A VISIT FROM THE MINISTER
Remus rushed from his flat as soon as Dumbledore had given him the news, the Dursleys had filed a complaint and wanted the boy back. He flooed into Grimmauld Places living Room and ran up the stairs to find Sirius and harry playing a game of Exploding snap. Harry was giggling loudly, as Sirius lost yet again and was putting on a mock sadness.
"It's all right Siri" Harry explained rubbing Sirius back "Maybe you'll win next 'ime.
"Sirius…..Sirius….the minister….she's coming." Remus wheezed.
Sirius whipped around, afraid momentarily, but felt relief when he saw it was only Remus. Sirius's eye's had a dangerous glint to them
"How long have we got" implored Sirius.
"She should be here any second….you've got to find somewhere to hide….go now, I'll cover for you" answered Remus trying to gain his breath.
Sirius didn't give this a second thought, gathering up Harry who, fortunately, hadn't heard the exchange between the two men.
"Now Harry, we have to go hide somewhere, you can't make any noise, okay" Sirius inquired.
"Otay…is dis wike hide 'n' seek" Harry asked.
"Yes" responded Sirius, glad Harry had something to relate too.
They retreated into the basement, where unbeknownst to Harry lay a trapdoor that led to an underground hideout, which Sirius, himself had built during his school years to escape his parent's wrath. The trapdoor creaked after laying here for several years without being opened. As they walked down the wooden steps, cobwebs hung to their clothes, Harry screwed up his eyes, he hated spiders, because they reminded him of the broom cupboard, thus reminding him of his awful Aunt and Uncle. When they reached the bottom of the dim, musty staircase, Sirius pulled a chain producing a shadowy light that illuminated the room. The room contained a simple wooden bed, crates used as a chair and table and a small cupboard filled with canned goods. Sirius heard a door slam from up above, the minister was here. He closed the trapdoor gently and pressed a finger too his lips to keep Harry quiet.
…
Remus opened the door to find a distinctly annoyed minister standing at the door
"Hello, minister to what do I owe the pleasure" inquired Remus tonelessly.
"I am here to see one, Mr Black, I have been told he is residing here, am I right" The minister asked clearly irritated.
"Yes, you are" replied Remus trying to sound as indifferent as possible.
"And where may he be?"
Remus was trying to think fast but there was no way out, all she had to do was cast the 'sonorous' charm and it would reveal Sirius's hiding place.
"I'll just go get them" he responded, sounding clearly defeated.
After fishing Sirius and Harry out from their hiding place, Sirius carrying the near asleep Harry on his hip.
"Ah…..Sirius Black" she murmured with utter contempt "what….a….Pleasure".
"Same goes for me…minister" he spat venomously. The minister stared around the room, looking at it with disgust.
"What makes you think that a convicted criminal….like you, could be able to raise the most important child the wizarding world has ever seen…hmm?"
"A wrongly convicted criminal" Remus added, liking this lady less and less.
"Well…yes but that's not the point…is it?" The minister stammered with a pointed glance at Remus.
Sirius began to say something, but Remus cut him off.
"How is he not suitable to raise Harry? Sirius knew his parents better than any of us can claim, he was the third person in this world to hold Harry, and it clearly states on James and Lily's will that they wanted Sirius to raise Harry should anything happen to them."
"But under these circumstances, wouldn't the Potters have thought differently?" The minister argued.
Harry began to stir as he heard raised voices.
"Siri…" He mumbled "what's going on"
"Shh, Prongslet it's alright, go back to sleep." Sirius whispered soothingly.
Harry turned his head and started when he saw the ugly women on his doorstep. She was squat and had grey hair that lay pinned to her head. Her eyes were barely existent and her mouth was thin and stretched
Harry leant into to Sirius and whispered loudly
"Siri, why does that lady look like a toad?"
Sirius cracked up laughing at how the toddler had depicted the lady.
"Excuse me?" asked the minister clearly confused.
"Nothing…carry on" Sirius replied, holding in a laugh.
"Hello Harry my name is Amber Lynch and I am Minister of Magic." She said in a sickly sweet voice "may I ask you a few questions" and after a pause
"Alone"
…..
"So Harry first question…." Began the minister.
Sirius had moved them into his father's study which was the neatest of the rooms. Harry glanced around. The walls were lined with books of all shapes and sizes which Harry thought looked very interesting. There was a desk to one side which hag legs crafted to look like entwined snakes.
"Do you enjoy living with Mister Black?"
"Yes" answered Harry meekly. He was afraid of this lady and she made him stay away from Sirius.
"Does he feed you three meals a day?"
"No…." The minister leaned in hoping that the child was being mistreated "…He feeds me five ime's"
She leant back into her chair, irritated that she had found nothing to condemn Sirius as an inappropriate guardian.
"Last question… Has Mister Black ever hit you when you are being naughty?"
"No…Siri said he would never hurt me" replied Harry indignantly
As the lady left the room he poked his tongue out at her retreating back and whispered "see ya later Toady lady"
She turned around and glared at the child then walked back in to the living room to find two smirking men.
"I have found nothing wrong with you being Harry's guardian" she declared stiffly.
"Oh that's lovely, you'll be going now then, won't you" Sirius stated sarcastically.
At that the minister stalked out the door.
Remus and Sirius collapsed in a fit of laughter. Delighted that he had found nothing wrong with his parenting. Harry toddled in and thought it quite a sight to see to men on the floor laughing their heads off.
"Whatever you did kiddo, I'm proud of you" Sirius chuckled.
"Yeah, what did you do to make her so mad" Remus interjected
"I called her a Toady Lady"