Breaking Black (A Sirius Black Love Story)

Chapter 65

"Why don't you visit the ministry today with the rest of your year." Dumbledore suggested. "You helped the Order more in three days last Christmas than many members have all year. Take a break, enjoy being young while you still can. You have your futures to think about, after all. Try to have fun and live a little like the rest of your year."

"Yeah, if we live." Sirius breathed out but Dumbledore didn't seem to hear. I shuddered and grabbed Sirius' hand when I recalled our last trip to the Ministry, where we ended up accidentally leaving by Portkey straight to Azkaban.

Sirius continued to huff, obviously agitated with the headmaster. We were both annoyed we couldn't go with Lily and James on a group assignment to check up on a prospective Death Eater. Even working with Marlene and Remus on pulling together research to find patterns within the last few years seemed a lot more interesting than the whole lot of nothing we were allowed to do. However, I suppose doing nothing was better than the blatant wild goose chase Peter was set off on by Mad-Eye Moody to keep an eye on a "suspicious" Hufflepuff first year. We all felt bad for Peter, but the Order just didn't seem to think he had any particular place in the group.

Although I wanted to help the Order as much as I could, I partially agreed with Dumbledore that Sirius and I could use a short break. Ever since Christmas break, members of the Order and a few ministry officials were constantly pulling Sirius and I out of class to explain the story about Bellatrix again or other tasks revolving around what we witnessed. I knew Sirius was going to be extremely restless until he got to do something again, but Dumbledore was firm in keeping us on a hiatus of sorts.

"We will go to the Ministry." I announced weakly on behalf of both Sirius and myself. Sirius' mouth opened to protest, but I ground my heel into his foot and his mouth snapped shut. I already had a plan forming in my head about how visiting the ministry could be beneficial.

"Very well, do you mind taking this letter with you to give to Mr. Lupin and Miss McKinnon on your way out?" Dumbledore handed Sirius a pitch black, folded up piece of paper with starting red writing on it. Sirius' knuckles turned white as he clutched the paper with envy, probably dying to read it.

Lily looked up from her seat in the corner of Dumbledore's office and offered me a sad smile. She knew I didn't want to keep laying low and just hearing about her adventures with James. James, on the other hand, shot Sirius a smug smile, while ruffling his jet black hair up and slinging an arm around the back of Lily's chair. Sirius, who was a bit mad at me for agreeing to go to the Ministry, stormed out of Dumbledore's office before me without another word and off to the Room of Requirement, where he knew he would find Marlene and Remus hard at work.

<<>><<>><<>>

Nearly everyone in the tour group seemed to be falling asleep. The Ministry of Magic is a huge building with too many departments and floors to count. We were given a condensed tour with each of the department heads, and I wasn't hearing a single word they said to us. Sirius would make snarky comments every now and then that I would chuckle at, but mostly I kept my eyes peeled for a certain room I knew the Hogwarts students wouldn't be touring.

After nearly an hour of walking up, down, and around the Ministry, my eyes spotted something I hoped would lead me to where I wanted to go. I started to duck out of the group, hoping the droning head of the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes recounted what would probably be an interesting story if it weren't for his monotone voice. Sirius, who had been holding my hand for the whole tour, tugged at my arm as I tried to sneak away. Just one glance between us and he knew I was up to something and he let me go, giving me a good luck wink as his hand slipped out of mine.