The Enemy of my Enemy

The Ambush

"This is it," Harry repeated.

The first thing Teddie noticed in this new room was the giant grandfather clock in the corner, and the large bell jar on the table.

"Oh look!" said Ginny, pointing at the bell jar.

Inside the glass, drifting along a sparkling thread was a jewel-sized egg. As it rose to the top of the jar it cracked open and a hummingbird popped out, but as it started to fall, the bird's feathers became damp again and it transformed back into an egg.

"Whoa," Ginny breathed, her eyes wide.

"Keep going," urged Harry.

"You dawdled enough by that old arch!" Ginny replied, crossly.

Teddie smiled and put her hand on the young girl's shoulders. "If we have time, we'll come back," she said.

"Where to, mate?" Ron asked Harry.

Harry glanced around the room. They all had their wands out and a serious and anxious tension filled the air. Nodding at a door beside the Grandfather clock, Harry led them over, swallowed, and then pushed the door open.

The room behind the door had a ceiling as high as a church and full of nothing but towering shelves covered in small, dusty, class orbs. They glimmered dully in the light issuing from more candle brackets set at intervals along the shelves.

Harry hurried forward and peered down the shadowy aisles between two rows of shelves.

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

"Yeah," breathed Harry.

Hermione peered at the shelf closest to her. "We need to go right, I think," she whispered. "Yes, that's fifty-four..."

"Keep your wands out," Harry said softly.

Teddie's grip on her wand tightened. He didn't need to tell her twice.

They crept forward, as a group, all huddled up and careful not to step on anyone around them.

Teddie glanced, now and again, at the tiny, yellowing labels that had been stuck beneath each glass orb on the shelf. Some she could make out; others were so faded that she had passed by before her brain could register what number was shown. Some orbs, she also noticed, were full of weird liquid that would glow under their wand light, but others were dull and dark as a blown lightbulb.

They passed row eight-four... eighty-five...

"Ninety-seven," whispered Hermione.

The group stopped, each one peering down a darkened alley beside the shelves. There was nobody there.

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

They crept forward away, between the shelves. The glass orbs on either side of the glowed softly as they passed.

But Sirius was not there.

"He should be near here," whispered Harry, his voice hoarse and dry.

Teddie looked around, her eyes peering into the darkness, looking for any signs of movement. She strained her hearing, trying to find scuffles, shuffles or groans, but there was nothing but deafness.

"Harry," said Hermione tentatively.

Harry ignored her, his head swivelling from side to side as he tried to find any signs of where Sirius was being held. "Harry," Hermione tried again.

"Somewhere about... here..." Harry muttered. "Or maybe..." He hurried to look down a second aisle.

"Harry?" called Hermione.