Harry Potter and the Sympathy of Souls

III) "Lies"

"Nicolas Flamel" he muttered at the mirror, and was greeted with the sight of black cloth, which was immediately replaced with the sight of Nicolas's drawn face.

"Harry!" he exclaimed, "I didn't expect you to contact me so soon! Have you not managed to find anyone else to help?"

"No." said Harry shortly "They'll all gone. Where are you?"

"I've just apparated into the Ministry's atrium. Not even the security guard is present. Something is definitely amiss. I understand the Department of Mysteries is somewhere here?"

Harry nodded "On the ninth floor. Nicolas, can I come with you?"

Nicolas frowned. "What do you mean, Harry?"

"I'm not going to be of any use here." replied Harry "I can't stand just staying here and doing nothing while Sirius is being tortured, let me come and help."

Nicolas frowned. "The whole point of my coming here was to prevent you from encountering yet another situation where you would be forced to fight Voldemort."

"But he's my godfather!" insisted Harry. "It's my fault he's being tortured in the first place. Anyways, you need me. You don't know where Sirius is being kept, I'll need to be there to show you. I promise I won't get involved unless it's necessary! Please, I need to be there."

"If I brought you with me," replied Nicolas, "I would have to apparate away from here to the gates of Hogwarts, wait for you to walk there, since it's impossible to apparate from inside Hogwarts, and then side-along apparate you back."

"It would only take a few minutes!"

"Minutes during which your godfather is being tortured." replied Nicolas, shutting Harry up.

"Alright. Just keep the mirror on so I can direct you towards the right room."

"Of course, Harry. And I apologize. I understand that this is difficult for you."

Harry shook his head, though Nicolas was no longer looking at him, but rather heading towards the lifts with the mirror held in front of him, showing Harry where he was going. "No, you were right. I want to help Sirius as soon as possible. It's just hard, staying here doing nothing while you endanger your life for me."

Nicolas chuckled. "Don't apologize, Harry. This is more excitement than I've had in quite a few decades. I'm not risking my life however, I'm risking a slight inconvenience that can be resolved in a couple of hours. Perenelle keeps all the ingredients necessary for the ritual that would return me to my body should I die prepared at all times. Please stop worrying. All will be well."

Harry said nothing. He knew in his mind that what Nicolas was saying made sense, but he had never before had to sit aside and watch while someone else risked themselves. It was incredibly hard. He felt a sudden kinship with Sirius, understanding for the first time, just how difficult it must have been to stay at home while the other members of the Order of the Phoenix fought.

Both Harry and Nicolas remained silent until they reached the Department of Mysteries, the only sound being the rattling of the lift and then Nicolas's footsteps on the polished marble floor.

Nicolas entered through the familiar black door that Harry had seen so many times in his dreams though only once in reality, and entered the circular room with doors all along the walls.

"In my dreams, I walked straight ahead to the door, so it should be one of those two doors right in front of you."

"Alright." he heard Nicolas whisper "Now keep your voice down. I don't want to alert anyone to my presence before I must. In fact, wait a moment while I Disillusion myself."