Chapter 2

Breaking into the Departments of Mysteries

'Wake up!' – a sonorous voice, located right next to Harry's ear, woke him up from deep sleep. 'Wake up! Come on! How many times will I have to wake you up?!'

Vexed Ginny came into the bedroom like a lighting, with a pan in her hand. She was desperately trying to move her husband to the dining hall, all attempts failing so far. Harry opened one eye , first thing in his view a crimson face of his beloved wife.

'I hope you don't want to hit me with this.' – He said, pointing his finger at still sizzling pan.

'Very funny' – snorted Ginny with slight irritation in her voice. 'I'm making breakfast. Lilly and Teddy are already downstairs. Hurry up! You will be late for work!'

'Ok, Ok I'm up. – said Harry, stretching. Seeing his wife mood worsening furthermore, he rushed up and kissed her.

'Any news from the school?' – asked Harry.

'Indeed so.' – snarled Ginny. 'Al's got a new friend. He told me to give you a hug from him.' She made a dramatic pause, taking in some breath. She appeared greatly furious. Harry took a guess that she wanted to tell him about another one of his son's exploits.

'James and Fred broke into caretaker's office again.' – she said after a moment, her voice balancing on the edge of explosion. ' I told you that you shouldn't have told them where George found the Marauder's Map.

'They'll never give up' – said Harry proudly. However, upon being hit with a pan on his forehead, he had to act outraged. ' Why do they have to be so much like Ron?!'

'You meant so much like YOU!' – snapped Ginny, walking downstairs.

Fifteen minutes later, Harry headed downstairs. Traditionally, just like every Thursday, breakfast consisted of scrambled eggs with bacon. When everyone finished eating, Ginny took Lily to her grandparents after which she apparated herself to editorial office of the Daily Prophet. Teddy, who was working in Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, ventured to Gringott's ('Goblins attacked a former dragon-feeder. Uncle, would you believe it?!') . Harry found himself to be the last one leaving the house.

He apparated into the atrium of the Ministry. It was crowded, as every morning. Long hall was full of wizards and witches, who were hurrying towards the elevators. Some of them were burdened with piles of parchments, while others carried shabby briefcases. Couple of wizards were standing by the Fountain of Magical Brethren with the newest copies of Daily Prophet, discussing something fiercely. Every moment, Ministry workers were appearing out of fireplaces with silent whizzes.

Harry set off in direction of the golden gates, passing by various people. Upon passing the Fountain of Magical Brethren as well as the bodyguards, he recognized a familiar face.

'Oh, Mr. Potter!' – cried out Tobias Whotherby. 'I am so happy to see you!'

'Good Morning, Tobias' – answered Harry, not returning any of the presented enthusiasm. ' Have you dealt with Daryl's Easily-Explosive Pumpkins yet?'

Tobias sighed. He was working in Magical Ambulance which absorbed almost every minute of his time. He shook hands with Harry and followed him to the elevators.

'That was a massacre.' – he said, discouraged. ' What was that fool thinking?! Growing magical pumpkins among Muggles! Fifteen people injured! We needed dozen of Obliviators!'

'But it is all right now.' – concluded Harry, greeting different officials and shaking hands with them.

When they passed golden gates, Harry attempted to slip from the importunate company.

'Are you in need of something, Tobias?' – he asked reluctantly. ' I am in a bit of a hurry.'

Whotherby was known for being a talkative man. Harry was barely restraining himself from saying something rather unpleasant.

'Oh yes. I need to ask you something,' – said, rather excited, but also quite uncertain. 'It's about... Foxter asked me to - '

'I told you...' – snapped Harry, angrily 'And get this into your brainless head! I don't know if I'm going to support anyone. I am keeping myself out of politics and I am coming out on the bright side of things so far!'

'You are extremely popular, Mr. Potter. – continued Tobias persistently. 'You are famous and widely respected. People trust you. If you will support Foxter...'

Harry swore loudly. Officers standing near elevators looked at him with surprise. Harry felt his cheeks blushing.

'I have got far more important things to take care of rather than the election of the Minister for Magic,' he answered, getting angrier and angrier. 'I am to deal with a dragon harassing Muggles in Northern Ireland. We have problems with discipling Dementors. Vampire has shown up in Hogsmeade and we are still negotiating with goblins. If we are not going to do anything, goblins are going rise a rebellion. There is nowhere near enough Aurors, and no one wishes to be one! My sincere apologies, but I don't have time to support anyone! Anyway, as far as I am aware, Kingsley didn't resign yet, did he?!'

'I thought I have heard your sweet voice.' exclaimed Ron, laughing, as he emerged from the crowd surrounding the elevators.

Tobias, unable to add anything, walked away silently. He looked disconcerted.

'Was Foxter's shoelicker worrying you again?' – asked Ron, glaring at Tobias' back with a murderous stare.

Harry pressed the 'down' button. Elevator appeared immediatly. Golden bars slid apart, causing them to enter.. No one else was in the elevator apart from several paper airplanes above their heads, containing messages. Ron pressed the elevator button. Bars shut themselves and elevator started going down.

'We have so many problems, and they care to bother me with the elections,' declared Harry. 'When is that madness going to end?!'

'When they choose the new Minister' – retorted Ron. 'It seems some people enjoy the position greatly,' – He gave Harry malicious smile. 'Luckily, YOU are not one of them,'

'Not again!' – said Harry. ' I told you, I wouldn't be a good Minister.

They were passing various departments. Their talk was accompanied by rattling and screeching.

'Wizengamot begs to differ,' – continued Ron.

'Wizengamot is wrong.' – said Harry, adjusting his glasses. 'Let's stop this, or I'll curse you.'

Elevator stopped. Female voice announced: 'Department of Mysteries'. Surprised Harry looked at Ron.

'Why are we here?' – he asked, astonished.

' In the morning, I've received an owl from Jorks. As in, very EARLY in the morning. – he said, irritated. 'They found a corpse in Department. One of the Unspeakables.

'Great! As if we didn't have enough problems on our heads as it is,' hissed Harry furiously upon turning left into a dark, narrow corridor. Flame from the torch was swaying in a light breeze of air coming from the elevator.

'That's not all of it.' – continued Ron, walking by his side. ' Someone damaged the Seal of the Order. I think someone broke into the Chamber.'

Harry swore loudly again. In the Chamber mentioned by Ron all things which were once Tom Riddle's property were located. At least the accessible ones.. Aurors began searching for them right after Harry became the Head of the Headquarters of Aurors. Amongst different trinkets, there were remains of the horcruxes, old photos, school robes as well as his wand. For safety reasons, doors of the Chamber were sealed and no one decided to explore it for over ten years.

They were walking in silence a moment. Upon reaching the doors, they opened noiselessly. They walked into massive, circular room. The only source of light was a candle its light reflecting from the shiny, marble floor. For a moment, Chamber started spinning around its axis but when Harry took his wand out, it stopped instantly. He walked towards one of dozen doors. They changed into a cloud of black smoke, revealing long corridor, tiled with marble. He moved further on, Ron following. After a while, they spotted two Aurors standing by the doors at the end of the passage.

'Did you examine the crime scene? – asked Harry sharply, passing the Aurors and entering the next room.

'Yes, boss.' – said Jorks nervously. 'But we didn't touch anything.'

Harry crouched on the cold floor next to the corpse. Slender, mouse-like face of a man with greasy, chestnut hair was white as paper. Eyes were empty, with no expresssion in them. His mouth was open. Frozen, as if in astonishment.

'That's Matt Brown...' said Ron, looking at the corpse behind his friend's back. 'Lavender Brown's stepbrother. I had no idea he was one of Unspeakables,'

'Exactly.' – responded Harry, moving his face closer to dead man's,. 'Hit with a Killing Curse, for sure. No injuries.

'We didn't touch nothing, boss.'- repeated Jorks nervously.

Harry sighed. He got up and gave Ron a meaningful look.

'He is dead for six hours at least' concluded Ron.

'You are right' confirmed Harry. ' The torturers attacked him at night. I assume he was just a random victim. Their target was the sealed Chamber.

'How do you know there were more than one?' – asked the Auror standing next to Jorks.

'In order to break the seal, at least five people are required,' answered Harry.

'Where are the Aurors guarding this corridor last night? – said Ron, turning to the workers.

They exchanged nervous looks.

'Well, no one was guarding it.' – said Jorks after a while. 'They were all transferred to Forkswiev. To that bloody monster – '

'That beast has got some really thick scales' – added the second Auror. 'It is resistant to any spells casted.'

'We'll take care of that dragon later,' mumbled Harry. 'Has anyone else entered the Chamber?'

Both Aurors shook their heads. Harry walked over the corpse of Matt Brown and headed inside the Chamber.

Small room looked like a cave excavated deep in rock. It was quite dark. The only light came from torches, hanged randomly in the room. From the ceiling, huge stalactite was hanging, dripping with water. Along the stone walls, there was a single shelf formed right inside the rock. All of Voldemort's possessions were placed on it.

'Above us, there is a lake.' said Harry, seeing Ron wiping water off his forehead. ' That was the only way I could be sure no one would get to the Chamber from above.

'Is anything missing?' – asked Ron, walking towards the stone shelf.

Harry followed him. He carefully looked at all things gathered there. He tried to remind himself of how the things were arranged ten years ago, the last time he was here.

Harry was staring at one particular object. Riddle's diary. It was the only thing that wasn't covered in dust.

'Everything is in its place.' said Harry, carefully looking at the shelf again. 'Nothing is missing.'

'Then why did someone commit a murder and force his way in if it wasn't his intention to steal something? – asked Ron.

'None of those things were valuable.' – answered Harry, taking Riddle's diary and looking at its empty pages. 'Robbery wasn't the motive. Someone wanted to have look at Voldemort's private things, '

'And this someone was interested in an old, destroyed diary? ' – said Ron sarcastically.

News about the murder in Department of Mysteries spread around Ministry with the speed of a lightening. Merely a week after the incident, everyone were aware of it. People were conjecturing and gossiping about what happened. Susan Bones from Department of Magical Games and Sports was convincing everyone that Brown committed suicide ('His father landed in Azkaban, his sister married a vampire. He just couldn't stand it anymore'). Agnes Rufees from Administration Service of Wizengamot was maintaing the rumour that the Unspeakable was murdered by a mountain trolls. However, upon being questioned on how the troll entered the Ministry, she fell silent. More sensible wizards were elaborating different conspiracy theories and were suspicious at all times. None of them were even remotely close to the truth.

Harry was out of Ministry all that time. He, Ron and a group of advanced Aurors were trying to form a perfect plan of taming a dragon that was harassing the villagers of Forksview up in the Northern Great Britain. Situation was a stalemate. Dragon was bossing around for couple of weeks and all the spells were useless. Every day, twenty Obliviators had to be guarding the city. They were modifying memories of any Muggle who 'seemed' to see a dragon.

'Ministry talks quite a lot about that dragon of yours,' – said Arthur Weasley during Sunday roast dinner to which Molly invited the whole family.

'Not surprised' – answered George, swallowing a rather large chunk of chicken. ' That beast was partying all the time throughout last month.'

Harry was silent. He was tired and irritated of the situation.

'How is it that the Ministry is completely helpless?! – said Angelina, looking at Harry. ' This is unbelievable. What's the point of this Department of Magical Law Enforcement then?'

Harry snorted nervously.

'That is some really nasty beast.' explained Ron. ' All active spells are useless. And the law forbids us to use the useful and sparkly ones,'

'I think you should look for an answer in the London Library of Non-Muggle Work,' – said Hermione convincingly. All other people exchanged looks.

'Honey, that would take ages.' started Ron carefully. Hermione looked at him angrily.

'Daddy, our uncle is a dragon specialist.' – interjected little Rose, to everyone's surprise. She meant Charlie Weasley, who was studying dragon in Romania for nearly all of his life.

There was a moment of clumsy silence. Arthur Weasley grunted nervously and started to wolf down the chicken. He looked crossed.

'Eat dear, eat' – urged Mrs. Weasley, tapping her grandchild's arm.

Rest of dinner continued in complete silence.

No matter what the family situation was, Harry was determinated to finish that dragon off. Little Rose gave him the simplest and yet the smartest idea so far. Charlie Weasley was studying dragons for a long time. He met with deep physiognomy of different races. Their various morals, fierce tempers. He was Harry's best bet to guess the mentality of the dragon, and the situation in Forksview was in a desperate need of that.

So, on Monday morning, Ginny took her daughter to the Shell Cottage. She promised to aid Fleur in choosing a birthday gift for Fleur's mother. Ted Lupin went to his bedroom after breakfast, to send an owl (Harry caught him doing so every day). When he returned to kitchen, he saw Harry standing next to fireplace.

'Uncle, wouldn't it be easier to just use Apparition?' - asked, surprised by the situation.

'I am not going to the Ministry today.' said Harry evasively, and upon seeing astonishment on the boy's face, he added, 'Apparating yourself inside someone's house is really rude. Cultural people use fireplaces.'

Ted nodded, and without further talk, he apparated himself into the Ministry. Harry lit the fireplace with a simple Incendio, took a bit of shiny dust from a dish next to the fireplace and threw it in flames. Fire roared, flames turned green and emerald, and rose far above him. He stepped into them and shouted: 'Grimnauld Place Twelve.'

It's been many years since Harry last visited the family home of his godfather. Since he let Charlie live in it, he no longer had to supervise the house. Despite that, when he got out of fireplace onto the stone floor, he immediatly recognised kitchen. Thick dense clouds were in the air, accompanied by a pleasant smell. While he was walking upstairs, he came to a conclusion that Grimnauld Place has changed. It became much more cosy and comfortable. Charlie changed the décor while getting rid of many ugly souvenirs left here by the Black Family.

Harry found Charlie in the living room, catching him upon study of many maps.

'Welcome, Harry.' he said, upon noticing him. 'What a lovely surprise,'

After a while, they were both sitting round a circular table, drinking tea. Charlie was consuming a sponge cake.

'I see you changed quite a lot of things here,' said Harry with recognition. 'I never thought it could be so nice here.'

'Well, I liked the old decor, but Jerry was moaning for some change.' – answered Charlie. ' And when he decides on something, there is no turning back,'

For a while silence fell while Harry was sipping his tea.

'I heard you've got a problem with a dragon' said Charlie after a while. 'Do you need some help?'

Harry nodded. He told him about what happened at Forksview. Charlie listened to him carefully. He seemed to think about something feverishly.

'It is very rare for a dragon to settle near a human-occupied area.,' – he started vigorously when Harry finished his story. 'Dragons aren't really sociable, especially not with humans. They mainly attack when they sense some danger. Unless...' he was lost in thought for a short time.

'What is it?' – asked Harry impatiently.

Charlie was just about to answer, when he was suddenly disrupted by a loud CRACK. A yellow envelope appeared out of nowhere. It had the Ministry seal on it.

'It's from the Ministry.' explained Harry. ' They send these in case of emergency only.'

He opened the envelope and found it to be empty. Instead, unnaturally serious voice of his best friend sounded, 'Man, where are you? Get back to Headquarters. NOW.'

'My job in a nutshell' sighed Harry, rising up quickly.

'Check what it is about. I'll apparate to Forksview. I'll see if I can be of help.

Harry acknowledged for the tea and help. He shook Charlie's hand and with a loud noise, he melt into thin air.

'Finally!' Ron greeted him nervously, when Harry entered the office.

'What's the matter?' asked Harry.

'Hogwarts needs help of Harry Potter once more' pronounced a familiar, female voice from behind him, belonging to one person and one person alone.

'Professor McGonagall – said Harry, totally caught by surprise.

By the doors there was tall, thin woman standing. She was dressed in her usual green robes. Her grey hair were formed in a bun. She had a fierce face and she looked fidgety. She entered the office, closing the doors behind her. Harry was just standing there, frozen. He didn't see McGonagall for many years. Ron suggested tea.

'In such situation as this, Firewhisky would more appropriate,' said the woman.

Harry summoned a bottle of the alcohol and three glasses. Professor McGonagall sat in the armchair located by Harry's desk. She took a gulp of Firewhisky and sighed involuntarily. Harry sat behind the desk. Ron did the same thing. He looked embarrassed.

'Please tell us what happened, Professor.' started Harry calmly.

Woman sighed once more. She drank the rest of her drink in one gulp.

'Professor Flitwick has been murdered' – she said, her voice breaking.

Another chapter, this one's been somehow quicker than the others. Reviews are welcomed and appreciated