HP • 𝐇𝐨𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 ─ 𝐁𝐥𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐒𝐢𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐱 𝐎𝐂

Dammit, Potter

Cassiopeia was furiously pacing back and forth with Draco by her side, trying to prevent her friend from being sent to Azkaban for killing Umbridge. He was in the middle of a monologue when Harry appeared down the corridor, just as furious as she was, grabbing her wrist and dragging her away.

She could only hear Draco calling out in exasperation as Harry pulled her through the corridors. "What the bloody hell, Potter!" she shouted, but then saw her friend trembling with a pained expression. "Are you alright? Are you sick?" she asked, checking his temperature and casting a diagnostic spell.

Ron and Hermione were exchanging glances, looking very puzzled. "Come with me. Quickly, I need to tell you something," Harry urged. He led them to the first-floor corridor, peeking through the portals, and finally found an empty classroom where they all rushed in, Harry closing the door behind them.

He leaned against the door to face his friends. "Voldemort has taken Sirius," he gasped.

"What?!" Cassiopeia yelled, her face turning red. "How did you...?"

"I saw. Just now," Harry explained. "I don't know how, but I know exactly where. There's a room in the Department of Mysteries filled with shelves of small glass spheres, and they're at the end of corridor ninety-seven... he's trying to use Sirius to get something he wants from inside there... he's torturing him." Harry's voice trembled as much as his knees.

Cassiopeia held onto his arm and sat him down on a desk. "Breathe," she instructed, holding his hand.

"He... says when he's done, he'll kill him!" Harry gasped for breath. "How are we going to get there?" he asked.

"G-g-get there?" Ron asked, also trembling.

"To get to the Department of Mysteries and save Sirius!" Harry exclaimed loudly.

"Harry!" Hermione said in a frightened voice.

"Oh... how... how did Voldemort manage to get into the Ministry of Magic without anyone noticing his presence?"

"How am I supposed to know?!" Harry roared.
"The question is, how are we going to get in there?!" he continued, agitated.

"Harry, this seems like a trap!" Cassi said softly, trying to calm him down. "I don't believe Sirius has been caught," she gasped, not entirely sure of her own words.

"Harry, think," said Hermione, approaching them. "It's five o'clock in the afternoon... the Ministry of Magic must be filled with employees... how could Voldemort and Sirius get in without being seen?" she reasoned logically.

"Hermione's right. They're probably the two most wanted wizards in the world... do you think they could just waltz into a building full of Aurors like a walk in the park?!" Cassiopeia interjected, trying to control her temper.

"She's right," Ron said quietly, looking between the two of them.

"But how could Voldemort have taken Sirius if he's been at Grimmauld Place the whole time?"

"Sirius might have gone crazy and wanted some fresh air," suggested Ron, looking concerned. "He's desperate to get out of that house after all these years..."

"But why?" Cassiopeia insisted. "Why would Voldemort want to use Sirius to get the weapon, or whatever that thing is?"

"I don't know, there could be plenty of reasons!" Harry yelled. "Maybe Sirius is just someone who knows something."

"It just occurred to me," Ron whispered.

"Sirius's brother was a Death Eater, right? Maybe he told Sirius the secret to acquiring the weapon!"