the_debt_of_time

"Who?" Tonks raised a brow in confusion at Hermione's excitement. "I swear I
never know what you two chatter on about. Might as well be speaking Mermish for all the
good I get out of your conversations." She laughed, throwing herself down in a large, fluffy
armchair. "So what brings you by, 'Mione?"
Hermione's smile faded, and she began wringing her hands together. "Actually, I
need your help with something of serious importance," she said, choosing her words and
the emphasis of those words deliberately.
While Tonks's expression implied that she was oblivious to Hermione's tone,
Remus's jaw twitched slightly, and his brows raised a fraction of an inch.
"Is it about Harry?" Tonks asked.
"In a way, yes, but not directly," Hermione tried to explain. "I need, first, for you
to trust me. And then I need your assistance in something dangerous and... possibly
illegal." She spoke the words softly, waiting for either of them to shove her back into the
Floo. When neither Tonks nor Remus made a move, she continued, "I need to get into the
Ministry of Magic."
Remus's mouth pinched in trepidation, a concerned expression growing on his face.
"Again?"
"Don't frown; you'll get wrinkles," Hermione chided him automatically without
thinking, something that only made his frown deepen. "No, not like last time. Security is
different, which is why I need an Auror." She cocked her head at Tonks. "I'm aware that
Minister Scrimgeour is making a grand declaration tomorrow morning."
"Yeah," Tonks confirmed. "Some big press conference to remind the world that
the Ministry knows what they're doing." Her eyes rolled, changing in the process from a
deep brown to a bright blue. "So you want to go to the press conference?"
"No." Hermione shook her head, taking a deep breath to steel her nerves. "I want
you to get me in the door, and then," she said, turning to Remus, "I want you to come with
me to the Department of Mysteries."
Remus's brows retreated to his hairline. "Are you serious?"
"Interesting choice of words," Hermione said carefully. "And yes, I genuinely want
to go back there. It's important. I've made a discovery, and I need to test it out. I don't
know when else I'll have the chance to. I know the Order believes that the Ministry will
soon be infiltrated if it hasn't been already. Currently, there's enough confusion that I can