Harry looked around the office, making note of where everyone was standing. He could easily overpower them, even without his wand. He was never so happy that his dads had Natasha and Clint teach him hand-to-hand combat.
"Now that Professor Umbridge is gone, we should give Potter here a lesson." Warrington smiled sharply. He pulled out his wand and pointed it at Harry. "Since she didn't get to use the Cruciatus on him, we could do it for her."
"As if you could pull of the Cruciatus Warrington." Malfoy rolled his eyes.
"You don't think I could?" Warrington spat. "I could if I wanted to!"
Malfoy didn't respond.
"I'll show you I can do it!" Warrington exclaimed and stalked towards Harry. He grabbed Harry's collar to throw him to the ground, but Harry was ready for it. He caught Warrington's hand and twisted it. Warrington gave out a cry of pain that was quickly silenced when Harry's elbow made contact with his nose, knocking him out. Millicent attempted to stun him, but he dodged the jet of light and knocked her down with a jab to the stomach. Malfoy went down quickly as well; one punch to the face was all it took.
"That was easy"
Harry whirled around to see Aileen standing by Umbridge's desk.
"What are you doing here?" Harry frowned.
"I've come to warn you." She replied.
Harry rolled his eyes, "Like you warned me about the dementors this summer?"
"I told you not to go outside, but you did anyway"
"That wasn't exactly a clear warning Aileen. You gave no indication that Eric and I were going to be attacked."
"I didn't think you would be dense enough to ignore me."
Harry bristled, "I'm not dense!"
Aileen didn't reply.
Harry glared at her, "What is your warning then?"
"Don't go to the Department of Mysteries."
Harry scoffed, "And let Sirius die, no thanks"
"Sirius isn't there Harry. It was an illusion that Voldemort put into your head so that you will come running."
"You don't know that he's safe."
"Of course I do, I saw him two days ago. He's in Alfheim right now with Papa."
"That was two days ago"
Aileen clenched her fists, "Why are you ignoring me Harry? Last year you would have trusted me enough to heed my warnings."
"Well last year I was fool"
Aileen's eyes widened. "What? Harry, what is going on? Why don't you trust me anymore?"
"BECAUSE IT'S YOUR FAULT!" Harry burst out.
Aileen's mouth fell open.
Harry could feel his anger push to the surface and he let it wash over him.
"Cedric is dead because of you. I dream of him dying every night because of you. I was put in that bloody tournament because of you! If you're so powerful why didn't you help me? You warned me about Dumbledore manipulating me from the beginning but you've been doing it too. You only give me warnings and expect me to follow them blindly. I'M NOT DOING IT ANYMORE!" He stalked toward her so that they were almost chest to chest.
Aileen stood still, but her eyes were wide and never wavered from his.
"You think just because you're some all-powerful being that you can just control those around you? Well, you can't! If you care so much about me then you need to tell me things! Cedric died because you didn't save him, even though you could have! WHY DIDN'T YOU SAVE HIM!?" He raised his arm to push her, but she caught it.
"I tried to save him, but you wouldn't listen!" She replied. "That voice you heard in your head when he was caught in the vines, telling you to leave him? That was me. But your hero complex just couldn't leave him. And then you had to be nice and share the prize!"
"If that was the case why didn't you just come and get us from the cemetery? You were there!"
"I wasn't there, that was a projection" Aileen replied. "And I had already meddled enough. Any more and I would have been in trouble."
Harry rolled his eyes, "You are a queen; you don't exactly have anyone over you."
"How little you know. The Norns are the most powerful beings in the nine realms, possibly the galaxy. I have already been contained after trying to kill that ugly toad."
"What?"
"I came here after your first detention to get rid of the blood quill. I wanted to get rid of Umbridge, but I was taken away by Lady Verdandi. I have been confined to my planet since. I have been allowed out for short times, but as soon as I was free to return I came to you here. I have come to warn you Harry, do not go to the Department of Mysteries, you will live to regret it."
Harry shook his head, "Even when I don't want your help, you still meddle. I am doing fine just by myself."
Aileen gave him a deadpan look, "Yes, leaving the school and breaking into the Ministry of Magic is a great use of your time."
Harry glared at her "Shut up Aileen, you don't know anything."
Aileen frowned, "You need to keep your temper in check Harry. Just because you're a teenager, doesn't mean you can act like a child."
"A child?! I haven't been a child since Voldemort killed my parents." Harry hissed. "A man is out there trying his best to kill me, I can act however I want."
"Not if it means that you will be doing his work for him. You can't just go running into the unknown, you at least need a plan. Ask someone for help once in a while Harry, you don't need to do everything alone." Aileen said.
Harry shook his head, "I don't want to bring anyone else into this. It's my problem, I need to deal with it."
Before Aileen could reply, Harry rushed out the door.
Aileen groaned, "Boys" and she too, disappeared.
/
When Harry left the office, he made his way to the Great Hall. There, he ran into Ginny, Neville, and Luna.
"Harry!" They said.
"Have you seen Ron and Hermione? They took Umbridge somewhere."
They shook their heads.
"I have to find them. Hermione lied about showing Umbridge a weapon. They could be in trouble right now." Harry said.
"We'll help" Ginny said.
They searched the castle, but couldn't find anything. When they tried outside, they found the two running out of the forbidden forest.
"What happened?" Harry asked quickly.
"Hermione took Umbridge to see Grawp" Ron said. "She went mental on us and then the Centaurs came and took her away."
"The Centaurs took her?" Harry asked.
Ron nodded, "Yeah, it was brilliant. She went on about filthy half-breeds and then attacked one of them. They fought back and carried her off."
"Thankfully, they allowed up to leave their territory without trouble." Hermione said.
"So what are we doing now?" Ginny asked.
"We? Who is this we?" Ron shrieked. "Harry, Hermione, and I are going to the Ministry. You're going back inside."
Ginny rolled her eyes, "We're all in the DA Ron; I have every right to come with you."
"Whatever we're doing, we need to do it fast." Harry said.
"How did you plan on getting all the way to London Harry?" Hermione asked.
"We can fly of course" Luna said.
"Only some of us have brooms" Hermione huffed.
"And by the time we do that and meet back here Sirius could already be dead" Harry said anxiously.
"There are other ways of flying than with broomsticks" Luna said.
"I s'pose we're going to ride on the back of the Kacky Snorgle or whatever it is?" Ron demanded.
"The Crumple-Horned Snorkack can't fly," said Luna in a dignified voice, "but they can, and Hagrid says they're very good at finding places their riders are looking for."
Harry whirled around. Standing between two trees, their white eyes gleaming eerily, were two thestrals, watching the whispered conversation as though they understood every word.
"Yes!" he whispered, moving toward them. They tossed their reptilian heads, throwing back long black manes, and Harry stretched out his hand eagerly and patted the nearest one's shining neck. How could he ever have thought them ugly?
"Is it those mad horse things?" said Ron uncertainly, staring at a point slightly to the left of the thestral Harry was patting. "Those ones you can't see unless you've watched someone snuff it?"
"Yeah," said Harry.
"How many?"
"Just two."
"Well, we need three," Hermione said, who was still looking a little shaken, but determined just the same.
"Four, Hermione," Ginny said, scowling at the brunette.
"I think there are six of us, actually," Luna said calmly, counting.
"Don't be stupid, we can't all go!" Harry said angrily. "Look, you –"
"We're coming with you Harry, you've taught us to deal with this." Neville said.
Harry was silent for a moment, "Fine" He bit out, "But you listen to me alright?"
The three nodded.
"We still need to find more of those horse things" Ron said.
"Thestrals Ron" Ginny rolled her eyes.
"More will come" Luna said softly. She took out a piece of meat from her small bag.
"Why do you carry that in your bag?" Ron asked.
"It was left over from my last trip here." Luna replied calmly. "Look" She pointed to the forest.
Harry turned to see seven more thestrals walk out of the brush.
"Alright, everyone pick one and let's get going. We don't have a lot of time."
"But how are we supposed to get on? We can't see the things?" Ron asked.
Harry sighed, "Here" He grabbed Ron's arm and helped him on the nearest thestral. He then did the same for Neville while Luna helped Ginny and Hermione.
"This is mad" Ron whimpered as he fisted his hands in invisible mane. He could feel it moving, but could not see it.
"So now what?" Ginny asked after Luna helped her onto the theastral.
Harry turned to look down at the back of his thestral's glossy black head and swallowed. "The Ministry of Magic, visitors' entrance, London," he said uncertainly. "If – uh – you know where to go"
For a moment his thestral did nothing at all. Then, with a sweeping movement that nearly unseated him, the wings on either side extended, the horse crouched slowly and then rocketed upward so fast and so steeply that Harry had to clench his arms and legs tightly around the creature to avoid sliding off.
"I don't know if I like this" Neville said anxiously. He was holding on tight, but his eyes moved about frantically. Harry looked to the others and noticed they were in a similar position. The only one who wasn't, was Luna. The blonde was sitting straight with her arms spread out and a carefree smile on her face.
When they got to the Ministry of Magic, it was night. The thestrals gave a high-pitched cry before flying off.
"I hope we're not too late" Harry whispered as he looked at the small phone booth.
"We're not" Hermione said, putting a reassuring hand on his arm.
Harry nodded and squeezed into the booth with the rest of them.
And we are off to the Ministry!
And we also know part of why Harry's been ignoring Aileen ;)
Hope you all enjoyed!