Chapter Twelve
Minister Weasley
"Wake up Harry," Sirius shook Harry softly.
"Five more minutes..." Harry grunted rolling over; Ron's muttering coming in louder.
"Harry, we have to go to the Ministry, now wake up." Sirius peeled the covers down and Harry nearly jumped out of bed. "Blood hell, where did your clothes go?" Harry was only wearing a pair of boxers.
"Leave me alone Sirius!" Harry whimpered, collecting the covers again and slightly blushing.
"Haha, sorry mate." Sirius sat down on the bed and gripped his wand. He muttered a few word and a spark hit Ron in the chest.
Harry sat up straight and he felt his eyes roll back in his head. His voice got high pitched, "Plans have been changed Black, I am sorry."
His eyes rolled back and he collapsed back down into his pillow as Ron was rolled off his bed.
"HARRY!"
The world came back to him in a blur just as he felt himself being plunged into an ice water bath.
"WHAT THE?!?!" Harry jumped to his feet. His skin was red from the chilled water at his feet.
"Sorry mate," Ron said, "But Mrs. Dursley said that was the best remedy for black outs."
"Come here Harry," Sirius opened up a towel and helped Harry step out of the bath tub. He wrapped Harry up in the towel and dried his hair.
"Sirius, knock it off!" Harry snapped.
"Sorry mate, I just used to do that when you where a little tike." Sirius kinda chuckled and led Harry into the bed room.
Harry's cheeks flushing pink, either from cold or the fact that the man standing in front of him held him and bath him like the father he knew for a short time did.
"What did you mean?" Sirius asked.
"Mean by what?" Harry asked, carling back into a nice warm bed and snuggling down.
"'Plans have changed Black, I'm sorry.'" Sirius mimicked.
"Oh... I said that?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, right before you fainted." Ron said, throwing a clean shirt and jeans at Harry.
"It's...it's what..." Harry narrowed his eyes and sighed, "what Cameo said to Black before she killed him."
"Black?" Ron repeated.
"Her...right man..." Harry said slowly looking to Sirius who looked bewildered.
"Where did you get this from?" Sirius asked.
"Evan... he told me about the first evil... and... the founders of Hogwarts... but..." Harry stopped when Ginny popped her head in the door.
"Good morning Ron, Sirius," Here eyes danced to Harry and then jolted away. "Dad said he's leaving in the car in fifteen minutes, if you don't hurry you'll have to take the train."
"Why are we going to the Ministry?" Harry asked, pulling his pants on.
"Lesson Harry," Ron said, making his eye brows dance.
"And my trail," Sirius said. "Shouldn't be too hard, Mr. Weasley will be presiding and that's about it." Sirius looked at Ron and winked, "Excuse me... Minister Weasley."
Harry grinned at Ron trying to hide his blushing cheeks. Then it hit him, "What lessons?"
"Come off it Potter, don't play stupid all the time!" Draco hissed from the door frame of the boy's dorm. "Apparition Lesson!"
"Honestly Draco!" Hermione said, coming behind Draco, smacking him on the head. "Be a little louder and wake up the meeting! They just got to sleep by what Seri said. Up till four in the morning!" Hermione shook her head and pushed past Draco. "Now Harry, the cold wet look is very becoming on you, but please get dressed."
Harry grinned boyish, not embarrassed that Hermione had seen him shaking in boxers and pull his jeans on.
"What was the meeting over this time?" Ron asked.
"I'm not sure," Hermione said matter of factly. "It was very secret, seemed like only English members where invited to this one."
"It's nothing to worry about," Sirius said, waving his head. "Just to protect and weapon."
"What weapon?" Harry asked bluntly, dragging his shirt over his face.
"Nothing to worry about now Harry." Sirius gave him and relieving smile and a pat on the back.
"Shall we leave now?" Hermione said impatiently. Ron giggled a little higher pitched then normal when Hermione turned on heel, grabbing Draco by the ear and dragging him down the stairs.
"Everyone ready daddy?" Seri said, walking down the hall putting in her ear rings.
"I think so sweets," Sirius answered, following the crew down the stairs.
"Good, Mr. Weasley is waiting in the drive way." Seri announced.
"What about breakfast?!?" Harry turned and yelled up the stairs, his arms high.
"Complimentary Breakfast at the Ministry Potter," Draco jeered only leading Hermione to jerk his hard by the ear. "My God Herms what is wrong with you this morning? Is it that time of the month or what?"
Hermione squeezed her face and threw Draco down the remaining two stairs. "Listen sharp and listen good." Hermione said getting closer to Draco as she spoke. "I am sick and tiered of putting up with your childish jokes and stupid pranks! If you are going to be living under the same roof as me you better straighten up!"
"Straighten me up then Hermione!" Draco said, opening his arms wipe.
"He's going to get smack..." Ron whispered to Harry.
Hermione reared back her hand and was about to make a sharp compact to Draco when he grabbed her hand and jerked her forward. His lips when to her ear and whispered something Harry imaged to be nasty, but he didn't hear it. Hermione tore her from Draco grip and stared at him. Ron and Harry looked at each other in shock... Hermione was defiantly suppressing a smile and she was... blushing!
"Stop stalling and keep moving!" Sirius shouted from the top of the stairs.
Hermione looked up quickly and scurried out the front door. Harry and Ron grinned at one another and proceeded on.
"WAIT!" Susan Bones and Miley came running out of the house falling onto Harry and Ron's back.
"You can't just leave without me now," Miley said straightening her robes.
"Seri," Charlie pulled Seri out of the view of the door frame and she slowly stepped back into view.
"Bye Charlie," she said softly, slowly letting his hands slip from hers.
"Come on darling," Sirius said, rolling his eyes and then on the parade of seven made their way to the came and onto the Ministry.
"Hello Harry!" Neville screamed excited running to Harry. He clung to his arm tightly like someone was after him. His face was bright, and cheery.
"Hey Neville," Harry cooed, "Feeling alright mate?"
"Fine, just fine Harry." Neville kinda stuttered. "Gran would have come, but she had to... actually, I don't know what she had to do." He tore himself away from Harry and scratched his head, then shrugged.
"You never mind that Neville," Mr. Weasley said, appearing in from of the phone booth. He had on bran new robes, deep red reflecting his bright red hair, with gold trim. His hat was pointed and sleek and the badge on his chest shimmered, "London\ Minster of Magic: Arthur Weasley."
"My father told me about this... process." Draco splat, budging in the phone booth with everyone else.
"This isn't working too well Minister," Seri said, her eyes dancing at Ron's proud smile.
"Yes, well, let's see..." Arthur put his hand to his chin, "I know... Ron pick up Miley and put her on your shoulders. Draco do the same for Susan, Harry you pick up Hermione and Sirius do Seri."
On command the girls were lifted and put on the boy's shoulders. "Ouch Ron!" Miley squealed, "That's my head you're punching through the roof."
"Shhh Miley, he's just a bit tall." Minister Weasley nudged. "What were you saying Draco?"
"Dad never said anything about the Minister escorting us." Hermione looked down at Draco, Harry saw. His eyes softened a bit when mentioning his father and Hermione's watered looking at him.
"Well... you see... it's not a Minister business. I shepherded my other son's first lesson, why should Ron be any different."
"You didn't Charlie, mom took him." Ron jumped in.
Mr. Weasley punch a few buttons on the telephone and it began to move.
"Yes, but I had the that thing to do... then... something with Dumbledore... the muggle protection thingy... you know." Mr. Weasley spat.
"Why don't we need any badges Minister?" Susan Bones asked sweetly.
"I've learned to love the idea of being Minister. Codes and the works... no more stalling and I don't even need to pay for the food in the cafeteria."
"Mom always packs your lunch dad," Ron chuckled.
"And I always eat it... later." Mr. Weasley gave an innocent grin and led the way out of the phone booth.
"This way, we're running a bit behind." Seri said over the roaring voice in the Ministry.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, Susan and Malfoy all stopped and looked at the surroundings. It wasn't as clean cut and polished as it was the last time any of them had been there. People were walking around, a spring in their step, talking excitedly to each other, smiles pasted on their faces.
"MINISTER!" a curly red headed girl came running up to him. "I've been stalling class for five minutes, is he here yet?" He bright blue eyes left the Mr. Weasley and traveled to Harry and then to his scar. "Beg my pardon," the girl said, brushing her curls off her shoulder briskly. "I'm Cameron Ridgley, your apparition teacher for the next week."
"I thought Charles Darnay was. That's what my father told me." Draco spat rudely.
Cameo's eyes veered off Harry's face and to Draco's. Her sparkling blue eyes changed colors... to a pinky red. "I am sorry, but what is your name?"
"Draco Malfoy," he said, his chest held out.
"A Malfoy, I should have known." Cameron sighed and her eyes changed again, "Let's proceed, your class is waiting."
Seri nodded at Harry and he followed Cameron with the other, leaving Sirius, Seri and Mr. Weasley behind, smiling after them.
"Wake up Harry," Sirius shook Harry softly.
"Five more minutes..." Harry grunted rolling over; Ron's muttering coming in louder.
"Harry, we have to go to the Ministry, now wake up." Sirius peeled the covers down and Harry nearly jumped out of bed. "Blood hell, where did your clothes go?" Harry was only wearing a pair of boxers.
"Leave me alone Sirius!" Harry whimpered, collecting the covers again and slightly blushing.
"Haha, sorry mate." Sirius sat down on the bed and gripped his wand. He muttered a few word and a spark hit Ron in the chest.
Harry sat up straight and he felt his eyes roll back in his head. His voice got high pitched, "Plans have been changed Black, I am sorry."
His eyes rolled back and he collapsed back down into his pillow as Ron was rolled off his bed.
"HARRY!"
The world came back to him in a blur just as he felt himself being plunged into an ice water bath.
"WHAT THE?!?!" Harry jumped to his feet. His skin was red from the chilled water at his feet.
"Sorry mate," Ron said, "But Mrs. Dursley said that was the best remedy for black outs."
"Come here Harry," Sirius opened up a towel and helped Harry step out of the bath tub. He wrapped Harry up in the towel and dried his hair.
"Sirius, knock it off!" Harry snapped.
"Sorry mate, I just used to do that when you where a little tike." Sirius kinda chuckled and led Harry into the bed room.
Harry's cheeks flushing pink, either from cold or the fact that the man standing in front of him held him and bath him like the father he knew for a short time did.
"What did you mean?" Sirius asked.
"Mean by what?" Harry asked, carling back into a nice warm bed and snuggling down.
"'Plans have changed Black, I'm sorry.'" Sirius mimicked.
"Oh... I said that?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, right before you fainted." Ron said, throwing a clean shirt and jeans at Harry.
"It's...it's what..." Harry narrowed his eyes and sighed, "what Cameo said to Black before she killed him."
"Black?" Ron repeated.
"Her...right man..." Harry said slowly looking to Sirius who looked bewildered.
"Where did you get this from?" Sirius asked.
"Evan... he told me about the first evil... and... the founders of Hogwarts... but..." Harry stopped when Ginny popped her head in the door.
"Good morning Ron, Sirius," Here eyes danced to Harry and then jolted away. "Dad said he's leaving in the car in fifteen minutes, if you don't hurry you'll have to take the train."
"Why are we going to the Ministry?" Harry asked, pulling his pants on.
"Lesson Harry," Ron said, making his eye brows dance.
"And my trail," Sirius said. "Shouldn't be too hard, Mr. Weasley will be presiding and that's about it." Sirius looked at Ron and winked, "Excuse me... Minister Weasley."
Harry grinned at Ron trying to hide his blushing cheeks. Then it hit him, "What lessons?"
"Come off it Potter, don't play stupid all the time!" Draco hissed from the door frame of the boy's dorm. "Apparition Lesson!"
"Honestly Draco!" Hermione said, coming behind Draco, smacking him on the head. "Be a little louder and wake up the meeting! They just got to sleep by what Seri said. Up till four in the morning!" Hermione shook her head and pushed past Draco. "Now Harry, the cold wet look is very becoming on you, but please get dressed."
Harry grinned boyish, not embarrassed that Hermione had seen him shaking in boxers and pull his jeans on.
"What was the meeting over this time?" Ron asked.
"I'm not sure," Hermione said matter of factly. "It was very secret, seemed like only English members where invited to this one."
"It's nothing to worry about," Sirius said, waving his head. "Just to protect and weapon."
"What weapon?" Harry asked bluntly, dragging his shirt over his face.
"Nothing to worry about now Harry." Sirius gave him and relieving smile and a pat on the back.
"Shall we leave now?" Hermione said impatiently. Ron giggled a little higher pitched then normal when Hermione turned on heel, grabbing Draco by the ear and dragging him down the stairs.
"Everyone ready daddy?" Seri said, walking down the hall putting in her ear rings.
"I think so sweets," Sirius answered, following the crew down the stairs.
"Good, Mr. Weasley is waiting in the drive way." Seri announced.
"What about breakfast?!?" Harry turned and yelled up the stairs, his arms high.
"Complimentary Breakfast at the Ministry Potter," Draco jeered only leading Hermione to jerk his hard by the ear. "My God Herms what is wrong with you this morning? Is it that time of the month or what?"
Hermione squeezed her face and threw Draco down the remaining two stairs. "Listen sharp and listen good." Hermione said getting closer to Draco as she spoke. "I am sick and tiered of putting up with your childish jokes and stupid pranks! If you are going to be living under the same roof as me you better straighten up!"
"Straighten me up then Hermione!" Draco said, opening his arms wipe.
"He's going to get smack..." Ron whispered to Harry.
Hermione reared back her hand and was about to make a sharp compact to Draco when he grabbed her hand and jerked her forward. His lips when to her ear and whispered something Harry imaged to be nasty, but he didn't hear it. Hermione tore her from Draco grip and stared at him. Ron and Harry looked at each other in shock... Hermione was defiantly suppressing a smile and she was... blushing!
"Stop stalling and keep moving!" Sirius shouted from the top of the stairs.
Hermione looked up quickly and scurried out the front door. Harry and Ron grinned at one another and proceeded on.
"WAIT!" Susan Bones and Miley came running out of the house falling onto Harry and Ron's back.
"You can't just leave without me now," Miley said straightening her robes.
"Seri," Charlie pulled Seri out of the view of the door frame and she slowly stepped back into view.
"Bye Charlie," she said softly, slowly letting his hands slip from hers.
"Come on darling," Sirius said, rolling his eyes and then on the parade of seven made their way to the came and onto the Ministry.
"Hello Harry!" Neville screamed excited running to Harry. He clung to his arm tightly like someone was after him. His face was bright, and cheery.
"Hey Neville," Harry cooed, "Feeling alright mate?"
"Fine, just fine Harry." Neville kinda stuttered. "Gran would have come, but she had to... actually, I don't know what she had to do." He tore himself away from Harry and scratched his head, then shrugged.
"You never mind that Neville," Mr. Weasley said, appearing in from of the phone booth. He had on bran new robes, deep red reflecting his bright red hair, with gold trim. His hat was pointed and sleek and the badge on his chest shimmered, "London\ Minster of Magic: Arthur Weasley."
"My father told me about this... process." Draco splat, budging in the phone booth with everyone else.
"This isn't working too well Minister," Seri said, her eyes dancing at Ron's proud smile.
"Yes, well, let's see..." Arthur put his hand to his chin, "I know... Ron pick up Miley and put her on your shoulders. Draco do the same for Susan, Harry you pick up Hermione and Sirius do Seri."
On command the girls were lifted and put on the boy's shoulders. "Ouch Ron!" Miley squealed, "That's my head you're punching through the roof."
"Shhh Miley, he's just a bit tall." Minister Weasley nudged. "What were you saying Draco?"
"Dad never said anything about the Minister escorting us." Hermione looked down at Draco, Harry saw. His eyes softened a bit when mentioning his father and Hermione's watered looking at him.
"Well... you see... it's not a Minister business. I shepherded my other son's first lesson, why should Ron be any different."
"You didn't Charlie, mom took him." Ron jumped in.
Mr. Weasley punch a few buttons on the telephone and it began to move.
"Yes, but I had the that thing to do... then... something with Dumbledore... the muggle protection thingy... you know." Mr. Weasley spat.
"Why don't we need any badges Minister?" Susan Bones asked sweetly.
"I've learned to love the idea of being Minister. Codes and the works... no more stalling and I don't even need to pay for the food in the cafeteria."
"Mom always packs your lunch dad," Ron chuckled.
"And I always eat it... later." Mr. Weasley gave an innocent grin and led the way out of the phone booth.
"This way, we're running a bit behind." Seri said over the roaring voice in the Ministry.
Harry, Ron, Hermione, Susan and Malfoy all stopped and looked at the surroundings. It wasn't as clean cut and polished as it was the last time any of them had been there. People were walking around, a spring in their step, talking excitedly to each other, smiles pasted on their faces.
"MINISTER!" a curly red headed girl came running up to him. "I've been stalling class for five minutes, is he here yet?" He bright blue eyes left the Mr. Weasley and traveled to Harry and then to his scar. "Beg my pardon," the girl said, brushing her curls off her shoulder briskly. "I'm Cameron Ridgley, your apparition teacher for the next week."
"I thought Charles Darnay was. That's what my father told me." Draco spat rudely.
Cameo's eyes veered off Harry's face and to Draco's. Her sparkling blue eyes changed colors... to a pinky red. "I am sorry, but what is your name?"
"Draco Malfoy," he said, his chest held out.
"A Malfoy, I should have known." Cameron sighed and her eyes changed again, "Let's proceed, your class is waiting."
Seri nodded at Harry and he followed Cameron with the other, leaving Sirius, Seri and Mr. Weasley behind, smiling after them.