Chapters? Length? Are you people asking me to use foresight? ;) Hehe, oh, all I can say is that this is going to be a big-ass story...
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Snape was pacing back and forth while Harry watched, standing by the gargoyle. The Potions master looked quite agitated. Once he even stopped and glanced up as though to order the stony guardian aside. Harry could only stand the clicking of Snape's shoes on the tiles so long before breaking the terse monotony of the air.

"What's going on?" he asked quietly. Snape spun on his heel and stared at Harry.

"I don't know."

"I think they're just here to complain about Professor Harrison," said Harry, watching the other man carefully. "Fudge won't make a move on Headmaster Dumbledore until he has enough support."

The shock on Snape's face was priceless, even though it was quickly chased away by a sneer. "That's right; I'd forgotten. You have Freckle-Face Weasley to expose all the secrets of the Ministry to you."

Harry clenched his teeth. "Ron and his family are fighting for your side."

"They're not doing an impressive job."

"They're working against the Minister of Magic," seethed Harry.

The Potions master's sneer grew. "Not the most brilliant idea, is it?"

"It's the only idea."

Snape's jaw worked. He didn't seem to have an answer for that and resumed his pacing.

"Do you think they can?" pressed Harry, anxiety overcoming the brief flash of anger. "Could they--"

"For God's sake, Potter, hold your tongue!"

Harry simply crossed his arms and stared at his teacher. After several minutes of avoiding Harry's gaze Snape spun on his heel and nearly snarled, "Yes, if Fudge gets enough support..." He trailed off. "It doesn't matter; it's not for you to worry about, Potter."

"With all due respect, sir, it is."

"Oh, are you paying due respect now?" sneered Snape.

Harry nodded silently without bristling. Snape stared at him, a confused expression flashing across his face.

Just then the gargoyle jumped aside as the wall behind it split open. Both Harry and Snape started and turned to see Rysk step out, followed by three Ministry officials, among them a very shaken Ranone. Harry watched in fascination as Rysk said quietly to the wizards, "I'm glad we could work things out." She bent slightly at the waist, a gesture as uncharacteristically eloquent as her words. "I hope I didn't alarm you much." She looked directly at Ranone.

"Oh, no, professor. No harm done." Ranone tried to smile. It didn't work.

Rysk nodded, but Harry noticed she never took her eyes off of Ranone. "Good. This way."

"No, Ms. Harrison, thank you." Henry smiled most insincerely, obviously wanting to distance himself from the strange witch. "We know our way out."

Rysk raised her eyebrows, the picture of concerned courtesy. It sent chills up Harry's spine. "Well, if you're sure." She gestured with an arm. "Good day, gentlemen."

'Harrison' turned and walked over to Harry and Snape. As the three Ministry wizards left Harry saw Paul Ranone staring hard at Rysk's back. Once again, their eyes accidentally locked.

"Ow!" Harry clapped a hand to his forehead, taken by surprise.

"The Headmaster wants to see you," said Rysk tersely to Snape. They looked down at Harry's outburst. "Potter?"

Harry looked up at Rysk and hesitated. "That...that man." He nodded after the Henry and the rest. "Ranone."

Rysk studied Harry for a moment before nodding grimly. "I know."

"What are you talking about?" snapped Snape.

"Take a wild guess; and if you can't do that you'd better ask the Headmaster." Rysk's lip curled. "Go back to your room, Potter."

Snape stared after Rysk as she walked briskly off. He looked startled when he saw Harry watching, as though a student had popped out of nowhere. "You heard her, Potter. I don't want to see you wandering around the school."

Harry remained silent as Snape swept past into the passageway. Then he stuck his hands into his pockets and trudged back up the stairs.

****

A notice was tacked to the bulletin board in the Gryffindor common room. There was to be a beginning-of-term trip to Hogsmeade when Christmas vacation ended on a Saturday.

"Short notice, isn't it?" said Seamus, walking over to Harry. "Not that I'm complaining."

"Very short notice." Harry was almost thinking out loud. "Strange."

Seamus shrugged, then brightened. "Hey, you know what's strange--was there really a giant beast from the Forest attacking the grounds that one night?"

So that's what's been going around, thought Harry. "I don't know," he said, finding it easier to lie while looking at the Hogsmeade flyer.

"'You don't know'! You ran out! McGonagall blew every blood vessel in her body!"

Harry shook his head, not turning around. "I didn't see anything. Ran out, next thing I know something hits me in the back of the head and I'm out. Woke up in the hospital wing."

"Oh." Seamus sounded disappointed for a moment. "Just think how close you were to being eaten! You think it was that...whatever it was that hit you?"

"Dunno." Harry tried to inject some enthusiasm into his voice. "Probably."

****

Harry counted out twenty-some Galleons for Hogsmeade on Saturday. Then he went to bed. Sleeping was another matter. He kept thinking about Sirius, and Rysk, and most of all his scar.

Useless as it was, it had never failed to warn him of danger or Voldemort's wrath before. Harry couldn't accept Ranone and the vaguely disturbing air about him as coincidence, and he wasn't about to do that with the mysterious Carmen Rysk, either. A witch that carried a knife at her side was not one Harry trusted.

For an hour he toyed with ideas and possibilities. His reasoning continued to bring him, one way or another, to a single conclusion: Ranone was a Death Eater. The very thought made Harry bite his lip in helpless anger. He began to wonder whether or not Fudge continued refusal to cooperate wasn't influenced by others in the Minister's close circle. After all, Harry doubted that Fudge was an unintelligent man, simply a proud one. The idea of Voldemort slowly infiltrating the Ministry until he was the Ministry was not a pleasant one.

He's tried it before. And Death Eaters that were still loyal were working for the Ministry, like Avery. Harry turned restlessly over. But this time Voldemort doesn't have to deal with a united Ministry. He can just destroy it from the inside, split it farther apart until no one can do anything.

This hypothesis remained an unscratchable itch in Harry's mind until he finally got up and quietly scribbled a letter to Ron. He added a postscript promising a belated Christmas present, and assuring his friend that it was all right, he needn't get him a gift every year after all, and to thank Mrs. Weasley for the sweater and fudge. The real frustration came when he put down the quill and realized that Hedwig was still in the Owlery. With a resigned sigh Harry slipped on his robes, grabbed his wand, and ducked beneath the invisibility cloak.

It was a trivial thing to risk trouble over, but a strange urgency had taken hold of Harry. He felt he had to get this information to the Weasley family now.

He checked the Marauder's Map. Argus Filch and Mrs. Norris were patrolling the area around the Great Hall. Harry smirked. Dumbledore must have reassigned the miserable caretaker for security reasons. Tucking the map away into his robes, Harry illuminated his wand and crept out of Gryffindor tower.

He was careful to be absolutely silent. Passing through the Great Hall while Filch wandered around the vicinity and Mrs. Norris sat on the Slytherin table was nerve-wracking. Harry swore that damn cat could smell him as he drew close. He screwed up his courage and walked past her. He looked over his shoulder and saw her zip out of the Great Hall toward Filch. Cursing inside his head, Harry ran the rest of the way to the Owlery with Filch's, "What is it, love?" echoing in his ears.

He made it safely. Several owls were sleeping while others were waking up. Many were missing, probably flown outside for the night. Hedwig ruffled her feathers as Harry approached, seeming to sense him.

"Hedwig," whispered Harry. He reached an arm out from beneath the cloak. Hedwig stared at it with big yellow eyes for a moment before hopping onto his wrist with a soft 'hoo'. "Good girl." Harry brought the beautiful snowy owl back under the cloak with him. "I need you to deliver this to Ron." He tied the letter carefully but firmly around Hedwig's leg. She hopped and fluttered her wings, as if to take off. "No, no, not yet." Harry put a hand on top of her head. "Just wait a while." He raised his hand and she hopped onto his shoulder.

Harry crept out into the Great Hall. His heart jumped into his throat when he saw Filch walking between the tables, glaring around suspiciously, lantern held high. With a pointless, "Shh," to Hedwig, Harry took a breath and began walking across the Hall.

Mrs. Norris's unnerving red eyes followed him the entire way; Harry prayed feverently that Hedwig wouldn't react to the cat's presence.

The combination of student and owl scents must have confused Mrs. Norris. Her tail lashed viciously as they passed her by, but nothing more.

Harry emerged into the foyer with a sigh of relief. He gave Hedwig a reassuring stroke and began to climb the marble staircase, not daring to use the secret passageway behind the suit of armor.

Halfway back to Gryffindor tower he heard hushed voices coming from farther down the corridor. He hesitated, then followed changed direction and padded toward them. He found himself at the gargoyle leading to Dumbledore's office again. Professor 'Harrison' was standing beside it, murmuring to the empty air: "...wanted to let you rest more, but..."

"But what?" replied the thin air. Harry jerked and stifled a gasp. That was Sirius. Hedwig shifted on his shoulder; he reached up a hand to still her.

"But the situation in the Ministry has gone from bad to worse a hell of a lot faster than we feared," whispered Rysk tersely.

"What do you mean...?"

"I mean a Death Eater visited us today. We have to move our asses now."

Harry held his breath. Sirius was silent. After a moment Rysk reached out and put her hand under what might been an elbow. She murmured a password and the wall split open. She guided her invisible companion through the opening and turned to go, but suddenly turned back. "Black, are you sure you're up to this?"

"Yes." A teasing note entered his godfather's voice. "Why Rysk, I never knew you cared."

"Must be the bond," she replied coldly, encasing the last word in air quotes.

Harry blinked. Bond?

There was a hesitation on the part of the thin air. "Rysk--"

"Go." Rysk pushed something invisible but solid. "It's already been a day." Before Sirius could say another word, Professor 'Harrison' turned on her heel and walked quickly away, her feet making hardly a sound against the floor. The light that leaked through the passageway to Dumbledore's office glinted off of her bizarre hair.

Harry waited for a bit after she had gone. Nothing else happened except for the sealing of the wall.

"Sirius..."

He hadn't gotten to say goodbye.

****

Harry sent Hedwig away with through the window of the boys' dormitory with a heavy heart. A stomach-twisting premonition told him that he wouldn't see his godfather again for a long time.

He finally fell asleep at the stroke of four in the morning, just when the waxing moon was beginning to set.

One day and four hours. The moon was rising.