Chéri || Fred Weasley

lii

Descending down the red telephone box brought her memories of her grandfather. She hadn't thought of him in such a long time that the simple thought made Madeleine shiver. What would the great Philippe Archambeau II think of his two granddaughters illegally breaking into the Ministry to look for the most wanted man in England.

Her heart was pounding in her ribcage, fear flooding her veins by just the possibility of Sirius being tortured knowing what would come next. The Ministry was dimly lit, not a single soul was to be seen as they ran to the golden lifts. Suspicion ran over Madeleine once she quickly analized the surroundings. There were no aurors, no security whatsoever which was odd considering that it was not necessarily late even though it was six o'clock but also because there surely had to be wizards who worked past normal hours. There was something wrong and she could feel it but nothing would ever be able to change Harry's mind.

Harry pressed the lift's button rapidly and it started to descend until they reached level nine and the elevator's voice chanted, "Department of Mysteries." Harry was running, the rest struggling to keep up with him but after all, he "knew" the place best because it was the same black door they were standing in front of that plagued his dreams since September.

"Let's go," Harry whispered and led the way down the corridor.

"Whatever happens you stay next to me, don't do anything if I don't tell you first, understood?" Maddie said lowly to Clotilde who was grabbing her hand and nodded in response.

"Okay, listen," said Harry with his hand on the door handle. "Maybe... maybe a couple of people should stay here as - as a lookout, and -"

"Don't be stupid Harry," Madeleine rolled her eyes.

"She's right, how're we going to let you know something's coming when you could be miles away," Ginny raised her brows.

"We're coming with you Harry," Neville said with clear determination in his voice.

"Let's get on with it," said Ron firmly.

Harry finally opened the door hesitantly and marched forward leadind the others. They were now standing in a large circular room with a dozen of identical black doors without handles around them. Neville had shut the main door per Harry's request but he soon regretted it because the blue flame torches surrounding the room went off, leaving them in complete darkness. Harry then gave a quick stroll around the room, rummaging in his memories which of them was the one which would lead them to Sirius but everytime he approached one he faltered.

The walls around the circular room rotated with a loud rumbling sound until it became still after a couple of seconds. It wasn't called the Department of Mysteries for nothing. "What was that all about?" Clo asked from beside Ginny.

"I think it was to stop us knowing which door we came from," the redhead girl replied.

"Where do we go then?" Ron questioned looking around the room whose blue torches ignited again.

"Harry we have to be quick, we're losing time," Maddie said hushedly to him.

"Don't you think I don't know that already?" he snapped in return. "In the dreams I went through the door at the end of the corridor but I'm not sure anymore so maybe we should try a couple of doors, I'll know the right one when I see it," he said hastily.

The door in front of Harry opened without the need of an unlocking charm or anything of the sort. They all had their wands raised as they walked past the entrance of the door and into a dark rectangular room which became lightly illuminated by low hanging lamps on low golden chains. There were only a couple of desks and in the middle of the room there was a giant glass tank of deep-green water that contained large numbers of pearly white objects that were drifting lazily around the musty water.