Harriet Potter 1

Communication

Harriet scrambled to her feet and rushed out of the great hall, causing teachers and students to glance her way in alarm. The exam had almost ended and she hadn't written anything but she couldn't stay in the exam hall.

She started down the corridor towards Dumbledore's office when she remembered he was gone. Severus she thought. Then with a sinking feeling she remembered that he was off premises today and hadn't told her where he would be going. McGonnagall was in St Mungos. There were no order members she could talk to about what she had seen.

Her breath came hard and tears blurred her vision. "Exam stress" she'd told the concerned exam invigilator who had come to check on her.

Harriet's mind whirred as she tried to think of a solution.

Students came pouring out of the exam hall, chattering loudly and brushing past Harriet with cheery faces.

When Hermione and Ron emerged from the exam hall they hurried towards Harriet.

"Voldemort has Sirius, I saw it. He says he's going to kill him!" She told them urgently.

Hermione looked worried "Harriet listen how did Voldemort get into the Ministry of Magic without anyone noticing? Why would Sirius be there? Think about it, this could be a trap."

"I've been having dreams for months-"

"Dreams, Harriet" Hermione insisted "and I thought you said you'd had a breakthrough in Occlumency?"

"But I saw Ron's dad too remember?" Harried replied, ignoring the last part of Hermione's question.

"Yeah she has a point Hermione" Ron piped up.

Tears streamed down Harriet's cheeks "I know what I saw. If we don't go, he'll be dead."

Ginny, Luna and Neville approached looking concerned "we thought that was Harri's voice. What's going on?"

Hermione frowned in thought "Harriet, if we can just make sure that Sirius hasn't left headquarters then I promise I'll help you however you want."

Harriet struggled to control her voice "There's no time to waste, Sirius is being tortured right now!"

"We can try contacting him through Umbridge's fire" Hermione suggested.

Ron turned to Hermione, Ginny and Luna "I'll head off Umbridge and you can stop people from going down the corridor. Harri, you'll have five minutes at best."

Slipping into Umbridge's office quickly, Harriet threw a handful of floo powder into the fireplace. "Number 12 Grimmauld Place."

"Sirius?" She called. The room was dark and there were no signs of movement from within.

Suddenly a figure emerged. To Harriet's alarm Kreacher looked uncharacteristically happy.

"Kreacher where is he?" Harriet demanded. Kreacher merely cackled.

"Kreacher tell me now!" Harriet repeated forcefully, panic overcoming her need for caution.

Kreacher's beady eyes finally met Harriet's. "Master has gone. Master will not return from the Department of Mysteries" he replied gleefully.

Suddenly, Harriet felt fingers digging into her scalp dragging her backwards by the hair.

Then she was staring up into the pallid face of professor Umbridge.

"Take her wand!" Umbridge barked at someone Harriet couldn't see. 

A familiar hand slipped into her robes, withdrawing her wand. Malfoy.

"And the rest of theirs!" She barked again.

"Why are you in my office?" Umbridge dragged Harriet so she could now see the other people in the room. Hermione, Ron, Neville, Luna and Ginny were all being restrained by Crabbe, Goyle, Millicent Bulstrode and Malfoy.

"Who were you communicating with?" Umbridge roared. When Harriet didn't answer, Umbridge turned to Malfoy. "Go fetch Professor Snape."

But Snape had been off the premises today, he had told her so. He must have returned early. This was her chance to alert the order!

When Malfoy returned with Snape, Umbridge seemed unhinged with excitement.

"Ah Professor Snape" Umbridge said in a dangerously sweet voice "I need a bottle of veritaserum."

"Certainly," he replied coolly "it will take a month to brew."

Harriet stared at him frantically, willing him to meet her gaze. His dark eyes finally met hers, his expression betraying nothing. Harriet thought as loudly and furiously as she could. Voldemort has Sirius in the department of mysteries, she repeated over and over.

Severus blinked slowly but gave no indication of having received her message.

"You're on probation! You are being deliberately unhelpful" Umbridge replied furiously.

"If that is all?" He asked dryly, before turning to the door.

His dark gaze landed on Harriet's as though trying to impart a wordless message. If he was, Harriet certainly didn't hear it.

Without another word, Severus left the room.