Time moved slowly and they began to relax until the door burst open, someone's arm accidentally knocking Ellen's wand out of her hand. It went clattering across the floor where Professor Umbridge picked it up and handed it off to a member of the Inquisitorial Squad, one of which immediately restrained Ellen.

Umbridge leaned down and dragged Harry backwards by the hair and was now bending his neck back as far as it would go as though she was going to slit his throat.

"You think," she whispered, bending Harry's neck back even farther, "that after two nifflers I was going to let one more foul, scavenging little creature enter my office without my knowledge? I had Stealth Sensoring Spells placed all around my doorway after the last one got in, you foolish boy. Take his wand," she barked at one of the Slytherins.

"Hers too..." Ellen looked over to see Rhode snatch Hermione's wand away, a cruel smirk playing on the other Noah's lips.

"I want to know why you are in my office," said Umbridge, shaking the fist clutching his hair so that he staggered.

"I was — trying to get my Firebolt!" Harry croaked.

"Liar." She shook his head again. "Your Firebolt is under strict guard in the dungeons, as you very well know, Potter. You had your head in my fire. With whom have you been communicating?"

"No one —" said Harry, trying to pull away from her.

"Liar!" shouted Umbridge. She threw him from her, and he slammed into the desk. There was a commotion outside and several large Slytherins entered, each gripping Ron, Ginny, Luna, and Neville, who was trapped in a stranglehold by Crabbe and looked in imminent danger of suffocation. All four of them had been gagged.

"Got 'em all," said Warrington, shoving Ron roughly forward into the room. "That one." he poked a thick finger at Neville, "tried to stop me taking her," he pointed at Ginny, who was trying to kick the shins of the large Slytherin girl holding her, "so I brought him along too."

"Good, good," said Umbridge, watching Ginny's struggles. "Well, it looks as though Hogwarts will shortly be a Weasley-free zone, doesn't it?"

Malfoy laughed loudly and sycophantically. Umbridge gave her wide, complacent smile and settled herself into a chintz-covered armchair, blinking up at her captives like a toad in a flowerbed. "So, Potter," she said. "You stationed lookouts around my office and you sent this buffoon," she nodded at Ron, and Malfoy laughed even louder, "to tell me the poltergeist was wreaking havoc in the Transfiguration department when I knew perfectly well that he was busy smearing ink on the eyepieces of all the school telescopes, Mr. Filch having just informed me so. Clearly, it was very important for you to talk to somebody. Was it Albus Dumbledore? Or the half-breed, Hagrid? I doubt it was Minerva McGonagall, I hear she is still too ill to talk to anyone..."

Malfoy and a few of the other members of the Inquisitorial Squad laughed some more at that. Ellen felt disgust fill her while Rhode seemed to agree with all of them, laughing at her aunt like it was the funniest thing she had seen all day.

"It's none of your business who I talk to," he snarled.

Umbridge's slack face seemed to tighten. "Very well," she said in her most dangerous and falsely sweet voice. "Very well, Mr. Potter...I offered you the chance to tell me freely. You refused. I have no alternative but to force you. Draco — fetch Professor Snape."

Malfoy stowed Harry's wand inside his robes and left the room smirking. There was silence in the office except for the fidgetings and scufflings resultant from the Slytherins' efforts to keep Ron and the others under control. Ron's lip was bleeding onto Umbridge's carpet as he struggled against his captor. Ginny was still trying to stamp on the feet of the sixth-year girl who had both her upper arms in a tight grip. Neville was turning steadily more purple in the face while tugging at Crabbe's arms, and Hermione was attempting vainly to pull her arm out of the grip Rhode had on her. Luna, however, stood limply by the side of her captor, gazing vaguely out of the window as though rather bored by the proceedings.

Harry's face was deliberately smooth and blank as footsteps were heard in the corridor outside and Draco Malfoy came back into the room, holding open the door for Snape.

"You wanted to see me, Headmistress?" said Snape, looking around at all the pairs of struggling students with an expression of complete indifference.

"Ah, Professor Snape," said Umbridge, smiling widely and standing up again. "Yes, I would like another bottle of Veritaserum, as quick as you can, please."

"You took my last bottle to interrogate Potter," he said, observing her coolly through his greasy curtains of black hair. "Surely you did not use it all? I told you that three drops would be sufficient."

Umbridge flushed. "You can make some more, can't you?" she said, her voice becoming more sweetly girlish as it always did when she was furious.

"Certainly," said Snape, his lip curling. "It takes a full moon cycle to mature, so I should have it ready for you in around a month."

"A month?" squawked Umbridge, swelling toadishly. "A month? But I need it this evening, Snape! I have just found Potter using my fire to communicate with a person or persons unknown!"

"Really?" said Snape, showing his first, faint sign of interest as he looked around at Harry. "Well, it doesn't surprise me. Potter has never shown much inclination to follow school rules."

"I wish to interrogate him!" shouted Umbridge angrily, and Snape looked away from Harry back into her furiously quivering face. "I wish you to provide me with a potion that will force him to tell me the truth!"

"I have already told you," said Snape smoothly, "that I have no further stocks of Veritaserum. Unless you wish to poison Potter — and I assure you I would have the greatest sympathy with you if you did — I cannot help you. The only trouble is that most venoms act too fast to give the victim much time for truth-telling..."

"You are on probation!" shrieked Professor Umbridge, and Snape looked back at her, his eyebrows slightly raised. "You are being deliberately unhelpful! I expected better, Lucius Malfoy always speaks most highly of you! Now get out of my office!"

Snape gave her an ironic bow and turned to leave. "He's got Padfoot!" Harry shouted to stop the man from leaving. "He's got Padfoot at the place where it's hidden!"

Snape had stopped with his hand on Umbridge's door handle.

"Padfoot?" cried Professor Umbridge, looking eagerly from Harry to Snape. "What is Padfoot? Where what is hidden? What does he mean, Snape?"

Snape looked around at Harry. His face was inscrutable. "I have no idea," said Snape coldly. "Potter, when I want nonsense shouted at me I shall give you a Babbling Beverage. And Crabbe, loosen your hold a little, if Longbottom suffocates it will mean a lot of tedious paperwork, and I am afraid I shall have to mention it on your reference if ever you apply for a job."

He closed the door behind him with a snap. "Very well," Umbridge said, and she pulled out her wand. "Very well...I am left with no alternative...This is more than a matter of school discipline...This is an issue of Ministry security...Yes...yes..."

She seemed to be talking herself into something. She was shifting her weight nervously from foot to foot, staring at Harry, beating her wand against her empty palm and breathing heavily. "You are forcing me, Potter...I do not want to," said Umbridge, still moving restlessly on the spot, "but sometimes circumstances justify the use...I am sure the Minister will understand that I had no choice..."

Malfoy was watching her with a hungry expression on his face. "The Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue," said Umbridge quietly.

"Touch him and I will kill you, you rotten bint!" Ellen shouted, struggling harder in the large girl's hold. "I'll tear you limb from limb, you will not hurt my godson!"

"And how will you do that?" Umbridge breathed out cruelly. "You're nothing but a filthy beast, too busy whoring yourself around to good, noble men to learn any real magic."

"What?" Ellen's voice broke. "What are you talking about?"

"I've seen how you seduced Professor Mikk. What was it, a love potion or did you have to use the Imperius?" Umbridge all but snarled, her face twisted.

Ellen began struggling anew, doing her best to break away without having to resort to killing the girl holding her. "You leave Tyki out of this, you bitch."

"So you admit it?" Umbridge giggled. "You'll be next then, how wonderful."

"Professor Umbridge — it's illegal" Hermione shrieked, but Umbridge took no notice. There was a nasty, eager, excited look on her face that Harry had never seen before. She raised her wand.

"The Minister wouldn't want you to break the law, Professor Umbridge!" cried Hermione.

"What Cornelius doesn't know won't hurt him," said Umbridge, who was now panting slightly as she pointed her wand at different parts of Harry's body in turn, apparently trying to decide what would hurt the most. "He never knew I ordered dementors after Potter last summer, but he was delighted to be given the chance to expel him, all the same..."

"It was you?" gasped Harry. "You sent the dementors after me?"

"Somebody had to act," breathed Umbridge, as her wand came to rest pointing directly at Harry's forehead. "They were all bleating about silencing you somehow — discrediting you — but I was the one who actually did something about it...Only you wriggled out of that one, didn't you, Potter? Not today, though, not now..." And taking a deep breath, she cried, "Cruc —"

"NO!" shouted Hermione in a cracked voice from behind Rhode. "No, Harry, we'll have to tell her!"

"No way!" yelled Harry.

"We'll have to, Harry, she'll force it out of you anyway, what's...what's the point...?" And Hermione began to cry weakly against Rhode, who looked up at her with the oddest expression.

"Well, well, well!" said Umbridge, looking triumphant. "Little Miss Question-All is going to give us some answers! Come on then, girl, come on!"

"Er — my — nee — no!" shouted Ron through his gag. Ginny was staring at Hermione as though she had never seen her before; Neville, still choking for breath, was gazing at her too. But Harry had just noticed something. Though Hermione was sobbing desperately into her hands, there was no trace of a tear..."I'm — I'm sorry everyone," said Hermione. "But — I can't stand it —"

"That's right, that's right, girl!" said Umbridge, seizing Hermione by the shoulders, thrusting her into the abandoned chintz chair and leaning over her. "Now then...with whom was Potter communicating just now?"

"Well," gulped Hermione into her hands, "well, he was trying to speak to Professor Dumbledore…"

"Dumbledore?" said Umbridge eagerly, not noticing how the rest of them froze. "You know where Dumbledore is, then?"

"Well...no!" sobbed Hermione. "We've tried the Leaky Cauldron in Diagon Alley and the Three Broomsticks and even the Hog's Head —"

"Idiot girl, Dumbledore won't be sitting in a pub when the whole Ministry's looking for him!" shouted Umbridge, disappointment etched in every sagging line of her face.

"But — but we needed to tell him something important!" wailed Hermione, holding her hands more tightly over her face, not out of anguish, but to disguise the continued absence of tears.

"Yes?" said Umbridge with a sudden resurgence of excitement. "What was it you wanted to tell him?"

"We...we wanted to tell him it's r-ready!" choked Hermione.

"What's ready?" demanded Umbridge, and now she grabbed Hermione's shoulders again and shook her slightly. "What's ready, girl?"

"The...the weapon," said Hermione.

"Weapon? Weapon?" said Umbridge, and her eyes seemed to pop with excitement. "You have been developing some method of resistance? A weapon you could use against the Ministry? On Professor Dumbledore's orders, of course?"

"Y-y-yes," gasped Hermione. "But he had to leave before it was finished and n-n-now we've finished it for him, and we c-c-can't find him t-t-to tell him!"

"What kind of weapon is it?" said Umbridge harshly, her stubby hands still tight on Hermione's shoulders.

"We don't r-r-really understand it," said Hermione, sniffing loudly. "We j-j-just did what P-P-Professor Dumbledore told us t-t-to do..."

Umbridge straightened up, looking exultant. "Lead me to the weapon," she said.

"I'm not showing...them," said Hermione shrilly, looking around at the Slytherins through her fingers.

"It is not for you to set conditions," said Professor Umbridge harshly.

"Fine," said Hermione, now sobbing into her hands again, "fine...let them see it, I hope they use it on you! In fact, I wish you'd invite loads and loads of people to come and see! Th-that would serve you right — oh, I'd love it if the wh-whole school knew where it was, and how to u-use it, and then if you annoy any of them they'll be able to s-sort you out!"

These words had a powerful impact on Umbridge. She glanced swiftly and suspiciously around at her Inquisitorial Squad, her bulging eyes resting for a moment on Malfoy, who was too slow to disguise the look of eagerness and greed that had appeared on his face. Umbridge contemplated Hermione for another long moment and then spoke in what she clearly thought was a motherly voice. "All right, dear, let's make it just you and me...and we'll take Potter too, shall we? Get up, now —"

"Professor," said Malfoy eagerly, "Professor Umbridge, I think some of the squad should come with you to look after —"

"I am a fully qualified Ministry official, Malfoy, do you really think I cannot manage two wandless teenagers alone?" asked Umbridge sharply. "In any case, it does not sound as though this weapon is something that schoolchildren should see. You will remain here until I return and make sure none of these" — she gestured around at Ron, Ginny, Neville, and Luna — "escape."

"All right," said Malfoy, looking sulky and disappointed. "And you two can go ahead of me and show me the way," said Umbridge, pointing at Harry and Hermione with her wand. "Lead on..."

The door shut behind them, leaving Ellen and the others alone with the Inquisitorial Squad. Rhode leaned over and picked up Ellen's wand, rolling it between her fingers.

"Put that down, Campbell!" Malfoy snarled at her. "You're lucky to even be here. If it weren't for my father —"

"Shut up." Rhode said calmly, looking up at him with glowing yellow eyes. "You really are an idiot, aren't you Draco?"

The tiny girl snapped and a swarm of familiar pointed candles appeared behind her. She flicked her hand and they flew at the members of the Inquisitorial Squad, stopping just before their faces. "Now let them go or I'll put these through your eyes."

The other Slytherins immediately let go of their hostages, handing them their wands back without a single complaint. Rhode kept smiling up at Malfoy cruelly. "You see, it was really too easy. Lucius Malfoy is terribly simple, very easy to manipulate. All it took was a few favors and some pretty words and little Rebecca Campbell was the newest member of the Inquisitorial Squad by his very own recommendation!"

A candle pressed closer to his cheek, drawing a small dot of blood. "You've targeted my family, Draco. Sweet little Ellen here is my favorite aunt and you wanted to hurt her. What was it you called her again? Oh yes, a filthy beast."

"Well, Draco," Rhode purred, her yellow eyes piercing into his. "It's too bad for you that I'm a filthy beast too."

Her skin bled into a dead grey color, her hair returning to the spiky navy that Ellen knew so well. Rhode giggled maniacally and flicked her hand. One of the candles behind her flew into Malfoy's right shoulder, pinning him into the stone wall. Blood poured from the wound and he cried out in pain.

She looked over at the other Inquisitorial Squad members. "You are going to let us walk out of here and you will not follow, or the next one goes into his heart."

Rhode marched out of the room, looking back with a raised brow until the others jumped up and followed her. Ellen immediately wrapped the girl in a hug, tears in her eyes. "Don't you ever scare me like that again!" She scolded her niece.

"I needed you to think I betrayed you Allen." Rhode shrugged. "You're a terrible actor, it had to be real. Now you all go find Potter and Granger. I'm going to go Obliviate that lot, then fetch Tyki and the rest of the Order."

Ellen nodded at her and the group took off running. Neville was still slightly pale and he kept looking over at Ellen with a scared impression. They ran up to the two who were at the edge of the forest looking rather shook up.

"Anyway, Harry, how exactly were you planning to get all the way to London?" They heard Hermione ask.

"Yeah, we were just wondering that," Ron asked. They grinned when they took in the sigh of their unharmed friends, though a few looked rather disturbed.

"So," said Ron, pushing aside a low-hanging branch and holding out Harry's wand, "had any ideas?"

"How did you get away?" asked Harry in amazement, taking his wand from Ron.

"Rhode might have stabbed Malfoy with a candle.." Ellen trailed off, cringing at the look she got from Hermione. "She's bloody insane, but that's how she works. What've you done with Umbridge?"

"She got carried away," said Harry. "By a herd of centaurs."

"And they left you behind?" asked Ginny, looking astonished.

"No, they got chased off by Grawp," said Harry.

"Who's Grawp?" Luna asked interestedly.

"Hagrid's little brother," said Ron promptly. "Anyway, never mind that now. Harry, what did you find out in the fire? Has You-Know-Who got Sirius or — ?"

"Yes," said Harry, "and I'm sure Sirius is still alive, but I can't see how we're going to get there to help him."

He, Ron, and Hermione all turned to Ellen with expectant looks on their faces. Her eyes widened when she realized what they wanted. "Harry, it's been over a hundred years since I've been to the Ministry. What if they've changed location or they've got new charms. It could hurt you if something goes wrong."

"Ellen, there's no other way." Ron said grimly. "You've got to trust us."

She breathed out shakily and turned to the other three. "What you're all about to see must remain a secret. The last thing I want is for a bunch of humans trying to take it again."

Two of them nodded while Luna just stared dreamily in return. Ellen rolled her shoulders back and steeled herself quickly. She could do this. All she had to do was open a gate. Try as she might, she could not seem to break into the Ark at all. It was like there was something blocking her...

"It won't open!" She whispered. "Why won't it open?"

Stop denying yourself, Allen and the Ark will accept you again... Neah's voice echoed softly through her mind. No more masks, you are not the Crowned Clown anymore.. You are the Musician!

Her eyes snapped open, glowing yellow in the darkness. All the charms she had layered over her person crumbled, showing her true face for the first time in over a century. She could hear Hermione gasp in shock as the skin of a Noah bled across her, dying her a dark grey color. A sense of peace settled over Ellen, her lips twisting into a smile.

Good... Call upon the Ark, Allen, and it will answer...

Ellen laid her hands out in front of her, her palms facing the sky. Bright golden figures rose up, surrounding the group and illuminating the darkness. The others watched in wonder as the figures danced about them while Ellen reached deep within herself. The sounds of a piano playing filled the air, growing by the second. She took a deep and opened her mouth, finally allowing the words to flow out of her mouth in the way that they were intended to.

And so I watch my sweet boy fall fast asleep
Like the embers dying slowly in the fire
One by one, as my mind tires.

I see the faces of all those who sleep in this dark night
Their dreams come forth and spill across the endless sky
Then down to Earth
Where dreamers lie.

Like stars your silver eyes glisten as we watch them
Bright as the sun, you shine so bright my perfect gem
And we watch as our prayers find their way to God

Soon they could return to us, or it may take millions of years

But that won't keep me from praying to Him
Or pleading for my child's soul
And I swear to shower him with my love
And I'll kiss his hand when it's in mine

An Ark gate rose from the ground, shining brighter than she had ever seen before. The doors opened all on their own and she took the hesitant first step into the Ark. It led to the atrium she had first spoken to Harry to all those months ago. Somehow, the Ark seemed more at peace than it had since the day she had claimed it. No longer did the ground seem to sway or the figures seem worn. The whole town was a glowing white, flowers blooming in every windowsill.

She heard the others make their way through the gate, the ones who had never entered gasping in wonder. The spell was broken when she heard Hermione shriek. Ellen whipped around to see the girl pale and pointing across the room. She turned her head slowly, her heart dropping when she realized who was standing there.

Neah.

Ellen leapt in front of the children, her arm raised and crackling with Dark Matter. "How are you here, Neah?" She hissed.

He laughed and shook his head. "We both know I'm not really here, Allen."

The man slowly began to walk over to them, stopping when he was standing in front of Ellen. He reached out to brush his hand over her cheek and frowned when she flinched away. "Don't you dare touch me." Ellen stepped back. "You don't have that right. Now tell me how you're doing this."

Neah rolled his eyes the same way Ellen always did and stepped away. "Before that unfortunate incident with the Clan happened, I saved parts of my memory to the Ark. What you see now is nothing more than a ghost. We only have a few minutes, do you really want to waste them Allen?"

"Stop calling me that!" She snarled at him. "What do you want?"

"What I want, is for you to quit bringing that thing inside of our Ark." Neah murmured, pointing at Harry. "It isn't natural."

"He's just a boy, what are you talking about?"

The Noah continued looking at Harry in disgust. He jerked his hand and the Ark all but dragged Harry over to them, burying his feet in the ground so that the boy could not move. The others went to chase after them before their feet were trapped too, their wands flying to where they could not reach them. Neah grabbed Ellen by the chin and forced her to look at Harry. "Use that disgusting little eye of yours for once. Tell me what you see Allen."

She tried to away but Neah's grip on her chin only tightened. "Fine. But he's just a child, nothing more."

Ellen closed her eyes and called on the power of her cursed eye, feeling it activate for the first time since the akuma were all destroyed. She slowly looked up at Harry, gasping at what she saw. Harry was surrounded by some kind of monster. It was pale and slimy with bright red eyes, sprouting out of where Harry's scar was; the creature was completely wrapped around Harry's body yet the boy did not notice a thing.

"Neah.. What is that thing.." She whispered, staring in horror at the creature.

He hissed under his breath. "It's an abomination."

"Harry." Ellen called out to him. "Come here, I promise nothing's going to happen."

The Ark released his feet and he slowly made his way to Ellen. She reached out with both her hands and grasped his face. "Harry, love, I need you to trust me right now."

"Ellen, no." Harry tried to step away. "Can't you see that he's manipulating you?"

"Don't be scared, I can fix this." She promised. "Just trust me."

"Harry, don't!" Hermione yelled out from behind him. Neah scowled and snapped in her direction, silencing the poor girl.

He turned back to Ellen with a smile. "You have to do it now, Allen. The Sword of Exorcism is still yours, you can call upon it."

Her hand moved of its own accord, a familiar white sword forming in her grip. Bright yellow eyes stared at Harry, a hint of madness playing at the edges. She stroked his cheek softly, smiling at him. "Crown Clown only harms that which is evil."

With a quick motion she had the sword gripped in both hands high above their heads. She looked over at Neah who nodded at her. Ellen took a deep breath and looked at Harry and the others, all of them looking absolutely horrified. She smiled grimly at them before steeling herself and swinging down on Harry with all her might.

Screams filled the air as the sword passed through Harry harmlessly. The boy himself was perfectly fine for a moment before he fell to his knees, gripping his now bleeding forehead. Ellen watched the odd creature scream and writhe in its place on Harry, bright white light spilling out from it. Harry screamed loudly in pain just before the creature burst into ash, floating away in the wind.

Ellen dropped to her knees and pulled the boy close to her. "It's alright, it can't hurt you anymore.. Shh.."

He looked up at her, tears still on his face. "What did you do?"

"I removed whatever what living in your scar. It will never hurt you again, my dear."

She waved her hand and released the others, turning back to Neah. His image was starting to flicker. "Good night, Allen."

"Good morning, Neah." She pressed her lips together as he finally disappeared. The others came rushing up to them once he was gone, surrounding them. Ellen looked up to see five different wands pointed at her. She slowly let go of Harry and stood, holding her hands out in front of her in a soothing motion. "It wasn't going to hurt him, I promise."

"What did you do?" Ron demanded, pointing his wand angrily. "He's covered in blood, how can you say it didn't hurt him?"

"It was trying to consume him! You didn't see it Ron, that thing was just wrong." She shuddered. "I've never seen anything like it."

"And you thought that pulling out a sword was the best idea?" Hermione asked exasperatedly.

Ellen shook her head. "That was the Sword of Exorcism, Hermione. It cannot cut a human, only that which it considers evil. How does your head feel, Harry?"

"It's...quiet," Harry looked confused. "Why does it feel quiet?"

"We can discuss that later." She smiled at him. "But for now we have to rescue Sirius. Ark, open a gate to the Ministry of Magic."

A gate rose from the ground on its own, glowing bright white. Ellen walked up and pushed it open, stepping out. It was all quiet for a moment before she poked her head back in and motioned for them to follow her out. They stepped out into the Atrium, the only sound was the steady rush of water from the golden fountain, where jets from the wands of the witch and wizard, the point of the centaur's arrow, the tip of the goblin's hat, and the house-elf's ears continued to gush into the surrounding pool.

"Come on," said Harry once he collected himself, leading them to a lift. The cool female voice inside of the lift said, "Department of Mysteries," and the grilles slid open again, they stepped out into the corridor where nothing was moving but the nearest torches, flickering in the rush of air from the lift.

"Let's go," Harry whispered, and he led the way down the corridor, Luna right behind him, gazing around with her mouth slightly open.

"Okay, listen," said Harry, stopping in front of the door to wipe some of the blood out of his eyes. "Maybe...maybe a couple of people should stay here as a — as a lookout, and —"

"And how're we going to let you know something's coming?" asked Ginny, her eyebrows raised. "You could be miles away."

"We're coming with you, Harry," said Neville.

"Let's get on with it," said Ron firmly. Harry turned to face the door and walked forward. They were standing in a large, circular room. Everything in here was black including the floor and ceiling — identical, unmarked, handle-less black doors were set at intervals all around the black walls, interspersed with branches of candles whose flames burned blue, their cool, shimmering light reflected in the shining marble floor so that it looked as though there was dark water underfoot.

"Someone shut the door," Harry muttered. Without the long chink of light from the torch-lit corridor behind them, the place became so dark that for a moment the only things they could see were the bunches of shivering blue flames on the walls and their ghostly reflections in the floor below.

There was a great rumbling noise and the candles began to move sideways. The circular wall was rotating. For a few seconds the blue flames around them were blurred to resemble neon lines as the wall sped around and then, quite as suddenly as it had started, the rumbling stopped and everything became stationary once again.

"What was that about?" whispered Ron fearfully.

"I think it was to stop us knowing which door we came in from," said Ginny in a hushed voice.

"How're we going to get back out?" said Neville uncomfortably.

"Well, that doesn't matter now," said Harry forcefully. "We won't need to get out till we've found Sirius —"

"Don't go calling for him, though!" Hermione said urgently.

"Where do we go, then, Harry?" Ron asked.

"I don't —" Harry began. He swallowed. "In the dreams I went through the door at the end of the corridor from the lifts into a dark room — that's this one — and then I went through another door into a room that kind of...glitters. We should try a few doors," he said hastily. "I'll know the right way when I see it. C'mon."

But the room that he led them into was not the correct one. Instead of the aisles that Harry had described to all of them, there are tanks filled with what looked like floating brains. They all rushe out of the room quickly, Hermione marking the door with a flaming 'X'.

Again he strode directly at the door facing him and pushed it open, his wand still raised, the others at his heels. "This is it!"

Ellen was entranced by the beautiful, dancing, diamond-sparkling light. She saw clocks gleaming from every surface, large and small, grandfather and carriage, hanging in spaces between the bookcases or standing on desks ranging the length of the room, so that a busy, relentless ticking filled the place like thousands of minuscule, marching footsteps. The source of the dancing, diamond-bright light was a towering crystal bell jar that stood at the far end of the room.

"This way!" Harry led the way forward down the narrow space between the lines of the desks heading for the source of the light, the crystal bell jar quite as tall as he was that stood on a desk and appeared to be full of a billowing, glittering wind.

They had their wands out and looked suddenly serious and anxious as they approached the door. Harry looked back at the door and pushed. It swung open. They were there, they had found the place: high as a church and full of nothing but towering shelves covered in small, dusty, glass orbs.

They glimmered dully in the light issuing from more candle brackets set at intervals along the shelves. Like those in the circular room behind them, their flames were burning blue. The room was very cold.

"You said it was row ninety-seven," whispered Hermione.

"Keep your wands out," Ellen said softly. They all crept forward, looking up at the numbered rows to try to find the correct one.

"Ninety-seven!" whispered Hermione. They stood grouped around the end of the row, gazing down the alley beside it. There was nobody there.

"He's right down at the end," said Harry, "You can't see properly from here..."

And he led them forward, between the towering rows of glass balls, some of which glowed softly as they passed..."He should be near here," whispered Harry "Anywhere here...really close..."

"Harry?" said Hermione tentatively.

"Somewhere about...here..." he said. They had reached the end of the row and emerged into more dim candlelight. There was nobody there at all. All was echoing, dusty silence.

"He might be..." Harry whispered hoarsely, peering down the alley next door. "Or maybe..." He hurried to look down the one beyond that.

"Harry?" said Hermione again.

"What?" he snarled.

"I...I don't think Sirius is here." Nobody spoke. Ellen clenched her fists tightly. All that worry and Sirius wasn't even around.

"Harry?" Ron called.

"What?"

"Have you seen this?" said Ron.

"What?" said Harry, but eagerly this time. He strode back to where they were all standing, a little way down row ninety-seven, but found nothing except Ron staring at one of the dusty glass spheres on the shelves.

"What?" Harry repeated glumly.

"It's — it's got your name on," said Ron.

"My name?" said Harry blankly.

In spidery writing was written a date of some sixteen years previously, and below that: S. P. T. to A. P. W. B. D. Dark Lord and (?) Harry Potter

"Harry," Ellen said in horror. "That's a prophecy. We need to leave now."

"Very good. Now turn around, nice and slowly, and give that to me."

"To me, Potter," repeated the drawling voice of Lucius Malfoy as he held out his hand, palm up. They were trapped and outnumbered two to one. "To me," said Malfoy yet again.

"Where's Sirius?" Harry said. Several of the Death Eaters laughed. A harsh female voice from the midst of the shadowy figures to Harry's left said triumphantly, "The Dark Lord always knows!"

"Always," echoed Malfoy softly. "Now, give me the prophecy, Potter."

"I want to know where Sirius is!"

"I want to know where Sirius is!" mimicked the woman to his left. She and her fellow Death Eaters had closed in so that they were mere feet away from Harry and the others, the light from their wands dazzling.

"You've got him," said Harry. "He's here. I know he is."

"The little baby woke up fwightened and fort what it dweamed was twoo," said the woman in a horrible, mock-baby voice. Ellen could almost feel the dark matter crackling in her hand once she realized who was speaking.

"Bellatrix.." Ellen snarled, "Why don't you come out where I can see you?"

"Oh, you don't know Potter as I do, Bellatrix," said Malfoy softly. "He has a great weakness for heroics; the Dark Lord understands this about him. Now give me the prophecy, Potter."

Ellen snarled in Lucius's direction. "He's not giving you anything, Malfoy. I'll destroy it before I let any of you have it."

The words were hardly out of her mouth when Bellatrix shrieked, "Accio Proph —"

But Ellen was actually prepared for Bellatrix this time around. She snatched the prophecy out of the air as it went flying out of Harry's hand and pressed her wand to it. "C'mon Bellatrix, that's the oldest trick in the book. Now, won't you tell us what you want with it before I have to destroy it."

Bellatrix did not move; she merely stared at them, the tip of her tongue moistening her thin mouth. "So," said Harry, "what kind of prophecy are we talking about anyway?"

"What kind of prophecy?" repeated Bellatrix, the grin fading from her face. "You jest, Harry Potter."

"Nope, not jesting," said Harry. "How come Voldemort wants it?"

"You dare speak his name?" whispered Bellatrix.

"Yeah," said Harry. "Yeah, I've got no problem saying Vol —"

"Shut your mouth!" Bellatrix shrieked. "You dare speak his name with your unworthy lips, you dare besmirch it with your half-blood's tongue, you dare —"

"Did you know he's a half-blood too?" said Harry recklessly. "Voldemort? Yeah, his mother was a witch but his dad was a Muggle — or has he been telling you lot he's pureblood?"

"STUPEF —"

"NO!" A jet of red light had shot from the end of Bellatrix Lestrange's wand, but Malfoy had deflected it. His spell caused hers to hit the shelf a foot to the left of Harry and several of the glass orbs there shattered. Two figures, pearly white as ghosts, fluid as smoke, unfurled themselves from the fragments of broken glass upon the floor and each began to speak.

Their voices vied with each other, so that only fragments of what they were saying could be heard over Malfoy and Bellatrix's shouts. "...at the Solstice will come a new..." said the figure of an old, bearded man.

"DO NOT ATTACK! WE NEED THE PROPHECY!"

"He dared — he dares —" shrieked Bellatrix incoherently. "— He stands there — filthy half-blood —"

"WAIT UNTIL WE'VE GOT THE PROPHECY!" bawled Malfoy.

"You haven't told me what's so special about this prophecy I'm supposed to be handing over," he said, playing for time. He moved his foot slowly sideways, feeling around for someone else's.

"Do not play games with us, Potter," said Malfoy.

"I'm not playing games," said Harry. And then he found someone's toes and pressed down upon them. A sharp intake of breath beside Ellen told her they were Hermione's. "What?" she whispered.

"Dumbledore never told you that the reason you bear that scar was hidden in the bowels of the Department of Mysteries?" said Malfoy sneeringly.

"I — what?" said Harry. "What about my scar?"

"What?" whispered Hermione more urgently behind him.

"Can this be?" said Malfoy, sounding maliciously delighted; some of the Death Eaters were laughing again, and under cover of their laughter, Harry hissed to Hermione, moving his lips as little as possible, "Smash shelves —"

"Dumbledore never told you?" Malfoy repeated. "Well, this explains why you didn't come earlier, Potter, the Dark Lord wondered why —"

"— when I say go —"

"— you didn't come running when he showed you the place where it was hidden in your dreams. He thought natural curiosity would make you want to hear the exact wording..."

"Did he?" said Harry. "So he wanted me to come and get it, did he? Why?"

"Why?" Malfoy sounded incredulously delighted. "Because the only people who are permitted to retrieve a prophecy from the Department of Mysteries, Potter, are those about whom it was made, as the Dark Lord discovered when he attempted to use others to steal it for him."

"And why did he want to steal a prophecy about me?"

"About both of you, Potter, about both of you...Haven't you ever wondered why the Dark Lord tried to kill you as a baby?" Harry stared into the slitted eyeholes through which Malfoy's gray eyes were gleaming.

"Someone made a prophecy about Voldemort and me?" he said quietly, gazing at Lucius Malfoy, his fingers tightening over the warm glass sphere in his hand. "And he's made me come and get it for him? Why couldn't he come and get it himself?"

"Get it himself?" shrieked Bellatrix on a cackle of mad laughter. "The Dark Lord, walk into the Ministry of Magic, when they are so sweetly ignoring his return? The Dark Lord, reveal himself to the Aurors, when at the moment they are wasting their time on my dear cousin?"

"So he's got you doing his dirty work for him, has he?" said Harry. "Like he tried to get Sturgis to steal it — and Bode?"

"Very good, Potter, very good..." said Malfoy slowly. "But the Dark Lord knows you are not unintell —"

"NOW!" yelled Harry.

Five different voices behind him bellowed "REDUCTO!" while Ellen whispered "Tabescento" under her breath.

Five curses flew in five different directions and the shelves opposite them exploded as they hit. The towering structure swayed as a hundred glass spheres burst apart. The floor beneath the Death Eaters looked as if it was melting away, sucking one man in up to his knees while he screamed.

"RUN!" Harry yelled, and as the shelves swayed precariously and more glass spheres began to pour from above. They all took off sprinting, hoping that what they had done was enough of a lead to get to safety.

"Colloportus!" gasped Hermione once they reached the door, sealing it behind them with a loud squelch.

"Where — where are the others?" gasped Harry. Ellen looked around in a panic noting that Ron, Luna, and Ginny were nowhere to be seen.

"They must have gone the wrong way!" whispered Hermione, terror in her face.

"Listen!" whispered Neville. Footsteps and shouts echoed from behind the door they had just sealed.

"What do we do?" Hermione asked Harry, trembling from head to foot.

"Well, we don't stand here waiting for them to find us, for a start," said Harry. "Let's get away from this door..."

They ran, quietly as they could toward the exit into the circular hallway at the far end of the room. They were almost there when Ellen heard something large and heavy collide with the door Hermione had charmed shut.

"Stand aside!" said a rough voice. "Alohomora!"

As the door flew open, Harry, Hermione, Ellen, and Neville dived under desks. They could see the bottom of the two Death Eaters' robes drawing nearer, their feet moving rapidly. "They might've run straight through to the hall," said the rough voice.

"Check under the desks," said another.

Ellen watched Harry poke his wand out from under the desk he shouted, "STUPEFY!"

A jet of red light hit the nearest Death Eater; he fell backward into a grandfather clock and knocked it over. He went to get up before having to quickly roll out of the way of Ellen's spell. The second Death Eater, however, had leapt aside to avoid Harry's spell and now pointed his own wand at Hermione, who had crawled out from under the desk to get a better aim.

"Avada —" Harry launched himself across the floor and grabbed the Death Eater around the knees, causing him to topple and his aim to go awry.

Neville overturned his desk in his anxiety to help; pointing his wand wildly at the struggling pair he cried, "EXPELLIARMUS !"

Both Harry's and the Death Eater's wands flew out of their hands and soared back toward the entrance to the Hall of Prophecy; both scrambled to their feet and charged after them, the Death Eater in front and Harry hot on his heels, Neville bringing up the rear, plainly horrorstruck at what he had done.

"Get out of the way, Harry!" yelled Neville, clearly determined to repair the damage. Harry flung himself sideways as Neville took aim again and shouted, "STUPEFY!"

The jet of red light flew right over the Death Eater's shoulder and hit a glass-fronted cabinet on the wall full of variously shaped hourglasses. The Death Eater had snatched up his wand, which lay on the floor beside the glittering bell jar.

Harry ducked down behind another desk as the man turned — his mask had slipped so that he could not see, he ripped it off with his free hand and shouted, "STUP —"

"ÎNGHEŢA!" Ellen screamed, flicking her wand at the man. A brilliant blue light went flying, hitting the man straight in the chest. The other watched in horror as the the light seemed to spread from where it hit, covering the Death Eater completely. He gave a muffled groan before he fell off balance, his body shattering into thousands of small blue gems as he hit the floor. "I told you not to touch my godson." She snarled, kicking one of the gems away.

There was a shout from a room nearby, then a crash and a scream. "RON?" Harry yelled, turning quickly from the sight before them.. "GINNY? LUNA?"

"Harry!" Hermione screamed.

"Come on!" he said again, and leaving the shattered Death Eater behind them, they took off for the door, leading back into the black hallway. They had run halfway toward it when Harry saw through the open door two more Death Eaters running across the black room toward them. Veering left he burst instead into a small, dark, cluttered office and slammed the door behind them.

"Collo —" began Hermione, but before she could complete the spell the door had burst open again and the two Death Eaters had come hurtling inside. With a cry of triumph, both yelled, "IMPEDIMENTA!"

Harry, Ellen. Hermione, and Neville were all knocked backward off their feet. Neville was thrown over the desk and disappeared from view, Hermione smashed into a bookcase and was promptly deluged in a cascade of heavy books; the back of Harry's head slammed into the stone wall behind him and Ellen felt herself hit a desk hard enough to break it.

"WE'VE GOT HIM!" yelled the Death Eater nearest Harry, "IN AN OFFICE OFF —"

"Silencio!" cried Hermione, and the man's voice was extinguished. He continued to mouth through the hole in his mask, but no sound came out; he was thrust aside by his fellow.

"Petrificus Totalus!" shouted Harry, as the second Death Eater raised his wand. His arms and legs snapped together and he fell forward, facedown onto the rug at Harry's feet, stiff as a board and unable to move at all.

"Well done, Ha —" But the Death Eater Hermione had just struck dumb made a sudden slashing movement with his wand from which flew a streak of what looked like purple flame. It passed right across Hermione's chest; she gave a tiny "oh!" as though of surprise and then crumpled onto the floor where she lay motionless.

"HERMIONE!" Harry fell to his knees beside her, Ellen soon crouching next to him. Neville crawled rapidly toward her from under the desk, his wand held up in front of him.

The Death Eater kicked out hard at Neville's head as he emerged — his foot broke Neville's wand in two and connected with his face — Neville gave a howl of pain and recoiled, clutching his mouth and nose. Ellen scowed when she recognized Dolohov, the murderous bastard that he was.

Dolohov smirked evilly at the three, the message to hand over the prophecy clearly written on his face.

"You'll just kill us the second we hand it over." She spit out at him, training her wand firmly at the man's chest.

"Whaddever you do, Harry," said Neville fiercely from under the desk, lowering his hands to show a clearly broken nose and blood pouring down his mouth and chin, "don'd gib it to him!"

Then there was a crash outside the door, and Dolohov looked over his shoulder — the Death Eater that Ellen had blinded back in the other room was crashing around, doing his best to get through the door..

Harry seized his chance: "PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!" The spell hit Dolohov before he could block it, and he toppled forward across his comrade, both of them rigid as boards and unable to move an inch.

"Hermione," Harry said at once. "Hermione, wake up..."

"Whaddid he do to her?" said Neville, crawling out from under the desk again to kneel at her other side, blood streaming from his rapidly swelling nose.

Ellen gripped Hermione's wrist, relief filling her as she felt a faint pulse. "She's still alive. But I'm not sure for how much longer."

"We're not far from the exit," Harry whispered. "We're right next to that circular room…Neville, if we can just get you across it and find the right door before any more Death Eaters come, I'll bet you can get Hermione up the corridor and into the lift...Then you could find someone...Raise the alarm..."

"And whad are you going do do?" said Neville, mopping his bleeding nose with his sleeve and frowning at Harry.

"I've got to find the others," said Harry.

"Well, I'b going do find dem wid you," said Neville firmly.

"But Hermione —"

"We'll dake her wid us," said Neville firmly. "I'll carry her — you're bod bedder at fighding dem dan I ab —" He stood up and seized one of Hermione's arms, glared at Harry, who hesitated, then grabbed the other and helped hoist Hermione's limp form over Neville's shoulders.

"Wait," said Harry, snatching up Hermione's wand from the floor and shoving it into Neville's hand, "you'd better take this..."

They crept out of the office and back toward the door into the black hallway, which now seemed completely deserted. They walked a few steps forward, Neville tottering slightly due to Hermione's weight. The door of the Time Room swung shut behind them, and the walls began to rotate once more. With sinking hearts they saw that Hermione's fiery crosses had faded from the doors.

"So which way d'you reck — ?" But before they could make a decision as to which way to try, a door to their right sprang open and three people fell out of it. "Ron!" croaked Harry, dashing toward them. "Ginny — are you all — ?"

"What happened to you?" Ellen tried to get Ron to stand. "How badly are you hurt?

But Ginny shook her head and slid down the wall into a sitting position, panting and holding her ankle. "I think her ankle's broken, I heard something crack," whispered Luna, who was bending over her and who alone seemed to be unhurt. "Four of them chased us into a dark room full of planets, it was a very odd place, some of the time we were just floating in the dark —"

"Harry, we saw Uranus up close!" said Ron, still giggling feebly. "Get it, Harry? We saw Uranus — ha ha ha —"

A bubble of blood grew at the corner of Ron's mouth and burst. "Anyway, one of them grabbed Ginny's foot, I used the Reductor Curse and blew up Pluto in his face, but..." Luna gestured hopelessly at Ginny, who was breathing in a very shallow way, her eyes still closed.

"And what about Ron?" said Harry fearfully, as Ron continued to giggle, still hanging off the front of Harry's robes.

"I don't know what they hit him with," said Luna sadly, "but he's gone a bit funny, I could hardly get him along at all..."

"Harry," said Ron, pulling Harry's ear down to his mouth and still giggling weakly, "you know who this girl is, Harry? She's Loony...Loony Lovegood...ha ha ha..."

"We've got to get out of here," said Harry firmly. "Luna, can you help Ginny?"

"Yes," said Luna, sticking her wand behind her ear for safekeeping, putting an arm around Ginny's waist and pulling her up.

"It's only my ankle, I can do it myself!" said Ginny impatiently, but next moment she had collapsed sideways and grabbed Luna for support. Harry pulled Ron's arm over his shoulder. He heaved Ron toward a door; they were within a few feet of it when another door across the hall burst open and three Death Eaters sped into the hall, led by Bellatrix Lestrange.

"There they are!" she shrieked. Stunning Spells shot across the room: Harry smashed his way through the door ahead, flung Ron unceremoniously from him, and ducked back to help Neville in with Hermione.

They ran for it as Bellatrix Lestrange sprinted right at them. Harry held the prophecy high over his head and took off sprinting in another direction, Ellen trailing closely behind. They ran a few feet into the new room and felt the floor vanish — They were falling down the stairs, bouncing along until they landed with a crash in the sunken pit where the stone archway stood on its dais.

The whole room was ringing with the Death Eaters' laughter. Ellen carefully helped Harry stand on shaking legs, sighing in relief when the prophecy sat unbroken in his left hand. They climbed onto the dais quickly, standing back to back with wands drawn.

"Potter, your race is run," drawled Lucius Malfoy, pulling off his mask. "Now hand me the prophecy like a good boy..."

"Let — let the others go, and I'll give it to you!" said Harry desperately. A few of the Death Eaters laughed.

"You are not in a position to bargain, Potter," said Lucius Malfoy, his pale face flushed with pleasure. "You see, there are ten of us and only two of you...or hasn't Dumbledore ever taught you how to count?"

"He's dot alone!" shouted a voice from above them. "He's still god be!"

Neville was scrambling down the stone benches toward them, Hermione's wand held fast in his trembling hand. "Neville — no — go back to Ron —"

"STUBEFY!" Neville shouted again, pointing his wand at each Death Eater in turn, "STUBEFY! STUBE —" One of the largest Death Eaters seized Neville from behind, pinioning his arms to his sides. He struggled and kicked; several of the Death Eaters laughed.

"It's Longbottom, isn't it?" sneered Lucius Malfoy. "Well, your grandmother is used to losing family members to our cause...Your death will not come as a great shock..."

"Longbottom?" repeated Bellatrix, and a truly evil smile lit her gaunt face. "Why, I have had the pleasure of meeting your parents, boy..."

"I DOE YOU HAB!" roared Neville, and he fought so hard against his captor's encircling grip that the Death Eater shouted, "Someone Stun him!"

"No, no, no," said Bellatrix. She looked transported, alive with excitement as she glanced at Harry, then back at Neville. "No, let's see how long Longbottom lasts before he cracks like his parents...Unless Potter wants to give us the prophecy —"

"DON'D GIB ID DO DEM!" roared Neville, who seemed beside himself, kicking and writhing as Bellatrix drew nearer to him and his captor, her wand raised. "DON'D GIB ID DO DEM, Harry!"

Bellatrix raised her wand. "Crucio!"

Neville screamed, his legs drawn up to his chest so that the Death Eater holding him was momentarily holding him off the ground. The Death Eater dropped him and he fell to the floor, twitching and screaming in agony.

"That was just a taster!" said Bellatrix, raising her wand so that Neville's screams stopped and he lay sobbing at her feet. She turned and gazed up at Harry. "Now, Potter, either give us the prophecy, or watch your little friend die the hard way!"

Harry reached out to hand them the prophecy, his hand shaking severely. Then, high above them, two more doors burst open and eight more people sprinted into the room: Sirius, Remus, Sheril, Jasdevit, Moody, Tonks, and Kingsley.

Malfoy turned and raised his wand, but Tonks had already sent a Stunning Spell right at him. The Death Eaters were completely distracted by the appearance of the members of the Order, who were now raining spells down upon them as they jumped from step to step toward the sunken floor.

She grinned despite herself when she saw Rhode and Tyki burst into the room moments later. She ran to them, throwing spells at every Death Eater that tried to get in her way. "Glad you finally made it." Ellen panted, sending a stunner at the wizard behind them.

"And miss all the fun?" Rhode giggled. "Now, let the show begin~"

Rhode raced off into the skirmish with her wand drawn and candles floating in the air above them. She could faintly hear the girl's cackling when someone screamed out in pain.

She and Tyki stood back to back just as she had with Harry moments before. Time blurred around them as they dueled the Death Eaters in front of them. Ellen could almost see the shock in their eyes when she threw dark curse after dark curse at them, consequences of her actions be damned.

Ellen looked over, her eyes widening in horror. "Paddy.."

Sirius was facing off against Dolohov next to them. She watched in dim shock as Dolohov drew back his wand to make the same slashing movement he had used on Harry and Hermione.

A blur passed by her and all she saw was a hand sticking out of Dolohov's chest. Tyki smirked and pulled his arm out quickly, enjoying the scream that ripped through the Death Eater before he was silenced forever.

"Nice one!" shouted Sirius, forcing Harry's head down as a pair of Stunning Spells flew toward them. "Harry, I want you to get out of —"

A jet of green light had narrowly missed Sirius; across the room Ellen saw Tonks fall from halfway up the stone steps, her limp form toppling from stone seat to stone seat, and Bellatrix, triumphant, running back toward the fray.

"Harry, take the prophecy, grab Neville, and run!" Sirius yelled, dashing to meet Bellatrix. Ellen and Tyki rejoined the fray, unashamedly using their gifts as Noahs when needed. Wands shattered the moment Ellen touched them and more than one Death Eater had their internal organs shredded by Tyki's hand.

"DUBBLEDORE!" Ellen heard Neville shout, turning around quickly. Directly above them, framed in the doorway from the Brain Room, stood Albus Dumbledore, his wand aloft, his face white and furious.

Dumbledore sped down the steps past Neville and Harry, who had no more thought of leaving. Dumbledore was already at the foot of the steps when the Death Eaters nearest realized he was there. There were yells; one of the Death Eaters ran for it, scrabbling like a monkey up the stone steps opposite. Dumbledore's spell pulled him back as easily and effortlessly as though he had hooked him with an invisible line — Only one couple were still battling, apparently unaware of the new arrival.

Ellen saw Sirius duck Bellatrix's jet of red light: He was laughing at her. "Come on, you can do better than that!" he yelled, his voice echoing around the cavernous room.

The second jet of light hit him squarely on the chest. The laughter had not quite died from his face, but his eyes widened in shock.

It seemed to take Sirius an age to fall. His body curved in a graceful arc as he sank backward towards the veil. Ellen watched him move his hand oddly and mouth something to himself, his face mingled fear and surprise as he disappeared before the ancient doorway, the veil fluttering for a moment as though in a high wind and then fell back into place.

Then all was silent.

ÎNGHEŢA = FREEZE in Romanian.

I figured since it was a language that came from Latin then it would make sense that there are spells in all of the Romance languages.

Ellen opening the Ark with all the gold figures is like what's coming up from the piano during this part! https / / www. you tube watch? v= 59OO1rHuuNc

The english translation of the Fourteenth's song https / / www. you tube watch? v= ZJrn3DES43U&list = PLGQnwxHhoq_ WtIO4RQS9 xTN0XsU22x9M p&index= 20