Wow…long time no update! But I've finished this at last! So I hope you enjoy the last few chapters! Charlie

Chapter 13

The Ministry of Magic

Early next morning, Mrs. Weasley gently shook Willow awake. After a quick shower and breakfast, Willow found herself stood before the fireplace in the large stone kitchen of Grimmauld Place, dressed in a set of navy blue robes that Tonks had left for her the night before ("To blend in better…and the colour really suits you!")

"We're not going straight to the Ministry from here," explained Mr. Weasley, straightening his own set of robes and fiddling with the lid of a pot he had retrieved from a cupboard somewhere, "We're going to my house first, and then we'll go to the Ministry. It's easier that way…just in case the Floo networks are still being watched…"

"Floo?" Willow asked suppressing a small smile at the unusual word. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley proceeded to tell her how Floo powder worked, and eager to try it out, Willow stepped forward.

"Now speak very clearly dear," Mrs. Weasley advised as Willow ducked and stood in the opening, "We don't want you getting lost…say it nice and loud, 'The Burrow'…"

With a gulp of nervous anticipation, Willow collected her gritty handful of 'Floo powder' and said as clearly as she could…

"The Burrow!"

Automatically throwing down her powder, Willow caught a glimpse of the brilliant green flames that came up around her before a great pulling motion forced her down; Willow felt herself spinning around and around through a roar of emerald light. Willow slammed her eyes shut to avoid the nausea that was steadily rising through her body, before, with a loud and quite painful bump,Willow landed bottom first onto the hard floor of a room. She opened her eyes and climbed shakily to her feet, dusting soot off her clothes and rubbing her throbbing behind. She was in a rather small and cramped kitchen, which was impeccably neat. In the centre of the room, a large table not unlike the one at Grimmauld Place was surrounded by a large number of chairs. She smiled inwardly as she realised this was definitely the Weasley's house. Willow was just examining an odd looking clock when Mr. Weasley stepped gracefully out of the fireplace, obviously used to the unusual method of transport. He beamed at Willow.

"Ah! Home Sweet Home…" he gazed proudly around his kitchen before motioning her back over to the fireplace, taking a flowerpot from off the mantelpiece.

"Same again Willow, but this time say 'The Ministry of Magic, London', and when you get there, get out of the way pretty sharpish…"

Willow nervously scooped up another handful of Floo powder and did as she was told. The sucking spinning sensation began again, but after a few seconds, Willow bumped back into another fireplace with a small 'whoosh' noise that amused her somewhat. Scrambling up and out of the way she almost flew into a man walking hurriedly away, up the long corridor she found herself in. She had to jump to her left to avoid him, and she stood in a small empty space as people hustled around her. Willow could only gawp at her surroundings. It was utterly amazing. She was stood in a spectacular and gleaming hall with a high dazzling crystalline blue ceiling, inlaid with an assortment of ever changing golden symbols that looked rather like runes. Willow could imagine herself spending hours in the dark panelled and polished place attempting to translate their code. Not nearly as dusty as last time, Willow continued to stare around the atrium of the Ministry of Magic. She'd entered via one of a few dark fireplaces set into the wall. Opposite her were small queues of people waiting to leave via other fireplaces set into the wall. Mr. Weasley hurried over to her as soon as he arrived from the fireplace.

"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic…"

People hurried to and fro clattering as they went about their business…the ceiling ever glinting in the lights hung around the place. Willow vaguely listened as Mr. Weasley explained about how they were underground, pausing now and then as people greeted him with a hearty "Mornin' Arthur".

Willow spotted Tonks (now with her hair short, spiky and bubblegum pink once again; matching her equally pink robes) and a bald and tall black wizard chattering away stood before a large golden fountain a little way down the hall. She and Mr. Weasley headed over quickly. Willow looked up at the fountain, which depicted a group of dull golden statues in the middle of a pool. A wizard and a witch, what Willow recognised as a centaur and two other small strange little creatures all stood in a crowd, looking oddly ominous as water squirted from parts of them. A few cracks flawed what once had been perfect statues. Coins sparkled from the bottom of the pool, and a sign read 'ALL PROCEEDS FROM THE FOUNTAIN OF MAGICAL BRETHREN WILL BE GIVEN TO ST MUNGO'S HOSPITAL FOR MAGICAL MALADIES AND INJURIES'. Mr. Weasley upon seeing Willow examine the fountain spoke up.

"A very worthy cause. They all had to be repaired after…" he trailed off, then added, "They've never really been the same since."

After a small pause Mr. Weasley blinked back to the present, he smiled again and introduced Willow.

"This is Kingsley Shacklebolt…Kinglsey this is Willow Rosenberg."

A strong and silent handshake and Willow looked back at Mr. Weasley, who was now turning towards a set of golden gates at the end of the hall. He looked back at the others before muttering quietly

"Right, let's go…come on."

Grabbing Willow's arm gently, he led her over; accompanied by the others to the gates, a rather guilty expression on his face as they sped up when passing a desk on the left that was beneath a sign reading 'Security'. Tonks broke away from them suddenly, and headed to the desk; where she quickly engaged the rather bored looking wizard in conversation about, from Willow could overhear, Gobstone championships next Tuesday.

Mr. Weasley breathed a sigh of relief as they finally arrived in one of the many lifts Willow had seen. They stepped in, and Kingsley offered Willow another broad smile as he reached forward and pressed the down button. She looked up to see a few lilac paper aeroplanes flitting around above her head. She didn't care to ask, and merely smiled again, thinking of how Xander would love one of them. In High School, making paper planes had been one of his favourite pastimes, especially when they were trying to study. Before the doors had fully clattered shut, Tonks managed to leap in, grinning at the trio.

"Sorry about that, I just distracted him with my charms…" She flicked her head theatrically, urging a chuckle from them all. As they descended, Willow could feel the nerves in her stomach rise.

"It's very quiet…" murmured Mr. Weasley, fidgeting with his robes.

"Too quiet?" asked Kingsley questioningly.

Tonks shook her head.

"No. We're a bit earlier than usual, and besides…nobody goes down here much anymore after…"

Willow didn't know if Tonks had trailed off or if she was interrupted, as a ringing female voice announced…

"Department of Mysteries."

The gates open and Willow found herself face to face with a blonde snotty looking woman. She cast a scathing look over the gathering of people before striding past them into the lift. Mr. Weasley once again took hold of Willow's arm and led her out of the lift, avoiding the gaze of the tall, slim woman, who now stood behind them. Tonks and Kingsley exchanged looks that seemed to be a mixture of worry and curiousness. Willow waited for an explanation as the small group walked down a plain black corridor towards a door at the end. It seemed none was to come, until the clanking of the ascending lift in the background had disappeared.

"What the hell is Narcissa Malfoy doing down here?! You don't think-"

"No Tonks…she's probably just snooping about…trying to find evidence to get Lucius off or something." Mr. Weasley looked flustered, and so Willow didn't press the matter further. They finally had reached the dark door at the end, and Mr. Weasley gulped, as it swung open immediately to reveal another plain black room, this time a circular one. Many plain black doors were spaced around, candles lit dimly in the sections between, reflected in the sparkling marble floor. As Tonks and Kinglsey stepped in behind, wands at the ready, the door behind them shut. It was very dark, the only light coming from the candles, when suddenly with a small rumble, Willow watched in awe as the room began to rotate. After a few seconds, it stopped, and all was still. Tonks' eyes flitted from here to there before she pointed her wand directly at a door to their right.

"That one."

Willow wondered in amazement how she knew which way they were to go, for it was all a puzzle to her. As they walked slowly over, she noticed though that the candle to the door's left was a little smaller than the others, only by about a centimetre, as if it had burned lower…or as if someone had perhaps tampered with it. Willow guessed the latter. They stepped over the threshold, and Willow found herself stood at the very top of the room where Sirius Black had died.

It was as if she was back in the Pensieve, only now seeing things from another perspective. It was empty, and Willow heard every shuffle echo around her. There was a stifling atmosphere, and the huge room looked oddly sterilised, unlike what she had seen in Dumbledore's office. Tonks, stood a little to Willow's left, began to breathe heavily and quickly. Unexpectedly she turned and left through the door from whence they had came, Kinglsey following her. Mr. Weasley stepped back to lean against the back wall, his head bowed.

Willow had to shut her eyes for a moment before allowing her gaze to fall upon the archway in the middle of the cavernous place, stood proudly on it's dais. The tattered curtain fluttered ever so slightly, and Willow saw flashes of Sirius' death in her own mind, making her jump suddenly and her heartbeat quicken. She cautiously stepped down each tier from their place at the top, climbing cautiously over the benches, her every move reverberated loudly around her. Reaching the bottom, Willow walked slowly over to the arch. Stepping up onto the dais, she turned around…oddly she could feel the gaze of many people upon her. Glancing up, she saw Mr. Weasley still had his head bowed. Frowning, Willow ran her hand along the side of the arch; feeling it's rough and crumbling stonework. Not even a speck of dust came off in her hand as she took it away, but she felt the power run through her veins. Sinister as it were, the archway entranced her, and Willow watched mesmerized at the billowing veil, drifting to and fro in an invisible breeze. It was then that she heard the whispers from behind it. Another glance up at Mr. Weasley told her she was stood quite alone. Peeking around the arch she still saw no one. The sound was coming from inside the arch…behind the veil…

"Willow?"

Mr. Weasley called to her, glancing nervously around and then down at her.

"Come on…we need to go now. Are you familiar with…everything?"

She nodded clearly to him, and watched as he headed out the door. Before Willow stepped down, she caressed the cloth ever so slightly with her hand…felt its softness…

"Sirius…"

Sirius spun around quickly, much to Spike's alarm. The vampire stepped back.

"Bloody hell watch where you're going…"

"What was that?!" Sirius cried, ignoring Spike's comment. Spike was not the one who replied.

"She's coming for you."