This is a work of fan fiction using characters from the Harry Potter universe, which are trademarked by J.K. Rowling. I do not claim ownership of these characters nor the locations such as Hogwarts, Hogsmeade, etc. that are Rowling's creations. This work also includes Pokémon, which belong to the Pokémon Company, and I again claim no ownership of these characters.

I thank both Rowling and the Pokémon Company for the universes they have created that allows me to do something like this for my own entertainment and, hopefully, the entertainment of the readers.

Draco Malfoy was standing by the wall, his figure half concealed by shadow as he lurked just out of sight, a broad smirk on his face.

"What do you want?" Harry asked harshly. Blood pounded in his ears. How much had Malfoy heard?

A lot, judging by the pleased look on the blond boy's face. He pushed himself away from the wall and sauntered towards them.

"Nothing at all, Potter," Malfoy said smoothly, confident smirk still on his face. "I was just enjoying some peace and quiet… before you came bumbling along."

"Really?" Harry asked doubtfully.

"Really," replied Malfoy. He smiled. "Though given what I've heard I may actually have a proposition for you." Harry tensed.

"And what's that?" He asked sharply. Suspicion set in immediately. What was Malfoy up to?

"You are wanting to save Black," Malfoy said calmly. "Don't try to deny it, I already know. He's no Death Eater and I imagine your bleeding heart couldn't help itself. It's none of my business really."

"So leave me alone," Harry said forcefully. But would that be enough? Could he trust Malfoy to keep quiet or would he have to… deal with him?

Malfoy smirked. "I would, Potter, I really would," he drawled. "But it just so happens that I want Sirius Black free too."

"Liar," Ron spat. Malfoy looked at him in distaste.

"Really, Weasley, manners," he said derisively. He turned back to Harry. "You may doubt my motives but you should know that my mother was a Black. As her cousin Sirius is, to me, family, and I'm more than willing to lend my assistance to keep him safe."

"So you'll keep quiet then?" Harry asked. "You won't tell anyone?" Malfoy smirked.

"I'll do you one better," he told him. "I'll join your quest."

There was stunned silence.

"And why would I want that?" Harry challenged, recovering first. What was Malfoy trying here?

"I have a lot to bring to a rescue mission, Potter," Malfoy informed him. "Much more than any of your weak little friends. For example, do any of you even know where the Ministry holding cells are?" There was uncomfortable silence. Malfoy smirked. "Thought not."

Harry was thinking hard. He did not trust Malfoy, never had, and he wasn't even sure if Malfoy himself knew where the holding cells were. He glanced at Ron.

"He's right," Ron admitted, looking incredibly displeased. "I've only ever seen dad's office. The Auror office is on the same floor but I've never seen any cells."

"Naturally," Malfoy drawled. "It's not as though they want their prisoners to be easy to find." Ron grit his teeth.

"So where are the cells?" Harry asked. "Why don't you just tell me and I'll go. That way you can stay out of it. I doubt your father would be pleased if you were caught trying to free a convicted felon."

"No, I imagine he wouldn't be," Malfoy commented idly. "And I would not dream of accompanying you if I wasn't certain that you'd get hopelessly lost without me. Unlike you Gryffindors I think things through."

Harry considered him. Malfoy was up to something, that much was certain, but perhaps it would be better to take him along, if for no other reason than to keep an eye on him.

"Alright," Harry said finally. "You can come." A broad smile spread across Malfoy's face and immediately Harry was starting to regret his decision.

"Perfect," Malfoy drawled. "Now, my plan is simple. If we leave now we should arrive in London after most of the Ministry have already left. Potter and I can take his Charizard down, rescue Black, and return while the rest of you provide cover."

"No way," Ron said forcefully. "Not happening."

"Ron and Hermione are coming," Harry said simply.

"And us," Ginny added, turning to face Harry with a challenging stare. Harry considered her.

"And them," he agreed. The more eyes watching Malfoy the better. Harry didn't trust him one bit.

Malfoy looked disgruntled. "Fine," he said sullenly. "And I suppose you have a plan to get all seven of us down to London?"

"Actually, I do," Harry told him. "Follow me."

Harry led them out the castle doors, glancing furtively into the Great Hall where the rest of the student body sat, enjoying dinner. He only had a quick glance as he passed but Delores Umbridge, dressed all in pink, was easily noticeable. He did not see Snape.

Once out the front doors Harry quickly led the group over to the forest, the seven of them skirting the line of the trees before eventually starting to move further in, following a path only Harry recognised. It led them deep into the forest, far past any point the younger years were allowed to go, before Harry brought them to a stop.

"So what now, Potter?" Malfoy said scornfully, though his eyes surveyed the surrounding trees with caution. "Are we waiting for some magic portal that'll lead us to the Ministry? I hate to point out that this is real life, not fantasy."

Harry tuned Malfoy out. He knew he was in the right spot. He pulled out the item he'd rescued from his trunk and held it up delicately in his fingers.

"What have you got there, Harry?" Luna asked serenely. "A summoning stick?"

"Sort of," Harry muttered. It was a surprisingly accurate description. "This is a white flute," he explained, showing them the beautifully crafted instrument. "Hagrid got it for me on my first Christmas at Hogwarts. I've never used it before but it's supposed to attract wild Pokémon."

"And what sort of Pokémon are you hoping to attract?" Hermione asked nervously as Harry raised the flute to his lips. Harry did not answer. Instead he started to play.

The melody that was produced by the fragile instrument pressed to Harry's lips was surprisingly pleasant given that Harry had no experience playing. Yet as he switched between notes at random it did not sound rough or disjointed. It sounded peaceful.

A rustle was heard in the trees and Harry instinctively stopped playing. He knew there was no telling which Pokémon had responded to his call but he hoped that this was the one he needed.

Further rustles sounded and the group turned on the spot as it seemed to be coming from all around them. The seven students started to gravitate towards each other, looking out in every direction for the beast that stalked them, while Harry turned his face to the canopy above.

Right on cue the Pokémon showed itself, soaring down from above and landing roughly on the forest floor mere feet in front of them, causing the group to jump back in surprise.

Hermione's mouth fell open. She was standing at the front of the group, and Harry knew it was no accident. She stumbled forward, as though in some sort of trance, stopping within arms reach of the Pokémon but not moving to touch it.

"Flygon."

The Flygon nodded its head, letting out a low guttural sound from the back of its throat. Hermione looked back to Harry.

"Is he…?"

Harry nodded.

"Hagrid and I found him after the match against Hufflepuff," Harry explained, watching as Hermione turned back to Flygon with wonder in her eyes. "I wasn't sure whether to tell you or not. Then things started happening - the DA, Quidditch, exams - and I never really got the chance."

"A lot must have happened since last year," Ron commented, eyeing up Flygon with an impressed look.

"Yeah," Hermione murmured. "I wondered whether he'd even remember me." She let out a small laugh as Flygon crooned, nudging his head into her hand and looking up with adoring eyes. Harry and Ron smiled.

"Excuse me for interrupting," Malfoy spoke up rudely. "But am I the only one here who has no idea what is happening?" Harry supposed he was. Both Ginny and Neville had known Flygon as a Trapinch before he'd left and Luna never seemed to be surprised by anything.

"When Flygon was a Trapinch Hermione looked after him," Harry explained. "Once he was all better he was released into the forest. That was just over a year ago." Harry turned to Hermione. "I was thinking that Flygon might be able to help us get down to London." Hermione nodded.

"Well, Flygon?" She said, the ground and dragon type turning to face her. "Will you help us?" Flygon let out a low croon and nodded his head.

Now that that was decided Harry switched back into gear.

"Okay, so, this'll be tough but I think between Charizard, Pig and Flygon we should be able to get everyone down to London." He turned to Neville, Ginny and Luna. "None of you have Pokémon to fly on, do you?" They all shook their heads.

"Well, I think the three girls should ride together," Hermione suggested. "To try and even out the weight."

"Ginny's coming with me," Ron said firmly, leaving no room for argument. Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Fine then," she sighed. "I suppose we'll take Pig."

"In that case I propose I travel with Granger," Malfoy suggested smoothly.

"Not a chance," Harry interjected before either Hermione or Ron could protest. "You and me are riding Charizard." Malfoy looked disgruntled.

Within a few moments Charizard and Pig had been released from their Pokéballs and the seven students began the process of mounting their respective rides, Harry and Malfoy on Charizard, Ron and Ginny on Pig, and Hermione, Neville and Luna on Flygon.

"Hold on a second," Hermione said suddenly, sliding down from Flygon's back as Neville and Luna made themselves comfortable behind her. "Misdreavus, come on out."

Harry paused as he finished pushing a reluctant Malfoy onto Charizard's back, Ron and Ginny both mounted and ready to go, as Hermione dug into her bag. Out of the seven of them she was the only one to have taken her bag this far.

"I've got something in here that I think will help us," Hermione said and she pulled it out, holding it aloft. "A dusk stone."

"The stone to evolve Misdreavus," Harry realised, his eyes lighting up. "Where did you get it?"

"I found it a while ago, in the forest," Hermione explained. "I didn't use it because I wanted Misdreavus to evolve at her own pace, but now..." Hermione turned to her Pokémon. "You don't have to do this," she promised. "But the extra power of your evolved form could come in useful. Will you?"

Hermione held out the Dusk Stone in her open palm and waited. Misdreavus looked at stone curiously for a moment, then touched it.

The evolution was very anticlimactic. In the past all Pokémon Harry had seen evolve came as a surprise, most often in the heat of battle. Without that, knowing an evolution was going to take place, it seemed to pass in just a moment.

"Lets go," Harry said into the silence. Hermione nodded, returning Mismagius and climbing back atop Flygon, Neville awkwardly wrapping his arms around her middle, Luna looking far more comfortable behind him.

"Leave the bag," Harry instructed as he climbed atop Charizard and noticed Hermione still awkwardly clutching it. "We can come back for it later." Hermione dropped the bag to the forest floor. "On the count of three. One, two, three."

As one Charizard, Pig and Flygon flew upwards and their riders were forced to brace themselves as they flew through the canopy overhead and emerged into the bright light of the slowly setting sun.

"Head south, Charizard," Harry instructed his Pokémon and Charizard let out a soft roar of confirmation before wheeling around in mid-air and soaring towards the boundary of Hogwarts, Pig and Flygon following his lead.

Meanwhile, Harry addressed Malfoy.

"I know you're up to something," he told him in a low voice, only just audible over the wind. "I don't know what it is but I swear if you try anything I'll have Charizard toss you off."

"And you wonder why I wanted to fly with Granger instead," Malfoy commented but he fell quiet after that. Evidently he'd got the message.

The boundary wall was approaching.

"Harry!" Flygon pulled up beside Charizard, Hermione shouting over. "Harry, the mail workers!"

She was right to remind him. Looking down Harry was able to spot the Ministry workers far below, though they hadn't seen them yet. That was bound to change.

"We can't let them see us," Harry called back. "We can't have them reporting back to Umbridge that we've left." Hermione nodded grimly.

"Leave it to me," she told him, guiding Flygon on ahead. "Flygon! Sandstorm!"

Harry almost felt sorry for the Ministry workers as they were caught completely unaware by the attack. Then he remembered their assault on Errol and any pity quickly vanished.

Flygon had slowed down somewhat, focusing on keeping up the attack, and Pig quickly shot past while Harry hung back so as not to leave Hermione behind.

"Gliscor!"

The cry surprised Harry, then he realised how foolish he was to forget.

Gliscor rose through the sandstorm unaffected and narrowed in on the source as it rose above the attack. In response Harry urged Charizard forward.

"Flamethrower!" Harry instructed and Gliscor was struck dead on, crying out in pain. It clearly was not prepared for battle and wouldn't be in one for much longer. "Focus Punch!"

Charizard closed the distance between them in a matter of seconds and Gliscor only just had the chance to regain his senses before Charizard struck with a ferocious punch, sending the Pokémon thundering back through the sandstorm, presumably down into the ground below with tremendous force, though as Gliscor soared through the sandstorm it disappeared completely from view.

The sandstorm would eventually subside, the Ministry workers picking themselves up and gathering themselves together, reviving the dumbstruck Gliscor with confusion, all of them looking around and wondering what had happened. Meanwhile, high above them, Charizard, Pig and Flygon had disappeared.

A/N: Thanks for reading. This is just a short chapter but I hope you enjoyed it.

There weren't many responses to the question of the day for the last chapter which either leads me to believe that Pokémon Go isn't something many of you are interested in (the only responses I received were generally negative) or that the chapter itself was not as interesting considering it is setting things up for the conclusion. Or a mixture of both.

For the question of the day I'm going to go back to a suggestion left in a previous review, shown below.

GGuy12345 : - ...On the other side of 'the pond', as the Brits call it, how about Ilvermorny? I'd say that I'm a mixture of Horned Serpent and Thunderbird.

I had to do a little research on this because I'm not particularly familiar with Ilvermorny. However, after looking it up I'd say I'd definitely be in Horned Serpent. A house that favours scholars is definitely for me.

So, what about you? Which Ivermorny house or houses would you be in? Let me know in the reviews.