Mortal Peril - 18

Ginny's eyes widened in surprise at watching Ron take charge, and Hermione easily listen to him. When had her brother become such a strong man?

"You're right," Hermione said, pulling herself together. "Come on, it's this way."

Hermione led them toward the battered telephone box and hurried inside. Ron and Ginny quickly followed, but Malfoy stopped outside.

"You must be joking," he said, staring incredulously at the other three crammed inside the box.

"Either come with us or don't, Malfoy," Ron said irritably. "It makes no difference to me, and I don't mind the big old target on your back out here in the open."

Malfoy blanched, and he quickly crammed inside with the others. Ron didn't appear to mind the close quarters as he had Hermione pushed against one side of the box, but Ginny was crushed between Ron and Draco and couldn't move lest she'd have to touch either of them further.

"Hurry up and dial, will you?" she snapped.

"Hang on, I can't quite reach it," Ron said, elongating his words as he reached for the receiver.

"Ow!" Hermione yelped, rubbing the top of her head.

"Sorry!" Ron said, gasping. "Got it."

He dialed the number, and a cool female voice filled the telephone box.

"Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business."

"Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Ginny Weasley and Draco Malfoy," Ron said, his lip curling slightly on Draco's name. "We're here to stop Harry from doing anything stupid."

"And to rescue Pansy from Potter's mad ideas," Draco said, glaring at Ron.

Four badges slid out. Hermione grabbed them and distributed them as the telephone box began to descended.

"Visitors to the Ministry, you are required to submit to a search and present your wand for registration at the security desk, which is located at the far end of the Atrium," the female voice said.

Ignoring the voice, Ginny glanced at her badge. It read: Ginny Weasley, Rescue Mission. She shuddered as an eerie foreboding washed over her. At the same moment, the stone she wore around her neck flared painfully, causing her to wince and pull it away from her skin. Harry had to be okay. They couldn't be too late.

Ginny struggled to hold her emotions in check. Harry wouldn't like to see her falling apart when they found him. Tears always panicked him. She'd never had much patience for girls who cried, either.

Perhaps it was because she had six brothers and had always been determined to prove she was an equal. She gritted her teeth, struggling not to shout in fury over the slowness of the lift.

"Why are we at the Ministry, of all places?" Draco hissed, sounding very nervous. "The Dark Lord is in control here, now. It's undoubtedly crawling with Death Eaters."

"Bit late to think of that now," Ron replied.

Ginny knew he was trying to act unconcerned for Draco's benefit, but she could see the tenseness in his shoulders and the way he was using his body to keep both Hermione and her behind him.

When they reached the Atrium and the door opened, they were stunned to find it empty; even the security desk was unmanned. Once again, Ginny was eerily reminded of her previous nighttime visit to the Ministry.

"There's no one here," Ron said blankly.

"Of course," Hermione said.

"Of course what?" Draco snapped.

"He sent his forces to Hogwarts," Hermione said, sprinting towards the golden gates of the lifts that would take them into the bowels of the Ministry.

"Where are we going?" Draco demanded.

"Department of Mysteries," Ron said, and the lift began to lower.