Chapter Sixteen The Department of Mysteries
They landed in a quiet street, without traffic. Hermione watched as Snape said something to the dragon who walked off down the street, periodically sniffing at trash bins along the way, it's tail denting the sides of parked cars as it flicked it back and forth.
"This way," she said and stepped into the telephone box. Snape raised an eyebrow at it and stepped in beside her.
He watched as she reached up over his shoulder took the receiver off the hook and dialed, six two four four two. Hermione recognized the familiar female voice and sighed with relief. It said: "Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business."
Snape opened his mouth and Hermione interrupted, "Hermione Granger and Professor Severus Snape to see Professor Remus Lupin in the Department of Mysteries."
"Thank you," the voice said. "Visitors, please take the badges and attach them to the front of your robes."
"Let's hope Remus has already gotten here," Hermione said and waited for the rattle of badges in the metal chute. She opened the slot at the noise and found two badges. The first was labeled Hermione Granger Visiting Elf Representative and the other, which she handed to Snape, read: Professor Severus Snape, Visiting Rom Representative.
He glanced at it as the voice in the box reminded them of the requirement to submit to a search and have their wands presented at the registration desk. The floor of the box then began its' descent.
"Oh hurry, hurry, hurry," Hermione whispered.
The voice interrupted her, "There has been an intruder located in The Department of Mysteries. All visitors are advised to remain at the front entrance of the Atrium until you are further notified."
"That has to be Harry and Voldemort," Hermione said, more to herself then the man who was crowded in with her. He was a head taller than she and she looked up into his face. They didn't speak as the lift moved slowly down to ground level.
The door open as it reached the Atrium floor and Hermione stepped out into a crowd moving towards the mantelpieces lining the walls.
Someone rushed by and shouted at them, "Best run for your lives. Voldemort's in the building!"
Hermione turned and began to move against the tide. Snape was behind her.
"Miss Granger?" he shouted over the hubbub.
"Have your wand at the ready, Professor," she advised, "I know where we're going."
"I think this is considered breaking and entering," Snape said, under his breath as they stepped into a lift. There were several panic-stricken wizards inside who looked at him as if he were a Death Eater. Hermione almost laughed. She was pounding the number nine button, Snape was standing at the back, his wand in his hand; looking very calm, but quite the picture. She imagined she also looked as bad if not worse then he. Both of them were filthy, dressed in Rom clothing that was ripped and torn and his shirt was covered in dried blood.
"Young man," one of them said, and turned to her. She had forgotten for a moment she had cut her hair and was dressed like a boy to disguise herself. "We need to get off this lift and we are going the wrong way!"
The lift stopped at his words and the door opened. The female voice announced: "Department of Mysteries". She and Snape stepped off and watched for a moment as the grill closed and the lift started to rise. They were left alone in a very quiet corridor lit by torches.
They turned to one another and silently, Hermione motioned to him to follow. She opened the door and stepped into the circular room. "Professor, I don't have a wand so I'm going to tell you what to do. Okay?"
He nodded and stared at the door they had come through.
"As soon as I close the door we need to mark it, the floor will rotate and we will try each door until it opens to the right room." She closed the door and in quick succession they moved from door to door until she recognized the correct room and led him through it.
They entered the amphitheater and witnessed, just in time, what was going on.
Harry stood on the stone dais in the center of the lowered floor just in front of the stone archway. Voldemort was in front of him his back to the archway where the black veil continued to wave rhythmically behind him. Voldemort had a hold of Harry's shirt and was off balance falling backward towards the veil.
Harry was pulling at his shirt, "Let go!" he was shouting.
Voldemort was taller and outweighed Harry and it looked like he was going to topple backwards and carry them both through. At that moment, Lupin was racing up the stairs and had run to the topmost level, and was reaching out frantically with one hand and grabbing for Harry's back.
Hermione stopped just behind Snape in the door, wringing his shirt in her hands and hugging his back, as she watched in horror.
"Harry!" Lupin shouted, grabbed hold and yanked. With that, Voldemort's hands flew out and he fell back disappearing, while Harry was enfolded into Lupin's arms and the two sailed backwards down the stairs. They tumbled to the floor and lay there in a heap.
Hermione let her breath out as she saw that both of them were just stunned and had started to move and hadn't broken their necks. She raced around Snape and down the stairs screaming, "Harry! Harry! Oh my gosh you survived!"
Harry was looking back up the stairs at the veil and then he dropped his head to stare at the mirror he still held in his hand. Lupin was sitting next to him facing the opposite way and gasping. Hermione threw herself on the ground and wrapped her arms around her friend and burst into tears.
Harry glanced up at Snape over her shoulder and met his eyes. Snape held the gaze for a moment, stepped back and disappeared through the door which was crowded with onlookers.
…..
Harry arrived at Platform 9 ¾'s with Lupin at his side. Remus smiled at him and said, "I'll see you at Hogwarts, Harry. Have a good trip."
Harry nodded. They had both gotten their letters from Hogwarts; Harry's had gotten his earlier and it had been redelivered by his own owl, Hedwig. Remus' was from Dumbledore offering him the Defense Against the Dark Arts position again.
After the events at the Ministry, they had stayed together at No. 12 Grimmauld Place and had been content with each other's company.
"Right. See you there," he answered and turned to spot Hermione and Ron coming towards him. They were smiling at him. Hermione still looked odd to him. She still had not done the spell to let her hair grow out again and people around them were staring.
"Hello, Harry," she said gave him a quick hug and Harry shook Ron's hand. "Best get aboard and find a seat." They had very little trouble in securing a seat for themselves. Ginny was off down the corridor with Neville. She waved at them and continued to talk to friends. The word had immediately gotten out that Voldemort had been killed and the rumor mill was grinding away. The new Minster of Magic, Sebastian Bixby, had decided to be more discreet than his predecessor and had not told the Daily Prophet how the deed was done.
Harry glanced out the window and noticed heads bent together. He assumed word would leak out eventually. In the meantime, he rested his head against the seat and stared at his two friends. They were talking, which suited him fine. He hadn't felt like talking to anyone, not even to Remus for several days.
"Good thing we're leaving," Ron said, also looking out the window, "What with all the unexplained fires around London. Do you suppose they'll ever make Lamya go back to the island, or will he hang around all day? He's really giving the Department of Magical Creatures, Beast Division a difficult time. Dad says that they can't manage him at all."
Hermione smiled wanly, "Remus seems to think he'll get lonely and go home. I hope he does before Hagrid gets wind of him." Hermione glanced at Harry who was not smiling.
"Let's talk about something else, Ron. How was your stay with Remus, Harry?"
Harry nodded along with the jerk of the train starting. He answered, "It's been good."
"I'm so glad," she said, losing the smile. "Say you know I've been thinking about my career goals." They both turned to her. This time neither of them teased her. They had all grown more introspective.
"Oh yeah?" Ron slid down on the seat. "Tell us about it."
"Really?" she asked in surprise. He nodded and Harry followed his example.
"Well, I think I'll try and apply to the Ministry. I promised to help the elves at Azkaban you know." She shot a look at Harry and hurried on. "I think I'll work in the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures if they'll have me."
"I'm sure they would Hermione," Harry said. Ron nodded.
"I know it's a bit early to be thinking about it and all, but we have one more year after this and we need to focus on special studies," she said.
"Yeah, I agree," Ron reported. Harry and Hermione stared at him. "I've already decided what I'm going to do."
"Really!" Harry asked. "What's that Ron?"
"I'm going to take some special classes with Hagrid this year," Ron said sitting up and leaning forward enthusiastically. "You two will be in extra classes like McGonagall's transfiguration and Potion's since both of you passed your OWLS. I've decided to study magical creatures, too.
"Really Ron?" Hermione said, in surprise, "I didn't know you were interested."
"Well, I've met a whole lot of creatures I didn't think I'd ever see before; you know, dragons and giants and such." His brow furrows and Harry knew exactly what he was thinking about. He was recalling their encounter with Aragog and the giant spiders.
Ron continued, "When I came back with Moses he taught me all kinds of things and I got to meet with the elves and sit in when they had their council with the house elves. It was really interesting. Plus," he lowered his voice and checked the door, "Moses told me about the gold in Lamya's cave. Piles and piles of it, he said. Well a fellow could do nicely in becoming an explorer and a treasure hunter, don't you think."
Harry and Hermione looked at each other again and both nodded without cracking a smile. Harry had never known Ron when he wasn't thinking about gold.
"Well that's not been done before Ron," Harry said. "But I think that Lamya is one of those really intelligent animals. My feeling is the gold he hoards is there because he protects it. Not sure it would be so easy to get any away from him."
Ron frowned and appeared to be considering it. Hermione broke into a grin and turned to Harry. "Have you thought about what you want to do?" she asked.
Harry stared at her and opened his mouth and heard the words come out. Although he'd not given it any conscious thought, he answered, "I think I'd like teaching. I kind of liked it teaching everyone Defense Against the Dark Arts and everything. Remus would probably be a big help."
"Oh that's interesting, Harry," Ron said.
"Yes, yes it is and you'd be good at it," Hermione nodded. "Well, Ron and I have to slip away Harry, We have our meeting with the other Prefects. Will you be alright?"
Harry smiled to reassure her. "I think that I can ride in a train compartment by myself Hermione."
"Oh, you know what I mean," she said, setting her cat on the seat. It curled up lazily in the corner. "I wonder if they'll be telling us who the Head Girl and Boy are this year?"
Ron stood and opened the door and glanced back at Harry. "Will be back in a bit, mate."
"It's alright, Ron," Harry said. "I'm fine."
Harry fell asleep in the empty compartment and didn't wake until they rolled into Hogsmeade station. He opened his eyes to find Crookshanks on his lap and the platform filling with people.
Ron popped back through the door and said, "Sorry we were gone so long, Harry."
Harry didn't question him. He avoided most of the people he bumped into; Seamus Finnigan and Neville Longbottom. Instead, he made his way through the crowd with Ron at his side.
They headed for the coaches. Hermione caught up with them, out-of-breath. "I had to help some of the first years find Hagrid. Heaven knows he's big enough to see. What's the matter, Ron?"
Ron was standing staring at the coaches as the thestrals rocked them gently with their body motions. "They really are ugly aren't they?" he gasped.
Hermione turned to Harry and Harry understood the look on Ron's face. "Get in Ron," Harry said and opened the door. The boy had grown over the holidays and almost had to fold himself to fit. Hermione followed him. The rest of the coach was empty. "So you've seen the thestrals," Harry said quietly.
"You did?" Hermione asked, turning on Ron. "But…but who died. Who did you see die Ron?"
Harry watched his friend pale. Ron stuttered and then said it quickly, "Peter Pettigrew."
They both stared at him dumbfounded, "Pettigrew!" Hermione hissed in astonishment. Harry remained silent and waited.
"I…killed him," Ron said.
Hermione inhaled sharply and looked at Harry and then back to Ron. "How…how?" she asked.
Ron studied his feet and then looked out the window. The evening was warm and beautiful and Harry could plainly see his face.
"I was down in the dungeons waiting for someone to come back and find me when this great big snake came along. It was nosing around me and I got scared and started stunning rats and tossing them to it. It's sort of like feeding Buckbeak in a way," Ron was mumbling to himself. "You know, just throwing feed out and having them catch it mid-air."
He gulped. "I grabbed hold of a rat and didn't notice that it had a toe missing and…and I tossed it; and just as the snake took hold he, well-he transformed." There was a dead silence and he finished, "That snake had this huge swollen lump right… right ...in the middle." Ron was rubbing his stomach unconsciously. "I think he'll be digesting that meal for a long time."