Safe and Sound

It was quiet in the house, as I slid my wand into my coat pocket. I was dressed nicely for a trip to the ministry. It had been two weeks since the day I saved Harry, and it had been nothing but work and misery. Today Draco and I were still being put to use, but unlike most other times, we would be working together.

With the old minister out of the way, we were finally able to place Thicknesse as the minster of magic. With the ministry under his total control, Voldemort was a single step closer to success, and I was a single step back in my plans of his demise.

For the day, I was to walk about the ministry, aiding in weeding out any supporters of my brothers. As much as I knew that it was going to damage his support, I could not say no to the request, nor was I going to turn down a day with Draco. It didn’t matter that it was going to be filled with darkness and hate; we would be together.

Once I was done dressing, I walked out of my room and down stairs. Draco stood dressed in a dark suit, handsome and pale as the moon. His blue eyes found mine and he smiled briefly. Though it was not one of complete happiness, I would accept it knowing that it was all he could give.

“Are you ready?” he asked quietly when I reached him, kissing me on the lips. I nodded. “Let’s go then.”

We went to the hearth in the library, both taking hands full of floo power. The sharp smell of it reached my nose as I stepped carefully into the fireplace, raising my hand and throwing it down, barking, “Ministry of Magic.”

Green flames consumed my world and I could feel the heat of magic, though it did not burn me. with the small tug of traveling by magic, I stepped into the ministry fluidly, instantly in the flow of people leaving the floo networks.

The ministry was built high and grand, almost all completely in marble. One particular new attribute caught my eye and I moved to it automatically, knowing Draco would also be drawn to examine the large statue in the middle of the ministry.

The sculpture was a depiction of humans begging crushed under wizards, baring their weight and showing that they were not equals, that they were under us. Once upon a time the statue would have represented everything I believed in, but now I cringed away from the piece, fighting the urge to blow it to smithereens.

“I see Thicknesse has already made some adjustments,” Draco murmured next to me. I turned to look at him, but he had no expression in particular on his face. “Let’s just find Yaxley and get a move on, shall we?”

Silently we began weaving in and out of people, walking smoothly and unhindered. Many people looked our way and paused, recognizing us. Some looked at us in fear, some pride, and often disgust. I pretended not to notice, to focus on the task ahead.

Unlike myself, Draco knew his way around the ministry extremely well. I had probably only been in it’s walls twice in my life, this being the second time. But because his father had once worked here, Draco knew it’s workings and halls well enough, so I left the navigation to him.

We past many strange doors and halls, and went into an elevator that went every which way. Finally we came to a dark hall, Draco leading the way to an office and knocking lightly. It was freezing inside of the hall and I pulled my coat closer for warmth. Draco noticed, a small smile touching his face and pulling me in tightly to him.

The door opened and we walked into a large office ornate with many different file cabinets and huge, wooden desk. Yaxley sat behind it, eyeing us as we entered. His blonde hair was tied behind his head and his eyes examined us with cold calculation.

“Glad to see you’ve made it on time. Draco you will be working with the team of snatchers today, weeding out the already obvious half-bloods and mudbloods. Reagan, you will be with me in the courtrooms holding trials. We could use your… extraction methods.”

I frowned. “I was under the impressions Draco and I would be working together this morning.”

Yaxley shuffled some papers and stood, looking at us like we were nothing more than teenagers, clearly bored with both of us already. He was by far my least favorite death eater, and it only increased when he said, “We don’t have time to let your love affair bloom, Miss Potter. I’m giving the orders around here, and what I say goes. Do you understand?”

Before I could snap at the man, Draco answered quickly, “Yes, we understand. I’ll get right to it.”

Yaxley nodded his head, pleased with Draco’s answer. As he brushed past us, Draco threw me a warning glance. Draco always had the upper hand when it came to having to be polite to people, though he did not like them. “Making comments could get you in trouble.”

I glared. “I’ll see you later then.”

Without another word, I spun on my heel and left the office with Draco standing in it alone. Yaxley looked pleased when I followed without protest, silently fuming about being scolded by both men.