Chapter 182 – Ministry of Magic
"Floo network?" Harry looked puzzled.
Phineas nodded and explained, "Compared to Apparition, which is more difficult to master, Floo powder is the most common method of travel in the wizarding world. You move through fireplaces connected to the Floo Network. I'll let you try it someday—it's more comfortable than Apparition, but you'll end up covered in soot. It's not the cleanest method."
He continued casually, "If you're ever alone and need to get somewhere, you can hold your wand high and summon the Knight Bus. It's cheap—just a few Sickles or Knuts—and will take you wherever you want. But the ride is rough. There's also the Portkey—an enchanted object that transports you to a specific place. The Ministry strictly controls those, but… well, if they don't know about it, it's fine. I'll show you all of them eventually."
Harry was still a bit confused but decided not to ask more. The most important thing now was picking up his godfather.
As they walked, Harry looked around. The road was desolate, lined with shabby buildings, a tavern, and a nearly overflowing rubbish cart. It was nothing like he imagined the entrance to the Ministry of Magic would be.
Phineas noticed Harry's expression. "Yeah, I thought the same my first time. Come on."
He led Harry to a dilapidated red telephone booth and gestured for him to get in. "This is the visitor entrance. Ron's dad and other Ministry workers use a different route."
Phineas squeezed into the booth with Harry and closed the door behind them. He picked up the phone.
"Er, Phineas," Harry said, "I think it's broken."
"It doesn't matter," Phineas replied, grinning. "We're not actually using it to make calls. Still, Muggles did invent something clever here."
He turned the dial with practiced ease. "Six… two… four… four… two. That's it."
A cold female voice echoed around them—not from the phone, but from the air itself. "Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business."
"Phineas Black and Harry Potter," Phineas replied smoothly. "We're here to collect Sirius Black from custody."
There was a brief pause, as if the voice hadn't expected that answer. Then it replied, "Thank you. Please take the badges and pin them to your clothing."
A clink sounded from the coin slot, and two metal badges slid out, each inscribed with their names and purpose of visit. They pinned them on, and the booth began to descend with a low rumble. The sidewalk rose above them until everything went dark, accompanied by a grinding sound.
After about a minute, a narrow beam of light appeared below, and the lift stopped.
"We hope you enjoy your visit to the Ministry of Magic," the voice said politely.
Phineas chuckled. "For all their faults, they do care about appearances."
He pushed open the booth door, and Harry stepped out into a grand, polished corridor. The floor was black and glossy like obsidian, the peacock-blue ceiling inscribed with shifting magical runes. The black walls were lined with golden-rimmed fireplaces.
As Harry gazed around in awe, a burst of blue flame erupted in one of the fireplaces, and a wizard stepped out. Soon, more wizards arrived the same way.
"That's the Floo Network. Most Ministry employees use it to get to work," Phineas said, leading Harry down the corridor.
They entered the main hall of the Ministry. At the center stood an ornate magical fountain, its statues cast in glittering gold. A tall wizard held his wand high, surrounded by a witch, a centaur, a goblin, and a house-elf. Water spouted from their wands and limbs, cascading musically into the circular pool.
At the base of the fountain, an inscription read:
All proceeds from the Fountain of Magical Brethren are donated to St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical Maladies and Injuries.
Phineas scoffed. "Only part of it is. Most of the funds go straight into the pockets of Ministry officials. The real donors are the old pure-blood families."
He veered off toward one of the side corridors, pushing through a crowd until they reached a quiet office with a closed door.
"Here we are," Phineas said softly, then opened it.
Inside were two young wizards who looked up at the sound of the door. They jumped to their feet when they recognized Phineas.
"Master Black! You've come to collect your brother?" one of them asked quickly.
Phineas nodded. These two came from families friendly with the House of Black. That probably explained why they were stuck in a low-level department instead of rising through the ranks under Fudge.
"Sirius was brought back from Azkaban two days ago," the wizard said. "He's already here at the Ministry."
Phineas blinked. He had expected to accompany Ministry officials to Azkaban for the official transfer. Apparently, the pressure on the Ministry had been greater than he thought. They had moved faster than even he anticipated.