Chapter 25: The Ministry interrogate

“This is the ministry of magic, remain calm and we will assist you soon” a voice echoed through the canyon.

The gang looked at the trio angrily

“Who the hell did you think we where?” one shouted at Shona “no need to knock out our captain!”

“Is it me or is it always the captain getting killed or hurt?” Shona replied sarcastically

“Well Kingston got away thanks to these!” Snape snarled back, his anger welling up

“Severus, come down” Dumbledore ordered. Snape threw himself down roughly and made the snow puff up. He held up his hand and gently let Lucy descend to the bridge. Shona jumped down and her feet sunk into the snow

“Come inside. We need to talk” one barked and Snape, Lucy and Shona walked inside

“Well at least you can redecorate” Shona joked as they saw the mess before them, scattered

“All of you, wait inside one of the teachers cabins, we’ll interview you later” they moaned. They where treating them like dirt and it was getting to Snape. He took them to his own cabin and he swung the door open. He wiped off the glass from the leather chairs, noticing that some of it had cut the leather, revealing the yellow cushioning inside

They stepped over the broken vases and sat down quietly. They could hear the ministry group talking to the teachers and Lucy wished they’d calm down

“Well that was exiting” Shona sighed.

“And once again, we’re going to be left in the dark about it” Snape snarled

“I know your upset dad. Calm down” Lucy aid reassuringly. Snape seemed to take comfort in the words and squeezed her hand tightly. Shona stared out the window in embarrassment. They didn’t say much after that, they where all in there little worlds. Lucy was wondering why there had been an attack, Snape was wondering about how to address the wounds on Lucy, and Shona was wondering if she was going to have pizza that night; She wonder if the dominos pizza place had been ransacked yet

They where all shivering in the carriages. The place had no central meeting and most of the windows had been destroyed. They where about to talk again until one of the ministry workers rammed the door open

“Get out” the man hissed and they walked out slowly. They where pushed into the bar where all the glass was still smashed onto the floor. All the teachers had been rudely pushed din to the corridor to look after the shaken students. The trio placed into separate chairs and approached by a bearded man

“What happened? Tell us from the beginning sir” a man with a beard asked

 Snape woke up realising he was the he being talked to “well,” Snape pondered a bit before continuing “there was a rampageous attack earlier, about ten past five”

“To who?”

“Me,” Snape said, annoyed at the interruption “the capes that where worn by the two thugs where the same as those of the gang we fought earlier”

“Names” one said

“Well,” Snape said in a harsh voice “one I heard is called Kingston. Another I heard was dubbed ‘smithy’”

An alarm rang through the ministry minds and Snape breathed intensely, most of them had gone pale but nothing compared to them. They where frozen solid and as cold as ice. The gang of wizard tensed up and one murmured to anther as Snape sank into his chair rest lastly

“Kingston” the bearded man asked. Snape nodded

“That swine” the man murmured

“Who’s Kingston?” Shona asked

“Shut up!” one yelled at her. Shona was going red with anger and stood up.

“Ok, sit down!” he said as two advanced and plunged her back into the seat. Shona thought back and shoved them

“No! your not the boss!” Shona told them “who Kingston? We need to know”

“No you don’t, the information will stay with the ministry” the man said silkily, enjoying his power.

“Sit down McGuire” Snape ordered. She gave him a look but never the les sat down, a snarling face on her

“Right, as I was going to say before I was rudely interrupted. We cannot tell you because of a top secret investigation going on. I can tell you though that they are to do with the medieval islands. We got a tip off in the post but we where to early into the investigation to make an arrest”

“So you’ve let a students die here just because you didn’t have enough evidence?” Lucy said astounded

“Yes” the man said knowingly

“All cops are gits,” Shona rasped “good for nothing so and so’s who poke their noses into everything. But when there actually needed for something they sod off and leave the work to someone else.”

“Enough from you” the bearded man said dangerously “or I’ll arrest you!”

Shona mumbled something offensive and sat silent

“Your names” one ordered, taking out a quill

“Severus Snape, Lucy Snape and Shona McGuire” Snape said, trying to hold back the impatience in his voice

Lucy looked on as he wrote their names into the air, the ink floating. It vanished and soon returned with three parchments. He handed them over and Lucy smiled at the magic

“Logs, I believe you know what these are professor” he spelt as he read one. Snape nodded

“As for you two, these are your logs. We record who you are, where you are and other stuff”

“Everything?”

“Everything”

The mans face went pale

“It says hear you where admitted to St Mungos for excessive blood loss, professor. An attack…”

“As I was going to tell you I have been involved with this investigation,” Snape  said, raising his eyebrows “I was attacked and I would like to know why”

The place went silent and the men nodded to each other

“Very well, but only since we have recordings of you” he stuttered “it is believed a master criminal is paying elite groups of personal to kill the gifted. We don’t know why there called that and is doesn’t come up with anything on the timeline log. We don’t know why they attacked you personally but we do know its something to do with the medieval islands”

“And?”

“Well Kingston is a famous assassin from the area, we believe he’s killed over three hundred people, and he’s only twenty four.”

There was an odd silence

“I can’t tell you any more” he said abruptly

“Well, Mr Bennidick, I suppose that you will tell us more because your keeping the basic facts to yourself” Shona said knowingly. Gasps went through the carriage and Shona gave Snape a mischievous little smile

“How do you know my name?” he asked defensively, scared at the owner against him

“Magic” Shona said mysteriously, waving her hands as if she was in a magic show

“Impossible!” one muttered

“really, Kenneth?” she said casually, crossing her legs “for instance, I know the ministry hiding a big dark secret that you don’t want us to know about, something to do with ‘the knighting’? is it?”

“be quiet!,” he puffed at her “she must be guessing! Besides, she doesn’t know anything about th…” he stopped instantly Snape, Snape listened carefully

“Oh and I also know your cheating on your wife” Shona said casually. The placed gasped and Shona smiled

“Oh yeah, who with?”

“I don’t know…” Shona admitted, she glanced a look to Snape as she held her head

“We’ve gone of track here! What happened after the first attack?” Mr Bennidick said

“Oh right. Well, someone smuggled me a love potion in my drink. All I remember next is Kingston trying to strangle Miss McGuire”

“Shame he failed”

“Quiet Simmons!” he snarled at the man behind and he fell silent. It was then Snape noticed the disgusting ways Kingston ruled his men by, how he’d kill them on the spot, no remorse at all… using the most evilest of ways to keep control.

Fear.

‘They kill for fun’ thee words echoed in Snape’s mind

‘Pain is their way of death…’

“And?” the man asked inpatient

“We had a big battle on the roof top” Snape finished

“Just a big battle? No detail”

“Why should he tell you anymore? Your keeping secrets so why cant we?”  Shona butted in rudely

“I’m not the only one keeping secrets” he said darkly, eyeing her. Lucy was even more confused now

“Ok, this is getting us nowhere. Colins, take the professor back to his cabin and question him”

“You mean interrogate” Shona murmured

“Lucy Snape can go as well. But your staying here” he growled at Shona. Lucy was lead away with Snape

“What you want Benny boy?” Shona moaned at them

“You can mind read, cant you?”

“Who wants to know? Maybe I do, maybe I don’t”

“Well you are, no one knows a bout the knighting except for the ministry”

“And no one knows about that guys affair” Shona taunted him, leaving him to blush. Bennidick scanned Shona’s parchment carefully

“Oh dear,” he muttered loudly “oh, you naughty girl. Rebel are you?”

Shona didn’t reply and listened to the man tut and snigger at the list

“Now I know why your so bitter to us McGuire. you really should consider buying a cell sometime” he laughed “now that was interesting, now lets talk like adults” he said as he whisked the parchment away

“What?” Shona demanded

“ Lets reflect on what’s happened today, on what you’ve caused. You’ve broke a train, assaulted an officer and even nearly killed a mug, although I say the assaults not the only thing on the list”

“So?”

“So, I know you’re a Worthing, you know the gang, the rebels?”

“Yes,” Shona said in a discomforting voice “and how’s that involve me?”

“Well if you’re a good little girl this Christmas I wont report your dad”

“You wouldn’t dare!” Shona roared

“If you tell that gang to stop helping the westerns from poverty and let the police do their job then ill wont inform the police that your dad is living in Worthing”

“Can I really trust you?” Shona glared and grimaced

“I’ll stay true to my word, if you stay true to yours”

“Then why haven’t the ministry caught him?”

“Its no tour duty to get him, it’s the muggle polices job”

“Fine” she finally said

“Good, now go join the others” Bennidick commanded and Shona walked out

“Good one sir, what was on that?”

“I can’t tell you, John McGuire would kill me if so”

“Oh yeah” one muttered

“He used to be a friend a primary, but not for long, just as rough” Bennidick snarled as he heard the door slam.

They stopped and stood quietly

“Its them” one said

“I think so” the bearded man replied

“Should we tell ‘em?”

“Not yet. Well tell them after summer” Bennidick ordered. They returned back to succeeding around and being a nuisance, while Bennidick apparated to the level of offices to report the news

They had found the gifted

Lucy stayed huddled in the corner as Snape and a man last named Colins talked and talked. Snape kept on raising his voice and was being told to keep quiet, but Snape was having none of it, he wouldn’t let them tell him what to do

“Your supposed to keep the dementors at the ministry!” he whispered menacingly, his voice harsh, his breath turning into clouds of ice as he spoke

“That is not my problem”

“Then who’s is it?” he roared

“Stop shouting professor! We need to talk maturely” he growled back

“Morning all” Shona butted in as she sat next to Snape, not wanting to sit next to the ministry wreck Snape was yelling at

“Oh shut up!” Shona said in sarcastic voice

“Leave them, we must go” said a loud voice, Lucy woke up instantly to the sound and realised a magical earpiece in the mans ear.

“Goodbye, I’ll se you in half an hour once you’ve calmed down” and with that Colin walked out, cape billowing behind him. He slammed the door shut in anger

“What are you doing!” Snape questioned as Colin’s placed a magical devise on the door. There was a loud bleeping before Lucy saw the glass in the window refigure. It then was filled with ice, acting like a protecting layer from the outside. Snape moaned as the door followed its commands. They saw a scattered outline of Colin’s walk away briskly, leaving Lucy alone

“That devise is a new model from the ministry, using the weather to its advantage” Snape mumbled, he turned and shook Lucy

“Are you alright?”

“No” she coughed

“What’s wrong with her?” Shona asked curiously. Snape held Lucy upright in a very protective manner. He placed his hand on her forehead but the numbness swirling in his hand prevented him from taking a reading

“She’s feeling drowsy and feverish, no doubt the blizzard. I will admit i’m feeling a bit under the weather as well”

Lucy placed her head on Snape’s chest and sighed. The lights where still out and it was getting dark rapidly. Snape raised his wand and flicked the lumos charm into the air, making a make shift light just enough for them to see each other clearer. It was a white light and it reminded Lucy of the patronus. As Lucy pretended to sleep she listened to Snape and Shona forcefully talk to each other about how stupid the police where. Shona went onto how shed had hit the man where the sun didn’t shine and Snape would have hit them with a spell

“What do you think it was professor?”

“I think the ministry told us the truth. They where obviously paid well for the job but I doubt their experience for it”

“What about Kingston”

“Well I wont forget him in a hurry,” he sighed as he felt Lucy’s head again, but alas nothing “he’s one to be scared of. He means business and he has a blackened heart, whoever paid him to do this will be pleased at the chaos, no wonder he’s a legend at home,” he paused and looked at Lucy “ he’s vile and disturbing and I never want to see him again”

Shona rested her head on the door, shaking a little

“Where’s the orb Shona?” He said in a quiet voice, a hint of rashness on his voice. Lucy tried not to react to his tone of voice in case of alarming Snape. He’d never heard him say Shona’s name before and it unsettled her

“I have it in my bag. I’ve been keeping it in my case all term, at times id take it out but I’ve shown it to no one”

“That’s what they want, isn’t it the orb, and they think Lucy’s got it, or you. But they don’t suspect me, I’m to rash”

“That is an uplift to your behaviour, but down siding is that it can also leave that orb in danger” Lucy hadn’t realised Shona had been looking after the orb for such a long time. Instead of getting it halfway through term shed had it since summer, but why had Snape lied to them?

“Still think it was a good idea to give it to me?”

“Well you’ve looked after it. Bit I think we’d better find it a place at Hogwarts, this was all because of it and I don’t want another any time soon”

“agreed” Shona said. Lucy moved slightly and she felt Snape’s arm wrap around her softly

“Shhhh, its ok” he said into her ear, she couldn’t help but sigh deeply and drift of slightly

“Jessica get you that?” Shona asked politely, looking at Snape’s fancy coat

“Oh, yes” Snape said looking up from a ginger lock in Lucy’s hair

“Suits you, she chose wisely”

“Indeed” he said stiffly

Their voices drifted away as Lucy drifted off to sleep, cradled by Snape and feeling his warmth soak into her. He’d never try to show such affection in front of others, but that didn’t matter at the moment. Snape was filing her up with confidence, now she knew he still loved her. She wondered why she even doubted him

Sadly though, her sleep was awoken abruptly by a large knocking at the door

“Come out!” a voice barked. Snape loosened his grip as Lucy raised her head. Lucy looked into Snape’s black eyes

“I fell asleep”

“You’ve been through a lot, its alright” he said to her. She smiled at him, newfound respect in his judgment

Snape kept his arm on her arm as they walked back. Lucy gasped as she ran to the vast window. The curved track allowed her to see he over carriage of the Hogwarts express, shaken but standing there ground. There rest of them had been accounted for and huddled up, and Lucy could see the smoke from the train in front drift into the fog below. Lucy knew her friends would be safe and wanted to see them deeply

“The girls can go, but professor Snape must stay behind” Bennidick ordered. Lucy waved goodbye sadly and left him. When she was out of sight she bounded to her original carriage, finding her friends tired and restless

“Lucy?”

“Lucky!” Fred said profoundly. She giggled as he hugged her and soon the carriage swarmed with greetings

“So what ‘append?” George said excitedly

“Some people where paid to find the orb, or find me. But they took the marauders map instead”

“Maybe they want to find honeydukes cellar?” Shona said from behind. The place mumbled from behind her and Shona stopped smiling instantly. A gang of people pushed Shona rudely out the way and laughed at her. For once in her life she saw a flicker of sadness and coldness on the girls face as the place went silent

the place went silent

“Come on Lucy!” George beckoned and she sat on the floor by Fred. There wasn’t enough room left and Ron shut the door quickly

“What about Shona?” Lucy asked

“Oh,” Ron said embarrassed, Lucy didn’t spot the looks from Hermione, Fred and George as he opened the door “sorry, no room” he shut the door on her and Shona walked off

“What did you do that for?” Lucy frowned

One spoke to her at first, but a look from harry made Hermione cough up the truth

“Well, Shona’s not exactly normal”

“But you’re her friends!”

“Yeah but, she’s...” Hermione paused “from Worthing”

“So?”

“Bloody hell, haven’t you heard the news over there?”

Lucy shook her head and Ron groaned

“Well, the Bennings and Worthing’s are fighting again” Fred said

“The who?”

“Not the band,” George said “Benning hill I a place just outside London, beside Worthing. They’ve been football riots, strikes, you name it. Most of the minor that used to live there where involved in the strikes. But then…”

“But what? Tell me!”

“A club went bust there, loads of the town is going into bankruptcy and the government have threatened to get there power cut off” Fred moaned, grabbing a piece of Lucy's hair and un tangling it

“They can't do that!” Lucy coughed

“Apparently they can, and the Bennings have finally cut the straw for the Worthings. It’s a long story but their fighting. The news is a couple of months old but they where warning to run riot in London to grab attention” Hermione reported

“Basically Worthing’s are dangerous, and Shona’s brothers martin is thinking of going to a different school as well. You’ll probably see more in the new in a couple of days time” Ron said

Lucy bit her lip at the dilemma “ill stay here. Shona will be fine”

*

Dumbledore marched in angrily, ordering all to leave the bar. More glass crumpled under the peoples wait and the gang where given a taste of their own medicine by waiting outside. Dumbledore allowed Jessica in before closing the door

“Jessica” Snape said in an affectionate voice and they hugged.

“I missed you” she whispered into his ear

“I thought you’d want to see her Severus. You’ll be glad to know Jessica saved students from a deadly attack”

“really?” Snape said pleased as they let go. Snape let go of her and they turned to face Dumbledore

“Oh yes,” Dumbledore smiled as he looked at them. They where the perfect match for each other, he thought “well I guess we should tidy this place up”

Dumbledore took out his beloved wand and it swirled round. The objects flew around like bees and the windows where formed as if they where jigsaw puzzles. The mini chandelier above their heads saw  pieces of itself zoomed onto it, bit by bit

Snape stomach lurched as he felt Jessica place his hands on her waist. Shed been timid to do so but her allowance made him smile. She dared not face him in case Dumbledore noticed the gesture, afraid he’d scare Snape off

The bar had its drinks restored and Dumbledore put his wand down

“I must go now, but ill return in about ten minutes or so. I will have to speak to the driver”

“You enjoying this?” she asked Snape

“Um” he stammered, he didn’t know how to react to the question. She turned round to face him and their black eyes met. Jessica placed Snape’s shaking hands back to her waist and pulled out her wand. There was a brisk judder as the train burst into life. Jessica aimed to the radio and it tuned itself to a song. She then placed her hands onto his chest, Snape shaking still

“Why are you shaking?” Jessica asked softly

“I don’t know,” he said quietly as they danced slowly “surprise?”

This made Jessica laugh

“What happened out there?”

Snape didn’t bother keeping secrets. His spilt the beans on it all, how the dementors had come, the thugs and how Kingston had destroyed most of the train. Jessica listened to him as he talked on, keeping quiet and nodding to his sentences. They enjoyed their time together before Dumbledore walked back in

“Severus, we need to speak with you and Lucy about getting home safely”