Chapter 16: the hunt for Sirius.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Right then, this is the penultimate chapter. Tell me what you think! Oh yes, and this is dedicated to lilacbookstar for being a great friend (and probably the only one reading this right now)...

Harry was in the lead as they ran towards the big gates of Hogwarts.

'How're we s'posed to get over that?' Ron gasped, as he appeared behind Harry, who was already attempting to climb over it.

'Well, we might be able to apparate if we stand very, very near the gates…' Fred suggested.

'No, that wouldn't work,' Hermione said, as she came last to the gate.

'Let's try anyway,' Harry said brightly; he had a feeling that they could do it.

Harry grabbed onto Fred's arm, and Ron grabbed the other.

'You sure you can take us?' Ron asked.

'Yeah,' said Fred casually.

Tell them all to hurry up …

'HURRY UP!' Harry bellowed at them, and everyone looked at him, shocked. Phorion whispered something to Hermione, who nodded. Harry was getting sick of people whispering behind his back.

'OK,' said Fred, 'think of the entrance to the Ministry. When I say "now" think of the place, but don't be too much of a hard-thinker, we'll be splinched.'

'Is that likely?'

'Dunno, I've never been splinched, have I? I'm too good,' he added, smirking.

'Let's go!' Harry cried, and, as Fred turned round, Harry felt like he was going through a thin rubber tube, like someone was squeezing him; he opened his eyes slightly to the pressure, and saw black ever where; he tried to open his mouth, but they fell over the next second.

'I – never – ever want to apparate again,' Ron said, picking him up from the floor.

'Let's go,' Harry said again; he needed to move quickly...

'No, we're waiting for the others,' Fred said. 'They should be coming –'

'When?' Harry burst out. He needed to get to Sirius – he was probably looking for him right now. Harry started to move towards the telephone box, but Fred stopped him by standing in front of the box.

'They're here,' he said. Then his eyes bulged; Harry whipped around; Hermione screamed.

'Wha-what's hap-p-pened? Why do I only have three legs? Help!' she yelped, and Fred picked her up.

'You've been splinched,' he said loudly over Hermione's screams.

Harry saw that Fred was missing an arm and his nose. Hermione had neither of her arms.

'I know the counter-curse thingy, but Hermione, SHUT UP!'

She shut up.

He waved his wand with one hand with some difficulty; Ron helped him stand up. Hermione started yelling again once she had her arms back.

'It's OK if Fred's OK, isn't it? But it doesn't matter, does it? Just like it didn't matter when I nearly suffocated, didn't it? I'm so sick of you. Let's go, Harry,' she said angrily, grabbed Harry by the wrist and led him happily off to the telephone box.

'Finally,' Harry said, running with Hermione to the booth. Everyone jammed into the box.

'Hey, I know a good joke about –'

'Not the time, Fred,' George said. 'Although, I did hear a good knock-knock –'

'Wrong time!' Harry yelled; they were going to see Sirius, not to stand in some phone box.

'Dial six-two-four-four-two!' Harry said angrily; they were wasting time.

'Hermione pressed in the numbers.

'I don't believe we're here again to make sure Harry doesn't do something stupid,' she said under her breath, but Harry heard.

'Just because Sirius wants to see me,' Harry said.

'OK, Harry, OK. Have it your way. I don't really care any more. What?' she added, for everyone turned to stare at her; except for Ron, who looked in the other direction; she was saved of answering when a cool, female voice entered the cubicle.

'Welcome to the –'

'We know, we know!' Harry yelled. How stupid was this thing? He thought vehemently.

'– Please state your name and business.'

Harry opened his mouth to answer, but Hermione answered for him.

'Fred, George, Hermione, Harry, Phorion, and The Thing,' she said, with a 'hey!' from Ron. 'We're here for our crazy friend's dead godfather's tea party! So can we go now?'

'Thank you. Visitors to the Ministry –'

'MOVE!' Hermione and Harry yelled in unison, and the telephone booth shuddered, and moved upwards. Harry couldn't see any fountain … Harry grabbed his badge, which said 'Harry Potter, Deceased Tea Party'

'Cool badges,' Fred said, pinning his onto his.

'The Thing,' Ronmuttered to himself, looking at the badge.

'The Ministry of Magic wishes you a pleasant evening.'

'Now where?' Fred and George said.

'I know the way!' Harry said happily; someone was giving him directions …

'Now where?' Fred asked again. They saw Harry ponder for a minute, before he answered.

'This one,' he said confidently, pointing to the one furthest on his right. Everyone else exchanged looks, Ron blushing when he caught Hermione's eye.

'There has to be Death Eaters here somewhere,' Hermione whispered to Phorion, who nodded.

'Be careful. Ron, you go up with Harry,' she said.

'Great,' he shot back moodily.

'I don't have a wand, do I?' she interjected. 'Now do it!'

'I'm on it,' he said, as Harry opened the door. It seemed to be humming slightly.

'The singing room,' George said brightly; Phorion kicked him with her hind leg.

'Are you sure this is right?' Hermione asked

'No,' Harry said. 'Let's go to the veil.'

'Well, we need to go back to the black room,' Ron said exasperatedly.

'OK', Harry said enthusiastically.

They trooped back to the room.

'I found the Veil Room,' Harry said, and walked through the door.

'Wands out,' Phorion said quietly, and the others tensed their wands, except for Phorion, who nervously pawed the ground.

Harry pulled back the door, and to everyone's amazement, they were inside the Veil Room.

'Sirius?' Harry called out.

'There aren't any Death Eaters here,' Fred said.

'He's off his rocker,' Ron said.

'Well, you'd have a lot to say on the subject of people being mad, don't you?'

'Look, Hermione, I – I didn't help you 'cause I didn't think you wanted my help,' he said lamely.

'I was screaming, Ron. Does that not sound like I wanted some help?'

'Er,' Ron supplied unhelpfully.

'Sirius?' Harry called louder.

'I don't think he's here, Harry,' Phorion said.

'No, no, he's in the veil,' Harry said, and Phorion jumped down the steps five at a time, and blocked his way.

'You cannot go in the veil,' she said.

'OK,' Harry said.

He needed to get to Sirius – he was just hiding – like he was last time, Harry thought.

Keep looking, Harry, a friend told him. Keep looking.

'I'm going to keep looking. Will you guys help me?' Harry asked them, hoping them to help him; he needed help.

Hermione climbed down the steps without hesitation, and hugged Harry.

'Maybe he's in a different room?' she suggested.

Fred, George and on had come down the coliseum-like steps to join them.

'No, he's definitely in this one,' someone said. It wasn't Harry.

'Ginny?' Hermione and the twins gasped. Ron and Phorion just gaped. Harry didn't do anything.

Continue looking for Sirius, you know he's here somewhere

'I know he's here somewhere,' he said vaguely.

'Hit her with a curse,' Phorion said quietly.

'Shut up, Horsey,' she said, and aimed a stunner at Phorion. She fell to the floor. Everyone raised their wands.

'Don't even think about it,' she said calmly. 'I have more powers now. Watch,' she said, without a hint of fear.

A door at the top right burst open, and in trooped in small people wearing black.

'They're not even Death Eaters,' Fred said.

'Yeah, you forgot the masks,' George said. 'And are you sure you won't trip over your sleeves, Gin?'

'I am magically capable, idiot. It's OK though because they don't need masks. You know who they are.' Ginny said, stroking her sleeves, which came past her waist – there were large splits down them, supposedly so she could hold her wand properly.

No, we don't, thought Harry. Then he noticed the outlines of Crabbe and Goyle. He made a small mental note to hit a curse right to them, but then he remembered to look for Sirius.

'Leave Potter alone. Kill the others,' she said, smiling.

'The Slytherins charged, and the small group around the veil stared firing curses up. Their only advantage was that they knew more curses than them. Or so they thought.

They lined up around the dip in the centre, Ginny in the middle.

'My little friends have learnt some new, darker magic. I hope you enjoy it,' she said happily.

'Could you be quiet?' Harry said. He was still looking for Sirius? Why didn't everyone just help him? Then they could get it done much, much quicker…

'STUPEFY!' Hermione, Fred, George and Ron yelled, and they each hit their targets. Hermione noticed Hannah Abbot.

'Hannah!' she yelled, but she didn't reply. The she sent more stunning spells up. The Slytherins were sill all laughing.

'Why are they laughing?' Harry called from over in the corner. This is a very serious situation here.'

'Yes, it is, dear Potter. Why don't we use some serious magic, then?'

The black-dressed group laughed even harder.

'NOW!' Ginny yelled.

'SANGUINO!' the Slytherins yelled, but they only managed to get George.

'Quiet, people,' Harry said from in the corner. No one looked at him.

'Keep stunning!' Hermione yelled, and she sent a few stunning spells up, and hit Crabbe and Goyle.

'Yes!' she yelled triumphantly.

Ginny brought her wand up, and slashed the air, muttering something they couldn't hear. Even the Slytherins looked scared, and they stopped trying to curse Ron to look at Ginny.

Hermione knew what was coming before it hit her; she hadn't even silenced her, and she shut her eyes, ready for the impact…

'Hermione!' Ron yelled, and he bent over Hermione, wiping the blood on which she was lying in. She seemed to have been slashed by an invisible sword. Ron was apologizing as he wiped the blood off again, but it kept on coming back.

'Help,' Hermione said faintly. 'Help.'

'I'm trying, I'm trying!' Ron said, but he could do anything. Hermione grabbed his wrist, and fell completely faint. Ron whipped around, having in mind to kill them all, but he was stunned by someone. He fell to the ground.

'Hey!' Harry said from behind the veil, where he was searching fruitlessly. 'That's my best mate!'

'And I only stunned him, because he's my dear brother –'

'Hey!' Fred yelled. 'I'm your brother too!'

'You're also the only one standing, big bro',' she said, smiling, waving her wand again.

'PROTEGO!' Fred yelled, but he knew it was no use…

Ooh, evil cliffie! Hoped you like it, and I'll like 15 reviews before I post the last chapter... so get on with it – review!