Through All the Pain // N. Longbottom

Fifth Year // Chapter 26

After what felt like hours and hours of flying we made it to London. The Thestrals landed in a park just outside of the visitor's entrance to the Ministry and we all clamored into the little red phonebooth. I don't know if any of you know how tiny these things are but let me tell you this, don't ever try to fit seven teenagers in there at once. Unless you want to get squished up against the glass and have no room to breathe. Anyways, Harry shouted for someone to dial a certain number into the payphone to get to the Ministry desk. 

"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business." a cool female voice spoke through the speaker. Harry grunted as he went to speak.

"Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger," Harry said very quickly, "Ginny Weasley, Lorrinda Weasley, Neville Longbottom, and Luna Lovegood. We're here to save someone unless your Ministry can do it first!" he snapped. Someone, probably Hermione, must've slapped the back of his head as Harry let out a little wince. 

"Thank you," said the cool female voice. "Visitors, please take the badges and attach them to the front of your robes." Seven name badges sild out of a slot on the phone as the booth began to lower into the Ministry. As it started to lower, Neville lost his balance slamming me into the glass windows. Of course, the lift was taking its sweet time going down so my face was leaving a very good imprint on the glass.

Finally, the lift made it into the Ministry and we were released and able to breathe normally. I felt like I coughed up a lung when I fell out of the phone booth, however, I didn't cough nearly as much as Ron did. He apparently had been shoved between Ginny, Luna, and Harry that entire time in the corner. I patted his back as he continued to cough while Harry started wandering off. Once we were all out and standing Harry sprinted off into the dark and deserted Ministry with us all right behind.

"Where are we headed, Harry?" Ginny asked as we approached some golden gates.

"Down to the department of Mysteries," he responded as the gate slid open and we all filed into the lift that took us on the whirlwind that is the ride to the bottom. When we got to the desired location the same female voice spoke our location as the lift doors opened. We followed Harry down a hall towards a door but stopped abruptly as he turned to look at us. 

"Maybe ... maybe a couple of people should stay here as a - as a lookout, and - "

"And how're we going to let you know something's coming?" asked Ginny, her eyebrows raised. "You could be miles away."

"We're coming with you, Harry," said Neville. 

"Let's get on with it," Ron and I said firmly. 

"Fine," Harry muttered as we walked through the door and into a room filled with identical doors! We went through a few different doors, each with no luck. Finally, we came across a room filled with rows and rows of shelves holding glass balls. I walked in and realized they were crystal balls and had stuff written under most of them. 

"C'mon we got to find row ninety-seven!" Harry said as he took off in a sprint down the room. We followed him closely from behind as we ran and ran, I found myself clenching my wand tightly as well as constantly checking to make sure Neville was right beside me. He must've noticed for he reached out and grabbed my free hand, and held it tightly as we came to a stop at the row Harry told us. 

"It will be okay, love," Neville said rubbing his thumb on my hand as I looked around anxiously. "It will all be just dandy."

"Something's not right, Nev. Something's just ... not right." I tightened my grip on my wand, completely ignoring that Harry had made a very weird discovery. As I scanned the room I saw a dark figure approaching behind Harry as he grabbed a crystal ball and help it in his hand.