Harry Potter and his whole world belong to JK Rowling. I am borrowing a few characters from her.

Minister for Magic

Harry wondered if Voldemort was trying to lull the magical community into a sense of security. Hermione had a subscription to the Daily Prophet and was reading it faithfully every day. Nothing unusual was happening since they had destroyed the Riddle house in August.

Winter was unleashed on them in full fury a few days into November. They awoke one morning to find snow being hurled against the windows with such force that Professor Flitwick was going around putting Unbreakable Charms on them. The castle was draughty and cold. Most students had taken to wearing their cloaks to class.

When Gryffindor had played Slytherin in the first Quidditch match of the year, Harry had caught the snitch twenty minutes into the game and Gryffindor had won one hundred and sixty points to zero. This had not put Snape or Malfoy into a very good mood.

"Potter," Snape snarled during one of their Potions lessons just before Christmas. "Stop playing with your fire and pay attention."

Harry stared at Snape in surprise. Snape hadn't been talking, and Harry had just opened his hands over his cauldron to try to warm them. Snape, as usual, refused to look at Harry, and therefore missed the gloating look that Malfoy sent his way.

"I hate him," Harry growled later as he and Hermione made for the Great Hall. "I wish Dumbledore would just sack him already."

Hermione didn't say anything, just shook her head.

They entered the Great Hall to find it absolutely silent. Concerned, they made their way to the Gryffindor table and sat beside Ron, who was staring up at the head table, where Dumbledore, Flitwick, McGonagall, Remus, and several more professors were conferring.

"What's going on?" Harry asked Ron in an undertone. Ron shook his head.

"I have no idea. Dumbledore just came in and said he had something to announce."

Ron stopped talking then because Dumbledore had suddenly turned to the room. He waited for Snape and a few other students to enter. Snape quickly crossed to the head table, a look of concern on his sallow face.

"If I could have your attention," Dumbledore said quietly. The Great Hall, having already been quiet, took no time at all to become silent. "Thank you. We have just received word from London that there has been an attack on the Ministry of Magic."

Nearly everyone gasped. Ron and Ginny both turned white. Harry grabbed Ginny's hand as she started to tremble. He saw Hermione do the same with Ron.

Dumbledore waited for the noise to abate before continuing.

"There were many people who died. Many are still missing. Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic, is one of those missing."

"Who cares about Fudge," Ron snarled. "What about my dad?"

If Dumbledore heard him, he gave no sign. He continued.

"The building was partially destroyed. That is all the news we have at this time, other than it has been confirmed that the building was destroyed by Lord Voldemort. We will update you when we have more information."

Dumbledore sat and was immediately drawn into conversation with Snape.

Ginny jumped up, her face stark white. She started pushing her way to the head table. Ron followed, Harry and Hermione on their heels.

"What about my dad?" she demanded, interrupting Dumbledore and Snape. Snape turned to her, his eyes flashing. Dumbledore sighed quietly.

"We don't know yet, Miss Weasley. We don't know."

"Well, then can we go to London?" Ron asked. "Portkey or something?"

Dumbledore looked at him silently.

"I believe that your mother would wish for you to remain here, where you are safe."
"Forget that!" Ginny exploded. "I want to know if my father is alive!"

Professor McGonagall and Remus were at their side in an instant.

"Come with me, Miss Weasley," McGonagall said quietly. "And you three. Let's go to my office."
Ginny and Ron allowed themselves to be led out of the Great Hall. Harry and Hermione followed behind, Remus at their side. Remus looked pale and concerned.

McGonagall led them into her office and pointed her wand at the fireplace. Flames erupted instantly. She turned to face them.

"I'm not apologising for my outburst," Ginny said defiantly. "I want to know if my father is alive."

"I know," McGonagall said quietly. She took a flowerpot off the mantle. "You can Floo her."

Ginny stared at McGonagall. She burst into tears.

"Thank you, Professor McGonagall," Ron said quietly. He wrapped his arms around his sister and spoke quietly with her for a moment.

Professor McGonagall left the room, giving them privacy. Ginny quickly got her emotions in check and moved toward the fireplace.

"Can we do it together?" she asked Ron. He nodded. They both took a pinch of Floo Powder and stuck their heads in the fire.

Harry stood back with Remus and Hermione. All three of them felt a little awkward.

"I hope Mr Weasley is okay," Hermione said quietly, anxiously. "I don't understand why Voldemort would go after the Ministry."

Both Harry and Remus stared at her in shock.

"Are you kidding?" Harry asked.

"No, that's not what I meant," Hermione said. "Why now? Why not sooner? Or later? It just seems…sort of random."

Remus looked at Hermione, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.

"What if it wasn't random?" Harry asked suddenly. "Voldemort knew we were on the Knight Bus that night."

Remus turned his gaze on Harry.

"I don't care what he said, Remus. He knew we were there. Why attack the Knight Bus? Why would you have been on it? There was no reason for you to be. He knew."

"You don't think he's still-" Hermione began.

"He's not getting into my head, I told you he can't anymore."

Remus' eyes were blazing.

"What are you thinking, Harry?" He paused. "Croaker?"

"He kept coming back and looking. Remember he said 'They're here'. We didn't know who he meant. Maybe he meant us!" Harry started to pace. "What if Croaker is working for Voldemort?"

"Well, if he was, he's not any longer," Ginny said quietly, turning to them. "He's dead."

Harry started as Ron and Ginny moved away from the fireplace.

"Is your dad-"

"He's alright," Ron said quietly. "He's at home."

Hermione went white suddenly and grabbed Harry's arm so hard that her hands turned as white as her face. "Oh my god, Harry, oh my god."

"What?"

"What if the veil was destroyed? What if we can't talk to Sirius anymore?"

Harry gaped at her and then reached into his bag.

"Sirius Black!"

"Crucio!"

"Harry, this isn't the best time! Protego!"

Remus frowned and snatched the mirror out of Harry's hand.

"Padfoot?" he demanded. "What's going on?"
"Moony, I just said this isn't the best time! Impedimenta!"

"Who is attacking you, Sirius?" Ron yelled.

"Crouch, Junior. Now leave me! I will call you later! Finite!"

"No, damn it!" Harry yelled. "Remus, we have to get him out of there!"

Remus' eyes were blazing again.

"Hermione, I want you to go to the library. Look for a book called Expanding your Powers. It will be in the Restricted Section." He pulled a quill out of his robes and scribbled a note for Hermione. Without a word, she left.

"What are you thinking?" Harry asked.

"We're going to get Sirius out. We're going to bring down the veil."

*

They met up with Remus in his office after dinner. Hermione brought the book, an enormous old tome that was held together with Spellotape. Ron and Ginny showed up a bit later. Both were pale and had shocked look on their faces.

"What's going on?" Remus asked them.

"Most of the Senior Ministry Officials died in the blast," Ron said. A slow smile started across Ginny's face. Harry and Hermione both goggled at her apparent lack of concern. "Dad has been asked to step in as Acting Minister until Fudge is found."

"What?" Hermione and Harry said together. "Are you serious?"

"Completely!" Ginny exclaimed, laughing giddily. "Dad's the Minister for Magic!"

"Until Fudge is found," Ron reminded her.

"Oh, right," Ginny said, her smile fading a little. "I don't want for Fudge to be hurt at all, but it's so great that they asked Dad to fill in."

"That is great to hear," Remus said quietly, also smiling. "I can't think of anyone more deserving."

He took the book from Hermione and started flipping through the pages. Ron moved over to the door and placed an Imperturbable Charm on it.

"Here it is," Remus said quietly. "To Increase your Firepower."

"What are we planning on doing, Remus?" Harry asked.

"I told you, we're saving Sirius."

"Yes, I understand that. But how?"

"By bringing down the veil."

"How?" Hermione asked.

Remus looked up finally, his eyes glinting. All four of them took an involuntary step backwards at the feral look in his eyes.

"By increasing the Reductor Curse." He smiled grimly. "We are going to go to what remains of the Ministry of Magic and bring down the veil with a simple Reductor Curse, magically magnified."

"How?"

Remus pointed his wand at his wardrobe. "Accio!"

A leather pouch about the size of a Bludger came flying out of the wardrobe. Remus caught it and carefully upended it on the desk. Five crystals spilled out onto the desk.

"With these."

Hermione stared at the crystals incredulously.

"Where did you get those?" she asked in a hushed voice.

Harry looked at them. There were three agate stones and two quartz crystals.

"What are they for?" he asked.

"The crystals are used to increase magical powers," Hermione explained softly. "The agate can represent courage, protection and healing. The quartz represents magical power and protection as well. Remus, I don't understand?"

"Placed in the points of power," Remus said, placing the crystals in five points on his desk, "they will…supercharge your magical powers. If we each took a crystal and stood in these points around the veil…"

"If we use the Reductor Curse using these crystals, we might be able to bring the veil down," Harry said suddenly. "Of course."

"How do you plan on getting to the Ministry?"

All five of them spun around. Remus quickly hid the crystals.

Professor Dumbledore stood there, regarding them silently. His eyes were curious.

"Professor Snape noticed you sneaking in here and thought he best…ah…mention it to me."

Remus' eyes flashed angrily.

"You were at the Ministry in August," Dumbledore observed quietly. "That is how you got the mirror to Sirius."

He smiled at their shocked faces.

"You haven't been overly secretive in your use of the mirrors. I've seen both of you using them."

"Are we wrong to want to save him? To bring him back if we can?" Harry demanded.

"Of course not. I fear, however, that you are setting yourself up for heartache."
"We have to try," Hermione said quietly, her jaw set determinedly. "If there's even a small chance that we can save him, then we have to. When Harry tried to call him today he was being attacked by Barty Crouch, Junior. We came into it just as the Cruciatus Curse was sent his way."

Dumbledore looked at her in surprise. Harry, however, glared at Dumbledore.

"Why did you tell me that he was dead?" he snarled angrily. "You told me that he was dead, and Nearly Headless Nick told me that he wasn't coming back. Why did you all lie?"

Dumbledore smiled sadly.

"I have never passed through the veil, Harry. Anyone who has has never returned. That is why everyone told you that Sirius was dead. As far as I know, he is."

"He's not," Remus said quietly. "He's in limbo."

Understanding dawned on Dumbledore's face. "Of course."

"People who lost their souls to the Dementors are in there too," Remus said softly. "That's why Crouch, Junior is there."
"Because their body is alive but their soul is gone," Dumbledore said. "Of course, why didn't I realise it?"

"Why would you have?"

Dumbledore said nothing, just moved further into the office. He glanced at the book on the desk.

"Ah, I understand," he said quietly. He glanced up at Remus' determined face. "Do you…ah…have enough power?"

"I think we will," Remus answered. "All of them show incredible power."

Harry glanced at Ron. His eyes were bewildered. Power?

"Well. If you need any help."

Dumbledore nodded at them and moved toward the door.

"If I might…you should practice it somewhere before you go to the Ministry."

Remus nodded and Dumbledore left.

"What did he mean power?" Harry asked.

Remus smiled. "Nothing. Don't worry about it, Harry." He frowned. "Right. We should practice with these, but not tonight. I want to call Sirius. Not a word to him, do you understand? I don't want to get his hopes up."

A thought occurred to Harry suddenly, and he could tell by the look on Hermione's face that she had the same thought.

"Remus?"

"Yes."

"What about the other souls? Will they be able to get out as well?"

Remus sat in his chair, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Most likely."

"But what of those people who shouldn't be let out? Like Barty Crouch, Junior?"

Remus sighed. "We can deal with that when the time comes, I think." He rubbed his eyes before looking up at Harry. "Did you bring the mirror?"

"Of course," Harry replied, pulling it out of his bag. "I've always got it with me, in case Sirius needs me."

Remus grinned. "Shall we?"

"Lets."

Harry set the mirror on the desk. He, Hermione, Ron and Ginny all grabbed chairs and crowded around.

"Sirius Black," Remus said. Sirius appeared in the mirror. He looked very weak and shaky.

"Oh, damn it, Padfoot," Remus said quietly. "You look horrible."
"Yes, well, getting hit with three Cruciatus Curses will do that to a person. You know that berk tried to Avada Kedavra me? That hurt even more than the Cruciatus." His eyes were haunted. "I apparently can't die in here." He grinned weakly. "Sorry to have startled you earlier. Crouch just snuck up on me. Took me completely by surprise.

"Now, what did you need me for?"

"The Ministry building was destroyed," Remus said. Sirius stared at him. "We wanted to make sure we could still contact you.

"Destroyed? How? Voldemort?"

"Of course," Hermione answered. "They said it's been confirmed that is was him."

"Is Arthur okay?" Sirius looked scared. "What about your brother? Percy? And Kingsley and Tonks? What about them?"

Harry stared at Ron and Ginny. He hadn't even thought of Kingsley or Tonks.

"They're all okay," Ron answered. "Kingsley and Tonks weren't there. Dad was, but he got out just as the building started to go down. He was in the Department of Magical Games and he grabbed a broom and flew out. He's got a few cuts and bruises, but he's okay."

"Fudge is missing," Ginny told Sirius softly. "They don't know where he is. Mum said that they figure he's been taken hostage."

"As for Percy," Ron said. "I didn't even think to ask." He looked a little ashamed. "I was so worried about Dad, that Percy didn't even cross my mind."

Remus smiled. "Tell him the rest."

Sirius looked at them with eyebrows raised.

"Well," Ron said slowly. "Most of the Senior Ministry Officials were killed when the building collapsed. The remaining Officials have asked Dad to step in as Acting Minister."

Sirius gaped at them. A wide, genuine smile spread slowly across his lips.

"Oh, that is amazing!" he said, his eyes dancing. "That is so great to hear, Ron. Tell your dad that I'm very happy for him."

Remus smiled grimly. "I'm sure he would have preferred to have gotten it another way."

"Well, yes."

Harry sat there, just smiling. He was thinking about when they would be able to go into the Ministry and bring Sirius from behind the veil.

*

They didn't practice magnifying the Reductor Curse before the Christmas holidays. The full moon was Christmas Eve, something that everyone found very depressing. Remus just laughed and told him he was used to it.

"I'll be up and around on Christmas day," he told them.

Mrs Weasley was going to Romania to visit with Charlie for Christmas and Mr Weasley had to work to rebuild the Ministry building, so Harry, Ron and Ginny put in to stay for Christmas at Hogwarts. Just before holidays were to start, Hermione decided to stay as well.

"Well, if we're going to practice with those crystals, now would be the best time to do it. There's not going to be many people here."

Cornelius Fudge still hadn't been found, nor had there been any contact with Voldemort since the attack on the Ministry. The professors could usually be found conferring in groups during breaks and in the Great Hall.

Christmas morning dawned bright and sunny. Harry sighed as he rolled over in his bed, debating whether or not to get up.

"Oy, get up!" Ron shouted, throwing a pillow at Harry's head. "There are presents to be opened and breakfast to be eaten. Come on, you lazy prat." He reached over and yanked Harry's pillow from under his head. "Plus, you wanted to go visit Remus before breakfast."

"Alright, already," Harry groaned, sitting up and putting his glasses on. He looked at the small pile of presents at the foot of his bed. He pulled the lumpy parcel he knew would be from Mr and Mrs Weasley toward him. Sure enough, when he opened it, there was a brand new emerald green jumper with a silver phoenix embroidered into it. Inside the jumper were mounds of fat toffees. Harry set them aside for after breakfast.

"Wow," Ron said softly. He held up a pale blue jumper. "She didn't make me a maroon one!"

Harry laughed as he reached for Hermione's gift. It was a package of sugar quills. He'd gotten a box of Bertie Botts Every Flavour Beans from Ginny, along with a new eagle feather quill.

He gasped as he opened the gift from Remus. It was a picture of his parents, taken on their wedding day. Sirius and Remus waved up at him from inside the frame.

This was the first picture he'd gotten with his parents, Sirius and Remus in it. The other pictures had only shown Sirius.

Remus had also given him several bars of Honeydukes best chocolate bars. Harry grinned as he remembered Remus giving him Honeydukes chocolate in third year.

Harry looked in the parcel from Remus. There was a mirror at the bottom of it. He picked it up and flipped it over.

If you ever need me, call me, and I'll be there.

Remus.

Remus had bewitched another mirror. Harry smiled to himself. That would be good for the summer time when he was back with the Dursleys.

And speaking of the Dursleys.

They had sent him a small package. Curious, Harry opened it.

He gaped as he stared at the contents.

Pictures. There had to be hundreds of them. All of his mother as a child. Most of them were ripped in half, and Harry guessed that Aunt Petunia had been in those pictures as well.

Still…that was friendly. It was almost kind.

Harry reached in and carefully pulled out a picture of his mother. She looked to be about ten. She had a big smile on her face and her brilliant red hair was pulled back into a ponytail. She was waving at whoever had been taking the picture.

"Look," he said to Ron, handing him the picture. "That's my mother."

Ron stared at the picture, giving it a bit of a prod, trying to make it move. Harry laughed.

"She was stunning, Harry," Ron said softly, handing the picture back. Harry set it on his bedside table.

He and Ron dressed quickly, and then went down to meet Hermione and Ginny in the common room. Ginny grinned at him.

"Seems we were thinking alike," she said, holding up her eagle feather quill that Harry had gotten her. Harry laughed.

"Thanks for the book, Harry! And thank you for the jumper, Ron. I needed a new one."

Ron flushed slightly.

They moved into the hall, making for Remus' office. Harry knocked lightly when they got there.

They could hear Remus moving around. He opened the door slowly, and then moved back. He had a blanket wrapped around his shoulders.

"Happy Christmas," he croaked, sitting on the sofa.

"And you," Harry answered. "How did it go last night?"

Remus chuckled. "As well as usual." He looked up at them. He didn't seem to fit right inside his skin, his hair was mussed up, and his eyes still had a slightly yellow tinge to them. "I'm sorry for you to see me like this."

"Remus, it's Christmas," Hermione protested softly. "We wanted to be with you."

Remus smiled and closed his eyes. "I won't be much for company, I'm afraid. There's tea, if you'd like some."

Hermione moved to pour everyone some tea. Harry moved a bit closer to Remus.

"Thank you for that picture of my parents, Remus," he said softly. "And the candy and the mirror. I'm glad you gave me one so I can speak with you as well."

Remus smiled, his eyes still closed. "I thought you would like one. I'm sorry it wasn't more."

"No, don't be sorry. You didn't have to get me anything at all."

Remus opened his eyes. "I wanted to." He smiled. "Thank you for the robes. They're the ones I was looking at in Madam Malkin's that day, aren't they?"

Harry nodded, flushing slightly. "I ordered them by owl post so you wouldn't know. Do you like them?"

Remus nodded, closing his eyes again. He looked exhausted. "Thank you, Harry."

Remus fell asleep not long after, so they decided to let him rest. Leaving as quietly as they could, they made for the Great Hall. Not many students had remained, so Dumbledore had moved the house tables to the side and they were eating at one large table.

"Happy Christmas!" Ron called as they walked in. He stopped at the looks on many people's faces. "What is going on?"

A Ravenclaw fourth year who Harry didn't know started to cry. She held up a copy of the Daily Prophet. Hermione took it and they sat together to read it.

Minister for Magic Found Tortured to Death, the caption read. Ginny gasped as they read.

He'd been found in an old Muggle warehouse. He'd been bound and gagged and it looked like he'd been tortured for days before they'd finally just killed him. Harry had to look away from the picture, it was so gruesome.

"Nobody deserves to die that way," Ron said quietly, his eyes blazing. "Not even Fudge. Not even You-Know-Who deserves to die that way."

Harry glanced over at Dumbledore. Rage was seeping out of every pore. Harry could see it in his eyes. He shuddered slightly, very glad he was not Voldemort.