His guards, Kingsley and Tonks, were flanking him on either side. They had just entered the first level, Security Checkpoint and Reception, including Appartion, Floo and Portkey entrance portals.
"So, Mister Potter, as you know I am your personal escort today, and have been given the privilege of showing you around the Ministry. Is there any place you'd like to go before we head on the tour?"
Harry shook his head. "No, Kingsley, it's alright. The quicker we get this done, the quicker we can leave, eh?"
Kingsley smirked. "Yes, thanks Harry. Can we get done quickly then, I've got a date with a gorgous brunette named Clarissa Hapthorne and I want to get done as quickly as possible."
Tonks smirked, "How did you get a date with Clarissa, she's what... half your age?"
"No, she's only ten years younger than me, not twenty-five, Tonks."
Tonks snorted, "yeah. We'll, lets get started then. The first level, of seven, contains the entrances, visitors' welcome, and cafeteria. Most people forgo the food here as it sucks. We usually just go to McDonalds and get a burger and chips. Also, everyone that enters this building is usually checked by the security over there, wand inspection and the lot.
Harry nodded. "I understand that."
She nodded, "of course you do."
"Right, now, the first level, as you know, is our centre of communication. We do monitor this area at all times. The tellyfone boot that we use for the visitors entrance is controlled by the Minister for Magic. The number system that we use for the entrance code is placed by the Minister for Magic. As you know, 6-2-4-4-2 was the code that Fudge used.
You can access that from your office.
If you will press the '2' Mr. Potter."
Harry shrugged and, using the tip of his wand, pressed the 2. "Alright. Level 2 contains the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. This includes the Improper Use of Magic, the Auror Headquarters, the Wizengamot Administration Services and, the new offices that you have created will be contained here. A secret that only aurors and the Minister of Magic are allowed to know is that this level also contains the offices of the Unspeakables. Duck!"
Harry ducked as a yellow memo flew over head into another door. As before, the doors were really floo ports to various departments.
Kingsley left the lift and walked over to a door with "DMLE" stamped on it, with the seal of the Ministry of Magic under that. He pushed the door open. "This is the office of the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, and that door there is the Head's office. The door conjoined is the office that Rufus Scrimgeour is vacating.
That door across the corridor is the Improper Use of Magic office, and Madam Hopkirk is expecting you to fire her any time now."
Tonks smirked.
"The Wizengamot Administration Services are the courtrooms, and I doubt you want to see those, right?"
"Right."
He turned around and grabbed Harry's shoulder. "Alright, lets go onto level three then, Harry."
"Right Kingsley."
Level three was the Department of Magical Accidents and Catasrophies. Whenever accidental magic was recorded that was where it was recorded. Intrigued, Harry walked in and smiled at the person behind the desk.
"Hello, welcome to the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophies. I'm Matilda Hendrich, may I help you?"
"Matilda, I'd like to see my accidental magic records. Tell me, are they classified by typeof magic used, or anything else?"
"I'm sorry, accidental magic records are restricted to teachers and authorized viewers only, sir."
"Matilda, I believe the Minister for Magic has a right to see his own accidental magic record." Kingsley stated.
"Of course he does, Shacklebolt, but unless Minister Fudge comes then I can't authorize access to anyone."
"You don't get out much, do you Matilda?" Kingsley smiled. "Fudge was fired, we got a new Minister."
"Really, finally. Oh... Minister may I actually leave this office now. I was told three years ago not to leave my position without approval and was to search for magic that Harry Potter used.... wait, YOU'RE the Minister?"
Harry nodded. She blushed. "I'm sorry sir. I was under orders to watch for your magical signiture. Impressive display, by the way. I will need your authorization to remove the magical hold on the viewing of accidental magic."
"Kingsley?" Harry asked. The man smirked. "Just say that you authorize it, Harry."
"I authorize it."
The flash of magic scared Harry, as it glowed gold for a second. She smirked, stood up and walked over to the file. "This file is magic that you alone performed as a child, Mister Potter."
Tonks' eyes widened. "Compile" Matilda tapped the folder three times.
"It's separated by type of magic, whether or not the magic is in effect today, and the amount of magic used in the release of accidental magic."
Tonks smiled. "Thanks Matilda."
The woman smiled. "It was my pleasure... can I please move now?"
Harry nodded and she jumped up, walked out of the office and said, "Good, I QUIT!"
Snickering beside him, Tonks said, "I always did like Matilda. I'd thought she had died, Harry. She quit coming in, and when I would ask to see her, we were told that she was on permanent assignment."
"Man, that's gotta suck. She was stuck in that place, couldn't move for three years. She ate, right? She barely lived... Fudge was a sick bastard."
Kingsley couldn't help but agree. "Be that as it may, however, let us continue with the tour, shall we?"
Harry smiled, "of course. We're moving on to level four then?"
"Yeah, and I'm gonna tell you Hagrid will love this place. Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures. On your right you will see three doors, one marked Beast, on Being and the last Spirit. These are the three main divisions. The first, the Beast controls things like Redcaps.
The being division takes care of werewolves, vampires and the merpeople. As you can tell, the Spirit Division takes care of Poltergeists, and Ghosts. Each on that comes back has to register with that office.
That large office there is the Goblin Liaison office, and the last is the Pest advisory bureau. The PAB takes cares of the garden-gnomes, Cornish Pixies, and the House-Elves.
The next one is the most important office, in my opinion. This is the Department of Magical Co-operation. This area incorporates the laws that the magical English government has to abide by, and with your statement that we are going back to a Merlin-arian style of law, the offices have been running ragged.
You'll want to meet the others, I take it?"
Harry nodded. As they walked down this hall, Tonks pointed out various rooms. "Over there, that is the MTSB, the Magical Trading Standards Body. That area decides what is and is not acceptable as trade, and the galleon standard value pricing. At this moment in time, a Galleon is on a price of 1:6 to the American Dollar and 1:3 British Pounds.
That said, if you were to convert your galleons to dollars you'd have at least a quarter more than at the beginning of the summer."
Just then a brunette with blue eyes walked up to the counter. She smiled at Kingsley and, sneering at Tonks as if she were vermin, said, "Are we still on for tonight?"
Kingsley turned to Harry. who nodded. The man grinned and said, "Yes, definately, Clarissa.It just so happens that I'm touring the Minister for his first day. Harry, this is Clarissa Hapthorne, Clarissa this is Harry."
"Hello," Harry smiled, grabbing Tonks' hand in the process. The woman smiled, "It's good to meet you, sir, and you ma'am. I'm honored to work with the both of you. Kingsley, I'll see you later."
The man grinned and nodded, turned around. "You are my good luck charm, Harry."
"Up the hall here is the British Wizengamot seats. They are appointed by right of birth, pureblood supremacy at its worst. There is only one family currently on the wizengamot that is not head by a pureblood and that is the Crane Clan. Seamus Finnegan is the magical head ofthat family, and he's a half-blood as you know.
The Minister for Magic has one seat automatically, and any other seats that would have beenhis or hers during their time prior to the Ministry. So you have a total of five seats, Harry."
"Five?" Tonks asked. The man nodded. "One for the Minister for Magic position, one for the Potter line, one for the Gryffindor, one for the Black and the last for the Ravenclaw house. The Gryffindor is from the Potter side, and the Ravenclaw the Black side. Now that I think about it, if he wanted, Harry could post you in as the Black if you wished, and he'd only take three votes. Of course, the current Minister can only vote if there is a tie, or one where his vote could change the course, so I don't see why you'd even care."
"Or, I could let Dora have four votes, and just take the one for Minister that way we can try."
"It's possible, Harry, but very unlikely. Well, I think we need to move on to the next level. I think you'll like this one. You can get your apparition license here if you want to.You would have to learn how to apparate, but it's really simple. They even give crash coursesthat let a home-schooled students learn before the tests are given.
Welcome to level six, Department of Magical Transportation. To your left is the Floo Network Authority. Straight after that you have the office of the Broom Regulatory Control. Folliwing that you have the Portkey Office, who will instruct you on the making and working of Portkeys, and you'll be supplied with a license to create and distribute those as the Minister for Magic. This office here is the Apparition Test Center. You'll come here tomorrow for the lessons in apparition.
As that's all on this level, Harry, we need to get going. Level Seven is up next. This one is the place that Ron would stay at if he were invited. It's the Department of Magical Games and Sports. Here we incorporate the Quidditch Leagues for England and Ireland. The Chuddley Cannon office is right across from us, there is the Puddlemore United clubhouse, and there isthe much anticipate startup group from Weasley Wizard Wheezes, the London Pranksters.
They're just starting up and haven't really got anything yet, but I have asked if they wanted any help starting up and Fred said, "sure, have Harry get us some Firebolt's."
Harry snickered. "They're forming a Quidditch Team?"
"Yeah, sponsored by WWW. Oi! Angelina! Come here!"
Angelina Johnson, the former captain of Gryffindor Quidditch Team, walked out of the offices of London Pranksters and grinned. "Harry, good to see you!"
Harry smiled. "You too Angelina. You know my wife, Nymphadora?"
The girl grinned. "No, but I've heard great things about you, Madam Lady."
Tonks smiled. "And I you, Angelina."
"So, did you sign up?"
"Yeah, and... believe it or not, we've got our old team together, save a certain individualseeker that had to become Minister for Magic. Alicia and Katie were right upset at you for that."
Harry smirked. "I bet."
"Come on Harry, we've got to finish up. Good luck Angelina."
"Thank you."
Sighing Kingsley smirked. "And this is where I end the tour. You enter the lift now, and tap the panel three times. It will take you into the Minister's office. You'll see a Floo on the left from what I understand of it. From there, you will have to request a meeting with the mugle Minister for Magic. Don't worry though, we've dealt with him plenty. He's an alright bloke, just a bit light in the head."
"So I have to contact him?" Harry asked. Tonks nodded. Harry sighed. Grasping her hand, Harry entered the lift. The panel glowed a pale blue. Harry tapped the panel three times and, sighing to himself, jolted when the lift, instead of rising like he expected, went through a piece of the wall that was missing.
When the lift stopped, the door opened to reveal an immaculate office. The floo as expectedwas on the left, on the right wall a small library of books. The symbol of the Ministry for Magic was on the carpet, and a telephone was sitting beside the desk. Tonks pointed out that the phone was used to control the password to the visitor entrance.
Harry walked over and grinned. "Alright, I know the perfect code. 6-7-8-6-5-3-3-6-6-7-8."
As he inserted the code, Harry grinned. "Now only two people dare use that code."
Tonks sighed and said, "Right."
"So, the office isn't as extravagant as you would have thought, eh?"
"No, the way Fudge ran things, I half-expected there to be pictures of him all over the place when we got here. There's not anything you'd expect, though."
"I agree. It's almost as if the office herself ejected Fudge."
She snickered when she heard that.
"Well... what do I have to do now?"
"You... my loving husband, have to meet with the muggle Prime Minister. It's custom when a new Minister takes office, they meet with the Muggle Prime Minister."
"Really, now or sometime later?"
"Most take a week, get a sturdy power base. Your floo is the only one that connects with the muggle capitol."
"Oh, really?"
"Yeah. I would suggest you go ahead and get this done. Forget the proper way of doing things, you've got a war to fight."
"Okay... so... see him now then?"
She nodded. Harry walked over, to the floo powder. "What's the address?"
She giggled. "Harry, you put the powder in and then the Portrait there will light up. When it does, you just tell him you need to meet. The portrait will act as a messenger, after you floo."
"Right."
Grabbing a hand full of powder, Harry threw it in the fire. The portrait indeed lit up. Harry walked over. "Right... I need to speak with the Prime Minister."
The portrait just goggled at him and said, "And is there a purpose for this visit to the Prime Minister or are you just an impudent brat as Cornelius said you were, Mr. Potter."
"Hey now... that isn't necessary! For your information, yes there is a purpose. I'm the new Minister for Magic, you old codger. Now get the Prime Minister or I'll burn you down."
The portrait sneered at him. Leaving it's portrait, Harry waited for three minutes. When it came back, finally, it said, "If you just step through the floo, Minister."
Harry thanked him and walked through. Brushing the soot off his clothes, Harry extended a hand to the man in greeting, which was politely ignored.
"I'm sorry to interupt this late, Minister."
"Then why have you. Cornelius not feeling well?"
"No, sir, Cornelius Fudge was removed from office, one week ago, for coordinating with the Death Eaters. I was voted in his place."
"Yes... well, doesn't say much for the 'Wizarding' world does it?"
"No sir it does not. I'm only sixteen, after all."
"Well, get on with it, I'm waiting for an important meeting with another politician that I can't put off."
"Very well, how much did Fudge tell you the last you saw him?"
"Not much, that the entire wizarding world was alright, he was smearing a Harry Potter's name because the child had tried to take his job by saying that Lord Volde-something was back. I, personally, think the man was an idiot, and I can tell you now that I don't think much of you, either."
"The idiot didn't tell you anything then, Prime Minister. It was proven, two months ago, that Voldemort had, in fact, returned. Cornelius then began a campaign where he said that he had in fact been preparing for another war. That was proved to be false. After that, there was a vote of No Confidence issued, and he then tried to take the position by hostile force. That lead to the death of Albus Dumbledore, whom I am sure you have heard.
I was elected, in a time of desperation, to the position of Minister for Magic. I'm also, coincidentally, the 'child' he tried to smear with his campaign."
"Alright... you've done so leave."
"I can't, yet, Minister. Your other business can wait, this will take five minutes more, ifyou'll calm down."
"Fine, fine, what the bloody hell do you want?"
"First, the wizarding world is in a state of emergency. I wanted to tell you that we will try and contain this threat to the non-magical world. The dementors have left control of the Ministry and are now with Voldemort. Also, you may want to have a couple of our policemen placed in your office, in case of attack. I can, on your acceptance, place a fully trained auror in your office, his first duty to protect you."
"Alright, what else?"
"I will be having my Undersecretary filling out forms for you too look at. There have been several cases of false imprisonment in the last few years, starting with Sirius Black, the criminal from a few years ago. I want you to look at his record, and if you decide to pardon him in the non-magical world, I will then be 'forced' to open an inquiry. We can pardon him post-humously."
"Anything else, Minister, my appointment is about to arrive."
"Yes, one other thing Minister. The attack at Number Four Privet Drive, I'd like you to close inquiry into that. I will be taking care of that matter, personally, as that was my residence and I know a good picture of what happened there when the Dursley's died."
"Alright. Now, if you'll please leave?"
"One other thing, Minister. I don't appreciate your tone, but judging from it, Cornelius Fudge treated you horribly. I will, therefore, be in contact with you over the next year, I hope we can mend the differences between our worlds.
Thank you."
Harry left.
