Chapter X: Breaking the Rules
Pop."It's a wizard!"
Harry found himself lying on a street corner. Footsteps approached him and stopped shortly right next to his head. He rolled over onto his stomach and tried to push himself off the ground. Everything was a bit dizzy. For his first time Disapparating, he hadn't done a horrible job at it. Most importantly, he was alive and from the looks of the buildings around him, he wasn't too far away from the Ministry.
Surrounding Harry was a small group of Muggles. They each held digital cameras and cell phones and flashed their gadgets at Harry. To make his dizziness worse, Harry could no longer see from the blinding lights.
"Please, stop it. I'm, I'm not a wizard. It was just a magic trick."
"Trick my ass," a Muggle yelled. "You appeared out of nowhere, just like the other one."
"Other one?" Harry asked.
"Yes, the red haired man. He was out here earlier. Popped out of the thin air he did."
Harry nodded. "I see. Well, I assure you, I am no wizard. Now, I have to go."
"Where are you going? We can join you," the same Muggle said, still holding his mobile camera phone.
Harry tried to walk past the touring group, and for the most part, they let him go. He squeezed by and darted for the alleyway just across the street. The Muggles continued flashing their cameras, but of course, they were only getting shots of Harry's back as he ran. He could hear the Muggle talking to his friends.
"He's going to use that telephone like the others! Come on, get your thumbs ready." Every Muggle adjusted their cameras and followed Harry to the edge of the alley, all waiting for him to walk into the booth.
Harry did as he tried to ignore the group. Just as Ron had done, he picked up the phone, dialed the numbers and waited. Eventually, he heard the receptionist's panicked voice, some mumbling and then the booth started to move. White light blasted at Harry and several more clicks followed.
After a few seconds, Harry was descending into the Atrium, which of course was just as chaotic as it was earlier that day. Nobody actually noticed his arrival. In fact, it seemed each wizard was more worried about himself and the whereabouts of his family.
Well, a Muggle really couldn't capture a wizard because he could just Disapparate or use his wand. However, Muggles have been known to burn witches from time to time, and it's much harder to Disapparate under pressure and when you're body is burning in flames.
It did not take long for Harry to discover the whereabouts of Ron. He had just entered the Ministry of Magic when he noticed a crowd piled in one office. The witches and wizards were glued to an old, mid 70's television set. From behind, Harry could spot a flaming red haired boy.
"Ron!"
He turned around and gasped at the sight of his best friend. Immediately, he jumped up off the floor and literally leaped across a few wizards. Harry leaned forward and hugged him back.
"How did you get here?"
"I Disapparated."
"Really? When did you get your license?"
"I didn't."
Ron's mouth opened wide and then turned into a mischievous smirk. "Wicked. I was s'posed to get mine in a few months, but from the looks of things, I don't think that's gonna happen, mate."
"No. I've been hunted for the last day by Muggles. They're acting like a bunch of star-struck barbarians."
"I know! Have you been watching the news?" Harry shook his head. "The world's been affected by this plague!"
"The world? You mean it's not just in London?"
Ron nodded his head and pointed at the television. "I saw the Durmstrang Institute from that box. And it doesn't look like they know what's going on either."
"I have to tell you something important, Ron. Over here," Harry said and pointed Ron to the corner of the room.
There was one empty chair, and Harry sat down in it, scooting over for Ron. Then, he began to explain what had happened to him starting with the visit to Hogwarts, and Chad, the Corrytons, Hermione's parents and all the cameras outside the Ministry.
"Blimey, this can't be good."
"What I don't understand is how Amos Diggory, Cedric's father, is connected to all this. Is he still working here?"
"As far as I know," Ron said. "He might even be in this room."
Harry lifted his head and probed each arguing wizard's face. There were so many of them in such a tight space that it was hard to get a good look of everyone. But low and behold, guess who was sitting with his legs curled up on the windowsill?
Yes, it was Amos Diggory. He looked very much the same the last time Harry had seen him, which was during Cedric's funeral. He wore a glum, disheartening face.
"Mister Diggory," Harry said as he attempted to push through the crowd. Ron followed him closely. When he finally made it, Harry repeated but a bit louder, "Mister Diggory."
He looked up. "What?"
"I don't know if you remember me but—"
"Of course I do. My Cedric beat you in that Triwizard's Tournament."
Harry looked over at Ron who gave back the same puzzled face. But Harry didn't want to question Cedric's father about it. If he thought his son had won, then that was what happened.
"Yes, he did."
"A glorious defeat it was," he said.
Again, Harry agreed. "Oh yes. Mister Diggory—"
"Just call me Amos."
"Alright, Amos… Do you happen to know anything about what's happened today?"
He smiled. "Of course!" Harry's face brightened, but that shine didn't last long. "It's all over the news. The Muggles can see us. I'm not very fond of those type, no one in my house really is."
"I see. So, you don't know what caused it?"
"Haha! If I did, don't you think I'd stop it? Dear boy, or wait, young man is it now? I heard you've come of age." Harry nodded. "Splendid. My Cedric was of age… Do you know that my wife still keeps all of his things in his room?"
Harry didn't know why Amos was telling him this. Just like all the other things he had said, Harry nodded his head in agreement.
"Oh yes, she wishes you had died and Cedric lived."
"That's a terrible thing to say," Ron interrupted.
"Is it so terrible, Ron? She lost her only son. Of course she'd do anything to bring him back…" Harry paused and turned to Ron. They both stared at each other until Ron caught on that Harry had just thought of something.
"I s'pose so, Harry. Gee, my dad's calling us!" Ron said and grabbed Harry's arm. They started to head out of the room.
"I didn't hear him," Amos mumbled. "Maybe my hearing's going bad. No, no, my ears are just fine." He continued talking to himself long after Ron and Harry left.
"Ron, what if Cedric's mother did something to make Hogwarts visible?"
"I dunno. Why would she do that, and how could she?"
Harry shrugged. "She hates Muggles obviously, and I don't think Chad's mother is found of them either."
"I thought Chad's mum married one."
"She did, but they are divorced now."
Ron sighed. "Okay, so they don't like Muggles. What good would it do them to make Hogwarts visible? The Muggles would be gaining from it more than anything."
"Maybe not, Ron. But I have feeling they have something to do with this all."
"Fine, so what are we going to do about it?"
Harry thought hard. "We need proof that they are involved. Do you think you could Disapparate?"
"I failed my first test!" Ron shouted. "I tried really hard too."
"You never practiced," Harry pointed out.
"I did, plenty o' times. I just never did it right."
"Well, do it right this time. We have to get to the Diggory's home, and I don't see any other way to get there besides Disapparating."
Nerves shook throughout Ron's body. Maybe it was okay for Harry to Disapparate illegally, but Ron could only think about the horrible things that could go wrong. The last time he tried it, Ron found himself inside a dumpster a long three miles from where he was supposed to be. When he failed the test miserably, his 'permit' was taken away for three months.
Then again, Ron knew his best friend needed him. Harry had saved him plenty of times, and he never really asked for much in return. Finally, Ron nodded his head nervously while giving out a loud sigh of unease.
"Good. We can Disapparate right outside this room if you want."
"I don't want to do any of this," Ron mumbled.
"Look, Ron, if you're really that scared, I'll understand," Harry said and placed his hand on Ron's shoulder.
"I'm not scared!"
"Of course you are," Harry said and smiled. "It's okay. I'll be outside if you need me."
After Harry left the room, Ron stood there deciding whether or not to go. It was easy to say yes but his body decided it was better to stand there shaking. And then he thought about his brother, Bill, once again and how those Muggles treated him. If going with Harry was the only way to end it all, it was an easy choice.
Pop.