scars || sirius black

51 - witching hour

"Alohomora," Emmy hissed on the off chance it would work and the lock clicked open easily. Too easily. There was no time to question now why he had no protective measures on his house as they edged into the kitchen, careful not to creak any of the old wooden floorboards. Emmy looked down at the tiny conch shells in her hand, enchanted to echo through identical shells back at the Potters' where the Order would be able to listen in to any conversations that took place. She whispered through one to test it was working and held it to her ear, breathing a sigh of relief as she heard Mad-Eye's familiar tones on the other end reminding her of constant vigilance!

She rolled her eyes and tucked it behind a photo frame on the mantelpiece. Marlene was busy placing a couple more deep in the fruit bowl on the table as Caradoc moved into the next room. Emmy followed, planting some near the front door on her way to the sitting room.

She passed Caradoc taping a shell to the underside of standing lamp in the hallway and he gave her a reassuring smile.

Emmy spotted Marlene out the window, creeping back to the wall, her job completed. She and Caradoc continued on to the last task, searching Rowle's office. They split up as they entered the room, Emmy going for his desk and Caradoc going through the filing cabinet. A floorboard creaked as she knelt down to go through the drawers and they both winced, listening out for the sound of anyone moving around upstairs.

After a tense second, they kept going, desperate to complete this mission and find some information that could save lives. Emmy leafed through a pile of paper in the top drawer and her heart stilled as she caught sight of a map of Diagon Alley and underneath, detailed notes of key targets and names of death-eaters who were going to be at the attack. She got Caradoc's attention and he leant over her shoulder. He swore as he saw what she was looking at and quickly began making copies onto the spare parchment he had brought.

"Excellent! Good work, can you check the other drawers quickly and we can get out of here?"

"Sure, you found anything else?"

"Just some lists of ministry officials that have turned and some records of missing muggleborns, possibly locations of a few bodies too I think."

The way Caradoc said it, like he was so accustomed to something so horrific, Emmy didn't understand what he was saying for a moment but she flinched when she did.

He put the files back where Emmy had pulled them out from and, with one last look over their shoulder they began to head for the door.

It happened so quickly that they barely had time to think. A knock sounded from the front door and floorboards creaked upstairs.

Emmy froze, glancing at Caradoc. They would have to get past the front door to escape out through the kitchen and the room they were in had no windows, only a skylight.

Caradoc swore under his breath and motioned for her to hide as Rowle reached the foot of the stairs. The door to the office was still ajar and Emmy could see the silhouettes of several robed men from her position behind the curtains. He ushered them in hurriedly and checked behind them  as they entered the hallway.

To her horror, she realised within seconds exactly where they were heading. The sound of footsteps on the floorboards coming closer and the terrified look on Emmy's face was enough for Caradoc to work out what was happening from behind the bookcase in the corner of the room.

He brought his wand up to his chest, lips trembling as he took in a deep breath. He locked eyes with hers and he motioned for her to stay where she was. Emmy shook her head furiously, no way was she staying out of this.

As the office door swung open, he hurtled out of his hiding place and fired bombarda maxima, exploding plasterboard in every direction. The death-eaters cried out and took cover down the hallway. Emmy jumped down from the window ledge and hurled herself into the fight. A stinging jinx smashed through the window behind her as she threw spell after spell. Three of the five death-eaters were unconscious in a matter of seconds, no match for Caradoc's auror training and a Triwizard champion, but the others persisted.