Harry lay awake in his four-poster bed for what seemed like hours, tossing and turning. He was trying to think of anything, anything, that would take his mind off the events at the Department of Mysteries, and the death of Sirius.
Harry was mentally berating himself, because he knew that if he had only tried harder at his Occlumency lessons, he would not have fallen into the trap set for him by Lord Voldemort.
At this moment, Harry hated himself more than he hated anyone else.
Eventually, he drifted off into uneasy slumber. He found himself inside the Ministry of Magic, in the Atrium. He saw the fountain blasted apart, and he saw Galleons scattered across the floor.
He walked towards the elevator, and once inside he found himself pressing the button for the ninth floor. He felt his body ascend quickly, though the elevator did nothing for his tormented emotions.
Upon leaving the elevator, he found himself moving towards the door to the Dept. of Mysteries. When Harry saw this door, he commanded his body to stop, because he dreaded walking into that department. His body, however, had no intention of listening to him, and before he knew it, he was through the door and in to the next chamber.
The chamber revolved, and Harry ended up directly facing a door. On it materialized a large, flaming red cross, and Harry knew that that was the door he had to take.
When his trembling fingers closed over the handle of the door, the handle seemed to burn him, and pain shot from his hand through the rest of his body. Despite this, he twisted the handle, and the door flew open.
Harry stared down into the Death Chamber, and at that fateful crumbling arch, covered by the veil.
He turned on his heels and tried to run out of the room, but someone was blocking the door. It was Tonks.
Finding his voice for the first time, Harry said, "Oh Tonks, it's you! I dunno how I got here..."
Tonks interrupted with a terrible wail. "How could you, Harry? How could you kill Sirius like that?"
"But, I..." Harry tried to respond.
"If it weren't for you, Sirius would still be alive, you ungrateful child! You drew him here!" boomed a new voice from the opposite direction. It was Lupin.
"Please, I was just..." attempted Harry.
Snape appeared in the doorway, passing Tonks and advancing towards Harry. "Because you failed so miserably at Occlumency, you let the Dark Lord use you, Potter! No wonder you were stupid enough to lead Black here!"
Harry backed away, and the corners of his eyes began to sting and tickle. "Yes," he said, "but I tried..."
"You never tried," said Umbridge, moving towards Harry from Lupin's direction. "Your curiosity and your desire of heroism prevented you from trying your hardest. And I applaud you for it! You managed to kill off Black and you did our dirty work for us!" she said, indicating Fudge, who stepped in just behind her.
Harry was slowly being forced towards the Arch in the center of the room. His vision was blurred by tears. "NO! It wasn't me! Bellatrix Lestrange killed Sirius, it wasn't me..."
Bellatrix appeared to Harry's right. "I cast the spell, Potter, but if you hadn't lured my cousin here, I wouldn't have had to duel with him, would I?" She laughed her terrible laugh.
"NO!" yelled Harry, and he backed up into something solid. The stone dais upon which the Arch stood. Harry shuddered in fear.
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley appeared in front of Harry. A sobbing Mrs. Weasley screamed, "Oh Harry, I never thought you could be a murderer like that." Mr. Weasley, who had a monstrous snake embedded in his side, said reproachfully, "I thought you were responsible. You've shamed everyone here, just because you fancied yourself to be a hero."
Everyone in the room was crowding around Harry in an increasingly tighter ring. They forced Harry up on to the stone dais, and stood silently around it as they stared up at him.
Harry felt a hand on his shoulder, and spun around in fear. His fear dissolved immediately when he saw who was grasping his shoulder. "Oh Sirius, it's you! You aren't dead after all!"
But Sirius did not look glad at all. His face expressionless, he began to address Harry in a terrible voice. "Harry, I am astounded at your stupidity! Didn't Dumbledore warn you that you had to keep up with your Occlumency? Didn't Remus and I tell you it was absolutely necessary? I even gave you my mirror, in hopes that you would think to open it and then we could talk! But no, Harry, you chose to ignore all of us because of your curiosity and your arrogance! James was never as stupid as you are Harry! James knew when to listen and when to obey! I'm sorry you had to learn this the hard way, Harry."
Sirius gave an almighty heave, and tossed Harry through the veiled Arch.
***
A thousand miles away, at his headquarters, Lord Voldemort's laughter could be heard by everyone around.
***
At the same instant, Harry Potter awoke with a painful burning in his scar, and found his pillow saturated with tears.