Chapter 25

Nell was stunned speechless. The Minister? Was he -- "Is he evil, too, then?" she asked.

Lupin blinked. "Not as far as I know. But he's not particularly bright -- most people think Professor Dumbledore should stop being stubborn and take the position."

"Right," Nell said. "So if he's not evil, why is he going around ruining my friends' and my mother's lives?"

She asked it in such a polite and distant tone that it seemed to take Lupin a moment to understand her.

He turned, suddenly, and with his back to her said, "I'm truly sorry, Miss Burton. Professor Dumbledore will have to explain what Minister Fudge is thinking." He walked back toward the lounge. "I believe I will tell Harry good night -- I shall see you in the morning."

"Wait," she said. "I've upset you. What did I say?"

"Never mind," said Lupin, his back ramrod-straight. "But please remember that your friends and family are still alive, and there is much that can be done for them. Don't count their lives ruined quite yet."

"Ah," said Nell, suddenly understanding. "I'm whinging. Well, tomorrow morning, then. When should we expect you and Dumbledore to be here?"

"Is half past eight too early?"

"Not at all. The earlier the better." She paused. "Will you be nearby, if there's trouble?"

"I will be within shouting distance," he said. "If it's a loud shout."

"I'll do my best to scream if we need you," Nell responded dryly. "What is our Floo direction, just in case?"

He turned and looked at her sharply. "You needn't go anywhere, you know. There's no reason to leave, and it isn't safe."

"But I want to know," she said. "If we have to Floo somewhere in a big hurry, I'd like to be able to find my way back here. Please?"

He looked at her suspiciously, but assented after a moment. "Sixteen Eaton Circle. But for Merlin's sake, don't go anywhere!"

"I swear," said Nell. Lupin nodded and vanished into the other room. She could hear him saying good night, but her mind was already racing. When the door had closed after him and the lounge had been peaceful for a few minutes, she went back in.

She went straight to the fireplace and tossed a pinch of powder onto the flames. "Michele Zabini, at the Daily Prophet Office," she said, and bravely stretched her head toward the fire.

She was expecting to scorch off her eyebrows, at the very least, and she was pleasantly surprised to feel that the flames were only a pleasant tickle around her neck. She stared out into the room that had appeared before her eyes; it was everything she'd expected of a magical newspaper office.

Notes were rocketing back and forth between desks, flying overhead like the best paper airplanes ever built; there were a dozen fireplaces that she could see, all with heads talking earnestly to steno pads writing by themselves; best of all, Michele was right next to her fireplace. Perfect.

"Michele," Nell hissed.

The young woman looked up absently. She caught sight of Nell and rushed to the fireplace. "What are you doing here? Trying to taunt the reporters? I thought you were supposed to be going into deep hiding?"

"I was -- am," Nell stammered. "Look, I need your help. Floo to sixteen Eaton Circle, and I'll tell you what's been going on. Exclusive!"

Michele hesitated and looked uneasily at the office, but apparently the siren call of an exclusive story was too much for her to resist, and she nodded. "Get back."

Nell pulled her head out of the fireplace and backed up a few paces. Harry was watching curiously, and she grinned at him. "Remember the reporter? She's going to come by." Harry barely had time to smile back before Michele fell out of the grate.

Looking around, the young woman whistled between her teeth. "Something's been going on, hasn't it? Does Professor Dumbledore have you stashed away in an official safehouse?"

Nell shrugged. "I don't know, honestly. But these are my friends and my mother, if that's what you were wondering. Audrey and Mum got Memory Charms, but Emma only got a Confundus. And it's all the minister's fault, Lupin says, because of the pinstripes. Dumbledore's coming tomorrow to sort it out, but I want your help."

"Wait," said Michele, holding up her hand and helplessly laughing. "Start from the beginning. Pretend I have no idea what's going on."

Nell looked at her, then laughed. "Of course. It seems like such a long time, but really this has all happened in just a few days." She took a deep breath before she launched into the explanation. She noticed Harry looking up from his book and edging closer to Michele.

"Well," she began, "I was going to move in with Audrey for a few days. So I tried to call her, but she didn't answer. I asked Emma to stop by, and then Emma didn't answer her mobile. I told Dumbledore, and he asked a man named Remus Lupin to investigate for me, while he moved me and Harry here. While I was telling him about my friends, I called my mum to check on her, and she'd forgotten who I was."

"Is that where the Memory Charm comes in?" asked Michele, who had been following closely and taking notes. By then, Harry was sitting at her elbow, watching the quill and paying close attention to the discussion.

"Exactly," said Nell. "Lupin went and got all three of them, and it turns out Audrey and Mum both had that one done. But Emma was lucky -- the two men who visited her apartment only cast a Confundus curse on her, so once Lupin did a spell on her, she could remember most of what happened. And what happened was that a man in pinstriped robes had been in charge of looking for Harry, apparently."

Michele gasped.

Nell raised her eyebrows. "So the pinstripes mean something to you, too? This Fudge must have striking taste."

"Oh, he does," said Michele fervently. "It's -- unforgettable. Honestly. But are you saying that the Minister of Magic is going around to Muggle homes and putting Memory Charms on Muggles at random?"

"Not at random -- Emma said that he was looking for Harry, and he didn't think a Muggle should have custody of him." Nell sent a reassuring glance to Harry, who left his seat on the sofa to squeeze in next to Nell on her chair.

"He's wrong, of course," said Michele, and both Harry and Nell sent her approving glances. "I mean, seeing as it's you. I don't know that I would want just any Muggle entrusted with Harry Potter, but if that aunt and uncle were so bad…" Her voice trailed off.

"But what do you want me to do?" she asked after a short silence.

"I want you to tell the minister where we are," Nell said flatly. Michele looked at her in shock, and Nell hastened to explain. "Dumbledore and Lupin will be here at half eight; I want the minister to think he has until ten or so. Go to him early in the morning and say you have breaking news that you thought he'd be interested in."

Michele's face reflected her dawning understanding. "So he comes here, expecting a helpless Muggle and a child -- sorry, Harry -- and instead finds Professor Dumbledore and Remus Lupin." She laughed. "Can I come, too?"

Nell grinned. "Sure."

Michele stood up. "I'll tell him tomorrow morning." She looked down at her notebook. "I wonder how much of this they'll let me print?"