Meeting the Minister

Title: Meeting the Minister
Author: Krista/belladonnalin
Rating: PG? PG-13? maybe, because of language
Chapter: 1/1
Pairing: none
Summary: Spike is asked to meet with the Minister of Magic and is surprised by what he finds
Feedback: Please? Send to belladonnalin@livejournal.com
Archive: sure, if you want it. just let me know.
Author's Notes: Futureficlet, ten years after the end of Season 7 on BTVS and Book 7 in HP. This was a plot bunny that was driving me crazy. Do you like it? I could maybe be convinced to do a sequel - longer, with pairings.
Disclaimer: BTVS is owned by Joss Wheadon, WB, Mutant Enemy, etc. HP is owned by JK Rowling. Also known as people who aren't me. I'm just borrowing.

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Spike rubbed his eyes and tapped his foot impatiently. *Dammit,* he thought to himself. *There was a time when I would have stormed those doors, knocked them down, and demanded to see this Minister. Or I just would have sucked him dry. I'm a Master Vampire, for God's sake!*

He shook his head ruefully. It was all a farce, anyway. He didn't miss that life and he obviously couldn't get it back. More than a decade with a damned soul and he still couldn't get used to the thing.

*Cor,* he thought. *If this is what the Powers sent me back for, I've got some words to say to them. Waiting in a bloody office, twiddling my damned thumbs!*

The secretary, as if she could sense his impatience, looked over at Spike, the sleeves of her robe smearing the ink she had just applied. "The Minister will be with you shortly, sir," she said, somewhat distractedly, as she wiped ink off on her robes.

Spike rolled his eyes. He didn't even know who had taken over the Ministry after Fudge had FINALLY retired. One would think he would have been forced out after that after the whole "Dark Lord isn't rising" debaucle, where the Ministry had totally ignored the rise of one of the darkest powers Spike had ever seen outside of the Hellmouth and a group of students had actually defeated what the Ministry wouldn't admit to. Spike sighed impatiently, earning him a glare from the distracted and harried secretary. *I just hope this chap is better than Fudge. Thought I heard that somebody say 'Weasley,' but I didn't know that they had anybody with any political aspirations in that family.*

Sure, Spike had heard of the Weasleys - the family that was so close to the boy who had lead the student rebellion, that had a few of the rebels in their own family. They looked like a nice family - simple, kind people. Not the type that would spawn a Minister of Magic, certainly not the youngest in the history of the Ministry.

When he had recieved the owl from the Ministry, he had been surprised, to say the least. It wasn't every day a souled vampire was invited into the very heart of one of the most secret and powerful supernatural institutions in the world. He couldn't help but wonder what this meeting was all about.

The secretary cocked her head to the side, as if she heard a voice. "The Minister will see you now," she smiled gratefully, obviously happy to have the edgy vampire out of her lobby. "Follow me."

Spike followed her down long, windy hallways, taking sudden turns and walking through tapestries that he could swear looked solid. Stopping at a large oak door, the secretary nodded at the door. "You may go in," she said, turning on her heel and heading back toward the lobby.

Spike steeled himself to meet the man who was probably the most powerful man in the modern magical world. He opened the doors and found himself staring at a tall, lanky body topped with immaculate fiery red hair and sparkling green eyes. The figure stepped forward with a hand out.

"You must be William the Bloody ... Spike, is it?"

Spike nodded, speechless for once, and took the proffered hand.

"I'm Ginny Weasley - the Minister of Magic."