The Department of Mysteries – Part Five of Five
Rating/Warnings: PG, Fifth Book Spoilers, Plot Changes, Yaoi

A/N: Final part of this little mini series – please read other four first. Cheers!

Sirius' eyes snapped open as he suddenly fell backwards, arms reaching out to the ceiling. He hit the floor, head knocking it hard enough to make his vision blur. He was lying on cold stone, dirt and dust and other unmentionable grit wiping off on his cheeks and clothes. It was a struggle to sit up; his arms felt like rubber, and his muscles were weak – as if they hadn't been used in months. Sirius coughed, jaw cracking as he opened it, and coughed again to try and get rid of the fuzzy feeling in his mouth. He instantly jerked as his shoe bumped against a hard metal frame. Sirius looked up sluggishly, hit his elbow on the floor and stared up at the tall, looming frame of the Veil. Only after a moment of gaping up at it with hate and horror, did Sirius realize that his wand was still gripped in numb fingers. The heavy, fraying cloth fluttered and Sirius used his hands to pull back his feet as it drifted past. Wand clenched between his teeth, he clawed at the wall and tried to pull himself to his feet, but his legs refused to respond.

Godric's socks...how long was I in there?

Sirius shot a glare at the Veil, before taking a poll on the condition of his body. His legs weren't working, but his upper body was fine enough. Sirius' fingers explored the rip in the front of his robes, remembering his final face off with Bellatrix. The spell she had thrown at him – it must have messed up his system. He could still feel the electric shock rocketing through his nerves.

Damn Bellatrix.

Sirius pulled down an empty shelf and positioned himself on it, entertaining the idea of using the veil's curtain as a stretcher for a split second. The idea was immediately trashed when Sirius admitted to himself that he couldn't look at the damn thing, much less touch it. Sirius waved his wand at the plank of wood, muttering a spell. The plank lifted from the ground and floated. Sirius indicated the direction that he wanted to go by a wave of his hand, and the plank started to float. Just as he was passing out the door of the Veil's room, the charm started to sag under the weight, and Sirius was deposited on the ground. The charm wasn't powerful enough to lift Sirius' entire weight, and Sirius didn't have the magical strength left to aid it.

"Fuck."

Too heavy. Not enough magical reserves. Legs are gimped. Stuck in the Department of Mysteries, and everyone I know thinks I'm dead. Or is dead. ... I wonder what happened...

He started to think about it.

Wait. No. I can do that later. I have to get out of here.

Sirius concentrated, setting his wand on the plank carefully. He had to get lighter – then he could just float right on out of there.

The change to Padfoot was surprisingly painful. The familiar fuzzy form that he had been able to change into so easily for the last fourteen years was stiff and tight. It used to be like putting on a favorite shirt, but now it was like getting into leather pants when it's hot outside and you're very wet. It was like the first time when Sirius had tried his animagi form, and he instinctively checked for splinched parts. Everything was where it was supposed to be, but Sirius found that his back legs still didn't work.

The stretcher lifted slowly, and Sirius shook his head in the direction that he wanted to go. It turned carefully and started on its way.

Now...I wonder what happened...
Sirius snarled as he fell into the hallway, kicking his one working leg at a tentacle trying to strangle him. Grabbing the doorknob, Sirius slammed the door shut, and crawled to the far wall. He lay there for a moment, panting, swearing and spitting blood.

At least I got out.

He glanced at the elevator door to his right.

Sorta out. Need to get out of the Ministry, now...

Falling back on his ever-faithful disguise, Sirius shifted to Padfoot again. It hurt less this time and it was well on its way to feeling like that familiar shirt again. Sirius limped over to the elevator, pushing the button for the ground floor with his nose. He then sat down, and waited.

And waited.

And waited.

The doors to the elevator opened, and Sirius yelped as the woman getting in stepped on his tail. He swept it out of the way as she looked down at him, glaring with overly familiar lavender eyes.

Narcissa?

"What are you looking at?" She said to Sirius crossly, not realizing who it really was. "What's a dog doing in here anyway?"

Sirius barked at her. [Escaping for my life, thank-you.]

"Don't bark at me, you filthy mutt!"

[Mutt? I'm a purebred, you know!]

"I said stop that!" Narcissa stamped her foot, hands on her hips. "Or I'll take you to the front desk!"

Whoops.

"That's what I thought."

Narcissa kicked at Sirius halfheartedly, glaring. Sirius had followed her out of the Ministry, using her as a way to open doors and go through them without being noticed. Narcissa didn't appreciate it, though, and finally faced the animagi.

"Why are you following me?"

I need a home...

Whine.

"S...stop following me, you silly dog."

My leg hurts...c'mon, 'sissa...

Whine. Puppy eyes.

"I'm not taking you home."

Sirius pulled at her skirt hem, indicating the alleyway. He limped into it, and shifted back.

Narcissa peered in at him. "Doggy?"

"Narcissa...help me..."

"SIRIUS?"

-Fin-
And that was how Snuffles the Adorable Grim came to live at the Malfoy Manor. Tada.