In Between Two Worlds (HP/PJO Crossover)

Chapter 126: Mayhem at the Ministry.

Mr. Weasley woke us after only a few hours of sleep. He used magic to pack up the tents, and we left the campsite as quickly as possible, passing Mr. Roberts at the door of his cottage. Mr. Roberts had a strange, dazed look about him, and he waved them off with a vague "Merry Christmas."

"Is he...?" I started to ask.

"He'll be all right," said Mr. Weasley quietly as we marched off onto the moor. "Sometimes, when a person's memory's modified, it makes him a bit disorientated for a while...and that was a big thing they had to make him forget."

We heard urgent voices as we approached the spot where the Portkeys lay, and when we reached it, we found a great number of witches and wizards gathered around Basil, the keeper of the Portkeys, all clamoring to get away from the campsite as quickly as possible. Mr. Weasley had a hurried discussion with Basil; we joined the queue, and were able to take an old rubber tire back to Stoatshead Hill before the sun had really risen. We walked back through Ottery St. Catchpole and up the damp lane toward the Burrow in the dawn light, talking very little because we were so exhausted, and thinking longingly of our breakfast. As we rounded the corner and the Burrow came into view, a cry echoed along the lane.

"Oh thank goodness, thank goodness! Remus, Sally they're alright!" Bailey and my ears perked up when we heard Uncle Rem and mum's names.

Mrs. Weasley, mum and Uncle Rem, who had evidently all been waiting for us in the front yard, came running toward us, all still wearing their pajamas, their face pale and strained.

"Arthur--I've been so worried--so worried--" Mrs. Weasley said. Mum and Uncle Rem came running at me and Bailey.

"Are you girls alright?" Mum asked as she hugged me.

"Were fine, mum. Bailey got slightly burned but I fixed her up." I said. We switched and I hugged Uncle Rem and Bailey hugged mum.

"You all had us so worried." Uncle Rem said. "When I read it in the Prophet I immediately went and fetched Sally."

"We're all OK. I swear." Bailey said. We all turned back to the rest of the group and saw Fred and George being smothered by Mrs. Weasley.

"Ouch! Mum--you're strangling us--"

"I shouted at you before you left!" Mrs. Weasley said, starting to sob. "It's all I've been thinking about! What if You-Know-Who had got you, and the last thing I ever said to you was that you didn't get enough O.W.L.s? Oh, Fred...George..."

"Come on, now, Molly, we're all perfectly okay," said Mr. Weasley soothingly, prising her off the twins and leading her back toward the house. "Bill," he added in an undertone, "pick up that paper, I want to see what it says..."

When we were all crammed into the tiny kitchen, and Hermione had made Mrs. Weasley a cup of very strong tea, into which Mr. Weasley insisted on pouring a shot of Ogdens Old Firewhiskey, Bill handed his father the newspaper. Mr. Weasley scanned the front page while Percy looked over his shoulder.

"I knew it," said Mr. Weasley heavily. "Ministry blunders...culprits not apprehended...lax security...Dark wizards running unchecked...national disgrace...Who wrote this? Ah...of course...Rita Skeeter."

"That woman's got it in for the Ministry of Magic!" said Percy furiously. "Last week she was saying we're wasting our time quibbling about cauldron thickness when we should be stamping out vampires! As if it wasn't specifically stated in paragraph twelve of the Guidelines for the Treatment of Non-Wizard Part-Humans--"

"Do us a favor, Perce," said Bill, yawning, "and shut up."

"I'm mentioned," said Mr. Weasley, his eyes widening behind his glasses as he reached the bottom of the Daily Prophet article.