The Marauders: Year Seven Part One

Dangerous, Degrading, and Deceitful

Minerva McGonagall stepped out of one of the golden floo hearths that lined the entry corridor of the Ministry of Magic, dusted herself off, and strode down the black-and-white tiled floor toward the Atrium. Gold and brass and dark wood gave everything in sight a feeling of importance - this building was hallowed wizarding ground, you could feel the history and the greatness and the might looming about you in the very walls. Her boots clicked on the tiles, and she squared her shoulders and raised her chin, remembering the days when she walked this very corridor as an employee, trying to fit in and look as impressive as every other witch and wizard who worked in the offices within the Ministry... trying to catch the favor of their bosses, whose opinions and favors mattered if one wished to advance in their careers.

She stepped into the crowded Atrium, witches and wizards hurriedly walking this way and that, all in a rush to get to their destinations. She spotted Fabian Prewett by his bright red hair from across the room, head and shoulders above the other witches and wizards as he was standing on the edge of the fountain. She made for him, dodging between the crowd, and when she got closer and the people between her and the fountain were thinning out, she saw Elphinstone Urquart at Fabian's feet, sitting cross-legged on the fountain ledge.

Elphinstone's hair was wild to say the least, his blue robes worn and rough, and he was sitting cross-legged, a pair of loose yellow trousers visible over his bare feet. His glasses were skewed at the end of his nose, his eyes closed as though in meditation, and over his head he held a sign that read:

LEGALIZE WOLFSBANE - STOP GROUP TESTING - THE MINISTRY'S TESTS ARE DANGEROUS, DEGRADING, AND DECEITFUL.

Minnie walked up, looking from Fabian to Elphinstone, her eyebrow raised. Fabian spotted her and jumped down off the ledge. "Minerva," he said, greeting her.

Elphinstone's eyes opened and he spotted her, though he didn't lower the sign at all, he did smile. "Hello, Love. Come to protest?"

Minerva nodded to Fabian, then walked over to stand before Elphinstone, one hand on her hip, a disapproving expression on her face. "What is the meaning of all this, Elphie?" she asked.

He cleared his throat, "Just a friendly protest. Not hurting a thing. Silent, even." He nodded up at the sign.

Fabian sighed, "I've told him several times that Crouch's asked he to get the boot, says if he doesn't leave before lunch I've got to lock him up."

"Go on then, get your best bloody shackles!" Elphinstone challenged, "Come along, Mr. Prewett, what are you waiting for?"

"Elphinstone," Minerva's voice was harder this time, "Stop being ridiculous."

"It isn't ridiculous, Minnie," Elphinstone said, his voice firm. He glanced at Fabian, then back to Minerva, "What they're doing to those werewolves down there - it's wrong, frankly, and you know about what happened over the summer, to that little girl..."

"Yes, I heard about what happened to her," Minerva nodded, she shivered and looked down at her knees a moment, then back to him, "But you've got to come along with me and stop this before Mr. Prewett has to arrest you, alright?"

"I'd like to see him try!" Elphinstone replied hotly.

Fabian looked at Minerva pleadingly. "I really don't want to try," he admitted with a smirk. "But if Mr. Crouch orders it, I've got to give it a go."

She sat down on the ledge beside him. "Elphie, please. Getting yourself locked up is'na going to help your cause at all."

Elphinstone's grip on his sign tightened.

Minerva's voice lowered, "You do know that Mr. Tyr has been hired to your old position at Hogwarts."

His eyes flickered to hers.