The Other Sky
Chapter 4: There is an Arid Pleasure
A/N-Disclaimer: Not much to say today. The title of the chapter comes from There is an Arid Pleasure by Emily Dickinson. I also don't own HP. So, yeah here's chapter four.
I checked the permanent Tempus Charm in the corner again. It had only been two minutes since the last time I checked. I looked back the receptionist to see her standing up. She walked over to me, a bright but a bit forced smile on her face. "Minister Shacklebolt will see you now. If you will come with me?" She didn't even wait for me to respond.
I stood quickly, trying to smooth my robes and catch up with her at the same time. Thankfully, the walk was short, and she was soon opening the door to the minister's office. I step through with her on my heels. As I take a seat in front of the minister, she stands to one side, watching.
"Will that be all, sir?" she asks, in a surprisingly confident voice.
"Harry, would you like something?" Both he and the woman, I didn't bother to hear her name, looked at me expectantly. I shake my head slowly. "Then, no thank you, Catherine, you are excused."
She nodded with a small smile and walked back out, the sound of the door closing sounding eerily loud in the otherwise silent room.
"Harry, do you have any idea why you are here?" he looked at me expectantly.
"No idea." I kept my answer short and my voice calm.
He sighs and nods as if he expected my answer. When the hell did I get so predictable? "I have received an anonymous tip that you have been harboring Dark artifacts in your home." I opened my mouth to speak, but he held up a hand to stop my protests. "Harry, I want you to answer me very carefully. Even with myself being the minister, I had to pull a lot of strings to bring you here before Aurors invaded your home and brought you here. I did this in trust and as your friend. Now, answer me very honestly, are you harboring Dark artifacts in your home?"
I pause for a moment before responding. "No, Minister, I am not harboring artifacts in my home." I pause again, knowing I'm still not out of the bear's den. Of course I hadn't lied yet. I had been planning on harboring them, but not they were harboring themselves. "May I inquire who made this complaint?"
Kinsley smiles a bit, knowing I had just messing with him for the last question. With that question, I had effectively broken the tension. He attempts to reprimand me in an authoritative tone, but the smile softens the effect. "Now, Harry, you know that type of information is classified. We'll just assure them that they must have been confused." His face turned back into the mask of the minister as he asked me one last question. "Have you noticed anyone suspicious around your home? This tip, I will tell you, came from a surprising source, so I would like you to report to me if anything seems out of place. Is that clear, Mr. Potter?"
I shake my head slowly. "I'm sorry I can't help minister. I haven't seen anyone suspicious, but yes, I'll be sure to warn you if I do." I smiled once more at him and he returned it. I still wasn't lying, I assured myself. I hadn't seen the intruder.
"Very good, Harry. Now, as much as I'd like to catch up, I do have work to do." He looks regretful, but motions towards the door nevertheless. "Catherine can show you out of the department, if you would like. On a completely different note, the word says that she has a thing for the Chosen One." He smiles a bit more warmly as my face heats a bit. "Now, good-bye, Harry." He ends on a stern note as I stand, shake his hand, and exit his office.
After I closed the door, I stood there for a moment. Avoiding the truth had been harder than I thought. After my moment of contemplation, I walked back towards the receptionist desk.
As a neared the desk, Catherine noticed me and stood. She offered me a warmer smile than she had earlier. "Is there anything you need, Mr. Potter?" I assumed she figured if I had been allowed to leave the minister's office, I hadn't done anything wrong. That sure would explain her earlier behavior.
"No, thank you, Catherine." She blushes at my use of her name. I turn as if to leave and see her about to sit down again. I turn back around and say, "There is one thing." She pops right back onto her feet. She smiles broadly, awaiting my request. "Tell Minister Shacklebolt to owl me if he has anymore concerns, or if he wants to catch up, alright?" Her eyes look a bit disappointed, but she nods regardless. "Thanks you." Without another word, I walk out of the department and return home.
*O0o-o0O*
I'm again in my kitchen, making tea, when there is the presence of an owl outside of my wards. The owl passed in a more leisurely pace this time than earlier. I had enough time to recognize the owl as it dropped the letter and hurried to leave the closing wards.
I turned the letter over in my hand, knowing it was from Hermione without even checking it. After a few minutes, I groaned and opened it, knowing it was a bad idea.
Harry,
Please let me understand you. Ron and I are truly worried. I know you didn't read my first letter. Please finish this one. I don't want our friendship to end. I understand that these past two years haven't been easy, but that doesn't mean you should give up. Ron and I have moved on. We really want you to as well.
Think about all of your options, Harry. You have so many of them offered to you. We love you. Take care.
Please respond soon,
Hermione Granger.
Understand, understand. Ron and I, Ron and I. When did the we stop including me, I thought to myself as I pushed the letter aside.
I sighed as I began contemplating my options yet again. I pushed the entire Hermione and Weasley issues aside. I officially had bigger issues to deal with. I knew for sure that I had to report all of the Dark artifacts in my home, without losing Kingsley's trust, that is. What made the whole situation even more difficult was how to accomplish it, without giving up claims to investigating them.
I drank tea for what felt like hours as I thought. I almost missed the alert on my wards of yet another owl. I groaned and slammed my cup onto the table. "Damn." I cursed as it spilled and burned my hand. I lower my wards, yet again, as I grab my wand and cast a cleaning charm on the table. The table remained a bit sticky, but I didn't really care as, what I recognized to be a ministry owl, dropped a letter onto the table.
The owl stayed stubbornly on the table, unlike the other owls, not caring about the closing wards. It took me a moment to realize that it was expecting a treat. Despite not having an owl myself, I always kept them on hand for the Weasley's. I fed one to the majestic eagle owl. It exited my home eerily quiet while I picked up the letter. I recognized it as being from Kingsley almost instantly.
26 April 2000
Harry,
Thank you for leaving the message with Catherine. I'm writing this on my way to a meeting, so I apologize for anything no making sense.
First, I would like to actually set up a meeting for the two of us to catch up. Not today, I am quite busy. I am available at your leisure, if you make an appointment.
Second, not to sound like I am pushing anything on you, I would like to mention that if you are ever considering a job in the ministry, I'll always be happy to help. This would not be a favor from a friend; this is from someone who has seen your potential. So this is to say, if you ever want to work in the Ministry, I can offer you any enter level position you want. After all, I am not working as a friend.
Respond soon,
Kingsley Shacklebolt,
Minister for Magic.
As I finished the letter, an idea came to me. It was the perfect way to turn the artifacts to the Aurors and still be allowed near them, if not instantly, over time. It would mean deceiving the Ministry and Kingsley himself, but it was what I felt like doing. It made my heart race at the thought of it. Perhaps Zabini had been on to something.
*O0o-o0O*
I looked over the letter I was about to send to Shacklebolt. It explained my exploring of my house and then my surprise at finding a room I couldn't enter. I explained the way the wards knocked me the final paragraph, I requested a meeting with him the day after tomorrow. I requested that tomorrow he would send Aurors to clean everything up.
I hope the letter was convincing enough. And in two days, at the meeting, I would request joining the section of the Ministry that actually deals with Dark Magic. I would ask to join the Unspeakables. Despite the fact that Kingsley specifically said he was not going to pull direct strings for me, I was mostly sure that I would be accepted for the program.
I had heard that the Unspeakables usually recruited, but after the artifacts I was offering, I was sure I would be accepted.
I lean back in my chair and allow myself to go over the events of the past two days. I can't decide if it had been Hermione or Zabini or even my own curiosity that was the catalyst for the events. I sigh and push my musings away - I could deal with them in my sleep, hopefully- and check the time.
When I see that it is only half five, I smile a bit. Finally, a small piece of luck. I realized I had enough time to send the letter before he left for the day. I stood and was hopeful about tomorrow. A feeling I hadn't really felt, ever.
*O0o-o0O*
I am drinking tea the next morning when I receive the short note from Kingsley.
27 April 2000
Harry,
We'll be there in precisely one hour, be ready.
Kingsley Shacklebolt,
Minister for Magic.
I hadn't been expecting Kingsley to come, but I hoped he would be too preoccupied to talk to me until tomorrow. Perhaps he would also surprise me by bringing Unspeakables here to pick up the artifacts instead of Aurors.
Be ready. Be ready indeed.
A/N: So, more of a filler chapter. Next chapter will start more of the meat of the story. Until next time…