"Calm down Tonks, unless you want 'doesn't play well with others' on your next performance report," Shacklebolt joked before turning back to Harry. "I hope Remus warned you that she doesn't like her first name, I'd hate to lose you while we're guarding you," He flashed a brilliant white smile at his own humor. "Now this is William Williamson," He nodded toward the brown-haired gentleman, "and this lovely lady is Sonja Dervens."
"I'll lovely you Kingsley," Sonja snarled.
"Aren't we safe here?" Harry asked. "Do we need guards at the Ministry?"
"Harry, right now you aren't safe anywhere," Remus said. "We are going down to a courtroom and while we're there you're going to be in close contact with plenty of witches and wizards. We still don't know who all the bad guys are and would prefer not to take chances."
"Fine," Harry replied.
"Now if you'll walk between us," Kingsley said to Harry. "And the rest of you can follow behind."
"No!" Harry said sharply. "If you're protecting me, then you're protecting all three of these ladies as well."
"But.." Shacklebolt started but Tonks cut him off.
"That might be for the best Shack," She said and shrugged when he looked at her questioningly. "I don't think you'll get Potter to go along without them."
"If that's the way it's got to be," Shacklebolt said after holding Tonks' gaze for a couple of seconds. "Remus, I'd like to go in front with me to help clear a wider area as we go. Tonks, you follow up the rear while Williamson and Dervens, you take either side. Harry, once we get downstairs, don't let anyone near you. Don't shake hands with anyone even if you think you recognize them. They could easily be polyjuiced or Imperiused. And whatever you do, don't stop walking."
They were led down the hall toward the golden gate. As they neared it, Kingsley directed them toward a small desk where a man was engrossed in his copy of the Daily Prophet. Over the desk was a sign that said. "Security".
When the guard didn't look up when the procession drew near, the Auror with the eye patch slammed her hand down on the desk. "Don't let us bother you Eric," She growled. "Think you could pay attention ever so often."
The badly shaved wizard in the peacock blue robes looked up sharply and then jumped to his feet as he dropped the paper. "Yeah sorry."
"Process these guys in," Auror Dervens said. "They're here for Pettigrew's trial of course."
The guard's eyes moved over the assortment of people in front of him and his eyes landed on the scar on Harry's forehead. "You're Harry Potter," He said as his eyes widened.
"Quit gawking and start working," Kingsley said sharply.
"Yeah sir, of course sir," Eric replied timidly. "Who's first?"
Remus nudged Harry forward. When he was close enough, the guard nervously waved a long skinny golden rod over Harry's front and then back.
"Wand?" Eric asked next as he held out his hand expectantly. Harry looked questioningly at Shacklebolt who nodded. Harry pulled his wand from his pocket and handed it to the guard. Eric held the wand gingerly, almost reverently. "Is this the wand you..."
"Just do your job Eric!" Shacklebolt ordered in a clearly irritated voice.
Eric nodded nervously and set Harry's wand gently on a brass instrument with a dish hanging from a chain. The device immediately started to vibrate. After a few seconds a strip of parchment came out of an opening at the bottom. The guard wizard tore off the parchment and read out.
"Eleven inches, phoenix-feather core, been in use for four years. That correct?" Eric asked in a voice that cracked with the pressure to perform his job under the scrutiny of four Aurors and Harry Potter, not to mention the most beautiful girls he'd ever seen watching him.
"Yes sir," Harry replied.
It took Eric three tries to put the paper on a small brass spike that was on his desk before he handed Harry's wand back to him.
"He'll need a badge as well," Shacklebolt reminded the guard.
Eric nodded and directed Harry to speak into a grill covering a hole on a post near the desk. "State your name and purpose for the visit."
"Uhm...Harry Potter and I'm here for Peter Pettigrew's trial."
The security guard reached into a slot on his desk and removed a square silver badge and handed it to Harry. "This needs to be visible at all times you're in the Ministry."
Harry nodded as he looked at the badge. It had Harry Potter/For Trial written on it. He pinned the visitor's badge to his robes.
"Who's next?" the guard asked. Fleur immediately stepped forward. Eric just stared at her for a few seconds before Auror Dervens hit him in the arm, hard. A few seconds later the guard was reading from another piece of parchment as he rubbed his arm where he'd been hit by the Auror again.
"Nine and a half inches, Veela hair core, been in use for seven years."
Hermione was next.
....
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