Disclaimer: I don't own any Harry Potter material. Everything except the characters Sarah Nelson and Angus Black as well as the plot are owned by J.K. Rowling.
Chapter 53 Angus Black
The figure stopped and looked at Harry and his group. He had smooth golden hair and a golden beard. He frowned and moved closer. Harry stood where he was not moving a step forward or backward. When the figure was only a few feet away, he stopped and stared at Harry for several moments.
"Who are you?" he asked. "Why have you come? Dumbledore wouldn't risk someone coming down here, unless it was important, but you look too young to belong to the staff."
Harry swallowed. The man's suspicious tone was unnerving.
"We're students," said a Hufflepuff boy next to Harry.
"As I figured," said the man waving a dismissive hand. "All the more reason for you not to be here. This is no place for students. I don't know how you got down here and I don't care-,"
"Sirius would care," said Harry, crossing his arms. "Sirius Black. He was your cousin, wasn't he?"
The man's eyes widened. Then his gaze narrowed down on Harry. "Let me guess, Harry Potter," he said.
"And you must be Angus Black the Half Blood Prince and Information Keeper," replied Harry.
The man nodded. "That's right. Now tell me your business here, Harry Potter."
Harry's lips tightened. "Hogwarts is under attack. Death Eaters have entered the school."
"And you decided to be part of it, did you?" said Angus Black. "Yes, I know about your adventures at Hogwarts. I know how you went up against Voldemort in all your years here with the exception of the third, but still producing a patronus charm that drove away all those Dementors. So you brought four students with you this time, did you? Actually you brought more, didn't you? And they went into all those forks within the maze to find me, didn't they?"
"If I had known it would be a maze maybe I wouldn't have bothered coming," replied Harry doing his best to keep the bitterness out of his voice.
Angus shrugged. "It doesn't matter anyway. They'll turn up somewhere around here. They aren't totally lost forever. And I do know the way back to the entrance."
"Well, that's good," said Lavender who was with Harry's group. "When they turn up, we'll plan what we're going to do next."
"You shouldn't even be part of the battle let alone down here," said Angus, shaking his head. "Dumbledore planned for all the students to stay in their dormitories."
"Look, Mr. Black," said Harry who was beginning to think that it was a big mistake coming down here, "We were just worried about your protection. Voldemort's after you."
"I know he's after me," said Angus. He waved his hand toward the shelves. "He's after these. All this information. Everyone's innermost thoughts, fears, and secrets, it's all here. I could very well pick up a folder right now and read right off of the paper that is produced inside what each of you are thinking."
The thought unnerved Harry. "But why would a place be created for the sole purpose of storing all the information in the world? And why isn't it used, for example, to solve unsolved crimes?"
"It's not the information keeper's job to disclose such things," replied Angus gravely. "Even I don't allow myself to look at what is written down simply for the fun of it. It doesn't work that way. I can only show you information that deals with you personally and only you."
"So in the case of a crime," said Lavender, "such as a murder, the only one who are allowed to show who the murderer is is the murderer himself?"
Angus nodded his head. "That's the way it is."
"Sounds kind of useless," said Harry.
Angus shook his head. "Not at all. It allows one to analyze their lifelines. To look back on memories long forgotten. To replay previous scenes that took place earlier in our lives exactly as they happened. After all, our memories are fallible. I've had a few customers over the years since I became information keeper, although I haven't had any recently. Dumbledore thinks it best if I just keep hidden for the time being with Voldemort on the move. Voldemort and his Death Eaters managed to get information out of me that last time he was in power."
Harry wasn't sure if he wanted to look at any scenes earlier in his life, certainly none that took place at the Dursleys, but he could see it might be useful to some people. It worried him how Voldemort had taken advantage of the information supply thought. He looked at Angus Black again. "What information was that?"
Angus's expression softened and he looked down. Then back up. "The information that killed your parents, Harry."
Before Angus could explain more, Harry heard voices and footsteps. They seemed to come from further into the room. Then out of a corridor came students. They looked at Harry and smiled.
"There you are Harry!"
"We were wondering what happened to you!"
"Ah," said Angus, turning to look at them. "It looks like some of your group is here."
"Hi guys-," said Harry, taking a step forward, but then they heard something crashing from somewhere. And they heard more voices. But they weren't students' voices. Harry's blood froze as he heard several nasty older voices sounding within somewhere outside the room, shouting to each other and shouting spells and curses.
The Death Eaters had entered.
