Harry Potter and the Secret Within

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter & co and never will

A/N: Special thanks to Masked One for helping me. Without her this story would not be here. Cheers

Thanks to all who have read and reviewed! Peace to you.

Chapter 3-- "Bureaucrats!"

How does she know about Harry? Tonks asked herself, attempting to assess the situation. She hadn't expected to find Hermione on the floor with tears drying on her face, nor was she prepared to face two confused and fearful muggles.

She'd barely had time to take in the scene when three wizards popped into the small kitchen with a loud crack. The Granger's jumped, and Tonks reached reflexively for her wand.

The wizards wore dark gray overcoats and black high hats. All three of them were very thin, bony, and freshly shaved. Their posture was extremely rigid and they were surveying the room with an obvious air of superiority.

What the hell are these paper pushers doing here? Tonks thought as she recognized the Ministry emblem on their chests; reluctantly, she sheathed her wand, but kept it near at hand.

Ignoring the other people in the kitchen, one of the men strode pompously to Hermione. With a theatrical gesture he removed a scroll from his lower left pocket and unrolled it, brandishing it in his right hand. He dressed his voice with a tiny cough and began to read aloud using an official tone.

Dear Miss Granger,

It has come to our attention that an unauthorized charm was performed

on the morning of Sunday, July 20th, at your place of residence and by you. This is a breach of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery.

Due to your illegal actions, you have been expelled from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. The processors of this letter--" that's us, the reader pointed to himself and his cronies,” have the authority and the duty to destroy your wand.

Mafalda Hoprick

Improper Use of Magic Office,

Ministry of Magic.

He carefully rolled the scroll and placed it back into his pocket.

Hermione didn't seem to notice that she was expelled, that her wand was to be broken, or even that three unknown Ministry officials had just Apparated into her kitchen. Actually, she hadn't moved since asking her question of Tonks. She remained on the floor, her legs cramped beneath her, her right hand clutching the wrist of the other, as though waiting for a verdict. Her face was very pale, and she gave the impression that she was looking into the beyond.

Trelawney would have been proud.

The Granger's eyes were running circles around the room, jumping from person to person. Their concern for their daughter and the arrival of three complete strangers had led them to complete confusion. They were momentarily quite speechless, but if a legilimens had been standing nearby, the thoughts radiating off the couple would have been something like this:

Who? Decree of what? Expelled?! Destroy wand!! Need coffee.My girl! Just...WHAT?!

If Tonks hadn't immediately distrusted the three Ministry lackeys, her doubts would have been laid to rest. It was quite clear that this wasn't going to end with a warm smile, a friendly hand shake, or a pat on the back.

Making one step further, the Ministry official extended his arm towards Hermione and said casually, "Miss Granger, your wand if you please."

"You can NOT do this!" said Tonks tensely. She tripped on the foot of a chair while trying to step in front of him, but a spark of grim determination was clear in her eyes nonetheless.

"What's going on here?" a furious voice demanded. "Somebody please explain what you are all doing in my house!" Apparently Mr. Granger had just found his voice.

The Ministry representative was taken aback by the rude interruption.

He turned to take a better look at those who had the audacity to question his actions.

"Mr. and Mrs. Granger, you are Muggles. This does not concern you." He made to turn away, but Mrs. Granger's cold voice stopped him.

"That would be Dr. and Dr. Granger to you, and anything that effects our daughter is our concern," Louise Granger said angrily.

The Official looked bewildered for a moment, as though unsure what the protocol for such a situation was. Then he nodded his head once and said, "I am Mr. Stiffly, and I am here on official business from the Ministry of Magic." He looked at all those in the room vainglory. "If you step back please, this will only take a moment."

"Don't tell me what to do in my own house!" snapped Kendal Granger.

"Dr. Granger, please allow me to try and clarify this," Tonks said in a calming voice, looking pointedly into his eyes. This, and the fact that his wife placed a hand on his arm seemed to appease him.

Mr. Stiffly eyed the young woman with a critical leer. He twitched his mouth in a deprecatory way.

"And who might you be, that you dare interfere with the Ministry of Magic's business?" asked Mr. Stiffly coldly. The other two had approached to lend support to their colleague. Their expressions were similarly arrogant.

"Nymphadora Tonks, Auror for the Ministry of Magic," she replied firmly, "and I want t-"

"Yes, yes, Auror." He accompanied his words with a wave of his hand. "The thing is that it doesn't matter what YOU want, Auror." He pointed his right index finger at Tonks. "The only thing that matters is what the Ministry wants. Is that clear, Auror?" The way he spat the word 'Auror' left no doubt about the high esteem he had for the witches and wizards that risked their lives in the battle against the Dark. "Now step aside like a good Auror and let me do my job," he finished, in a way that left no space for disagreement.

"You will not take her wand!" Tonks retorted, trying to suppress the anger rising inside her. "She has a right to a defensive hearing, at lest. And what charm is she supposed to have done?"

"The Ministry does not have time to socialize with all the underage wizards that cannot abstain from performing magic." The other two Ministry officials nodded their heads in agreement.

"She's almost seventeen!" Tonks tried, desperately searching for a diplomatic solution to the problem.

"In dangerous times like this we must be united. We all must obey the law to the letter. The fact that she is almost seventeen does not excuse her from proper punishment."

When he spoke of 'law,' 'ministry,' and 'punishment,' exaltation seemed to seep into his voice. Clearly he was a man who took pride in his job.

"What charm she has cast is of no consequence. Step aside, Auror, this does not concern you." He paused, then added (in the same tone he would use to teach a three year old that putting his fingers in an outlet would hurt) "You shouldn't even be here."

When Tonks continued to stare at him in disbelief, making no move to comply to his demand, he took another step forward. His right hand reached for his wand, emphasizing the fact that he wasn't going to let anybody stop him from doing his duty.

Tonks wasn't an Auror just for her looks. She was also very fast.

"EXPELLIARMUS!" she shouted.

Caught unaware, Mr. Stiffly flew backwards through his cronies, knocking them with him. They crashed into the plate cabinet in a whirl of arms and legs, smashing it to pieces. Tonks emerged the proud owner of a new wand.

An old, grizzled wizard Apparated into the room with a crack, his long white hair hanging across his scarred face. He made two steps towards the recovering Ministry officials, that were now trying to get up on their feet. A heavy thump accompanied every other step, due to his wooden leg.

A bit of quick wand-work and three Stupefy spells later, and jets of red light hit their marks with their expected result. Mr. Stiffly and his mates were blissfully unconscious.

"Bureaucrats!" growled Mad-Eye Moody with more bitterness for himself than anyone else.

Tonks heard and gave him a half-roguish, half-grievous smile.

This was too much for two law abiding dentists. Being witnesses to a duel between wizards in their own kitchen was not a part of their usual weekend schedule. They stood beside their daughter, holding each other, their eyes fixed on the freshly Stunned men. By the expressions on their faces it was clear that they found the scenery breathtaking.

"Come on, let's move, we don't have all day," grunted Moody. He was glaring at the Grangers with his good eye, while the big, blue, magical one spin inside its socket with stunning speed. "Have you packed already?"

"Moody, not everyone is as paranoid as you," Tonks stepped in with a nagging voice. "Normal people don't have a set of luggage just in case they have to wake in the middle of the night and scram." She knelt near Hermione and tried with little success to bring her back from wherever she was.

"Well they should. CONSTANT VIGILENCE!" barked Moody.

"Just what is going on here?" Now that the initial shock had passed, Mr. Granger's patience was running thin.

"We're in a war. And you and your family are not safe here anymore. You must come with us. That's why we're here. And we're running out of time as we speak." Mad-Eye Moody could always be trusted to cut to the essentials.

"War? What war?" asked Mrs. Granger, fear creeping into her voice. Things just kept getting better and better.

"Hermione hasn't told you anything?" Tonks asked with a puzzled expression, her eyes shifting between Hermione and her mother.

"She said something about a dark wizard, but she didn't give many details", Dr. Kendal explain factually. "Hermione, is this true. Is there a war out there?" he pointed at the world outside the window, blatant disbelief in his voice.

Hermione looked sadly at her father and nodded.

Mrs. Granger gasped and put her hands to her mouth.

"Then how come you're involved in this? You're just a child!" Dr. Kendal's voice echoed very loudly in the kitchen. He didn't believe in raising his voice normally, but the world was crumbling down around his head, and he'd just reached his breaking point.

Hermione just shrugged and didn't say anything as she heard the accusation in her father's voice. What was the point of all this? It didn't matter anymore. Nothing did.

She closed her eyes and searched for the spot inside of her that usually burned with a white flame, warming her soul and giving her hope. This time she didn't find it. There was nothing left; only a vacuum that was about to fill with despair.

The dam she had built up to keep it at bay was collapsing, and she didn't want to do anything to stop it. Not anymore. All she wanted to do no was let go. She had lost somebody that she had hoped would forever be a part of herself. She felt alone and isolated in the world.

Any moment now.

A bitter sea of sorrow rose vertiginously and clashed against the dam, shaking it's foundations. Her heart jumped with surprise when the dam survived and the waves retreated back into the blackness from whence

they came. She slowly opened her eyelids and saw Tonks's face only inches in front of her. Her mouth was moving, but she couldn't hear any sounds. She gather herself and focused on the movement of Tonks's lips.

"Hermione, Harry is alive!" Tonks had forgotten how many times she had repeated those words. She saw the light of understanding appearing in Hermione's hazel eyes, and then the was clutching the crying girl to

her chest.

"This is not the time, nor the place for this," snapped Mad-Eye Moody. He turned to the Grangers. "We aren't safe here. You must come with us--otherwise, we cannot guarantee that you will be alive tomorrow

morning. Is that clear?" Moody looked like he was about to Stun anyone who didn't agree with him.

"When we reach our destination, everything will be explained. Is this tolerable, Dr. Granger?" Tonks asked, again playing peacekeeper. She still had Hermione in her arms.

Hermione's parents didn't know what to do. They had been driven into a conflict they knew nothing about, and to top if off, it felt like they didn't know their daughter anymore. She was crying right there beside them, and they didn't know how to appease her. They were lost.

"I guess so," murmured Mr. Granger. "Do we even have a choice? What about our jobs?"

"Dr. Granger, you will take a holiday until things are back to normal. And don't worry about the material support. Money is not a problem. Now, let's get going. Forget about your baggage, if necessary someone will pick it up later," said Moody, getting more restless by the minute.

"What about them?" asked Mrs. Granger, pointing at the three still unconscious Ministry officials.

"What they don't know can't hurt us," Tonks joked.

Moody quickly barked three charms in rapid succession, clearing their memories. With a wave of his wand he had conjured some strips with which he tied up the men on the floor. Pointing his wand at the ropes binding them, he murmured 'portus,' and after three seconds, they disappeared.

"Where'd you send them?" Tonks asked with interest.

"It's better if you don't know," growled Moody. "Now, then, let's get out of here."

He pulled a sock from his pocket.

"This is a Portkey," explained Tonks to Hermione's parents. "Dumbledore gave it to us. You must all touch it. One finger will do."

They approached reluctantly, but did as they were told. So did Tonks and Hermione.

Alive. He is alive. Harry is alive. Hermione couldn't help but believe what Tonks had said. Despite what her heart told her, she believed. And slowly the white fire flared again in her chest, bringing her hope.

She looked up at her parents. She could see the puzzled expressions on their faces, and it pained her that they had to find out like this. She hadn't told them anything, not wanting them to worry about something they had no control over. All she wanted was the small amount of time she spent with them every year to be full of joy and happiness. No fears, not worries, no problems, and no magic. She just wanted to be with them and enjoy their company.

Hermione could only hope they would understand that and be able to forgive her.

One step at a time, Granger, one step at a time, she told herself while touching the sock.

"In a few seconds you will feel a slight pull behind your navel. There will be a disturbance, and then you will be at your destination," Tonks said, continuing her explanation.

The Grangers nodded. They looked at their daughter. Seeing the suffering still reflected on her face, Mrs. Granger put her hand on Hermione's shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze. Mother and daughter looked at each other.

There was no resentfulness in their eyes, no anger or incrimination. No words had been shared, but they both knew they would go through this together. They were still family.

Before the Portkey activated, Tonks pointed her wand at the mess in the kitchen and uttered 'Reparo.' The next second they were in the kitchen of Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place.

Moody helped the Grangers to their feet.

Only Remus Lupin waited in the kitchen for them. He looked weaker than ever. He smiled at Hermione and greeted her parents. Hermione returned a sad smile, and went straight to the door.

"Harry is in--"

But Hermione wasn't listening to Lupin as she ran up the stairs. She knew she had to speak with her parents sooner of later, but this was not the time. They were out of immediate danger, and they were about to be told the truth. That would have to do for now. She had to be sure that Harry was all right. She had to see him, had to touch him, to convince herself that he was all right.

There was no other way.

Somehow she knew exactly where to go. She reached a sturdy brownish cashew door. Taking a deep breath, she stepped through the doorway, closing the door behind her.

She saw a small room with only a bed, a nightstand, and several high-backed armchairs. A yellow sunbeam came through the window, giving the room an air of peace.

Hermione's eyes stopped on the bed. Harry was sleeping with his neck wrapped in bandages. His face was very pale. She wiped a tear from her eyes and took a seat beside him, taking his right hand in hers.

She sighed deeply, and started to wait.