Chapter 24

The Ultimatum

The instant I handed in my History of Magic exam, I rushed up to the hospital wing to see Harry.

"Madam Pomfrey!" I called "Harry…is he all right?" I asked.

Madam Pomfrey gave me a confused look "He's not here, Ms Potter."

"Oh," I said, taken aback "thanks, anyways." I said before rushing off.

He had to be in Gryffindor Tower…it was the only idea that made any sense!

I managed to Summon my skateboard (which I decided to keep, I liked skating through the hall like a maniac and getting weird looks.) and skate off in direction of Gryffindor Tower.

On my way there, though, I heard Harry, Ron, Hermione and Ivy conversing in an abandoned classroom.

I skated in through the door, jumping off my board and kicking it aside to rush to Harry and wrap him in my arms.

"Harry! Are you ok?" I asked, worried beyond belief "You never came back after you collapsed and Pomfrey said you weren't in the hospital wing and so I naturally got worried, who wouldn't after thinking that your brother was in the hospital wing when he was really off Skinner knows-"

"Hannah!" Harry shouted finally, making me fall silent "Han, Voldemort's got Sirius."

I gasped "What?!" I squeaked "Why didn't you say anything sooner!?" I asked.

"He never got the chance to, Han." Ivy said to me. "You wouldn't shut up."

I gave V a 'Now is honestly the best time for that sort of thing?' look and she just turned back to Harry.

Ron turned to Harry again "Harry, this idea of yours is mental!"

"What?" I asked.

"The very thought of it is suicide!" Hermione added, ignoring my question.

"What!?" I demanded louder.

"And besides, how'd You-Know-Who get into the Ministry in the first place, the place's probably full of Aurors, the two most wanted wizards in the world can't possibly get by-" Ivy started.

"WHAT IN THE SKINNER ARE WE TALKING ABOUT!?" I screamed annoyed.

"Harry thinks it's brilliant to go into the Ministry of Magic and rescue Sirius." Hermione said to me "When he doesn't even know if it's a memory Voldemort's planted on him to make him go to the Department of Mysteries-"

"The Department of what?" I asked.

Ivy gave Harry a look "You never told her about the door dreams?!" she yelled.

Harry shook his head "I had a valid reason, like always, though. I didn't want to freak her out or upset her. Especially when I thought…" he gave me a look "that her and Malfoy were broken up."

"Hey, we only got back together after Christmas when we got back, cut me a break!" I snapped.

Harry took a deep breath "I guess I can't even have a secret, with my sister eventually finding out. Well, Han, sit down, we gotta tell you the truth."

I sat down and Harry told me everything.

He was having these dreams about a dark corridor and a locked door, which apparently is the gateway to the Department of Mysteries in the Ministry of Magic. And something about a weapon that Voldemort wanted…that he didn't have the last time he took over the Wizarding world.

"And that's why Voldemort's got Sirius, in my opinion." Harry finished "His brother was a Death Eater, and maybe his brother squealed to Sirius about how to get the weapon. So therefore, Voldemort thinks that Sirius knows how to get at the weapon. And now we have to save him!"

Hermione gave Harry a look. "Harry, don't you think you have sort of a - a…saving-people thing?"

Harry glared at her, sparking an argument over Harry's strength and weakness to save people whenever they need it.

"Hermione's right, Harry." Ivy said, nodding.

"Yeah, bro." I added "For all we know, this could all be a ploy to lure you or us to the Department of Mysteries." I said.

"WE'RE WASTING TIME!" Harry bellowed "WE NEED TO GET TO THE MINISTRY NOW OR SIRIUS IS DEAD!"

The door opened and I gaped before sighing in relief. It was only Ginny with Sheila and Luna with She-Cat.

"Hey." the four girls said together "What's going on?"

"We heard Harry shouting." Ginny said.

"And it seemed that Han was in here." Sheila and She-Cat said together, Fireball, Sheila's New Zealand Firescale nodding in agreement.

"And we wanted to know what was going on." Luna piped.

"Never you mind." Harry snapped.

Ginny and Sheila raised their eyebrows as She-Cat and Luna just went into their own little She-Cat and Luna worlds.

"There's no need to talk like that, Harry." Ginny snapped.

"We only wanted to know whether we could help." Sheila added, Fireball giving Harry a dark look from Sheila's shoulder.

"You can't." Harry snapped.

"You're being rather rude, you know." Luna and She-Cat said together.

Harry muttered "Shit." and turned back around as Ivy, Hermione and I shared a look and grinned.

"Wait!" Ivy and I said together

"Maybe they can help us!" Hermione said.

Harry and Ron looked at us all.

"Listen," Hermione started "Harry, we need to know if Sirius has really left Headquarters."

"I told you, I've-" Harry started.

"Harry, please, we're begging." Ivy said. "Let's just go and see if Sirius is at home before we go charging into the Ministry, wands raised."

"If he isn't at home, we won't stop you." I said "I'll do whatever it takes to try and save him…I'll go."

"And who said you were going?" Harry asked me.

I raised my eyebrows "What the hell's that supposed to mean?" I demanded.

"You're. Not. Coming." Harry said shortly.

"And why not!?" I shouted.

"You're not ready!" Harry shouted.

"I am so!" I shouted.

"NO!" Harry shouted "You are not going, and that's that!"

"WHY!" I screamed.

"BECAUSE YOU'RE NOT!" Harry shouted .

"That's not that good of an answer, Harry." Luna said serenely.

"Who invited you into this?" Harry demanded.

"DON'T YOU START ON HER!" She-Cat and I shouted together, She-Cat morphing into a ginger cat and clawing Harry in the leg.

"UGH!" Harry shouted, forcing She-Cat off him "Fine, you can come!" Harry said to me. "But if you get hurt, don't come crying to me."

I smirked "Ok, plan time." I said "We'll need to see if Sirius is at home before we go marching off to London-"

"If we do, I've got a really great war cry…wanna hear it?" She-Cat interrupted, looking at Luna.

"Oh, that would be amusing…do it, Ramona!" Luna said happily.

She-Cat smirked "MMEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOO OOOOOOWWWWWWW!" she shouted loudly.

"Ok!" I said "We get the point! Ok, now that that's done and over with…we'll need to contact Sirius. Ideas?" I asked.

"Owl him?" Sheila asked.

I shook my head "No, that's too long. We may not get an answer for loads of reasons."

"Fireplace?" Ivy recommended.

I smiled "Great thinking, Ivy!" I said, holding up my hand for a high five, where I wasn't disappointed. "We'll need to find a fire that's not guarded…so, this may involve a lot of rule breaking…we'll need to sneak into Umbridge's office."

Harry looked to me "I'll do the sneaking. I'll take my Cloak and pick the lock with Sirius's knife."

I nodded "Someone taking notes?" I asked.

"That'd be me." Hermione said, taking a quill and parchment from her book bag and starting to scribble furiously.

"Ok, Ivy, Sheila, She-Cat." I said turning to my friends "I'll need you to go into the Room of Requirement to cause some mayhem for Ginny and Luna to report. I'll check on you guys later with a pound of the door. Just pound back or say that you're in there. Ginny, Luna, I need you to go find Umbitch- oops," I smirked "I mean Umbridge and tell her what Ivy, Sheila and Ramona are doing. Back up plan, Ginny, Luna, get as many members of the DA, bar Drosie and O'Neil and Chang and make them cause problems in case Umbridge won't go up to the Room of Requirement."

Ginny and Luna nodded.

"Hermione, Ron, get the Gryffindor DA members, don't include O'Neil and Drosie, they'll just report us. She-Cat, get the Hufflepuffs, Luna, get the Ravenclaws, and I'll get my Slytherin first years." I said. "Questions?" I asked.

Not a word came after I was done.

I smiled "Good. Break!" I said, clapping my hands together, making everyone go off in their directions.

I rushed to the dungeons and to my luck, Willow was sitting with Yuuki, Akane and Blair.

"Hey, girls." I said, rushing over to the group, glaring at the first year boys, who scarpered. "Ok, you four are all in the DA…we're gonna do something to make Umbitch look bad."

Willow's eyes lit up "Sweet!" she shouted, turning to Akane, Yuuki and Blair. "You girls as in as I am?" she asked.

Yuuki nodded "Umbridge's been asking for it since we met her." she said, smirking.

Blair's eyes glinted mischievously "I can feel a scheme brewing already." she said, smirking as she nodded.

Akane looked to me to her friends, revealing to me a scar around her right eye that went all the way around the golden iris. She seemed unsure of it "Um…" she started "We could get in a lot of trouble…and it'd stop me from being one of the best and brightest if I'm expelled…Oh, what the heck, I'm in!" she said finally "What do you want us to do?"

I smirked "Keep the Inquisitorial Squad busy. Keep them out of Umbitch's corridor."

Willow smirked at me "Does that include your Lover Boy?" she asked.

Akane gave Willow a look as she pulled out a brush and started brushing her high ponytail. "Who's Lover Boy?" she asked.

"Her boyfriend." Willow smirked, crossing her hands over her head and leaning back in her chair.

Blair gave Willow a 'You're shitting me' look. "Oh, that narrows the choices down perfectly!" she said sarcastically "In specifics…?" she asked, turning to me.

"Draco Malfoy." I said finally, rolling my eyes "I think that's what the first years in my plan are going to do…just keep the Inquisitorial Squad busy."

Blair groaned taking a bit of her light blonde hair and starting to braid it "That's not as fun as I thought it was gonna be." she said.

I smirked "Well, if you guys want, you can make their lives hell, too." I said.

Blair's brown eyes lit up and she dropped her lock of hair, picking up her wand. "Sweet!" she said. "I've been waiting to use this thing on someone!" she added, brandishing it around.

"Watch where you're pointing that, will you!" Yuuki snapped "I don't believe that our services Hannah requires will be of any use to her if we're incapacitated in the hospital wing due to your idiocy."

I blinked "How come you're a Slytherin? You're smart as a Ravenclaw."

Yuuki smirked "My parents wanted me to be in Gryffindor or Ravenclaw. But I hoped for Slytherin. I actually asked the Sorting Hat to put me here." she said.

"How long have you wanted to be a Slytherin?" I asked.

Yuuki pulled out her wand along with Willow and Akane "Ever since I got this. I got the Slytherin core. It's twelve inches exactly with a dragon heartstring core…and it's cherry wood. Ollivander said it was sturdy." she explained.

Blair looked at her "Please. Mine's loads better. It's eleven and a half inches made with apple wood and phoenix feather." she boasted.

Akane glared at all of them "Who cares what wands are made of?" she asked, fiddling with the bead on the end of hers.

Willow beamed, flipping her wand in the air as I started getting anxious. "Mine's awesome!" she said proudly "But my wand materials are for me to know and you to find out."

"Girls!" I said laughing "I love you all to pieces, and Willow, you know you're like my little sister." I said (Willow beamed and said "Told you so!" to Akane, Yuuki and Blair) "But we need to get going now!"

The girls shot up and gave each other excited looks "LET'S DO THIS!" they shouted, running out of the common room, me after them to head to the Room of Requirement to check if Ivy, Sheila and She-Cat were in position.

I reached the door of the Room of Requirement and saw that the door was gone…but a note was where it was supposed to be.

I looked and pounded on the wall. "Sheila? Ivy? She-Cat? Are you in there?" I asked.

Nothing. But I thought I heard a girlish giggle far off in the corridor.

I took the note and ripped it open, making my stomach sink after reading the note:

Looking for someone? Yes, Potter. I have your friends. But don't worry…they're safe…for now. They're in the company of some of my friends. But they're not in the Room of Requirement. If you want to see them again alive, you will join me serving the Dark Lord. You have until midnight to make up your mind before something…not so pleasant befalls all of them. I'll be waiting.

Scarlett M. Zimmerman

P.S. Tell anyone of this plan, and not only do your friends get it…but your precious Draco does, too.

I gaped. She didn't…I knew then Scar was evil…but I didn't think she was that evil as to kidnap my friends.

I had to tell Harry about this! Ivy, Sheila and She-Cat were in danger!

Then I gaped. If I told Harry…then Draco would have been in danger. But then…how would she know if I told anyone?

Ivy, Ivy, are you ok? I thought, praying Ivy heard me.

Hannah! Ivy said Zimmerman trapped us! We never got to the Room of Requirement, look, Han, we're…crap! DON'T DO ANYTHING, HANNAH! IT'S A TRAP! IT'S A TRAP! IT'S-

Ivy never got to finish the sentence…she screamed.

"Ivy!" I shouted, starting to pace around the Room of Requirement when someone's hand clapped onto my shoulder.

I gasped and whipped around before sighing in relief…it was only Draco.

"Hey, Umbridge caught Potter in her office…apparently, he was trying to use her fireplace to contact someone. And that Weasley, Weaslette, Granger, Duff, Lovegood, Capodebt, Alexander and…you were involved for leading the distraction. Where's Duff, Alexander and Capodebt?" he demanded.

I looked down "I can't say." I said.

"Hannah, you'll be doing yourself a real favour if you tell me where they are." Draco said "I can get you out of this."

I took a deep breath "You can't tell anyone this, but. Scarlett had Death Eaters take Ivy, Sheila and Ramona somewhere and she's holding them hostage!" I said, tearing up. "Now something bad is gonna happen and I wasn't supposed to tell anyone because now not only are they in danger but now something bad is going to happen to…to you!"

Draco growled "You have to tell Umbridge."

"No!" I said exasperated "Not only will it make things worse but Zimmerman told me that Umbridge was a Death Eater already." I said. "I know I'm in the biggest trouble ever, but I need to go and find Ivy, Sheila and She-Cat, because their lives-"

Draco kissed me. "Hannah…" he muttered "Duff's a strong girl. The only one who should be panicking is Blaise." he said to me "And Umbridge wants you in her office…now."

I sighed. "Fine…but I'm hoping I get out sooner since I have to save Ivy." I muttered as I followed Draco to Umbridge's office "She's forcing me to become a Death Eater, but I don't want to be a Death Eater, I don't want to work for the mouse that killed my parents, but I don't seem to have a choice because Ivy's, Sheila's and She-Cat's lives are in jeopardy, Draco, what do I do?" I asked halfway to tears.

Draco was about to answer when I heard Hermione scream "TELL HER, HARRY!"

I looked through the crack of the door and saw Umbridge had her wand drawn, pointed at Harry.

"The bitch!" I shouted, snatching my wand out of my pocket and kicking open the door, yelling "DROP THE WAND AND BACK AWAY FROM MY BROTHER!"

"Harry, you gotta tell her!" Hermione said.

Umbridge turned to Hermione "Tell her of what?" she asked, a mad glint in her eyes.

"That the weapon is ready." Hermione said lamely.

Ron, Luna, Ginny and Neville gaped. I read their minds and they were all thinking:

What the hell is she talking about?

Umbridge grinned "Where is that weapon?" she asked.

"Only me, Harry and Hannah know. We can show you the way." she said.

Umbridge smiled evilly "Excellent. Lead the way."

"Not with them." Hermione said, nodding to the Inquisitorial Squad.

Umbridge thought about it…then smirked. "Lead the way, Ms Granger. Mr and Ms Potter, you follow her." she ordered.

Draco cut in, sounding excited, but nervous at the same time "Professor..." he said "Professor Umbridge...surely you'd like a couple of members of the Squad to join-"

"I am a highly authorized Ministry of Magic employee, Malfoy. Surely I can manage three wandless teenagers alone." Umbridge snapped. "Now, Mr Potter, Ms Potter and Ms Granger, lead me to this weapon!"

I growled. Nobody talked to my man like that unless they were wanting their asses kicked. Umbridge prodded me with her wand, leading me forward to Draco before I grinned.

I took Draco's tie and pulled his ear down to mutter into it "You never took my wand, didn't you?" I asked.

Draco shook his head.

I kissed him "You're the best, Draco." I said before walking out to sounds of disgust from Ron and Neville and guaranteed eye rolls from Hermione and Ginny. Luna was probably not reacting, if she was it was as if she was bored.

...

I smirked as I followed Hermione, Harry right next to me and Umbridge behind me.

What are you so happy about? Harry thought to me.

The fact that I still have a wand when all of yours are on Umbridge's desk. Draco never took my wand. I thought back happily before my smirk faded. There should have been three more wands on there though.

You mean Ivy, Sheila and She-Cat? Harry asked Yeah…where are they? I should have hidden with them.

I don't know. I said honestly I don't want to talk about it.

Ok. Harry said as Umbridge complained over how far we were going into the Forest.

I was alone, upset and oh so confused. My confidantes were gone who knows where and something bad was probably going to happen to them…and maybe something worse if I didn't join the Death Eaters.

One thought raged through my mind:

What am I going to do?

A/N: Duh, duh, duh! What's Hannah going to do? Keep reading to find out, and review it up! Oh, and I'm going to go to school on Halloween dressed as Hannah…what do you think I should need besides the obvious wand and black wig (I'm a brunette)? I really need to start getting stuff together now. So any advice will help on my costume and will be very happy if I get any ideas.

Thank you in advance!

A Proud Member of Slytherin House

DownWithDeathEaters

Alias Hannah Lillian Isabella Marie Potter and the Dark Lady Happy Pants