HP&SB: The Deathly Hallows

Chapter 6

Chapter 6/We Invade the Ministry

The first thing I was aware of upon waking up were the hands on my arm, shaking me till I managed to open my eyes, squinting up at the dark blur above me.

"Siri?" I asked, grateful when she slipped my glasses into my hand, allowing me to put them on and actually see what was going on. "What is it?"

"You've slept in- We leave for the ministry in thirty minutes." Siri said, giving me one more shove as though to make sure I truly was awake before she left the room, and I could hear her steps as she made her way down the stairs to the lower level of the flat.

Glancing at the watch on my wrist, I realized just how right she was. Quickly I got dressed, making sure everything I needed was safely tucked in Hagrid's moleskin pouch before I followed Siri's path downstairs, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes the meanwhile. In the kitchen Hermione was fussing over the finished batch of polyjuice potions, looking rather stressed as she hurried over the counter, occasionally bumping into an equally-busy Siri. The other girl though appeared to be overseeing the making of something much more delicious, and nodded gratefully when she shoved a smoothie into my hands, then Ron's once he entered the kitchen from the living room.

"Drink up- Never good to apparate on an empty stomach. Take time to drink one too, 'Mione." Siri advised, looking at her fellow Gryffindor girl pointedly as she set down a smoothie in front of. Hermione nodded, looking as though she had no intention of stopping her work, pouring the potion into different flasks.

"Okay- We have the flasks, and we know when they'll appear. We've been watching so carefully. And Siri, you know what you're doing-"

"Of course I do, Hermione. I'm an excellent improviser."

"That's not reassuring." Ron chimed as he sipped from his cup, looking rather amused. I let out a small snort, joining him at the table. Siri merely crinkled her nose at him, pulling herself up onto the counter so she could finish her own breakfast.

"Well, I've got a rather good feeling about today, if I do say so myself. I mean, really, what could go wrong? We're only breaking into the bloody Ministry of Magic-"

Hermione interrupted her with a sigh. "I'd rather you not be snarky, Siri."

Siri shrugged. "I"m just being honest."

"Yeah, but you could do well with at leastputting a positive spin on it- If you think we're going to die, might as well be in denial about it." I commented, eyebrows raised. Siri looked over at me with an amused smile, gray eyes fond.

"I suppose."

"Well, if you two are done, put your glasses in the sink- We've got to go soon, if we're going to do this today. And Ron- Do sit up straight." Hermione clucked as she exited the room, chased soon after by Siri, who was holding Hermione's untouched-breakfast out to her as she followed.

Ron and I finished the rest of our breakfast in silence, enjoying the company and brief moment of quiet. It was too short though, and soon Hermione was in the room, looking less frazzled and more determined than before, if not confident.

"Are you ready?"

"As I'll ever be, I suppose." Ron said as he rose from the table, leaving his empty glass on the counter. With a nod I followed after him, then after Hermione as we joined her in the common room. Going over the plan one last time, the realization that this was as good as it was going to get set in, and finally we were ready to leave.

"We'll go in pairs- I'm not sure how many of us can stand on the doorstep without being seen, and I don't want anyone by themselves. I'll apparate with Siri, Hermione, if you'll go with Ron?"