By Freddie

Summery

When Dumbledore asks for Harry, Hermione, and Ron's help to find out who poisoned Minerva McGonagal none of them realise just how many secrets their transfiguration teacher was hiding. And as they get closer to finding who poisoned her, Hermione discovers some home truths that she'd rather not know.

Disclaimer

Tragically I don't own any of the characters or situations in this story, except for the story about the Locket and therefore Electra

Harry was sitting at his desk in his office at the ministry reading a memo from Hermione. He was 19 and had left Hogwarts 2 years ago. He worked in the Department of Mysteries along with Hermione and Ron. The memo was nothing interesting. He filed it under `Boring Memo's from Hermione about Ministry Politics', the fullest section in the filing cabinet. He glanced at his watch. Six o'clock in the morning. Not much point in going to bed now. He had got used to having very little sleep for days on end. Suddenly he realised that there was an owl tapping frantically on the window. He opened the window and the owl flew in and sat on his desk. He didn't recognise the owl but when he opened the letter it was written on Hogwarts paper.

Harry,

We have a big problem here at Hogwarts and need your help. I have already cleared it with your boss. Come as soon as possible. I have also asked Ron and Hermione to come. You could be here for some time and it could be dangerous.

Yours truly,

Albus Dumbledore

Harry was just taking in what it said when Hermione burst into his office.

"Have you got an owl from Dumbledore?" She asked. Harry nodded as Ron also ran in.

"Do you think it's something to do with `You-Know-Who?'" She asked.

Harry shrugged, "I don't know." He replied, "Dumbledore doesn't say anything about what's wrong in my letter."

"Nor mine" Ron said.

"Well there's only one way to find out" Hermione said.

"How?" Ron asked.

Hermione rolled her eyes in despair. "Go and find out of course"

Harry, Ron and Hermione were walking through the corridors to Dumbledore's office when a thought occurred to Harry.

"It's a bit quiet isn't it?" He asked.

"Of course it is." Ron said, "It's the summer holidays"

"Oh yeah, I hadn't thought of that"

"Do you think this has got something to do with McGonagal being poisoned?" Hermione asked. Harry and Ron stopped in their tracks.

"What?" They asked in unison.

"Don't you know?" Hermione asked, "McGonagal collapsed in the middle of the last feast of term. Snape said it was poison in her drink."

Harry's mouth dropped open, "Is she, is she dead?"

"No, just in a coma. But apparently she could die. It's all been kept very hush-hush"

"Well how do you know?" Ron asked.

"Carmencita told me" Carmencita was the department gossip and the bane of security's life. She couldn't keep anything secret. Rumour was that she was going to be transferred to misuse of muggle artefacts department where she could do less damage.

Hermione started walking again and Ron and Harry followed. A few minutes later Harry, Ron and Hermione arrived at the tower where Dumbledore's office was. He was standing outside and greeted them.

"Hello Harry, Hermione, Ron" He looked worried and glanced round the empty corridor. "We need to talk in my office" He said, leading them into his office. "No doubt you've heard about the attack on Minerva" Harry, Ron and Hermione nodded. They expected him to ask them how they knew, or to tell them more about it, but he did neither of these things. Instead he picked up a locket from his desk, which looked like it was hundreds of years old. "Do any of you know what this is?" He asked. Harry heard Hermione gasp beside him. He looked at her.

"May I have a look at it?" She asked.

"Of course" Dumbledore replied. Hermione took the locket and looked at it, turning it over very gently, and tried to open it. She failed to open it. She looked up and a look of shock was on her face.

"This is Electra's Locket" She said.