Downing Street.
Kingsley and the Prime Minister both stared at the Dark Mark rising into the sky, watching the giant serpent spread across the heavens.
"What is that?"
the Prime Minister asked.
Kingsley didn't answer. He gestured for the Prime Minister to stay right where he was, then went outside.
Before leaving, he glanced at the portrait.
The person in it had already left, though Kingsley didn't know where he'd gone to send word.
In every Prime Minister's office hung a portrait of the Minister for Magic. The man in it was Ulick Gamp, the first Minister for Magic and the link between the Ministry of Magic, Fudge, and the Prime Minister.
Muggles weren't unaware that wizards existed.
The upper echelons of Muggle society had always been in contact with wizards.
Ever since the age of kings, the existence of wizards had been no secret to the British Empire's upper classes. At its root, the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy was the wizards' way of protecting themselves.
All the Ministry of Magic had to do was keep wizards from being discovered by Muggles.
Even in the Middle Ages, wizards were already no match for Muggles—though many Pure-blood Families and radical wizards refused to admit it, it was a fact. The overall decline in wizarding ability was undeniable.
Now, it looked as though the International Statute of Wizarding Secrecy was about to be broken.
"Merlin above, I hope Fudge can handle this."
Kingsley looked at Voldemort's symbol in the sky, knowing that London was in serious trouble. He lightly tapped his wand and cast Salvio Hexia around them.
Until the Ministry's Aurors arrived to help him protect the Prime Minister,
he wasn't going anywhere.
Nor would he call anyone over.
He liked to take it easy, but he wasn't an idiot.