Chapter 796: Heading to the Ministry of Magic
Chapter 796: Heading to the Ministry of Magic
Mr. Weasley returned home at dawn, and at eight in the morning, he stumbled into the kitchen, bleary-eyed, and took a sandwich from Bill.
"Dad, didn't you just pull an all-nighter yesterday? Why are you working another shift at the Ministry of Magic?"
"There's no choice. The Ministry is severely understaffed," Mr. Weasley yawned, "It's not just me; Chris, newlywed Lupin, and even Cedric, who's been on the job for less than two years, all have endless work every day."
"But this is too much work, right? Will the Ministry pay you overtime?" Fred asked as he poured a glass of Pumpkin Juice.
"The Ministry's funds are being used to procure potion ingredients for treating the injured," Mr. Weasley took a sip of the juice.
"So, it's all for nothing?"
"You can't say that," Mr. Weasley shook his head, "This is work, not a business transaction."
George pouted.
He understood what Mr. Weasley meant, but knowing and accepting were two different matters.
Of course, he wasn't genuinely concerned about the meager overtime pay.
Hasn't the Ministry of Magic been claiming in the Daily Prophet that they have the Death Eaters' movements under control?
Where were the Aurors and Hit Wizards when they were attacked yesterday... They waited for half an hour before going over once everything had settled.
If it weren't for Kyle using the Phoenix to rescue them, no one could guarantee how many would return alive.
When they're truly needed, they're nowhere to be found, and when it's time to work, they're overly eager. How can things be this convenient?
The more George thought about it, the angrier he became.
Although he was also aware that yesterday's attack was entirely unexpected, and it was normal for the Ministry of Magic to be late... including the members of the Order of the Phoenix and his father, who also didn't show up.
But he couldn't shake the feeling of annoyance.
Fred felt the same, and he even had complaints about Amelia, the new Minister.
No one could think of alternatives, but they shouldn't take it out on a single person.
He clearly remembered that at five in the morning, he and George had just finished modifying the Communication Coin and were about to sleep when they heard the sound of the door opening.
Mr. Weasley returned at that time.
Now, only three hours later, he was going to work again?
However, Mr. Weasley himself didn't seem to mind. He rubbed his forehead, quickly finished his sandwich, took a big gulp of Pumpkin Juice, and stood up to leave.
"Wait, Mr. Weasley..." Hermione also quickly finished her breakfast, "Can I go to the Ministry of Magic with you?"
"You want to go too?"
Mr. Weasley stopped, "Hermione, if there's nothing urgent, I think it's better for you to stay here."
"It's fine, Mr. Weasley," Hermione said, "I'm not Harry or Kyle, and the Death Eaters might not even recognize me."
"You're right, but..."
"Don't worry, Mr. Weasley. If there's danger, I'll Apparate away in advance."
Under Hermione's gaze, Mr. Weasley hesitated for a moment before nodding in agreement to take her to the Ministry of Magic.
Hermione has always been a witch with strong opinions, and Mr. Weasley felt that even if he refused, she would go on her own, which would be more dangerous. Having him by her side made it safer.
"Alright then," Mr. Weasley said, "But you must stay close to me, and when we reach a safe location, we'll Apparate."
"No problem," Hermione nodded.
The two of them left the house, accompanied by Sirius and several other Weasley children.
Bill and Charlie had a different task; they needed to patrol the area to ensure no Death Eaters were nearby.
Fred and George wanted to reopen their shop in Diagon Alley.
Mrs. Weasley didn't seem pleased, maintaining a stern expression.
In fact, ever since the Death Eaters attacked Diagon Alley, she hadn't been in favor of Fred and George continuing their business.
They were lucky last time; not being in the shop, the Death Eaters could only vent their anger by destroying it.
But what about next time... If they went to Diagon Alley again, what would happen? The next time, it might not be the shop that gets destroyed, but the two of them.
So, Mrs. Weasley didn't want them to reopen the shop.
However, the Weasley brothers were determined. They didn't want to give up their shop, no matter what. They even argued about it during breakfast.
Needless to say, the Weasley brothers won the argument. With the statement, "It's precisely because the Death Eaters have cast a shadow over the wizarding world that they want to bring joy to everyone," they successfully convinced Mrs. Weasley to relent and withdrew her hand that was about to twist their ears.
Indeed, they achieved their goal.
The entire Diagon Alley was desolate and quiet, except for their shop, which was bustling with colorful banners, a Weasley statue, and lively music that could be heard half a street away, making it stand out and draw attention.
Everyone passing by the shop experienced an illusion, as if Voldemort had never appeared.
The excuse successfully convinced everyone.
After they all left, Mrs. Weasley sighed quietly.
"I shouldn't have listened to them," she muttered under her breath, turning and walking into the room.
At this moment, only she, Kyle, and a few children who hadn't graduated yet remained in the house.
Ron and Harry initially wanted to follow Hermione to the Ministry of Magic, but Mrs. Weasley immediately rejected their idea.
The reason was simple—they couldn't Apparate.
If they encountered danger, Hermione could escape at any time, but if they went along, it would be like bringing two burdens. In that case, Hermione would have to divide her attention to take care of them, slowing down their escape.
Mrs. Weasley's reasoning was sound, and Ron couldn't come up with a rebuttal for a long time. In the end, he could only stomp upstairs in frustration to express his dissatisfaction.
However, Mrs. Weasley didn't care at all.
"Then, I'll go back to my room too," Kyle said five minutes later, standing up from his chair.
"Oh, go ahead," Mrs. Weasley said with a smile. "There's nothing going on today. I'll come and get you when lunch is ready."
"Thank you," Kyle replied.
He walked upstairs to his room, and as soon as he entered, a golden-red figure pounced on him.
Kyle seemed to have known this, grabbing Fox's claws and disappearing into the room.
When he reappeared, he was already behind a wizard in the fireplace of the Ministry of Magic. He stumbled, directly bumping into the person and pushing them out of the fireplace.
"Oh, Merlin's beard!" The person was startled by the sudden noise, turning around to look at Kyle. "Who are you, and what's going on here?"
"Of course, I'm using the Floo Network to get to the Ministry of Magic," Kyle said impatiently, rubbing his head. "What are you doing? If you dawdle any longer, the next person will be here soon."
Hearing Kyle's words, along with his unsteady footsteps and the action of rubbing his head, the person quickly apologized, "Sorry, I must have been daydreaming."
"It's fine, just be more careful next time," Kyle said, taking out a sour explosion candy and putting it in his mouth. "It's best not to linger in the Ministry of Magic's fireplaces. There are quite a few people coming and going."
"Oh, I know," the person said.
"Kyle, I'm here," Hermione's voice came from a short distance away.
She had been waiting here after coming with Mr. Weasley. Seeing Kyle, she ran over.
"Let's talk as we walk," Kyle said, leading her towards the lift.
"How did you get out of the fireplace?" Hermione asked in confusion.
Kyle glanced back and lowered his voice, "This way, people won't easily suspect anything."
"But that's a fireplace. What if..."
"There's no 'what if.'" Kyle shook his head, "The fireplaces in the Ministry of Magic are different from other places. They're usually extinguished, and only when a wizard arrives will the unique flames of the Floo Network ignite. There's no need to worry."
"Is that so?"
"Of course."
As they spoke, the two of them had already reached the lift, and many people were already waiting there.
"Oh, Kyle, I was just wondering when I'd get to see you," an elderly wizard greeted them. "I remember you've graduated."
"That's right," Kyle said, "I've been busy with other things lately, so I haven't had time to come to work."
"I've heard all about it," the elderly wizard said, "You and Scamander went to the Forbidden Forest, a dangerous place."
"Even more dangerous than yesterday's Godric's Valley," a female witch walked over.
"You have such a good relationship with the Auror Office, you must have attended Lupin's wedding," the female witch continued.
"Of course," Kyle replied.
"I heard there were seventy Death Eaters there."
"That's true, but I don't know the exact number," Kyle said. "At that time, I was rescued, and I don't know what happened afterward."
Kyle understood these people from the Ministry of Magic too well, and naturally, he knew what they wanted to ask. He decided to pre-emptively block their questions.
Sure enough, upon hearing that Kyle didn't know what happened afterward, disappointment was evident on the female witch's face.
"Oh...Dumbledore rescued you. I heard it from Lupin," she said.
Just then, the lift arrived, and other people crowded in, leaving Kyle to wait for the next one.
A few minutes later, they finally waited for a lift that wasn't as crowded. Accompanying them were three male witches carrying files.
"Kyle, it's great to see you," one of them said, "But your timing isn't ideal. I've been so busy lately that I haven't slept for almost two days."
As he spoke, he pointed to the dark circles under his eyes.
"I wish I could slack off, but the new Minister doesn't agree," Kyle shrugged.
"That's true."
The lift quickly reached the sixth floor, and the three witches left together.
"Let's chat another time, Kyle," Hermione said as the door closed.
"Who is he?" Hermione asked.
"Watson, from the Flying Broom Management Bureau. We've discussed modifying the Firebolt together," Kyle casually replied.
"You sure know a lot of people."
"That's right," Kyle said, "The Minister's Assistant is essentially a role that interacts with other departments. After doing it many times, I've become familiar with it."
"Where are we going?"
"The third floor," Kyle said.
"To see Mr. Weasley?"
"No, Mr. Weasley's office is on the second floor. We need to go to another department." Kyle thought for a moment. "How's your Confundus Charm doing?"
"It's... okay, I guess." Hermione said. "It's a seventh-year spell that I've reviewed in advance."
"Then there shouldn't be a problem, but I think it's not very useful for you."
Soon, the elevator came to a stop.
"The third floor, Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes, including the Incident Reversal Team, Memory Obliviation Command, and Muggle Liaison Committee."
Listening to the elevator's sounds, Hermione suddenly thought of something.
"Are you taking me to the Muggle Liaison Committee?"
"That's right." Kyle stepped out of the elevator. "You've always felt they were useless, haven't you? The most direct way is to experience it for yourself."
Kyle stepped out of the elevator, and Hermione quickly followed him.
This floor seemed even busier than the sixth floor. Everyone was hurrying down the corridor, which was filled with files and miscellaneous items on both sides.
Kyle led her all the way to the back, through a heavy oak door, and into an open area divided into many small cubicles.
They walked to the cubicle on the far left, where a sign hung crookedly: Muggle Liaison Committee.
Just then, a middle-aged wizard rushed out from inside.
"Wait, Pelode," Kyle called out.
"Sorry, Kyle, I'm busy now." The wizard turned and said, "Mrs. Acaba is arguing with her neighbor about the garden again. I must go before she uses magic. Her Forgetfulness Charm is just too terrible."
"No rush. I've brought you an assistant."
"An assistant?"
Kyle gently pushed Hermione.
Hermione finally realized, "I'm Hermione, Hermione Granger."
Pelode gave her a strange look. "Are you sure this girl wants to work here?"
He then turned to Hermione, "I must tell you, the salary here is not high."
"It's not a job, it's volunteer work, and I don't need a salary." Kyle said, "She wants to experience life here for a month before Hogwarts starts."
"Are you sure?" Pelode asked again, his voice even stranger.
"I'm very sure!" Hermione said.
"Okay, follow me."
Perhaps due to Kyle's influence, or maybe because he was too busy, Pelode didn't say anything. He didn't even check Hermione's identity and directly agreed, leading her towards the elevator.
Hermione turned to look at Kyle.
"Go ahead." Kyle waved his hand. "It's best to resolve this quickly. That old lady and her neighbor have had several conflicts already. I'll be watching you."
Hermione started her job without even entering the office.
Once the elevator door closed, Kyle peered into the office.
Inside, there was an older wizard organizing a desk full of parchment.
He looked up at Kyle. "I heard everything. You found us a new employee?"
"Just a volunteer, and she'll leave once Hogwarts starts." Kyle stepped into the small office, barely finding a spot to stand.
"And her ambition is not here, but on the second floor."
"The Department of Aurors?"
"Mmm-hmm."
"No problem, as long as she can help."
The old wizard continued organizing the parchments, muttering under his breath, "Those Death Eaters sure know how to cause trouble, and those fools, setting traps in Muggle communities, even creating a swamp. Do they think their neighbors won't notice?"
"There's no choice, everyone's been scared."
"But our workload has multiplied." The old wizard said angrily, "By the way, how is the student you brought? How's her performance?"
"She's the top of her year."
The old wizard finally looked up at Kyle, "Looks like she does have a chance to go to the second floor."
"Okay." He stood up and took out a bag, tossing it to Kyle.
"What's this?"
"It's a reward for your help." The old wizard said, "The salary here is already low, and it's even lower without a formal position. It's only twenty Galleons a month, but it's better than nothing."
"A reward?" Kyle was taken aback.
"There wasn't one before, but yesterday, Hogwarts donated a large batch of herbs to St. Mungo's, saving the Ministry of Magic a lot of money."
"Burns wants to expand the Ministry's scale to deal with the increasing number of Death Eaters, and there's so much work that someone has to do it. No money, no can do."
"I understand." Kyle furrowed his brows, "So, she's not worried about Death Eaters infiltrating?"
"That's a risky move, but she has the guts." The old wizard said, "By the way, every new employee needs to register their information. Don't forget to have her make up for it."
"Where?"
"The Auror Office."
(End of Chapter)
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