The End's Intent

Chapter 32

Hermione stepped into Kingsley's office prepared for another fight. She fully expected him to tell her to stop whatever nonsense she, Ron, and Harry were up to and was unhappily surprised when she found tea freshly poured and waiting for her instead. Kingsley was standing at the window, his back to her as she entered. Even though his wand was nowhere in sight and this meeting was very clearly not an attack, she kept her wand in hand and her eyes on the Minister.

"I know what you're doing, Miss Granger," Kingsley said, turning his head to look at her. Hermione stared blankly at him and watched as he walked from the window to his desk. He gestured for her to sit, but she did not move. "This is not a hostile environment, it is simply a meeting between fellow Order members."

"It became hostile the minute you decided to fuel prejudice against those who only did what was best for their families," Hermione said. Kingsley's mouth twitched but he did not frown. "I'm not here for tea, Shacklebolt, I'm here because you asked for me. What do you want?"

"I want you to sit and have tea, Miss Granger," he said tightly.

Hermione narrowed her eyes at him but sat in the chair across from him. She did not touch her tea.

"I've read the Daily Prophet," he told her, pulling out a stack of papers. Even if she hadn't seen the front page of the top one, she would have known they were all posts from that week.

"I'm sure you've figured out what your options are by now," Hermione said. She vanished the tea cup wandlessly and nonverbally before Kingsley could tell her to take a sip again.

"I have fought in two Great Wars, Miss Granger," Kingsley said darkly, narrowing his eyes at her as he spoke. "I will not be bullied by a trio of children. You've made your point and I understand your concern, but you are in no place to—"

"I am in exactly the place to do what I have done," Hermione hissed, hands slamming onto the desk. Kingsley leaned back slightly and Hermione leaned forward, almost snarling as she said, "You have done nothing but promote the same popular opinions that lead us into both of those wars you fought in and we will not stand by and watch the wizarding world make the same mistake for the third time."

"You forget yourself, Miss Granger."

"No, Shacklebolt," Hermione said slowly, standing and pointing her wand at Kingsley's chest, "You forget yourself. You may be a Minister and I may be a child, but I will bring you to your knees before the end of next week."

The room was filled with a tense silence as Hermione and Kingsley stared at each other for several minutes. When it became clear Kingsley had no intention of agreeing to Hermione's thinly veiled warning, she straightened and smoothed her robes.

"Mr. Shacklebot," she said calmly, "You will have exactly one opportunity to prove to us you are not going to be a Minister who sees the next Voldemort-upstart to power. Should you choose to pass on your chance—Well," Hermione said, glancing at the door, "I imagine you'll find the public is no longer fond of you."

Before Kingsley could say anything else, she walked out of his office and onto the lift. When the lift doors shut and she was finally alone, she slumped against the wall and took a deep breath.

She really hoped Kingsley would take the out. She wanted him to move forward from the war and change both his personal biases and the public biases, but she wasn't sure if he would. There wasn't really anyone nearly as popular right now who could replace him, but Hermione knew it could be done if necessary. However, there was always the risk that while he appeared to promote unity in public, he could run the Ministry in a way that would undermine everything Hermione hoped it would achieve.