Marry A Choice - Harry Potter FanFic.net

Must run now. Arthur promised me a lovely dinner, so I must make myself presentable. Give my love to Howard.

Molly

Molly Weasley

The Burrow

Ottery St. Catchpole

Devon

February 15th, 1998

Dear Molly,

Regarding your last letter, thank you for the clarification. Hermione had told me the gist of it already, but you pointed out a few things that she had left out. Oh bother! You and I must get together one of these days just to blow off steam.

Anyway, I too wish Ron were still alive. Hermione has been pining ever since she heard the news. He was such a sweet boy, and we were so happy for the two of them. I know I've told you this a dozen times already, but if you ever need a shoulder to cry on, you are more than welcome here. As for your other boys, they are always welcome here, too, but that is up to Hermione.

On a similar note, Dumbledore wrote me about the situation as well, and has a plan, if it should become necessary. He refuses to tell me what it is, and it seems that Hermione is similarly in the dark. I don't quite know what it is about him that instills such trust, but I do trust him and any plans he has.

I hope your dinner was delightful. Say "hi" to Arthur and family for us.

Jane

Chapter 1: Unwelcome News

Tuesday evening, some months later

Hermione looked at Professor McGonagall's stern face as they headed towards the headmaster's office. She barely kept up with McGonagall's long strides as she observed the older witch. McGonagall's lips were almost nonexistent, so tightly were they compressed, and her eyes were locked in a half open state, as though opening them would send hellfire rushing through the school. Her nostrils were flaring and if there had been any loose strands flowing from her tight bun, Hermione would have been convinced that the Gryffindor lion had taken human form in Professor McGonagall.

"Professor, why -"

"The Headmaster needs to speak with you about the... the..." McGonagall seemed to be on the verge of losing all semblance of control as she spluttered and finally stopped speaking altogether.

"Is this about the yelling match in the great hall this morning, Professor? If it is, Harry and I are-"

"No, it has nothing to do with that," she cut Hermione off crisply. "You will find out soon enough. String mints!" she barked the password to the gargoyle, and it leapt away from the door as if in danger of losing a limb if it dared to dawdle.

They took the spiral staircase up in tense silence, Hermione wondering what she could possibly have done to make her head of house so angry. She hadn't seen McGonagall so incensed since the final battle at Christmastime. As they reached the Headmaster's door they both could hear many voices in heated discussion filtering out to the foyer. Hermione looked up at McGonagall and was startled to see the witch looking down at her with a pitying expression, all anger having evaporated.

"Come on, dear. We'd best get this over with."

And with that cryptic remark, she opened the door and led Hermione through to Dumbledore's office.

Hermione was taken aback at how crowded it was. Some of the faces she recognized, including the Weasley twins, Remus Lupin, Kingsley Shacklebolt, and Blaise Zambini, then she noticed that with the exception of herself and Professor McGonagall, there wasn't another female in the office. There were more than a dozen wizards in the room, but few looked happy to be there.