janus ~ hermione granger

lxxiii

nearly ten minutes later, the duo came back strands of hair of three other ministry workers who left early.

"we don't know who they are, expect for mads'. she's my ministerial superior," hermione spoke as she handed the hair to phoebe, harry, and maddy. "here, harry, he's pretty tall, you'll need bigger robes."

she pulled out a set of old robes that kreacher had laundered for them.

"i don't like this," maddy mumbled, looking at her slender arms.

"take one of mafalda's tokens, and let's go, it's nearly nine."

the five stepped out of the alleyway together, and separated to go into their corresponding bathroom.

"psst!" the four gestured for harry to join them behind a statue.

"you got it alright, then?" phoebe asked.

"no-"

whack.

"-he's still stuck in the bog."

"oh, very funny--it's horrible, isn't it? have you seen what they're sitting on?"

"muggles," phoebe whispered after harry looked over.

"in their rightful place. come on, let's get going."

they joined the group of wizards and witches moving towards the golden gates, located at the end of the hallway.

"cattermole!"

maddy instantly tensed up.

one of the death-eaters that were there the night of dumbledore's death was heading their way.

"i requested somebody from magical maintenance to sort out my office, cattermole. it's still raining in there."

"raining, in your office? that's-that's not good, is it?" ron nervously laughed, hoping someone would intervene.

"you think it's funny, cattermole, do you?"

"no, no, of course-"

"you do realize that i am on my way downstairs to interrogate your wife, cattermole? in fact, im quite surprised you're not down there holding her hand while she waits. already given her up as a bad job, have you? probably wise. be sure and marry a pureblood next time."

hermione let out a squeak of horror, causing yaxley to look at her, so she coughed feebly and turned to maddy, who was just about ready hurting the other death-eater.

"i-i," ron stammered.

"but if my wife were accused of being a mud blood--not that any woman i married would ever be mistaken for such filth--and the head of department of magical law enforcement needed a job doing, i would make it my priority to do that job, cattermole. do you understand me?"

"yes," ron whispered.

"then attend to it, cattermole, and take your little friend with you," yaxley paused to nod over at phoebe, who was also wearing navy blue robes, "if my office is not completely dry within an hour your wife's blood status will be in even graver doubt than it is now."

yaxley left to another lift, and the runaway five did too, but no one seemed to follow, as if they were infectious.

"what am i going to do? if i don't turn up, my wife--i mean, cattermole's wife-"

"we'll come with you, we should stick together," harry began, but ron shook his head.

"that's mental, we haven't got much time. you three find umbridge, i should be fine with phoebe by my side sorting out yaxley's office--but how do i stop it raining?"