Beyond the Veil

Disclaimer: I do not own any of these characters.

Chapter Four

Quest

Certain things had changed since Harry Potter had left school—basic, natural things, like the fact that he lived with Ginny Weasley, or that he had a job, or that he no longer had to visit the Dursleys or even acknowledge their existence. But one thing had never changed.

Harry told Ron and Hermione everything.

Ron's jaw dropped when Harry told him of the news and Hermione's gasped, placing her hands over her mouth, wide-eyed.

"Oh no Harry…" Hermione whispered. "Harry," she said sympathetically, placing a hand on his. "You cannot be this foolish."

"It isn't foolish!" Harry said. "If there is any possible chance of Sirius still being alive, I'm going to try my best to save him!"

He glared at his friends, as if daring them to challenge him, but neither of them said anything.

"Look," he said, taking a deep breath. "If I can defeat Voldemort, I can do this."

"But Harry," Hermione said, regaining her voice. "This is complicated. You're meddling with death."

"You're the one who gave me the chain!" Harry growled.

"He's right about that, you know," Ron said, turning to Hermione. "All of this is your fault, really."

"My fault!" Hermione exclaimed, crossing her arms. "If I had any idea of how powerful that chain was, I never would have given it to you, Harry!" She stood up and grabbed her bag. "I hope that you seriously reconsider this," she said sternly before walking off.

When she was gone, Ron and Harry looked at each other.

"So Snape is going to help you, then?" Ron asked.

"Looks like it."

"So you and Snape are going to cross over?"

Harry shrugged. "I think so."

Ron looked pensive for a moment, then opened his mouth to speak.

"Well you know Harry, it might be a bit awkward getting on with Snape all by yourself."

"No kidding."

He looked up at Ron, who was smiling slightly.

"What?" he asked. Ron grinned.

"Don't be foolish Harry," he said, throwing money down on the table to pay for their lunch. "I'm going with you."

The next day, Harry received news from Snape—a large gray owl landed on his window while Ginny was still sleeping, and Harry quickly removed the parchment from the bird's leg, opening it silently.

Meet me today at noon at the Leaky Cauldron.

--Severus Snape

Harry got out a piece of parchment and a quill and began to write back when he heard Ginny stir, and a cool hand fell on his shoulder.

"Who are you writing to this early?" she asked, smiling. A deep pain fell on Harry—he had not yet told Ginny about his plan. She, of all people, were bound to understand it, to support it, but he couldn't quite bare to leave her…even though he knew he had no choice.

"Ginny," Harry said, placing his quill and parchment aside for a moment and bringing her down to sit beside him. "There's something I have to tell you."

"What?" she asked, worry filling her pretty brown eyes. Harry took a deep breath.

"Remember…remember when you were in first year, and the basilisk took you down into the Chamber of Secrets, and everyone thought you were dead?"

Ginny eyed his oddly. "Yes…"

"Well, when we found out that there was the slimmest chance that you might still be alive, Ron and I, we took that chance," he said. "Because even the smallest hope was worth saving you."

Ginny smiled. "So what's your point, hero?"

Harry kissed Ginny on the forehead. "Sirius may still be alive."

"What?"

Ginny looked up at Harry.

"How?" she managed to say.

"It's a long story. The necklace Hermione gave me—Sirius had one too—it protects you from darkness—but they are also used to communicate—well anyway, Severus told me—"

"Snape?" Ginny exclaimed, evidently bewildered.

"Yes, I told you it was a long story," Harry said. "So Snape and I—and Ron, he's coming too—we're going to rescue Sirius."

Ginny stood up. "I'm going with you."

"You are? No, wait Ginny, what—"

Ginny rolled her eyes. "You're going to need help. I'm coming with you."

Harry's first instinct was to say no, but on second thought, she was right. They did need help, and the look of determination in Ginny's eyes was no stranger to Harry. It clearly meant that whatever she was set to do, she would achieve.

Harry sighed and rolled his eyes. "All right. Snape is expecting me today. I have to write him back and tell him who's coming."

Ginny grinned and crossed her arms. "Don't. Let's surprise him."

So at noontime, Harry and Ginny met Ron outside the Leaky Cauldron.

"Ginny?" Ron asked, looking confusedly between she and Harry. Ginny placed her hands on her hips.

"She's coming then?" Ron said, catching on. Ginny smiled and lead the two boys inside.

"Hermione's furious, I expect," Harry murmured to Ron. He nodded.

"I'll say. She was. But after a while I think she understood. She cares about Sirius too, you know."

Harry nodded.

Ginny was seated at an empty table and shrugged at them—apparently, Snape hadn't arrived yet.

"Thank God," Ron said, taking a seat. "I'm not too keen on seeing him anyway."

"Well he knows about Sirius," Harry said, "he's useful, isn't he?"

"I would assume so, Mr. Potter."

Harry, Ron and Ginny all looked up to see Severus Snape standing behind them, his black eyes boring into Ron, especially.

"Snape," Harry said, standing up and pulling out a seat for his former Professor—he was the only one to extend any gratitude. Harry turned to glare at Ron and Ginny, but they were staring past Harry, past Snape really, at the tall figure standing behind Snape…

"What are you doing here?" Ron asked. Draco Malfoy smirked and stepped forward.

"Can't handle it, Weasley?"

"What? What's going on?" Ron said, shaking his head at Malfoy.

"I could ask Potter the same thing," Snape said, motioning for Harry to take a seat. He did, and so did Draco, who was still exchanging glares with Ron.

"Now tell me," Snape continued. "What are the Weasleys doing here?"

Harry opened his mouth to speak but it was Ginny's voice they all heard.

"We would like to accompany you and Harry on your quest," she said clearly. Ron and Harry stared at her.

"Very well," Snape said. "I've brought Mr. Malfoy for the same reason."

"You want to help save Sirius?" Harry asked Draco curiously. Draco crossed his arms.

"I'm no prouder of my ridiculous late aunt than you are, Potter," he spat. "If it means anything to you, I wouldn't mind helping to avenge you." He looked at Severus. "Among…other reasons…"

'That's enough, Draco," Snape said, casting Draco a sideways glance. "I assume this is all who's coming then?"

Harry looked around—suddenly, something very important occurred to him.

"Snape…er…how…how do we all get through the veil if I'm the only one with the chain?"

Snape leaned forward.

"We will cross that bridge when we get to it, Potter. I happen to have a very good plan."

"Care to share it?" Ron asked.

Snape raises his eyebrows at him. "When the time comes, perhaps, Mr. Weasley. As for our party…shall it be getting bigger?" He looked around at Harry. "You know, it's actually a bit convenient that you brought two others. A bigger party will be more beneficial."

"Good. Because we're coming too!"

All of a sudden, Hermione came running through the doors of the Leaky Cauldron, dragging behind her a tired-looking Remus Lupin. Snape rolled his eyes.

"Be quiet, Granger!" he snapped. "Would you like the entire Wizarding world to come along, then?"

Hermione stood in front of them, panting. "Are we too late?"

Remus nodded at Severus, who seemed to notice him for the first time, and Snape stood up to shake his former schoolmate's hand.

"Tell me, Severus," Remus said. "I can't get much more than anxious babbles out of Hermione. What exactly is the mission?"

"I'll tell everyone tonight," Snape said. "We'll be staying at my flat."

"All of us?" Remus asked quizzically.

"But your flat is a bit small, Snape—" Harry interjected. Snape cast him a stern look.

"I have more than one flat, Mr. Potter," Snape said.

"The Cabin?" Remus asked.

Severus nodded. "The Cabin."

The Cabin wasn't actually a cabin at all. It was a fairly large apartment in the city right beside the Ministry. Snape had taken to this home in recent years, right after he joined the Order, in order to keep a closer watch on the Ministry. It was also used by McGonogall and Remus at that time, but ever since the war had ended, Snape had opted to keep it. That's how he knew about all of the Ministry disturbances Harry had caused in the past couple of years.

Harry, Ron, Ginny, Hermione, Remus, and Draco followed Snape into the apartment. He locked the door and faced them all.

"First—the plan."

He gazed around at everyone. "I assume, Potter, that everyone knows about the necklace."

"Er—I don't," Remus spoke up.

"I tried to tell him," Hermione said, "but I'm afraid I was a bit too fretful about the situation to get it all out—"

"Oh," Snape said, casting Remus a look. "Well, it seems that Sirius Black may still be alive."

Remus sat down and shook his head. "What?" He looked at Snape. "That's impossible," he whispered.

"No, it's not," Harry said defensively. "Sorry, didn't mean to yell. But listen, this chain I wear—" he lifted the chain from beneath his shirt. Remus's eyes fell on it and stayed there. "I heard Sirius speak to me through them. They're very rare and—"

"Yes, Harry, I know about those chains," Remus said. Snape gave Remus a strange look. "I mean, I know that Sirius wore one. And yes, Severus, I know that you also wore one. But I didn't want to say anything."

"Do you know what they do, Remus?" Snape asked lightly.

Remus nodded. "They're the Chains of the Eternal Angel. They protect you from a dark plague—brinks of death, illness—if given to from the proper person. And they are used as forms of communication. I didn't know that the chains you and Sirius wore were the Eternals but…now, obviously…"

The others looked on, most of them already knowing of the chains' story, except for Draco, who looked utterly confused, as it was his first time hearing about them.

"So what is our next time?" Remus asked.

"We have to break into the Ministry," Harry said. Snape rolled his eyes.

"We do not have to break into the Ministry," Snape said. "Not in the manner that you would like, Potter. As you know, we have someone in very close quarters who works at the Ministry, and if you had thought properly in all of your other useless attempts, perhaps they would have worked…"

"Father," Ginny said, receiving a look from Ron as if a lightbulb had just turned on in his head.

"Of course!" Harry said.

"Ginny and Ron can visit their father at the Ministry tomorrow…create a…diversion…while the rest of us get in."

"How do we just get in?" Harry asked.

"Again Potter. Think of your resources."

Harry and the others looked at each other. Suddenly, a smile broke out over Hermione's face.

"Harry's Invisibility Cloak!" she said.

"That old thing will never get old," Ron muttered. "But we're a little too big for it now."

"You accomplished Transfiguration class, did you not, Mr. Weasley? Surely you are capable of making the coat a bit longer?"

"So we all get under that cloak?" Draco said, sneering. "Five of us?"

"We're all pretty thin, I think we can manage it," Harry said. Draco just rolled his eyes and took out a cigarette.

"When?" Remus asked.

"Tomorrow. We can all bunk here for tonight. Ron, you send a letter to your father and tell him you're coming to visit tomorrow. Do not tell him of the plan. Who knows what Molly might think if she found out what was going on."

"Bunk here?" Draco said, looking around. "I call the bedroom."

Snape raised his eyebrows at him. "There are three bedrooms. Take your pick."

It was hard at first choosing bedrooms, mostly because of Draco's prudeness, but in the end they decided to play it safe: Ginny and Ron slept in one bedroom, Harry and Hermione in another, Draco and Snape in the last bedroom, and Remus opted to sleep on the couch. Harry was just drifting off to sleep after a large dinner when a light turned on in the bedroom and Hermione rolled over to face him.

"What is it, Hermione?" he asked.

"I'm just wondering…" she said. "Are you afraid?"

Harry thought for a second. "I haven't really had a chance to feel afraid. I want to rescue Sirius. That's all I care about right now."

"Your life is important too, though, Harry. No, please don't give me that look. I care about you, that's all."

"We'll be fine, Hermione. I have a feeling everything will turn out okay."

Hermione sighed. "But I've been thinking, Harry. What if the chain doesn't work?"

"Why wouldn't it work?"

"Well…what if you have to be in love with the person for it to work. I love you and everything Harry, but we're not in love."

"It worked for Sirius when Snape gave him the chain."

"Snape gave him the chain?"

"Yes," Harry said. "Apparently they had a kind of secret friendship no one really knew about. So don't worry, Hermione." He held out a hand to touch her lightly on the fingers. "If it worked for them, it will definitely work for us."

Hermione smiled, then leaned forward to give Harry a hug.

"Hermione, don't—"

"I'm sorry Harry," she said, pulling away and turning off the light. "Good night."