Chapter VI: The Unveiling
"Ron, did you get a copy of those dates for me yet?" Mr. Weasley asked as he popped his head out from behind a door.
"Not yet, dad."
"Ehermp, it's Mr. Weasley around here Ron. Why do I always have to remind you of that? I have to treat you equally like any other employee. Now, go and take the rest of the day off so you can plan out your day for the Quidditch World Cup."
Ron's smile widened. He threw down a stack of papers in his hands and grabbed his light jacket on a Muggle coat rack. After he rushed through the doors, another trainee walked up to Mr. Weasley and cleared his throat.
"Sir, may I have the rest of the day off? My dog is sick and since you just let Ron off, I thought, well—"
"Nonsense. There's work to be done! Back to your research on Muggle cleaning devices."
"With all due respect sir, you cannot let your son take off and expect me to—"
"I treat him just like anyone else. Now get back to work." The trainee sighed and slowly went back as Mr. Weasley smirked and held back laughter.
It was three-thirty Muggle time, and Ron walked along a brick, alley path. He thought it'd be nice to head down to the upper part of London and go window-shopping. As he approached the corner, he noticed that he had forgotten a very important item. Ron looked down at his empty hands and felt his empty pockets. His sack of coins was back at Ministry of Magic. Quickly, he turned around and walked back up the alley where a telephone booth was located. Once he gave his identity, the Ministry of Magic's receptionist would allow only him, a wizard, to enter.
Ron lifted the phone and raised it above his head. Then, very carefully, he began to dial the numbers 6 - 2 - 4 - 4 – 2. As he did, an older woman with her young, Muggle child walked by the alley and stared at him. The woman gave a squint, trying to figure out what Ron was doing. Usually Ron didn't get any company when he used the telephone but sometimes a Muggle or two catches a wizard. And so, Ron waited, hoping the woman would walk away. It might look strange if Ron suddenly disappeared as she watched.
However, that was the least of Ron's problems. As he stood, he noticed the woman's eyes enlarge, her pupils widening to the size of a Bernie Bott, and her mouth drawn downward. At first, Ron thought that the telephone started to move downward toward the Atrium. But, he had not heard from the receptionist yet so it could not be that. Ron then spun his head around, and stopped when he saw the floor of the alley.
The ground beneath him, which was made of cement and dirt and hid the Ministry of Magic, started to shift. It warped and twisted into a circle. Even Ron gasped a bit and checked to see if his wand was still in place. After concluding that he wasn't responsible for the ground's morphing, he knew something was definitely wrong.
He took a step back and inched toward the woman slowly. If this was something wizard related, he couldn't let the Muggle see. Ron quickly turned his head and looked at the woman straight in the eye. He said the first thing that came to his mind.
"There's a gas leak!"
The woman looked at the swirling ground and then looked back to Ron. She grabbed her child, cupped his mouth and nose and pushed him away. Luckily, she didn't come back. Immediately, Ron rushed back to the end of the alley and looked down, hoping he did not fall. Luckily, the ground was still solid. Slowly, it started to fade, and he caught sight of a red haired man standing in a square room two floors up from the Atrium and standing in the halls outside the Courtrooms.
"Hey, what are you doing up there?"
Ron gulped loudly and started to sweat even more. "Dad, not to alarm you or anything, but I can see you."
"Well, of course you can, and I can see you too." Mr. Weasley paused and arched his eyebrows. He walked toward the edge of the room and down into the Atrium. He stared up, studying alleyway above. "This can't be good."
Dumbledore had just introduced Draco Malfoy to the crowd of cheering students. Harry snuck into the background, trying hard not to make himself noticeable. He sat next to Flitwick and watched as Draco stood behind the podium. It didn't take long before Draco showed the students his Vultures uniform and his Silverstar, still a very rare broomstick. As he did, Harry looked up at the large windows almost touching the ceiling. He couldn't get a good look of the outside from where he was sitting. Then, Harry tried staring at the floor as he had done at the Owl Post. Unfortunately, there weren't any tiles to count this time.
After a long hour of just sitting, Harry was called to the front of the stage. The crowd cheered for him like Draco, and when he finally picked himself up from his seat, Harry realized he did have something to talk about. It might not have been as exciting as Draco's career but it was still interesting nonetheless.
"Mister Harry Potter," Dumbledore said once again, introducing him. He sat down and stared at Harry, waiting for his speech to begin.
"Thank you. Fellow Hogwarts students, well, not fellow anymore. I used to be just like you; I remembered being sorted into the Gryffindor House," Harry paused and waited for the Gryffindor table to stop hollering and clapping their hands. "My 7 years at Hogwarts was very adventurous to say the least. I do not believe, or at least I hope, that you do not have to experience the things I had to. It might sound fun running around and defeating the bad guy, but it really isn't when the people you love get hurt. As for my career…Well, I have to hand it to Draco here. His job beats mine any day. It has lots of adventures, challenges and you get paid for it. That's really the only difference between him and me. I don't get paid for what I do. I am friend and that's a full-time career for me right now. Okay, I might sound lame and corny but—"
As Harry spoke, Severus Snape had walked up behind him and whispered something into Dumbledore's ears. Immediately, Professor Dumbledore got out of his seat and walked up to Harry. He gentle patted him on the shoulder and nudged him aside.
"I am quite sorry for the interruption, however, I must end the ceremony early. All Head Boys and Head Girls, and prefects as well, direct your Houses to their dormitories. Teachers, along with our guest speakers, will you please follow me."
And with that, the Great Hall churned with loud voices and commotion. Somehow Harry knew that this wasn't going to be a pleasant meeting. He walked next to Draco as they trailed behind the hoard of students buzzing about what Snape told Dumbledore.
"A very touching speech, Potter," Draco said. "Hit me right here."
"I'm sure it did. By the way, Cho told me to say hi to you for her."
Draco smirked. "Still got the hots for me does she? How flattering. But I'm not interested in her."
"And why not?" Harry said. He couldn't believe it, but he was actually offended that Draco would not be interested in her when he would do anything to be with her again.
Draco shrugged, and pretended that he really didn't care either way. Harry attempted to pursue the subject, but Draco rushed ahead into the crowd of teachers. They entered a large room, most likely a staff room, with oak tables and rustic chairs circling them. One by one the teachers sat with Dumbledore at the head of the table like King Arthur.
Harry sat next to Draco and Severus Snape. It was not by choice, but simply that was the only chair left. Immediately, Dumbledore began to explain why the ceremony was cut short and why he looked so disturbed.
"A few minutes ago I was informed by Professor Snape that the Ministry of Magic has declared a World of Magical Emergency."
The room filled with gasps and losses of breath. This type of crisis was rarely, if ever, called for. This must be something serious, Harry thought.
"I do not know right now why they have done this, but we must prepare for the worse. It seems that we may never have a normal year here at Hogwarts."
Thump thump. There was a knocking at the door. Dumbledore paused and looked at it and waved his left hand. Abruptly, the door swung open and a girl, a Head Girl, ran forward. It was Ginny. Her face was ashen, making her freckles pop out. Her green eyes shone, and she quivered all over body.
"Miss Weasley, this is a confidential meeting! You should be with your House."
"I am so sorry, I really am, but this is rather important."
"Speak quickly my dear."
Ginny stepped forward and as she caught sight of Harry, her body trembled even more. She sighed heavily and whispered into Dumbledore's ears.
"Are you sure about this?"
She nodded.
"Apparently, the cause of this emergency is not so mysterious after all… Miss Weasley, please open the curtains over there for me."
Ginny did as she was told. Thick curtains blocked a gigantic window off to the side. She pulled on the golden threads that kept them shut. Slowly, they began to fall backward. Within a few seconds, light flew into the room, and blinded the crowd. After adjusting their eyes, they tried to look for a beast or a monster or an army attacking but there was nothing like that.
"I don't understand, what are we supposed to see?" Draco asked.
"Perhaps things need to be magnified," Dumbledore said. He took his wand and pointed at the window. "Magnifico!"
And as if a magnifying glass had been held up to the distant trees, everything became enlarged including towering buildings off in the distance. These were ordinary, Muggle buildings that could be seen clearly. And not only were there buildings, but people as well with binoculars in hand staring straight back at the group of teachers sitting in their very room.
"How could this be?" McGonagall questioned.
"I do not know but apparently, we are not the only magical building that can be seen now by the Muggles. This is a World of Emergency."
"Meaning what?" Harry asked.
"It means, Mister Potter, that this occurrence has happened outside of Hogwarts, outside of London and all around the world."
"What's the problem? Can't we use some spell to make us invisible again?" Draco asked stubbornly.
"It's not
that simple, Mister Malfoy. Buildings like Hogwarts are not only invisible but
untouchable to the Muggles. A spell might shield us but not everyone else.
Besides, the damage is already done."
"Now what?"
"We wait."
Vernon Dursley flipped through the channels on his television. His large rump slouched into his leather couch, creating a silhouette of himself oiled into the surface. The house was very quiet with the exception of the channels changing every second. First there was Clifford, the big red dog, and then Rugrats was on; Vernon even faster switched the channels until he came upon the BBC news.
There was a woman reporter wearing a sleek, black trenchcoat and her hair pinned back neatly. She pulled back her black-framed glasses and tried to calm herself. On the bottom of the screen read 'Live' and behind the woman was what looked like a tavern. Several strange looking folk drank their whiskey and wine and patted down their dusty, pointed hats. The reporter pointed to a door and motioned the camera to follow her.
When she opened it, as much to the tavern owner's dismay, she came across an archway that looked like there should have been a brick wall. Inside were creatures, adults and children that the Muggle world had never seen. A banner was drawn across the street, high above and attached to two windows. It read 'Diagon Alley'.
"Petunia! Petunia!" Vernon screeched.
She rushed down the staircase, still fixing her fake pearls and black pumps. After nearly tumbling down, she ran to Vernon on the couch and then stared to the TV he was watching so intently. On the screen were buildings, people with robes and the camera now focused in on a store sign… 'Ollivander's Wand Shop'
Petunia started choking on her own breath. She wheezed and huffed almost as loud as Vernon did. She grabbed the remote from him and quickly changed the channel. However, it was another news channel… This time the camera focused in on a boy standing near a telephone booth.
"Haven't we seen that boy before?" Vernon managed to say. He now took the remote and turned up the volume.
"There's nothing to see here," Ron said to the hoard of reporters and cameras.
"You can be frightened, young man, it's okay. Just don't look down."
Ron rolled his eyes. "Please, go away." Ron's hand hovered near the telephone. He could her the receptionist mumbling something.
"Who is that you're talking to?" a reporter yelled.
"Leave him alone!" a man shouted.
Mr. Weasley emerged from what appeared to be nowhere. In his hand was his wand, pointed straight at the Muggle crowd.
"What do you think you're doing, Sir, with that stick?"
"I advise all of you to leave this scene," he said in a stern, commanding voice.
"Or what? You'll poke us with that stick of yours," a reporter snorted.
Mr. Weasley turned to Ron and gave him a wink. Immediately, Ron nodded his head and rushed into the telephone booth. Within a few seconds, it started to move downward like an elevator. Seeing this, the crowd of Muggle reporters hooted and snapped pictures.
"Obliviate!" Mr. Weasley shouted just as another snap shot was taken.
The crowd stood motionless, in a daze. However, the Muggle world, seen through the eyes of the camera, could not be so easily dealt with. Safe at home, Vernon and Petunia now lay fainted on their living room floor with the TV still blaring with the sounds of the magical world.