"No traces," he grumbled to her. "Move quickly and wrap your knuckle twice on the center of the door, pause, then once more," he instructed as he waved his wand around them.

Her parents had not liked Alastor Moody showing up to Side-Along Apparate her to the Order of the Phoenix's hideout. It took a lot of explaining before they'd let the ex-professor take their daughter away. On the one hand, she was annoyed with them, but on the other, she felt loved. Her annoyance was much higher then, but she'd had time to reflect on what they saw from a Muggle's perspective.

When the door opened, Remus Lupin peered out at them, his wand drawn. "Hermione," he whispered. "Mad-eye."

"I need to be going. Arthur's going to have to switch soon," the ex-Auror said, his tone curt. "Her luggage."

Hermione watched as her many school things were unceremoniously conjured and dumped on the floor in the entranceway of Sirius' Ancestral Family Home.

"Sorry, things are strange in the Ministry at the moment, and we can't leave Arthur alone for long," her other ex-professor apologized as he waved his wand. Her things gathered themselves up and slowly floated toward the stairwell. "Sirius' mother is more active, so please keep your voice down."

Hermione nodded and closed the door behind her. She felt a shiver of magic as something clicked into place. It was faint but it left a buzzing sensation on her skin for a brief second. Her eyes immediately went to the severed House-elf heads high on the wall in the entranceway. She wished Mrs. Weasley would take the ghastly display down. Once they were away from the front door and where Walburga Black's portrait hung behind thick curtains, she asked, "is everyone, okay? Have you heard from Harry or Sirius?"

Lupin stopped and took a deep breath. "I know Ginny's been trying to keep you informed, but no. We haven't heard anything. What's worse is that everything seems to have gone quiet in France. An Ambassador for the French Ministry is here in Britain to talk to Fudge, but we aren't sure why." He paused and looked around as if someone could be hiding in the dark shadows of the creepy house. "There is a warding that spans the entire English Channel. Sirius is smart and he'll get Harry across, but until then, he's out of reach. Even to Dobby."

Hermione blinked. Several half-formed theories tumbled around in her mind's eye. "Why couldn't… oh, Harry told him to stay here, didn't he?" she sighed.

"No. Harry didn't order Dobby. The magical connection is the limiting factor. Harry isn't an adult. What he can and can't do with his… bond is limited. He'll need to be in Britain and past the wardings to contact us through Dobby. That's what Dumbledore told Sirius anyway."

"So… we don't… I don't know. We can't send anyone?" she asked, grasping for anything. She'd had a long time to think about her friend's situation.

"Dumbledore sent a skilled American Auror that knows Harry… at least in passing. His citizenship is a little bit of a gray area, so he must be careful. He's in France looking for them."

She supposed that was all they could do. If things were silent. She didn't want to think about what would happen if he or Sirius were captured or killed. "Is everyone upstairs?" she asked, trying to distract her treacherous thoughts.

"Not everyone. Bill got in touch with Arthur. He's back in the country and has taken some time off work. No one trusts the Floo. So, things are a little strained across the country. He took Molly, Ginny, and Ron to Diagon Alley in Arthur's car. Fred and George are upstairs… somewhere. They've been working hard on their joke shop products. Molly is less than pleased, but you know the twins."

Hermione tried to smile. She knew a little from Andromeda that things were tense in the Wizarding World. They'd stopped her from visiting through the Floo. She missed the conversations but she needed to spend time with her parents before returning to school. A sudden thought struck her. "Did Arthur figure out what was haunting the Ministry?"

Lupin's expression changed. His eyelids drooped, and his mouth turned down, making the scars across his face lengthen. "No. At least, nothing that he can take to the Aurors. Whatever is going on, it isn't the Mad Potioneer."

She pursed her lips. "Why was Moody so… moody? He seems…" she mused as she tried to describe what she'd seen.

Lupin's soft brown eyes sparkled. "Moody does tend to be rather moody," he smiled. "Things are… not going well within the Ministry. I'm not going to worry you with the details, but we're making sure everyone has someone to watch their back… when we can. I can't walk around the Ministry, and a few of the others can't either. But all precautions are taken."

Hermione didn't like how Lupin skirted around her question, but she supposed she didn't need to know everything. That was, of course, silly. The more information she had, the more she could potentially help or spot something the others hadn't seen. However, she was going to Hogwarts in a day and supposed it was best to focus on her studies. "Shall I go up?" she asked as the silence stretched on.

"He'll have to go back to Hogwarts."

Hermione understood immediately. Just then, she didn't care about Harry's feelings on the matter. If he was back home and safe, then he could just deal with going back to a school that really wasn't as bad as he made it out to be. "Good."

Lupin arched an eyebrow at her. She just knew he agreed with her but didn't say so aloud. "Has anyone seen to Kreacher?"

"I try to spend time with him, but… well, he's been acting oddly. Something about this place," he muttered.

"It's creepy," she said with what she hoped was a smile.

"Quite. Now, let's get you settled in. Bill, Moody, and I will take you to the Express tomorrow. We'll be meeting with Augusta Longbottom at the station and move together. Better safe than sorry. The Mad Potioneer hasn't done anything in a bit, and everyone's on edge."

-X-X-X-X-

Fred and George already knew about her Prefect Badge and the responsibility and authority it would bring her. They jokingly teased her about trying to find their stash to confiscate. She stared them down. "If you disrupt the learning of others, then I will shut you down," she stated calmly. A look in their eyes told her that they understood despite their never-failing smiles.

Ginny was happy to see her, but something else was happening with her best friend. She looked paler than normal, and there were bags under her eyes. They didn't get a chance to talk much as Mrs. Weasley took charge of everyone as soon as she returned from Diagon Alley. It was clear she hadn't liked being cooped up in the car for so long.

"Hermione, dear, would you pass me the serving dish?"

Somehow, Hermione and Ginny had been tricked into helping out with making dinner. Lupin was nearby and had offered to help several times, but Mrs. Weasley refused. She was perfectly happy if he helped; it would let her talk with Ginny.

After dinner, they finally got time to themselves. "It really is wonderful to see you," Hermione said as she hugged her friend. Ginny's shoulders felt stiff, so she pulled back. "What's going on?"

"Sorry, it's just my… time. I'm not doing well with it… and with no one able to help Harry," Ginny sniffed. She held her stomach and breathed slowly. "Mum said I'm being silly, but… I'm having trouble sleeping."

Ginny's near obsession with Harry wasn't new, but there was a quality to her confident friend that she didn't like. "You know he and Sirius are more than capable of getting back," she lied.

Her friend gave her a familiar look. "They're wizards and don't think things through," she argued, but she did have a smile. It was something. "It's not just that. I know how bad it was for him at Hogwarts. With everything going on… Mum said he'd have to return or get his wand snapped. The fact that no one knows anything about what's happened in France. Did you know they heard there'd been some massive battle… well… maybe not massive… but magic was involved. No one said Harry and Sirius' name… but," she sighed as the fire in her voice faded.

"They will be okay," Hermione reiterated.

"I don't want to go back either. Professor Lupin has been showing me the things he taught Harry last year. I wish I could just stay with him, Mum, and Dad. I'd learn loads more than what they're teaching up at the castle."

Hermione privately disagreed, but she didn't say anything. Ginny was in a mood where she needed to unload everything on her mind, and obviously, talking to her mother hadn't helped before. She would be there for her.

They talked through the night and went to bed late. Mrs. Weasley was not amused when Ginny took forever to get up, dress, and finally get her things ready to go. Mad-eye wouldn't be able to help escort them. Something had happened in the Ministry the previous night, but Mrs. Weasley, Bill, and Lupin were saying what when she gently probed for more information.

The car ride was not fun. Eight people and all their trunks crammed into the blue Ford Anglia made for an uncomfortable ride. Bill drove with Mrs. Weasley and Ron in the front seat. He'd lost the game of exploding snap the previous night while Hermione and Ginny were talking. Fred and George crammed into the left side of the car while Lupin took the middle seat. Hermione and Ginny crammed into the right side. The space within the magically enlarged car wouldn't have been a problem if all their trunks and school things could have fit in the trunk.

Crookshanks purred on her lap. Fred and George joked and talked with Bill or Lupin. Ron grumbled and stared out the window as Mrs. Weasley sat perfectly still, staring out the window in front of her.

"Did I hear you speaking to Fleur?" she asked after long silence. She might have whispered, but the car went silent at the wrong time.

Hermione and Ginny exchange looks. There was only one Fleur they knew.

"Yeah, did you?" one of the twins smirked.

"I did," Bill answered, his tone clipped.

"That's nice," his mother responded with a glance behind her. Hermione thought her scowl might have been directed at the twins, but it seemed to take them all in. "Are you…"

"We're simply talking. I'm helping her improve her English."

Ginny hissed something under her breath so low that Hermione couldn't tell what it was. She glanced at her friend, but her face showed nothing of her thoughts.

"You know, she said Harry might have been the real champion. Not Cedric," Bill announced as he expertly moved the steering wheel. Everyone in the car leaned right and Ron grunted as Mrs. Weasley shifted on her seat.

Ginny went very still, her eyes locked on the back of her oldest brother's head. Hermione fought back a smile.

"Cedric Diggory returned with the Cup," Lupin said, his voice oddly serious. She looked at him. "Harry doesn't need any more trouble when he gets back. In the eyes of the Ministry, Cedric won."

Bill grunted. "No one knows what happened," he said as he locked eyes with the ex-professor in the rearview mirror. "I suppose that might be for the best."

"For now, it is."

The car lapsed into silence for a short time. Then one of the twins broke wind, loudly. Hermione sighed, holding her nose as a rather odious smell filled the vehicle.

-X-X-X-X-

When they got to King's Cross Station, it took a while for Bill and Lupin to secure everyone's luggage to five trolleys. Mrs. Weasley wouldn't let them out of her sight until everyone was ready to move together. It gave Hermione plenty of time to watch the people coming and going. It was busy, with many Londoners rushing to and fro. However, there were small knots of oddly dressed Muggles. A few might have been some sort of medieval resonance reenactors, but the vast majority had to be from the Wizarding Community.

She'd never seen so many out-of-place people. It only confirmed what she suspected. No one used the Floo Network unless it was absolutely necessary. She knew Mrs. Weasley asked Bill to take them to Diagon Alley, but to see others do it too made her shiver. It wouldn't be just returning students, either. Every magical child over eleven and under the age of majority would be attending Hogwarts. She'd read the headline article that morning that several magical families simply left Britain. The Daily Prophet spared nothing to preserve Fudge's image.

"The Ministry has prepared for the influx of new students and… the unsafe conditions of the Floo. Just follow my lead, and we'll meet Arthur near the platform," Mrs. Weasley instructed them all before heading off.

Hermione and Ginny exchanged looks before following. Lupin took up the rear while Bill walked with his mother. The adult's eyes never stayed in one spot. Mrs. Weasley stood ramrod straight as she clutched something in her handbag. As the large group passed other travelers, they got curious glances, mostly for the owl in hers and Ron's cages on top of the large trunks. Her eyes fell on a very familiar trunk on Ron's trolley. One of Harry's Severing Charms had taken the top corner off his trunk. She hadn't realized he'd given his old one to Ron.

His missing presence was palpable for her as they moved close together through the busy station. A strange man in a long coat stomped past a conspicuous group of men and women in dark clothing. Something about the stranger made her stop and stare. It was the way he stomped heavily on his left leg. She squinted at his face, but it was that of a young man with dark hair.

"Keep up with the others," Lupin whispered. "I see you spotted Alastor."

She nodded and quickly moved up with the others. Polyjuice Potion only went so far. The enchanted disguise might regrow a limb for most, but not if it had been cursed off. As they went deeper into the station, she saw more tell-tale signs of witches and wizards trying to blend in as Muggles. The entire Auror Office seemed to be covering King's Cross for the day. She spotted Rufus Scrimgeour talking to Kingsley Shacklebolt with two unfamiliar faces as they moved toward Platform Nine and Three-quarters. Everyone except those in the Wizarding World seemed to ignore the turn that would lead them down Platform Nine. A young girl, barely older than five, waved to an older witch who wore a severe frown, standing by a ticket booth.

Mrs. Weasley ushered everyone onto Platform Nine, her smile tight. "Arthur will be here any moment to see you off," she told Ginny. The youngest Weasely wore a deep frown.

Two wizards stood on either side of the barrier to the Hogwarts Express. They glared at the group. "Bill," a deep voice said. Bill and Mrs. Weasley turned to see the Head of the Auror office make his way over. Rufus Scrimgeour's eyes inspected each face in their party. His eyes tightened as he locked eyes with Lupin. "I would like to extend my offer again, now that you're away from the… representative from Gringotts."

"Sorry, sir, but I won't be joining the Aurors. I wish to enjoy my time off with my family," Bill quickly said as he shifted on his feet. His hand relaxed near his waist, and he seemed to bounce on the balls of his feet.

Hermione felt suddenly unsure of what was going on. There was definitely something that happened. Bill was in a traditional dueling stance. She'd seen Harry practice it enough. Ginny's arm pressed up against hers. It took her a moment to realize she'd been the one to move. Fred and George were no longer smiling as they stared at the two wizards by the platform.

"Arthur is bringing Harry then?" Scrimgeour said into the lengthening silence.

"No," Lupin slowly said. "As you're aware."

"I don't have time for this," a crisp, aged voice called from near the ticket booth. Augusta Longbottom, Neville trailing behind her, stomped past Scrimgeour and nearly knocked him aside if he hadn't expertly moved out of the way. "Sorry, old age and all that," she said as she moved past the Aurors guarding the barrier.

Mrs. Weasley took Fred, or George, by the arm and marched them through the barrier on the heels of the older witch. Lupin gently pushed Hermione's arm, but she was already pushing her trolley toward the barrier.

Once the group was on the other side, Augusta said something to Neville before marching back the way she'd come with a fixed expression. Hermione wanted to be well away from whatever she had planned.

"Gran's gone to stall them," Neville sighed as he flashed them all a weak smile.

"Right, Arthur will just have to catch up," Mrs. Weasley declared as she strode toward the Hogwarts Express.

Hermione thought things were chaotic in previous years. Nothing could have prepared her for the sheer number of people on the magical platform. New young faces wore black robes without house crests, and barely polite older witches and wizards glared at anyone who would meet their gaze. It was clear Fudge's decree hadn't made many of the parents happy.

Mrs. Weasley, Bill, and Lupin saw them off with minimal fuss and few hugs. Ginny and Neville led the way through the first and second carriages as they headed toward the back of the train. The sheer number of students in the corridors and filling up the compartments made her feel claustrophobic.

"Hey, aren't there more compartments than before?" Neville asked as he stopped to look around. Ginny almost ran into him. When Hermione turned to look back up the corridor, she realized the twins and Ron were gone.

"I wasn't paying attention," Ginny muttered.

Unable to do a quick count of compartments, Hermione turned back around and followed the others. It certainly felt like it took longer to get through each train car, but she couldn't remember how many compartments there were in previous years.

Finding a compartment with only one person already in it took a while. The young woman, who might have been a third or fourth year, had short straw-colored hair. Her dark eyes looked them over. "Hello," she greeted softly.

"Hey," Ginny said as she peered around. "Can we join you?"

The witch's eyebrows knitted together. "I don't see why not. I don't exactly have company at the moment."

There was a quality to her voice that gave Hermione pause. She greeted their compartment mate as Neville waved. They put their things in the overhead racks and settled on the opposite side.

"Which school did you come from?" Hermione asked when the silence lingered for too long.

"Malivan's School for Transfigurative Studies."

Neville shifted in his seat. "Gran talked about your head…mistress. She knew… er… her when they went to school together," he said haltingly.

The young witch turned to him and frowned. "Do I bother you?"

Hermione sat up, confused by the sudden hostile tone.

"No," Neville said, his tone odd, almost gentle. "After Gran explained why we are free to choose the most pleasing form, I understood."

They stared at each other for a time. Hermione glanced at Ginny, who looked as lost as she felt. As she was about to ask a question, the witch said. "My name is Gal Marcross, formally Galen Marcross. I am a transitioned witch," she said as she looked sharply at Hermione and Ginny.

It took her a moment to realize what Gal was saying. "Oh, well, that's not a problem at all. I don't think you'll have any problem at Hogwarts either," Ginny said quickly. "My name is Ginny, a fourth-year."

"My name is Hermione Granger. I'm Muggle-born," Hermione said softly. "I don't have a problem with being… a transitioning witch?" she said. She'd never considered a wizard being a witch or a witch becoming a wizard before.

Gal looked her over. "Thank you," she smiled. Her eyes flicked over them. "Are you all… fourth-years? We have a slightly different system at Malivan's."

"We're fifth-years," Neville said as he gestured to himself and Hermione. "Ron, who is Ginny's brother, is also a fifth-year… so is our other friend who isn't here."

An uncomfortable silence fell over the compartment. "Well, I suppose I'm going to be a fourth-year as well," she said as she looked at Ginny. "What do we… uh… do?"

With something to talk about, all three of them launched into what to expect at Hogwarts. Every once in a while, someone would open the door and look in before closing it. It seemed like most people wanted to keep their groups together. They only had two seats open without making the compartment feel cramped.

The train started to move. "That feels later than normal," Neville muttered.

Hermione agreed. They'd been close to late when arriving and had already spent over twenty minutes talking. Finding a compartment hadn't been quick either. "Probably to accommodate all the new students," she said as she peered out their window. There seemed to be something blocking her view, so she sat back.

The door to their compartment opened, and an unwelcome figure stood in the doorway, looking around. Daphne Greengrass, the heiress to the Greengrass House, stood in the doorway. Her blonde hair was tied back with a green and red ribbon. Dark circles were under her eyes, and they didn't appear to be a cosmetic choice.

"Greengrass," Neville greeted.

Daphne looked around the compartment, her eyes narrowing on the two empty places. She looked like she was about to step toward the bench but stopped and turned to Neville. "Longbottom. Please inform your… friend," she hissed as her eyes darted to the empty spots, "that a reply to several letters is the only polite thing to do for someone of our station. It seems he missed those lessons."

Ginny stiffened, and her hands clenched. Hermione patted her hand and opened her mouth, but Neville beat her to the punch.

"Our mutual friend is not here and has not been in the country for several weeks. If he hasn't answered your letters, then there may be a problem on his end… or… he simply doesn't wish to speak to you. While I don't know what happened, it was you who abandoned him," he said sharply.

Hermione stared at Neville. They all did.

"I see," Daphne said softly before withdrawing and closing the door behind her.

"She seems… stressed," Gal said into the silence.

"She is a cow," Ginny spat.

"She is our friend's… ex-girlfriend?" Neville asked with a look at Hermione.

Hermione sighed. "I don't know the particulars of Harry and her relationship or if it has ended," she diplomatically said as she looked at Gal. Their traveling companion seemed amused by Ginny. "Harry and Daphne… dated… I suppose… last term. Things didn't end quite like either of them expected."

Gal's eyebrows creased. "Harry, is the friend missing? What happened, if I may ask," she amended after a second.

Neville and Ginny exchanged looks, but Hermione didn't see the harm in answering truthfully. "He is. The dunderhead went to France and hasn't returned with his guardian."

Ginny snorted, but it sounded off.

"Was there foul play involved?"

Neville shifted on his seat and spoke before she could. "He's rather famous. Harry Potter… and yes, we believe there is a great deal of foul play involved in preventing his return to Britain."

Gal looked at all of them slowly, her eyes wide. "You know… The-Boy-Who-Lived? Seriously? Are you yanking my wand?"

Ginny giggled. "Oh, dear. I hadn't thought of that. Harry's going to have to deal with a whole new group of students who think of him as The-Boy-Who-Lived rather than what he's been having to deal with."

Hermione rolled her eyes. "We are not… yanking your wand, as you put it. Harry Potter is our friend and has been since our first term."

"So… did he… you know… cheat?"

It was precisely the wrong thing to ask around Ginny.