Adult-FanFiction.org : Harry Potter

Zingaro	By : ccino49 Category: Harry Potter > Het - Male/Female Views: 3610 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter, nor any of the characters from the books or movies. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 20
- 21
- 22
I own nothing from the Harry Potter universe. It all belongs to JK Rowling.

Zingaro

Chapter 21

Just about every face was turned in their direction as Paula and Severus entered the Great Hall. Even the staff seemed surprised.
�Professor Vance, what an unexpected surprise. I am pleased you have decided to join us for dinner.� Albus said, smiling at her.
�Thank you Headmaster, Professor Snape can be most persuasive when he wishes to be.�
Severus led her to the seat next to his and sat beside her. She watched him make his cursory sweep of the hall before gracing the students with a full on glare.
The stares diminished as they met the dark gaze of their Potions Master and they chatted quietly amongst themselves until Albus clapped his hands and the food appeared.
�Ah, a little more sophisticated then my offering Severus.� Paula whispered.
�Loathe though I am to admit it, I much preferred what we had for lunch. There is something to be said for capturing ones own food.� He replied.
Monday morning saw an impressive looking brown owl delivering a letter to Paula during breakfast.

Giving the owl a piece of toast, she took the envelope and sent it on its way.
Severus scowled when he saw the Ministry seal. �Trouble?� He asked.

Dear Miss Vance
It has been noted that on Sunday, 1^st of November. this year, you saw fit to release a dangerous magical creature into the wild without first receiving the permission of the Ministry�s department for the control of magical creatures, and against the advice of the officials at the Welsh dragon rescue sanctuary.

As a result of your actions, the Ministry is forced to request that at 2pm Thursday, 4^th November. you attend a meeting with our of control of magical creature department head so they might discover the reason for your illegal actions that day.

The Minister for Magic, Egbert Minnings will be informed of the proceedings when he arrives in his office this morning.

Failure to attend a Ministry appointment for criminal misdemeanours is an offence punishable by immediate imprisonment in Askaban.

Annie Seckonnow

Under secretary to the chief of magical creature control

�I told you this would happen.� He hissed, when she showed him the letter. �Never the less, I shall come with you. I was party to the events after all.�
�That will not be necessary Severus, once I have spoken with Minister Minnings, everything will be fine. He is the one who requested I do whatever was needed to help her and that is what I did. There is no point in you being involved in this, you had no control over my actions and it is likely they will use your presence there as an excuse to detain you.�
�Nevertheless, I think I should at least be there to lend you my support.�
�Thank you Severus for caring once again, but really, it is best I go alone. You can join me for supper Thursday evening and I will tell you what happened.�
�You may not be here Thursday evening if the Ministry sinks their claws into you. You set a blasted dragon on the loose for Merlin�s sake.�

�I will be here, trust me.�
Paula carried on as normal for the rest of the week, while Severus was on edge, convinced she had no idea what she was up against with the Ministry. Especially with the Minister himself involved.
�She just let the beast go Headmaster, even after being told it was not advisable. Now the Ministry is on her back and she is not in the least concerned about it.�

�Severus, I believe Paula has already revealed much of herself to you, do you honestly believe the Ministry will have any sway on her. She has a missive from the Minister himself stating that she do whatever is necessary to help that particular dragon. Granted it was unlikely that he expected her to actually let it go, but he did not state that she could not.�
Severus sat in the Headmasters office, facing the older wizard and unconvinced that Paula would not be arrested. He scowled. �You know as well as I what the Ministry are like. A bunch of bungling buffoons that cannot see justice if it is hitting them in the face. A letter is not going to sway them on this and you know it.�

�I know that Paula Vance has a rock solid argument in her favour. She will speak with Minister Minnings and the matter will be hushed up as though it never happened Severus. She can be very persuasive when she chooses, as I am sure you are already aware.�
Severus harrumphed and headed back to his dungeon office. Persuasive or not, he did not believe Paula could take on the Minister and the department for the control of magical beasts without some sort of repercussions. He was outnumbered however, Paula and the Headmaster both convinced there was not a problem.

He was prepared to attend the meeting with her and offer moral support, even he knew it would be pointless for him to try putting a word in for her. The Ministry frowned on him despite the fact they knew he was spying for them and the Order.
Unable to contain himself, Severus sat at Paula�s fire each evening trying to persuade her to let him accompany her, each time Paula refused him.
On Thursday Severus set essays for all his classes. His mind was too embroiled on the chance of Paula not returning from the Ministry to risk setting the students to brewing potentially hazardous potions. He knew he would regret setting the essays when it came time to mark each one, but for now it was the safer alternative.
Thursday lunchtime found him eating bread, ham and cheese as he shivered in his chair at her campfire, still trying to change her mind.

He paced the classroom all afternoon, not even noticing when the students were whispering to each other rather than writing. Gryffindor even escaped his class with a record total of nil points taken from their house in potions that day.
Paula apparated to London, not seeing the point in taking the hearse and trying to find a parking space. She made her way through muggle London and entered the alley where the red phone box stood. Dialling the numbers that alerted the Ministry to her presence, Paula announced her name and the nature of her business, then pinned the badge to her blouse.
She wore her black leather jeans today and ankle boots, along with a vivid red blouse and a long black leather coat. Her hair was lose and she strode from the phone booth with a natural grace that caused several wizards to turn in her direction.
Some wondered if she was a vampire, regardless of the fact she was there in broad daylight. Most though just stared longingly at her.
After registering her wand, Paula was told that the Minister was in his office and wished to speak with her first.

TBC
- 20
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- 22
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Zingaro