Harry Potter and the Silver Serpent

Chapter 4 - Stuck In the Middle

“Well, how did it go?” Kingsley asks as both Harry and Ron enter his office.

“Better than expected.” Ron grinned.

“Although you do have two Imperiused Aurors down below.  Tried to make away with Narcissa Malfoy just as we reached the cliff.” Harry added.

“Are they Imperiused?”

“They were.” Ron answered.  “MacIntosh managed to perform a counter curse.  From what he could make out they don’t remember anything from before eight o’clock this morning.”

“So whoever targeted them got them before they left home this morning.” Harry concluded.

“Who do you think it could be?”

“Well, there are no Death Eaters left.” Kingsley murmured more to himself.  “We’ve rounded them up and thrown them into Azkaban.  There are also quite a few of them dead.”

“I imagine there will still be some Voldemort supporters.  May be one of them jinxed them?” Harry suggested.

“May be.  What about the Malfoy’s?”

“Lucius is locked up in Azkaban and Narcissa is with her sister.”

“Any trouble there?” Kingsley asked, directing his question at Harry.

“Well I don’t think she was too thrilled about the whole employment idea but she agreed, rather graciously, in the end.”

“Good.  Dismissed.”

Harry was glad to get home, just in time for dinner.  Ginny had gone all out and made them a steak dinner with treacle pudding to follow.  He kissed his wife affectionately and graciously thanked her for making such a wonderful meal.

“Hermione wants us to swing by later on.  They need help making Favours for the wedding.”

“Sure, we’ll pop round after dinner.”

“I also managed to get a part time job at Madame Malkins till I finish my exams.” Ginny smirked proudly.  “Thank god my mother showed me how to use a needle and thread.”

“That’s wonderful, Ginny.  What will your hours be?”

“Mostly mornings.  Monday, Tuesday and Friday eight till one.  Wednesday eleven to three and Thursday noon till six.  Still leaves me plenty time to study.”

“Well, I guess we have cause to celebrate.”

“Mmm… we could pick up a bottle of wine on the way to Ron’s.”

At eight o’clock Harry and Ginny apparate outside a set of flats near Ravenscourt Park in London.  Ron and Hermione lived in an apartment on the third floor of the second building on the small duplex.

Harry pushed the button marked ‘F: Granger/Weasley’, planting a kiss on Ginny’s cheek as she straightened his blue shirt collar.  Hermione’s voice rang out over the speaker phone.

“Hello?”

“It’s us.” Harry called, pulling Ginny closer as she shivered in her summer dress.

“Oh, good!  Come on up.”

The buzzer blared unlocking the door and allowing them access.  The elevator doors before them bore a ‘No Access!’ sign, ‘Elevator Out of Order!’; Ginny and Harry took the stairs two at a time bypassing the elevator completely.  Hermione unlocked the door to allow them in as Harry took in their surroundings.