CHAPTER FOUR- Arthur's New Job
The next morning I was the first one in the Burrow up. In the other bed, Harry was fast asleep. Pig had sometime in the middle of the night, let go of me and was fast asleep on my lap. I picked him up and put him in his cage, which I had set upright the previous day.
I got a shower, got dressed and went downstairs. I began making myself some toast. As I was spreading marmalade on it, my mother came in.
"Good morning baby." She said, hugging and kissing me.
"Morning, mum." I said brightly.
"I'll never get tired of hearing you say that." She said, running her fingers through my hair. "Ron. you need to. I think you need to cut your hair, its getting long."
"I like it long, Mum." I said.
"But-okay."
"Hey! You're letting him have long hair yet you demand I cut mine?" Bill entered the room, stretching his arms out so high they threatened to hit the ceiling lamp.
"Yes." She said and began cooking breakfast.
Bill flopped into the seat next to me. "I can only stay for breakfast anyway. I gotta get to work. I only took yesterday off." He then realized he was still in boxers. Waving his wand, he was once more in his awesome rock-concert-like clothes, and dragon hide boots. "Jonathan says congratulations, by the way. He'd of come see you but Michael had the day off and our new helper hadn't arrived. So someone needed to stay."
"New one?" Mum asked.
Bill yawned again. "Yeah, Dales got himself fired. Was discovered breaking into a vault that he had put a spell-a spell- a speeeeeeeellllllll on himself when he used to do that." He said, yawning.
"Oh my goodness." Mum said.
Dad entered the room looking extremely tired. "Good morning son." He patted my head as he sat down.
"No good morning for me?" Bill asked.
"Oh, morning Bill." Dad added.
"Good morning!" Percy strode into the room looking especially cheerful. "morning mum!" He kissed her cheek. "and dad!" He patted dad on the back. "and Ron." He said, patting my back.
"Hello! I DO exist!" Bill snapped.
"Oh, are you still here? I thought you left last night." Percy said, looking at Bill in surprise. "You ARE leaving today, aren't you?"
"Bite me." Bill growled.
"Bill!" Mum shouted.
"Morning mum." Fred and George appeared. "Dad." They said and patted my back. "Ronniekins."
"Okay that's it I'm leaving now. Like anyone would even notice I'm gone." Bill grumbled.
"Ofcourse we'd notice." Mum said absent-mindedly as she stirred a pancake batter. Dad left to do something.
"Notice what?" Charlie came into the room.
"I'm gone." Bill said.
"Oh, you're still here?" Charlie asked then leapt back as Bill took a swing at him. "I was joking, Bill I swear! Beside you don't want to engage me in a fight, I'm stronger." And with this, Charlie flexed his muscles. Bill, Percy and I all scowled. Charlie had the most muscles of the family, followed by Fred and George. Whereas we three were tall and skinny.
"I know more curses." Bill said, holding his wand up. "Mum would you mind if I turned Charlie into a toad?"
"Ofcourse I would." Mum snapped, now beating some eggs. Charlie stuck out his tongue. "I'll be right back." Mum said. As soon as mum left the room, Bill aimed his wand.
"Homo Switchus Mantella Viridis!" And where Charlie had stood, there now sat a inch long frog. Pale green on his back and head, black stripes along his sides, and a white stripe along his upper lip. Smiling nastily to himself, Bill stuck Charlie-the-frog in his pocket.
"Bill!" Percy roared.
"Mum said I wasn't allowed to turn Charlie into a toad. I didn't. I turned him into a frog."
"I am telling mum!" Percy leapt up but Bill shot out once again.
"Homo Switchus Pseudotiton Ruber!" And Percy was now a 6 inch long, bright red salamander with black speckles. He turned to the twins and pointed his wand. " Homo Switchus Mantella Viridis. Homo Switchus Mantella Viridis." And Fred and George became the same type of frog as Charlie. Bill casually stuck Percy-the-salamander in another pocket, and the twins in a third, washed his hand and began eating breakfast.
"You're not going to turn me into something, are you?" I asked.
"Oh God no, Ron. 1. You're my favorite brother. 2. You're the only one who wouldn't rat me out and 3. I've always wanted to turn those four into amphibians."
I laughed. "How can you remember all the scientific terms for the animals?" I asked.
Bill snorted. "Nobody can. If you say 'Homo Switchus' and then think of what animal you want to turn the person into, a scientific name of a type of that animal comes out of your mouth. Except-" Bill paused and took a long swig of orange juice "except if you do know the scientific name of an animal you can do that."
"Cool." I said.
"You'll be learning about this stuff this year. I think. I mean, you didn't do your O.W.Ls."
"Damn!" I swore, shaking my head. "What if I have to repeat the Fifth year?"
"Looks like you'll find out now." Bill said as a barn owl flew through the open window.
Indeed it was from Hogwarts. I opened it, and read it.
Dear Mr. Ron Weasley,
We have received the news that you are no longer dead. Included is a list of schoolbooks you'll need, as well as the books you'll need if you will be taking the Sixth year course of starting to train to be an Animagus. You are probably wondering if you'll have to repeat the Fifth year. The answer is no. You will be excused from the first two weeks of classes, so you can take your O.W.Ls. See you at Hogwarts!
Albus Dumbledore
I showed Bill the letter who grinned. "Cool. So, are you going to try to be an Animagus?"
"I dunno. how hard is it?" I asked.
"Hard. Really, really hard. No one in my class managed to transform themselves by the end of their Seventh year."
"But you are an Animagus." I said.
"I took the Ministry of Magic course a year after I graduated, remember?"
"Oh yeah." I said.
"Did you know Percy dropped out of the class?"
"He did? I didn't even know he was taking it!" I said.
"Yep. Almost all the people who take the class quit. In fact, by the end of my Seventh year there were only three out of 15 left."
"God." I said and looked at the squirming pocket which held Percy. "and Percy dropped out?'
"Yep, too hard." Bill said with a nasty grin. "at least I endured through it!" He yelled rather loudly at the pocket and it stopped squirming.
Just then Mum and Dad entered the room again. "Where is everyone?" Mum asked.
"Left to work." Bill said. Mum went into the living room then returned.
"Bill what did you do to them?! The clock says they are all here!" Mum said then saw his pockets squirming. "Empty your pockets this moment!"
"Mum! I didn't do anyth-"
"Empty your pockets this second!!!!!" Bill pulled the three frogs and salamander out. Mum puffed up quicker then one of those puffer fish. "ARE THOSE YOUR BROTHERS?!?!"
"Yeah, so? Its a big improvement." Bill said.
"TURN YOUR BROTHERS BACK TO NORMAL THIS INSTANT!"
"None of them were normal to begin with." Bill grumbled as he tossed them on the ground.
"Don't you dare injure them!"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Bill continued muttering and began muttering things which, thank goodness, only I heard for if mum heard the words he was saying then I seriously doubted if he could sit for a week. Soon Charlie, Percy, Fred and George were back to their regular selves. No wait.. .Charlie still had black stripes down his side, and Percy had black speckles all over him. I had the feeling Bill left them on purpose.
"I am going to KILL you!" Charlie screamed and lunged for Bill.
"Ouch! You little-"
"BILL! Stop swearing in front of your baby brother!"
"I am NOT a baby!" I snapped.
"I'm gonna kill you!" Charlie yelled.
"I'm older, wiser, and better looking then you!"
"Yeah well one out of three isn't that bad."
My oldest brothers rolled on the ground, mum ignoring them as she finished breakfast.
Soon Harry, Jasmine and Ginny came down. "Goodness are those two fighting again?" Ginny groaned as she gingerly stepped over them and sat down.
"If you see those two doing anything else please inform me." Percy said. "What?!" He demanded as we snickered.
"Percy you have something on your face." Fred giggled.
"What? What is-BILL!" Percy screamed as he spotted his spots. "I do NOT have time for this! I HAVE to get into work soon!"
"Then please leave." George muttered.
"Hi everyo- why does Percy have speckles all over him?" Lee Jordan called from the open window.
"Come on in, dear." Mum said and Lee entered the house.
"Oh look, just in time for breakfast." Percy said. "again."
"Percy you don't think that I somehow manage to time it perfectly well to arrive just as your mother is serving her succulent breakfasts?" Lee asked and everyone laughed.
"You are welcome here for breakfast any day." Mum said.
"He comes over here anyway, invited or not." Percy said.
"Nice spots." Lee said.
Percy's ears turned red and he ducked his head as he ate his breakfast.
Bill and Charlie had finally stopped fighting and returned to the table. Bill got rid of Percy's spots (but not Charlie's stripes). Charlie went upstairs to get something, said a loud swear word towards Bill as he discovered his stripes.
"It was good seeing you again, Harry and to meet you Jasmine and I thank you for bringing my favorite brother back to life." Percy, Fred and George scowled at this. The sound of Charlie's running feet thundered closer and closer. Bill hugged me. "Goodbye family, love you all!" and quickly Disapparated just before Charlie ran in.
"Oh great, now I am going to get an ear full from my boss for being late." He said.
"Why will you be late? If you Apparate now you won't be." Mum said.
"I have to make a quick stop in Egypt and get rid of these stripes or I'll be the laughingstock of the R.D.I." He kissed Mum goodbye, and Disapparated.
"How come you haven't left yet?" George asked Percy.
"Er, I'm.. . well.. ."
"I know why." Ginny giggled and Percy scowled at her.
"Why is it?" Fred asked.
"The new Minister of Magic is going to be chosen today. He'll receive his letter by eight this morning." Ginny said smirking.
"Oh and Percy is expecting the letter is he?" George asked with a smirk.
Percy chose to ignore this. Just then Jasmine gave a cry as a regal looking great-horned owl swooped in. It dropped an official-looking letter on the middle of the table.
"Oh my God Percy is going to be the new Minister of Magic?!" Fred shrieked.
"ENGLAND WILL GO DOWN IN FLAMES!" George screamed in fear.
The rest of us just stared. "Its not for Percy." Lee said, since he was the closest.
"What does the envelope say?" Percy asked, going rather red.
"Mr. Arthur Weasley."
"Dad! Its for you!" Ginny said.
"Oh really? I thought it was for Pig." George said as dad picked the letter up.
"Its probably about last week.. . that big ordeal over that library accident.. ."
"What happened?" I asked.
"You know. I told everyone when it-" He stopped and blinked. "oh yeah."
"Yeah, I was dead then."
"Well someone charmed an entire Muggle library's books to bite people's hands." Dad explained as he opened the envelope. "the library was filled with Muggles moaning in pain. Paper cuts all over their hands. Lots of trouble and took a-"
What it took, I never found out for dad suddenly gotten extremely pale as he read the letter.
"Arthur?" Molly asked, gently touching his arm.
"Oh my.. . oh.. . my.. ." And with that he fainted.
Molly quickly grabbed the letter and read it nervously. "Oh my goodness.. ." She gasped when she finished.
"What is it mother? Did dad get fired?" Percy asked, adjusting his glasses.
"Well.. . in a way."
"Dad's fired?!" Ginny asked.
"I.. . its just." Molly took a deep breath. "let me just read this letter.
Dear Mr. Arthur Weasley,
It pleases me to no extent to inform you that due to your excellant and loyal work to the Ministry of Magic, and your tolerence for Muggles, that we have elected you the new Minister of Magic of England. If you would like this position, please report to the Ministry at noon today. One of our workers will meet you there.
I.W.A."
Everyone gasped and gathered around my unconscious father.
"Dad wake up!" "Daddy wake up!" "Arthur, come on." "Back up!"
Percy had pulled out his wand and pointed it at dad. Shooting a spell, he woke dad up.
"M-Molly?" He was shaking something awful, looking extremely dazed.
"Oh ARTHUR!" She shrieked, throwing her arms around his shoulders and covering his face with kisses.
"Daddy your the new MINISTER OF MAGIC!" Ginny screamed, throwing her arms around his waist.
"All right DAD!" Fred and George shouted, cheering loudly with Lee.
"Smashing good, father!" Percy said, clapping him on the back.
"Congratulations dad!" I said, grinning.
"Yeah congratulations, Mr. Weasley!" Jasmine said, clapping her hands happily.
"You deserve it, Arthur." Harry said.
"I feel.. . I feel.. . faint.. ." And with that, Dad fainted again.
*** (Harry's point of view)
After we finally got Arthur up without him fainting again, we got him ready and sent him on his way.
"Molly, what exactly is the I.W.A.?" I asked later that day.
Molly was sweeping the front hall, washing the mirrors and dusting the picture frames (only doing the former, the other two she used magic). She stopped and the feather duster and wet rag dropped to the floor. "The I.W.A.?" She asked slowly.
"Yeah. The I.W.A." I said.
"Er.. . well its.. . well its rather hard to.. . well, Harry, you see its- well I don't really know.. . I can't explain it that well. Bill knows the most about it. I'll, er, give him a ring." She went into the living room quickly.
"Why is mum calling Bill?" Ron appeared, looking a bit pale (he still was quite pale from dying but was slowly setting color back.).
"I asked her what the I.W.A. was." I said.
"Oh."
"What is it?" I asked.
"Well.. . I don't know, really. Nobody really knows, you see." Ron said.
"Harry, dear!"
Ron and I went into the living room where Bill's head was floating in the fire. "Hullo Harry, mum says you asked an interesting question."
"I wanted to know what the I.W.A. is." I said.
"The I.W.A.?" He asked.
"Yes." I said, confused as why they were all acting weird. If it got Arthur the Minister job. it couldn't be bad. could it?
"Well. Harry. the I.W.A.. well no one really knows what it is. I suppose I know a bit more about it then the average wizard because I've. well, I mean I've had a run-in with a couple of them.
"The I.W.A. stands for International Wizarding Association. And they're, well, bigger and better, more powerful and junk then the Ministries of Magic. they're sort of. well, I guess they're sort of. okay so I don't know. I told you well. really all I know about them." He admitted and glanced at the clock. "I gotta go. Bye mum, love ya!" His head disappeared from the fire.
"Well there you go. And Bill is one of the handful who actually know anything about I.W.A." Molly said.
"That-that's IT?" I asked, rather shocked. "I-I-I-I mean. they have the power to elect the Minister of Magic for England-"
"Not just England but every single Ministry." Molly added
"And no ones knows ANYTHING but THAT about them?" I demanded.
"Well. right." Molly said, shaking her head. "I believe you might be able to find out something in 'The Study of Ancient Wizardry'." She suggested.
"All right. think Percy has that book?" I asked Ron, who frowned.
"Who's Percy?" He asked.
"He's your-oh never mind, you'll remember soon enough."
The two of us trouped up to his room and found Emerin Elm sitting on Ron's desk. "Hello boys." She said, looking at us as we went in.
"Emerin?" I asked in confusion. "what're you doing here?"
"Padfoot and Moony sent me. Here." She unrolled a piece of parchment and cleared her throat. "Mr. Harry Potter, Mr. Ronald Weasley, Miss Hermione Granger, and Miss Jasmine Potter are hereby cordially invited to the trial of Mr. Peter Pettigrew."
"Wormtail's on trial now?!" I shrieked happily.
" 'Hereby cordially'. honestly, Padfoot is so." She looked up and blinked. "oh, yes. Wormtail is on trial. Well, not this very SECOND. His trial is tomorrow. At precisely 11:00am. Padfoot's going to pick you up." She said, swinging her legs.
"Why are we all invited? I mean, sure I WANT to see that filthy germ be sentenced but. I mean." Ron trailed off.
"Oh, you might be called up for witnessing. There'll be others who have the chance to be called up."
"Who?" I asked.
"Well, Remus. and Mr. Alexander and Miss Alexia Webs." Emerin said. "there's a large chance you won't be called up but still. you should be there."
"Who're they?" I asked.
"Who're who?"
"Alexander and Alexia Webs."
"Oh, I have no clue. But apparently they can witness to SOMETHING. Dunno what. anyway, Padfoot will be here tomorrow at ten-fifteen. See you there!" And she Disapparated.
The next morning I was the first one in the Burrow up. In the other bed, Harry was fast asleep. Pig had sometime in the middle of the night, let go of me and was fast asleep on my lap. I picked him up and put him in his cage, which I had set upright the previous day.
I got a shower, got dressed and went downstairs. I began making myself some toast. As I was spreading marmalade on it, my mother came in.
"Good morning baby." She said, hugging and kissing me.
"Morning, mum." I said brightly.
"I'll never get tired of hearing you say that." She said, running her fingers through my hair. "Ron. you need to. I think you need to cut your hair, its getting long."
"I like it long, Mum." I said.
"But-okay."
"Hey! You're letting him have long hair yet you demand I cut mine?" Bill entered the room, stretching his arms out so high they threatened to hit the ceiling lamp.
"Yes." She said and began cooking breakfast.
Bill flopped into the seat next to me. "I can only stay for breakfast anyway. I gotta get to work. I only took yesterday off." He then realized he was still in boxers. Waving his wand, he was once more in his awesome rock-concert-like clothes, and dragon hide boots. "Jonathan says congratulations, by the way. He'd of come see you but Michael had the day off and our new helper hadn't arrived. So someone needed to stay."
"New one?" Mum asked.
Bill yawned again. "Yeah, Dales got himself fired. Was discovered breaking into a vault that he had put a spell-a spell- a speeeeeeeellllllll on himself when he used to do that." He said, yawning.
"Oh my goodness." Mum said.
Dad entered the room looking extremely tired. "Good morning son." He patted my head as he sat down.
"No good morning for me?" Bill asked.
"Oh, morning Bill." Dad added.
"Good morning!" Percy strode into the room looking especially cheerful. "morning mum!" He kissed her cheek. "and dad!" He patted dad on the back. "and Ron." He said, patting my back.
"Hello! I DO exist!" Bill snapped.
"Oh, are you still here? I thought you left last night." Percy said, looking at Bill in surprise. "You ARE leaving today, aren't you?"
"Bite me." Bill growled.
"Bill!" Mum shouted.
"Morning mum." Fred and George appeared. "Dad." They said and patted my back. "Ronniekins."
"Okay that's it I'm leaving now. Like anyone would even notice I'm gone." Bill grumbled.
"Ofcourse we'd notice." Mum said absent-mindedly as she stirred a pancake batter. Dad left to do something.
"Notice what?" Charlie came into the room.
"I'm gone." Bill said.
"Oh, you're still here?" Charlie asked then leapt back as Bill took a swing at him. "I was joking, Bill I swear! Beside you don't want to engage me in a fight, I'm stronger." And with this, Charlie flexed his muscles. Bill, Percy and I all scowled. Charlie had the most muscles of the family, followed by Fred and George. Whereas we three were tall and skinny.
"I know more curses." Bill said, holding his wand up. "Mum would you mind if I turned Charlie into a toad?"
"Ofcourse I would." Mum snapped, now beating some eggs. Charlie stuck out his tongue. "I'll be right back." Mum said. As soon as mum left the room, Bill aimed his wand.
"Homo Switchus Mantella Viridis!" And where Charlie had stood, there now sat a inch long frog. Pale green on his back and head, black stripes along his sides, and a white stripe along his upper lip. Smiling nastily to himself, Bill stuck Charlie-the-frog in his pocket.
"Bill!" Percy roared.
"Mum said I wasn't allowed to turn Charlie into a toad. I didn't. I turned him into a frog."
"I am telling mum!" Percy leapt up but Bill shot out once again.
"Homo Switchus Pseudotiton Ruber!" And Percy was now a 6 inch long, bright red salamander with black speckles. He turned to the twins and pointed his wand. " Homo Switchus Mantella Viridis. Homo Switchus Mantella Viridis." And Fred and George became the same type of frog as Charlie. Bill casually stuck Percy-the-salamander in another pocket, and the twins in a third, washed his hand and began eating breakfast.
"You're not going to turn me into something, are you?" I asked.
"Oh God no, Ron. 1. You're my favorite brother. 2. You're the only one who wouldn't rat me out and 3. I've always wanted to turn those four into amphibians."
I laughed. "How can you remember all the scientific terms for the animals?" I asked.
Bill snorted. "Nobody can. If you say 'Homo Switchus' and then think of what animal you want to turn the person into, a scientific name of a type of that animal comes out of your mouth. Except-" Bill paused and took a long swig of orange juice "except if you do know the scientific name of an animal you can do that."
"Cool." I said.
"You'll be learning about this stuff this year. I think. I mean, you didn't do your O.W.Ls."
"Damn!" I swore, shaking my head. "What if I have to repeat the Fifth year?"
"Looks like you'll find out now." Bill said as a barn owl flew through the open window.
Indeed it was from Hogwarts. I opened it, and read it.
Dear Mr. Ron Weasley,
We have received the news that you are no longer dead. Included is a list of schoolbooks you'll need, as well as the books you'll need if you will be taking the Sixth year course of starting to train to be an Animagus. You are probably wondering if you'll have to repeat the Fifth year. The answer is no. You will be excused from the first two weeks of classes, so you can take your O.W.Ls. See you at Hogwarts!
Albus Dumbledore
I showed Bill the letter who grinned. "Cool. So, are you going to try to be an Animagus?"
"I dunno. how hard is it?" I asked.
"Hard. Really, really hard. No one in my class managed to transform themselves by the end of their Seventh year."
"But you are an Animagus." I said.
"I took the Ministry of Magic course a year after I graduated, remember?"
"Oh yeah." I said.
"Did you know Percy dropped out of the class?"
"He did? I didn't even know he was taking it!" I said.
"Yep. Almost all the people who take the class quit. In fact, by the end of my Seventh year there were only three out of 15 left."
"God." I said and looked at the squirming pocket which held Percy. "and Percy dropped out?'
"Yep, too hard." Bill said with a nasty grin. "at least I endured through it!" He yelled rather loudly at the pocket and it stopped squirming.
Just then Mum and Dad entered the room again. "Where is everyone?" Mum asked.
"Left to work." Bill said. Mum went into the living room then returned.
"Bill what did you do to them?! The clock says they are all here!" Mum said then saw his pockets squirming. "Empty your pockets this moment!"
"Mum! I didn't do anyth-"
"Empty your pockets this second!!!!!" Bill pulled the three frogs and salamander out. Mum puffed up quicker then one of those puffer fish. "ARE THOSE YOUR BROTHERS?!?!"
"Yeah, so? Its a big improvement." Bill said.
"TURN YOUR BROTHERS BACK TO NORMAL THIS INSTANT!"
"None of them were normal to begin with." Bill grumbled as he tossed them on the ground.
"Don't you dare injure them!"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." Bill continued muttering and began muttering things which, thank goodness, only I heard for if mum heard the words he was saying then I seriously doubted if he could sit for a week. Soon Charlie, Percy, Fred and George were back to their regular selves. No wait.. .Charlie still had black stripes down his side, and Percy had black speckles all over him. I had the feeling Bill left them on purpose.
"I am going to KILL you!" Charlie screamed and lunged for Bill.
"Ouch! You little-"
"BILL! Stop swearing in front of your baby brother!"
"I am NOT a baby!" I snapped.
"I'm gonna kill you!" Charlie yelled.
"I'm older, wiser, and better looking then you!"
"Yeah well one out of three isn't that bad."
My oldest brothers rolled on the ground, mum ignoring them as she finished breakfast.
Soon Harry, Jasmine and Ginny came down. "Goodness are those two fighting again?" Ginny groaned as she gingerly stepped over them and sat down.
"If you see those two doing anything else please inform me." Percy said. "What?!" He demanded as we snickered.
"Percy you have something on your face." Fred giggled.
"What? What is-BILL!" Percy screamed as he spotted his spots. "I do NOT have time for this! I HAVE to get into work soon!"
"Then please leave." George muttered.
"Hi everyo- why does Percy have speckles all over him?" Lee Jordan called from the open window.
"Come on in, dear." Mum said and Lee entered the house.
"Oh look, just in time for breakfast." Percy said. "again."
"Percy you don't think that I somehow manage to time it perfectly well to arrive just as your mother is serving her succulent breakfasts?" Lee asked and everyone laughed.
"You are welcome here for breakfast any day." Mum said.
"He comes over here anyway, invited or not." Percy said.
"Nice spots." Lee said.
Percy's ears turned red and he ducked his head as he ate his breakfast.
Bill and Charlie had finally stopped fighting and returned to the table. Bill got rid of Percy's spots (but not Charlie's stripes). Charlie went upstairs to get something, said a loud swear word towards Bill as he discovered his stripes.
"It was good seeing you again, Harry and to meet you Jasmine and I thank you for bringing my favorite brother back to life." Percy, Fred and George scowled at this. The sound of Charlie's running feet thundered closer and closer. Bill hugged me. "Goodbye family, love you all!" and quickly Disapparated just before Charlie ran in.
"Oh great, now I am going to get an ear full from my boss for being late." He said.
"Why will you be late? If you Apparate now you won't be." Mum said.
"I have to make a quick stop in Egypt and get rid of these stripes or I'll be the laughingstock of the R.D.I." He kissed Mum goodbye, and Disapparated.
"How come you haven't left yet?" George asked Percy.
"Er, I'm.. . well.. ."
"I know why." Ginny giggled and Percy scowled at her.
"Why is it?" Fred asked.
"The new Minister of Magic is going to be chosen today. He'll receive his letter by eight this morning." Ginny said smirking.
"Oh and Percy is expecting the letter is he?" George asked with a smirk.
Percy chose to ignore this. Just then Jasmine gave a cry as a regal looking great-horned owl swooped in. It dropped an official-looking letter on the middle of the table.
"Oh my God Percy is going to be the new Minister of Magic?!" Fred shrieked.
"ENGLAND WILL GO DOWN IN FLAMES!" George screamed in fear.
The rest of us just stared. "Its not for Percy." Lee said, since he was the closest.
"What does the envelope say?" Percy asked, going rather red.
"Mr. Arthur Weasley."
"Dad! Its for you!" Ginny said.
"Oh really? I thought it was for Pig." George said as dad picked the letter up.
"Its probably about last week.. . that big ordeal over that library accident.. ."
"What happened?" I asked.
"You know. I told everyone when it-" He stopped and blinked. "oh yeah."
"Yeah, I was dead then."
"Well someone charmed an entire Muggle library's books to bite people's hands." Dad explained as he opened the envelope. "the library was filled with Muggles moaning in pain. Paper cuts all over their hands. Lots of trouble and took a-"
What it took, I never found out for dad suddenly gotten extremely pale as he read the letter.
"Arthur?" Molly asked, gently touching his arm.
"Oh my.. . oh.. . my.. ." And with that he fainted.
Molly quickly grabbed the letter and read it nervously. "Oh my goodness.. ." She gasped when she finished.
"What is it mother? Did dad get fired?" Percy asked, adjusting his glasses.
"Well.. . in a way."
"Dad's fired?!" Ginny asked.
"I.. . its just." Molly took a deep breath. "let me just read this letter.
Dear Mr. Arthur Weasley,
It pleases me to no extent to inform you that due to your excellant and loyal work to the Ministry of Magic, and your tolerence for Muggles, that we have elected you the new Minister of Magic of England. If you would like this position, please report to the Ministry at noon today. One of our workers will meet you there.
I.W.A."
Everyone gasped and gathered around my unconscious father.
"Dad wake up!" "Daddy wake up!" "Arthur, come on." "Back up!"
Percy had pulled out his wand and pointed it at dad. Shooting a spell, he woke dad up.
"M-Molly?" He was shaking something awful, looking extremely dazed.
"Oh ARTHUR!" She shrieked, throwing her arms around his shoulders and covering his face with kisses.
"Daddy your the new MINISTER OF MAGIC!" Ginny screamed, throwing her arms around his waist.
"All right DAD!" Fred and George shouted, cheering loudly with Lee.
"Smashing good, father!" Percy said, clapping him on the back.
"Congratulations dad!" I said, grinning.
"Yeah congratulations, Mr. Weasley!" Jasmine said, clapping her hands happily.
"You deserve it, Arthur." Harry said.
"I feel.. . I feel.. . faint.. ." And with that, Dad fainted again.
*** (Harry's point of view)
After we finally got Arthur up without him fainting again, we got him ready and sent him on his way.
"Molly, what exactly is the I.W.A.?" I asked later that day.
Molly was sweeping the front hall, washing the mirrors and dusting the picture frames (only doing the former, the other two she used magic). She stopped and the feather duster and wet rag dropped to the floor. "The I.W.A.?" She asked slowly.
"Yeah. The I.W.A." I said.
"Er.. . well its.. . well its rather hard to.. . well, Harry, you see its- well I don't really know.. . I can't explain it that well. Bill knows the most about it. I'll, er, give him a ring." She went into the living room quickly.
"Why is mum calling Bill?" Ron appeared, looking a bit pale (he still was quite pale from dying but was slowly setting color back.).
"I asked her what the I.W.A. was." I said.
"Oh."
"What is it?" I asked.
"Well.. . I don't know, really. Nobody really knows, you see." Ron said.
"Harry, dear!"
Ron and I went into the living room where Bill's head was floating in the fire. "Hullo Harry, mum says you asked an interesting question."
"I wanted to know what the I.W.A. is." I said.
"The I.W.A.?" He asked.
"Yes." I said, confused as why they were all acting weird. If it got Arthur the Minister job. it couldn't be bad. could it?
"Well. Harry. the I.W.A.. well no one really knows what it is. I suppose I know a bit more about it then the average wizard because I've. well, I mean I've had a run-in with a couple of them.
"The I.W.A. stands for International Wizarding Association. And they're, well, bigger and better, more powerful and junk then the Ministries of Magic. they're sort of. well, I guess they're sort of. okay so I don't know. I told you well. really all I know about them." He admitted and glanced at the clock. "I gotta go. Bye mum, love ya!" His head disappeared from the fire.
"Well there you go. And Bill is one of the handful who actually know anything about I.W.A." Molly said.
"That-that's IT?" I asked, rather shocked. "I-I-I-I mean. they have the power to elect the Minister of Magic for England-"
"Not just England but every single Ministry." Molly added
"And no ones knows ANYTHING but THAT about them?" I demanded.
"Well. right." Molly said, shaking her head. "I believe you might be able to find out something in 'The Study of Ancient Wizardry'." She suggested.
"All right. think Percy has that book?" I asked Ron, who frowned.
"Who's Percy?" He asked.
"He's your-oh never mind, you'll remember soon enough."
The two of us trouped up to his room and found Emerin Elm sitting on Ron's desk. "Hello boys." She said, looking at us as we went in.
"Emerin?" I asked in confusion. "what're you doing here?"
"Padfoot and Moony sent me. Here." She unrolled a piece of parchment and cleared her throat. "Mr. Harry Potter, Mr. Ronald Weasley, Miss Hermione Granger, and Miss Jasmine Potter are hereby cordially invited to the trial of Mr. Peter Pettigrew."
"Wormtail's on trial now?!" I shrieked happily.
" 'Hereby cordially'. honestly, Padfoot is so." She looked up and blinked. "oh, yes. Wormtail is on trial. Well, not this very SECOND. His trial is tomorrow. At precisely 11:00am. Padfoot's going to pick you up." She said, swinging her legs.
"Why are we all invited? I mean, sure I WANT to see that filthy germ be sentenced but. I mean." Ron trailed off.
"Oh, you might be called up for witnessing. There'll be others who have the chance to be called up."
"Who?" I asked.
"Well, Remus. and Mr. Alexander and Miss Alexia Webs." Emerin said. "there's a large chance you won't be called up but still. you should be there."
"Who're they?" I asked.
"Who're who?"
"Alexander and Alexia Webs."
"Oh, I have no clue. But apparently they can witness to SOMETHING. Dunno what. anyway, Padfoot will be here tomorrow at ten-fifteen. See you there!" And she Disapparated.