Athena Dumbledore (A Harry Potter Love Story)

Invading the Ministry

ATHENA POV:

We had it all planned out, right down to the Polyjuice Potion. Now Ron, Hermione, Harry and I were wandering around the Ministry, disguised as random people. Ron and Harry were both random, middle-aged men, Hermione was a middle-aged woman, and I was a slightly younger looking woman. We have to take the toilets in London to get to the Ministry (yuck!) with all the other witches. They all look like robots, just moving without talking and staying together in little groups. Once we get into the Ministry we have to regroup with Harry and Ron.

"Okay, we have to get to her office and find the locket," Harry whispers as we try our best to act casual.

"Julianne!" Someone calls, pulling on my arm. A man embraces me, he looks to be about the age of the person I took form of. He has graying brown hair and a scruffy beard. He's rather tall and looks down lovingly at me. "I haven't seen you in ages, sister! How are you?" I look over to the others for help, but they just shrug.

"I'm fine, thanks...how are you, brother?" He looks at me oddly, but then ruffles up my hair.

"Why so formal, Jules?" He asks, and I shrug while forcing a smile. "Well, I'd better go. Got lots of work to do." He sighs, then kisses me on top of the head before leaving. I feel Hermione tugging on my arm.

"Athena-let's go!" She whispers hastily as we walk to the elevators. We get in with a bunch of other people and silence falls over everyone. On the next stop, we all freeze as Umbridge comes into view, marching for the elevator.  

"Ah, there you are!" She exclaims to Ron and he looks frozen on the spot. "I need you to go take care of a rain spell in Amanda's office immediately." Ron looks hesitant but steps off the elevator. Umbridge looks at Harry and I oddly. "Harold, Julianne, isn't this your stop?" Harry and I nod and step off the elevator. I send Hermione an apologetic look as she stays alone in the elevator with Umbridge.  

"C'mon, let's go find her office," I say to Harry and we take off down the hall. Our footsteps echo through the vast, marble halls as we make our way to Umbridge's office. I fear for Ron and Hermione-especially for Hermione, who is wanted for being a muggle-born and associating with Harry. But I don't doubt Hermione, she's smart enough to not draw any attention to herself. 

We reach a giant room where people are making copies of magaznines to sell. They're all about how muggle-borns are dangerous. Oh god, Hermione, please be careful! 

"What do we do, Harry?" I whisper and see him pull something out of his pocket. 

"Just wait for it," he whispers and out of the corner of my eye I see some of Fred and George's creations scampering around. I smile to myself. I remember when Harry bought those. Suddenly, there's a big boom and the whole place is filled with heavy, black smoke. Harry grabs my hand as we quickly file into Umbridge's office unnoticed. 

"Okay, if you were a pink toad, where would you hide a locket?" I ask Harry and he smiles weakly while looking through some drawers. I see him looking at some strange papers, but before I can get a glimpse, he shoves them back in the drawer. 

"It's not in here, I can't hear it," Harry says with a sigh. We carefully exit the office again and slip through the halls. We then run straight into Ron, who's soaking wet. 

"Took care of it then?" I ask as Harry and I try not to laugh. Ron gives us both a sour face and continues down the hall. 

"Where's Hermione?" 

"We had to leave her with Umbridge," I say nervously. He nods a little uneasily as we turn right and go towards the elevators. 

"She has to be wearing the locket, then," Harry whispers as we reach one of the elevators. 

"Ah, Richard," says a tall, gaunt man with white hair. 

"Good afternoon," Ron replies casually. 

"Aren't you going down? Your wife is getting interrogated in ten minutes. If I were you I'd go down right away," the man says and hurriedly leaves. 

"We've got to get down there!" Ron exclaims, "My wife's getting interrogated!" Harry and I roll our eyes. 

"Ron, you're not actually married!" Harry says, exasperated. Ron just continues towards the elevator, and presses the button to go down. 

Ron makes his way into the courtroom while we wait near the door. A terrified looking woman sits in the chair in the middle of the room, her eyes darting around nervously. When she sees Ron-I mean Richard-her face lights up a little bit. Ron looks around nervously. 

"Richard," she hisses, "tell them I'm a witch! You know I'm a witch! You've seen me use magic!" I see Hermione in the corner of the room pretending to write stuff. She glances at us and motions to Umbridge. 

"She's wearing the locket," Harry whispers to me and them I see it. While casting her patronus to keep the dementors away with one hand, she fidgets with the locket with the other. 

"LIES! ALL LIES!" Umbridge yells, causing some people in the room to jump. Ron looks uneasy but reaches for his wand. "Richard? What are you doing?" The tiny woman in the chair asks. 

"Petrificus totalus!" Ron yells and then all hell breaks loose. Hermione snags the locket while we fight off the people of the ministry. The dementors were released, so Ron grabs the random lady-he still thinks he's actually married-and we rush down one of the hallways. We close the elevator door just in time, but the dementors still hang on the bars. 

"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry and I call at the same time. My phoenix and his stag prance gracefully side-by-side, shooing the dementors away. Harry and I smile at each other. We then press the button to go down as we start changing back to our normal selves. Great, my hair's going to give us all away! We get out and break into a spring towards the floo network. 

"Mary, go home and get the kids, I'll be back in no time," Ron tells the random lady. I roll my eyes and run to grab him, but she kisses him passionately. I see Hermione turn beat red beside me. 

"Guys! We need to get out of here!" Harry calls as Ron changes back into his regular form. The woman squeals. 

"Nice meeting you," Ron says with a wink as the woman stands there, open-mouthed. I laugh to myself as we race to one of the floo networks, Ministry guards chasing us. One man gets in the network with us, and Hermione tries to change the course. There's a terrible pain on my stomach as if someone cut it opened, and I hear Ron cry out as well. 

I black out before I see anything else.