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He could feel his heart pounding, adrenaline at its peak. What now? What now?
The creepy hag Umbridge was of course enjoying stretching the situation.
"I told you I didn't know anything."
Why won't she let him go? Sirius, his Sirius, time is running out.
Hang on, please, he begged in his mind. Don't die. I'll get out of here and get you. Please don't die, I have no one else. Please, Padfoot, don't die.
"The Veritaserum's out," Snape drawled, "ask in a fortnight. If you were interested in poisoning, it would be different, but like this, unfortunately..."
Snape's here! He's in the Order, isn't he? Snape can help. Shit! Why haven't they agreed on some code language?
"He's got Padfoot! He's got him where the thing is hidden!" he blurted out.
Yes, he knows he looks like he's lost his mind, it doesn't matter, maybe they'll send him to the infirmary and he'll get out of there.
Please, Snape, don't be a jerk and help! Please! He tried to push him out the door with his mind. Snape made some faces and disappeared.
"I know where it is! I'll show you!" Is Hermione crazy? No! She has a plan. Right, lure the cow away, it doesn't matter where.
Draco, please, let me run, don't pay attention, let me disarm. Sirius is your family too, damn it. So cooperate!
Somehow, wands were moved back and forth. Somehow, he burst out of the door… Where the sneaky bastard Snape was waiting and grabbed him roughly by the elbow. “Don’t be an idiot, Potter, and cooperate. Lovegood is coming with us. I don’t need a bunch of imbeciles scaring away thestrals. The rest of you go to your dorms and wait there. Keep calm.”
He shouted something, he didn’t know what, and suddenly he was pressed against the wall and Snape hissed in his face:
“You fucking idiot, are you so eager to expose me? Is this fucking war worth it to you? The sacrifice of your parents and a lot of other people? No? Then shut up and follow instructions. And watch how it’s done before someone gets hurt because of you.”
The floo fireplace in Snape’s office turned green.
“Kreacher!”
“Professor! I’ve already spoken to Kreacher! We’re wasting time! And Sirius…!” he was almost speechless with excitement.
“Cool down, Potter!”
“Poor Master Regulus’ Potions Master is calling Kreacher?”
“Kreacher, where is Sirius Black?”
“Kreacher can’t say anything, the bad master forbade it.”
“Kreacher, watch out, do you know where Sirius Black is NOT?”
“Kreacher knows!”
“Kreacher, is Sirius Black in the Department of Mysteries?”
"Professor, Kreacher said Sirius didn't come back from there!"
"Shut up, Potter!"
What? What the hell...! What is Snape playing at?
"The bad guy didn't go to the Department of Mysteries today," Kreacher grinned maliciously.
The bastard! What is Kreacher playing at?
"Kreacher, did Sirius Black go out today?"
"Kreacher can't, can't say what the bad guy is doing," Kreacher wrung his hands, his eyes flashing maliciously.
"Kreacher, what about the dog that has fleas and carries mud around the house? Have you seen him today?"
"Kreacher knows! Kreacher will show the Potions Master, Master Regulus, where the dirty dog is. The Potions Master follows Kreacher."
“Well, Potter, that didn’t hurt either. It’s called extracting a witness. If you want to be an Auror, you’ll need it.”
He wasn’t sure he wanted to be an Auror. He wanted to be an Auror like Dad, Moody, and Sirius. And Tonks. But his illusions were falling apart one by one. He didn’t know who he could rely on anymore. Maybe he shouldn’t be an Auror. Maybe he should be an usher at a cinema or something. Nothing can go wrong with that.
“Miss Lovegood, wait for us here. There are some interesting stuffed animals in the cupboard if you’re bored. Come on, Potter. Apparently Black wasn’t at the Ministry at all today, but for your own peace of mind I’m willing to make an exception and let you meet. See for yourself.”
They fell out of the floo fireplace at Grimmauld Place - to be precise, Snape floated out like a figure skater, while Harry rolled out like a half-empty keg of beer and lay on the mantelpiece.
"Behave yourself, Potter. Your staff are watching."
Kreacher successfully ignored Harry and spoke exclusively to Snape.
"Master Regulus' Potions Master is following Kreacher. Kreacher will show you the dirty dog that's a disgrace to the poor lady."
They walked briskly out the door. Harry felt the Disillusionment Charm running down him. Snape cast it wordlessly and wandlessly. Damn it.
Kreacher led them through deserted alleys, taking several turns, and Harry soon lost his bearings. They stopped in front of a dingy-looking Muggle pub.
"Kratur will be going home now," and the house-elf disappeared.
Snape heroically opened the door. Not much could be seen through the acrid cigarette smoke. The pub was filled with the usual pub noise, punctuated by the blare of slot machines. Somewhere in the back of the lounge, several guitars were playing and unknown voices were blaring "Streams of whiskey."
"Excuse me!" yelled a busty blonde woman, seven pints in each hand, trying to push her way through the crowd around the bar to serve seated customers. She was wearing a black T-shirt that was about three sizes too small and a tiny belt of fabric around her hips that could only be called a skirt in the most generous of fantasies.
"Come on, Rousiiiie, don't run..." one of the vagrants tried to stop the woman, but she pushed him away, sending him staggering.
"Um, Black?" Snape said, looking like he was really enjoying himself. Harry really didn't want to be there.
Snape was really enjoying himself.
"Hey, Black, you have a kid here. Could you please look after him? I think he misses you."
"You bastard, you said you were single!"
“Roussiiiie, I’ll explain…”
“Harry, what are you doing here? Why aren’t you at school, Puppy?”
“Black, can you hear me? We have to go back. Your boy has gone mad and has declared a manhunt. Everyone is looking for you. You’re in trouble.”
“Shit! One day a man is going to get out of the house! One day!”
“As far as I know, you should have stayed put. Bad, bad dog. To the kennel with you. This is going to be a mess. But it could have been worse. Your boy wanted to go look for you at the Ministry.”
“Shit!”
Harry stared at the ground as they crept back to Grimmauld Place. Sirius didn’t look too happy either. Snape, on the other hand, was riding waves of euphoria. And it wasn’t even Christmas!