Disclaimer: I'm not JKR.

A/N Right, I'm really sorry for not updating on Saturday, as I usually do, but the wifi broke down for five whole days. I know, the world sort of ended. Not really, but it seriously sucked. I literally borrowed like seven books from the school library to keep myself occupied and distracted from the thought that my dad was meeting my teachers... yeah. So before I ramble on further and embarrass myself, here's the new chapter!

The Unspeakables had their own self-updating history books, detailing just about everything about them from when they were established, where their institute used to be and how they operated. The box Harry and his friends had received contained these books and a whole lot more.

This was what the Unspeakables called 'pre-basic training'. All new recruits had to first go through certain precautions, tests and procedures before starting their actual training. This would take around six months. The actual training would then begin, and that could span any amount of time, from three years to nearly six. There was no real end. You would never stop learning, and apart from that, every year even the fully trained Unspeakables had to go in for a short one or two months 'catching-up' training, where they got up-to date with any modern skills and equipment while working on any weak points they had.

The 'pre-basic' training involved learning Occlumency, working on their fitness, learning history that was far more interesting than what Binns taught, learning how the Ministry worked, who was in power, the law, knowing the structure of the Ministry, St. Mungos, and Hogwarts by heart, finding out any latent or dormant abilities they had, their potential (magical and otherwise) and their animagus forms, among others. Unlike what most people said, most witches and wizards had two or forms which needed to be learned one after the other, if at all. Many powerful witches and wizards could even have three forms! All of the forms would share certain features like colour or special markings. Another fact was that some of the characteristics of your forms would always transfer to your human form.

Another thing that interested the Trio was Magical Theory. Magic had always been there, since the beginning of Time (something even the Unspeakables only vaguely knew about) and it manifested itself in many different forms. It did not depend on incantations and wands and runes. These were needed to control and manipulate it. Wizards used these to focus their magic because it was so wild and uncontrollable. Wandless magic could only be performed if the caster's mind, will and intent were strictly disciplined, organised and strong. This was the reason non-verbal magic was taught only to sixth-years and above.

Magic, the book said, was something humans would never be able to completely understand. It was something far beyond spells and curses. Its threads had to be caught, honed and woven into the fabric of your intent. Runic and inscribed magic were some of the oldest forms of controlled magic there was. While wands directed the magic from a person's own magical core, runes and other written or carved inscriptions derived most of their power from the dormant magic in the Earth's atmosphere. All they needed was a small amount of 'activation magic' from the person writing them, and the rest was history. It was why the wards of old buildings like Hogwarts were so strong. Catalysts, usually gems and precious stones, simply made them even more powerful.

But this was not what the Trio were talking about right now. They were talking about some other rather startling developments 'Zeus' the Head Unspeakable had given them about the Sirius Black case. They were walking along the edge of the Forbidden Forest shortly after Oliver's freak-out over the Hufflepuff team playing instead of Slytherin. Now, normal people would never venture out during such terrible weather especially near such a dangerous forest; in fact, it was against the rules. But the Trio were not considered normal in any way, and as far as anyone else knew, they were at this moment in Charms. After all, no one could be in two places at once. Right?

"Right," said Ron, who was about as bothered by the blowing winds as his friends (which was not at all). "So Black apparently managed to blow up a gas pipe and kill thirteen people (including twelve Muggles) while being in the completely wrong angle and distance to do so and in front of about hundred witnesses, despite being reported as a 'very intelligent' man? Either the Unspeakables have gotten it wrong or Black was just plain barmy even before Azkaban"

"And Zeus is right, it doesn't make sense! They found the charred bodies of the Muggles but all they found of Pettigrew-" Hermione was cut off by a somewhat strained, emotionless voice.

"Was a finger and some tattered pieces of cloth. And there's no trial transcript," said Harry, grimly. Ron and Hermione felt their eyes widen in horror as they stopped in their tracks, just in front of a small rabbit path leading into the Forest.

"WHAT?"

Harry's lips thinned into a pink line, angry green eyes standing out against his pale skin. "Percy found out. He wants to join the DMLE and was going through the trials of Death Eaters. If Black was a captured Death Eater, why isn't his trial there? The only logical explanation is that there wasn't one".

They stood there, contemplating this. Finally, Ron said, "It sounds like something else the Ministry messed up".

The other two let out loud sighs. "Of course it does," cried Hermione, frustrated, her hands clenching into fists. "The damned Ministry! It needs to be fixed, and quickly! How people let Fudge walk all over them- urgh!"

"It's because he's got Malfoy Senior behind him," said Ron bitterly, kicking a stone in front of him. It landed quite far away. "Him and his bloody 'donations'''.

"So doesn't this mean Black might be innocent?" said Harry, slowly, his brows furrowed. The others stared at him. He continued, oblivious. "There's a good chance, I mean especially since we don't know exactly what happened from his point of view. But there's something we're missing here. We need more information"

Hermione nodded. "We can't prove anything until we get- well- proof"

Ron broke in, saying "It's time to go, we've got five minutes, and the dementors are coming this way". And so they were. As they were running, Harry silently told himself to check if there was a way to repel them and possibly teach the students. Maybe they could ask Lupin?

And from the bushes, a large black dog moved silently back into the forest.

Harry couldn't sleep. This was not uncommon; he had been suffering from insomnia from as long as he could remember, and he was a light sleeper even then. This time however, he felt as though he was up for a reason, if the twisting knot of apprehensive anticipation in his stomach was any indication.

He stood in the shadows, his elbows on the sill of the common room window, looking blankly out into the starless night. The moon was full and it cast an eerie glow over the Forbidden Forest, somehow making it seem far more haunted than before. He watched with a kind of detached fascination as a dark shapes seem to dance under the Whomping Willow. He shook his head. Of all things to be imagining at this time in the night, he had to come up with werewolves and grims? How depressing. Wait... what?

Harry's brows knitted together. He leaned out of the window slightly, squinting his eyes. No, he certainly wasn't dreaming. There was a werewolf there and it appeared to be fighting with- the grim. Why did death seem to follow him about?

He looked again- but the shapes had disappeared. Feeling an uneasy feeling of missing something, something important, he went back to bed.

The next morning, he came downstairs early, the scene he'd witnessed still fresh in his mind. Something, something was connected to this, but he couldn't put his finger on it and he doubted he'd get any rest until he figured out what was going on.

He was so engrossed in his own thoughts that he didn't see Hermione until she wished him good morning. He looked up, distracted, and blinked at her blearily.

"Oh, hi Hermione"

He then relayed what he saw to her. When he finished, she was frowning thoughtfully.

"I think we need to inform Zeus"

Just then, Ron came down the stairs. "Inform Zeus of what?" he yawned loudly. Harry told him.

"There's something fishy going on at Hogwarts," he finished. When Ron just gave him a 'well, duh' look, he shrugged and said, "I'm starving"

Lame, I know. Next chapter will be better. This is a sort of filler. I've been running around playing Hermes the messenger to a lot of people so I've been a bit stressed. But anyways, I'm back now, and hopefully I'll update soon. Review!