Chapter 3 Eavesdropping and The minister of magic
Nita stood up and ran downstairs to tell her parents. She looked in the living room, but they were not there, so she continued to her father's office.
She raised her hand to knock at the door, but she stopped when she heard an upset voice on the other side.
"We can't!" Her father's voice reached her ears and she tensed.
"James, what shall we do then? You were the one who knew him best, they need all the help they can get!" Lily almost screamed at her husband.
"Remus knew him too..!"
"James, you know he is in Russia." There was a short pause.
"James, I know that we promised not to get involved again before Demonita came of age, but.."
"But what honey? We can't just abandon her!" Nita tried to make out what her parents argued about, clearly something that was of grate importance, and something that concerned her.
"Look at the Longbottoms, Lils! Look what happened to them! They stayed, and look where they are now, in a graveyard! He made a pause. "Honey, I don't want
that to happen to us. Not to Demonita. Neville Longbottom grew up with his grandmother and has no memories from his parents. It would be even worse if
something happened to us, because Demonita has memories, and will miss us even more. You can't really miss someone you can't remember, not in the same
way anyway."
She heard her mother let out a sob. "I'm sorry James, but if they don't catch him she will be in danger."
Nita heard her father step up to her mother. "I know Lily. But my work as an Auror is dangerous enough, and I don't want Albus to give us missions all over
the world, and I don't want to be in more danger than needed. I had enough of that when I was young."
Demonita knocked at the door. "Come in!" She stepped in and looked at her parents. Her mother dried a tear that fell down her cheek.
"What's up?" She looked at her father. "Dad, why is mum crying?" Her dad made to answer but her mom managed to beat him to it. " It's alright honey, it's
just the war and all. What did you want, I thought you went to bed?" Nita wondered if she should tell them about what she had snapped up, but let it slip.
It was obviously something they did not want to tell her, so she should find out herself. "I received a reply from Lars Donovan, I have a meeting scheduled
for tomorrow at 2 p.m." Her mother smiled. "Wonderful!" Her father nodded. "I can take you, I have to pick up some things at the office anyway."
Nita woke up late the next morning, for the first time in years. The previous night she had had difficulties with sleep because of what she overheard from
her parents. What were they talking about? Who was it her father knew so well, and who seemed to need her parents help, especially her fathers? Where had
Longbottoms parents stayed? And Albus, wasn't that the headmaster of Hogwarts? She needed answers, badly. She had to do some research on that later, but
now she had to concentrate on her meeting with Mr. Moody.
She dressed in black pants and a green shirt and went down for a late breakfast. Her parents were nowhere in sight, so she ate by herself.
She was excited about the meeting, so she started to search for her father to ask when they would be leaving. She found him in the library, reading a book
that looked extremely heavy. "Hi honey, when did you wake up?" He put down the book and stood up. "An hour ago maybe." Nita walked over to him. "What
are you reading?" Her father gave the book a swift look and started to shove her in front of himself. "Auror material, some old schoolbook of mine, nothing
you should waste your time with." He knew all to well that his daughter would be back to check it later, but he had to try anyway.
At quarter past one, father and daughter entered the Auror office at the ministry. As always, it was total chaos. Official workers, papers, parchments,
files and owls, all in a nice mess. And in the middle of all this was a red-faced short, rather ugly man ranting about incompetent persons
and lazy aurors. "You can't do anything right, can you lot! Care to explain why this whole floor has turned into a complete hell hole!" The aurors had
stopped working for the moment and stared at the man. A particularly brave young man started to speak but a voice interrupted. "It's fine, Donór, I will
take care of it."
All of the ministry workers looked at James Potter, who looked at the short red-faced man with a face of stone. Nita shivered at her father's expression.
She loved her father, but when he got that look on his face, it didn't bode well.
"Is there some kind of problem Minister?" The little mans face went even redder. "Something wrong! Oh, yes, where would you like me to start! There is the
fact that this office has turned in to a bloody mess. After that there is another thing, we are at war!" James's eyes went hard. "Minister, I'm fully aware
of the fact that we are at war´, and for the office, I think it is none of your business." Everyone held their breath. The only ones of the aurores who
were brave enough to stand up to the minister of magic were four persons. Albus Dumbledore, Alastor Moody, The head of the aurors Auror Patricsson and James
Potter. The minister never took the criticism well.
"Mr. Potter, how dare you say that it is not my business? I'm the minister of magic and deserve some respect!" James walked up to the man and looked down
at him. "Minister, I apologize, but I'm merely stating the truth. How we take care of our paperwork is not your business, it's Head auror Patricssons,
who is on a well earned vacation. Meanwhile, it's my responsibility, and I can say that I am proud of this lot. as you so kindly stated, we are at war,
and with war comes chaos. The only thing, that is your business, is that we do our job, and believe me, we do. Maybe not at the preferable speed but the
thing is, we are doing everything we can." He stopped and looked at his co workers and gave them an approving look. "Now, minister, kindly let us continue
with the war."
Nita stared at her father in awe. She hoped that she would become such a grate speaker as her father when she grew up. The minister tried to argue but her
father turned and laid a hand on her shoulder. "Come, It's time for your meeting ."