Ancestry 08 - Stupid, Stupid Wizarding World Probelms. by Voracity2

Ancestry 08 - Stupid, Stupid Wizarding World Probelms.

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Ancestry 08 - Stupid, Stupid Wizarding World Probelms.

Draco Malfoy looked at the Quibbler the next day then sighed. "They're forcing them to stay?" he demanded to the paper. "Or stealing them and making them stay? If they want to leave, let them!" His mother snatched the paper to look at.

"That's not usually a reliable source," Lucius said as he buttered his toast point.

"It came from Granger, Father. She was ranting because an auror threatened to have her removed to a foster home because she wants to become a healer." Lucius blinked at him but accepted the paper. "She's going to be in a bad mood for months on end probably. I'll have to warn Pansy to stay away from her in case she starts another fight with the mudblood."

His mother cleared her throat. "I think Pansy would probably have more sense than that."

"Then she loses it every time they pass each other in the hallway," Draco complained. "Like us and Weasley." He ate some of his breakfast, shaking his head. His father handed back the paper after scanning the other stories. Draco went back to reading it. The Prophet was full of mushy bad news that was probably only half right. He paused at the automatic announcements section. "Father?"

"Yes?" he asked patiently. Draco pointed and let him see it. "How did that happen?" he demanded.

Narcissa looked at him. "The story about the Black title being claimed? Sirius probably had an heir, dear." She stared at him. "I asked him to keep Draco in the lineage. He said he's an heir but you know my father hated you." She sipped her tea.

Draco looked at her. "I am?" She nodded. "I did not know that."

"You're probably the secondary heir," she admitted. "My grandfather didn't like women inheriting the titles and my uncle hated your father. Called him worse than slug slime a few times." She looked at Lucius. Then at her son. "He was not pleasant to my father when they met over his proposal.

"My father was fully against it but finally had to agree thanks to all the nagging and begging going on. Sirius had been removed by his mother but not from the actual family, just from the tapestry. He was the primary heir. So if he had an heir it would go to them automatically."

"It didn't say who claimed it. I can ask around." Lucius handed the paper back after looking over all those. "It says the Potter one was also claimed so he's back causing problems. And the Dumass heir ring. Interesting."

"When Potter disappeared a Dumass cousin said that they had him," Draco said, making his father stiffen. "Is it possibly related? We know that Sirius knew his parents and I've head Harry calling him a godfather."

"That wouldn't be a proper heir," Narcissa said. "Though Sirius may have...oh, that makes sense." She and her spouse shared a look. Lucius grimaced. "Is there a picture of Potter recently, son?" He went to look and came back with a paper from the burn pile. She looked and nodded, pointing. "That's a Dumass family crest on the necklace. They wear those instead of the family ring." She let her husband see it. "I'm noticing three other rings."

He stared. "One's probably the Potter one. One may be the Black. The other I can't identify." He handed the paper off to Draco, who put it back. "Charming."

Draco came back. "Dumass, weren't they an ancient family?"

"As old as ours or the Weasley ones," Lucius agreed with a nod, eating another bite of his toast and eggs.

"And cursebreakers, right?" His father paused chewing to consider that and look at his son. "Wasn't the last Dumass named Carnage?"

"He was," Narcissa said, considering it. "He was a fairly famous cursebreaker. In the press. Was hell on a broom in his younger years. Found many great things that were dangerous. He died by a curse though."

"Or he was just cursed," Draco said. "Are we sure it killed him?" She shook her head, sipping her tea. "So he may have met his cursebreaker uncle or whatever?"

"He may have," Lucius agreed. "That shouldn't matter much with how bad your teachers have been."

"Granger gives him books to study outside class, Father." Lucius winced at that. "He's always got at least another defense text somewhere. Has since Remus Lupin taught us. Taking extra lessons most years too." Lucius chewed while he thought about that. "Weasley comes and goes. Granger will mostly stand with him. Though she got tired of Weasley a few times too. I'm betting my allowance for the week that he's learned something from the Dumass family somehow."

"He probably would have if he's smart," Lucius agreed. "Why would he have went looking?"

"Something we joked about second year, Father. Every time Potter touches a book that holds anything about his family it disappears. They had to keep going after their history texts." He stared at him. "Knowing him, he's probably went looking for family things. Stories, pictures, their house."

Lucius winced at that. "So he found them."

"Or somehow they found him." He put his cup of juice down and looked at his father. "Were I Potter I'd want to know about my family so I could chat with them when I join them because I've died of doing Potterish or heroic things. I'd find out all that I could because I'd be missing that connection as he was raised by a magic hating aunt. Heard Weasley going off on that one before third year's summer because he wanted to find a way to not make Potter go back there."

"She hated magic?"

"Hates, she's still alive," Narcissa said. "And yes, she's said to. Her husband as well." Lucius sipped his tea, shaking his head. "Rumors had them trying to flee the school's letters so they had to send Hagrid to gather the boy."

"Yes, and that's how he got his owl," Draco said. "One of the twins mentioned that once in the hall as they walked past me." He looked at his father. "So he's found his family, and his family's full of cursebreakers. He's went after Dumbledore and Fudge for trying to have him killed or just destroyed in Fudge's case.

"It looks like he went after the bank too as the one below that was an announcement that the Dumass clan had recalled all their stolen belongings from the bank. And there's a nasty rumor going around from Greg's father that someone took out some of the goblins for double-crossing their family thanks to them sticking up for a curse on a cursebreaker."

"Which you believe is Dumass," he said. Draco smirked and nodded. "Who was helping Potter this summer....well, things have certainly changed on our board."

Draco looked at him. "I am not leaving that school for a single reason, Father. I'm the last in the family." Lucius stared at him. "I am. There's no Malfoy family if I don't produce an heir. I see enough of Potter to know that he's got a nasty temper but it can run cold. Weasley burns hot and often. Potter lets it build and then snaps. Then all hell breaks loose.

"I tried to be crass and summoned a snake in our dueling club when Lockhart started one. Turns out Potter speaks to them. Made a lot of people scared of him though." He stared at his father. "Which is how we found out it was a basilisk and it died."

"I've heard that part." He considered it. "Yes, you are to stay in school even if the war is fully started, Draco."

Draco nodded. "Thank you, Father. I'll see if I can find an appropriate mother to my future heir."

"I have a list, Draco," Narcissa said fondly. "It's fairly short."

"I'll look at it and give my opinions on it after breakfast, Mother. Some look decent on paper and in person are horrible stains on magic." She rolled her eyes but let him finish his breakfast then follow her back to her study.

Lucius had to go to a school board meeting. They had to finally pick a new headmaster who wouldn't change too many things. Most of them wanted to add classes, update things, and make a lot of changes. It was nearly the start of school, they needed one within weeks. He would've put himself forward for the job but he didn't have the credentials. None of the board did. They had attended the school but nothing else. Their jobs were hereditary. And if he did that his son would kill him.

***

Harry sat down across from his professor the next morning. "Professor, thank you for meeting me for this short visit." Snape scowled at him. "Something was found out by my cousin Xander while we were at the bank getting into the stolen things from the Potter family and the Dumass clan." He slid that over. "Xander had me give that to you so you knew. He said he can have you marked as an heir if you wished."

Snape looked at the confirmation. "I knew that. My mother told me, Mr. Potter. I have no idea why this has come up."

"The bank tried to screw over a lot of families and was stealing artifacts. He summoned a great many of them from the main area of the bank. Including a lot of books."

Snape considered that. "I would not mind acknowledging that but I do not need to partake of another family."

"I'll let him know." He wrote out the message and handed it to Dobby when he appeared. "Quietly and hidden as you can to Xander please." Dobby nodded and disappeared. "That way he gets it immediately. It's an awfully long way for an owl." He smiled a bit. "But that does mean we're related so I'm going to bow out of your class. Even though I did make the grade to be in it, I don't think it's a good idea."

"I agree, Potter." He stared at him. "We are?"

"You're my uncle. That same Dumass is my grandfather on Mum's side."

Snape blinked a few times. "I had not known that."

Harry nodded, humming while he sipped his tea. "I only found out when the healer banished me that way. Xander's pretty nice, pretty cool, but he's fighting beside a slayer on a hellmouth," he finished quietly.

"That poor foolish man," Snape said. "Why would he? It's a death sentence."

"He came to be there," Harry said dryly. "Been there since he was little."

"Oh, that reason. That poor man. But perhaps I can have him gather some ingredients that I could use."

"I'll leave that between you two. I'm still hiding from the insane vampiress who thinks I'd make a great second kitten to Xander and is a seer apparently." Snape choked at that. "Druscila Black was turned. She's been out there and kept trying to get me to come party with them. Said I'd make a beautiful little kitten."

"The wards will keep her out, Potter."

"Oh, thank Merlin," he said with a sigh and a grin. "I can't see how Ron would react to her." He finished his tea. Snape was shaking his head greatly. Harry paid the bill and left a tip, going back to the family home.

Snape finished his tea to soothe his stomach. He knew this meeting would give him a headache. Then he went back to the school to await an answer from that mysterious relative. Plus think about what had truly attracted him to Lily since she was his half-sister.

***

Xander was in gym class when he spotted the house elf appear and bent down to tie his shoe suddenly, letting the elf send the note to his hand for now. He slid it into his sock then went back to playing basketball with the rest of the class. The house elf disappeared.

He got to read it after class and smirked then sent what he'd need to send anyway. He had it ready and the note just in case since Harry said he'd be telling that son of his. Who was apparently an obsessive and annoying asshole. Yeah, that fit with the Snapes and Dumasses too.

***

That night Buffy stared at him while they were on patrol together. No Willow tonight, she had called off for PMS. "What was that thing in the gym?"

"What thing?"

"The one that gave you a note, Xander."

"Oh, that thing. It gave me a note from a poker friend. It's his house elf."

She blinked a few times. "What sort of demon is that?"

"I don't think it is. I think it's some sort of creature but they're nice. They live to serve and think they're being punished if not being made to do things like housework. So that one has one that vacuums for him. And sometimes makes dinner." She looked confused. He shrugged. "It's a poker friend, Buffy. That one said that he had delivered a message to another poker buddy about something we had talked about and he had agreed."

"About what? Like taking out a vampy vamp?"

"No, like handling something near him instead of asking you to road trip to handle it."

"Oh. Okay I guess." She nodded. "If they can."

"It's not hard. Easier than staking probably." He waved a hand. "I see one trying to go back inside. Or helping a friend out."

"Yeah, probably since I can hear two." She went to stake them both and kicked in the ashes that had fallen outside the hole. Xander kicked dirt back into the hole and they went on. "What do they do beyond that?"

"House elves? They're like housekeepers I guess. They can do home stuff. Vacuum, mop, cook, clean, that stuff. Though I heard some do garden things or planting things and some can even milk cows for their owners. But they like it that way. That's what they want in life and that's what they do. Like sex demons I guess."

"Oh. I don't like to think about those." He shrugged but nodded. "I guess that makes sense then. Okay." She walked off nodding at that.

He followed, giving her back an odd look. How had she seen through magic? They met up with Willow back at the school, she was bouncy in a bad way. "Too many hohos?" he guessed.

"We have a new magic person in town and their house is huge!" she complained. "Just appeared earlier."

"The one on sixth?" Buffy asked. "I thought it was new."

"It's been there it's just been hidden," Xander said. "So something probably unhid it." Had he forgotten to do that? Or had someone tried to break into the house? Giles gave him an odd look. "It's always been there. The house was built when I was about six."

"Oh." He nodded at that. "Your father worked there?"

"No clue but I watched them putting on the roof and swearing about it a few times on my way home from school." He looked at Willow. "Any other good, bouncy news?"

"But that's magic. On the hellmouth. That can't be good, Xander!"

"It can be good, Willow. If they've been hiding the house to keep vampires away from it, they probably don't want visitors and we would've known if they were going to cause problems."

"We should go check on them."

"How are you going to do that?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "Poker circuit? You asking the poker buddies?"

"I can do that. Or Buffy can do that." They all knew not to tell her.

"Fine." She pouted. "I'm not suggesting we break into it."

"Yeah because that would be dumb," Xander said. "If they can hide the whole house, they can probably do nasty things to you for breaking and entering."

"True, we have no need to make an enemy if they're not one," Giles said. "However them hiding their house doesn't mean that they're necessarily good, Xander."

"Or they could just want to be left alone. I know I have days like that," Xander told him.

"As do I," Giles agreed. "Then I have to come to work." He looked at Willow. "We can do a property search. That would tell us who owns it." She lit up and went to find her laptop to do that. Buffy shook her head and headed home.

Xander did the same thing, apparating from his house with the constructs to his real house. He nodded at the guy in there. "Hey, Bill. You canceled the hiding spell." He reset it and hid the house again. "What's up?"

"What the hell did you do, Alex?" he asked. "I saw it was you when you walked past me but I was with Mam. Didn't want to hear the fit."

"Yeah, I figured they tried to make you forget so you're hiding that you didn't."

"Basically. I didn't want it to backlash on me." He stared at him. "Your work area's scary down there."

"Then don't go into my stuff. I had to call back a lot of stolen stuff from the bank anyway." He gave him a pointed look.

"Not me, mate. You know me better than that."

"True, I used to." He made tea and sat down. "So why come over here?"

"They're awfully pissed, Alex. Like pulling on their ears pissed."

"They did it to themselves. If they had the honor they think they do they wouldn't have stolen. They wouldn't have helped the stuff against Harry. They're as bad as the Ministry only for a different reason. More greed."

"True. We all hate that. That's why I didn't want to go private contract." He poured some cream into his cup and tasted it, then grimaced. "Unicorn."

"Yeah." Xander tested it then grinned. "Nice try." He sipped it. "I'm immune."

"Not me."

"Awfully convenient so I'm guessing you're a harbinger or you're a smoke screen. Which is it?"

"Hopefully neither. You know me better than that, Alex."

"Hmm." He stared at him. "They can't have the Dumass stuff back or anything in my work area. It's not theirs. And I'm really mad at them for trying that mealy minded, dishonorable shit."

"A few of the other breakers wanted to look at your stuff."

"They can ask. I'll say no but they can ask."

"They think you've got worse than you pulled out in the combat ring."

"Of course I do." He grinned. "And worse friends to ask for help. I turned over worse than that staff."

"Point." He looked outside. "Vampires, great."

Xander looked then beheaded the three vampires and robbed Buffy of her memories for the night. He made her go home and rest too. She clearly needed it. He sat back down, smirking some. Bill slumped. "You're not going to force me to go back, Bill. I'm not the nice guy I used to be. I had to boil myself down to the asshole portion that I was underneath."

"So now you're all Carnage?"

"No. Not usually. Sometimes though." He smirked a bit. "No, I'm the same guy that stared at the hell god and told him to blow him and make it good." Bill shrank down from that. "And they're the reason. They helped with sticking me here, putting the shield on, and then trying to rob my family of things since the house burned not even a week afterward. And I was still an adult when Harry was orphaned."

"Shit."

"Very. And it's their fault. If they're still trying they can all suck it up."

"They said this area's forbidden."

"What would I care? I don't work for them." Bill flinched again. "I'll be damned if I work for or with them. They've proven their lack of honor. Their lack of giving a damn about us. All that. The breaking of that blood vow to us meant that they took it knowing they were going to break it." He shrugged. "So let them fall where they may."

"I get that. I'd never want to go back."

"I'm not the same guy I was. Even if I hadn't landed here, I'm not the same guy I was. I can feel the family's things reaching out to me, and now Harry, but I'm not that same guy."

Bill nodded, looking at the cup then at him. "What happens if you find something that needs contained?"

"Didn't I teach you that?"

"Yeah, you did. All this would've killed me."

"It tried to kill me. They lost. Now I'm just mad."

"I get that." He looked around. "This doesn't look like either house."

"No it doesn't." He stared at him then memory charmed Willow and Buffy. "Damn it, you made them nosy, Bill." He stared at him. "Go fix it." He pointed. Bill sighed but went to bullshit the muggles until they went away. The two protections he felt he removed and then did the memory charm. Xander reapplied the protections after they were gone.

Bill disappeared, going to tell the higher ups in the bank that his mission of peace had failed and he had been seen through. Alex was going to destroy them all for this if they made him and if he found stuff he'd sell it through someone else instead of them. He could contain anything he found. He could break anything he needed to. But if he needed to it'd be rare.

When he got back to the Burrow his mother was waiting on him impatiently. "Sorry, Mam, running an errand to another breaker." He kissed her on the cheek. "Some serious things going on over there. Or I would've called to warn you I'd be late."

"Big problem? A Lost one?"

"No. One's really mad at the higher ups because the higher ups screwed up majorly. Like they did with Harry." She winced at that. "He's about to destroy the bank by hand. They wanted me to get him to calm down and he won't. I wouldn't." He walked around her. "The bank's present oversight is really not good at many things that aren't making money from humans." He grimaced as he went up the stairs.

She followed. "Bill, they're your bosses, they may not keep you if you feel that way."

"Mum, they raided Harry's family home days after his parents died, cleaned it out to sell a few things and kept the rest away from Harry. Do you think that's a good thing?"

"No." She stared at him. "Do you want to go to a real job now? One that's safer in the Ministry?"

"Mam, I'm not going to the Ministry, they're just as full of the same bad sort as the bank is. Though most of the ones in the Ministry are just hateful." She flinched at that. "Hell no I'm not going there."

Ron came to his door. "What's wrong with Percy? Well, more than usual."

"The idiot went to graduation and it's fighting against the family's magic," Bill told him. "Don't go to graduation, Ron."

"He will so!" Molly ordered.

"He will not. Not if he doesn't want to turn into Percy, Mam. That blood vow is against a lot of things. It's based on what someone else thinks is best for the country and it's wrong. A lot of older families' magic is against that vow. Percy's living proof of that. What his vows think is good for everyone is against the family's magic and look at what it did to him."

She stomped off in a huff. He looked at Ron. "Avoid it. And tell Hermione. By the papers they want to banish her for being smart enough to know the community is prejudice against muggle borns or to stun her mind and just make her a baby making machine."

"She'd hate that."

"We'd all hate that. And the auction, Ron. Tell her about that?"

"What auction?"

Bill smiled as he closed his door and went to bed.

Ron went to his own bed to think about that and then send Hermione a letter. Maybe she'd know? If not, she'd look it up somehow. She always did.

***

Hermione accepted the message the next morning. "Auction?" she demanded. "What auction, Ron?" She looked at her parents, who shrugged. "If it's what I think it is, someone's in real trouble." She went to look that up through the French magical community. They were online. They had computers in their school too. She came down ten minutes later with a printed page, handing it to her mother. "Hell. No."

Her mother read it and nodded. "I'm with you on that and if they try, you fight back, daughter." She handed it to her husband.

He stared at it. "You know what, I have a fraternity brother I want to go see." He took it with him to find that old friend. He was an officer of some sort or other now. He'd do brilliant with this knowledge. And about magic. The guy had liked magical games. He found him at the station and smiled as he walked over. "Can we speak?" he asked.

"Granger?" he demanded.

"Yes. I need to speak to someone official but quietly."

"Gladly. Buy me a cuppa." He gathered his jacket and umbrella to go with him to the tea shop and then sit in the parking lot in the car. He listened and saw the information. "Of course they don't want you to tell anyone. They'd hate to have the rest of us know and judge them. Secret societies always do that. They don't have officers?"

"They're called aurors and one threatened to kidnap my daughter and give her to a foster family that'd train her to be a better witch. I want my daughter safe and she's thought about changing schools. The school's headmaster just went to jail and their former head of the government did too. Like their PM. He was trying to discredit a young boy's trauma and have him tortured."

"Hell no."

"That's how I feel too. How do I help her help herself? Beyond making her change if things haven't changed up there? Oh, and they're at war. My daughter intentionally didn't tell me they're at war. That she's been backing up the guy who's been attacked by their evil one and volunteered to help him with the war they started. Someone sent us a letter praising Hermione's actions that saved a few students. I didn't share that with the wife."

"We all said any kids you had would've been exceptional in some manner or another, though we all figured it'd be more sarcasm."

"No, she's brilliant. Absolutely stunning mentally. Gets high grades without studying. She's a good girl. A caring girl. A girl who has a friend who's been forced to be a hero." He grimaced. "Thankfully the boy's recently gotten free of his family, no thanks to their Ministry. Who think they can memory charm us to forget our daughter."

"I doubt it. Your mind's leaky but not like that." He considered it. "Do higher ups know?"

"They should know somehow. The last time that war was going on it was killing normal people like us as well as their own." He handed him the history book Hermione had gotten last year. "Her friend's Harry."

He scanned the recent history and groaned. "The kid's parents?"

"Protected him somehow. He's gotten free of the rotten relatives that headmaster gave him to." They shared a look. "I worry about Harry but I worry more about Hermione."

"You named her after a witch in Shakespear?" he asked dryly. "Figures."

"She lives up to it too." He grinned, leaning against the window. "How do I help my baby girl?"

"Get her to a new school."

"I've got that planned if I can. She wanted to see how the new headmaster plays out. It could be mostly safe."

"Bud, she's got a war coming. She's a major player in a war. She's not safe. She could be in Antarctica and she'd not be safe. People like that will come for her and afterwards could want to make their name by taking her out."

"She's already paranoid. She carries her wand everywhere."

"They use wands?" he asked with a grin.

"Yeah. I figured candles and stuff like the stories and movies." He looked around, noticing someone watching them. "And there they are." He pointed.

The officer looked then smirked. "I know that guy. He works in Special Projects." He got out and walked over there. "So, wands?" he demanded.

"No comment and he's in trouble for telling you about that."

"His daughter, Hermione Granger, just got threatened with kidnaping and possibly being auctioned off."

"They do?"

"Come talk to us." He led him back there so they could all talk. "Bud, this is Hancock from Special Projects."

He looked at him. "I'm the father of Hermione Granger."

"I've heard about your daughter. She's said to be very smart and punched a few people."

"That's my girl." He handed over that page. "She found it from the French school by the header. They threatened to kidnap her, memory charm us so we'd forget her, and then give her to some other family so they'd train her as a better witch because she's thinking about going to medical school."

The wizard considered it. "That's seriously stupid. That's sounding like Fudge."

"She helped put him in jail with Dumbledore."

"Good."

"And her friend Harry."

The wizard looked at him. "She could transfer."

"Is there a better school? They're sure they're the best."

"The school in France isn't bad but about the same level. They're bigger, popular schools. There's a few day schools and the like."

"Can Harry go with her?"

"There's always hope. Is he okay?"

"Someone fixed the scar on his forehead and pulled the whatever out of it."

"Good. I wonder what that was." He considered it. "Do the aurors know?"

"About his scar? Yes. About this talk? Hopefully not." He grinned. "Then again I'm a very mad parent of a young woman. I'm going to protect said young woman even if I have to use my laughing gas to sedate someone and then pull all their teeth out one by one as they scream at me. Usually in little shards I'll have to dig out." He smiled. "My girl gets it from me. And her mother's more mean."

"Good. It might make your daughter safer." He looked at the book. "That's not bad but not up to current years."

"It updates itself," Hermione's father quipped with a grin. "It covered the cup thing."

"Oh, dear." He took it to look at that. "Fairly factual too. Wow, they're going to have a fit."

"Secret Societies are like that," the regular officer said. "How do we handle this?"

"I report their problems to the higher ups. Who'll have to talk with whoever's the newest minister. We guard Hermione. We make sure that things don't happen that way." He considered it. "If she disappears, come to me immediately, Mr. Granger." He handed over his card. "Keep her from going into their places that aurors could be lurking."

"She's supposed to go spend a week with a friendly family. Weasleys."

"They should be safe. They'd protect her." He considered it. "You can talk to them first."

"She doesn't have an owl and they don't have a phone."

"They have a floo."

"We're not allowed since we're not magical. They said so when she asked."

The wizard shook his head. "That's why I didn't stay there. There's some backwards people." He grimaced. "I have no idea. Can the bank help?"

"Her friend Harry's mad at the bank. Apparently they've been stealing."

"Oh, dear. They're the foundation of the magical community locally. They can overrule the ministry in some circumstances."

"He had to fight to get his family's things back."

"Shoot. All right, let me check into this." He took the card from Dr. Granger. "I'll let you know what I figure out. How did you know to go to him?"

"He was in my fraternity in my undergrad." They shared a smug look then smiled at him.

"Good reasoning. All right, let me look." He left them to go back to the station to drop the one off. He went to talk to his higher ups. They weren't amused at any of that. They weren't mad at Granger's father for breaking the secrecy rules. He was a very upset father who was gathering help. The ministry...they were in real trouble.

***

Mrs. Granger's dental assistant came into the office and shut the door gently. "Can we speak?" she asked. "Honestly."

"About what? A patient problem? A personal problem with the spouse?" she asked, putting her pen down to look at her.

"Is your Hermione Granger the same one as the book?"

"What book?"

She put her copy of book one down on the desk, obviously read a few times by the bent corners and wear on the cover. "My daughter's copy. Then she went 'hey, don't you work for a Granger'. I made her get off that topic before she told her friends and we got some curious new patients."

"I never mind new patients," she admitted. She picked up the book to look over, going to a point where it was more than just Harry and his family. Her stomach was sinking. "Oh, that is." She sighed, putting it down. "They're supposedly hidden so how did this come to normal people?"

"It's a book series it looks like." She winced a bit. "Book two is coming out soon. I didn't want to *ask*...."

"No, I'm not part of that. She is muggle born." She nodded a bit. "He's going to hit the floor," she muttered.

The assistant smiled at her. "Can we get Harry out of that family of his?"

"According to her, he's recently left them."

"Oh, good," she sighed, then smiled. "Your daughter seems like she's a good friend to Harry, once they got over her being a know-it-all girl sort."

"Can we borrow this to read?"

"Please." She nodded. "I'll try to make my daughter pick up another series but book two is having a few book coming out parties locally."

"Oh, crap," she said, considering that. "She's going to have a fit. Not even a teenage girl fit, she's going to have a fit like my mother did at the pigeons who used to peck her in the park because she wouldn't feed them." She looked at her assistant. "How bad? So I can warn the husband?"

"She's a very good friend. Followed him into danger. Helped him get to the point where he solved the problem and he went to dust from his touch. I don't know why."

Hermione's mother sighed but nodded. "I'd hope not but my daughter is just smart enough to get into trouble like that." Her assistant nodded with a grin. "Crap. All right. I'll try to give it back by the weekend."

"She won't mind. I'm trying to get her into Artemis Fowl. It's a lot more interesting of a magical society." She left her to start to read once she had finished a bit of charting.

Hermione's mother went to check on her husband. He was with a patient. She walked in and smiled at him, earning a smile back. "Let's have lunch after this?"

"I have another patient first, and don't you?"

"I meant after that."

"That's fine. Is there a huge problem?" he asked, sensing her mood.

"No, just something Hermione related that's making my head hurt, dear."

"That's fine. She's a teenage girl. They do that."

"Like the girl in the Harry Potter book?" the guy in the chair mumbled around the suction tube.

He looked at him. "What book?"

"You don't know? It's not a bad read, even for an adult." He tried to smile but his mouth was a bit numb. "Supposed to be a series."

"Huh. I'll have to see if she's read that. Hermione does like fantasy novels for free-time reading." He got back to work, thinking about that and his wife's agitation. They were probably related. That was very interesting. After he was done with that patient and the next one they went to a little Carribean place up the street that they often had lunch in. He stared at her. "What did Hermione do?" he asked quietly. She put the book down in front of him. He looked at it. "That's that book?"

"Delores' daughter read it and realized we're Grangers too." She looked grim. "She said Hermione's a really strong, steadfast friend."

"Really? I had hoped she got that from you, dear." He picked it up to start reading. He had a few free hours before his next patient. "How bad?"

"If Harry hasn't moved soon I'm going to make sure of it," she hissed. He sighed and nodded, getting into the story. This could potentially be very bad for their daughter. Especially when they got hold of her to shake sense into her.

***

Hermione was in the alley to do her last minute shopping and ran into Malfoy, which made her roll her eyes. "Sorry, Malfoy, but you're in the way of me getting new pens." He glared at her but did get out of the way. "Thank you." She went in to get her pens and winced at the raise in prices. She sighed but left again. "The pens went up again."

"Mine didn't," he said smugly.

She looked at him. "That figures." She walked off but someone tried to attack her so she got them back and punched them. "Don't do that! How stupid are you!" she yelled at him. "Idiot!" She kicked him on the side, making them whine. She looked around at the staring people. "No aurors?" No one stepped forward. "Well. That figures too."

Draco frowned. This was looking very bad. It was almost like Potter was nearby to be a hero. "Aren't you an auror?" he demanded to one of the people watching. "You were when you broke into our house last week." The man glared at him and pulled a wand on him. "Oh, that's charming."

Hermione shot a bit of light at him. "I'm already armed and standing right here. I may not like him but I'll be damned if you attack a student."

"I can protect myself, Granger!" he complained loudly.

"Oh fucking well, Malfoy! Suck it up!"

He snorted. "Very mature."

"Oh well." Someone tapped her on the shoulder so she looked back at Ron. "That one attacked me."

"Great. Dad's there." He pointed. "Dad, that one attacked her and that one's trying to attack Malfoy for some reason."

Arthur Weasley came over to handle it. "Mr. Malfoy, are you in danger?"

"No. He won't hurt me or I'll make his life a living hell." The man shot a spell at him and Draco got him back, making him very sorry as he slowly had his bones shrink.

"I've found that but I considered it too narrow to cast during a battle," Hermione said. She looked at Ron, who was moving her around. "Did you hear that they auction some of us off?" she asked.

"Why?" he asked.

"They threatened to memory charm my parents, which wouldn't work, and then take me to be a better witch. Then told me I'd be auctioned off. Like hell."

"Calm down," Ron ordered. "There's no need to go into a Hermione rant." She glared. He stepped back, looking amused. "Really, you can calm down. Let Dad handle it."

"He can handle it. If that one gets up I'm going to punch him again."

"Sure. We enjoy seeing you do that," Ron agreed, backing away again.

She glared at him. "Stop it, Ron."

"Sorry. Had to deal with Ginny in that mood earlier." He looked. "Oh, it's Percy." He grimaced. "Dad, it's Percy."

"He can help," Arthur said patiently. "Son."

"Father. Did he cause a problem?"

"Yes he tried to attack me," Hermione said.

"Yet he's on the ground."

"Yes because I fought back, as most people do," she said in a snippy manner.

Lucius Malfoy stomped up the alley. "What is going on?"

"The idiot on the ground attacked Granger, Father, and then this auror tried to attack me for noting he was an auror who didn't want to step into it. He totally annoyed me while I was watching Granger defend herself." Draco waved a hand.

Lucius stared at him then at his son. "When did you learn that spell?"

"Last year. I was going to use it on Parkinson if she stole from my ink pot again."

Hermione smirked. "I left out one that's intentionally weaker and thinner ink that'll run all over everything for people to steal. They quit after they had to rewrite whole papers."

Draco snorted at that. "That's a nice, simple idea."

"Sometimes simple is best. That's why I punched him." She looked at Lucius. "Can I ask you a question as a muggle born and you as a member of the Wizengamet?"

"If you must," he sneered.

"Since when is it okay to memory charm parents so they can steal the children to put into foster care to reprogram witches into being more subservient and sometimes auctioning them off?"

"It's not," he said. "Where did you hear such drivel, Miss Granger?"

"From the aurors who threatened my parents for me thinking about medical school to be a doctor. They think my mother could forget nearly dying while having me."

Lucius looked at her oddly. "I doubt any mother could forget childbirth. Even Narcissa's was horrifying to me while I was waiting up the hallway." He looked at Arthur.

"Molly said she conveniently didn't want to remember the birth itself," he admitted. "Hermione, calm down. They can't do that."

"And yet they tried earlier. I had to get one out of the house, Mr. Weasley. I came down to make breakfast and had to stun an auror who was there with an order to capture me." She pulled it out to hand over. "I was going to drop that on your desk on my way home."

Lucius took it to look at then nodded. "That is what they wanted to do. That's very against the laws. I don't see why they would."

"According to the French school's pages, sometimes witches of good enough skills are auctioned off to families that need to mix." She looked at Draco. "Too pure means inbreeding like it does with dogs."

"If they try to force that on me I'll spare her life and mine." Draco looked at his father.

"We've had someone who was a marriage broker suggest an Indian bride but not otherwise. If they had I would've stopped that immediately. We don't participate in that sort of thing. It'd tarnish the family's bloodline!" He huffed, looking at the witch. "You are very loud."

"Yes, to stop big problems you have to be loud. Look at the civil rights movements." She smirked a bit. "If I have to start one here among witches, so be it." She strolled off. "I'm going home now that I have pens and ink."

"Want walked?" Ron called.

"I hope I won't need it," she complained, shooting him a look. "And I draw faster than you do, Ron."

"You're meaner today too," he agreed happily, following her. "I'll make sure you make it out of the Leaky, 'Mione."

"Come right back here once she's safely on her way home," Arthur ordered.

"Yes, Dad."

"Thank you." He looked at the aurors he knew and the new ones coming over. "This one attacked Miss Granger. Who had to stun one at her house earlier because he had that order that Mr. Malfoy is holding."

Amelia Bones took it. "Excuse me?" she demanded. "The auror had this?"

"So she claimed. She's also apparently found that we may be auctioning off witches?"

"Like hell!" Bones said loudly.

Draco looked at her. "You sound like Granger. Father, tea?" He walked off.

"Please, Draco. Get cream and sugar this time." He looked at her. "What is going on?"

"That sounds like a plan Fudge would have," Arthur said. "To quiet down females who came from a more progressive environment."

"Yes it does," Amelia Bones agreed, adjusting her monocle. "It certainly does. Did she say where she dropped the auror?"

"Just that she stunned him."

"I'll have someone go pick them up off her lawn then." She looked at the auror that was in a lot of pain and then the other two in the crowd. "You three go back to the office and wait on me. For some reason you weren't doing your jobs." They shrank away from her but walked off. The one on the ground got picked up by Tonks and walked off. "Thank you for not needing orders, Tonks."

"Girls like Granger are a credit to us all. I thought I might be like her once but I hated books."

Bones smirked at her back. "You do fine with other matters." She looked at Arthur. "Having lunch with the sons?" He nodded, looking amused. "Have fun, Arthur. I'll make sure they don't dock you if they try." She looked at Malfoy. "Why were you involved?"

"My son spoke politely when she asked him to get out of her way."

"She did say excuse me," Draco said as he came back. "She was polite. Then the moron attacked her as she came out of the shop." He waved the tea cup at that store. "Where she said the prices had went up. That one attacked her. She defeated his spell and then punched him. Which she does hit rather hard."

He handed his father the tea. "She asked for an auror and no one spoke up but I recognized one. He pulled his wand on me and tried to hex me so I got him back." He stared at her. "It's a shame that young women, even that one, can't be safe in the alley." He looked at his father. "What do you think about me someday becoming Minister?"

"I think the world would shake, son. You have no patience for the stupidity that goes on in the Ministry. I find myself frustrated with that quite often myself."

"Ditto," Bones complained, looking at Draco. "If you do, I'll retire that day." She followed her people to go chew on them. And look into that allegation.

***

Tonks knocked on the door. "Hi, Hermione. Where did you stuff that auror?"

"Pantry," she said with a point. "I didn't want to keep walking over top of him. He might be pleased at that." She let her gather him. "I body bound him and used a healer's stasis spell on him after I got him with a light stunner to the neck to stop him attacking me."

"Good work." She patted her on the arm. "Amelia Bones is very upset that she found you were right. Lucius is horrified that some bloodlines are muddied that way and they had wanted to marry you off to Goyle to improve his."

"Eaugh!" she said, looking disgusted. "How ...no!" She shook her head. "Absolutely not! Even if I lusted after him, no! He has no idea how to talk to others, much less women. He'd probably pat his wife on the head like someone's familiar! I'm sure he's better out of school but still! Oh my god that's gross!" She walked off rubbing her arms. "I need to shower. Please remove that before my parents get home."

"I can do that. Just...be safe."

"Oh, I'm going to be extra safe now," she promised. "I might go see if I can pitch a tent next to wherever Harry's pitched his. I'd rather live by the river in a tent than that." She went up to shower off the horrible thought.

Tonks looked at the auror then brought him back to the office. "He attacked her so she sent a light stunner at his neck to stop him. Then she body bound and used a healer's stasis spell she said." She grinned. "I told her what you had found. She's showering off that very nasty thought. Went on a girlish fit."

"I would've too at that age. Someday, Granger will grow up to be like I am."

"Looking forward to it, boss." They woke up that auror and stared at him. "Who sent you?" Tonks asked with a grin. "So I can go beat them to death instead of you."

"Tell us both," Bones ordered. "Or I'm letting a dementor be your roommate for months on end in the jail." The man shrank away from her but oh well. He'd answer.

Dobby showed up with a snake. "Great Harry Potter sir said that someone sent this snake at him even though he speaks hissy. He said is poisonous and wanted it released somewhere better and safer. Is that you?"

"We can do that after we let the snake nest up this guy's bum," Tonks said happily, carefully taking it. "Thanks, Dobby."

"Dobby happy not having hissy in the bathroom." He disappeared.

Tonks grinned at her boss. "Harry has good timing."

"He does. Very convenient. Find the scrying portal here in the room, Tonks." She took the snake to hold, looking at the guy. "It's a cobra." The man started to cry and beg. "Well, that's nice. But who sent you?" The man confessed to them so she took the snake down to Creatures. "Someone reported it got free and into their house. He had a house elf bring it in to be released safely. The house elf said that the one could speak to it but he was in the bathroom."

The creatures person stared at it. "I'm not touching that thing and we're not releasing it."

One of the junior officers leaned out of an office. "What is it, Madam Bones?"

"Cobra."

"I can send it to another ministry to let them release it into the natural habitat." He came to get it and do that under her watch. "Thank them for us."

"I'm sure he'd be happy as long as it was safe." She left them to their own work. She had a lot of paperwork to fire four arurors. Or maybe more as one was trying to help the earlier ones defend themselves. She stared at that one, making them flinch then slink off.

"There's no excuse for what they did and we do not have aurors who do such things. Am I clear?" They all nodded at that order. She got to do a lot more paperwork to fire people today apparently. It'd make her late for dinner. She'd have to talk to her nieces tonight to make sure they knew how to be safe.

***

Hermione looked at Ginny over tea at the Burrow. "It's insane that they think we're helpless. Though it can work in our favor. They never expect me to punch them."

Ginny grimaced. "I can hit but I don't do it as well as you do. I need to learn to do that better. I should practice on Ron."

Hermione laughed. "If he'll let you."

"He's being boring anyway." She looked at her mother as she came in. "Mom, I need to practice hitting things."

"Use the trees in the back area, as you kids usually do."

"No, Mrs. Weasley, with her fists," Hermione said. "Wizards never expect to be punched in the nose. It works well when you have to."

Ginny nodded. "It seems to. Maybe I can spar against Harry at school."

"If we go back," Hermione said. "Is there any news on the new headmaster?"

"Not yet," Ginny sighed. "Which means we're going to end up with something tragically problematic again. Or just tragic like the high inquisitor last time. Did they fix the scars on Harry's arms?"

"I didn't check. I can ask him later if he comes over to get help with some of the paperwork they sent him."

"At least he's back with a British family," Molly said firmly. "As he should be."

"No, the US hasn't reverted custody yet," Hermione told her. "The auror does seem very nice though. Harry checks in with him daily. He's very amused by Dobby."

Molly stared at him. "Why are they allowing that?"

"Because a court order can't be overturned by a government and Harry hasn't wanted it to. His cousin is his magical guardian and the auror does good being a legal one."

"Nonsense! The school is his magical guardian as it is for all students."

"No it's not. Looking into my own, it's not," Hermione said. "It never has been." Molly gasped. "And my parents wouldn't have let it be. They're parents for a reason."

"No, the headmaster has guardianship over all students."

"No he doesn't. He may assume he does but he doesn't by law. By law the parents have to assign one to students in school if they're not magical but otherwise there's not. And they proved it with that young girl who had to get out of an unwanted marriage contract someone signed without her permission. It's been in the news." She looked at Ginny. Who was grimacing. "Exactly! Because we're not property."

"No we're not and if someone tried that the husband should be prepared to die."

Hermione nodded. "Definitely." Molly glared at her. "I won't be raped by anyone! For any reason! If I can't do it then I'll do it sometime! Kidnaping and rape is all that is."

"It is not!"

"It is too if she doesn't agree."

"You're women, we're all women."

"Which means we have equal rights under the law," Hermione said. "Including muggle borns. The law sees no difference between anyone and another." Molly snorted at that. "It's in the law books. It's the preface to the law books actually. All blood classes are just words and all laws herein will apply to all blood classes and peoples equally.

"It's the first line of the law book. Some people may ignore it, and that's wrong, but that's how it's written. Forcing someone to marry and mate with someone against their will is kidnaping and rape. Ask Tonks or McGonagall if you don't believe me."

"The law does make a distinction."

"For inheritances," Bill said as he came in. "She's right. Forcing someone into a relationship against their will is kidnaping and rape, Mam. That's not what you'd want for Ginny and you shouldn't want it for anyone else. The same as you didn't want it for yourself."

"Which is why I picked your father my last year." She looked at her daughter. "You'll tell me who you pick."

"I won't be until well after I graduate. I plan on going to work first, getting out of the house, doing things for myself. I don't want that many kids, Mum, and I don't want to stay at home and rot all day. My mind would go numb." She looked at Hermione. "Law school?"

"It's an idea I've played with but I think I'm still set on medical school. I can do a lot of good there. I think if I go law school it'll be to protest some of the things going on that'll make my life a living hell." She grimaced but sipped her tea. She looked at Bill. "Do they watch all muggle born girls like they're trying to do me?"

"No but they're not as loud as you are or as able to stand up for themselves," he said. "Almost none probably have upper educated parents like yours, or even more wealthy ones, Hermione. You could be a force for change in this world." She smiled at that. "But that's up to you." He patted her on the head. "How's Harry?"

"Haven't seen him in a few days. He's coming over tomorrow to go over some paperwork they sent." She took the thing out of her hair and handed it to Ginny, who grinned at that.

"It's to protect you."

"I have a GPS tracker installed thanks to my mother being paranoid now," Hermione said. "Anyone with the code can find me and the code's been given to a few of Dad's friends who are regular police. They can find me anywhere within eighty miles of my location. And they're not blocked by wards. We checked. I went to the ministry's library when Mum wanted to have it tested and it found me there. The officer who checked knew about magic though."

Bill blinked. "They can?"

"Yes." She smiled and nodded. "And most muggles have phones that have those chips in them too. They can track us most anywhere and some people are paranoid about that but it's a fact of modern life. The same as technology and all that comes with it. I'm always amazed at the lack of noise here. No cars, no tele, no radio noises, no shouting neighbors up the street. At home there's always noise on."

She sipped her tea again to finish it then got up to clean the cup. Molly huffed at her doing it by hand. "It gets it cleaner, Mrs. Weasley. Doing it by magic leaves traces of tea. That's why we clean things by hand in Potions when we're in detention. Plus you can't scrub with magic and I got some of my lip gloss on it."

"Yes it is," Ginny said dryly. "As I have many times." She looked at Hermione. "That's lip gloss?"

"Yes." She smiled and nodded. "It's tinted but it's got a UV filter and a moisturizer to keep my lips from chapping again."

"That's neat. Lavender and their group would probably like that."

"They probably use it already. It's readily available at most stores these days."

"Huh." She nodded. "I've seen some that just did the chapped lips."

"That's what I got it for. The winter chapped lips we all have."

Bill nodded. "We get that in the desert too and it's neat looking stuff but I can't wear the tinted stuff. I look odd."

Hermione smiled at him. "I don't know, it'd go with your complexion, Bill."

He swatted her with a grin. "But it doesn't go with the earring." She giggled at that. "Summer homework done?"

"Oh, yes. At the first of the summer so I didn't have to worry all summer." She looked at Ginny. "Yours?"

"No, I have one paper left to do. I've got it half done but it's not hard. It's the usual 'what creature is this' paper they let us pick on."

"I remember that assignment. I picked a mythological one and proved it was a magical one but I cited how the muggles knew about it." She smiled. "I'm going to get to pet a capybara next week. There'll be one at my birthday. We're having it at the zoo." She smiled. "It's early but this way I get a party."

"Aren't they giant guinea pigs?" Bill asked.

"Yes, quite, but they're adorable and round and furry with big noses." She smiled. "They're absolutely cute."

"They are," Bill agreed. "Them and zebras."

"I don't get on well with equines. They tend to think I'm a bit weird and won't even take sugar treats from me." She shrugged. "I guess I had been too nervous."

"What's that creature?" Molly asked. Hermione pulled out her wallet to show her a picture from an earlier birthday. "Oh, that is cute." She handed it back.

"They're like giant hamsters, Mam."

"Oh, okay then." She nodded. "Everyone who likes animals has ones they like." She shrugged.

"We do. That's why Charlie works with dragons instead of less harmful things." Bill grinned at the girls. "Plotting to take over the world, ladies?"

"As my father says, everyone wants to rule the world but no one wants to do the paperwork."

Bill burst out laughing at that, nodding a bit. "I'd hate to do that paperwork too. Percy's probably the only one that would." He walked off snickering to find Ron, who was hiding. "Hey, you done hiding?"

"I'm wondering why Harry hasn't written."

"He's probably doing stuff, Ron. He had summer homework to do too."

"Point. Still, he hasn't even owled."

"I'm sure he's fine. We would've heard if he wasn't. Mam would've went on another rip."

"She is scary. When did Hermione turn scary?" he said quietly.

"When they started to threaten her," he said dryly. "All women do if they have to get protective. If they have to keep doing it they never quit doing it. So hopefully she won't have to do that for much longer. Before it's permanent and she's one of those women who're always on guard and rather bitter because they missed out on having fun things."

"I hope none of us do."

"Combat changes you, Ron. The same as the military would." He stared at him. "And yet, you keep doing it. Are you like the guy you used to be, even last year?"

"No." He sighed, shaking his head. "I hate that but someone's got to since the ones in charge never seem to do anything."

"Some of us try."

"Yeah but you're too far away and we're surrounded by morons."

"Yes you are." He patted him on the arm. "Hermione suggested Ginny practice punching."

"She can hit someone else. Go volunteer." He walked off. "Going to check the fruit."

"Sure." Bill grinned at that move. He went back inside to tell his mother that and let the girls talk without him. Molly was still trying to correct Hermione's opinion on things but she'd eventually give up and yell at her mother about her viewpoints.

***

Hermione came home and took off her cap, straightening out her hair. "I'm back," she called.

"Kitchen," her mother called.

Hermione walked that way, wand in hand. "Mum, you good?" she asked, kissing her on the cheek. The wand was pointed at the man in there. "Yes?"

"Miss Hermione Granger?"

"Yes."

"You can put it away."

"No I can't. Because I don't know you and you seem to be a possible threat, when I've had to deal with a lot of them recently." She smiled a bit. "So, are you an auror?"

"No, I'm a headmaster."

"Oh!" She smiled and her wand got pointed at the floor. "Are you recruiting and for which school? I've been looking at a few recently."

"I'm the new one for Hogwarts, young lady."

"That's interesting. Well, we'll have to see how things shake out to see if I stay there." Her father stomped in looking upset. "Dad, you okay?"

"No. Nothing you can do about it though, dear." She stopped him to give him a hug. He made himself calm down. He looked down at her. "You are not staying in this country after graduation," he said quietly. "At all."

"I've been looking at the medical schools in Germany actually, Dad." She grinned. "They seem very rigorous."

"They are. And the ones in Sweden." He went to change. "I'll be right back."

"Okay." She went back to the kitchen. "Dad thinks I'll like the colleges in Germany, Mum."

"They're very rigorous, dear, and you may find some fun over there." She smiled at her. "Relax."

"I'm trying. I just got done with Molly 'fifteenth-century-women-had-it-all' Weasley. She told her daughter to find a boyfriend to marry in her last year."

"That's how many girls do it," the headmaster said.

"Not all women want to marry," Hermione said. "Especially not right out of school to begin pushing out spawn. I won't be having any spawn until after I'm established in my career. Even if I marry sooner."

"I heard rumors of you and Mr. Goyle."

"I think that's someone's idiot idea because I cannot stand that young man. He's a bullying prick." The headmaster looked alarmed. "And frankly, he's not my type. My type would be found at colleges, not at Hogwarts. We'd have many talks about multiple subjects we've read. And probably have to read a few to see what they saw in it." He looked disturbed.

"I am *not* going to be socially seeing Mr. Goyle by any means. Even if it turns out he's a closet reader and has an extensive vocabulary that he doesn't use due to social anxiety. He is not my type." She stared at him. "And I consider people pushing us together to be foul. Arranged marriages against one's will is kidnaping and rape soon follows." The man nodded, stepping away from her.

"Yes it is," her mother agreed. "Because you have the right to choose your own spouse. If someone tried to force you, well, we'd have you rescued most harshly, dear."

"If I didn't handle it myself?" she joked. She hugged her father when he came back. "Remember the two rock looking boys who were following the blond boy at the train last year?" He nodded. "People are speculating that I'm going to be marrying him and I'll be burned at the stake first."

He patted her on the arm. "It'll be okay. Write him a note to make sure he doesn't have hopes of that as well. Be polite, be kind, and make sure he knows you know he didn't have that expectation, dear."

"I will. I have no idea how to get it to him though as I don't know the family home." She grimaced. "Maybe I'll send it to Neville and he'll know." She went to write that out and let her mother proofread it. Then she copied it into better handwriting than her note taking handwriting on parchment and put it up to mail it in the morning.

She came back down to help with dinner. The headmaster was telling her parents how strong of will she was and he was sure she'd be fine in the school this year. Then he left. Hermione and her parents shared a look. After dinner they went over the book with other schools so she could pick a backup choice.

***

Draco Malfoy looked at the note he got, frowning at it. "What the hell," he muttered. His mother cleared her throat. "From Longbottom, Mother. Hermione sent me this note to get it to Goyle but she didn't know his address to send it. I have no idea but I did know yours and you know him." She rolled her eyes. He looked at the other note and choked. "Oh." He got up and called them.

"Goyle," he called over the floo. "Come here please." He and a few friends came through the floo. "Someone had *ideas* for you." He handed over the two notes. "She sent it to Longbottom to get to you as she didn't know your address."

He read them both then sighed. "Someone has some very bad ideas. I'm glad she doesn't fancy me that way." He looked at Narcissa as she came in. "Is that normal?"

She read it and blinked a few times. "Oh, I see. And the new headmaster noted it as well? That's.....disturbing. She's not really the sort that you'd enjoy. She seems like she'd not be happy being a traditional wife." Lucius came home slamming the door. "Dear?" He came in. She handed over that letter. "She was very nice."

"She was. If you're not picking on people around her she can be very polite," Goyle agreed. "I asked her about some notes once and once she realized I wasn't going to call her a mudblood she copied them for me immediately and said to ask if I needed some from another day." He looked at Lucius. "Who had that bad idea?"

"As we've found out there's a core of the Ministry that has bad ideas for young witches, especially ones who aren't like your mother or Narcissa. Including auctioning them off to good families. So they were probably going to do that. I'll speak to your father, Gregory. Make sure that's not his idea." He got that father over and let him see it. Then the other information he had gathered.

"She's a smart girl and would give me smart grandchildren but she'd probably kill us all," he admitted. He looked at his son.

"First I've heard of it, Father."

"She complained about the idea that they'd be auctioning her off that day in the alley," Draco said. "I was horrified and worried they'd try to give me one."

"We would not allow that," Lucius said.

"Neither would she. She can throw a mean punch and is mean enough to hex anyone, Father. She's as mean as I am when she needs to be." He looked at his friends. "We really must stop things and talk among the house this year to make sure no one's going to fall to that sort of scheme." They nodded. "On the train?" They all nodded and left to tell their parents. Draco sighed, looking at his father. "Can we not stop them?"

"I've been trying, son."

"Can I help?"

"It may need you to fight back as well." He went to his study to put things up then go change to come down for dinner. His family didn't need this stress.

"Why is it that all this came out once Potter disappeared?" Draco complained. "Was he holding Granger back? If so, why?" He went to get something to drink, which he wasn't allowed to do but his mother ignored it this time. He needed and deserved some wine today. His father took the glass from him to drink himself and got himself some more.

***

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