~Chapter 7: Access given~
Deep inside the Ministry of Magic, in the new Minister's office, Aurors waited at the doors for Dolores Umbridge to come upstairs. Adolf Xavier paced his office floor. He was a tall man with very fine European features. He had short black hair that he kept slicked back; he had big powdery blue eyes and very pale skin, almost pure white. He had a narrow face that hardly changed expression ever and he also had a long body, long arms and a long neck. He was, in other words, intimidating and very scary to even look at. His most noticeable feature was, unfortunately, a long scar that ran from his forehead and through his eye, across his nose and stopped at the side of his lips. This scar was black. It was from a dreadful curse that he'd obtained while the Muggle-Borns, who were under the imperious curse, killed his family.
The door opened and Adolf turned to see Dolores Umbridge standing there, in a pink outfit and matching bow. She gave the Minister a silky sweet smile.
"Thank you so much for doing this sir. I really appri-,"
"Come Umbridge." Adolf said swiftly, turning back around. He pulled out his wand, looking out the window. Umbridge trotted over to his side as well. "…Do you know what this means, Madam Umbridge?" he asked softly, his voice very quiet. Umbridge nodded frantically.
"Yes sir, I do." She said excitedly. Adolf turned around, his wand inches from her face. Umbridge jumped, a little squeak coming from her mouth. Adolf peered into her little toad face.
"This means everything to me…and I have a very good feeling that you feel the same way about this…filth as I do." Adolf said quietly. Umbridge nodded her head so quickly her bow was flopping back and forth like a dying pink fish.
"I do, Minister. I do very much." She said quickly, her eyes wide with fear and reassurance. Adolf nodded once.
"Very well. Shall we proceed?" he inquired. Umbridge nodded once more. Adolf turned and walked over to his desk. He flipped open an extremely old spell book. "Now. This spell, as you well know, was used by Salazar Slytherin himself to find Muggle-Borns. Once the spell is conjured, the Muggle-Borns will be weakened and their locations will be written down automatically." Adolf twirled his wand and a very old roll of parchment and a beautiful long eagle quill appeared, waiting to write. "When the locations are written down, we can find any Muggle-Borns anywhere in the world. Of course, we won't go after all of them at once. I have fleets assigned for certain parts of the country." He told her as he found the spell in the book. He raised his wand and looked at Umbridge. "Soon, even in the Ministry, we will see who has been lying to us all along." Adolf said dryly. Umbridge smiled evilly.
"Very good, Minister. Now, if I may ask, by weaken, do you mean make them physically weak?" Umbridge asked curiously. Adolf's mouth twitched up and down just as quickly.
"You shall see." He turned to the book and looked at it. He raised his wand high and made a very deliberate triangle. "Immundus!" he hissed. The quill began rapidly writing, quicker than a speeding bullet and suddenly, ear-piercing screaming from down the hall. Adolf's mouth grew into a huge triumphant smile as he traveled over to the large window that overlooked the entire bottom atrium, which was crowded with people. You saw half the population of moving people falling over in pain and screaming in agony. Umbridge came over and watched the people from the window with wide eyes. Suddenly, a smile lit her face, seeing exactly what he meant by "weaken".
"Listen to that, Madame Umbridge. That is the sound of a new age beginning right now." Adolf said softly as the guards came and grabbed all the people who were writhing in pain on the floor. He went over to the quill and looked at the parchment. He noticed something odd "…What's this?" he pointed to an absolutely huge number of Muggle-Borns all under the same coordinates. Umbridge traveled over beside him, looking at it too. Slowly, another smile lit her face. She looked at the Minister.
"Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry." She told him, her smile victorious. "Muggle-Borns in training." Adolf looked at her and then turned to his guards, who were waiting just inside his office, waiting for orders.
"Prepare to go. We're going to Hogwarts." He told them firmly. Umbridge grinned her toady grin and took out her wand as Adolf turned back to her. "…Let's go." He said and put on his traveling cloak and bowler hat as Umbridge grabbed her pink overcoat and they left together.
Hermione slept soundly beside Ron, both naked under the covers. Hermione finally stirred out of unconsciousness and opened her eyes. Her vision blurred for a moment but it soon focused and she saw Ron sleeping there, his arms wrapped around her, holding her to his chest. It took Hermione a moment to even comprehend what happened last night. She couldn't believe it. Last night was utterly perfect: Ron was incredibly tender with her, so loving and gentlemanly. Her mind seemed to be so light, like she couldn't remember anything else but his kisses, his large, strong hands being so gentle with her…it was like all other thoughts didn't matter. Hermione smiled softly and cuddled into his chest.
Ron began to wake up as well and sat there for a moment, also replaying what happened last night in his head. He looked over and saw Hermione and he smiled so brightly, holding her close.
"…Morning beautiful." He mumbled lovingly. Hermione smiled at him and kissed his cheek.
"Morning." She responded, her mood lifting even higher. Ron kissed her lips very lightly before he sighed.
"You don't understand how…amazing last night was for me." He told her, his voice almost in awe. Hermione giggled quietly.
"I understand perfectly." She kissed him once before she sat up and started grabbing her clothes. Ron sat up, propping his body up on his elbow.
"Hey, where are you going?" he asked in a longing tone. "Don't do that." He said, watching her dress. Hermione laughed, still pulling on clothes.
"We have to get out of here before your parents figure out something. We didn't think very hard about what we would do in the morning last night." she told him, getting a bit scared now. What if his parents found out?
"We didn't think very hard about anything last night." Ron reminded her, smiling goofily. Hermione smiled, raising an eyebrow at him. She jumped on the bed, fully clothed, and grabbed him, pulling him off.
"Come on, you! Get dressed." She kissed him quickly, teasingly, and shoved his clothes into his arms. Ron shook his head, grinning as she quickly took her wand and made the bed, and he got dressed quickly. When they were decent, they went out and the door disappeared. Mrs. Weasley was in the kitchen, cooking breakfast. Ginny and Harry were sitting on their bed, talking and laughing, dressed and ready, Percy and Charlie were talking, standing by the kitchen, obviously waiting for food, Bill and Fleur were absent from the room and George was sitting on the couch, close to where they were standing. He looked at them and, for the first time in a while, he grinned at Hermione and Ron when they looked over at him.
"…Morning…did you two have fun?" he said in a playful voice. Hermione flushed, her stomach dropping. If he knew what they did, everyone else must.
"…Does…does anyone else know…?" Hermione asked, still blushing. George grinned at her.
"No. I just know. It's like having a sixth sense." George told them. Hermione sighed in relief and smiled at him tentatively as Ron's ears went scarlet.
"Bugger off, mate." He muttered as Hermione laughed and squeezed his hand. George grinned and got up to go get some food. Hermione and Ron went over to their beds. Ginny peeked over at Hermione and winked at her. Hermione's face was so red that she ducked her head to hide it.
"Alright kids, breakfast is ready!" Mrs. Weasley called. They all traveled over to the kitchen to get some food when Mr. Weasley, Bill and Fleur came in the doors. Charlie saw them and went over.
"Anything new?" he asked. Mr. Weasley nodded.
"I think we should all sit down. I have quite a bit of information to talk about." Mr. Weasley said so everyone else could hear, his voice serious. Hermione and Ron went over to sit on the couch with their tea and toast while the rest of them came over and sat with them. Mr. Weasley conjured an armchair and sat down, exhaling deeply. Mrs. Weasley came over and sat with him as everyone focused on Mr. Weasley.
"…The Ministry accessed the spell… half of the Ministry of Magic employees are gone. My ward is…deserted…" He said in a tired voice. When no one responded, he continued. "Minerva is trying to hide all the Muggle-Borns in Hogwarts, but she's having trouble, you see. It's half the school's population and they wouldn't all fit in the Room of Requirement. She said that if we tried fitting them in here, the Room might overcrowd and shut for good. And when that happens, it ceils itself forever. She's hiding them in the forbidden forest and throughout the castle. The spell hasn't…affected itself yet, which means the Ministry has their rough location, but not exact. Minerva is going to try to warn us when it starts to affect the others, but…" he looked at Hermione sadly. "There's no telling when it'll strike." Hermione felt everyone's eyes on her and she swallowed. She nodded, holding Ron's hand tighter in hers. Mr. Weasley continued. "Also, we know that Kingsley isn't coming back for quite a while. He sent a message to me explaining that he wanted to free all the imprisoned Muggle-Borns from Azkaban." Mr. Weasley said with a regretful voice. Everyone stared at one another in horror, knowing it was a suicide mission.
"Did you try to convince him not to?" Charlie asked. Mr. Weasley nodded.
"Yes, but he wouldn't listen…" he told them. Hermione looked down at her hands. "He feels he has to do this: that he's responsible for all the Muggle-Borns that have been locked up."
"Why don't we go help him?" Ron asked. Mr. Weasley looked at his son with caution.
"Ron, this is Azkaban we're talking about. I don't think any of us are ready to go there-,"
"But what if Hermione is sent there?! Would we go get her then?" Ron asked frantically. Mr. Weasley looked like he didn't want this to come up.
"Ronald, please-,"
"No! Would you? Would you help me go to Azkaban and free Hermione if she was sent there? Yes or no, dad." Ron said, sitting a lot straighter in his seat, looking protective. Hermione refused to make eye contact with anyone in the room, even Ginny, who wasn't concentrating on the boys, but was concentrating on her.
"…Of course Ron. We would do anything to keep Hermione safe. I'm just saying that we can't storm Azkaban prison with just us. We need information, help from the inside, equipment. We need a plan." Mr. Weasley told him. Ron swallowed and sat back, putting his arm around Hermione's waist. Hermione peeked at Mr. Weasley, who was looking at her with a sad expression on his face, like he was defeated in every way possible.
"Mum, we have to go back out. Minerva wants a word with you, if you don't mind. The same with Charlie." Bill said quietly. Mrs. Weasley nodded.
"Alright, dear. Let's go." She said, getting up along with Mr. Weasley. She looked at the rest of them. "Behave." She pointed at her sons.
"Can I come?" Percy asked. "I can't stand this room any longer." He sounded irritated. Mrs. Weasley nodded again.
"Sure Percy, dear. Quickly now." They went out the doors, leaving just George, Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione in the Room. Hermione felt all of their eyes on her and she felt wound up, like she was about to snap at them.
"…I'll…go do the dishes." She announced, getting up swiftly, trying not to look flustered. She went into the kitchen and looked at the mess of pots and pans and set to work. Instead of using magic, she rolled up her sleeves and scrubbed them by hand, getting all of her frustration out on the poor pans. She scrubbed them violently, gritting her teeth, her mind only focusing on this stress-release. The Weasley family didn't want to be here. Percy just made that perfectly clear. The others were just too polite to say anything outwardly. She couldn't believe they were doing this for her. She didn't deserve it. She didn't deserve any of their help. She was going to destroy their family if they fought against the Ministry. Hermione kept washing the dishes, making them spotlessly clean in mere seconds. Soon, she was scrubbing a pan that didn't need scrubbing anymore, just needing to focus on something else for a while. She was so out of it that she didn't hear Ginny come in the room after a couple minutes. She saw all the clean dishes and looked at Hermione cleaning an already spotless pan with a ferocity that scared Ginny. Ginny closed the kitchen door behind her and went over beside her, not daring touch her yet.
"You know, you could've just made them clean themselves." Ginny said quietly, her voice cautious as she gestured to the dishes. Hermione kept working as she talked.
"I know. I just felt like cleaning them." Hermione said through her teeth, still scrubbing violently. Ginny watched her with her big green eyes.
"Hermione, you've cleaned the pan already. Let me put it away for you." Ginny said, putting her hand on her arm. Usually dishwashing was a very safe thing to do, but the way Hermione was going, Ginny wouldn't be surprised if she ended up hurting herself in some way. Hermione kept going, not sure if she could stop yet.
"I'll put it away soon. Just after I finish." She said, her voice verging on the edge of slight hysteria. All she could think about was the Ministry coming in and killing the Weasley family. She couldn't get her mind off of the slight chance that they won't just stun them or lock them away. They'd be killed, or so Hermione thought. Ginny saw the panic in Hermione's eyes as she turned away to wipe her hands off on the tea towel and grab another pot, which was as clean as it had been before breakfast. Ginny quickly took the pot from her and put it down, grabbing her hands. Ginny knew this face on Hermione. It was her "I'm-having-an-emotional-breakdown" face. Ginny had only seen it a couple times before, but her worst was when Ron had kissed Lavender Brown after a Quidditch match. Her face looked the exact same as that night. Hermione tried to pull her hands free from hers, feeling tears form at the back of her eyes, seeing Ron's dead face in her mind, not able to get it out. She shook her head, closing her eyes, a couple tears falling onto her cheeks, still trying to get away from her. She felt like she was suffocating. Ginny finally grabbed Hermione and pulled her close, holding her in a tight hug, waiting until she calmed down. Hermione struggled for another couple seconds before she ended up hugging her back, burying her head in her shoulder, taking a deep breath. Ginny had done this a couple times for her: once after seeing Ron with Lavender in the Gryffindor common room, once before the Yule Ball (she was extremely nervous to be going with Victor Krum anywhere, let alone a ball), and once right before her exams in her third year, which were doubled because of the fact that she took extra courses that year. Ginny had always calmed her down when something bad had happened, if she was nervous or just plain heartbroken. This was one of the worst panic-attacks she'd ever had, and for good reason.
"It's okay." Ginny muttered quietly, holding her close as Hermione tried to calm her breathing down.
"Ginny…p-promise me something." Hermione said brokenly. Ginny nodded, holding her. "…Promise me that when the Ministry comes for me, you'll let them take me." she said. Ginny tried to piece that together in her mind.
"…No. I can't promise that." Ginny said quietly, her voice almost fighting at anger.
"Please. I can't stand the idea that you or any of your family will be killed because of me." Hermione said, pulling back to look at her. "It's enough that you're risking your lives again, but I don't want you dead. The Ministry won't be as forgiving this time." Ginny looked at her with angry eyes.
"You know that we'll fight. Ron will fight. He's not ready to give you up…no one is." Ginny told her. "As much as you're extremely annoying, being right almost all the time, we're not ready to lose you-,"
"Ginny, you won't lose me. I'm a highly logical person. I'll get out of it somehow. Just, please…" Hermione begged her. Ginny looked at her, her eyes softening.
"…Fine. I promise to let them take you… but you have to promise me something in return." She countered. Hermione nodded.
"Anything." Hermione said, calming down a bit. Ginny took one of her hands and held it tightly for emphases.
"…Promise me that no matter what they do to you, no matter where you go or what happens to you…promise me that you'll stay alive." Ginny said, her voice extremely serious. Hermione thought about that for a moment before nodding.
"…I promise." She said softly. Ginny smiled very lightly and hugged her once more before Ron came in. Ginny's smile got a bit bigger and she quickly pecked Hermione's cheek before leaving with a parting "she's all yours." to Ron. Ron watched his sister go out before he looked back at Hermione and went over to her.
"Since when do you clean dishes?" he asked, wrapping his arms around her waist, pulling her close.
"Since now, that's when." She shot back with a gorgeous smile. Ron grinned and kissed her lips hungrily. Hermione closed her eyes, kissing back. Suddenly, a quick stab of agonizing pain struck her in her stomach. She broke off the kiss, immediately scrunching up, a gasp breaking free of her lips. Ron looked at her with worried eyes.
"Are you okay? What's wrong?" he asked, his voice getting frantic-sounding. Hermione couldn't talk. She felt the pain grow into her chest and soon her legs were flaring with pain too. She felt her knees crumple and she grabbed Ron's shoulders, trying to stay up, but she just ended up falling at his feet, crunching up in a ball, holding back screams. Ron knelt beside her, frantically trying to calm her down.
"Hermione, Hermione, please! What's wrong?! Tell me what hurts! Ginny! Harry! George! It's Hermione!" he called, his voice breaking from how loud he was yelling. Hermione shook violently, her entire body filling with unexplainable pain. Finally, she screamed loudly, not able to hold it in any longer. Tears ran down her cheeks as she writhed in pain on the floor, trying to block the pain out.
Ginny, Harry and George burst in the kitchen and saw Hermione. They stood there, shocked that Hermione was in this type of state. Ginny was the first to move; she knelt on the other side of Hermione and gently touched her forehead. She looked sharply at Ron, who was still freaking out.
"I leave you with her for, what, two minutes?!" Ginny quickly took charge of the situation when Ron looked like he'd stopped breathing. "Okay, George, run and get mum and dad. Tell them the spell has hit Hermione and warn McGonagall if the students haven't felt the effects yet. Harry, get Ron out of here now, before he hurts her." Ginny said in a calm, but firm voice as Hermione continued to writhe in pain on the tile floor, gasping in pain. George ran off and Harry quickly swooped down and grabbed Ron.
"C'mon mate." When Ron wouldn't move, Harry grabbed him roughly by the shirt and towed him out as Ron objected. Ginny quickly turned her attention back to Hermione and put her hand on her arm.
"Can you stand, Hun?" Ginny asked. Hermione shook, her whole body trembling.
"…M-Make it stop…" she whispered, tears pouring down her cheeks. The pain was unbearable. Ginny watched her best friend writhe and roll in pain and felt like something was blocking her throat.
"Hermione, I'm going to get you into bed, okay? Try to walk." Ginny put one of Hermione's arms around her shoulders, pulling her up and wrapping her arm around her waist, supporting her until she got her footing. They walked together out of the kitchen and just before they got to the bed, her knees collapsed again and Ginny had to carry her over to the bed and put her in it. She sat beside her, taking her hand.
"Squeeze my hand." She instructed calmly. Hermione gripped her hand so tightly, Ginny winced. She was much stronger when she was in pain. Ginny saw Harry making Ron sit on the couches and sit still. He was fighting him, trying to get to Hermione, but Harry wouldn't let him. Finally, Ron almost grabbed and threw Harry but Harry took out his wand.
"Stupify!" Harry yelled. Ron was blasted off his feet and knocked unconscious. Harry exhaled sharply and grabbed Ron, laying him on the couch. Ginny looked at him in shock and Harry simply shrugged.
"I had to. He was hysterical." He said. Ginny gave him a look.
"Harry…think about this: if we ever get married and decide to have children and I go into labour, I might be a little hysterical too. So, do you mind maybe not stunning me then or any other time I may be hysterical? You're supposed to slap people when they're hysterical, not knock them out." Ginny said as Harry swallowed at the labour analogy and then sat beside the unconscious Ron.
"Sorry." He muttered, feeling guilty. Ginny raised an eyebrow at him, and then turned back to Hermione, who felt extremely light-headed from all the pain. She looked at Ginny, her face going pale.
"…Keep your promise." She said quietly. Ginny gently moved a curl of brown hair out of her face and nodded.
"Don't worry. I will."
