When the carpet started descending, Sam looked around curiously. It was still dark – it seemed impossible that it was, since the night seemed to have been at least a hundred hours – and there weren't the multitude of lights that she'd expected.

"Where are we?" she asked as they landed with a gentle bump in front of a single large house – a sprawling mansion that looked as though it had seen better days, but still retained enough of its former glory to be quite impressive.

Sirius scowled, standing up and looking towards the house with a look of resigned loathing.

"This is the house I grew up in," he told them.

Sam frowned, but it was Teal'c who spoke up.

"You must be mistaken, Sirius Black. The Histories tell that 12 Grimmald place is located in London. This is not London."

Sirius shook his head, stepping off the carpet.

"No, there's no mistake. This is it. The great ancestral home of the Black family." He said it with so much sarcasm and loathing that Sam rested her hand lightly on his arm, feeling bad for anyone who hated their home so much.

"The books say it's in London because that's what we want people to think, Major," Lupin said, watching Sirius with the same sympathetic look that Sam was.

"It wouldn't do for the other side to know where to come looking for us," Minerva said. "So they scour London looking for the hidden secret Black house, while we come here."

"But how is it we can be here?" Sam asked. "Don't we need a piece of paper to memorize the location or-"

"You're assuming Dumbledore is actually the Secret Keeper for the Order," Sirius said, shaking his head.

"He's not?" Sam asked, surprised.

"What?"

Daniel didn't understand anything they were saying, but he was glad to get off the carpet, and the minute it came to a stop he'd been the first person off, standing to the side and looking down at it while the others were talking. Now, however, he looked up, confused.

Sam looked over.

"In the books, no one can get to the headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix because it's hidden from anyone who isn't in on the secret."

"It is also in the middle of London," Teal'c added, looking around as if he was disappointed.

"How could you keep it hidden in the middle of a large city like…" Daniel started to ask, but then he stopped, realizing that it was probably the dumbest question ever asked by anyone who had just hopped off a magic carpet. They used magic, of course.

"My great-great-many times-great grandfather – and all the family since – have never been big fans of being watched," Sirius said, looking at the house once more. "There are uncountable spells on this place – and the lands around it – keeping people away."

"Added to those spells is the fact that we do have a secret keeper to help us keep the location quiet, and you'll understand why this is probably the safest and most secure place in the world. And by far the best location for a hideout."

"But Dumbledore isn't the Secret Keeper," Sirius said.

"Who is?" Sam asked, curiously. "Don't we need to have them tell us the location in order to-"

"It's Lupin," Sirius said. "And since he's been the one magicking the carpet, it counts as allowing you to know, so he doesn't have to tell."

"As long as he isn't being forced to show you," Minerva added, knowing that Sirius wasn't telling them everything – and there was no reason for them not to know. "You can't use magic to trick someone into revealing information they're holding."

"Which is why it's such a potent spell," Sirius said.

"And such a responsibility," Lupin added.

"They would undoubtedly have an impossible time attempting to force the information from you," Teal'c said, looking at the huge manor in front of them. "Given your secondary nature…"

Lupin's expression grew slightly pained, making Sam feel sorry for him and Daniel to wonder what the heck Teal'c meant. Before anyone could say anything, though, Sirius stepped up, putting a hand on Lupin's shoulder.

"Let's go inside, shall we? Mundugus is waiting, and we don't want to leave him alone in there any longer than necessary."

OOOOOOOOO

"What did you find out?"

Dumbledore's voice was soft so it wouldn't carry to the window of Harry's bedroom, but it was plenty loud enough for Harry to hear with the assistance of the extendable ear he was using.

"The Dark Lord has, indeed, captured Colonel O'Neill," Snape said.

"Is he hurt? Did you see him?"

"He's fine," Snape's voice was filled with the sneer on his expression, and Harry didn't need to see it to know it was there. "O'Neill is too stupid to understand the danger he's in, though, and he's being rather flippant with the Dark Lord."

"Did you manage to find out what he wanted him for?" Dumbledore asked, ignoring the commentary.

"Apparently there is a prophecy," Snape said. "One concerning O'Neill – or the brother of the Dark Lord in any case. The Dark Lord is going to convince O'Neill to go with him to get the prophecy so he can hear it as well."

"He won't have much luck with that…" Dumbledore said. Harry couldn't agree more – although that didn't explain why Voldemort was frustrated. If Jack had said no, he would have been angry, not frustrated. Fury was something that came easily to Voldemort, Harry knew from the link he shared with him.

"He's not going to torture O'Neill to get him to go," Snape said. "He's going to trick him. I doubt he'll have much trouble with it."

Another commentary, and Harry could feel the blood rushing angrily to his face at the continued insults. He wondered what Jack had said – if he'd said anything – to make Snape hate him so quickly.

Again, Dumbledore ignored the jab, although Harry thought he could hear a little annoyance or impatience in the Head Master's voice when he spoke next.

"Were you able to find out where this prophecy is? Or where Voldemort is taking Jack?"

"That's the tricky part, Head Master," Snape said. "I found out where it is, but it's going to be impossible to get there…"

"Why?"

"It's a ruined building in the very bowels of the Forbidden Forest. One of the Dark Lord's followers heard a rumor from a Centaur Hunter about the building, went to investigate it and found the building – although there are protections on the building still that wouldn't allow her in. She saw enough, however, to know that it was once the dwelling of Cassandra Treylawny – and is undoubtedly the place where she hid her prophecies…"