Disclaimer: The same as the previous chapters.

Chapter 79

Liza would always remember the last thing she saw while lying in front of the shattered entrance of the circle. She was an attractive blonde, with elaborate curls. When she had cocked her head to watch them laying at her feet, she had noticed the witch had an animal skin handbag that matched with her heels. She wore glasses that sparkled every time she turned her head.

Rita Skeeter tutted at the prone healers and pretended to feel sorry on their behalf, " I truly feel for you two, running up and down, be at the beck and call of a witch as strict and horrid as Astrid Norman and that too for whom? Her Highness Miss Hermione Granger! Ever since that witch has set her foot in Our world, she has taken it to a joy ride. Look at your darlings, poor thing. Now, I did you both a favor, saved you from dying. Now, Now, Why don't you just lie down there quietly, while I just take a peep. I think that bossy witch has finally lost it. But I need to see it for myself, now don't I? A reporter always hunts for the truth and print it the way the readers would like to read it."

Pointing her wand at the opening of the Circle, she had set up her protective shield and stepped in, with a camera hovering on her right side and her advanced scribendum meo quill and notepad hovering over her left.

Shoving the green quill inside his robe pocket, Snape jumped on his feet and grabbed Draco's scruffs. Drawing the surprised man close, he ordered in an urgent hushed tone," Circle now."

He looked at Harry and after a short while he ordered, him as well, staring pointedly at his waist," You too join him."

Shacklebolt had overheard the Headmaster's crisp orders, before, Snape could follow the two young men, who were now rushing down the long row, the Head Auror tried to stall him. But Snape pulled back and hissed, "Kingsley, we need to get to the hospital, she might be in danger."

Pushing him aside, with a mild jinx, the Slytherin sprinted towards the exit, with the Head Auror hot on his trail. Blaise had nudged Seamus to follow the man, but Shacklebolt yelled back," Not yet, send some Aurors to the real Ms. Sclair residence. And get someone to guard Miss Adbel's remains, then both Zabini and you join us at the hospital."

Skidding next to the Elevator, the large man panted, bracing his weight over his knees and ignored the frustrated and angry looks, Malfoy, Potter and Snape were throwing at him. He mumbled in a way of apologizing," Standard ministry protocol. You cannot navigate around the building without Auror's permission. He pointed his wand at the closed elevator and muttered something under his breath.

The connection activated and in seconds the bell chimed and the doors slid open. Once they were all inside the elevator, Shacklebolt opened a latch and pointed his wand at the hole that appeared behind it. No sooner had his wand connected with the slot, the elevator skyrockets upwards. When the group noticed the elevator was not going to stop at the atrium, Shcaklebolt assured," The best way to leave the ministry undetected is through Minister Amelia Bones' chambers."

"I won't even ask you and waste my energy, Kingsley." Snape gritted his teeth. Shacklebolt sounded guilty when he replied," She is worse when she gets paranoid Snape. You saw it already, she knew we were lying to her about those ghosts."

The rest of their way to the Minister's office the group didn't chance upon another soul. Though the moment they stopped in front of her office, Flitwick, Seamus, and Lupin had joined them. The young auror grinned triumphantly, "Professor Flitwick did some impressive spell work to keep the body secured and the crime scene sealed. I left Zabini with Jones and Telis. Once they are done with collecting his statement- I told, they will join us at the Hospital, Sir. We dont have many aurors at the department right at the moment Sir. People have clocked extra hours, over the last couple of days…"

The door to the Minister's office clicked open and the Minister herself, without preamble, showed them in.

"Headmaster Snape, There has been an incident at the Hospital." She informed.

Shacklebolt had spoken simultaneously, "Madam, Miss Ife Abdel has met with a fatal accident moments ago at the Archives, right in front of our eyes."

Bones had the presence of mind to hide her shock, instead, like a veteran politican she started off," Oh! Dear! We would need to get in contact with the Eygyptian Magical embassy right away…"

Having had enough of her rambling, Snape bellowed, throwing his arms up in the air, " That imposter had Rita Skeeter's stationery on her, Yes Imposter, she must have been slipping on to polyjuice potion to look like Newtwit Schlair."

"Snape, that's preposterous! We have got special monitoring systems placed…" the Minister tried to counter him, but the man threw across the reporter's quill on the minister's desk," let me go, this moment, and send your Aurors with me, or start making plans for your miserable life after getting impeached, Amelia."

Trying to think of a way to calm him down the woman confessed," while you all were knocking at my door, I was just receiving a distress call from 's, Snape. The Circle is under threat. Norman could convey only this...she is locked inside her chamber...the protection wards of the wing are down, but the patients and the healers are all locked in….all but the Circle...they have lost all connections with that part of the ward."

The man sucked in a deep breath and hissed at the woman, " Aurors, put Aurors right everywhere. At the hospital, here in the Ministry and get off me, Bones, I got a daughter to save at a perpetrator to hunt and kill!"

"But you can't just go, the floo networks of the hospital are down, we are not able to get through!" Amelia informed quite frustrated with the situation.

Screaming at no one particular, Snape stood still then leaned forward. "Amelia, you will do exactly as I say. You will flood the place with Aurors. You will keep the sniffing nose of the press out of the building. If Skeeter is already inside, I don't wish to find her even a mile near my daughter. And if she tries something, I can't promise you, I will spare, her. That woman has just dug her own grave."

Shacklebolt tried to intervene, "Snape, you can't take the law in your hands!"

"Trust me, I wont, I have a feeling I dont have to either." the former spy smirked, his obsidian eyes glinted with sadistic mirth.

A handful of seconds later he shouted," Knights of the Undead, I ask you to get us to Miss Hermione Granger, this instance."

In front of their very eyes the tall mists of five Knights appeared out of nowhere, grabbing at Snape, Lupin, Malfoy, Potter, Flitwick, Finnigan, and lastly Shacklebolt's arms, they vanished into a swirling whirlpool right over the fireplace at the Minister's office.