Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery Year 7

Chapter 6

WARNING: THIS CHAPTER CONTAINS STRONG LANGUAGE.
"Miss Tonks, how many wands have we registered so far?!" Eric Munch asked angrily, slamming a small stack of paper slips on the desk.

"I dunno," replied Tonks. "Twenty-something?"

"Thirty-four," Dani corrected her, fiddling with the probity probe in her hand. Moody had warned them to keep an eye out for anything-or anyone-suspicious coming into the Ministry (or, to Dani, 'CoNsTaNt ViGiLaNcE). So far, Dani hadn't seen anything along those lines. Which was good news as all she needed to focus on now was not rubbing Munch the wrong way even more.

Because as you can probably tell, she and Tonks aren't very good at that.

"I only counted five slips of paper in this stack, Miss Tonks! If you don't find the other twenty-nine right this instant, I'm telling Moody to take you off the program, because I don't think aurors should be incapable of something such as keeping papers in order!"

An angry-looking middle-aged white woman in a suit with a blonde bowl cut stomped up to Munch. "YOU! Get the pieces of dogsh*t at Magical Maintenance to FIX OUR F*CKING WINDOWS! It's a f*cking TROPICAL CYCLONE here at the Portkey Office!"

"Karen, I'm not Fudge, I can't give them a pay raise just because they sabotaged some windows!" Eric seethed.

Karen's hand came down on the desk, scattering Tonks' papers to the ground. "I WANT TO SPEAK TO YOUR MANAGER!"

Eric gave an exasperated moan and waved at Dani and Tonks. "You two, go talk to the folks at Magical Maintenance."

And they were off.

"Negotiating raises definitely seems more auror-like than registering wands," Tonks complained.

"Here the aurors-to-be are!" exclaimed Barnaby as Dani and Tonks approached. "How many dark witches and wizards have you sent to Azkaban?"

"Guess."

"Two?"

"A hundred?"

"You took out all the death eaters?"

"Sike, we were registering wands and getting f*cking yelled at."

"In that case, I don't envy you two," said Ben with a sigh of relief for not missing out.

"Dad taught us all how to examine muggle artefacts, and now we're bringing some of the faulty ones down here. Did Mr. Boring's probity probe break?"

"Some hag stormed by and told Munch to get someone to fix the windows at the Portkey Office. Apparently there are tropical cyclones outside them."

"Hm... I think Dad told me before that the ministry windows are only supposed to display sunny weather," said Charlie.

"Besides, if there was a tropical cyclone outside the room we were in, we would've heard thunder and rain crashing down, wouldn't we?" Liz pointed out. "So now you have to get Magical Maintenance to fix them?"

"In fact, the last time this happened, Magical Maintenance was trying to get a raise."

"Oh, I remember Uncle Cecil talking about stormy windows!" Barnaby said excitedly. "He was so concerned he came down himself to get the guys to fix them!"

"Well, the Magical Maintenance people are taking awfully long... Barnaby, why don't you go talk to your uncle, hopefully get more info while we wait? Oh, and bring Dani with you." Dani noticed Ben wink to the others.

"Of course!" said Barnaby. "After all, I'm his favourite nephew... His only one, but still! Let's go, Dani!"
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"Barnaby, my boy!" Cecil said as his nephew entered. "Looking strong and hearty as ever."

"You can see my heart?!" Barnaby asked.

"He means you're looking cheerful," explained Dani.

"Indubitably, Miss..." Cecil paused awkwardly.

"Dani Jackson, sir. We met when you came to capture Fenrir Greyback at Hogwarts two years ago."

"Ah, of course, the promising young werewolf catcher!"

"Mr. Lee, I was hoping to ask-"

"I can answer any question you have about werewolves!"

"-about when Magical Maintenance jinxed the windows to get a raise."

"Hm... I'll tell you about that if you duel Barnaby! Now that both of you are seventh-years, I want to see if you two have what it takes to join the Werewolf Capture Unit."

"Uh... OK!" Barnaby took out his wand. "I hope you're ready, Dani, because I'll-whoa!" Barnaby was knocked to the ground.

"Wandless and nonverbal magic," Dani told Cecil proudly. "I'll have to thank Merula for that. Mr. Lee, don't you think a seventh-year powerful enough to do that would be of better use to more major anti-dark-magic groups and organizations, like Gringotts?"

"No, of course you have to join the Werewolf Capture Unit, because werewolves ARE the biggest source of dark magic in the wizarding world!" Cecil declared. "Anyway, about the windows... When the Magical Maintenance people went on strike, they sabotaged ALL the windows in the ministry! And look over there, clear skies all day-the perfect weather for werewolf-hunting! Do you know why?... That's because werewolves are weaker in bright sunlight!"

"I think you're confusing werewolves with vampires, Uncle Cecil," said Barnaby. "Kettleburn talked about it, Rakepick talked about it, Victor talked about it..."

"Your professors-murderers in Azkaban included-and your friends are no werewolf experts, but Gilderoy Lockhart is! When he fought the Wagga Wagga Werewolf..."
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Liz flagged down a man in a grey coat. "Excuse me, sir, are you with-"

The man sighed. "Yes. Name's Reg Cattermole. What do you want to know about our nonexistent political ploy?"

"So you guys weren't protesting for a raise?"

"Just because we walk around with a mop doesn't mean we're stupid enough to waste time on a complete failure."

"Is there anything you can tell us about the windows, Mr. Cattermole, sir?"

"Magical Maintenance has tried every spell we know to fix this. It's very complex spellwork, I've never seen anything quite like it. I'd hazard a guess that they've been cursed-"

"Then today's your lucky day, Reg," said Moody, ushering Barnaby and Dani back to the group. "These six are part of the group that sealed the cursed vaults at Hogwarts."

"Then I'll be counting on you, Alastor," said Cattermole. "Best be off, I've heard the Beast Division is having a field day."

Moody turned to the students. "I think our best course of action right now is to find the wand that cursed the windows. Go ask Eric if he saw anyone suspicious come in today. Chop chop."