When they got back from break Neville started working on Ron to convince him to apologize. But Ron was hanging out with some of the other Gryffindor boys that agreed with him. They agreed that Harry and Hermione being friendly with the other champions was bad or wrong for some reason.
Harry slept down in the Chamber and although it was sad that Ron was choosing to break away, at least Harry still had Hermione. He had a few short conversations with Fleur as well about useful spells, and Viktor Krum even joined them in the library a few times.
He was surprised when Harry asked him about dark magic. He described briefly some of the spells they had learned, eying Hermione as he did so. She remained relaxed as Harry had already told her about all of the nasty sorts of spells he had been learning. Despite how horrible they were, they were powerful. The spell that transfigured someone inside out was hard to counter and could more easily pierce magical resistance than normal transfiguration spells. The added cruelty of the spells was the trade off for receiving a more effective tool for Harry.
Viktor was confused when neither of them were overly impressed by the dark magic he had learned. He had learned the three unforgivable curses according to the British ministry and a few spells that created wounds that were hard to heal. Besides the extra emotional element, they were all rather tame and comparable to similar battle spells.
“Why does this not affect you?” Krum asked, “Is darkz magic not banned at Hogwarts? I had heard the British Ministry is against it. I am surprised you are not disgusted.”
Hermione glanced at Harry then back to Krum, “Can you keep a secret, Viktor?” she asked.
He nodded quickly, “Yes. Certainly, Hermvinny.”
She leaned in and whispered, “Harry knows dark magic too. He’s been learning on his own.”
Viktor glanced at Harry in surprise. “You?” he said, “I didn’t think you had the… emotional strength to do so. Many strong Bulgarians who can weather winter storms bare chested have similar problems. Strong men, but little emotion. Zis is why they teach us younger so ze do not lose the opportunity when we are older and strong like granite.”
“I do,” Harry said, “Even if I don’t show it on my face very often. All those spells sounded very deadly, but do you know any dark magic incapacitation charms?”
“Incapacitation?” Viktor said in confusion, “Hervinny, what is this word?”
Harry cleared his throat, “Dark magic that knocks your enemies out of battle without killing them,” he said in Bulgarian.
Viktor jumped at Harry’s language switch before calming down.
“I had vergotten your talent, Harry. Zis is very useful,” Krum said, “No, I do not know such spells. Is dark magic not want to be deadly and unpleasant? What spells do you speak of?”
Harry described the inside out transfiguration. It was gruesome but part of the charm was keeping the victim alive, so there was little chance in accidentally killing somebody unless you meant to. But if necessary it made them totally immobile and more vulnerable to any damage you wanted to put on them afterward. The only drawback was like any transfiguration on another wizard, the more powerful the other person was the harder it would be to accomplish.
Viktor seemed stunned at Harry’s clinical description of the benefits and drawbacks of the spell. He glanced at Hermione who was nodding along with Harry’s explanations. He stared at Hermione for a long time seemingly seeing her in a new light.
“Zisss. I zee why ze do not teach that spell,” Viktor said, “Have you ever cast it, Harry?”
Harry shook his head, “Only on training dummies with simulated organs. Not exactly the same, but good enough I think.”
“And you do not mind zis, Hervinny?” Viktor said a second later.
“Well, it is all rather horrible. I definitely didn’t like the idea of Harry learning those kind of spells at first,” She replied, “But many battle spells and potions out there that are just as horrible. Harry’s right that it is useful, as a deterrent if anything else. I certainly wouldn’t want that spell cast on me. I would learn them myself if I had a good enough teacher here at Hogwarts.”
“Yes, yes,” Viktor said, eyeing Harry thoughtfully, “Perhaps I should askz headmaster Karkaroff for some tutoring. You are right zat a dark magic… incapacitation spell would be useful.”
The conversation continued and Viktor knew many spells that Harry and Hermione did not, so it was interesting talking with him.
Eventually it was getting late, and Harry stood to go to bed. But Hermione wanted to stay behind and keep talking with Viktor. Harry collected his school bag and stood, hesitating before he left.
“Are you sure you will be alright, Hermione?” Harry asked with a little tension as he glanced at Viktor. As much as Hermione liked Viktor, Harry didn’t want to leave the boy alone with her if he didn’t have to.
“I’ll be fine, Harry,” she said easily, “If something happens I have my special friend, remember? He’ll help me if anything happens,”
Viktor stared between the two of them in confusion. Harry relaxed, oh right. She could call Dobby if she was in danger, that was a relief. Harry knew that Dobby would drop what he was doing and protect her immediately. She would be safe.
Harry went down into the sanctum in the Chamber of Secrets and slept on the fluffy cloud bed. This was the best perk of being Heir of Slytherin. He didn’t know how he had managed to sleep on anything else for all these years.
— — —
There was only five days until the second task began. Harry had assumed that the riddle was referring to caves of some sort, so he had prepared as well as he could. Lots of variations of light spells to provide some visibility as well as some structure reinforcement spells to prevent cave ins if Harry had to use some heavy duty spells on whatever was down there. He wasn’t sure where it would be done, but he was sure the Ministry could easily construct an underground course if they wanted to.
Mad eye Moody had been strangely encouraging of Harry in class, frequently asking him how he was coming along in preparing for the task. His enchanted eye always seemed fixed on him when he thought Harry wasn’t looking. It was all rather strange and Harry tried to be unspecific in answering the man's questions.
Right now Harry was waiting for Hermione in the library. She had been spending more time with Viktor recently. They still met often, but not every day anymore. Harry had had a few short conversations with Fleur as well since they returned from break, but nothing longer than ten minutes or so.
Harry looked around in confusion. Hermione was late, almost three hour late. He had kept waiting and even started studying on his own after a while but she was never late. She would have at least have dropped by and warned him if she had to do something else instead. Uneasily, Harry collected his things and left.
Drawing his wand into his hand just in case, Harry walked down towards the Slytherin common room down in the dungeons. Hermione had said she was going to meet Viktor before she left classes, he might know where she had gone.
“Potter? What are you doing down here?” Draco Malfoy asked with some hesitation as Harry started walking towards him in the dark hallways. His lackeys Crabbe and Goyle followed closely behind Draco but were intimidated as Harry approached them with his wand out.
“Have you seen Viktor Krum recently?” Harry asked calmly, “I need to speak him. Now.”
“I-er, he was in the great hall five minutes ago. Great hall!” Draco said.
“Thanks, Draco,” Harry said almost leaving before remembering something. He turned back to speak to Draco again, “You are lucky you were not involved to what Pansy Parkinson did to Hermione. I’m glad we don’t have to be enemies.”
“Er, yes! Absolutely,” Draco said while slowly backing away.
“Bye,” Harry said before pivoting and jogging towards the great hall.
— — —
Draco watched as Harry Potter jogged around the corner his wand raised and an uncharacteristically deep frown on his face. He glanced back to his two friends Crabbe and Goyle.
“Not a word to anyone, you hear?” Draco told them.
“What are you so scared for, Draco?” Goyle said in his usual slow and deep voice, “There were three of us, and only one of him. We could have wiped him easily, he didn’t even use any spells for the first task.”
“Exactly!” Draco said, “How do you think you would do against a dragon if you couldn’t cast a single offensive spell? I’m not getting on his bad side no matter what. And you two better not either. You heard him, Pansy is his enemy. We better start distancing ourselves from her before he strikes.”
“Yes, Draco,” they said in unison. Draco looked down the hallway and wondered what had sent the ever calm Harry Potter jogging down the hallway with his wand held out at the ready like that. Nothing good.
— — —
Harry ran into Viktor as the other boy was leaving the great hall, discussing something with a few other boys from Durmstrang.
“Viktor. Have you seen Hermione?” he said as he drew to a stop in front of them stopping the conversation. The other boys scoffed, but Viktor looked a little more thoughtful.
“Yes, ze headmistress wanted to see her as she left. But zat was over four hours ago. Is she still not out?”
“No,” Harry said, “I haven’t seen her. I am getting a bad feeling, would you like to come with me to find her?”
Viktor glanced at the other boys before shrugging, “Da, I also have this feeling. The Headmistress would not say why she needed to zee Hervinny. Let us go.”
As Harry and Viktor started walking to McGonagall’s office, suddenly Ron came running up to them out of breath.
“Harry! And… Viktor,” Ron said with some venom as he saw the boy next to Harry. But after a moment he shook his head and refocused on Harry.
“Harry, Neville’s gone missing! I can’t find him anywhere. Have you seen him around?”
Viktor and Harry shared a glance, “Hermione’s gone missing as well,” Harry said, “Viktor and I were just going to McGonagall’s office to find some answers. She was the last one who saw Hermione.”
“Well, lets go already then,” Ron said standing so Harry was between him and Viktor. He seemed to be ignoring the other boy as much as he could. Viktor seemed a little confused at Ron’s hostility towards him, but shrugged it off to refocus on the situation at hand.
They made their way to the Headmistress’ office and asking the gargoyle to let them up.
Ten impatient minutes later, the gargoyle finally stood side and revealed the staircase. The three of them went in the headmistress’ office where she sat there waiting.
“Now, what is it that brings you three to my office today?” McGonagall said with a slight frown as she spotted their expressions. She raised an eyebrow at Harry and he realized he still held his wand at the ready. He reluctantly put it back in his robes. She was powerful enough that she would destroy him in a fight anyway.
“We were looking for our friend Hermione,” Harry said as the other two remained silent letting him take the lead, “Viktor tells us that she was last seen with you and no one has seen her since.”
McGonagall’s expression flickered and Harry’s heart sunk. She knew something about it.
“Have you checked the rest of the castle?” she asked them lightly, “I’m sure she is around somewhere.”
“No, but you know where she is. I saw your expression change,” Harry said, “Where? What did you do to her?”
“She’s safe,” McGonagall said before sighing, “I’m pushing the boundaries a little here, but it has to do with the triwizarding tournament. I swear she is safe and on the Hogwarts grounds. She will be fine.”
“vhere is she?” Viktor asked seriously.
“I can’t tell you,” McGonagall said, “You’ll just have to wait until the second trial to find out.”
Harry felt his face scrunched in distaste. “I see,” he said, “So she’s safe. Just like how Dumbledore said I was safe at the Dursleys? That kind of safe? I was wrong to think you are any different than he was. I don’t care about the tournament, if she is hurt I won’t forgive you.”
Harry turned away and walked out of the office without another word, an extremely nervous Ron and Viktor who gave Harry a respectful nod of acknowledgment.
Harry kept walking.
“Where are you going?” Ron asked.
“I have to ask someone for help,” Harry said, “You two look through the castle for Hermione and Neville. McGonagall must have kidnapped the both of them at once. I’m not sure why, or the connection to the tournament, but we have to find them before the task is supposed to start.”
“K-Kidnapped? Surely not,” Ron said before looking between Harry’s frown and Viktor waving his hand from side to side to show that he wasn’t certain.
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“Go look, we can meet outside the library in an hour,” Harry said, “I have to go alone.”
Then the three of them split up. Harry went into an abandoned classroom and made his Slytherin locket become visible. He put his hand on it and the tunnel down to the Chamber of Secrets opened in front of him. Time to ask Salazar for help.
— — —
“...So can you help me find her?” Harry asked, “You said you can access the Hogwarts wards right? Can those help?”
“I’ll look,” Salazar said seriously and closed his eyes. His eyelids fluttered as if he was reading something for a minute or two before he opened them.
“I have something,” Salazar said, “She is not in the main castle or immediate grounds. The last place her magical signature was recorded was on the shores of the great lake. There is no recording of her exiting the land around Hogwarts past the outer wards. With anti-apparition wards in place it is unlikely that she was taken away. A unique magical signature, that one. That was one of the only reasons I was able to track her so well…”
“So she is somewhere around the lake?” Harry asked, “How? Wouldn’t they be visible wherever they are keeping her? Its mostly forest and open shoreline along the edge.”
“You are thinking too simply, Heir,” Salazar said, “The best place to hide her would be within the great lake. Some moderately advanced charms or enchanted items could keep them and their captives alive, and their magical signature would be perfectly hidden by all the water and magical beasts around them.”
Harry thought about it for a moment, “Thanks Salazar, is there anything else you can do to help?”
“I’m afraid not,” Salazar said, “Go, save the girl and your new brother. If their kidnappers make it past the outer wards and off the grounds then you never know where they could go with them.”
Harry rushed out. If what Salazar said was true then there was no time to waste.
— — —
It was earlier than the hour deadline that he had set, but Harry managed to track down Viktor and Ron by asking random people in the hallway for directions. He told them what he had learned without mentioning the source and they quickly rushed together to the lake shore. Viktor quickly ripped off his shirt and an instant later his upper torso transformed into a massive shark as Viktor flicked his wand at himself a few times. Harry’s eyes widened as Viktor’s gills and black shark eyes focused on him before the boy dived forward into the water and disappeared with barely a ripple in the water's surface.
Harry thought about what spell he should use to travel in the lake. He turned to Ron.
“Ron, if you can’t go in the water go look for more help,” Harry said, “Go to Flitwick and tell him what’s happening and to not tell McGonagall about it. My paren- Alice and Frank trust him, he should be able to help.”
Ron nodded, “But Harry what about you? How are you going to go in there?”
“I know some spells. I’m going in a second,” Harry said as he cast several spells on himself before jumping into the dark water of the lake. He had planned for if some of the caves in the second task were flooded.
The bubble head charm formed a bubble of air around his head keeping the water out and giving him breathable air. Harry had cast the night vision spell on himself before diving in and luckily it worked in the murky water to let him see farther than he would have. The charm only lasted fifteen minutes with the power he put into it, so Harry might have to recast it if it ran out.
Finally, Harry activated his propulsion spell. Usually it was considered borderline useless. In the air it only improved the speed of brooms a bit at the cost of nearly all safety or control over your flight. It created a vacuum just in front of where Harry pointed his wand. Usually useless, as one couldn’t chant underwater because of how finnicky it was on the syllables of the incantation, but he had learned to cast it silently. So through a happy accident, he had discovered a new use for the long forgotten spell in the Hogwarts library.
Harry pointed his wand forward and cast the spell and the massive bubble formed in front of him. In an instant Harry began to quickly jet forward as he was dragged forward in roughly the direction that he was pointing his wand. He swerved all over the place as he jetted through the water, but in the open space of the lake his jerky path hardly stopped him from making his way forward.
His eyes scanned the lake bed as he traveled about half way between the surface and the base of the lake. The night vision spell expired and Harry was forced to stop moving to refresh it. He still hadn’t seen Viktor Krum yet, but the lake was massive so it was to be expected.
After resetting himself and renewing his bubble head charm as well for safety, Harry pointed his wand again and continued traveling. He roared over something odd above the lakebed, but it receded into the distance before he could stop his momentum. Harry reviewed the memory and whatever it was was definitely unnatural and not more kelp.
He cautiously sent himself forward in little bursts of propulsion, wary now of whoever might be guarding the kidnapped Hermione and Neville if they were there. He jetted downwards until he was among the swaying kelp forest that covered the bottom of the lake. He slowly inched his way forward. There was a flash of movement and a watery screech to his left, but Harry heard it rapidly swimming away from him as he traveled.
Harry continued until he reached a clearing in which the things he had seen floated. This was the place. Anchored to the lakebed were heavy ropes that wrapped up and trapped the four people floating in the water, the ropes wrapping around their whole bodies in big loops. All of them were extremely pale and their eyes were closed as they floated there limply.
First there was Hermione and Neville. Next was Cho Chang, her long black hair floating around her like a halo in the water. Finally on the far right was a girl with blonde hair that couldn’t be more than eight. Harry squinted as she looked familiar. Was it… she looked like a younger version of Fleur! It must be her sister Gabriella. Harry started swimming towards them under his own power, eying his surroundings suspiciously.
When he was half way across the clearing, humanoids with fish tails emerged swimming out from the kelp on all sides. Their faces were distorted and scaled compared to a human and their eyes were massive. Fish scales covered their whole bodies with the only difference as their fish lower halves having thicker scales. Harry had heard of them before. These were the merpeople of the lake. They were all carrying what appeared to be stone spears and nets made of rope and weighted by heavy stones on either end.
One merman that appeared larger than the rest and was wearing a large bone ornament sash across its chest floated forward out of the increasing crowd of merpeople.
“Wizard! Why do you trespass on our lands! Leave or feel the point of our spears!” the leader shouted in mermish.
“These are my friends!” Harry shouted back in mermish using his free hand to point to the bound people floating nearby, “Let them go and I will leave! But I will fight if you try to stop me!”
The leader glanced at the others in surprise before speaking again to Harry. His surprised tone quickly shifted into pompous as he spoke, “Mermish? Not many wizards learn such. Very well, take these people. We did not want wizards disturbing us like this from the beginning. I will glad to be rid of them. The ministry believes it can force us to comply because they have power over the land. But we are a proud people and will not bow before tyrants! These waters are ours alone!”
The merpeople around Harry cheered in mermish after the speech and his friends were rapidly freed and floated to rest in front of Harry. So, the kidnapping was ordered by the Ministry… that was concerning. Harry cast a spell much like a lasso to draw the floating people together so he could pull them through the water as one.
Harry twisted to the leader, “Thank you, leader of the- merpeople? I do not know the term. I will return to the surface now.”
“Yes. Take the outsiders from our domain,” the leader said arrogantly, “And tell your ministry that we will accept no more attempts to infringe on our waters. Warriors, escort them to the shore.”
Harry pointed his wand forward and held the magical construct holding the people together with his other. He activated the propulsion spell and felt like he was about to be ripped in half by the force. But he gritted his teeth and bore with it as he pulled the bundle of people towards the shore closest to the Hogwarts castle. Merpeople swam alongside him and watched carefully. Viktor in his half shark form also joined after a minute and silently helped push the people forward from behind.
They reached shore and Harry felt exhausted magically and physically. His arms were trembling and felt injured from all the strain he had put them through. Viktor levitated the people out of the water and dumped them on the shore as Harry let his lasso spell expire. The two of them climbed out of the water as the people Harry had carried all gasped and turned their heads to look around as they lay on the ground. However, their bodies only flopped weakly when they tried to move.
Harry saw the short form of Flitwick and Ron besides him rushing forward towards them. The four people were disoriented, but none appeared to be injured. Harry let out a sigh of relief as he saw that besides coughing out some water from their mouths, their cheeks were rapidly returning to a healthier color. They were all soaked and were shivering as they sat there.
Flitwick arrived and stared at the scene in apparent confusion as Viktor returned to a human and put the shirt he had thrown aside back on his body.
Flitwick focused on him for his questions rather than Viktor, “Mr. Potter, what is the meaning of this? Why have all of these students just come out of the lake?”
“They were being held by the merpeople, Professor,” Harry said, “They’ve been missing for hours and we were all worried about Hermione and Neville. Cho Chang and Gabrielle Delaceur were down there too. The merpeople said the ministry is behind their kidnapping. We have to get them to my Godfather’s house before the ministry or whoever did this tries something else. The Black family home has protections even against a team from the Ministry if they were to try to get in. Whatever’s happening McGonagall is involved, we asked her about it and she wouldn’t tell us where they had gone.”
Flitwick wavered for an instant before nodding firmly.
“Very well, I’ll trust you for now Mr. Potter,” he said, “They look rather weak, we’ll levitate them and bring them to Hogsmeade. I’ll apparate you all one by one to the Longbottom's from there and they will work to get you to your Godfathers place. I will deal with the situation here and help sort out this mess.”
With a flick of his wand, the four people who had been in the lake levitated off of the ground and floated over to orbit just above Flitwick. Their eyes widened but as they went to speak they could only cough and groan in response instead of saying anything coherent.
Viktor, Ron, Harry, Flitwick, and his floating cargo all jogged quickly around the side of the castle and then down the road towards Hogsmeade. Everyone stared at them as they passed as they caused a commotion as they all rapidly ran away from the castle.
They reached the borders of Hogwarts and entered Hogsmeade after a tense few minutes of jogging. Flitwick immediately kneeled down and apparated away with Gabriella with a crack of displaced air.
Harry held his side and panted as he stood there wand out with his other hand. His chest was burning and his face was drenched in sweat as he struggled to keep standing after everything he had just done.
Flickwick appeared and apparated away again with Neville a second later.
Flitwick appeared and apparated away with Hermione.
Cho Chang.
Ron.
Viktor.
Flitwick had tried to take him after Gabrielle, but Harry had refused him. He wasn’t leaving until he was sure they weren’t leaving anyone else behind. Worst case he could transform into his soul eater form to save them, even if his human form was exhausted. Not that he told Flitwick that.
Then with everyone else transported it was only Harry standing alone waiting for Flitwick to return. The wind whistled along the empty road. There was a crack of air, but it wasn’t behind but in front of him. Headmistress McGonagall stood there frowning at Harry. It reminded him of how Dumbledore had looked after he refused to go back to his office where his memories would have been altered.
“Harry Potter? What is the meaning of this?” She said in a stern tone, “Where are the rest of the students that were with you?”
“They are gone,” Harry said while keeping his wand pointed at her, “Safe from being kidnapped by you and the ministry again.”
Her face flashed with confusion, “Kidnapped? What are you talking about Potter, don’t be ridiculous. This…”
She took a step forward and Harry tensed and prepared to cast a spell. His hands were trembling slightly from exhaustion. She noticed his motions and stopped with her eyes narrowed at him.
“You would attack me?” She said, “Your Headmistress? What foolishness is it that you believe that I am involved in? If you do not explain this instant then you are receiving a months detention.”
There was a crack of air behind Harry and McGonagall looked behind Harry and her face twisted into confusion.
“Filius? How are you wrapped up in all of this?” she asked.
“Minerva, we will discuss in a few minutes,” Flitwick said tensely as he approached Harry from behind.
“What is important right now is getting the students to somewhere safe,” Flitwick continued.
“Somewhere safe?” McGonagall asked in what appeared to be confusion and indignation, “This is Hogwarts. Where else would be safer?”
Harry barked out a laugh. He couldn’t help it. That was the funniest joke he’d ever heard. She actually believed wholeheartedly that Hogwarts was somewhere that was safe! Harry had trouble thinking of a more dangerous place he had been. Harry felt Flitwick’s hand grab the wrist of his free hand and the world began to twist around Harry. The last thing that he saw were McGonagall’s narrowing eyes as she began to say something to reply to his laughter.
Harry felt sick as he stumbled onto the front stoop of the Longbottom’s home. Alice was there and guided him by the shoulders inside the house among the other students in the living room. Sirius was there with them, waiting.
There was another crack of air on the porch as Flitwick apparated away again.
“Harry!” Sirius shouted before rushing forward towards him, “Are you alright? What is going on?”
“Ministry kidnapped them, they were tied up under the great lake,” Harry said shortly before gesturing the four kids who were gradually graduating from weak flopping to returning some of their former strength. Neville had even managed to leverage himself up to a sitting position much to the relief of Frank who was standing over him, appearing worried.
“Your house. Best protected against Ministry attack. Have to go there before… anything happens,” Harry finished.
Sirius exchanged a look with Frank and Alice.
“You should come too,” Sirius said to them seriously, “Until we know what’s really going on.”
They nodded and with Viktor and Ron’s help managed to get all of the kids outside again. Harry’s arms were trembling and his magic nearly tapped out, so he just did his best to keep standing as they gathered outside.
“Alright, Alice,” Sirius said, “I’ll take you there first. You go tell Sharon what’s going on and then watch over the kids as we ferry them through one by one. Sharon knows some medical spells and can treat the kids for whatever was cast on them.”
She nodded and grabbed his outstretched hand and they both disappeared as Sirius apparated them away. Sirius returned and apparated away Gabriella next. Frank held his wand at the ready and seemed tense as he stood there guarding them from the front porch. Sirius returned and insisted in taking Harry next. Harry tried to protest, but Sirius had grabbed his hand and apparated them away before Harry could stop him.
They appeared in one of the stoop of Sirius’ house. The door was wide open and Sharon was casting some spells on Gabriella inside. Gabriella was looking much healthier than before as Sharon cast another spell on her. Harry saw a couch set up through one of the rooms just inside in a side room. He heard a crack behind him as Sirius returned with someone else as he stumbled over to the couch. Alice rushed past him to levitate Neville over to Sharon for treatment as Harry went through the doorway into the room to the side.
Harry laid down on the old beat up couch and all his exhaustion hit him all at once. He closed his eyes and fell asleep in moments. The last heard thing he heard was another signature crack of air of apparition just outside…
— — —
Sirius let out a sigh of relief as he finally brought Frank Longbottom over. While they could both apparate, the Longbottoms hadn’t actually seen his front stoop before, they had only visited through the floo network before. You needed a clear picture of where you wanted to go in order to apparate properly, so they couldn't come with their own spells. Sirius glanced over to where his Godson lay sprawled on the old couch, appearing to have fallen asleep on the couch the second he laid down on it.
Frank walked in and Sirius closed the front door behind him. He activated three of the sequential locks and then turned to Frank,
“Make sure no one leaves, not even one step out the door," Sirius said, "The wards I am about to activate are serious business. No one will be able to touch us for a little while, even the ministry once the wards really get going. We’ll have to use my house elf Kreacher to get news of the outside world and bring food in here.”
Frank nodded in understanding and then Sirius rushed to the back of the house. He levitated the dresser he placed in the room and shifted it to the side before dropping it again. He ran his hands along the floor near the corner of the room until he found the button. He pressed it and a wave of magic washed over him. If he hadn’t been the Heir Black then it would have given him a curse that was sure to be fatal.
A little trapdoor popped open revealing a massive spherical stone inside. Sirius took it outside the hole in the floor and felt the same tingle magic run through him. God, who knew all his horrible mother's lessons and paranoia against the ministry would pay off one day.
“Heir Black under siege,” Sirius said, “Requesting maximum activation of house wards in preparation for a full Ministry assault. Purity in blood, Perfection in Name.”
Of course the password would be something like that, Sirius thought bitterly. Even the wards were blood purists in this place. The stone sat inert for a few seconds before it started glowing.
“Activating, full war defenses engaged,” a deep voice said emanating from the stone, “Replace ward core to resume process,” the voice continued. Sirius replaced it in its hole in the floor and sealed it again so it looked the same as before. He levitated the dresser back where it had been and left the room.
They would be safe for now. He really hoped this was an overreaction.
Sirius really didn’t want to go back to Azkaban if he could help it.