Chapter 796: Off to the Ministry
Chapter 796: Off to the Ministry
Mr. Weasley returned in the early hours of the morning, and at eight o'clock, he stumbled sleepily into the kitchen, accepting a sandwich from Bill.
"Dad, didn't you just pull an all-nighter at work? Why are you heading back to the Ministry so early today?"
"There's just no getting around it," Mr. Weasley yawned. "It's not just me; Cris, newlywed Lupin, and even Cedric, who's only been with the department for a couple of years, we're all swamped with work."
"That does sound like a lot," Fred commented as he poured his dad a glass of pumpkin juice. "Will the Ministry compensate you for all the overtime?"
"The Ministry's funneling all their funds into purchasing medicinal ingredients to treat the injured," Mr. Weasley replied after taking a sip of his juice.
"So, all that work for nothing?"
"It's not about the money," Mr. Weasley shook his head. "It's our job, not a business transaction."
George made a face at that.
Of course, he understood what his dad meant, but knowing and accepting were two different things.
It wasn't really about the measly overtime pay anyway.
Hadn't the Ministry been claiming in the Prophet that they had the Death Eaters' movements under control?
So where were the Aurors and Hit Wizards during yesterday's attack? They only showed up half an hour later, after everything was already over.
If it weren't for Kyle and his phoenix, no one could guarantee how many would have made it back alive.
They were nowhere to be seen when they were truly needed, but now they're all too eager to get to work. It just didn't sit right with George.
Though he also knew that yesterday's attack had been a surprise, and it was understandable that the Ministry officials hadn't made it in time... even the Order members and his dad hadn't been there.
But he still felt annoyed about it.
Fred was of the same mind, and he was also growing discontent with Amelia, the new Minister.
It was one thing to have no other options, but they shouldn't be taking it out on a single person.
He remembered clearly that at five in the morning, just as he and George had finished refining their communication coins and were about to go to bed, they heard the front door open.
That was when Mr. Weasley had returned.
And now, just three hours later, he was off to work again? That seemed a bit too eager.
However, Mr. Weasley himself didn't seem too concerned. He rubbed his forehead, quickly finished his sandwich and drained his glass of pumpkin juice before standing up to leave.
"Wait, Mr. Weasley..." Hermione, who had also quickly finished her breakfast, piped up. "Can I come with you to the Ministry?"
"You too?"
Mr. Weasley paused. "Hermione, unless it's urgent, I think it's best if you stay here."
"It's alright, Mr. Weasley," Hermione said. "I'm not Harry or Kyle; the mysterious man might not even know who I am."
"That's true, but..."
"Don't worry, Mr. Weasley. If there's any danger, I'll Disapparate immediately."
Under Hermione's persistent gaze, Mr. Weasley hesitated for a moment before finally nodding in agreement to bring her along.
Hermione had always been a witch with strong convictions, and Mr. Weasley knew that even if he refused, she would probably go on her own, which would be even more dangerous. It was better to have her by his side where he could keep an eye on her.
"Alright then," Mr. Weasley said. "But you must stay close to me, and once we're in a safe place, we'll Disapparate."
"No problem," Hermione nodded.
Soon after, the two of them, along with Sirius and a few of the other Weasley children, left the house.
Bill and Charlie had a different task—they were to patrol the surrounding area to ensure no Death Eaters were lurking nearby.
Fred and George, on the other hand, were headed to Diagon Alley to reopen their shop.
Mrs. Weasley didn't look too pleased about this, wearing a constant frown.
Ever since the Death Eaters had attacked Diagon Alley, she hadn't been keen on the idea of Fred and George continuing their business.
Last time, they had been lucky not to be in the shop, and the Death Eaters could only take out their anger by destroying the place.
But what about next time? If they went back to Diagon Alley and the Death Eaters showed up, it wouldn't just be the shop that was destroyed, but possibly them as well.
So, Mrs. Weasley had been reluctant to let them reopen.
However, the Weasley twins were determined. No matter what, they didn't want to give up their shop, and they had argued passionately about it during breakfast.
Unsurprisingly, the twins had won the argument, convincing their mother with their statement that they wanted to bring joy to people precisely because the Death Eaters had cast a shadow over the wizarding world. Mrs. Weasley had eventually relented, her fingers relaxing as she had been about to twist their ears.
In fact, the twins had succeeded in bringing cheer to people.
The whole of Diagon Alley was quiet and desolate, except for their vibrant shop.
From a distance, one could see the colorful sign and the Weasley statue, and the cheerful music emanating from the shop could be heard halfway down the street, making it seem out of place yet strikingly eye-catching.
Everyone who passed by the shop would get a sense of illusion, as if Voldemort had never returned.
"I really shouldn't have listened to them." She muttered to herself as she turned and walked into the room.
Only she, Kyle, and a few of the younger children who hadn't yet graduated were left in the house.
Ron and Harry had initially wanted to accompany Hermione to the Ministry as well, but as soon as they voiced this idea, Mrs. Weasley firmly rejected it.
The reason was simple—they didn't know how to Disapparate.
If they encountered danger, Hermione could escape at any time, but bringing them along would be like having two dead weights, causing Hermione to divide her attention and slow down their escape.
Mrs. Weasley's reasoning was sound, and Ron huffed and puffed for a while, unable to come up with a rebuttal, eventually stomping upstairs to express his displeasure.
But Mrs. Weasley didn't care in the slightest.
"Then I'm heading back to my room as well." Five minutes later, Kyle got up from his chair and said.
"Oh, off you go then." Mrs. Weasley said with a smile, "It's quiet today, I'll come get you when lunch is ready."
"Thanks." Kyle replied.
He made his way up the stairs and back to his room. As soon as he stepped inside, a golden and crimson figure pounced towards him.
Kyle seemed to have anticipated this, and he reached out to grab Fawkes' claw, disappearing from the room in an instant.
When he reappeared, he was in the fireplace corridor of the Ministry of Magic, having collided with a wizard and sent him tumbling out of the fireplace.
"Oh, Merlin's beard!" The startled wizard exclaimed, turning to face Kyle. "Who are you, and what's going on?"
"I just traveled here through the Floo Network, of course. Now, what are you doing loitering here? If you don't hurry up, the next person will be here any second," Kyle said impatiently, rubbing his head.
Hearing Kyle's words and noticing his unsteady steps and head-rubbing gesture, the wizard quickly apologized, "Sorry, I must have been daydreaming."
"It's fine, just be more careful next time." Kyle popped a Sour Exploding Candy into his mouth and added, "It's best not to linger in the fireplaces of the Ministry. A lot of people come and go through here."
"Yes, I know." The wizard replied.
"Kyle, I'm here!" Hermione's voice called out from a short distance away.
She had been waiting here ever since she arrived with Mr. Weasley, and she immediately ran over when she spotted Kyle.
"Let's talk as we walk." Kyle said, leading her towards the lifts.
"How did you come out of the fireplace?" Hermione asked, puzzled.
Kyle glanced back and lowered his voice, "It's less likely to arouse suspicion this way."
"But what if..."
"There won't be any what-ifs." Kyle shook his head, "The fireplaces in the Ministry are different from those elsewhere. They're usually extinguished, and only ignite with the unique Floo Network flames when a witch or wizard is about to travel through. There's nothing to worry about."
"Is that so?"
"Of course."
As they spoke, they had already reached the lifts, where quite a few people were waiting.
"Oh, Kyle, I was wondering when I'd get to see you again." An elderly wizard greeted them, "I thought you'd graduated already."
"Yes, I have." Kyle replied, "I've been busy with other matters and didn't have time to come in for work."
"I've heard all about it." The old wizard said, "You and Scamander went to the Black Forest, a dangerous place indeed."
"It's still not as dangerous as yesterday's Goblet of Fire tournament." A female witch who had walked over joined the conversation.
"You're close with Remus Lupin, so you must have attended his wedding."
"Of course." Kyle confirmed.
"I heard there were seventy Death Eaters there."
"That's true, but I don't know the exact number." Kyle said, "I was rescued at that point and have no idea what happened afterward."
Kyle knew the Ministry workers too well, and he knew exactly what they wanted to ask about, so he decided to nip it in the bud.
As expected, upon hearing that Kyle didn't know what had transpired, the female witch's face fell in obvious disappointment.
"Ah... Dumbledore rescued you, I heard all about it from Lupin."
Just then, the lift arrived, and a swarm of people rushed inside. Kyle opted to wait for the next one.
A few minutes later, they finally managed to get on a lift that wasn't as crowded, sharing it with three male witches carrying files.
"Kyle, it's great to see you." One of them said, "But your timing's a bit off. Things have been crazy at the office lately, I've barely slept in two days."
He pointed to the dark circles under his eyes as he spoke.
"Can't be helped. I'd love to slack off too, but the new Minister won't allow it." Kyle shrugged.
"That's true."
The lift soon reached the sixth floor, and the three witches exited together.
"Catch you later, Kyle."
"Who was that?" Hermione asked as the door closed again.
"Watson, from the Broom Management Control Bureau. We discussed how to modify the Fire Arrows together." Kyle replied casually.
"You sure know a lot of people."
"It's normal." Kyle said, "Being the Minister's assistant essentially means dealing with other departments. After a while, you get to know people."
"To see Mr. Weasley?"
"No, Mr. Weasley's office is on the second floor. We're headed to a different department." Kyle paused, "How's your Confundus Charm?"
"It's, it's okay, I guess." Hermione said, "The Confundus Charm is part of the seventh-year curriculum, but I've reviewed it in advance."
"Then we're all set. Although, I think it's unlikely that you'll need to use that particular charm."
Soon enough, the elevator came to a stop.
"Third floor: Magical Accidents and Catastrophes Department, including the Reversal of Accidental Events Team, the Memory Modification Unit, and the Muggle Liaison Office."
Hearing the elevator's announcement, Hermione suddenly realized something.
"Are you taking me to the Muggle Liaison Office?"
"That's right." Kyle stepped out of the elevator, "You've always thought they were useless, right? The most direct way to change that opinion is to experience it for yourself."
Kyle walked out of the lift, and Hermione hurried to keep up.
This floor seemed even busier than the sixth, with people rushing back and forth and corridors cluttered with files and miscellaneous items.
Kyle led her all the way to the back, through a heavy oak door, into a chaotic, open area divided into numerous small cubicles.
They walked to the very left cubicle, where a sign hung crookedly: Muggle Liaison Office.
Just then, a middle-aged wizard rushed out.
"Hold on, Perode," Kyle called out to him.
"Sorry, Kyle, I'm in a hurry." The wizard turned and said, "Mrs. Akaba is arguing with her neighbor again about her garden, and I have to get there before she uses any magic. Her Obliviate Charm is just awful."
"Don't worry, I've brought you some help."
"Help?"
Kyle gently nudged Hermione.
"Oh, right," Hermione said, "I'm Hermione, Hermione Granger."
Perode gave her a strange look. "Are you sure this young lady is here to work?"
He then turned to Hermione, "I must tell you upfront, we don't pay much here."
"She's not here to work, she's a volunteer, and doesn't need payment." Kyle clarified, "She wants to experience life here before Hogwarts starts, so I brought her along."
"Are you sure?" Perode asked again, his voice even stranger now.
"I am!" Hermione asserted.
"Alright then, follow me."
Perhaps it was because of Kyle's standing, or maybe he was just too busy, but Perode didn't say another word. He didn't even check Hermione's identity, he simply agreed and rushed off with her towards the lifts.
Hermione glanced back at Kyle.
"Go on," Kyle waved, "It's best to get this done in one go. That old lady and her neighbor have had several conflicts, and I have faith in you."
And so, without even stepping into the office, Hermione found herself on the job.
As the lift doors closed, Kyle poked his head back into the office.
There was another, even older wizard inside, sorting through a pile of parchments.
He glanced up at Kyle, "I heard. You brought us a new staff member?"
"Just a volunteer, she'll leave once Hogwarts starts up again." Kyle stepped into the small office, barely finding room to stand.
"And her ambitions lie elsewhere, on the second floor, to be precise."
"The Department of Magical Law Enforcement?"
"Yup."
"No matter, all help is appreciated."
The old wizard continued sorting parchments, grumbling as he worked, "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 scared."
"But it doubles our workload." The old wizard grumbled, "By the way, how capable is that student you brought?"
"She's top of her year."
The old wizard finally looked up at Kyle, "Seems like she does have a shot at the second floor then."
"Alright." He stood and tossed a bag to Kyle.
"What's this?"
"A token of our appreciation." The old wizard explained, "The pay here is meager, and we have even less for non-staff. It's only twenty galleons a month, but it's better than nothing."
"You're paying her?" Kyle frowned.
"We didn't used to, but yesterday, Hogwarts donated a large batch of herbs to St. Mungo's, saving the Ministry a lot of money.
"Bones wants to expand the Ministry's scale to deal with the increasing number of Death Eaters, and someone has to do the work, so we need funds."
"I see." Kyle furrowed his brows, "Isn't she worried about Death Eaters infiltrating?"
"Hence the gamble. I didn't think she'd have the guts." The old wizard said, "By the way, every new staff member needs to register their information. Don't forget to have her do that."
"Where?"
"The Auror Office."
(End of Chapter)
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