Demigoddess in a Wizarding World: The Phoenix

Contracts

"That foul, evil, old gargoyle." Hermione swore. "We're learning how to defend ourselves. We're not learning how to pass our O.W.L.s. She's taking over the whole school." Ron and Harry sat in the empty common room at the end of the day, listening to the radio and to Hermione continue to blabber on about how not passing her O.W.L.s was going to ruin her life.

Ron nodded over at Harry to turn the radio up to drone out Hermione's now hysterical voice. Harry reached over and twisted the nob. "Security has been and will remain the Ministry's top priority. Furthermore, we have convincing evidence that these disappearances are the work of notorious mass murder Sirius Black and his goddaughter, murderer of one Cedric Diggory, Perciana Potter." Fudge's grainy voice amplified through the radio. Harry rolled his eyes and turned the radio off.

Over by the fireplace, the flames crackled and called his name. Harry, Ron, and Hermione shuffled over to the fireplace and saw Sirius' head pop into the fire. "Harry," he said again.

Harry felt a smile stretch across his face. "Sirius, what are you doing here?"

"Answering your letter." Sirius replied. "You said you were worried about Umbridge. What's she doing? Training you to kill half-breeds?" Hermione scoffed. Harry thought she'd rather be doing that if it meant her O.W.L.s wouldn't be jeopardized.

"No, Sirius, she's not letting us use magic at all." Harry said.

"Well, I'm not surprised. The latest intelligence is that Fudge doesn't want you trained in combat."

Ron shifted in his position on the couch. "Combat? Like fighting and shit?"

Hermione sighed. "Yes, Ronald. If you want to be completely crass about it. Fighting and shit."

"What does he think, we're forming some sort of wizard army?" Ron asked.

Sirius seemed surprised. "That's exactly what he thinks. That Dumbledore is assembling his own forces to take on the Ministry. He's becoming more paranoid by the minute." Sirius sighed. "The others would want me telling you this, Harry, but things aren't going all well in the Order. Fudge is blocking the truth at every turn and these...disappearances are just how it started before. Voldemort is on the move."

"Well, what can we do?" Harry asked. Harry heard the slam of a door on Sirius' side of the message.

"Someone's coming," he shushed them. "I'm sorry I can't be of more help. But for now, at least, it looks like you're on your own." And with that Sirius disappeared from the flames.

Hermione sighed, leaning against the couch and rubbed her eyes. "He really is out there, isn't it?" She didn't wait for an answer. "We've got to be able to defend ourselves. And if Umbridge refuses to teach us now, we need someone who will." Hermione turned to Harry with raised eyebrows.

His brilliant answer was, "Huh?"

----

Thunder crashed outside the castle, but Dumbledore paid no attention to it. He said the password and climbed the rotating staircase up to his office. He seized open the heavy doors with the wave of his wand and entered. The office was dark, except for the moon being reflected off of his trinket filled room. Faux was not on his perch. The old wizard could see jean-clad legs crossed in one of his chairs that faced his large desk.

"May I offer you a lemon drop?" Dumbledore asked. The person, Dumbledore guessed it was a girl from how tight the jeans were she wore, did not speak for a moment.

"You know, I really wish these chairs spun around." The voice was all too familiar. "It really would've added to the dramatic effect." The girl stood, revealing Faux on her shoulder. She turned and Dumbledore fully expected to see her usual tan face, side smirk, and bright eyes, but he was met with the opposite. Perci Potter was a skeleton of herself.