ME 462C

ME 462C

Chapter One: The System

Loneliness, bitterness, and coldness were everywhere. Even the air had begun to look the same each day in the wake of the new Muggle Protection Act being enforced by the Ministry of Magic.

The Act, as it was called, had been designed to protect the Wizards from prying Muggle eyes. Percy Weasley, who had been the successor to Cornelius Fudge, the ex-Minister of Magic, had proposed the Act several years ago. All traces of vitality and individuality had been erased with the coming of the Act. Everyone had been assigned a number, based on position, and such. It took the place of your name.

No longer, though, would the Minister be called Percy. He was ME 318A, and was one of the few wizards who could be referred to by a title, 'Minister 318A.'

ME 318A had a wife, who had once been called Penelope, now assigned the number ME 881B, and three children, S 1076G, S 1297I, and S 1200Q. Two boys and one girl, all equal.

ME 318A's assistant, the Junior Minister of Magic, was called ME 462C. ME 462C was relatively wealthy wizard, and still a bachelor, even after some years had gone by.

Wizard ME 462C was just walking down the street towards his home after a long day at work; after all, he only lived ten blocks from the Ministry and had to get his exercise now and then. His thoughts, on this cold Friday evening, drifted about rather sluggishly, mainly centred, at the moment, on the instigation of the Act.

He had been sixteen when the Act was instated in the Wizarding World. He could remember the Headmaster of Hogwarts, who was now P 190D, leading him into the 'C' line at his school. He looked around at the long lines of students waiting to get their numbers. He had just been dubbed 'S 462C' forevermore.

He slowly drifted back to the present, entering his home without even an askance glance at the woman outside his door, who appeared rather intoxicated.

The 'Mugglification of the Wizarding World', as he called it, had become a big factor in his life. Floo powder had been banned last year and wizards had even begun using telephones. This did not especially bother him, he hadn't had to learn how when the fad had come out. But it was still troublesome to see wizards seeking more practical solutions to their problems, instead of using the magic they had been gifted with.

Looking at his message machine, another source of great chagrin to him, he peered intently down at it. The face read that he had four owls. Pressing a button, he looked up rather dispiritedly.

The first message had been from the Head of the Dept. of Mysteries, the second he had erased (he had always felt that two was an unlucky number), the third he had listened to twice (just to make sure it wasn't from his stalker, witch R 8992K, from the Daily Prophet), and the fourth he had listened to in a wide-eyed stupor.

It was from a witch, P 667H. She had been a friend from Hogwarts, a close one. He remembered that night, the night before the Act had been legally announced, that they had spent up in the Astronomy Tower...

But that was a different story. This was no time for nostalgia. He played the message over, carefully listening to her words:

"Wizard ME 462C, I need your help! I was cited for using my old name, you know, my real one, by the Ministry. As you know, it is a mortal sin, punishable to life in Azkaban, or even the Dementor's Kiss, for committing this heinous crime. I need you to get me off!"

ME 462C reeled back in shock. Just to make sure that he hadn't heard wrong, he replayed the message.

He had heard right. P 667H knew that he had been involved with the Department of Magical Justice several years ago, right before the new Minister took over. Then, he was promoted to his present position.

Still not believing what he was hearing, he walked over to his fridge and pulled a butterbeer out (one thing that they could never take away from him). Sitting on the old plush couch, he ran his hands through his hair, wondering how something like this could have happened.