(Y/N)'s POV

I had no idea what Hermione was planning, or if she even had a plan, but she had gotten us this far. "It's hidden in Hagrid's hut, is it?" said Umbridge eagerly in Harry's ear. "Of course not," said Hermione scathingly.

"Hagrid might have set it off accidentally." "Yes," said Umbridge, whose excitement seemed to be mounting. "Yes, he would have done, of course, the great half-breed oaf. . . ." She laughed. I really wanted to punch her in the mouth, but she had my hands magically tied in front of me.

"You know, I really hate children" Umbridge muttered as we entered the forest, "Don't worry about it love, they hate you back" I said. "Then . . . where is it?" asked Umbridge, with a hint of uncertainty in her voice as Hermione continued to stride toward the forest.

"In there, of course," said Hermione, pointing into the dark trees. "It had to be somewhere that students weren't going to find it accidentally, didn't it?" "Of course," said Umbridge, "Of course . . . very well, then . . . stay ahead of me."

Then later she pointed at me, "Why do we need him?" Hermione sighed. "He's the only one of us who can make this work. That's why Dumbledore keeps him in school" she said harshly. "Ouch, Et tu Hermione." I muttered.

"Is it very far in?" Umbridge asked, as her robe ripped on a bramble. "Oh yes," said Hermione. "Yes, it's well hidden." Hermione was not taking the path they had followed to visit Grawp, but the one we had followed three years ago to the lair of the monster Aragog.

God I hope we're getting her eaten by a giant spider. "Er — are you sure this is the right way?" Harry asked her pointedly. "Oh yes," she said in a steely voice that was oddly kind of attractive, "Hermione, I can't believe you're tak-"

Umbridge shushed me. "It's a bit further in!" Harry plodded to our side, "What are you doing?" Harry whispered, she answered back simply. "Improvising." "By the way, she cursed me; you owe me 5 Galleons" I celebrated as we navigated through the forest.

"No wait, ten, she cursed me last week" I gloated to Hermione, while actually making sure we made eye contact and using Legilimency to silently asking her. "What's the plan?" She replied "Working on it," even though it was in her head, I could tell she was slowly becoming more desperate.

"I have a backup plan if this goes bad 'Mione, so don't panic." I said to comfort her, not entirely true, but she didn't need to know that. She let out a little sigh of relief. "Well? Where is this weapon?" said Umbridge.

Then she grimaced "There isn't one, is there? You were trying to trick me." "You? The High Inquisitor...never..." I yawned. She pointed her wand towards us, nodding in what she thought was understanding.

"I see...trying to get that filthy beast Hagrid controls to attack me again?" "Well, there's an idea" I thought, only saying "Trust me, I bet it wishes it could attack you right now" "Silence!" I was going to transform the first chance I got I just needed her eyes off me.

"I need a distraction" I relayed to the others, but I was stopped in my thoughts by a voice. "Who are you?" it demanded firmly. I looked up to notice we were already surrounded by a herd of centaur, at least half a dozen bows pointed in our direction.

"Well, that's a good start." My cynical voice said while I was desperately fighting the urge to make a 'calling in the cavalry' joke. A chestnut-bodied centaur called Magorian was walking toward us out of the circle; his bow, like the others', was raised.

"I asked you who are you, human," said Magorian roughly. "I am Dolores Umbridge!" said Umbridge in a high-pitched, terrified voice. "Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic and Headmistress and High Inquisitor of Hogwarts!"

"You are from the Ministry of Magic?" said Magorian, as many of the centaurs in the surrounding circle shifted restlessly. "That's right!" said Umbridge in an even higher voice.

"So be very careful! By the laws laid down by the Department for the Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, any attack by half-breeds such as yourselves on a human —" "What did you call us?" shouted a wild-looking black centaur.

"Don't call them that!" Hermione said furiously, but Umbridge did not appear to have heard her. Still pointing her shaking wand at Magorian, she continued.

"Law Fifteen B states clearly that 'Any attack by a magical creature who is deemed to have near-human intelligence, and therefore considered responsible for its actions —' " "You're one to talk" I muttered.

" 'Near-human intelligence'?" "We consider that a great insult, human! Our intelligence, thankfully, far outstrips your own —" "What are you doing in our forest?" bellowed the hard-faced gray centaur.

"Why are you here?" "Your forest?" said Umbridge, shaking now not only with fright but also, it seemed, with indignation. "I would remind you that you live here only because the Ministry of Magic permits you certain areas of land —"

An arrow flew so close to her head that it caught at her mousy hair in passing. She let out an earsplitting scream and threw her hands over her head while some of the centaurs bellowed their approval and others laughed raucously. I found it very difficult not to join them.

"Filthy half-breeds!" she screamed. But that was as far as she got, another arrow was aimed towards her, it would have hit her but she said, "Protego." And it was scattered off to her side.

She looked shocked and angry, "Beasts! Uncontrolled animals!" "Be quiet!" shouted Hermione, but it was too late — Umbridge pointed her wand at Magorian and screamed, "Incarcerous!"

Ropes flew out of midair like thick snakes, wrapping themselves tightly around the centaur's neck and torso and trapping his arms. He gave a cry of rage and reared onto his hind legs, attempting to free himself, and gasping for breath.

I ran up to the kicking centaur, I didn't have my wand, but my hands were bound in front of me, I managed to loosen the ropes around his neck a little, as did Hermione. "Please. Please stop it. Please." She screamed at Umbridge, who said "Now, enough. I will have order."

She didn't. The other centaurs charged I feared being trampled but the centaurs leapt over and around us, bellowing and screaming with rage. "Nooooo!" he heard Umbridge shriek. "Noooooo . . . I am Senior Undersecretary . . . you cannot . . . unhand me, you animals . . . nooooo!" then she screamed very loudly.

Umbridge had been seized from behind by Bane and lifted high into the air, wriggling and yelling with fright. "Please shoot her! Jupiter say's you should." I begged, he sneered at me. "Potter, do something. Tell them I mean no harm!" She begged.

Harry was stone faced, he held up his hand, showing her the back of it "I'm sorry, professor. But I must not tell lies." I was so satisfied by his words that I couldn't help but smirk, I would have enjoyed it more, but the three of us where picked up by some of the centaurs.

"And these?" said the hard-faced, gray centaur holding Hermione. "They are young," said a slow, doleful voice from behind Harry. "We do not attack foals." "They brought her here, Ronan," replied the centaur who had such a firm grip on Harry.

"And they are not so young. . . . He is nearing manhood, this one. . . ." "Nearing...sure" I scoffed "Please," said Hermione breathlessly, "please, don't attack us, we don't think like her, we aren't Ministry of Magic employees! We only came in here because we hoped you'd drive her off for us —"

"You see, Ronan? They already have the arrogance of their kind! So we were to do your dirty work, were we, human girl? We were to act as your servants, drive away your enemies like obedient hounds?" "No!" said Hermione in a horrorstruck squeak.

"Please — I didn't mean that! I just hoped you'd be able to — to help us —" "We do not help humans!" snarled the centaur holding Harry, tightening his grip and rearing a little at the same time.

I broke free from my guard rushed in front of her. "We're unarmed, do you really want the Ministry knowing you've attacked defenceless students?" He scowled at me. "This one, he is the one who ventures into our forests. The dead ones have claimed him" He pointed to me.

"We are a race apart and proud to be so. . . . We will not permit you to walk from here, boasting that we did your bidding!" "We're not going to say anything like that!" Harry shouted. "You said you didn't hurt the innocent!" shouted Hermione, real tears sliding down her face now.

"We haven't done anything to hurt you, we haven't used wands or threats, we just want to go back to school, please let us go back —" "We are not all like the traitor Firenze, human girl!" shouted the gray centaur, to more neighing roars of approval from his fellows.

"Perhaps you thought us pretty talking horses? We are an ancient people who will not stand wizard invasions and insults! We do not recognise your laws, we do not acknowledge your superiority, we are —"

"Hypocrites!" I cut him off, "You claim to be a proud race but you attack anything that comes into your forest. You don't know the meaning of honour, or strength, just violence, you're no better then her..." I pointed to the direction of Umbridge.

Some of the centaurs whinnied, "This one thinks he is a warrior" the older one laughed. He went to speak again but something else caught his attention.

Harry's centaur let him fall to the ground, tree trunks parted ominously and the monstrous form of Grawp the giant appeared in the gap. The centaurs nearest him backed into those behind.

The clearing was now a forest of bows and arrows waiting to be fired, all pointing upward at the enormous grayish face now looming over them from just beneath the thick canopy of branches. Grawp's lopsided mouth was gaping stupidly.

"Hagger." Hermione gripped my arm tightly; the centaurs were quite silent, staring up at the giant, whose huge, round head moved from side to side as he continued to peer amongst them as though looking for something he had dropped.

"Hagger!" he said again, more insistently. "Get away from here, giant!" called Magorian. "You are not welcome among us!" These words seemed to make no impression whatsoever on Grawp. He stooped a little and then bellowed, "HAGGER!"

A few of the centaurs looked worried now. Hermione, however, gave a gasp. She whispered. "I think he's trying to say 'Hagrid'!" At this precise moment Grawp caught sight of us, the only humans in a sea of centaurs.

He lowered his head another foot or so, staring intently at us. Hermione was shaking as Grawp opened his mouth wide again and said, in a deep, rumbling voice, "Hermy." "Goodness," said Hermione, "oh, you've got to be kidding" I said in shock.

"He — he remembered!" "HERMY!" roared Grawp. "WHERE HAGGER?" "I don't know!" squealed Hermione, terrified. "I'm sorry, Grawp, I don't know!" "GRAWP WANT HAGGER!" One of the giant's massive hands swooped down upon us.

Hermione let out a real scream, ran a few steps backward and fell over. "GRAWP STOP!" I yelled, trying to overcome his mind. But the best way to put it was, there wasn't much to overcome, he ignored me completely.

Grawp's outstretched fingers were a foot from us when fifty arrows went soaring through the air at the giant, peppering his enormous face, causing him to howl with pain and rage and straighten up again.

He began rubbing his face with his enormous hands, breaking off the arrow shafts but forcing the heads in still deeper. He yelled and stamped his enormous feet and the centaurs scattered out of the way.

Hermione begged, watching as arrows cascaded onto Grawp. "Leave him alone. It's not his fault. No, he doesn't understand." He didn't seem to care, so I was happy for the distraction, "Thank you, Grawp."

I turned to the others. "Now...LEG IT!" I yelled, pulling Hermione to her feet and shoving Harry forward. We ran as fast as we could for the shelter of the trees. "Oh no," said Hermione, quaking so badly that her knees gave way.

"Oh, that was horrible. And he might kill them all. . . ." "I'm not that fussed, to be honest," said Harry bitterly. "She's right, I have to help them somehow, I don't want Firenze to fail me in Divination." I smirked.

"I have an Idea, a really stupid idea!" I shouted, if it went well, it was two birds and one stone, if it didn't, well, I'm making Ron and Harry wear dresses to my funeral. I turned to Hermione, "Get to the castle, I'll meet you there"

She looked utterly stunned and terrified "W...what?" "Trust me!" I yelled. "We need some backup." I explained, bounding forward and jumping into the air. Halfway through my jump I transformed into my Animagus form.

With a resoundingly loud growl, which was honestly nightmare fuel, and I was the one doing it, I tried to gain Grawp's attention, he bumbled around and looked for the source of the noise. "Come. Chase the kitty!" I thought.

The giant caught sight of me and giggled, chasing me as if I was a new toy, just as I'd hoped. Ignoring the centaurs, I raced away as fast as I could, leading him away from the others. Darting between trees and bushes.

Trying to lose the giant as I got far enough away, I started to see large spiderwebs, so I doubled back. I made my way to the familiar part of the forest, near the clearing of the lake. I needed some help from my friends.

Thinking back on Umbridge and her look of shock only propelled me further, more out of joy then anything else. "I hope she's dead" I thought as I found what I was looking for.

Hermione's POV

I can't believe the day I was having; I kept expecting to wake up anytime now, and after my plans with the centaurs utterly failed, we had to get back to the castle, I examined the facts. Umbridge was out of the way, Sirius wasn't at the safehouse, the others had been captured, my boyfriend was an Animagus, my life is insane.

"Anyway, Harry, how exactly where you planning to get all the way to London?" "Yeah, we were just wondering that," said a familiar voice, Ron came into sight, with Ginny, Neville, and Luna hurrying along behind him.

All of them looked a little the worse for wear, there were several long scratches running the length of Ginny's cheek, a large purple lump was swelling above Neville's right eye, Ron's lip was bleeding worse than ever, but all were looking rather pleased with themselves.

"So," said Ron, holding out Harry's wand, "had any ideas?" "How did you get away?" asked Harry in amazement, taking his wand from Ron. "Couple of Stunners, a Disarming Charm, Neville brought off a really nice little Impediment Jinx," said Ron airily, now handing back my wand too.

"But Ginny was best, she got Malfoy with a Bat Bogey Hex it was superb, his whole face was covered in the great flapping things. Anyway, we saw you heading into the forest out of the window and followed. What've you done with Umbridge?"

"She got carried away," said Harry. "By a herd of centaurs." "And they left you behind?" asked Ginny, looking astonished. "No, they got chased off by Grawp," said Harry. "Who's Grawp?" Luna asked interestedly.

"Hagrid's little brother," said Ron promptly. "Anyway, never mind that now. Harry, what did you find out in the fire? Has You-Know Who got Sirius or — ?" "Yes," said Harry, "and I'm sure Sirius is still alive, but I can't see how we're going to get there to help him."

They all fell silent, looking rather scared. The problem facing them seemed insurmountable. "Well, we'll have to fly, won't we?" said Luna "I've got a broom!" said Ginny. "Yeah, but you're not coming," said Ron angrily.

"Excuse me, but I care what happens to Sirius as much as you do!" said Ginny, her jaw set so that her resemblance to Fred and George was suddenly striking. "You're too —" Harry began. "I'm three years older than you were when you fought You-Know Who over the Stone," she said fiercely.

"and it's because of me Malfoy's stuck back in Umbridge's office with giant flying bogeys attacking him —" "Yeah, but —" "We were all in the D.A. together," said Neville quietly.

"It was all supposed to be about fighting You-Know-Who, wasn't it? And this is the first chance we've had to do something real — or was that all just a game or something?" "No — of course it wasn't —" said Harry impatiently.

"Then we should come too," said Neville simply. "We want to help." "That's right," said Luna, smiling happily. Harry's eyes met Ron's. "Well, it doesn't matter anyway," said Harry frustratedly, "because we still don't know how to get there —"

"I thought we'd settled that?" said Luna maddeningly. "We're flying!" "Look," said Ron, barely containing his anger, "you might be able to fly without a broomstick but the rest of us can't sprout wings whenever we —"

"There are other ways of flying than with broomsticks," said Luna serenely. Then she asked a question that quickly flooded my head with panic. "Where's (Y/N)?" "Off somewhere being a hero" said his voice, panting.

He had just approached the castle, taking his wand, covered in scrapes and cuts from our time in the forest. He looked to Harry "After everything, we've been through, you think I'd let you go alone?" he chuckled. "Harry, if you go, I go" he said, they nodded to each other.

I couldn't help it, I ran up to him, at first, I thought I was going to kiss him, but my hand moved first, I slapped him across the face. "Oh...sorry!" I said in panic, he shrugged. Then I pulled him in for a kiss.

Ginny squealed in excitement, Neville averted his eyes, blushing, Luna simply nodded and smiled, Harry said "I knew it" under his breath, Ron gasped, it was like he was trying to catch a breath but halfway through he gave up, then he tried again, but still couldn't catch a breath.

"Don't look now...but I think they noticed..." (Y/N) whispered in my ear and smirked, "When did that happen!" Ron bellowed, his voice cracking. "It's a long and very romantic story, I can brag later, now lets go!" smirked (Y/N).

"Luna, I've asked Percy for a favour, he's getting the others." She smiled, "Percy?" said Ron, (Y/N) shook his head "Percival." "That will work-" started Luna "I s'pose we're going to ride on the back of the Kacky Snorgle or whatever it is?" Ron demanded.

"The Crumple-Horned Snorkack can't fly," said Luna in a dignified voice, "but they can, and Hagrid says they're very good at finding places their riders are looking for."

She pointed off into the distance, I waited for something to emerge from the woods, but there was nothing. (Y/N) was grinning madly, Harry sighed in relief. "Yes!" he whispered, patting the air.

"Is it those mad horse things?" said Ron uncertainly, "Those ones you can't see unless you've watched someone snuff it?" "Yeah," said Harry. "How many?" "Just two." "Well, we need four," I corrected "Five, Hermione," said Ginny, scowling.

"I think there are seven of us, actually," said Luna calmly, counting. "Look, you three" Harry pointed at Neville, Ginny, and Luna "you're not involved in this, you're not-" They burst into more protests.

"Okay, fine, it's your choice," he said curtly. "But unless we can find more thestrals you're not going to be able —" "I can sort that, and we only really need six, me and Hermione can share." (Y/N) smirked, Ron scoffed "Not bloody likely"

(Y/N) gave an odd look but shrugged and seemed to start petting a thestral. "Percival, me and Luna need help, can you bring the others please? But no Phillip, we don't need him showing off...yes, you can lick the blood"

He conversed with the air, some of the blood on his arm seemed to be licked off forcefully as he laughed. There was a tenseness in the air for thirty seconds, I watched in amazement as some trees in the forest parted and Harry smiled happily "(Y/N), Luna, you're brilliant" he beamed.

(Y/N)'s POV

We spent the next few minutes making sure everyone was properly mounted. Harry made small talk as we prepared, teasing Hermione and me a bit, taking his mind off things. "What? You think I wouldn't notice?" said Harry, smirking.

"Well, to be fair mate, you're not the most observant of people" I commented. "What?" he said, my eyes flickered to Ginny, who glared at me, so I shrugged. He turned to Percival's other passenger.

"Hermione, you do realise, me and Ron are in that S.P.E.W. thing, right? Why would you have meetings with only two  of you?" I shrugged and nodded, that was an ironclad argument. "We're executive members" She said in a quiet voice.

"I thought it was clever" I comforted her, she gave a small smile. "Plus, you always make eyes at each other, it's not that hard to put together" said Ginny, grinning widely from the back of Jeremiah.

"Ok, let's go!" I said, Hermione squealed and gripped my waist tightly. I realised she didn't like flying, I held her hand as we took off, "Don't worry. Percival's a professional, we're safe" She nodded, her eyes slammed shut.

"Ministry of Magic, visitors' entrance, London, please" I said politely. For a moment Percival did nothing at all. Then, the wings on either side extended, the horse crouched slowly and then rocketed upward, the thestral streaked over the castle, its wide wings hardly beating.

We were over the Hogwarts grounds, then we passed Hogsmeade, then mountains and gullies. We sat on his back for hours, I tried to calm Hermione a bit with funny stories and stuff, and then a few of my childhood fantasies were fulfilled when we shared a kiss in mid-air.

As twilight fell: We were descending at last. Landing at last on solid ground, Ron landed a short way away and toppled immediately off his thestral onto the pavement. "Never again," he said, struggling to his feet. "Never, ever again . . . that was the worst"

"Oh yeah, I forgot you lot can't see them" I chuckled "Well, it's one way to beat rush hour" I smiled, helping him to his feet. Harry immediately raced to the entrance, "Over here," he said. "Whoever's nearest the receiver, dial six two four four two!" he said.

Ron did it, his arm bent bizarrely to reach the dial. As it whirred back into place the cool female voice sounded inside the box, "Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business."

"Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, (Y/N) (L/N)," Harry said very quickly, "Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood. . . We're here to save someone, unless your Ministry can do it first!"

"Way to be discreet mate," I groaned, trying not to be squished. "Thank you," said the cool female voice. "Visitors, please take the badges and attach them to the front of your robes." We did, and suddenly we sank down into the depths of the Ministry of Magic.

"The Ministry of Magic wishes you a pleasant evening," said the woman's voice. The door of the telephone box burst open; we toppled out of it. "Come on," said Harry quietly and we sprinted off down the hall, Harry in the lead, we forced ourselves into another elevator, luckily, this one was a lot more spacious

"Department of Mysteries," and the grilles slid open again, we stepped out into the corridor and slowly walked toward the plain black door. Soon after, we were standing in a large, circular room.

Everything in there was black including the floor and ceiling, identical, unmarked, handle-less black doors were set at intervals all around the black walls. Interspersed with branches of candles whose flames burned blue, their cool, shimmering light reflected in the shining marble floor so that it looked as though there was dark water underfoot.

"Someone shut the door," Harry muttered. "How're we going to get back out?" said Neville uncomfortably as it slammed shut. "Well, that doesn't matter now," said Harry forcefully, clutching his wand tighter than ever.

"We won't need to get out till we've found Sirius —" "Marco?..." I muttered nervously, my voice echoed through the room, waiting for a response, "Polo" Luna obliged from beside me, making me jump about a mile and swear loudly.

Her and Ginny both giggled at me, hopefully it calmed them down a bit, but my nerves were shot already. "Where do we go, then, Harry?" Ron asked quietly. "I don't —" Harry began. He swallowed.

"In the dreams I went through the door at the end of the corridor from the lifts into a dark room and then I went through another door into a room that kind of . . . glitters. We should try a few doors," he said hastily.

"Checking random doors, Always a good plan. Remember Fluffy, Neville?" He looked confused "Who?" I just sighed and shook my head. "I'll know the right way when I see it. C'mon." Harry said, ignoring me. "You sound like my dad driving."

The place was quite empty except for a few desks and, in the very middle of the room, an enormous glass tank of deep-green water, big enough for all of them to swim in, which contained a number of pearly white objects that were drifting around lazily in the liquid.

"What're those things?" whispered Ron. "Dunno," said Harry. "Are they fish?" breathed Ginny. "Aquavirius maggots!" said Luna excitedly. "Dad said the Ministry were breeding —" "No," said Hermione. "They're brains." "Brains?"

"Yes . . . I wonder what they're doing with them?" "Ministry needed more brainpower" I nervously chuckled. "Let's get out of here," said Harry. We searched for what felt like hours, each door we opened led to me having more questions than answers.

"Why is the Ministry so creepy? I found myself muttering a lot. Harry seemed mesmerised by a veil made of stone that was at the centre of a large room "This isn't right, Harry, come on, let's go. . . ." Hermione insisted.

She sounded scared, much more scared than she had in the room where the brains swam. I took her hand, Harry seemed to be ignoring us, but I could tell from his face he was only thinking of one thing. Sirius. "Harry, let's go, okay?" said Hermione more forcefully.

"Okay," he said, but he did not move. He had just heard something. "What are you saying?" he said very loudly, "Nobody's talking, Harry!" said Hermione, now moving over to him.

"Someone's whispering behind there," he said, moving out of her reach and continuing to frown at the veil. "Is that you, Ron?" "I'm here, mate," said Ron, startling me as he spoke from behind my left shoulder, then smirking as I jumped.

"Can't anyone else hear it?" Harry demanded, "Vaguely" I shrugged, cocking my ear towards it as I felt the very quiet whispers from disembodied voices "I can hear them too," breathed Luna.

"Sirius," Harry spoke, still gazing, mesmerised, at the continuously swaying veil. "Yeah . . ." "Let's go," he said. "That's what I've been trying to — well, come on, then!" said Hermione.

Harry seemed to snap into reality more the further from the veil we got "What d'you reckon that arch was?" Harry asked Hermione. "I don't know, but whatever it was, it was dangerous," she said firmly.

We kept walking until we found something curious "What's wrong?" said Hermione. "It's . . . locked . . ." said Harry, throwing his weight at the door, but it did not budge.

"This is it, then, isn't it?" said Ron excitedly, joining Harry in the attempt to force the door open. "Bound to be!" "Get out of the way!" said Hermione sharply.

She pointed her wand at the place where a lock would have been on an ordinary door and said, "Alohomora!" Nothing happened. "Right, we're leaving that room," said Hermione decisively.

"Yeah, if people who keep brains think that this door should be locked, its probably something real bad" "But what if that's the one?" said Ron, staring at it with a mixture of apprehension and longing.

"It can't be, Harry could get through all the doors in his dream," said Hermione, we pushed the next door open. "This is it!" Harry called out.

This room creeped me out, it was as high as a church and full of nothing but towering shelves covered in small, dusty, glass orbs. They glimmered dully in the light issuing from more candle brackets set at intervals along the shelves.

"You said it was row ninety-seven," recalled Hermione. "Yeah," breathed Harry. "We need to go right, I think," whispered Hermione, squinting to the next row. "Yes . . . that's fifty-four. . . ."

"Keep your wands out," Harry said softly, "No crap!" I stage whispered from the back. "Somewhere about . . . here . . ." he said as we stopped walking. We had reached the end of the row and emerged into more dim candlelight.

There was nobody there at all. "Harry?" said Hermione again. "What?" he snarled. "I . . . I don't think Sirius is here." Nobody spoke. There was no sign of Sirius anywhere, nor any hint of a struggle.

"Harry?" Ron called. "What?" "Have you seen this?" said Ron. "What?" said Harry, but eagerly this time, "It's — it's got your name on," said Ron.

Harry moved a little closer. "My name?" He stepped forward. He inspected it for a while "What is it?" Ron asked, sounding unnerved. "What's your name doing down here?" He glanced along at the other labels on that stretch of shelf.

"I'm not here," he said, sounding perplexed. "None of the rest of us are here. . . ." "Harry, I don't think you should touch it," said Hermione sharply, as he stretched out his hand.

"Why not?" he said. "It's something to do with me, isn't it?" "Don't, Harry," said Neville suddenly. "If he explodes, I get his stuff" I muttered.

Harry looked around at him. Neville's round face was shining slightly with sweat. He looked as though he could not take much more suspense. "It's got my name on," said Harry. He closed his fingers around the dusty ball's surface.

Nothing whatsoever happened. The others moved in closer around Harry, gazing at the orb as he brushed it free of the clogging dust. And then, from right behind us, a drawling voice said, "Very good, Potter. Now turn around, nice and slowly, and give that to me."