Author's note. Sorry for the delay on this one. I had really bad writer's block. I hope you enjoy my little work around, even if you have to re-read past events a bit.

From the private diary of one Hermione J. Granger

11th of April 1992

I had been looking forward to Easter break for a while and for several reasons. First, I can study for the end of year exams in peace. Outside of Holly it seems that no one in my year understands the need for studying. Second, I get to visit the muggle library again. As much as I love the wizarding world, they are lacking in the sciences and there seems to be an ignorance of the advances being made around them. And lastly, I'm going shopping with Holly tomorrow. Of course Susan will be there and Hannah as well, but that's okay. As much as I like Susan, sometimes I get jealous of her. Sometimes I see the way Holly looks at Susan and wish she looked at me that way. Sometimes I want to wrap my arms around Holly and see what her lips taste like. It's kind of ironic that I'm writing this from one of the guest rooms at her Aunt's house, which seems twice as large as my parents' bedroom. We had already made plans to go shopping, but my parents were going to drive me to Diagon Alley in the morning. Mrs. Bones offered for me to sleep over though, which was very nice of her. To top it off, she's going to take us all to the Ministry of Magic tomorrow and even invited my parents. I do wish I could share more with my parents, but I can't use magic around them and it seems like they're looked down on by most wizards and I don't like that. They don't deserve that. Mrs. Bones isn't like that though. Apart from Professor McGonagall, she seems to be one of the most fair minded people I've met within the wizarding world.

Getting back to being at Bones Manor, this is my first time at a wizards house, and it certainly lived up to the grandiose descriptions I've heard about. It started, of course, by arriving via floo. It was my first trip via floo, and except for maybe my first and only ride on the teacups when I was six, it was the most disorienting experience of my life. Fortunately the effects wore off after only a few seconds, and didn't carry with it a sense of nausea. Instead it felt like my body had been taken apart, jumbled up, and then put back together. The foyer was elegant yet simple at the same time. The rest of the house was just as impressive, reminding me of the tour of Buckingham Palace that my parents took me on a few years ago. I don't know how old the house is, but I would guess at least a hundred years or so.

I had a lot of fun with the girls even though I passed up a night of reading. Mrs. Bones has a very impressive library. I wonder if it is a common practice among the wizarding community. Sometimes it's hard to get my nose out of interesting books, I've been doing it for so long. But I do really like having actual friends. I've heard from several of my house mates that I need to be careful around Holly, that given my blood status she's only using me or she'll eventually stab me in the back, but they're wrong. I've had people try befriending me just for my smarts before, but Holly is genuinely interested in me. I'm happy that she is getting me out of my shell, even if it scares me sometimes.

12 of April 1992

It was a long day today. We went shopping in Diagon Alley, which was a bit awkward for me as I'm not used to spending so much money on my own. My parents gave me some spending money, which I had to stop at Gringotts to have exchanged, and I've gotten some money for tutoring or reviewing essays, but I wasn't prepared for some of the prices of clothes. Holly got some totally cute boots and several other shoes at the high-end Twilfitt and Tattings that cost more than I even had to spend in total, and she also seemed to buy at least one thing from every other shop we entered. I sometimes worry about her overspending, as she doesn't have anyone making her sure she spends her money responsibly. She easily spent £1,000 if not twice that. She also insisted on buying something for all of us and for Mrs. Bones, so at least she's generous. Susan got a silver necklace with a snake pendant, Hannah got a pair of shoes, and Mrs. Bones got a potted Molly plant. I, to my protests about the cost, got a dress that I thought was way too expensive. We were all trying on clothes and Holly had handed it to me to try on. It's a full length dress in a dark red with silver accents which everyone thought was totally cute, myself included. It was hard to put down, but the cost was more than I was willing to pay for it. Holly decided to buy it for me while I was trying on something else and gave it to me right before lunch, so that I wouldn't try returning it.

After lunch we returned to Bones Manor so that purchases could be dropped off and then we took the private floo that connects to her office in the Ministry. This now made my fourth floo ride, and it was… different. The sensation was the same, but the previous times I could see my destination in my mind's eye as well as a bunch of little lights off in the distance rushing past at the speed of light. This time there was only darkness. Emerging from the fireplace at the other end was more disorienting than the first time. It felt like I came through the fireplace upside down and falling, but I landed on something soft yet strong and reassuring. Holly had caught me before I could fall. We've hugged before, but this time was different. Maybe it's because I didn't realize what was happening, but in that moment I didn't want her to let me go. Our embrace ended all too soon though, as everyone else came through the floo and then we were off to collect my parents and then start our tour. Being a Sunday, most of the offices were closed, but we did have an official tour guide and representatives from each office to explain what they do. I think that this whole tour thing might be a new thing and we were used as guinea pigs because it all seemed thrown together rather quickly and lacked the normal smooth flow of other tours I've been on.

We finished our tour in the Auror's office, where Holly dueled two of the recruits, and actually won one of them. I think they underestimated her in the first duel, where she managed to get off a full body bind. Her second duel was much more intense, and it was difficult at times to even tell what was happening, but eventually a stunner got through Holly's defenses. It seemed like a close match though as her opponent was obviously fatigued and he needed a moment to recover as much as she did.

Shortly after the duel it was time for me to say my goodbyes. It felt weird not taking the floo, but at the same time I'm still not quite used to it. We stopped off at home to change and then went to one of my favorite restaurants, Table Du Marche. As nice as it was and as much as I do miss my parents, I'm already missing my friends and magic. It's not fair that I'm not allowed to practice spells. At least it's only two weeks, I don't know how I'll deal with the almost two and a half months come summer break.

Amelia sat at her desk reading over a budget for a new initiative that Arthur Weasley was proposing. Her door opening was almost a welcome relief, if it weren't for the fact that she was not looking forward to the conversation she was about to have.

"Hello, Mad Eye. Please, do come in." She offered without looking up. Alistair closed the door behind him and cast several complex privacy charms which got her attention, as her office was already warded against every eavesdropping spell known to the wizarding world. "A little over cautious are we?"

"Bah! I can't take any chances with what I'm about to say."

"Would you like a seat?" Amelia knew he didn't, and that it would wind him up just a tad bit more.

Alistair stared at her a moment before starting to pace back and forth. "There's something different about that girl."

"Which one would that be?"

"Don't be daft, Amelia. You know exactly who I'm talking about."

"Yes. But that still leaves the question of why."

"Don't tell me you didn't see it yesterday. The way she moved. I haven't seen anyone move like that since we rescued Frank and Alice."

"I'm not sure what you're implying."

"Don't be so daft, woman. You've heard the rumors just as I have. Until yesterday, I thought it was just that, rumors spread by death eaters to discredit us, but now I'm not so sure."

"You know Albus better than I, do you really think he could have done that? And even if James were to agree to something so preposterous, do you think Lilly would?"

"All I know is that we were at war. People can be pushed very easily to do things they wouldn't normally do. How many lives did you take during the war?"

"That's different. That was life and death. This would be a child. Someone innocent."

"But if it drew out the dark lord? If it made him reckless, bated him into a trap. The wrong things done for the right reasons have a way of coming back to bite you in the ass, and I've lost enough body parts the first time 'round."

"She's a kind, caring, smart, and gifted young girl. One of her best friends, the one with the bushy hair, is muggle born. Even if what you're saying is true, she's not some embodiment of evil."

"Yet. You'd do best to keep an eye on her. If for no one else's but you niece's sake." And with that, Alistair turned and left, the door slamming shut behind him.

"Sometimes I hate this job." Amelia said out loud to herself, trying to get back to her work.