Hey everyone!

Here is Chapter 7

Chapter 8 is written and will pick up where this chapter leaves off.

I hope you enjoy!

The large group from Kensington Palace made their way towards the ticketing counter of the London Zoo. They were greeted with a smile and a cheerful hello from the Provost of the Zoological Society of London. This was someone Hermione was familiar with as she had occasionally accompanied her father, the Royal Patron of the organization, to meetings of the society. Her father and the Provost finished up their conversation and Prince Charles handed over the money for the tickets and a large donation to the zoo.

Once the family and the rest of their group had their tickets, they made their way through the gates and into the zoo. They decided to just go through the zoo as they chose to, not following the guided path that most chose to follow. They first stopped at the Gorilla Kingdom which was adjacent to the entrance. Gorillas were one of Hermione's favorite animals. She had always been fascinated by the way they moved and communicated in their troops, but most of all she just enjoyed watching them. Her father promised that when she was old enough he would take her on a Gorilla Trek in Africa so she could see them in the wild. For now, moving animatedly through Gorilla Kingdom with her parents would have to do.

At moments the family would just stop to watch and listed to the gorillas, and to the sounds of nature that surrounded them. The London Zoo was always a peaceful place when it wasn't busy. The zoo was tucked away from the normal hustle and bustle of the London traffic, you could truly enjoy nature and truly be at peace. Hermione took a seat on the nearest bench with her mother, where they continued to enjoy the surrounding nature. She put her head on her mother's shoulder and felt at peace.

Their peace was interrupted all too soon when she heard the familiar voices from the family that was in the car park. She didn't feel like listening to the whinging voices any longer and decided it was time to leave the Gorilla Kingdom before they got any closer.

"Mum can we go see the Lions next?"

Diana who seemed to be enjoying the peace and quiet opened her eyes, blinking a few times to get used to the light, smiled and said. "Yes! Of course my child. Lead on." She laughed and called over to her husband. "Darling we are headed to the Lions next, are you ready?"

Charles laughed and returned her call with a "Yes dear, we're all following you." Two of their security personnel were right up with Hermione and Diana as they got up from their seats. The other two were talking with her father. They apparently had been discussing someone of concern. All Hermione could overhear was something about a large, angry, chubby man, with quite a bushy mustache. She wondered if they were speaking of the walrus looking man she saw in the parking lot. The group exited Gorilla Kingdom from the same place they entered and made their way towards the Land of the Lions.

They made quick work of the walk, occasionally stopping to take in other small exhibits along the way. The family talked of their plans for the remainder of the summer. They would enjoy one more week in London, then they would join the rest of their family for vacation at Balmoral Castle before returning to London to prepare for Hogwarts.

Once they arrived at the Land of Lions they made their way through the exhibit like they did at Gorilla Kingdom. This time Charles regaled Hermione and Diana with stories from his times on safari in Botswana and Nairobi. His tales included those of his first safari, when he first saw the animals in the wild. To the time where he went to photograph elephants in the wild and witnessed a lioness teaching her two cubs how to hunt. Hermione saw a joy on her father's face that she only saw in moments like this. Moments where he was surrounded by family and their was no sense of duty, just fun.

Once again the family was interrupted by the loud family from the parking lot. This time there was another boy with them, who seemed to be friends with the large blond boy. Hermione took this time to just observe the family rather than run away. The two groups independently made their way through the Land of the Lions and the rest of the zoo, until Hermione saw a rather ordinary Ice Cream stand outside of the Coates exhibit.

"Mum, Dad. Do you think we could get some ice cream perhaps?"

"You know, it does feel like the perfect, warm summer day for some ice cream." Her father said with a laugh.

Diana was laughing as well as she polled their security team with a quick "Who wants ice cream?" They all laughingly raised their hands and made their way towards the que.

The family had reached the que when they were suddenly cut off by none other than the group from the parking lot and the extra boy. Something about this group felt wrong to Hermione. The two adults doted on the pudgy boy and his friend but seemed to cast aside the thin dark haired boy, as though they didn't want him there. It was even more evident when they went to order their ice cream. The two adults and the two boys who were friends went ahead and ordered the most extravagant ice creams on the menu, but when it came time for the third boy to order he was cut off, not allowed to order his own ice cream and was only given a cheap lemon lolly. What Hermione saw next bothered her even more. The walrus looking man had the black haired boy by the back of the neck and he threw him to the ground next to the picnic table, not even letting him sit at the table with their family.

"Mum."

"Yes my dear, do you know what ice cream you want?"

"Oh, um, yes. I'd like a vanilla cone please."

"Of course. What else is on your mind dear?"

Hermione paused for a moment, taking another look towards the sad boy sitting on the ground. "Why are those people over there being so mean to that boy?"

Diana looked in the direction Hermione was looking and asked, "What did you see?"

"They wouldn't let him order his own ice cream, then the big man with the mustache kept pushing him and pushed him on the ground. He wouldn't even let him sit at the table."

Diana glanced towards the group again, taking more time to observe. After a few moments it was evident to Diana that there was something amiss with the group in question. "Hermione, let me handle this. If you see anything else, please do tell me."

"Okay mum."

Diana walked away from Hermione and began whispering to the head of their security detail. From what Hermione could hear she was having him keep an eye on the situation. Hermione and her family finally ordered their ice cream and moved to take a seat near the family from the car park. Hermione began overhearing more and more that disturbed her.

"You STUPID boy." Hermione overheard. "How difficult is it for you to get your food in your mouth and not on your clothes that I put on your back." The man with the mustache said.

"I'm sorry" the boy stuttered, on the brink of tears.

Hermione turned her attention away from the boy and began whispering to her mother. "Mum, they're being mean again."

"I heard. I'm handling it. We are going to stay close and monitor the situation." She told her daughter while giving her a hug. "Roger from security has already phoned the authorities and will be keeping an eye on it until they get here."

"Okay." Hermione said meekly.

Under new stress they continued their time at the zoo. They continued to walk through the enclosures and occasionally witnessed the dark haired boy being pushed around, each time seeming more forceful than the last. They had almost made it fully through the zoo, when a group of men in plain clothes began talking to Roger. Diana quickly joined them with Hermione at her side.

"Good afternoon. We are from Child Protective Services. We've been informed that there are some concerns about some behavior you're seeing from another family." The first gentleman said.

"That's true. Your officer Roger here gave us some details of what has been going on, and what they have seen, but I still need a statement from you also Your Royal Highness." The second man elaborated

"Of course, of course. Anything to help the poor boy. The first thing I noticed myself, before I saw how the boy was being treated, was that he appears to be unhealthily thin and dirty. Also in comparison to the other boy his clothes are quite shabby and very large. Then I noticed that the father figure physically pushed him around a lot." Diana stated while motioning towards the group where it was happening again. "My daughter has been observing as well, she might have more to say."

"Only if she wishes to." The taller of the two gentlemen said.

"I'd like to help in any way I can." Hermione began. "The black haired boy seemed to always be cast aside whenever the group was talking. Any time they talked to him they were rude and condescending even if they weren't yelling. They didn't talk to either of the other two boys like that. Also after they ordered their ice cream the man with the mustache took they boy by the neck and it appeared he threw him to the ground. It was disturbing to watch." Hermione finished, not knowing how to put everything else she had witnessed into words.

The two men from Child Protective Services began taking notes on what Hermione and Diane said, but turned their attention to Prince Charles as he approached.

Charles made his way towards his wife, taking time to welcome the new additions to their group. "Gentlemen, I think the best path forward would be to spend some time observing before intervening." Everyone in the group nodded their head and they all headed towards the Reptile House.