(Note: I had actually planned to have this chapter up earlier, but I ran into a problem with the story that needed to be worked out before posting. I think I've got it now. For those action fans out there, hold tight, it's coming. I just wanted to make sure I had all the groundwork laid down first. Hope you enjoy! -R)
Chapter 11: Decisions
"I just don't understand how this could happen!" From behind the closed door to Dumbledore's office Ron and Hermione heard Sirius yell loudly. They could barely make out Dumbledore's end of the conversation, because he, unlike Sirius, had managed to keep calm and quiet.
Sirius on the other hand had become enraged and made it evident that he didn't care who heard him. "Do you have any idea how they got into the school? This protected school? The very same school where you promised me that Harry would be safe!" Sirius yelled and slammed his fist down on the corner of a table, making the objects on top dance momentarily.
"Sirius, If you'd just calm down long enough to let me explain." Dumbledore calmly said, "We will not be able to find to Harry and Selene any faster with you screaming."
Sirius nodded and sat down in chair in front of Dumbledore. Although his face remained calm his clenched fists revealed that he was far from it. Dumbledore, satisfied that this was as calm as Sirius was going to get, began to explain what happened. "One of Voldemort's informants managed to get into the Ministry. Once he was in, he was able to supply information to Voldemort and the rest of Death Eaters about Hogwarts. The spells that we use to protect the school were part of the information that was leaked."
"Who?" Sirius asked.
"I'm not sure, but the Ministry knows. They are interrogating him as we speak. They believe that in a few days they will be able to tell us where they took Selene and Harry."
"Days?" Sirius stood up so quickly and knocked over the chair he had been sitting in, causing the two eavesdroppers outside to jump. "We don't have days! We need to know now!"
"I completely understand that, Sirius. Now please sit down!" Dumbledore said firmly, and Sirius picked up the chair and complied. Dumbledore continued, "The Death Eaters were unable to break all the protective spells that surround Hogwarts. Adava Arvadek remained intact."
"That explains the lack of…um…bodies." Sirius said.
"Adava Arvadek?" Ron whispered.
"It's a counter curse." Hermione whispered, "It protects a building and the occupants within from the Avada Kedavra curse. It is very advanced and takes a great deal of willpower and magic to keep the spell from breaking down."
"That's why Dumbledore has been looking so tired lately." Ron whispered.
Hermione nodded and then placed a finger on her lips indicating that they should stop talking and keep listening.
"Adava Arvadek isn't just a guard against Avada Kedavra, Sirius, it also prohibits the use of magical means for entering the school. That means that they could not have entered by merely Apparating." Dumbledore said.
"But I saw no signs of them coming or going on foot."
Dumbledore motioned for Sirius to be quiet. "However, if the magic they used was already in place before the Adava Arvadek spell was cast, that magic would have been protected along with the rest of Hogwarts."
"But what?" Sirius thought. What magic could stay stationary long enough to be implanted in the school and to wait until the magic was needed. Something that wouldn't stick out, and that could transport a group of people at the same time… "A portkey." Sirius finally said.
"Three of them, if not more." Dumbledore said and reached into his desk and pulled out two textbooks, one from a Divination class, and one looked like it could be from a Potions class.
"Small and harmless looking aren't they. Left in the right place no one would have noticed them." Dumbledore said. "One left with the Death Eaters and these two were found by other exits of the school. I assume they were backups in case something went wrong."
Sirius sat on the corner of Dumbledore's desk and looked closely at the books. Dumbledore noticed a familiar spark of anger and betrayal in Sirius' eyes. He covered the books with the white cloth and continued, "When I heard the Ministry had apprehended a rat among their ranks I knew that somehow they were going to try to get into Hogwarts. I spent several days walking down the halls looking for things that could be portkeys. I thought I had checked everyplace, but apparently not." he said nodding towards the books.
"When I heard the screams I knew…." he paused and took a long deep breath, "I knew that they had come. I got to main hall quickly, but my efforts to keep the wall that protects this school made my reflexes…a bit slow. Before I knew it they hit me with a confusion curse, which would account for my seemingly senseless staring at the floor. If I had just acted a little bit smarter…."
"No one blames you, Albus."
"I do. And that's enough. However I did notice a textbook in their hands. That's when I figured it out."
Dumbledore's face lightened momentarily, "The good news is that the Adava Arvadek protection still stands. I only lifted it for a short time to allow you to come in." Sirius looked at him questionably. "Yes my friend your animagus form would have prevented you from entering Hogwarts as well." Dumbledore said.
"Who do you think put the portkeys in the school?" Sirius asked.
"I don't know. It could have been anybody. That isn't important now, what is important is that we find Selene and Harry before…." he trailed off.
"Let me have a portkey then. If they were indeed backup plans then it stands to reason that one of these would take me to where the other one took the Death Eaters." Sirius said.
"I don't think that is a good idea. Voldemort would have realized that these two would eventually be found. That portkey would indeed take you to where the Death Eaters took Harry and Selene, but it could be a trap. Voldemort could have left several Death Eaters in order to make sure that no one came through….alive."
"I realize that. But do you have any other ideas. Time is running out for them, and if Voldemort is planning on draining Selene's power, then time is also running out for us."
Dumbledore nodded. He knew what Sirius was saying was true, and he didn't want anything to happen to Harry or Selene. But he also didn't want Sirius to be killed either. The old wizard had always been fond of the younger one's spirit and determination. Losing Sirius as well as Harry and Selene would be a blow to his spirit to great to recover from. However, if Voldemort was able to attain Selene's power then the destruction that he would be able to cause would stretch far beyond that of the destruction of Harry, Selene, or Sirius. As much as he hated to admit it, Sirius was right.
"Very well." he said uncovering the portkeys again. "Be careful."
"I will."
"Bring them back."
Sirius reached out and grasped the Divination book, "I intended to." and then he was gone.
**********
After Ron and Hermione were sure that they had heard all of what was going on behind the large door, they retreated from the door and sat on the floor with their backs against the walls.
"Now what?" Ron whispered.
"Now we go back to our rooms, before we're expelled."
"I feel so useless just sitting around here." Ron argued.
"Don't you think that I feel the same way?" Hermione asked. "Do you think that I don't care about what happens to Selene or Harry? Well I do. It's just that I think that Sirius, Dumbledore, and everyone else would be able to deal with the situation faster if they didn't have to worry about us crawling underneath their feet."
"But what if Sirius needs help?"
"Sirius survived for over a decade in Azkaban. He will be okay."
"What if he isn't? What if he gets injured or killed? If that happens than no one will be able to help Harry. The Ministry of Magic said that it would take days to get any information out of that Death Eater they haven in custody. I don't want to think about what would happen to Harry in the next few days."
For the first time in her life, Hermione had no response.
"I'm not suggesting that we get involved, Hermione. I just think that we should go along in case anything happens, and that way there would be somebody to go get help." Ron said.
"How do you suppose we do that?"
"With Harry's invisibility cloak. That way no one will be able to see us and we can keep out of harm's way."
A few seconds passed before either one of them said anything, "I can't believe that I'm actually considering this." Hermione said.
"Good. You wait here and consider. I'll be right back." Ron said and left.
Hermione waited by Dumbledore's door, thinking hard about the decision she was about to make and catching her breath every time she thought she heard someone coming down the hall or Dumbledore coming to the door. Every time that she thought that she had logic under control and that she was going to tell Ron where he could put his idea, she kept thinking about Harry and Selene. She knew how much Harry feared and hated Voldemort and how tired he was of fighting him. It seemed that each time Harry thought he was safe, Voldemort was always there to screw up his life. She also thought about how Selene had struggled for so many years to stay alive, and the idea she would be killed by Voldemort or some other Death Eater made her ill. She knew she had to do something to help. She heard footsteps and turned to see Ron returning with Harry's invisibility cloak.
"Well?" he asked.
"Let's do it." she said.
Ron looked at her as if he didn't believe she'd said that. "You've decided already? I had prepared a whole speech to try to convince you."
"I'm convinced." she said.
"Apparently." Ron said. He motioned towards the door, "How are we going to get in there?"
"We'll wait to Dumbledore comes out." Hermione said, "And then we can slip in behind him." she added pulling the cloak around her.
"Good idea." Ron said and followed suit.
Their wait wasn't a long one. Hermione and Ron sat invisible by the door for only a few minutes before the door opened and Dumbledore walked out. Hermione panicked for a moment, thinking that maybe Dumbledore would take the portkey with him, but luckily it appeared that he hadn't.
Before the door shut all the way, the two slipped in. The room was dark and they hit every corner of every table before they were able to make their way over to Dumbledore's desk. They found the last portkey sitting on top of it, covered by a white cloth.
"Is that it?" Ron asked.
"Sshh!"
"Sorry. Is that it?" Ron whispered quietly.
"I think so." Hermione said and carefully drew back the linen.
"It looks just like one of our textbooks!" Ron exclaimed and was nudged hard in the ribs by Hermione telling him once more to be quiet.
"It's supposed to." she said. "Are you sure about this?"
"Yes."
Together they placed their hands on the book. Hermione looked at Ron, "You know that is probably the stupidest--" the rest of her words were whisked away as the two disappeared from the room.
Chapter 11: Decisions
"I just don't understand how this could happen!" From behind the closed door to Dumbledore's office Ron and Hermione heard Sirius yell loudly. They could barely make out Dumbledore's end of the conversation, because he, unlike Sirius, had managed to keep calm and quiet.
Sirius on the other hand had become enraged and made it evident that he didn't care who heard him. "Do you have any idea how they got into the school? This protected school? The very same school where you promised me that Harry would be safe!" Sirius yelled and slammed his fist down on the corner of a table, making the objects on top dance momentarily.
"Sirius, If you'd just calm down long enough to let me explain." Dumbledore calmly said, "We will not be able to find to Harry and Selene any faster with you screaming."
Sirius nodded and sat down in chair in front of Dumbledore. Although his face remained calm his clenched fists revealed that he was far from it. Dumbledore, satisfied that this was as calm as Sirius was going to get, began to explain what happened. "One of Voldemort's informants managed to get into the Ministry. Once he was in, he was able to supply information to Voldemort and the rest of Death Eaters about Hogwarts. The spells that we use to protect the school were part of the information that was leaked."
"Who?" Sirius asked.
"I'm not sure, but the Ministry knows. They are interrogating him as we speak. They believe that in a few days they will be able to tell us where they took Selene and Harry."
"Days?" Sirius stood up so quickly and knocked over the chair he had been sitting in, causing the two eavesdroppers outside to jump. "We don't have days! We need to know now!"
"I completely understand that, Sirius. Now please sit down!" Dumbledore said firmly, and Sirius picked up the chair and complied. Dumbledore continued, "The Death Eaters were unable to break all the protective spells that surround Hogwarts. Adava Arvadek remained intact."
"That explains the lack of…um…bodies." Sirius said.
"Adava Arvadek?" Ron whispered.
"It's a counter curse." Hermione whispered, "It protects a building and the occupants within from the Avada Kedavra curse. It is very advanced and takes a great deal of willpower and magic to keep the spell from breaking down."
"That's why Dumbledore has been looking so tired lately." Ron whispered.
Hermione nodded and then placed a finger on her lips indicating that they should stop talking and keep listening.
"Adava Arvadek isn't just a guard against Avada Kedavra, Sirius, it also prohibits the use of magical means for entering the school. That means that they could not have entered by merely Apparating." Dumbledore said.
"But I saw no signs of them coming or going on foot."
Dumbledore motioned for Sirius to be quiet. "However, if the magic they used was already in place before the Adava Arvadek spell was cast, that magic would have been protected along with the rest of Hogwarts."
"But what?" Sirius thought. What magic could stay stationary long enough to be implanted in the school and to wait until the magic was needed. Something that wouldn't stick out, and that could transport a group of people at the same time… "A portkey." Sirius finally said.
"Three of them, if not more." Dumbledore said and reached into his desk and pulled out two textbooks, one from a Divination class, and one looked like it could be from a Potions class.
"Small and harmless looking aren't they. Left in the right place no one would have noticed them." Dumbledore said. "One left with the Death Eaters and these two were found by other exits of the school. I assume they were backups in case something went wrong."
Sirius sat on the corner of Dumbledore's desk and looked closely at the books. Dumbledore noticed a familiar spark of anger and betrayal in Sirius' eyes. He covered the books with the white cloth and continued, "When I heard the Ministry had apprehended a rat among their ranks I knew that somehow they were going to try to get into Hogwarts. I spent several days walking down the halls looking for things that could be portkeys. I thought I had checked everyplace, but apparently not." he said nodding towards the books.
"When I heard the screams I knew…." he paused and took a long deep breath, "I knew that they had come. I got to main hall quickly, but my efforts to keep the wall that protects this school made my reflexes…a bit slow. Before I knew it they hit me with a confusion curse, which would account for my seemingly senseless staring at the floor. If I had just acted a little bit smarter…."
"No one blames you, Albus."
"I do. And that's enough. However I did notice a textbook in their hands. That's when I figured it out."
Dumbledore's face lightened momentarily, "The good news is that the Adava Arvadek protection still stands. I only lifted it for a short time to allow you to come in." Sirius looked at him questionably. "Yes my friend your animagus form would have prevented you from entering Hogwarts as well." Dumbledore said.
"Who do you think put the portkeys in the school?" Sirius asked.
"I don't know. It could have been anybody. That isn't important now, what is important is that we find Selene and Harry before…." he trailed off.
"Let me have a portkey then. If they were indeed backup plans then it stands to reason that one of these would take me to where the other one took the Death Eaters." Sirius said.
"I don't think that is a good idea. Voldemort would have realized that these two would eventually be found. That portkey would indeed take you to where the Death Eaters took Harry and Selene, but it could be a trap. Voldemort could have left several Death Eaters in order to make sure that no one came through….alive."
"I realize that. But do you have any other ideas. Time is running out for them, and if Voldemort is planning on draining Selene's power, then time is also running out for us."
Dumbledore nodded. He knew what Sirius was saying was true, and he didn't want anything to happen to Harry or Selene. But he also didn't want Sirius to be killed either. The old wizard had always been fond of the younger one's spirit and determination. Losing Sirius as well as Harry and Selene would be a blow to his spirit to great to recover from. However, if Voldemort was able to attain Selene's power then the destruction that he would be able to cause would stretch far beyond that of the destruction of Harry, Selene, or Sirius. As much as he hated to admit it, Sirius was right.
"Very well." he said uncovering the portkeys again. "Be careful."
"I will."
"Bring them back."
Sirius reached out and grasped the Divination book, "I intended to." and then he was gone.
**********
After Ron and Hermione were sure that they had heard all of what was going on behind the large door, they retreated from the door and sat on the floor with their backs against the walls.
"Now what?" Ron whispered.
"Now we go back to our rooms, before we're expelled."
"I feel so useless just sitting around here." Ron argued.
"Don't you think that I feel the same way?" Hermione asked. "Do you think that I don't care about what happens to Selene or Harry? Well I do. It's just that I think that Sirius, Dumbledore, and everyone else would be able to deal with the situation faster if they didn't have to worry about us crawling underneath their feet."
"But what if Sirius needs help?"
"Sirius survived for over a decade in Azkaban. He will be okay."
"What if he isn't? What if he gets injured or killed? If that happens than no one will be able to help Harry. The Ministry of Magic said that it would take days to get any information out of that Death Eater they haven in custody. I don't want to think about what would happen to Harry in the next few days."
For the first time in her life, Hermione had no response.
"I'm not suggesting that we get involved, Hermione. I just think that we should go along in case anything happens, and that way there would be somebody to go get help." Ron said.
"How do you suppose we do that?"
"With Harry's invisibility cloak. That way no one will be able to see us and we can keep out of harm's way."
A few seconds passed before either one of them said anything, "I can't believe that I'm actually considering this." Hermione said.
"Good. You wait here and consider. I'll be right back." Ron said and left.
Hermione waited by Dumbledore's door, thinking hard about the decision she was about to make and catching her breath every time she thought she heard someone coming down the hall or Dumbledore coming to the door. Every time that she thought that she had logic under control and that she was going to tell Ron where he could put his idea, she kept thinking about Harry and Selene. She knew how much Harry feared and hated Voldemort and how tired he was of fighting him. It seemed that each time Harry thought he was safe, Voldemort was always there to screw up his life. She also thought about how Selene had struggled for so many years to stay alive, and the idea she would be killed by Voldemort or some other Death Eater made her ill. She knew she had to do something to help. She heard footsteps and turned to see Ron returning with Harry's invisibility cloak.
"Well?" he asked.
"Let's do it." she said.
Ron looked at her as if he didn't believe she'd said that. "You've decided already? I had prepared a whole speech to try to convince you."
"I'm convinced." she said.
"Apparently." Ron said. He motioned towards the door, "How are we going to get in there?"
"We'll wait to Dumbledore comes out." Hermione said, "And then we can slip in behind him." she added pulling the cloak around her.
"Good idea." Ron said and followed suit.
Their wait wasn't a long one. Hermione and Ron sat invisible by the door for only a few minutes before the door opened and Dumbledore walked out. Hermione panicked for a moment, thinking that maybe Dumbledore would take the portkey with him, but luckily it appeared that he hadn't.
Before the door shut all the way, the two slipped in. The room was dark and they hit every corner of every table before they were able to make their way over to Dumbledore's desk. They found the last portkey sitting on top of it, covered by a white cloth.
"Is that it?" Ron asked.
"Sshh!"
"Sorry. Is that it?" Ron whispered quietly.
"I think so." Hermione said and carefully drew back the linen.
"It looks just like one of our textbooks!" Ron exclaimed and was nudged hard in the ribs by Hermione telling him once more to be quiet.
"It's supposed to." she said. "Are you sure about this?"
"Yes."
Together they placed their hands on the book. Hermione looked at Ron, "You know that is probably the stupidest--" the rest of her words were whisked away as the two disappeared from the room.