Piece By Piece

Chapter Four: Peaceful Intruders

      Meetings, especially Department Head meetings, never failed to make Harry Potter a mix of bored and annoyed. Most of the time was spent getting updates from each department on any progress they'd made. The remaining time was spent asking what everyone needed from the next supply run. If it weren't for the fact that they were meeting under the stress of a near-apocalypse, he'd consider the meetings to be aggressively ordinary, "cookie-cutter," even. That's why, when the alarm rang, Harry was the first to jump six feet out of his seat and chcek the dashboard. 

      "What is it?" Ron asked. He, too, was almost halfway out the door. 

      Harry looked down at the maps of Wizard Europe, littered with small lightbulbs marking different significant locations. Any that were lit up meant that there were people in the area. If the alarm went off it meant a previously unoccupied location was now, well, occupied. Most of the time the implication wasn't cause for panic, but this time... 

      "Geez," Harry said.

      "Harry what is it?" Ron prodded again.

      Harry looked up. "It's the Ministry."

      If it weren't for the potential gravity of the situation, Harry would say that Ron looked excited. "Count me in," He said.

      "The Ministry could be an incredibly dangerous situation," Hermione interjected from her seat at the head of the roundtable. "You two are the best suited to go, but be careful; don't wait until the situation gets out of control. If you can't take the heat, get out of the kitchen. Understand?"

      That last metaphor made Harry grin. He and Ron picked up their bags and nearly crashed into each other as they left the Conference Room. Harry dropped his bag off in his office down the hall and changed into his field uniform. The material used in the uniform was laced with protective magic to absorb part of any blow the Auror takes while fighting. Harry clipped on his badge that distinguished him as Head Auror and met Ron outside in the hallway between their offices. 

      "You ready?" Ron asked.

      "I never am," Harry replied, "But let's go." He held out his hand for Ron to grab. When he did, the space around them changed with a sharp CRACK. They were now inside one of the large fireplaces that used to serve as Floo enterances to the Ministry of Magic. Harry backed up against the wall closest to the main lobby. Ron followed suit. Harry inched towards the opening, wand at the ready, and stuck his head out facing the lobby to see if anyone was there. In the middle of the room stood a man and a woman holding each other at arms' length. They were too far away for Harry to hear what they were saying, but they didn't look like Death Eaters to him. At least, not on the outside. He turned back to Ron and gave him the details. 

      "We'll do this via protocol," Harry said. "Did you bring any Veritaserum?"

      Ron nodded and took a vial out from his pocket. "I brought some just in case."

      "You know I love it when you come prepared," Harry smiled. "Follow my lead. Wands out." Harry held his wand in front of him and assessed the scene one more time. He turned his head back to face Ron. They nodded at each other. Almost in unison He and Ron jumped out from their place of hiding, wands up and pointed at the two figures ahead of them. 

      "Wands down!" Harry called out. "Hands up!"

      The man spun around to face them, repositioning himself to defend the woman behind him, and Harry nearly dropped his wand. He was practically a mirror image of Harry; same messy black hair, same face, same athletic build. It was when the woman stepped out from behind him that Harry realized who he was looking at. His heart stopped.