章節 19: Interview
Only three days later, Rose found herself on the boat on her way to Azkaban. She was still surprised that her mother allowed this, but she hadn't dared to ask why, in case she would change her mind. She knew Uncle Harry thought this was a terrible idea, and he had tried to talk her out of it. She suspected he had tried to talk to her mother about it too, but he had not been able to convince her.
Rose didn't know exactly why she was so determined to come here. Uncle Harry was right, she really didn't have any experience with this sort of thing. But something deep inside of her told her that this was something she had to do. It wasn't just revenge, as Uncle Harry seemed to think. She needed to know, to see for herself, that the Death Eaters would not be able to escape again. She couldn't live a life in fear that they would return at any moment.
As far as anyone else on this boat knew, she was just one of several new hires going to the prison. And she was a young man called Kevin. Kevin was of slight build, but otherwise unremarkable. Someone who knew her well might see Rose Malfoy under the new haircut and clothes, but all in all she was fairly pleased with the disguise. She had done what she could without altering her appearance with magic. That could be detected, and Azkaban had security measures against it. Or, if they did not have that, her mother intended to implement it. So, no magic disguise, but a few tricks with the hair and boy's clothing really made a lot of difference. As Lestrange had said, it was easier to hide when no one was looking for you. No one would look for Rose Malfoy in Azkaban. At least she hoped not.
She had tried exchanging a few words with the other new hires, and her general impression of them was that neither of them was very excited about this new job. But they would do it. Some of them denounced the Dark Arts and those that practised it quite loudly. Those would be the ones that needed watching the most.
Whilst they were on their way, the Minister for Magic, who was travelling with them, had a personal interview with each of them. No one knew what was being said, since the room was blocked from eavesdropping, and they did not come back out the same way. Someone had of course tried to listen in. Rose wondered a bit about these interviews herself, but suspected they were done mostly as an excuse for her mother to talk to her for a bit privately just before they arrived.
Finally, it was her turn. She went in and gave a short bow to the Minister while the door was still open. She had seen others do that to her mother, though it was not a requirement.
"Kevin, isn't it?" Hermione asked. "Please, sit down." Then the door closed. Hermione smiled. "That was well done." she said. "But don't bend your knees at the same time as you are bowing. It looks strange."
Rose nodded. "How do you like my new co-workers?" she said with a smile.
"Generally, I am unimpressed. But I suppose most of them will do. They are the only people I can be reasonably sure will not help the Death Eaters escape, since they weren't here earlier. But they can be swayed just like everyone else. That is the main thing I want you to look out for."
"I understand," Rose said. "I am honestly a bit surprised that you allow me to do this."
"Well, I am not a huge fan of the idea. But I suspected that you would find a way to get here anyway, possibly in the same way as you are now, just without me knowing who you are."
Rose blushed. That was exactly what she had been planning to do. Though with the security measures against magical disguises, she suspected she would have been discovered.
"You are a lot like me in many ways," Hermione said with a smile. "This way, you will have something to occupy your mind while Scorpius recovers, and I will know where you are. Now, how have you planned on doing this? We have about 10 minutes, that is how long I spent talking to the others."
"What were you asking the others? Just so I know what to say when I join them."
"Mainly it was a sort of second job interview. To check if they were suited for the job. I also asked them not to talk about the specifics."
"That's not going to stop them. You told us to not try to eavesdrop too, but that is almost all we have tried to do since you started taking us in here."
Hermione smiled. "Yes, I suspected that. Don't worry, there is no way to penetrate these walls without me noticing it. Anyway, what have you planned?"
"Well," Rose said. "I don't have a detailed plan yet, but I was planning on getting assigned to the Death Eater guards somehow, and then see how responsive they will be to let a new, curious guard in on their plans. Either they will respond, and I can pretend to try to help them escape again, or they will reject it, and I will know to look out for whoever it is that is still helping them."
"A good starting plan." Hermione nodded. "But be careful to not appear too eager to help them. And remember, they know you. That is one of the reasons I was hesitant to let you do this. Lestrange especially seems to have studied you in detail. Be sure that you change your words, phrases, the way you move, so that he won't recognise it is you despite the change in appearance. Lestrange is not there now, but he may return in a few days. Better to have your persona fixed before then." Rose nodded. She hadn't thought about that. She would try to talk like some of the other boys from her year. Like James maybe.
"Oh, yes, one last thing. The other guards don't know it, but I have tagged them all with these Trackers. Brilliant devices. I need you to have one too. Guards all have variations of one colour, the Death Eaters have variations of a different colour. You'll have another." She held the Tracker up. Rose nodded. She had suspected something like that.
"I am glad it has different colours" she said. "That way, you know if it is just guards heading home or an escaped prisoner. But how have you placed it on them without them knowing? And are you planning on getting these Trackers on all the guards?"
"Oh, I reassuringly touched their shoulder when the interview was over. I don't know if I can place it on the other guards yet, and I don't have enough for all of them. But I will probably find a way to get Trackers into those that work in top-security at least. Anyway, I want yours to be a bit better secured. Here," she rose and placed a Tracker in Rose's arm. And then another in her shoulder, like the others.
"Just in case they are discovered." she said. Then she looked at her watch. "Our time is up now. We will talk more another day. I am going to clear you for working in the secure ward. But please, don't take any unnecessary risks. If, at any time, you need to get away, leave. You can Apparate away from the right side of the top floor."
Rose looked up at that statement. "You can? Can everyone do that? That sounds like a major security risk."
"No, not everyone can do that. Just a few top-level security personnel. And no one else even knows about it. And before you ask, those are the very first people I am going to check out."
"Maybe you should change what area you can Apparate away from? Just in case the secret has leaked out."
"Yes, that is a good idea. I'll see if I can change it to the left side, and not the right. Anyway, I need to continue with the interviews now."
Rose got to her feet. So did Hermione.
"I'll be here for your first few days. Possibly a whole week. I might make myself a bit unpopular, going around making changes. So, don't defend me too much, okay?" Hermione said as she gave Rose a hug.
Rose smiled. "Why'd'ye have to go around changing things? It's all working just fine."
"Very good. Slightly overdone though. Why'd'you would work better."
"Why'd'you go around changing things?"
"Excellent. Okay, out you go then"
Rose went for the door. She noticed how her mother stood a bit straighter, showing authority. She was not the only one putting up a front here. Her mother showed the side of her that Rose had rarely seen, the authoritative and professional Minister.
"It was good talking to you Kevin. We will probably see more of each other." Hermione said, gently touching her shoulder as she left the office.
"Th-thank you Madam Minister. It'was nice talking to you too." Rose said before she walked quickly, trying to not look nervous, over to the others. She sat down hard on the floor next to them.
"Wow," she said. "That was weird."
"What'she ask you?" one of the others asked.
"She told me not to say," Rose said evasively, "but it was as if she made me do a second job interview. But what was the point? I mean, what'she doing here anyway?"
"Yeah, I got the same feeling," one of the others said. "It was as if I had to prove that I can do this job. I dunno what would have happened if she decided I wasn't up for it. I might just be sent back home. Another job failed, and this one before I even started it! But she did sound a bit more positive towards the end."
"Yeah, that was my feeling as well." a third person chimed in. "I almost wet my pants when I went inside. I mean, the Minister for Magic herself! I thought most of the stories about her were exaggerated, but now I'm not so sure. But she did seem to conclude that I am up to scratch. That was a good feeling actually. Not many people have made me feel that."
Rose smiled slightly. Maybe her mother's sleuth attempt of putting trackers on the new guards made them feel seen and made them more loyal to her.
"I'm Kevin," she said, reaching out her hand.
"Thomas" the other replied, taking it. "How'd'you end up here anyway?"
"What'd'you mean?"
"I mean, this is not really a job that many people choose. You seem young, barely out of school. Why'd'you come here?"
"Barely out of school? That assumes that I have even finished school. Besides, you don't look that much older than me. I was raised mostly at home with various relatives but was sent to Europe for school." That would explain why her name was not on the list of Hogwarts students. "That didn't really work out. Anyway, let's just say, I need the job. I mean, I don't know how long this job will last, but I might at least earn some money. Free room and board, and getting paid on top of it?"
"That's one way to look at it. For me, I'm just glad to get away from things for a while"
"Yeah, that was my thought as well," said the first guy that had spoken to her. "This isn't exactly a dream job, but it is a well-paid one, and free board."
"What's your name again?" Rose asked. She would make it a priority to learn all their names quickly.
"Sam. Sam Crickey." He held out his hand as well, and Rose took it.
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