The village of Hogsmeade, covered in a fine layer of snow, sat particularly quiet, it's streets deserted. It was usually less busy during this time, 10:30 on a Tuesday morning, but now the only being outside was a Labrador, huddled under the window to the Hogs Head Inn, apparently taking shelter from the chilly wind.
Inside the pub, at a corner booth, three wizards sat talking quietly despite the fact that the only person around was the old barkeep, and he was snoring on his stool.
I wish they'd speak up, thought the Labrador. She was forced to use legilimency to understand most of their conversation. Apparently, a young wizard called Stanley Shunpike, currently a conductor aboard the Knight Bus, was being inducted to the Death Eaters.
Using her powers as an occlumens and an animagus to find and spy on Voldemort's followers had been the brunt of Sarah's work since she'd joined the Order of the Phoenix. Her exploits were so secretive, most of the Order's other members weren't aware of her participation. On certain nights, she'd meet with Dumbledore at the home of Sirius Black, whom it turned out was not a mass murderer but an innocent man, to deliver her reports and receive further instruction.
Sarah enjoyed the work. It felt good to help the cause in a way many others couldn't, and it usually kept her busy enough to avoid thinking about Barnaby. She hadn't spoken to him for weeks, since the day of Cedric's funeral. Being back in the village brought back the painful memory, and she shuddered, hoping that he was alright and that he didn't hate her too badly. After she'd abandoned him there, she'd gone straight to the Burrow. After getting instructions from Dumbledore, she'd written to Charlie. She'd asked him to offer Barnaby work in Romania, so he'd be safe when the Death Eaters came to call.
Sarah's ears perked up. Stan had become considerably more nervous than he'd already been. To prove himself, he was tasked with torturing a Dumbledore supporter. A man had been urging people to believe Dumbledore and Potter's story that the Dark Lord had returned, and was offering dueling lessons to help people combat the Death Eaters. Stan was told to stop him.
"Well, what are you waiting for!" Sarah just made out one of the Death Eaters hiss.
Sarah heard a pop, and could no longer sense Stan's mind. Sarah ran into an alley to transform and disapparate to the place Stan had been thinking of. When she arrived in Diagon Alley, she tailed Stan until he led her to Gringott's bank. Sarah stayed a distance away, watching as Stan strode up to none other than her old friend, Diego Caplan.
"Arm yourselves, friends," Diego was calling, trying to gather the attention of anyone going in and out of the bank. "Dumbledore has never steered us wrong before, why should he do so now? We must accept that You-Know-Who has returned. Don't let yourself be caught unawares when he shows himself at last. Stand and fight! I can teach you how!"
Sarah realized Diego had to be Stan's intended target. She surged forward as Stan approached, but she was too slow. Stan grabbed Diego's collar and disapparated.
Sarah's heart beat madly. She had to save Diego, but where had they gone? Sarah searched with her mind, sighing with relief when she could still sense Stan's and now Diego's fear. They couldn't have gone far. She sprinted and turned a corner, plunging into the darkness of Knockturn Alley.
She soon found them between two shops. Diego lay on the ground, wandless, Stan standing over him looking quite as shocked as Diego.
"You've angered the Dark Lord, Caplan," Stan stuttered, holding out his wand. "Now, you'll pay the price!"
"Stop!" yelled Sarah, stepping into the small alley with her wand pointed at Stan's heart. "You don't want to do this Stan. I know you don't."
Stan panicked, pointing his wand at Sarah and yelling, "Crucio!"
The spell hit her, but it was barely powerful enough to hurt at all. Sarah wasn't surprised. To make the unforgiveable curses work, you had to really want them to work, to enjoy the pain they caused.
"Impedimenta!" she yelled, but Stan was able to dodge out of the way. He charged forward, catching Sarah by surprise and knocking her aside as he made a run for it.
She charged after him, casting a stunning spell that sent the denizens of the alley fleeing, but Stan had just managed to disapparate before the spell got to him.
"That was a mess," she said, as she helped Diego to his feet, annoyed with herself for letting Stan escape.
"Sarah," said Diego through heavy breaths, "I can't tell you how glad I am to see you!" He hugged her.
"We'll catch up later," she said, noticing curious onlookers beginning to poke their heads into the alley. She grabbed Diego's wrist and disapparated, keen to leave the dark wizards and witches of Knockturn Alley behind.