Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters.

Updated 1/21/2021

Chapter Twelve

The Records

It had been a week since Ari was brought to St. Mungo's and although he would see the healer everyday not much had change during that time. One of the first thing that they tried to do was to get a way for Ari to learn how to communicate with everyone in a more desirable way then his looks and makeshift hand signals. Interestingly enough, the first method that Healer Strout wanted Ari to work with was sign langue.

After a few days time, it was obvious that Ari had picked up more than a few words and understood them easy, he was able to re-enact any number of them when they were just words, but when he tried to put them together to communicate he could only get one or two words out before he was unable to form the next word. The worst part of this was that after he would try he would always get nervous and panicky (irrationally so) and it would take several minutes for him to calm down. At first, they hope that it would become easier over time so they made him keep trying but they all soon found out that this wasn't true and Ari got more frustrated as the time went by and it was harder for him to focus (though by no means does this mean that he was going to give up).

He meant a similar problem when he tried to write things down, he found that it took great effort to even write a single word (depending on the length he might not ever be able to get a whole word down) and by the time he did get it, he no longer remembered what he was trying to say. Because he had nothing better to do, and he wanted to see how long it would take, Ari worked himself constantly writing a sentence. 'I'm going to find some way out of this.' It sickened him that what should have taken him seconds took him four and a half hours. After each try he took to write this, he couldn't stop himself from falling under the panic and fright and then it would take several more minutes to be able to remember what he was doing (and when he was nearly finished) why he was doing it at all.

He put the paper up on the wall of his white padded room, which he realized that he would be staying in for a while, so that he could look at it as a promise to himself that he would somehow get back to normal (or at least functional). Though he viewed the paper in itself as a failure, he took comfort in the words knowing the determination he used to write that and the equal determination he would have to use to get better. It also had the added bonus of cheering up his love ones (mostly his Mum), which was what he was hoping would happen.

The day after Ari made this sign however, Healer Strout had a meeting with Ron and Hermione and it was on a very serious mattered.

"So, has Arthur shown any signs of improvement?" Ron asked hopefully after the pleasantries were given.

The healer sighed, he didn't want to dash their hopes, but there were things that needed to be said. "It's obvious by Arthur's ability to learn sign langue and the quantity that he spends reading through all the books we bring him every day that he is able to learn and read. It's also clear that this doesn't have any adverse affect on him, he is able to do this all day and he shows no sign of fatigue or frustration at all."

"That's good," Hermione said, knowing by the healer tone that here was a downside to what was being said, but still happy her son was still able to do something he loves.

"Yes, however, there are many things that Arthur isn't quite able to grasp. It's became abundantly clear that all normal forms of communicate have been cut off from him, leaving him with trying to use his expression and a few hand signals to get his point across to people. He is still trying to learn sign langue, but I feel that the signals he has come up with are still probably his most useful tool, considering he is only able to make two at most before he feels the pressure it takes to use them.

"It seems like it's even more difficult for him to write …"

"But that paper …" Ron interrupted.

"Took him four and half hours to write and didn't show any signs that it was getting easier for him … it actually seem to became more difficult," Healer Strout said. "I'm not sure why he even worked on it for so long, except to show how stubborn he is …"

"Yes, he definitely is," Hermione smiled. "But his smile when we read it and the look in his eyes showed that it meant more to him than just the writing itself. It said he was never going to stop trying no matter how long it might take him, and how hard it is."

"I can believe that," Healer Strout said smiling too, and then he gathered himself to continue his report. "It's unlikely that he will be able to communicate through writing though. It takes him much too long to say anything and it seems to drain him more the other forms of communication."

"Will he be able to talk again?" Hermione asked.

"I have no idea," Healer Strout said. "From the continuous MDMB scans I've taken it seem that the excess energy in his mind is trying to help him form a new way to communicate, but so far it's been unsuccessful in forming the bond to make it work, I feel it's waiting for a trigger to set it off. I would say that the sooner he learns to speak again the sooner and easier everything else will fall in place and the more normal he will become. That doesn't mean that if he doesn't speak in a year, ten years or even twenty that he wouldn't ever be able to speak. As you said, he isn't one to give up and I have hopes that he will find a way to speak again.

"Another thing I must say is that, though most of the time Ari is active and alert there are times when he is either very agitated where he pace the room seeming lost and confused, and other times he seems so lethargic that he just lays there and it's hard to tell if he's there at all. This usually happens after he strains himself for long periods of time, but sometimes he just seems to go into one of these phases and we don't know why."

"Why haven't we seen this?" Ron asked; looking worried he didn't know he's son was this bad.

"Because he's never liked that when you're there," Healer Strout said. "It must have something to do with the 'Concero Animus' and the energy you're giving him." Healer Strout had tested the magical energy of both Ron and Hermione (once when they were alone and once when they were together) after she had told him about her theory about the bond. He soon discovered that Ron and Hermione's energy when they were together made up the excess energy in Ari and since then the healer has been looking more into the ancient bond (and was quite thrilled about the experience).

"So he's better when we are there," Hermione said. "Then we shouldn't leave him."

"He's okay," Healer Strout said warily, at tone that Hermione immediately picked up on. "It's okay for him to be away from your help … in fact, it might be better if he was away from you."

"I don't see how that could be," Ron said annoyed, raising his eyebrow.

"If he is going to be like this for a while, and we must assume that is true, he needs to learn how to handle it on his own. You won't always be there and he needs to learn this at some point in the future. Besides, it's quite obvious that Arthur is a very independent boy and he won't like to be dependent on you two so much, and he would like to find his limitations as soon as possible, so he could deal with that."

"Right," Hermione said looking at the healer shrewdly but didn't say any more about that to him. "Can we see Arthur now?"

"Of course," Healer Strout said. "You know where he is."

Hermione and Ron then made their way to Ari's room where she knew that she was going to find her son in a difficult mood.

When they got there Ari smiled automatically, and genuinely, but then sat back down and didn't look at them.

Hermione took a deep breath and went to sit next to him, she had been hoping for her costmary hug (though she thought this might happen too). He didn't look at her at all. "Arthur, please look at me," she finally said.

He did look at her sadly and at the same time he looked determined.

"Healer Strout told you about how our energy is affecting you," Hermione stated, no question in her voice. "And now you want us to leave you alone."

Ari smiled, shook his head, and then gave her many different meaningful looks. 'No, I told him that I didn't want you coming here and then he told me about that.'

"Why don't you want us here?" Hermione asked.

Ari closed his eyes and crossed his arms over his chest and then moved his mouth up and down. Then he opened his eyes so he could communicate the rest of his thought to her. 'The Death Eaters are using me as a distraction.'

"I don't care about the Death Eaters, I'm not leaving you," Hermione interrupted (she said 'the Death Eater' part so Ron could understand what was being talked about).

Ari glared at her, making more gestures. 'Do you think I want what happened to me to happen to someone else?'

"That won't happen," Hermione said.

'You can't be distracted Mum,' Ari pleaded, his expression becoming desperate. 'You have to help Harry and the others … this won't end if you don't help.'

"I can help and be here, too," Hermione said stubbornly.

'Worrying about me is a full time job,' Ari point out.

"You think I won't worry just as much if I'm not here," Hermione scoffed. "I'd worry more."

Ari sighed and pinched his nose. 'I know.'

"Arthur, I can't leave you," Hermione said hugging him, but he broke away immediately and walked to one of the corners of the room not looking at her (he knew he wouldn't be able to stand her hurt look). "So, you're going to ignore me until I go away," she said.

Ari sighed again, that wasn't going to work on her (she would stay by his side no matter how long he ignore her or how bad he got); he had to somehow get her to see senses. 'No,' he shook his head. 'But I need this to be over … the quicker this is over with the better help I will get …'

"That might be true," Hermione admitted begrudgingly. "But your day to day life when we are gone …"

'It will let me try Strout's idea,' Ari sighed now looking hopeful. 'And I do need that, I need to work on gathering myself.' It took Ari an hour to convince her that she had to stop visiting him (for a while he had to literally push her to indicate that he wanted her to leave), but it was probable this thought that made her give in, that he was going to try and use their separation to make himself better. The hug that he gave her was longer than normal, he really wasn't looking forward to their separation any more than she did but he knew it's what was for the best, so he let her go.

When they got back to Shell Cottage she was quite devastated that she wouldn't be able to see her son, a fact that no one failed to notice.

"Are you okay?" Harry asked after ten minutes, standing at the doorway to the kitchen, she had her head resting against Ron's chest looking drained.

"No," Hermione said coldly, she was angry with him at the moment because he refused to see Arthur at the hospital after his initial visit there. She didn't like that he was letting his sense of guilt keep him from seeing Ari, whom she believe really could use his godfather right now. "He seems to take your thoughts on some things."

"What are you talking about," Harry asked confused.

"He doesn't want us to visit him any more … he doesn't want to be distraction to us any more like the Death Eaters want," Hermione said glaring at Harry (that was the excuses he had given her and no one was fooled by it). "If you asked me, he has a little too much of his godfather in him."

Harry looked guiltier than ever and said, "Sorry."

"No, I'm sorry," Hermione sighed; she shouldn't be taking this out on Harry, it's not his fault after all. "It's not a bad quality to put others before himself …"

"Right," Harry said smiling briefly but leaving the two soon after that. He didn't know how to deal with this situation and his relationship with Hermione was being strained because of it.

O

"This is no good," Hermione said frustration. It was two days later and they still seem to be at square one when it came to understanding the Death Eaters and what they wanted. They always seemed to be one step behind on all the attacks that were made; though they were fortunate enough to be able to stand up to them and no one was seriously injured. They had found several places where some of the Death Eaters met, and were able to surprise them, taking many of them prisoner. However, it was abundantly clear that they didn't have any idea what was going on or more importantly who was in charge of everything.

"What's no good?" Harry asked, they were sitting in the living room with Bill, Percy and Ron, once again going over everything they had gather over the last couple of weeks.

"This," Hermione said impatiently gesturing to the paper in front of them. "We are never going to learn what we need by looking over this. Sure we have a list of Death Eaters that we either caught or we know are at large, but we don't know what connects them all together … We …"

"Wait a second," Percy said thoughtfully. "That's something isn't it?"

"Er … what are you on about Perce?" Bill asked.

"We should be able to learn more about our enemy if we learned what connects them together right," Percy said excitedly. "And to understand that, we need to get their records …"

"Records?" Bill questioned.

"There are records at the ministry on everyone …" Percy said.

"Not all the Death Eaters work for the Ministry …" Bill said.

"Everyone, Bill, not just employs," Hermione said. "Sure, there are more on the people that work at the ministry but everyone has a file in there, mostly on their achievements at Hogwarts and …"

"I get it," Bill said. "That doesn't seem right."

"Only high-level officials have clearance to access the files, mostly Aurors and Enforcement lawyers who either use it to find someone or to defend their clients," Harry said. "Most those people are only able to look at the records though … only five people can take them out …"

"Two of which are sitting in this room," Percy stated and everyone looked at Harry and Hermione.

"You want us to go into the Ministry," Hermione scoffed, "where you know that multiply Death Eaters are hiding in wait. Also knowing that we won't know who they are, but they will know us."

"Er …" Percy said uncomfortable. "Can you think of anything better to do?"

"That's a …" Hermione was saying but there was a crack in the living room and soon Ginny's voice was heard there.

"Hello everyone," Ginny said coming into the room, her hair was much more wavy then normal and she didn't quite look like herself but she was quickly regaining her features.

"How was he?" Hermione asked immediately; they had decided that leaving Ari completely alone wasn't an option and he needed more than just the invisible guard they have on him (whenever Katie wasn't working that is), in case the Death Eater decided to come back for him. That was when Ginny voice (after Harry had suggested it to her in private) that she could be the one that could go see him because she was unable to do anything else important. Hermione agreed with this whole-heartedly because she knew that Ari would be comfortable having his aunt around. It was then that Ron suggested that it might be best if she used the Polyjuice Potion to turn into Hermione, because if the Death Eaters wanted to use Ari as a distraction it would be good (and not to mention safer for him) if they thought it was really working. And after many hours of checking and re-checking the facts it was determined that it would have no effect on the baby (at least not for another few months) so it was agreed that she would go to see Ari everyday like Hermione use to.

"I'm fine, and how are you?" Ginny replied and Hermione smiled apolitically at her but didn't say anything; she was too anxious to hear about her son. "He's good, he came up with a new hand signal … guess what it is," she said smiling now as she made like she was pulling on hair and then looked at it carefully.

"Er … I don't get it," Ron said confused.

"It's you," Hermione said at the same time laughing (as Harry chuckle softy in the corner) as she looked at Ginny.

"Er … how does that mean Ginny?" Bill asked just as confused as his little brother.

"It's what he did the first time that he saw me," Ginny smiled.

"You mean when he was one; I doubt that he would remember something like that," Percy said.

"But with Mione telling him about it at least once a year since then, Ari knows all about it," Ginny laughed.

"Shut up Ginny and tell me how Arthur was," Hermione said and upon noticing her friends smirk she added. "And don't give me that if 'I shut up how can I tell you anything' nonsense."

"You're no fun," Ginny pouted, but got serious moments later. "And he was good. He knew I wasn't you immediately and he looked at me skeptically for a while until he figured out who I was … that's when he came up with the hand signal …."

"Why didn't you tell him it was you?" Percy asked.

"Where's the fun in that, dear brother?" Ginny laughed.

"Besides, I doubt Arthur would have trusted that anymore than the disguise at first," Hermione said. "It would have just made him more suspicious."

"So you've given him you paranoia," Percy said.

"Maybe," Hermione said looking at him coldly; so she had became obsess with security and things like that since the war (and more noticeable after the break-up), it wasn't such a bad thing now, was it.

"Or it might be the fact that he was in a horrible situation just a few weeks ago and that's got to make him a little unnerved and jumpy," Ron said coldly to his brother who had the decency to look ashamed of his previous statement.

"Anyways, after that we got along pretty well and I think that I picked up his … er … communication pretty fast, easier than some people at least," Ginny said smirking at Ron by the end of the sentence.

"I imagine you would," Hermione said. "You know him really well …"

"Rubbing it in again," Ron pouted, but he was also holding back a smile.

"Sorry," Hermione said. "I suppose you lot really want to talk about this 'mission to the Ministry' you want to take," she added looking at each of them.

"Probably," Ron smirked at her. "And you know that sentence just tells me that you agree that we need to do that."

"I know," Hermione said making a face. "I'm going to talk to Gin about Arthur, don't come up with anything too rash …"

"Wouldn't dream of it," Ron said. "You would just make us plan over if we did and you know I hate wasting time. Besides, Bill and Percy are here too … they should keep us reasonable."

"Good," Hermione said then walked away with Ginny as the boys talked over their plan to go into the ministry without notice (or at least with the least amount of detection as possible). It wouldn't be that hard of a thing to do if the two people that could get the files weren't such high profiled people and everyone would notice their sudden reappearance in the Ministry in a minute. They also knew that there were many Death Eaters there, but had no idea who all of them were so they wouldn't know when their appearance there would be discovered. The good thing was that they knew that most of the people at the Ministry were just ordinary people, so they would be only dealing with a minority, but it came back to the spies they didn't know about and what their reaction would be that was the unknown and dangerous fact in this predicament.

However, the thing that was really worrying Harry at the moment was that the Death Eaters would figure out they were there (whether it was while they were still in the building or after they left he didn't know) and that would trigger the next chain of events in this war. He was afraid of the next attack that will happen because of this plan, and he couldn't shake the feeling that he was still reacting predictably and he didn't like it.

"So what have you come up with?" Hermione asked Harry stiffly, they still hadn't come to terms with their disagreement.

"Well, we're going to just walk in the front doors," Ron said.

"Ron," Hermione said exasperated.

"Fine, Harry's going to make a personal Floo into Kingsley office," Ron said. "You know he can do that because one of his jobs is keeping the Minister safe in times of crises."

"That's better," Hermione said. "And it sounds like it should work."

"At least it will get us in and near to where we need to go, we're going for the real record room," Harry said.

"Isn't the one in my office closer," Hermione said, looking at him suspiciously.

"But we don't know who in your office has been compromised and we know that someone had to be," Harry said. "It only makes sense seeing as they had the Auror offices watched along with Hogwarts and …'

"Yes, I know this," Hermione said warily, she could tell by his look that he was going to say something she wouldn't like. "But I'm coming with you."

"No you're not," Harry said sternly.

"If you get … held up, it's best that you have someone else that could get the records," Hermione said.

"No, I need someone that I know will cover me," Harry said harshly; he didn't have the time to argue with her on this fact.

Hermione stared at him incredulously for a moment (and Harry suddenly realized how bad she could take want he said). Her stared turned quickly to angry at the fact that he would have the audacity to say that; she was also hurt deeply at that too, though she tried to hide it. She just glared at him for a minute until she left the room without saying a word.

"Why the hell did you say that?" Ron asked angrily in Harry's face once she was gone.

"I had to make sure she wouldn't want to come," Harry said looking terrible. "I didn't really mean it how it sounded." Ron shook his head and then made to follow Hermione to their room, but before he could leave Harry stopped him. "Ron, you're still going to come with me tomorrow right?"

"Of course," Ron frowned. "As long as you can trust me …"

"Of course I trust you … I …" Harry said but Ron had left the room causing Harry to leave the room too looking rather upset at himself and how he handled his two friends.

"Mione … are you all right," Ron said as he stood by the door to their room.

"He said that he didn't trust me," Hermione said the words sounding confused … she never thought she would say those words about Harry. "After everything we've been through … how could he say that?"

"I don't think he meant it like that," Ron said walking into the room, closing the door, and sitting next to her; pulling her close to him. "Mione, you haven't been yourself since Arthur … it's to be expected … but you're not sleeping well and you've been aggravated …"

"I know," Hermione said defeated. "No one can count on me now."

"Of course we can … I can," Ron said. "And I'm sure Harry can too, but … he just didn't want you to go to the Ministry and it had nothing to do with trust or your ability."

She looked at him thoughtfully and sighed. "That git, he just said that knowing that I would give in to him, didn't he?" Ron nodded his head sadly. "You're going with him aren't you?" Ron nodded his head again. "Promise me you'll be careful and …"

"There's hardly any risk, Mione," Ron said rolling his eyes.

"There's no such thing as risk free in what we are dealing with," Hermione said firmly, she will not let him be nonchalant about this. "Promise me that you'll be okay and that you'll bring Harry back so I can yell at him for saying this to me … especially when I'm already so angry with him."

"As long as you promise I'll be there to see that," Ron smirked at her.

O

Kingsley Shacklebolt was sitting at his desk going over his many papers; which have been accumulating steadily over the last few weeks with two of his Heads missing in action. He was just about to reach for another paper when he heard the crashing sound making him look up, to see that Harry standing there smiling bemusedly at his friend Ron who was on the floor.

"Nice landing," Harry smirked.

"Shut up," Ron said blushing a little. "You know I tripped over you foot … if …"

"Sorry to interrupt …" Kingsley said pointedly. "But may I inquire as to why you two are here …"

"We have to get to the record room, so we can get information on some of the Death Eaters …" Harry explained quickly (he didn't really have time to waste here but there were a few things that the Minister needed to know).

"Hmm … how bad are things going for you?" Kingsley asked. They had decided after the first attack on the Ministry that Kingsley had to be left out of the fight, though he sanctioned whatever means that Harry thought necessary to take down the Death Eaters, so that he could keep the Ministry, and the wizarding community as a whole, functioning.

"Bad, you known of course about the attacks on Hogwarts and …" Harry said.

"Of course, and the repercussion of that fight," Kingsley said gravely looking at Ron. "Not to mention the multiple Death Eaters that you have caught over the past weeks … Are you telling me that's only a small percent of their forces?"

"I'm not sure," Harry said. "I have no idea who they are or the purpose for any of this …" he added bitterly as frustrated.

"Hence why you're going to the record room," Kingsley said understanding Harry's frustration.

"Yes," Harry nodded his head. "We also have reason to believe that there are many Death Eaters in the Ministry and they are some that have to be high officials …"

"I know," Kingsley sighed. "I've been trying to figure out who they are, but it's hard when you don't know who to trust in the first place."

"Here take this," Harry said handing him two pieces of paper. The first was a list of people they knew were working in the Ministry as spies. The other had a few names of the people that Harry knew he could trust and were still working at the Ministry too. "The second paper will burn in five minutes so get what you can from it."

"Understood," Kingsley smiled.

"Harry, we need to get going," Ron said looking at his watch. "We should be back here in about an hour …"

"I wouldn't do that … I know the Floo is being monitored, and I'm likely to be closely watched, so I would imagine that they know you're here and it wouldn't be good to come back here. You should go out the front door," Kingsley said.

"Right," Harry said as he threw the Invisibility Cloak over the two of them and they left the room quickly, so much for their quiet entrance. It was a good thing that Hermione had convinced them (well Ron, and Ron convinced Harry, because Hermione refused to talk to him) to take the Floo in the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, because that way they didn't give anything away (Hermione extreme precaution paid off this time, Ron thought smiling).

It took them twenty minutes to get down to the records room, because they had to wait for people to open the doors or use the lifts, Harry thought this was necessary because the Death Eaters already knew they were there and he didn't want them to be noticed. After they got to the outside room Harry took the cloak off himself, as they had plan, and continued into the record room alone. Ron was to stand guard to make sure no one could enter the room and so he would know if the Death Eaters had figured out that they were there. Harry was to continue on to the main room and hoped that no one was there already, and seeing as the place was normally empty, it was likely that that's the way it should be today too.

Harry didn't see any one and he was unable to check by magic because the room was hyper sensitive to any kind of magical energy or concealment in case someone used that to try and steal some of the records. That was why they had used the cloak instead of the charm, because the cloak was undetectable and taking off and putting on of any charm would have sounded the alarms. Once inside, Harry started to open the filing cabinets and pulled out the ones that he needed.

"It took you long enough to get here," a drawling voice said from a dark corner of the room.

Harry reacted immediately, pointing his wand at the familiar voice, though he hardly hears it anymore. "I didn't expect to see you here."

"Obviously," Draco Malfoy said walking out of the shadows leering at him. "Would you mind lowering your wand … it's no way to act towards a friend …"

"You're not my friend, Malfoy," Harry said but he did relax a little, his wand still out and ready but no longer pointing at Draco, who didn't have his wand out.

"Ally then," Draco said, the word sounding bitter on his mouth.

"What do you want?" Harry said impatiently; he didn't have time to deal with Malfoy right now.

"To give you this," Draco said pointing to an officially looking bag that was next to him. "It has what you came here for … probably more than you thought of too."

"Why are you doing this?" Harry asked suspiciously, but knew he wasn't going to get a straight answer.

"You should really take a good look at Jake Robinson," Draco said ignoring the question all together. "Though what it says wouldn't be too interesting."

"Then why is he so important?" Harry asked; he never heard of that man before.

"He's their leader," Draco said impatiently (though his lips curled up into a smirk). "Honestly Potter, how you became Head of the Auror Department I don't know … well I guess I do know, Chosen One." Harry glared at him but knew replying wasn't going to help him (though it was extremely difficult not to react). "In fact, the only thing that is interesting in the file is the total lack of information it has," Draco continued smugly. "He will seem average in everything … but don't over look him …"

"And how do you know this?" Harry asked. "Who he is?"

"Surely you can figure that out at least," Draco sneered.

"He tried to recruit you," Harry said.

"Exactly, he came to me personally, but what he had to say didn't really appeal to me," Draco said indifferently.

"I'm sure it didn't," Harry muttered; he knew how much Draco had changed over the years since the last war, though on outward appearance he still seemed like the arrogant git he always was. It seemed that Draco had been disillusioned of his earlier (forced) beliefs that he had and didn't hold to the pureblood values he once had. Of course he was still a snob and went for all the power he could get, and Harry would never be friends with him, Harry believed that he wouldn't ever join these new Death Eaters.

"I have no idea what he is saying to convince everyone to follow him, he tried to go with the whole Mudblood are filth line with me," Draco scoffed. "And gaining power, but his words were hollow … I don't think he really expected me to take the bait. And who knows what he wants beyond distracting everyone … putting our community into chaos."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked confused.

"Maybe you haven't noticed in that little hiding hole that you've been living in, but people are really starting to react badly to the attacks," Draco smirked. "It's chaos and there no really point to it …"

"Thanks Draco," Harry said lowering his wand completely now and taking the bag next to Draco.

"Don't thank me," Draco said looking disgusted that Harry would say that.

"Why shouldn't I?" Harry said. "You're taking a risk in telling me this …"

"Not really," Draco said pointedly and Harry looked at him confused.

"When he finds out, I'm sure he would know it came from you …" Harry said.

"And he'll likely thank me for doing so," Draco said coldly. "I didn't understand why he came to me in the first place … as you know the last war didn't endear me to the Death Eaters and after … well, I haven't really seen eye-to-eye with them. This guy who can get hundreds of people to follow him would know a better way to approach me then the pureblood prejudice ways …"

"There are other things that are linking them together?" Harry questioned.

"Yes, your world isn't as peaceful as you hoped, Potter," Draco said leering. "People aren't happy about a lot of things that you lot have done. Anyways, this guy would have known better, so why did he come to me? Because he knew I wouldn't join him and that I would be a good candidate to tell you …" Harry looked very confused at that. "I'm not risking anything because Jake Robinson will be happy that you know … he wants you to know."

"I don't think I'm going to like this guy," Harry said; it's hard to stop a man that he couldn't understand or know what he wanted.

"Well, that's my cue to leave," Draco said turning his back to Harry and returning to his corner.

"Why did you tell me this?" Harry asked.

"I don't want the future he promised," Draco said not turning around. "And even more importantly, I don't want the future that will happen if he wins."

"Is there a difference," Harry asked.

"I would imagine a big one," Draco said. "I doubt any of his Death Eaters understand want he truly is."

At that Harry signed; he was never going to understand Draco Malfoy but right now he wasn't the one that he has to worry about. The man that he is going to be facing didn't sound good and he will have to put all of his concentration on that.

"That was fast," Ron said as he heard Harry approaching him but his eyes were still scanning the hallway. They had expecting this to take Harry about twenty to thirty-minutes but he had only taken fifteen. "Was it easier than you thought to get them all?"

"Not really," Harry said. "I'll explain later."

Ron gave him a critical look but didn't asked, he could tell whatever happen he wasn't going to like it (he hadn't became as open mind about the whole Malfoy situation as Harry and Hermione had), and they really need to get out of here first.

"Let's just hope that they didn't have anyone in the removal of magical records office," Harry sighed. To get out of the room with the files Harry was going to have to give his codes and get magical identification of who he is (otherwise the file would disappear as soon as they left). If there was a Death Eater in that office that would mean that they would know within seconds where they are and what they were after (and the Death Eaters already knew they were there because of the way they entered the Ministry).

"It's definitely been more active out there then it should be but I haven't seen anyone bunking done yet," Ron said, "now's as good as time as any."

Harry nodded and cast the spells and a moment later the two of them left the room under the Invisibility Cloak. It was five minutes later that they saw an increase of people starting to fill the halls, seemingly going about their business but their eyes searched the halls too mechanically to be a coincidence. Harry also felt that someone had tried to silently summon his cloak (no one but his family knew his cloak wasn't something that could be summoned), thanks to a nifty charm that Hermione had come up with years ago that inform him this. It was all too obvious to him that the Death Eaters must have someone in the records office too, but luckily Harry and Ron where able to get back to Shell Cottage without having to curse anyone (there stealth worked for them this time).

"So Harry, are you going to tell us how you got those records so fast?" Ron said he was holding Hermione close to him after their greeting and everyone else that was in the room was now looking at them.

"Malfoy was there," Harry sighed. "He had already gotten what we needed …"

"You mean you didn't pick the files out yourself," Ron said angrily. "You just trust that Malfoy … Malfoy, Harry … that he would give you what you need."

"Yeah," Harry said, there was no doubt in his voice as he handed over the bag that was filled with stacks upon stacks of files.

"They look in order," Percy said looking at a few of them.

"Hmph," Ron huffed glaring at Harry. "You took a chance there."

"I don't think its Malfoy that we have to worry about," Harry said. "Besides, I think he has his own reasons for wanting the Death Eaters to fail and he knows that we're the ones that are going to stop them."

"If he really feels that way he would do more than just hand over information … information we would have gotten without his help," Ron said.

"Do you really expect him to fight … that's not his style," Harry laughed. "And he gave me more than just the files … he told me who their leader is."

"Who?" several people asked.

"Jake Robinson," Harry said.

"Who?" even more people said.

Harry shrugged and said, "I guess we're going to find out."

Then Ron went to sulk in one of the corners, still angry that his friend would trust their old rival. Hermione was looking at him, shaking her head at his stubbornness (she agree with Harry that Malfoy wouldn't want the Death Eaters to succeed, but she was in no mood to tell Harry that at the moment). After that Hermione divided the files and handed some to everyone in the room so they could look over them and see if there was anything that would connect them together.

A/N: Okay so this chapter was a little harder to write because, I don't know if it's obvious or not, but I don't really have a clear idea how the Death Eaters really are. I just know of the events that are going to happen, so I'm keeping them vague. Oh and I thought that bringing in Draco might be fun and I hope I portrayed him well, because it's harder to write the grey characters. Next chapter should have more on Ari and a plan to infiltrate the Death Eaters and meet their leader.