The Buddy System. *Complete*

Minister Visit

The Minister for Magic came to visit the day after New Years Day for us to explain our new house guests.

"So you are all moving in?"

Kingsley was sitting at my kitchen table currently helping himself to another cookie.

Mrs Hobkirk had returned last night and had baked up a storm in the kitchen. Currently Professor McGonagall was with us.

"Is that OK?" I asked nervously.

The boys had went out for the afternoon and Pansy was heading home to break the news to her mother and uncle that she was moving out.

I was waiting for Kingsley to begin a lecture. Maybe tell us it wasn't a good idea, or that they wouldn't be allowed.

To my complete shock he just laughed.

"You own this house. You don't have to ask me for permission. Actually I think it will be great for you Azaleah to have a support system like this."

He took a sip of tea.

"Actually having Blaise and Pansy here as well as you Raelyn would mean I could reassign some of the volunteers to other cases. Lighten the load. That's if you would be willing to do the paperwork."

"Yeah I don't see that being a problem for anybody us."

"Excellent, excellent." McGonagall smiled. "Of course it means Blaise, Pansy and Theo need added to the security team and they need special permissions to leave the school. I can look after that."

"Great Minerva!" Kingsley took another cookie.

"Miss Matthews and I are actually going to start some schoolwork now. Can we use the office Raelyn?"

I nodded. "Of course!"

The two ladies smiled and left the room leaving myself and the Minster.

"So how are you Raelyn? I feel like everyone takes such good care of Azaleah but you have been looking pale these last few days."

"I'm OK," I reassured him. "I'm not feeling myself but I am fine."

"Are too sure? Maybe we should get a Healer to check you over?"

I knew the feeling would pass in a few minutes so the best thing to do was to let it be.

I wasn't one for taking medication or pain relief. Usually I just slept to let my body work its own magic.

"Honest. I am fine. I don't want to waste anyone's time. Thank you for your concern."

"Always my dear." He smiled. "Oh and thank you for our Christmas gifts. My wife and I loved them. And my little girl - how did you know she loves unicorns?"

"Lucky guess and it was my absolute pleasure. Thank you for my picture. I don't really have any of my family. It's means a lot to me."

He patted my hand. "You're very welcome."

I looked up at him. I never noticed before how tired the Minister looked until now. His usually bright eyes were sunken into their sockets and their were more grey hairs in his hair than I remembered before.

I was sure that being Minsiter for the whole wizarding community in the UK and Ireland wasn't an easy job.

"How was your Christmas?" I asked him after a few minutes silence.

"It was...busy," he sighed. "There has been a lot of paperwork since the war. The school had to be completely rebuilt, the Ministry too along with shops in Diagon Alley, Gringotts not to mention so many homes that were destroyed during the attacks."