The Spark {Book 5 in the Star of Gryffindor Series}

Chapter 28 - Why Ciara Malfoy is the Most Confusing Person I Know

The Daily Prophet
Issue No. 102,146
4 April, 2022

Top Ministry Officials Caught Making Secret Deal With MACUSA

Several top Ministry officials were discovered negotiating with members of the MACUSA. As the Ministry has officially postponed all connections with the MACUSA until the claims that it has been overrun by terrorists have been fully investigated, this is troubling. Some of the Ministry officials caught include Destinee Malby, the Head of the Department of Mysteries, and Langston O'Connor, the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister. In a press conference addressing the issue, Minister Hestia Carrow claimed to be sickened by this shocking news.

It is clear that corruption goes very deep into the government. In these unsure times, it is imperative that the public feels it can trust its leaders. However, it seems that there's no way to know who to trust...

~~~~

"Another scandal," Colette said, putting the paper down. "This time it's the the Senior Undersecretary to the Minister and the Head of the Department of Mysteries."

I shook my head. "Wow. What did Carrow say?"

"She's 'shocked and sickened by the news that some of her top officials would go behind the Ministry's back,'" Colette read. "She claims she had no knowledge of any of it."

"What does Dad say?" Albus asked James.

"I don't know." James frowned at the professors' table. "I haven't asked. I personally think she's lying, though. I bet she's the most corrupt of them all."

"Maybe not," Wren said. "After all, they didn't find anything when they investigated her."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm pretty sure part of being a corrupt puppet is hiding the fact that you're a corrupt puppet."

"Is that right?" Wren asked, her tone fringing on sarcasm. "I understand that, Astra. I meant that they didn't find anything suspicious at all. Carrow didn't have any warning. It'd be impossible to hide all signs of suspicious activity."

"I mean, you don't know," Albus said.

"Trust me, I do."

I shared a quick glance with Albus. Obviously, she was referring to her experience from her family. However, the voice in my head couldn't help wondering if it meant more than she was saying.

James was giving both of us a weird look, and I shot him a smile and gulped down the rest of my juice. "Well, who's ready for Herbology?"

Lionel Milligan had appeared at dinner the previous night. The headmasters had introduced him before the food had appeared. He was tall and gangly and looked a bit sheepish as he waved at the sea of students. I guessed he wasn't older than twenty-five. A lot younger than any of the other professors.

He was absent from breakfast, to everyone's disappointment. I didn't care so much, because we were scheduled for his class that morning. I couldn't tell if I was excited to see this new teacher or if I was annoyed we had Herbology again (I'd been using unscheduled class periods to take naps). Probably both. Probably a little more annoyed.

As a group, the fifth year Gryffindors walked out to Greenhouse 6 after breakfast. It was a cold, gray day, the sort of day that, for most of the winter, I'd been using as an example of why it was great that we didn't have Herbology, because we got to stay inside in that kind of weather. I was wishing we could stay inside then.

"I'm sure he's going to be good," Wren said, wincing against the harsh wind. "They wouldn't hire someone unqualified, would they?"

"I don't know. I mean, Haverna got here somehow," Albus pointed out.