𝙤𝙥𝙥𝙤𝙨𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙨 𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙧𝙖𝙘𝙩 (𝖽𝗋𝖺𝖼𝗈 𝗆𝖺𝗅𝖿𝗈𝗒 𝗑 𝗋𝖾𝖺𝖽𝖾𝗋)

Chapter 20

We got out of the trial with all charges cleared.

Mr Malfoy stood there, talking to Fudge.

"Well, well, well, Patronus Potter. The Minister was just telling me about your lucky escape, Potter," drawled Mr Malfoy. "Quite astonishing, the way you continue to wriggle out of very tight holes. . . . Snakelike, in fact...."

"Yeah, yeah, we're good at escaping..." Harry started.

"And Arthur Weasley too! What are you doing here, Arthur?" Mr Malfoy said, raising his eyebrows at Mr Weasley.

"I work here."

"Yes, but not here, surely? I thought you're up on the second floor. . . . Don't you do something that involves sneaking Muggle artefacts home and bewitching them?" Mr Malfoy glanced toward the door over Mr Weasley's shoulder.

"No," said Mr Weasley curtly.

"What are you doing here anyway?" I asked Lucius Malfoy.

"I don't think private matters between myself and the Minister are any concern of yours, Potter," said Malfoy, smoothing out the front of his robes. "Really, just because you are Dumbledore's favourite children, you must not expect the same indulgence from the rest of us. . . . Shall we go up to your office, then, Minister?"

"Certainly," said Fudge, turning his back on us. "This way, Lucius."

Mr Malfoy turned back to us and held his gaze on me for a moment before walking away. Mr Weasley waited a moment before acting.

"Come on, let's head back."

We walked back upstairs and to the lift.

"Are we going back to Gri-" I started.

"Ssh! We aren't to speak of that outside of HQ. Call it HQ, or Headquarters, or just home," Mr Weasley interrupted.

"Alright, sorry," I said.

"And yes, I'm taking you two back, but I have to come back to work after that," Mr Weasley added.

We headed back home, taking the underground subway, which Mr Weasley was so amazed by.

Mr Weasley used the Floo Powder to get back to the Ministry, and we were back at Grimmauld Place.

"Harry! Y/n! How did it go?" Hermione demanded, rushing up to us.

"Quite well, actually, we're both cleared of all charges!" I said excitedly, hugging Hermione.

"That's amazing! Glad you'll be at Hogwarts, mate!" Ron exclaimed, looking at Harry.

"Ooh! We must tell you something!" Hermione said. "Our letters came from Hogwarts! And as it's our fifth year, we were chosen to be Gryffindor Prefects!"

"Yeah, Hermione and I both got chosen!" Ron added. "We didn't open your letter, so we don't know about you, though."

Mrs Weasley rushed over to Ron and hugged him.

"Another Prefect! That makes everyone so far!" She said.

"What are George and I, next-door neighbours?" Fred said, standing in the doorway.

I laughed as Fred and George walked over to us.

"Here are your letters," George said, handing one to me and one to Harry.

"Oh, so they did manage to get another new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, some woman named Dolores Umbridge, I think," Ron answered.