Chapter 30: I'm...

The morning after Halloween I got up early. Madam Pomfrey was pulling a cart tidying up the beds first thing in the morning, she ended up giving me certain looks that told me she wanted me out of here, so I got up to wake up Hermione.

I moved her a bit on the bed and when she woke up she was startled to see me.

"Hermione, we must go, or else Madam Pomfrey will kick me out of here" I told her.

She took a while to wake up and then got out of bed. The nurse, seeing her, came to give her a final check-up and then we left the infirmary.

"Are we going to take a shower or do you want me to use some cleansing spells on us?"

"It's early so I want to go take a shower, I also want to relax from yesterday, I'm still tense. See you in class"

"Sitting together?" I asked him to see if we could get back to normal.

"Yes..." She hesitated a bit, but in the end she said it firmly.

There we both parted ways. I just used a cleansing spell and went to train, I would take a shower after that.

-Headmaster's office-

In the headmaster's office, Albus Dumbledore was waiting near a fireplace. In a moment a huge green flame blazed up and a human figure came out of the chimney, he was a big black man, bald and with a friendly but straight face.

"Kingsley, you seem to be taking a break to put your work aside and pick up some kids from school." The headmaster laughed as he walked over to pat the shoulder of the person who had just appeared in his office.

"It's just for a moment Professor Dumbledore, Wilkie Twycross asked me if I could do him this favor. The minister wants to make a good impression, so he requested that not just any ministry employee come to pick up the children" Kingsley Shacklebolt replied, somewhat ashamed of what he was doing instead of his real job as an Auror because of the minister's policy.

"Fudge has always been like that, wanting to show off his quills to everyone," Dumbledore laughed, sympathizing with the young wizard in front of him, well, young for him "The students should be arriving by now, you can sit down for a while" He offered the boy a seat on a chair. ministry envoy.

And so it was, after a few minutes, Professor McGonagall arrived accompanied by several seventh-year students. There weren't many, only 4 people, including a girl who particularly had bubblegum pink hair.

"Here are the students, Headmaster" Professor McGonagall said to the headmaster after bowing to Kingsley in greeting.

The bald man got up and greeted the teacher and the students who had just arrived, all of them were somewhat impressed with this guy, several of them knew him, since within the aurors he is someone recognized.

"Well director, I think I'll take them right now, we don't want to take more of his time"

"Wait a minute, someone is still missing" the director stopped him, but inside he didn't want to have to.

"Right, I remember being told that you personally asked to add someone else," Kingsley recalled.

"I had no idea about this" Professor McGonagall said "Should I go look for him? What is the name of the student?"

"No need Minerva, she is not a student like the others, she will arrive shortly. You can continue with your things, don't worry" the director replied.

Professor McGonagall nodded and even though she was intrigued by the person Dumbledore personally applied for a place in the Ministry for, she still went on with her duties.

"Who is this person? You must value him very much" Kingsley stated curiously.

"He is a young man who could not attend school like the others due to certain family problems, he was educated at home and as a favor to his family I asked that they include him so that he can have some experience in the outside world. He will be inside the Auror department where you are Kingsley, he may be under your care" explained Headmaster Dumbledore.

The young people in the room were also intrigued, mostly just curious and somewhat pleased to learn some new gossip. But one of them was more intrigued, as she hoped to also be an Auror, the person they were talking about would possibly mate with her during these practices, so she was more curious than the others.

"I think it's good to be able to give him a chance" The auror said feeling a little sorry for the boy they were talking about, because he believed that going to Hogwarts or some magic school was necessary "But I think it will be difficult for him to stay in the auror department if is that I did not complete a formal education, many of the jobs that are not office can be somewhat complicated" he commented trying to warn the director about the difficulties that the fifth participant may suffer.

"Okay, I may not be as capable as the other students" he said causing some of them to gloat "but when he was 11 years old he was someone quite bright, even defeating with minimal help a four star creature while protecting a classmate wounded. He'll learn quickly, I'm sure" He didn't lie.

Both the auror and the other students were surprised, it was something impressive to do something similar at that age. The bubblegum-haired girl was also amazed, she waited even more anxiously for her future partner.

The director also began to think about that, despite not being a student with the most pleasant intentions and methods, he was still someone brilliant for his age and if he put aside certain attitudes, he believes that he could become a great magician. . Perhaps letting him participate in this is not a bad idea, although he did not want to admit it, the precautions that the boy was taking for the uncertain future were the most appropriate.

Shortly after, footsteps were heard and the door opened. Everyone in the room had their eyes on the person who entered, everyone wanted to know who was that person who made them wait. A peculiar young man came out of the door, with dark hair and eyes, but not normal colors, he was thin and without much physical build, his skin was light, but not quite white, his face was symmetrical and handsome in an artistic context, he had some slight Asian features, but they only go so far as to tell him that he was a half-breed in his eastern lineage.

Most were impressed with the boy who had just entered. Most of the students and the auror because of his appearance and a strange aura that covered him, it was not one that prevented them from seeing the boy as such, but one that left them with the feeling that he was not an ordinary person. . The director was a bit confused because he didn't remember him having an Asian heritage when he saw it earlier. And Tonks was the most upset of all, with her wide eyes she couldn't help but exclaim.

"What?!" She yelled causing everyone to look from her to her.

"Do you know him?" Asked one of the students who accompanied her.

Of course she knew him, not only that, she herself helped create the person that they have in front of her eyes, but at this moment she couldn't understand what was happening, she could only stay with her mouth open.

"Of course we know each other, we've seen each other before, although it was only for a moment, it was more of a small fight between us than a casual encounter. I hope you don't hold any hard feelings, Nymphadora" said the young man as he extended his hand to the pink-haired girl.

"No…none…" he said as he narrowed his eyes at the boy who was posing as someone else. She didn't know what was going on, but she humored him so as not to tear down her lie just yet, but she would make sure to bombard him with questions when they were alone.

"Allow me to introduce myself" She said as she made a sort of bow with her hands "I am Tenebrius Akaichi, a pleasure to meet you" she bowed slightly.

Both the headmaster and Tonks were a bit curious about the name he was using, but they knew the kid's sense of humor, so it didn't seem that out of place.

"I think you should go, you've wasted too much time here and I don't want Fudge to blame me later" said the headmaster.

"Sorry for the delay, I didn't know the password, so I had to go candy-tasting for a while before I could get in" Tenebrius apologized.

"Okay, everyone follow me" Kingsley said as he headed for the fireplace.

All the students lined up with Tonks behind Tenebrius giving him questioning looks, as well as inspecting the new traits that he didn't have before when she participated in her creation.

After a succession of emerald flares, only the director remained inside his office with Fawkes.

"Tenebrius huh...? What do you think?"

'Screech of Phoenix'

"Let's see how he does" the director said before going back to his desk.

-End director's office-

We went out through one of the chimneys of the ministry of magic, it was in a row with many others and wizards kept coming in and out of them, making this place look quite noisy.

"Follow me" he told us as he led us through the people who were going from one side to another.

We ended up following him to a small office, although it looked more like a waiting room, where some people were. When we arrived they stopped and looked at each of us.

"Well, here are your respective superiors, they will be divided into different parts within the ministry" Kingsley explained to us "Nymphadora Tonks and Akaichi Tenebrius, you will follow me to the auror department" he said to both of us.

We left that office leaving the others behind, I don't know if we would see each other soon or not, I didn't care. We ended up taking an elevator which we used to go down to the second level of the ministry.

After arriving, we went to a large wooden door that, when we crossed it, let us see many office cubicles where several Aurors could be found. We continued on while receiving a few glances from the men and women poking their heads out of their offices.

We came to an open space, a room full of bookshelves, some moving maps, a large desk, and some other magical artifacts, which I couldn't quite make out if I didn't take a closer look.

Inside this office was a man who moved around the room with his peculiar way of walking due to his wooden leg. From time to time he was seen waving his wand and some scrolls were moved from one place to another, sticking to a blackboard or being thrown in the trash.

"Mr. Moody, the Hogwarts students have arrived" Kingsley called his attention.

Alastor Moody turned around and we could see it, it was kind of horrifying. So many scars, his prosthetic leg and eye, what's left of his nose... if he continues like this I think he's going to have little of the original Moody left and he'll be a pure artificial replacement.

"I didn't agree with that, I already told Amelia and Fudge that I don't want children in my area" he complained yelling as he went to pick something up from his desk.

"We already know, but we can't help it, they are already here"

"Them? They were only supposed to send us one student this year" I said as he looked at both of us and then walked over with his wooden leg.

"He was added at the last minute, he doesn't belong at Hogwarts, but…" Kingsley tried to explain.

"I'm not going to accept that! I won't allow a stranger to come wander around the facilities like nothing happened" He ranted distrusting the figure of the young man in front of him, who clearly didn't feel there was something good, his instinct as an Auror that told him has saved for years yelled at him that something in that boy was not right.

"It was Dumbledore who personally requested his stay here"

"That old goat keeps getting sloppier..." he yelled as he took something from his personal flask, which he carried with him at all times.

"We can't do anything with that..."

"Get them out of here and you better not cause any trouble" Crazy Moody neither accepted nor denied.

Kingsley nodded and led us out of Moody's workroom, he seemed used to the old paranoid auror's behavior, so he didn't take what they said wrong. On the other hand, Tonks was tense throughout the short talk we just witnessed.

"Don't worry about him, he's always like that" I try to calm us down, although I wasn't anxious about Moody, at most a little uncomfortable because of his appearance "Today we don't have much work, so you will only get to know the facilities and some people , tomorrow they will really start"

After that he walked us around the ministry, not many places, but enough to get us around without getting lost. After the tour we returned with the other Aurors and he left us in a rest room while he went out to do his things telling us that he would be back soon, that we just pass the time.

We are next to the veterans of the department who were having their breakfast or snack, depending on their schedule. I had a coffee with assorted sandwiches quietly together with Tonks. We were surrounded by various people who seemed curious and eager for new gossip within the department, so they bombarded us with questions or comments to see if they would come up with anything interesting.

"This year's ones are quite peculiar, quite striking compared to last year's" commented a man who was also drinking coffee.

"Shut up, be more courteous" reprimanded a colleague hitting him making him spill his coffee on himself and jump, earning the laughter of others in the room.

"Tonks…you're Edward's daughter, right?" A bearded man commented.

"Yes" Tonks replied.

"I met your father once at work, he got trapped inside his business during a dark wizard attack" he commented.

"What does your father do?" I whispered to Tonks.

"He works for a store in Diagon Alley, in the accounting and administrative part"

"oh"

"And you, Tenebrius, are you Japanese? I mean by your Last Name" someone asked.

"No, I'm British, my mother was Japanese"

"It was her?" Asked the person who was drinking coffee at first.

"Shut up" The same woman from before told him, hitting him once more.

"Yes...she was...she's dead" I replied without the slightest shakiness.

"I'm sorry" answered the woman who reprimanded the man from the cafe.

"Why? Did you kill her?"

"What? Noooo" she replied excitedly.

"Then you don't have to apologize" I said laughing, causing the people around me to laugh at the joke too, but a little uncomfortably.

"So you carry your mother's last name?" Tonks asked without much curiosity, knowing that nothing he said was true, but she was still somewhat intrigued by the story she was here for.

"Yeah, I don't know my father and I don't think she knew who she was either. She only liked British cocks and that's why I'm here" I said taking a sip of my coffee.

Everyone was silent for a moment on my comment, no one seemed to expect something like this.

"What? It's the truth" Clarify "She told me herself"

"Yes, she's fine" commented the 'coffee guy' along with some other guys

Several women refrained from commenting, but some cast compassionate glances, I don't know what stories have been invented with what I said, but maybe it will serve to give pity later.

Kingsley arrived shortly after.

"Well, you can follow me, let's go to the place where her residence is located"

Tonks and I followed him and met the other Hogwarts students, once together we went back to the chimneys. Another trip through the Floo network and we arrived at a kind of room with three fireplaces together, where on one side there was a desk that worked as a reception where an old man was sitting.

When we got out of there we realized that it was just a small house that was used to keep the chimneys of the Floo network. From his entrance he followed a path of stones to a group of buildings.

They were a group of four buildings not arranged in a linear fashion, from above they looked like elongated rectangles, each with two floors. There were several consecutive doors every certain distance on both the ground floor and the upper floor, it had stairs on the sides so that one could climb onto the platform in front of the upper floor doors. On the other side of the building were some windows

"Here are the rooms given by the ministry to its employees, in case they do not have a permanent home or do not want to return to them to avoid any inconvenience. This place has several protections so it is quite safe. As interns you will be assigned to live here during this period" he explained as he led us to one of the buildings.

We arrived in front of the doors of the buildings and Kingsley continued.

"Each apartment has several rooms, it is so that in case someone has problems they can receive help in time, and in their case, so that they have a little more guidance in the ministry. Each of you will be assigned to a room where there is already someone; except for Akaichi and Tonks, because of the last minute arrangements we put them together, I hope you don't mind Nymphadora, we can try to change them if you want" the auror offered, taking into account that she was a woman and that in This time is lived in a conservative society, even more so in the magical world.

"No need" Tonks replied after giving me a few glances "I don't think we'll have any problems"

I don't know why that statement bothers me so much, I understand that she knows I'm an 11-year-old, but for her to use that as a justification to say that I'm not dangerous to her, it makes me feel a little hurt in my pride... maybe if I'm acting a bit like a child.

"Okay, so your room is exactly the one above us, 202, the others' are 117, 108 and 213" he indicated to each of us our rooms "From now on you are free to do whatever you want for the rest of the day. Tomorrow, first thing in the morning, they are expected in their respective departments" He told us before leaving

When Kingsley left, Tonks and I went upstairs with the other girl who lived upstairs. The two of us walked across the platform to the upper floor and stopped when we found door 202.

We entered and found a small living room, to the right was the kitchen, and further forward in the direction of the door was a corridor that led to the two bedrooms and bathrooms.

After seeing the house, we both sat on the couches and Tonks took out what she wanted to tell me since she saw me.

"Okay, now tell me, what are you doing here?" She demand.

"What do you think, I do internships like you. You said it was a good practice and I agree with it, I thought it would be good for me, so I made sure I could come too... and accompany you"

"But how the hell did you do it? I don't think you can just come to the ministry and demand that they let you in"

"Of course not, I don't have the means to do it"

"Then how?"

"Remember all that mess we made at Hogwarts? I used that to blackmail the headmaster into helping me"

"Blackmail the principal?!" I exclaim exalted.

"Well that and some other dirty laundry I knew"

"But how did you manage to do that?" I ask, but it was more of an existential question.

"We negotiate, it doesn't really matter how. Now I'm here and I hope we can do great things together" I smiled at him.

She was silent for a moment as she looked at the floor before looking up with a downcast face.

"And I thought I could stay away from you, it seems I'm doomed to be involved in everything you provoke... I don't think I'm having much luck"

"Hey, I know you had fun helping me too, it's not like I'm just bringing you trouble, everything went well so far" I told her unsatisfied by her comments.

"Okay, you're right, but you won't always have the luck you've had so far. And you better not try to make any of your big evil plans, I'm not going to let you ruin this for me, I want to be an auror more than anything in the world "He looked at me very seriously.

"I do not promise anything, but I will try not to cause you problems"

"I hope so"

"By the way, what was that about 'My mother liked British cocks'? You were always one of those who spoke in double meanings or were ambiguous, I never heard you be so direct" I ask now that it is clear that I would stay with She found the change in attitude intriguing.

"Didn't you find it funny? Now I don't have to hold back anymore, I have another identity, so I'm not worried about affecting my reputation"

"Reputation? I thought you didn't care about that anymore when we played 'Red Weasley's whoredom'" she asked confused.

"If it had been real, then if it had been bad, but since it was just rumors that ended with me being the victim, then my reputation is intact and in certain cases better than before. Instead, now I can do whatever I want regardless of the risk." Since no one knows who I am except you and Dumbledore."

"I don't think anything good will come out of this... but it will be interesting to meet this Red Weasley, or rather, Tenebrius"

After the talk we decided to fix the place where we would stay, each one chose a room. Tonks returned to the chimneys where we entered to go to her home to look for her things and some daily necessities, I did not accompany her although it might have been interesting to meet her parents, I just took some things out of my inventory and then started to order the home and cook something for when she came back.