Chapter Fifteen:
( department of mysteries )

▂✫⌒*･ﾟ

             SPENCER WALKS BESIDE HERMIONE since she realized that the only person who has an idea about what to do is her. Harry does not bother to hide his puzzled expression, but fortunately, Umbridge is far enthusiastic about finally 'catching' the culprits. Well, that and he tries to make it look like he knows what is going on (but Spencer knows him better). No one bothers to speak to one another, especially with Umbridge breathing behind their backs. Hermione leads the way down the stairs into the entrance hall. Loud voices overcrowd the area with students laughing and celebrating over the end of exams. How was it possible for many to be celebrating and others most likely having to struggle returning back to school? She has to guess that they have to leave Hogwarts now to save Sirius... something Spencer never thought she would be doing.

             Hermione walks straight out of the oak front doors and down the stone steps into the balmy evening air. The sun is falling toward the top of the trees in the Forbidden Forest where all of they currently are heading towards. Spencer stomps in the grass and mimics Hermione's steps, choosing to hold the girl's hand so they can walk the same speed, but in reality letting her take the lead. She hides a smile as she notices Umbridge practically jog to keep up with them.

             "It's hidden in Hagrid's hut, is it?" Umbridge mutters eagerly, a wicked smile takes its form rather than the same frozen sweet one she always portrays. Spencer sends her a quick glare and does not answer.

             The girl beside her scoffs and answers, "Of course not. Hagrid might have set it off accidentally."

             "Yes," agrees Umbridge, whose excitement seems to be mounting. "He would have done, of course, the great half-breed oaf..." she laughs at the awful nickname she gives him.

Spencer clenches her jaw in annoyance upon her words. She never understood why people would carelessly use them around. Words are significant in every way, in her own vivid opinion, which is why when something is insulting this usually causes the victim to be hurt emotionally. To have them be used as prejudice statements creates an overdue controversy. Half-breeds is the offensive way to refer to someone who is not just a wizard, but something else. She does not understand why they do not just categorize them as half-bloods since it is the same idea— except far kinder and relevant. Why do people have to lower themselves to feel superior among others? It is the same with the word 'mudblood'. How egoistic does one have to be to have created such a wicked word?

"Then... where is it?" Umbridge questions with uncertainty as they continue further in the Forbidden Forest.

The Gryffindor female points deeper into their path with her available hand. Professor Umbridge glances down and scrunches up her nose in disgust as she notices that Spencer and Hermione hold each other's hands. The young Montague silently scoffs to herself, but she is not in any way surprised. Prejudice and homophobic? Fits her exactly. To spite her even more, Spencer finds herself grasping her friend's hand comfortably. She may not find herself attracted to girls romantically; however, it does not mean she is not supportive of others and would gladly stand up for anyone. There is also the fact that she'd rather kiss Hermione than face Umbridge ever again— quite honestly, she sees no problem with it, but she just doesn't find herself liking her romantically.

Umbridge spoke up about the children going first which in response Harry tells her, "Then can we have your wand then?"

"No, I don't think so, Mister Potter," Umbridge answers sweetly, poking him in the back with hers. "The Ministry places a rather higher value on my life than yours."

"Clearly, not for your intelligence," Spencer drawls out lazily. She ignores the hatred glare being thrown at her and instead confidently continues walking ahead. The Ravenclaw deems herself exhausted in keeping her mouth shut when she could think of thousands of inappropriate words to claim her as in any language (okay not any but still).

As they reach the cool shade of the trees, Harry tries gaining his friend's attention and this to say that Spencer clearly notices, but pays him no mind to keep their act together. She wishes she would have learned to be a legilimens and easily read Hermione's thoughts, but she remembers that she had stopped herself from doing so since she already dealt with her own mind far much (imagine the power of having both eidetic memory and being able to get into other people's mind? Spencer already dreads it). Hermione notices his movements, though, she chooses to merely give Umbridge a contemptuous glance and plunges right deep into the trees that had the elder woman's shorter legs difficult to keep up with. From them girls, Spencer stands the tallest since she had a well-built figure.

"Is it very far in?" Umbridge asks another question as her robe rips on a bramble.

Hermione nods surely. "Oh, yes. It's very far in," she answers once more. Spencer raises an eyebrow, but does not speak in advance. She can recognize the tone in her voice... it almost sounds mischievous and yet odd coming from the Gryffindor's mouth. If anything, she would have suspected something like this to have come out of the Weasley twins's lips, not hers.

The Gryffindor girl glances at Spencer and then down to the ground, pressing onto the leaves loudly to create horrid noises. Spencer tilts her head back in recognition before copying her movements. She snickers quietly when Umbridge fell down to the ground and no one bothers to help her up. Her lips twist upwards and all she can think is how Ricky would get into a fit of laughter upon sharing this memory. Hermione merely strides on, calling loudly over her shoulder, "It's a bit further in!"

Harry leans over the two girl's shoulders and whispers, "Hermione, keep your voice down. Anything could be listening in here..."

A look of realization falls on Spencer's face. That explains why Hermione is keen in gaining attention with their awfully noisy steps and voices. They all walk for what seems like the longest time, until they are so deep in that the dense tree canopy blocks out all the lights.

"How much further?" demands Umbridge in an annoyed tone. Spencer rolls her eyes and takes a few more steps in. Is she really that dense?

"Not far now!" Hermione shouts as they emerge into a dim, dank clearing. "Just a little bit—"

Hermione could not finish her sentence as an arrow flies through the air and lands with a menacing thud in the tree right over her head. The air is suddenly full of the sound of hooves. The forest floor begins trembling; Umbridge releases a little scream and places Harry in front of her like a shield. Spencer jumps in surprise and tightens her hold on Hermione's hand. The Gryffindor girl smoothly caresses her thumb to comfort her.

Harry wrenches himself free of Umbridge's hold and turns. Around fifty centaurs are emerging on every side, their bows raised and loaded, pointing at Harry, Hermione, Spencer, and Umbridge, who backs slowly into the center of the clearing. Umbridge begins uttering odd whimpers of terror while Hermione wore a triumphant smile. Oh... she's brilliant, Spencer thinks to herself. Firenze had explained where the rest of the centaurs are from and how they do not particularly like humans.

"Who are you?" One of the centaurs asks.

Spencer turns to her left to see a chestnut-bodied centaur walking toward them out of the circle; his bow, like the others, is raised. She bites the inside of her cheek nervously before analyzing them individually.

"I am Dolores Umbridge," answers Professor Umbridge in her high-pitched, terrified voice. "Senior Undersecretary to the Minister of Magic and Headmistress and High Inquisitor of Hogwarts!"

"You are from the Ministry of Magic?" The centaur questions as many of the others shifted restlessly.

"That's right!" Umbridge exclaims. "So be very careful! By the laws laid down by the Department of Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures, any attack by half-breeds—"

Spencer groans in disbelief. They are going to die and it is all because of the High Inquisitor. "You absolutely empty-headed woman," Spencer snaps at the pink-colored woman.

"What did you call us?" The question coming from the centaur is asked in an angry tone, directed right at the foolish headmistress of theirs. There is a great deal of anger radiating of from the centaurs— all which are rightfully there.

"Don't call them that!" Hermione says furiously. However, Umbridge chooses to ignore her and continue on her way to some trampling death. Especially when she begins pointing her wand toward the centaur and continues, "Law Fifteen B states clearly that 'Any attack by a magical creature who is deemed to have near-human intelligence, and therefore considered responsible for their actions—"

             "'Near-human intelligence'?" repeats the first centaur that spoke. A few others roar with rage and paw the ground. "We consider that a great insult, human! Our intelligence far outstrips your own—"

             "What are you doing in our forest?"

             "Your forest? I would remind you that you live here only because the Ministry of Magic permits you certain areas of land—" Umbridge continues, shaking not only with fright but indignation. However, she does not get to finish as an arrow flew so close to her head that Spencer almost hopes it would have actually nail her to a tree. Although, it passes through her mounty hair instead which causes her to still release an earsplitting scream. The centaurs begin laughing in amusement and the sound echoes through the trees.

             "Whose forest is it now?" bellows another centaur.

             "Filthy half-breeds!" Umbridge shrieks with anger. "Beasts! Uncontrolled animals!"

             "Shut up!" Spencer shouts over her annoying tone while Hermione repeats the same thing, but with different words. Except it is far too late. Umbridge points her wand at the centaur and screams, "Incarcerous!"

             Ropes flew out of midair like thick snakes, wrapping themselves tightly around the centaur's torso and trapping his arms. Spencer gasps in horror and moves back from the professor. He gives a cry of rage and rears into his hind legs, attempting to free themselves, while the others charge. Harry grabs Hermione and Spencer, pulling them to the ground. Facedown on the forest floor, Spencer knows a moment of terror passes through all three of them as hooves thunder around him, but the centaurs leap over and around them.

             Spencer grimaces as she hears Umbridge shriek over and over. It is not because she cares about the professor. No... not at all. She grimaces because part of her likes hearing her get what she deserves. How awful is that? Maybe she is not so different from her own family of wickedness. Spencer stares up at the scene and guilt fills her up as she looks at the person in front of her with fascination. Umbridge is trapped and her wand is broken leaving her completely defenseless.

             Suddenly, Spencer and her friends are lifted up from the ground and once more restrained. The centaurs stares at them with a blank look which causes the girl to swallow in fear.

             "They are young," says a slow, doleful voice from behind Harry. "We do not attack foals."

             "They brought her here, Ronan. And they are not so young..." the centaur holding Harry responds back with bitterness. Noticing the frightful expressions on Hermione and the unsureness of Harry's, Spencer lets herself whimper in anguish.

             "We're sorry!" She cries out while adding some sniffles. "She hurt us in our hand and made us suffer! We just wanted to get her lost to never return, please!" While at it, she holds out her hand in front to show them the scarred hand.

             The centaur holding her slightly loosen his hold on her, while others stare down at her with either a cold stare, or a look of pity. Using the Montague tricks is not something Spencer is proud of, but she knows how helpful it truly is. The ability to look absolutely innocent and manipulative... she can actually try and become like Morgana— but she won't.

             "Please," Hermione cuts in breathlessly, "don't attack us, we don't like her! We only came here because we hoped you would drive her off—"

             That is the wrong thing to say. Spencer closes her eyes in frustration as she hears the centaurs stomp in anger. Hermione should have just let her handle this, but the girl is scared so she lets it go.

             "We were to act as your servants, drive away your enemies like obedient hounds?" The gray centaur bellows furiously. Hermione shook her head in regret and her face pales.

             "No!" yells Hermione in a horrorstruck squeak. "Please, I didn't mean that! I just hoped you'd be able to help us—"

             She seems to be going from bad to worse. "We do not help humans!" snarls the centaur holding Harry. Her Gryffindor friend tries to help them convince the centaurs to not hurt them, but nothing seems to be working. Spencer has her wand, but that would not help anything. It would only make it ten times worse than it already is. Truth be told, she does not want to become a victim of the centaurs. What can they do? Come on... what can they do? Harming them would not do anything but anger them. Talking is out of the question since that would make them furious as well after Hermione interference.

             "We do not acknowledge your superiority, we are—" just as the centaur continues its speech, it is soon cut off by a crashing noise on the edge of the clearing. All of them look around to the scene of the crime and Spencer sighs in relief as the centaur that held her lets her go in order to reach its bow and arrows. Harry ran to the two girls in concern and places himself in front of them. Spencer gasps as she notices a giant appear in their view.

             The centaurs nearest this giant backs into those behind. The clearing is now a forest of bows and arrows waiting to be fired, all pointing upward at the enormous grayish face now looming over them from just beneath the thick canopy of branches. The giant's lopsided mouth is gaping stupidly. They could see his bricklike yellow teeth glimmering in the half-light, his dull sludge-colored eyes narrowed as he squints down at the creatures at his feet. Broken ropes trail from both ankles.

             He opens his mouth even wider. "Hagger," the giant says unclearly.

             Spencer does not know what "hagger" means. Or at least not in the way this creature meant it as. Since when is there even a giant in the forest anyway? Perhaps he knew Hagrid... or what if...? What if that's what the giant meant? Hagger is his way of saying Hagrid? She does not get to think much on it as Hermione grips her arm tightly; the centaurs are silent, staring up at the giant, whose huge, round head moved from side to side as he continues to peer amongst them as though looking for something he had dropped.

             "Hagger!" he repeats again, more insistently.

             "Get away from here, giant!" calls the centaur. "You are not welcome among us!"

             These words seem to make no impression whatsoever on the giant. He stoops a little (the centaurs' arms tensed on their bows) and then bellows, "HAGGER!"

             A few of the centaurs look worried now. Hermione, however, gives a gasp. Spencer turns her head toward her curiously. "Harry! Spencer!" she whispers. "I think he's trying to say 'Hagrid'!"

             At this precise moment, the giant caught sight of them, the only three humans in a sea of centaurs. He lowers his head another foot or so, staring intently at them. Spencer could feel Hermione shaking as the man opens his mouth wide again and said, in a deep, rumbling voice, "Hermy," toward Harry— or possibly Hermione (she is not sure).

             Spencer widens her eyes in full surprise. So he truly is calling for Hagrid? And he knows their name? Looking back at it, Hermione and Harry do not seem surprise to have seen another giant which confirms her theory.

             "Goodness," says Hermione, gripping Harry's arm so tightly it is growing numb and looking as though she is about to faint, "he — he remembered!"

             "HERMY!" roars the giant. "WHERE HAGGER?"

             "I don't know!" squeals Hermione, terrified. "I'm sorry, Grawp, I don't know!"

             Spencer stays silent, unaware of what to do. Her Gryffindor friends seem to have a clue on who he is so maybe they have a chance. Though, as she glances at the giant she does not think it is a high percentage. Probably around 28% the most.

             "GRAWP WANT HAGGER!" One of the giant's massive hands swoops down upon them — Hermione lets out a real scream, ran a few steps backward and fell over. Spencer follows her along in fear. Wandless, Harry braces himself to punch, kick, bite, or whatever else it takes as the hand flew toward him and knocks a snow-white centaur off his legs. It is what the centaurs have been waiting for — Grawp's outstretched fingers are a foot from Harry when fifty arrows went soaring through the air at the giant, peppering his enormous face, causing him to howl with pain and rage and straighten up again, rubbing his face with his enormous hands, breaking off the arrow shafts but forcing the heads in still deeper. Spencer flinches as she feels the drops of blood fall onto her body.

             He yells and stamps his enormous feet and the centaurs scatter out of the way. Pebble-sized droplets of Grawp's blood shower them as Harry pull Hermione and Spencer to their feet and the trio ran the fastest as they could for the shelter of the trees. Once they are there, they look back — Grawp is snatching blindly at the centaurs as blood ran all down his face; they are retreating in disorder, galloping away through the trees on the other side of the clearing. As Harry, Spencer, and Hermione watch, Grawp gives another roar of fury and plunges after them, smashing more trees aside as he went.

             Honestly, Spencer feels like throwing up at the bloody mess being left behind and the ones on her. Oh, yeah... she definitely hopes that the centaurs make it out alright despite them wanting to kill her. See, Umbridge is a wicked woman. Centaurs just want to be left on their own.

             "Oh no," cries Hermione, quaking so badly that her knees give way. "Oh, that was horrible. And he might kill them all. . . ."

             "I'm not that fussed, to be honest," responds Harry bitterly.

             "I might throw up," Spencer warns, bending down and confirming her thoughts as the substance in her stomach came out. Harry and Hermione turn away in disgust before helping her up and continuing their way out of the forest. The sounds of the galloping centaurs and the blundering giant are growing fainter and fainter.

             They have wasted so much time — Spencer comes to realize that. They are stuck in the middle of the Forbidden Forest with no means of transport whatsoever. Well, unless she brought up the plan she thought of ages ago...

             "Smart plan," Harry spits at Hermione, keen to release some of his fury. "Really smart plan. Where do we go from here?"

             "We need to get back up to the castle," answers Hermione faintly.

             "By the time we've done that, Sirius'll probably be dead!" yells Harry, kicking a nearby tree in temper; there is a high-pitched chattering overhead and they look up to see an angry bowtruckle flexing its long twiglike fingers at him.

             "Well, we can't do anything without wands," said Hermione hopelessly, dragging herself up again. She gives her a friend a solemn glance. "Anyway, Harry, how exactly were you planning to get all the way to London?"

             "Yeah, we were just wondering that," said a familiar voice from behind her. Harry, Spencer, and Hermione move instinctively together, peering through the trees, as Ron comes into sight, with Ricky, Ginny, Neville, and Luna hurrying along behind him. All of them look a little the worse for wear — there Re several long scratches running the length of Ginny's cheek, a large purple lump was swelling above Neville's right eye, Ron's lip was bleeding worse than ever — but all are looking rather pleased with themselves.

             "So," Ron starts, pushing aside a low-hanging branch and holding out Harry's wand, "have any ideas?"

             "How did you get away?" asks Harry in amazement, taking his wand from Ron.

             "Couple of Stunners, a Disarming Charm, Neville brought off a really nice little Impediment Jinx," Ron answers airily, now handing back Hermione's wand too. "But Ginny was best, she got Malfoy — Bat-Bogey Hex — it was superb, his whole face was covered in the great flapping things. Anyway, we saw you heading into the forest out of the window and followed. What've you done with Umbridge?"

             "She got carried away," Harry tells them. "By a herd of centaurs."

             "And they left you behind?" asks Ginny, looking astonished.

             "No, they got chased off by Grawp," responds Harry.

             "Who's Grawp?" Luna asks interestedly. Ricky seems to have the same question as well.

             "Hagrid's little brother," says Ron promptly. "Anyway, never mind that now. Harry, what did you find out in the fire? Has You-Know-Who got Sirius or — ?"

             "Yes," Harry interrupts surely. "And I'm sure Sirius is still alive, but I can't see how we're going to get there to help him."

             Spencer taps her chin lightly unaware of their conversation as she thinks back to the plan she had before getting caught. They all fall silent looking rather scared. However, Ricky stares at her in wonder before clearing his throat and asking, "What's in your mind, Spencer?"

             Everyone turns toward the young Montague who stares up at them in confusion before realizing that they want to hear her plan. Noticing the desperation in Harry's face, she swallows deeply before telling them, "A while back I helped Fred and George escape Hogwarts—"

             "You what—" Ron and Hermione cut her off in surprise. The two of them share an awkward look before glancing away from each other.

             Spencer chooses to ignore their interruptions and continues, "The moment Harry said he wanted to get out of here to help Hogwarts I thought back on it. We can't leave through the Floo Network, nor through a Portkey."

             "But we don't have enough brooms," Harry sighs in frustration. Spencer sends him a quick glare for interrupting her once more.

             "I know that, Harry," she snaps at him. "I thought of that as well so I have a last resort and it's the only one we've got."

             Luna gasps in realization. "Well, we'll have to fly, won't we?" She questions with enthusiasm. Spencer nods in agreement and opens her mouth to continue her explanation before Harry speaks once more.

             "Okay," said Harry irritably, rounding on Luna, "first of all, 'we' aren't doing anything if you're including yourself in that, and second of all, flying seems to be needing a broom —"

             "I've got a broom!" Ginny exclaims.

             "Yeah, but you're not coming," Ron mutters angrily.

             "Excuse me, but I care what happens to Sirius as much as you do!" Ginny huffs, her jaw set so that her resemblance to Fred and George is suddenly striking.

             "You're too —" Harry begins.

             "I'm three years older than you were when you fought You-Know-Who over the Sorcerer's Stone," she adds fiercely, "and it's because of me Malfoy's stuck back in Umbridge's office with giant flying bogeys attacking him —"

             "Yeah, but —"

             "We were all in the D.A. together," Neville mumbles quietly. "It was all supposed to be about fighting You-Know-Who, wasn't it? And this is the first chance we've had to do something real — or was that all just a game or something?"

             "No — of course it wasn't —" Harry responds impatiently.

             "Then we should come too," said Neville simply.

             "We want to help," Ricky sighs softly, giving the boy a pointed look.

             "That's right," said Luna, smiling happily.

             Spencer rubs her temples in desperation. "Alright," she ruins the absolutely wonderful moment of togetherness with an annoyed tone. Honestly, she is finally able to understand how Harry feels— although he is annoying her to. His is understandable, however, since he is freaking out about his godfather. Everyone silences at her tone and looks at her in wonder. "All of us are going and before you ask 'how?' I will need to speak without all of you cutting me off, understand?"

             They nod quickly. Spencer smiles in return and continues, "Good." She reveals her clothes that were filled with the blood that 'Grawp' managed to cause the centaurs (and vice versa) and points back at Harry and Hermione. "Blood attracts these very specific creatures we learned about in the beginning of the year. Thestrals can fly as they please and we can use them to leave," she admits.

             Hermione parts her lips in surprise and weakly utters, "But we can't see them... and are they even—"

             She is interrupted by Harry who then gasps. Spencer could not see the horses, but she imagines they are there since Harry, Luna, and Neville are staring at an open place where the leaves slightly shifted. Harry stretches out his hand and most likely begins petting the bones of the horse.

             "Is it those mad horse things?" asks Ron uncertainly, staring at a point slightly to the left of the thestral Harry is petting. "Those ones you can't see unless you've watched someone snuff it?"

             "How many are there, Harry?" Spencer decides to question quietly.

             The boy clenches his jaw and answers, "Just two."

             She waves it off uncaringly. "More will come in a few," Spencer responds surely. They don't dare to question her.

             They burst into more protests as they wait for the thestrals to appear. Ricky walks beside Spencer and places his hands on her arms gently, eyeing her in case any of the blood actually belong to a disgusting wound of hers. Fortunately, she only had small cuts around her body and it is mostly the giant's blood than anything. As they let the other argues, he brings her closer to her and whispers, "Um— Theo and Zabini helped me escaped again..."

             Her eyes soften at his claim and she presses her lips on his cheek, careful not to get much blood on him. She is not surprised. They help them once and tried to do the same again... although, her mind could not help but remember the kiss Morgana gave Blaise.

             "Okay, then," Harry's voice brings her back, a bright idea occurring. "Ron and I will take these two and go ahead, and Hermione and Spencer can stay here with you four and they'll attract more thestrals —"

             "We're not staying behind!" Hermione and Spencer utter out in unison.

             "We're doing this together, Harry," Spencer reminds him with a passive aggressive tone.

             "Plus, there's no need," said Luna, smiling. "Look, here come more now... You three must really smell..."

             The ones who can see them turn. No fewer than six or seven thestrals were picking their way through the trees now, their great leathery wings folded tight to their bodies, their eyes gleaming through the darkness. Harry had no excuse now... "All right," he mutters angrily, "pick one and get on, then."

             Harry is the first to find a seat in the Thestral and soon enough Neville and Luna follow. Spencer blinks at their obliviousness before sighing and reaching her hand out, hoping for one of them to head toward her. She gasps silently as she feels the familiar bonely figure in her palm. For some reason, this horse does not bother to lick the blood out of her, but it leans forward. Spencer furrows her brows before recognizing it to be the one that Blaise helped her pet. Both her hands meet the horse's head and when she figured out where to sit, she flung herself up into its back.

             Ricky and Ron are staring her with wide eyes at how easy she is able to do it. The redhead turn a light shade of pink as he quietly questions, "Uh— how are we supposed to get one? And also, you're so cool."

             Spencer smiles at the Weasley male before her attention heads toward Luna who jumps off from her place and leads the other three to their place in the thestral. All of them appear nervous having not liking the idea in flying in something they cannot see. Perhaps it is good that Spencer recently rode a broom, it reminds her how to fly after having finished their class in their first-year.

             "This is mad," Ron mumbles faintly, moving his free hand gingerly up and down his horse's neck. "Mad... if I could just see it—"

             "You'd better hope it stays invisible," responds Harry darkly. He glances back at his friends to see them all holding on either with a tightened grasp or in ease. "We're all ready, then?"

             They all nod in unison, ready for their orders like obedient followers. Harry blink in surprise before awkwardly and unsurely telling the thestrals, "Ministry of Magic, visitors' entrance, London, then."

             For a moment, the thestrals do not do anything. Then, with a sweeping movement that nearly unsettles Spencer, she feels the wings extend and the horse crouches slowly and then rockets upward so fast that the young girl has to clench her arms and legs around the horse tightly. She closes her eyes as they soar out into the blood red sunlight.

             Spencer has decided that this is nothing like riding a broomstick and playing Quidditch. The thestrals go faster than anything and she is surprised that her breathing is still in pace with her body. She huddles herself closely to its body and admires the view— for she has a feeling it will be one of the last good memories.

             It takes some time (even twilight had fallen before them) before they begin reaching close. The thestrals begin descending at last... one of the girls yelp in surprise, but Spencer just feels her whole stomach backflip in shock. She feels cold and in desperate need of a shower from the dried blood and dirt placed on her face. For some reason, she does not feel better in landing. There is a deep feeling in her gut telling her that this could go wrong in fifty-eight ways and right in around two.

             Bright orange lights are growing larger and rounder. Spencer can see the top of buildings, streams of headlights from cars, squares of pale light that are windows. Her thestral companion lands with ease and she lets her hand run through its head carefully before she hops off. There is a vandalized box that captures her attention and Harry's as well from the looks of it. She flinches as she hears and notices Ron topple off from his own thestral and land horrendously in the pavement. Ouch...

             "Never again," he gasps out, giving a thankful nod to Ricky who helps him up. Her best friend let the redhead hold on to his arm as Ron struggles to stand normally. The two boys bump into another thestral (most likely Ricky's) and are pushed back in surprise. Thankfully, they do not fall this time and do not gain unwanted attention.

             Luna looks around with her dreamy expression. Spencer wonders how she manages to always look completely innocent and naive. There is nothing wrong with it, but she definitely wants whatever her platinum friend is taking. "Where do we go from here, then?" Luna questions in an angelic tone.

             "Over here," Harry answers, leading them to the way toward the battered telephone. Well, at least not until after he gives a grateful pat toward the air (assuming it's the thestral). Spencer hesitates to follow and it appears she is not the only one which causes Harry to urge, "Come on!"

             Ron and Ginny obey and march forward with Ricky and her following close behind. They are already in this mess... might as well make it last, right? Soon enough they are all cramped inside the battered box and Harry has to breathe out, "Whoever is closest to the receiver, dial six two four four two!"

             The redhead male bends his arm bizarrely in order to reach the dial and plunge in the numbers. As it whirrs back into place a cool female voice sounds inside the box, "Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business."

             "Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Spencer Montague, Ricky Adams," Harry says quickly, "Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, and Luna Lovegood... we're here to save someone unless your Ministry can do it first!"

             Spencer widens her eyes in disbelief. Eight of them are currently out of school and having to deal with saving Sirius who-knows-his-middle-name Black. Also, why did the Ministry not have good protection? Are they born idiots or did something occur to them? Well, her parents work there so they really might be all idiots... except the Weasley's father, of course.

             "Thank you," says the cool female voice. "Visitors, please take the badges and attach them to the front of your robes."

             Eight badges slid out of the metal chute where returned coins usually appear. All of them have their personalized name, though, what surprises Spencer more is the fact that their badge actually had "rescue mission" under their names. She blinks in surprise before rolling her eyes and placing it on her shirt.

             "Visitor to the Ministry, you are required to submit a search and present your wand for registration at the security desk, which is located at the far end of the Atrium," the female speaks again. Spencer furrows her brows in hesitation. They are not planning on actually doing that, right? Because as far as she knows right now, they are planning to save Sirius Black and they can only do that with their wands.

             Harry responds with the same anger he has been holding onto this whole time. Spencer frowns at his tone— not because of who he directed it to, but because of his undying desperation. Poor boy just wants to help his godfather... Her eyes wander to Ricky who fidgets nervously. There is an unsure look on his face and Spencer closes her eyes in regret. He should not have to be here and yet he is. Ricky Adams worst fear is having to face Voldemort and be killed simply for being a muggleborn wizard. Her best friend cannot even say the dark wizard's name in fear and always calls him 'You-Know-Who' if they had to bring him up. He accepts the fact that he is back, because he is not an idiot. Except, it does not make it any less scary for him. And all this time she has been focusing on everything else but him. Her hand grasps onto his, making him look up to her eyes. She gives him a thin smile and leans in to whisper, "I'm sorry for involving you in this."

             Ricky gulps nervously as he shakes his head. "We're in this together," he assures with a stammering tone.

             "The Ministry of Magic wishes you a pleasant evening," the woman's voice interrupts their moment. Spencer glances around her and barely notices that they had actually moved. The door of the telephone box burst open; Harry topples out of it, followed by Neville and Luna. The only sound in the Atrium is the steady rush of water from the golden fountain.

             "Come on," Harry quietly says to them. All eight of them begun sprinting down the hall, Harry in the lead, past the fountain, toward the desk that is deserted. Odd, Spencer thinks to herself. Based on the looks of it, there had to be a security man there, right? The woman speaking in the box made it seem like there should have been.

             Harry presses the nearest down button right after they had pass the golden gates to the lift. The golden grilles slid apart with a great, echoing clank, and they dash inside. He stabs the number nine button, the grilles closes with a bang, and the lift begins to descend. Spencer feels surprise at how much exercise she has been receiving this whole day and week. She is expecting muscles soon enough. The grilles slid open and she steps out into the corridor where nothing is moving but the nearest torches, flickering in the rush of air from the lift. She follows Harry as he turns toward the plain black door.

             "Let's go," he whispers above a breath, leading the way down the corridor. Spencer feels her chest heaving harshly despite her breathing not being loud. Her eyes glances around the room in slight awe before fixing themselves right at her Gryffindor friend.

             "Okay, listen," he says in a low voice as he stops six-feet from the door. She raises an eyebrow and forces herself to dial down her panic. "Maybe... maybe a couple of people should stay behind as a lookout, and—"

Ginny rolls her eyes and Spencer knows whatever the girl would say, she will agree with nonetheless. "And how we're going to let you know something's wrong? You could be miles away," Ginny retorts back, knowing the boy was trying to make them not come.

             "Can't get rid of us now," Spencer continues with the obvious statement. He literally could not. Whether Harry likes it or not (or in any of them in this case), they are now there and willing to help. Harry weakly glares at her before sighing in defeat.

             The Gryffindor turns to face the door and walks forward. It springs open and they all silently step in over the threshold. Spencer examines the room carefully, noting in her mind that they stand in a large circular room. Everything is black from the ceiling to the floor to the walls. Only light from the blue flames radiates off the room to make it look as if there is dark water underfoot. When Harry told someone to shut the door, Neville had been the one to obey being the closest one there. With the door closed, the place immediately turns darker and only blue flames are visible. She hold in her gasp as suddenly, a great rumbling noise is heard and she grasps whoever's hand is available. It does not take long for her to figure out who it is as a familiar yelp of fright reaches her ears. Everyone shushes Ron and despite not being able to see clearly, she can imagine he is blushing in embarrassment.

             "What was that about?" Ron squeaks, not about the hand-holding, but because the circular room had moved. Spencer makes a face of interest. She has to admit, the Ministry is sometimes smart in their own way. It is fascinating to see them have done a simple trick of the mind from figuring out what door is which unless they work there. Ginny seems to have the same idea as her and voices it out loud.

             Neville shifts uncomfortably as he questions, "How are we going to get back out?" Him and Ricky seem to stick together in fear.

             "We won't need to get out until we've found Sirius—" Harry nutters out forcefully. Spencer blew out the air and turns around in a full circle to try and find an exit strategy. She ignores when Hermione warns him not to go calling out for him (Harry isn't dumb) and instead quietly mumbles, "Revelio."

             Every fake or unnecessary door that appeared vanishes from sight and leaves only a few real ones. One of them left is the one they enter through, but it is easier to guess now. Hermione gapes at her with fascination and then mumbles something to herself.

             "Well," Harry begins with a slight raised eyebrow. "I was gonna say let's try a few doors but many of them were eliminated... come on," he urges, only a few followed them this time while Spencer stays behind staring at the other doors in suspicion.

             It does not take much time for everyone else to return with a shake of their head, leaving only two more doors available for them to get through. Well, three, but one of them is where they came from.

             "Flágrate!" Hermione casts to the door they exit from. Spencer nods her head in agreement knowing why she had done that. She wonders what they saw inside, but does not bother to ask since it does not seem important. Once again, they begin to hear the rumbling noise and the room circles. Her spell works as a red mark is still printed in the door.

             "Good thinking," Harry compliments. He motions to another door as he says, "Okay, let's try this one—"

             The chosen one strides directly at the door and pushes it open, his wand raised up with the rest on his heels. Spencer keeps her wand out as well, walking silently behind him with her eyes narrowed. The room they entered is large, dimly light and rectangular, and the center of it is sunken, forming a great stone pit some twenty-feet below them. They stand on the topmost tier of what seems like stone benches running all around the room. The archway is hung with a tattered black curtain or veil which, despite the complete stillness of the cold surrounding air, was fluttering very slightly. Spencer eyes it carefully, finding it somewhat familiar. She read it somewhere... hasn't she? Thinking back to the books she read about the Ministry, her throat dries up in realization.

             "Who's there?" Harry questions out of thin air, making her jump in confusion having not heard anything. She pales at the thought. Was she correct? Is this the veil?

             "Careful," Hermione hisses quietly. Harry ignores his friend and scrambles down the benches until he reached the sunken pit. Spencer stares at him in confusion as she swears he heard him mutter out Sirius name. Did he think he is inside? A small gasp releases from her mouth as she spots him try to reach toward the veil and she quickly follows him down, pulling him back forcibly.

             He blinks in confusion and then stares up at her as he asks, "Do you hear that? Someone's in there."

             "W-what?" Ricky stammers out nervously, still on top unlike the two of them. Hermione and Ron seem to have the same reaction. However, Luna appears to agree with Harry.

             Spencer frowns at the two before grabbing onto Harry's shirt so he wouldn't dare to continue heading that way. "Ignore the voices, Harry. This is a barrier between life and death... you cannot come back from it," she informs quickly. Everyone else gasps at the new information. However, it does not seem to have an effect on Harry who continues to stare in awe.

             "Harry, we have to help Sirius," Spencer snaps, hoping the reminder of his godfather would ensure his reconnection to life. Thankfully, as soon as the word 'Sirius' escapes her mouth, he shook his head and then nods hurriedly.

             Hermione leads them back to the dais. She casts the fiery cross once more and they all walk toward the third to last door available. One of them is the exit, the other the entrance, and another one a fool. Harry tries opening the door, but it does not budge. He furrows his eyebrows in shock and tries once more. "It's locked," he sighs in defeat.

             "Alohomora," casts Hermione, pointing her wand right at the door. It does not open. Spencer would try the 'Aberto' spell, but she figures that one would not open it either. It is weaker than the one Hermione casted and she knows very well that Hermione wouldn't have messed up a simple spell.

             "Sirius's knife!" Harry exclaims. Spencer stares at him in confusion before watching in wonder as he pulls a knife out from the inside of his robes. He slides it between the door and the wall and everyone else watches eagerly as he runs it from the top to the bottom. However, it fails tremendously as the knife begin to melt and the door remained lock. Huh, Spencer thought. What is inside that door?

             The room begins to move around once more that Harry does not have the time to be any more dramatic that he just pushes open a door without a thought. "This is it!" He gasps when everyone notices the beautiful, dancing, diamond-sparkling light. Spencer blinks repeatedly all at once to accustom to the brightening glare. Clocks gleam upon every surface. A crystal ball is the cause of the diamond-sparkling light.

             "This way," he urges desperately. Harry leads the way forward down the narrow space between lines of the desks, heading toward the source of the light. Ginny is enchanted by some other device, but everyone pegs her to continue walking. "This is it," he confirms surely.

             Spencer tightens her grip on her wand, her eyes narrowing carefully and suspiciously. Harry glances at them and then back at the door before pushing it open. She can tell that they reach the area as his eyes widen in disbelief and the room calls for attention with its cold air and glass orbs overfilling the area. She follows behind Hermione who whispers something about 'row ninety-seven'. The numbers visible are from the fifties, so a bit more further to the right would do.

             "Keep your wands out," Harry whispers with a warning tone. She looks around her companions who all share the same look. They crept forward, staring behind them as they went on down the long alleys of shelves, the farther ends that are in deep darkness. Tiny, yellowing labels had been stuck beneath each glass orb on the shelf. Some of them have a weird, liquid glow; others are dull and gray.

             Hermione tugs in Harry's arm as she points and whispers, "Ninety-seven!"

             They stand grouped around the end of the row, gazing down the alley beside it. There is nobody there. Spencer feels an odd feeling spurring inside her. Something does not feel right... and it is not just the fact that Harry has been wrong. Why did this feel like a trap? She cannot help but frown as Harry shakes his head and with a raspy voice mumbles, "He should be near here..."

             "Harry..." Hermione begins saying with a tentative tone. They reach the end of the row and absolutely no one is there. "I-I don't think Sirius is here."

             Nobody dares to speak. Spencer feels her heart clench in guilt as she watches Harry pale in thought. Suddenly, he glances up and runs up the space at the end of the rows, but she knows he would not find his godfather. Because Sirius Black is not there. Ron frowns all the same before his eyes glances at one of the orbs. He tugs in Hermione's and Spencer's arms as he motions for them to look at what he is seeing. Spencer follows his gaze and her eyes widen in surprise. One of the small glass spheres glows with a inner light.

             "Harry— it's got your name on this," Ron calls out weakly.

             In a blank voice, he repeats, "My name?" They let Harry pass forward. All at the same, he notices what they mean. Dark Lord and (?) Harry Potter. What did that mean? Spencer figures it has to do with the connection between them. But she could not understand why it is there in the first place. She swallows in thought before a thought crossed her mind. Was it a prophecy? Perhaps there is a reason Professor Trelawney was kept in Hogwarts since she is a recent 'seer'.

             "Harry, I don't think you should touch it," Hermione sharply says, noticing his hand stretched out. Spencer has to agree with her.

             "Why not? It's something to do with me," Harry snaps in return.

             "Don't, Harry," Neville agrees with the Gryffindor girl. His face is filled with fear and sweat. Ricky wears a weary look and her gaze fell down in suspense. Yeah, she does not like feeling nervous and with dread. However, Harry still ignores their warnings and grabs the orb. Nothing happens to him which make them all gather around him. Spencer feels her back stiffen as she hears a small creak coming from behind, but that should not happen when they were all surrounding him...

             And then, from right behind them, a drawling familiar voice utters, "Very good, Potter. Now turn around, nice and slowly, and give that to me."

            (This is definitely part of the reason why Spencer never felt good about this whole thing from the start).

▂✫⌒*･ﾟ

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
ahhh we're almost finished probably like
two more chapters to go for act one !!!!
act two will then cont. anyway, so if u guys pay
close attention u can see how spencer sometimes
does act like a montague by being manipulative
and pushy— yeah, that's just to show how she grew
up with them either way so even tho her views are
not the same, in some shape or form the ppl u hang
with gets left behind :)

anyway, this won't be the last time you see umbridge
and trust me— next time, spencer is gonna be 💆‍♀️

fun fact: mordra is at least 50 years old — glorious is
older for like 3-5 yrs idk how much but they still look
young(ish) because that's the montague gene 😹 and
i wish to have their looks ngl 😳🤚