Part 1

-

Fred and George bragged to Harry about some of the crazy inventions they'd come up with. Apparently Cedric had gotten in on the action, and was looking for someone at Hogwarts with experience in spell creation.

He'd already checked in the outer wizarding world, but most of the people he'd heard of had mysteriously disappeared. Apparently Cedric had discovered one person who hadn't disappeared, but apparently they'd died in an accident years ago.

Harry didn't know any inventors, but figured Dumbeldore might know something. Ron and Hermione didn't have any other ideas, so the group decided to ask around at Hogwarts.

Then Ron mentioned something. "Hey Harry. Did Sirius seem a little off to you?"

Harry raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, he really doesn't want you involved in any of the order stuff."

Hermione huffed. "He's just trying to protect Harry. Honestly Ronald, I'd think you'd want Harry out of danger more than anyone."

Ron sighed. "Hermione, he's already in danger. What's wrong with him getting all the information?" Fred and George both nodded in agreement.

Hermione facepalmed. "Oh for the love of...that's not what I meant." She looked at Harry. "Though I do have an issue with keeping us all in the dark. Even Cedric barely gets any information."

"So you're not against getting information?"

"No...but I still feel like Of course not!"

George leaned in, smiling as he held up an ear on a string. "So you're not against breaking some rules?"

Fred and George snickered. "What's wrong with a little danger?"

"Yeah! Danger time!" Ginny yelled. Everyone looked at her. "What?"

-

Part 2

-

Fred dropped the ear over a handrail, lowering the string to the main floor. The adults, minus Cedric, Fred, and George were in the kitchen, behind closed doors. Mrs. Weasley's voice came through a crack. "We need to catch Crouch. He'll lead us to either Grindlewald or Voldemort."

"Yeah, it's like he vanished. But how do we know for certain that Crouch and Grindlewald are linked?" Sirius said.

Mcgonnagall responded. "Dumbledore believes Grindlewald was freed by death eaters. Apparently there were several of their number in the United States before he appeared."

"Well, there's still Wormtail." Sirius said, venom in his voice.

"Yeah...that could" Ruffle, Ruffle, Rut! The ear popped off the string. Crookshanks ran off with the ear.

"Crookshanks! You get back here!" Hermione whisper-yelled.

The other Hogwarts students looked at her. Fred and George raised their eyebrows playfully. "Hermione, have you been working against us?"

"For the last time. Crookshanks does what he wants!" Hermione grumbled. Ron, Cedric, and Ginny laughed.

Harry looked between everyone. "Uh…am I missing something here?"

"Crookshanks has been messing with us for the last week and helping Sirius. No idea why." Cedric said.

"Yeah, feel like we've been catfished." Fred said.

Hermione sighed. "Not this again."

George leaned in. "Oh come, we're just kitten around."

Everyone groaned, then Fred spoke. "Hey, that joke was purrfect."

Hermione facepalmed. "They've been doing this all week. And they won't stop."

-

Part 3

-

"Thanks Kreacher. You're the best." Sirius said as the house elf brought over glasses of butterbeer and pumpkin juice, giving them to everyone sitting at the dinner table.

"No problem." Kreacher snapped his fingers vanishing.

Lupin leaned over toward Sirius. "Seriously, since when is Kreacher nice? It's been weirding me out all summer."

Sirius shrugged. "Eh, who knows. I'm not gonna complain about it." He bit into some stuffed eel.

The meal went by quickly, and soon everyone was going to bed. Harry felt a sense of calm. His sleep was anything but. At first he dreamed of Hogwarts, walking through the stone hallways and spending time in the Gryffindor common room.

Then it morphed to Sirius on his hands and feet. His face and body were covered with cuts and bruises. A dark room with stone walls surrounded him. It was empty except for a figure in black robes. His red eyes glared from a pale face, disfigured so badly he didn't even seem human anymore.

Sirius glared at the man. "You're not gonna break me that easily." A smirk formed on his face. "Come one Voldemort. What else you got?"

Voldemort's sneer melted in a demented grin. "Oh, you didn't realize? You're not the one I want to break." He turned to face Harry.

Harry sat up, drenched in sweat. His breath exploded, louder than his pounding heart. Ron stirred, looking over Harry's bed. "You all right?"

Harry shook his head. "Sirius."

"What?" Ron raised an eyebrow.

Harry jumped to his feet. "I need to check something." He rushed out of the room, Ron following. Cedric, Fred, and George kept sleeping.

"Where are you going?" Ron kept following Harry through the house.

They went to Sirius's room where Harry knocked on the door. "Sirius! Sirius!" Ron stared at Harry with utter confusion on his face.

"What?" A voice from inside the room. After almost a minute, the door opened. Sirius stood there, a small bottle of liquid in his hand. His eyes drooped, ready to close at any moment. "Harry? Bloody hell, what time is it?"

Harry breathed a sigh of relief, then got really embarrassed. "Sorry. I-I guess it's nothing."

Sirius'a face suddenly looked more awake. "You got up at midnight to see. Something's clearly up."

"W-well...I." Harry sighed. "Just had a nightmare about you. That's all."

"Oh. Uh...well…" Sirius clicked his tongue. "What happened?"

"Voldemort was torturing you. Then he turned to face me." Harry said.

Sirius smirked, putting his shoulder on Harry's. "Come on. I'm right here." He shook his head, giving out a mournful laugh. "Guess I shouldn't be surprised. With the crap you deal with, I'm surprised you don't have more of those. I won't pretend there aren't risks for all of us, but that was just a nightmare. Try not to let it get you too worked up. All right?"

Harry nodded. "Thanks." He smiled, then heard a whooshing noise behind him. He turned just in time for Hedwig to drop a letter on his face. He caught it, looking at the sender. "Cornelius Fudge." Harry's stomach dropped. "Oh no…"

Sirius chuckled. "Come on, open it. You'll be fine."

Harry did so, reading the letter out loud.

Dear Mr. Potter,

It has come to my attention that dementors were in fact in your vicinity at the time that you cast the patronus charm. Therefore, all charges will be dropped in light of the life or death circumstances.

Cornelius Fudge

Minister of Magic

"See? A goofy grin formed on Sirius's face as he clapped Harry's back. "Now go to bed, it's midnight."

"You don't have to tell me twice." Ron said, heading back to his room.

Harry followed, glancing back at Sirius. "Thanks Sirius."