☞ 𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲, 𝐭𝐡𝐞 21𝐬𝐭 𝐨𝐟 𝐎𝐜𝐭𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐫, 1996

I awoke in a cold sweat. My curtains flapped in the cold breeze that rushed into the room, leaving me shivering under my thick bedding. I grumbled under my breath in annoyance.

Eight days. Eight days since Luna and I discovered that archway. Eight days since I had last spoken to Mattheo. Eight horrible days since the nightmares started.

They began with me, being chanced by a cackling woman through the forbidden forest. It was dark, and many noises echoed from within the depths of the woods. A strange fog lingered at ankle height. My chest felt tense as I struggled to breathe, each step moving faster than my mind could keep up with. That's when I find the archway, surrounded by figures black cloaked shielding their faces from view. Stood in a circle around the now glowing arch, their head slowly turned to face me. Seven people around the arch.

Then I was captured by them, my body being forced under the archway. My body burned as I screamed with pain, feeling my magic being drained from within. Red and black particles of magic encompassed my body. I screeched. I sobbed. I shouted. From behind, I hear someone scream the killing curse. With a flash of green light, I awake.

I had long gotten dressed when Harry approached me before I could have my breakfast, explaining that Dumbledore requested our presence in his office, immediately. Confused, the two of us wander up to the griffin statue, muttering the password and riding the stairs up to the entrance.

"You may enter." An old yet posh man called out, his voice muffled behind the door. Harry lifted the metal latch on the door and pushed the wooden entrance open. Dumbledore sat dressed in powered blue robes behind his desk, a small smile on his face. "Ah, Y/n and Harry, right on time." The headmaster stood from his desk, walking towards us as we now stood in the centre of his office.

"How may we assist you, Professor?" I asked, sleep still dazed as my mind had not fully woken up yet. He smiled at me, his smile as warm as ever. His office had a slight glow to the ambiance, offering an enchanted feeling when stepping into the room. Despite the Headmaster being a Gryffindor I've always thought he decorated as though he was in Ravenclaw. Nothing wrong with that, of course, it interesting seeing someone's true personality, behind their house pride.

"The minister of magic will be visiting today, in around two hours." The Professor calmly spoke. Harry and I looked to each other confused. Why does the arrival of the Minister concern us? Our confusion grew when we saw the mischievous glint in the Professor's eyes. Something was up his sleeve, and only Merlin knows what.

"Harry, you must stay out of sight. With that being said I'd like you to use your invisibility cloak, and follow the Minister. He must never leave your sight, understood?" The professor explained, as Harry and I listened carefully, the nerves in the pit of our stomachs growing with each passing moment. Harry nodded, his eyes filled with determination and anxiety all at once. The raven haired boy began to toy with his fingers, a nervous habit I've always known him to have.

"Y/n. You are a wonderfully cunning young lady. Which is why I ask that you escort the Minister around the school. I suspect that the ministry is being infiltrated by deatheaters and the Ministry themselves are withholding information that could very well be the end of us all if we do not get our hands on it. That is why I ask you to try and figure out what the minister knows." Dumbledore spoke sinisterly. My heart thumped loudly in my chest. Out of everything I could have ever imagined Dumbledore would need from us, attempting to unravel the secrets the ministry holds is not something I would have guessed.

Dumbledore soon dismissed us, and so Harry and I took our leave. We walked in complete silence how the corridors. We were beyond nervous, but thankfully Harry was in a better mind than I was. He pulled his thoughts together and snapped into action. "Right. Using the invisibility cloak to spy on people, I've been doing that since I was in first year." Harry spoke with a newfound confidence in his voice.

The Gryffindor then turned to me, with a small smile. "Think of the Ministry information as gossip. All you have to do is find out some gossip. You've always been great at pulling out the truth in people. Just like you did with Mattheo and his mother." He beamed, filling small amount of confidence within me. The Gryffindor is right, behave as though this is an average day in Hogwarts where you are asked to draw out secrets from someone, just like I've always done.

After eating our breakfast, Harry and I stood at the castle's entrance beside Professor McGonagall and Professor Slughorn. Harry stood behind me, now concealed under his invisibility cloak, and I was now dressed in my best school attire. After some time spent waiting and watching the skies for the Minister's carriage, I noticed he has taken far too long to arrive. The Minister was now fifteen minutes late, and I had a sinking feeling that something was terribly wrong.

Suddenly the cries of horses echoed from the cloud above with the rattling of metal and wood which drew our attention upward. There, a fancy golden and green carriage swung in the air being tugged along by four white Pegasi. Hagrid was quick to guide the horses to a safe landing site.

Soon the Minister came stumbling out of his carriage, looking rather nervous and alarmed. Strange. He wore a light grey suit with a pale green tie and a dark grey cloak that elegantly flowed behind him. His brown straw-like hair sat at his shoulders while his pale blue eyes burned into me. He quickly made his way over to us, where McGonagall greeted him. He loosely shook her hand, greeting her with a stern smile as beads of sweat trickled down his forehead.

Rufus Scrimgeour, the newly appointed Minister of Magic. As far as the public is aware, his allegiance is to the Order. However, the growing threat of death eaters wiggling their way into positions of high power within the Ministry poses a threat to the Minister. Logically speaking, the death eaters will either pressure the man into joining their side and have him submit to their Lord's power, or they'll simply kill him and replace them with an already loyal dark wizard.

Today, Harry and I must try and pick apart any information we can pull out of the man before us. Anything that will give away what the death eaters are doing in the Ministry. Any pressures they may be putting on the Minister and whether or not Scrimgeour's allegiance had changed.

"Who do we have here?" The sound of a scruffy posh Englishman pulled me out of my thoughts. As I became aware of my surroundings once more, I noticed that the Minister was now looking directly at me, with McGonagall and Slughorn to his left. Faintly, I could feel Harry's presence behind me.

"Y/n Snape, sir. It's a pleasure to meet you." I smile brightly and take the man's hand. Scrimgeour's cold wrinkly hand shook as his spindly fingers wrapped around mine. His sunken blue eyes glared deep into my soul with his usual serious frown on his face.

"Professor Snape's daughter? Interesting." The man spoke, mainly to himself. Not knowing how to reply, I simply smiled as I pulled my hand away from his grasp. It was difficult to tell if something was wrong with the Minister or this is simply how he acted.

Professor McGonagall stepped forward, smoothly deterring the conversation away from me, to discuss the true purpose of his arrival, something Dumbledore failed to mention. "Miss Snape here will be guiding you around the school grounds as you carry out your inspection, Sir." McGonagall smiled as she gestured towards me. The adults fell into swift conversation about today's arrangements.

An inspection from the Minister of Magic? Almost unheard of... it was suspicious, and I was not fond of it. What is it he had to inspect? Surely there are more important things he should be investigating, such as the hundreds of disappearances that have occurred in a matter of months!

"Very well." The Minister clapped his hands together, as he turned to me. "L-lead the way, Y- Snape." I smiled at the man and gestured for him to follow. Why was he suddenly stuttering? Was he nervous?

As we walked across the bridge, I looked down to the small canyon below which was littered with trees, some evergreen while others have began to lose their leafs. "Where is it you'd like to go first, Minister." I questioned the man, my polite voice and smile never dropping. He stared at me wide-eyed for a moment, before answering.

"I'd like to visit the Great Hall." He spoke, his serious composure returning. I nodded in agreement and led him straight there. Why did he need a guide, didn't he attend Hogwarts? Too many mysteries.

We entered the Great Hall, where many people had gathered to soak up the social atmosphere and warm up from the cold air. Soon the whispers began once people noticed myself and the Minister of Magic casually walking along the hall. In the corner of my eye, I noticed a group that seemed to be more interested and the most shocked out of everyone present at our arrival. The Slytherin Boys.

I looked back with a smirk, knowing Draco would be fuming he was not chosen to guide the Minister, an opportune moment to flaunt his family name and make his father proud. Yet they didn't seem shocked with jealousy, or shocked with amazement, they seemed shocked with concern. Strange.

My eyes furrowed at the group, who could not decide who to focus more on, myself or the man beside me. My eyes landed back on Scrimgeour, whose forehead began to shine with beads of sweat.

"Are you alright, Minister?" I asked the man, who jumped at my words. His eyes were now wide as he looked at me. I stared at him expectedly, waiting for an answer. He simply nodded.

"I am just- thirsty." He hesitantly spoke, pulling out a small flask, and drinking from it. His eyes landed on the Slytherins, Draco now had his hands clenched into fists, Blaise's body was now completely turned to face us with a nervous look while Theo's face was in his hands. I quickly suggested to the Minister that we leave, as he began to look uncomfortable by their presence. I did not want to risk him leaving early because of his discomfort.

He agreed, and we quickly left the hall, heading towards Hagrid's Hut. Why was the minister so disturbed by them... was it because of their family's history with Voldemort? Could, for example, Lucius Malfoy, a now-known death eater, be threatening the minister, which is why he was uncomfortable with their presence? It was a stretch... but not impossible considering Mr Malfoy's position in the Ministry.

"Welcome ter me humble abode, Minister." We heard a deep yet cheery voice call out to us as we arrived at the small hut at the edge of the forbidden fortress. "Y/n? Didn't reckon yeh'd be here." Hagrid smiled as we shared a hug.

"Yes, she is my guide for this evening while I carry out some minor inspections." Scrimgeour spoke up after being silent for so long. "Care to show me where your creatures are?" The minister and I (and Harry under the cloak) began to follow Hagrid a little ways into the woods.

Soon Hagrid had a classroom to teach, so the Minister continued to inspect the creatures' habitats and their health, while I stood by. "So, how's things at the Ministry, Minister?" I began, my mind grimacing at my own words.

After a while, he mumbled out unenthusiastically, "It's just fine, thank you." I turned back towards him and noticed him inspecting the Hippogryff's den. I hummed in response, my mind racing for another sentence to get the barrel rolling.

The rustle of leaves boomed out across the forest unexpectedly as a gust of wind rushed past us. I smiled as my hair blew up and around with the wind while the Minister just seemed spooked. I could feel his eyes on me, but when I turned to look, the small smile he had on his face along with a twinkle in his eye melted away faster than you could say Quidditch. His face was now back to its dull, emotionless gaze. Strange.

"Mr Weasley had been telling me about the tremendous workload that he and his close colleagues had to endure these past few months." I began, the Minister and I now looking right at each other. "Is that the same for all departments in the Ministry?"

Scrimgeour eyed me suspiciously, before answering. "Yes, unfortunately, that is the case for all departments." He then walked forward towards another enclosure, the flobberworms. Once again, I hummed in acknowledgement.

My eyes scanned the forest, a sinking feeling washing over me. Perhaps it was something to do with the archway, and that I haven't been outside much since that day. No... I have an inkling it's something entirely different.

"I hope the extra work isn't causing you too much trouble, Sir." I added, smiling at the man who turned to face me once more when hearing my voice. He shrugged.

"You are too kind, Miss Snape." He knelt on the ground, his eyes focused on something this body concealed from me. Must be a worm, I'd rather stay clear. "I suppose it is a bit of a nuisance... they all are." He mumbled, mostly to himself. I smirked at his words, knowing I struck gold.

"They, sir?" I questioned, my eyes scanning the man for any change in posture and body language. Just as I hoped his body froze up. This is my chance to find out what he is hiding from us all.

"My colleagues." He replied, his voice strained and a pitch or two higher than usual. He took another quick swig of his flask before adding. "Nothing for you to concern yourself with." The minister finally stood and faced me, his eyes darker than before.

"I believe it is my concern since one or two of your colleagues attempted to kill me last year in your place of work, even succeeding in killing a dear friend of mine, Sirius Black." I replied as the Minister's face turned white. He knew I was right, he knew there was no use hiding behind his silly facade.

"Let's continue with the tour?" He chuckled nervously, his attempt to keep up his unbothered yet stoic act had failed. I shook my head, protesting yet pleading for the truth.

"Minister I mean no disrespect, but my friends and I have been fighting these fully grown witches and wizards since our first year." I spoke out, my voice is soft yet stern with the man before me who seemed to spiral into desperation for an escape. He asked what I meant, to which I carried on. "If they couldn't kill us then, they can't kill us now. Stay on our side, Minister, fight for good, fight for our future." I added as my chest heaved with adrenaline, leaving the Minister to stand utterly stunned.

Quickly, the man took off, sprinting and weaving behind the trees. I yelled after him as I pulled out my wand, attempting to slow him down or freeze him in his spot. "Arresto Momento!" Missed. "Pertrificus Totalus!" Missed again. "Incacerous!" Missed, again.

Suddenly it seemed like the man had disappeared, leaving me in a small clearing in the woods, spinning around and around, my wand drawn as I desperately called out for him. Suddenly I heard a groan, I turned to look and saw the Minister, covered in dirt.

Is grey suit and red tie were almost completely covered in dirt. I helped the man to sit up, healing the large wound he had at the back of his head and dusting his suit off. "Are you alright? I didn't mean to cross any lines, I am deeply sorry Minister." He just patted my shoulder before asking me to help him to his feet.

"I should apologise, I'm not sure what came over me." The man now stood tall, his face stoic as ever as his hand now rested behind him. "It was very unprofessional, and very unlike me, I can assure you." I nodded, my mind struggling to keep up with everything that just unfolded.

"Miss Snape, let me tell you something, something that might just get me killed if anyone finds out that I've told you..."

10 ʜᴏᴜʀꜱ ᴇᴀʀʟɪᴇʀ
𝙼𝚊𝚝𝚝𝚑𝚎𝚘 𝚁𝚒𝚍𝚍𝚕𝚎'𝚜 𝙿𝙾𝚅

"What the bloody hell do you want!" I spat as we walked further into the forest. Blaise, Draco and Theo trailed after me, still half asleep. "Do you have any idea what time it is!" I spat at the woman before me.

"Of course, Master Riddle, I apologise sincerely for waking you up at three in the morning." She giggled, she was not sorry at all. "But your daddy has a new mission for you, boy." The pushy-haired maniac smiled, bearing her rotten teeth as she stood to the side.

The boys and I gasped. "Is that-"