A/N) Thank you to everyone for the reviews! I am currently writing Chapter 51, which I am hoping will be the first longer chapter for this fic... I am trying to write between 2000-5000 words for each chapter, whether I'll manage that or not remains to be seen. I do like to be a bit ahead of myself, so I am hoping I will remain at least 3 chapters ahead so that I do have something to post if I do get stuck. Though its Harry's fifth year, elements of sixth year are being introduced, which will start from Chapter 51.

Enjoy!

Chapter Forty-Seven: Suspicions

Thursday 24th September 1995

"I've only just found out that Slytherin have a new Seeker this year. Seems Malfoy has pulled out of the team this year. He's given no reason for it either. We've been training the last few weeks thinking that Harry will be playing opposite him. But he's not," explained Angelina, pacing around the Team Changing Rooms.

"Do we know who is replacing him?" asked Fred Weasley, holding his broom tightly in his right hand.

Angelina shook her head. "No. Whoever it is they are keeping hidden."

"Maybe they haven't replaced him yet?" said Harry. "We've started training rather early this year. The match isn't until November. I'm not complaining..." he added hastily when Angelina through him a dirty look.

"In case you hadn't noticed we have a new Keeper!" she yelled angrily.

Ron's cheeks went bright red.

"I know," replied Harry. "And it is a good thing we have started training, but Slytherin might not have, so they wouldn't have found Malfoy's replacement yet."

"He has a point," said George, folding his arms. "I am not begrudging us beginning training early either. Once they start training we will know who the Seeker is and whether they can match up to Harry's talent on the pitch."

Angelina sighed. "I still want all of you keeping an ear out for any word on their new Seeker. We cannot afford to get complacent!"

The team exchanged weary looks. They had encountered the same behaviour from Oliver Wood two years ago during his last year. He had been desperate to win the Quidditch Cup, but his hard working off the team had paid off. They had succeeded in winning the Cup and after seven years of losing constantly to Slytherin, Gryffindor House did not want to lose the Cup again after winning it.

"We won't get complacent," grinned Harry. "Quidditch is important to us."

"Just you wait," smiled Katie Bell, "we'll win the Cup again this year."

"And that's a promise!" chorused the Weasley twins.

Angelina couldn't help but smile over her team's enthusiasm.

However Harry's thoughts were elsewhere after they stepped onto the pitch, as he circled above looking for the Golden Snitch. Malfoy pulling out of the Quidditch team only enforced his thoughts that Draco Malfoy was up to something. He had, after-all, been acting very suspiciously the last few weeks. He had seemed distracted, and not his usual over-bearing self. And that was odd.

"We have received a tip-off from a source that Lucius Malfoy is planning an attack on the Ministry of Magic," said Kingsley Shacklebolt quietly. He and Sirius were alone in Kingsley's office. If anyone was trying to overhear their conversation they wouldn't be able to. A successful silencing charm prevented anyone from listening in.

"What do you want me to do about it?" asked Sirius, his mouth suddenly dry. If the Ministry fell, Voldemort would have control of the Wizarding World. Oh, he had spies in each department – the Aurors had tracked them all down, but had yet to haul them in for questioning (though they had yet to find the leak that was within the Aurors, but they were certain there was one) – and he could theoretically take the Ministry through blackmail, but sometimes a direct attack was all it took to shatter the Wizarding communities faith in their heroes and government. Voldemort was gaining power quickly, and if they didn't act accordingly, everything they stood for could be lost with one swift strike. Sirius understood what Kingsley was going to ask of him even before he requested it.

"I need you to prepare a trap and increase security so that it doesn't alert his spies that we know he is coming. This is a test for you – to see how well you work under pressure. Rufus has requested this task to be delegated to you. If you succeed, you are in line for a promotion – or at least no longer needing a shadow when you're out on field missions. Plus you won't be constrained to just my team alone as you are aware when Cornelius was Minister he did put that restriction on you. Rufus has more faith in your abilities, but he does have to make sure," explained Kingsley. "You will be on your own to prepare the trap and deciding what security to increase, however I have been told to keep an eye on you and report back."

Sirius shrugged. "As long as I'm not discriminated against for being a Black...?"

Kingsley laughed, folding his arms behind his back. "Unfortunately, I think there are still those out there judging you on your last name however public opinion is in your favour. They trust you more now than they did a year ago. Voldemort's constant attacks on you have helped in that respect."

"Great," supplied Sirius, leaning back in his chair, hands behind his head. "So, I guess I'd better make a start on these security arrangements and concocting a trap for the ever slippery Lucius Malfoy?"

"It might be a good idea," winked Kingsley.

Sirius rolled his eyes in his superior's direction, scowling.

Sunday 27th September 1995

All was silent within the Ministry of Magic. Even the usual guards were certain that nothing was wrong as they strolled around, checking every floor and inch of the Ministry. They did not believe that they could for any instant be in danger. When they did discover to their horror that their security was compromised, it was already too late to raise the alarm as flashes of green light snuffed out their lives before either could take any action against the intruders.

Fortunately Sirius Black's improved security measures – though unable to save the lives of two of the guards on duty – had been tripped as soon as dark magic users were detected within the vicinity of the Ministry. Everyone assumed that an attack would come from the Floo network, but no one expected for them to use the visitor entrance. Sirius had been far smarter than that, having been the son of a very cunning and resourceful father who always looked at every possible method. Lucius Malfoy employed the same techniques. It had not escaped Sirius that they might use the visitor's entrance, especially after it was made common knowledge that any unauthorised personnel entering the Ministry during restricted hours would set the alarms off immediately and hovering stunning spells would automatically be set off.

The Visitor's entrance was the only way of getting in undetected and unauthorised during the night. All Sirius had done was charm the entrance to recognise dark magic users and if anyone stepped inside that phone booth, his wand would automatically shake.

As soon as that event had occurred, Sirius had gathered the Aurors and trusted members of the Order to the Ministry. He had already ensured that they had night-time passes so that the security system would not be set off by them arriving via Floo. Of course, no one had known he was planning this and had been equally surprised when he had contacted them to get to the Ministry, after handing them their pass bracelets.

All in all, Sirius had successfully been able to act quickly and efficiently in the event of an attack.

His quick thinking and successful planning enabled them to get to the Ministry in record time, before the Death Eaters had even left the Atrium. Voldemort had not been among them, nor had the Lestrange's. No damage had been done to the Fountain and the Ministry had acquired Lucius Malfoy during the ensuring fight, however most of the Death Eaters had escaped once the combined efforts of the Order and the Aurors had fallen down upon them.

Even their escape could not stop Sirius thinking that they had achieved something. They had captured one of Voldemort's prime Death Eaters. Finally they were having some element of success in the war that had only just begun.

Harry grimaced as he lowered the Monday edition of the Daily Prophet to the table. "Malfoy is not going to be pleased."

"He doesn't look it..." whispered Hermione as she cast her eyes over the Slytherin table.

Harry and Ron both turned their heads to look in Malfoy's direction. As soon as Malfoy's eyes locked with Harry his eyes flashed dangerously. "He's not happy..." swallowed Harry.

"In fact, I'd say he might be mad..." finished Ron, shoving the rest of his half-eaten sausage into his mouth.

"He's mad at me," emphasised Harry, "all because Sirius was the one whose trap caught his father."

"It's not your fault," said Hermione gently. "If he thinks his father will get immunity because he's rich and used to be powerful then he's dead wrong. The world knows what Lucius Malfoy is. They're never going to trust a Malfoy again – at least, not in Draco's life."

"I still think Malfoy is up to something," said Harry quietly.

"Huh?" Hermione and Ron were looking at him as if he had grown another head.

"Oh," blushed Harry. He had never told them of his suspicions regarding Draco Malfoy being the student they had overheard to have been given the task to kill Dumbledore. "I never said, did I?" He lowered his voice; Hermione leaning over the table so he did not have to speak louder. "I think Malfoy is the one who has been given that task we heard about over the summer..."

"Malfoy? A Death Eater? He's only fifteen!" spluttered Ron.

"I know it sounds ridiculous," began Harry, but Hermione cut him off: "It is ridiculous, Harry."

Harry sighed. "You don't know that, but I think he is involved. Why isn't he a Prefect? Why isn't he part of the Slytherin Quidditch team? Why isn't he his usual self? Surely you've noticed the change in him! You noticed Dumbledore being gone."

Biting her lip, Hermione nodded. "You could be right, but it doesn't make sense for it to be Malfoy when there are other budding Death Eaters in Slytherin. Malfoy isn't the only one who has a Death Eater for a father."

"Maybe so," said Harry, "but something is going on with him, I'm sure of it."

Both Ron and Hermione already knew that trying to talk Harry out of something once it was wedged firmly in his head was practically impossible. Exchanging significant looks, they returned to their meals, leaving Harry to ponder his thoughts alone.

His back pocket vibrated and Sirius jumped up. He scrambled for his pocket, extracting the mirror. "James Potter," he said, and immediately Harry's face appeared in his mirror. "Hey, Harry."

"It is so weird hearing you call me that," frowned Harry.

Sirius shrugged helplessly. "If I could change the spell that would allow the mirror to recognise your own name I would, but I can't."

"Only dad can," said Harry sadly.

Sirius felt a twinge of guilt. "It was a failsafe of ours. We didn't think that... anything bad would happen. We were naive in that respect, Harry." He sighed. He really did miss his best friend. "I gather you were calling me for a different reason?"

"I was." Harry bit his lip. "Sirius, we know that there is a plot about someone trying to kill Professor Dumbledore."

Sirius paled. "Ah. You really did learn a lot over the summer."

"We did," admitted Harry, lowering his gaze. "I think I know who has been tasked to kill him. It's Malfoy."

"You know I can't say anything," said Sirius. "And I'm not confirming or denying anything either!"

Harry frowned. "I hate not knowing anything."

"So did I when I was your age. I know how you feel, Harry, and it is not fair. You deserve to know."

"What's stopping you from telling me? You're my guardian!"

"To put it bluntly: Dumbledore. I could overrule him but he says, quite explicitly, that the more you know about the Order and what is going on, the more you become a member. You are too young to be a member. It's that simple. Quite frankly, Harry, I can tell you, but there are some details of the war that even a fifteen year old boy is too young to know."

Harry glared, his bright green eyes reflecting angrily in the mirror.

"And your parents would kill me if I didn't try to protect you from the darker aspects of the war," said Sirius. "In fact, I'm quite surprised James hasn't come back to haunt me for failing you."

"You've never failed me, Sirius," said Harry. "You just made a mistake."

"One that kept me away from you for years," added Sirius bitterly. "Harry, anything that I think you should know I will tell you, but this plot you know of has nothing to do with you. It's between Dumbledore and that specific student. Everything is in hand. He knows what he is doing and he will be training you to give you the best chance of success. He believes in you Harry; we all do!"

"You really know how to cheer me up over not being privy to sensitive information, don't you?" asked Harry, grinning slightly.

Sirius laughed. "Well, I did know James and Lily very well and you are like them."

"That means a lot to me, Sirius," smiled Harry. It was clear, that though he was unable to confirm his theories over Draco Malfoy, that at least he was feeling better that at least some information was being shared with him.

"I know it does."

To be continued...

Please let me know what you think!

Next chapter: Hogsmeade - in which Sirius and Dumbledore have a talk; Snape tries something foolhardy, and the first Hogsmeade trip of the year occurs...

I am going to try to update at least twice a week. I aim to post on a Monday and a Thursday, so I'll will probably update Friday this week and start with this schedule from next Monday.

Thanks everyone!

the-writer1988