'Do we have to go there by plane, Hermione,' moaned Ron leaning against the wall.

Hermione sighed.

'How long will you be acting like a child, Ron?' she asked irritably.

'Long,' laughed Ginny, 'He won't grow up, he found neverland.'

'Oh shut up,' muttered Ron.

'Come on, guys, 'said Harry and picked up the luggage.

The men sighed and picked up Ginny's and Hermione's.

'What did you pack there, Hermione, bricks, to build a new ministry?' Ron grunted, as the airplane to Sankt – Petersburg, Russia was announced.

Hermione ignored her husband and continued walking.

'What is intresting, Ron, is why the Ministry is not in the capital,' Kingsley observed, glancing at Weasley, who was having an epic battle with the luggage.

'Because it was made only in 1704,' Hermione said, 'Then, Sankt – Petersburg was the capital, not Moscow.

'Great,' said Harry, 'But how do we get there?'

'Natalya promised to meet us at the airport,' Kingsley spat the last word with disgust.

'Yeah,' Ron nodded, 'but why can't we use brooms?'

'Don't be stupid bro,' laughed Ginny,' Imagine flying over a city with 5 million people in it.'

Ron just grunted and dropped into his seat, between Hermione and Ginny.

'Good luck,' chuckled Kingsley and sat down with Harry on the other side of the plane.

Weasley snorted and focused his doomed eyes on the floor, which he found intresting.

'Wow,' sighed Ginny, 'I wonder how muggles made this up!'

'Well, they don't have magic brooms, do they?' laughed Hermione, 'You know, I saw such a nice robe in Madame Malkin's…'

***

'So where is this Natalya?' asked Ron dropping into a chair in Pulkovo, the Russian airport.

'I'm here,' a voice sounded behind the group. All including Ron spun around. There stood a plump woman, 50 – 55 of age, with curly blonde hair.

'I'm Natalya,' she smiled friendly, 'and you must be the delegation from the English ministry.'

'Yes, that's us,' Hermione inclined her head in a greeting, 'May I ask you how we should call you.'

Natalya smiled widely.

'Call me Natalya, I am helper of the Russian minister,' she announced and turned to the shocked Kingsley, 'and you must be Mr. Shacklebolt?'

Kingsley nodded stupidly.

'I'm Ginevra Potter,' said Ginny and pushed Harry next to her, 'And this is my husband Harry.'

'Oh,' Natalya didn't seem surprised, 'It is very nice to meet you, Mr. Potter and Mrs. Potter.'

'Well you know me,' Hermione sounded a bit shy, 'and here's Ronald Weasley…'

'… Your husband?' smiled the helper of minister. Hermione nodded.

'Well we should be moving,' the plump woman observed, 'Let's go!'

Ron and Harry looked at each other, but followed the helper.

'Are we going to the subway!?' asked Weasley shocked.

'Why not?' giggled Natalya, 'Come on, take these.'

She passed them tokens for the Subway.

'Why is it so deep?' asked Ginny politely.

'You see, dear, the land is marshy here, so we dig until we find good healthy soil. Mr. Weasley, there is no need to make the escalator go faster.'

Ron hid his wand. 'Does she see like everything?' he hissed to Harry.

Hermione glared at Ron sternly.

As they walked into the train, Shacklebolt turned to Natalya.

'How will we get to the ministry?' he asked carefully.

'You'll see,' said Natalya, 'Just stick to me.'

Half an hour passed. Hermione kept saying stupid things about muggles' progress, Kingsley was chatting with the helper, Ginny and Harry had a wonderful discussion about brooms, and Ron's only words in the passed time, were 'Are we there yet?'

Suddenly Natalya stopped talking.

'Do you all remember that Memory charm?' she asked carefully.

'Yes,' nodded Hermione carefully, 'Why.'

'Obliviate,' roared Natalya pointing her wand at the muggles in the train.

As it stopped she pressed her wand to the last door of the train and it opened. *

'Quick,' she hissed and pulled the delegation into the door.

'Phew,' sighed Natalya, 'I hate going by Muggle trains. You see, the station, Vasilyostrovskaya, was ruined a bit by wizards. So now it's too small for the whole train and the last door never opens. We are here and welcome to the Russian Ministry!'

'Whoa,' was all the friends could say. It was a buiterfull building, not as dark as the English one, but almost as big. Sunlight streamed through the huge windows in the walls, who themselves were a gentle light blue and purple color.

Natalya smiled and said gently, 'let's go!'

'This is amazing,' breathed Ginny out looking around. They were in a preety big hall, and everywhere they heard Russian language.

'Машка! Куда понеслась как ошалелая!'

'Максим, сил моих больше нет за тобой бегать.

'ЭЭ! У нас в Новгороде авария! Магазин с зельями взорвался. Где, Серов, блин шляется!'

Natalya's eyes went huge, as a tall wizard ran up to her, panting.

'Any loses?' she asked worriedly.

'No,' answered the wizard, 'only a couple of hurt people, mostly wizards, they're in Olga's Hospital now.'

'Good work, Sasha,' nodded Natalya and turned to Harry and his friends, 'This is Alexander Serov – head of Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes.'

Alexander nodded curtly and disappeared. 'What happened?' asked Hermione carefully.

'A store of potions blew up in Novgorod,' Natalya explained, 'We have a big country. Things happen. And we have three small ministries under our control, anyway let's get moving.'

'This is mad,' whispered Ron staring at the wizards and witches. They right now were walking down preety old stairs up into the last floor.

The English delegation was walking down a long corridor when Natalya bellowed: 'Duck.'

Harry ducked and pulled Ginny down, bewildered, not even knowing what happened. Seconds seemed forever when Natalya finally shrieked at the top of her lungs.

'Maxim, you insane sicko, how the hell did you get it and why in grate Peter are you testing in HERE?'

Maxim turned out to be a young wizard, dressed in old blue robes and currently over – exited.

'Hello!' he said to the English minister, 'I was checking Boris, my fireball.'

Natalya slapped her hand on her face in embarrassment.

'Congratulations, Max,' she said pushing him away gently. 'My son,' she explained, 'Testing his invention. Alive Fire balls that can be used like an attack… You know, young wizards…'

Her voice trailed away as she walked to a big door and knocked at it.

'People here are insane,' muttered Harry carefully.

'Yes?' they heard a voice from the door.

'Дмитрий, приехала делегация из Англии,*' said Natalya through the door.

A couple of seconds past and it opened. In front of them stood a man, in his middle ages, with short dirty blonde hair and a wide smile.

'My name is Dmitry Marisov,' he introduced and shook Kingsley's hand, 'Come in and feel like home.'

Even thought the door was big, the office itself was preety small and light.

'Sit down, please,' Mr. Marisov showed a big sofa with his hand.

'Thank you,' said Hermione politely and closed Ron's mouth.

'We are really glad to meet you,' smiled Natalya, 'Forgive us Novgorod and Maxim…'

'It's usually like that here,' chuckled Dmitry.

Natalya glared at him and gave him a light nudge.

'It's okay,' Harry said quickly, 'We don't have so much things happening, thought, our country is small, nothing happens really.'

'Would you like me to show you around?' asked Mr. Marisov, still smiling widely.

'Yes, please,' answered Ginny.

Dmitry turned to Natalya. 'Would you look over everything when I'm gone,' he asked softly.

'Of course,' Natalya nodded, 'Go ahead, good luck.'

The minister smiled amused and turned to Kingsley.

'Let's go!'

As they walked to the second floor Dmitry began.

'Well,' he said, 'Here is the Department of International Magical Cooperation your place. Next way back there is the Auror office. Would you like to see?'

'Yes, please,' nodded Harry.

'Then follow me.'

The Russian minister knocked on a wooden door. A young a girl opened the door and stared big – eyed at the English.

They stared back. Why? The girl was covered in dirt, her black hair standing up.

'Katya,' said Dmitry carefully, 'Are you … okay?'

'Yup,' laughed Katya, 'just came back from Krasnodar. There are some naughty wizards, who were selling forbidden things.'

'Is she... okay?' whispered Shacklebolt, 'I mean in the head…'

'Of course I am,' giggled Katya, 'It was fun. Sergey and Vsevolod are there, but Vladislav is…'

A man of 30 years appeared in the door next to Katya and finished for her 'Here.'

'You must be Harry Potter,' said Vladislav coldly.

Harry nodded, as cool.

'You mustn't be so hostile toward our friends,' said Katya sternly, 'Come in. Meet Anastasia and Igor.'

Hermione smiled and slipped past Vladislav, who growled a bit.

Anastasia and Igor were aurors too.

'Who is that?' asked Anastasia warily taking out her wand.

'Put the stick away,' laughed Igor drawing it back with his hand, 'You must be from England. Nice to meet you, we're Anastasia and Igor Sovetov.'

'It's nice to meet you too!' Hermione shook Anastasia's and Igor's hands.

'Yes…' began Harry, when they heard Katya's voice.

'We need to get back to Krasnodar!' she hissed, 'Sergey and Vsevolod can't hold them anymore.'

'We have to go,' Anastasia said quickly, 'Sorry.'

The last four aurors grabbed each others hands and dissaparated.

'We should be going anyway,' said Dmitry fastly and led them a level higher.

'Here's the Sports and Transporations offices and higher up are Control of Creations and Catastrophes offices.'

'Do you have any newspaper?' asked Ginny interested.

'Yes,' answered Dmitry and stopped a wizard with one.

'Peters burger,' he said showing them, 'And… ah, it's lying again. No one got hurt then, Filthy jerks.'

He threw away the newspaper. 'Well,' the minister yawned,' It's getting late, better take you to Gostiny Dvor.'

'Where?' asked Ron bewildered.

'The hotel, Ron, the hotel,' Hermione said irritably.

'Oh, sorry,' Ron stifled a yawn.

'Yes please,' Ginny nodded, 'Is it far from here?'

'Nope,' answered the Russian minister, 'there's a special wizard bus, it takes us wherever we need to go.'

Harry nodded in understanding. 'We have that too.'

***

Ron yawned.

'This Russian ministry is wicked,' he said.

'I have to say yes,' sighed Ginny, 'their all… weird.'

'Especially Natalya, Maxim and Katya,' laughed Harry.

Kingsley nodded.

'I just don't like this Vladislav guy,' muttered Ron, 'He's… so… evil.'

Hermione nodded.

'Don't forget,' she commented, 'We're going to the wizarding school tomorrow.'

'What's it called?'

'Mythosbloom,' answered Hermione.

'Weird name,' giggled Ginny.

'Agree,' said Ron.

* 'The men from England came.

About the subway its true. Some stations in Sankt - Peterburg have double doors. One in train and other 3 cm further on station. So that way the last door on Vasilyostrovskay never opens.