Chapter Eight: Scrimgour Out-ranked
Everyone in the immediate vicinity stared at Harry, Mr. Weasley and Ari as they walked through the lobby. Harry noticed that they seemed to be looking specifically at Arianna's crown and her scar. They all began to whisper amongst themselves as the beautiful woman walked past them. They obviously knew who she was.
Ari walked right up to the secretary's desk and said in a cool strong voice, "Announce to the Minister of Magic the arrival of his ruler, Queen Arianna."
The secretary's eyes bulged at this announcement. Without one word she stood up and fled down the hall in the direction of what Harry assumed was Scrimgour's office. No one spoke. At least not out loud. But you could still hear faint mutterings and whispers coming from all around.
"F-f-follow me," the secretary mumbled when she returned. Arianna nodded curtly and went off with her, Harry and Arthur following closely behind.
When they approached the door, the secretary opened it for them but remained in the hall. She closed it quickly behind them and Harry saw the Minister sitting nervously behind his desk, eyeing Arianna with trepidation.
He stood up from his chair and said, "Your Majesty…"
"No time for niceties, Scrimgour," Ari said, sweeping towards the desk, "we have business to attend to."
"Yes, of course," he said, "please take a seat." He indicated the chairs before his desk.
"I think I'll sit here, thanks," Ari said, moving behind the desk and laying a hand on the back of the Minister's chair. He blushed and moved to the front of the desk with Harry and Mr. Weasley. Arianna sat down and nodded at the others to do the same.
"Now," Ari said sounding very business like, "the first thing I want you to do is contact every wizarding magazine and newspaper in the world. They ought to be properly informed of their queen's rise to power. Also, I want you to contact the muggle prime minister so that he can know of my ascension to the throne of muggle Egypt."
"Yes, Your Majesty, of course," Scrimgour said bashfully.
"I would also like for you to tell them of my new councilors and generals," Ari said now, "You may call in your assistant so that he can take their names down."
Scrimgour immediately stood up and used a sort of intercom to call 'Young Mr.Weasley' into his office.
Percy entered a few moments later, carrying a pen and pad of paper. He looked up at Ari and his eyebrows flew into his hair.
"Ar…" he began to exclaim before Ari gave him a stern look, "I mean, My Queen! What are you doing here?"
"I'm taking over the throne, Percy," she said, "I thank you very much for your assistance to my grandfather, but your cover will no longer be necessary."
"You mean," Percy said, "I don't have to lie anymore."
Ari nodded and Percy strode quickly over to his father. "Dad," he said, "I'm so sorry that I was so awful to you. But, you see, I had to be. Dumbledore needed me to become the minister's assistant so that I could keep him in the loop. I didn't mean any of those things…"
Mr.Weasley's eyes widened with shock and realization. Harry felt his own eyes bulging out of their sockets as he understood that Percy had been on an assignment for Dumbledore throughout his whole estrangement. Arthur wasted no time asking questions, however, as he hugged his son tightly.
"What exactly is going on here," Scrimgour asked confusedly.
"Percy works for me," Ari explained, "or rather, he worked for my grandfather, Albus Dumbledore."
The minister's eyes became wide as saucers upon hearing this. "Y-y- your grandfather!"
Ari nodded. "My bloodline, however, is not pertinent to this meeting. Percy," Percy's head shot in her direction when he heard his name, "I would like to ask you to become my personal assistant, if you feel that you are ready to leave the minister."
Percy looked bashful. "Not to be disrespectful, My Lady," he said nervously, "but I was rather hoping that now, with my cover being unnecessary, I could pursue my career in politics."
"I completely understand," Ari said, smiling indulgently at him, "So, in that case, why don't you come on as my royal vizier?"
Shocked, Percy could barely speak. All he could say was, "Why me?"
"I trust you," the queen said, "and I want you on my team. You would be very useful to me."
"Alright," he said, without elaboration.
"Now, I need you to take down some names for me," she said, "as your first act as my vizier. You must understand that, as my vizier, you are my most trusted and powerful adviser."
Percy took out his pen and made ready to do Ari's bidding. "First," she said, "my new councilman, Remus Lupin. He will be specifically in charge of all affairs involving magical creatures…"
"But he's a werewolf," the minister exclaimed, interrupting her. Harry looked over at the man thinking that he could not possibly have done anything more stupid.
"I'm aware of that, Minister," Ari said in a low growl, "and I'm sure that it won't be a problem for you to have a werewolf in a higher office than you, directly below the queen." He nodded, looking scared and she continued, "And if you ever question him or interrupt me again, you will pay for it with impeachment." He nodded again, looking quite scared indeed.
"Now," Ari said, turning her attention back to Percy, "Mr.Lupin will also be in charge of international cooperation. Secondly, a Miss.Nymphadora Tonks, will serve as a general in my army, training an elite force of metamorphmagi. Next, William Weasley will also be made a councilman in charge of the imperial budget as well as curse breaking and development. I also need it to be recorded that Harry Potter, Ronald Weasley, Hermione Granger and Ginevra Weasley will be serving as generals as well. And don't forget to put your own name down also."
"Is that all," Percy asked, scanning over the list and not looking the least bit surprised that almost half of his immediate family were on it.
"Yes, that is all."
"It looks as though the Weasley family has become very prominent in the last few minutes," the minister said, eyeing Arthur with suspicion.
"Yes, it does certainly seem that way," Ari said, smiling. "Owl that list to every newspaper and magazine in the wizarding world, Minister, as well as an announcement of my existence and coronation. That is all."
She stood up from her seat and moved around to the front of the desk. Scrimgour, however, did not seem to want her to leave. "We still have a lot to discuss, Your Majesty," he said hurriedly, "I don't know anything about your plans on how to fight You Know Who and I really need to know about how I can help you to…"
"If I need your help, Minister, I will ask for it," she said dangerously, "Now, if you will excuse me, I have other business to attend to while I'm here."
Without waiting for an answer, Ari swept out of the room and Harry, Percy and Mr.Weasley followed her out the door. She walked on briskly until they found an abandoned hallway. Then she turned around to face them and said in a frantic voice;
"How did I do?"
"That was bloody brilliant, Ari," Percy exclaimed, stepping forward and hugging her. Ari laughed as he let her go.
"My heart was going a mile a minute the whole time."
"I can't believe you sat in the minister's chair," Harry said, smiling widely, "that was incredible."
"What other business are we going to attend to," Arthur asked. Ari's face became somewhat sad when he mentioned this.
"We have to go to the auror headquarters," she said, turning her back on them once more and walking down the corridor.
Confused, but unwilling to question her, Harry and the others followed obediently. About five minutes later they came upon a door. Harry knew that the aurors were on the other side. The queen stopped, took a deep breath and put on her most business like expression before bursting through them.
She walked directly into the center of the room, right in front of all the cubicles. Every auror stood up as she walked in. A deafening silence swept throughout the room. Every one of them moved to the front as though they were a platoon and she was their CO.
Raising her chin higher and looking very angry, Ari yelled, "On your knees, you dogs! You dare to stand before your queen?"
Shocked, Harry shot her a look of complete disgust. The look he got in return told him 'just wait'. Every auror, male and female, kneeled on the floor. Ari walked before them looking at each one in turn.
"Your entire order has been disgraced," she said, "I know for a fact that some of Voldemort's henchmen are defiling this room as I speak."
The crowd began to look nervous, as though she would start hexing them at random. "To those of you who have been loyal to the ministry for your entire tenure, I apologize. But to the rest of you, there is no excuse for what you have done and the information you have disclosed. I know for a fact that some of you were directly responsible for the framing and murder of my dear friend, Sirius Black. And I also know that some of you were also responsible for the murder of Albus Dumbledore. For this you will be punished."
She paused for the dramatic affect. Harry couldn't help being awed by her. "All death eaters and those affiliated with them will be weeded out. The only thing I can offer you is a period of amnesty. Those of you who wish to turn back to the ministry and to me will have exactly two weeks in which to do it. If you do not take advantage of this offer and are, afterwards, discovered to have been involved with Voldemort, you will be punished by death. And to those of you who wish to remain loyal to your dark lord; tell Tommy that he should have done the job right the first time. Because now, I'm after him. And I won't let up until I have avenged my parents, Harry's parents and Sirius. Don't forget that I will be watching you. Voldemort isn't the only one with spy's."
She let the threat hang in the air for a moment before turning her back to them and exiting through the same door that they entered from.
