Raven (Fred x oc)

79. Foreboding

"Harry, what is it?" I asked, shaking him off as he gripped my wrist.

"I've got to tell you something," he replied, leading me into a classroom, empty apart from Ron and Hermione.

"Voldemort's got Sirius," Harry said. My blood froze in my veins. When the other two began to speak, Harry explained, "I saw it, just now when I fell asleep during the exam."

"B-But where? How?" Hermione asked.

"I dunno how," Harry retorted anxiously. "But I know exactly where. There's a room in the Department of Mysteries full of shelves covered in these little glass balls, and they're at the end of row ninety-seven...He's trying to get Sirius to get whatever it is he wants from in there...He's torturing him...Says he'll end by killing him...How're we getting to London?"

"G-Get there?" Ron stuttered.

"Get to the Department of Mysteries, so we can rescue Sirius," Harry said loudly.

"But - Harry," Ron said weakly.

"What? What?" Harry snapped.

"Harry," Hermione said cautiously. "How...how did Voldemort get into the Ministry of Magic without anybody realizing he was there?"

"I don't know!" Harry shouted. Turning to me, he said, "Come on, Val, you have to believe me."

"Harry, Dad wouldn't have left," I said. "I-I don't see how it's possible that he'd- He was fine when I saw him Saturday. Maybe you just saw him being tortured."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Harry snapped.

"Only that this may not all be as clear as you think," I explained.

"WHAT'S NOT CLEAR ABOUT THIS?!" Harry shouted angrily. "I'M TRYING TO SAVE SIRIUS!"

"Hi," Ginny greeted uncertainly. "We recognized Harry's voice - what are you yelling about?"

"Never you mind," Harry retorted.

"Harry," I sighed.

"There's no need to take that tone with me," Ginny retorted cooley. "I was only wondering whether I could help."

"Well you can't," Harry said shortly.

"You're being rather rude, you know," Luna said serenely.

"Val's right, Harry," Hermione said, cutting off whatever Harry was about to shoot back angrily. "Listen, we need to establish whether Sirius really has left headquarters-"

"I've told you, I saw-"

"Harry, I'm begging you, please!" Hermione retorted desperately.

"It's too much of a risk that he's just tricking you," I said. "Go on, Hermione."

"Let's just check that Sirius isn't at home before we go charging off to London - if we find out he's not there then I swear I won't try and stop you, I'll come, I'll d-do whatever it takes to try and save him."

"Sirius is begin tortured now!" Harry shouted.

"And what if he isn't!" I shouted. "Harry, believe me. I would give my life for my dad, but the risk that this is just a trap is too great."

"Fine," he huffed. "How're we going to check?"

"We'll have to use Umbridge's fire and see if we can contact him," Hermione said. "We'll draw Umbridge away again, but we'll need lookouts, and that's where we can use Ginny and Luna."

"We'll do it," Ginny replied.

"And I can apparate to London," I suggested. "I'll let you know if I find him."