Chapter 620: Pay Attention to Safety!!
Darren said all that, but Ginny, Luna, and even Neville did not say a word.
They followed closely behind them, unwavering. Darren's earlier tactic was clearly being used on him now.
If you don't take me, I'll just follow on my own~
At this point, Harry no longer wanted to waste any time.
He said irritably, "Fine, you can all come, but you must behave yourselves. Follow Darren's and my arrangements, and don't slow us down!"
"Hmph, of course we won't!"
Ginny snorted and then looked at Darren seriously.
"We can lure Umbridge away. I can go tell her that Peeves destroyed the Transfiguration classroom…"
"And I'll need someone to help me actually destroy the Transfiguration classroom," Ginny quickly added, laying out her plan.
She didn't want Darren to walk up and directly cast a spell on Umbridge. That would very likely get him expelled.
He was only in fifth year. He still needed to stay in school.
Hermione looked at Ginny with approval and nodded.
"Then, brother, you go get the Invisibility Cloak. We'll lead Umbridge away, and by the way, we'll add another swamp Fred made…"
Harry didn't listen carefully to the rest of Darren's arrangements. He turned and ran off anxiously. Darren let out a soft sigh.
He turned to Hermione and said, "Alright, let's move now. I still feel extremely uneasy, but I can't contact the Order of the Phoenix at the moment.
What's more, Umbridge is monitoring Hogwarts' communications, especially my brother's and mine…"
Suddenly, Darren seemed to remember something.
He looked sharply at Neville. "Neville, do you have a two-way mirror?"
Neville nodded.
Darren had a feeling that two-way mirrors were probably common among old wizarding families—except the Weasleys.
They might have had them, but certainly not Ron. That much was obvious.
Ron and Ginny clearly had no idea what this was. Neville, however, did.
Darren smiled and said, "Neville, go and contact Mrs. Longbottom.
If you can reach her, ask her to go to Mrs. Weasley. Tell her that Sirius may have been captured, and also that we might be heading toward that corridor."
Neville nodded vigorously.
Harry rushed up the tower, passing Seamus, who was enthusiastically recommending some new fireworks, and the Patil sisters, who were arguing loudly.
He grabbed the Invisibility Cloak and rushed back again.
By then, only Darren and Hermione were left. Ron and the others had all been sent off by Darren to carry out their tasks.
"I'm going in now!"
Harry said quickly.
Darren looked at him, his face pale, and said, "Brother, I just thought of someone else who might be able to pass on the message."
"That's Snape… Yes, he might report it to Voldemort, but he's also a last resort.
I can go ask him to help deliver the message, or—"
[Ding, Father +100]
[Ding, Father +100]
"Enough, Darren. We need to verify this immediately. I can't delay any longer. Sirius could die at any moment…"
Harry took a deep breath, his face flushed with barely suppressed anger.
Darren pressed his lips together and watched Harry rush into the office, his heart sinking.
Harry really needed a lesson.
Maybe Sirius could get slightly injured. Or perhaps he could pretend to fall through the veil, make Harry think Black was dead, and then let him reappear a month or two later.
That would be perfect.
Darren thought darkly.
And maybe Ginny needed to be caught once too.
These kids all needed a lesson.
He also needed a reason to leave now.
Otherwise, with him present, no one would be able to act freely. He turned to Hermione.
"Hermione, you stay here and hold things together. I'll go find Snape. There really might be a misunderstanding.
Also… Neville still hasn't returned. I'm worried Mrs. Longbottom might not be home. The Order of the Phoenix has to be informed."
Hermione nodded hard.
"Be careful. I'll stay here no matter what."
Darren hurried toward Snape's office.
Although he and Snape appeared to be on bad terms, their actual relationship was still solid. Asking Snape for help wouldn't be strange.
But to his surprise, Snape wasn't in his office.
Darren checked the Potions classroom as well, but there was no sign of him. In the end, he left a note for Snape.
Honestly, this kind of coincidence was almost predictable.
This was Voldemort's scheme, after all. At a moment like this, Snape had probably already been summoned by Voldemort to discuss countermeasures.
If Darren waited longer, Snape might eventually return—but he didn't plan to wait.
Having done what he could, he turned back toward Umbridge's office…
Harry used Umbridge's Floo powder and stuck his head into her fireplace once again.
He tried to see Sirius.
If Darren's fears were correct, if Sirius really hadn't been harmed…
But there was only one elf inside.
Kreacher wore a malicious grin.
It told Harry that Sirius was not there.
When Harry asked where Sirius had gone, Kreacher refused to answer, only grinning as it said that the master's whereabouts were not something it could reveal.
Harry immediately assumed Sirius had truly been captured.
After all, if Sirius wasn't here, where else could he be?
Just as he anxiously tried to ask again, someone grabbed him by the collar and yanked him out.
It was Umbridge—along with Malfoy.
To Harry's horror, Hermione and the others had all been captured as well. Malfoy and Pansy stood nearby, smug expressions on their faces.
Crabbe was gripping Neville by the throat.
"After the last incident in my office, I tightened security," Umbridge said smugly.
"Moreover, the Floo Network notified me that someone used my fireplace. So I deliberately didn't lock it. I wanted to see who it was.
I waited, Harry Potter. When I sensed my office being invaded, and when these little friends of yours kept delaying me, I knew something was wrong.
And now I've caught you. Good, very good. Tell me—who were you trying to contact?
Dumbledore? Or some mysterious figure?
Speak, Potter, or I'll let you taste a real potion!"
Umbridge laughed shrilly.
Harry was furious and panicked.
He wanted to know where Darren was. He wanted to know how everyone had been caught.
But he didn't want to drag Darren into this.
More importantly, Sirius was in Voldemort's hands. He had to find a way to save him.
He couldn't afford to waste any more time here.
Suppressing his rage, Harry forced a laugh.
"It's nothing. I just wanted to steal my Firebolt. If you want, you can lock me up tonight."
As long as he could get out first…