Disclaimer- I don't know about the flying pan, but JK Rowling owns most everything you'll read below.
A/N- Wow. My reviewers rock!!!
Thanks Arynn, Jessie, Leesa, Paige
(Don't worry, I won't. You ahve permission to attack me with a light saber
if I do!), Emma, Smiley.. and Tikal. (?) I'm having trouble deciphering
that. Yes, you are fluent in gibberish. ^_~
Half Giants and Biscuit Pans
Hermione, her parents staying nervously close to her, pushed and shoved her way through the odd crowd within The Leaky Cauldron. Suspicious looking hags, old gossips, and even vampires sat amongst the usual guests today. Hermione hadn't time to begin to wonder what had drawn them all out when she came face to face with the toothless owner.
"Tom," she said breathlessly, tired from the near game of dodge ball she'd had to go through to come this far.
Tom grinned at her, his wrinkled face screwing up most unattractively. "Well, if it isn't Ms. Granger." He looked behind her in amusement. Mr. and Mrs. Granger were the only Muggles there. "And these are your parents, I suppose?"
Flinging out his arm, and hitting a nearby wizard with it, he bowed down low. Once standing at his normal height again, he asked eagerly, "Will you be staying the night?"
"Oh no," said Hermione quickly. "I was hoping I could use the Floo Network from here."
Tom nodded, hiding his disappointment of the loss of a customer by turning away. "This way then."
He stopped behind a nearby bar, at which a man rivalling even Hagrid's size, a half giant ground's keeper and Care of Magical Creatures professor at Hogwarts, banged on the counter for a drink. Ignoring him, Tom popped back up with a Muggle vase, bewitched so that the crude drawings upon it moved about. He smiled nervously. "It's wizard owned.. Mr. Weasley said himself.. not breaking any laws by bewitching it.."
Hermione laughed. Wizards were not supposed to use magic on such Muggle artifacts, but with Mr. Weasley in charge of the department dealing with such things, there was a loophole in every law. Mostly, so Mr. Weasley could continue experimenting with their many trinkets himself.
Tom waved his hand for them to follow him. Mr. and Mrs. Granger cast a horrified glance at the suspected half giant and hurried behind their daughter.
"Quite a crowd today, isn't there?" Remarked Tom proudly.
Hermione nodded, pushing past a surpassingly wide witch dressed in horribly stretched pink robes.
"It's no wonder, I suppose though. I'd say there's a greater crowd today than there was even when little Harry Potter- bless his soul- sent away You-Know-Who."
Hermione would have added that You-Know-Who had actually risen again just last year when she was overcome with a great curiosity. "Well, then, what's going on today?"
Tom turned and stared at her as if she was sprouting fuzzy pink rabbit ears. Although, in the wizarding world that was an almost everyday occurrence, especially with Ron's older brothers, Fred and George, around. "You don't know?"
"Well, no.."
Hermione had always prided herself with keeping up with the Wizarding world while away for summer break; and she'd thought she had done fairly well this time too...
"It was in the Daily Prophet and everything! Just this morning.."
Ahh, now she knew why she hadn't known of anything extraordinary. She hadn't the chance to read her copy yet, being in such a rush to get here. It was among her school books in her Hogwart's trunk. She'd have to read it once she got to the Weasley's.
Tom obviously felt it was his duty to inform the misinformed witch, and in a grave voice he stated, "The Minister's disappeared."
Hermione came to a quick stop, causing her wide eyed parents, not at the news, but at their surroundings, to come crashing into her.
"Corneillius Fudge?"
"Yes. Dear man.." He trailed off, stopping as well, as they were now in front of a brick fireplace. "Well, off you go then."
Dazed, Hermione dipped her hand in the vase and threw the green powder into the fire. Her parents shoved her Hogwart's trunk and suitcase into her arms, bestowing a quick kiss on each cheek.
Hermione stepped into the now green flames, calling out meekly, "The Burrow." Her last sights of The Leaky Cauldron were of her parents ducking as the half giant threw a glass mug at Tom, no doubt demanding a drink.
~
The Burrow was a perfect picture of chaos.
Ministry figures ran throughout it as if it were their own office. Mrs. Weasley was in heaven, making cup after cup of sugar filled tea and coffee for the many frazzled officials.
Ron was in despair, chasing after her as she ran to take her latest batch of biscuits from the oven.
"So what mum? What does Harry have to do with Fudge?"
Truthfully, Ron wasn't all too upset over their Minister's disappearance. If he was thick headed enough to believe that You-Know-Who had not risen last term, well good riddens to him.
Mrs. Weasley turned on him, her face red with anger. "Don't you realize this is You-Know-Who's doings?" She lowered her voice, as many of the officials didn't yet believed he'd risen, much like their absent minister. Still, a few cast an irritated glance at her, overhearing the suggestion.
Ron gulped. He hadn't thought of that possibility.
But still..
"Okay. So You-Know-Who's taken Fudge.." He gulped again. "Wouldn't Harry be safer here? You read the letters! His stupid cousin Dudley's practically killing him now!"
Mrs. Weasley's features softened and she smiled at her son. "Dumbledore's set.. certain precautions for him. He'd be best away from the wizarding world for now."
Ron slumped his shoulders. "'Spose you want me to tell him, then?"
"He is your friend, Dear."
"Molly! Another coffee will you?" A bald headed man, sprawled against their table as if it were his own, surveying countless sheet of papers, asked in what Ron assumed he thought to be a caring voice.
Mrs. Weasley took to action, pouring coffee as the biscuits floated from the oven, the hot pan hitting an elderly wizard in the head, knocking him out.
It was hard to say if Ron even noticed
Hermione arriving in their fireplace as he trudged upstairs to his room,
about to send Pig to Harry with the bad news.
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