Harry struggled to keep up with Shacklebolt's long purposeful strides. Having been woken in the dead of night by a Auror summons, he was still trying to get his head around straight. All he knew was that they'd traveled very far and his stomach and head were starting to revolt. He glanced at Evelyn, the secretary for foreign affairs, who was walking in the small space between them.

"Where are we?" Harry kept his voice low as Shacklebolt stepped up to speak with a man beside a large door.

"Ministry of Magic, Australian Bereau." Evelyn whispered back with a small suppressed yawn.

Harry's heart jumped up into his throat for a moment, his sleep deprived brain skipping, "Why are we here?"

"It seems there has been an issue with one of our employees." Evelyn kept her voice low as well but it was clear that Shacklebolt had heard the both of them. He gave them a small look that told them to silence themselves before he pushed them through two large ornate doors.

The bull-pin was filled with light and people, though most of them had their heads turned and their mouths closed to the sound of a brutal tongue lashing that appeared to be coming from beyond the head office. Harry took in their faces briefly as he followed Shacklebolt towards the doors, a furious woman's voice coming to his ears.

"...Reckless behavior! This is now an international incident!"

There was a low sound of someone seemingly trying to defend their position but a loud thump that made everyone, including Harry, jump ever so slightly.

"You better hope they don't ask for your heads! At this point I'll hand deliver them myself!"

The door came open with a flourish and everyone around them suddenly found themselves busy. Shacklebolt didn't falter in his step as he approach a very irate, tall blond woman in a black suit. She let out a slow breath before forcing a smile onto her aged face, "Minister Shacklebolt, a pleasure. I do hope that we haven't caused you much inconvenience."

"Minister Knighten, no trouble at all." Kingsly took her offered hand giving it a firm shake before turning to introduce Harry and Evelyn, "I believe you've met Secretary Thromstom and this is Auror Potter."

"I do so apologize for circumstances, would you like anything? Coffee, tea?" Minister Knighten motioned for them to follow her back into the office from which she had come.

"I think it would be best if we discuss the matter at hand."

"Of course, of course. We can use this office. I'm sure you'd wish for a first hand report."

"Indeed." Shacklebolt ran his eyes over the two officers that looked well over chastised. The woman was holding her bandaged stomach while the man was trying to hide his blackened eye with the turn of his head. Their commanding officer stood just to the right of the desk that had been vacated to make room for the Minister.

Harry moved inside straightening up to the weight that seemed to be filling the room. His eyes moved from the two officer's to a bag that sat on the desk, its contents in evidence bags over the top. His heart skipped a beat when he saw Hermione's name badge sitting on the top, the lanyard that it was attached to turned brown from what he could only assume to be blood. He turned his head when the Ministers took their seats at opposite sides of the desk.

oOo

"Robert...?" The room was quiet, too quiet. The soft beeps that had been ever present gone. The room felt odd, warm and somewhat heavy. Jean slowly turned her heavy head, her body weak as though she'd been sleeping for a for a time. Her mind cycled back and forth between two very distinct memories. Both of which felt as though they'd just happened minutes ago. When her eyes opened, she suddenly understood that she was laying down, a blanket pulled up to her chin. Her body felt numb in places, some of which she knew to be wrong. She let out a small noise as she tried to lift her hand out from beneath the covers. Her blurry vision slowly came into focus on a band that had been attached to her wrist, she recognized it as a hospital band but didn't understand the markings. Her heart lept when the sickening crunch of metal echoed inside her mind, reminding her of the horrible crash, and she turned her head away to try and find her husband.

"Robert?" Her voice wavered, cracked and weak but she felt a new strength filling her heart. The wall in which she looked provided no answers so she turned her head the other direction only to feel the world slowing down.

Her husband laid still beside her, in another bed. Her mind told her that something was missing, that the machines that made that dreadful noise should have been present. Nothing besides a blanket covered him, too thick to tell if he were breathing. His face looked just as she remembered it to be in the memories proceeding the crash. Memories that conflicted with what she believed to be true.

Mum?

"Hermione..." Her daughter, she had a daughter. A beautifully grown, special daughter. Brilliant and strong. Where had she gone?

oOo

Harry was near to exploding by the time the two officers recounted their story. He couldn't believe such stupidity band arrogance existed in the world. Their injuries did not seem near enough punishment for what they had done. His wand hand itched to show them just an ounce of the suffering they had inflicted.

"Where are they now?"

"Ms. Granger and Mr. Prince are being held downstairs to be dealt with under your laws." Minister Knighten set down to open files before Shacklebolt. Each held a single page of information and a photo that had been taken upon their 'arrest'. Beither of them were looking at the camera, their eyes closed and their faces relaxed as though asleep.

Harry suppressed his rage further when he noticed the small cut under Hermione's nose and a small discoloration around her left temple. He did however take solice in the fact that she gave much better than she received before turning his eyes to the file holding Snape's picture. He looked much worse for wear, extremely exhausted with a rather nice bruise around his hairline, he glanced over surreptitiously to look at the now distinct mark that the male officer had been trying to hide. He had to give it to his former Professor. Even wandless, he proved to be a force to be reckoned with.

"And her parents?" Shacklebolt kept his cool through it all. A calm only those wise of the ways of the world could have ever produced. He was actually quite surprised to gave seen Snape's picture but he had kept his face devoid of any emotion. He had been searching for the man in secret for nearly a year and there he was, hiding with one of Potter's closest friends. They were going to have a long talk when they returned.

"They are being treated in our Ministry's ward for now. We suspected that you wished to take them as well. We are at present devising a way to return them safely to where they belong." Minster Knighten wanted nothing more to do with the situation. Her officer's stunt had put them in a pot of boiling hot water. The man power required to replace and mend the memories of the muggle doctors without harming their medical knowledge was a tall feat but she was sure they could handle their own.

"Shall we then?"

"Of course, I shall escort you personally. Gradon, please make sure your officers are dealt with appropriately."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Harry moved out if their way taking to Shacklebolt's back as the Australian Minister led them back out into the bull-pin. He kept his eyes straight ahead, his anger filling his body with energy.

They made their way down a small set of stairs coming into a brightly lit basement filled with stone walls and bared cell doors. There was no guard inside the room but he could feel the heavy wards protecting the space. All they passed were empty, save for the last one. Harry inhaled deeply as the Minster fiddled with a large set of keys.

Severus sat against the back wall on the metal cot. His head down and his eyes closed, his face looked passive, as though her were meditating, his brow furrowed in concentration. His body looked heavy with exhaustion. In his arms laid Hermione, curled up against his chest. Her head was down and her eyes were dark and puffy from tears. Severus kept her head mostly hidden in his palm, tucked tightly under his chin while his other hand held her hip close to his stomach. The cuffs that they must have been brought in laid broken on the floor, another testament to their hidden power.

As soon as the key entered the lock Severus' eyes snapped open with a fierce feral glare. Shacklebolt made sure that his focus landed on him before there were anymore incidents that needed to be handled. The snarl on his face actually made the Australian woman pause in unlocking the door, the fear flickering in the corner of her eyes.

"Severus." Shacklebolt's tone was strong but his eyes were kind. He gently moved the Australian Minister out of the way and opened the door himself, his large frame taking up the entire doorway, "It has been a long time."

Severus let out a slow controlled breath, his eyes closing. If Harry hadn't known better he would have thought the man before him had surrendered. To what he wasn't sure but he could see a resignation in his eyes. His hands shifted, holding Hermione tighter. The air in the entire room felt heavy and sharp. Like it was crackling with energy.

"We are here to take you home." Shacklebolt inhaled slowly, he too feeling the raw magic coming off the man in deep waves, "All of you."

Shacklebolt came further into the room and Harry came in as well, the tension that had clogged the air seemed to release but only just. Worry filled Harry's brow at the sheer exhaustion on his former Professor's face. He didn't think he could stand even if he wanted to, let alone carry Hermione.

"I'll take her Professor. She'll be safe..." Harry came closer, holding his breath as he came to kneel in front of them. He tried to make himself look stronger than he felt but it wasn't anything the man couldn't see through. He bit his lip when he slipped his arm beneath her knees, his eyes turning up, waiting for Severus to release his hold so that he could take her. There was a long moment where he was sure Snape was digging around inside his mind for information and he did his best to give him all he was sure to be looking for. It was only when he'd found the information regarding Hermione's parents did his hold finally release.

Harry's heart sunk deep into his stomach when Hermione's head rolled heavily down his arm. His inner eye flashing back to the day Severus had delivered her to him on the battlefield. He could feel her breathing against him but it brought him no comfort. He adjusted her as carefully as he could bringing her head to rest under his own chin before rising to his feet.

Severus came to his feet slowly, ignoring the hand that had been offered. Shacklebolt said nothing, instead, he offered out the man's wand. A tense look was shared between them before Severus carefully slipped it back into his sleeve, coming up to his full height. The energy in the room shifted and the weight that had descended upon everyone, lifted.

"The ward is this way. If you'll please follow me." Knighten's words were soft, her eyes never leaving the man in black. It was the first time she had ever met someone so intimidating. When she looked at him it was like he was able to see her inner most thoughts and desires. It was completely unsettling.

Harry turned slowly, mindful of Hermione's sleeping form and followed after the Knighten. While Shacklebolt waited for Severus to take the space between them. The walk was short but long enough for Hermione to start coming around to being moved. Her hands opened and closed against Harry's jacket before she let out a soft groan. The bright light of the hallway leading to the medical office sealed the deal and she started to lift her head.

"Severus...?"

"Sorry, just Harry." He didn't stop walking but he did offer her a small smile, "He is here, behind us."

"Dad...? Mum...?" Her voice was heavily slurred and soft as though she were waking from a deep sleep. Her eyes had yet to fully open but she was managing a valiant effort to lift her head.

"We're going to them now." Harry gave her a small squeeze, hoping to reassure her.

When they came to the door Hermione had woken enough to start squirming to be set down, "Down, let me down." Harry followed her command but she was grateful that he hadn't immediately released her as her body was still much too heavy to stand on its own. Her emotional and magical outpouring having left her feeling like a new born baby fawn. Her heart was torn into a thousand different directions, but when her head turned around far enough to catch Severus' eye and she found her courage again.

When the door came open she felt the cyclone that had ravenged her mind starting to kick up again, "Mum?"

The woman in question lifted her body from over that of her father's, a soft hopeful smile hidden in the corner of her eyes, "Hermione?"

"Mum?" Hermione's voice cracked with hope, before her eyes turned to her father. His eyes were open, and he was looking straight at her, "Dad..." Fresh tears blurred her vision, her heart jumping in leaps and bounds. She wasn't sure how she made it to the bed, but once there she sat by his side and clapsed his hand tightly in hers pressing the back of it to her cheek. He was alive. They'd done it. Severus had done it.

The man smiled, but the shine of recognition was not there. He blinked slowly swallowing before slowly closing his hands around Hermione's, "So beautiful you are...like my wife...are you her sister...?"

Her mother let out a soft noise of pain bringing down her hand to rest over his heart, "This is your daughter...our daughter, Hermione. Can't you remember?"

"I remember...you...Jean..." He smiled softly closing his eyes for a long moment, his hand slipping down from Hermione's weakened hold.

The young woman held in her pain that threatened to explode out of her chest. He was alive. Alive. She had to take solace in that. She could do this, she had to do this. Her eyes closed tight, trying to focus on the positives.

"It must be the crash... Hermione it'll be-"

"No... it's my fault..." Hermione pulled her hand back to her stomach, lowering her head in shame. She took a deep breath before lifting her eyes with every ounce of hope she had left to Severus.

"No, honey, you... you weren't there...you were..." Mrs. Granger's brow furrowed as her disjointed mind tried to fill in the gaps. How long had it truly been since she'd seen her daughter? She reached across to take her daughter's hand but the young woman only curled up tighter. Her heart ached for her daughter's pain but she didn't know exactly why she felt such anguish in her soul.

Severus lowered his eyes and shook his head. He was awake, but his body was still healing. He didn't want to risk casting the spell until he knew exactly what he'd given him. It was miracle, truly, that the man was even alive, he didn't want to risk it all. His heart cracked when her eyes turned hard, filled with betrayl. He wanted to explain himself, but couldn't find the strength.

Harry didn't miss the small exchange and—he too, found himself at a loss on what to do. He turned his head behind to find that both Ministers had taken to speaking softly at the end of the hall. Evelyn had joined them, holding Hermione's bag in her folded arms.

"It'll be alright..." Mrs. Granger gave a small smile to Hermione reaching out, offering her hand. Hermione took it but only gave her a mournful look, closing her eyes to hide her guilt. How could she ever explain herself? What she'd done to both of them? Would they forgive her? Could they forgive her? Could she ever forgive herself?

Jean didn't know why but it felt like years since she'd last seen her and she desperately wanted to feel her little baby girl in her arms. Her eyes turned over her shoulder to the darkly dressed Victorian man standing near the doorway. Her brow furrowed a little when her mind reminded her of something that didn't make sense.

"You're the doctor from before...the one with the weird penlight..." Mrs. Granger released her Hermione's hand coming slowly to her feet, daring to step closer to the sour looking man, "You saved Robert's life..."

"I'm...not a doctor..."

"Then who are you...?"

"Mum..." Hermione slowly came to her feet watching her Dad close his eyes again seemingly worn out already. "There's something I need to explain..."

"The carriage is ready now, we must go." Shacklebolt turned his eyes towards Severus before giving a small hopeful smile towards Hermione, "You shall go together. We shall meet you when you land."

"My Dad..."

"Is well enough to travel by air, it will take about 12 hours. You will be provided with everything you need."

Severus frowned deeper when a woman carrying Hermione's bag came into the room offering it out for him to take. He took it without a word lowering it down to his side. Twelve hours. A lot could happen in twelve hours.