This chapter lacks a lot of action, I was gonna have this chapter and the next in one but it was getting long and I wanted to give you something to read while I work on the next bit. So here it is. I don't know that I like it that much, it took forever to write and I kept getting writers block. But I hope you like it, and review it please!

Thanks to:

Dreamer Child

ScruffyWes – yeah it's kind of mean really, sorry. But I needed Spike to know about it and I figured this way he would. You could consider it pre-empting what they will do as a vampire. Whatever you want.

SPASH panther - I doubt there'll be anymore Angel, he's not gonna play a big role. As for Spike, I'm in two minds about him. He'll either play a big part or they'll be no more of him from now in. I haven't decided yet. I try to update twice a week where possible.

Vampy the chosen one

Anne-Marie

Alexandra the half-wolf

Hestia

KatiH – only Harry knows that Buffy spoke with Spike, but he didn't hear what was said. The rest saw Spike but didn't know she was speaking with him.

Becks89

Erak

Miz

Darla56

Lexinator

Wllw979

Chapter 11 – The Ministry of Magic

"It was incredible," Harry uttered the moment they all sat down in the drawing room. "Nine vampires and we dusted them all." Fred and George watched him jealously.

 "You got to stake a vampire?" Ron said in awe.
 "I staked three," Harry said triumphantly. He beamed and Buffy could see he was buzzing with the success. She grinned too, glad that he seemed to be properly happy for once.

 "I hope you were careful," Molly said, her own smile looking a little strained.
 "It went perfectly Molly," Tonks assured her. "There was this moment when the vampires were talking about eating Harry but Buffy took care of it. She's an amazing fighter." Buffy grinned even wider.

 "They wanted to eat you?" George said enviously. "Lucky. I want to come next time." Buffy shrugged and looked towards Molly.
 "We'll see," she said noncommittally and from the looks on Fred and Georges faces they considered this a success.
 "I dunno if you guys can match Harry though," Buffy teased. "He was on fire. A better slayer than I am." Harry laughed.
  "Yeah, right," he chuckled. "You were so fast. Is the other slayer as good as you?"

 "Well she'd tell you she was better than me," Buffy said, thinking affectionately of Faith's attitude and how much she missed it. "We're pretty evenly matched. It really depends on who's having a good day."
 "Can we meet the other slayer?" Fred asked eagerly.
 "I don't know," Buffy said, thinking about Faith and wondering whether she had patrolled that evening just as Buffy had. "She's pretty tied up with Sunnydale. She's never been in the magical world before, besides living in the same house as Sirius for a couple of months."
 "You'd all better get to bed," Molly said, standing up. "It's late." The younger occupants of the room left without much arguments and Buffy was left with the adults.
 "Harry had a good time it appears," Lupin said conversationally and Buffy nodded emphatically.
 "He's not the only one," she remarked, stretching out her arms wearily. "It's been a while since I slayed anything, I was itching to stake those vamps."
She stood up.
 "I'm gonna head to bed too," Buffy said, nodding her goodnights to everyone.

 "We'll go to the Ministry mid morning," Bill promised and Buffy nodded.
 "'Night," she called as she headed upstairs.

****

Buffy dressed early in a pair of jeans and a yellow sleeveless top and came down for breakfast. The Weasleys and Harry had not yet emerged so Buffy read the Wizarding paper while feasting on toast and coffee. Molly was also having breakfast with Bill, Charlie and Lupin. Arthur, she was informed, had gone to work already and Charlie was going to come to the Ministry with her and Bill.

By the time that Buffy had finished breakfast, the others had emerged.

 "Where are you two going?" Harry asked as he helped himself to a hearty breakfast.
 "I'm going sightseeing at the Ministry," Buffy informed him. "Bill's gonna take me. Want to come?" Harry shook his head grimacing, and Buffy could have kicked herself for being so insensitive. For herself, going to the Ministry was another way of getting closer to Sirius and his life in England. Deep down she wanted to see the archway, so she was able to feel near to him again. It hurt her that she could walk around his house and not feel him with her.  But obviously Harry wouldn't feel the same way, the Ministry was where he had lost Sirius and seen so many of his friends hurt.

She and Bill said waved goodbye and then headed out the front door after undoing the many locks that were fitted on it.

The hot August sun beat down on Buffy's shoulders and the heat made her fell more content. She, Bill and Charlie walked down the street chatting easily, Buffy not quite knowing where they were going.
 "We're going to take the visitors entrance," Bill told her, crossing the road. "It's a bit more interesting." Buffy eyed him curiously, but he didn't continue. 

"Do you two both work there?" she asked them, noting how much taller they both were than her and then thinking mischievously that she could easily take them both in a fight. 

 "Neither of us do actually," Charlie said with a chuckle. "I work with dragons in Romania, but I'm on holiday at the moment and Bill works for Gringotts Wizarding Bank. He used to be a curse breaker in Egypt but he got an office job so he could be home for the Order."
 "What's Egypt like?" Buffy asked and Bill laughed.
 "Pretty normal as it goes," he replied. "But I want to know what America's like? What's it like living on the hell mouth?" Buffy thought for a moment.
 "Pretty much with the crazies," she said finally and they laughed. "America itself is okay, I lived in LA before I was the slayer and I was your typical American teenager, cheerleader, bimbo, the works. But when I was called I stopped being little miss cheerleader and we moved to the hellmouth."
 "Do you get a lot of demonic activity?" Charlie asked.
 "Yuh huh," Buffy said, nodding with a grin. "Weekly apocalypses and vampire movement almost every night. The demons just can't resist the evil goodness."

 "Do you get a lot of help from the Watchers Council?" Bill asked shading his eyes from the sun.

 "Try none at all," Buffy said with a chuckle and both bill and Charlie looked astonished. "We're not on the best terms on account of the fact that I quit."
 "You quit?" Charlie asked incredulously and Buffy nodded.
 "There's this slayer test called the Cruciamentum for when a slayer turns eighteen," Buffy explained. "Basically they took away my powers and then locked me in a house with an insane vampire. It wasn't the best of times. My watcher came to save me and when the Council found out, they stopped him and then fired him. They sent these other watchers to try and teach me but they were basically useless so I quit. It's no biggie." Bill whistled in amazement.
 "Are all slayers this ballsy?" he asked and Buffy grinned and nodded.

 "You should meet Faith," she asserted. "Look ballsy up in the dictionary and you'll see a picture of her."
Bill and Charlie slowed to a halt and Buffy stopped too.
 "What are we stopping for?" she asked and they both gestured to a dilapidated phone box in front of them.
 "Need to make a call?" she asked. "I think I've got some change if you need it." Buffy began to rifle through her jeans pockets until a chuckling Bill stopped her. 

 "This is the entrance to the Ministry," he informed her and Buffy looked at the phone box puzzled.

 "Right," she said. "You're messing with me right?"
 "Actually no," Charlie replied with a grin. "Come on, we've all got to get inside."
 "Ah I see, this is a ploy to get me to squish in a phone booth with you," Buffy said cheekily. "Nice try guys." Bill and Charlie exchanged amused glances, both laughing.
 "No really," Bill tried again. "Seriously, just trust us." Buffy scrutinised them both.
 "Fine," she said moving forward. "But just remember that I can kick both your butts." The three crammed into the phone box and Charlie picked up the disconnected receiver. He dialled 62442 and waited. Nothing happened for a moment and Buffy was aware of how uncomfortable she was. Then a cool, clear voice sounded in the phone box. 

 "Welcome to the Ministry of Magic, please state your name and business."

Buffy visible jumped and the top of her head hit Bill's shoulder blade.
 "Ouch!" they said in unison.
A badge rattled out of the coin slot and Buffy picked it up. It bore the legend 'ouch.'

 "Charlie Weasley of the Dragon Protection Association, Bill Weasley of Gringotts Bank and Buffy Summers, a visitor." Bill said clearly. Three more badges dropped into the coin slot.
 "Thank you, please take the badges and attach them to the front of your robes." The voice commanded. Charlie and Bill did so and Buffy attached hers to the belt loop of her jeans, placing the ouch badge in her pocket.

"Visitors to the Ministry you are required to submit to a search and present your wand for registration at the security desk, which is located at the far end of the Atrium." The voice said and the phone box began to descend into the ground. For a moment there was darkness then it emerged in a peacock blue bright hall. The floors were dark wood and the walls were lined with fireplaces from which wizards entered and exited rapidly.  Heavy golden gates lay at the end of the large hall and a golden fountain displayed gilded figures.
Bill, Charlie and Buffy fell out of the phone box as soon as the door opened, Buffy giggling madly.

 "You're right, that was fun," she laughed and the three walked down the hall to the security desk.

Bill and Charlie presented their wands and they were weighed and registered. The bored looking security guard turned to Buffy expectantly.

 "Wand please," he said disinterestedly and Buffy looked at Bill worriedly.
 "I don't have a wand," she explained to the security guard. "I don't do magic."

 "Fine," the security guard said. "Squib registration number please."
 "I don't have one of those either," Buffy said and the man frowned.
 "What did you say your name was?" he asked, suddenly animated.
 "I didn't, but its Buffy Summers," Buffy said confusedly.
 "You can go through, you've been accounted for by Albus Dumbledore," the man said importantly and Buffy beamed at him. She followed Bill and Charlie through the golden gates and into one of the many elevators filled with Ministry workers.

Buffy could hardly stop herself from staring, there were so many interesting people in the lift. They all looked important and serious, perhaps due to the current threat on the Ministry. A few of them nodded at Bill and Charlie. The lift ascended, until level six where it stopped and a few people got out. Several paper airplanes flew into the lift and drifted over their heads. Buffy knew better than to ask what they were. At level five they got out, the department of International Magical Cooperation. Buffy, Bill and Charlie walked down the corridor which was long and painted blue. Windows showed bright sunshine outside.
 "Charmed window," Bill said carelessly. "Magical Maintenance decides what weather the workers get every day." They continued walking until they reached a wooden door that said 'Ingrid Albertson – monetary cooperation' on a small golden plaque. Bill knocked on the door then opened it.

The three walked into a thickly carpeted office, where a woman sat behind a desk. The woman had short blonde hair and thick navy blue glasses which dangled precariously from the end of her nose.
 "Ah, Bill, come in, come in," she said when she looked up. "Sit down, sit down." Buffy, bill and Charlie seated themselves on three sofa chairs which shuffled towards the desk.
 "I've got the papers right here," Ingrid said, handing him a sheaf of parchment. Make sure that the head goblin gets them, the last time there was such uproar and you of all people know how difficult goblins can be to deal with." Bill nodded.
 "Will do Ingrid," Bill said casually. Ingrid looked at Buffy.

 "I don't recognise you," she said politely. "Do you work on one of the top floors?"
 "No, Buffy's our cousin from America," Bull said quickly. "She's over visiting us for a while."
 "That's lovely," Ingrid said absently. "What do you think of the American ministry's new centaur policy?"
 "Well….umm…I was a little unsure at first but I'd have to say I agree," Buffy replied weakly.
 "Oh, absolutely," Ingrid said delightedly. "I feel the same way. Some thing needed to be done."
 "Yes," Buffy said, with a sideways glance at Bill.

 "You must visit Simon Vance while you're here," Ingrid continued warmly. "He's the American Diplomat, but you probably know his name already."
 "Umm….of course, Simon," Buffy replied wildly. "Will do." Ingrid beamed at her, and Buffy smiled weakly back.
 "Well we must be off," Bill said hurriedly. "Thanks Ingrid, I'll make sure they get in on time." Ingrid nodded at them as they left the room.

 "That was close," Buffy said with wide eyes. "I thought she was gonna ask me even more questions."

 "You did well," Bill assured her, patting her back. "Just remember you're our American cousin on holiday."
 "Kinda strange since I don't have red hair," Buffy said with a giggle.
 "You'll do," Charlie teased as they got back onto the lift.
They remained on the lift until level two, 'Department of Magical Law Enforcement' where they got out. They walked down a corridor then turned a corner and walked through a set of heavy oak doors.
 "Auror headquarters," Charlie whispered to her. "Remember you don't know anyone from the Order here." Buffy nodded imperceptibly and followed Bill through the rows of cubicles. She spotted Tonks and Kingsley talking over the top of a cubicle and saw that that was where Bill was headed.
 "Shacklebolt," Bill said loudly. "I've got some papers I need an Auror signature on if you could oblige. I could do with two if it's possible, Tonks is it?" Tonks nodded and they all followed Kingsley along the row into his cubicle.
 When Buffy reached it, she gasped and her hands flew to her face. Every inch of the cubicle wall was covered with pictures of Sirius, at every age. He grinned and waved at her in most of them and Buffy stared until she couldn't bear it anymore.
 "Kingsley's in charge of the hunt for Sirius," Bill murmured, noticing her discomfort. "As far as they are concerned, Sirius is still out there." Buffy nodded mutely.
 "Have you seen much of the Ministry?" Tonks asked her.
 "Not really," Buffy replied controlling her emotions and looking up at Tonks. "Department of magical coordingy or something, just to get some papers. I like your hair, by the way." Tonks grinned; her hair was short and red. "You look like my friend Willow."

"Mum says come for dinner tonight if you're off by seven," Charlie told Kingsley and Tonks quietly.
 "We'll be there," Kingsley said absently, looking at the papers Bill had given him. "Where do I need to sign?" Bill pointed out the place.
 "Where else are you gonna go?" Tonks asked. Buffy shrugged.
 "I wanna see the prophecies," Buffy said thoughtfully. "Otherwise, I'm not bothered."

 "We'd best be off," Bill said collecting the parchment. They moved out of the compartment. "Thank you Shacklebolt."

 "Make sure you hand them in on time," Kingsley replied sternly. He winked at Buffy as they turned and left the Auror headquarters. They made a brief stop at Arthur's office, finding that he was out assisting obliviators with a muggle who had been attacked by a rogue biscuit tin, before getting into the lift for level nine: the department of mysteries.

***

For those of you hopeful of seeing Sirius soon, don't be. Sorry but something else has got to happen before we get to that point. But soon, I promise!