Pariah: The Other Malfoy

Chapter 50: Visions

The final exam was History of Magic. I had just finished the paper as Harry hit the floor.

The whole hall erupted when they noticed.

"I'm not going... I don't need the Hospital Wing... I don't want..." stammered Harry.

Professor Tofty was escorting him out of the room as we all watched. We all handed in our papers shortly after and left the hall. I was walking with Ron, Hermione, and Tobias when Harry came running towards us.

"Harry! Are you OK? What happened? Are you ill?" asked Hermione.

"Come with me! Quickly! I've got to tell you something!" said Harry.

He led us down the first-floor corridor and into an empty classroom. We were all staring at him in confusion and worry until he finally spoke. When he did, it felt like the floor was falling beneath my feet.

"Voldemort's got Sirius."

I stared at him in shock and horror.

"How d'you..." someone started.

"Saw it. Just now. When I fell asleep in the exam," Harry explained.

"But how?" asked Hermione.

"I dunno," said Harry, "But I know exactly where. There's a room in the Department of Mysteries full of shelves covered in these little glass balls, and they're at the end of row ninety-seven... He's trying to use Sirius to get whatever it is he wants from there... He's torturing him... Says he'll end by killing him..."

I stood pale-faced as Tobias grabbed hold of my hand, squeezing it.

"How're we going to get there?" I asked, my face set.

"G-get there?" said Ron.

"Get to the Department of Mysteries, so we can rescue Sirius!" I said loudly.

"But..."

"What? WHAT?" Harry snapped, I was also growing angry at the time-wasting.

"Er... Harry... How did Voldemort get into the Ministry without anyone knowing?" asked Hermione.

"How do I know? The question is, how are we going to get in?" replied Harry.

"Think about it... It's five o'clock and the Ministry will be full of workers. How would Voldemort and Sirius get in without being seen... Do you really think the two most wanted men in the world could get into a building full of Aurors undetected?" said Hermione.

"They could have used an Invisibility Cloak or something? And the Department of Mysteries has always been empty whenever I've been..."

"You've only ever been there in your dreams though, Harry!" said Ron, earning a glare from Harry.

"We could go to Umbridge's office and check to see if Sirius is where he is supposed to be..." said Tobias quietly, who knew all about Harry's trip to her office.

"I'll tell Umbridge that Peeves is smashing something up miles away from her! If I see him, I could probably persuade him to actually do it!" said Ron.

"The rest of us can say that there is Garrotting Gas down that corridor while Lyra and Harry go to see if he's there!" said Tobias.

"I'll keep watch in the office while Harry checks..." I said quietly.

Luna Lovegood and Ginny then appeared and agreed to join. They had heard us down the corridor and had come to investigate.

Harry and I got under the Invisibility Cloak and headed to the office. Harry had broken in some time prior, as Hermione had come to the conclusion that her fireplace was the only one not monitored - he hadn't been caught, but it was close.