CHAPTER 7 (PART 1)- The Rescue

A/N: This is set several months later; towards the end of the school year; at the end of OoTP. When the Members of the Order go to the Department of Mysteries to rescue Harry and the others…

Now, the story…

Ye gods! Harry and the others are in serious trouble. According to Severus, Harry is under the mistaken impression that Sirius is being held captive and tortured by Voldemort in the Department of Mysteries. And damn it all to hell; Sirius is insisting on coming with to save Harry. He refuses to listen to reason. I cannot keep trying to reason with him, wasting precious time. So against my better judgment I relented… We have to hurry; no telling what is happening at the D.O.M.

CHAPTER 7 (PART 2)- The Aftermath

Somebody please tell me I'm having a horrendous nightmare… I cannot believe it… This isn't happening… No… Sirius… Sirius is dead!

(Earlier that evening)

We apparated to the Ministry. Rushing down to the D.O.M; the sight that greeted us was horrific… Harry and Neville were surrounded by ten Death Eaters. We had to react quickly. Sprinting down the stairs into the fray. Tonks sent a stunning spell to get the Death Eaters attention away from Harry and Neville.

It was utter madness down there. Spells flying everywhere… Harry and Neville caught in the crossfire, trying to escape. On two separate occasions both myself and Sirius tried to get them to safety only to be distracted by the Death Eaters. And then I saw Malfoy with his wand pointed right at Harry, so I leapt between him and Malfoy. While dueling with Malfoy, Dumbledore showed up!

Once the remaining conscious Death Eaters realized Dumbledore was there, they tried to make an escape but failed. The only pair still dueling, that remained unaware of Dumbledore's arrival was Sirius and Bellatrix. Sirius looked like he was having the time of his life. He managed to duck a spell Bellatrix threw at him; but he wasn't so lucky the second time. The next spell hit him squarely in the chest; the laughter hadn't completely left his mouth. It was like watching a film in slow-motion, while everything else was frozen in that moment. It was horrific to watch as his body arched and he fell through the archway to the Veil.

My own horror and anguish was suspended, because of Harry… He was heading down to the archway in an attempt to get to Sirius. I had to stop him. He doesn't understand… He keeps calling for Sirius… Grabbing him around the waist, I try to hold him back from the Veil… He doesn't know that there is no coming back once you go through the Veil… He's struggling viciously against me, while I try to tell him… I'm trying to keep my composure… Understandably, he refuses to accept that Sirius is dead.

Can I really blame him for his refusal to believe the truth? I know what the Veil is, and even I don't want to believe it! Oh god! He's really gone! No! I can't break down now! Got to keep up the stoic façade… Can't let them see how much this is tearing me up…