Black and White

22

Finally, it's time for fifth years to take their OWLs. Unfortunately for me, that means Harry, Ron, and Hermione are all taking tests, while most the teachers are too busy dealing with the tests to give real assignments. In other words, I am bored to death. But Fred and George told me to wait for them outside the Theory of Charms OWL.

I'm waiting and waiting, when I suddenly hear pounding coming around the hallway. As Umbridge comes out of the room, I duck behind a suit of armor.

A spark whizzes around in front of her nose before entering the classroom and producing fireworks. I grin at the bright display of colors, when, suddenly, Fred and George zoom in on their broomsticks, soaring over Umbridge and setting off more fireworks as the papers go flying. The students jump to their feet, cheering.

Fred then throws up a large firework that creates a dragon made of sparks, which chases after Umbridge, exploding into tons of sparks as it "catches" her, shattering all of her Educational Decrees.

As the boys fly out of the room, and out of the castle, the students follow, cheering. I join them as they pass my hiding place. The twins set off more fireworks outside, and even more students from other classes join in, marveling at the giant "W" in the sky. Even Luna seems in awe of the display, and I see Flitwick voicing his approval.

But my mark begins burning again as I see Harry collapse. I run to him, and pain is written across his face. Hermione and Ron join us.

"Sirius," he tells me, and I realize he means in the same way that he saw Mr. Weasley attacked. He saw my dad being tortured. My heart wrenches at the thought.

"Harry, are you sure," Hermione asks as we enter the castle and run up the stairs. I rub the last of the Murtlap Essence on my burned mark as we go.

"It's the same door as I saw before," Harry explains. "I couldn't remember where I'd seen it before. Sirius told me Voldemort is after something. Something he didn't have before, in the Department of Mysteries."

"Harry, please, just listen," Hermione begs, stopping our group. "What if Voldemort meant for you to see this? What if he's only hurting Sirius because he's trying to get to you?"

"What if he is?" Harry asks. "I'm supposed to just let him die?" I wince at the wording. "Hermione, he and Lucy are the only family I've got left."

"Please," I ask of Ron and Hermione. "We already helped your dad, Ron. Now I have to help mine. Please."

"What do we do?" Ron asks.

"We'll have to use the Floo Network," Harry says.

"Umbridge has the chimneys under surveillance," Hermione reminds.

"Not all of them," I correct. "Not hers."

We enter her office pretty easily. Harry throws floo powder into the fireplace.

"Alert the Order if you can," he says.

"Are you mental, we're going with you," Ron argues.

While they argue, I go to a corner and quietly cast a patronus. "Find Snape," I whisper to the hummingbird, and it flies through the closed door and disappears from view.

Snape may hate my father, and that's between them, but he seems to like me alright. Besides, he told me to tell him if my mark burned again, so really I'm just following instructions.

"When are you going to get this in your head?" Hermione snaps at Harry. "We're in this together."

"That you are," Umbridge states, joining us in the room.

As it turns out, a few others of Dumbledore's Army has been caught. Neville, Luna, and Ginny. We all stand to the side of the room, trapped by the Inquisitorial Squad. Blaise Zabini smirks as he holds the tip of his wand to my throat, even as Draco glares daggers at him. I consider changing into my chameleon form, but I have a feeling he'd just step on me.

"You were going to Dumbledore weren't you?" Umbridge asks Harry, who is strapped in a chair.

"No," Harry answers.

"Liar," Umbridge accuses, slapping him across the face.

"You sent for me, Headmistress," Snape asks, entering the room and surveying the scene.

"Snape, yes," she smiles. "The time has come for answers, whether he wants to give them to me or not. Have you brought the Veriteserum?"

"I'm afraid you've used up all my stores interrogating students," Snape answers. "The last of it on Miss Chang. Unless you wish to poison him- and I assure you, I would have the greatest sympathy if you did- I cannot help you."

"He's got Padfoot!" I blurt out as Snape begins to walk away, and Zabini pushes the wand further against my neck. "He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden."

Zabini brings me closer to Umbridge, who inspects my face for a moment as I watch Snape, who appears frozen in place.

"Padfoot?" Umbridge asks. "What's Padfoot? What is hidden? What's she talking about, Snape?"

Snape turns back to look at the headmistress for a moment, eyes blank. "No idea," he says simply, leaving.

"Very well," Umbridge states, obviously distraught. "You give me no choice, Miss Black. As this is an issue of Ministry security, you leave me with no alternative. The Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue."

"That's illegal," Hermione interrupts, and even the Inquisitorial Squad is looking unsure of themselves. But I just glare at the woman with all the hatred a member of the Black family can muster.

"What Cornelius doesn't know won't hurt him," Umbridge excuses.

She's about to curse me when Hermione yells, "Tell her, Harry!"

I look to Harry, who seems confused.

"Well, if you won't tell her where it is, I will," Hermione states.

"Where what is?" Umbridge asks, her wand still pointed at me.

"Dumbledore's secret weapon," Hermione answers.

Now, I am thoroughly confused.

Harry and Hermione leave with Umbridge then, to wherever the "Secret Weapon" is. Supposedly somewhere in the Forbidden Forest.

Then, Ron does something brilliant. He pulls Puking Pastilles out of his pocket, saying that he's hungry. Of course, to the untrained eye, they look like ordinary candies. The Inquisitorial Squad immediately grabs at them, eating them all. Within minutes, they are all puking their guts up.

"Sorry, Dra," I mutter as I sidestep him and follow the others out the door.

We meet up with Harry and Hermione in the hallway, and they tell us quickly about Grawp, Hagrid's giant half-brother, and the centaurs.

"So, how are we going to get to London?" Neville asks.

"Look, it's not that I don't appreciate everything you've done, all of you," Harry begins. "But I've got you into enough trouble as it is."

He goes to walk away, but I grab his sleeve and yank him back.

"Harry James Potter, this is my father we're talking about," I snap up at him. "There's no way in bloody h*ll I'm not coming with you, and I think everyone else here would say the same."

Harry stares at me in pure shock.

"Dumbledore's Army is about doing something real," Neville insists. "Or was that all just words to you?"

"Maybe you don't have to do this all by yourself, mate," Ron says.

"So how are we going to get to London?" Harry finally asks.

Luna grins. "We fly, of course."