A Broken Slytherin : Lunar Loss (Book 3)

The Minister's Visit

The nauseating journey continued for much longer than y/n would have liked. She had been thrown into the walls and windows of the Knight bus as it careened around the narrow London streets, avoiding every single car and bus on the road despite y/n being convinced that the driver fell asleep at the wheel several times. Nimbus wasn't having the greatest time either, evident from the scratches in the mattress from his sharp and nervous claws.

Once they came to their destination, y/n had to catch Harry as they stopped to save him from flying through the window screen as they came to a sudden halt.

"The Leaky Cauldron," Stan announced, opening the doors for y/n and Harry and placing their trunks on the curb next to them. Both of the teens were still recovering from the wild ride when Tom, the owner of The Leaky Cauldron came out into the street.

"Ah! Mr. Potter, Miss l/n, at last!" he said, motioning for them to come inside the pub. They did so gratefully as the Knight Bus sped off once again on its way to who knows where.

Tom levitated y/n and Harry's luggage inside to save them the trouble of hauling the massive load. Nimbus trotted alongside y/n's feet, very happy to be leaving the bus in the past. There were only a few patrons left in the pub at the late hour. Some sipping tea, others reading, and a few still laughing deeply at the bar. The small and cosy hotel was a sight for sore eyes for both y/n and Harry. y/n was eager to forget about the shiny polished floors of l/n manor, and Harry felt reconnected to the wizarding world.

Harry and y/n were lead up to a room upstairs which Harry was pleased to see had Hedwig waiting patiently inside. He went up to greet his bird and she chirped happily. y/n saw Nimbus eyeing the bird hungrily and shot him a look of warning which the smart feline understood.

"A right smart bird you've got there Mr. Potter! She arrived here just five minutes before yourself," said Tom before he was cut off by someone clearing their throat. y/n and Harry whipped their heads around in alertness.

"As the Minister of Magic it is my duty to inform you, Mr. Potter and Miss l/n, that earlier this evening Mr. Potter's Uncle's sister was located just a little out of Sheffield circling a chimney," Cornelius Fudge said. He was wearing a long plum coat and velvet green waistcoat with expensive looking shoes and a shiny black tie. On the desk next to him was a purple bowler hat.

Tom shoved the two into seats around a burning fireplace and Nimbus sat at y/n's feet, giving the Minister a skeptical look which y/n did not ignore. y/n knew that she broke the law tonight. Underage wizards aren't allowed to use magic outside of school, and she was pretty sure Marge didn't blow up and float away like a balloon on her own accord! If she had, then y/n would seriously question the woman's sanity. Not that she didn't already...

"The Accidental Magic Reversal Department was dispatched immediately and she has been properly punctured and her memory modified. She will have no recollection of the event, what so ever. So, that's that! And no harm done!" The Minster came from the desk he was standing behind over to y/n and Harry, "Pea soup?" he offered.

"Ah, no thanks," y/n replied quickly, confused as to why she wasn't being hauled off to Azkaban right now to take Sirius Black's place.

"Minister?" Harry said.

"Yes?"

"I don't understand. We broke the law. Underage wizards aren't allowed to use magic at home," Harry said, as flustered as y/n.

"Oh come now, Harry! The Ministry doesn't lock up people for blowing up their Aunts!" Fudge exclaimed before his expression turned serious, "On the other hand, running away like that, given the state of things, was very, very irresponsible of both of you," he made full eye contact with both of the runaways.