Harry Potter and his whole world belong to JK Rowling. I am borrowing a few characters from her.
Diagon Alley
Winter left them as quickly as it had been thrust upon them. Harry woke one morning to find the snow completely gone. The weather turned hot and humid around the end of April. All the students took to fanning themselves with their books during Care of Magical Creatures and Herbology.
"It's inhuman," Hermione complained one afternoon at the beginning of May as the four of them sat by the lake studying. She had lifted her damp hair off the back of her neck. "We should be able to do something about the heat."
Ron grinned suddenly. Had Hermione been looking at him, she might have been worried. As it was, she let out a shriek when he suddenly stooped and lifted her off the ground.
"Ronald Weasley, what do you think you're doing?" she yelled as Ron carried her down to the lake. He didn't answer and he didn't stop. He walked right into the water until it was up to his waist.
"Put me down!" Hermione shrieked.
"Okay," Ron said, grinning. He let Hermione go.
Ginny gasped as Hermione went under water. Hermione came up, spluttering and gasping.
"Oh, you are going to get it!" she screamed, splashing Ron. He laughed and took off up the slope, Hermione hot on his heels. Harry looked at Ginny and they both burst out laughing.
"Would everyone please return to the Great Hall?"
Harry jumped. Dumbledore's magically magnified voice echoed throughout the grounds. He stared at Ginny and both jumped to their feet, catching up with Ron and Hermione as they went through the doors.
"What's happened?" Hermione asked, her face white, her clothes still dripping wet. Nobody answered her. They made their way to the Gryffindor table.
Dumbledore stood at the head table, his eyes blazing and power radiating from his every pore. Harry was reminded of when Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape saved him from Barty Crouch, Junior.
"Please be seated, and please don't interrupt," Dumbledore said. Everyone quieted immediately. "There has been another attack."
Ginny's hand found Harry's.
"Not the Ministry again," Ron breathed, his freckles standing out on his white face.
"This attack was on Diagon Alley. It appears that the main target was Gringotts Wizard Bank." He paused, waiting for the buzz that had started to finish. "Many of the shops have been destroyed. We don't know yet the extent of the damage. This was an act by Voldemort and his Death Eaters. We have no further information at this time, and will inform you when we do." He held up a hand as the buzz broke out once more. "There were many people injured, but as of yet, we have no confirmed fatalities."
His eyes flickered over Ron and Ginny, who were both staring at Dumbledore in shock.
"I'm going to be sick," Ginny mumbled a moment later. She jumped up and ran from the Great Hall.
"Diagon Alley?" Seamus asked. "What was the point of that?"
"Gringotts," Ron and Harry said together.
"Do you have any idea how much gold is buried there?" Harry continued. "If that was, in fact, the target of the attack, then that's what he would be after. Well, that's my guess, anyway."
Ginny came back then, her face pale. She was shaking.
"Ron," she said quietly. "We need to talk to Fred and George and Bill. All three of them work down in Diagon Alley. Not to mention Lee and Angelina are there as well."
Ron nodded. He stood and made his way up to the head table. They watched as he spoke with Professor McGonagall. She nodded and stood. They both made their way back to the Gryffindor table.
"Come with me," she said to them. They got to their feet and followed her up to her office. Again she lit a fire in the fireplace.
"Take as long as you need," she told them. She left.
Ron and Ginny both moved forward and took a pinch of Floo powder. Both stuck their heads in the fire once more.
Harry glanced at Hermione and found her in tears.
"What's wrong, Hermione?" he asked in surprise.
"I want this to end, Harry," she said softly. "I am tired of living in fear. I'm tired of being afraid that he's going to go after my family." She turned to face him. "We have to beat him, Harry."
"I know," he said. "But I have to do it and I don't know how."
She nodded. "And we've still got to get Sirius out."
"We will. We'll go talk to Remus and ask him about going to the Ministry building. I want Sirius back."
Hermione nodded. "Then we can figure out a way to bring Voldemort down. You won't have to do it alone. I will help you figure it out."
*
There was another Hogsmeade trip not long after the attack on Diagon Alley. There were pictures in the Daily Prophet every day. Diagon Alley was a mess. There were few buildings still standing. Of those that were still, Gringotts was one.
Amazingly, so was Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes. It was far enough out of the main strip that it hadn't been harmed.
Bill and the twins hadn't been touched in the blast. All three were shaken, but they hadn't been hurt. Nor had Angelina Johnson or Lee Jordan.
"You'd think we had a Protection Charm placed on us or something," Ginny said with relief. The four of them were walking casually down the High Street in Hogsmeade, talking about the recent attacks.
"Well, whatever it is," Hermione said quietly. "I'm thankful for it."
Harry, Ron and Ginny agreed with her. They stopped at the fence that surrounded the Shrieking Shack. It was creepy even in the bright sunlight.
"What are the four of you doing all the way up here?"
They turned to find Remus and Hagrid walking toward them. Hagrid looked up at the Shrieking Shack and shuddered. Remus didn't look at it.
"We didn't want to be overheard," Harry answered.
"What're yeh plotting?" Hagrid asked teasingly, grinning at them. Harry glanced at Remus.
"How to bring Voldemort down," Harry answered. He wasn't exactly lying after all.
Hagrid went pale as he usually did at the mention of Voldemort's name. Remus studied Harry calmly.
"What have you found so far?"
"Not a thing," Harry answered, completely truthful this time. Remus smiled slightly.
"I thought we could go after exams."
Harry stared at Remus. He hadn't spoken to him yet about Sirius. Yet, Remus always seemed to know what they were thinking.
Hagrid stared at Remus.
"Go after You-Know-Who?" he demanded. "Are yeh kiddin'? Harry shouldn't be goin' after him. Not yet."
"We're not, Hagrid," Remus answered, his face still calm. "I didn't mean go after Voldemort. I meant go and visit Ron's family. That's four of them that have been attacked now." Remus' eyes narrowed. "I don't like it. I don't like that Voldemort is going after the new Minister's family."
He glanced up at the Shrieking Shack, his eyes narrowing dangerously.
"Should we go to the Three Broomsticks?" Ron said quickly, apparently scenting danger. Remus drew his gaze from the old house and looked at Ron. He smiled, looking like the old Remus.
"I'll buy us each a butterbeer," Hermione announced, smiling.
"Now that's an offer I can't refuse. Eh, Professor?" Hagrid said, clapping a hand on Remus' shoulder. Remus' knees appeared to buckle. He laughed and they made for the Three Broomsticks.
"I meant what I said, Harry," Remus said later, after they'd come back from Hogsmeade and were sitting around his desk. "I thought we could go after exams. That's a little over a month."
"But we still haven't brought down your mock veil," Hermione pointed out. "What would be the point?"
"We have to try," Harry told her. "It's getting worse. The last time I talked to Sirius, he said that Crouch had tried to use Avada Kedavra on him again. We have to get him out. I'm not leaving Sirius to an eternity of that. He says that he still feels pain. I can't stand to see him in pain like that."
Remus nodded. "I want to get him out as well." He looked at Hermione. "Are you still willing to help? Because if any of you wish to back out, I want to know. I will think no less of you, but we need to know now so we can prepare."
"I'm still in," Harry said right away. He looked at the others.
"Me too," Ron declared.
"And me," said Ginny.
Hermione bit her lip before nodding. "I'm still in as well. I just was pointing out that we haven't managed to work the spell."
Harry looked at Hermione thoughtfully and then pointed his wand at the blackboard.
"Reducto!" he yelled.
The jet of red light issued from his wand and exploded against the board. When the debris and dust cleared, there was a medium sized hole in the board.
"Reparo," he said. The board repaired itself. He pointed his wand at it again. "Magis Reducto!"
This time the jet issued from his wand with a whooshing sound. It slammed into the board and there was a huge explosion. Ron ducked as the debris came flying their way.
When the dust and debris cleared, the board was completely gone.
"We've managed the spell just fine," Remus said calmly, sending a grin in Harry's direction.
As the end of the year approached, Harry found himself with less and less time to practice the Reductor Curse with Remus and the others. They were studying several hours every night, as well as trying to help Ginny with her homework. She had OWLs this year and was starting to show the strain.
There had been no more attacks since the attack on Diagon Alley. They were happy to hear that, but couldn't help but wonder where would be attacked next. It seemed that Voldemort would strike when people were starting to lower their guard.
On top of studying and worrying about Voldemort, Harry, Ron and Ginny still had Quidditch practice every day. Their final game of the season versus Hufflepuff was coming up, and Ginny was determined that they train hard for it.
"Ginny, we're two hundred and seventy points ahead of Ravenclaw," Ron pointed out. "We basically have the Quidditch Cup won."
"We can still lose!" Ginny nearly yelled at him. "If we lose to Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw beat Slytherin. We could lose!"
Harry shook his head. He was passionate about Quidditch, and enjoyed running the practices with Ginny, but he wasn't going to lose his head when they had such a lead.
Harry was enjoying the practices for other reasons. One, it allowed him to spend plenty of time with Ginny. Two, it made him so tired he didn't dream as often.
He'd been having the same dream he'd had all summer every night since Christmas. Ever since they'd found out that Sirius was being tortured. Now that Harry knew that his dreams had in fact been reality, the dreams were becoming worse. Now they would often end with Sirius' death. Harry had jumped out of bed in the middle of the night and called Sirius so many times that Sirius had finally lost his temper.
"I've told you, Harry. I can't die in here. I'm stuck in here forever."
Harry longed to tell him different. He wanted to tell him everything that they were doing with the veil and the crystals. Instead he told him about Ginny and Quidditch and their exams. He didn't mention Voldemort.
A few days before the final match against Hufflepuff, Hermione's Daily Prophet was delivered as usual. She took a bite of toast while she opened the paper. She let out a gasp.
"They've caught Bellatrix Lestrange!" she cried. Ron and Ginny stared at her. Harry grabbed for the paper. "Oh, no they didn't."
Harry took the paper from Hermione anyway. She glared at him as he started to read.
Bellatrix Lestrange had been captured. By Kingsley Shacklebolt and several other Aurors. But she'd gotten away. Nobody knew how.
Harry growled in frustration. She was always getting away.
"I'm going to get her," he said angrily, pushing the paper back toward Hermione. "I'm going to make her pay."
"I bet Malfoy got her out," Ron growled under his breath. Harry glanced toward the Slytherin table. Malfoy was sitting there with Crabbe and Goyle, leaning toward them and saying something quietly.
Gryffindor won their final match against Hufflepuff by a score of two hundred to ninety. Dumbledore presented Ginny and Harry with the Quidditch Cup.
"Three in a row!" Ron hollered as they paraded around the pitch. The party in Gryffindor tower promised to be very long and loud. Harry grinned to himself as he changed out of his robes. He couldn't wait.
However, when he got back to the common room, he found it silent. Everyone seemed to be in a state of shock.
"What's going on? What's happened?" he demanded. Hermione, her face tear stained, handed him a copy of the Evening Prophet. The headline jumped out at him.
"Sirius Black Innocent!"
Harry stared at the headline. He continued to read.
"Arthur Weasley, newly appointed Minister for Magic, has announced that Sirius Black, the first wizard to ever break out of Azkaban, was never guilty of the crime he was imprisoned for.
"'He was never given a trial,' Mr. Weasley said in an interview earlier. 'The wizard responsible for the death of those Muggles was none other than Peter Pettigrew. He is an unregistered Animagus and transformed after blasting the street apart. Sirius Black was never guilty. Peter Pettigrew was Lord Voldemort's spy for years before he became the Potter's Secret keeper."
Harry stared at the newspaper. He'd never heard Mr Weasley use Voldemort's name before. It seemed odd that he say it in the paper.
"'Sirius Black died last June, fighting against Lord Voldemort. He was killed by his cousin, Bellatrix Lestrange.'
"The Minister says the reason he is announcing this now is because he wishes to bring peace for Sirius Black. 'Even though Sirius is gone, I wanted to do this. I wanted to bring some peace for him and some closure for his family, for his friends and for his god son.'
"His god son is none other than the Boy Who Lived."
Harry glanced up. Hermione was smiling and there were tears streaming down her cheeks. Ron and Ginny, who had come in with Harry and who had read the article over Harry's shoulder, were both laughing.
"Remind me," Harry said to them, "to Owl your dad and thank him."
The party started then. It only stopped when Professor McGonagall climbed through the portrait hole to demand that they all go to bed.
As their last few days of revision before exams approached, Hermione insisted on grilling them every night. She would draw up mock exams and they would take them. She would mark them and then decide what areas they needed to go over. Ron didn't complain, as he was trying to bring his marks up to impress Hermione. She didn't know, of course, but he'd confided in Harry.
Harry didn't mind either. He wanted to get top marks in everything. He was still serious about joining the Aurors after he finished school.
Ginny, however, was growing increasingly edgy. She refused help from Ron or Harry, and would only study with Hermione.
"Well, she's the best student in the school," she would remark. "Maybe it will rub off on me."
Their first exam took place in the middle of June. It was Transfiguration with Professor McGonagall. Ginny said goodbye glumly as she went off to the Great Hall for her Charms OWL exam. In the afternoon, Hermione had her Arithmancy exam, while Ron and Harry used the time for more revision.
They had Care of Magical Creatures and Defence Against the Dark Arts the next day. Harry knew that he'd aced both exams as soon as he'd finished. Remus grinned and gave him the thumbs up.
Charms and Potions came next. Snape stayed at his desk and said nothing, so Harry found himself able to relax and did quite well on the potion he was brewing. He sighed with relief as he put the stopper in the flask and set it on Snape's desk.
They had Herbology the next day, and then at midnight was Astronomy.
"Ah, free at last," Ron groaned as he set down his quill after their Astronomy exam.
"Maybe you are," Hermione growled. "I've still got Ancient Runes."
"Well, you should have dropped it, shouldn't you have."
Hermione ignored him.
Ginny was still up when they got back to the common room. She stood as they came in and groaned, stretching her back.
"I've only got two OWL exams left," she groaned. "Divination and Muggle Studies." She grinned. "My soft courses."
"See, it wasn't that bad," Hermione said absently. She was pulling her Ancient Runes text book out of her bag.
"Are you mad?" Ginny asked. "I never want to do this again."
Harry laughed. "Just wait until you get to do your NEWTs."
He and Ron flopped into arm chairs by the fire, too tired to do anything else, but not tired enough to go to bed. Ron suggested they call Sirius, since they hadn't spoken to him in a while.
Harry pulled the mirror out of his bag while Hermione joined Ginny at the table.
"Sirius Black," he said quietly.
"It's really late, Harry," Sirius answered with a sigh, his voice resigned. "You had another nightmare?"
"No," Harry answered with a grin. "We're done our exams and we weren't ready for bed yet. Thought we'd call."
"Ah," Sirius said, sitting up and coming into view of the mirror. Harry tried not to gape. One of his eyes were black and there was a large gash over his other eye. "How'd they go?"
"Good," he answered, nudging Ron in the ribs. Ron closed his mouth. "Hermione still has one to go and Ginny has two OWLs. But Ron and I are finished."
"Guess what, Sirius," Ron said, his eyes dancing.
"What?"
Ron grinned. "Dad is now officially the Minister of Magic."
Sirius grinned as well. "I knew that."
"Oh. Well guess what he did."
Sirius chuckled. "I have no idea."
"He's announced your innocence. He cleared you."
Sirius' smile faded a little. He looked away from the mirror.
"Sirius?"
"I'm sorry," Sirius answered. "I'm just…I'm shocked." His eyes were bright when he looked back into the mirror. He smiled shakily. "I wish I were still there to enjoy my new freedom."
Ron grinned even wider. "Well, when we come and get you-"
"Shut up!" Hermione hissed, kicking Ron in the leg. Harry glared at Ron.
"Come and get me? What are you talking about?"
"Nothing, Sirius," Harry assured him. "We've just been…well…sort of plotting lately. Just ways of how we could get you out."
Sirius smiled. "You can't. Don't get your hopes up. I'm fine where I am."
***
Thanks again for all the great reviews, everyone. This story is slowly coming to an end. I should have a new chapter up for you hopefully by Monday! I hope you enjoy this chapter.