Disclaimer: I don't own anything Harry Potter. I hope everyone likes this
chapter.
*Chapter Eight: The Ministry of Magic Inspectors*
September passed by and it was two weeks before Halloween when Harry realized that the first Quidditch match of the season was getting closer. Gryffindor was going to be playing against Slytherin, and the Gryffindor Quidditch team had never been training harder. Ron's skills as a Keeper were getting better, and Ginny quickly fit into Angelina's empty spot as a Chaser.
Tuesday afternoon, the week before Halloween, Harry found himself in Transfiguration with Ron and Hermione, where he was supposed to be trying to turn the small fur rugs in front of them into cats. As usual, Hermione was easily producing several cats that were purring very loudly and only stopped when Professor McGonagall gave Hermione a top grade for the day. Harry wasn't doing too badly, but Ron was given a very angry look from McGonagall when his arm slipped from his desk, transfiguring one of Hermione's cats into a huge, gray slug that was beginning to sprout bird legs at a rapid pace. With a wave of her wand, McGonagall quickly turned it back into a cat, and Ron's ears went pink as he tried to ignore the bits of laughter that broke out in the room.
"Now, Mr. Weasley, could you please transfigure your rugs correctly this time?" McGonagall asked with a stern tone.
"Yes, Professor," he replied. For the rest of the class period, Ron didn't speak one word as he successfully produced a small tabby kitten.
Just minutes before class ended, Professor McGonagall silenced everyone so that she could speak. Harry started to listen halfway through. "Plan on attending with your best behavior in mind, for the guests from the Ministry of Magic will be arriving in time for the Halloween feast." At their professor's statement, Harry exchanged looks with Hermione and Ron.
"It's obvious why delegates from the Ministry of Magic are coming to Hogwarts!" Hermione exclaimed as they began to climb the tower to head back to the Gryffindor common room.
"As usual, Hermione, it's only obvious to you."
"If you would take the time to think it through, Ronald, you would realize it too," Hermione said with a small glare. "Butterbeer." The portrait of the Fat Lady quickly swung open, letting them through.
"Why don't you just explain it to us and get it over with? You know that you like to because it makes you feel so superior to everyone else. And don't call me Ronald," Ron retorted as he heaved his heavy school bag up the stairs. Hermione followed them up to the boy's dormitory, only because they could speak freely without being heard. It was a good choice, because Harry and Ron's dormitory was completely empty, while several other students had occupied the common room.
"Both of you should very well remember what happened after the third task last year, especially you, Harry. Do you both remember how Fudge acted towards Dumbledore?"
Harry sat on the edge of his bed, stroking Hedwig when she fluttered over to him. "Fudge wouldn't believe Dumbledore. Dumbledore tried to convince him, but Fudge wouldn't have it. He would not accept that Voldemort was alive," Harry said.
"Exactly! Ever since then, a rift has begun to develop between Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic. It helps explain why the Daily Prophet never connects any of the attacks over the summer with Voldemort because Fudge is most likely controlling it and making sure that they don't print any articles associated with Voldemort."
"So what is your point regarding this?" Ron asked. He clearly wasn't paying too much attention.
"Wake up, Ron! Dumbledore and Fudge have different viewpoints concerning Voldemort and what happened last year. Since then, Dumbledore probably hasn't been helping or even contacting Fudge or the Ministry. He has people like Moody, Lupin, Sirius, and your parents, Ron, working for him to try to stop Voldemort from regaining the power he had 15 years ago," Hermione explained, her face slightly turning red.
"Can you get to the point about Fudge sending people from the Ministry of Magic here?" Ron asked. Suddenly, as if a candle was lit in his head, a look of great enthusiasm spread across Ron's face. "I get it! He's sending those people to try to spy on Dumbledore!"
"And he finally gets it!" Hermione exclaimed.
"But why would he do that? It's not like Dumbledore is against the Ministry."
A moment went by without words being spoken until Harry knew exactly what to say, word for word. "It is exactly like that. Fudge could be worried that Dumbledore would turn all of Hogwarts against the Ministry. He already knows that people have great trust in Dumbledore. He needs to desperately know what's going on here, so he's trying to get someone inside of Hogwarts. He can't get a teacher to do it, so he's going to send people to examine the school, teachers, students, and extra curricular activities," Harry explained.
"But what if he had tried to get a teacher to do it? Neville told us that Fudge fired his father shortly after he had accepted the Dark Arts job. What if Fudge had asked Mr. Longbottom to spy on Dumbledore for him? That could be why he was fired, because he refused," Hermione said with great haste.
Harry's head was full with new information. He sincerely hoped that Dumbledore would not allow Ministry inspectors in to Hogwarts. Unfortunately, he couldn't stop them because Fudge had the power to remove Dumbledore from his position as Headmaster of Hogwarts by influencing the school governors, like Lucius Malfoy. "What are we going to do about Fudge?"
"We can't really do anything, Harry. We're only fifth year students," Ron said as he sighed softly.
Hermione's face suddenly lit up like lights on a Christmas tree. "But we can! Not directly, but there may be a way." Without another word, Hermione turned around and dashed out of the room.
Harry and Ron didn't even bother to follow her, for they figured that whatever it was, they wouldn't completely comprehend it. "What are we going to do if the 'guests' really are inspectors?" Ron asked.
"Whatever we can to say out of their way."
*--------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------*
Hermione turned up halfway through dinner with a big smile on her face. "Are you going to start some organization against the Ministry of Magic now, Hermione?" Ron asked, trying hard not to laugh. "I wonder what you'd call it!"
"I can't tell you what I'm working on yet. I should wait for a response before I inform you, just in case, and I better get a response, because if I don't, there will be hell to pay."
"That's fine with me," Ron said before stuffing a spoonful of mashed potatoes into his mouth.
"I wonder when the first visit to Hogsmeade is," Harry mumbled before reaching for a biscuit.
"The first visit is the day after Halloween, and the next is around Christmas, after the holidays of course."
"How did you find that out?" Ron asked in between large bites of food.
"I asked Professor McGonagall specifically about it."
Once they were back in the common room, Hermione forced Harry and Ron to practice some new spells with her because she was 'sure' that they might come in handy in Defense Against the Dark Arts.
"Now remember, it is Aeroa!"
"What does it do again?" Ron asked as he picked up his wand.
"It emits a powerful wind from your wand depending on your concentration, and we're not practicing right now with our wands, Ron," Hermione explained irritably.
But Ron didn't hear the last part of Hermione's sentence and lifted his wand before anyone could stop him. "Aeroa!" he cried. A fierce wind erupted inside the Gryffindor common room. Books soared through the air, and several students had to cling to the walls or furniture to keep from being tossed around. Hermione, who wasn't holding on to anything except the book in her arms, was blown across the room. Harry luckily stopped her from hitting the wall.
Ron was probably the worst off. The wind picked him up into the air and he was slammed into the ceiling several times.
"I need a wand!" Hermione screamed to Harry over the roar of the wind.
Struggling to not lose his wand, Harry passed it to Hermione who quickly took action. "Finite Incantato!" Harry's wand emitted a loud sizzling sound just as the wind suddenly stopped. Professor McGonagall stormed in through the portrait hole looking furious. Her nostrils had gone white. Ron was in the center of the common room, sprawled out on the floor. Furniture was out of place, paper and books were scattered everywhere, and several Gryffindors were holding body parts that had been obviously injured during the windstorm.
Harry and Hermione ran to Ron's side at once. "He's passed out. Potter, Miss Granger, please take him to the hospital wing. When I get to the bottom of this, detentions will be issued."
"Professor, please don't punish Ron," Hermione whispered.
"Yes, please, Professor. We really need him for Quidditch practice."
McGonagall looked stunned. "Mr. Weasley caused this mess?"
"Uh, yes he did, but it was an accident," Harry muttered.
"Well, I am afraid that he will get a detention, Miss Granger, but it won't be too much. Now hurry along with him to the hospital wing while I restore the room back to normal," Professor McGonagall said.
"Ron won't be too happy that he got a detention," Hermione said as she and Harry levitated him down the stairs.
"Well look at it this way. At least he was concentrating really hard for once," Harry said with a smile.
*--------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------*
Ron remained in the hospital wing for several days, mainly because he didn't wake up until Harry and Hermione visited him Saturday afternoon. They brought him all of his homework, and Hermione decided to help him so that he wouldn't fall too far behind.
"Madam Pomfrey told us that she'll let you leave tomorrow morning," Harry said as he closed his Arithmancy book.
"Good. I don't want to be stuck in here all weekend."
"Don't plan on getting a warm welcome from the Slytherins," Hermione mumbled as she pulled another book out of her bag.
"How would they know?"
"Ron, this is a school. Secrets can't be kept here, especially something that wasn't exactly a secret. I'm sure if Hagrid was here, he could have heard the roar down by his cabin."
"Shut up, Harry," Ron groaned.
Several hours later, after Harry and Hermione had a short supper with Ron in the hospital wing, the two slowly walked back towards the Gryffindor common room after making a quick trip to the Great Hall. The sun was disappearing on the horizon, and Harry wanted to get back to the common room before they got in trouble. Technically, they were already supposed to be back to their common room. Just as they came close to the staff lounge, the door suddenly opened. Harry luckily had time to pull Hermione behind a large statue with him before Professor's Dumbledore and Longbottom exited the lounge.
"Albus, I don't like what is going on with our reconnaissance team. I believe that they are not gathering enough information," Mr. Longbottom said.
Dumbledore lowered his voice as he spoke. "They are doing the best that they can. Severus has been able to keep them safe and maintain their secrecy. And the information that has been relayed has been very helpful. Currently, Minerva and I are trying to figure out when he plans to make his move."
"Have you performed the protection spell on Potter?"
"No, I have not, and I have no intention to. Harry is safe here at Hogwarts this year. What happened last year will not be repeated. Plus, even on as strong as myself cannot perform it without nearing death."
"This business with the Ministry is troubling as well. I will temper my lessons while they are here like you have asked."
"Good. Come along, Frank. Let us continue this discussion in my office," Dumbledore murmured as the two professors swept up the hallway.
"Protection spell? There is no spell that can keep one from dying," Hermione whispered when the hallway was clear.
Harry opened his mouth to talk but Hermione quickly hurried him back to the common room, where they couldn't speak privately about things that they had overheard. Instead, Harry spent his time thinking deeply by the fireplace, often stopping to watch Hermione chase Fred and George around the room for giving out some of their unusual treats that they had recently developed.
*--------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------*
Ron was finally able to leave the hospital wing on Sunday, and he spent the whole afternoon with Harry and Hermione out on the lawn by the lake. Winter was getting closer. The wind was slightly colder and the sunlight was waning.
"So, you actually heard Dumbledore say something about You-Know-Who attacking?" Ron asked in utter amazement.
"Not exactly attacking. He just made it sound like Voldemort was going to make a move," Harry explained before stretching out on the grass. He stared up into the blue sky, watching the white clouds pass by.
"He didn't even say it was Voldemort, technically," Hermione muttered.
"But you are assuming it?" Ron asked.
"Well, yeah," Harry responded.
Ron snorted loudly. "If you asked me," he began.
"Which we aren't," Hermione said.
"Shut up, Hermione. If you asked me, I think that Dumbledore and everyone else for that matter, is hiding things from you."
Harry had thought of that idea before, but he never had wanted to act on it and speak to Dumbledore. Although he wouldn't mind knowing what was going on, a part of Harry did not want to.
Several moments passed where the wind blowing across the grounds was the only sound. Harry looked down across the grounds in time to see the Ravenclaw Quidditch team head towards the pitch.
"Are you guys ready for the match against Slytherin?" Hermione asked slowly after following Harry's eyes with her own.
"I think we'll do fine, as long as Harry can knock Malfoy off of his broom," Ron said.
"We should get up to the school for dinner," Harry said as he pulled himself up off of the ground. Harry frequently glanced over at the pitch as the three of them proceeded up the steps and into the castle.
*--------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------*
Halloween came a lot sooner than Harry had expected. The classes went by fast during the week, and Harry found himself heading to the Great Hall that night with Harry and Hermione. The hall was decorated with hundreds of pumpkins as usual, many floating in the air among the candles. Bats fluttered about, swooping down between the tables, occasionally scaring the first years.
The feast was magnificent. Before the desserts magically appeared, the House ghosts entertained the students by flying in formation, similar to synchronized swimming except without all of the water. The high point of the act was when several professors, including Dumbledore, enchanted several human skeletons to tap dance across the room, do an Irish jig on the staff table, and perform stunning gymnastics that left the school breathless with amazement and laughter.
Ron was the first to dig into the flaming pumpkin pie, and Harry quickly followed suit. It warmed both of their insides as it went down. The night couldn't have gotten worse. That is until the wooden doors to the Great Hall suddenly burst open and slammed into the stone walls. Several screamed, and Harry had to carefully hit Hermione's back to keep her from choking on her pie.
At the staff table, Dumbledore slowly rose for his chair. "Ah. I believe that our guests have finally arrived." At first, no one came through the open door. But then two tall figures slowly waltzed through the archway. They were dressed in robes of dark crimson. They slowly marched down the middle aisle. Harry looked up at their faces as they passed. One was a woman, the other a man. They appeared to be husband and wife. For once second, Harry's eyes looked straight into the older man's gaze. The glare that he received reflected burning anger and hate. Harry's scar suddenly prickled lightly with sharp pain. He slowly rubbed his forehead after they passed by, and Harry could see Hermione looking at him with a concerned look. Ron was too busy to notice.
"I'm very glad that you have arrived. I almost worried that a turn for the worst had taken place. We expected you both to arrive in time for the feast," Dumbledore said slowly.
The woman spoke first. "Very sorry about that, Dumbledore. There were complications." Harry couldn't hear what she said next, for she spoke barely above a whisper. Dumbledore turned towards the House tables.
"I would like to introduce two inspectors from the Ministry of Magic: Alain and Loraine Ghellar." Dumbledore opened his mouth to say more but was rudely interrupted by Alain.
"We have come to inspect Hogwarts by orders of the Ministry of Magic. It is our privilege to do so, because it is in the best interests of all of you that we make sure you are being properly educated. While we are here, it is requested that all of you address us as Madam or Monsieur, for although we work here in the United Kingdom, we originally hail from France. We promise to make sure that you are getting all that you can here at Hogwarts."
"And while our guests are here with us, please treat them with the same respect that you bestow upon your professors," Dumbledore said.
"Does that mean we can despise them as much as we despise Snape?" Ron whispered to Harry.
Without another word, the Ghellar's thanked Dumbledore and left the Great Hall almost as fast as they had entered.
"Inspecting the school for our safety my arse. There is just something about them that doesn't sit right with me," Ron yawned out later in the common room. Harry nodded his head in agreement.
"Harry, why were you clutching you sca..." Hermione began.
But she was quickly interrupted. "Goodnight, Hermione," Harry said quickly before disappearing up the stairs to his dorm room.
"Hey, wait up!" Ron called. "What was she going to ask you?"
"I don't know."
Harry changed into his pajamas while Ron paced around slowly. "So, do you think that they will be trouble?" Ron asked.
"Well, they are both French, aren't they?" Harry retorted as he climbed into bed. Ron laughed lightly before someone knocked on their door.
"Get plenty of rest for the Quidditch match tomorrow!" Katie Bell screamed through the door. Moments later, Seamus and Dean came in and went to sleep.
Ron's face almost turned a shade of green. "Oh no...I forgot about that. I was enjoying myself so much tonight. We play Slytherin, don't we?"
"How could you forget? And yes, we are playing them. Malfoy hasn't been leaving us alone about it," Harry groaned.
"Please don't kill me tomorrow if we lose."
"You'll be fine. Just go to sleep," Harry said as he pulled his pillow over his head and let sleep claim him.
*--------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------*
The next morning, Harry was surprised to see that Ron had calmed down a substantial amount. He was calmly eating, with Hermione occasionally offering tips on Keep techniques. Luckily, for Ron, Harry quickly peeled him away to head out to the Quidditch field early. They spent the hour they had talking in the locker room, and quickly put their robes of scarlet and gold on as they heard the students' voices as they crossed the lawn to the pitch.
Behind Harry, the door opened and Katie Bell strolled in, followed by Alicia Spinnet, Fred, George, and Ginny. "Oh good. You're both here."
"Who's refereeing the match?" Harry asked as Katie pulled on her robes. She glared at him lightly.
"Those Ministry people. It's a part of them wanting to be a part of the school so they can 'inspect' us all."
"Then why would they need to referee Quidditch?" Ron asked angrily.
Katie shrugged. "Who knows. Hurry up and change, you all, and grab your brooms."
After spending a few minutes to put on their robes, the team strolled out on to the Quidditch field, hearing the roar of the crowd. Harry glared at Malfoy, who stood on the other side of the center circle. He sneered right back at him as he mounted his Nimbus Two Thousand and One. Loraine Ghellar, on of the inspectors, stepped out into the center, carrying the box that contained the Quidditch balls. She looked around at all of them as she set it down. "Let's have a nice game, shall we?" she said in an eerie tone. All players kicked off of the ground, hovering ten feet above the air as "Inspector" Ghellar opened the trunk.
"And the bludgers are released!" Lee Jordan cried as the two black spheres hurled into the air. The snitch was released next, fluttering around both Harry and Draco before disappearing out of sight. The quaffle was soon up in the air, and the game had begun. Harry flew up above the field, keeping an eye out for the snitch. He could hear Lee Jordan's commentary as he flew about, occasionally dodging a bludger.
"Alicia Spinnet takes early possession of the quaffle. She passes! Bell, Weasley, Bell, and back to Spinnet. Oh! A narrow miss by the bludger. Spinnet passes to Ginny Weasley. She shoots...she scores!" The Gryffindor crowd below roared with excitement. Harry flew down, soaring next to Ginny to congratulate her. He was soon back above, squinting for the snitch.
"Warrington has the quaffle. Oh! Spinnet pulls off a spectacular steal! Spinnet soars up the field, passing to Weasley, then to Bell...ouch! That's going to hurt in the morning. Montague for Slytherin flying down the center passes to Warrington, who just narrowly dodged a bludger hit by one of the Weasley twins. He shoots, and Ron Weasley saves it just in time!" Lee Jordan's voice yelled.
After nearly ten minutes of playing, Gryffindor was leading 80 points to 20. Harry was still uncomfortable, because he hadn't seen the snitch once, and neither had Malfoy, who was circling about the Slytherin goal posts. Suddenly the whistle blew, and Harry flew to the ground, joining the others. "What's wrong?" he asked.
"That lady is being tough. Fred, George, you both need to be careful about hitting bludgers at people, because she's calling off fouls every time practically, and for no good reason either," Katie Bell shrieked. "And Harry, PLEASE catch the snitch soon. Who knows when that woman will start calling more fouls against us."
As soon as their timeout as over, the Gryffindor team got back into positions. It was then in that moment that Harry glimpsed the snitch. The small gold ball was fluttering around the base of the Slytherin goal posts. He quickly flattened himself on to his broomstick as he soared forward, rapidly flying across the field. Harry could have almost cried out in joy, for Malfoy was nowhere in sight. He was on the other side of the field.
Suddenly, a bludger flew down straight into his path, and Harry spun the Firebolt in a vicious turn, barely dodging it. Unfortunately, in the commotion, the snitch had vanished, and Harry cursed lightly under his breath. Loud booing could finally be heard by Harry, which he didn't notice when was trying to avoid being knocked off of his broom. At first, Harry thought they were booing because Derrick, a Slytherin beater, had hit the bludger into his path. He realized though that the Gryffindors were actually angry because Slytherin's other beater had attacked Ron with a bludger, allowing Slytherin to score since that move wasn't illegal when attempting to score. Ron was nursing his left arm, and refused to take a break when Katie asked him to.
"Call another time out," Harry begged as he flew up next to Katie and Ron.
"Why?"
"Because, I have a great idea."
The Gryffindor captain sighed loudly, and reluctantly called the time out that Harry had asked for. He could see Malfoy sneering and laughing at them across the way. "Look at the Potter Wanna-Be!" he called. Anger flooded though Harry like a raging river. Malfoy had been referring to when Harry broke his arm in his second year during a Quidditch match versus Slytherin, and now Ron's arm was hurt.
"Ron, is your arm broken?" Ginny asked.
"No, I don't think so," he said with a painful wince. "It just hurts a lot."
"What's the plan, Harry?" Katie asked, irritated.
"I've got a great idea that will not only get me to catch the snitch, it will smear that sneer off of Malfoy's dirty face," Harry explained.
"Hmm. A plan that causes bodily harm to Draco Malfoy and gets us to win. We're in," Fred and George muttered in unison.
"Excellent. Fred, George, as soon as I spot the snitch, I will keep Malfoy off of it and try to bring him past the goal posts if possible. You need to be ready to hit a bludger at Ron."
"Why the bloody hell should he hit a bludger at me?" Ron whined.
"Because, Ron, when I bring Malfoy around, you can unleash a surprise on him, if you're capable."
"I'm capable," he fired back.
"What about the Slytherin chasers and beaters?" Fred asked.
"You three will keep them busy," Harry said as he pointed to Katie, Alicia, and Ginny. "Agreed?"
Everyone agreed to the plan, which gave energy to Harry as he flew back into the air. The game resumed, and Harry looked frantically for the snitch. Katie, Alicia, and Ginny kept the Slytherin chasers busy, scoring three more goals on them while making dives to steal the quaffle. Harry almost gave up hope on his plan when he finally saw the snitch, with Malfoy not too far behind it. His heart practically burst from his chest as he zoomed after them, luckily catching up within seconds thanks to the superb speed of his broom. As soon as Harry flew up next to him, Draco slammed into Harry, nearly knocking him off of his broom. Harry would have fought back, but was afraid of Loraine Ghellar calling a foul on him. His arm burned with mild pain as he suddenly pulled ahead. 'Time for the surprise,' he thought.
Harry swerved at angles to make sure that the snitch would head towards the goal posts at the Gryffindor end, and it followed his plan perfectly. Just as Harry came upon the goal posts, Fred slammed a bludger towards Ron with precise timing. Ron spun his Nimbus in a 360-degree spin, the tail end of his broom hitting the bludger straight at Harry. At the last second, Harry performed a perfect corkscrew. The bludger soared over him, heading towards Malfoy. Harry looked back just in time to catch the horrified look on Malfoy's face as the bludger slammed in him, knocking him off of his broom.
The snitch fluttered within reach, and Harry reached out and grasped it between his fingers. The crowd roared with applause. Gryffindor had won the match.
*--------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------*
"That move was awesome!" Neville cried as everyone returned to the party that had erupted in the Gryffindor common room. Even Hermione was excited, and she showed it by giving both Harry and Ron huge hugs. Fred and George had snuck down to the kitchens and had brought back several treats and snacks. They had even run into Dobby down in the kitchens, who accompanied them up to the common room.
"Dobby watched you play Quidditch, Harry Potter! It was superb!"
"Thanks, Dobby," Harry muttered as the house elf passed him a mug of butterbeer.
"I made it all especially for the party!" Dobby squeaked. Before Harry could thank him for that, though, Dobby quickly grabbed Harry's wrist and pulled him towards the nearest window.
"Dobby has a surprise for Harry Potter!" the house elf said. Hermione and Ron pulled themselves away from the party to follow.
"What am I supposed to be looking at, Dobby?" Harry asked impatiently. Dobby outstretched one long finger, pointing at the grounds of Hogwarts. Harry slowly followed the direction, before his heart swelled with joy. The lights in Hagrid's hut were on.
Harry turned and dashed up the stairs, racing for the dormitory. Dobby, Hermione, and Ron chased after. Harry got on to his knees and wrenched his trunk open, pulling out the invisibility cloak. "Harry Potter must not go down tonight!"
"Dobby, we haven't seen Hagrid about five months. Nothing is going to keep me from seeing Hagrid," Harry growled angrily.
"But Harry Potter, those foul Ministry people are in the school tonight! They are making sure that Hogwarts has enforced the rules of students not going out at night. They will find you if you go out, even with that cloak!"
Harry sighed. He so badly wanted to see Hagrid, but he knew that Dobby had some truth behind his words. He could get caught, along with Hermione and Ron, and be in serious trouble, and Harry didn't want to risk getting expelled from Hogwarts or even just losing points for Gryffindor. He slowly closed the trunk after putting the invisibility cloak away. "Fine, Dobby. You win. We won't go tonight."
"Thank you, Harry Potter. It would hurt my feelings if you went and got yourselves in trouble. Now come, enjoy the party with your friends, Harry Potter. You can see the giant one tomorrow!"
Harry sighed as he walked back down the stairs to the common room. "We will get up and go see him as soon as we can in the morning," Harry said to Hermione and Ron. They nodded their head in agreement.
*Chapter Eight: The Ministry of Magic Inspectors*
September passed by and it was two weeks before Halloween when Harry realized that the first Quidditch match of the season was getting closer. Gryffindor was going to be playing against Slytherin, and the Gryffindor Quidditch team had never been training harder. Ron's skills as a Keeper were getting better, and Ginny quickly fit into Angelina's empty spot as a Chaser.
Tuesday afternoon, the week before Halloween, Harry found himself in Transfiguration with Ron and Hermione, where he was supposed to be trying to turn the small fur rugs in front of them into cats. As usual, Hermione was easily producing several cats that were purring very loudly and only stopped when Professor McGonagall gave Hermione a top grade for the day. Harry wasn't doing too badly, but Ron was given a very angry look from McGonagall when his arm slipped from his desk, transfiguring one of Hermione's cats into a huge, gray slug that was beginning to sprout bird legs at a rapid pace. With a wave of her wand, McGonagall quickly turned it back into a cat, and Ron's ears went pink as he tried to ignore the bits of laughter that broke out in the room.
"Now, Mr. Weasley, could you please transfigure your rugs correctly this time?" McGonagall asked with a stern tone.
"Yes, Professor," he replied. For the rest of the class period, Ron didn't speak one word as he successfully produced a small tabby kitten.
Just minutes before class ended, Professor McGonagall silenced everyone so that she could speak. Harry started to listen halfway through. "Plan on attending with your best behavior in mind, for the guests from the Ministry of Magic will be arriving in time for the Halloween feast." At their professor's statement, Harry exchanged looks with Hermione and Ron.
"It's obvious why delegates from the Ministry of Magic are coming to Hogwarts!" Hermione exclaimed as they began to climb the tower to head back to the Gryffindor common room.
"As usual, Hermione, it's only obvious to you."
"If you would take the time to think it through, Ronald, you would realize it too," Hermione said with a small glare. "Butterbeer." The portrait of the Fat Lady quickly swung open, letting them through.
"Why don't you just explain it to us and get it over with? You know that you like to because it makes you feel so superior to everyone else. And don't call me Ronald," Ron retorted as he heaved his heavy school bag up the stairs. Hermione followed them up to the boy's dormitory, only because they could speak freely without being heard. It was a good choice, because Harry and Ron's dormitory was completely empty, while several other students had occupied the common room.
"Both of you should very well remember what happened after the third task last year, especially you, Harry. Do you both remember how Fudge acted towards Dumbledore?"
Harry sat on the edge of his bed, stroking Hedwig when she fluttered over to him. "Fudge wouldn't believe Dumbledore. Dumbledore tried to convince him, but Fudge wouldn't have it. He would not accept that Voldemort was alive," Harry said.
"Exactly! Ever since then, a rift has begun to develop between Hogwarts and the Ministry of Magic. It helps explain why the Daily Prophet never connects any of the attacks over the summer with Voldemort because Fudge is most likely controlling it and making sure that they don't print any articles associated with Voldemort."
"So what is your point regarding this?" Ron asked. He clearly wasn't paying too much attention.
"Wake up, Ron! Dumbledore and Fudge have different viewpoints concerning Voldemort and what happened last year. Since then, Dumbledore probably hasn't been helping or even contacting Fudge or the Ministry. He has people like Moody, Lupin, Sirius, and your parents, Ron, working for him to try to stop Voldemort from regaining the power he had 15 years ago," Hermione explained, her face slightly turning red.
"Can you get to the point about Fudge sending people from the Ministry of Magic here?" Ron asked. Suddenly, as if a candle was lit in his head, a look of great enthusiasm spread across Ron's face. "I get it! He's sending those people to try to spy on Dumbledore!"
"And he finally gets it!" Hermione exclaimed.
"But why would he do that? It's not like Dumbledore is against the Ministry."
A moment went by without words being spoken until Harry knew exactly what to say, word for word. "It is exactly like that. Fudge could be worried that Dumbledore would turn all of Hogwarts against the Ministry. He already knows that people have great trust in Dumbledore. He needs to desperately know what's going on here, so he's trying to get someone inside of Hogwarts. He can't get a teacher to do it, so he's going to send people to examine the school, teachers, students, and extra curricular activities," Harry explained.
"But what if he had tried to get a teacher to do it? Neville told us that Fudge fired his father shortly after he had accepted the Dark Arts job. What if Fudge had asked Mr. Longbottom to spy on Dumbledore for him? That could be why he was fired, because he refused," Hermione said with great haste.
Harry's head was full with new information. He sincerely hoped that Dumbledore would not allow Ministry inspectors in to Hogwarts. Unfortunately, he couldn't stop them because Fudge had the power to remove Dumbledore from his position as Headmaster of Hogwarts by influencing the school governors, like Lucius Malfoy. "What are we going to do about Fudge?"
"We can't really do anything, Harry. We're only fifth year students," Ron said as he sighed softly.
Hermione's face suddenly lit up like lights on a Christmas tree. "But we can! Not directly, but there may be a way." Without another word, Hermione turned around and dashed out of the room.
Harry and Ron didn't even bother to follow her, for they figured that whatever it was, they wouldn't completely comprehend it. "What are we going to do if the 'guests' really are inspectors?" Ron asked.
"Whatever we can to say out of their way."
*--------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------*
Hermione turned up halfway through dinner with a big smile on her face. "Are you going to start some organization against the Ministry of Magic now, Hermione?" Ron asked, trying hard not to laugh. "I wonder what you'd call it!"
"I can't tell you what I'm working on yet. I should wait for a response before I inform you, just in case, and I better get a response, because if I don't, there will be hell to pay."
"That's fine with me," Ron said before stuffing a spoonful of mashed potatoes into his mouth.
"I wonder when the first visit to Hogsmeade is," Harry mumbled before reaching for a biscuit.
"The first visit is the day after Halloween, and the next is around Christmas, after the holidays of course."
"How did you find that out?" Ron asked in between large bites of food.
"I asked Professor McGonagall specifically about it."
Once they were back in the common room, Hermione forced Harry and Ron to practice some new spells with her because she was 'sure' that they might come in handy in Defense Against the Dark Arts.
"Now remember, it is Aeroa!"
"What does it do again?" Ron asked as he picked up his wand.
"It emits a powerful wind from your wand depending on your concentration, and we're not practicing right now with our wands, Ron," Hermione explained irritably.
But Ron didn't hear the last part of Hermione's sentence and lifted his wand before anyone could stop him. "Aeroa!" he cried. A fierce wind erupted inside the Gryffindor common room. Books soared through the air, and several students had to cling to the walls or furniture to keep from being tossed around. Hermione, who wasn't holding on to anything except the book in her arms, was blown across the room. Harry luckily stopped her from hitting the wall.
Ron was probably the worst off. The wind picked him up into the air and he was slammed into the ceiling several times.
"I need a wand!" Hermione screamed to Harry over the roar of the wind.
Struggling to not lose his wand, Harry passed it to Hermione who quickly took action. "Finite Incantato!" Harry's wand emitted a loud sizzling sound just as the wind suddenly stopped. Professor McGonagall stormed in through the portrait hole looking furious. Her nostrils had gone white. Ron was in the center of the common room, sprawled out on the floor. Furniture was out of place, paper and books were scattered everywhere, and several Gryffindors were holding body parts that had been obviously injured during the windstorm.
Harry and Hermione ran to Ron's side at once. "He's passed out. Potter, Miss Granger, please take him to the hospital wing. When I get to the bottom of this, detentions will be issued."
"Professor, please don't punish Ron," Hermione whispered.
"Yes, please, Professor. We really need him for Quidditch practice."
McGonagall looked stunned. "Mr. Weasley caused this mess?"
"Uh, yes he did, but it was an accident," Harry muttered.
"Well, I am afraid that he will get a detention, Miss Granger, but it won't be too much. Now hurry along with him to the hospital wing while I restore the room back to normal," Professor McGonagall said.
"Ron won't be too happy that he got a detention," Hermione said as she and Harry levitated him down the stairs.
"Well look at it this way. At least he was concentrating really hard for once," Harry said with a smile.
*--------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------*
Ron remained in the hospital wing for several days, mainly because he didn't wake up until Harry and Hermione visited him Saturday afternoon. They brought him all of his homework, and Hermione decided to help him so that he wouldn't fall too far behind.
"Madam Pomfrey told us that she'll let you leave tomorrow morning," Harry said as he closed his Arithmancy book.
"Good. I don't want to be stuck in here all weekend."
"Don't plan on getting a warm welcome from the Slytherins," Hermione mumbled as she pulled another book out of her bag.
"How would they know?"
"Ron, this is a school. Secrets can't be kept here, especially something that wasn't exactly a secret. I'm sure if Hagrid was here, he could have heard the roar down by his cabin."
"Shut up, Harry," Ron groaned.
Several hours later, after Harry and Hermione had a short supper with Ron in the hospital wing, the two slowly walked back towards the Gryffindor common room after making a quick trip to the Great Hall. The sun was disappearing on the horizon, and Harry wanted to get back to the common room before they got in trouble. Technically, they were already supposed to be back to their common room. Just as they came close to the staff lounge, the door suddenly opened. Harry luckily had time to pull Hermione behind a large statue with him before Professor's Dumbledore and Longbottom exited the lounge.
"Albus, I don't like what is going on with our reconnaissance team. I believe that they are not gathering enough information," Mr. Longbottom said.
Dumbledore lowered his voice as he spoke. "They are doing the best that they can. Severus has been able to keep them safe and maintain their secrecy. And the information that has been relayed has been very helpful. Currently, Minerva and I are trying to figure out when he plans to make his move."
"Have you performed the protection spell on Potter?"
"No, I have not, and I have no intention to. Harry is safe here at Hogwarts this year. What happened last year will not be repeated. Plus, even on as strong as myself cannot perform it without nearing death."
"This business with the Ministry is troubling as well. I will temper my lessons while they are here like you have asked."
"Good. Come along, Frank. Let us continue this discussion in my office," Dumbledore murmured as the two professors swept up the hallway.
"Protection spell? There is no spell that can keep one from dying," Hermione whispered when the hallway was clear.
Harry opened his mouth to talk but Hermione quickly hurried him back to the common room, where they couldn't speak privately about things that they had overheard. Instead, Harry spent his time thinking deeply by the fireplace, often stopping to watch Hermione chase Fred and George around the room for giving out some of their unusual treats that they had recently developed.
*--------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------*
Ron was finally able to leave the hospital wing on Sunday, and he spent the whole afternoon with Harry and Hermione out on the lawn by the lake. Winter was getting closer. The wind was slightly colder and the sunlight was waning.
"So, you actually heard Dumbledore say something about You-Know-Who attacking?" Ron asked in utter amazement.
"Not exactly attacking. He just made it sound like Voldemort was going to make a move," Harry explained before stretching out on the grass. He stared up into the blue sky, watching the white clouds pass by.
"He didn't even say it was Voldemort, technically," Hermione muttered.
"But you are assuming it?" Ron asked.
"Well, yeah," Harry responded.
Ron snorted loudly. "If you asked me," he began.
"Which we aren't," Hermione said.
"Shut up, Hermione. If you asked me, I think that Dumbledore and everyone else for that matter, is hiding things from you."
Harry had thought of that idea before, but he never had wanted to act on it and speak to Dumbledore. Although he wouldn't mind knowing what was going on, a part of Harry did not want to.
Several moments passed where the wind blowing across the grounds was the only sound. Harry looked down across the grounds in time to see the Ravenclaw Quidditch team head towards the pitch.
"Are you guys ready for the match against Slytherin?" Hermione asked slowly after following Harry's eyes with her own.
"I think we'll do fine, as long as Harry can knock Malfoy off of his broom," Ron said.
"We should get up to the school for dinner," Harry said as he pulled himself up off of the ground. Harry frequently glanced over at the pitch as the three of them proceeded up the steps and into the castle.
*--------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------*
Halloween came a lot sooner than Harry had expected. The classes went by fast during the week, and Harry found himself heading to the Great Hall that night with Harry and Hermione. The hall was decorated with hundreds of pumpkins as usual, many floating in the air among the candles. Bats fluttered about, swooping down between the tables, occasionally scaring the first years.
The feast was magnificent. Before the desserts magically appeared, the House ghosts entertained the students by flying in formation, similar to synchronized swimming except without all of the water. The high point of the act was when several professors, including Dumbledore, enchanted several human skeletons to tap dance across the room, do an Irish jig on the staff table, and perform stunning gymnastics that left the school breathless with amazement and laughter.
Ron was the first to dig into the flaming pumpkin pie, and Harry quickly followed suit. It warmed both of their insides as it went down. The night couldn't have gotten worse. That is until the wooden doors to the Great Hall suddenly burst open and slammed into the stone walls. Several screamed, and Harry had to carefully hit Hermione's back to keep her from choking on her pie.
At the staff table, Dumbledore slowly rose for his chair. "Ah. I believe that our guests have finally arrived." At first, no one came through the open door. But then two tall figures slowly waltzed through the archway. They were dressed in robes of dark crimson. They slowly marched down the middle aisle. Harry looked up at their faces as they passed. One was a woman, the other a man. They appeared to be husband and wife. For once second, Harry's eyes looked straight into the older man's gaze. The glare that he received reflected burning anger and hate. Harry's scar suddenly prickled lightly with sharp pain. He slowly rubbed his forehead after they passed by, and Harry could see Hermione looking at him with a concerned look. Ron was too busy to notice.
"I'm very glad that you have arrived. I almost worried that a turn for the worst had taken place. We expected you both to arrive in time for the feast," Dumbledore said slowly.
The woman spoke first. "Very sorry about that, Dumbledore. There were complications." Harry couldn't hear what she said next, for she spoke barely above a whisper. Dumbledore turned towards the House tables.
"I would like to introduce two inspectors from the Ministry of Magic: Alain and Loraine Ghellar." Dumbledore opened his mouth to say more but was rudely interrupted by Alain.
"We have come to inspect Hogwarts by orders of the Ministry of Magic. It is our privilege to do so, because it is in the best interests of all of you that we make sure you are being properly educated. While we are here, it is requested that all of you address us as Madam or Monsieur, for although we work here in the United Kingdom, we originally hail from France. We promise to make sure that you are getting all that you can here at Hogwarts."
"And while our guests are here with us, please treat them with the same respect that you bestow upon your professors," Dumbledore said.
"Does that mean we can despise them as much as we despise Snape?" Ron whispered to Harry.
Without another word, the Ghellar's thanked Dumbledore and left the Great Hall almost as fast as they had entered.
"Inspecting the school for our safety my arse. There is just something about them that doesn't sit right with me," Ron yawned out later in the common room. Harry nodded his head in agreement.
"Harry, why were you clutching you sca..." Hermione began.
But she was quickly interrupted. "Goodnight, Hermione," Harry said quickly before disappearing up the stairs to his dorm room.
"Hey, wait up!" Ron called. "What was she going to ask you?"
"I don't know."
Harry changed into his pajamas while Ron paced around slowly. "So, do you think that they will be trouble?" Ron asked.
"Well, they are both French, aren't they?" Harry retorted as he climbed into bed. Ron laughed lightly before someone knocked on their door.
"Get plenty of rest for the Quidditch match tomorrow!" Katie Bell screamed through the door. Moments later, Seamus and Dean came in and went to sleep.
Ron's face almost turned a shade of green. "Oh no...I forgot about that. I was enjoying myself so much tonight. We play Slytherin, don't we?"
"How could you forget? And yes, we are playing them. Malfoy hasn't been leaving us alone about it," Harry groaned.
"Please don't kill me tomorrow if we lose."
"You'll be fine. Just go to sleep," Harry said as he pulled his pillow over his head and let sleep claim him.
*--------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------*
The next morning, Harry was surprised to see that Ron had calmed down a substantial amount. He was calmly eating, with Hermione occasionally offering tips on Keep techniques. Luckily, for Ron, Harry quickly peeled him away to head out to the Quidditch field early. They spent the hour they had talking in the locker room, and quickly put their robes of scarlet and gold on as they heard the students' voices as they crossed the lawn to the pitch.
Behind Harry, the door opened and Katie Bell strolled in, followed by Alicia Spinnet, Fred, George, and Ginny. "Oh good. You're both here."
"Who's refereeing the match?" Harry asked as Katie pulled on her robes. She glared at him lightly.
"Those Ministry people. It's a part of them wanting to be a part of the school so they can 'inspect' us all."
"Then why would they need to referee Quidditch?" Ron asked angrily.
Katie shrugged. "Who knows. Hurry up and change, you all, and grab your brooms."
After spending a few minutes to put on their robes, the team strolled out on to the Quidditch field, hearing the roar of the crowd. Harry glared at Malfoy, who stood on the other side of the center circle. He sneered right back at him as he mounted his Nimbus Two Thousand and One. Loraine Ghellar, on of the inspectors, stepped out into the center, carrying the box that contained the Quidditch balls. She looked around at all of them as she set it down. "Let's have a nice game, shall we?" she said in an eerie tone. All players kicked off of the ground, hovering ten feet above the air as "Inspector" Ghellar opened the trunk.
"And the bludgers are released!" Lee Jordan cried as the two black spheres hurled into the air. The snitch was released next, fluttering around both Harry and Draco before disappearing out of sight. The quaffle was soon up in the air, and the game had begun. Harry flew up above the field, keeping an eye out for the snitch. He could hear Lee Jordan's commentary as he flew about, occasionally dodging a bludger.
"Alicia Spinnet takes early possession of the quaffle. She passes! Bell, Weasley, Bell, and back to Spinnet. Oh! A narrow miss by the bludger. Spinnet passes to Ginny Weasley. She shoots...she scores!" The Gryffindor crowd below roared with excitement. Harry flew down, soaring next to Ginny to congratulate her. He was soon back above, squinting for the snitch.
"Warrington has the quaffle. Oh! Spinnet pulls off a spectacular steal! Spinnet soars up the field, passing to Weasley, then to Bell...ouch! That's going to hurt in the morning. Montague for Slytherin flying down the center passes to Warrington, who just narrowly dodged a bludger hit by one of the Weasley twins. He shoots, and Ron Weasley saves it just in time!" Lee Jordan's voice yelled.
After nearly ten minutes of playing, Gryffindor was leading 80 points to 20. Harry was still uncomfortable, because he hadn't seen the snitch once, and neither had Malfoy, who was circling about the Slytherin goal posts. Suddenly the whistle blew, and Harry flew to the ground, joining the others. "What's wrong?" he asked.
"That lady is being tough. Fred, George, you both need to be careful about hitting bludgers at people, because she's calling off fouls every time practically, and for no good reason either," Katie Bell shrieked. "And Harry, PLEASE catch the snitch soon. Who knows when that woman will start calling more fouls against us."
As soon as their timeout as over, the Gryffindor team got back into positions. It was then in that moment that Harry glimpsed the snitch. The small gold ball was fluttering around the base of the Slytherin goal posts. He quickly flattened himself on to his broomstick as he soared forward, rapidly flying across the field. Harry could have almost cried out in joy, for Malfoy was nowhere in sight. He was on the other side of the field.
Suddenly, a bludger flew down straight into his path, and Harry spun the Firebolt in a vicious turn, barely dodging it. Unfortunately, in the commotion, the snitch had vanished, and Harry cursed lightly under his breath. Loud booing could finally be heard by Harry, which he didn't notice when was trying to avoid being knocked off of his broom. At first, Harry thought they were booing because Derrick, a Slytherin beater, had hit the bludger into his path. He realized though that the Gryffindors were actually angry because Slytherin's other beater had attacked Ron with a bludger, allowing Slytherin to score since that move wasn't illegal when attempting to score. Ron was nursing his left arm, and refused to take a break when Katie asked him to.
"Call another time out," Harry begged as he flew up next to Katie and Ron.
"Why?"
"Because, I have a great idea."
The Gryffindor captain sighed loudly, and reluctantly called the time out that Harry had asked for. He could see Malfoy sneering and laughing at them across the way. "Look at the Potter Wanna-Be!" he called. Anger flooded though Harry like a raging river. Malfoy had been referring to when Harry broke his arm in his second year during a Quidditch match versus Slytherin, and now Ron's arm was hurt.
"Ron, is your arm broken?" Ginny asked.
"No, I don't think so," he said with a painful wince. "It just hurts a lot."
"What's the plan, Harry?" Katie asked, irritated.
"I've got a great idea that will not only get me to catch the snitch, it will smear that sneer off of Malfoy's dirty face," Harry explained.
"Hmm. A plan that causes bodily harm to Draco Malfoy and gets us to win. We're in," Fred and George muttered in unison.
"Excellent. Fred, George, as soon as I spot the snitch, I will keep Malfoy off of it and try to bring him past the goal posts if possible. You need to be ready to hit a bludger at Ron."
"Why the bloody hell should he hit a bludger at me?" Ron whined.
"Because, Ron, when I bring Malfoy around, you can unleash a surprise on him, if you're capable."
"I'm capable," he fired back.
"What about the Slytherin chasers and beaters?" Fred asked.
"You three will keep them busy," Harry said as he pointed to Katie, Alicia, and Ginny. "Agreed?"
Everyone agreed to the plan, which gave energy to Harry as he flew back into the air. The game resumed, and Harry looked frantically for the snitch. Katie, Alicia, and Ginny kept the Slytherin chasers busy, scoring three more goals on them while making dives to steal the quaffle. Harry almost gave up hope on his plan when he finally saw the snitch, with Malfoy not too far behind it. His heart practically burst from his chest as he zoomed after them, luckily catching up within seconds thanks to the superb speed of his broom. As soon as Harry flew up next to him, Draco slammed into Harry, nearly knocking him off of his broom. Harry would have fought back, but was afraid of Loraine Ghellar calling a foul on him. His arm burned with mild pain as he suddenly pulled ahead. 'Time for the surprise,' he thought.
Harry swerved at angles to make sure that the snitch would head towards the goal posts at the Gryffindor end, and it followed his plan perfectly. Just as Harry came upon the goal posts, Fred slammed a bludger towards Ron with precise timing. Ron spun his Nimbus in a 360-degree spin, the tail end of his broom hitting the bludger straight at Harry. At the last second, Harry performed a perfect corkscrew. The bludger soared over him, heading towards Malfoy. Harry looked back just in time to catch the horrified look on Malfoy's face as the bludger slammed in him, knocking him off of his broom.
The snitch fluttered within reach, and Harry reached out and grasped it between his fingers. The crowd roared with applause. Gryffindor had won the match.
*--------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------*
"That move was awesome!" Neville cried as everyone returned to the party that had erupted in the Gryffindor common room. Even Hermione was excited, and she showed it by giving both Harry and Ron huge hugs. Fred and George had snuck down to the kitchens and had brought back several treats and snacks. They had even run into Dobby down in the kitchens, who accompanied them up to the common room.
"Dobby watched you play Quidditch, Harry Potter! It was superb!"
"Thanks, Dobby," Harry muttered as the house elf passed him a mug of butterbeer.
"I made it all especially for the party!" Dobby squeaked. Before Harry could thank him for that, though, Dobby quickly grabbed Harry's wrist and pulled him towards the nearest window.
"Dobby has a surprise for Harry Potter!" the house elf said. Hermione and Ron pulled themselves away from the party to follow.
"What am I supposed to be looking at, Dobby?" Harry asked impatiently. Dobby outstretched one long finger, pointing at the grounds of Hogwarts. Harry slowly followed the direction, before his heart swelled with joy. The lights in Hagrid's hut were on.
Harry turned and dashed up the stairs, racing for the dormitory. Dobby, Hermione, and Ron chased after. Harry got on to his knees and wrenched his trunk open, pulling out the invisibility cloak. "Harry Potter must not go down tonight!"
"Dobby, we haven't seen Hagrid about five months. Nothing is going to keep me from seeing Hagrid," Harry growled angrily.
"But Harry Potter, those foul Ministry people are in the school tonight! They are making sure that Hogwarts has enforced the rules of students not going out at night. They will find you if you go out, even with that cloak!"
Harry sighed. He so badly wanted to see Hagrid, but he knew that Dobby had some truth behind his words. He could get caught, along with Hermione and Ron, and be in serious trouble, and Harry didn't want to risk getting expelled from Hogwarts or even just losing points for Gryffindor. He slowly closed the trunk after putting the invisibility cloak away. "Fine, Dobby. You win. We won't go tonight."
"Thank you, Harry Potter. It would hurt my feelings if you went and got yourselves in trouble. Now come, enjoy the party with your friends, Harry Potter. You can see the giant one tomorrow!"
Harry sighed as he walked back down the stairs to the common room. "We will get up and go see him as soon as we can in the morning," Harry said to Hermione and Ron. They nodded their head in agreement.