Membership fic: "Never Lose Faith"
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Title: Never Lose Faith
Author: katwoman-68
Rating: PG
Summary: Just what is Kingsley thinking?
Word Count: ~1575
Disclaimer: Harry Potter created and owned by JK Rowling. This story is intended for entertainment purposes only. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Ginny let herself into her small flat near Holyhead and fervently wished that it were Friday night. After the match with Appleby on Friday, she and Harry had plans to barricade themselves in his London flat for the weekend, away from her family, the team, and all of their friends.
Ginny saw the pile of unread newspapers and picked up the most recent Evening Prophet that must have just been delivered. The Wednesday evening edition usually included the best information on the Quidditch teams and the forthcoming weekend's matches. She had heard a rumor that in a rare in-season trade Oliver Wood had left Puddlemere United to join the Tutshill Tornados. She smiled thinking if that was true the Cannons were probably looking at their tenth loss of the season. She smirked thinking even if it wasn't true the Cannons would probably still lose.
She headed down the narrow hallway, stopping to run water in the tub before heading into her bedroom. Sitting on the edge of her bed, Ginny peeled off her practice kit. Grabbing the paper, she headed back to the bathroom. Rummaging through the jars on her vanity, she selected one with yellow bath salts and liberally poured some into the tub, silently thanking Ron and George for creating it for her. After her first few practices with the Harpies, Ginny had suggested that they find some way of adapting the bruise paste that Fred and George had created into something she could use easily and quickly after a hard practice.
She slid into the water, immersing her body from the shoulders down. A few moments of the salted water working it's magic on her bruised muscles, she felt relaxed enough and sat up. After drying her hands on a towel, Ginny leaned over the tub to pick up the paper, ready to read about Oliver's transfer. Her eyes widened and she never got past Rita Skeeter's headline story.
Ginny flung the paper on the bathroom floor and dried herself quickly. Her skin was still damp seconds later when she pulled on her jeans and jumper. Running down the hallway, Ginny dropped to her knees and ripped open all issues of the Prophet since Monday morning. The first mention was in the Monday evening edition. Former Top Ministry Official Claims She Was Unjustly Fired screamed the headline.
She grabbed a handful of Floo powder and stepped through to Harry's flat, not knowing if she'd hug him or curse him when she got there. How could he know about this Monday and not tell her?
He was sprawled out on his sofa, his left side arm dragging against the floor, his head wedged at an awkward angle against the arm of the sofa. His glasses were askew - the left lens over his eyelid, the right over his scar - and his hair was more disheveled than normal. Loud rumbling snores were the only sound in the room. But the stench? Ginny's nose burned from the sour and sweet smell in the room. Looking around she found two empty bottles of Ogden's Old Firewhisky and an overturned glass under the coffee table.
Ginny took the bottles and glass into the kitchen, where she found an unopened bottle. Looking through his cupboards she found what she needed for a sobering potion and quickly mixed one. Pouring it into a glass she sniffed and was glad she wasn't going to need to drink it. Ginny smirked remembering the first time Gwenog had brewed the hangover cure. Gwenog had poured it down Charda's throat. The new keeper hadn't touched alcohol since, much less shown up to practice drunk. A bubble floated up from the bottom of the glass and burst on the surface, spattering a few drops of the foul potion on her nose. Wiping it away, Ginny grinned evilly, thinking that the next time Harry was having a problem he might actually talk to her about it rather than lock himself in his flat with his friend Ogden.
"Harry. Harry." She leaned over him, gently shaking his arm. Harry opened his eyes, one looking magnified under his glass lens.
A slow grin spread across his face. "Hiya, Ginnn," Harry said, his words slurred.
She helped him into a sitting position and held the glass to his lips. "You need to drink this."
He sniffed the concoction jerking his head away. "Don't want that. More firwhisy. Wanna forget ugly toad." Harry reached under the table, his hand moving frantically trying to locate his glass and bottle.
Ginny shook her head firmly, hoping he would forgive her later. She placed her hand on the back of his neck, the other holding the potion to his lips. "This now. Firewhisky later." She tipped the glass. "Drink." Ginny sighed as a few drops slipped from the corner of his mouth. "Trust me, please, Harry."
His eyes widened and he tried to pull his head away, but Ginny's grip was firm. His eyes watered and he gagged, trying not to swallow the potion. Ginny rubbed her hand over his throat and Harry grimaced as he swallowed. She watched Harry until she could see that it had done the job.
Harry straightened his glasses and rubbed his hands over his hair in a hopeless attempt to smooth it. "What was that?"
"Just something that Gwenog mixes up when someone shows up for practice not exactly sober. I've never had to drink it. Most players make sure they don't have to drink it twice." Ginny rubbed her thumbnail down the edge of her jeans, not wanting to bring up the subject, but knowing it had to be done. "So, Umbridge."
"I'll quit."
A horrified look crossed Ginny's face. "She won't be working in Magical Law Enforcement, will she?"
Harry shook his head. "It doesn't matter what department she works in. She'll be in the Ministry."
"What's Kingsley thinking, letting her come back?" Ginny leaned against Harry, rubbing her hand over his back.
"She said that there was never a cause to fire her and that she had worked under two Ministers of Magic and that she had done what was asked of her whether Kingsley liked it or not, whether she agreed with it or not, but she had done her job as she was instructed by the Minister," Harry rambled, sounding more and more defeated as he talked.
Ginny wrapped her arms around Harry, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Maybe she-"
"Harry! Harry!" Hermione's voice floated from the fireplace before she emerged.
Harry and Ginny looked over at the excited witch.
"Great news." Hermione stopped to catch her breath. "Kingsley did offer Umbridge a position as-"
Harry scowled at her and interrupted. "You said 'Great news.' To me, that isn't great!" He clenched his fist, the skin pulling tight, the words I must not tell lies showing faintly. Ginny closed her eyes, remembering the feeling of Umbridge's special quills cutting into her own skin.
Hermione shook her head. "Just listen. Kingsley told her that he already had a Senior Undersecretary that he trusted. He also told her that her last job as Head of the Muggle-born Registration Commission no longer existed. In fact, the only job that wasn't filled right now was in the Magical Maintenance Department working for Reg Cattermole.
"Of course, Umbridge demanded that Kingsley find her a better job. Kingsley said he offered her a job at the Ministry and she could take it or not. He also said she was free to talk to any of the other department heads, but considering the way she had acted towards them when she was Fudge's Undersecretary he didn't think many of them would welcome her." Hermione smiled. "She decided she didn't really want to work at the Ministry after all."
Harry slowly processed what Hermione had said, and realized the Kingsley had devised the perfect plan. He smiled, feeling calm for the first since Kingsley had called him into his office on Monday to warn him. "Thanks, Hermione. I should have trusted Kingsley, but Umbridge was trying everything she could, even going to the press to plead her case."
"Yes, he was really torn about what to do. I wanted you to know tonight, but I think her retirement announcement - Kingsley did agree to let her retire based on her prior service - will be in the Daily Prophet tomorrow morning. I'll see you tomorrow, Harry, and at the match on Friday, Ginny." Hermione waved to them both before disappearing through the Floo.
Harry sank back into the sofa cushions. "I really didn't want to leave the Ministry, but I don't think I could work in the same building with that woman."
Ginny laughed. "It did work out for the best. I would probably have regretted hitting Kingsley with a Bat-Bogey the next time I saw him."
Harry turned to look at her his eyes wide. Ginny wouldn't really do that. Or would she? "You wouldn't have..."
Ginny cocked her head at him. "Since he figured out a way to keep her out of the Ministry, we'll never know, will we?"
Harry pulled her into his arms and hugged her. "If you ever do decide to do that, warn me in advance."
She grinned up at him. "Why? So you can not be present, or so you can watch?"
"Of course I’m going to watch. Might even bring a camera." Harry smothered her laugh with his kiss.
Members, please vote on this story. It's simply a yes or no vote -- if the author gets 60%, we will offer membership in the community. If not, they will be invited to try again. Your vote will be confidential, but the percentage will show up in the red voting bars. Any comments will be viewable only to the mods, and we will pass them on to the author.
Poll Membership vote #49
Title: Never Lose Faith
Author: katwoman-68
Rating: PG
Summary: Just what is Kingsley thinking?
Word Count: ~1575
Disclaimer: Harry Potter created and owned by JK Rowling. This story is intended for entertainment purposes only. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Ginny let herself into her small flat near Holyhead and fervently wished that it were Friday night. After the match with Appleby on Friday, she and Harry had plans to barricade themselves in his London flat for the weekend, away from her family, the team, and all of their friends.
Ginny saw the pile of unread newspapers and picked up the most recent Evening Prophet that must have just been delivered. The Wednesday evening edition usually included the best information on the Quidditch teams and the forthcoming weekend's matches. She had heard a rumor that in a rare in-season trade Oliver Wood had left Puddlemere United to join the Tutshill Tornados. She smiled thinking if that was true the Cannons were probably looking at their tenth loss of the season. She smirked thinking even if it wasn't true the Cannons would probably still lose.
She headed down the narrow hallway, stopping to run water in the tub before heading into her bedroom. Sitting on the edge of her bed, Ginny peeled off her practice kit. Grabbing the paper, she headed back to the bathroom. Rummaging through the jars on her vanity, she selected one with yellow bath salts and liberally poured some into the tub, silently thanking Ron and George for creating it for her. After her first few practices with the Harpies, Ginny had suggested that they find some way of adapting the bruise paste that Fred and George had created into something she could use easily and quickly after a hard practice.
She slid into the water, immersing her body from the shoulders down. A few moments of the salted water working it's magic on her bruised muscles, she felt relaxed enough and sat up. After drying her hands on a towel, Ginny leaned over the tub to pick up the paper, ready to read about Oliver's transfer. Her eyes widened and she never got past Rita Skeeter's headline story.
Ginny flung the paper on the bathroom floor and dried herself quickly. Her skin was still damp seconds later when she pulled on her jeans and jumper. Running down the hallway, Ginny dropped to her knees and ripped open all issues of the Prophet since Monday morning. The first mention was in the Monday evening edition. Former Top Ministry Official Claims She Was Unjustly Fired screamed the headline.
She grabbed a handful of Floo powder and stepped through to Harry's flat, not knowing if she'd hug him or curse him when she got there. How could he know about this Monday and not tell her?
He was sprawled out on his sofa, his left side arm dragging against the floor, his head wedged at an awkward angle against the arm of the sofa. His glasses were askew - the left lens over his eyelid, the right over his scar - and his hair was more disheveled than normal. Loud rumbling snores were the only sound in the room. But the stench? Ginny's nose burned from the sour and sweet smell in the room. Looking around she found two empty bottles of Ogden's Old Firewhisky and an overturned glass under the coffee table.
Ginny took the bottles and glass into the kitchen, where she found an unopened bottle. Looking through his cupboards she found what she needed for a sobering potion and quickly mixed one. Pouring it into a glass she sniffed and was glad she wasn't going to need to drink it. Ginny smirked remembering the first time Gwenog had brewed the hangover cure. Gwenog had poured it down Charda's throat. The new keeper hadn't touched alcohol since, much less shown up to practice drunk. A bubble floated up from the bottom of the glass and burst on the surface, spattering a few drops of the foul potion on her nose. Wiping it away, Ginny grinned evilly, thinking that the next time Harry was having a problem he might actually talk to her about it rather than lock himself in his flat with his friend Ogden.
"Harry. Harry." She leaned over him, gently shaking his arm. Harry opened his eyes, one looking magnified under his glass lens.
A slow grin spread across his face. "Hiya, Ginnn," Harry said, his words slurred.
She helped him into a sitting position and held the glass to his lips. "You need to drink this."
He sniffed the concoction jerking his head away. "Don't want that. More firwhisy. Wanna forget ugly toad." Harry reached under the table, his hand moving frantically trying to locate his glass and bottle.
Ginny shook her head firmly, hoping he would forgive her later. She placed her hand on the back of his neck, the other holding the potion to his lips. "This now. Firewhisky later." She tipped the glass. "Drink." Ginny sighed as a few drops slipped from the corner of his mouth. "Trust me, please, Harry."
His eyes widened and he tried to pull his head away, but Ginny's grip was firm. His eyes watered and he gagged, trying not to swallow the potion. Ginny rubbed her hand over his throat and Harry grimaced as he swallowed. She watched Harry until she could see that it had done the job.
Harry straightened his glasses and rubbed his hands over his hair in a hopeless attempt to smooth it. "What was that?"
"Just something that Gwenog mixes up when someone shows up for practice not exactly sober. I've never had to drink it. Most players make sure they don't have to drink it twice." Ginny rubbed her thumbnail down the edge of her jeans, not wanting to bring up the subject, but knowing it had to be done. "So, Umbridge."
"I'll quit."
A horrified look crossed Ginny's face. "She won't be working in Magical Law Enforcement, will she?"
Harry shook his head. "It doesn't matter what department she works in. She'll be in the Ministry."
"What's Kingsley thinking, letting her come back?" Ginny leaned against Harry, rubbing her hand over his back.
"She said that there was never a cause to fire her and that she had worked under two Ministers of Magic and that she had done what was asked of her whether Kingsley liked it or not, whether she agreed with it or not, but she had done her job as she was instructed by the Minister," Harry rambled, sounding more and more defeated as he talked.
Ginny wrapped her arms around Harry, leaning her head on his shoulder. "Maybe she-"
"Harry! Harry!" Hermione's voice floated from the fireplace before she emerged.
Harry and Ginny looked over at the excited witch.
"Great news." Hermione stopped to catch her breath. "Kingsley did offer Umbridge a position as-"
Harry scowled at her and interrupted. "You said 'Great news.' To me, that isn't great!" He clenched his fist, the skin pulling tight, the words I must not tell lies showing faintly. Ginny closed her eyes, remembering the feeling of Umbridge's special quills cutting into her own skin.
Hermione shook her head. "Just listen. Kingsley told her that he already had a Senior Undersecretary that he trusted. He also told her that her last job as Head of the Muggle-born Registration Commission no longer existed. In fact, the only job that wasn't filled right now was in the Magical Maintenance Department working for Reg Cattermole.
"Of course, Umbridge demanded that Kingsley find her a better job. Kingsley said he offered her a job at the Ministry and she could take it or not. He also said she was free to talk to any of the other department heads, but considering the way she had acted towards them when she was Fudge's Undersecretary he didn't think many of them would welcome her." Hermione smiled. "She decided she didn't really want to work at the Ministry after all."
Harry slowly processed what Hermione had said, and realized the Kingsley had devised the perfect plan. He smiled, feeling calm for the first since Kingsley had called him into his office on Monday to warn him. "Thanks, Hermione. I should have trusted Kingsley, but Umbridge was trying everything she could, even going to the press to plead her case."
"Yes, he was really torn about what to do. I wanted you to know tonight, but I think her retirement announcement - Kingsley did agree to let her retire based on her prior service - will be in the Daily Prophet tomorrow morning. I'll see you tomorrow, Harry, and at the match on Friday, Ginny." Hermione waved to them both before disappearing through the Floo.
Harry sank back into the sofa cushions. "I really didn't want to leave the Ministry, but I don't think I could work in the same building with that woman."
Ginny laughed. "It did work out for the best. I would probably have regretted hitting Kingsley with a Bat-Bogey the next time I saw him."
Harry turned to look at her his eyes wide. Ginny wouldn't really do that. Or would she? "You wouldn't have..."
Ginny cocked her head at him. "Since he figured out a way to keep her out of the Ministry, we'll never know, will we?"
Harry pulled her into his arms and hugged her. "If you ever do decide to do that, warn me in advance."
She grinned up at him. "Why? So you can not be present, or so you can watch?"
"Of course I’m going to watch. Might even bring a camera." Harry smothered her laugh with his kiss.
Members, please vote on this story. It's simply a yes or no vote -- if the author gets 60%, we will offer membership in the community. If not, they will be invited to try again. Your vote will be confidential, but the percentage will show up in the red voting bars. Any comments will be viewable only to the mods, and we will pass them on to the author.
Poll Membership vote #49