Mistress of Magic

Prologue

"Do you see the way she looks at us, mate?" The blond haired wizard asked the black haired one. "It's as if she...recognizes us or something."

They both turned to watch the Minister's wife, clutching her husband's arm as they mingled at the Hogwarts graduation party. The elderly witch carried herself quite regally. She wore her elegant Ministerial robes well, as she had for years before.

"Her look is a bit familiar," the dark-haired one acknowledged.

A red-haired witch sauntered up to the graduates. "You know," she began enticingly, clinging onto the blond. "They say she is not just the Minister's wife. She has another name—the Mistress of Magic."

The wizards looked back at the mysterious witch in question. Was she the secret behind the seemingly all-powerful Minister of Magic? And why did she seem to be so interested in them?

It was curious...very curious.

000

"Snatchers—at least ten of them," Harry called worriedly.

There was another 'pop' as Ginny Apparated next to him with Ron in tow.

Sirius and Hermione exchanged looks. "The Forbidden Forest is overrun with them," Hermione said. "We need to throw them off of our trail."

"Certainly we can't go to Headquarters yet," Sirius said. "They'll trace it, for sure."

"We've simply have got to keep running," panted Ron. "Do we know if the others made it out?"

"I'll send a Patronus," Ginny said, as she waved her wand until a wispy blue and white horse spouted from the end of it. "'If there is anyone else out there, meet us at Shell Cottage. Grimmauld may be compromised.'"

The Patronus galloped away into the night leaving the five friends staring warily after it.

"We're really not having much luck with weddings these days," Sirius said. "And you all wondered why I stayed single."

He was right of course. But if Hermione was being honest with herself, they hadn't had much luck their entire school years. Really, was there ever a month of normalcy? And now, she wouldn't even start her Seventh Year.

Hermione glanced down at her white eyelet summer dress, wishing she had time to transfigure it to something more sensible. Harry and Ron were far too dressed up as well, but at least they had trousers. Ginny was in the same precarious situation as her, wearing a short, sleeveless pink frock. Sirius, of course, was as comfortable as ever.

"Ron, Gin, I do hope that's all the Weasley weddings we'll have to attend for the time being," Hermione lectured. "If anyone else has the desire to marry, I hope they can wait until after the war."