If I survive you survive

Chapter 13: To the Ministry

Why did they have an astronomy exam the night before another exam? Harry was trying to concentrate on looking at and filling in his star chart, but he was distracted by voices. He could make out six figures walking towards Hagrid's hut. When Hagrid started shouting the whole exam seemed to stop and everyone was watching. The wizards were sending stunners towards Hagrid who was screaming and flailing his arms.

"WHAT IS GOING ON?" Professor McGonagall was shouting. Without warning the wizards turned and she was hit square in the chest with at least four stunners. Harry watched as Hagrid ran off disappearing through the gates. Harry was too shocked by what he had just seen to think about the fact Hagrid had asked them to look after Grawp if anything happened to him. Umbridge was with them and his feelings of hatred intensified inside his chest. If there was one person in the world that truly deserved the cruciatus it was here. Did that make him like Tom? He pushed that thought away from himself.

Harry barely slept that night. When they were finally released from the Astronomy tower everyone was speaking in hushed voices about what they had seen. By the time Harry had finally got to bed he couldn't sleep.He could see streaks of red every time he closed his eyes. Saw McGonagall go flying. Hagrid hitting out at his attackers.

When he sat down for his History of Magic OWL he felt his eyes begin to droop. Pinching himself he read through the questions. He remembered reading something about giant wars in Hermione's notes.

The scratching noises of quills were quite therapeutic. The room was warm. His eyes were closing.

The long dark corridor stretched endlessly in front of Harry. The door was getting closer but slowly. He tried to run and to his surprise he was actually able to speed up. Normally he felt stuck walking at a painfully relaxed pace. He reached the door at the end of the corridor and half expected to wake up. The door opened and there was rows and rows of shelves holding clear glass spheres. Harry couldn't work out what they were but they reminded him slightly of the Remembrall that Neville had back in first year. He heard a noise and voices. He ran again, along the end of the aisles until he saw a tall dark figure.

"Pick it up" Voldemort's cold, high voice ordered.

"I'd rather die" Harry could see now there was a figure on the floor. He recognised that voice. His stomach dropped when he realised it was Sirius.

"That can be arranged. Crucio."

The screams echoed around him. Then it was just Harry screaming. He wasn't at the Ministry he was lying on the floor in his exam. The examiner was speaking to him, asking him if he was okay.

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"Hermione, I hope you've got some sort of plan here" Harry whispered.

They were walking through the Forbidden Forest with Umbridge following closely behind them. Hermione was making as much noise as she possibly could. It had taken quite a lot of convincing by Harry to get them to help him break into Umbridge's office to use her floo to check on Sirius and now because of him they were all in shit. Hermione had concocted some story to get Umbridge out the school, but Harry didn't have a clue what she was thinking. Each second that ticked by made Harry more and more anxious. Sirius could be dead by now.

"We are nearly there" Hermione called loudly and then whispered, "kind of winging it here". Harry's eyes widened.

He heard a loud crunching noise coming from behind them. A group of centaurs had appeared bow and arrows in hand.

"Hagga" the low but loud voice of Grawp came up ahead. Umbridge was staring between the giant and the centaurs. Her wand going between the two. Hermione held Harry's wrist and starting gently pulling him over to the side leaving Umbridge between the two threats.