Ok this chapter is shorter because there isn't much to write. Though I did give you a lot in the last chapter...
I'll explain why it's short at the end of the chapter.
I hope you all enjoy it =)
Chapter 22
Life in the House of Black could be summed up in one word. It wasn't something complex or hard to understand either it was just four letters long... Dull.
Nearly two months had passed since Danny escaped form Hogwarts with Dumbledore. This left him without something to do on a daily basis, like watching over Harry. Even the loss of the unlimited amount of books and watching the silly antics of the students made Danny's daily life in the house unbearably boring.
The presence of Sirius didn't help at all in the house, in some ways it made it worse. Seeing Sirius practically drag his feet when he walked and sitting silently on the table ignoring Danny's ghostly presence.
With the mad mutterings of Kreacher as the only company between the two, things seemed very miserable.
The boredom that built up in the first month in Grimmauld Place had Danny begging for more shifts in the Department of Mysteries and volunteered on missions that were supposed to be boring.
Danny practically guarded the prophecy almost on a nightly basis.
'But anything is better than being stuck in this house' Danny thought bitterly.
As Danny thought about it, he truly felt bad for Sirius now. He's forced to stay in the house with almost no escape, hoping for visitors to keep him company. He didn't even make an effort of trying to talk to the ghost boy.
It was almost like Sirius completely resented the ghost boy instead of actually trying to get along with him.
But, this was the life that Danny was forced to live, he hated every minute in the dusty old home wishing for more and more freedom from the house, getting himself outside in the clean air.
Sirius was trying to repair the chandelier hanging in Buckbeak's room, seemly falling down on the ground completely spooking the winged beast.
Sirius asked for Danny's assistance, the halfa agreed, having nothing better to do.
Once the two of them finally calmed the hippogriff down Danny lifted the chandelier off the ground and attached it back onto the chain hanging from the ceiling.
The job took just an hour of the two's time.
Once they were both done the two of them went down to make themselves dinner.
As Danny sat down, alone on the table chewing down on the sandwich in front of him, staying silent between the company of the older wizard in front of him.
Just as Danny took another bite in the meat hanging on the edge of the two pieces of bread, he saw a spark come out of the fireplace.
The young halfa just shrugged it off thinking that it must have been a trick of the light. When he stared back into his food he heard someone speak desperately through the fire.
"Sirius! Sirius, are you there?"
Sirius jumped in his seat, instantly looking around for the voice before he turned around towards the fireplace.
The fire looked as though it was barely burning before he looked into the burnt wood and noticed the face of Remus Lupin had appeared in the wood.
"Remus?" Sirius asked in confusion. "Yes, I'm here. Where else would I be?"
"Oh no." Lupin said gravely.
Sirius face scrunched in confusion as he stared into the fire.
"What's happened Remus."
"Harry has gone to the Department of Mysteries, thinking that he's saving you from You-Know-Who." Lupin explained.
"How are you sure of this?" Sirius said shaken.
"Snape found out from a code Harry told him. He must have tried to contact you by Floo Powder. But, he was caught by Umbridge."
"Shouldn't he still be in Hogwarts?" Sirius enquired.
"Snape says that he's disappeared. So we must assume that he's been lead to a trap by You Know Who to get the prophecy." Remus explained sadly.
Sirius and Danny didn't know what to say, they just stared into the fire not knowing what to do.
"Snape has contacted Tonks, Shacklebolt and I so far." Lupin started before he went into more grave details. "We need Phantom's help."
Danny was about to reply before Sirius interrupted him.
"Then Phantom and I are on the way." Sirius said with a fierce look in his eye.
"Sirius you can't leave the-"
"He is my godson and will not stay on the side lines! I'm coming to fight Remus!" Sirius yelled letting his pent up anger.
Lupin sighed looking at his friend with sympathy. "Very well, were meeting at the front of the Department of Mysteries."
"See you there" Sirius said in between pants.
Then the face disappeared in the fire leaving Sirius and Danny alone.
"Let's get going" Sirius ordered midstride.
Danny obeyed, floating alongside the wizard with haste.
Sirius walked with more purpose than the young ghost boy had ever seen. He strided like a mad man as he walked down the steps in front of the house. He turned towards the alley down the street.
"Grab hold" Sirius said.
Danny did as the wizard said and grabbed onto his arm.
The cold ghostly presence didn't even make the wizard flinch as he stood rigid, concentrating on the spell.
"Let me make us invisible when you apparate so then were invisible in the Ministry." Danny proposed.
"Good idea"
Danny focussed for just a moment before he tapped into the familiar power making him and Sirius's bodies see through.
"Apparo"
And with a loud pop the ghost boy and convicted criminal of the wizard world left the alley way in a blink.
So, if you've read 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix' then you'll understand what's coming next. This chapter sets up the end of the story, making it the prelude.
That's why the chapter is so short, because of it being the prelude.
Also, you should all be excited for the next few chapters. They're all going to be very exciting!
As always, remember to REVIEW! I always like to hear what you think. =)
Until next time,
Prophet =P