Memories of the Heart || Harry Potter x Reader

Y5 ~ Room of Requirement

After the incident with Professor Trelawney, a heavy silence settled over Hogwarts like a suffocating fog. The once lively corridors, brimming with laughter and hurried footsteps, now carried only hushed whispers and an oppressive stillness. Dolores Umbridge's iron rule had squeezed the life out of the castle, her ever-watchful eyes—and those of her Inquisitorial Squad—making even the bravest students tread cautiously. The looming O.W.L. exams only added to the tension, their approach a constant reminder of the school's failing instruction. Without proper magical practice, panic gripped the students like a relentless storm.

In the Gryffindor common room, the usual warmth of the crackling fire felt more like a faint comfort than a shield against the grim reality. Shadows danced on the stone walls, stretching and shrinking in time with the flicker of the flames. Hermione paced near the hearth, her brow furrowed, lips pressed into a tight line. The firelight caught the edges of her hair, turning it into a halo of wild curls.

"That foul, evil old gargoyle!" she burst out, spinning on her heel. Her voice cracked with frustration. "We're not learning a thing to help us pass our O.W.L.s, and she's taking over the entire school. How can she think this is helping?"

Across the room, Ron slouched in an armchair, his head tilted back, staring at the ceiling. "We're doomed, that's all. Might as well start packing for a life of cleaning cauldrons at the apothecary." His attempt at humor fell flat, his voice tinged with genuine despair.

On the table nearby, a magical radio crackled to life, its tinny voice breaking the heavy air. "...and security will remain the Ministry's top priority. Furthermore, we have convincing evidence that these disappearances are the work of notorious mass murderer Sirius Black."

Y/N, seated cross-legged on the rug, clenched her fists so tightly her knuckles turned white. Her face hardened, her voice a low growl. "Stupid coward. My father would never—" She stopped mid-sentence as a green glow burst from the fireplace, cutting through the gloom.

"Hey! Y/N!" Harry leapt from the sofa, his eyes wide with surprise. "Sirius!"

"Dad, what are you doing here?" Y/N asked, her voice a mix of surprise and concern. Ron stood beside her, his expression one of astonishment

"Answering Harry's letter," Sirius responded, his face appearing among the flames. "You said you were worried about Umbridge. What's she doing? Training you to kill half-breeds?"

"Sirius, she's not letting us use magic at all!" Harry said, his frustration clear.

Sirius's expression darkened. "Well, I'm not surprised. The latest intelligence is that Fudge doesn't want you to train in combat."

"Combat?" Ron echoed, his confusion evident. "What does he think we're forming, some sort of wizard army?"

"That's exactly what he thinks. Dumbledore is assembling his own forces to take on the Ministry. Fudge is becoming more paranoid by the minute. The others wouldn't want me telling you this, Harry, but things aren't going well at the Order. Fudge is blocking the truth at every turn, and these disappearances are just the beginning. Voldemort is on the move..."

Before Sirius could respond, a dull thump echoed from the dormitory staircase. His eyes darted toward the sound. "Someone's coming," he said hurriedly. "I'm sorry I can't be more help. It looks like your own for now. I love you two." The flames died as his face vanished, leaving the common room in a heavier silence than before.

They stepped back from the fire, their faces bathed in the flickering orange glow of the embers. Shadows danced across the walls of the Gryffindor common room, the warmth of the hearth unable to dispel the weight of their thoughts. Rain lashed against the tall windows, its relentless drumming matching the tension in the room.