Once and for All

Chapter 18

       "Hold on," Harry interrupted the story, which was being explained by too many people at once. He had just gotten off from work, and the many voices were not helping his headache. "What are you trying to ask me?"
    "We need to know if any Department of Mystery workers have been reported missing in the last few weeks or so," Ginny explained. "Did you hear anything about that?"
    Harry blinked. "That's...not really my department."
     Ginny gave him a really look. "Catching dark wizards, kidnappers, looking for missing people..."
    "Oh-right," Harry replied lamely, feeling extremely stupid. He racked his brain for any information about this, but couldn't remember a thing. He had mostly been focused on information about Bluffer-any other information seemed to have blurred over in his mind. "Maybe-I'd have to look over the reports again. Whiffler's only been letting me help out in finding Dark Wizards, so I haven't really seen anything of that sort. But he might have a report I haven't seen-hold on, let me check."
     "Hang on a minute," Dean interrupted, looking suspicious. "I thought your work was confidential."
     Unable to avoid him any longer, Harry whipped around angrily. His expression must have been fiercer than he thought, from the look on Dean's face. "Yeah well, by the looks of everything we're going to be dead anyway if we don't figure out what's going on, so I say it's worth the risk."
     With that, he turned and threw Floo Powder into the fireplace and disappeared into the green flames.
                            ****
     Once he reached the Ministry, it was all he could do to keep walking. It was after hours, so the hallways were empty. The last time Harry had seen it so empty, he had chased after Bellatrix for killing Sirius-his most rageful and helpless moment, where he had watched another loved one be killed right in front of him-and he could do absolutely nothing about it.
     For some reason the image of Ginny disappearing under the veil appeared in his mind, urging his feet to move faster. He couldn't fail. Not this time.
      When he finally reached the office, he doubtfully gripped the knob, surprised when it finally turned. "Didn't you just leave?" Whiffler called from inside the room, and Harry fought the urge to groan. Great.
     Swallowing down his nerves, he stepped inside to see Whiffler sitting at his desk for once, pouring over papers by candlelight, which illuminated his eery white eye.
       Realizing an awkward moment of silence had passed, Harry said, "I was wondering if I could take some of the reports home to look over-I think I keep missing something important."
      Whiffler grunted. "You'll have many more nights like those, if you're anything like me. You can't take them home, but you can look through these if you wanted to."
Harry tried not to seem too relieved as he headed over to the desk, shuffling through the papers. "Thanks."
      Ten minutes later, he was still shuffling, and Whiffler finally asked, "Find what you're looking for?"
     Harry hesitated. "Er-no," he admitted. "Have we found anything in Bluffer kidnapping people?"
     "I'm looking at that now," Whiffler said, holding the document up. "There's been at least three Unspeakables that have gone missing in the past month, and it was all around the same time they appeared at the Quidditch stadium, though I can't imagine what for-"
      "Unspeakables?" Harry interrupted, snatching the document. So Ginny was right. "What would he want with them?"
     "The question you should be asking is which thing he wants.  There are many dangerous, confidential things in their department-as you of all people should know."
     "Right," He said distractedly. "Could we possibly question one of the other workers, to see what he's after?"
       "I highly doubt it-we don't have that high of a clearance," Whiffler admitted, rubbing his forehead.
       "What if we found a witness?" Harry insisted, his heart pounding. "One that was kidnapped by Bluffer before."       
      "Do you know this witness?" Whiffler questioned skeptically.
     He hesitated. "Maybe."
     "That's a yes."
       Harry knew it'd be pointless to argue. "If his rescuers think they have important information too, should I bring them in?"
     "If they have necessary information, of course." He eyed Harry skeptically, "Are these people also your...friends?"
      Harry found himself unable to deny this. "Yes."
      "Ah. Well, you'll forgive me when I'll require them to perform the Unbreakable Vow to tell the truth of these events, and to not divulge them with the press or anyone else outside of this group."
      Time seemed to stop as Harry stared at Whiffler. Harry must have heard something different come out of his mouth, which meant that one of the them were going mad. "That's a requirement for witnesses?" Harry exclaimed in disbelief.
     "Well, usually no, but the other authors seems to prefer loads of paperwork and treaties of secrecy to this. I find this method more preferable, since Dark Wizards can torture information out of them easily."
     Harry had to work hard to control his voice and clenched his fists to stop himself from knocking Whiffler over. Making that kind of vow meant you would die if you broke it. "You're saying that it's better for them to die than for the Death Eaters to learn information about you?"
    "Yes. Though if it comforts you at all, they are better off dead immediately than whatever slow torture the Death Eaters would give them that would lead to it," Whiffler said, seeming eerily calm. "I assure you I am not mad, despite the look you are giving me right now. Aurors don't have the luxury of trust."
      Harry nodded, clenching his fists to keep himself from punching the wall. Arrogant git. "Let me ask them first."
      "Of course. Just remember, Potter," he added, pointing to his scar and  white eye. "Be careful who you trust."

   Ay everyone, this chapter is probably WAY too long oh well you guys deserved a long one anyway thanks for waiting.
 
Question: what's a funny joke you've heard recently?