Lia's arrival was the distraction the DA needed to fight back. Before long the group found themselves running towards the forbidden forest, Lia confused as hell to what was happening.

"Anyway, Harry, how exactly were you planning to get all the way to London?'' Lia breathed a sigh of relief as the familiar voice of Hermione sounded from the edges of the forest.

"Yeah, we were just wondering that," Ron said, as they approached the duo. Harry and Hermione were covered in what looked like blood, and had more than a few scrapes between them, but Lia supposed that they didn't look any better after the battle with the Slytherins.

'So, any ideas?'' Ron asked.

"Lia, what are you doing here?' asked Harry, who looked nothing short of stunned to see her.

"I followed you through Umbridge's fire. Will someone PLEASE tell me what's going on? Is Sirius in trouble?" She said with growing urgency.

"I saw…I had a vision that Voldemort had Sirius in the Department of Mysteries. We have to get to him before it's too late!" Harry explained, and Lia knew she was getting the condensed version. She'd ask more questions later, right now they had to help her father.

'Harry, what did you find out in the fire? Is Sirius defiantly captured?'' Ron interjected.

Yes, but I'm sure Sirius is still alive, but I can't see how we're going to get there to help him." Harry said, rubbing his scar. Lia pondered, thinking in annoyance how her motorcycle was still at Tonk's. Surprisingly it was Luna who broke the silence.

'Well, we'll have to fly, won't we?' she said. Harry turned on her as Lia spoke at the same time.

"How?"

"First of all, "we" aren't doing anything if you're including yourself in that, and second of all, Ron's the only one with a broomstick that isn't being guarded by a security troll, so –"

'I've got a broom!' Ginny interjected

'Yeah, but you're not coming, ' said Ron.

'Excuse me, but I care what happens to Sirius as much as you do!'" Ginny said fiercely.

'You're too -' Harry began, but couldn't get the word young out before Ginny started again.

"'I'm three years older than you were when you fought You-Know-Who over the Philosopher's Stone, and it's because of me that Malfoy's stuck back in Umbridge's office with giant flying bogies attacking him –

"SHUT UP!" Lia shouted, sick of the argument. The rest of the teenagers looked at her in surprise. "None of this matters, what matters is rescuing my Dad, ok? I don't care who comes, and who stays, but we need to figure out a plan, and how to get there." Harry made to interject but Lia silenced him with a glare. "Luna, what were you saying about flying?"

"'I 's'pose we're going to ride on the back of the Kacky Snorgle or whatever it is?' Ron said.

" The Crumple-Horned Snorkack can't fly, ' said Luna, 'but they can, and Hagrid says they're very good at finding places their riders are looking for."

Lia and Harry turned around to where Luna pointed, and whilst Lia couldn't see anything, she noticed the relief in Harry's eyes. "Threstrals?" She asked.

''Yeah," Harry replied.

"'How many?''

"Just two."

''Well, we need three, ' said Hermione.

"Four, Hermione" said Ginny, scowling.

'I think there are seven of us, actually, ' said Luna. Harry spun round angrily.

Don't be stupid, we can't all go!' said Harry angrily. 'Look, you three -' he pointed at Neville, Ginny and Luna, 'you're not involved in this, and Lia, you're currently wanted by the Ministry!"

Ophelia rounded on him. "This is my father we're talking about Harry. I've got more of a right to be there than anyone else here, including you" She said, quietly and viciously.

Harry looked away abashed. "Ok, fine, it's your choice but unless we can find more Thestrals you're not going to be able –"

''Oh, more of them will come, ' said Ginny confidently, "In case you hadn't noticed, you and Hermione are both covered in blood 'and we know Hagrid lures Thestrals with raw meat. That's probably why these two turned up in the firstplace"

"Look, here come more now: you two must really smell" Luna said grinning.

Lia looked around but she still coudlnt' see anything.

"Fine" Said Harry. "Everyone pick one and get on then."

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IIIIIII

It was the most peculiar thing Ophelia had ever done, flying over the clouds with nothing visible holding her up. She could feel the Threstral's leathery skin though, and she just hoped they'd get to the ministry in time. She shrieked as she felt the creature descend, but managed to keep her hold. As she landed she slid off it as quickly as possible.

"Never again" said Ron, toppling off his own ride. Lia couldn't help but agree with him.

"Come on, she said, running towards the phone box she knew hid the visitors entrance.

"How do you know where to go?" Harry said yelling.

"Oh, while you were tucked up in school, I've been very busy" She replied. She opened the door as the seven of them squashed their way in.

'Whoever's nearest the receiver, dial six two four four two!' Harry said, and reached out to do it.

'Welcome to the Ministry of Magic. Please state your name and business. '' The cool voice sounded.

"Harry Potter, Ron Weasley Hermione Granger, ' Harry said very quickly, 'Ophelia Black, Ginny Weasley, Neville Long-bottom, Luna Lovegood: we're here to save someone, unless your Ministry can do it first!"

Ophelia grabbed her wand tightly as the phone box descended into blackness. The box opened out to the now familiar sight of the atrium, however what was disconcerting was the fact that the usually security wizards were nowhere to be seen. The group ran silently to the lifts, following Harry as they steped out of the golden grilles into the department of mysteries. Harry hesitated.

"Maybe: maybe a couple of people should stay here as a - as a lookout."

"And how're we going to let you know something's coming?' asked Ginny. 'Youcould be miles away.

''We're coming with you, Harry, ' said Neville.

'Let's get on with it" said Lia. She didn't understand why he was wasting time like this. She walked towards the door and it swung straight open, which surprised her. The others followed suit, and they found themselves in a round room, surrounded by the same black doors as they had just stepped through. As Neville shut the door however, there was a loud noise and the walls began to move. Ophelia blinked at the candle light created blue streaks across her eyes, and then almost as soon as it started, it stopped.

'What was that about?' whispered Ron.

'I think it was to stop us knowing which door we came in through, ' said Ginny, and Lia realised with a jolt that they might not being able to get back out. She doubted for the first time if rushing in here was the best idea, but kept the thoughts to hersef.

'How're we going to get back out?' said Neville, voicing Lia's throught.

'Well, that doesn't matter now, ' said Harry "'we won't need to get out till we've found Sinus -'

'Don't shout out for him!" Lia hushed. "Where do we go now?"

"In the dreams I went through the door at the end of the corri-dor from the lifts into a dark room - that's this one - and then I went through another door into a room that kind of: glitters. We should try a few doors, ' he said hastily, 'I'll know the right way when I see it. C'mon."

He pushed against a random door, and Lia lifted her wand defensively. Inside were a few desks, and a huge tank with what looked like brains floating about.

'What're those things?' whispered Ron.

'Dunno, ' said Harry.

'Are they fish?' breathed Ginny.

'Aquavirius Maggots!' said Luna excitedly. 'Dad said the Ministry were breeding –"

'No, they're brains." Hermionie said, and Lia balched as her suspiciouns were confimed.

"Come on, this isn't the right room. Lets go" She said, averting her eyes from the tank.'

They moved back into the circular room, "Don't shut the door!" Lia snapped at Luna, who moved to close it.

Hermionie stepped forward and brandished her wand. "'Fla-grate!" A firery X marked the spot, and Lia inwardly praised the girl's good thinking.

'OK, let's try this one' Harry said, and again, he strode directly at the door facing him and pushed it open, Lia right behind him with her wand raised.

Inside this room was a great sunken pit, with tiers of stone benches. What was in the middle of the pit however, peaked Lia's curiosity.

A derelict stone archway stood unsupported, with a tattered black curtain which was fluttering very slightly.

Lia aimed her wand towards it as she moved slowly.

'Who's there?' said Harry, jumping down.

"Shhh!" Lia said. The group made their way down to the archway, which Harry was looking at strangely. Lia didn't like it one bit.

'Let's go, ' called Hermione from halfway up the stone steps. 'Harry, let's go, OK?

But Harry didn't move, instead he looked towards the archway once more. 'What are you saying?' he nearly shouted, his voice echoing.

"Harry! Shut up!" Lia hissed, grabbing his arm.

'Someone's whispering behind there, ' he replied, moving out of her grasp and moving towards to veil. 'Can't anyone else hear it?'

'I can hear them too" Luna whispered. "There are people in there!"

Hermionie stomped down to where the rest of them were gathered. "There isn't any "in there", it's just an archway, there's no room for anybody to be there. Harry, stop it, come away"

"Harry we need to find Sirius!" Lia pressed, grabbing his arm again and pulling him away. She was seriously doubting their trip here now. Harry was acting weirder and weirder.

'Yeah. 'Let's go, ' he said after a pause. Hermionie and Ron grabbed Neville and Ginny who were similarly entranced by the veil.

'What d'you reckon that arch was?' Harry asked as they once again went into the first circular room.

'I don't know, but whatever it was, it was dangerous, ' Hermionie said as she drew another cross on the door before the room span round again. Harry chose another door at random, and Lia heard his breath of relief as it opened onto glittery light. "This is it!" He exclaimed. Lia had to close her eyes slightly from the sparkling light, but barley had time to recover before Harry led them through lines of desks, towards the light, which Lia now realised came from a a crystal jar, full of glittering wind.

This is it, ' Harry repeated, as they walked through another door. 'it's through here -'

Lia nodded silently as she grasped her wand tightly. She looked round and saw the others do the same. She was full of apprehension of what they would find. The room they had entered had high ceilings, with shelves covered in glass orbs. Lia shivered as the air turned icy, and she couldn't hold off her feeling of uncertainty. "Where is he?" She whispered.

"Row ninety seven" Harry replied, and they crept forward.

"Wands ready" Lia warned the group, and they nodded back at her. As they walked along, Lia kept her ears open for any sound that Sirius was nearby, but the room was eirly silent.

"Ninety seven!" Hermionie hissed, as they came to a stop. Lia glanced down the row, it was empty and her stomach dropped. She couldn't shake off the feeling that something wasn't quite right here.

'He's right down at the end, You can't see prop-erly from here. " Harry muttered, as Lia looked at him questioningly. They followed him down to the end. 'Anywhere here: really close:"

"Harry?" Hermionie whispered. Lia pulled her wand out further, she couldn't shake off the feeling that something wasn't quite right.

"What?" Harry snapped.

"I don't think Sirius is here"

There was an arwkard silence, and most of the others had lowered their wands, but Lia kept hers up, looking back the way they had came.

'Harry?' Ron called.

"'What?"

"Look, It's - it's got your name on" said Ron. Lia turned around to see the two boys looking at one of the dusty glass orbs.

"'What's your name doing down here?" Ron asked. 'I'm not here, nonw of the rest of us are here.

Harry moved to pick up the orb, and Lia's gut wrenched. ''Harry, I don't think you should touch it," said Hermione sharply.

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

"Don't, Harry, " Neville snapped.

"They're right, I've got a bad feeling about this whole thing Harry," Lia said, turning back towards the empty corridor. "Something's not right."

Harry looked at her. 'It's got my name on." And before Lia could warn him again, he picked up the little glass ball. Nothing happened, and she sighed in relief.

Suddenly, she heard movement. "Guys!" She hissed, but they were too busy looking at the orb Harry had picked up.

"'Very good, Potter" A drawling voice sounded. Now turn around, nice and slowly, and give that to me"