ON MY WAY {HP X SHADOWHUNTERS} [DISCONTINUED]

DIAGON ALLEY

Hayley followed Hagrid out onto the rock. The sky was quite clear now and the sea gleamed in the sunlight. The boat Uncle Vernon had hired was still there, with a lot of water in the bottom after the storm. "How did you get here?" Hayley asked, looking around for another boat. "Flew," said Hagrid. "Flew?" Hayley gasped "Yeah -- but we'll go back in this. Not s'pposed ter use magic now I've got yeh." They settled down in the boat, Hayley still staring at Hagrid, trying to imagine him flying. "Seems a shame ter row, though," Hagrid said, giving Hayley another of his sideways looks. "If I was ter -- er -- speed things up a bit, would yeh mind not mentionin' it at Hogwarts?" he said sheepishly "Of course not," Hayley grinned, eager to see more magic. Hagrid pulled out the pink umbrella again, tapped it twice on the side of the boat, and they sped off toward land. Hayley sat and thought about everything that has happened while Hagrid read his newspaper, the Daily Prophet. Hayley had learned from Uncle Vernon that people liked to be left alone while they did this, but it was very difficult, she'd never had so many questions in her life. "Ministry o' Magic messin' things up as usual," Hagrid muttered, turning the page. 

Raphael sneered, "Who's surprised? Not us." The FG scoffed and rolled their eyes. Some wand wielders, including McGonagall, Dumbledore, and the Marauders and co., concurred, while others dissented. Barty Sr. glared menacingly at the kids, "Excuse me, but it seems as though you're implying the Ministry is incompetent." Minister Minchum replied coldly, "That's precisely what we're suggesting." Hayley retorted in the same frosty tone, "I don't know how things are in your regime, but the Ministers who succeeded you were, to put it bluntly, nincompoops."

Everyone gaped at Hayley in amazement as the Marauders and co., Mia, Monty, and McGonagall smirked approvingly at her boldness. Little did they know, this was not the first time she had clashed with a Minister of Magic.    

"There's a Ministry of Magic?" Hayley asked, before she could stop herself. "'Course," said Hagrid. "They wanted Dumbledore fer Minister, 0'course, but he'd never leave Hogwarts, so old Cornelius Fudge got the job. Bungler if ever there was one. So he pelts Dumbledore with owls every morning, askin' fer advice." Hagrid told her "But what does a Ministry of Magic do?" Hayley asked curiously "Well, their main job is to keep it from the Muggles that there's still witches an' wizards up an' down the country." Hagrid answered "Why?" Hayley frowned "Why? Blimey, Hayley, everyone'd be wantin' magic solutions to their problems. Nah, we're best left alone." At this moment the boat bumped gently into the harbor wall. Hagrid folded up his newspaper, and they clambered up the stone steps onto the street. Passersby stared a lot at Hagrid as they walked through the little town to the station. Hayley couldn't blame them. Not only was Hagrid twice as tall as anyone else, he kept pointing at perfectly ordinary things like parking meters and saying loudly, "See that, Hayley? Things these Muggles dream up, eh?"

"here we go." Hagrid said as they had reached the station. There was a train to London in five minutes' time. Hagrid, who didn't understand "Muggle money," as he called it, gave the bills to Hayley so she could buy their tickets. People stared more than ever on the train. Hagrid took up two seats and sat knitting what looked like a canary-yellow circus tent. "Still got yer letter, Hayley?" he asked as he counted stitches. Hayley took the parchment envelope out of her pocket. "Good," said Hagrid. "There's a list there of everything yeh need." Hayley unfolded a second piece of paper she hadn't noticed the night before, and read "First year students will require: three sets of work robes, one wand. One pair of dragon-hide gloves." Hayley paused, double checked then turned to Hagrid, "Hagrid, do they mean for a real dragon?" she asked incredulously "Well, they don't mean a penguin, do they? Heh. Crikey, I'd love a dragon" Hagrid said dreamily, "You'd like a dragon" Hayley blinked at him. "Vastly misunderstood beasts, Hayley. Vastly misunderstood"