Chapter Eleven: Department of Mysteries

"How in the bloody hell do you expect we are all going to get to London?" Ron exclaimed as the seven of us ran down the bridge toward Hagrid's hut.

Luna, who was skipping happily along behind us, piped up. "Why don't we fly?"

We decided to take Thestrals to London – horse-like creatures that could only be seen by those who have seen death. Seeing as how Harry, Neville and Luna were the only ones who had that advantage over the rest of us, they led us down to the spot that the Thestrals usually occupied just inside the Forbidden Forest and helped us to mount these mysterious creatures.

Neville used his knees to haul me up, allowing me to clamber on top of the invisible figure. "Here Sara," he took my hands and told me where to hold on. "And don't let go."

Flying over London made my stomach turn. I much preferred my broomstick. It was like I was free-falling every time the monsters took a descent. Hermione seemed to be having much more difficulties than I was, though. On our way, Ron told me everything that had been going on; about Harry's dream that Sirius was in the Department of Mysteries under Voldemort's wand point and how they needed to get some weapon before the Dark Lord did.

The Ministry of Magic looked creepier than it had in the daytime. Harry led us to the elevator and we squished in. Ron, who had probably been here many more times than any of us, pressed a button and the elevator shot upwards.

"Department of Mysteries." The female voice recited as the elevator hit our floor and the golden gates slid open. We filed out and walked toward a big black door with a single gold doorknob right in the centre. Harry approached first, followed by Ron and Hermione, Ginny and Luna, then Neville and I bringing up the rear.

I held my breath as Harry pushed the door open. Voldemort could be behind any corner waiting for us, and the thought was extremely nerve-wracking. Fortunately, we were safe. The door Harry had opened led to a room filled with shelves, upon which there were placed blue glass balls in every size.

"What are they?" Ginny asked, inspecting the orbs with which they were surrounded.

Harry wasn't concerned with the orbs. He was bounding down the centre aisle looking at the numbers for the one he dreamt Sirius had been kneeling before Voldemort. We followed him, and he stopped abruptly at aisle number ninety-seven. "Where is he? He should be here..."

"Dunno, mate... maybe..." Just as Ron was about to offer up a suggestion, something caught Neville's eye.

"This one has your name on it, Harry!" Sure enough, as he moved closer, the glass orb containing swirling blue mist sat on a pedestal with his name engraved into it.

He pulled the orb off the shelf and stood very still. "'Neither can live while the other survives'?" he said, looking down at it. "What...?"

"Harry!" Luna shouted, making all of us look down the centre aisle. A tall, dark, hooded figure was striding toward our group. I held my wand out, as did the rest of us, and took a stand between Neville and Luna.

The man who removed his mask was Malfoy's father; I recognized him from Diagon Alley and the World Cup last year. "Potter, hand over the prophecy."

"Don't give it to him, Harry!" Neville shouted, brandishing his wand toward Malfoy Sr.

A witch had sidled up to Malfoy and sneered. She had wild black hair and a sallow face that barely proved her alive. "Oh, hey... Neville Longbottom! How's Mum and Dad?"

"Better now they're about to be avenged!" I had to hold him back, or he would have attacked her.

"Come now, Bellatrix." Malfoy purred. So, that was the woman to bring Neville's parents to their current state. "Potter, haven't you wanted to know the secret behind that scar?" Harry fingered the lightning bolt scar on his forehead. "That can happen if you give me the prophecy."

"I've waited fourteen years..." We were beginning to get surrounded by Death Eaters from all angles.

"That's a boy."

Malfoy's hand was outstretched, ready for Harry to give him the prophecy. "I guess I can wait a little longer – now!"

Taking Harry's instruction, I shouted along with everyone: "Stupefy!" We each directed one of our spells to one of the Death Eaters and ran as fast as we could back to the door.

"Expelliarmus!" I heard Neville shout next to me, sending one of the Death Eaters' wands flying out of his grasp.

"Well done!"

"Sara, watch it!"

"Stupefy!" I shouted, casting my wand at a cloaked figure who thought he was sneaking up on me.

Suddenly, we all recognized Ginny's voice scream, "Reducto!" Her spell had sent a blast down the aisle that brought all of the shelves and their contents. No one was worried about duelling anymore; we all just wanted to get out of this room. I ran until I couldn't anymore; luckily, this was when Harry had opened the door and we all piled through.

Going through the door did not bring us back to where we had been previous to meeting up with Malfoy and Bellatrix Lestrange. Instead, we found ourselves plummeting into a deep hole. I shrieked at the feeling – expecting ground but meeting air. Before hitting the floor, some force in the room stopped us only inches from being flattened so we had a chance to get up to our feet.

"What is that?" Harry started walking toward a huge arch in the middle of the rocky terrain room. The arch seemed to sport a smoky curtain. "There are voices..."

"I hear them, too..." Luna perked up.

Without warning, the Death Eaters swarmed into the newly discovered room, creating chaos and mass confusion. I tried casting a spell, but I felt a clamp come down over my mouth, leaving me unable to move. When everything resettled down, I found myself in the arms of a Death Eater I'd never seen before – his wand was pointed at my throat. Unlike being threatened by Slytherins, these blokes didn't care if they stabbed me in the throat with their wands before completely rendering me lifeless.

My heart was beating out of my chest. I noticed Neville being held captive by Bellatrix across the room from me, but the Death Eater didn't allow for much twisting. "I'm sorry it's come down to this, Potter." Malfoy sighed. "Give me the prophecy, or watch your friends die."

"Don't do it!" Neville shouted again. The boy gained bravery since the first time we'd met, that's for sure. That courage may get us killed, but it would save the Wizarding world. Malfoy looked about ready to knock Harry out, and he almost did, but not before a familiar voice came into play.

"Get away from my godson." Sirius had Apparated to them and was already punching Malfoy as hard as he could. Seconds later, the real Mad-Eye Moody, Tonks, Lupin and Kingsley showed up to fight. "Kids, go with Moody and get out of here! We'll take care of this!"

Harry stayed back to fight, but Moody escorted us out, which the Death Eaters had obviously not made a priority to attack. Once we'd gotten passed the lobby, into someone's office, it was just time to wait. Ginny and Luna had found comfort in discussing what had just happened; Ginny was obviously worried Harry was in terrible danger. Ron and Hermione had fallen asleep in each other's arms, while Neville had both arms wrapped around me, making me feel completely safe enveloped in his tall figure. Moody stood watch; no one wanted to hurt us.

"Is everyone okay?" Moody asked harshly. Each of us had minor injuries, cuts and bruises everywhere one could imagine, but no one was actually hurt.

What felt like hours later, Moody was leading us back out to the lobby. I hadn't a single idea as to what had happened while we were in hiding, but Dumbledore was standing in the middle of a very wet and sandy Ministry lobby holding Harry upright, as though he'd been through a horrible battle.

"What happened?" I asked Moody as he limped next to me, who had been in and out throughout the fight and may have information on the subject.

"The Dark Lord was here."

"He was here?" I gulped.

"Harry's fine. Fudge knows the Dark Lord's back and is alerting the Daily Prophet."

It was over... for now.

The seven of us spent the duration of the school year in the Hospital Wing, packed up our belongings on the last day and got on the train back to King's Cross Station along with everyone else. I'd missed my own graduation, but still got all the marks I'd required to start my dream career.

I sat in a compartment with Neville, Luna, Ginny and Lizzy on the way back, but by the end of the trip, Neville and I were the only ones in there.

"Hey Neville, I just wanted to say thank you."

"For what?" he chuckled.

"You were there for me when I needed someone, you helped me get through this year, and you've just been a really great friend."

"Anytime, Sara. You'd do the same for me."

The train began to come to a stop and I noticed two faces waiting for me out on the platform. "Fred! George!" Neville was trying to get his luggage down from the shelf above his seat. "Oh, do you need help with...?"

"Go on, Sara; get out of here."

"Thank you!"

I bounded off the Hogwarts Express and leapt into Fred's arms. "Fred!"

"I'm not Fred, I'm George."

"And you call yourself my girlfriend!"

I laughed. "No, you're Fred. You think I don't know you two apart?"

"Bloody hell, she'd good."

"How long have you been planning that one?"

"Since we got here. Fred wanted to see if it'd work."

"It hasn't been that long, boys."

Being back in Fred's arms made my heart swell, and I couldn't wait to see what life had waiting for me back at 93 Diagon Alley.