CHAPTER SEVEN

The Ministry

Harry tapped his wand on his knee and stared at the piece of paper in front of him,

"So… this is Vereor nex?" Muttered George "seems kinda small."

"This is the only part I saw," Harry replied, "also I'm not the best drawer," he looked up at George as he surveyed the simple sketch. He noticed his ear that had been cursed off by Snape had completely healed over now, becoming the same colour as the rest of his face.

Harry prodded one section with his wand, "this was where Ron, Hermione and I were… the Death Eaters referred to it as the 'torture room' this is the general place where people come in for serious crimes… when a Death Eater betrays their clan, when they catch an enemy, that sort of thing. However," he said, "the people in that room in their separate cells are the ones who are tortured most often, so they don't have to bring them through doors and things and can do it on a regular basis." He noticed George's eyes on him, he sighed deeply, subconsciously rubbing his stump of a finger. Screams echoed within his head, and the blood, the blood that always flowed across the dark concrete floor. The mental imagery brought back a memory, and he closed his eyes for a moment to remember it.

Harry's back leant against the cold cinderblock of the cell; blood was dripping down his sleeve and onto the ground, where it stained the dust. He shut his eyes and forced his mind to focus on something else than the pain, a rich sobbing came in between the bars, his ears pricked up and he carefully moved towards the entrance of the cell, where tall iron bars swung to the ceiling. He placed his hands on them and pushed his forehead as hard as he could into a space between two of them,

"Hermione?" He whispered his voice hitching and pain running down his scalp. "Hermione, is that you?" There was a shuddering breath heard, but no answer.

"Harry," came Ron's voice, further away, it was hollow and deep, "where'd they get you this time? I saw blood."

"There is always blood," Harry whispered to himself. "Its fine, I think they just got my shoulder,"

"Can you move your arm?" He asked, Harry moved his elbow, creasing pain up his bones. He winced,

"Yeah,"

"What'd they use?" Ron asked, he heard him shift in his cell and the sound of a hand running against the cold grain of the bars.

"The snake." Harry muttered, seeing the glittering silver instrument in his minds-eye, the eye imbedded with peridot and the tail wrapping around the blade.

"Figures."

"What did they use on you?"

"Nothing special, the bastard did the back of my ankle though,"

"Can you stand?"

"I haven't tried, it hurts enough to sit." There was a soft silence. They had this conversation almost everyday; comparing injuries was one thing that reminded them they weren't alone in their pain.

"Do they keep asking you too?" Harry heard Hermione ask in a small voice.

"What 'Mione?" Asked Ron, his voice was full of care.

"Do they keep asking you how to bring Voldemort back?"

Suddenly the door creaked open, Harry heard Hermione give a stiff sob before she fell completely silent.

"Is it just me," said a rough voice from the door, "or did I hear voices?" Harry huddled back in his cell and he prayed Ron was doing the same. There was the sound of a brandishing of a sword; Harry shut his eyes as he heard Ron become gagged and tied, before being dragged to the table in the centre of the room. Harry couldn't stand it, Ron made a muffled cry as he gasped to breathe.

"No!" Harry yelled, his voice cracked as he pushed his hands through the bars and tried to reach for him. The Death Eater peered up and sneered, as Ron looked at Harry, his eyes widened as the man made a cut into his flesh. Slowly, tears ran down his dusty face, leaving a trail of dark mud. Harry pulled at the iron bars, trying to reach for Ron, but it was no use; Ron started sobbing as the blood slowly fell.

George was staring at him when he broke from the daze. Harry cleared his throat and pointed at the drawing once more, shaking away his memories.

"Here," he said, trying to make sure his voice didn't waver, "is the large hallway the three of us were taken," Harry traced a path with the tip of his wand, "if I remember correctly that was how we got into our cells…"

"Where did you escape from?" George asked curiously, glancing down at the drawing. Harry pointed to the edge of his cell, the part that ran off the side of the paper.

"But, there is nothing there,"

"Not completely true," he muttered, "there is a window."

"You…"

"We jumped… yeah," he said. He gave a morbid laugh when he saw George's amazed expression, "you would be amazed what you would do in times of desperation." Harry saw in his minds eye Hermione clinging to a tree with all her remaining strength as Death Eaters tore at her. Her eyes imploring Harry to help her…

There was a light tapping at the door and Harry looked at George to see if he was expecting a visitor, but George shared the same confused expression as he did. George pulled himself off the couch and headed for the door, Harry quickly went to grab the drawing from the table until he heard George say in a slightly amused and relieved voice,

"It's Ginny… should have figured she would come by."

"I took a sick day," said Ginny, coming through the door and pushing past George; her eyes immediately fell on Harry. "I haven't missed a day before so it was about time anyway."

"Well well," he said with an amused expression, "someone's and Auror. Can't say I expected any less of you." Ginny hid all expression from him, as if it was her job not to smile.

"What are you looking at?"

"Vereor nex…" Answered George, taking the seat next to Harry again, nonplussed by Ginny's ignorance of them. Ginny took a seat on the other side of Harry and looked at the picture. He felt her presence leaning in on him, the warmth from her body falling against his side, he sighed.

"This is it?"

"What I saw yes,"

"I seriously doubt it, the place would have to be massive, if it's anything like the myths say…"

"I guess they just forgot to give me the tour of the place." Harry muttered sarcastically, Ginny ignored him. Harry was starting to get confused; why was she being so hostile towards him?

"We should alert the Auror's." Muttered George, "do you think you could do that?"

"It's going to be tough…" said Ginny, "with the new laws in the Ministry it'll be difficult to convince them."

"What? That your ex-boyfriend and boy-who-lived magically returned from the dead with news that a mythical place actually isn't mythical at all? Who wouldn't believe that?!" George said, a twinge of a smile on his face, Harry snorted.

"So, any suggestions on how I'll go about it?"

"I'm surprised you aren't going all hero we can do this alone crap," George muttered. Ginny raised her eyebrows and shook her head,

"What about the Order?" Asked Harry, he pulled his sword up from the table and casually leant the tip against the floor. Ginny shot George a look, but Harry couldn't see her eyes,

"Harry, the Order practically doesn't exist anymore…" Said George, his tone as soft as velvet.

"What do you mean 'doesn't exist'?" When Harry left, even after Voldemort's downfall – the Order still existed on principle. They were like the law outside the ministry, restoring order from chaos.

"It's not like the Order is dead Harry… more like on holiday, waiting to be captured by the next generation. You know how after Voldemort's downfall there was an almost unspoken agreement that it wasn't needed anymore. But then, when the Death Eater's attacked…"

"So you two aren't…"

"Yes, of course we're part of the Order," said Ginny, flicking her hair off her shoulders. "But you can't really start an organization with only a couple of members who can fight. Those who were in the Order when you were in it – either can't fight, or won't fight."

"Won't fight? Who won't fight?" No one answered. "How about your parents? Surely they wouldn't let this happen."

"Mum and dad gave up fighting ages ago, though they're still good with a wand they don't have the same battle skills as they used to, and wouldn't survive something like this…" said Ginny, "Dad is trying to use a bit less magic too, he's gotten more seriously into Muggle gear, actually owns a real car now… and not the flying kind."

Harry frowned, a line of light coming from the broken window and across his face as George asked "how soon can we get to the Ministry?"

"Woah, wait!" Said Ginny, "who said we?" George smirked, messing up her hair with his hand.

"There's the little let's do this alone idiot I know so well." Ginny glared at him, before turning to Harry,

"Harry, you don't understand the security that's been enforced there at the moment? You haven't been around, you do –,"

"Yeah, and you don't understand what went on where I was either… you weren't there! Do you think that didn't have security? And yet, here I am. I know how to get through all of that, I know."

"No! You don't!" Ginny said standing, George slowly backed up in his chair, their voices becoming louder.

"I've done it before!" Yelled Harry, "you should know what I'm capable of!" Ginny pulled out her sword and jabbed it into Harry's bandaged chest, the pressure made Harry winced.

"No, I remember what you were capable of. Now you are in no shape!"

"I'm perfectly fine!"

"Oh yeah, sure." She muttered sarcastically.

"Maybe you are forgetting who beat you in a duel Ginny." Ginny clenched her teeth,

"I can't use you in there!" She yelled, "not today. You can't just use a Polyjuice like you did last time and make it through, things have changed."

"Yeah, apparently," Harry muttered, looking Ginny up and down. Ginny's eyes sparked with anger,

"What's that suppose to mean?"

"You've become all negative, constantly paranoid – not letting anyone through that god damn wall you've put up around yourself –"

"I've changed so what? I had to!" Ginny yelled. Harry felt something shove him in his chest and he fell backwards, George stood in the centre, looking positively mad,

"We're not going to get anywhere with you two ripping at each others throats… alright?" Ginny stood up, brushing dust from her pants. She pressed her hand through her hair,

"Sorry," She said, the anger leaving her features.

"Me too," said Harry, frowning. He felt horrible for yelling at Ginny, after all she was just trying to help. He just couldn't help but be mildly disappointed in her… had somewhat expected her to look into his eyes the first time she saw him and just know it was him. For her to be the girl he left, the girl that he dreamed about day in and day out at Vereor Nex. He felt egotistical and ridiculous for feeling disappointed, but he did.

"Man I always thought I'd have to get you two off each other, but not in this way," George joked, sitting back down. "Ginny, I heard they have magical detector spells, of any form yes?"

"Everything you could imagine," She said, "even if someone has had a cheering charm placed on them they'd know."

"How about things that aren't magical?" George asked,

"Depends, if you are referring to clothing and everything, no… if it isn't harmful they don't request –,"

"How about electronic equipment?"

"What… muggle gear?"

"Yes."

"…people generally don't bring that to work…"

"But, if they did?"

"It'd go through I'd say, unless it was potentially harmful."

"What are you getting at?" Asked Harry, confused by the whole situation, his mind kept flashing back to Ron's blood staining the ground. George flashed a smile,

"That's for me to know, and you to find out."

"Dad gave me one of these for Christmas one year," said George, gazing into the small camera – a projection of himself plastered on the screen.

"Do I dare ask why?" Questioned Ginny as George clipped it onto her shirt, a grin spreading across his face.

"Are you sure this is going to work?" Muttered Harry slightly annoyed at the whole scenario; that he would have to be sitting on the sidelines.

"No actually, risky as all hell." George finished and stood back to admire the discretion of the camera.

"Run this through with me again?" Ginny asked again, glancing down at the camera with an unsure expression.

"Basically, you point out you've got an anonymous tip about Voldemort's recruits, up somewhere in the mountains. You won that award of bravery in capture last year; surely no one will question the validity of your statements… but if they do say you have a witness etcetera… you know, all that."

"Yeah…" sighed Ginny, running her palms down her legs "all that." Ginny touched the camera with her fingers,

"This better bloody work and I better not get fired." She said, eyes darting warningly around George's face.

"It'll work." Ginny let out a heaved sigh,

"Alright." She secured her sword onto her belt and held out her wand.

"Good luck," Harry said, she gave him a slight smile and disapparated.

Harry and George sat in front of the screen, as the static turned into a clear picture of marble floors and wide roofs. People walked hurriedly left and right, brief cases clutches firmly with their hands.

Ginny sighed and looked around, the new fountain of two phoenixes joint at the necks shot water through their beaks and into the pool below. Ginny walked casually across the room, no one paid any particular notice.

"So far so good," whispered Harry to George. They continued watching the screen,

"Do we get sound on this?" Whispered Harry, fiddling with the volume, a loud screeching echoed throughout the room. Harry quickly turned it down, trying to get it clearer.

"Hopefully we only heard that on our end," whispered George. Ginny casually wedged herself between two grim-looking workers, talking in hushed tones. She swiftly moved to the gold gates where several security guards stood, their bodies appeared to be both as wide as they were tall. One nodded at her, his bald head gleaming with the strong lights,

"Ginny," he muttered in welcome. Casually letting her through, she thanked them, a smile playing on her lips. Almost immediately a man walked up to her, his white hair parted and swung down his cheeks.

"Ginny, I thought you took the day off today?"

"Hardly Neil, you know me, can't stay away from the office." She laughed meekly and the man beamed,

"Always good to have a dedicated employee," he nodded at her and walked away. Ginny shoved through the crowd, a number of people saw her coming and stepped back, their eyes darting to her sword. She walked into a small hallway, elevators lined on the walls, witches and wizards crowded around them, jostling to get a spot. Ginny slipped into a gap of two wizards and walked onto the lift, several others joined her. Multiple memos flew at her they circled around her prodding her with their tips. She snatched one of the air, Harry read,

Ginny, meeting at 2 o'clock, discussion of the O'lachlan case.

She took the other memos and pushed them deep into her pockets. A muffled voice was heard coming from the elevator,

"Level Seven, Department of Magical Games and Sports, incorporating the British and Irish Quidditch League Headquaters, Official Gobstones Club and Ludicrous Patents Office." A couple of people exited the lift, before it began ascending again. A man shuffled over to Ginny, holding a cage with a dancing parrot, its eyes sparked wildly around the cage as its legs moved.

"Miss… Weasley,"

"Morning," she said with a slight nod that suggested he should stop talking to her. The man didn't listen and pointed to the bird,

"My, parrot you see. It's been doing this all morning, a couple of kids thought it might be funny to –," Ginny sighed impatiently and swished her wand, and with that the parrot stood perfectly still, the man's eyes widened.

"How'd you…" the man began as the doors opened.

"Simple jinx." Ginny muttered as the man got off the lift, thanking her profusely. She was now alone in the lift; she looked down at the tiny camera,

"So far so good," she muttered to George and Harry.

"Lets hope it remains that way," replied George.

Not the most interesting chapter. But hold out, after a few chapters everything starts to get a little more heated.

Let me know what you thought :)

Hah, and I find it funny how people hate Jack so much. I mean, it's cool, I get it, but it's amusing.

Pheonixxsong