And - off we go, towards the end of fifth year! Apologies for the update being a day late last time - there were some last minute fixes I had to do, but I didn't have time for them on Sunday.

Jane POV, Hogwarts Great Hall, breakfast

Nowadays, it takes some convincing to get down here. She didn't like it, the staring everywhere, the people whispering. It was decidedly bad for the appetite. Even after a Hogsmeade weekend. She watched, forgoing the remainder of her breakfast, as the owls flew in, delivering the mail. Not that she expected any mail; Harry had told her of his suspicion that the mail was being watched, after Hedwig had returned injured once. Ever since, neither of them used the mail much.

But now, it appeared, someone had. An owl landed in front of Harry, sticking its leg out. Automatically, it seemed, Harry took the message, checking the addressee. Then another owl landed. And another one. Before it was clear what happened, a whole flock of owls was sitting in front of him, hooting softly.

"What-"

"Open this first," Hermione had said. "It's the new edition of the Quibbler."

Jane raised an eyebrow. Why, exactly, would Hermione of all people be interested in-?"

"Harry!", a wide-eyed girl, with extremely blond hair, radishes as earrings, walked up to them. "Daddy printed the interview. I asked him to send you a copy," she finished, smiling brightly. "See you!"

Jane raised her eyebrows. As far as she was concerned, Harry had never had an interaction with this particular Ravenclaw girl, apart from the Hogwarts Express and Carriages. Although, now she thought about it, she might have seen her in the past after one of Harry's secret evening activities.

"Interview?", she asked dryly.

Harry nodded, passing her the copy as he'd skimmed through it. "I told Rita Skeeter about … You know."

Jane nodded, and accepted the copy. Skimming through it, she read, to her surprise, that it was mostly the truth. Who would have thought dear old Rita capable of such a thing?

"Mister Potter!", a sickly sweet, slightly out of breath, voice sounded.

Jane barely resisted the urge to groan. More things to ruin her appetite.

"Professor Umbridge," Harry returned, flashing a smile. It was the most fake smile she'd seen in a while - and after spending a year with Umbridge and more time in politics, that meant something.

"Why do you have so much mail, mister Potter?"

"Is that a crime, nowadays? Getting mail?"

Jane winced. Don't antagonise her - what's so hard to understand?

"Mister Potter. If you didn't expect that amount of mail, then we ought to check it for curses. For your safety."

Harry stared back, steel in his eyes. "Oh, but I did, professor. I gave an interview to the Quibbler, telling the truth about the Third Task."

Umbridge appeared speechless, but- unfortunately- recovered soon enough. "And when did this intervieuw occur, mister Potter?"

"The previous Hogsmeade weekend."

"It will be your last, until you learn to behave, and until you learn to speak the truth."

Harry turned to her, slowy, and Jane felt suddenly nauseous with tension.

Don't rise, don't rise, don't-

"So, professor, you decide to punish me for voicing my opinion?"

"No, I punish you for spreading lies and panic. Detention, my office, eight sharp."

Harry nodded to himself, and whispered: "no coming back now".

Jane frowned, but he ignored her.

Harry POV, Room of Requirement, DA meeting

"Okay, folks!", he shouted. "We've practiced several Defence spells, some even managed the Patronus. We've practiced some real life fighting, where you shot as fast as you could. Time to combine it all. Here's the mission and objective: a Muggleborn's family has been kidnapped by Death Eaters. They've been tortured. Your goal is to get them out safely."

The room changed to accommodate them. It appeared to be a two-story house now.

"Here-", he gestured to the street, "is the Apparition point. From there on, you'll apparate them out. These dummies are the Muggleborn family." Four dummies rose, and settled in a room. One of them small, one medium, and two large. "The large ones are the parents. The medium one is the Muggleborn Hogwarts student, and the small one the seven year-old little brother. Remember: think, plan, strategise, and most importantly: survive. Now, I'll be the Death Eater guarding them, and in groups of five, you'll try to free them…"

This exercise fitted his plans exactly, hence why he'd put it off until he got the go through. He remembered Don's message, shortly after Umbridge had banned the Quibbler, and after the outbreak of Azkaban: they will not rest until you're out.

And didn't that suit him well?

Originally, he hadn't thought that the DA would end like this. He'd thought they'd be caught, and he'd made escape routes. Sure, he knew some would get caught, but they knew the risks, all of them.

Sometime, he'd realised the Order was fighting a losing battle. They wanted to defend something, but were countered by the Ministry and the Death Eaters. If only they could get the Ministry on their side - and they could. They just would never do such a thing. But he would.

The groups attacking him did well. Only two managed to get the Muggleborns out - Hermione and Ron in one group, the twins overwhelmed him with prank products and managed it, too - but the others didn't make a clear escape, or were caught early but managed to abandon the mission safely. Not a success, but not an entire loss, either.

As the last group went - Michael something screwed up by taking a curse for Ginny, one she could've blocked - the room went back to normal, and they discussed what went wrong. In the middle of that, the door opened, and Harry felt a sense of finality.

"Dobby! What are you doing here?", he asked.

"Shhhheeee- sheeee", Dobby squeaked, trembling all over. "Coming…"

"Someone is coming?!", Harry asked sharply.

"Y-y-y-yes," the elf stuttered.

"Who?", Ron asked.

"Pr- pr- professor U-um-"

"Umbridge?", Harry asked.

The elf nodded.

It was pandemonium. Only by aiming a Bombarda at a nearby dummy, he managed to regain control.

"Okay, we're prepared for this. You'll run in small groups. If she catches you, keep your mouth shut, I've got something to bail you out, but only if you've kept your mouth shut. Now!"

And so they did. He, Ron and Hermione ran last. The twins threw some powder, darkening the corridor, and they ran, ran through halls-

"There he is!"

A curse, he tripped, and fell.

"Petrificus Totalus!", Malfoy shouted, and his limbs stiffened and froze. Silently, he willed Ron and Hermione on, but no luck, they were caught by Goyle and Crabbe…

Soon, they were dragged off to Dumbledore's office. Waiting before the gargoyle was Umbridge.

"Ah, mister Malfoy! What a great catch!", she said gleefully. "The Minister will be pleased…"

I doubt that.

They went up, Hermione looking alertly around, Ron's jaws working furiously. In the chaos, Harry slid his wand out, aimed it at them, and hit them with a Tongue-Tying Jinx. They both stared at him, but he avoided their gazes. They'd be displeased with what he was about to do to say the least.

"Ah, Dolores," Fudge said friendly. "And, just like you said…"

"Caught them in the act!" Dolores said. "They were in a forbidden meeting!"

"Weasel yourself out of this, Dumbledore", said Fudge.

"Oh, but that would be impossible," Harry filled in. "These betrayers-" he jerked his thumb in Hermione's and Ron's direction - "they wrote everything down, said they'd send it to her. They were only ever in to spy on me, I bet," he threw them a venomous look, ignoring them as Hermione shook her head, and Ron just stared.

"Search their room," Fudge commanded.

"That's a breach of privacy!", McGonagall bristled.

Fudge shrugged. "As Minister of Magic and with permission of Hogwarts' High-insuisitor, I don't need your permission."

"And the others?", Dolores asked.

"Well, they tried to stun me, didn't they? Tonight was the first meeting, wanted to rat me out. Check their wands - they all only attacked me. I'm the only one with only defensive spells…"

A quick Priori Incantatem by the Slytherins- it occured now to Harry they wore a new, shiny badge, like the Prefect badge - proved him correct. Umbridge went to confirm it with the others caught, held in her office.

"His story checks out," Dolores Umbridge said. "No way to weasel out of this, Potter."

"No need to," Dumbledore said. "I ordered him to do it-"

"Oh no," Harry said, smiling. "Most generous of you, professor, but alas, untrue. After all, I made the decision to form this group. Hermione and Ron confirmed this in their letters-"

"Ah, have you deluded them too, Harry, my boy?"

"There are dangers you cannot protect me from. I did it. I confess to forming a then legal group, the Defence Association, otherwise known as Dumbledore's Army. As Marietta Edgecombe can tell you, I was the steering force behind who to approach, and what to do. The plans are entirely mine - you found them in the dorm, in my bedside cabinet, did you not?", he said to Filch.

"Well, mister Potter, I'm afraid I'll have to expel you," Fudge said with glee. "Of course, cooperating with the investigation could be benificial…"

Ratting out Dumbledore, for say?

Harry smiled more broadly. "Yes, that's a tiny problem, no? You seem to think - what was the phrase - I would come quietly, without resistance?"

"Resistance is futile and will cart you off to Azkaban prison!", Fudge said, looking at the two Aurors he brought with him.

"You would do well to remember this, Prime Minister. Remember that Voldemort has returned, and you are working in his favor."

"Delusions!", he snapped.

"Lies," Dolores screeched.

"Arrest him," Fudge said, looking grave.

Harry smiled, looked at the ceiling, and said: "I'd like to leave now."

Fudge snorted. "I'm sure-"

POP

Harry had vanished, leaving behind a worried, slightly bemused Headmaster, a worried Minerva McGonagall, and a fuming Fudge and Dolores Umbridge. Kingsley Shacklebolt had to work hard to keep a straight face.

Jane POV, Hogwarts, next morning

She couldn't believe her ears. "Expelled?!"

Hermione, her eyes red and bloodshot, nodded. Ron, next to her, seemed more angry than anything. "Umbridge caught us at the DA-"

"The what?"

"The DA. Defence Association, or Dumbledore's Army, if you wish. A secret group to learn to practice Defence, since Umbridge doesn't let us."

Jane stared at Hermione. "Started right before Educational Decree I-don't-know-how-many, stating the groups must ask permission to reform?"

Hermione nodded, and Jane pinched the bridge of her nose. "That means you were overheard, Hermione, or that you have to assume so. Too much coincidence otherwise. You should've been more careful."

"We met at the Hogshead Inn! There's no way we were overheard, it's almost empty-"

"Hermione, what did you think Umbridge would think, if she knew a large group of Dumbledore and Potter supporters gathered in an inn they normally avoid?"

"But we were careful - or meeting room has a secret entry, there's a spell on the members list-"

Jane sighed. "It didn't prevent them from saying anything. And yes, your meeting room was safe, as long as no one betrayed you, which would inevitably happen. You're fighting a government here! They won't shy away from blackmail!"

Hermione sniffed. "I know, I know. I should've known better, but there's more…"

"Tell me, then."

"Harry silenced us when we entered- the three of us were caught, and some others - and he led Umbridge to believe that we were trying to turn him in! He had letters and all that, to prove that we were gathering evidence to send to Umbridge. And it was my handwriting, but I never-"

"Handwriting can be faked."

"Right. And then Peter, the family attorney, came in right after Harry left. He pleaded us free, Harry had sent him letters to do so. He planned this!"

Jane remained silent for a while. "How do you mean, Harry left?"

"Harry said he'd like to leave," Ron said, "and then he just POP went. I don't know how…"

Jane smiled softly. "No? Who can apparate in and out Hogwarts?"

Hermione stifled her sobs. "The house-elves! Dobby!"

Jane smiled softly. "The question is, where did he go?"

"The Room of Requirement? Where we assembled for the DA?", Ron suggested.

Hermione frowned. "It's been breached before. Maybe the Shrieking Shack?"

Ron frowned in turn. "Well, not exactly happy memories."

"Maybe he went back to Headquarters?", Jane suggested. "At any rate, we try the ones at Hogwarts - or rather, I will, I'm not incremented yet - while the Order will search the rest. With any luck, we'll know by the end of the day - and ask what in the world he was thinking."

But no such luck. The bright side, she thought, was that the Ministry of Magic didn't know where he was, either. The downside was that they'd published even more articles about Harry being mad, saying he was a danger to himself who had to be taken into protective custody. Posters were spread everywhere, the Order questioned people left and right. Sightings all over the UK were reported. But not a single, solid, trace.

It was as if Harry disappeared in thin air.

Harry POV , hide-out

He heaved a sigh as soon as he arrived at this dark hide-out. He'd started preparing everything in here right after the Christmas holidays. The attack on Mr. Weasley had opened his eyes: if no one acted soon, more innocents would die.

He could not allow that, even if it meant risking his life.

So he planned to do something the Order would never ask of him. He would come out in the open, drawing out good old Voldie himself, in public, in front of witnesses. And then the Ministry could no longer deny his return.

The why's and the how's of the plan had taken form, slowly but surely. He would lure out Voldemort to his 'weapon', whatever it might be. He'd have to make sure a lull in the protection of the thing appeared to happen. He could already imagine it: the Ministry cleared of people, he went in and hid a reporter, alerted Voldemort to his presence. And Voldemort would come in, pose for a nice picture, and there you have it. Evidence.

He would have to make sure, of course, Voldemort could not access the weapon. How he would have to do that, that remained to be seen. He'd have to do some serious thinking on that. He needed to know more, but that wasn't hard. He kept on dreaming about the place it was hidden. It was only a matter of time before he'd learn what it was and how it was protected.

To lure Voldemort out, he had to appear defenceless. And what better way to do that, then to appear to have been expelled? Away from Voldemort's main enemy, the leader of the Order of the Phoenix. How to get expelled? Well, it was only a matter of time before the DA got found out. So he started preparing to take the blame for the entire thing. Umbridge had merely sped up his existing plans. No hindrance, though; he'd prepared his hide-out the first week already.

Purebloods wouldn't know what hit them.

And then Don had come with the final piece of information he needed.

"I've found out what He wants," he'd said, shortly after the Christmas break.

"Being?"

"A prophecy in the Department of Mysteries. The first lines have been relayed to him, but his spy could not hear all of it."

"That must be what the Order is guarding," Harry had said absentmindedly.

"It gets even better. The prophecy is kept in an orb there, and the protective enchantments surrounding it ensure only the involved parties can retrieve it: He… and you."

"Why is it so important?", Harry asked suspiciously.

"Because it prophesies His defeat," Don replied softly.

Jane POV, History of Magic OWL

Jane sighed in the incredibly hot exam room. Not only was this OWL not going as great as she'd hoped - not that she had a particular interest in its NEWT, but anyway - there was, still, no sign of Harry. After months of searching, the Order had no idea where he was. Nor had she.

They'd started off hopeful, checked all places connected to her. The embassy, his old house at Privet Drive, the apartment he'd shared with Sirius and Remus. The Burrow, Hermione's house. Friendly embassies, both in the UK and abroad.

Nothing.

The only good news was that the Ministry had even less of an idea.

But it remained frustrating that she had to study for this ridiculous exam, instead of looking for him. Forcing her attention back to the paper, she scribbled some more, but her heart wasn't in it. Finally, time was up.

"Thank Merlin that is over," Ron sighed as they left the Great Hall. "I've no idea how I've done, but it'll be a miracle if it's a pass. Thankfully I'll never see this shite again!"

Jane snorted. "Seconded."

Hermione looked at them. "Perhaps if you did not spend so much time sleeping, then you'd get better grades. What would've happened if I did not lend you my notes?"

Ron looked appalled. "Hermione! You'd be single handedly responsible for our failure!"

They laughed, but it sounded slightly strained.

"Oh, it's not fair!", Hermione burst out suddenly. "He should be here, with us, celebrating the end of OWLs, sighing because I want to go over all the questions…"

"Life is not fair," Jane grimaced.

"Thanks, Snape," Ron said sarcastically. "Hey, Snape! Do you think he knows something, about where Harry's hiding? Poked around in his mind, after all."

"Come again?", Jane asked, bewildered.

"Professor Snape taught Harry Occlumency," Hermione replied. "He didn't want to worry you, so he pretended to have extra Potions lectures."

Jane froze, blinking fast. A sense of excitement overtook her. "What did he see during these, during the attacks on his mind?"

At Hermione's uncomprehending gaze, she added: "Harry knows Occlumency- as do I. Maybe he left a clue as to where he is." It was a stretch, but better than doing nothing.

"A long corridor, with a dark door on the end," Ron supplied.

"He saw it in his dreams, didn't he?", Hermione asked, frowning.

Jane sighed. "I really don't know what to make of that…"

Hermione gave her a one-arm hug. "It's not your fault. Dumbledore doesn't know either."

Jane didn't think that very comforting. She'd never blindly trusted Dumbledore, like most people around them seemed to do.

"Where do you think he is now?", Ron asked, looking at the sky.

"I think he's somewhere where we'd never think to look for him. Nor the Ministry, for that matter," Hermione replied thoughtfully.

"Or somewhere only he can access," Jane said grouchely.

"What I don't get, is how no one saw him," Ron said frustrated.

Jane stopped dead in her tracks. Somewhere where no one thought to look. Somewhere he and only he could access. And all that with no one seeing him.

Her head snapped up. "I know where he went," she said softly.

Minutes later, ignoring the questions of both Ron and Hermione, she walked fast through the corridors. Somewhere, in a corridor, close to their destination, she heard Hermione hold her breath suddenly, probably because she realised where they'd gone off to.

"Hello, Myrtle," Jane said grimly, walking to a certain sink.

"Problem is, no one here can speak Parseltongue," Hermione remarked smartly. "You can't learn it, there are only two speakers…"

Jane smiled. "But we don't need to speak. We only need the password."

Focussing on the emotions ingrained in the spot, she tried to search. She'd soon found Harry's known presence, his thoughts, and focused on it, trying to get into the moment…

"Open", she said, satisfied to hear it come out as hissing.

Turning to Ron and Hermione, she said: "I'm going down and try to get some sense in his head."

Both looked at her, looked at each other, and said they would join her. Taking a deep breath, they jumped forward, sliding down. She'd quite forgotten how deep it was, but the trip down seemed to take hours.

"Slimy as ever," Ron remarked.

Hermione shivered, looking around. "This is creepy. I would've thought Salazar Slytherin had more style…"

Jane shrugged. "No one was meant to see it."

She shivered lightly, fighting memories of the last time she'd been here. The disastrous afternoon had ended with Harry, Ginny and her nearly finding their unfortunate demise. She took a few deep breaths to calm herself.

"The ceiling is stabilised," Hermione remarked, having taken a good look around while Jane gathered herself.

"Fortunately," Ron muttered, and the found herself in agreement.

"How did he get food, I wonder?", Hermione continued.

"Conjured it?", Ron asked.

"You can't conjure food, Ronald!"

"Was just an idea", he muttered rebelliously.

Jane tunes their bickering out. Up until now, she had believed he'd simply ventured in the Muggle world, but that was impossible. House-elfs? Venturing into Hogsmeade? A secreet stash down here? He'd seemed awfully prepared…

"Let's continue," the said, coming to her senses.

The walk was still as creepy as she remembered, as was the actual entrance.

"Much more majestic as a bathroom," Don remarked.

She ignored him, trying to get a grasp of the memories here. Finally, she had it.

"Open," she hissed.

Hermione POV, Chamber of Secrets

The more I see of this place, the less I want to imagine Ginny, Ron and Harry here, three years ago; the boys on a mad rescue mission after being attacked by a teacher, and Ginny, having scribbled her own farewell on the wall. I can't even fathom how scared they must've been.

Then I see the Basilisk.

My breath hitches as I take in its size, and as I walk towards it through dried blood, and ink, I'm distracted when I notice one of its fangs is missing.

Fangs with the deadliest venom in the Wizarding World. Not that it stopped Harry-

Swiftly, I turn my back to the Basilisk. Enough reminiscing, we came with a purpose.

"Harry?," I call softly, trying not to startle him. I don't know what I'll do when I see him again. Hug him? Hit him? Both deel appealing…

"He's not here," Jane says, tilting her head. "He has left minutes before we came."

She heads to a place near the wall. It's the driest spot in the Chamber, and a small bed is made. On a camping matras.

"Where has he gone to?", Ron asks frowning.

"And why has he left?", I add.

Jane kneels near the bed. "Time to find out."

The look on her face reminds me of last year, after the Tri-Wizard Tournament, when the was trying to find Harry. I hope the has better news now.

It seems to take ages, but finally, the comes out of it. Her eyes snap open, and horror is plainly visible in her eyes. The breathes hard for a minuten, then the horror is replaced with determination.

"Treaty!", the calls out, and her house-elf popped in. Now I hear it again, I realise it's the same sound I heard after Harry disappeared from Dumbledore's office. "Take us up to Myrtle's bathroom and go to Grimmauld's Place. I need to know whether Sirius Black is there. No one is to see you."

Jane POV, Myrtle's bathroom

As she anxiously waits for Treaty's return, the paces back and forth, explaining what she saw.

"... He was torturing Sirius! That's the last vision Harry saw, daling Sirius to take something. In the Department of Mysteries, I recognised it, it's the door Harry kept dreaming about. Your dad was attacked guarding that door, Harry thinks the weapon is there, he went to save Sirius…"

"Shouldn't we tell someone?", Hermione asked timidly.

"We do, we do, but we need information…"

Right on cue, Treaty popped back in. "Master Sirius be taking care of Buckbeak, misstress."

Jane heaved a sigh of relief. "Good-"

"Then they bees having a meeting," Treaty continued. "Treaty cannot enter…"

"Must be an emergency," Jane muttered. "Then I'll contact dad-"

"They watch the floo-"

"Not Umbridge's."

And so, the plan was set in motion. The DA went as far as they could from her office, and made sure they were seen entering an unused classroom. They would chat only, but Umbridge would check on them, leaving Jane's hands free to break into the office onder Harry's invisibility cloak, while Cho Chang and Michael closed the corridor off. Smoothly, she entered the room, threw in Floo Powder, and shouted at her dad's floor.

"I'm sorry, miss, he's busy," said the attendant who'd entered the room upon hearing her calling. "The Ministry's been evacuated, we don't know what's going on…"

Jane held back a curse. If that was a coincidence, she was the Giant Squid. "Tell hij our most treasured possession is at risk, but that my first friend has gone to protect it, and that we'll assist him."

She drew back. And found herself looking straight in Umbridge's face.

"Well, well," the woman said, "what do we have here?"

Jane swallowed, looking around and trying to quell her panic. All of Dumbledore's Army was once again held at wand point by the Inquisitorial Squad.

"Nothing to say, dear?"

She kept silent, waiting to see how this played out.

"Who were you trying to contact? Who have you sent your house-elf to?"

She stared at the floor. She'd never thought Umbridge would watch even the house-elfs, but of course, after Harry had escaped…

"No answer? I think more straightforward tactics are required… You know, lady, the Prime Minister has been very worried about Potter running rampant - it was him you contacted, no? Well, he gave me free reign at Hogwarts… And I feel like you have information of vital importance. But you refuse to speak… So I have to encourage you.

I think a few rounds of Cruciatus would do the trick, no?"

Jane swallowed. Who in the world has Fudge appointed as DADA teacher? They get worse each year!

"That's illegal, professor!", Hermione protested.

"These are dire circumstances, love!"

Umbridge pointed her want at various parts of her body, trying to decide where best to aim. Jane watched her closely, held back by Patty Parkinson, who was already smirking. Umbridge took a step closer.

"One last chance, dearie," she whispered, licking her lips and looking even more like a toad.

And Jane acted.

She first let herself fall backward against Patty, who was sent staggering, then abruptly tore forward, breaking out of the girl's grasp with practised ease. Launching herself on Umbridge, she firmly held her wand hand down, side-stepping the woman, putting an arm around her neck and wrenching her wand arm behind her back until she was forced to let it fall. Sometime between breaking free from Parkinson and reaching for Umbridge, she'd unsheathed the knife she always hid in her robes, pressing it firmly against Umbridge's skin.

The remainder of the DA had not hesitated. Neville had poked his elbow sharply in the one behind him, Ginny stepped so hard on the one holding her she broke toes. Hermione had thrown her attacker over her back in front of her, and Ron had squeezed his attacker between him and the wall. Similarly, the rest had overthrown their attackers as well.

Hermione swiftly bound Umbridge.

"Now," Jane said acidly, "it appears you have little issue with violence, do you?"

"You'll regret this-"

Jane waved her hand impatiently. "Yes, yes, 'Mione, gag her!"

"Gladly," the girl said frostily.

Jane stalked up to the desk, going through the drawers, sensing Umbridge emotions' all the time. Soon she'd found an innocent looking quill, which seemed to emanate pain.

"That's her Blood Quill," Ron supplied. "You write in your own blood with it. Used to make us do lines with that thing."

"Is that so?", Jane said thoughtfully. "Well, regretfully, that's quite illegal." It didn't sound like she regretted a thing. "As was you torturing me and taking us hostage. I'm afraid your days of power are counted- but unfortunately, I have more urgent matters to attend to. Dobby!"

The House-elf popped in. "Deposit this lot with the Headmaster, would you? He requested their presence. And take these as evidence," she said, handing him the quills."

With the Squad and Umbridge out, she looked at the DA. "Listen up, folks. We found Harry's hide-out, but he wasn't there. He'd gotten word Voldemort was attempting to steal a weapon, and that he was using and torturing Sirius Black to do so. The papers here have neglected to mention it, but Black was found innocent by the Court. He did not comit the crimes he was accused of. Harry went to rescue him and is now in danger. The Ministry has been evacuated, no one knows why, and I don't think it's a coincidence. Dumbledore and McGonagall are not on these premises, so we can't alert them."

She took a deep breath. "I'm going to help Harry fight Voldemort and prevent him from getting the weapon. Who's in?"

The DA looked at each other. "We're all in."

"Should we alert the others?", Ginny asked.

"Others?"

"Well, this is only part of the DA. Michael and Cho managed to run, and some of the others weren't reached in time for the distraction, or unwilling to come."

Jane took a breath. "No. If possible, we'll avoid confrontation. Our mission is to get Harry and Sirius out, and to save the weapon. We're not strong enough to take Voldemort on head first and achieve this, so we'll release our inner Slytherins, and the smaller the group is, the less chance we're seen.

"How are we going there?", Ron asked. "With the evacuation, Floo is down. We can't Apparate - and it's likely impossible."

"Fly," Luna said dreamily, looking at the Forest.

In a flash, Jane understood. "Thestrals! Remember what Hagrid said? They have a good sense of direction!"

"We can't see them," Ginny said.

"You only need to see them to mount. Part of us can see them, and will help those who don't. Everyone in?"

They nodded. Jane quickly passed by the kitchens, borrowing all raw meat she could find, and they went to the edge of the Forest. Soon after walking in, they found the Thestrals - Jane had an affinity with horses, after all - and they were mounting.

"This is weird," Ron said, sitting on top of his invisible mount as Jane helped Hermione up.

Soon after, they all were seated, and Jane bent forward, closer to the horse's ears, stroking its neck. "I'd like to go to the Ministry of Magic, London, please," she said. In the next minute, the Thestral stretched its wings. She'd just enough time to shout a warning to her friends, and then they were airborne.

AN: and here we are, towards the end game of OOTP - next chapter will be up in three weeks, and will contain the battle at the DOM, and some mild Dumbledore bashing.