THE MOST FAITHFUL

BOGGART

The cabin door swung open and Mr. Weasley stepped out, followed by Harry, who gasped.

They were at the far end of a very long entrance hall with a shiny dark wooden floor. The peacock blue ceiling was encrusted with glittering golden symbols that kept moving and changing like a huge celestial billboard. The walls on either side were covered with panels of shiny dark wood where many gilded fireplaces opened. Every few seconds a wizard or a witch emerged from one of the chimneys on the left with a sweet rustle. On the right side, short queues of wizards and witches formed in front of each fireplace waiting to leave. In the center of the entrance was a fountain, a group of golden statues, larger than life, stood in the center of a circular basin. The tallest of all represented a noble-looking magician, with his wand pointed straight in the air. Gathered around him were a beautiful witch, a centaur, a goblin, and a house elf. The last three looked adoringly at the witch and wizard. Sparkling gushes of water splashed from the ends of their wands, the centaur's arrowhead, the top of the goblin's hat, and the house elf's ears, so that the gurgling of the falling water added to the pops and cracks of those. Apparating and the roar of the footsteps of hundreds of wizards and witches who, frowning and sleepy, advanced towards a series of golden gates at the other end of the entrance.

"This way," said Mr. Weasley. They joined the crowd, weaving their way through Ministry employees, some holding tottering piles of parchment, others whipping briefcases; still others read The Daily Prophet as they walked. As he passed the fountain Harry saw silver scythes and bronze knives glinting at the bottom of the basin. A small smudged sign beside it read:

ALL PROCEEDS FROM THE FOUNTAIN OF THE MAGICAL BROTHERS WILL BE DEVOLVED TO THE SAN MUNGO HOSPITAL FOR MAGICAL DISEASES AND WOUNDS.

Harry followed Mr. Weasley past the gates into the smaller hall, where at least twenty elevators opened behind elaborate gilded grates. Harry and Mr. Weasley joined the crowd around one of them. Next to them a large bearded wizard was holding a cardboard box that made rasping noises. With a great screech and rattle an elevator descended in front of them; the gilded grates swung open; Harry and Mr. Weasley entered with the rest of the crowd and Harry found himself squashed against the back wall. Several wizards and witches looked at him curiously; he stared at his feet to avoid making eye contact and flattened his bangs. The grates clanged shut and the elevator began to rise slowly, chains rattling, and the same cold female voice Harry had heard in the phone booth rang again.

"Seventh Level, Office of Magical Games and Sports, including the British-Irish Quidditch League Headquarters, the Official Goblin Club and the Ridiculous Patent Office." The elevator doors opened. Harry spied a neglected-looking hallway, with numerous Quidditch team posters hanging crookedly on the walls. One of the wizards in the elevator, carrying an armful of broomsticks, struggled to untangle himself, exited, and disappeared into the corridor. The doors closed, the elevator lurched and resumed its ascent, and the woman's voice announced, "Second Level, Law Enforcement Office on Magic, comprising the Office for the Misuse of Magical Arts, Auror Headquarters and Wizengamot Administrative Services."

"He's ours, Harry." Mr. Weasley said following the witch out of the elevator and down a corridor full of doors. "My office is on the other side."

"Mr. Weasley..." Harry said, noticing a window through which sunlight was shining. "Aren't we underground yet?"

"Yes, sure," replied Mr. Weasley. "They're enchanted windows. The Magical Maintenance people decide what the weather will be every day. The last time they wanted a raise we had two months of hurricanes ... This way, Harry."

They turned a corner, passed through a massive double oak door, and emerged into an overcrowded open space, divided into cubicles, buzzing with chatter and laughter. A lopsided sign on the nearest cubicle read Auror Headquarters.