CHAPTER THREE: THE MINISTRY AND THE FIRE MAGE

My cell was stone, small and damp. I was shackled so that my hands were held evenly with my waist, a powerful binding spell acting as the cuffs. This kept me from getting the red marks on my wrist that my mother kept to remember her days of imprisonment, but I almost wish they were being meaner to me. In my eyes, I had likely killed two children, and Death Eaters or not, they were still the students I was supposed to be protecting as a Hogwarts official. The leader of the group, hospitalized at St. Mungo's for his participation, gave no help for my case. In the eyes of the Ministry, I was the most guilty person alive.

My magic's outburst in the forest kept me from releasing the first long night, which I'm sure the Ministry officials were grateful for as they were all there questioning me. They'd stay outside the charmed bars, a careful distance away from my fire and evil magic, as they called it. The next morning they left me alone, giving me plenty of time to send sparks against the wall, charring the dust black and making intricate designs. I smiled at them, the only positive thing in this horrid situation. I regretted my forest journey almost immediately, but I regretted fighting as I did. I had no choice as my power was too great to control, but I felt I did. If I would've gone straight to Hogwarts, I could release safely while the school's officials dealt with the problem. I might've escaped completely unharmed as well.

'Stop pretending to relive your life,' my mother's voice called. I remembered when she and my father divorced, not long after a massive release of power destroyed some of his prized books and some of her prized photographs. 'You can never change your past, just learn from it. You may be powerful, but you are also very strong. Use your fire to comfort yourself, not to destroy.'

I looked up as three officials led a dark figure into the hallway. Professor Snape nodded to them all, requesting a moment alone. I realized he'd already had this conversation with the officials, and they left without much of a protest, leaving a stool and a bucket of water outside for him to use. He sat down in front of the cell, pulling out a tiny scrap of parchment and slipping it into the bars. I saw that it was covered in tiny text, probably about something I knew about, but I wondered what his true motives were. He seemed darker than usual, and the stench of Death Eater work filled my mind's eye. A darkness lay in the future that I recognized from my other visions, a darkness that would change the world forever.

"This is the only time I can meet with you, to prove to you that I support you fully. I know exactly what happened in that forest, and the officials are learning the story as we speak. The Death Eater organization knows how to cover their tracks, how to avoid an investigation they don't need. The man you saw with them, he still wants you dead, but he does not want his life to end with imprisonment…or the ultimate end," Professor Snape muttered, shifting on his stool and sighing lightly. "You'll need to accept the Ministry's protection offer. It's them or Hogwarts, and Dumbledore thinks you're better off with their resources. All he can do is lock you away, maybe disguise your identity if you need to do any off-campus business. He is taking care of your mother and family, something your father is helping with. He'll return in three days to take care of you, and Professor Hagclaw, whom I'm sure you remember, will be here as well."

"I'll be working with attacks?" I asked. He shrugged, shifting again on the stool. It was too short for his long legs, and he ultimately decided to stand and lean against the bars. "I want you to keep most of your ability a secret, though it's namely an order from Dumbledore. Fire mages like yourself tend to face more struggle within the Ministry than any other special group. If you want to keep your people safe from future scrutiny, you'll stay silent. They'll expect it; you're far from the first fire mage to be falsely imprisoned due to a burnt corpse," he spat, watching as I looked up with a shocked gaze. He smirked slightly. "That's the story from the forest, Seraphina: Something else charred those bodies. You did damage, of course, but not the same damage as the bodies sustained. I'm investigating, but so is the Ministry. You know just as I do that the organization has dealt with this sort of incident before. As long as no one resists, things remain undone. The Ministry of Magic is a very powerful organization, but even they have limitations in the face of evil."

"You told me you were investigation, and you seem…I'm very confused, Professor Snape," I whispered, moving closer to the bars. "I want to know which side you're fighting for, which side you hold allegiance to. I know you'll have to appear to be for both, but I know that you have to choose one to keep yourself content. Which side, Professor? Which side?" I asked softly. He nodded, stepping away from the bars to pace back and forth. After a few long moments, he stopped and looked up to me with a slight smile. "They're always listening," he said, looking to the piece of paper. "I swore to you that I'd be honest, just as you were honest for me. Everything you need is on that piece of paper. You just need to make sure my fireproofing charm isn't broken."

"I'll miss working with you, Professor. When all of this is over, I hope to work with you again," I nodded, grabbing the piece of parchment and balling it up in my palm. Two officials were walking up the hallway, their walk determined. "Give Dumbledore my regards, and if you could, tell my mother I'll be fine. We have ways of communications, of course, but she'd want to hear it from someone I trust."

"Seraphina Brenton, you'll be coming with us," the tallest of the officials commanded. "Professor, Dumbledore is waiting for you at Hogwarts. He expects you back within the hour, so you should begin your departure," he murmured to him, thinking I couldn't hear. I could tell more was going on beyond my cell, but I had no true way of knowing. My mind's eye clouded with nervousness as the second official released me from the cell, leading me down the hallway the opposite way. I knew the interrogation rooms were the floor below, which meant they had other plans for me.

"I need a word with the Minster first. I'm sure Albus will understand," Professor Snape smirked, turning on his heel and walking quickly up the hallway. The official scoffed, joining his partner in leading me down the hallway. "I don't like any part of this. Too much is being swept under the rug again, too much for comfort," he muttered to his partner, clearing his throat and pulling at his nose to disguise his words. His partner merely nodded, leading me down a spiral staircase and into a nice office. The Minister sat at a desk atop a platform, causing him to sit higher than everyone in the room. Even the portraits of previous ministers seemed to be below as he scratched furiously with his quill, filling out piles of paperwork while his officials watched with blank stares. Only two more people entered the room, one of them being Professor Hagclaw, who looked ragged from her experiences but in good health overall.

"Seraphina Brenton," the Minister said suddenly, standing and stepping down four steps to look me over. "I never expected to see such power come from one small, young woman. You're in your early twenties, it appears, yet the men I spoke to were caught off guard by powerful magic. You're too young of a fire mage to have such explosive power, yet you were a self-study. No one knows a thing about you, Seraphina, not even the people you worked closely with. Professor Snape knew of your powers and work ethic, but otherwise nothing of value, and Dumbledore cracked jokes for an hour until we gave up on him. We're prepared to release you because those bodies were planted in that forest, a warning to the other recruits to stay out of higher-up business. You see, those Death Eaters knew what they were up against. They say they were caught off guard; they want this whole thing to appear as an accident so the investigation stops. But, and this is the part I don't understand, you still need protection from these people, your whole clan does. I guess being a fire mage isn't all it's cracked up to be," he smiled, walking over to a table that appeared short next to the platform. "You'll be working with your father and his colleague. I can use your expertise within my ministry, but…you do one questionable thing, one!" he screamed, turning to me with black eyes, "I'll end the protection for your clan and for you."

"I accept your terms," I whispered, looking to Professor Hagclaw and the charm holding my arms was released. "I want full disclosure from you all. I need to know what I'm working with if you want me to be loyal to you," I said, watching as he smirked to himself, looking up from his paperwork with an amused look. "I'm afraid we don't offer such luxuries. Dumbledore may, but the Ministry has agendas to follow. That's why we're helping him with your mother and family members. We have an agenda to uphold now that this drama has broken out in the Forbidden Forest. If we don't keep this under wraps, the whole countryside will be up in arms, and you, my friend, will be facing the dangers on your own, just like your whole family."

I nodded to him, looking at the parchment he carried with him from the table. It was my Ministry of Magic contract, bound and sealed by powerful magic. Signing my name at the bottom would mean that I was under their control, meaning I had to do exactly what they told me at all times. I doubted I could be this loyal, yet I had to put down my name. Without the Ministry and Hogwarts helping my family and me, we would be dead within days. I felt the magic take hold as I signed the final "n".

"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic," the Minister smiled, eying Professor Hagclaw. "Take her up to your department and get her outfitted. You'll need to change your hair, but I'm sure you don't mind helping yourself a little," he nodded, tapping the contract. I looked to Professor Hagclaw and moved towards her. My career was beginning again, but I wished it was under better circumstances.

"I'm happy to be working with the daughter of such a fine student," Professor Hagclaw grinned, leading me to their offices. She was back to her normal self now that the Minister was out of sight. I gathered that he brought fear into the hearts of many just by existing in their presence. "We have numerous cases to handle for the Ministry, all of them attack-related. Lately, these attacks have been wizard-on-wizard, but you know that your father and I prefer the creature attacks the best. We haven't had a good werewolf in ages, but they're all still out there. In fact, the Death Eaters tend to find special beings for their own uses. We just encountered a vampire-related killing done in the name of the Dark Lord, but you shouldn't fear things like this. We only come in after, most of the time. The cases are really getting plentiful, but we're still safe. And we're needed, so if you do what you're supposed to for us, you'll have a job here for a while."

Once inside her office, which was covered with disheveled files and other paperwork, I was given a uniform and equipment for my position. After showing me the various rooms within the department, I was seated in my father's office while she retrieved lunch. While she was away, I looked at Professor Snape's note, warm and moist from resting in my palm. As he promised, everything I needed to know was written in the tiny letters, written in his own hand probably moments before he saw me.

But the most important detail was on the back of the scrap of parchment. I didn't need to know that Lucius Malfoy led the attack against me, nor that he set up the bodies as a warning to the other Hogwarts recruits not to cross the group. I needed to know which side he was fighting for, where his allegiance lay. It was written in small letters, barely legible due to the sweat from my fiery palms.

I still didn't have my wand, but I'd been breaking fireproofing charms for years. I snapped my fingers, watching the charm fade from the paper in a hazy flash. Then I set the scrap on fire, watching the ash form in my hand. When they were cool, I wiped them into the trash, just in time to receive a sandwich for lunch, which was accompanied by my wand and a special piece of parchment.

"We have an important case in southern Finland. It's a little farther than we tend to go on short notice, but I believe you'll want to be a big part of this one. I won't spoil the details for you so soon. It will be your first case, and it is a special one. We've asked your father to meet us there, so he'll be back early. Aren't you happy?" Professor Hagclaw asked cheerfully. I shrugged before nodding. "It's good to know that, Seraphina. You've dealt with a lot for the past for days, but everything should improve now. You're a wonderful addition to the team. I'm sure your father will be very proud."

When our sandwiches were gone, Professor Hagclaw gathered a bag of supplies, charmed to be filled infinitely. She piled in various supplies before pulling out two broomsticks, both the same unfamiliar model. She showed me a carving on the stick; the brooms were Ministry prototypes, developed in a laboratory kept secret from the public. We'd have access to all of their goodies, she promised, before leading me to the landing zone on the roof of the building. Muggle lives continued on the streets below as we moved swiftly towards Finland. Professor Hagclaw chattered happily the entire way, all while I enjoyed freedom with a heavy heart.

"It's good to know you didn't start without me," my father nodded, putting down his things inside the tiny shack we'd been given to work from. Whatever we were going after had the town so scared that they'd left in the night, sending the Ministry a call early in the morning to deal with the problem. A short write-up was in an envelope on the ragged table we had to work from, its flap labeled with my father's name. A Ministry seal kept it closed until he charmed it open. He then read the letter to himself before delegating the information to us. "A large, fiery beast is hiding out in the mountains to the north of the town. It was seen flying over early last night, then he tried to set fire to the forest. People fled the town before he needed to set fire to the buildings, but they need to return here. We have until tomorrow to get it out of the mountains and back where it came from or there will be consequences."

"Sounds like we have a dragon on our hands," Professor Hagclaw smiled, eying me carefully. "It took me fifteen years to have access to anything bigger than I was, but a dragon? This is a first for all three of us, but we must exercise extreme caution. I have a few books on dragons in my bag, but I doubt any will be of any use. You have to learn about dragons on your own, and all the different species…. I'm looking forward to this mission."

"What do we do?" I asked. My father smiled, patting my shoulder fondly, "We usually have to wing it on most of our cases, but you'll get comfortable once you get more experience. For this case, we'll use a quiet approach, wands drawn unless you want to use your abilities. Do you need a release before we begin?" he asked. I shook my head as he opened the door. A light snow was falling outside, but the Ministry's uniforms were good for all weather, though it didn't matter because of my inner heat. The trek to the mountains was well over a kilometer, and both Professor Hagclaw and my father were shivering by the end of it, but it felt pleasant to me. I drew my wand and followed behind my father, careful to keep quiet. Professor Hagclaw moved up beside me as the foot of mountain appeared. High on the rocks, a silver dragon rested, a light haze of smoke coming from his nostrils.

"A Romanian Silvertail!" Professor Haglcaw gasped, careful to keep quiet. "I've read plenty about them, but only because of their rarity. This is a lovely find, but I don't know what we can do here. They're highly unpredictable, very volatile, and their breath can either be fire or ice depending on the situation. The Ministry will need backup from the dragon handlers in Romania, though it was nice to see him so closely," she whispered, stepping backwards to depart from the scene.

But she stopped midstep, watching as the dragon suddenly awakened and flew overhead, roaring loudly. My father gasped, pointing to the colored shimmer coming from his scales, "He's under the influence of a curse of some sort! What do we do? This has never happened before!" he exclaimed, drawing his wand and pinning himself against a tree. The dragon circled overhead, but I watched the shimmer flicker slightly. Whoever had the dragon under their control was wavering somehow. We just had to get to the dragon directly to break the spell, thus saving our lives.

As the dragon swooped in to release its first blast of power, it made eye contact with me. A spark crossed between us, invisible to the two fearful adults shaking in their Ministry uniforms. The dragon closed its mouth mid-swoop, the colorful haze flickering away completely as it passed overhead. It recognized my power, an ability fire mages were thought to be blessed with, though no one was certain. My mother told me fairy tales of fire mages taking on great winged beasts, but she made sure I knew they weren't real; she never wanted to risk me getting my hopes up. I never truly believed her, even as I grew older. I knew those powers were real, but I never had the chance to test them out.

"Seraphina, what the hell are you doing?!" my father fumed as I stepped away from them. "Come back here at once! You'll get us all slaughtered! We were trying to protect you, not bring you here to die!" he ranted, trying to cast a binding spell on me. I deflected it with my palm, staring up at the dragon as he flew overhead. I sent a park into its side, projecting my desires within the spark. I wanted him to land, land and resist the curse someone placed upon it. "Seraphina! I'm begging you to stop!" my father yelled, watching as the dragon plunged towards the clearing, mere feet from where I stood. It landed, sending him and Professor Hagclaw into the trees.

"I thank you for landing," I whispered, walking up to the dragon and bowing before it. "You are too majestic to allow dark magic to control you," I said sternly. "You ought to be ashamed, but I know it's not your fault. Tell me, who did this to you? What was their purpose?" I asked. The dragon roared at me, attempting to bite down on me. The spell was in effect again, but a well-placed fireball above the dragon's left eye made him recoil, the charm's shimmer fading again. "Well, tell me what I wish to know," I demanded. "You know better to obey them."

"I know," he croaked, belching out a plume of smoke. "But the Dark Lord has powerful people in his ranks. He wanted me to fly over London and burn it to the ground, but I like ice magic. I like turning lakes to glass," he cried, raining down silvery tears that turned the ground to mud. I comforted the dragon, rubbing its tail fondly. Just as my mother's tails discussed, fire mages had a way of controlling dragons, but they were also the greatest friends of the dragons, one of the few groups not willing to kill them for no good reason. "I can't keep myself from their power. It's too much!" the dragon sobbed.

"Stop crying," I cooed, patting its large paw. Its claws were longer than my small hands, making his long, slender fingers a greater length than my arms. He towered over me, larger than Hogwarts itself, I felt, but he didn't scare me anymore. "I know you can resist them, but you need some help. You were supposed to go to London to do their bidding? Maybe you should attack them instead? Show them why they shouldn't trouble a dragon and bring him away from his lair for such petty human business."

"I'm a she!" the dragon crooned, slapping at me with her tail. I apologized, but the dragon hung her head. "It's too hard for humans to tell. That's why you shouldn't mettle in dragon business. Taming us so we don't commit human crimes is one thing, but using us for…'petty business'? Humans are too much with us! They should pay for it!" the dragon roared, stretching her wings and hovering upwards slowly. "I'll do as you say. Do you want to go with me?"

"I'm needed elsewhere. Please, only hurt the ones working with dark magic. I know you know the difference," I winked. She nodded, eying the others behind me. "They've grown too cold. Get them to warmth quickly, maybe from your hands. I've never seen anyone like you, but I hope to meet more of you in the future," she bowed, flying into the thick clouds. A snowstorm was coming, and the dragon was right about the temperature already being too low for them to handle. Though they had hundreds, if not thousands, of questions for me to answer, I forced them back to the town for warmth. An owl arrived just before the storm to call us back to London. After reporting to the Ministry, we would be needed elsewhere. A dark feeling came over me as my mind's eye clouded over again. This was the moment, I felt, the moment where everything would change.