Chapter 17: Rot
"Stupefy," Hermione whispered, and watched as the wizened witch with the wispy flyaway hair fell in front of her. Harry caught the witch in his arms, and they dragged her body back into the abandoned theatre they were hiding in, after checking to make sure that no one had noticed. She had felt sick all morning with how dangerous their plan was, but Harry had insisted, and she and Ron followed after Harry.
She tried not to think about how furious Severus would be when he discovered that after weeks of planning the best plan they had come up with to retrieve the locket from Umbridge was to break into the Ministry with Polyjuice.
After they found out that it was Umbridge who had confiscated the locket from Dung, they had been busy coming up with a plan to get access to her. They observed the Ministry for weeks in August, but she was difficult to tail and Severus had not been able to access records to find out where she lived.
Hermione had not yet found a reason to tell Harry and Ron that she was in contact with a Death Eater, but she knew that she needed to do it soon if she wanted to avoid a massive fight. While Harry had accepted the news that Voldemort's name was Taboo and that there were Dementors after him very well, Ron had been suspicious and put out that Hermione had refused to tell them who she got her information from.
Picking a few hairs from the witch and dropping it into her Polyjuice flask, Hermione mixed the potion until it turned a neon purple-pink. Shuddering, she downed the foul tasting potion and tried not to cry out as she transformed. Her new body was slighter than her own, full of mild joint pain, and difficult to move.
The witch she was impersonating was Malfada Hopkirk, who worked in the Improper Use of Magic Office. Ron found someone named Reginald Cattermole, who worked in Magical Maintenance, and Harry found a large hulking man named Albert Runcorn whose ministry badge simply read "Investigator".
They left the closet, and separated into two lines for what appeared to be ordinary underground public toilets.
"See you in a moment, then," said Hermione nervously, and she tottered down the steps off to the ladies'.
The toilet stall was thankfully free of smells, and Hermione quickly figured out what to do by observing other oddly-dressed women using their golden coins to enter. Once she reached the stall, she was momentarily lost as to how to proceed. A few moments of observing stalls beside her showed that something happened after a witch entered the stall and flushed.
Feeling awkward, Hermione sat on the toilet and flushed. Nothing happened. She hastily shoved all her nerves down with layers of Occlumency, keen to keep a clear mind for the mission.
Someone banged on her stall door. "You've got to stand in it!" said the woman impatiently.
Hermione felt her face flush, and stood clumsily in the toilet bowl. Though there was water in the toilet, her shoes and robes remained dry. Feeling excessively stupid then, she flushed herself down the drain, dropping down a short chute into the Ministry of Magic atrium.
Hermione shivered when she emerged from the fireplace that the chute turned into. It was chillier than she remembered, and dimmer. Whereas before there was a glimmering golden statue in the middle of the Atrium, there was now a brutish carving made from black stone, depicting a cruel-looking pair of a witch and wizard sitting on a throne made of many smaller inferior-looking bodies that were obviously Muggles, finished with the words "MAGIC IS MIGHT" at their feet.
It was one thing to hear Severus rant about the gaudy and crude statue that he had called a "contrived and insipid eyesore", but it was another to see it with her own eyes.
Ron joined her in the world-weary body of Reginald Cattermole. "Where's Harry?" Ron asked in a hushed voice.
"There!" Hermione whispered back, and waved at the body of Runcorn. Harry hastened to join them.
"You got in all right, then?" Hermione whispered to Harry.
"No, he's still stuck in the bog," said Ron.
"Oh, very funny...it's horrible, isn't it?" she said to Harry, who was staring up at the statue. "Have you seen what they're sitting on?" Hermione paused to allow Harry time to look. "Muggles...In their rightful place. Come on, let's get going."
They moved towards the golden gates at the end of the hall, trying to look as inconspicuous as possible. There were twenty golden grilles with lifts, in front of which queues were forming. They had barely joined the nearest one when a voice said, "Cattermole!"
Ron looked up, startled, and was approached by a scowling man with fox-like features and elaborately embroidered robes.
"That's Yaxley," Hermione whispered, gradual horror dawning upon her. Severus had filled her in briefly on the changes in the Ministry when he could, and had described to her the appearance of Corban Yaxley, along with the instructions to stay out of the way of the influential Death Eater.
"I requested somebody from Magical Maintenance to sort out my office, Cattermole. It's still raining in there."
"Raining...in your office? That's—that's not good, is it?"
Ron gave a nervous laugh. Yaxley's eyes widened.
"You think it's funny, Cattermole, do you?"
Hermione bit her lip to stop herself from intervening and making things worse. Harry was beginning to look upset, which was never a good sign. Hermione silently cast a Sticking charm on Harry's feet, and Silencio'd him while they watched the scene with increasing horror.
"No," said Ron, "no, of course—"
"You realise that I am on my way downstairs to interrogate your wife."
"I—I—" stammered Ron.
"But if my wife were accused of violating the Statute of Secrecy, turning her children against the wizarding world, and assaults against Purebloods…being the wrong sort of creature to even think of having children with..." Yaxley paused, and looked down his nose at Ron, "not that any woman I married would ever be mistaken for such filth—and the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement needed a job doing, I would make it my priority to do that job, Cattermole. Do you understand me?"
"Yes," whispered Ron.
"Then I expect my office to be perfectly dry within an hour, unless you want your wife to find herself at the other end of an Obliviator's wand. It would be a shame if your loyalty to the Wizarding World were to be brought into question."
Yaxley nodded at Harry, and then left through one of the golden grilles. Only after he left did Hermione release her charms.
"What. Was. That?" Harry hissed in a low voice, rounding on Hermione.
Hermione swallowed nervously. People surrounding them were too focused on Cattermole, and whispering to their friends, to notice Runcorn and Malfada having a hurried conversation.
She smiled weakly. "That is just how things are now. You should get going on your errand, Runcorn," she emphasised.
Harry worked his jaw, nostrils flared, as he seemed to debate with himself how much he wanted to yell at Hermione.
"Ah, Mafalda!" said Umbridge, looking at Hermione. "Travers sent you, did he?"
Relief washed over her briefly for the fact that Harry had been effectively distracted before she realised with horror that she was now in a much worse situation.
"Y-yes," squeaked Hermione.
Ron had left with hurried instructions on how to fix Yaxley's office, and now Hermione was trapped in a lift with Umbridge, roped into keeping records for Umbridge's next trial.
The lift doors clanged open, and they entered a dark, torch-lit passageway leading down. Hermione kept quiet as they descended. A chill swept through her body as they reached closer to their destination. Hermione knew she shouldn't have listened to Harry; this plan was awful, just like the last time they entered the Ministry...what was Dumbledore thinking, sending Harry on such a hopeless quest?
"I see our friends are here already," Umbridge said with a giggle. "Expecto patronum!" A round short-legged silvery cat burst out from Umbridge's wand, and instantly Hermione felt a rush of warmth brush across her body; her senses became alert and she could think clearly again.
Horror welled up in her as Umbridge's patronus lit up a holding chamber filled with Dementors guarding Muggle-borns, who sat huddled together, hands pressed firmly over their mouths. The people surrounded by Dementors were roughed up; many had bruised faces, black eyes, and split lips. Hermione shuddered at the sight and doubled down on her Occlumency, willing herself to project nothing but mundane, orderly thoughts.
She was screaming with panic on the inside. They needed to get out of the Ministry, because the Dementors were here, and they were going to find Harry. The entire plan had been stupid from the start.
They settled quickly into the dark stone courtroom. The Wizengamot seats and witness stands were empty, while Umbridge hopped onto the judge's chair, her cat Patronus following her as she went. Five dementors were waiting inside the room at different points, and Hermione took the seat nearest to the interrogation chair, which, judging by Umbridge's satisfied nod, was apparently the right one. Yaxley was already there waiting for them, seemingly at ease with no Patronus, surrounded by Dementors.
A thin reedy man with mouse brown hair walked into the courtroom, escorted by another two Dementors. Hermione shifted to sit closer to Umbridge and her Patronus, dislike for the woman warring with the need to be okay.
"Let's begin," Umbridge said sweetly. "George Adlerton, you are called before the Wizarding Justice Committee on charges of exposing the wizarding world to Muggles. What do you have to say for yourself?"
Adlerton bristled. "This is outrageous—I demand to have representation—"
"You'll find in the wizarding world we don't deal with such lowly Muggle notions." Umbridge simpered. "After all, if you were innocent, then you wouldn't need to have representation." Incandescent rage filled Hermione for a second, which drew the attention of the Dementor closest to her before she snuffed it out with Occlumency.
Umbridge's face then set into a vicious smile. "Why don't you tell us about your failure to Obliviate your parents' memories of the wizarding world?"
Hermione felt as if she had gone up some stairs and missed a step.
"This is unconscionable—" Adlerton struggled against the chains that bound him to the interrogation chair.
"So you do admit it," Umbridge said triumphantly. "Seeing as you have chosen to remain in the wizarding world instead of handing over your wand and undergoing Obliviation, you are now sentenced to life in Azkaban. Obliviators will be at your parents' homes shortly."
"No! You can't do that—"
"Quiet! It is the law now, and you'll find that we can and will carry out the law to the fullest extent in the name of an orderly wizarding society. If you continue to struggle it will be the Dementor's kiss for you," Umbridge hissed, eyes lit up with victory. Her cat Patronus was showing its teeth and had its claws stretched out.
Hermione was going to be sick.
Adlerton took in a deep breath, about to protest again, before he seemed to change his mind and let out a soft sob.
"Take him away," said Umbridge.
Shocked at how fast the "trial" had happened, Hermione watched as Adlerton was released from his chair and escorted out the chamber by two Dementors. She tried not to flinch as their scabbed hands gripped his arms.
Her thoughts spiralled into despair again, fed by the miasma of the Dementor's power, though she tried to keep the emotions at bay. They had not managed to consistently get copies of the Prophet while they staked out the Ministry, and had obviously missed an important issue. Severus had mentioned briefly that they were sending Muggle-borns to Azkaban for trumped up charges of breaching the Statue of Secrecy, but had not gone mentioned Obliviating their families. They had not had much time to speak, and the coins were limited in message length.
"Next—Mary Cattermole," called Umbridge.
Umbridge's Patronus began to pace the length of the platform, and Hermione could feel the dark mental tension ease a little, though her mind was still in turmoil. She needed to do something, but could not think of what.
"I'm behind you," Hermione heard a deep voice whisper from behind her and nearly jumped out of her skin. It took her a second to realise that the voice belonged to the wizard Harry was impersonating. She missed the next few phrases that Umbridge said while learning to breathe again, but it seemed as if the Dementors hadn't realised yet that Harry was there in the chambers.
She squeaked when Umbridge leaned forward—a glint of light had caught on the heavy locket that fell forward from her garish pink robes.
"That—that's pretty, Dolores," she said, pointing at the pendant gleaming in the ruffled folds of Umbridge's blouse.
Umbridge's gaze on Hermione sharpened for a moment before she looked down at the locket, smiling slowly. Umbridge launched into a tale about how the locket was an heirloom of the Selwyns, who she was related to and had just finished gloating about her bloodline when Hermione felt a rush of spell energy shoot past her.
"Stupefy!" she heard Harry shout, and suddenly Umbridge was slumped over her desk. Yaxley barely avoided Stunning Hermione with the hex he automatically fired in Harry's direction, but Harry had moved and the spell hit the stone wall behind them.
Yaxley's eyes narrowed, and he was looking for his assailant when Harry Stunned him as well.
The Dementors were on full alert now and were closing in on Harry.
"Harry!"
"Hermione, if you think I was going to let her sit there and pretend—"
"Harry, Mrs—Mrs. Cattermole!" Hermione shouted, shivering violently from the side effects of the Dementors.
Harry took off his Invisibility Cloak, and whirled around to where Mrs. Cattermole was held in place by one Dementor not advancing on Harry. It was reaching towards her with rotting arms, and she was whimpering. She let out a scream as the Dementor tipped her head back.
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
Harry's brilliant stag burst out from his wand, and all the Dementors shrank back from the silvery animal guardian. Instantly, Hermione felt better.
Mrs. Cattermole was visibly confused by Harry's appearance. "You? But—but Reg said you were the one who submitted my name for questioning!"
Harry deflected and tried to break her chains by casting Diffindo, to no avail. Hermione ignored his request for help as she lifted the locket from Umbridge's head, duplicated it with Geminio, and replaced it with the replica.
Mrs. Cattermole was still confused and frightened when they let her out of the chains, and when Harry told her to take her children and leave the country.
"Harry," said Hermione, "how are we going to get out of here with all those Dementors outside the door?"
"Patronuses," Harry answered simply. He gestured to her with his wand. Hermione took a deep breath. She tried to focus hard on a happy memory.
"Expec—expecto patronum," said Hermione. Nothing happened.
"It's the only spell she ever has trouble with," Harry told a completely bemused Mrs. Cattermole. "Bit unfortunate, really...come on, Hermione…"
Hermione squared her shoulders, and focused harder on those elusive feelings of hope and happiness that powered the Patronuses. She thought of the things and people that gave her hope—helped her fight—
"Expecto patronum!"
The familiar sight of her otter burst from her wand, though blurrier than she had ever seen it.
The next sequence of events passed by like a disjointed nightmare. Harry tried to pretend that the Ministry had changed positions on Muggle-borns, urging the Muggle-borns to leave, then tried to bluff his way out of the Atrium when doubts were raised about his ruse.
Ron joined them in the Atrium as they attempted to run for the lifts, but the grilles clanged shut just as they reached them.
Feeling cornered, Hermione casted a Bombarda at the Atrium ceiling, covering the Atrium in dust and rubble.
"Oh honestly," she said to no one in particular. Summoning brooms from the bottom of her beaded bag, she tossed one of each to Harry and Ron before getting on her own broom.
"SUMMON BROOMS TO LEAVE!" she shouted at the Muggle-borns, kicking off just as Ron and Harry managed the same.
They raced away from the Ministry, wind blowing through their hair. Spells began to shoot at them from behind as they got further away from the Ministry.
"Death Eaters!" Harry shouted, as he looked behind him.
"Harry, take our hands!" Hermione said, closing her eyes and reaching out.
Harry had just grabbed her hand when she felt the sharp tug on her navel of Apparition, and they narrowly avoided landing on a playground by a large field.
Hermione looked down in horror at her ankle, which had been smeared with blood. There were bloody fingernails lying in the grass where someone had grabbed at her, obviously Splinched when Harry Apparated.
Hermione took a few deep breaths to quell her rising nausea at the sight before turning to Harry.
"Where are we?" she whisper-shouted, suddenly noticing that they were drawing attention from a young mother with her child. She shot a silent Confundus at the onlookers.
"We're near my aunt and uncle's place—" Harry began.
Hermione grit her teeth and grabbed onto Ron and Harry's hands, just as fog began to roll into the area. The distant feeling of despair tugged at the edges of her mind as more Dementor fog poured into the area.
Harry shot a Patronus at the child and mother, which cleared away the miasma.
"We've got to get out of here! Death Eaters are monitoring this place!" she hissed, and tugged them away with Apparition.
They landed softly in a quiet forest bathed in dappled green light, where she tugged them away by a few steps before she Apparated them home once she was certain no Death Eaters had followed them. She took a minute to be sick in the bushes, once her heart had stopped galloping.
"I—" Ron started, and then Hermione gasped. Ron's entire left side was bleeding. Ignoring Harry for the moment, she frantically cast healing spells at Ron until the bleeding staunched, and then applied Dittany to his wounds with shaking hands.
When she was satisfied that Ron wasn't going to bleed out, she sent him to his room with a bottle of Blood Replenisher.
Hands still shaking slightly, she turned back to Harry.
"Harry—you know Apparition was being monitored at the Dursleys—"
"I couldn't think of anywhere else on such short notice! What was I supposed to do, bring them to the Weasleys?" Harry whispered furiously back, both of them careful not to disturb Ron.
"No, just...try to think before you act next time, all right?" Hermione sank into her sofa wearily. "At least we've got this."
She drew the locket out of a special compartment in her beaded bag, and held it out to Harry.
"I think we should hang on to it to make sure it's safe," Harry said, looking at the locket, slightly dazed.
Hermione blinked. That made a lot of sense. "Yes, I think we should too."
A/N: Sorry for the lack of Severus in this one - can't imagine he would be too happy with them, now would he? ;) Thank you all for all the love this story has received so far! Just a head's up - my next update might come in four weeks instead of three, but hopefully it won't come to that.