Sirius

The next morning, Harry got the package. They were the talking galleons from Weasley's store. Harry left his chambers with the package in his hand. He stopped by the headmistress' office handing her one of them and pocketing another. "Have you tested it?" She asked.

"No, I came here straight away." Harry said

"Very well, give Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley theirs and I will alert the order that we have received the galleons," She said heading for the fireplace.

Harry walked out of the office straight to Gryffindor tower. As he approached the portrait hole outside of Hermione's chambers, Ron walked out of the Gryffindor common room. "Ron, I've got something for you." Harry said

Ron stopped and headed towards his friend. "What is it?"

"The Galleon, don't spend it." Harry said jokingly.

"Funny," Ron said, "you coming to breakfast?"

"Yeh, I've got to give Hermione her galleon, will you walk there with us?"

"I'm meeting Luna." Ron said. "S' later."

"Later," Harry said turning towards Hermione's door.

"Come in… come in," The beautiful young woman in the picture said, "She said if you were ever to come by to just let you in."

"Thank you," Harry said a note of bewilderment in his voice, "Hermione?" Harry said stepping inside the chambers. Upon the four poster bed on the far wall, lay Hermione, still fast asleep with books spread out on the bed. There were notes for her classes, and Lesson plans. "Hermione." He said shaking her a bit.

Hermione opened one eye and then the other. "Harry..." She said a bit disoriented, "What time is it?"

"It's seven." Harry said sitting next to her on the bed.

"Bloody hell," Hermione cursed and looked over at him, "It's your fault you know?"

"How do you figure that?" Harry asked quirking a brow.

"I had loads of excess energy last night," Hermione said standing and began to undress, "In order to keep my mind off of … you know what, so I showered in ice cold water and started to study until I fell asleep."

"I'm sorry?" Harry said, "But couldn't you just take care of that?" Harry watched a half-naked Hermione throw her hands in the air in frustration.

She finished fastening her bra as she said, "Not the same, and hardly satisfying." She shrugged on her shirt, then turned to face him. "Why are you here torturing me this early anyway?"

He watched her tug on her jeans loving the way they hugged her, "I've got the Galleon." He answered pulling the last coin and tossing it at her.

"Excellent." She said placing it in her pocket then turning to put on her Robes. She headed to the bathroom to brush her teeth and hair. Harry waited as her papers picked up themselves and her bed was made. When she returned she smiled at Harry who looked uncomfortable there. "Let's go." She said patting his behind as she headed out of the portrait hole.

"Cheeky." Harry said to her following her out.

"Ready?" Remus said,

Harry looked down at the galleon he was ready and fearful at the same time. He didn't know that the ever-stretch tether he was wearing would work the way they all hoped to. He didn't know if when the cabinet made it to the other side of the veil, it would be where they needed it to be.

He hoped that he'd be back, He would miss his friends terribly. Hermione stood just outside the Cabinet holding his hand as he sat just inside, waiting for his cue. Ron stood outside the room of requirement keeping guard. Professor McGonagall, was making sure the tether was secured and keeping time.

"As I'll ever be." Harry said

"The cabinet is floating behind the veil." Remus said.

"All right." Harry said and closed the cabinet door behind him.

He stepped through the other side, a fog engulfed him as soon as he was out. He couldn't see anything, not even the cabinet he had just stepped out of. He felt himself for the tether and was rewarded with the feel of the stretchy rope in his hand.

"Sirius," Harry said walking along, "Sirius, are you here."

"Harry?" He heard a disembodied voice of to his right, "Harry is that you?" Now it came from his left.

"Sirius!" Harry stated glad to be near his godfather. Harry blew a breath hoping to clear the fog a bit. "Sirius please keep talking to me."

"How long have I been here?" Sirius asked.

"Little over a year." Harry said

"Mercy, I feel as if... I've just gotten here. But you are trapped here too." Sirius said, his voice sounding straight ahead for Harry.

"I certainly hope not." Harry said and touched someone straight-ahead. He felt around and pulled him closer. "Where is everyone?"

"Everyone's dead." Sirius said just as the person in his arms fell over his head rolling away into the fog. "I've just been unpetrified. I'm hungry and I'm tired I can't sleep because I hear things."

"Got you." Harry said grasping Sirius' extra long, greasy black hair.

"Harry!" Sirius said hugging his godson to him. Then there was a strange noise coming from all around. "Hurry Harry, we have to move, it's coming."

"Follow me." Harry said following his tether. They ran through the fog, Harry's wand was at the ready.

There it was in front of the cabinet. The ugliest basilisk he had ever seen. With ancient Rune symbols marked over his hide. Harry raised his wand, but Sirius stopped him, "Magic does not work in here."

"What?" Harry said.

"Do you think that if magic was allowed, these people would have died? It is mind over matter here, but eventually it must all come to an end."

It was getting closer, Sirius signaled for Harry to be quiet. And they walked around it silently attempting not to walk on its coils. Harry pushed Sirius into the cabinet, and on his way to get inside it, he stepped on the tip of it's tail. The basilisk reared its head and took hold of Harry's robes and tried to pull him out. Harry held on to the doors. Sirius held on to him and pulled. His robes ripped, but Harry was safe inside the cabinet.

They quickly closed the door behind them and were transported to Hogwarts. Both Harry and Sirius rolled out of the cabinet. They looked around the room of requirement and at the faces around them. They laughed and hugged each other. "Destroy it now." Sirius said to him.

But as they turned, professor McGonagall had already reduced the cabinet to cinders. Hermione came up to harry looking at his robes, "Repairo." She said and looked at him. She had been so worried about him.

Harry took her into his arms, "I'm all right, I've been through worse." He whispered kissing her cheek.

When she let go of him she went to Sirius and hugged him as well. Sirius was gaunt and dirty. His hair was long down to his mid back and streaked with white hairs. "Thank Merlin you're alive." She said

"You must be famished," The headmistress stated. "Come, eat some lunch and you can take a shower in Professor Potter's chambers."

"Yeh, I've got a change of clothes waiting for you there." Harry added.

"Professor Potter?" Sirius asked.

"It's a long story." Harry answered as they walked ahead.

"Glad to see Harry so happy." Ron said to Hermione.

Hermione looked at him. "I'd like to think I had quite a hand in that."

"Are you kidding? He looks absolutely repressed with you around." Ron said insinuating that Harry needed to get laid.

"That's purely by choice Ronald, Harry Potter is no virgin." She said walking away with a leering smile.

"Oh, gross." Ron said, "Lets never talk about your love life again."

"You started it."