Heaven Through a Window • Drarry •

Chapter Twenty-Five: The Auror Office

"Our options are to wait and do nothing, Harry's wand gets snapped—sorry, mate—and Harry lives in St Mungo's indefinitely," Ronald said. It was late, and again they were huddled around a table in Sanctum the week before the appeal. "Or, hope the appeal works out, Harry gets better, we move on with our lives. Or... pretty simple, really. We break into the Ministry, get Harry's wand before they do. Then..."

"Then I'll go live in a tent or something," Harry finished.

Nobody returned his smile.

"I think we're all agreed we can't wait for the appeal," George said.

Several of them nodded.

Hermione stopped chewing her fingernails to say, "It'll be too late. They could snap his wand straight afterwards."

Draco tightened his arm around Harry's waist. "They're not going to snap your wand."

"We won't let them," Luna said.

"Hear hear!" Neville agreed.

"Let's focus on step one: breaking into the Ministry," Ginevra said, gripping her Butterbeer. "Where is his wand exactly?" she asked Sally-Anne.

"We can't just waltz into the Ministry and steal wands," Pansy said. She made a fair point.

"Not with that attitude," George said.

"Level Two," Sal replied. "Fifth corridor on the right, at the end of the Auror Office. Evidence Storage Room B. Tap the statue of Edward the Sixth and say 'Regnat'. Wear a disguise, have an alibi, easy peasy."

Pansy pointed at Sal with her thumb. "I'm glad we invited this woman."

"Thank you!" Sal said brightly.

"You're dangerous. And I like it," Ginevra said, gesturing at her with her beer.

Sal fiddled with her earring. "This is just so weird. Harry was my boss for years."

"So. Who should go?" Neville asked.

"We can't all go traipsing in," Hermione said.

"I'll go," Ginevra said. "This whole thing is my fault, anyway."

Draco nodded. Quite right.

"It's not your bloody fault," Ronald said. "How were you to know?"

"You didn't mean for this to happen," Harry added.

"I'll come, too. Though I don't think any of this is my fault," Luna said, stirring her cocktail with a tiny umbrella.

"Of course none of this is your fault," Hermione said. "You were abroad."

"Less chit-chat, more scheming, please," Draco said.

"I can get you in," Sal said. "But I'm not committing any crimes."

"Hate to break this to you," Draco drawled, "but it sounds pretty illegal to me."

"It's Obstruction of Justice," Hermione said with a nod.

"Ah well... It's a victimless crime," Sal said, waving her hand. "But I can't implicate myself. It's my job, for crying out loud."

"I'll go," Draco said.

Everyone looked at him.

"What, do I not qualify? Ought I be sorted into Gryffindor before I join your ragtag gang?" He tightened his arm around Harry's waist, and said, "Because I hate to break it to you, but it's rather too late."