A Meeting with McGonagall.

Hermione stopped before she entered the corridor where the gargoyle guarded the Headmistress's Office. She quickly began to put her clothes on under her robes. First her bra, which, while not offering much support, was somewhat nice to have her breasts cupped again. Then her panties went on. She felt, much to her shame, that they had already started to absorb some liquid down there.

It was after she had finished putting on her shoes and socks that Peeves flew in again.

"Aw... and Grange-y was being such a good girl, but now she's been a bad little bitch!" He had caught her putting on the clothes the Slytherins didn't want her wearing. She broke into a sprint.

She had made it halfway through the corridor to the office when Peeves cut her off and floated in front of her, a manic glint in his eyes.

He was about to make a grab at her when suddenly, a severe voice echoed behind him. "Peeves! What do you think you're doing!?"

Peeves spun around and saw, to Hermione's relief, Professor McGonagall, with what looked like an upside-down fishbowl over her head. She had evidently cast the bubble-head charm on herself.

"Nothing, your headmistresship!" Peeve's voice had switched to the same oily tone he spoke with when Dumbledore had questioned him with when Hermione was in her third year. "Just having some fun while Filch is off sick!"

"Well, get a move on! I have important matters to discuss with Miss Granger!" McGonagall ordered.

Somewhat sulking, Peeves floated down the corridor towards the steps that led down to the entrance hall.

"Now then... We'll talk in my office." McGonagall turned around to face the gargoyle. "Exotic Shorthair."

At those words, the gargoyle stepped aside to allow the two women up the spiral stairs.

Hermione followed McGonagall into the office. She had only been in this office once before, last year after Harry had defeated Voldemort. McGonagall had evidently made only a few changes. The books and pensieve were still there, as were the many portraits of Hogwarts Headmasters and Headmistresses who were either sleeping or pretending to be. However, many of Dumbledore's delicate instruments were no longer here. A wizard wireless sat on a table in the corner, and some needlework had been set aside.

"Madam Pomfrey suggested I use this bubble-head charm when in the halls, just in case I accidentally contracted scrofungulus. However, for the purposes of having lunch with you..." McGonagall sat down in the chair behind the desk and spun it around before removing the bubble around her head. Hermione saw that McGonagall was still able to face Hermione using the mirror. "After discussing with her, we realized this would be the best way for us to have lunch without risking you getting the infection yourself. Now please, take a seat." McGonagall's arm motioned behind her towards the chair in front of the desk.

Hermione silently sat at the desk. On it was a plate of hamburgers and chips, along with a glass of water. A similar plate was found on a table next to McGonagall. "As headmistress, I thought I might try to provide some changes to how things are run here... I've been swapping recipes from our kitchens with those from other schools. This meal comes straight from the Ilvermorny cookbook." Hermione appreciated McGonagall's efforts to make small talk, but she knew that the serious talk was still to come.

"That..." Hermione was trying to sound polite despite her apprehension, "sounds like a wonderful idea, Professor."

Professor McGonagall closed her eyes for a second, evidently thinking about what to say next. "Miss Granger. Do you know why I asked you here?"

Hermione swallowed. How much did McGonagall know?

"I... I don't, Professor."

McGonagall took a deep breath. "Every morning, owls come to the hospital wing to deliver letters and cards to those sick with scrofungulus. We recently received this one addressed to you, Miss Granger."

As McGonagall held up the sealed letter, she immediately recognized Ron's writing. "If I'm not mistaken, this is Mr. Ronald Weasley's handwriting, is it not? While lying about having scrofungulus isn't strictly against the rules, I simply want to ask... Is everything alright? Why didn't you go home for the Easter Holidays? And why," she began to enunciate each word, "have you taken to wearing a silver choker?"

Hermione froze. Well, it didn't seem quite as bad as she thought, but she needed to think of something to say, and quickly.

After about 30 seconds, McGonagall prompted her to speak up. "Well?" She said.

Hermione took a deep breath, decided to act as if this was extremely awkward for her, to hopefully get McGonagall to believe how uncomfortable she was. "Well... I... I just wanted some time alone for once."

McGonagall raised an eyebrow. "Time alone?"

"Well, professor... For the past several years, I've just never had time by myself... Before Harry, Ron, and I went off school for a while, my life I was either with my parents, at the Weasley's, or in my dormitory with a bunch of other people. Even when I had taken that year off school, I was always around Harry or Ron." Hermione pretended to sigh. "I... I just wanted some space to breathe is all... It's not that I don't like the Weasleys, I really do! It's just that their home is always so crowded..." Hermione paused a moment. "And even if other students weren't getting scrofungulus, I'd still have Gryffindor Tower to myself, professor. And as it is, the only people I've seen regularly are Parkinson, Greengrass, and Bulstrode. Oh, and Peeves, I suppose." She added as an afterthought.

McGonagall looked like she was contemplating what Hermione said. "Well... I can understand that... But why do they seem to think you have Scrofungulus?"

"Ginny!" Hermione answered quickly. "When she left, I told her to tell Harry and the Weasley's that I wasn't feeling well and had been in the hospital wing at the start of the break. When you told me the next morning about the scrofungulus outbreak, it seemed the perfect cover..."

McGonagall's eyes narrowed somewhat. "Well... I don't suppose that could really hurt anyone in particular... Especially considering that our little outbreak is already in The Daily Prophet..."

This was a moment for Hermione to see just how much McGonagall suspected. "That reminds me, Professor..." Hermione started. "I saw in it that Trelawney had left the castle to go to St. Mungo's. Did she-"

McGonagall waved her hand dismissively. "No, she doesn't have scrofungulus, as far as I'm aware. She left to perform a detoxification. She believed her creature comfort of choice was making her see things. And considering what she described, I tend to agree that she needs it."

Well... that was a relief. McGonagall didn't suspect anything. "Well, then, Professor... If you're alright with me knowing, just how many unwell people are left in the castle?"

McGonagall sighed. "Well... There's you, Madam Pomfrey and myself, Misses Parkinson, Greengrass, and Bulstrode, the house-elves, and Hagrid, if he chooses to come back." She looked a little down for just a minute. "Hagrid has been choosing to be nowhere near the infection if he can help it, typically using a messenger to contact me." At that, McGonagall glanced towards Dumbledore's portrait. When McGonagall turned away, Dumbledore subtly winked at Hermione to let her know he was listening.

"As for anyone else... I gave the staff an offer. If they finished all their grading before the start of the break, they could take a vacation, if they wished. Most of them took it, as you can see."

Hermione wanted to ask how many portraits of Dumbledore there were in the castle, just to make sure he wasn't spying on her at her most ****, but she decided against it.

"Now then... That explains why you chose to stay..." McGonagall began, "But why exactly are you wearing that choker?"

"It was a present," Hermione lied. "Luna sent it to me. She said it's supposed to ward off bicorned wizzbangers, or something like that... She said she was making it at Christmas, and made me promise that I'd try it for a couple of weeks, just to test it. I figured that, since you told me you might relax the uniform policy during the break..." Hermione was hopeful that this lie would work as well. She didn't want McGonagall testing the magic of the collar.

"Well... I suppose you've already tested to make sure it's safe, otherwise you'd never have put it on."

"Yes, Professor." Hermione answered quickly.

"Very well... I suppose that answers my questions, and you have no idea how lucky you got with your timing. An outbreak of Scrofungulus, teachers and students alike choosing to leave the castle for break this year, and the ghosts undergoing the removal of a taboo..."

"Taboo, professor?"

"Oh yes, didn't you know? That's why the ghosts are all at the Ministry," McGonagall explained Dumbledore had tried hard to get the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures to let our ghosts talk about subjects they had forbidden long ago, but the people in charge there were against it. With Kingsly Shacklebolt currently in charge of the Ministry, he's been pushing all kinds of legislation that Dumbledore wanted, this included. It will still take until the start of term for them for the spell to be broken, but there you have it."

So... The ghosts' tongues would be loosened... Was this all so that they could tell students about the ancient tasks she was doing?

"As it sits... I had only one more important piece of information for you." McGonagall looked serious again. "Mudungus Fletcher believes he may have found your parents in Australia."

Hermione's eyes bulged. "What?! Where?!"

"Calm yourself, we don't know for certain if it's them, yet." McGonagall's eyes gave away how touched she was at this possible reunion, however. "If we can confirm they are them, I'll arrange a portkey to take you to them as soon as possible so you can undo your memory charm."

"Thank you, Professor. That... This means a lot to me."

"It's no problem at all, Miss Granger." McGonagall let out a rare smile. "Now, I believe it's time for me to return to help Madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing." She waved her wand over her head to bring the bubble back over it. "Come along, now."

As McGonagall led Hermione down the steps, Hermione began to think about how she would address her uniform once McGonagall was out of sight. Should she remove the clothes she wasn't allowed to wear out in the corridors, or should she perhaps make a run to Gryffindor Tower?

"If you need anything," McGonagall said before heading to hospital wing, "Send me an owl or simply talk to the portrait of Dumbledore on the first floor." At that, McGonagall turned on her heel and left Hermione.

Hermione decided she didn't want to remove clothes in front of the Gargoyle, so she headed towards the end of the corridor. As she turned to go up the stairs, a voice called out from behind her.

"So it's true! A little poltergeist told us you weren't following the rules!" Hermione turned around to see Pansy, Millicent, and Daphne all standing on the landing behind her, all with malicious smiles and hungry eyes.