A/N: Next chapter is officially here…enjoy!
Chapter XIII: The Stories of a Hostage
The elevator came to a halt at the bottom of the shaft with a slight thud. A second later, the doors slid open noiselessly, and Harry and Ron stepped in the corridor. The air was rather cold and stale, and torches were lit along the walls.
"Horrible place, I tell you," Ron said into the silence. "Anyone rarely ever comes down here."
"Figures," Harry muttered, casting his eyes around him. To his right, another corridor led somewhere within the depths of the floor, but their direction was to be straight ahead.
"All right, come on," Ron told Harry, and shivering slightly, marched forward with wide steps. Harry followed him quickly.
"Where is cell five?" he asked after several minutes of walking through the chilly corridor.
"It's another ten minutes more or so, before we arrive there," Ron answered, looking straight ahead, with his hands tucked deep in his pockets. "Bloody cold down here," he added under his breath.
"And you keep witnesses here?" Harry asked wonderingly once again.
"Yeah, but the cells are heated when they're occupied, and they are regularly supplied. The Ministry only uses these dungeons rarely though, and it's meant to cut down the cost of keeping them."
"Good then," Harry responded, "I thought perhaps our quarry might have frozen to death…"
"Let's hope not," Ron answered without humor. "If those bastards are as good at this as they are at keeping records, then I'm really worried."
Shortly thereafter, the two made it to the fated dungeon. A heavy oak door, reinforced with metal, and looking quite imposing and impenetrable, barred the entrance. There was a small, square, metal plate in place of a window, and that must have been the means by which communication with the prisoners was conducted.
That assumption proved correct, as Ron tapped the plate with his wand, and it sprang open on a pair of hinges. Inside the dungeon itself, it was mostly dark, with merely a small stream of light entering from a charmed window high above.
"D'you always keep them in the dark?" Harry asked quietly, trying not to attract the attention of the witnesses.
"I don't know why he detained the witnesses here," Ron whispered furiously. "This prison is for the heavy crime subjects, not witnesses…I suppose he must've considered them suspects at the time."
"Come on, let's take them out of here," Harry said hurriedly. "Maybe we can clear them after."
"Not a bad idea," Ron affirmed, "but first, let's question them."
There was a sharp intake of breath from the interior of the dungeon.
"Who's there?" called a quiet, disembodied voice.
Instead of responding, Ron opened the door, and walked inside. Behind him, Harry raised his own wand, and muttering a spell underneath his breath, unleashed a ball of light that completely illuminated the chamber.
On two miserable cots, one at each end of the room, were two women. They were startled by the sudden intrusion, and looked on at the newcomers with undisguised fear. They were dressed in ragged clothes, a trace of the lengthy period of time they had been held for.
"What will you do to us?" one managed to breath out quickly, still quite apprehensive. She had a dirty blond hair, somewhat matted, and strikingly penetrating blue eyes; her set jaw showed she was fearful, yet determined.
"Nothing, don't worry, you are safe with us," Harry was quick to reassure them. "Why are they do edgy?" he asked Ron in an undertone.
"You're coming out of here," Ron addressed the captives in his turn. "Twist," he whispered mutinously back at Harry.
The women, however, remained huddled on their respective cots, still fixing Harry and Ron with distrustful gazes.
"Are you sure we're safe?" the brunette in the other corner asked quietly. Her warmer brown eyes somehow seemed to show more faith in the two supposed saviors.
"Quite positive," Harry assured them. "My friend here is head of the Auror department."
"What department?" the blonde enquired in confusion.
"Auror department," Harry repeated. "Ministry of Magic."
"Ministry of Magic?" they both said in unison. "What kind of a cruel joke is this?" some vigor had returned to the brunette's voice.
"Joke?" Ron was confused in his turn. "There is no joke…"
"Magic doesn't exist," the blonde declared boldly. "You're mad!"
Harry was beginning to become slightly exasparated, and he could feel Ron's patience begin to dry too. He was anxious to question them.
"We're not mad," Ron said, trying to keep calm. "See?" he raised his wand, and levitated the cot with a Levicorpus spell.
"Muggles," he mouthed to Harry. "Must protect them later." Of course, he meant modifying their memories, and releasing them back to lead normal lives back into the Muggle world.
"What are your names," Harry tried, attempting to make the air of conversation less tense.
"What does that matter?" the brunette snapped at him. "If you're going to…going to…" she couldn't continue, and buried her face in her hands.
"Twist," Ron muttered darkly again; it was slowly becoming apparent that bad tidings would come Twist's way later on…
"We will do nothing of the sort," Harry coaxed them. "We are here to help you."
Harry and Ron were subjected to several minutes of silent, intense scrutiny; as if they were being evaluated of their worth to be trusted.
"My name is Emily," the blonde said softly, and she glanced anxiously at her companion.
"Jane," the other complied, even more quietly, looking down at the floor.
"I'm Harry Potter," the raven-haired one introduced himself.
"Ron Weasley," Ron also professed forward his name. "At your service," and he followed up with a purposefully comic bow that elicited small smiles from the two women.
"Good then," Harry took the word again. "Now that we're acquainted, it's time to leave this place."
Ron conjured fresh clothes and footwear from thin air, leaving his audience agape. "Just routine magic," he said, reddening slightly. They turned back into the corridor, while their charges were changing into the new clothes.
The quartet managed to eventually make its way back to Ron's office. Some persuasion and reassurance was required, but in the end, Ron took the lead on the journey back, followed by Jane and Emily, and Harry brought up the rear.
"Please, sit down," Ron invited his guests to the chairs around the desk, as he shut the door behind him.
Still rather timid, Jane and Emily accepted the offer and sat beside one another. Harry remained standing further back, waiting for Ron to initiate the interrogation.
"Why did you bring us up here?" Jane asked suspiciously.
"We only have a few questions," Ron reassured her. "Then we will release you."
Both women remained silent, and Ron cleared his throat to ease the awkward moment that fell over them.
"I want you to tell me," he began, "about a certain attack that happened a while back. You must remember it…London Bridge?"
The mention certainly stirred unpleasant memories. Both Jane and Emily looked down, their eyes glistening in the low light from the fire.
"I remember," Emily whispered. "But why do you want to know?"
"Because," Harry replied from the shadows in a hard voice, "we want to catch those who did it, and bring them to justice. It's unforgivable, what they committed."
"So you aren't suspecting us?" Jane was somewhat incredulous. "That's not what the other man told us…"
"He was wrong," Ron interjected quickly. "Right now, it is us that matter, not him. I believe in your innocence, and I am willing to uphold it. All I want you to tell me is what you recall of the attack."
Ron's face was determined, almost unsettling with the intensity, with which he looked on at the subjects of the interrogation.
"It's alright," Harry put in, trying to allay further apprehension on part of Jane and Emily. "Anything you say, will be kept completely in confidence, and you will be safe."
"Do you promise," Jane asked hopefully.
"On my life," Harry returned, looking at her and then sharing a meaningful glance with Ron.
"He really means that," Ron affirmed. "You can count on Harry."
At last, they relaxed enough to be able to relate their stories more confidently and easily.
"It was horrible," Emily began her account. "And very sudden. The bridge, it blew up very unexpectedly. Jane and I had crossed it, literally a minute before, and we were some distance away, but the sight, it was…" she faltered, and her voice died.
"Grisly," Jane continued on hurriedly. "There were cars in the water, and bodies…blood…and fire, lots of fire…some were burned alive…"
She visibly shuddered.
Ron had become very ashen faced by the close of the short narrative.
"What of the attackers?" he inquired resolutely.
"Ron, maybe we should give them some time," Harry offered quietly. "Let them compose themselves."
"No," Ron objected. "We need information, Harry."
"The attackers," Emily took up the word, once she had recovered her speaking ability, "they swarmed everywhere. I don't know what they did, but it was a green light that killed people…they had these sticks…ruthlessly pointing them and sending these bright green beams at people. And their masks, they were horrible, pale white, intimidating…and they were dressed in sweeping, black robes…it was an ugly sight…"
"We hid behind a corner of the nearby building, and watched it all unfold there…the police arrived, but they seemed powerless…dropped dead, just as did the other people."
"Even," Jane started again, "the cackling; it was a very cold laugh. Everything seemed to settle a bit eventually, and among the bodies, they just stood, and started laughing…it was so horrifying…and then, several minutes later, other people seemed to appear from thin air, and they fought, really intensely. I had never seen so much destructive…magic…in my life. We were scared beyond belief…and then it began to rain, hard. The water ran red with the blood…"
"How were you found later?" Harry asked a minute later into the ensuing silence that followed Jane's speech.
"It was very quick," Emily said. "We didn't even have time to run. They caught us easily, brought as here, and put us in that prison." She averted her eyes as she spoke those last words.
"I think this is all we need to know," Harry said hurriedly. "And I think it's time we uphold our part of the deal."
"Right," Ron continued, after a pointed look from Ron. "You are free to go."
"I wish we did not have to remember this," Emily spoke to Jane quietly.
"Neither do I," she replied.
Harry and Ron shared a look, and they immediately reached consent; memory charms would be applied immediately after they arrived back in Muggle London, to protect themselves, and the women…
"Come on now," said Harry, leading the way back outside in the corridor. "Time to take you back."
For the first time, they looked a bit apprehensive. "Back in London?" Emily was somewhat frightened. "What if they come back?"
"I cannot guarantee that they won't," Harry admitted, "but I can arrange for your safety…"
"I only have one more request," Emily spoke softly, at the same time cutting across Harry.
"Yes?" he inquired.
"Don't make me forget this," she almost pleaded. "What I said just now…I didn't mean it. This is too life-altering to just forget and go back."
"I agree," Harry reasoned, "but I have seen horrors that were much greater than what you witnessed. Perhaps it would be best if you moved on with life, and did not dwell on this."
"No," Emily stood her position. "Don't do it."
"Remember that you will be in much graver danger in this position," Ron warned seriously.
"I'm prepared to take that risk," Emily responded with conviction. "And besides, you said you would protect us."
"True, we did, but there are no guarantees," Harry was beginning to profess his mild frustration.
"We trust you," Jane declared in the brief pause that followed.
That simple sentence produced a profound effect on the two men.
"Right then," Harry answered in a completely different tone, after a minute's contemplation. "If you're prepared to take the risk, then I think we can respect your decision."
"Good," Jane replied, smiling slightly.
"Let's not waste anymore time then," Ron was rather insistent, and took the lead towards the elevators. "I will assign able Aurors to look after your safety."
They arrived in the main atrium of the Ministry after a short journey.
"Thank you for everything," Jane kept repeating, "really, for everything."
"You helped us more than we helped you," Harry was saying, trying to shrug off the praise and not attract unneeded attention from the other occupants of the atrium.
"Nonsense," Emily said, "after that prison, I am really happy that we're going back, in spite of the danger." There was indeed a barely distinguishable positive note in her tone.
They were escorted back to the street; via the rather cramped telephone cabin that Harry remembered using for the first of time in his fifth year.
"Expect the Aurors as soon as possible," Ron instructed as they parted. "In the meanwhile, do not venture outside too much, and for now, do not leave your homes. I will compel the Aurors to introduce themselves to you and follow you around discretely."
"Again, thank you," Jane expressed her sentiment warmly.
"No problem," Ron said. "We'll see you later."
"Goodbye," both women called, and they departed down the street, walking hastily and turning back around on occasion. Harry and Ron observed them until they disappeared from sight.
"Chances are, we won't see them again," Harry said.
"Hopefully not," Ron agreed. "Else we become even more liable than we are now. Not to mention Luna and Hermione."
The ominous memory of their encounter with the saboteurs from Godric's Hollow some time ago, resurfaced again. The shapeless enemy they were facing was certainly bold - and what was the assurance that the two witnesses they interviewed literally moments ago would survive to live another day?
"Come on, let's go deal with that prick, Twist," Ron said grimly, putting the other matter aside for the present.
"Or you. I have no authority over him," Harry pointed out.
"You'll be in the role of my faithful henchman," Ron rejoined with a trace of humor. "It's about time I dispatched him," he added seriously.
They turned back into the red telephone cabin, and descended into the depths of the Ministry once again. Once they landed in the Atrium, Ron led the way quickly forward.
The subject of their fury was spotted precisely at the moment, during which he was preparing to enter his office.
"Twist," Ron called out, "stay a minute."
The other paused, looking at them suspiciously. "What?" he spat.
Ron approached quickly, furiously grabbed him by the collar and slammed him against the wall forcefully.
"Don't provoke me, Twist," Ron spat through clenched teeth. "What did you do to those two women?"
Harry stood in the background, ready to back Ron if the need arose.
"Doesn't matter, Weasley," the other responded. "Think of what I could do." There was an ugly leer on his face, challenging Ron, despite the compromising position he was in.
"Abuse of any form, Twist," Ron told him in a deadly whisper, "is not tolerated. I will persecute you for that."
"Do it, and the Ministry collapses," he responded threateningly.
"I expect your resignation on my desk Monday morning," Ron answered with matched venom in his voice. "You're hereby under an order of arrest."
As if they were invisible, two Aurors appeared from thin air immediately after Ron pronounced those words.
"Take him down to cell five," he instructed them, and Twist was promptly bounded and dragged away.
"You've not seen the last of me, Weasley," the captive called in desperation as he was led away. "This is not over!"
"Tell that to the dungeon wall!" Ron shouted back.
"He might escape," Harry observed into the silence, once the escorts muffled the struggling man.
"No, he won't," replied Ron. "And in the meanwhile, you are the new head of the department."
Harry was unexpectedly taken by surprise. "Say what?"
"You're the head of the Magical Law Enforcement Department. Did you not understand me?" Ron repeated his words.
"No, no, I did," Harry was quick to reply, "but why me?"
"I need someone qualified and trustworthy on such an important post, and you're that person, mate," he explained simply.
"I am?"
"Yes."
"Alright then," Harry said, still disbelievingly. "Thanks, mate. It means very much to me that you're trusting me with this."
"Don't mention it," Ron answered.
"And as for the Minister," Harry went on, "he is bound to be sacked; I say we nominate Hermione in his place."
"Hermione?" Ron echoed thoughtfully.
"Yeah," Harry explained. "She would not be half bad for the position."
"Actually," the redhead said, "she is perfect for it. We'll wait until the dust settles, and then we'll garner support to appoint her. I'm fairly sure the Wizengamot has to support the appointment for it to be valid, but you'll have to ask Hermione about it…"
"Definitely," Harry affirmed. "Is there anything else we need to arrange?"
"Not for the immediate future. Right now, you and I need to focus on the investigation before all else."
"Sounds good," Harry said.
With that, both of them departed back towards the Burrow, contemplating the day's events, among which were Jane and Emily's accounts, as well as Twist's sacking. Harry's new appointment would occupy him more completely, he reflected, but it also provided him a stable position, from which to lead the case with Ron; for assuring their own safety, that of their families and people, wizard and non-magical, was of paramount importance…
A/N: OK, chapter 13 is complete, and the next one will include the involvement of other HP characters, as well as more development on Bella's own situation…in the meanwhile, your opinion, in the form of a review, is highly valued…one thing I need to know, is if you find it a bit rushed…:D
-->