𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗯𝗼𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗼 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 | 𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲𝗿

Shattered Glass & Reaching an Impasse

CHAPTER FIFTEEN:

Third Person P.O.V.:

"Mate," Charlie muttered softly to Harry, releasing Hermione from his grasp for the final time, "we were in the middle of something -"

"I'm sorry, but you have to listen," pleaded Harry, his voice shaking, "I dunno how, but he's got Sirius. I know exactly where they are. 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 in there... he's torturing him... says he'll end by killing him!"

Harry collapsed to his knees due to their inability to hold his weight any longer. Charlie and Hermione, wiping the last of the tears from their faces, shared a look, subconsciously agreed to put their conversation on hold to help their friend.

"How are we going to get there?" Harry asked them, breaking the tension-filled silence. "We have to rescue Sirius! There must be a way into the Department of Mysteries."

"But Harry," said Charlie weakly, "that's the thing..."

"What? What is it?" asked Harry, growing irritated that his friends were doing nothing more than gaping at him.

"Well," Charlie began, being mindful of his friend's fragile state, "you see, you can't exactly get into the Department of Mysteries without being seen. Voldemort wouldn't have been able to walk around the Ministry without anyone realizing he was there..."

Charlie trailed off as realization came over him. Saying the words out loud triggered a gut-feeling deep within him. His father undoubtedly had a hand in this, and Charlie wouldn't be surprised if his father welcomed Voldemort into the Ministry with open arms. He didn't say anything, of course, and kept his thoughts to himself as Hermione continued the theory for him.

"Exactly! Not to mention, it's nearly six o'clock in the afternoon," she said warily, taking a step towards Harry, "The Ministry of Magic is undoubtedly filled with workers. Harry... they're probably the two most wanted wizards in the world... you honestly think they could get into a building full of Aurors undetected?"

"I dunno, maybe Voldemort used an Invisibility Cloak or something!" Harry shouted, sounding beyond reason. "Anyway, the Department of Mysteries has always been completely empty whenever I've been -"

"But you've never been there, Harry," said Hermione quietly. "You've just dreamed about the place, that's all."

"They're not normal dreams!" yelled Harry angrily, standing up and taking a step closer to her. "How d'you explain Ron's dad then, what was all that about? How come I knew what had happened to him?"

"Settle down, would you?" Charlie snapped at Harry, growing protective over Hermione like he always had before. "All she's saying is that what if Voldemort meant for you to see this? Huh? What if he's only hurting Sirius because he's trying to get to you?"

"So what if he is? I'm just supposed to let him die?" retaliated Harry, his eyes narrowing in Charlie's direction. "Charlie, he's the only family I've got left!"

There was a hesitant moment of no response in which Harry let out a roar of frustration. Hermione actually stepped back from him, looking alarmed. Charlie sighed heavily, raising his right hand up to rub his eyes exasperatedly.

"So," he muttered, giving in, "what are we supposed to do?"

"Listen," Hermione said urgently, seemingly going through with this crazed theory, "Harry, we need to establish whether Sirius really has left Headquarters."