Dear Minister

Kingsley Shacklebolt


Kingsley Shacklebolt was just changing into his pajamas when the owl brought the first letter from the Ministry.

Dear Minister, the letter began.

We don't mean to bother you so late, but the Sneakoscopes at the entrance of the Department of Magical Transportation have alerted us that there may be an intruder in the Ministry. We request your presence as soon as possible.

Kingsley frowned and pulled his robes on over his nightshirt. "Hestia, I'm afraid I've got to go back to the Ministry," he called to his wife.

"So late?" Hestia Jones slid out of bed and moved to his side. "What do they need?"

"There's an intruder. This could be important." He bent to kiss her cheek. "I'll be back in an hour. Don't wait up."

"Be safe," Hestia called as he turned on the spot and Disapparated with a pop!


When he Apparated home again, it startled Hestia out of a peaceful slumber.

"Well?" she asked, waving her wand to light the lamp. "Was it important?"

Kingsley shrugged out of his robes, straightened his nightshirt, and padded on bare feet to his side of the bed. "Not particularly. The Sneakoscopes must have been picking up vibes from Mundungus Fletcher. He's at the Ministry to pay a fine, he probably passed the Department of Magical Transportation. The Sneakoscopes could tell they were in the presence of someone dishonest, so they went off." He yawned. "In hindsight, it may not have been a good idea to guard our Departments with something so . . . vague."

Hestia smirked. "Ah, well, it's done with now." She raised her wand to put out the lights -

- and nearly put out the eye of an owl that came soaring through the window with a letter in its talons.

"It's for you," Hestia said, glancing at the envelope.

"More post?" Kingsley ripped the letter open.

Dear Minister,

We apologize for bothering you again, but there appears to be some trouble down in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. The Sneakoscopes are going wild - but that's not all. We have charms set up to alert us of any activity in the chambers reserved for the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures, and there is suspicious movement in the area, even though no committee meeting is scheduled for this evening.

We suspect a dangerous creature may have broken free of its enclosure, and we request your presence as soon as possible to assist in the rectification of this matter.

Kingsley stepped onto the floor.

"You can't be serious," Hestia said. "You're going? It's eleven o'clock at night!"

"I have to. This could be important. And what kind of Minister would I be if I sat back and let a dangerous situation play out without me?"

Hestia sighed. "Could you Floo back, at least?" she asked. "So you don't wake me up when you Apparate here at Merlin-knows-what-time?"

He nodded. "See you in a bit." And he vanished.


It was midnight when the fireplace downstairs glowed green and Kingsley stepped out.

Hestia was awake anyway. "Well?" she asked as he came up to bed. "Was there a dangerous creature?"

"No. It was a fly. A bloody fly got in the way of their bloody sensors and triggered the alarm." He flopped down on the bed.

"But what about the Sneakoscopes?"

"Probably just Dung again."

Hestia leaned back against the pillows and closed her eyes. "At least it's over with now, and you can get some sleep."

But as she said it, another owl soared in and dropped a letter into Kingsley's lap.

Dear Minister,

We deeply regret to inform you that your presence is again required at the Ministry. We have received reports that several dark spells, including Unforgivable Curses, have been cast tonight in the Auror Office. We request you return to the Ministry as soon as possible to prevent a duel situation from breaking out. It is unclear at this time whether the spells are coming from Ministry Officials, Aurors-in-training, or intruders.

"Kingsley," Hestia said sharply as her husband started to roll out of bed. "Don't go."

"I have to," he said, pulling his robes on for the third time that night. "This could be import - "

"It wasn't important before," she said. "What makes you think it'll be important this time?"

"I have to assume it's always important." He kissed her quickly and then turned on the spot to Disapparate.

"Hmph." Hestia closed her eyes and tried to drift back to sleep.


It was two hours later when Kingsley Apparated back into his room, cursing under his breath and startling his wife awake.

"Oh, sorry!" He touched her shoulder. "I'm sorry. I forgot about taking the Floo."

Hestia kept her eyes closed. "Was it an intruder?"

"No."

"Was it a Ministry Official?"

"No."

"Was it an Auror-in-training?"

"Yes. In a regularly scheduled Auror training session." He fell into bed and buried his face in the pillow.

Hestia groaned. "I told you it wasn't going to be important."

"I know you did. But it's over. Let's just try to get some sleep."

As if it was waiting for its cue, an owl swooped in with a letter.

"Kingsley Shacklebolt, if you go back to the Ministry tonight, I want a divorce," Hestia mumbled.

Dear Minister,

Unfortunately there is another disturbance here at the Ministry tonight that required your presence. The Department of Mysteries -

"The Department of Mysteries," Hestia repeated. "Honestly. They think someone broke into the Department of Mysteries."

"I have to, Hestia." He was already climbing out of bed. "It could be important."

"Who's even sending all these bloody notes?"

Kingsley scanned the letter, but there was no signature. "I'm not sure, actually. I didn't think to ask."

"Okay, so they're not signed, they're not on official Ministry stationary, and they're never about real issues. Kingsley, maybe you're being pranked."

"Pranked? The Minister of Magic?" He pulled on his robes. "Go to sleep, darling. If it really is nothing this time, I'll stay at the Ministry until tomorrow morning. I won't wake you again."

And then he Disapparated.

"Bloody fool," Hestia muttered, rolling over and closing her eyes.


"Here he comes," Lee Jordan whispered excitedly.

"Shut up, Lee," George hissed, elbowing him in the ribs. "The Cloak doesn't block sound!"

Lee closed his mouth and crouched a little lower, just in case the Invisibility Cloak (which he and George had borrowed from Harry - he wouldn't miss it, he was too busy with his newborn daughter to notice much of anything) wasn't covering his ankles all the way. Kingsley Shacklebolt appeared in the lobby, looking furious and exhausted, and stepped into the elevator where Lee and George were hiding.

"Department of Mysteries," he said to the elevator box, and the lift began to shudder and then descend.

"I can't believe it," Lee breathed. "This is the fourth time we've gotten him out of bed. I thought for sure he'd realize after the first letter."

"Shut up, Lee!"

The lift came to a stop, and Kingsley marched out, wand drawn, and disappeared around the corner.

"Poor bloke," George said, heaving the Cloak off. "Reckon we should tell him?"

"Nah," Lee said. "Did you see how angry he looked? He'd throw us in Azkaban."

"You're right." George instructed the elevator to return them to the lobby. "Best to let him go home after this and get a nice peaceful sleep."

"Well. . . ." Lee was grinning sheepishly. "I'd actually already started a fifth letter. This time it says there's a disturbance at the Potters' house."

"Lee."

"Come on, just picture it. He gets to their house. He knocks on their door. He wakes all of them up at two o'clock in the morning - all of them, kids included. And you know once James is up, that little bugger is up for hours. Just imagine it."

George couldn't quite hold back his grin. "All right," he said as they stepped off the lift. "One last letter."

"Great." Lee cleared his throat. "'Dear Minister, We are terribly sorry to report that there has been a break-in at Mr. Harry Potter's home, and Mr. Potter has specifically requested your presence. . . .'"


[Tien Len Competition: Seven of Hearts - Kingsley Shacklebolt, peaceful, "This could be important.", "Action will delineate and define you."- Thomas Jefferson]

[Disney Character Competition: Mufasa - write about Kingsley Shacklebolt. Prompt: Lamp]

[100 Prompts: "We are definitely doing that again!"; "Bother!"]

[Collect A Collection Competition: Kingsley Shacklebolt (Order Members)]

[Het-Pairings Boot Camp: again]

[Fiddler on the Roof Character Challenge: Perchik - write about any member of the Order of the Phoenix who wasn't in the DA.]