Chapter Nine
Cornelius Fudge
Being the Minister is a piece of work, Fudge thought. Currently I'm running around for thirteen year olds.
But even he couldn't pretend this wasn't important. He didn't know if Harry was sick, but if he was the antidote would need to be given to him as soon as possible.
He remembered Ron too, but he wasn't as important as Harry. However, the Minister needed to ensure the safety of both of them, so Harry could change back into his own body.
The Minister went to the Burrow, but no one was there. He apparated back to the Ministry, and then realised that Arthur was on leave so he could go to Egypt. Oh Merlin, now I have to go to Egypt…
He got all the details from the Minister for Magical Foreign Affairs and then he apparated to the small place in Egypt in which he'd been before. He'd never been to where the Weasleys were staying, but according to the map it wasn't far.
Half an hour later, he was at the hotel room of the Weasleys. He knocked and Arthur answered.
"Minister! Blimey, what are you doing here?"
"I need to speak to your son."
"Here!" Bill, Charlie, Fred, George and Percy all quite eagerly shouted.
"No, um- Ronald."
"Damn." They all muttered.
"Minister, he's very sick…"
"I know, that's why I'm here."
"But how did you know?"
"He has Wizard's Disease."
"He what?!" All the Weasleys shouted.
"Okay, give it here!" Fred said to George.
"Fine." George said handing a galleon over to Fred.
"But Minister… that means he'll… die!" Mrs Weasley croaked.
"No, because two workers at St Mungo's along with his friend Granger have found the cure."
"Hermione? Oh my goodness, that girl is amazing." Fred remarked.
"Oooh! Freddie's in love!" George laughed.
"Shut up." He said as he nudged his twin.
"Anyway," said the Minister, interrupting the new conversation, "I need to see him."
"Sure, right this way." Arthur said, directing him through the rooms.
When they got to the room, Arthur offered to leave and then left the two alone.
"Harry, Harry can you hear me?"
"Wha-?" Harry asked, half asleep.
"I found the cure for your disease."
Harry's eyes opened wide. "Minister?"
"Yes. You have Wizard's disease, but your friend Granger discovered the cure."
"Hermione…"
"Is also the reason you are in this mess. Now drink this," he said holding up a small vial, "and you should feel better."
Harry sculled the whole thing and a few minutes later felt absolutely fine.
"Wow, Hermione figured that out?"
"With a lot of help from some St Mungo's workers."
"Awesome."
"How do you feel?" Fudge asked.
"Way better. You wouldn't even know I'd been sick if you had have just met me."
Harry
Harry felt dramatically improved by the time they got to Little Whinging.
They knocked on the door of Privet Drive. They were both wearing cloaks, so when Petunia answered the door it was no wonder she quickly allowed them into the house, away from neighbours who could spot them.
When they got into the lounge, Mr Dursley eyed Harry carefully.
"It's you."
"Huh?" Harry asked. He thought his uncle may have recognized him as Harry.
"You're that kid that helped Harry escape last year."
"Oh… um, no, Sir-"
"That is beside the point and that is not why we're here." Fudge interrupted.
"Why are you here? I don't normally allow freaks into my home." Petunia said.
"I am here to see, uh, Harry."
"He's not here." Petunia replied.
"What? Where is he?" Harry demanded.
"He's at the hospital, twenty minutes down the road. Have you come to take him?" Vernon added excitedly.
"Only for a day or two at most." The Minister replied.
"Oh." Their faces fell.
"Thank you for your hospitality, I will see myself out." The Minister said, with a hint of sarcasm. Well, more than just a hint.
"I'm sorry about them, Minister-" Harry started.
"Do not worry, young boy, it is not your fault."
They got to the hospital, asked to see Harry Potter, and when they said that they were family, they were permitted to go through. They found him in a public room with 5 other beds, three of which were filled by coughing men.
"Harry? Minister?" Ron asked.
"Yes, m'boy. We've come to cure you. You have Wizard's Disease."
"What? But, it's fatal… and there's no cure!" Ron said, panicking.
"Hermione found one!" Harry explained, rather pleased with his friend.
"Wow, really?" Ron asked.
"Yes." The Minister nodded. Ron threw up into a bucket provided, wiped his mouth and then turned back to the minister.
"Um, about that cure…?"
"Yes, it's here." Fudge said, pulling out another vial with the same stuff as Harry had drunk. "Just drink this and you should feel fine."
Ron did as instructed, and within twenty minutes, his urge to vomit had lowered, his headache had disappeared, and the spots on his feet were growing smaller and smaller.
"Thank you Minister!"
"Now, I need to switch you two back. Stand back to back; holding hands… yes, that's it… Now, Commuto ad Teipsum!"
The curtain had been closed, so no one else had seen. Harry fell forwards and Ron fell the other way.
"It worked! Thank you Minister!" Harry cried.
"Well, since it works in 50% of cases, I assumed it would work this time since it didn't the last time."
"Can we see Hermione?" Ron asked.
"At her trial."
"Trial?" The boys asked.
"Yes, she's been expelled."
