Chapter 16
Neville Longbottom was an inner circle Death Eater. He had his faults, like the time he had sent a paper aeroplane to Susan Bones by mistake, when he should have sent it to his grandma, but as he strode towards the fifth corridor on the fifth floor of the Ministry of Magic, he was fully reminded of his power. He headed the Dark faction in the Wizengamot, and the Evil faction's leader, Lucius Malfoy strode beside him. They were both headed for the Election Commissioner's office.
As they neared it, a bell tinkled in the distance, and a cool female voice rang out, "Auror Tonks to report to Office 16, Auror Tonks to report to Office 16."
Neville hid a grin behind his face. Auror Tonks was an inner circle Death Eater too, but she had more faults than him. She had once drawn a funny caricature of the Head Auror and left it lying on her desk. A senior auror had found it, and the news had spread like wildfire. She had dodged the Head Auror for a whole day by impersonating different Ministry personnel. The chase had ended when someone had asked her, "Have you seen Nymphadora..." and Tonks' wand had spat out a stinging hex on reflex.
"Commissioner Singh," Neville greeted as he entered the commissioner's office. A turbaned old wizard glanced up at them and stood up, bowing reverently.
"What can I do for you, Lord Longbottom and Lord Malfoy?"
"We wish to declare a vote of No-Confidence."
Fudge's days in office were numbered.
Office 16 called you when you were naughty. It was presided over by Somnius Thrifty, an incurably lazy devil who only woke up to issue summons to different Ministry personnel. When you arrived, he would lecture you on work ethics and sincerity and coming to work on time, etc., etc. Tonks occluded her mind as she neared the dreaded office.
Putting her wand in the provided wandhole, she stepped back as the office door hissed open. A pink bolt curled around the open door and hit her before she had any chance to comprehend what was happening. She collapsed as uncontrollable giggles overtook her. A sinister hooded figure emerged from the open door, fingering his deadly wand (It was called the Deathstick for a reason). Lord Potter stood before her, in the flesh.
Screaming a garbled Finite, she finally stood up, her eyes turning a malevolent red.
"Nymphadora, my favourite friend!" he cried happily.
She had to use the highest level of Occlumency, and a specialized trick called the Qudgell Superocclumency Trick to suppress her burgeoning emotions. His smile grew.
"Come in, come in," he said, ushering her inside. Somnius Thrifty lay on the desk, a fine line of drool dribbling down his cheek. Lord Potter patted the overweight man on his bulging belly before conjuring two comfortable armchairs near the fireplace.
"I was on my way to Charing Cross when I decided to drop by. I need you to disable the MOS for a day."
The MOS was the Magic Observer System employed by the Ministry to keep track of the magical activities across Britain. It was an efficient system, but with one caveat. It could be disabled by removing the human factor. Mafalda Hopkirk was an excellent director, but when faced with an Imperius, she became no more dangerous than a little swamp crocodile.
Tonks had infiltrated thirty minor and major, national and international departments till date. She nodded her head easily.
Harry smiled, then fished out two large bowls of steaming ramen from his pocket. "Here, take this," he said, handing her the less spicier one. They spent the next few minutes enjoying the slurplicious Korean delicacy, then Harry stood up. "Well then, I'll be on my way, Nymphadora! By the way, Remus sends his regards."
He smirked wolfishly, then outright laughed as his damned phoenix appeared and saved him before her stinging hex could connect.