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"I don't know what it is you find so amusing," Umbridge croaked. "But one would expect more mature behavior from Scrimgemour's employees! I think you had better move on!"

I wish she got left in the forest back then.. .

That was an awesome post! ,
If I was hermione, Id be laughing too .

I agree.

I couldn't help but use her at least once in this story!!!! Comic relief!!!! A few ore "secrets" will be revealed regarding the Department of Mysteries, but, before too long, the main focus of the story will again shift direction as it jumps ahead. If my D's and M's are (great example here) issing, it's this new cheap computer keyboard. I often have to go back and fix where they failed to print!!!!!

Ok, so I'm all caught up now!
Tate, this is excellent! I've loved every moment of your posts!
Hope your keyboard isn't being too much of a pain! LOL.
*huggles*
Shan
XoXo

No prob, tatewin.

Well everyone, it is not my keyboard giving me problems now!! My system crashed again, but this crash wiped out my drivers, meaning that although I can get on my comp now, I have no internet not do I have printing or audio capablilites until I can get them downloaded back in. This will take me several days because I have to go out of town to burn the disk I need to reinstall them, I am hoping to get there perhaps Tuesday or Wednesday, weather permitting!!!! Anyway, I will be back with my next post as soon as I possibly can!!!!!! See ya then!!!!

I will count on you~

No problem, Tate! I understand what you're going through...Computers are a pain in the neck!
Hope everything's fixed for you soon. I'll miss you if you're gone too long!
*huggles*
Shan
XoXo

Well, the good news is that I finally have the disk to redownload my drivers!!! i WILL GET HOME TOMORROW AFTERNOON, AND IF EVERYTHING GOES ALRIGHT i SHOULD BE UP AND RUNNING!!!! Thanks foir your patience!

No problem, tatewin!! It's great that you redownloaded it. Can't wait until tomorrow~

Caught up. Can't wait for more and take you time on posting. sucks when you computers crash and stuff. it sucks bad.

Well, as you probably noticed, that download didn't work, so I ordered a totally new computer! It came today and I love it!!!!!! Look for a new post tomorrow!!!!!!!

Yay! Well, again, I can't wait until tomorrow!
Fridays are always great.

I love your story. It's great. I can't wait till you post some more. About your computer crashing. Now that you have a new one, Atleast your don't have to worry about it crashing any time soon. Right!! By the way I almost {cryed} when they got married. {Shhh don't tell anyone tho}! Seriously just can't wait till you post it. I hope it's alot too. he he he!! :evillaugh

Here it is!!!!!!
Weeks passed quickly and after that first week, Hermione was on her own. Richard had left for his new assignment in France, and Hermione was in the process of building up the trust between herslef and the department heads. She had now met with most of them, including the Auror's office, which proved to be quite fun, yet a bit disturbing. Rumors were spreading about a possible successor to Voldemort with secret members of this new order spread out across England, Romania, and Bulgaria.
"We're keeping our eyes and ears open," Moody told her. "It is possible that we will be sending aurors out to the two other countries to aid in the search of these members in the near future. Your husband here, has been keeping in tough with the aurors from Romania while Harry is in charge of meeting with the aurors of Bulgaria. Ginny and Neville are in charge of the local meetings between our own aurors. In fact, we will be having a meeting next week and we would like you to attend. Can you get away for an hour?"
"Definately," Hermione smiled. "I am still an auror myself, Rufas will understand."
Now she had two exciting meetings to look forward to. Besides the auror meeting, she also would attend her first Wizengamot meeting meeting as well. She would soon find herself in the middle of where the ministry action really happened. Here, new laws and regulations were made.
As she made her way back to her office, she felt as if someone was watching her. She looked around, but could see no one. She chalked it up to her hypersensitivity. The news she just heard had made her a bit nervous, and so she had automatically gone in to high alert. But when she closed the door that led into the Ministry of Magic Office, she noticed that the feeling of being watched had disappeared. "Strange," she thought to herself as she approached Rufas' office to make her report.
She thought about mentioning her feeling to Rufas, but her was definately in a hurry. So she decided to remain quiet and alert. If it happened again, she would tell him.
Later, she went to meet Ron for lunch, but she didn't have that strange feeling as she made her way down to the lunchroom. However, she told Ron about what had happened.
"When I left the Auror office and was walking back to my office, I got tyhe feeling that someone was watching me," Hermione told him. "I am not sure if it was real or not, and I couldn't see anyone. But the feeling stopped as soon as I shut the door to the office behind me. What do you think?"
Ron studied his wife. He knew she wasn't a paranoid person.
"Did you tell Rufas?" he asked.
"No, he was in a hurry, so I thought I would just wait see if it happened again. Then I could be more sure," Hermione replied.
"Okay," Ron said. "But, under the circumstances I think you should take it very seriously, and if you feel that way again, come get one of us immediately, or, if quicker, notify Rufas first. Keep your eyes and ears open!"
"Oh, Ron," Hermione sighed. "This just can't happen again! Not after all we went through!"
"Hermione," Ron whispered so that no one could overhear. "Whoever is behind this new trouble is not nearly in Voldemort's league, yet they could still pose some danger. Just remain cautious. I have a feeling that we are going to get this all settled before thinks get anywhere near what Voldemort did. Understand?"
Hermione shook her head with some relief.
"Well," Ron said. "I had better get back to work. You finish your lunch and relax a little. I'll see you after work, alright?"
"Thanks, Ron," Hermione said, smiling up at him. "I will!"
Hermione sat eating and thinking over what Ron and Moody had said earlier, lost her own thoughts. Suddenly, she heard "Hem, hem," and she looked up.
Umbridge was standing in front of her table and looking down at her. Hermione also noticed that most of the lunchroom had cleared out. Only a few pockets of diners remained.
"May I help you?" Hermione said to Umbridge
"Oh, no, no," Umbridge said, giving Hermione as small smile. "I was just wondering how you were getting along in your new position."
"I'm getting along just fine, thank you," Hermione replied, puzzled as to Umbridge's inguery.
"That's wonderful," Umbridge said, unexpectedly sitting down across the table from Hermione.
"I understand you married that Weasley boy," Umbridge said. "And Potter married his sister."
"That's right," Hermione said, rising to her feet. "Excuse me, I don't mean to be rude, but I must be getting back to my office."
"Oh, no, no, that's alright, my dear," Umbridge said with a toad-like grin. "Mustn't upset 'ol Rufas. By the way, what do you think of him?"
"I like him," Hermione said, turning towards the exit. "He's a good man to work for. Sorry, I have to go."
""Well, perhaps we'll run into each other again," Umbridge said, raising her pudgy hand in a small wave. "Have a nice day."
"What is the heck was that about?" Hermione thought to herself as she quickly headed back to her office.

I don't trust Umbridge at all! She is definalty up to something. She is not interested in other people unless it benifits her Umbridge.

Loved the post dear, and I am glad that your new copmuter arrived and is running well! Can't wait for more!

Excelente~I love it! Wonder who's watching her, or if they are. You're right, Umbridge is up to something.

Great post tatewin, glad your back, keep up the great work.

The feeling of being watched returned a couple of times through the rest of that week. Now she knew it wasn't her imagination. Someone was watching her! But who and why? Rufas and those in the Auror's office were disturbed by this. Hermione was now escorted to her meetings, to lunch, and anywhere else she wanted to go inside the ministry.
To make this easier for her, it was Ginny who had been assigned to be her escort. It made the situation look like the escort was simply that of two best friends enjoying each other's company. What wasn't known to most people was that Ginny Weasley was the seventh child of Molly and Arthur Weasley. So, one might ask? Well, as the only daughter and the seventh child, Ginny Weasley had the power of the magic number 7 behind her. It was this that gave her the extraordinary magical powers she possessed. In many ways, her magical abilities made her the strongest of all witches and wizards known, with the exception of Albus Dumbledore. Her powers even outstripped Voldemort. True, his powers for the dark arts had been greater, but that was simply because Ginny didn't use them. Those who made studying witches and wizards their career, knew however, that if Ginny Wealsey had chosen the dark path rather than the good side, she would have made Voldemort look like a weakling in comparison, and gave a huge sigh of relief that Ginny Weasley was on the right side.
Ginny and Hermione enjoyed each others company, so to outsiders the reason for the two always being together looked like anything but an escort, which Moody, Lupin and the others hoped might flush out whoever was trying to keep tabs on Hermione. Ginny had been moved into the Minister' Office and everyone assumed she was Hermione's Aide.
Another strange thing happened a couple of times again as well. It always happened while Hermione and Ginny were at lunch in the cafeteria. It was Umbridge. She kept coming up to them and trying to sit down with them, as if she wanted to be their friend. Ginny and Hermione were polite, but non-committal. Neither of them liked Umbridge at all, and for good reason. They knew Umbridge remembered what had happened at Hogwarts during her short reign there. How could she believe they would forgive and forget! Finally, they took to eating lunch elsewhere most days, but sure enough, those few times they did go to the cafeteria, Umbridge would approach them, croaking her "welcome".
The girls shared this news with Rufas and with the Auror's office. Both felt that Umbridge, who had lost her position, high standing and most of what you might call friends when she was so disgracefully ejected from Hogwarts and the truth came out about how she handled things there, was even more unstable now and very lonely. Hermione now held the position she used to, and that her attempts at friendship with Hermione was simply to help her feel closer to the "action" again. They did not feel as if she could be any real threat, but understood Hermione's and Ginny's revulsion towards the woman.
"Can we tell her to just kiss off?" Ginny asked. "She surely must have noticed that we aren't interested in a friendship with her, but she keeps trying anyway, the toad! I don't trust her and I don't like her. I would rather bat-bogey her than look at her!"
"I think you are doing the right thing by not going to the lunchroom to eat if you two are just going to sit by yourselves," Lupin said. "Might I suggest that if you really want to go to the cafeteria, sit with a group of other diners. I am sure they would be pleased to have you join them. I doubt Delores will approach you if you are with a larger group."
Ginny and Hermione looked at each other and nodded.
"We'll give it a try, although we usually like to sit by ourselves so we can talk," Hermione said. "We'll still do that, of course, but if we do, we won't go to the main dining room. Those times we want to eat at the cafeteria, we'll sit with others and see what happens."
The next time the girls went to the cafeteria, they sat with a much larger group. They had a good time and forgot all about Umbridge. That is until she approached them as they were leaving.
"Hem, Hem," Umbridge cleared her throat as she approached them. The two girls turned to look at her.
"I was just wondering if I could ask just a teeny little favor of you," Umbridge said, looking straight at Hermione.
"And what would that be?" Hermione said, forcing politeness into her voice.
Umbridge smiled widely, reminding Hermione of how much she did look like a huge frog about to swallow a juicy fly.
"I would like you to stop by my office sometime this week," Umbridge said. "I have some teensy little items I would like to discuss with you."
"Does it have to do with ministry business, Delores?" Hermione responded. "Because it is a very busy week for me, and I would have to find the time for Ginny and I to be able to come."
Umbridge's eyes darkened a little.
"I was hoping to speak to you alone, Miss Granger," she said.
"Excuse me," Hermione said. "I don't mean to be rude, but my name is now Mrs. Weasley, and Ginny is my personal aid and goes with me to all my meetings. It's Rufas' orders."
Umbridge's smile falted a bit, but she cleared her froggy throat again and said. "I apologise, Mrs. Weasley, it's just that I remember my former students as I knew them back at Hogwarts. Silly of me! And yes, I want to speak to you about ministry business, but on more of a personal level. I see you are on a first name basis with Scrimgemour?"
"Yes, again at his own insistance," Hermione said. "I will see what I can do, Delores. Right now, we have to get to a meeting, so if you'll please excuse us?"
"I hope to see you later then," Umbridge said as she turned to leave, the forced smile fading from her large lips.
"I can't get over the feeling that she is up to something," Hermione said to Ginny as they walked back to the office.
"I know," Ginny said. "I felt it too. To discuss ministry business but on a personal level? She wants something!"
"Yes," Hermione replied. "But what?"

What does she want??
Oh, come on tatewin!! You gotta post more I'm dying here!! ^^

Later that same day, as Ginny and Hermione were walking back to the office after a meeting with a department, they both got the sensation that they were being watched. Both took careful note of their surroundings, but there was no clue to be seen anywhere. They both found it quite creepy, and hurried their pace until they made it safely back to the Minister's Office. They went straight to Rufas.
"This time we both felt it!" Hermione said. "Someone is obviously watching us, but from somewhere we cannot see them."
Rufas looked at Ginny who shook her head in the affirmative.
"This is indeed strange!" Rufas said. "And you two are not the only ones who have been falling victim to this! I felt it myself earlier today when I was on my way to meet with Moody. Harry and Ron both said they felt it, as did Neville and Tonks. Some of the Wizengamot members have also reported feeling watched to me as well."
"Ah," Hermione said. "Umbridge approached us again as well, but not while we were eating with the group we sat with today. It was after were were leaving that she came up to us. She said she wants to meet with me and that it is ministry business, but more on the personal side of it. She didn't look too pleased when I told her Ginny would be with me if I was able to come. Do you think she could have something to do with this spying that's going on?"
"Really?" Rufas asked. "She wants to meet with you on a personal level! Hummmm, that sounds a bit strange, even for Delores, but I doubt it has anything to do with the spying. She is being rather pushy about it, however, and I must caution you to be somewhat careful. She seems to have taken a liking to you for some reason, and knowing she is somewhat unstable disturbs me. It is up to you if you go, and I would encourage you to at least try to find out what it is she wants from you. Ginny, of course, will go with you. And Ginny, do NOT accept anything to eat or drink from Delores! I don't know why this thought just hit me, but I felt I must say it, alright?"
"Certainly sir," Ginny said. "I will be very careful!"
"I have arranged a meeting for all of us with Moody and Remus about this spying situation," Rufas said. "It will be first think tomorrow morning. You are both expected to be here in this office at 9 a.m., alright?"
"We'll be here," Hermione and Ginny chimed together as they left to get ready to meet Ron and Harry and head home for the day.
Later that evening, Hermione and Ron discussed what was going on with Ginny and Harry, whom they invited for dinner.
"So Rufas thinks that Umbridge is not a part of this spying, correct?" Harry said, scowling after Ginny and Hermione told him about her request to meet.
"Well, he did warn Ginny not to accept food or drink from her when and if we go," Hermione said. "He said she was unstable, but he didn't seem to think she was behind the feelings of being watched. He called it spying, which it probably is although no one has seen anything, just felt it. But I don't know! I do know that I don't trust Umbridge at all!"
"I heard she has no friends now, and that could cause her instability," Ron said. "Maybe she really does want Hermione for a friend or something."
"Ha!" Ginny said "The only thing that frog has ever really wanted was power! Remember how she was at Hogwarts! Power hungry! And I don't think that has changed one bit! I think she would do anything to get some of that power back, don't you Harry?"
"Yes, I think she would!" Harry said. "She hated Hermione, especially after she led her into the arms of the Centaurs who took her captive when she verbally and physically attacked them! So why would she want to be her friend now?"
"Oh, I don't think she wants to be my friend at all!" Hermione stated emphatically. "She wants something from me, probably information about what's going on someplace, like the Wizengamot meetings or something."
I definately agree," Harry said. "But you both will need to be on your gaurd. You must tell us exactly when you will be meeting with her, alright?"
"We will," Hermione said. "Ginny and I are disussing how we should go about finding out what it is she really wants without her catching on to what we are doing."
"Good," Harry said. "And you both will find out about the ideas we have all had about how to find out who has been watching us in the morning."

Awesome posts Tatewin! I don't trust Umbridge a lick, nothing unusual there, however, I don't think she is the one spying....Can't wait to find out! Keep up the good work!

Early the next morning, the members of the Auror's Office, Wizengamot, and Ministry Offices all sat together in the large board room discussing how they might find out who or what was causing everyone to feel as if they were being watched. Harry was the only one not there.
"First, we need to be sure that we are being watched!" Moody, who had not felt the feeling himself, said. "I do feel reasonably sure that we are based on what you all tell me you feel, and I think, with my special talents, whoever it is doing the watching is avoiding me, so they at least know I am a risky target. We Aurors have come up with some possible ways to try and catch whoever it may be - Lupin, would you like to fill everyone in?"
Lupin nodded and rose to his feet.
"First, I think we'll take Harry's suggestion and let him try out how effective his invisability cloak might be," Lupin said. "There seems to be certain areas where everyone is being hit with this feeling, and one of these seem to be the most affected. Harry stayed here at the Ministry last night, and several others were fitted with very small communication mirrors that will allow them to keep in touch with each other. Harry patrolled those corridors last night to check for any hiding places and is continuing to do so this morning and will be on watch throughout business hours today. He has a special signal that will alert those watching and listening of anything suspicious."
"Don't forget that whoever it might be could be an unregistered animagus!" Hermione said. "I remember well how Rita Skeeter would get her information by disquising herself as a beetle!"
"Point well taken, Hermione," Moody said. "You hear that Harry?"
As Moody said this, one of the members was holding a tiny object in their hand, studying it.
"He got it!" They said.
"Anyway," Moody said. "This is the first thing we are trying. If nothing is found, we'll have to think of something else."
But before anyone could respond to this, Ginny suddenly jumped up.
"He's got something!" she said.
"You all wait here!" Moody ordered as Hermione, Ron, Neville and other Aurors jumped to their feet. "You too, Hermione!"
Disappointed, Hermione sat back down with the others, but she knew Moody was right. Her pregnancy was becoming noticable now, and she couldn't put herself at risk. They waited, nerves on tenderhooks.
About 20 minutes later, the door to the boardroom opened and Moody came inside, grim look on his face.
"We have caught someone," he growled. "His name is Demitri Anatoly, and he is one of the suspected followers of this new dark leader. Hopefully, with him in custody, we will be able to find out exactly who this new leader is. Harry found him in a hidden closet with a barely perceptable spy hole, which must have been created by someone within our own walls. This means that there is more than one spy here at the ministry!"
Scrimgemour looked at Moody gravely. "I assume you will be using veritaserum on this man?" he asked. "If so, I want to be there when it is done!"
"That is fine, Minister," Moody said. "We have taken the prisoner to a special holding cell, and I am just going to my office to collect that potion if you would like to come along."
"I would!" Scrimgemour said, raising to his feet. "The rest of you may go back to your offices now, and Hermione, you are welcome to come along with us now. It is safe."
Hermione walked with the two men. Before heading to the Auror's Office however, Moody took a quick side trip to show Rufas where the man was found. Hermione looked inside the small cubbyhole before they made their way to the Auror's Office then down to the very bottom of the ministry where prisoners were held before their trial. Hermione had never been down in this area before, but she remembered that this was where the courtroom was where Harry was tried by Fudge for using his patronis to defend himself and his cousin. It all gave her a chill. It was rather creepy down here. Dimly lit and creepy!
Moody took out his keys and unlocked what would be one of several doors that led to the holding cells. The smell of damp mold hit them as they entered. Hermione sneezed.

Awesome Post! I was thinking of Rita when I read your last post, so i am glad that you mentioned her.

Suspicious...mysterious...and spectacular! This is great, tatewin, keep it on!!