December 26th, 1:00 AM
Three cloaked and masked men walked down the atrium of the Ministry of Magic, which was quite empty. The security wizard normally stationed here had been detained by an unexpected Christmas gift. The cloaked man in the center could have probably gotten someone to volunteer for the assignment, Tim Blankenship was on duty and he was told that the young filthy mudblood was not unattractive, but anyone he would have been able to approach had pure blood, and he didn't want to soil them on this filth. Besides, why risk exposure by using a volunteer? It was simpler to use the Imperious curse to make some witless slag at the leaky to do this task for him. He simply had to disguise himself and wait till she was alone, place the curse and then send her on her way. He was sure she wouldn't mind, what he had seen of her suggested she was used to getting random men into her bed. Perhaps he would have had a go himself had he not had pressing business to attend to tonight. But she had severed her purpose. When she wakes in the morning and finds she spent her night rutting with the handsome filth, will she have regrets? Probably not, though Tim no doubt would once he was fired for what the cloaked man was about to do.
they took the lift to the second level and though to the DMLE offices to the holding cells. There he saw him, pitiful little coward, huddled in a corner, looking distraught.
"Hello Peter, it's been a long time," the masked man said to the creature on the floor.
"Lucius? Is that you? Are you here to rescue me?" asked the creature, Peter Pettigrew, to the masked man.
"Oh, I think you misunderstand the purpose of my visit," replied Lucius Malfoy as he removed his mask, "Your full trial is coming up, and my associates and I, that is your former associates, don't want you reopening old wounds on a pathetic quest for clemency from blood traitors and witless tools."
"No, please sir no! I promise I won't tell, please don't kill me."
Lucius raised his wand, "Goodbye Peter." And was about to utter a curse when Peter said something he did not expect.
"I am going to find the dark lord! Please don't kill me, help me, we will be rewarded."
Malfoy paused and thought. Earlier in the week he had tried talking to Fudge about simply sending Pettigrew to Azkaban without trial, and denying him parole, when the little man told him that he could no longer associate with him. Apparently Fudge thought his position weak and feared close association with a man likely to be accused once more by this sniveling rat trapped in a cage. Malfoy had never attempted to find the Dark Lord. He had contacts in the Auror department and was hoping they would be able to find the Dark Lord for him, but alas, Bellatrix, the LeStrange brothers and Crouch Jr. tortured the Longbottoms to insanity before they were able to divulge the location.
"Go on, how would you find him?"
"A year and a half ago I followed Ron Weasley when he, the mudblood and Potter went to find the stone. I saw the Dark Lord there on Quirrell's head, he talked about possessing people and animals. Then when Potter and Weasley went into the Chamber I followed them when they returned, and Dumbledore said that the Dark Lord was in Albania. I was going to go there and see what other rats had to say. I know where his wand is too; after the dark lord was killed I snuck in and took it, before Black tracked me down. If you'll spare me I will make sure you can present it to him, please don't kill me."
"Very well Peter. We have tried discreetly before, but if you feel you can find him, I will spare you. But if you fail I will kill you." As he said this he cast a charm on the doors and they opened. Had he tried to force them open, not only would Peter still be in his cell, but Malfoy himself would soon be joining him. Yaxley had provided him with the charms and the ability to open the cell without an alarm; he had as much to lose from Peter's testimony as did Malfoy. Pettigrew moved forward only to be stopped by Malfoy's wand, still pointed at him.
"Not so fast Peter, we need to take certain steps to ensure your loyalty. You must make an unbreakable vow. Crabbe, your wand." One of the other figures extended his wand and Malfoy took Pettigrew's hand.
"Now swear that you will never testify that we are guilty of any crime in front of the DMLE or the Wizengamot, and that you will not try and kill me or any of our associates that are still true to the Dark Lord, and that you will serve me faithfully until I release you from this bond."
Peter swallowed, "I swear, I will never testify against you or other Death Eaters that you are guilty, and that I won't try to kill you or any other Death Eater, and that I will serve you." And with that red flame shot from Crabbe's wand and bound between Malfoy and Pettigrew.
"Now, we shall depart from here. You will go with Crabbe here out of the country, and wait for me at the house he will take you to. I will collect you once my departure won't draw suspicion so close to your break out, then we shall find the Dark Lord. Then your friend and my dear cousin in law, that mudblood loving filthy dog, along with Potter, shall pay for the damage they've caused. Now tell me Peter, where is the wand?"
Pettigrew stood stock still for a moment. "It's under the floorboards in a bedroom on the second floor of Arthur Weasley's house, his son Percy's room. Once school starts it should only be Molly and Arthur there, and only Molly when Arthur is at work. It's where I first lived after I went into hiding….and call me Wormtail.
Molly Weasley was washing dishes in the kitchen and thinking about her children. Specifically, she was thinking of her youngest two children and their friend Harry Potter. She smiled to herself, to think that of all the people for the boy who lived to befriend, it would be her son. And then there was Ginny. It seemed that Harry and Ginny were becoming good friends, and unless she was mistaken, that friendship would blossom into something more, maybe by the end of the year or soon after. Molly was not altogether comfortable with the idea of her twelve year old daughter dating anyone, but if it happened with Harry, she wasn't too concerned. Harry was such a kind child, and she couldn't' imagine Harry doing anything that would dishonor her daughter. And he had done so much for her in the past half a year. After the incident with the Chamber of Secrets, Molly had worried that her daughter would never recover. She just didn't know what to say to her. She had been possessed by an evil madman at the age of eleven, how was her daughter supposed to recover from that? But then she had seen her and Harry become good friends, and it seemed to Molly that Harry was able to ease her mind from her troubles, to be a strong rock that Ginny could cling to.
She had just taken them all off to the train station earlier that day. She hadn't had time to do the dishes after a hurried breakfast and had it not been for Sirius she didn't think they would have been on time at all. But Sirius had arrived to see his godson off, and took them all in his new muggle Rolls-Royce. It was a very large car, with four doors and a very spacious trunk. Molly wondered if it had been magically extended, as Harry, Ginny, Fred, George, Ron and Hermione all fit comfortably in the back, but then she did understand they were considered and expensive car. Sirius had said that he would have ridden his Motorbike, but it only seats two and as he was a free man with a godson, he should buy a responsible vehicle.
Molly was happy that Harry had Sirius in his life, but wasn't looking forward to the inevitable. She was sure Harry was going to want to live with Sirius. She couldn't fault Sirius for this, it was clear he loved Harry as a son, but all the same she considered Harry as good as hers for quite some time now. Of course, if Harry and Ginny became romantically involved, it would be better if he slept under a different roof. She wasn't worried about Harry taking advantage of Ginny; but Ginny was her daughter, more Prewitt than Weasley. She very much did have to worry about Ginny seducing Harry in a few years, once her hormones kicked in full gear. She was already developing Prewitt breasts, bless her, and if Harry didn't notice them now, he certainly would in a year or two. She was drying the last of the dishes when she heard the clock move its hands. Now what could that be? The children wouldn't be at school yet, and it didn't sound like five hands moving, only one. Was Arthur coming home early? She glanced at the clock and her eyes widened as her hand was pointing to Mortal Peril.
"AVADA KEDAVRA" a voice screamed as Molly hit the ground in the nick of time. The spell hit the window and a shower of glass fell over her head, getting in her hair. From across the room and under the table she could see two cloaked figures entering the room. Molly pulled out her wand and sent a stunning spell at one of them which just missed.
"CONFRINGO" shouted another voice as the table was blasted away towards the sink, demolishing all in its path. This would have included Molly but she, not being prepared for a battle, had just apperated to the ministry, where it took a calming draft and her husband ten minutes to get her in a state where she could explain to Kingsley what had happened. By the time Kingsley, Tonks and Arthur got to the burrow, the two figures were gone. The kitchen had been demolished by the curses, but the only other room that was damaged was a bedroom on the second floor. It belonged to Percy, and was normally quite neat. It had been ransacked and the floor boards turned up as if someone was looking for something. Kingsley had cast a spell looking for anything dark, and not expecting to find anything, when his magical trace had fallen on a spot under a floor board. A tattered black cloth was there and Kingsley could detect that something powerful had once been hidden in this spot, rapped in the black cloth and protected with dark magic.
"Well," said Arthur, "that answers one of your questions Kingsley, Pettigrew had help getting out of the holding cell."
"How do you know that?" asked Kingsley.
"Molly said there were two of them, and Percy's room is where Pettigrew lived for over nine years."
PETTIGREW STRIKES! MINISTRY WORKER'S HOUSE ROBBED BY DEATH EATERS
By Dionysus Strous
When Molly Weasley, wife of Ministry of Magic worker Arthur Weasley, sent her children back to school along with their friends Hermione Granger and none other than The Boy Who Lived, she didn't expect that when she returned home she would be in a fight for her life. Mrs. Weasley, of Ottery St. Catchpole in Devon was washing dishes when she was attacked by two cloaked and masked Death Eaters! So close to Pettigrew's escape from Ministry custody, many feel this to be the work of the very same deranged murderer. But who was the other man with him? Are the Death Eaters on the rise?
The Thieves broke into one of the bedrooms looking for something. It is suspected that this is some dark artifact that Pettigrew had hidden there while he was hiding as a rat. When they arrived at the home of Mrs. Weasley and found her in the kitchen, one of the suspects cast the Killing Curse at her, which she was able to avoid. The other cast a blasting curse at the table she was hiding under, but Mrs. Weasley was able to apperate away just in time. Mr. Weasley has informed us that his son William, who is a curse breaker for Gringotts, will be strengthening the wards around their house. For more information on Pettigrew, see pages 2, 4, and 11. For household wards, see pages 3, 7 and 14. For a recap of the stunning revelation about Pettigrew and the wrongfully accused Sirius Black, see pages 5 and 16.
Ron threw down the newspaper angrily. As soon as the train had arrived at Hogwarts the evening before Ron, Ginny, Fred, George, Percy and Harry were pulled aside by Professor McGonagall and told of the attack on their mother. Everyone was upset but Percy and Ron seemed to take it the hardest as Scabbers had been their pet rat.
"I can't believe that rat tried to kill mum just because she was in his way. He lived there for nine years. I wander what he was after anyway, in Percy's room. A rules handbook?"
"Probably something he stored there," said Percy, who had just approached the four at the table. "What bothers me most," he continued," is that at some point, while I was most likely sleeping, he transformed and hid whatever it was. A grown man watching over me while I slept, probably when I was a child." He shuttered.
"It was all quite dreadful. I'm glad your mother was able to disaparate in time," Hermione added, as she started to read from the paper Ron had just thrown down. "I just wonder what Pettigrew was after?"
"Arthur said there were traces of strong magic at the spot where the floor boards were torn up," said Harry. "I wonder if it was some weapon, or something."
"I just can't believe they tried using the killing curse against mum," Ginny said. Ginny normally didn't cry, but her eyes were red rimmed. She had taken the attack against her mother hard and was very worried about her. "I'm glad bill is coming back to help the wards, he might even transfer to Britain. Dad said that Bill didn't think he was going to have a larger haul than the one helped them discover, and he might want to be closer to home for Mum and Dad, now that we're all in school."
Harry also thought that was good news. Harry felt very close to the Weasleys. Ron, Fred and George were like brothers to him and he had liked Bill well enough when he had met him over the summer. He already considered Arthur and Molly like surrogate parents, and Ginny, well then there was Ginny. Harry was struggling with how he felt about her. A year and a half ago she was a star struck little girl who put her elbow in the butter dish when Harry had spoken to her, but then the Chamber happened. It was almost as if that event had drawn them together. Here was this girl, now twelve and on the threshold of womanhood, who understood something of Harry that no one else ever could. And she was no longer star struck, no longer hero worshiping. She was her own self, and didn't mind giving Harry a piece of her mind. She was fun to be around, fun to play quidditch with, smart but not overbearing like Hermione could be. Harry was almost glad that Ginny was too young to go to Hogsmeade, then he would have to decide if he should ask her out or not. But as it stood now they could just spend time together studying and at meals and in the common room without any expectations.
The month of January was quickly going by as the second Gryffindor quidditch match of the year was coming soon. Before Harry knew it, it was already the first Saturday of February and the Gryffindor versus Ravenclaw quidditch match was taking place that morning. Harry was playing seeker for this match as the weather was good and, though it was close, Harry was still a better seeker than Ginny. As Harry waited for the match to begin he noticed that their seeker, Cho Chang, was a very pretty girl. Yet at the same time Ginny was also very pretty. It seemed like between the two girls he was torn between the morning and the evening. Ginny was fiery both in looks and in personality. What he knew of Cho was that she was much more reserved, and seemingly more delicate. As the match started Harry kept steeling looks at Cho. He couldn't decide who was prettier. Cho had more curves, but then she was in fourth year and Ginny was in second year.
"Potter!" yelled Wood. "Stop starring at Cho, I don't care how pretty she is knock her off your broom if you have to and catch that snitch."
Harry shook his head and focused. He dodged a bludger heading for him on the right and started to scan the pitch for the snitch. Katie Bell was hit hard and started to fall towards the pitch when George caught her before the fall. Wood called for a time out where Katie was taken to the hospital wing by Ron and Ginny took her place. Before Ginny was substituted in the score was 30-20 Ravenclaw. In short order the score was 50-30 Gryffindor after a few spectacular plays by Ginny. Harry was now fixated on her, she looked like a spirit of fire streaking across the pitch in her Firebolt. Her red hair had come loose from its plait and was streaming behind her as she flew full tilt to intercept a pass to Rodger Davies, a Ravenclaw chaser.
"Potter, I know Ginny's pretty but for Merlin's sake if you don't stop staring at girls during play I'm going to have you neutered. Get your head in the game."
Harry once again shook his head and was blushing scarlet. Fred and George were close enough to hear wood. Fred zoomed by and asked Harry if he should start hitting the bludger at him instead of the Ravenclaws. Ginny had a pleased look on her face, weather from the comment from Wood or from the fact that she just scored again, and Gryffindor was now leading 60-30. Harry scanned the pitch and caught the glimmer of something golden near the Ravenclaw goal. Harry put on as much speed as he could, and he could see that Cho now saw it too. The snitch changed directions and started hovering down towards the ground. Harry pulled into a dive and made for it. Cho also dove but broke off about 20 feet from the ground. About ten feet from the ground Harry caught the snitch and pulled up hard, his feet grazing the grass beneath him. Gryffindor one the match, 210-30.
Cho landed beside Harry. "Good game Harry," she said in a sweet voice. "I can't believe you made that catch."
"Yeah well, you know, catch the snitch or die trying, at least that's what wood says."
"I was meaning to ask you Harry, as you no longer have to worry about Sirius, you can go to Hogsmeade next weekend."
Harry hadn't thought of that, he could now, couldn't he? "Yeah, I guess so, I hadn't thought about it, I guess I've been too preoccupied."
"you wouldn't want to go with me, would you? It's Valentine's day."
"uh, right, okay, yes."
"Great then, it's a date, I'll meet you next Saturday in the great hall." And she walked off towards the Ravenclaw changing room.
George walked up behind Harry. "Well, ickle Harrykins has a date for Valentine's day."
"and here I thought he was going to start dating our dear sister," said Fred who swooped up on Harry's other side.
"Umm, I didn't, I mean, I guess we are going on a date, I wasn't sure what was happening." Stammered Harry.
"Look Harry, we like you, and we've noticed you spending a lot of time with Ginny," said Fred.
"And I know you two aren't together, but if you hurt Ginny or stop being her friend," said George.
"We'll let you think about the consequences. Sleep tight." Finished Fred.
The next week was awkward between Harry and Ginny. The news that Harry was going out with Cho on Valentine's day weekend spread though the school like wildfire. Quite a few people were whispering that Harry and Ginny had broken up, which surprised Harry as he didn't know they were dating in the first place. Ginny seemed to be going out of her way to be civil to Harry, but there was some distance that wasn't there before the quidditch match. Harry was torn. He did think Cho was pretty, but then so was Ginny and he got along with her so well. He hadn't meant to go on a date with Cho so suddenly and when she had asked him out he was taken aback by her forwardness.
Finally, the twelfth of February came upon them, the Saturday before Valentine's day. Harry was nervous. Ron had been somewhat cold towards Harry, so he had to ask Dean for advice on what to wear, he was going out himself with Parvati and Dean was considered the best with women from their year. Harry nervously approached Cho in the entrance hall.
"Are you ready to go?" he asked.
"yeah, let's go." Cho replied.
The walk down to Hogsmeade was one of the most awkward half an hour of his life. Finally, they made there way down making sporadic conversation about quidditch.
"well, where do you want to go first?"
"let's go to Gladrags, I wanted to buy a new dress."
After forty-five minutes of watching Cho model new dresses she was done and was making comments about having to choose witch dress to buy.
"I just don't think I can afford all three, of course you don't have that concern, do you? I hear your family was quite well off."
"I suppose," he said. Harry had the sinking suspicion that Cho wanted Harry to buy her a gift, which irked Harry. Not that he minded being generous with his gold, but he felt used. Next, they went to a coffee shop, Madam Puddifoot's. The entire place was full of pink confetti and hearts. Harry ordered a coffee, as did Cho. Most of the couples in the shop were snogging or had their heads bent towards each other. Harry was suddenly very nervous, was Cho expecting that of Harry?
After fifteen minutes of painfully forced conversation, Cho asked Harry what it was like living with the Weasleys.
"Oh, it's great, I play quidditch with Ron, Ginny and the twins. Over Christmas Sirius played with us too and it was fantastic. And Mrs. Weasley is the best cook in the world." Harry Gushed. He decided against mentioning the long talks into the night with Ginny or looking at her in her swimming costume.
"I'm sure that's all great, but I mean, they are quite poor, wouldn't you like to live with Sirius, he's handsome and rich and I'm sure you'd have a much better place to live, and there wouldn't be that annoying girl following you around everywhere."
"First of all," Harry said, with rage just under the surface, "Ginny is not annoying, she's one of my best friends. Secondly, while I do want to live with Sirius, it has nothing to do with money or living conditions. The Weasleys are an amazing family, and though I am considering living with Sirius next summer, it has everything to do with wanting to get to know him, nothing to do with the Weasley's finances."
"Friends with Ginny?" Cho said, "she was the one behind those attacks last year, how can you be good friends with her?"
"Ginny was possessed," Harry spat, "and what would you know of it, what's the worst you've ever had to face, Ginny and I have fought Voldemort, each in our own ways." Harry was nearly shouting now, so angry he was at Cho's comments towards Ginny. "You're too timid to take a dive on the quidditch pitch, what would you do if Voldemort came back?"
"You…You Know Who is dead!" Cho said in a timid voice.
"you can believe that if you want to," said Harry, "I know he's going to find a way back, I saw him my first year."
"Do you honestly think everyone believes that story, Quirrell just went crazy, that's all." Said Cho. "Calm down Harry and be rational."
Harry stared at her for a moment, "you know, I have been acting irrationally, starting last Saturday when I agreed to come to Hogsmeade with you." And with that Harry stood up and stormed out of Madam Puddifoot's, leaving and indignant Cho without words.
Harry trudged on to Honey dukes and bought a large selection of Chocolate and walked back towards the castle. He was passing by the Three Broomsticks when he heard a familiar voice call his name.
"Harry, where are you going, where's Cho?" it was the voice of Hermione, who was walking beside Ron.
"I'm going back to the castle, I'm done with Cho."
"Your date's over already?" asked Hermione.
"Yes, and there won't be another one, not with Cho. She said some horrible things. She's a cow who only cares about herself." Harry then gave Ron and Hermione a brief summery of their date, including both her hinting about Harry buying her clothes and insulting Ginny.
"But I don't understand, if your date's over and you're not going to see her again, what's the Valentine's candy for?" asked Ron.
Harry stared at his friend for a few moments, thinking to himself it was now or never.
"Ron, I realized when I was with Cho that, well, If I'm going to be with anyone right now, well remember what we talked about last Christmas?"
Ron's face turned pale. "is that for Ginny then, are you going to…"
"I don't know Ron, I mean she's still twelve, but I want to give her something, I feel I should apologize or something, I don't know, but when I was with Cho, I realized that between the two of them there was no contest..."
Hermione smiled, "I'm glad you figured that out Harry, I have thought you two would be good together for a while, Cho is too…. docile, too, well…. not Ginny."
"Right, well I'm off to the castle, enjoy your date." Harry said with a mischievous grin. Before he could here the splutters of denial coming from his two best friends he was already walking fast back towards the castle.
Harry found Ginny in the library. Colin had said she was in a foul mood and bit his head off when he asked to play exploding snap. Harry found her at a table alone and approached her.
"Is this seat taken?" he asked. Ginny looked up at him with narrowed eyes.
"why? Is Romeo done with his latest conquest, here to go for two?"
"well, if we are keeping score right now I've yet to even make a shot at the hoops. Ginny, can we talk."
Reluctantly Ginny got her things together and the two of them walked to an empty classroom. Ginny supposed she was being ridiculous. Harry wasn't her boyfriend, and he was free to date anyone he wanted, but did it have to be her? Cho Chang was generally considered to be one of the prettiest girls in the school and was already a C cup, or so it was said. Ginny, while being an early bloomer, was still barley filling out her B cup. On top of that she had smooth white skin and dark hair and eyes and men seemed to like Asians anyway.
They stepped into the classroom, and Harry started to pace a bit, then turned to Ginny and took the chocolates out of his bag. "Look Ginny, I'm an idiot. Cho asked me out and I said yes before I thought about it. The date is over, it was one of the worst experiences of my life. She's a self-obsessed cow." Harry went on to explain everything else about the date, then he drew her hands into his.
"Ginny, I'm sorry. I know we aren't dating now, but we have something, and I want to see what that something becomes. I should never have agreed to go with Cho. Do you forgive me? Can we explore this, whatever this is between us and move on?"
Ginny wanted to tell him off, but the look of fear and vulnerability in his eyes took her breath away. "Yes Harry, we can find out what this is together, I forgive you." And with that they walked back to the common room hand in hand.
