Chapter 11

Arranging Affairs

Edithe paced Graceilla's office, her agitation literally making the fiddle fern and pinkerdyllis on Graceilla's magical windowsill and the Flutterby bush, trimmed in a neat topiary in the corner, quiver with nervousness.

"That insolent chit!" Edithe snarled venomously as she paced, her hands clenched in fists. "How dare she! Merilynn Elizabeth in the Wizengamot Administration office said that all my work finding suitable matches for the girls leaving Hogwarts is for naught. That Healer...Pomfrey...said in her last report that they are sterile!" She threw her hands up in exasperation. "How am I supposed to do my job and meet satisfactory quotas if every eligible girl in school has allowed that rebellious wench to sterilize them! Sterilized! As in ineligible...cannot bear children!"

"Who, Edithe? Madam Pomfrey wouldn't have sterilized the girls."

"That wench, Hermione Granger, who else?!" Edithe sneered venomously enough that Graceilla cringed.

"The students are all coming home on the Hogwarts Express today," Graceilla stated soothingly while holding out her hands in supplication to try to get her friend to calm down. "We'll just insist that they all see a Healer to get to the bottom of this. It's possible they're all faking it."

"First the pregnancies...now this! How can you go from pregnant to sterile in a few weeks? It's that Granger chit...I know it! The entire school followed her lead. Just because she's friends with that...that...Harry Potter! AND HE'S IN ON IT, TOO!" Edithe stomped her foot and whirled around to face the desk. "And, because she's Hermione Granger, golden swot, best friend of famous Harry Potter, when I filed to have her arrested – they told me no! NO!" Edithe stood facing Graceilla squarely, her nostrils flaring and her hands in fists at her sides.

"Edithe, we cannot prove the girl did sterilize them..."

"And half of the girls leaving Hogwarts this year are actually pregnant!"

Graceilla looked at the parchment memo from the Wizengamot. "Only twelve by my account!" she said, trying to pacify her friend and colleague.

Edithe rounded on her again. "Since there are only forty-two females completing school this year, that's one third of the graduating female students!" she ranted, throwing her hands up in the air. "The entire point of this law is to increase our numbers with magically superior children. So far, we have not been increasing our numbers at all! Did you know that Muggle births are up thirty-nine percent? Thirty-nine percent! We haven't had thirty-nine births, let alone an increase in percentage!"

"Edithe, control yourself! I'm sure now that summer is here, the girls will be properly married to acceptable wizards, and once we resolve this farce of sterilization, they will all get pregnant," Graceilla said, signing off on one of Edithe's matches to send to the Wizengamot for approval. "I mean, really, Edithe, who would actually sterilize themselves...voluntarily? It just doesn't make sense." She placed the petition in the box to go to the Administrative Offices of the Wizengamot. "Now, is there anything else?"

"I'll say! I have made ninety unions, and forty-three of my couples are filing for release of obligation, citing spousal abuse, infidelity, potion abuse, incompatibility...of all the nerve, irreconcilable differences...or some such nonsense, and emotional distress inhibiting witches from performing and meeting the required offspring," Edithe said with a sneer. "They don't have to perform...just let him do his business and have babies! And what is there to reconcile? Have sex, get pregnant, and ignore the wizard for a year. What's so hard about that? That's what Sheldon and I did." She flung her hands up in exasperation. "Merlin bless him. I had one child and another on the way before I annulled my hand-fasting!"

Too bad Eugene turned out to be so inept magically, but Emily is a sweet thing and has a lovely child; Deborah is so gentle and kind, a true delight. "You are doing your best," Graceilla said in a pacifying tone, hoping to appease her friend. "Make me a list of the couples giving you troubles, and I'll send a letter informing them of their obligations under the law. Maybe we can seek assistance from Uncle Stanford regarding the pregnancies. It's possible we can use a fertility potion... or possibly induce the younger witches to produce twins? That might speed things along nicely."

Edithe smiled, her gaze moving to the magical window. "Oh, we are so lucky to have you leading the S.H.R.M.C.! Imagine, you having Healer Stanford Brumfield as an uncle. He's such a remarkable wizard!"

Graceilla smiled, pleased that her friend seemed to have calmed somewhat. "He's coming over for dinner on Sunday. Why don't you join us? I'm sure he'd love to hear how you are implementing his theory."

"Oh, I'd be delighted!" she exclaimed, clasping her hands in joy.

Harry was on the platform in King's Cross with Mr. and Mrs. Weasley when the Hogwarts Express rolled in. Ginny had rushed from the train and into Harry's arms, exuberant to see her fiancé. Harry hugged her fiercely and kissed her, completely impervious to the shocked expression on Mrs. Weasley's face and the huge grin in Mr. Weasley's.

"I've missed you so much," Ginny said, finally coming up for air, as Hermione greeted first Mr. Weasley and then Mrs. Weasley.

Harry rested his forehead on hers. "Not as much as I have you. Well, when I wasn't struggling with my revisions and spell work." He turned to Hermione. "What, no hug?"

Hermione laughed as Ginny stepped aside to hug her mum and let Harry hug his best mate. "It's good to see you," he said into her hair.

"So, Hermione, are you coming to the Burrow with us?" Mr. Weasley asked as he levitated Ginny's trunk and Crooks' carrier onto a trolley.

She stepped back from her warm welcome from Mrs. Weasley. "I, er, I told Harry I'd be staying with him," she said and turned to face him, "if the offer is still on."

Harry nodded still smiling happily. "Yes, of course it's still on."

Hermione plucked Crooks' carrier off the trolley.

Mrs. Weasley opened her mouth as if to protest, but Mr. Weasley cut her off. "Fine, fine. You're both expected for Sunday dinner, though. No arguments. Come along, Ginny, you'll be seeing him soon enough." Ginny waved good-bye as she left with her parents.

Hermione turned to look for her trunk, confused to see it was missing. "My trunk?"

Draco appeared next her. "A house-elf in a skirt took it before we left Hogsmeade," he said with a smirk. "I thought your elf was an old male, Potter. Or may I call you Harry?"

"It's still Potter," Harry replied, then turned to Hermione. "Winky arrived at the house hours ago."

"Winky's my new house-elf...I'll explain later," she said and turned to Draco. "Happy holiday, Draco. Good-bye."

He only laughed at her curtness and stepped closer to her. "Now come on, after all we went through together last year, I thought we were well beyond all that," he said and held out his hand.

Hermione looked at the proffered hand and placed hers in it, only to be pulled forward and into a hug, banging Crooks' carrier on his leg, making Crooks hiss in anger.

"Happy holiday, love. I'm going to miss you."

Hermione pulled back immediately and nearly toppled into a second-year greeting his family, which made her lose her footing.

Draco's hand shot out instantly, helping her steady herself on her feet again. "Watch your step. We don't want you, of all witches, breaking your lovely neck," he said with a smile.

"Watch it, Malfoy," Harry warned him softly, "unhand her," as Hermione turned to apologize to the young boy, then whirled to face Draco.

"If you weren't pawing, at me I wouldn't have!"

Draco held up his hands. "I was only wishing my new friend a happy holiday. Don't go misunderstanding my intentions." He turned, scanning the thinning crowd. "I was hoping to say good-bye to Ginevra." His gaze stopped on Hermione. "You'll tell her happy hols for me, won't you?"

"Yes, I can do that," Hermione agreed, moving to stand closer to Harry.

Harry had narrowed his eyes suspiciously, watching Hermione's coolness toward Draco in stark contrast to Draco's attempt at a friendly good-bye.

"Well, I won't keep you," Draco said. "Oh, if I wanted to send an owl this summer, you'll be staying at the Burrow?"

One side of Hermione's mouth curved in to a smirk. "No, Harry's actually. Although, my post can be sent to the Burrow, if you like, and Mr. or Mrs. Weasley can forward it to me."

Draco's eyes had grown cool and his smile faltered, but he recovered quickly. "Oh, Apollo can find anyone, even carefully warded homes." He turned his attention to Harry. "I would really like the opportunity to see you over the summer, Harry. Possibly have you come over for a spot of Quidditch or Abraxan riding? I know you are acquainted with magical equestrians, but Abraxans have a much smoother gait than Hippogriffs or Thestrals."

"I'm rather busy, Malfoy," Harry said, the crease between his brows deepening as his eyes narrowed slightly.

"Please, call me Draco. I...things are different, and I'd like to think we can start over," he said, extending his hand.

There were considerably fewer people on the platform, but they were still attracting attention. Harry took his hand and gave one small shake before letting go. "Happy hols, Draco. I'll have to see about my schedule." He turned to Hermione. "Are you ready? Kreacher is making your favorite."

"Yes, I'm ready. Bye, Draco. I'll possibly see you in September," Hermione said and quickly headed for the barrier.

Harry found her waiting for him by the curb, trying to sooth Crookshanks in his carrier. "Hermione, what's up with Malfoy?" he asked. "You and Gin told me in your letters that you were friends with the ferret now, but that was more than him just being friendly."

She shook her head. "It's nothing," she said to brush off his questions as she looped her arm with his. "Take me home, Harry."

Harry was thrilled to have Hermione living with him. He Disapparated, taking her with him Side-Along, arriving in the entry of number twelve, Grimmauld Place. The room was lit with a warm light with a soft, buttery cream damask on the walls and a large new Persian rug on the floor. A portrait of Harry's parents hung where Mrs. Black used to be. Hermione looked through the doorway as they passed the dining room, amazed by the soft pale green on the walls and new drapes.

She ascended the stairs after Harry, looking at the pictures he'd put on the wall of his parents and friends. She paused to examine a large painting made from Harry's picture of the first Order of the Phoenix that hung proudly on the wall next to a portrait version of the second Order of the Phoenix that included the members who had died: Sirius, Remus, Tonks, Moody, and Emmeline Vance, and several faces Hermione didn't recognize. Another portrait showed the faces of all the members of Dumbledore's Army from before the war. She turned to ask him when he'd had them done and hurried up the stairs, realizing he had been telling her about the changes to the house.

"...Mrs. Black is in the vault. I had a wizard replace the wall..."

She sucked in her breath as she stepped into the doorway of the drawing room, amazed at the transformation.

"I've had the wallpaper in the room redone, and Kreacher has really made the place livable," he explained.

"Is this what all the letters to Gin were about, redecorating?" she asked, grinning at him.

"I just told Kreacher that I was tired of dreary walls and old wallpaper, and he did most of it. I figured if Ginny and I were actually going to live here, and if I was going to have a family, it should look a bit friendlier." He opened the doors to the library. "Winky cleaned up this room." He turned, smiling at her smile. "And you can have any room in the house as yours." He pointed behind him. "I'm in the master suite, so Winky wasn't sure where to put your things, unless you want the same room as before. The third landing is full of boxes, and Kreacher's bedroom is one of the servants' bedrooms downstairs off the kitchen. There's one for Winky too." Hermione followed him as he told her about the upgrades he'd made on the house.

That night at dinner, he pulled a small, square box from his pocket and held it out to her.

"Is that for me?" she teased him, clutching her hands at her chest with her smile as wide as she could make it.

"No, it's for Gin, but I wanted to show it to you," he said and handed her the box.

Hermione inhaled sharply at the sight of the lovely antique diamond ring.

"Do you think she'll like it? I got it in London."

"She'll love it," Hermione exclaimed, handing the ring back.

He smiled as he closed the box. "As soon as the Wizengamot gives me and Ginny approval, I'm going to give it to her, and she'll be moving in here, too."

"What is the delay? Didn't Ginny drop the paternity suit?" she asked, hoping the S.H.R.M.C. wasn't giving her friends any grief.

"I found out that Deborah Mendleson is Edithe Havershiems granddaughter, and she...both of them are pushing for me to marry her. Fortunately, Mafalda Hopkirk, Head of the Department of Law Enforcement, and Tiberius Ogden, Chief Warlock of the Wizengamot, seem to be on friendly terms with me. I just hope they are willing to allow my petition to marry Ginny instead," he explained. "Seems I have friends in high places."

"Nepotism in the Ministry...how shocking!" Hermione laughed softly. "You are the Chosen-One-Who-Defeated-Voldemort twice! It would be quite a boon for Mrs. Havershiems to have you in the family, but I wouldn't be surprised if you win this one."

"Thank you," he said sheepishly, "I really hope you're right."

All through dinner, Hermione told Harry what had been going on in school as he related events in the Ministry. Hermione was amazed that people were following the example of the students and trying to evade Mrs. Havershiems attempts at matchmaking. Harry told her that quite a few eligible girls on the list had tried leaving the country, only to be told that they were in contempt of the law and would be persecuted upon their return. "The count is up to one-hundred twenty-two who have actually gotten married. There are a lot of people who have postponed or delayed their marriages using all kinds of reasons. Apparently there is a huge outbreak of Spattergroit and Dragon Pox, and even the use of herbal sterility promoters and emmenagogues to avoid pregnancy. It's amazing how many we have had to arrest or take to St. Mungo's."

Hermione shook her head. "Yet no one is fighting to get these laws off the books or to terminate the S.H.R.M.C."

"Some have tried, even talked about it, but so far nothing yet!" Harry snorted, his tea coming up his nose.

The next morning, Hermione went to the Elfrida Clagg School of Magical and Danelaw admissions office to enroll. Hermione had left the admissions office with mixed feelings. She had filed all the paperwork, but law school was going to cost her a bundle, and she didn't know how she was going to pay for it.

Within one week, she had been accepted for enrollment. Hermione Apparated to the campus and made her down payment, receiving her enrollment packet including her course schedule, course outline, books and supply lists, and she had been granted Floo access in the private students' center reserved for the magical students.

She went to the student body office to inquire about scholarships or grants, possibly student loans. The financial advisor was sympathetic, but informed her that all the grants and scholarships had been awarded for the term and referred her to Gringotts to apply for a student loan. Hermione had left the financial offices feeling slightly despondent. With her parents still in Australia, she didn't have anyone to turn to for advice, not that her parents would be able to advise her about things in the wizarding world.

She strolled about the campus looking at the old buildings and lush landscape, but her mind was on financial matters. She leaned against a tree, deep in thought until a redhead across the school commons caught her attention. What an idiot! The Weasleys would know!

She arrived on the road near the Burrow, infused her Patronus with the words, 'May I come see you?' and sent the silvery otter to the house. Only a minute later, she saw Mrs. Weasley in the doorway waving at her. Hermione Apparated to the front door and looked up at the friendly face.

Mrs. Weasley recovered from being startled quickly. "Hermione, dear, what's the matter? You look like the weight of the world is on your shoulders," Mrs. Weasley said, her expression becoming concerned.

"I suppose I do," she said, her shoulders sagging, looking at the motherly face that had always been so accepting of her. "I need advice and don't know where to turn this time."

"Come in, come in," Mrs. Weasley said, ushering her inside. "So tell me, what is the problem, dear?" She quickly set the kettle on the stove and put some biscuits on a plate. "Does this have to do with you and Ron?"

Mrs. Weasley sat down facing her at the table, and Hermione smiled at how similar the action was to her own mother and felt a pang of sadness. "No, it doesn't," Hermione admitted and told her of her desire to attend law school. "I know my parents would have managed to help me, and I have half of my tuition, I think, but I will have three years to pay for and it's over four-thousand Galleons."

Mrs. Weasley got up to get the kettle and set the tea to seep, then returned to the table. "Most schools in the wizarding community have scholarships for those who cannot afford school." She explained how it worked, but she basically repeated what the woman in the financial services office had said. "You can apply to Gringotts for a loan, but the goblins have particular rules about lending gold."

Hermione laughed aloud, nearly making her tea come out of her nose. "Oh, I'm sure that they'd be more than happy to lend money to a bank robber, especially one who succeeded in robbing their vault!"

"Well, it might be your only option," Mrs. Weasley said thoughtfully. "Bill was the only one to go to a trade school to become a Curse-Breaker, but the Goblins took the funds from his paychecks for the first three years. Charlie and Percy simply went to work after Hogwarts, and Fred and George..." Her voice broke slightly and Hermione placed a hand on hers. "Well, George is quite successful, as you know." She met Hermione's gaze and smiled. "Are you staying for dinner?"

"I'm sorry, I can't," she replied with a shake of her head. "But the tea is appreciated."

Hermione left the Burrow after a brief visit and Apparated to Diagon Alley to speak to a goblin in charge of her account, in the hopes of getting student loans. The goblins at the door insisted that she leave her wand at the visitor's desk while another goblin swept her with a sensory rod to determine if she had any other magical devices on her. She was escorted to a private office where a goblin stood guard at the door.

Finally, a goblin by the name of Regruk entered the office. "What can we do for you, Miss Granger?" he asked as he sat down, placing a ledger in front of him.

"I want to attend law school, and I was wondering if you offer any student loans?" she asked and cringed inwardly by his incredulous stare.

"You want to borrow money from us?" he asked, his demeanor becoming a contemptuous sneer, "after our more... recent association?"

Hermione kept her nervousness in check and tried to maintain a calm demeanor so as to try and get on a good footing with the goblin. "Yes, please. I won't be able to go to law school otherwise."

He stared at Hermione, then opened the ledger and ran his finger down the page. "Minus your recent request for funds, you have one-thousand nine-hundred and fifty-nine Galleons, seven-hundred ninety-six Sickles, and five-hundred twenty-eight Knuts in your account." His finger moved to another column. "Your mortgage on the home you bought from your parents is one-hundred sixty-one Galleons, ten Sickles and six Knuts. Your renter is making his regular monthly payments on time and there have been no late fees incurred, giving you a profit each month of nine Galleons, three Sickles and six Knuts." He picked up a piece of parchment and looked at her over his spectacles. "Your tuition for the Elfrida Clagg School of Magical and Danelaw in Castle Hill Cambridgeshire will be four-thousand and forty-six Galleons, thirteen Sickles and three Knuts a year."

Hermione ran the numbers in her head and felt sick. She didn't have enough to pay for the rest of her tuition, and she had three years of law school to get her degree. She had no choice but to look for a job. "But would I be allowed to get a student loan?"

"You will have to get a job with direct deposit to your account," Regruk stated. "If you have viable income, we might be willing to negotiate a loan."

Hermione nodded and exhaled slowly. That isn't a no. "All I need is a job? Then I can have the loan?" she asked.

Regruk nodded and closed the ledger. He looked at the back of the goblin at the door, then said softly, "My brother, Griphook, said you only took the cup, nothing else. Only the cup. The vault was a mess to put right, but there was nothing else missing."

"The cup was a Horcrux," she said softly back, wondering why they were speaking so low. "It was deeply regrettable, but if we hadn't retrieved the cup, an artifact Voldemort stole from the rightful owner, he would still be alive. But we only needed to destroy the soul within it, we didn't intend on keeping it. That's why Harry had it repaired and returned to your bank."

"But you only took the cup...nothing else... and you gave it back, plus the sword. Most odd..." he said, clearly puzzled. "However, you released our dragon and destroyed our lobby."

Hermione had hoped that the goblin wouldn't want to talk about this. "We needed the cup so that we could kill the fragment of Voldemort's soul within it. Griphook said you wouldn't give it to us...we couldn't think of any other way to destroy Voldemort unless we destroyed all of his Horcruxes. We were not after anything else. But, the cup and sword weren't ours, so yes, we returned them."

"Yes, the treasure was returned... You are most odd." He stroked his chin. "Griphook said you were odd for wand carriers. I'm glad that dark wizard is dead. My brother said..." He looked at the goblin at the door and at the ledger in his hands. "I will see what I can do. You don't have a viable income... You have to be earning Galleons, but you are honorable. I will see what can be done."

"And I promise to get a job," Hermione said, feeling hopeful for the first time during their meeting.

"Don't ask here. They will not let you near the vaults," Regruk stated firmly. "But our liaison office needs someone we can trust and who will deal with us fairly."

"Work for the Ministry?" she gasped, realizing what he was suggesting. "They would never hire me there!"

"They are not having enough people in all departments," he said, then realized that the goblin outside the door was looking in at them. "I have to go. We are done. Get a job and then make another appointment. I will reconsider negotiations then," he said, trying to hustle her out.

Hermione took the hint and let the goblin at the door escort her from the bank. Outside it was raining again, and she pulled her robe over her head. It had been quite wet for June, despite the month being notably dry over some parts of England. But on this, the twenty-second, the evening was really quite chilly. Hermione pulled her robes tighter about her and walked to the Apparation site. She arrived at Harry's, wet and chilled to the bone.

"Hermione, is that you?" Ginny called out as Winky appeared with a thick towel. "You're soaked!"

"I got caught out in the rain," she explained, handing Winky her robe and jumper.

Winky squealed in fear. "Mistress lays the clothing down for Winky to picks up later," she insisted, holding her hands up as she backed away. She turned and fled.

Ginny whipped her wand out and tried to dry off her friend. "Figures she'd be terrified of clothes."

"I was going to give her a pillowcase if she wanted, but..." Hermione started to say as Harry walked in. "How about I change and come back down." She didn't give them a chance to answer.

Winky was pulling out a pair of warm jersey knit pants and a soft jumper for her the moment she entered her room. "Does Mistress want Winky to makes a bath?"

"No, this is fine," she said, exchanging her clothes quickly, handing Winky the wet ones. "Thank you, Winky. I'm sorry about the robe. I didn't mean for it to be clothes."

"Winky sorry to not understand, Mistress. Winky will punishes herself," Winky said as she bowed, then quickly vanished.

"Winky, no punishment is necessary! Don't hurt yourself!" Hermione cried as she hurried down stairs.

"So, tell us what they said?" Ginny asked the moment she entered the kitchen.

Winky set a mug of steaming hot tea in front of Hermione and disappeared before she could thank her. "I will have to take a job. Law school is really expensive, and I don't have enough in my account, not by half. What I have left will be wiped out with my first year's tuition alone. But you'll never guess where Regruk, my goblin account representative, suggested that I apply," she said with a sigh.

Harry set down his own mug and looked up curiously. "All right, where?"

"At the Ministry of Magic in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. He even seemed to suggest that I work for their liaison office," she replied with a smirk.

Ginny made a small hop in her seat. "Hermione, that's perfect! I heard Dad say that they were really short handed down there. They even enticed Newt Scamander to return to fill the post as Head of the Department until they could get more employees!"

Hermione shook her head. "Oh, like I'd have a shot at working for the Ministry! Have you forgotten I'm despised down there?"

"Only by a small handful in the S.H.R.M.C," Harry pointed out. "You have loads of friends in the Ministry with connections: me, Ron, Seamus, Neville, Kingsley, Mr. Weasley, Percy... Did you know that Cho Chang and Katie Bell are in Magical Games and Sports? And most of the members of the Order are filling vacancies in various Departments."

"I'd make an appointment with my brother, Percy," Ginny suggested. "He's always liked you, and he would be a good reference."

Hermione sent Percy a letter first thing the next morning, asking for his advice about working for the Ministry. His return letter arrived well before lunch inviting her to come see him at one o'clock. Ginny had been right, he was delighted that she wanted to work in the Ministry, but he was wary about her chances of gainful employment. He promised to talk to Newt Scamander about her and made suggestions of whom to ask for references. Hermione had made an appointment to see Headmistress McGonagall about the possibility of getting reference letters from all her professors. Minerva had been shocked that she wanted to work at the Ministry and promised to contact her professors for her. Minerva even contacted Professor Snape in France on her behalf, and was surprised and deeply grateful that he'd written a letter of recommendation for her, as well as all her other professors.

When she arrived for her interview, Percy greeted her warmly in the atrium and told her that Newt was delighted to have her apply for the job. Josephina Rawlings, Head of Human Resources and Magical Personnel office, was absolutely delighted to accept Hermione's application. She was amazed when Mrs. Rawlings said that she'd already received letters from Mr. Weasley, Kingsley Shacklebolt, even Aurors Savage and Dawlish, and Ludo Bagman on her behalf. She personally escorted Hermione to meet Ernest Whipple, Head of the Being Division, who was quite pleased with Hermione's resume and letters of recommendation.

"I'm enrolled at the Elfrida Clagg School of Magical and Danelaw in Castle Hill, Cambridgeshire," she explained to him. "I would have to accommodate my work schedule around my class schedule, if that's all right?"

He looked up and smiled, a strained but kind smile. He was a thin man, balding, with a round face with slightly saggy jowls, dark circles under his eyes and flushed color to his cheeks. "So you are going to law school? Good for you. The Floo in the atrium is connected to the school, so that is convenient. My daughter has told me so much about you! She was...she told me that you found a potion to reverse the Sterility Curse. Is that true? Did you?" he asked, picking nervously at his thumb as he looked at her.

Hermione clasped her hands together on her lap to hide her apprehension as to where this would lead. "Forgive me if I'm hesitant to answer that, considering that any attempt to sterilize one's self to avoid the marriage law is illegal..."

But Mr. Whipple wasn't listening as he continued undaunted, "My daughter was so distressed over being eligible to wed at only sixteen without any say as to whom she'd be matched to. However, I was relieved when she told me of her...your plan! Not that I'd tell anyone, but really, forcing young girls to marry is incogitable." He turned to look at the pictures on his bookshelf.

Hermione saw a picture of a blonde woman with a shy smile, another of the same woman and a young girl, and a third of the same girl, only older and wearing Hufflepuff school robes. The girl waved merrily at Mr. Whipple from both pictures.

"Certainly there is no reason to make little girls get married so young," he said solemnly.

Hermione recognized the girl immediately. "Marcella Whipple! Is she your daughter?" she asked, and he nodded, turning back to her. Hermione lowered her voice as she tried to reassure him. "She's such a nice girl. Please, I know she's sterilized, but don't worry. There is a potion. Severus Snape developed it, and yes, I know..."

He waved his hands to make her stop talking. "She said you were trustworthy and very smart. I have to say, I'm surprised you want to work here, but believe me, I would be a fool to say no."

"So I get the job?" she asked, stunned.

"As my assistant," he said, smiling. "I do hope you like filing and are well organized; things in this department are a mess with us being so understaffed." He outlined what her duties would entail and told her what her salary would be. "This is only a starting salary, mind. Is it acceptable?"

"Absolutely!" Hermione held out her hand. "Thank you."

Mr. Whipple shook it but didn't let go. "Do you think you could start today?"