Chapter 10
“Fred! George!” Fred dropped his book in shock, and it landed on his toe. He resolutely bit his tongue, refusing to acknowledge that the book had hurt. He would not admit to being hurt by a book of all things. “We need your help!”
“Brill,” Fred said. “Because if I have to study for one more second I’m going to lose it.” NEWTs were in full swing, and they were slowly killing Fred.
“Fred!” Angelina swatted at him from across the table and George snickered. Fred surreptitiously shot a stinging hex at her, but it didn’t look like it hit her. That, or she had skin of steel, which he was also perfectly willing to believe.
“What can I do for you?” Fred asked Ginny. Ginny bit her lip. George sighed.
“Ginny,” George said in a tone that suggested he was being responsible. “What is it?”
“Dumbledore and McGonagall just left the castle,” She blurted out. “For Umbridge’s trial.”
Fred winced at Umbridge’s name, and at the thought of her trial. She’d been sitting in a ministry cell for weeks, which had left the castle a bit frazzled. The rumor mill had gone crazy, with the Slytherins believing Fred had put her in the hospital, and the ministry arrest was just a coverup, and the Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs vacillating between believing Fred had had no involvement at all, that he’d done something to her, or, and he hated this one the most, that she’d done something to him. Gryffindor had been silent on the matter, offering fistfights when needed but silence otherwise, something Fred was confident Hermione Granger had had everything to do with.
"Doesn't that not start until tomorrow?" Fred asked, as if he hadn't been keeping a very close eye on it.
"They've left early, apparently it starts really early tomorrow. I think they're checking in with the Order."
George coughed. “Why’s that our problem?”
“It’s not.” Ginny said. “Harry having a vision is.”
“Harry having a what?” Fred peered at his sister, seeing the obvious desperation in her eyes. “Isn’t he in an OWL right now?”
“Yes!” Ginny exclaimed. “Well, he was. Then he had a vision, but Dumbledore and McGonagall aren’t here, and Tonks is also MIA, and there’s no one to talk to about it and it’s urgent.”
“Define urgent.” Alicia said.
“He wants to leave the castle.”
“And do what?” Fred asked. “Actually, back up, what was the vision?”
“He saw Sirius!” Ginny said. “In the ministry. Being tortured.”
“Woah woah woah.” Angelina held up her hands in a t. “Time out. Sirius Black?”
“Nope.” Fred lied. “Our cousin, Sirius Prewett. It’s a common name.”
George winced. “Might’ve already told her.” He said apologetically.
“George!” Ginny and Fred said in unison. George did not look the least bit sorry. Fred buried his head in his hands.
“You cannot tell anyone this.” Ginny started, and Fred bit back a groan. Was this how his older brothers felt when he and George started on their nonsense? “Sirius Black is innocent. It was Peter Pettigrew, who was disguised as Scabbers.”
“Scabbers, Percy’s rat?” Lee asked.
“Then Ron’s, yes.”
“Gross.” Katie made a face. “Are you sure?”
“Positive.” Ginny said. “Can we get back to the topic at hand?”
“Please.” George muttered. Fred removed his face from his hands.
“Anyway, we think Sirius is being tortured in the ministry, and we can’t find anyone to help, so we want to go save him ourselves.”
“Are we sure he’s even in trouble?” Fred asked. Ginny scowled at him. “What? It’s an honest question!”
“Are you calling Harry a liar?” Ginny demanded sharply.
“Of course not!” Fred said indignantly. “But the occlumency, it’s because Dumbledore thinks Harry’s visions are because of a connection with Voldemort, right? So maybe Voldemort knows that and is trying to, I don’t know, bait Harry?”
“Hermione said the same thing.” Ginny snapped. “Look, I didn’t want to tell you in the first place, but Hermione was insistent that some adult knew. Are you going to help or not?”
“We’re adults now?” Fred asked. Ginny turned. “Wait! Yes, we’ll help. Have you tried flooing Sirius?”
“No.” Ginny said.
“Okay.” George said. “Get those three in here, tell them to floo Sirius. Fred and I will use the fireplace in the Great Hall to contact Mum and Dad.”
“And if no one picks up?”
“Then we’ll figure something out.” Fred soothed. “We won’t let Sirius die.”
“Okay.” Ginny turned and sprinted away, her red hair a blur behind her. George snapped his book shut.
“Keep an eye on our stuff?” He asked Angelina. She nodded, and George stood. “Ready Fred?”
“As ever.” Fred pushed away from the table and started downstairs with his twin. They passed their little brother and his friends, plus Luna and Ginny, on their way back up.
“Where are you going?” Hermione gasped.
“To floo Mum and Dad. Let us know if you reach Sirius.” George said. Hermione nodded, and then followed the other four.
Fred nudged George. “Think it’s real?” He asked. George shook his head slowly.
“No,” He admitted. “But they think it is.” He stopped short. “Can’t use the Great Hall.”
“Why not?” Fred paused. “OWLs.” He sighed. “Where else has a floo?”
George drummed his fingers against the wall furiously. “Offices all have them.” He murmured. “Just have to break into one.”
“Tonks is the least likely to kill us.” Fred said. George nodded in agreement, and the two changed direction. Before long they were standing in front of the closed door to the Defense classroom, and George jiggled the lock.
“Locked.” He declared. Fred rolled his eyes and cast an alohomora. “Oops.”
“Sometimes I wonder about you, Georgie.” Fred said as the door swung open. His stomach lurched slightly at the sight of the empty room, his mind filling with memories of all the detentions he’d had with Umbridge. It was easier to chase the memories away when the classroom was filled with students.
“Are you alright?” Fred jerked his head up to see George staring at him, his eyes wide. “Fred-”
“I’m fine.” Fred gave his head a little shake. “Just… caught me off guard.” He rolled his shoulders back and resisted the urge to rub the scar on his hand. If he did that, George would call it, no matter how important this was. “Come on, we have to do this.”
George gave Fred a skeptical look, but ducked inside Tonks’ office. Fred followed carefully. “Where’s the floo powder?”
“Dunno,” Fred admitted, opening Tonks’ desk. “She has to have some.” He rummaged around, before finding a small box. Opening it revealed floo powder inside. “Here.” He tossed it to his twin, who took a pinch.
“Incendio.” George said quietly. He quickly threw the floo powder in, declaring “The Burrow.” as he did so. The flames flared green, and George stepped through. Fred made a yelp of protest.
“George!” He stumbled forward. “That wasn’t the plan!”
George reappeared a moment later. “Not home.” He said. “Neither is Perce.”
“Percy’s in Spain.” Fred swatted his twin’s chest. “What in Merlin’s name? You were supposed to just stick your head through.”
“Yeah, but they wouldn’t have heard me if they were upstairs.” George shrugged. “Clock says they're out. And Percy’s hand says ‘traveling’. He’s not home in Spain or here.”
“Where’s he traveling to?”
“Dunno. Maybe he got time off and is coming up early.” George shook his head. “Either way, he and Mum and Dad are unreachable.”
"Bill and Charlie?"
"Too far. Also at work, both of them. I checked."
"Late workers." Fred muttered. "It's already past five here."
"Perce had to get it from somewhere." George looked worried.
“So we’re on our own.” Fred said, slowly. George nodded. “Well…”
“Guess we’re going to the ministry.” George finished. Fred sighed. “Come on, Freddie, might be fun.”
“Probably won’t be. We might die gruesomely.”
“Or we’ll end the night as heroes!” George nudged Fred’s arm as they started out of the office, Fred replacing Tonks’ floo powder as they did so. George extinguished the fire with a flick of his wrist.
“For what, saving a mass murderer?”
“He’s not a mass murderer.” George said. “Don’t let Harry hear you say that.”
“Papers think he is.” Fred replied. “Hard to be heroes for that.”
“Okay, secret heroes then.” George glanced over at him. “You used to be more fun Fred.”
Fred was going to be honest, that stung. He scowled at his brother. “That hurts, George.” He said dramatically, whacking his chest. “Right here.”
“Sorry,” George said quickly. “True, though. Umbridge really got to you, didn’t she?”
“No.” Fred muttered petulantly. George wrapped an arm around his shoulder. “Geroff.”
“Do you want to go to the ministry?” George asked suddenly. “Because if not, I swear, I’ll come up with an excuse so good Ginny and Ron won’t realize it’s an excuse for another decade. We can stay here, try harder to find an adult.”
Fred shook his head. “They’ll just go without us, then.” He said quietly as they made their way towards Gryffindor tower.
“I’ll go with them, you stay here. Fred, I’m not going to make you do anything you don’t want to do.”
“If you’re going, I’m going.” Fred said, interrupting George’s impassioned speech. “And if Ron and Ginny are going, we’re going.”
“Right.” George said as they stepped past the Fat Lady. “That decides that, then.”
“So?” Hermione demanded from in front of the fireplace. “Did you reach your parents?”
“Not home.” George said. “Sirius?”
“Keep your voice down.” Ginny hissed. “That sixth year prefect, I forget his name- he interrupted us before we could find out if he was home. Reached Kreacher though-”
“I hate that elf.” Fred muttered. Hermione cast him a foul look.
“-and he said he wasn’t there.” Ginny nodded firmly. “Guess we’re going to the ministry then.”
“We’re sure Kreacher isn’t lying?” George asked.
Ron stood up looking furious. “Are you suggesting we don’t go and leave Si- Harry’s godfather to die?” He snarled. George blinked, clearly caught off guard by Ron's temper.
“Of course he’s not.” Fred stepped in. “Just- we want to make sure before we do anything rash.”
“You’re always doing something rash.” Ginny accused. “Why aren’t you willing to be rash when it actually matters? Are you scared?”
Fred was, but he wasn’t going to tell his little sister that. “Fine.” He sighed, feeling a headache coming on. “How are we getting to the ministry?”
“Broomsticks?” Ginny suggested.
Luna hummed. “The blithering humdinger is more likely to get us.” She said serenely. Fred closed his eyes and counted to ten, his headache intensifying. “What about the thestrals?”
“The what?” George asked.
“Thestrals.” Harry said. “Invisible horses. They lead the carriages.”
“Like, from the train?” George asked. Harry nodded.
“Huh, I didn’t think there was anything there.” Fred said.
“How did you think they moved?” Ginny asked.
Fred made a face at her. “I dunno Gin, magic?”
“Stop- just, stop.” Hermione said. “We’ll take the thestrals. Brooms will take too long.”
“And thestrals won’t?” Fred demanded.
George elbowed him in the ribs. “Let it go.” Fred sighed, but acquiesced.
“Come on,” Ginny said. “If we hurry, we can get there before anyone notices we’re gone.”
“On thestrals.” Fred deadpanned. His siblings and their friends ignored him and ran out of the room. “Merlin, they’re fast. Come on George.” Fred started off, realizing a moment later George was still standing by the fireplace. “George?”
“Should we tell,” George shrugged, nodding at their friends. They hadn’t noticed the twins were back yet, and it looked like Lee was tormenting Alicia with his tarantula.
“No.” Fred said.
“But-”
“Look, this isn’t safe.” Fred said lowly. “You and I both know that. Frankly, I’d like to wait for an adult, but that isn’t an option. Do you really want to drag all our friends into this? Your girlfriend?”
“They could help,” George said. “They know more magic than the kids.”
“Are you willing to risk their lives on that?” Fred asked. “Besides, telling them takes time, time we don’t have. They’re not involved in any of this. We are, because of Ron. Let’s not drag more people into this before they have to.”
George closed his eyes. When he opened them, they had hardened with resolve. “You’re right.” He said. “Let’s go.” He ducked past Fred and out of the portrait, Fred following quickly. He tried not to feel like he’d just made the biggest mistake of his life.