Harry had written a coded letter to Sirius about it and Sirius was now replying, assuring Harry that he didn't think Umbridge was one of Voldemort's followers - a Death Eater - but agreeing that she was definitely a horrible woman.
...
Nothing that Sirius had to say made Harry feel any happier. Sirius cycled through Umbridge's hatred of part humans, including werewolves and how her actions had made it increasingly difficult for Remus Lupin to find work, which made all three of them scowl.
And of course the information that Cornelius Fudge thought Dumbledore was going to start training his students to combat the Ministry in order to seize power… how much more ludicrous did it get than that? Preventing them from learning defensive magic right at the time when they needed to learn it the most… Harry had met Fudge before and while he'd always seemed a bit of a bumbler to him, he'd been sure Fudge was a pretty decent bloke. So much for that.
And there was no news of Hagrid either, which was nothing but worrisome despite Sirius' assurances that the half-giant gamekeeper could take care of himself.
But it was after this that Sirius hesitated slightly, an action that caught the attention of all three of the fifth-year students.
"There's something else, isn't there?" Hermione guessed, fiddling with the hem of her robes.
"Well, yeah…" Sirius grinned lopsidedly. "Not really sure if I should be telling you this one since its not technically Order business at this stage but… you heard about those bright lights that appeared in the sky yesterday, I assume?"
"Yeah, we heard about them?" Ron blinked. "What have they got to do with anything?"
"As far as we know, nothing, but the Ministry actually found one. Your brother, Bill, was called to the scene actually Ron and he says it looked like some large, glowing orb with a funny looking symbol on it. He said that it was like some kind of shield, but totally impenetrable - he couldn't find a way to break it."
"You serious?" Ron's eyes widened. "Bill was boasting to us just last summer about the tomb of this ancient pharaoh guy that had had curses placed on this shield that tried to turn anyone that entered into crocodiles and how he managed to take it down without breaking a sweat."
"Nevertheless, he could not break through this one. But the orb thing isn't really the issue here. It's what happened after that. Kingsley and Tonks were there with Bill at the site before they suddenly got called away. Apparently there was a magical attack of some kind on a Muggle Bank in some small village on the Isle of Skye today."
"The Isle of Skye? But that's pretty close to here," Hermione gasped. "Was anybody killed?"
"Was it Death Eaters?" Harry agreed instantly.
"I don't know the details. Kingsley and Tonks are the only ones who could tell you at this stage and they haven't come and told me anything yet. They might still be working for all I know. Sometimes something like this can take a while to sort out. But that's not the only funny incident that took place in that area recently. Ron, your brother Charlie was called back into the country to head out there to investigate involving two Hebridean Black dragons."
"What kind of incident?" Ron asked with curiosity. "Is Charlie going to be around long? I'd like to see him."
"I don't rightly know how long he'll be around but… apparently something attacked the two Dragons. And actually managed to wound them too. You'll probably see it in tomorrow's papers - Charlie said he had to talk to the press about it."
"Something attacked dragons?" Ron's eyes were wide. "Who or what in their right mind would willingly go up and attack a dragon?"
Harry could easily share this sentiment. After all, he'd been pitted against a vicious Hungarian Horntail in the Triwizard Tournament last year and was in no hurry to repeat the experience.
"Charlie said that one of the guys who was there was babbling on about some giant cat with wings," Sirius pulled a face. "Though it sounded like he'd been inhaling Bubotuber pus fumes to me. Look, the details aren't really important though I think Molly would kill me if she found out I'd been telling you this when it might not even be a Death Eater thing but… I guess I feel I should warn you to be on your guard. Dumbledore's called an emergency Order meeting to take place tomorrow night and, well, I'm sure that you'll be safe in Hogwarts but… well…"
The three of them looked at each other wryly. It was true that Hogwarts was infinitely safer than most places, but it had been proven a few times over the years that it was not infallible. Sirius was the only person that had technically broken in back when they had thought he was actually the enemy, but still, it was possible.
"You reckon you could find a way to tell us what happens in the meeting?" Harry asked.
"Depends what Dumbledore says, Harry, but it may be nothing you need to worry about at all. At this stage even I don't know the details. I'm just giving you a heads up. Anyway, let's change the subject - when's your next Hogsmeade visit?"
Sirius' suggestion that he might be able to come out in dog form to visit them was quickly shouted down, and they could all tell he was more than a little disgruntled when he left the fireplace. But they were all tired and didn't really have the time to dwell on it, so instead they finished up on the essays and headed to bed.
Despite his fatigue, Harry lay awake for a while, staring up at the canopy of his four-poster bed but not really seeing it. It was killing him, not knowing what was out there. Not knowing what Voldemort was doing, or what the world was doing? Before he'd always had the events in school to keep him occupied, but now everything was moving on a much bigger scale and the events of the school were only a mere part of it.
He found himself almost hoping the nearby incidents actually were Death Eater related. If they were then at least there was a chance Voldemort could be exposed soon and the could actually start opposing him properly instead of enduring all this pointless idiocy from the Ministry.
But who was it if it wasn't Death Eaters?
Just when was he going to get the answers he sought?
Eventually though he managed to doze off though he was not ready at all to start the second week of school when he did wake up some hours later. The first week had been such a disaster. Was the second one going to be any better?
...
"Have you got anything yet, Gajeel?" Charla asked for what may have been the tenth time that morning.
"Would you quit asking me that?" Gajeel grunted irritatedly. "If I get something then I'll tell you that I've got something. Until I get something then I'll zip it. Asking me if I've got something is pointless, okay?"
"Gajeel, don't yell at her," Happy protested, shifting his grip on the large Dragon Slayer.
"I ain't yelling," Gajeel shook his head. "But I gotta job to do and badgering me about it is not going to help."
"Of course, of course. I'm sorry," Charla wrung her paws together. "It's just… I don't think I've been separated from Wendy for so long before. Not since the day I hatched."
"I haven't been separated from Natsu for this long either," Happy's tail sagged slightly. "And we don't have any idea where he is at all."
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it," Mavis said. "For all we know right now, Natsu may be safe and sound inside one of my Fairy Spheres. In fact, he probably is."
"I know," Happy nodded. "Wendy's the priority now."
"What if we've gone the wrong way though?" Charla pressed her ears flat against her head in agitation. "She could be stranded on some rock way out to sea waiting for us and we wouldn't have a clue."
Gajeel grimaced and tried his damnedest not to let Charla's fretting get on his nerves, which was far from easy for him. Truth be told, he was rather worried himself, though of course he wouldn't admit it to anyone, not even to Lily.
The group had reached what appeared to be mainland late last evening and spent the majority of last night in a cave, forcing Charla to relax and rest, before continuing again at first light. Now they were flying up the coast, trying to locate the missing Sky Dragon Slayer somehow.
...
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