The Time-Meddlers [Harmione]

32. Taking Back the Ministry

It was a grueling two weeks for all that had volunteered to help take back the Ministry from the clutches of the Shadow of Pain. The ninety-six people went through an extremely abridged version of Auror training concentrating just on fighting while Timothius Caladron and Bartholomew Headon, the Wizengamot members who fought Amelia Bones at every turn, were locked up in their quarters under house arrest at Hogwarts. The Minister had realized that those two were Umbridge's most-valuable-players, whether they knew it or not, and that nothing would be accomplished while they were free. She was too ashamed to admit she'd considered killing them. If she had legal trouble after the war for this, she'd gladly face the music. The two weeks of seemingly non-stop defense training was over, and they were about to leave for the battle.

Bones smiled grimly as she surveyed the army gathered in front of her in the Great Hall of Hogwarts. It was made up of a large variety of people. Some of them had spent time in a concentration camp. Others were in their fifties. The youngest people she'd knowingly allowed in her army were sixteen. Cedric Diggory would officially be going with that army, along with his mother, but unknown to the Minister, the D.A. would be following as backup. Tox and Sky were with the Minister's group, and had specifically volunteered to fight Umbridge. Had Amelia known their physical ages, she'd have rejected them. However, all she knew about the pair was that they were good in a fight and had rescued her niece from terrible torture.

"First of all," said Amelia, giving her version of a pep talk, "I want you all to know that I'm proud of each and every one of you." She took a deep breath. "I'm not going to lie to you. Some of us will die during this battle. Others of us will be injured. If any of you have any doubts, now's the time to back out. I won't blame you." Nobody left. "What we're doing, we're doing for Britain and the whole world. Umbridge won't be satisfied staying here forever. We're going to stop the Shadow from causing pain to anyone else - once and for all!" There was cheering before portkeys that had been charmed by Headmistress McGonagall were distributed that would take them near the Ministry. As they activated, the huge room suddenly became empty.

"They're gone," reported Susan Bones, who'd watched from the Entrance Hall. Her aunt wouldn't even let her in the room for fear she'd try to sneak to the battle.

A voice came from the small mirror the girl had spoken to. "Then get up here so we can leave."

"Be there in five minutes," she replied before putting the mirror in her pocket and running up the stairs toward the Astronomy Tower. The D.A. would be invisibly riding brooms to London, to help if needed.

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As soon as Bones' army arrived, Tox and Sky took out their wands and stood back-to-back, surveying the alley where they'd landed. Harry grinned beneath his hood as he recalled the first time (and many times since) he'd taken a portkey and fell over. He'd improved much since those days. The rest of the army was similarly searching for enemies, but none appeared to be there.

"Proceed with caution," commanded the Minister. Everyone knew the way to the muggle entrance that Amelia had fled from when the Shadow had taken the building, so they didn't need directions. What they did need was the device that Tox and Sky had brought - a home-made muggle bomb. They'd actually brought several, although the plan itself called for only one. They silently approached where the booth had been located, only to find that it wasn't there anymore. In its place was what appeared to be a bathroom.

"That's odd," commented Harry as he examined the sign on the door that indicated that it was unisex.

"Well, I'm going to open it and see what's in there," declared Hermione. "It's probably just a different design for the entrance."