Mayhem at the Ministry
Mr. Weasley woke them after only a few hours sleep... "Merry Christmas. "
The Grangers grimaced. That poor man.
"He'll be all right," ... they had to make him forget. "
Mrs Granger looked ready to ask for scientific data that proved there wouldn't be long term effects.
They heard urgent voices ... campsite as quickly as possible.
Harry couldn't blame them. He had really wanted to get away from there too.
Mr. Weasley had a hurried discussion ... a cry echoed along the lane.
Mrs Weasley was whimpering quietly.
"Oh thank goodness, thank goodness!" ... Daily Prophet clutched in her hand.
"I woke up to the news of what had happened," Molly said. "I'd never been so worried before. Not since..."
"Arthur - ... Dark Mark over the treetops.
Several people shivered.
"You're all right," ... you're strangling us -"
George rolled his eyes. He wasn't feeling as forgiving as he had been back then.
"I shouted at you before you left!" ... Oh Fred. . . George. . . "
Mrs Weasley was crying once more. She was now trying to remember the last time she'd spoken to Fred.
"Come on, now, Molly, ... lax security...
"Well, they weren't wrong," Kingsley said.
Dark wizards running unchecked ... Rita Skeeter. "
Amelia sighed. She might not like the woman, but she couldn't disagree with her there.
"That woman's got it in for the Ministry ... Treatment of Non-Wizard Part-Humans -"
"I'm a journalist," Rita said sharply. "It's my job to hold the ministry to account."
"It's a shame you don't actually do it," Harry retorted. "You toe the ministry line more often than not."
"Do us a favor, Perce," ... but refusing to give any more information.
"Well, at least she didn't misquote you," Amelia said grimly. "It could have been worse." Much worse.
Whether this statement ... from the woods an hour later, remains to be seen.
"That was a complete fabrication!" Arthur said angrily. "There were no bodies."
"Plenty of witnesses said otherwise," Rita said with a twisted smile.
"Oh really," ... will be rumors now she's printed that. "
Rita looked pleased with herself and Harry was struggling with the no violence rule. He wouldn't mind sending a hex her way.
He heaved a deep sigh ... my cauldron report in person. "
"I think he has slightly bigger things to worry about," Tonks said with a small chuckle.
He bustled out of the kitchen ... I'll be off. . . . "
"You really didn't make things worse, Arthur," Amelia said. "The truth is that it would never have gone well no matter who had said something. Of course, you shouldn't have commented, but there was no one on site with the authority to make ministry mandated statements. What were you supposed to do?"
Arthur frowned. He really didn't know.
"Mrs. Weasley," ... hasn't been any post at all. "
Sirius frowned. Why was it taking him so long to reply? Unless he really was quite far away.
Ron and Hermione looked curiously at Harry.
Remus frowned. Why were they interested in Harry's mail? Did they tell him about every letter they received too?
With a meaningful look ... I woke up with my scar hurting again. "
Sirius grimaced. Harry's break from reality had been far too short lived. He should have been enjoying his summer. Not worrying about You-Know-Who and death eaters.
Ron's and Hermione's reactions ... Ron simply looked dumbstruck.
Several people chuckled. It seemed the Prince really knew his friends.
"But - he wasn't there ... plotting to kill. . . someone. "
Hermione eyed Harry. She hadn't realised that he'd kept who they were plotting to kill to himself. Did Harry keep the scariest details from them frequently or was this a one off?
He had teetered for a moment ... "Just a nightmare. "
Ron grimaced. He knew better now.
"Yeah, but was it, though?" ... Voldemort's sign's up in the sky again. "
"It's certainly suspicious," Moody growled.
"It's because the dark mark was getting darker," Lucius said.
"What?" Moody asked.
"Our marks," Lucius explained. "We knew the dark lord was growing stronger again."
Moody did not like the sound of that.
"Don't - say - his - name!" Ron hissed through gritted teeth.
Harry didn't look remotely repentant.
"And remember what Professor ... old fraud says?"
Trelawney glared at Hermione.
"You weren't there," ... and that night Wormtail escaped."
Albus sighed. "It certainly sounded like a real prophecy."
"There's only one way to know for sure," Rookwood said. "You'd have to check the department of mysteries. Of course, as you are not the subject of the prophecy you would not be able to hear it. But you could confirm it's existence."
There was a silence ... "Are you expecting a letter?"
Sirius tutted. Why did these children think that was any of their business?
"Obviously he was expecting a letter," Severus said with an eye roll.
"I told Sirius about my scar," ... manage that journey in a few days. "
The mind healers frowned. That wasn't what Harry needed. He needed reassurance. He needed an adult.
"Yeah, I know," ... You can try out the Wronski Feint... "
Harry grinned.
"Ron,"... He's worried, and he's tired...
"Hermione, don't presume to know what other people need," Mrs Granger said softly.
We all need to go to bed... "
Harry rolled his eyes. Sometimes, he thought Hermione thought she was his mother.
"Yeah, I want to play ... "Boys. "
"Girls," the two boys in question muttered in retaliation.
Neither Mr. Weasley nor Percy was at home ... my best quill reduced to cinders. "
Several people rolled their eyes. Of course, there had been howlers. The ministry had messed up. Big time.
"I really don't understand why Hogwarts and the ministry don't have anti-howler wards," Harry said.
"Because they don't exist," Hermione said.
"Yet," Harry countered, "and really that's stupid. As soon as howlers became a thing, someone should have developed a ward against them. Just think of the money maker it would have been."
Bill eyed the prince speculatively. He had a good sense for business. It was a shame no one had encouraged it.
"Why are they all sending Howlers?" ... "They want compensation for their ruined property.
"Perfectly reasonable under the circumstances," Augusta said shortly.
Mundungus Fletcher's put in a claim... sleeping under a cloak propped on sticks. "
Remus laughed. That sounded like Dung alright.
Mrs. Weasley glanced at the grandfather clock ... "mortal peril. "
Molly shivered. Her clock had been a source of apprehension for months now. Constantly pointing at Mortal Peril.
Eight of the hands ... without clearing it with his Head of Department first -"
Several people tutted at Percy's statement.
"Since his head of department was on holiday," Amelia said tersely, "and he was one of the most senior of his department on site, I feel he had more right to give a statement than most. I mean by all rights depending on who else was in that chamber, Arthur probably should have been the one leading the investigation into the dark mark. He at least works for the Department of Magical Law Enforcement unlike Lord Diggory and Lord Crouch."
"Don't you dare blame your father ... called me 'a long-haired pillock'?"
Rita smirked. That had been an interesting interview.
"Well, it is a bit ... "If you'd just let me -"
The purebloods in the chamber all glared at Molly. What was her obsession with trying to convince her grown son to cut his hair? If he wanted to honour Mother Magic then that was his right. Even if it was just a fashion statement, it was still his right.
"No, Mum. " ... their heads bent over a piece of parchment.
Mrs Weasley looked suspiciously at the book. She never had worked out what those two were up to.
"What are you two up to?" ... you're still on holiday," said Mrs. Weasley.
The teachers all looked affronted. When else were they supposed to do their summer homework? Shouldn't Molly have been encouraging them to get it done early. Hell, it should have already been completed.
"Yeah, we've left it a bit late," ... restarting Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, by any chance?"
George glared at his mother. He really hadn't forgiven her for destroying their order forms. She'd put their plans behind by months.
"Now, Mum," ... you was an unfounded accusation?"
Everyone laughed.
Everyone laughed ... He looked completely exhausted.
"It really was a dreadful week," Arthur muttered.
"Well, the fat's really in the fire now," ... sent someone to look for her ages ago. "
"I'm surprised they kept it hushed up for as long as they did," Amelia said, shaking her head.
"Mr. Crouch has been saying it for weeks and weeks," said Percy swiftly.
Everyone rolled their eyes.
"Crouch is very lucky ... the wand that conjured the Dark Mark. "
Several people nodded their agreement.
"I thought we were all agreed ... how mean he is to elves!" said Hermione angrily.
Lucius sighed. Unfortunately, that would never make it into the paper. The paper was too light for that.
"Now look here, Hermione!" ... obedience from his servants -"
Lucius glared at Percy. Elves were not servants. They were family.
"His slave, you mean!" ... "because he didn't pay Winky, did he?"
No one bothered to say anything. They'd spent more than enough time trying to explain house elves already and it was beginning to get annoying.
"I think you'd all better go upstairs ... "Come on now, all of you. . . . "
Mrs Granger frowned. Hermione really should know better than to pick fights when she was a guest in someone else's house.
Harry repacked his broomstick servicing kit ... "It might shut him up. "
Sirius frowned. Yes. He was certainly not going to get that boy an owl in the new timeline.
Harry poked a few Owl Treats ... Sirius has been caught, do you?"
Sirius sighed. He didn't like that Harry was worried about him. It should have been the other way around. He was the adult.
"Nah, it would've been in the Daily Prophet," ... "Yeah, I suppose. . . . "
Sirius gave Ron a small smile. It wasn't the most reassuring thing to say but really what else could he say. At least he hadn't outright dismissed Harry's concern.
"Look, here's the stuff Mum got ... matching lace cuffs.
Several of the younger children didn't even bother to stifle their laughter. Ron glared at them.
There was a knock on the door ... Ginny's new dress," said Ron, handing it out to her.
More laughter.
"Of course I haven't," ... robes for formal occasions. "
All the gryffindor fourth years grimaced. Ron had put up such a stink about those robes.
"You've got to be kidding," ... show him, Harry. . . . "
Harry frowned. His had been very different.
In some trepidation ... bottle green instead of black.
Some of the purebloods frowned. Dress robes were supposed to be a bit more distinguished and there should have been a greater difference between them and his school robes than the colour. Clearly, they weren't expensive.
"I thought they'd bring out ... "Why couldn't I have some like that?"
The purebloods grimaced. Potter's robes might not have been expensive but they were most likely more expensive than the Weasleys could afford. Especially if they had to buy three pairs.
"Because... but he knew they would never take it.
Molly blushed. They really shouldn't have been discussing money in front of Harry. It had been very improper of them. "I apologise, Heir Potter, for making you feel awkward. We should not have discussed money in front of you."
Harry blinked. He hadn't expected an apology. "It's okay, Mrs Weasley."
But the looks many of the purebloods were giving her reminded Molly that it had been highly impolite. She'd really failed to instill wixen values in her children and somewhere along the line she'd forgotten them too.
"I'm never wearing them," ... Goodness knows I could do with a laugh. "
Quite a lot of the adults laughed at that. Really, the boy had deserved that. Yes, the robes sounded awful. But he shouldn't have embarrassed his mother in company.
She left the room ... unstick Pigwidgeon's beak.
Sirius glared at Ron. How could he be so ungrateful? His parents didn't have a lot but they'd done their best. And as for that damn owl, well, he wouldn't be getting it in the future.
Minerva clapped her hands. "Two hours of transfiguration," she said almost gleefully.