Emma Potter; Going to War

48: Lying

"What?" 

"How d'you — ?" 

"Saw it. Just now. When we fell asleep in the exam." 

"But — but where? How?" said Zoe, whose face was white. 

"we dunno how," said Harry. "But I know exactly where. There's aroom in the Department of Mysteries full of shelves covered in theselittle glass balls, and they're at the end of row ninety-seven . . . He'strying to use Sirius to get whatever it is he wants from in there. . . .He's torturing him. . . . Says he'll end by killing him . . ." 

Harry found his voice was shaking, as were his knees. He movedover to a desk and sat down on it, trying to master himself.

 "How're we going to get there?" I asked them. 

There was a moment's silence. 

Then Ron said, "G-get there?" 

"Get to the Department of Mysteries, so we can rescue Sirius!" I said loudly

"But — Emma. . ." said Ron weakly. 

"What? What?" I snarled. 

I could not understand why they were gaping at us asthough we were asking them something unreasonable. 

"Harry,Emma" said Hermione in a rather frightened voice, "er . . . how. . . how did Voldemort get into the Ministry of Magic without anybody realizing he was there?" 

"How do we know?" bellowed Harry. "The question is how we'regoing to get in there!" 

"But . . .  think about this," said Zoe, taking a steptoward us, "it's five o'clock in the afternoon. . . . The Ministry ofMagic must be full of workers. . . . How would Voldemort and Siriushave got in without being seen?  . . . they're probably the twomost wanted wizards in the world. . . . You think they could get intoa building full of Aurors undetected?" 

"I dunno, Voldemort used an Invisibility Cloak or something!"Harry shouted. "Anyway, the Department of Mysteries has alwaysbeen completely empty whenever I've been —" 

"You've never been there, Harry," said Hermione quietly. "You'vedreamed about the place, that's all."

 "They're not normal dreams!" I shouted in her face, standingup and taking a step closer to her in turn. I wanted to shake her."How do you explain Ron's dad then, what was all that about, howcome we knew what had happened to him?" 

"He's got a point," said Ron quietly, looking at Hermione. 

"But this is just — just so unlikely!" said Hermione desperately."Harry,Emma how on earth could Voldemort have got hold of Sirius whenhe's been in Grimmauld Place all the time?" 

"Sirius might've cracked and just wanted some fresh air," said Ron,sounding worried. "He's been desperate to get out of that house forages —" 

"But why," Zoe persisted, "why on earth would Voldemortwant to use Sirius to get the weapon, or whatever the thing is?"

 "I dunno, there could be loads of reasons!" Harry yelled at her."Maybe Sirius is just someone Voldemort doesn't care about seeinghurt —" 

"My necklace" I gasped, clasping the jewel on my neck. My mother's enchanted necklace, given to me when I was eleven. It let's me know when someone I love is in danger. 

"We hardly have time to talk about jewellry--" scoffed Harry.

"No you idiot, Mum's necklace! It glows when someone I care about is hurt--"

"Well, maybe the spell wore off!" roared Harry "are we really going to take the chance?"

"You know what, I've just thought of something," said Ron in ahushed voice. "Sirius's brother was a Death Eater, wasn't he? Maybe hetold Sirius the secret of how to get the weapon!"