Disclaimer: Lowly college student. Enough said.
Chapter Ten
The Bitter Taste of Freedom?
The spring night never seemed so eerily quiet to Ginny as she sat on the overhang just outside her room. All day long Ginny had been helping Lily and Mab with planning Mab's wedding. It was rather nice to get away from a slightly hormonal Mab.
Tucking her hair behind her ear Ginny sighed. It had been a month since the twins had visited her. And that was the last she had heard from them. If they were smart they would have owled her. After all, it wasn't everyday that one found family they had been split from. Then again, the twins never did seem to have too much common sense. A few days after the twins had visited Ginny they had managed to completely disappear from Sirius' house. Sirius hadn't really cared that the twins had disappeared; he had ended up telling Lily last week that they had disappeared.
Crawling back inside Ginny stopped halfway in the window. She had heard voices and possibly someone climbing up the lattice of the porch below. Most of the time the voices she heard in the middle of the night were the twins, but she knew they were fast asleep at the moment. Plus, the twins voices never sounded so deep.
"Are you sure this is the room she's staying in?"
"Yes. It is my room after all." Ginny stifled a laugh as she recognized Harry's voice. She wasn't too sure who else was with him. As of them moment she was straining to hear Harry as it was.
"What the hell is my sister doing in your room!"
"Ron!" Ginny whispered to herself. Her closest brother had escaped from the horrible Umbridge. No doubt with help from the terrible twosome.
"Well, I hate to inform you, but I've been shagging your sister," Harry declared sarcastically.
"HEY!" three voices shouted simultaneously.
"What the hell are you three going to do when I actually get a boyfriend?" snarled Ginny as she peered over the edge of the overhang, "Kill him?"
Her three brothers looked at each other for a moment; all slightly disappointed they hadn't been able to surprise her. Harry on the other hand looked quite relived that his death was put off for a later time.
"Dearest Ginny-"
"We wouldn't dream of killing your future boyfriends-"
"Husbands yes-"
"Boyfriends, no-"
"We'd do you the greatest favor of-"
"Castrating your boyfriend-"
"After all-"
"It would solve the problem of you getting pregnant before you were married," Fred concluded.
"Then again," interjected George, "It would also be a slight problem for you to ever have children."
"Might be best to just grow up to be an old hag," Ron suggested.
"You three do realize that if I get a boyfriend, which is bound to happen, that you will be removing his manhood? Now I personally plan on dating a bit, not sleeping around. You all could have a bit more faith in me," snapped Ginny, "And if you do castrate the man I marry, I can't have children with him. So you're just encouraging me to have an affair so that I can have children. Now how would you feel doing that to the poor sap who will eventually be my husband?"
"I feel bad for the man you cheat on," muttered Ron.
"I'm guessing this would be a bad time to tell your brothers what the two of us did?" Harry asked.
"Yes, Harry it would," moaned Ginny.
"Did?"
"What did you do to are sister?"
"Ginny are you pregnant?"
"Harry, mate, I'm sorry. But I think we're going to have to educe punishment on you."
"Fred, George!" growled Ginny, "We only kissed. And if you dare, lay a finger on Harry I will make sure you won't live long enough to see any future nieces or nephews." The twins paled at Ginny's threat, while Ron just glared at Harry.
"Fine, fine. We won't harm him," promised the twins.
"Now that my life and private parts are safe. Ginny we need you to climb down the lattice," Harry said. Nodding her understanding Ginny started to make her way down. The boys had already made their descents as they were arguing and threatening future boyfriends.
Getting to the ground Ginny quickly was greeted with a hug from Ron, then the twins. Not wanting to leave Harry feeling left out she gave him one too.
"Only kissed?" Harry whispered as he held Ginny in his arms for a moment.
"Do you really wish to be castrated?" she snapped back. Letting her go, Harry laughed stiffly.
"Well, step two of The Plan is complete George."
"All is going according to The Plan, this is a good sign Fred."
"Will you two stop it?" Ron snapped, "We don't have time again for the pair of you to argue and wake the house up."
"Fine," George snorted. Both twin were glaring at their younger brother for ruining their fun.
"You guys really do need to get the Ministry as soon as possible. The security won't be this lax for another month or so. And Ron does not have that time," Harry stated. The twins nodded as they bent down and searched through the long grass. Looking at Harry for an answer Ginny only received a shrug. After a moment of searching, and swearing the twins found what they were looking for. Each held two fairly new brooms.
"Where the hell did you get those?" demanded Ginny as Fred handed her the Nimbus 2000. She examined the fine broom waiting for an answer. The newest broom she had ever sat on had been a Cleansweep and that was not a fast broom at all.
"Get going," urged Harry, "It's been three hours since we got Ron away from Umbridge. She should wake up soon."
Not saying anything else the twins and Ron were up in the air. The twins were busy whispering which way was the quickest to go.
"I'll miss you Harry," Ginny said quietly as she hugged him again. Slipping out of his grasp she climbed on the broom and kicked off. Before she was totally out of Harry's reach he pulled her back and gently kissed her on the lips.
"Hey! Hands off our sister Potter!" the twins shouted. Blushing, Ginny flew over them leaving Harry on the ground almost blushing as badly as she was.
"Did you have to do that?" moaned Ron as if he was going to die. Ginny hit her brother on the arm as she flew past him.
"Good luck!" Harry called out after the four.
"We'll be back for you Potter!" Fred called out.
"And your little dog too!" followed George.
"I'll look forward to seeing you guys too," Harry responded tartly.
"Why did you have to do that?" hissed Ginny when they were far enough away from the Potter's house.
"Do what?" Ron asked, clueless as ever.
"Threaten him!"
"Come on now Ginny," sighed George.
"Was he really that important to you?"
"Would your opinion change if I told you I was pregnant with his child?" questioned Ginny. The twins stopped flying, looking over their sister carefully.
"If you are pregnant we are turning around right now and beating the shit out of him for defiling our precious sister," Ron growled.
"I'm not pregnant!" shouted Ginny. Her brother's looked at her with confused faces, not sure why the sure why the subject had been brought up in the first place. "You three can't expect me to go about life without experience at least some form of pleasure. No, it won't be sex. But me kissing a guy should not be a problem with you all!"
"So says you," grumbled Ron. The twins nodded in agreement as they flew on.
"I can't wait until the three of you have to deal with your girlfriends older brothers," snarled Ginny as she flew behind her brothers.
The rest of the trip to the Ministry was in silence. Ginny was still upset at her brother's for threatening Harry. And the three of them new better than to aggravate her anymore than she already was. The twins spent their time whispering to each other, out of earshot of Ginny.
By the time the twins started to descend Ginny was half asleep. The quiet flight had been somewhat relaxing for her. A sunrise was starting to peak out from behind the buildings. They four didn't have much time to get in and out of the Ministry without any major difficulties.
When they were within seeing distance of the grand Ministry building Ginny could see a shrouded figure trying to pick the lock to the building.
"Oi! Looks like someone else has the same idea we do," Fred observed.
"We're just going to have to help him," George said. The four quickly landed, not being heard by the figure, who was too preoccupied with trying to open the Ministry doors the muggle way.
"Having any luck?" Ron asked tartly. The figured turned around quickly, allowing the hood to fall off. Before the Weasleys stood a young woman with busy brown hair. And it didn't look like she was happy to see any of them.
"Hermoine?" Ginny gasped. The shrouded figure smiled as she recognized Ginny.
"Ginny, what are you doing here?"
"The same thing you are dear," answered Fred, "Enough chit chat, we need to get inside."
"What do you think I've been trying to do for the past hour? Draw pretty pictures on the door?" quipped Hermione. Ron stood spellbound by the fellow slave. Noticing this, Ginny gave her brother a shove, hoping that he would at least shut his mouth.
"Can I try before you guys attempt to blow the door up?" Ginny asked. Grumbling, the twins motioned for her to do whatever she wished. The Ministry doors were large wood panels that had intricate engravings in them. There was a small round hole right above the keyhole. It looked like someone had taken time to carve it into the door as it was well rounded, and not made of metal as the keyholes were.
Taking off the necklace Harry had given her, Ginny looked it over. The metal that was hanging down from the orb did not look like it would fit through the small hole. Regardless of what it looked like Ginny slipped the charm into the hole, metal things first. The metal pieces bent easily, making it able for the whole charm to fit into the small hole in the door. As she heard a soft click, she twisted the little bit of charm that was still outside and the door swung in. Removing the charm from the hole, she slid it back onto the necklace and returned it to her neck.
"How did you do that?" Hermione demanded. Smugly Ginny walked through the elaborate doors of the Ministry without offering Hermione an answer. Her brothers silently crept in behind her, Ron grabbing Hermione and pulling her along.
The corridors in the Ministry had many pictures hung on them. Luckily for the group most, if not all, of the people in them were sleeping or preoccupied. The twins took to leading them about, leaving Ron and Hermione time to share hushed whispers. Ginny lagged along a few steps behind them. She was trying to locate another door with a similar hole as the main doors did.
After a long time of walking, much of which was spent going in circles thanks to the twins lack sense of direction the group made it to a simple wood door that was at the end of a hallway. The hallway that Ron had managed to wander down had cobwebs hanging in the opening and he had screamed when he walked into them.
"This place is creepy," Hermione observed as the twins looked over the door. The hallway was rather short with black painted walls. It was as if the Ministry wanted to detour people from coming this way.
"Well, we have run into a problem," George announced as he turned away from the door.
"A large problem," agreed Fred, "The door has no keyhole or handle."
"You mean even if we managed to get it unlocked, we can't get it open?" questioned Hermione. The twins nodded sadly. For as far as they had got, they had reached a dead end. There would be no freedom at the end of their journey. Only a dementors kiss for those who dared trespass in the Ministry.
"Let me try," Ginny said. Grumbling the twins moved out of the way to let their little sister at the door. Ginny once again took off her necklace. She could feel a slight bit of warmth coming from the door. Holding the necklace out in front of the door she waited.
A groan came from the door as the lines in the wood started to shift. Slightly scared, Ginny backed up half a step. The door's wood had rearranged itself into the shape of a human face. Slowly the door's face opened its eyes, carefully taking in its surroundings.
"You most certainly do not look like Lily," it observed as it looked over Ginny, "Same hair color, but oh her eyes were the brightest green. Reminded me of when I used to have leaves. They were always bright and life like. Didn't have the determination that her eyes did. But my leaves used to be so pretty. You would have liked to see them-"
"Um… pardon me?" Ginny said hesitantly. Her brothers and Hermione stood behind her, shocked speechless. Never before had they heard of a talking door, much less seen one.
"Hm, I'm rambling again my dear. Sorry about that. Not too many people come by this way. Been about twenty years or so since I've talked to someone. The people who work here don't come by at all. Shame on them too, you think since they chopped me down and put me here they could at least take some time to come and chat with me. But no, no, they can't be bothered," huffed the door. "Now what can I do for you all?" it asked cheerfully.
"You could let us by," the twins suggested.
"And why would I do that?" the door asked, "The people who wish to get beyond me only go to deposit old, useless wands. Those poor branches were once trees you know, kin to me. But oh no, I'm just a door, I shouldn't have feelings about the useless things they put behind me. You lot are probably just going to go behind me and create a bunch of havoc. I won't allow that!"
"Actually Mr. Door, we wanted to get by you so we could recover those branches. You see the branches are our wands, well actually their wands I never had one," Hermione explained, "The Ministry puts the wands behind you so the people they decide to deprive of magic are unable to use their natural abilities. And that isn't fair at all. So if you'd be so kind as to open for us so we can get our wands we'd be forever grateful."
The door pondered Hermione's reasoning for a bit before swinging open. Mumbling their thanks the group hurried through the door before it decided to change its mind.
"Now is there anything we can do for you?" Ginny asked as she walked through.
"Nope," the door answered as it slammed shut. Replacing the necklace back on she glanced around the large room. There were many shelves with a large quantity of boxes on them.
"Gin, how are we supposed to find our wands?" Ron asked as he kept looking at the different rows.
"I don't know."
"There must be some way in which the Minstry organized this room," Hermione observed. She walked up to a podium that had a large book placed on top of it. Thumbing through it she glanced over the pages.
"Finding anything useful?" Ginny asked. Hermione nodded as she stopped on a particular page. The rows started to move about and boxes were shuffling as Hermione was reading over something.
"I think I found a way to remove the spell!" she exclaimed. As she did so two identical looking green and orange-stripped boxes flew into the heads of Fred and George, leaving the twins cursing at the things. A puce box flew to Ron, hovering above his head for a moment, and then dropping on him. It was another moment before an emerald green box came floating in front of Ginny. Her box floated nicely until she grabbed it. Hermione was surprised when a scarlet and gold box came to a stop at her feet.
The twins quickly open their boxes to find their precious wands inside. After taking a moment to look over his box, to make sure it wouldn't attack him, Ron found the same thing.
"They're wand boxes?" Hermione asked. Ginny opened her box to take out her precious wand. She might not have seen it in over five years, but she could still feel the special bond she had with the piece of wood.
"No Hermione, they are boxes containing chocolate wands," answer Ron as he looked over his wand.
"There was no need to be sarcastic," huffed Hermione, "Why do I get one?"
"You're a witch," Fred noted
"Why wouldn't you get one?" concluded George.
"I was taken and sold before I could ever receive my wand," Hermione answered softly. She took her time in opening the box as it revealed her wand. The think piece of wood was looked over by Hermione, as she wasn't too sure what to make of it.
"Well, good old Ollivander must have known what your wand would have been," Ginny said, "Now I think we need to get out of he-"
"I say open up!" a voice shouted from the other side of the door. The group froze as they realized that there was no other way out.
"Shite!" the group coursed as they realized they were going to have to face the minister and aurors. There was a high price to pay for breaking into the Ministry, and probably an even higher one for stealing their wands back.
"And why should I?" inquired the door, "You ignore me for years. Silencing me when you do want to get by. Why can't you at least take some time out of our busy schedules to have a short little conversation with me?"
"Either you open up now, or I am going to make sure you are turned into ashes by the end of the week," growled the voice. The door continued to argue on for a moment.
"Do you all remember the spell that was said to imprison you?" Hermione whispered. The Weasley's nodded. "Well, remember the English Empire and its colonies. The counter curse is in that language!"
As the twins and Ron gave Hermione a confused look the door burst open. A few Aurors and the Minister of Magic, Fudge came through the door, all with looks of anger on their faces.
"You are all charge with breaking and entering Ministry property. As well as breaking the slave laws that are in place," Fudge said as the Aurors approached each individual.
Hermione looked like she had seen a ghost, as she was pale as chalk. The boys looked rather confused at what Hermione was trying to tell them. And Ginny was thinking, oblivious to everything around her.
"Insurgo insurgi insurrectum!" Ginny shouted. As the words left her mouth, a think black wisp of smoke jetted out of her wand. The Aurors stopped advancing as the smoke turned into a link of chains. The chains rested on Ginny's wrists, ankles, and around her neck, much like the chains that she had when she was being transported as a slave. Slowly the chains started to crumble, marking her as free. Behind her, chains had appeared on her brothers and Hermione with her incantation, and they were following the same suit in crumbling.
"You might be freed, but you are still under the laws of the Ministry," Fudge announced. As Ginny paled drastically she could hear Fred and George swearing up a storm. Hermione gave a small squeak of surprise; apparently she had overlooked one flaw to her usually well thought out plans. Ron on the other hand, was looking at the Minister of Magic as if he had gained another head.
"That's just bloody great!" snapped Ginny as the Aurors muttered a simple freezing spell. After getting free, the group had another large problem on their hands.
insurgo insurgi insurrectum is Latin. I don't speak Latin, just courtesy of an online translator. So I apologize if it is off.
A/N I am terribly sorry for not updating sooner! I had wonderful finals for college and that stopped me from updating. Then I came home and I work full time when I'm home. That eats up a lot of time. And the wonderful holidays too. Plus it has been nice where I live, as opposed to the freezing cold it usually is in December, so I've been outside. Hope you all had a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!