Moonlark Rising

The Ministry

Sophie

Sophie knew it was a risk to transmit to Harry. But, the message had to be sent. Anyways, Harry was good at keeping secrets. So was she, something she was glad for when Hagrid showed them his half brother, whom only Sophie, Hermione and Hagrid could talk to safely.

Luckily, the Gryffindors had begun to win again. Ron had had a change of luck, and the once sarcastic strains of Weasley is our King from the Slytherins had been replaced by sincerity from the Gryffindors.

The O.W.L.s were coming up, and Ernie was grilling people about their study habits. Sophie answered his questions quickly. Apparently, her amount of studying was so much larger than his, he was rather upset with himself.

The day of the exams, Sophie filed into the Great Hall, despite being told she didn't have to. She sealed her scroll in record time, and she knew for a fact that she had passed with flying colors.

 All of her exams went similarly, with the examiner wondering over a particularly useful illusion charm Sophie found and asking her about her wand (panakes wood with a core of alicorn hair and a moonlark feather).

Unfortunately, Hagrid had been brought to Azkaban. That had caused Sophie to groan. Why on earth did they have to fight? 

Put your head down, agree, and then find a way around it! It was so simple. Harry came running up to her, with Ron and Hermione trailing behind.

What's wrong? she transmitted.

Harry replied, I had another dream today. Voldemort's torturing Sirius at the ministry, in the department of mysteries! We need to help him.

Sophie breathed in, and out again. Gods, they needed to learn when things were a trap. She had destroyed the sixth horcrux, and there was only one left, she thought. 

The ring had had a curse on it. You don't put strange jewelry on. Basic rule. The cup had been pretty tricky, and would have been impossible without the shapeshifting. The list went on.

She transmitted, Okay. I have an idea for how to get there, but we'll need backup.

Backup? Why would we need backup? Sophie sighed at Hermione's naivete.

It's obviously a trap. Voldemort knows how to use the mind link. He wants Harry to be in the department of mysteries. 

So, we have to bring backup and be on guard. Also, I think I know why the link is there.

Why? Ron asked.

Sophie waffled for a bit, before saying, I'll explain when we get out of Hogwarts.

She turned, then sent a telepathic message to Ginny, Neville and Luna. Meet us outside the castle near Hagrid's hut. We have a new DA mission.

Sophie strode off, and Harry, Ron and Hermione walked closely after her. When Filch walked right past them without noticing them, Hermione signed, 'What's going on? Why can't he see us?'

Sophie held up the obscurer, and Hermione gave a puzzled nod. When they got to Hagrid's hut, the others were waiting there.

Ginny took charge, asking her, "Why did I hear your voice in my head? What's going on?"

Sophie sighed, then spoke. "That was telepathy. It was the only way I could think of to get your attention. I need you all to just listen. Voldemort has set a trap in the Department of Mysteries. 

My best guess is that he wants Harry to give him the full prophecy. My idea is that we're going to flip the trap, and use it to get rid of him and his Death Eaters for good."

Neville raised his hand like he was in class. "But... I thought he was invincible?"

Sophie answered his question reluctantly. "It's a special type of dark magic. Horcruxes. You have to use death magic to splinter your soul into pieces.

 Ripping it from you and storing it in an object hurts more than any other pain, but then you are almost invincible. Well, I've been hunting down and destroying Voldemort's Horcruxes for the past year. I've got almost all of them, except for one."

Hermione let out a stifled gasp. "Where's the Horcrux?" Sophie nodded in Harry's direction.

Ron jumped in front of Harry. "We can't kill him! I won't let you!"

Sophie sighed. These wizards. Stubbornly loyal. "I know a way to get rid of the piece of soul without hurting Harry. I just need permission to enter your mind, Harry."

Harry nodded tersely, and in a matter of moments Sophie had cut the piece of Voldemort's soul out and erased it permanently. "There. Now, we need to go. I'm going to call a few friends. We'll be riding in style, and that spying old toad over there will be gone for good."

Harry

Harry looked in the direction Sophie was. Umbridge was standing right there.

In a loud, cocky voice Harry hadn't heard before, Sophie said "Well then, I guess you've caught us. You'll be wanting the weapon, then?"

Umbridge's eyes widened. "There's a weapon? Where is it?"

Sophie nodded to the Forbidden Forest. As soon as Umbridge was a few feet inside the Boundary, Sophie said... something in another language, and centaurs ran up to them, driving Umbridge further into the forest, away from the castle.

One of them bowed to Sophie. "Thank you, Niece, for helping us drive the enemies of the herd away. You are wise for such a young foal."

Then, he hurried off into the woods again, and was replaced by a flock of thestals. The lead thestral touched down in front of Sophie, and Harry felt a twinge of awe as it lifted its wings above Sophie's head.

"Hello, Aunt Tress. We need your help driving the rot away. Can your herd send four to take us to the Ministry? Thank you!" Sophie turned to them. 

"Okay, Ron and Harry, you take Uncle Sky, Luna and Ginny can go on Aunt Cloud, Neville can go with Cousin Chomper and Hermione's with me and Aunt Tress." Sophie mounted the leader, pulling Hermione up after her. 

Once seated, Hermione asked the obvious question.

"Why are you calling them aunts, uncles and cousins?"

As the thestrals took off, Sophie said, "I have a bit of alicorn blood. Now, to the Ministry of Magic!" Sophie slid off the thestrals near the phone booth half an hour later, then said goodbye. The thestrals took off, leaving them to walk into the phone booth.

Sophie turned the dial, and when the voice asked her purpose, she said in a crisp, clear voice, "Protocol override 'Swan Song'."

The phone booth slid down, revealing the ministry. Sophie slid a pair of long, silver daggers that were more like swords out of her cloak, leading them down the dark, empty hallway.

Turning to them, Sophie said "Ok, I want you all to point your wands at yourself and say 'luna clypeus'. It's an even stronger shield spell. It won't go down until you take it down."

Harry did as she said, then began to say "Lum-"

Sophie cut him off. "No, Lumos is too bright. Besides, you need to be ready to jinx the Death Eaters. I have a few jars of starlight." 

Sophie pulled out a vibrant blue bottle of light and went down one of the aisles, browsing. She stopped and pulled one down. Putting an ear to it, she listened carefully. 

She slipped the orb into a hidden pocket, and began to mutter the prophecy under her breath, so low that Harry couldn't hear. What was going on here? 

He found the orb with his name on it, and had barely taken it into his hands when Lucius Malfoy's voice had echoed from behind them.

OoooOOH cliffhanger- lol im not that mean next chapter out soon :D