Chapter 28: The Ministry of Magic

The group fell out of grates and into the Atrium at the Ministry of Magic. Harry gazed up at the now fixed Fountain of Magical Brethren. As he waited for everyone to compose themselves he couldn’t help think about the battle that took place here.

He led the way to the Department of Mysteries, surprised that he still knew the way after more than a year. Entering the lift, he pushed the button for the ninth level, the lowest floor in the Ministry of Magic.

The lift door opened and he walk directly across to the door he knew held the department of mysteries. The group entered the first door and found themselves in the room with 12 doors.

Nodding to Hermione he shut the door and once again felt the sense of vertigo from watching the walls spin.

Hermione walked over and opened the door, “This is the room with the Brains.” She marked the door as before she closed it. Ron whimpered and backed up, hiding behind Moody.

Rolling his eyes, Harry opened the next door, “This is the room with the Time Turners he said to Hermione as she again marked the door.

Once again the doors spun around. Harry opened another door and realized that it lead back to the lifts, scowling that he had forgotten to mark the door they came in, he drew an arrow on the door, distinguishing it from the rest of the marks.

Hermione opened the next door. “Here we go.” She said as she motioned for the group to exit into the large chamber.

They were about halfway down the stairs, “I tripped right here.” Tonks said suddenly, startling everyone.

“What?” Remus asked her, not understanding what she meant.

“I tripped right here.” She repeated, tears now filling her eyes. “I was right here, on my stomach about to get up when I looked up and watched him fall into the veil. There was nothing I could do. If I hadn’t tripped, I could have saved him.” The tears now fell over her eyes.

Harry looked at her in shock. He had had no idea that she had blamed herself all this time. Reaching over he gave her a tight hug. “I had to forgive myself, now it is time for you to forgive yourself.”

She returned his hug. “We will see.” was all she said.

Harry made his way down until he stood in front of the veil. Even from where he was standing he could hear the whisperings coming from the veil. Taking a deep breath to steady his nerves he looked behind him to ensure everyone was in their proper positions.

He raised his wand, made the proper movements and said, “Eximo Sirius Black” in a loud, powerful and authoritative voice. A bright golden beam shot from Harry’s wand and appeared to ripple across the surface of the veil. The once wispy cloth like appearance of the veil changed to a thick grey metallic liquid.

At first nothing happened. Sighing he wondered if he should do the incantation again, even though he had been strictly warned not too.

Before he could even open is mouth a huge gust of air came through the veil, pushing him back. The whispering became louder and developed into cries of agony and pleading.

Harry resisted the urge to cover his ears and turn away from the veil. He stood his ground and stared mesmerized into the veil which began to swirl and take shape, he could see images and tortured faces swim past him in the murkiness of the veil.

Suddenly an arm shot out of the veil. Harry hesitated for a second until he saw the familiar numbers that were branded into his arm during his stay at Azkaban. Harry firmly grabbed the arm and pulled with all of his might, slowly more of Sirius emerged, but it was a slow painful process.

“HELP!” Harry finally bellowed as he felt his grip on Sirius slipping. Moody and Arthur rushed over as planned and began to pull on Sirius as well.

Hermione and Ginny stood slightly behind them waiting for the signal from Harry.

Finally, all that was left was his left leg from his knee down. “Do it now!” Harry bellowed at the girls.

“Occlude Vinculum” The girls screamed in unison. Bright green beams shot simultaneously from the girls wand and began to change the liquid appearance of the veil first to the wispy cloth again and then to stone.

Upon seeing this, the men struggled harder to free Sirius’ leg. Finally his foot appeared, but both girls screamed out at what came out with it.

On first appearance the thing hanging onto Sirius’ leg looked like a small girl child. However when it looked up it had no eyes in it's occular cavities, just black capping holes, it’s mouth was black as well and appeared to be oozing some sort of thick black sludge. Harry wondered in panicked terror, what would happen if that sludge hit the floor. Her skin was grey and looked like it was barely hanging on to her small frame.

Three patronus’ hit the creature in the face. It’s scream was the most dreadful sound imaginable as it lost it's grip and was pushed back just as the veil’s surface turned completely into stone.

“Petrificus Totalus” Harry said quietly, pointing his wand at Sirius who was still kneeling on the floor trying to catch his breath.

Sirius’ body went rigid as the spell hit him. Harry bond Sirius using incarcerous just in case the other spell wore off while everyone was dealing with the destruction of the veil.

At Harry’s nod, “Eradico Arcus Claustrum” wrang out through the room. Blue beams flew out of the wands and began to wrap around the veil. Over and over the group repeated the spell. The arch began to shake and appeared to be ripping it’s self apart. Again and yet again, the now exhausted group worked for the better part of an hour.

Finally the arch gave one last violent shake, lifted off the ground and exploded, covering everything in a fine dust.

Hermione opened her mouth to speak, but suddenly the place where the veil had been began imploding and sucked all of the dust back through a small hole which shown brightly and the blinked out.

“Merlin’s Beard!” A voice shouted from near the door. The startled group turned suddenly to the man who was wearing what appeared to be modified Death Eater robes and mask. When he realized that the groups attention was now focused on him, he turned and ran through the door.

“Get him!” Harry screamed as he ran up the stairs, leaving the still frozen Sirius with the rest of the group. James and Lupin followed close behind him.

By the time that Harry made it back to the lift, It was apparent that there was no way to catch the man.

“This calls for a meeting I think.” Minerva said quietly as she and the others reached the now panting men, the floating Sirius in front of her. “Howver, more pressing issues call for my attention at the moment.” Minerva said thoughtfully referring to Sirius. She looked about thoughtfully.

“Harry, come with me. Tonks, will you go ahead and make sure that Miriam is the one to meet us. The rest of you go back to headquarters. Moody will you call the meeting and we will join you as quickly as possible. I don’t need to remind you that this is need to know. Leave out as many details as possible. If asked what the meeting is about, play dumb.” She said to the group as a whole.

James and Lupin did not look happy about being left out of anything with Sirius, but they did not say anything, understanding the need to show up at the meeting to avoid suspicion from the rest of the Order.

“This new Order is harder than it looks.” Ron grumbled as he followed the rest of the group to the fire grates.

Minerva looked at Harry and he instantly understood that they would apperate to St. Mungos.