A/N: Again, I'm soooo sorry it's been such a long time since my last update, but my A-levels are taking up so much time and I had to write my application for uni this term as well! Anyway, I'm not completely happy with this chapter, so it's likely to alter slightly at some point, but I just wanted to get it out for you before Christmas!
Also, there is a poll on my profile about which story I should post after I finish my current stories and I would be really grateful if you took a look! Thanks :D
One more thing, I just want to thank TeamComrade11 and Moon Lantern for reviewing the last chapter and also, to wish you all a very Merry Christmas! Hope you enjoy :)

When the group reached the Department of Mysteries, Harry paused at the large black door in front of them. Ariella, not expecting anyone to stop so suddenly, walked straight into Archie's back. She heard his quiet chuckle and hit him lightly on the shoulder.

"Stop laughing at me! This is no time for messing around," she hissed quietly, turning to where her sister was speaking to Harry.

"Is this it?"

Everyone stared at him expectantly as the boy dithered moment before whispering, "Yes, let's go."

He pushed the door open wide to reveal a large circular room that was lit with several torches, their orange glow reflecting off the dark ceramic of the tiled walls and making the marble floor shimmer like dark water. Identical arched black doors lined the circumference of the room at regular intervals, so tall that they almost reached the tiled ceiling. The group gazed around in awe as they walked in. They had never seen anything like it. It had a completely different feel from the rest of the Ministry and it was so quiet that it was almost eerie in a way. Ariella didn't like it, but she wasn't about to back out now.

"Okay, listen." Harry had stopped again. "Maybe… maybe a couple of people should stay here as a sort of… lookout. Maybe Ella, Lottie and Archie? I mean, they're only first years. They'll be safer here."

Ariella stared at the black haired boy in horror. There was no way she had come this far just to be left at the creepy entrance!

"And how are we supposed to let you know something's coming?" Archie asked, eyebrows raised. "You could be miles away for all we'd know."

"We're coming with you," Lottie added.

There was a slight pause as Harry reluctantly backed down.

"Then let's get on with it, if that's settled," Ron said firmly.

Suddenly, the door shut behind them with a loud clang. Ariella swallowed nervously, unconsciously clinging onto Lottie's arm as a low whirring noise started up. Then the walls started to move, slowly at first, and then gaining speed, getting faster and faster until all that could be seen was a blur of orange as the torches sped around. The group didn't have a clue what was happening. Then, as suddenly as it had started, the walls stopped. The only problem was, they now didn't know which door they had come in by.

"Well, there goes our escape route," Ron pointed out. Hermione glared at him.

"In my dream, I went in the door straight ahead of me. Let's try that one first," Harry said and walked forwards.

Ariella immediately regretted the decision not to stay in the circular room when she found out what was through the door. The room was mainly empty, save for the large glowing tank in the middle of the room. And inside that, something was swimming. Or, more accurately, some things.

"What are those things?" Ron asked quietly.

"Are they fish?" Ginny breathed.

"Aquavirus maggots!" said Luna excitedly. "Dad said they Ministry were breeding–"

"No," Hermione interrupted, sounding odd. She moved closer and peered into the tank. "I think… I think they're brains."

Ariella swallowed and stepped back towards the door, looking at the slimy looking brains bobbing in the tank with trepidation. Surely this wasn't the right room?

"Let's get out of here," Harry said, much to the young witch's relief. "We need to try another door."

It was several doors later that the group found the room Harry had entered in his dream. It was huge and dark, full of shelves that reached up as far as Ariella could see. Each one was crammed with dusty orbs of all different shapes and sizes and all gave off a pale glow, giving the room a somewhat creepy feel. It was a mesmerising sight.

"You said that it was row ninety-seven," Hermione whispered.

"Yeah," Harry breathed. The group looked up to see a faint fifty-three written in glimmering silver figures on the edge of the nearest shelf.

"We need to go right, I think," Hermione said, squinting at the next row. "I think that says fifty-four."

"Keep your wands ready," Harry said softly.

Slowly, the group crept along, Ariella, Lottie and Arcturus staying near to the back. It was so quiet that Ariella could hear Lottie's nervous breaths beside her as they walked past row after row of the same dusty orbs, the stale smell old houses and rotting curtains, much similar to that of Grimmauld Place, filling their nostrils.

"Ninety-five… ninety-six… ninety-seven!" Hermione counted and then stopped. There was nobody there. Ariella swallowed nervously. This was starting to feel like an excellently orchestrated trap.

"He's right down the end," Harry said, but the girl could hear the slight tremor in his voice. "You can't see from here."

Carefully, he led them down the alley as everyone looked out for the darkened shape of Sirius huddled on the floor at the end. There was nothing.

"He should be here," said Harry, looking around. "Anywhere just here…"

The group stared silently. No one dared speak as the young wizard continued to search for Sirius, getting more and more desperate as he passed by the next row… and the next.

"Harry?" Hermione called out finally, breaking the silence. The boy didn't respond. "Harry? I – I don't think Sirius is here…"

The tension grew even thicker as the boy continued to look, clearly desperate to prove that he was right, and that he did not just lead his friends into danger for nothing. He became so frantic that Ariella started to feel sorry for him and ran after him, leaving the others standing helplessly in row ninety-seven. However, just as she was about to call to him, Ron shouted.

"Harry!"

The boy stopped. "What?"

"Have you seen this? It has your name on it!" The ginger-haired boy was staring at a brightly glowing orb on the shelf above his head at the end of the row, pointing at a small label beneath it.

"My name?" Harry repeated blankly, striding back to take the place of Ron. Ariella followed slowly, the feeling that something was not right growing even stronger inside of her.

The wizard stretched out his hand to touch it, but before he could, Hermione stopped him short.

"Harry, I don't think you should touch it," she said sharply.

"Don't, Harry," added Neville. The group turned to look at him, surprised by his outburst. His face was shining slightly from sweat and he looked as though he wouldn't be able to take much more suspense.

"It's got my name on," Harry said defensively and closed his hand around the dusty ball's surface.

Ariella winced, half expecting something to happen right then and there. Nothing did, and the group closed in, trying to see what it was about now that Harry had brushed the dust off.

That was when Ariella heard it, the quiet shuffle of footsteps. She seized up. She'd known something was going to happen. And then there was a voice, a low drawl.

"Very good, Potter. Now turn around, nice and slowly, and give that to me."