“We have a problem,” Dad told us in a strained voice at breakfast as he picked up the newspaper. Mum took it from him and gave it a quick scan, her face falling.
“We can figure something out,” Mum tried to reassure him. The amount of worry in both my parents’ voices was enough to make me nervous. I turned off the TV, looking back and forth between them anxiously.
“What’s going on?” Astrea asked. Her voice was an octave higher than usual.
Dad handed us a copy of today’s Daily Prophet. I never really read the newspaper, but one look at the headline and I decided I’d need to start doing so.
Pius Thicknesse – Minister of Magic
Pius Thicknesse has been appointed as Minister of Magic, following the resignation of Rufus Scrimgeour.
Thicknesse, who has until now served as the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, took the position last night when it was revealed that Scrimgeour has resigned. (Cont. page 5)
The headline and a picture of Pius Thicknesse covered most of the front page, with only a small section of text, although it said the article continued a few pages in.
Thicknesse did not look like a pleasant man. He had sharp features which greatly un-eased me, long hair and a goatee. His eyes looked slightly dazed, which made it look suspiciously like he had been Imperiused.
“Is it You-Know-Who?” Astrea asked in a small voice.
“Not officially, but I and doubtlessly many other people believe he is behind it,” Dad said.
Astrea’s eyes widened. “So he has taken over the Ministry?”
“We think so,” Mum said quietly.
A hand flew to Astrea’s mouth. “But this means that letter El got was true! And we didn’t tell the Ministry! What if we could have prevented this?”
“We couldn’t have prevented this. They wouldn’t have believed a claim with no evidence,” Mum said firmly.
We all fell silent, remembering the warnings of the letter. “So will Muggle-borns really be in danger now?” I asked the dreaded question.
“Looks like it,” Dad said heavily.
He was right. The next day, the Daily Prophet announced that the Ministry had decreed that it was impossible for people with no wizarding ancestry to possess magic, and therefore must have obtained magic by theft or force. Apparently, the Ministry wanted to root out such people and were requesting that Muggle-borns presented themselves at the Ministry and prove that they had a minimum of one close wizarding relative. And this purge was starting right here in London, which meant that Mum could be taken away today.
“How am I going to prove something like that?” Mum demanded angrily, throwing the paper down. “This is absurd! I didn’t take magic by stealing it! I just have it!”
“They’ll be here soon,” I moaned, burying my head in my hands. Dad was completely silent, in shock I supposed, and Astrea was in near tears.
“Eleanor,” My sister sniffed. “Should we…should we give Mum the bag?”
“What bag?” Mum asked immediately. “What are you talking about?”
YOU ARE READING
Everything Has Changed
FanfictionWhile Harry, Ron and Hermione were off hunting Horcruxes, Severus Snape and the Carrow siblings had all but taken over Hogwarts, and no one could do anything about it. Eleanor Harper was an average student, but her mother, a Muggleborn, was forced t...
