Summary: Cautiously they entered a room with high walls filled with rows of dusty spheres of light. A shiver ran through Percy, he wasn't sure if it had anything to do with the room being so cold or the unnerving feeling he had that this was a bad idea. What would have happened had Percy fought in the Department of Mysteries.

Author's Note: Okay so I've been working on this piece for a while now. It takes place before my other stories. So for those of you who asked me "What happened to Percy?" in my other works, the answer lies somewhere along this story. I might split up this long epic tail that I have formed in my head into several sections and post each section as a new story. Well . . .maybe. We'll see how these first few chapters go. Now enough of my rabbling. But please take a moment to review and tell me what you think. The story only gets better I promise.

Disclaimer: I do not own the characters or universe that is Harry Potter. That glory belongs to J. K. Rowling.

Past the Point of No Return

by

Who Wrote This Crap

Chapter one: The Department of Mysteries

Percy let out a yawn and stretched in his chair. It had been a very long day at the Ministry. Most of the people from his office had gone home to their families, but seeing how he currently didn't have a family (or at least one he was speaking to) he didn't see the point of going home to an empty flat while he could get some more work done for the Minister. However, it was getting late and he really should get some sleep... Setting his paperwork into a neat pile on his desk, Percy stiffly got up out of his chair for the first time in five hours. Wand in hand, he locked his office door and proceed down to the Atrium. He had only mad it a few steps towards one of the many fireplaces that lined the walls when he stopped and smacked his hand to his face. His coat! After having a short debate on whether it was worth having to go through security wand registration to get it, he headed back towards the security desk. If anyone ever asked him whether he minded the standard security procedure he would have said no and maybe elaborate on the importance of having excellent, though tedious, security, but tonight he was very tired and couldn't help but feel a little irritated with the precaution.

But that irritation left him when he looked up to see the security desk empty. Percy looked around but there was no sign of anyone nearby. Someone should really get written up for such carelessness! There was a charm in place that prevented anyone whose wand hasn't been register from passing through to the lifts. So Percy waited for fifteen minutes for whomever was responsible for such negligence to come back. After that Percy was fed-up with waiting and turned back to the fireplace only to stop and take a double-take at the elevators. Maybe it was because he was too tired to think clearly, but he found himself walking towards the lifts just to make sure the boundary was in place. It was when Percy reached the lifts without any problem that a red flag was set off in his head. Something wasn't right. There was no reason whatsoever that the Ministry security should be left this weak. Percy suddenly realized how quiet the Atrium was. It was too quiet... In fact it was so quiet he could hear the whirl of the lift at London visitor's entrance. For reasons unknown to even himself, Percy slipped into the shadows and watched.

Footsteps echoed off the high walls of the Atrium as several figures came running down the hall. As the figures approached it became clear that the new arrivals were none other than Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron, (and to Percy's horror and surprise) his little sister, Ginny. What is she doing with them? It was bad enough the Harry always got Ron into terrible trouble, now he had manage to drag Ginny into one of his messes as well! Behind them were two more familiar faces, fellow Gryffindor, Neville Longbottom, and the strange Luna Lovegood from Ravenclaw. Percy had no idea how they managed to get here from Hogwarts, but at the moment he didn't care. If they got caught sneaking this far away from school, they'll be expelled for sure! The only way to keep them from being caught was to catch them first.

But as Potter and his friends came towards him, a surprising surge of curiosity came over him. What are they doing here and where are they going? Percy stayed hidden in the shadows and let them pass by. He waited until the lift doors closed before heading to same lift. When the doors opened again, Percy got inside. Using a spell Aurors use when investigating a crime, (which this will surely turnout to be soon enough) Percy was able to tell which button had been pushed last. The chosen floor; the Department of Mysteries.

The lift halted "Department of Mysteries" the cool female voice said. Percy rushed forward into the corridor. He had been down here only one time before to attend Harry's trial. He looked down the corridor just in time to see a swish of long red hair disappear behind a door. Quietly and as quickly as possible Percy made his way to the door only to have it shut in his face. He tried to open the door to no avail. It was locked. Percy pointed his wand to the door, "Alohormora"he whispered. He tried the door again, this time it opened. It led to a dimly light, circular room, with at least a dozen doors. There was a large fiery X on one door. Percy opened it and walked inside. This room was brighter than the last, but, with the exception of a few desk surrounding a green tank, was empty. No Ron, no Ginny. Percy went back to the door and stopped. He could hear voices on the other side!

"This is it!"

It was Harry's voice. Silently, Percy opened the door.

"This way!"

"I don't think so!" Percy stepping into the room, with an air of authority. Immediately six wands were whipped out and pointed at him.

"Who are you?" Harry demanded, unable to see with such dim lighting.

"I'm the one that is saving your arses." Percy said.

Ron squinted in the faint light. "Percy?"

"Indeed. Now I demand to know what the hell you all are doing here!" Percy said crossing his arms.

"What are we doing here? What are you doing here?" Ron asked accusingly.

"I'm here to stop you from getting into any more trouble than you're already in." Percy said.

Harry growled, "There's no time for this! We have to save Sirius!"

Percy furrowed is brow, "Sirius? Sirius Black, the prisoner that escaped from Azkaban?"

"Yes. But he was wrongly accused. He's innocent." Hermione said desperately.

"Do you have proof that he's innocent?" Percy queried.

"Yes, but it ran away." Ron said glaring at him.

Percy raised a brow. "It ran away?"

"There's no time to explain." Harry said angrily, "Come on!" He dashed inside the door in front of him. The others followed him in.

"Now wait a minute!" Percy called running after them. "Stop! Don't go any further!" The room was filled with curious things, but Percy didn't have time to look at them. The others were ignoring him and he needed to get their attention. "Damn it, listen to me! Entering the Ministry, let alone the Department of Mysteries unauthorized is enough to land you a cell in Azkaban! If you turn back now the consequences with be far less severe!"

"Keep going!" Harry said sharply at Ginny who was looking at some rather interesting hummingbird.

"Don't keep going! Stop! If you go any further-" Percy started.

"This is it," Harry said hardly breathing. "It's through here-" Harry glanced back at them. Everyone had their wands out and suddenly looked as serious and anxious as Percy felt. He too raised his wand as Harry swung open the door. Cautiously they entered a room with high walls filled with rows of dusty spheres of light. A shiver ran through Percy, he wasn't sure if it had anything to do with the room being so cold or the unnerving feeling he had that this was a bad idea.

"You said it was row ninety-seven," Hermione whispered.

"Yeah," Harry breathed.

"We need to go right, I think," whispered Hermione.

"No, we need to go back," Percy whispered over her, "Look if you just get out of here I'll alert the Aurors and they can take it from here."

"And let them catch Sirius? No, we need to save him." Harry said determinedly as they walked further into a room that showed no signs of life.

"Well aren't we one for heroics?" Percy scoffed, he spread his arms out. "In case you haven't noticed theres no one to rescue. Nobody's here. Which means will still have a chance to turn back-"

"Ninety-seven!" whispered Hermione. The group took a look around, but nobody was there.

"He's right down at the end," Harry said, "You can't see properly from here..." He led them forward but still there was no one.

"He should be right here," Harry said with conviction, "Anywhere here...really close..."

"Harry?" Hermione said tentatively.

"Somewhere about...here" Harry whispered hoarsely, "He might be..." he peeked down the next row, "Or maybe..." he hurried down the one after that.

"Harry?" Hermione said again.

"What?" he snapped.

"I...I don't think Sirius is here." Nobody spoke. Harry began running up and down the aisles like the mad man that he was.

"Well," Percy said clapping his hands together, "This was fun and all, but it think it time to stop following crazy people and go back."

"Shut up, Percy" Ginny snarled.

"Harry?" Ron said staring at one of the dusty glass spheres on the shelf.

"What?" Harry hurried over to them eagerly, but when he reached them he deflated, "What?" he asked again.

"It's-it's got your name on," Ron said.

"What?" Percy asked in surprise. "Let me see."

There was a yellowish label on one of the shelves beneath a dusty glass sphere. It had a date going back sixteen years and below that was written in spidery writing:

S.P.T to A.P.W.B.D.
Dark Lord
and (?) Harry Potter

"What in the world..." Percy muttered not quite believing that this was a coincidence. He wasn't sure what to make of it.

"What is it?" Ron asked, sounding as unnerved as Percy felt. "What's your name doing down here? I'm not here. None of the rest of us are here..."

Harry stretched out his hand.

"I don't think you should touch it," Hermione said sharply.

"Why not?" he said. "It's got something to do with me, isn't it?"

"Don't Harry," Neville said suddenly. He was sweating from the suspense. Harry looked at him.

"It's got my name on," he said.

"That doesn't mean it's yours or that you have the right to touch it!" Percy snapped, grabbing his arm.

"Let go." Harry said yanking his arm from Percy's grip.

"What if it sets off an alarm or something? Did you even stop to think of that?" Percy scolded, sounding even to his own ears a lot like his mother.

"Percy's right, Harry." Hermione said. "We don't know what it will do."

"Thank you, Hermione. Let's g- Ron, don't!"

Ron reached out and closed his fingers around the sphere before Percy could stop him. He tried to take the sphere down but it wouldn't budge. "It's stuck." Ron grunted giving it another pull.

"Good" Percy said feeling relieved that nothing happened. "Now come on-"

"Let me try." Harry said completely oblivious to whatever Percy was saying. Ron moved out of the way and Harry's hand enclosed around the sphere. Effortlessly he took it down from the shelf. Nothing happened. Percy and the others crept closer, watching as Harry dust off the orb.

Then came a voice from right behind them. "Very good, Potter. Now turn around slowly and give that to me."

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