it'll take—might be a few hours—so just in case, don't have your mum save me any meals.
I might convince Tonks to make a girls' day of it."
Screwing up his face, Ron slumped his shoulders forward and groaned. "But you
hate girl stuff."
"I do not." Hermione planted her hands firmly on her hips. "I hate Lavender and
Parvati girl stuff, not Tonks and Ginny girl stuff. There's a tremendous difference," she
clarified, giving him a contemptuous look that she hoped rivalled Malfoy's when Ron
laughed at her in reply. "There's less giggling and squealing. Now stop stalling, and go talk
to your mother. Write out a speech if you think it'll help."
Just after half six in the morning, Remus and Hermione approached the back
entrance of the Ministry of Magic, led by Tonks in her Auror robes. Remus had not been
transfigured at all, as he was known to wander about the Ministry from time to time to
speak with various acquaintances, put in job applications, or visit his wife. Hermione, on
the other hand, was too easily recognised. Before Disapparating, Tonks had transfigured
Hermione's hair black, straightened her curls, and aged her a good ten years in the process.
A pair of glasses and a set of secretarial robes later, and Hermione would not be
recognisable to anyone except maybe Harry or Ron.
Remus found her new appearance disconcerting.
Tonks pressed the tip of her wand against a dirty-looking door next to a large skip,
and it immediately opened onto a lift. It was not until they were fully inside with the door
shut, plunging them into darkness, that Tonks reached for a protruding box, slamming her
hand against it. A metal cover opened up, giving her access to a dimly lit panel of numbers.
When she pressed the number nine, the lift jolted, and then began its descent.
Unlike the guest entrance into the Ministry of Magic, there was no overhead voice
welcoming them in this lift, only the loud, echoing sound of gears grinding together. Remus
looked at Hermione, noticing how on edge she appeared.
"You all right?" he asked. "Does the noise bother you?"