DISCLAIMER:
I DO NOT OWN THE WORLD OF HARRY POTTER/JK ROWLING. I DO NOT MAKE ANY MONEY OFF OF THIS OR ANY OTHER STORY I HAVE WRITTEN. I SIMPLY PLAY WITH THE CHARACTERS.
Thank you for all the positive and encouraging reviews. I thought I would give you an extra update this week since it's V-Day. Happy Valentine's Day Folks!
Chapter 6:
For the first time since she began her job at the Ministry, she dreaded the workday. Not because she was late, but simply because she was beginning to regret her decision to dedicate her life to her career. Her chat with Ginny this morning did help her tremendously, however, it made her realize that she could have balanced her work life and home life a little differently.
Whatever funk she was in today definitely needed to end; this was not like her in any way shape or form. She went to her closet and stared at the cloths hanging from the racks. She needed to feel empowered today, so she pulled her power suit out of the back. A few quick spells got the wrinkles out, because after all it had been awhile since she needed a confidence boost. Within thirty minutes she was doing a mental check list, black and white power attire, check, new high heeled pumps, check, make up on point, double check, and major hair control, check, check, check. She felt good, she felt confident and with a look in the mirror she realized she looked like she was ready to take on the world.
After a quick floo to the Ministry atrium, she put determination into each step she took across the sleek marble flooring. People noticed, they watched her stride confidently to the elevator shaft and wondered what mission was she on today?
She knew Kingsley would be upset with her, so she figured he would be the first stop before getting to her strenuous daily schedule. She mentally prepared herself for the berating. Kingsley had changed over the years, the toll of being minister had worn him down. With this new threat arising the weight on his shoulders seemed a tremendous burden that she was not sure he could handle. She wondered if this would be the last straw for Kingsley and the beginning of Harry's pursuit to be minister.
Her musings were interrupted with an abrupt stop by the elevator. She never could understand why these elevators had to be so rough and jumpy. She walked out of the elevator down the hall to Kingsley's office. She knocked on the door and entered, and she immediately noticed he was having his own internal battle while staring blankly out the window.
"Excuse me, Kingsley? May I come in?"
He abruptly turned with a vacant stare and motioned her into the room. His face solemn and reproachful. She walked up to his desk and just stood there in silence for a moment, studying his face.
"I wanted to come and apologize for being tardy this morning. I had terrible nightmares last night and it simply took me longer to get it together this morning. I realize that is a pathetic excuse, but after our meeting yesterday, and this new threat we are dealing with, I'm sure you can understand what it triggered." She started rambling, his stoic expression making her very nervous, but she didn't know why. This wasn't the first time he has looked this way since taking on the Minster of Magic role.
"Kings, are you ok?" She gave him a look of deep concern, unsure of what was going through his mind.
"Hermione, your tardiness has been noted, and you missed an urgent meeting this morning. You must do better, especially now. This new threat wiped out a muggle family late last night. Tortured them for hours before finally killing them, they let them freefall to the ground from Merlin only knows what height, we can only estimate." He stood from his desk and walked over to a cabinet and pulled out a bottle of fire whiskey.
She felt so ashamed. Her trivial problems were insignificant by comparison to what that poor family had to endure. No wonder Harry was avoiding going to work this morning. He must have been filled with dread, just as she is now. She sits heavily in her chair, shoulders sagging. They had to take control of this new group.
"Where did this happen?"
"They were found in front of Buckingham Palace."
"Who were they?"
"A prominent West Sussex family, George and Edith Jones, their three children too. Hermione, we know it was them, their skin had been removed. Filleted like a fish. It was a horrifying scene. After your nightmares last night, perhaps you shouldn't look at the photos."
"I, I don't know what to say. What connections did they have with this group, if any?"
"Harry is looking into that now, but so far it looks as if it was completely random. We have called in all known ex-death eaters again to cross reference their incoming mail from last night. So far nothing has made a blip on the radar. It seems the group may have halted their recruiting efforts for now and have begun their assault. There are not any current reports of wizarding families having suffered any damage yet."
"Kingsley, you have to send out a bulletin, people need to know what is going on, you cannot keep this silent any longer."
"We can't do that yet; it will cause a panic. You know just as well as I know how fragile the public can be and mass hysteria will take hold."
"I'm aware, but I'm also aware that if the public isn't warned, there might be a riot of angry wizarding families once the attacks begin because they weren't informed. Besides, people can start warding their homes now if we warn them!"
Harry came storming into Kingsley's office and interrupted the two of them with a look of deep consternation and concern plastered on his face.
"The Longbottom's are missing."
Kingsley slumped down into his chair and buried his face deep into his hands. She watched him begin to cry. Harry walked up to her and wrapped his arms around her, he whispered into her ear," Ginny told me about last night, I'm so sorry that we have to deal with this new threat." He squeezed her tightly before letting go and looking back at Kingsley.
"We have no choice but to notify the Daily Prophet. We must send a message out to the Wizarding World. I think Hermione should type it up and get it out as prompt as possible."
Kingsley just shook his head yes and turned around in his chair. She took that as her queue to get to her office and type up a report. With a nod to Harry she exited the office and marched straight to her desk.
The Minister of Magic has sent an Emergency Alert
May we have your ATTENTION PLEASE
The Minister of Magic has sent an Emergency Alert
May we have your ATTENTION PLEASE
A new threat has been detected. This is a serious threat as muggles and wizarding families have begun disappearing. Please begin warding your homes immediately. Do not wait.
Maintain CONSTANT VIGILANCE.
If anyone has any information regarding the group known as,
Los Renegados Del Diablos,
they are required by law to contact the ministry immediately.
Please do not attempt to apprehend anyone without the assistance of an Auror.
The Ministry urges you to take caution, do not disregard this message.
This is an Emergency Alert brought to you by the Ministry of Magic.
She was satisfied with this message. Hopefully the public wouldn't run off in mass hysteria. The general public and its masses could be more terrifying at times. They were so unpredictable. She made 20 duplicates using some as memos and enveloping some to send to radio stations and newspapers. The memos were sent off and now she was headed to the owlery to send off the remaining notifications.
After sending off the notices she headed back to her office. She sat at her desk; this was horrible. How were they going to keep people safe at the World Cup when they couldn't even keep families from being kidnapped from their own homes. She wanted to help look for Neville and his family. The last thing she wanted to hear was that they had been skinned alive and dropped from the sky. She decided then to seek out Harry and ask if she could help in anyway. She found him, standing outside his office talking to some of the other Auror's.
"Good Afternoon fellas, may I borrow Harry for just a moment?"
They all nodded in agreement as she pulled Harry away from them, he looked as if he had aged ten years since yesterday. Neville, Luna and their children clearly on his mind.
"Tell me Harry, what do you know about the Longbottom's disappearance?"
"Honestly, we don't know much. We received a request for a welfare check from Mr. Lovegood. He's out of the country and couldn't reach them by floo or owl. So, I thought I would go, I hadn't seen the baby since we left the hospital and I thought it would be nice to see the four of them. When I arrived, the front door was standing open. I went in and the house was wrecked. Furniture was turned over and there was blood on the floor."
"Do you think you could take me up there for a look around?"
"No, I don't think that is a very good idea Hermione."
"Harry, I'm not going to accept no as an answer. So why don't you just save us some time and let's go ahead and take a portkey to Scotland shall we?"
"Right, I knew it wasn't a request but a cleverly disguised demand."
"Obviously."
She turned on her heels and headed to her office to get her traveling cloak. She put a few enchantments on the cloak and then headed back to the port key departure portal. She took a moment outside the door to gather her thoughts and breath a few deep breaths. This will need self-control and occlumency to maintain her emotions. She can do this.
Upon entering she noticed that Harry hadn't arrived yet, so she went ahead and setup the portkey. They needed to travel to Scotland near Hogsmeade to visit Neville's home, and then they could visit Hogwarts's to speak with Minerva and visit Neville's office. They had three hours before the portkey would reactivate to bring them back. She sent her Patronus to Harry telling him to hurry up she was ready. He walked through the door within a few minutes.
"Seriously Hermione, I was in the loo."
"Oh, my apologies. I thought you were trying to get out of going with me to Scotland. Everything is setup, we have 3 hours to get through their home and visit with Minerva at Hogwarts to view his classroom."
Their portkey travel was quick and pointless. Just as Harry had said there was nothing in the home, that gave any real clues. Nothing stood out, nothing that screamed, look at me. As they searched throughout the home and his classroom it was hard not to become sentimental. Perhaps this was hindering their progress with the investigation. She doubted it, they were always able to disengage when searching for clues.
The question remained how on Earth do these people manage to get in and out without leaving a shred of evidence. Especially when a home was as turned upside down and wrecked like Neville's was left. With Voldemort it was easy. He wanted people to know it was him, what he done, he had a calling card with each kill, Morsmordre. She couldn't help but think how useless she felt walking through the Longbottom's house.
She seemed to be aimlessly wondering through the Ministry when she overheard Kingsley talking to Lucius Malfoy. She walked closer to listen to their conversation as it sounded like Kingsley was about to lose his temper.
"Mr. Malfoy I can assure you the ministry is taking pre-cautions in keeping the public secure. If you would like to assist in securing the people within this building be my guest. But I certainly have not lost faith in the ability of the team of Auror's currently on staff."
Kingsley's voice had raised multiple octaves in the thirty steps and less than 20 seconds to get close to them. She was certain that if his teeth had become any tighter as he sat and grinded them, he would need a bone replenishing potion. She continued to close the gap as quickly as possible.
"Minister, I assure you, I meant no disrespect. I was simply suggesting an increase in security. I can employ five hundred men and women at any time to assist you."
As per usual Lucius Malfoy sounded as calm as a cucumber with a self-inflated, egocentric tone. Lord that man. In his defense though he does sound as if he is only attempting to help the situation, but knowing Kingsley's mood, he isn't taking the tone as assistance. He seems to be taking it as a passive aggressive insult or a snide remark.
"Lucius Malfoy! If you don't get away from me with your incessant qualms about my inability to secure the wizarding community, I'm going to throw you in Azkaban for harassment."
She knew she needed to step in now before Malfoy had a chance to say anything else.
"Excuse me Kingsley. What seems to be the problem? Is there anything I can assist you with Mr. Malfoy?"
She tried to sound as innocent as possible. She needed to deflate the situation and she needed to deflate it immediately. She received a death glare from Kingsley and an impenetrable glance from Malfoy. She was sure the tone and volume had no malice towards her, with what Kingsley said next.
"Get away from me, the lot of you!" He stormed off leaving several bystanders, Hermione and Lucius Malfoy gawking at his retreating form.
"Mr. Malfoy, I must apologize on behalf of the Minister. It has been a difficult day." She deadpanned her statement. She attempted to put professionalism in her tone and no emotion.
"Ms. Granger I assure I meant no ill intention with my offer of support. It was merely an offer, regarding the emergency bulletin that was issued."
"Your offer will be taken into consideration Mr. Malfoy. If you wouldn't mind sending me your offer in an official capacity via owl, I will deliver it to Harry on your behalf. Were you in need of anything else?"
"Ms. Granger your cordial manners are noted and appreciated. I will most certainly get that to you as soon as I return to the Manor."
"Thank you, Mr. Malfoy, have a good day." That went rather well she supposed, olive branches and the like she guessed. She gave him a nod and proceeded to make her way to her office but before she got five steps away, she heard him clear his throat. She assumed to get her attention. He clearly was not finished with their conversation. She turned and looked at him questioningly.
"May a speak freely with you for just a moment Ms. Granger?"
Umm…. this was a surprise. Should she let him? She did despise the man. She really has no desire to speak freely with him or any other Malfoy, ever. She gave him a hard-appraising look.
"Please."
And now he has said please. She raises her eyebrow with consternation.
"Mr. Malfoy, I'm not sure what we would need to discuss that would require for you to request to speak freely." Honestly that wasn't intended to come out sounding like Severus Snape, but there it was, and now unable to be taken back. Not that she cared if she hurt his feelings.
Obviously, that hit a nerve. He noticeably straightened his back a little more. She didn't know it was possible to get more rigidity in him, yet he managed to do so. She watched him breath a deep breath and momentarily close his eyes before he spoke. Was he dreading something?
"Ms. Granger, I've never had a moment alone with you about things that happened between us. I assure that I was a different man in your youth. I want you to know that I offer my sincerest of apologies. I mourn my inability to change history as I would most certainly have made different decisions and changed the course of my life for the better. I know I have hurt you and been the cause of much pain to your person. I am deeply sorry."
Woah. Was that an apology? Was she imagining this conversation? Did she hear him correctly? That was most certainly an apology. Not only did she hear it, but all the onlookers from before watching him and Kingsley were now intent on listening to their conversation. Did these people not have work to do? She looked at all of them, and then back to Malfoy with a look of honest surprise. Which from his facial expression she noted with delight? He seems to be proud of himself.
"Thank you." That's it, that's all she can muster up. What was she supposed to do give him an award for being a decent human?
"Was there anything else you wished to discuss Mr. Malfoy? I have some rather important business to manage." And there it was, the deflation of his ego, and the guilt, riddling hers. He shook his head no, and as she stepped around him, she laid her hand on his shoulder. She tried with everything in her to convey her appreciation for what he just done without having to say it aloud. She gave a quick nod of acceptance with a small smile that was barely noticeable and made her way around him to her office. The guilt that was ebbing at the corners of her conscience was now released and she could continue to her next task. Disappointing Ginny.