The Day of the Trial

The Ministry of Magic's entrance hall was as busy and orderly as ever.

Massive black marble walls soared all the way to the ceiling, their surfaces smooth as mirrors and reflecting the wizards passing by. The peacock-blue ceiling was inlaid with glittering golden symbols that constantly shifted and changed, like an enormous overhead noticeboard.

A fountain stood in the middle of the entrance hall. At the center of a circular pool rose a group of life-sized golden statues, larger than real people. The tallest was a noble-looking wizard, holding his wand aloft and pointing it toward the sky. Around him stood a beautiful witch, a Centaur, a goblin, and a House Elf. The Centaur, goblin, and House Elf all gazed up at the two wizards in boundless admiration. Bright streams of water spurted from the wizard's wand tip, the Centaur's arrowhead, the goblin's hat, and the House Elf's ears.

Wizards moved through the hall in twos and threes, wearing the lifeless expressions peculiar to mornings. Some spoke in low voices, while others hurried along, striding toward the row of golden doors at the far end of the entrance hall.

Along one side of the hall, rows of golden fireplaces flickered with the light of Floo Powder, continuously swallowing and disgorging wizards entering and leaving the Ministry of Magic. On the other side stood a long reception desk, where Ministry staff busily handled all manner of affairs. People occasionally stepped forward to ask questions, only to be met with cool responses from the uniformed Ministry employees.

When Skylar stepped into the Ministry of Magic's entrance hall, the busy wizards continued streaming past. Now and then, someone's gaze fell upon his badge, revealing a flicker of surprise, but no one dared approach him directly. Though he was famous throughout Great Britain's wizarding