An hour later, a visibly shaken Sirius was drinking a glass of whisky to settle his nerves. "Nothing like seeing yourself killed to unsettle you," He said quietly to the two teenage adults in front of him. "I see what you mean about not taking the fight serious enough," Sirius displayed a small grin as he continued. "I always wanted to die laughing, but not quite like that," The joke died a horrible death as the three of them all looked down at the table. For several seconds the only sound to be heard was the ticking of a clock.
Harry took Hermione's hand as he had just relived the same painful events with Sirius. Seeing his Godfather go through the Veil still hurt even knowing he was not dead anymore.
Sirius' eyes had followed Harry's hand and noticed the ring on Hermione's hand. "Nice ring Hermione. That wasn't there the other day was it?"
Hermione subconsciously rubbed the ring with her thumb and smiled. "It is, isn't it? Harry gave it to me earlier today."
"Remember I want to be there when Albus finds out about your marriage. Or better yet when Ron and Ginny find out."
"No promises Sirius, but we'll try."
"Ok," Sirius said as he looked at his now empty glass. "I need to go in again to study the memory. I need to know everything that happened."
He was a little steadier when he exited the memory the second time but still had another drink. "I see a lot of things that will help; it looks like you now know how the doors work, so getting from room to room won't be a problem this time."
"Yeah, just ask for the room you want," Harry muttered. "If I'd known that two years ago, we could have escaped."
"Or you might have run right into Voldemort in the Atrium without Dumbledore there. It's not clear when he actually showed up. He could have been disillusion the whole time and you walked right past him on your way in."
"I don't think he was. My scar didn't hurt. Usually when I get close to him it hurts like it did when he showed up."
"Good point. So he shows up afterwards. Does he show up as soon as one of his Death Eaters comes back into the Atrium or after so much time or some other reason? I'd have to bet on once a Death Eater reappears," Sirius considered that, "So we need one of them to escape and get back up the atrium. So anything else?"
"What about the Time Turners Sirius?" Hermione asked. "I think I can get one of them if we can lure a Death Eater in the time room again."
"That would definitely give us an advantage, but I'll have to think about it. Time is a finicky thing to mess with as you both know. Not that I'm complaining about why you messed with it the last time," Sirius leaned back in his chair and grinned, "You do realize this is the second time the two of you have come back in time to save me?"
"Well then quit trying to get yourself killed will you?" Harry said.
"Sure thing Pup. Get my name cleared and do away with Voldemort permanently and I'm all for risking a sunburn on a nice beach somewhere being the riskiest thing I do for a while," Sirius replied with a smile on his face. Then he turned more serious. "I've got enough to work on a plan. I might have further questions about things that happened before you got to the Ministry or afterwards."
"Any idea on how to get yourself out?" Harry asked his godfather.
"I was thinking of misdirecting the Aurors, but not positive yet."
"I think I know a better way," Harry said. "Ask Kreacher if he can apparate into and out of the Department of Mysteries."
"Like Dobby got you out of the Malfoys?"
"Exactly."
"I hadn't thought of that," Sirius turned and said in a normal voice "Kreacher," And instantly the house-elf was there. He was dressed in a snowy white towel and was clean and smiling.
"What can Kreacher do for you Master?"
"Are you able to apparate into the Ministry Building, specifically into the Department of Mysteries?"
"If Master needs me to be able to do it, I can do it," Kreacher answered without hesitation.
"If you are there can you bring me back here with you if I need you to?" Sirius asked.
"Kreacher must do what Master needs doing. If Master needs Kreacher to bring him back here, Kreacher can do that."
Hermione realized the problem and asked, "Kreacher, if your Mas...if Sirius needs you to bring him here from the Ministry of Magic, would it cause you harm?"
The small elf looked at Hermione. They could tell he was trying to fight his long held revulsion. "Kreacher is not a young elf. Kreacher knows not what his magic can still do, but if Master needs it done, it will be done."
"I think he is saying that he will do it, but it might hurt or kill him," Hermione said.
"Then we need to think of something else," Harry replied. "And no you don't have to kiss me, at least not for that."
"For your information I do not need a reason to kiss you but if I did, the ring has a lot of reasons left in it."
"What about distance?" Hermione asked after speaking to Harry. "Can he just get you out of the Ministry and then you get yourself the rest of the way?"
"Kreacher?"
"Shorter distance would be easier on Kreacher Master," The house-elf replied. "But Kreacher will do what Kreacher must to support the Ancient and Noble House of Black."
"So that's still a possibility," Sirius said. "But we have two weeks to figure it out in more details. I'll play around with this and come up with some kind of plan. So you will only have four this time and not six?"
"Yes, I don't think Ron will be coming and I don't want Ginny to be there," Harry replied. "I don't want to owe her anything."
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