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— It wasn't long before Finley, Ron, Hermione, and Harry were walking along the streets of London.
Well, to be more precise, they weren't really walking.
Harry hid in the room with Hermione and Finley. Ron stood outside, peering over the corner to spot the Ministry woman.
It took a great deal of tracking to find four people who worked in the Ministry. This one so happens to be one of the closest to Umbridge.
Finley stepped outside, walking behind the woman as she turned the corner. Ron slouched down to tie his shoe. Harry stepped out as the woman passed, zapping her with his magic. The woman passed out in his arms. Ron stood fully, picking up her legs.
Finley came in behind them, closing the door.
The boys set the four people up beside each other. Hermione plucked a hair from each, putting each hair in a different vial.
Finley was given a woman with dark raven hair. Her eyes were like Finley's– big and brown. But Harry could tell the difference; Finley's were more honey.
Finley searched the woman's purse, trying to find an I.D. "Regina Merrybright. What kind of name is Regina Merrybright?" Finley lifted the sleeve of the left arm, spotting the Dark Mark as well. "Lovely. Really hit the dinger with this one, guys."
Finley stood back up to her full height, turning to Harry. "Love," she called out to him.
Harry stopped his conversation with Ron, turning to his redhead. She smiled at him, accepting the arm he held out for her. He wrapped it around her, keeping her close.
"You be careful out there, now. I can't stick by your side the entire time. My lady doesn't work in the same department as yours. Please, be careful. Can't have the #1 most wanted wizard getting caught, can we?" Finley smarts off. He chuckled.
Finley tilted her head up, letting Harry connect their lips. The kiss was short, but meaningful. Sending a silent message. Stay alive.
"Right. Remember what we said. Don't speak to anyone unless absolutely necessary. Just try to act normal. Do what everybody else is doing. If we do that, then, with a bit of luck, we'll get inside. "And then..."
"It gets really tricky," Harry smarts off.
"Correct. And Finley, try and be more British." Hermione instructed.
Finley rolled her eyes playfully, but nodding firmly. Finley had picked up a lot from being around her British friends. She could act really well. "Aye-aye, Captain."
She was handed her vial.
"This is completely mental," Harry commented.
"Completely," Hermione added.
"What's life without a little crazy?" Finley joked lightheartedly.
"The world's mental. Come on. We've got a Horcrux to find." With that, Ron downed his vial.
Everyone followed his actions. Once the transformation was done, Finley memorized each face of the people she held dearest.
"How do I look?"
+++
Finley walked with the three others down the stairs. It felt weird being in a different person's body that wasn't her own.
She didn't like it.
"Does anyone else feel thirty?" She spoke quietly as she adjusted her skirt that ended just below the middle of her thighs.
"Try being fourty-eight," she heard Harry's voice grunt.
Finley– no, Regina smiled in a teasing manner.
It was amusing to see how out-of-place the three were. But, she knew they couldn't keep it up like that while in the Ministry of Magic. They'd get caught too quickly.
"Stop being so... you. You all will be sent to Azkaban by how you're walking. Is there a snake up your leg or something?" Regina whispered feverishly as she parted with Hermione from the boys.
"I love you," Harry flitted into her mind one last moment before cutting himself off.
"How refreshing," she commented as they entered the bathroom. The lines were long, but everyone seemed to be moving fast. "We flush ourselves down and we'll be at the Ministry," she informed Hermione quietly before joining a line away from the girl.
As soon as she entered the clean-enough stall, she stepped into the toilet with her black, strapped heals. Regina grimaced before pulling the cord to flush the toilet.
Before Regina knew it, she was stepping out of the fireplace of the Ministry. She recognized the tile– the dark color that just always seemed to shine.
Regina saw the three familiar figures standing in front of the statue. She rolled her eyes. "You all standing there together will get yourselves caught before we have even made it two minutes," she projected into their minds irritatedly.
She passed by them, entering the contraption to take them to any part of the building. It kind of acted like an elevator, but does side to side as well as up and down.
The three others follow her into the elevator, looking guilty and frightful. Regina sighed. "Calm down, guys. I got us."
Just as the door was about to close, a man with an evil expression stopped it. "Cattermole..." The man stared directly at Ron. "It's still raining inside my office. That's two days now."
"Did you try an umbrella?" Ron keeps his tone light.
"You do realize I'm going downstairs, don't you, Cattermole?"
"Downstairs?" Ron says, having absolutely no idea what he was on about.
"To interrogate your wife. Now, if my wife's blood status were in doubt and the Head of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement needed a job doing... I think I might just make that a priority. You have one hour." The white-haired man backed up, letting the door close.
Ron exhaled sharply, pushing the button to lead him to their destination. The elevator rattles before shooting backwards.
The four shoot their hands up, grabbing on to the handles to keep them in place.
Harry shot his hand out, grabbing Regina's waist tightly– protectively.
"As much as I love you, Harold, I don't find your appearance appealing at the moment. Besides, you can't be doing that. We're not us right now." Finley– no, no, Regina states lowly, smiling back at him.
"Oh, my God. What am I gonna do? My wife's all alone downstairs." Ron fretted.
"Ron, you don't have a wife." Harry retorted. He squeezed Regina's waist reassuringly before returning his hand by his side.
"Oh, right."
"Level two," the woman over the speaker in the elevator spoke.
"But how do I stop it raining?" Ron questioned.
"Try 'Finite Incantatem.'" The elevator dinged as it came to a halt, the door opening. "This is you, Ron."
Regina placed a hand on his back, pushing the redhead out the elevator.
He looked around, turning around to the other three. His eyes were wide and scared.
"And if that doesn't work?"
Before they could answer, the door closed and the elevator shot backwards.
Regina smirked as her level arrived. "You all behave, now." She turned and winked before exiting the elevator.
The hallway was dark and long. The black tiles were lined with white, like everywhere else in the building.
Regina would tap Harry's heart every few moments. Just to be sure.
She was on the level with the Dementors. Regina hadn't yet figured out her role in the Ministry, but she hoped that someone around would hint to her what it was.
She had luck.
Just as she continued to walk down the hallway, another man joined her.
"Hello, love."
Regina turned to look at the man. His hair was dark like hers– Regina's– but it was slicked back. Scars littered his face in an organized manner.
"Hi," she smirked at the man. She hadn't figured out who he was to her, but he had to mean significance. She had to find out as soon as possible without using too much of her voice.
"You off to handle the Dementors? The ones downstairs?" The man questioned her, wrapping an arm around her too low.
"Oh, yes." Regina pieced enough, using what she was informed earlier. "With the interrogation."
The man scoffs. "Can't believe such filth as a Mudblood is even allowed in this building. Personally, I believe they should be killed off on sight."
The man waited expectantly for Regina to respond.
"Right. Well, off I go." Regina smiled wearily before turning away down a hall. She didn't know where she was going but she wanted to get away from the man.
But she just had to know his name.
She turned around. "What would be a clever nickname for you?"
The man smirked. "You can call me whatever you like."
Regina mentally screamed at him. "What would you prefer?"
"Call me Grey, my name. You know I don't like nicknames." The man winked before leaving down the hall.
Regina nodded to herself before leaving as well. She searched down many halls before finding a large room. A court room.
She took notice of the ceiling first. It was tall and wide– but it was cut off with a silky covering. Dementors.
Regina raised her wand, casting a small Patronus charm to keep them there. Doing her job.
Next, she observed the room. Dolores sat at the very top on one side. Some people were in the seats surrounding the center.
In the center was a chair. In the chair was a woman. By the chair, was a man– Ron. Well, the hidden version of Ron.
The hidden version of Harry was circling the center chair.
"-And you are not a witch," Dolores finished what she had been saying to the woman being interrogated– Ron's wife.
"But I am," the woman pleads in a quiet voice. Umbridge's eyes cast to Regina quickly before floating back to the woman. "Tell them, Reg. Tell them what I am."
Ron stayed silent.
All while, Regina eyed the necklace around Dolores' neck. It had been making an awful squeaking sound in her ear. It was the locket- the Horcrux.
She inched closer to Dolores with Harry so slowly, it was almost unnoticeable. Almost.
"What on earth are you doing, Albert?" Dolores commented on Harry's action of drawing his wand.
"You're lying, Dolores." Harry's voice spoke up. His face was contorting back to him. "And one mustn't tell lies. Stupefy!" Harry shot at Umbridge, knocking her out cold.
Regina took that moment to rush to the stands. Just before, Hermione grabbed the locket from Umbridge. She nodded at Regina before the two girls raced down the stairs and out of the room.
The Dementors hissed as part of their silky boundary disappeared. But Regina held strong to her spell. They wouldn't be coming after them anytime soon.
"Oh, it's Harry Potter." The woman being interrogated– Mary– gasped. Harry threw on the locket and his glasses before running out.
"Time to go!" Regina exclaimed as wizards and witches began to shoot at them.
She hoped she still looked like the dark-haired woman.
The five all made it inside the elevator just as a killing curse was sent there way.
"Protego!" Regina shouted, blocking the curse. "Bombarda!" The witch flew away. The door closed.
It was silent as the elevator rode up.
Regina turned around. "You both look yourselves," she commented as she looked upon the real faces of Hermione Granger and Harry Potter. "That will bring us just a bit of trouble."
The elevator arrives on the original floor, opening the door. They all stepped out. Regina stood tall, covering Harry to the best of her ability. Plus, he was a great deal taller than her.
But he was hard to miss.
"Mary, go home." Ron stopped to comfort the woman. Regina turned around, rolling her eyes. He did realized it wasn't his real wife, didn't he? "Get the kids. I'll meet you there."
The woman brought Ron into a kiss. Hermione grouched from beside Harry and Regina, turning away.
Just as the kiss ended, Ron transformed into himself.
"Mary?" The real Reginald pushed in between Harry and Hermione, looking shocked at his wife. "Who's that?"
"Long story. Nice meeting you."
"Be grateful, he saved your wife's life while you were sleeping in that alley." Regina spoke up.
The man turned to her. Then Harry. "It's Harry Potter."
"It's Harry– Harry Potter."
"Time to go," Regina repeated and grabbed Harry's hand, pulling him along to start running.
Just as they did, the white-haired man from earlier shot spells at them. And Grey showed up.
"Uhm, Reg, what are you doing?" He spoke as he ran alongside her.
"Not Regina!" She exclaimed as she sent a stunning spell his way. He looked at her with wide eyes as he was blown away.
Finley turned back behind her, casting spell after spell. She had to make sure the three of them made it out of here.
"Get to the Floo!" She screamed just as they began to bar up.
Harry was the first to shoot forward, Hermione following shortly after. Finley was in the back, watching Ron struggle to progress forward.
The white-haired man was really getting on her nerves.
Finley had finally transformed back into herself, causing more of an uproar.
It really was the real Harry Potter. It had to be if Finley Robinson was with him.
And it really was a bad day for her.
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- J.S.