The Hidden Half-Blood Prince

Chapter 18: The Ministry

Previously:
"Let's talk while we walk, shall we?" I grew aware the seconds were ticking by. "I need to leave something in the Minister's office then I need to hurry back. I agreed to oversee a detention tonight."

As we left, I flicked my wand at a quill and left a note on a scrap piece of parchment for the others. I locked the door behind me as well.

"Sorry, guys, Amelia Bones wanted to talk to me about something." I said breathlessly as I ran back into my office. I was relieved to see they listened to my note to wait here.

"About what?" Ron asked from behind my desk.

I grinned briefly then straightened out my face before saying, "Nothing you need to worry about now, I'll tell you later if you really want to know. Right now, we need to figure out wh-"

I was interrupted by the sound of my Floo activating and the five of us watched as camper after camper stumbled to the floor of my small office. It got cramped quickly but despite that, it was quiet as we stared at each other.

Thalia, Jason, Piper, Leo, Hazel, Frank, Travis, Connor, Grover, Nico, and Clarisse glared defiantly at me from across the room.

"What," I started, barely concealing my anger, "are you lot doing here?"

"We followed you," Leo said happily. "That was an amazing way to travel by the way, how does it work?"

"We thought you would have left by now and you said it would only be open so long so we just came as fast as we dared," Thalia said indifferently, ignoring Leo.

"That does not answer my question," I snapped. "I can tell you have obviously followed us. Why?"

"The Stolls over heard you after exams today talking about a blood bath," Clarisse stated. "We came to make sure y'all don't kill yourselves."

I huffed. "I have it perfectly handled so you can all go back now," I said, moving to my fireplace to make sure it was still connected.

"No offense, but we've had more experience with 'potential blood baths' than you have." Piper crossed her arms. "We're staying."

An urge to keep them here washed over me. I glared and opened my mouth to call her out on it when Hermione spoke up.

"It would be good to have them here, Percy." She glanced over at me nervously. "At the very least, we'll have the numbers."

Her friends nodded in agreement and as much as I wanted to wipe the smug grins off the camper's faces, I knew she was right.

"Fine," I said shortly. "But you will do as I say, understood?"

Thalia made a move to argue but I held up a finger in her direction to silence her. "You don't even know what we're doing here, how can you take charge if you don't know the situation?"

They stayed silent at that.

"You follow my every order." I landed a look at Harry, Ron, Hermione and Luna as I said this and they nodded as well. "Good, now—"

Two more came through and I glared at them as they got to their feet. "Ten points from Gryffindors, Mr Longbottom and Miss Weasley," I said because I was so done. "Now that you're here, you will make sure to follow my every order, am I understood?"

They nodded, faces flushed.

I sniffed. "Good. If you do not, you will all regret it, I promise. And it won't be because of something I did. Follow me."

I led them all down the hall outside my office as quick as I could. If anyone else came through, I didn't want to know.

Eighteen people can fit into the ministry lifts incase anyone was wondering.