Albus Don't you Dare!

Who Did It?

Suddenly, someone bursted out of the Potters' fireplace; a great cloud of smoke filled the whole house.

"Who's there?" Harry interrogated, wand at the ready.

"Come out and fight!" said Ron.

"It's just me! answered a calm, and mellow voice.
"Oh, Astoria! It's you!" Ginny exclaimed.

"Yes," Astoria coughed, wiping off the ash and dirt from her face. "Any updates from Draco and Scorpius yet?"

"Well, not yet." Hermione said sadly.

"Oh, but please do everything you can." said Astoria.

Hermione then checked Rita's article for a second time, and kept banging her head on the breakfast table.

"I see, that Skeeter wrote another one. I never enjoyed those stupid articles," Astoria admitted, as she grabbed the newspaper and read it, much to her surprise as well. "She's gone too far this time, mentioning my husband and son in it!"

Hermione continued to bang her head on the table.

"Mione, sweetheart, it's going to be alright. Just calm down." said Ron. She slowly raised her head and immediately stood up from her chair, looking stressed and miserable at her husband.

"Don't you understand Ronald?!" Hermione said hysterically. "I'm the Minister for Magic, and then this blasted journalist writes down an article and makes everyone in the Wizarding World think that I sent the kids on a rescue mission in the past. My career, it's ruined, I'll be removed in office sooner or later! The last choice I have is to resign."

"Hermione, this isn't your fault." said Harry, trying to console his distressed sister-in-law.

"It is Harry! I had the time turner in my office and didn't even bother to put enchanted charms on it whatsoever," said Hermione. "You may be the Boy who Lived, the Chosen One; but I'm the Minister of Magic, and the minister's duty is to inform the nation on what's occuring and I chose not to. I let my personal life get involved with my job. I don't deserve this job. I'm better off as Hermione the No One."

She began to bang her head on the table again, defeated.

"Listen to me Hermione Jean Granger-Weasley," said Ginny firmly, shaking Hermione's shoulders. "Don't you ever let me hear you talking like that again! You AREN'T resigning, you're the best Minister of Magic we've had. So you haven't told the whole Wizarding World that the kids have traveled back in time? So what? At least it's better than having Fudge denying that Voldemort had returned."

"She's got a point." said Astoria grinning.

"But —"

"Believe me Hermione. You're the smartest, most badass witch I've ever met in history. Forget about that Skeeter, now go and keep your head high and hold a conference saying that the article was a miscall in judgement; the kids are fine and we'll bring them back by the end of the week." Ginny said with pride.

And with Ginny's inspiring advice, Hermione got up and tied her bushy hair into a bun, "You're right!" she said, now happier. "I'll hold a press conference later this afternoon and assure that the kids will be fine. Thanks a bunch Ginny."

"No worries Hermione." Ginny chuckled, her face was now turning red like her hair.

"I think that's a brilliant idea Mione." said Ron, kissing Hermione's hair.

"Right! But we still have one problem here people!" Harry said grimly, rumpling his hair.
"What?" Hermione asked.

"We still have to know how Skeeter found out about the incident."

"Oh, right." said everyone all at once.

They all discontinued into a deafening silence; trying to think of ways how Skeeter found about. At least none of them had told anyone about it, except for their closest family, so it was likely impossible for her to find out, except....

"Wait, isn't her animagus form a beetle?" Astoria said suddenly.

"Yes, of course. Spying on us during our fourth year and the Triwizard Tournament." said Ron darkly.

Hermione rolled her eyes, as she didn't wanted to remember the time Rita Skeeter wrote a controversial article about her having an 'affair' with Harry. But she threatened Skeeter to expose her being an unregistered animagus.

"Please, don't make me remember that," said Hermione. "And do you honestly think that I would let an unregistered animagus on the loose to eavesdrop on everyone in the Ministry?"

They all shook their heads in response.

"No I wouldn't; I've put protective charms in my office in case she ever spies on me, and enchantments to prevent her from changing to a beetle in the Ministry." explained Hermione.

"But how did she find out if there were enchantments and charms in the Ministry?" asked Ginny.

"I reckon someone must've tipped her off." Ron suggested.

"Maybe, but the question is, who is it?" Hermione said sharply.

"You don't think the kids could've told her do you?" Harry asked.

"Probably."

"Must be James," said Ron. "If I were him, I would've answered yes."

Ginny then spoke. "I don't think it's James, Ron."

"Hang on, who's the biggest gossiper aside from James?" said Hermione.

"Roxanne!" they all said at once.

"Wait, isn't she daughter of the owner of the joke shop in Diagon Alley?" Astoria asked.
"Yep." Harry replied.

"Hermione, go have your press conference, we'll watch over Hugo for you. And as for Rox, I'll send an owl to George and Angelina and ask if Rox said anything." said Ginny.

"Right! I better go now." said Hermione, checking her watch.

"Hold on, what about my husband? And my son?" Astoria asked.

"Well, sorry Astoria, but Draco could wait. But for the meantime, what's important is that we assure the Wizarding World that we didn't authorize the kids to go back to the past on a rescue mission." Hermione told Astoria.

"It's alright. I understand. I best go home by now," said Astoria. "Anyways, thanks Minister, hope you all have a wonderful day."

"You too Astoria!" said Hermione, giving her a friendly wave, as Astoria stepped to the fireplace and left for Malfoy Manor by floo.

Hermione and Ron apparated separately for the Ministry and the Burrow respectively.
"Take care guys!" Ginny and Harry hollered.