Harry Potter and his whole world belong to JK Rowling. I am borrowing a few characters from her.

We're Off to See the Wizard

"One hundred and ten percent, Harry," Remus told him quietly. "You tied with Hermione for top Defence Against the Dark Arts mark."

Hermione grinned at him.

"What did Neville get?" he asked Remus. Remus shook his head.
"I'm not telling you, Harry. That's Neville's business if he wishes to tell you or not. Let's just say that it's a drastic improvement."

Harry grinned. He felt pride balloon in his chest. He knew that it was a combination of the new wand and his teaching that had helped Neville bring his marks up.

"When are we going to the Ministry?" Hermione asked, so quiet that Harry barely heard her. Remus glanced at her sharply.

"Saturday."

She nodded, glancing around the room. Harry did as well. Nobody was paying them any attention.

"You go home the following Sunday, so I thought Saturday would be good."

"How are we getting there?"

Remus bit his lip.

"That's one of the sticking points. We'll use the cloaks and go to the Shrieking Shack. I'll set up a portkey from there. If the Knight Bus hadn't been destroyed, we would have just taken it, but this way is easiest."
"Won't you get in trouble? An unauthorised portkey?"

Remus grinned. "Well, I happen to know the Minister for Magic personally."

Ron laughed.

They sat in the Gryffindor common room until well after midnight on Saturday. Finally Neville, the last person up, yawned and announced he was going to bed. When he disappeared into the dormitory, Ron and Harry threw the Cloak around the four of them. Ron nearly had to get on his knees to walk.

"We're going to need another one," Harry said quietly. "Maybe two of us could go with Remus."

They exited through the portrait hole. The Fat Lady didn't even acknowledge them. She was fast asleep and just murmured slightly before going back to sleep.

"Have you got the mirror, Harry?" He held it up. They made their way slowly to Remus' office.

"About time," Remus whispered, opening the door.

"We had to wait for people to go to bed," Harry explained, stepping through the door. Remus looked very nervous.

"Right. I've got the crystals, the book, the cloak…we're pretty much set. Let's go."

Remus didn't bother to put his cloak on as they walked through the castle. Instead he gave it to Ginny and Hermione.

"I don't need permission to be in the halls at this time."
They made their way to the Entrance Hall, glancing around them, hoping against hope that they wouldn't meet up with anybody.

The doors groaned slightly as Remus pulled them open. He allowed them to pass him before slipping out quietly.

"Out for a bit of fresh air, are yeh?"

Harry nearly yelled aloud as Hagrid sneaked up behind Remus. Remus just about jumped out of his skin.

"Hagrid!" he said. "You startled me. Yes, I'm restless and want to take a walk."

"Well, I'll walk with yeh."

"No," Remus said quickly. "I wish to be alone. Please."
Hagrid narrowed his eyes slightly. Harry forced himself to breath quietly and calmly.

"Yer up to summat," Hagrid said. "I can tell. Yeh look guilty."

Remus laughed. He sounded nervous. "I'm up to nothing, Hagrid. I just wish to take a walk. Join me if you wish."

Hagrid continued to study Remus thoughtfully. Finally he shook his head.

"No, I'll let yeh be alone. Don' let me keep yeh. Enjoy yer stroll."

He turned and disappeared around the corner of the castle. Harry breathed a sigh of relief.

"That was close," he whispered. Remus nodded.

"Let's get this over with."

They made their way over to the Whomping Willow. As soon as they were within striking distance it started flailing its limbs threateningly. Remus snatched up a branch and prodded the knot. The tree froze.

"Quickly," Remus said, standing aside. Once inside the tunnel, Harry and Ron took the Invisibility cloak off and saw Hermione and Ginny do the same. Remus slid into the tunnel and they started toward the Shrieking Shack.

"Remus, how are we going to get back?" Hermione asked.

"Portkey," Remus answered. "Back into the Shrieking Shack."

The rest of the trip to the Shack passed quickly. Remus lifted the trap door into the house and glanced around, ensuring that it was safe before he allowed the rest of them to come up.

"Okay. Are you all still sure you want to do this?" he asked, picking up a torn cushion off the couch. The four of them nodded silently. "Okay." He pointed his wand at the cushion. "Portus."

Harry took a deep breath as he stared at the portkey. He hated travelling that way. He got his hand ready over the cushion.

"Okay," Remus said. "On the count of five."

They were on three when there was a crashing sound from the trap door. They all looked around in time to see Hagrid come flying into the room. Harry didn't hesitate. He grabbed the pillow and felt the familiar jerk behind his navel.

He also felt something grab his ankle. He didn't have time to react as the world dissolved around them.

"I knew yeh were up to summat!" Hagrid bellowed as Harry picked himself off the ground.

"Shut up, Hagrid!" he said beseechingly. "We'll be caught!"

"What are yeh doin' here, eh?"

"Saving Sirius," Remus answered, magically shrinking the cushion before slipping it into his pocket.

While Hagrid spoke angrily with Remus, Harry looked around in shock. They'd landed right in the Atrium and it was completely deserted. No night guard, nothing.

"Why is there nobody here?" Ron asked. His face was pale and his eyes were darting around, watching anxiously for some sign of life.

"Because the Ministry has been meeting elsewhere for now," Remus answered, turning his back on Hagrid. "While they rebuild the Ministry building, Arthur thought it would be best if they met somewhere else. He felt it was safer that way."

They started toward the lifts. Thankfully, they were still running. They clambered aboard, Hagrid still ranting about how dangerous it was that they were there. He had to duck to get into the lift.

"At least we can take our time," Hermione said brightly, cutting Hagrid off. Ginny smiled.

They arrived at the Department of Mysteries. The grilles slid open slowly and they found themselves face to face with the black door. Harry took a deep breath and started forward.

"I need to be positive," Remus said, clapping a hand on Harry's shoulder. "We're all sure?"

They all answered in the affirmative. Harry led the way through the door and Hermione marked it. The room started to spin.

"It's amazing that this room wasn't touched," Harry said softly, closing his eyes against the spinning blue candles. He went straight forward to the door across.

He was surprised to find the room with the veil when he opened the door.

"Wow. We found the room we want," he said, stepping through the door. He walked toward the dais with the veil. He ignored the whispers that started the second he had entered.

"Here are the crystals," Remus said softly, glancing around the room. He paused, holding the crystals tight in his hand. "Something is not right."

"What?" Hermione asked, taking her crystal from him. "Something is wrong with the crystals?"
"No. With the room. There's something…strange. It feels like…" He stopped speaking and stared around suspiciously.

Hagrid looked around, his umbrella clasped firmly in his hand. Harry wondered why he hadn't gone to get a new wand. He had been proven innocent after all.

Remus started to prowl the room. Harry stared at the veil. It rippled invitingly at him.

"We should have brought some rope," he said suddenly. Ginny looked at him. "Well, in case we need to go through the veil."
"Now wait just a mo'," Hagrid said. "Yeh never said a thing about goin' through the veil."

"I just thought of it is why," Harry said. Remus continued to prowl. "Remus?"
Remus turned to him, his eyes feral again. "There's something not right with this room," he repeated. "Accio cloaks!"

The Invisibility cloak that Harry was holding soared out of his hand. So did the one that Hermione had been holding. Remus growled as he caught them.

"I guess I could be wrong." He came back over to them. Hermione took the first point.

"Are you ready?" Harry asked Remus. He nodded. Harry stepped into the second point.

Hagrid stood back and watched, amazed, as Ron and Ginny took the third and fourth points of power. Finally Remus took the last, completing the points.

"Are you ready?" Remus asked. They nodded and set their crystals on the floor. They stood behind them. That had seemed to do the most damage when they'd tried it at Hogwarts. "Now!"
"Magis Reducto!"

The red lights streaked out of their wands and exploded against the dais. Harry heard an angry murmur from the spirits beyond as the spells struck.

"Finite!"

The dust cleared. They'd damaged the veil, but not much. Remus growled.

Somebody started to laugh. Harry felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. He knew that laugh.

"All that planning to have it fail. Oh, that's bloody marvellous."

He stared as Lucius Malfoy lowered the hood of his Invisibility cloak. All around them, Death Eaters were lowering their hoods.

They were trapped. There were seven Death Eaters surrounding them.

"What are you doing here, Malfoy?" Remus snarled.

Malfoy laughed. "Well, when Croaker discovered you here last August, we knew it must be something to do with the Animagus Black. We have been staking this place out since then, waiting for the time when Potter returned. We had to do some damage when Croaker was discovered for what he truly was." He grinned at Harry, his cold grey eyes gleaming. "Look," he drawled lazily to his fellow Death Eaters. "He's brought us a Mudblood."

Hermione flushed, but she continued to stare defiantly at Malfoy. Ron turned scarlet with rage. He, too, remained silent.

"My master wishes he could have been here, but he's otherwise occupied tonight," Malfoy continued. Harry watched as Bellatrix Lestrange started toward them, her eyes glinting maniacally. He felt the surge of hatred wash over him.

"And no Dumbledore here to save you this time, Potter," Malfoy taunted. Harry's jaw clenched, but he continued to remain silent.

"He doesn't need Dumbledore," Remus said. He pointed his wand at Malfoy.

"Don't be stupid, werewolf. You can't possibly think that you could win."

"I can try," Remus said, his eyes taking on that feral gleam once more. He grinned, just as maniacally as Bellatrix Lestrange. "Magis Stupefy!"

Perhaps it was the surprise of Remus firing the Stunning Spell at the room in general. None of the Death Eaters reacted, and three of them dropped, unconscious. Harry seized his chance.

"Magis Stupefy!" he cried. He heard Ron, Hermione and Ginny do the same. The remaining Death Eaters went down.

He started to breathe a bit calmer when he heard somebody laugh again. A woman this time.

"Don't be stupid. You can't win."

Bellatrix Lestrange got to her feet. She pulled Malfoy up with her. The remaining Death Eaters stayed down.

"Even two of us will beat you." She raised her wand and pointed it at them. Harry felt the hatred reach breaking point.

"Avada-" she began.

"Avada Kedavra!" Harry screamed, pointing his wand at Bellatrix Lestrange.

He felt something enormous break out of his chest. He felt it rush down his arm and saw the green light shoot out of his wand. Bellatrix Lestrange didn't even blink as it hit her. She fell back, her eyes wide and staring. She was dead before she hit the floor.

Harry stood there, shocked. Unbelieving. He didn't just do what he thought he'd done. He couldn't have.

Malfoy stared at Bellatrix Lestrange for half a heartbeat before starting to laugh. Harry felt his teeth chattering. He'd just murdered somebody. He hadn't even meant to. He had meant to disarm her. The words had just come.

"Very good, Potter," Malfoy sneered. "It would appear that my master left more of himself inside you than was originally thought."

"Stupefy!" Ginny and Hermione cried together. Malfoy hit the floor, unconscious.

Remus was staring at Harry. Harry was starting to hyperventilate.

"Harry, calm down!" Ginny cried. "It was an accident!"
Harry started to laugh. "I killed her! I killed her and it wasn't an accident. What have I done?"

"She would have killed you if she'd had a chance, Harry," Remus said quietly.

"I meant to disarm her! I didn't mean to kill her!"

"Harry," came a voice from beside him. He turned to Hagrid. "It wasn't yer fault. It was in self defence."

He turned to his friends. Ron and Ginny were staring at him. Hermione was frowning at the crystal that she now held in her hand.

"I know how to make them work!" she burst out suddenly. She set the crystal back on the floor and stepped behind it. She levelled her wand at it. "Magis Reducto!"

The jet of red light issued from her wand directly at the crystal. It collided and branched off toward the veil. There was an enormous explosion as it connected. Dust and rock flew everywhere.

"Of course!" Remus yelled. He set his agate stone down. "Magis Reducto!"

Harry, Ron and Ginny did the same. Their magically magnified Reductor Curses exploded against the veil. It cracked and started to crumble to the floor. Harry gasped as whispy white things started flying past him.

"Souls of banished people!" Ginny cried, her wand still trained on the crystal. "Keep going!"

None of them noticed Lucius Malfoy awaken. They didn't hear him get to his feet. Hagrid glanced up just in time.

"NO!" he cried as Malfoy raised his wand.

"Avada Kedavra!"

Harry heard the rushing sound. He turned to watch death speeding his way. He knew it was over. Knew he was dead.

It never came. Instead there was a colossal crash as Hagrid blocked the curse and fell to the floor.

"NO!" Harry cried again, ripping his wand away from the agate stone. "HAGRID!"

Malfoy stared at Hagrid's gigantic form in shock. He started to laugh once more. Remus swore, casting the magnified Stunning Spell once more. The other Death Eaters remained down. Malfoy laughed in Remus' direction as the spell seemed to separate and surround him, but not touch him. Malfoy started Harry's way, his eyes gleaming.

"My turn," he snarled, his wand on Harry.

Harry raised his wand too late.

"Avada Kedavra!" Malfoy shouted. Harry watched again as the green light rushed his way. He closed his eyes as he felt it hit him. It felt like his body was being ripped in two.

Then everything went black and he knew no more. His limp body fell, landing on top of the gigantic form of Rubeus Hagrid.

*

"Harry!" Hermione screamed, pulling her wand up. The veil continued to shudder and crack. She paid no heed to it.

He couldn't be dead! He just couldn't be!

"NO!" Ginny screamed at the same time, pulling her wand away as well. She and Hermione started toward Harry, ignoring Ron, ignoring Remus, ignoring the veil and ignoring, mainly of all, Lucius Malfoy. He was standing there, apparently shocked. A satisfied smile was spreading across his face.

Malfoy started to laugh as Hermione reached Harry. Her face was wet from tears that she hadn't even realised she'd shed.

Both Ginny and Hermione crouched beside Harry. His eyes were wide open. He was staring at the floor, not moving. His glasses had slipped off and had landed beside Hagrid, shattering as they did so. Ron stared in their direction, his face white with shock. Remus hadn't moved. His mouth hung open slightly as he stared at Harry's limp form.

"No," Ginny sobbed again. "No, Harry, come back! Please don't be dead!"

Neither saw Malfoy smile maliciously and raise his wand again, pointing it at the two girls. Ron and Remus noticed too late.

"Avada…Kedavra."

Hermione screamed as the green light rushed over her head. She buried her face against Harry's back. She heard it collide with something; heard a groan. Hermione looked up as Malfoy fell backwards.

She turned to look at Remus, for he must have said the Curse. Nobody else could have.

Then she noticed the figure on the floor. He was crawling slowly off the dais toward them. His face was gaunt and pale. He had one black eye and a large gash over the other eye.

"Sirius," Ginny breathed.

***

Thanks again for all the great reviews, everyone. Sorry for the cliff hanger! Before you lynch me though, just be patient. I hope to have the next chapter up ASAP!