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'But why;' Hermione persisted; 'why on earth would Voldemort want to use Sirius to get the weapon; or whatever the thing is?'
'I dunno; there could be loads of reasons!' Harry yelled at her。 'Maybe Sirius is just someone Voldemort doesn't care about seeing hurt …'
'You know what; I've just thought of something;' said Ron in a hushed voice。 'Sirius's brother was a Death Eater; wasn't he? Maybe he told Sirius the secret of how to get the weapon!'
'Yeah … and that's why Dumbledore's been so keen to keep Sirius locked up all the time!' said Harry。
'Look; I'm sorry;' cried Hermione; 'but neither of you is making sense; and we've got no proof for any of this; no proof Voldemort and Sirius are even there …'
'Hermione; Harry's seen them!' said Ron; rounding on her。
'OK;' she said; looking frightened yet determined; 'I've just got to say this …'
'What?'
'You: this isn't a criticism; Harry! But you do: sort of: I mean … don't you think you've got a bit of a … a … saving…people thing!' she said。
He glared at her。
'And what's that supposed to mean; a 〃saving…people thing〃?'
'Well: you:' she looked more apprehensive than ever。 'I mean: last year; for instance: in the lake: during the Tournament: you shouldn't have: I mean; you didn't need to save that little Delacour girl: you got a bit: carried away:'
A wave of hot; prickly anger swept through Harry's body; how could she remind him of that blunder now?
'I mean; it was really great of you and everything;' said Hermione quickly; looking positively petrified at the look on Harry's face; 'everyone thought it was a wonderful thing to do …'
That's funny;' said Harry through gritted teeth; 'because I definitely remember Ron saying I'd wasted time acting the hero: is that what you think this is? You reckon I want to act the hero again?'
'No; no; no!' said Hermione; looking aghast。 That's not what I mean at all!'
'Well; spit out what you've got to say; because we're wasting time here!' Harry shouted。
'I'm trying to say … Voldemort knows you; Harry! He took Ginny down into the Chamber of Secrets to lure you there; it's the kind of thing he does; he knows you're the … the sort of person who'd go to Sirius's aid! What if he's just trying to get you into the Department of Myst…?'
'Hermione; it doesn't matter if he's done it to get me there or not … they've taken McGonagall to St Mungo's; there isn't anyone from the Order left at Hogwarts who we can tell; and if we don't go; Sirius is dead!'
'But Harry … what if your dream was … was just that; a dream?'
Harry let out a roar of frustration。 Hermione actually stepped back from him; looking alarmed。
'You don't get it!' Harry shouted at her; 'I'm not having nightmares; I'm not just dreaming! What d'you think all the Occlumency was for; why d'you think Dumbledore wanted me prevented from seeing these things? Because they're REAL; Hermione … Sirius is trapped; I've seen him。 Voldemort's got him; and no one else knows; and that means we're the only ones who can save him; and if you don't want to do it; fine; but I'm going; understand? And if I remember rightly; you didn't have a problem with my saving…people thing when it was you I was saving from the Dementors; or …' he rounded on Ron '… when it was your sister I was saving from the Basilisk …'
'I never said I had a problem!' said Ron heatedly。
'But Harry; you've just said it;' said Hermione fiercely; 'Dumbledore wanted you to learn to shut these things out of your mind; if you'd done Occlumency properly you'd never have seen this …'
'IF YOU THINK I'M JUST GOING TO ACT LIKE I HAVEN'T SEEN …'
'Sirius told you there was nothing more important than you learning to close your mind!'
'WELL; I EXPECT HE'D SAY SOMETHING DIFFERENT IF HE KNEW WHAT I'D JUST …'
The classroom door opened。 Harry; Ron and Hermione whipped around。 Ginny walked in; looking curious; closely followed by Luna; who as usual looked as though she had drifted in accidentally。
'Hi;' said Ginny uncertainly。 'We recognised Harry's voice。 What are you yelling about?'
'Never you mind;' said Harry roughly。
Ginny raised her eyebrows。
There's no need to take that tone with me;' she said coolly; 'I was only wondering whether I could help。'
'Well; you can't;' said Harry shortly。
'You're being rather rude; you know;' said Luna serenely。
Harry swore and turned away。 The very last thing he wanted now was a conversation with Luna Lovegood。
'Wait;' said Hermione suddenly。 'Wait: Harry; they can help。'
Harry and Ron looked at her。
'Listen;' she said urgently; 'Harry; we need to establish whether Sirius really has left Headquarters。'
'I've told you; I saw …'
'Harry; I'm begging you; please!' said Hermione desperately。 'Please let's just check that Sirius isn't at home before we go charging off to London。 If we find out he's not there; then I swear I won't try to stop you。 I'll e; I'll d … do whatever it takes to try and save him。'
'Sirius is being tortured NOW!' shouted Harry。 'We haven't got time to waste。'
'But if this is a trick of Voldemort's; Harry; we've got to check; we've got to。'
'How?' Harry demanded。 'How're we going to check?'
'We'll have to use Umbridge's fire and see if we can contact him;' said Hermione; who looked positively terrified at the thought。 'We'll draw Umbridge away again; but we'll need lookouts; and that's where we can use Ginny and Luna。'
Though clearly struggling to understand what was going on; Ginny said immediately; 'Yeah; we'll do it;' and Luna said; 'When you say 〃Sirius〃; are you talking about Stubby Boardman?'
Nobody answered her。
'OK;' Harry said aggressively to Hermione; 'OK; if you can think of a way of doing this quickly; I'm with you; otherwise I'm going to the Department of Mysteries right now。'
The Department of Mysteries?' said Luna; looking mildly surprised。 'But how are you going to get there?'
Again; Harry ignored her。
'Right;' said Hermione; twisting her hands together and pacing up and down between the desks。 'Right: well: one of us has to go and find Umbridge and … and send her off in the wrong direction; keep her away from her office。 They could tell her … I don't know … that Peeves is up to something awful as usual
I'll do it;' said Ron at once。 I'll tell her Peeves is smashing up the Transfiguration department or something; it's miles away from her office。 e to think of it; I could probably persuade Peeves to do it if I met him on the way。'
It was a mark of the seriousness of the situation that Hermione made no objection to the smashing up of the Transfiguration department。
'OK;' she said; her brow furrowed as she continued to pace。 'Now; we need to keep students right away from her office while we force entry; or some Slytherins bound to go and tip her off。'
'Luna and I can stand at either end of the corridor;' said Ginny promptly; 'and warn people not to go down there because someone's let off a load of Garrotting Gas。'