/𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐒𝐓𝐀𝐑𝐒\ [𝒔. 𝒃𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒌]

𝐭𝐰𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐲 𝐭𝐰𝐨

𝟓𝟕 𝐝𝐚𝐲𝐬

Breaking into the Lestrange Manor was too easy. It's not like it hadn't been done by Order members before. The easiest method was the small square window in the back of the house that led to the house elves' quarters. If you could manage to time the break in perfectly, when the house elves were out performing their duties, it was a breeze.

"Give me a hand," said Artemis, clutching her wand between her teeth and reaching for the windowsill.

Sirius crouched down and put his hands together. She stepped in the center of his palms and he boosted her up to the window with ease. "Don't fall," he muttered.

"Don't drop me," she shot back.

He chuckled, watching her take a pocket knife out and jimmy the window lock open by hand with admiration lingering in his gaze. Sure, all of the doors and windows were protected from magical lock-picking, but Artemis had picked up a few useful muggle skills over the years.

"Got it," she said, cautiously sliding the window open. "All clear."

"Ready?"

She nodded. "Always."

In one motion, Sirius boosted her the rest of the way through the window. She landed cat-like on the floor of the house-elves' quarters, careful not to make a sound. She watched the window expectantly until Sirius tumbled through too, making a marginally less graceful landing than Artemis. "Very smooth," she said, quirking an eyebrow at him.

"Better than last time."

Sirius and Artemis shared a small smile, remembering the last mission they'd gone on together, when Sirius had thrown himself through a window a little too haphazardly and consequently broke a vase and a table in the fall.

"Let's go," said Artemis. "If we can find enough illegal shit, we can have the Lestrange's sent to Azkaban in time to get a full nights' sleep."

They crept through the house, Artemis leading the way, Sirius a few steps behind, wands at the ready. The place was dark, but it was quiet, which meant the occupants of the house were asleep. Most likely. Artemis kept her wand at the ready anyhow. In a dark wizards' house, you never knew what kinds of traps and hexes could be lurking around every corner.

"Art, look at this," Sirius whispered.

Artemis followed his gaze to a mantle absolutely filled with dark magical artifacts. They all but ran to it. "Don't touch anything," said Artemis.

"What, would I get turned into a rat or something?"

She nudged him playfully. "Worse. Much worse. Here look at this- the Goyles have something just like it."

"What's it do?"

"Curses anyone who touches it to die a very painful death within a year."

Sirius grimaced. "So you don't know when it's going to happen? You just have to wait a year, knowing you'll die at some point?"