Flight of the Stars

Chapter Eighteen

Disclaimer: Harry Potter doesn't belong to me. As if!

Note: I listened to Crown by Camila Cabello and Awaken by Valerie Broussard. Also, the theme to The Punisher. It is awesome.

o-0-o

"I've been thinking," Hermione said.

"Really?" Cecily affected shock. "What a surprise! Do tell us more."

"Ha, ha, very funny. Anyway, I've been thinking, and noticed that we have no way of knowing any of the Ministry's security procedures, or what defense mechanisms they've put in place, or what laws they're planning to vote on, nothing. We're just charging in blind. I mean, that's crucial information."

She looked around at the Knights gathered around the meeting table in the Room, joined today by the girls (not official Knights, but they still had some very clever ideas), and shrugged lightly. "Well? Anyone?"

"What if we put someone inside the Ministry, my Lady, like a spy of some kind?" Dorian suggested.

"Again, though," said Abaris, "we'll need to know more inside information before we can pull a full-on deception like that."

"An excellent idea, though, and one we'll need to file away for later," Hermione smiled.

Dorian sat up a little straighter.

Rufus seemed to be thinking. "We could put the Imperius on one of the Ministry officials, or use Legilimency or something similar."

"Mmm, probably not, not if we want him to go back to his job," Oraia said thoughtfully. "The Ministry's been able to detect Imperius Curse use on people since 1717."

"Really?" Rufus gaped. "Then why did so many wizards in Grindelwald's war claim the Imperius?"

"Bribes," Abraxas grinned. "You pay the Ministry, they keep their mouths shut."

"That's probably true, actually," Hermione said disgustedly. "I mean, that's why we're taking them down in the first place, isn't it? They're just as corrupt as Grindelwald's fanatics ever were."

"I would say more," Tom said quietly. "At least Grindelwald's followers had something to believe in. The Ministry work for themselves."

They were quiet as they all considered this, but then Winston spoke up. "We need to contact someone who is extremely familiar with the Ministry, but doesn't agree with their beliefs."

"I doubt that someone who works for the Ministry will want to help take it down; they'll be out of a job," Rufus began, but Winston cut him off excitedly.

"No, not someone who works for the Ministry, someone who is familiar with the Ministry!"

"Like a reporter," Abaris said, nodding. "Someone who has a lot of gossip on everyone."

"Well, if you want gossip, you should talk to Irma Gamp," Lucretia said. "She's the bartender of The Three Broomsticks, as I'm sure you know, and she knows everything that happens, probably before the Daily Prophet even prints it."

"I'm not terribly fond of her," Oraia grimaced. "She's rather... oh, how do I say this?"

"Raucous?" Dorian offered.

"That works," she laughed. "But she would be an excellent contact. The trouble is, I'm not sure she'll cooperate."

"Leverage," Hermione murmured.

"What?"

"Leverage. We need leverage on her. Then she'll have to cooperate."

They stared at her as they worked this idea through their heads. "Brilliant," Winston said finally. "But how do we get some?"