Chapter 4: Ring Freedom's Bell

The next day grew dark and dreary as Sybil awoke shaking from a dream she could not remember. She got up and dressed quickly before going downstairs to find the whole Order waiting for her, their faces downcast with concern.

"What is it?" she asked shakily, her eyes large in her glasses.

"The Dementors have started kissing anyone they see. The Ministry is helpless to stop them." Lupin replied as he held Tonks, who was crying silently into his robes. Tonks looked up at Sybil, whose face had gone white and added,

"It's all gone crazy, we can't stop Dementors, only fight them off. There's too many of them, and the Ministry isn't doing anything! They're hopeless, like normal." She wiped her nose on her sleeve and sniffled slightly, getting herself under control as Lupin rubbed her back.

"Wh…when did this all happen? Everything was quiet last night!" Sybil asked aghast as she sank into a chair, cringing as she heard a loud bang from upstairs.

Minerva didn't say anything, but shook her head slightly, apparently in shock as she finished reading the Daily Prophet. Placing it on the table, she gave everyone a glare to silence them, and then turned to Sybil a grief-stricken look in her eyes.

"Sybil…it started early this morning, after everyone went to bed. We only just found out about it through the Prophet, we were too late to do anything…again." She closed her eyes for a moment to gather her thoughts then continued "And there's nothing we can do again thousands of Dementors, we're only a small bunch of Wizards, the Ministry is too busy trying to come to terms with their own losses."

"But surely we must do something now!" Sybil declared, beads jangling on her collar as she glanced at each person in the room. Another loud bang sounded from upstairs and hurried footsteps rang from the stairs as Ginny came hurtling down them, her face deathly pale and sweaty.

"He's gone! Harry just took off out the window on his Firebolt!" she cried out before collapsing into the chair beside the fireplace.

"Where did he go?" Lupin asked, as he moved up to stand beside her to check her features. His face blanched slightly as he took a look at her haunted expression, her bleak white face covered in sweat. He could tell she didn't have much time.

"I…I don't know! I was telling him to finish it now, that I've come to the realization that there's no hope in saving me and that I'll…I'll be known as a hero for helping to rid the world of that…thing, but he shook his head, shouted and threw some things, then jumped out the window on his Firebolt!" Ginny explained, breaking down into fits of hysterical crying.

Tonks covered her face to stop the flow of tears and went up to Ginny, engulfing her in a hug, hoping to try and comfort her, but how could you comfort someone who had to die? Ginny sobbed into her robes, clinging for dear life as Lupin got up slowly, giving her a rub on the back as he looked at Tonks.

"I think I know where he may have gone." Lupin said quietly before turning to leave. The front door closed silently, not waking up Mrs. Black as the others swirled to look at Sybil with a this-is-all-your-fault look.

Sybil took a staggering breath, comforting herself as she looked upon the poor girl and said with determination,

"About last night have you come to an agreement? Can I fight with you?" she looked piercingly at Minerva, who had a handkerchief in her hand. Minerva sighed, as if this wasn't the right time or place to ask and nodded,

"Yes, you may fight." She replied, not looking at Sybil.

Right before Ginny looked up and was about to protest Mundungus Fletcher came bursting into the room, his robe flapping behind him, his eyes wide. "Come quick! There's been an attack on Azkaban! He-who-must-not-be-named has attacked everyone, we can still go and fight!"

That was enough for Sybil. With a flourish she jumped up, no longer jumpy nor frightened and headed for the door, determination set on her features. "Well, are you coming or not! I'm not going to sit around mopping, not when he's out there attacking everyone in the open!"

"Sybil wait! We can't go rushing into things!" Minerva called as she ran and blocked Sybil from the door.

Lupin stood up and turned to face her, his face even more haunted than ever. "She's right Sybil, we need a plan first."

"A plan" What kind of plan?" Sybil asked as she placed her hand on the door, shaking uncontrollably.

"We need to find a way to distract him first." A voice said from the kitchen. Everyone turned to look at Ginny, who had stood up beside Tonks.

"Ginny, you are not going with us!" Minerva stated as her eyebrows rose into her hairline.

"I am so! If I'm going to die, I want to fight as much as I can!" she exploded, tears dripping down her face.

"Ginny Weasley, you will do no such thing young lady!" Arthur said loudly from the hallway.

"Why not father, because I'm supposed to be a 'good girl' and sit around while everyone around me gets hurt? No, this has to end..." she trailed off beginning to sob quietly.

"No Ginny, because your mother would be very disappointed if she found out yu went off and died without seeing you one last time." Arthur said softly, walking up to his distraught daughter. He engulfed her in a hug and said, "And I know Harry would never forgive himself either."

"He's the one that has to…has to…you know!" she sobbed.

"I know honey, I know. But please, you must stay. Besides it'll be much too dangerous for you to go, and you're no in the Order."

Everyone was silent as the thought surrounded them, like a shroud of mist which crept over the city as the Dementors began mating. They all knew what was in store, but they could never bring themselves to do what was needed to be done. Suddenly the door opened once more and Harry, who looked like he had swallowed a ghost, walked in silently and sat down. He looked into everyone's eyes as he sat up straight, his face determined.

"We can worry about that later, right now innocent people are being tortured and we need to help them." He said, his eyes roaming the faces of everyone, except Ginny. He couldn't look at her right now, it was too painful.

Everyone gaped at him, than nodded. He was right; while they sat here bickering to each other people were getting hurt, families were being torn apart. Minerva took her handkerchief and dabbed at her eyes, Tonks and Lupin nodded to each other, Ginny cried into her fathers arms, but Sybil smiled at Harry, her large eyes bright with knowledge,

"You're a bright boy Potter. I give you that much." She said, and then turned to look at the others.

Everyone was silent for a moment as they all thought of what to do. Finally Sybil made a hem hem noise which sounded a lot like Dolores Umbridge, making people jump nervously. Minerva glared at her but shook her head and straightened up.

"Alright, we should go and help out instead of sitting here mopping about. This is not what Albus wanted; he would be out there fighting instead of sitting here." She said, placing her plaid shawl around her neck. "I for one am going and I suggest you all get your head into the game." She looked at Harry and gave him a smile, which was a very rare occurrence for her.

The other all snapped to attention upon hearing Dumbledore's name and moved towards the door, Harry in the lead. Ginny stayed behind hands on her hips shaking her red hair wildly, looking as if she were about to say something, but before she could the door had closed behind Tonks and she was left alone.

The battle was fought long and hard, with both sides gaining. Voldemort had not been there, for he had had other plans, yet all the Death Eaters who were broken out of Azkaban were, and full of fury, sending hex after hex after the Order, causing mayhem and total destruction to Azkaban. There was nothing left of the building except struts and a mystical cloud of magical smoke.

The Order walked back from the battle sore and full of pride. They had managed to beat the Death Eaters, yet with a terrible price, loosing a building where all the dangerous criminals were kept. The Minister was furious with them, and no matter how hard Minerva explained that the Death Eaters were the ones who promptly destroyed it he didn't believe her. So, Minerva called a meeting with the Order, and they all found themselves locked in the Kitchen with secrecy detectors around the walls, windows and door to keep intruders from listening.

"Well, it would appear we can no longer trust the Ministry it's painfully obvious there's a spy among them." Minerva began sitting down at the head of the table.

"Yes, and from what I've heard they're so disorganized right now it's not funny." Arthur added, wiping his brow. He turned to Kingsley Shakelbot who nodded gravely.

"The Minister himself has not given any orders. I'm afraid it's come down to them not knowing how to act, so they're all sitting around waiting for the end." Kingsley said as he looked around to everyone.

"Look, there's only one thing to do, we must further our efforts in order to actually gain speed on this war. We need to show Voldemort he can't boss everyone around." Arthur said with a hint of anger and worry in his voice.

Sybil stayed quite as she listened, she had nothing new to add to this discussion, she could add no more to her prophecy, all she could do was sit and wait for action to be taken. She looked over at Harry and saw his face grow sullen, she knew he was only thinking of one thing, and she couldn't blame him for not talking. Ginny was getting worse each passing day, and she knew the time would come soon where Harry would have to make his choice, destroy the Horcrux and save the world, or watch as Voldemort won.