When Ria's senses came back, someone had her grabbed by her collar. "You think I wouldn't ever know how your annoying little boyfriend confunded me, that night?" Umbridge was sneering down at her.

She pushed her away, someone caught her by her arm, and Ria watched in horror as Umbridge strode into her office. "No.." When she had reached inside, Umbridge had already pulled Harry out of the fireplace by his hair.

"After those two nifflers.. I wasn't going to let even one more foul, scavenging little creature enter my office without my knowledge." She muttered. "And that too.. right after I receive the message that the filthy Azrael is in Minerva's office.. I'm not as foolish as you think I am."

"I had Stealth Sensoring Spells placed all around my doorway after the last one got in, you foolish boy. Take their wands.. all of them."

"No—"

"Shh.. it's me." said the person gripping at her hand, and she looked back in surprise. Theodore..

She looked at Ginny, and was kind of relieved when she saw the one holding her had been Blaise. She gave her a silent look. And the redhead, after some hoax struggle, let him have her wand.

"Umbridge gathered us all.. saying she received a signal from her office." Theo whispered to her, taking the advantage that Umbridge was too focused on Potter and Granger. "We figured it had to be you, so.."

She gave him a small, almost unnoticeable nod. That meant Ron hadn't reached them at all.. then where the hell was he?

"I want to know why you are in my office," said Umbridge, shaking the fist clutching his hair so that he staggered.

"I was— trying to get my Firebolt!" Harry croaked.

"Liar." She shook his head again. "Your Firebolt is under strict guard in the dungeons, as you very well know, Potter. You had your head in my fire. With whom have you been communicating?"

"No one—" said Harry, trying to pull away from her, even though he could feel several hair strands coming off his scalp.

"Liar!" shouted Umbridge. She threw him from her, and he slammed into the desk. Now he could see Hermione pinned against the wall by Parkinson. Malfoy was leaning on the windowsill, smirking as he threw Harry's wand into the air one handed and then caught it again.

There was a commotion outside and several large Slytherins entered, each gripping Ron, Luna, and— to their bewilderment— Neville, who was trapped in a stranglehold by Crabbe and looked in imminent danger of suffocation. All three of them had been gagged.

"Got 'em all," said Warrington, shoving Ron roughly forward into the room. "That one." he poked a thick finger at Neville, "tried to stop me taking her," he pointed at Luna, who seemed patient as Bulstrode had her grabbed by the back of her robe. "so I brought him along too."

"Good, good," said Umbridge, watching them all struggle. "Well, it looks as though Hogwarts will shortly be a Weasley-free zone, doesn't it?"

Malfoy sniggered amusingly, and it made Ria want to punch his face after a long time. Umbridge gave her wide, complacent smile and settled herself into a chintz-covered armchair, blinking up at her captives like a toad in a flowerbed.

"So, Potter," she said. "You stationed lookouts around my office and you sent this girl," she nodded at Luna, "to tell me that Edwards was looking for something in Minerva's office, when I have one of the portraits guard the room and inform me whenever something even slightly suspicious occurs.. Hmm.."

She looked at Ria. "Or was it her plan.. It was, I should assume." She chuckled. "It wouldn't be the first time someone of your kind would have planned something heinous." Her eyes looked up and down in disgust.

Umbridge looked back at Harry. "Clearly, it was very important for you to talk to somebody. Was it Albus Dumbledore? Or the half-breed, Hagrid? Or this freak's mother, Isabella Diggory? I doubt it was Minerva McGonagall, I hear she is still too ill to talk to anyone.."

"Don't you dare—" Theodore held Ria back. "She would've ended you right there if you had faced her alone— Isn't that why you asked four Stunners to attack her at once, didn't you, you coward?"

The Professor only spared her one glance before continuing her questioning. "It's none of your business who I talk to," Harry snarled, his body shaking with anger.

Umbridge's slack face seemed to tighten. "Very well," she said in her most dangerous and falsely sweet voice. "Very well, Mr. Potter.. I offered you the chance to tell me freely. You refused. I have no alternative but to force you. Draco— fetch Professor Snape."

Malfoy stowed Harry's wand inside his robes and left the room smirking, but Harry looked deep in thought. Almost as if he had realised something. And Ria did too, soon.. Right.. Severus.

He could help confirm if Sirius was at Grimmauld Place.

There was silence in the office except for the fidgeting that came from the students. Whereas Asteria and Ginny were just acting, the others were actually struggling. Ron's lip was bleeding onto Umbridge's carpet as he fought against Warrington's grip. Neville was steadily turning purple in the face while tugging at Crabbe's arms. And Parkinson wasn't afraid of Ria at the moment.. not when she was under Umbridge's protection, so she was enjoying digging her nails into Hermione's scalp and holding her painfully against the wall. Luna, however, stood limply by the side of her captor, gazing vaguely out of the window as though rather bored by the proceedings.

Ria could feel Umbridge's taunting glare into the side of her head as she looked at her once in a while. She couldn't threaten her using her magic.. her friends were in the same room. She wished she could.. she wished she was confident enough to take that risk without bringing even one scratch on their bodies.

She couldn't.. She wasn't Isabella Diggory.

The door opened. "You wanted to see me, Headmistress?" said Snape, looking around at all the pairs of struggling students with an expression of complete indifference, although he held his goddaughter's gaze for a second longer.

Of course. She just had to get into trouble along with Harry Potter too.

"Ah, Professor Snape," said Umbridge, smiling widely and standing up again. "Yes, I would like another bottle of Veritaserum, as quick as you can, please."

"You took my last bottle to interrogate this batch of students themselves," he said, observing her coolly through his greasy curtains of black hair. "Surely you did not use it all? I told you that three drops each would be sufficient."

Umbridge flushed. "You can make some more, can't you?" she said, her voice becoming more sweetly girlish as it always did when she was furious.

Ria scoffed out a laugh, making Umbridge glare at her before looking back at the Potions master.

"Certainly," said Snape, his lip curling. "It takes a full moon cycle to mature, so I should have it ready for you in around a month."

"A month?" squawked Umbridge, her face swelling with rage and disbelief. "A month? But I need it this evening, Snape! I have just found Potter using my fire to communicate with a person or persons unknown!"

"Really?" said Snape, showing his first, faint sign of interest as he looked around at Harry. "Well, it doesn't surprise me. Potter has never shown much inclination to follow school rules." He glared at Harry.

"I wish to interrogate him!" shouted Umbridge angrily, and Snape looked away from Harry back into her furiously quivering face. "I wish you to provide me with a potion that will force him to tell me the truth!"

"I have already told you," said Snape smoothly, "that I have no further stocks of Veritaserum. Unless you wish to poison Potter— and I assure you I would have the greatest sympathy with you if you did— I cannot help you. The only trouble is that most venoms act too fast to give the victim much time for truth-telling.."

Snape looked back at Harry, who stared at him, frantic to communicate without words. He was chanting his request in his mind, wishing profusely that Snape would read it—

Voldemort's got Sirius in the Department of Mysteries. Voldemort's got Sirius—

"You are on probation!" shrieked Professor Umbridge, and Snape looked back at her, his eyebrows slightly raised. "You are being deliberately unhelpful! I expected better, Lucius Malfoy always speaks most highly of you! Now get out of my office!"

Snape gave her an ironic bow and turned to leave. And Harry knew his last chance of letting the Order know what was going on was walking out of the door.

"He's got Padfoot!" he shouted. "He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden!"

Snape had stopped with his hand on Umbridge's door handle.

"Padfoot?" cried Professor Umbridge, looking eagerly from Harry to Snape. "What is Padfoot? Where what is hidden? What does he mean, Snape?"

Snape looked around at Harry. His face was inscrutable. Harry could not tell whether he had understood or not, but he did not dare speak more plainly in front of Umbridge.

"I have no idea," said Snape coldly. "Potter, when I want nonsense shouted at me I shall give you a Babbling Beverage. And Crabbe, loosen your hold a little, if Longbottom suffocates it will mean a lot of tedious paperwork, and I am afraid I shall have to mention it on your reference if ever you apply for a job."

He closed the door behind him with a snap, leaving Harry in a state of worse turmoil than before: Snape had been his very last hope. He looked at Umbridge, who seemed to be feeling the same way; her chest was heaving with rage and frustration.

"Very well," she said, and she pulled out her wand. "Very well.. I am left with no alternative.. This is more than a matter of school discipline.. This is an issue of Ministry security.. Yes.. yes.."

She seemed to be talking herself into something. She was shifting her weight nervously from foot to foot, staring at Harry, beating her wand against her empty palm and breathing heavily. "You are forcing me, Potter.. I do not want to," said Umbridge, still moving restlessly on the spot, "but sometimes circumstances justify the use.. I am sure the Minister will understand that I had no choice.."

"The Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue," said Umbridge quietly.

"No!" Hermione and Ria shrieked at once. "You can't do that!" Ria's tone was pleading.

There was a nasty, eager, excited look on Umbridge's face that they had never seen before. She raised her wand.

"The Minister wouldn't want you to break the law, Professor Umbridge!" cried Hermione.

"What Cornelius doesn't know won't hurt him," said Umbridge, who was now panting slightly as she pointed her wand at different parts of Harry's body in turn, apparently trying to decide what would hurt the most. "He never knew I ordered dementors after Potter last summer, but he was delighted to be given the chance to expel him, all the same.."

"It was you?" gasped Harry. "You sent the dementors after me?"

"Somebody had to act," breathed Umbridge, as her wand came to rest pointing directly at Harry's forehead. "They were all bleating about silencing you somehow— discrediting you— but I was the one who actually did something about it.. Only you wriggled out of that one, didn't you, Potter? Not today, though, not now.."

"No, don't, please!"

And taking a deep breath, she cried, "Cruc—"

"TELL HER, HARRY!" Hermione's voice cracked.

"No way!" yelled Harry.

"We'll have to, Harry, she'll force it out of you anyway, what's.. what's the point..?"

And Hermione began to cry weakly into the wall, and Pansy quickly held her in front of her so she was facing Umbridge. She quickly hid her face into her hands, sobbing.

Ria stared at her, confused. Okay, I have heard how she cries.. and it does not sound like that, at all.

"Well, well, well!" she said, looking triumphant. "Little Miss Question-All is going to give us some answers! Come on then, girl, come on!"

"Er— my— nee— no!" shouted Ron through his gag.

"I'm— I'm sorry everyone," said Hermione. "But— I can't stand it—"

"That's right, that's right, girl!" said Umbridge, seizing Hermione by the shoulders, thrusting her into the abandoned chair and leaning over her. "Now then.. with whom was Potter communicating just now?"

"Well," gulped Hermione into her hands, "well, he was trying to speak to Professor Dumbledore.."

Everyone that was captured stopped their movements, surprised by her answer. Even Luna looked mildly shocked and interested now. Ria had a glint in her eyes as she masked her urge to smile. You fucking genius.. I knew you were planning something.

Umbridge and her minions were too focused on Hermione to notice these suspicious reactions. "Dumbledore?" she asked eagerly. "You know where Dumbledore is, then?"

"Well.. no!" sobbed Hermione. "We've tried the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley and the Three Broomsticks and even the Hog's Head—"

"Idiot girl, Dumbledore won't be sitting in a pub when the whole Ministry's looking for him!" shouted Umbridge, disappointment etched in every sagging line of her face.

"Well, don't you sound sure.." Ria voiced her opinion just to rile her up.

"Shut up, you insolent girl—"

"But— but we needed to tell him something important!" wailed Hermione, holding her hands more tightly over her face, not out of anguish, but to disguise the continued absence of tears.

"Yes?" said Umbridge with a sudden resurgence of excitement. "What was it you wanted to tell him?"

"We.. we wanted to tell him it's r—ready!" choked Hermione.

"What's ready?" demanded Umbridge, and now she grabbed Hermione's shoulders again and shook her slightly. "What's ready, girl?"

"The.. the weapon," said Hermione.

"Weapon? Weapon?" said Umbridge, and her eyes seemed to pop with excitement. "You— You mean her, don't you?" She took two long strides towards Asteria and grabbed her by her head, pushing her down to the floor. The girl yelped in pain.

"Hey— don't touch her—"

"She's the weapon. I was right, was I not?" There was a certain madness in her tone that told them all just how much she hated her. "Dumbledore was just trying to save her by saying she doesn't have any powers."

"No— No! It's not her!" Hermione said quickly. But then she realised what Umbridge wanted to hear. And she changed her plan accordingly. "It's— It's.. Godric, I'm sorry, Ria, I have to! It's Isabella!"

Umbridge's eyes widened slightly. "She.. She isn't missing?"

"No! She isn't.. She never— never went missing in the first place!" Hermione knew just what lies she was going to feed her. "The attack on her house was orchestrated by— by Dumbledore!"

Umbridge released her grip and walked to Hermione once again. "By Dumbledore.. Why? I need answers! Quick!"

"He— He— planned that— so, she could go into hiding— and continue her training again.. without being under the watch of the Ministry!" She crashed into heavy sobs again. "He planned to— to keep her close and— and train her so she could achieve her full potential as an— an Enchantress!"

"Keep her close? So, she's close by?" Umbridge asked with a victorious chuckle. "Then why were you contacting Dumbledore? Huh?"

"We— We were told to take care of her! See— See what she n—needs and give it to her while she— she trained!" She sniffled. "And— And let him know when she's— she's ready!"

Umbridge straightened up, looking exultant. She knew it. She knew those filthy Azraels could never change.

"Lead me to her," she said. "Now."

"I— I can't—" said Hermione shrilly, looking around at the Slytherins through her fingers.

"It is not for you to set conditions," said Professor Umbridge harshly. "Lead me to her— NOW—"

"Okay! Okay.." She rubbed the 'tears' away from her face, and Umbridge smiled at her answer.

"No— No! Hermione, don't— please!" said Ria eagerly, as if looking worried for her mother.

Come on.. Come on, take me with you. Her mind was screaming at Umbridge. Take me along so you think you'll be able to tame Mum because you'll have me at the end of your wand. Take me along I can crush you under something as soon as I get the chance to—

Umbridge eyed Asteria up and down. "Pansy, dear, why don't you help Theodore keep a tight hold on her so she doesn't escape?"

Ria blinked. How did that not work?

Pansy nodded and walked towards her. She pulled her up, her fingers digging painfully into her arms as she did. But Ria couldn't pay her any less attention. She wanted to go with them!

"Professor," said Malfoy, "Professor Umbridge, "I still think some of the squad should come with you to look after—"

"I am a fully qualified Ministry official, Malfoy, do you really think I cannot manage things alone?" asked Umbridge sharply. "In any case, I will not let you children face a raging Azrael. You will remain here until I return and make sure none of these—" she gestured at the captured students— "escape."

She then looked at Ria. "Especially her." She sneered. "We cannot let her help Isabella, no matter what. Understand?"

"All right," said Malfoy, looking sulky and disappointed.

"And you two can go ahead of me and show me the way," said Umbridge, pointing at Harry and Hermione with her wand. "Now. Lead on.."

Around ten minutes passed, they were still tightly in the grips of the Inquisitorial Squad. Ron was still in a headlock, Neville was still being choked. Malfoy was going to everyone in turns, spouting insults in their faces, trying to rile them up.

"You haven't considered even a word of what I told you last year, have you, Malfoy?" asked Ria.

He stopped what he was doing for only one moment, and then continued right away. "And you want Sophie to like you back, you pathetic excuse of a hu—" She grunted in pain.

What surprised Ria was that Parkinson was feeling a bit more brave today. One of her hands was grabbing the back of her neck, while the other held both hands behind her back. Her nails were especially digging in on the back of her left hand, right where the words from the blood quill rested.

"Grown some guts today it seems, Pansy." She taunted with a mumble, but hissed when she twisted her hands at a painful angle.

"Maybe." She answered, grabbing a fistful of her hair and turning her face to a side. She looked at her with a small smile. "Why? Don't like it?"

She snorted. "Merlin.. you have so much faith in your Professor, don't you?" She attempted a small shake of a head. "I pity you."

"Oh.. do you now?"

She flinched slightly when something brushed against her hips. It was thin, long and felt weirdly familiar—

Oh..

"Oh, yes, I do." She answered with a throaty chuckle to keep Pansy's eyes off what Theodore was doing. "What happens after she leaves, huh?"

"Think about it. Montague and Warrington will leave. I have absolutely no interest in Crabbe and Goyle. I'll probably forgive those two idiots." She tilted her head back towards Theo and Blaise. "That leaves me with you and Malfoy. Now the question is.."

She tilted her head. "Will Pansy Parkinson be gutsy enough to stand against me like this when she doesn't have the protection of a Ministry hag?" She whispered.

Pansy pushed her down, her cheek slamming down on the table. 

"Hey— Hey! Leave her—"

"Shut up, Weasley!" She sneered at her. She then leaned down to her ear. "You think too ahead of yourself, don't you?"

Ria still had a smile on her face. "Weird way to show me how weak you are, but okay.." she said. "And I swear to God, if I find out that you go back to the whimpering pug you were after she leaves? I'll skip the nose and break your goddamned jaw, next time."

Pansy opened her mouth to threaten her, but a distant scream made them all stop whatever they were doing and look at the door.

That sounded familiar.

The scream came again, and this time it was closer. Four of the Slytherins had their eyes wide in alarm.

Sophie.

Malfoy was quick to get up and walk out of the office. But as soon as he took one step outside the door, his body froze and hit the ground.

Warrington and Crabbe released their grips on Ron and Neville, and the moment they stepped away from them, Theodore and Blaise drew out their wands.

"Petrificus Totalus!"

"Stupefy!"

They fell down next to each other. Ron leapt forward and kicked at Pansy's shin, making her lose just enough balance for Ria to free herself. And just as Ginny attacked Bulstrode with a Bat Bogey hex, Ria drew her fist back give Pansy a demonstration of what she had just been talking about—

"Stupefy!"

Pansy hit the floor too, and Ria paused, huffing out as she gave Theodore the most annoyed look she had ever given him. "What is your problem?" she asked.

"I didn't give you your wand back just for you to fucking punch her, Edwards!" He emphasised. "And why do you always wanna punch someone? You're a wizard! You have magic!"

"Because punches look and feel better!" She defended herself. "There was a neighbour I had; He was a 47 year-old boxer! I used to watch him practice in his backyard, and he was the coolest fucking person I had ever known, okay?"

"Yeah, that's cool and everything, but does that really matter, right now?" Sophie spoke from outside the door. Her face had a confused expression. "What the bloody hell was happening here, anyway?"

"Long story, Sophie." Ron wiped the blood off his face with his sleeve. "Can't really explain it, right now. And Zabini, Nott.. couldn't you have been a little quicker to hex those two arses over here?" He said as he continued to check their robes for their wands.

Blaise blinked tiredly. "Quicker? Did you have a death wish, Weasley? Did you want them to fall on you instead of over there?"

Neville pursed his lips. His face had regained colour again. "Fair." He exchanged glances with Ron. "Well.. thank you." Now he had a fair idea as to why Ria and Sophie were friends with them. Maybe they weren't as bad as Malfoy and the rest of them.

Ria had already rushed towards Sophie and taken her into a hug. "God, I thought something happened to you! Thank you— but, how'd you know—"

"I knew something was up the moment Umbridge called Blaise and Theo." She explained. "I followed them and hid around the corner. Turns out it was you, of course." She rolled her eyes, seeming worried by her behaviour. "Ria.. what's going on?"

"I'm sorry, Soph, but there's really no time. We've gotta go—"

"But how do we know where Hermione's leading her?" asked Ginny, tensed.

Ron seemed to be deep in thought. "I think I might know.." He walked towards Malfoy and searched his robe for Harry's wand. Ria did the same with Pansy; searching for Hermione's. "Come on, we have to go."

"Wait— we're coming with you." Sophie intervened, looking at Theo and Blaise, and Ria's stomach churned in a horrible way, for some reason.

"No— No." She said immediately.

Her eyebrows scrunched up in confusion. "We want to help! Why not—"

"Be— Because we need you here!" She answered. "Go to Severus. Tell him to contact Mum immediately and inquire about Snuffles' safety—"

"Ria, come on, we got to get to them as soon as possible—"

"I know, Ron!"

"Snuffles?" Sophie scoffed in disbelief. "Isn't— Isn't that your Mum's friend's dog? He was there when we came to your house, last year—"

"Sophie— there's really no time to explain—" She said as she followed the others outside the office. "I promise I will! To all three of you! For now, please do as I tell you— And possibly erase a part of the Inquisitorial Squad's memories just for safety reasons!"

Turns out, Ron really did know where they were headed. When they reached the bridge, they saw Harry and Hermione hurrying back to the castle from the Forbidden Forest.

"How— How did you—"

"Sophie showed up." Ria explained as they handed their wands to them. "She hexed Malfoy. Blaise and Theo hexed Warrington and Crabbe. Ginny got Bulstrode and Ron got Parkinson off me." She looked behind them. "Where's Umbridge?"

"The centaurs took her." Hermione answered. "As always, she tried to demand control over them too."

"We got spared because Grawp came at the right time." Harry continued.

While Ron thanked Merlin, Ria looked at them in question. "Who's Grawp?"

"Hagrid's half-brother." The three answered in sync, and her jaw dropped.

"Hagrid has a brother?" She asked in disbelief. "And you didn't tell me?"

"I'd explain everything, but now's not the time, love." Harry said in a hurry. "We've got to get to the Ministry— Sirius is not at home.. that's what Kreacher said." His scar gave another burn, and he hissed. "And I'm sure he's still alive."

They all fell silent, feeling an insurmountable burden on their shoulders.

Asteria slowly nodded. "Right. How are we getting there?" 

She had promised him, after all. Even if she hadn't, she would've went with him in a heartbeat.

"We'll have to fly, won't we?" said Luna.

Harry nodded. "Okay— first of all, let's settle this." He rounded on her. "We aren't flying there. You, Ginny and Neville aren't—"

"But, I've got a broom." Ginny protested.

"That's not the point, Ginny—" Ron was interrupted by her again.

"Excuse me, I happen to care about Sirius as much as you do!" She answered. "Ria, come on! Tell them."

The Slytherin only gave her an apologetic look. "Gin.. I— I can't. They're right."

"We were all in the D.A. together," said Neville quietly. "It was all supposed to be about fighting You-Know-Who, wasn't it? And this is the first chance we've had to do something real— or was that all just a game or something?"

"No— of course it wasn't—" said Harry impatiently.

"Then let us come too! Let us help! We want to!" He added.

Harry sighed exasperatedly. "Right, but even if you wanted to— we don't have enough brooms so—"

"Brooms are not the only way to fly, you know?" said Luna, pointing somewhere behind Harry.

And they all looked at the sky to find a thin, skeletal creature gliding above the trees of the Forbidden forest.

They managed to lure in three thestrals; Harry and Ria shared one, Ron and Hermione shared another, and Ginny, Luna and Neville shared the last one. 

Time passed, twilight fell, and soon it was only the lights of the Muggle towns that gave them the clue of how high they were from the ground.

Ria could feel her own heartbeat pound in her ears. That churn in her stomach hadn't gone away. And she knew well that this bad feeling wasn't because they had been flying on thestrals.

The feeling seeped deep; through her skin and flesh, into every nerve and bone. What was it that she felt that horrible, that day?

The Seer knew something and she told it to her.. but Carrow had stopped Ria from listening. And now the Seer wouldn't try to speak to her again until she felt like it. That fact was disastrous on its own. But there was another thing on her mind too.

Sitting behind Harry, having her arms around his torso, she could feel the slight shake of his body. He had been silent all this ride. Surely he must be nervous.. Maybe he had been counting how much time had elapsed since he had seen Sirius in the Department of Mysteries.. Maybe he was trying to think of strategies.. Maybe he was praying on any entity that would listen to him for Sirius's safety.

Ria rested her cheek against his back and tightened her embrace only slightly. "Harry, we'll make it." She said, hoping that she could soothe him. He nodded.

"Harry." She said a bit more sternly, this time. He turned his head to the side. "We'll make it time. Sirius will be fine. He will be free. And you'll live with him, just as he had promised you."

A small smile dawned on his lips, and he placed a hand on hers. "I hope so.."

Moments later, they could see the tops of buildings, square of pale yellow that were windows, and suddenly, they were hurling towards the pavement.

The thestrals landed much softly, quite opposite to what they had expected. They all slid down their backs; Ria, Harry, Luna and Neville a bit more smoothly than others since they could see the creatures.

"Over there.." said Harry, leading the way towards a battered telephone box. Once they all squashed in, he closed the door. "Whoever's nearest to the receiver; dial six two four four two."

Ron did it, his arm bending at a weird angle to reach the dial. And as it whirred back into place, a cool female voice said: "Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business."

"Harry Potter, Asteria Edwards, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger," Harry said very quickly, "Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood.. We're here to save someone, unless your Ministry can do it first!"

"Thank you," said the cool female voice. "Visitors, please take the badges and attach them to the front of your robes."

Seven badges slid out of the metal chute where returned coins usually appeared. Hermione scooped them up and mutely handed them to Harry. It had their names written over each one, with 'RESCUE MISSION' printed right below.

"Visitor to the Ministry, you are required to submit to a search and present your wand for registration at the security desk, which is located at the far end of the Atrium."

"Fine!" Harry said loudly, as his scar gave another throb. "Now can we move?"

The floor shuddered, and the sight outside the telephone box began to slide out of sight. Blackness closed over them as they sank down to the Ministry of Magic.

The golden light inside was dim. There was nobody waiting inside for them in the Atrium; it seemed to be completely empty. And as the lift smoothly halted, another automated voice said: "The Ministry of Magic wishes you a pleasant evening."

Once the door of the telephone box opened, Harry rushed to where he knew the Department of Mysteries was, and all of them followed behind. They entered a lift with golden grills, and Harry practically stabbed at the number nine, making the grills close swiftly.

And as they descended, Ria couldn't help but look around the floors. There was no one there.. not even security guards. That had to be a sign of some suspicious activities going on. She was sure the rest of them had the same thought on their mind.

The lift stopped and the grills slid back open. The corridor was dimly lit with torches, and the plain black door was now right in front of them. Harry gulped nervously. Finally.. after months and months of dreaming about it..

"I think.." His voice shook slightly. "I think maybe.. a couple of people should stay here as a— a lookout—"

"And how're we going to let you know something's coming?" asked Ginny, her eyebrows raised. "You could be miles away."

"We're coming with you, Harry," said Neville.

"Let's get on with it," said Ron firmly.

Harry had a bad feeling about taking all of them with him, but it seemed he had no choice. He turned to face the door and walked forward.. just like he did in his dream.

The door opened on its own, and they all entered a large, circular room beyond it. Everything in there: the walls, the floor, the ceiling.. everything was black. And around the circular walls, identical, unmarked, handle-less doors were set at equal distance, separated by branches of candles whose flames were blue.

"Someone shut the door," Harry muttered. And he regretted it soon after Neville did so.

The place had become so dark that they could only see the shivering blue flames on the walls. A shiver ran straight through Ria's spine and she clutched the arm of whoever that was beside her.

Though there was a ringing in her ear, and she forgot about her fear for a moment. She looked around.. not knowing where it was coming from. The more she listened to it, the more it sounded like an incomprehensible chatter.

The circular wall began rotating, and Hermione shrieked, holding onto Ria too as she had thought the floor might start moving too, but it did not.

"What was that about?" whispered Ron fearfully.

"I think it was to stop us knowing which door we came in from," said Ginny in a hushed voice.

She was right. They could not figure out what door they had entered from. They all looked the same; a dozen of them.

"How're we going to get back out?" said Neville uncomfortably.

"Well, that doesn't matter now," said Harry forcefully, clutching his wand tighter than ever. "We won't need to get out till we've found Sirius —"

"Don't go calling for him, though!" Hermione said urgently, but Harry had never needed her advice less; his instinct was to keep as quiet as possible for the time being.

"Where do we go, then, Harry?" Ron asked.

"Do.. Do you all hear that?" asked Ria, her voice a low mumble.

Harry had never turned around so quick. "What— What? Do you hear Sirius? Or—"

"No, it's— no.." She squinted her eyes, trying to focus and figure out what it was. "I can't really tell what it is.."

Her eyes set themselves on one door and followed it as it moved. She made a move to go closer, but Hermione held her back. "Ria! Don't wander off on your own!" She whispered.

Ria pointed towards the door. "It's coming from there."

Harry felt restless. "We— We can't do anything else, Ria. Sirius is—"

"So, you know which door it is? Or would you rather go and check every door until you find the right one?" She snapped, and he fell silent in doubt. "Then trust me.. There's something behind that door. I don't know what it is, but I feel like it's important."

Harry only stared at her for what seemed like a second before nodding. He could trust her with his life. He set his gaze on the door she was pointing at. "Alright.. That one." He said, glancing around them all.

They all had their wands out, clutched in their hands as they walked towards it. He pushed at the door and it swung open, and the chaos in Asteria's mind went ignored as she stared at the sight in front of her.

"You were right.." Harry said in confirmation. "This is it. This is where I saw him."

The room looked like it had no end, full of nothing but towering shelves covered in small, dusty, glass orbs. They glimmered fully in the blue flame's light.

"That's why I was hearing something.." Ria said in realisation. "They're prophecies."

Why was it weirdly comforting, though? The chatter from these prophecies?

Her mind was a battlefield now. The comforting chatter was fighting the blaring siren. The two halves of the Seer were fighting with themselves.

"Ria.. are you alright?" Someone whispered, and she nodded.

That internal clashing was not a pleasant feeling. She hoped it wasn't blinding her judgement.

She attempted to take a deep, calming breath. Don't be sick. Don't be sick. Now's not the time.

Harry edged forward and peered down one of the shadowy aisles between two rows of shelves. He could not hear anything nor see the slightest sign of movement.

"You said it was row ninety-seven," whispered Ron.

"Yeah," breathed Harry, looking up at the end of the closest row. Beneath the branch of blue-glowing candles was a glimmering silver '53'.

"We need to go right, I think," whispered Hermione, squinting to the next row. "Yes.. that's fifty-four.."

"Keep alert," Harry said softly.

They crept forward, staring behind them as they went on down the long alleys of shelves, the farther ends of which were in near total darkness. Tiny, yellowing labels had been stuck beneath each glass orb on the shelf. Some of them had a weird, liquid glow; others were as dull and dark within as blown light bulbs.

They passed row eighty-four.. eighty-five.. Harry was listening hard for the slightest sound of movement, but Sirius might be gagged now, or else unconscious.. or, said an unbidden voice inside his head, he might already be dead..

I'd have felt it, he told himself, his heart now in his throat. I'd already know..

"Ninety-seven!" whispered Hermione.

They stood grouped around the end of the row, gazing down the alley beside it.

There was nobody there.

"He's right down at the end," said Harry, his voice of defeat. "You can't see properly from here.."

And he led them forward, between the towering rows of glass balls, some of which glowed softly as they passed..

"He should be near here," whispered Harry, convinced that every step was going to bring the ragged form of Sirius into view upon the darkened floor. "Anywhere here.. really close.."

"Harry?" said Hermione tentatively, but he did not want to respond. His mouth was drier than a desert now.

"Somewhere about.. here.." he said.

They had reached the end of the row and emerged into more dim candlelight. There was nobody there at all. All was echoing, dusty silence.

"He might be.." Harry whispered hoarsely, peering down the alley next door. "Or maybe.." He hurried to look down the one beyond that.

"Harry?" said Hermione again.

"What?" he snarled.

"I.. I don't think Sirius is here."

Nobody spoke. Harry did not want to look at any of them. He felt sick. He did not understand why Sirius was not here. He had to be here. This was where Harry had seen him..

"Ria, are you sure you're okay?" Ginny whispered. And Ria only nodded as she sought support from one of the shelves.

Her body and heart had become one; she could feel every inch of her pound. Her hands had gone cold. Her mind was blanking out into the chaos. She had never felt such unsettling dread before.

What was it? What was it? What was—

She blinked, her eyes transfixed on the shelf. Her mouth slightly agape in shock. "Harry?" She called out.

"What?" He quickly rushed to her. "What happened? Did you see anything about—"

"This one's got your name on it."

His words disappeared into his throat. "My— My name?"

Ria pointed her finger at the yellowish label that was right beneath a dusty glass ball. In spidery writing was written a date of some sixteen years previously, and below that:

S.P.T. to A.P.W.B.D.

Dark Lord and (?) Harry Potter

Harry stared at it.

"What is it?" Ron asked, sounding unnerved. "What's your name doing down here?"

He glanced along at the other labels on that stretch of shelf. "I'm not here," he said, sounding perplexed. "None of the rest of us are here.."

"Prophecies are not meant to be about everyone." Ria said. "They're supposed to be rare.. they're supposed to be about life-changing events."

"Harry, I don't think you should touch it," said Hermione sharply, as he stretched out his hand.

"Why not?" he said. "It's something to do with me, isn't it?"

"Don't, Harry," said Neville suddenly.

Harry looked at Ria for consultation. "I'm sorry I can't really— can't really tell you anything, right now." Her tone was apologetic. She was feeling helpless.

Harry had a moment of contemplation, and then he closed his fingers around the dusty ball's surface. He had expected it to feel cold, but it did not. On the contrary, it felt as though it had been lying in the sun for hours, as though the glow of light within was warming it.

Expecting, even hoping, that something dramatic was going to happen, something exciting that might make their long and dangerous journey worthwhile after all, he lifted the glass ball down from its shelf and stared at it.

Nothing whatsoever happened. The others moved in closer around Harry, gazing at the orb as he brushed it free of the clogging dust.

Correction. Nothing else happened, but Ria sat down on the floor, clutching her head.

Harry's reaction came quicker, and he crouched down to hold her. "Merlin— Ria, you're scorching!" Her arm felt almost as warm as the glass ball in his hand.

She could feel her eyes tearing up. Her body was trembling. But nothing compared to the skull-wrecking headache that had suddenly struck her like lightning.

The foggy room was there again. She was at the end of it, the fog was right at her front.

Someone was in front of her; someone else was behind her.

They were both pulling at her.

The Seer was calling out to her.. desperately wanting to show her the future. Carrow had her in a chokehold, preventing her from taking even one step ahead.

"Stop— stop, please—" The veins at her temples were popping out. She could feel them under her palms.

It hurt so.. so bad.

The chatter was getting louder and louder. Her body was still shaking. Her blood was boiling beneath her skin. The fog was still there.. The Seer and Carrow were still fighting.

And then it all stopped with a snap.

When she opened her eyes, her head had been resting against Harry's shoulder. His hand was drawing circles on her back. The rest were still standing around her.

The glass balls that had been shaking against the shelves stopped too. And if it were any other instance, she would have teared up and profusely apologised for endangering their lives, almost losing control of her magic again.

But at that moment, she just separated from Harry and stood behind the group. Her wand was raised in defence and pointed at something in the dark corridor.

Now that the chaos had stopped, she had had a horrible realisation. "Prophecies can only be retrieved by those about whom they're made." She gulped. "This was a trap."

A drawling voice laughed. "Ah.. it is true, then. It is nearly impossible to catch a Seer like yourselves off-guard."

Harry's eyes widened as he recognised that voice. He jumped in front of Ria. "No need to be violent, Potter. Now give that to me."

"Where is Sirius?" asked Harry.

The man made his mask disappear with a flick of his wand. "It's time you learned the difference between dreams and reality.." said Lucius Malfoy.

Masked, black shapes were emerging out of the darkness, surrounding them.

Harry gulped anxiously, but still stood his ground. He had brought all of them here. Their safety was his responsibility. "You do anything to us, and I'll break it."

A mad cackle echoed through the room, startling them all. "Ooh, he knows how to play!" She walked out of the darkness from behind Malfoy, her heels clicking against the floor. "Itty bitty baby Potter."

Sunken and pale face. Unruly hair. And a glint of madness in her dark eyes..

"Bellatrix Lestrange." Neville spoke out the name that was lurking on everyone's mind.

The woman's lips curled up. "Neville Longbottom is it? How's Mum and Dad?"

He gritted his teeth. "Better, now that they're about to be avenged!" Harry stopped him from stepping forward.

Bellatrix raised her wand too, but Malfoy just put his hands up in defence. "Now.. let's everybody just calm down.. shall we?" he chuckled, extending his hand. "Now.. Potter. Hand me the prophecy."

"Yeah, right!" he said with a ridiculous laugh. "I give you this prophecy and you'll just let us skip off home, will you?"

The words were hardly out of his mouth when Lestrange shrieked, "Accio Proph—"

Harry shouted "Protego!" before she had finished her spell, and though the glass sphere slipped to the tips of his fingers he managed to cling on to it.

Lestrange laughed in disbelief. "Very well, then—"

"I TOLD YOU, NO!" Lucius Malfoy roared at the woman. "If you smash it—!"

"Ria, what happens if you smash a prophecy?" Harry whispered to her.

"Nothing much. You just can't hear it ever again." Ria whispered back. "If Voldemort needs it.. I think smashing it might be the best option."

Harry nodded, his mind racing. The Death Eaters wanted this glass ball. He had no interest in it, and no need for it. He just wanted to get them all out of this alive, make sure that none of his friends paid a terrible price for his stupidity..

"You need more persuasion?" Lestrange asked, her chest rising and falling rapidly. "Take the Azrael—" she ordered the Death Eaters beside her.

Harry pushed her behind him, but the shelves had already started rumbling. A golden glow from Ria's eyes was illuminating his shoulder.

"Try me."

And as her eyes fell on the glass ball, a crack went right through it.

"No! FALL BACK— NOW—" Malfoy demanded to the death-eaters. Ria blinked; the glow disappeared, but the rumbling did not stop. "Potter.. Edwards. Think.. Won't you like to know the reason behind the connection between Potter and the Dark Lord?"

"I'm in no hurry." Harry answered. "So, what kind of prophecy are we talking about anyway?"

He did not know what to do, so he kept talking. Ria's hand was holding onto the arm that held the prophecy. Neville's arm was pressed against shoulder, and he could feel him shaking. He could feel one of the other's quickened breath on the back of his head. He was hoping they were all thinking hard about ways to get out of this, because his mind was blank.

"What kind of prophecy?" repeated Bellatrix, "You jest, Harry Potter."

"Nope, not jesting," said Harry, his eyes flicking from Death Eater to Death Eater, looking for a weak link, a space through which they could escape. "How come Voldemort wants it?"

Several of the Death Eaters let out low hisses.

"You dare speak his name?" whispered Bellatrix.

"Yeah," said Harry, maintaining his tight grip on the glass ball, expecting another attempt to bewitch it from him. Although he was sure Ria would make it burst apart, mid-air, if they managed to summon it. He had that much confidence in her. "Yeah, I've got no problem saying Vol—"

"Shut your mouth!" Bellatrix shrieked. "You dare speak his name with your unworthy lips, you dare besmirch it with your Half-blood's tongue, you dare—"

"Did you know he's a Half-blood too?" said Harry recklessly. And he realised why Ria liked riling up her enemies so much.

"Voldemort? Yeah, his mother was a witch but his dad was a Muggle— or has he been telling you lot he's Pureblood?"

"STUPEF—"

"NO!"

A jet of red light had shot from the end of Bellatrix Lestrange's wand, but Malfoy had deflected it. His spell caused hers to hit the shelf a foot to the left of Harry and several of the glass orbs there shattered.

"DO NOT ATTACK! WE NEED THE PROPHECY!"

"Ria.." He whispered.

"He dared— he dares—" shrieked Bellatrix incoherently. "— He stands there— filthy Half-blood—"

"When I say 'now', we smash the shelves and make a run for it. Tell the others. I'll keep talking."

"WAIT UNTIL WE'VE GOT THE PROPHECY!" bawled Malfoy.

"You haven't told me what's so special about this prophecy I'm supposed to be handing over," he said, playing for time.

Ria moved slightly behind Harry, just enough so that his shoulder was hiding her mouth. "Hey.." She whispered.

"Do not play games with us, Potter," said Malfoy.

"I'm not playing games," said Harry, half his mind on the conversation, half on whatever that was happening behind him.

"What?" Hermione whispered back.

"Dumbledore never told you that the reason you bear that scar was hidden in the bowels of the Department of Mysteries?" said Malfoy sneeringly.

"I— what?" said Harry, and for a moment he quite forgot his plan. "What about my scar?"

"Can this be?" said Malfoy, sounding maliciously delighted; some of the Death Eaters were laughing again, and under the voice of their laughter, Ria continued her task.

"We're smashing shelves at Harry's signal.. and escaping." She whispered. "Got it?" Several whispers answered with a 'yes', and she slowly nodded back.

"Dumbledore never told you?" Malfoy repeated. "Haven't you ever wondered why the Dark Lord tried to kill you as a baby?"

Harry stared at Malfoy. Was this prophecy the reason Harry's parents had died, the reason he carried his lightning-bolt scar? Was the answer to all of this clutched in his hand?

Well.. it didn't matter, right now.

"NOW!" yelled Harry.

Six different voices behind him bellowed "REDUCTO!" Six curses flew in five different directions and the shelves opposite them exploded as they hit. The towering structure swayed as a hundred glass spheres burst apart, pearly-white figures unfurled into the air and floated there, their voices echoing the prophecies captured inside.

And amid the torrent of crashing glass and splintered wood now raining down upon the floor, they all broke into a run with their arms shielding their heads. The shelves swayed precariously and more glass spheres began to pour from above.

The way ahead was clear. Ron, Ginny, and Luna sprinted past him, their arms over their heads. Hermione and Neville followed behind, while Harry and Ria brought up the rear, stunning one or two death-eaters that managed to follow behind.

They were all yelling behind them. There were cries of pain, thunderous crashes as the shelves collapsed upon themselves, weirdly echoing fragments of the Seers unleashed from their spheres and in the midst of them all—

A warning echoing in Asteria's head. 

Her eyes widened, and she pushed Harry out of the way. "NO!"

A dark mist engulfed her, carrying her through the room and slamming her against the black wall. Ria groaned at the impact, her wand slipping from her hand and falling down. The death-eater in front of her was masked, covered from head to toe.

She struggled mid-air, kicking her legs to free herself. The death-eater grabbed her face forcefully, keeping her head still against the wall.

"Leave— me—" Ria managed to say.

The death-eater lowered their face towards her, and it was almost like she could sense the smile behind the cover.

"Why? I thought you wanted me to come up front and fight.. instead of hiding like a coward?"

Ria stopped struggling, looking at the dull grey eyes that peered at her through the slits in the mask.

"So, here I am."

Her breath was shaking with disbelief.

"Carrow?"

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