Faith .|. H. J. POTTER ✔

Chapter one-hundred-twenty-two

"Ah, Mafalda!" Umbridge said, looking at Hermione. "Travers sent you, did he?"

"Y - yes," Hermione stuttered.

"Good, you'll do perfectly well," Umbridge nodded before she turned to the Minister. "That's that problem solved, Minister, if Mafalda can be spared for record-keeping we shall we able to start straight away," She eyed her clipboard, one she also used the carry around when she taught at Hogwarts. "Ten people today and one of them the wife of a Ministry employee! Tut, tut ... even here, in the heart of the Ministry!"

She walked into the lift, next to Hermione, whilst Faith was staring at her with darkened eyes.

"Edith," Umbridge nodded at her, as unhappy to see her as Faith was. "We'll go straight down, Mafalda, you'll find everything you need in the courtroom. Good morning, Albert, aren't you getting out?"

So his name was Albert.

"Yes, of course," Harry said with his new deep voice. He stepped out of the lift, quickly tugging Faith with him, afraid she might attack Umbridge if she was with that woman any longer. 

The golden fence slid shut and the lift sank out of sight. The last they saw was Hermione's frightened face. 

The two now stood face to face with the new Minister for Magic. He had long silky black hair paired with a dark beard, though it had some grey streaks. He looked tired but his attitude was more optimistic. 

"What are you doing here Runcorn? With Diggory?" The Minister asked Harry, talking about Faith as if she wasn't there. Her mother's reputation was clearly not as good as it had been before Voldemort took over the Ministry, for obvious reasons.

"I need to take her for questioning," Harry said without hesitation, his grip on her arm tightening. 

"Here?" The Minister asked with a frown, eyeing Faith up and down.

"And also Amos Diggory," Harry quickly added, "someone said he'd be up here,"

"Ah," The Minister nodded as if it wasn't a surprise. "Have they been caught having contact with an Undesirable? Their daughter, for instance?"

"No," Harry shook his head as he felt his throat dry out. "No, nothing like that,"

"Ah, well. It's only a matter of time," The Minister said. "If you ask me, the blood traitors are as bad as the Mudbloods. Good day, Runcorn,"

"Good day, Minister," 

Harry and Faith watched him walk away until he was out of sight and only then Harry let go of Faith.

"Wow, didn't know you could be so rough, we should try that more often," Faith just said with a mischievous grin as she rubbed her arm where Harry held her.

"Faith, calm down, you've just turned seventeen," Harry rolled his eyes as he scanned the corridors ahead of them. "Let's go this way,"

"You make it sound like you're a lot older than I am," Faith said as they walked down the corridor, past dozens of doors, all offices from somewhat important people.

"Because I am,"

"No, you're not," Faith remarked. "It's just a month difference, that's like nothing. Anyways, don't pretend you don't like it," She winked at him, leaving a blush on the unfamiliar face.

"Normally, I'd love it if you talked to me like that, but right now, all I can see if your mum and it's creeping me out," Harry said awkwardly as his eyes went through the space to look anywhere but at Faith. 

"Oh, yeah, I forgot," Faith chuckled, imagining the flustered look of the actual Harry, not the face of this Albert Runcorn. 

"It's probably not the right time to talk about whatever we're going to do once we're at home. Umbridge's office should be around here somewhere, right?" Harry continued as he eyed ever golden name tag on the doors on the left side as Faith checked the right side. The purple-carpeted corridor was completely silent, except for the clicking of Faith's heels. It was as if the Muffliato charm was cast over it.