Harry Potter and the Magical Tours

The meeting with the Goblins, held in Dumbledore's office, took place two days later. In the first part, the Headmaster and Harry were the only wizards present, while Harry reported the details of what Sirius had told him.

His audience, aside from Dumbledore, consisted of two Goblins. One was Dogan Defreak, who introduced the other Goblin as Urion the Unexpected - commander of the Goblin Task Force, something like an equivalent to the Law Enforcement Squad.

Hearing the name, Harry felt tempted to grin, but managed to keep his face steady - almost, that was.

Seeing it, Urion said, "This name is a kind of compromise, Mr Potter. Other people have other names for me - if they're polite, they call me Urion the Unorthodox, and if not, it's Urion the Undesirable."

Harry felt the need for some carefulness in his answer; he just couldn't figure out yet when Goblins were joking, or whether they did so at all. He said, "I'm not too familiar with Goblin habits regarding names, sir. Although, from a Giant's perspective, it would sound like a serious insult."

"Oh, I don't mind." Urion looked at Harry without revealing more in his face. "You should hear my men - they have fun giving me still quite other names. My rule is simple - if they're up to the task, they can call me what they want. As a rule of courtesy, it has to start with a 'U'."

If Harry could trust his senses, still unexperienced toward non-humans, this Urion was teasing him with the full truth. Anyway, the Task commander sounded exactly like the kind of Goblin you'd feel grateful having at your side while waiting for a handful of evil wizards to appear. Harry asked, "Then how should I address you, sir? Mr Urion?"

"Just Urion" - the Goblin smiled - "with the addendum of your choice in your mind. For all I've heard, you're up to the task, Mr Potter."

"In this case, er - Urion, for good balance, please call me Harry."

When Harry had finished his report, there was a short break in which he collected the other five wizards of his own task force. After all people had been introduced to each other, Urion explained his plan. He did so without ever asking for comments, alternatives, or something as absurd as a better idea, giving a first example how he had earned his collection of nicknames.

The Hogwarts team would reach the Middle Station - this was the official name for the location between the prison and the outside - through the portkey link used by the Goblins. This access path was not publicly available and totally independent from the official link through which the intruders would come. Until then, Goblin technicians would establish a link from Hogwarts to the Goblin residence with the gate to Middle Station. This link would be operative at the morning of that day, eight o'clock straight, for ten minutes.

The prisoner's release was scheduled for ten o'clock. From eight till ten, Urion expected the wizards to make themselves familiar with the environment, to find their positions, and to learn where to expect himself and his men - once the moment had come.

Ron's job was crucial. He should watch the scene and - at the proper moment - give the signal that activated the backjump gate. The wizards would pass through, doing outside whatever they had in mind - none of Urion's business, as he made clear.

Snape asked, "What will happen to the intruders, Urion?"

"The question is only relevant for those who'll surrender immediately - because the others will be dead."

Snape nodded, unflinchingly.

"All this will take place in Goblin territory - which means they'll fall under the Goblin jurisdiction." For Urion, the question seemed answered.

Harry said, "Mr Black may have some questions he'd like to ask them."

Urion nodded. "No problem. He should write a list of all questions he has, we'll ask them in our own interrogations and return a protocol."

A protocol - certainly an edited one, restricted to the desired answers - as much as given - while leaving out other answers, as well as any other utterance or sound issued during the interrogation.

After the meeting, when Harry headed downstairs together with his friend, Ron looked uneasy. "An hour ago," he said, "my job was that of a stand-by in case of an emergency. And now - if I'm not careful, I'll blow half of the planning."

Harry almost giggled. "If you're not careful, you could be killed. Otherwise, isn't it the same old story?"

Ron couldn't find any similarity whatever.

"Well, basically, you're moving figures, something you should be familiar with - especially now, as a Quidditch captain."

Ron's laugh showed more than a bit nervousness. "Yeah - even if they complain, right?"

"Do some meditation," replied Harry. "Think it through, settle to the task, imagine the scenario. That's what I'll do."

Ron nodded. A moment later, another thought crossed his mind. "This Urion - his kind of humour is a very special one, don't you think so?"

Harry told his friend about Urion's remarks regarding his nicknames. Hearing that, Ron didn't grin. "Urion the Unsettling - that's my choice."

"Quite the contrary - I feel much better now than before the meeting."

"What do you think will happen to the - er, survivors?"

"I don't know - but I guess the question is somehow irrelevant, because we won't see them again."

* * *

During the days that followed, Harry took pains to read each issue of the Daily Prophet very carefully, especially in the advertisements section. He didn't really expect a message to be found there, didn't find any, in his opinion a sign more reassuring than the other way around.

As he didn't expect any other message either, it came as a real surprise when, some days after the meeting, a majestic owl swerved down to the breakfast table, presenting a large capsule.

After reading the first words, Harry stopped - this letter was too long for being read now and here. However, even these few words gave him a strange feeling, kept his mind busy until he found the time to read from the first to the last line.

Because this was a post-mortem.

This was the last note Harry found in the collection. He wondered to which degree it could be rated as an indicator - quite a lot would depend on the accuracy in Rita Skeeter's updating of her own notes, and sending them to her lawyer. What Harry had seen in her apartment, during his visit, seemed hardly suited to qualify her as an orderly person - on the other side, Harry was the first to agree that cleaning up and following promising tracks were totally different issues.

---

At any rate, Sirius would know better what to do. Using Ron's writer quill, Harry made three copies of the letter, not leaving out a single word.

For the first copy, he had Cho's father in mind. Using his own hand, he added a short comment from his side to this pile. After lunch, he walked the steps he knew better than any other - those from the Gryffindor table to the Ravenclaw table.

Watching his arrival, Cho turned to Almyra. "Sit straight - there's a VIP coming to visit us."

Almyra did as ordered. The effect looked quite interesting, as this stance emphasized a prominent part of her body. Harry grinned. "Normally, guards present guns, but you beat them easily, Al."

After a second, Almyra understood, at once falling back to a more leisurely position.

Cho had been quicker; but then, she had the advantage of seeing it more from Harry's angle. She eyed him from below. "Nobody would believe that this has been a polite, shy young student."

"Well - I, for my part, have developed further ..."

This one had been close, only that Harry, knowing what he was going to say, had been forewarned. Cho's fist struck empty air.

"I've got serious business!" he complained. "Can I sit down without risk to life and limb?"

"Don't tell me that's an argument for you staying off!"

The joke was so bad, raising a grimace in Almyra's face, that Harry felt little doubt - these days of waiting for the encounter in Middle Station stressed Cho's nerves at least as much as his own, probably more. He went around, sat down at Cho's side, planted a kiss on her mouth. "You know what I've promised, and you know I keep my promises, do you?"

She sighed. "Yes, that's what I'm telling myself all the time."

Remembering another scene, Harry grinned. "I mean, I'm not a Bulgarian, but even so ..."

Of course, neither Cho nor Almyra understood what he was talking about. Harry checked around and whispered, "This is an insider joke, all right?"

At this point, Cho would have promised everything, as long as Harry was going to talk. So he told them the scene with Viktor and Hermione, earning laughter and a better mood than moments before. Using the momentum, he said, "Well, then - I've got a letter; this is a copy I made. I think you two should read it, and then" - he looked at Cho - "I'd like to send this copy to your father. There are a few details he should know."

Two heads were bending over the parchment - for a short moment. Then, almost simultaneously, two faces came up, looking at Harry in consternation, eyes widening.

Only then, he realized - Rita Skeeter's death had been unknown to Cho and Almyra until this moment. "Oh, sh... I'm sorry, I forgot that I hadn't told you about it."

Cho inhaled deeply. "Harry - please prepare yourself better than that for the encounter."

He quoted the obituary in the Daily Prophet, almost literally.

Cho did a short calculation with dates before reading further. Then she looked up. "What are you going to do with this?"

"A copy for your father, another one for Sirius, another one for Dumbledore ... That's all so far - I wouldn't know where to start with this information."

Almyra stood up and took the parchments. "Something to do for Hedwig, and even with the Changs as destination. I'll tell her to make a good impression."

Harry grinned. "Tell her to sit straight."

Almyra's fist came totally unexpected, hitting him just under the collarbone.

"Ouch - why do you hit me? These were Cho's words, not mine."

"Sure, but she addressed me, not Hedwig."

It reminded him of the old wisdom - don't joke about owls with Almyra around.

---

The Headmaster read his copy carefully, then looked up. "Poor Rita, she deserved better. At any rate, Harry, don't let your cool judgement suffer from this plea out of the grave. It's so typical Rita - dramatic till the end, and pity those who stand in the way."

"No, Professor." Harry smiled, more sadly than joyfully. "But I'd like to know what you think of these WWN board members."

The WWN was the Wizarding Wireless Network, the main radio station of the wizarding world.

Dumbledore thought for a moment. "The fact alone doesn't tell you anything, Harry - more often than not, a board of control is just a collection of nice jobs, for good money and nothing to do, other than getting rid of some salmon and champagne twice a year. Only in conjunction with other facts, this might have a meaning. For example, if one of them would put in his political weight in favour of some law to the benefit of Magical Tours ..."

Harry was reminded of his conversation with Mr Chang.

"... then you could see a pattern worth following. The WWN," grinned Dumbledore, "isn't exactly famous for an unbiased journalism or a balanced information service - you shouldn't hold your breath while waiting for a critical commentary from them, quite in contrast to the Daily Prophet, which is always ready to destroy a political career."

A thought struck Harry. "Then maybe I should send a copy to the Daily Prophet people."

The Headmaster thought it over. "Yes, that's a good idea - provided it's properly timed, and provided it's sent to the right person." He nodded. "Harry - leave it to me. I know someone, and I'll contact him as soon as this story is over and you'll be back from Middle Station. Even if there's nothing behind it, this will be good ammunition to help Sirius."

Harry didn't understand.

"As soon as he goes public with this story, some people will ask for his head - politically speaking. Then it will be very helpful to launch another press campaign - even if it's just smoke."

Of course - people would remember the old saying that if there's smoke, somewhere there must be fire. And Harry wondered if indeed there was fire somewhere. Rita Skeeter had written down only facts - not the feelings of an experienced journalist, hunting down a track, guided by a nose good enough for sniffing a scandal in a bed of roses.

* * *

It could have been a normal school day in Hogwarts. Awaking almost at the usual time, fight for a shower as usual, other students walking around - couldn't these sleepwalkers watch their step? Ron tense, Seamus grumpy, Dean late, then Harry was done in his dormitory and went down for breakfast.

The Great Hall looked perfectly normal, not even the teachers were sitting other than usual. The ordinary scene felt helpful, for example when trying to eat something.

Harry chewed slowly, then turned to Ron, who wasn't touching any food. "In two hours, you'll be detected by your groaning stomach."

"I can't eat."

Hermione was fixing sandwiches like a machine. She looked up. "These are for Viktor - you should do the same for yourself, Ron."

Ron obeyed, although looking with disgust at the slices he was preparing.

None of the other students around took notice. Early morning on a Wednesday - Harry wondered if anyone would have noticed him in a Goblin battle dress. He had decided to go without Nagini, had found no scenario in which his snake would be of help. This was about fighting, not about scanning around, certainly not about interrogating prisoners. But even with Nagini around his body, nobody would have asked a question.

Hermione had finished her work and now stood up to take her parcel to Viktor. It seemed quite large; could this tiny Bulgarian really eat that many sandwiches in such a short time?

Harry marched to the Ravenclaw table, looked at Cho, at Almyra. "You okay?"

Cho had tension in her face. "And you?"

"I'm better off - I don't have to sit around here, biting my nails."

"I'm not biting my nails!"

"No," confirmed Almyra, "she's using her hair for that ... Pity, mine's too short for this purpose."

"Bite hers, too."

Cho could giggle. "That would be a spectacular view."

Harry bent closer to kiss her, and to whisper, "Only in classes."

Cho gasped a bit, and Almyra had something she might try figuring out, rather than torturing herself with pictures of a fighting scene in some place called Middle Station. Harry walked to the staircase - the Goblins had installed the gate upstairs, at the tower platform.

Five minutes until eight o'clock. Six people waiting, a moment later five of them staring in disbelief as Viktor unwrapped the first sandwich and ate it with perfect calmness.

Lupin looked admiring. "I wish I could do that."

Viktor offered the parcel. "Want some?"

Lupin's head was shaking.

---

Eight o'clock. The gate gave no sign, no sound. Ron made a step. "Let's see ..." Next instant, he was gone.

Viktor was closest, disappeared through the gate. Lupin came next, then it was Harry's turn.

A windowless room, dimly lit. A half circle of Goblin warriors, crossbows ready, about twenty feet apart. A gesture sent Harry to a corner where Ron, Viktor, and Lupin stood waiting. He joined them and watched the Goblins while Snape and Kenzo arrived. This Urion didn't take chances, none at all.

Urion came over. "That's it?"

Ron answered. "Yes."

"Then we'll switch off the gate. Wait here."

A minute later, the Task commander was back. "I'll show you the location." He marched ahead without waiting for an answer.

Middle Station looked like an abandoned mine, and Urion confirmed it was. All rooms, halls, and corridors they saw were inside, daylight only from holes high above, otherwise lamps or torches. It could have been anywhere on earth, maybe with the exception of extremely hot or cold zones. Maybe an island, maybe in the middle of Asia or Africa - from what they could see, it was impossible to judge.

Ron's guess was Africa. The mine had yielded some metal, certainly not coal; the environment was too clean for that. And if it had been metal, the most likely candidate for a Goblin mine was of course gold, and for this reason, Ron believed they were somewhere in Africa - most of today's gold mines could be found there.

It didn't play a role. Important was only the topology between the room where the intruders would appear, along a hall with two traffic lanes, separated by a low barrier, to the room with the gate that connected to the real prison - when activated, that was, which definitely would not happen today.

The two-lane hall showed many holes in the walls, exits to other rooms, or entrances to tunnels into the mountain. One of them, very close to the first gate, offered a short cut to the room in which the prisoner would wait, and from there to the exit gate.

This short cut was new, existed only since yesterday, and would be closed again tomorrow. It enabled the wizard crew to guard the end of the trail and then, after the Goblins had taken care of the intruders, to reach the exit gate quickly in order to jump out, hopefully surprising those waiting outside.

Urion placed his men in the two-lane hall, hidden behind the barrier, with additional warriors in every exit toward other rooms. It was a perfect match of weapons and battleground, as Harry recognized - in a narrow room, these crossbows would be more of a burden than a help, while in this spacious hall, across a distance of thirty feet or more, they were the weapons of choice. Short of a wand, of course, or maybe not even that. If the wand wasn't ready to point and shoot, you had no chance against a crossbow already in aiming position.

Harry inspected one of the darts. They showed little resemblance to an arrow, looked more like a miniature harpy, thick and heavy. And the crossbows were twin models, which of course required using the triggers in the proper sequence. Well, none of the Goblins looked as if they would confuse them in the heat of the fight.

---

Scanning the location again, Harry tried to imagine how the intruders would behave. This traffic hall looked perfectly normal, not at all like a trap - only that every military leader with the smallest sense of tactics would automatically stretch his men in a long line, simply by reflex.

And suddenly Harry knew that Sirius would have no chance for jumping back in first position, or if so, only because the fight was already over. Sirius would be in front of the line, or in second position, at any rate closely surrounded by some others. No matter how much they trusted him, this would be an automatic precaution.

Harry reached Ron. "I'll be at the other end, where Urion's going to stop them. Don't wait for me if I'm not back in time."

"Why? What's on your mind?"

"Sirius will be in front, or almost - the others will make sure of that. And I'm here to protect him."

"That's what I like - last minute changes!"

Kenzo had listened, now turned to Ron. "Ha-ri is right. And besides, only the first three people in the backjump gate are relevant; the others will be too late, this way or the other."

Harry marched to the Goblin commander and told him about his decision.

Urion's face didn't move. "You keep hidden until you see my men get up, Harry."

Urion didn't ask if this was clear, didn't promise anything in case Harry wasn't following the order. It seemed a very efficient way to give a command - provided you had such a face and such a reputation. He didn't even wait to see Harry's nod.

Nine-forty. Still a bit more than a quarter of an hour.

Ten o'clock. Silence around.

Hidden behind the balustrade, the closest Goblin in his view, Harry heard noises from the other end. Then steps - this hall carried each sound.

Voices. One of them could have been Sirius', Harry wasn't sure.

More steps, coming closer. Only steps, no words.

For him, the closest steps sounded as if someone was only feet away, would bend over the balustrade any moment now ... He saw the Goblin in his view get up, head, arms, and crossbow appearing simultaneously.

"DON'T MOVE!"

The command came from all sides. Only Urion's voice, however sent through a magiphone, coming out of loudspeakers along the hall.

With his first glance, Harry saw a line of figures, thirty feet from one to the next, about fifteen altogether.

Some of them found the presence of mind to freeze in mid-step. The others, whether from surprise or in an attempt to react, made a last movement. They died within the next second, without any exception.

Sirius was on top, as expected. Immediately behind him stood another man who hadn't moved in this first instant, who moved now, his arm around Sirius' throat, stepping backward, toward the closest hole, using Sirius as cover ...

The jump artist.

The two figures had almost reached the hole. Sirius made an attempt - not to free himself, only to bend down, to expose the man behind him to some shot, or spell.

The movement never finished, however it was probably this manoeuver which saved Sirius from worse. Harry saw the jump artist move, saw his godfather collapse, then the other man disappeared in the hole, a split second before some darts hit the stone at this spot, bouncing off with a nasty twang.

---

Harry reached Sirius' motionless body first. What he sensed was good enough to exhale deeply - Sirius alive, and unless the other man had used some potion, he would be okay in a while. While a potion seemed very unlikely - not from this jump artist.

Urion arrived and made his own test with a long finger that was touching for Sirius' pulse, then nodded. "He's alive."

Harry checked around, saw half a dozen survivors, each of them faced by two or more Goblins. He turned to Urion. "What about the one who escaped?"

"Escaped? These tunnels are a maze, Harry. Maybe he'll find his way back - and then, we'll wait for him here in this hall."

"You're not going to pursue him, Urion?"

"No. It's a death trap."

"Not for me." Harry started to walk toward the tunnel entrance.

"Harry!" Urion came to him. "He has all advantages on his side. He'll kill you."

Harry shook his head. "I have haragei, and I have getsumai no michi. The darkness is an advantage for me."

"Whatever it is you're talking about - what if the other has the same?"

"That's impossible, Urion - in this case, he would have sensed your men in the first second, and this fight would have turned out differently."

Discussions with Urion were pretty short. "We'll wait for you until tomorrow evening, Harry. If you didn't come out until then, I'd say you'll stay inside."

Harry walked into the tunnel, his new senses fully activated. When the last light from outside had faded, it felt even simpler. His eyes saw nothing, his getsumai no michi provided a clear image of the structure around him, and his haragei sensed ahead, scanning for a sign of the jump artist.

The first three hundred yards went straight into the mountain, sloping deeper. The ground was dry; Harry could walk almost noiselessly, although he had no doubt that anyone waiting could hear him well.

He reached a crossing and took his time to sense around. It was no clear echo what he felt, just a feeling that the tunnel to the right would be more promising than the others - if promising was the right term.

The ground was level now. The tunnel went as straight as the first - these miners apparently had an aversion against curves, used crossings and side tunnels instead.

At the next crossing, Harry sensed again, but felt no echo. He waited a minute, still not getting any bearing from his haragei.

What now?

A moment later, he had an idea. If these tunnels were as straight as he expected ...

With his eyes closed, he sent the first ball of firework into the tunnel ahead, using the full power of his magic, focused through his wand. The ball shot off like from a cannon, to burst into sparkles far away. Seen through getsumai no michi, it was quite unspectacular.

The second ball shot into the right tunnel, raising a sharp, clear twist in his haragai.

Harry walked forward, slowly, carefully. Reaching the next crossing, he could sense his opponent through the leftside tunnel.

He entered the tunnel, taking his time for every step. The other man's echo didn't fade, was gradually growing stronger. So the man was waiting for him - probably somewhere at the next crossing.

After some more steps, Harry's getsumai no michi revealed the position where the tunnel opened into the crossing, a bit wider than the previous ones, about fifty yards ahead.

He stopped.

The jump artist would wait around the corner. He would wait until Harry came out of the tunnel, reached the opening, and then he would attack. As simple as that, and as efficient. Here, deep down in the mountain, in these narrow tunnels, aikido ranked at least on a par with magic, probably better.

For the attack itself, that was. Not for ...

Harry stepped forward, not even trying to avoid noises. It was impossible anyway.

---

Yards before the opening, eyes closed, he sent his surprise, another ball of fireworks, slower but bigger than the previous one. His own body accelerated and flew through the exit, into the bursting rainbow, where it touched ground and instantly started rolling around. But there was no ground - not under his shoulders, only under the lower part of his body, so he did another rolling, away from the hole, away from the something that came flying through the air, landing on the spot where his torso had been a split second before. This spot was empty now, offered no ground either, no hold for the feet ...

The man's legs disappeared in the hole, then the lower part of his body. Then it stopped, the arms outstretched, clasping a dent in the ground, holding only just.

Harry could feel how the man relaxed a bit. Apparently, his feet had found some kind of hold in the hole - maybe an air shaft for deeper levels, certainly not wide enough for a transportation cabin, however too wide for climbing in a mountain climber's style.

"Would you lend me a hand? It's a bit difficult to come out here."

Could the man see him? Most unlikely, but at least, he could sense him somehow. Maybe haragei too, enough for close distances. Harry could sense no desperation in his opponent, only a strong awareness, reason enough to be extremely careful.

"There's no hurry," he said. "You've caught yourself."

"It feels a bit unsecure. My stand is pretty small, and no hard rock."

"This may speed up your answers, since I have a few questions. Tell me something about Belinda McGraw."

"Who's that?"

Was this a genuine question? An attempt to gain time? Except the man had no time, if his description had been true.

"The police woman."

"Oh - her. What do you want to know?"

"Who killed her?"

"Some of us."

Not even an attempt of denial. Well, maybe it didn't make sense here, in this situation, only that this behaviour would have suited better with the man safely on the ground and Harry in the hole.

"And you've been one of them?"

"Sure."

"How was it done?"

"What crazy question is this? We surprised her and did her off, quick and clean ... Or would you like to hear that we tortured her first, or raped her, or what?"

The words sounded angrier that what Harry could feel - a pretense of hurt pride from a professional killer, and at the same time a well-calculated attempt of unsettling him, maybe to bring him within reach of these skilled arms ...

"Why?"

"Guess what! We had orders, that's why."

"From whom?"

"As if the name would tell you anything. Help me out, then I'll guide you to the house."

Yeah, certainly. "Tell me about Rita Skeeter."

"Who's that?"

"The Daily Prophet woman."

"Never heard of ... How was she killed?"

"In a car accident."

"Then it should look like an accident. Not my job, because my cases leave no question about whether this - "

Nothing in Harry's haragei had given him a warning of this sudden attack in mid-sentence, probably because the jump artist had mastered jaho, the art of hiding intentions. The attack would have been successful, if not for Harry's own getsumai no michi, which presented the scene to him like illuminated by a weak moon, colourless but with clear contours - of arms tensing, of a body coming up, reaching the edge of the air shaft, about to roll sidewards ...

"STUPEFY!"

The body lost all tension, slumped back. Without any attempt to grab for something, the hands shifted over the ground, followed the arms that were pushed upward from the edge, followed the body down, down, down ...

Harry felt a sharp twist in his mind, then emptiness.

Seconds later, a faint sound reached his ears.

---

He sat motionless for a while, until his breath had steadied to a calm and regular rhythm. Then his mind reconstructed every step he'd made to this opening, every turn, remembered distances, slopes, every detail.

This done, he sensed around. Which had been the tunnel of his arrival?

He wasn't sure.

Again, he went through his memory of the short fight, his jump out of the tunnel into the opening. He felt ready to exclude one of the four tunnels, but the three others seemed equally good candidates.

He took the first.

When he thought that now a crossing should appear, there was none. Walking still further, he found a road fork. This was definitely the wrong tunnel.

Back to the opening, taking the next tunnel to the right.

About hundred yards into this one, he found an opening to a side room about which he was ready to swear that it hadn't been there on his way inside.

Back to the opening, taking the next tunnel to the right, walking slowly, to get the same feeling of time as before.

He reached a crossing, about the proper distance. If his reconstruction was correct, the tunnel to the right was leading outside.

Another crossing, after some time in which he had lost any memory how long he had walked while searching for the man.

If he was on the right track, here he had to turn left. And if not - he would find back to the opening.

Next crossing, left again.

The ground was no longer level, sloped upward considerably. Harry walked faster, feeling confident. Then he saw a tiny dot of light, growing quickly. Just in time, he became aware of what to expect in the two-lane hall. Reaching the exit, he called, "It's me - Harry."

Even so, three crossbows were aiming at him when he came out. A Goblin motioned him to step aside, checked into the tunnel, and only then, when it was clear that Harry wasn't followed by someone else, that he wasn't under some Imperius curse, the crossbows went down.

Along the hall, Harry could see Goblin warriors, waiting around holes. Next moment, Urion came over. "Did you find him, Harry?"

"Yes, Urion. He's dead - went down an air shaft."

"And what makes you sure he won't come up again?"

"Haragei ... I could feel the moment when he - died."

"Good, so we're done here."

A satisfied Goblin didn't look much different from an angry one, or maybe this was Urion's specialty. But suddenly, although not losing his friendliness, the Task Force commander had just one interest - to get Harry and Ron, who'd been waiting at the exit gate, out of this Goblin territory.

Ron was looking bad enough to make Harry's heart fail a beat. "What's wrong?" Harry asked. "How's Sirius?"

Ron's answer came in a croaky voice, like from a mouth too dry for speaking properly. "Cchh's okay. Am I glad to see you again, Harry - the last ten minutes, I was trying to figure out how ..."

Only now, Harry realized that he had spent more than an hour in the maze of tunnels. He shook his head. "And for a moment, I thought ... Stop worrying - I'm alive, and the other one's dead."

Ron wanted to know more, except that Urion had a way of standing around, making clear that if they had nothing to do, they might find another place for that.

Harry asked, "What's waiting on the other side?"

"Good question."

"Didn't you agree on something that one of them will come back to inform you how it went?"

Ron shot an angry glance in the direction of the Goblin. "Basically yes, except that it didn't work - they stopped the entry link."

Urion seemed unable to show a teasing expression, while his voice didn't suffer from such a shortcoming. "Shall I jump out first?"

Harry bowed. "It was a pleasure working with you, Urion the Unforgettable ... Have a good time." In the last instant before jumping through, he saw an appreciating smile. After all, this Goblin had a mimikry, lacked only some interest in using it most of the time.

---

Coming out, Harry found himself in another windowless room, except this time with painted walls, light, obviously inside a normal building. From one corner was Kenzo's wand pointing at him, from another that of Snape.

"It's okay - he's dead." Harry stepped forward, an instant before being overrun by Ron, who was coming through.

Kenzo and Snape came up, reached him, almost synchronously. "How?"

"He fell down an air shaft, in an attempt to catch me. He was stupefied when he fell." Toward Kenzo, Harry added, "He had mastered jaho, sensei. It was getsumai no michi that saved me."

Snape examined him. "Do you feel all right, Harry?"

"I wasn't - oh ..." Only now, Harry understood the question. "Yes, Prof - he was one of those who murdered Belinda McGraw." He described the scene in the opening. Then it was his turn to ask questions. "Where are we?"

"High security section in a ministry building." It was Snape who answered, while pressing a button.

A guard appeared, eyed through the steel bars, looking sullen. "Wait here - I have to ask Mr Black."

The man turned, hadn't made the first step yet when a faint click could be heard and then, a split second later, the door banged against the wall.

As furious as Harry felt - it hadn't been him. He looked at Snape, only Snape was looking back in astonishment. Harry turned to Kenzo. "You??"

The sensei smiled. "Shigura was also my sensei, Ha-ri."

They passed the guard, who seemed to shrink in place, an expression of horror in his face, not making any attempt to stop them. Two staircases upward, Harry found his orientation and marched ahead toward Sirius' office.

The two-legged dragon in the anteroom found no time to stop them, or to ask any question, in particular since the door to Sirius' office stood open, showing the two figures of Sirius and Lupin.

Sirius looked up, presenting an expression not unlike the one Harry had seen in Ron's face. Next moment, Harry felt grabbed by his shoulders, shaken, pushed, hugged, all at the same time.

"Harry, you damned fool - what did you think, going in there? You could ..."

Harry hugged back. "But I'm not. What about you?"

Sirius touched his neck. "That guy had more in mind - I'm lucky he didn't find the time. Where is he now?"

"Somewhere deep in a mine - very deep, I'd say. But first, we had a conversation." Harry gave another summary of the scene in the mine.

Sirius kept silent still a moment after Harry had finished. Then he looked around. "I owe one of you more than the other - "

Snape grinned. "Then it's a spiral, Sirius."

"Huh? ... Yes, it is, and for you, Severus, it doesn't end yet because I need you this afternoon, you and Harry. For the others - you'll hear from me, but for now I'd say get back to Hogwarts and tell the others it's over."

Harry turned to Ron. "Tell Cho I'm fine. And send the original of Rita's letter here to Sirius' office, please - you'll find it in my drawer, but don't use portkey mail. And please talk with Dumbledore and tell him he may pull his strings with the Daily Prophet."

"When can we expect you back, Harry?"

"Dunno ... I guess it'll be late - probably not before tomorrow morning."

"Okay. See you." Ron left.

Then Sirius told Harry and Snape what he had in mind. He would hold an Enforcement Squad meeting at three o'clock, with as many Squad members as he could gather, to announce the news, to present his contact person and his anchor man as proof, and "to provide a fait accompli," as he said. According to his words, Sirius seemed fully aware that his political head was even more at risk than his real one in the two-lane hall.

Until then, as he suggested, Harry and Snape could hardly do better than getting lost, preferably into a fancy restaurant, which could only imply something not close to the ministry.

Sirius tried to pass a money bag to Harry, only Snape was quicker. "That's my only opportunity to treat a Potter - and to ask him some questions."

---

Lunching with Snape, who knew exactly where to find a quiet place with first-rate food, struck Harry as an experience as unique as the first half of this day.

Before Snape could start with his own questions, Harry asked about the events in the exit gate. As he learned, the scene there had been quite unremarkable - from Snape's perspective. When Snape came through, after Kenzo and Lupin, he found two figures slumped down, his colleagues over them, and the released prisoner, who didn't know what to think, looking reasonably scared.

Then it was Snape's turn. "Harry - I have just three simple questions. What is haragei? ... What is getsumai no michi? ... How did Kenzo open that door?"

Harry chuckled, stopped quickly because he didn't want to appear impolite toward a combat companion, and started to explain. Needless to say, Snape had many more questions. They had reached dessert when Snape asked, "Could you have opened that door - without using your wand, I mean?"

"Yes - except not as cool-minded as Kenzo. My sensei in Japan made me do it - I was furious enough so it worked."

Harry felt relieved when Snape didn't ask what had made him so furious. Instead, the teacher seemed more interested in the topic of magic without a wand and asked Harry whether he had trained it more.

"Not systematically ... You know, it's something like using the stairs if there's an elevator. But I know I can do it - and that's the essential point. It's just a question of belief."

"So if I believe strongly enough, I can do it by myself?"

"Yes." Harry thought for a moment. "This strongly enough," he said eventually, "somehow it sounds wrong, Prof. I mean, for the first time, you have to be pushed hard to overcome your doubts. This kind of belief isn't strong or weak - it's just belief."

"Would it work for Unforgiveable Curses too?"

"I didn't try them yet." Looking around, Harry grinned. "Shall I?"

"Erm - let's wait till we're back at Hogwarts - after all, we have to hold the school's reputation in public."

Snape was silent for a moment before he came up with his last question. "Harry - you used the stupefying spell for this man in the mine, right?"

"Yes. Why?"

"Well, I was wondering if you would use the Killing Curse."

Harry shook his head. "Certainly not. I wasn't finished yet with my questions when the attack came - only he went down too fast." Seeing Snape's expression, he recognized the question's full extent. "Oh, you mean ... well, I met him in an office in the Magical Tours headquarters, and at that time, he'd been one movement short of hearing it from me - only the movement didn't come."

"So he believed you."

"Yes. I said something like, 'If you want to live, sit down,' and he did."

Snape nodded. "That answers my question, Harry."

They still had an hour to kill, agreed to split now and to meet again in Sirius' office. Harry used the time for a leisurely walk through shops. Passing Flourish and Blotts, he remembered something and went inside.

An elderly witch asked whether she could help.

"Yes, ma'am. Do you have a book called Kamasutra?"

He couldn't decipher the glance she gave him, before disappearing in some room, coming back shortly afterwards with an ordinary-looking book, quite thick. "This is the standard edition," she explained. "There is also a collector's edition, with gold print and illustrations, only we don't have it in store."

"Well - I think I'll try this one. I mean, there's no need for gold print, and if I won't manage without the illustrations, I'll come back to order the other one."

"Er - yes, sir, probably so."

On his way back to the ministry, Harry was wondering what kind of esoteric art this book might present. That witch really had shown a strange expression.

---

The hall was filled with more than hundred people - mostly men, a few women. Sirius moved behind the speaker's desk and grabbed the magiphone.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he began, "members of the Law Enforcement Squad! This morning, a police action ended successfully which was started a few months ago, more exactly the day our late colleague Belinda McGraw was found dead. During these months, I took over the role of an undercover agent, to get in touch with the other side."

Stunned silence in the hall.

"I did so without informing anyone else in the Squad. My anchor man was Professor Severus Snape, teacher at Hogwarts. Professor Snape and I know each other since our days as Hogwarts students. And the contact man between me and Professor Snape was Mr Potter, student at Hogwarts and known to me since birth."

Watching the audience, Harry saw heads turning toward him and Snape, then back to Sirius. Even after these few words, he could recognize very different emotions in the hall - just by looking into their faces, without even using haragei.

"The action ended this morning, when a group of sixteen assailants, led by myself, broke into the connection to the wizard prison, planning to liberate some prisoners, or maybe all of them. They were expected by united forces of Goblins and wizards. Six of them survived. These six are going to face Goblin jurisdiction."

A tumult broke out, with shouts of excitement or anger, with heated discussions along the rows.

Sirius stood calmly, waiting until the uproar had settled. Then he explained the background of the story - up to some point, staying vague about some critical details. He also listed the favours he had done to the other side whily trying to gain their confidence, raising some additional protests.

"I'm fully aware," Sirius called, "that I have violated certain rules in the course of this action. For this, I'll stand an inquiry in due time. And of course, it's not by coincidence that I was busy damaging my reputation as a respectable citizen - even if this reputation's been a pretty short one then."

Some Squad members laughed, looking happy - obviously those Sirius would have listed as reliable, while others showed an expression like hunted animals.

"No matter what people think of me - we've found the murderer of Belinda McGraw, and we have a witness for the confession."

Another tumult, shouts of bravo and hooray. Someone called, "Where's the murderer now?"

Sirius looked grim. "Maybe in Heaven, but I have my doubts."

It could have been frightening, seeing satisfaction and joy about a killed person in these faces. However, Harry didn't feel much different, certainly not the sadness he'd felt after the Battle of Hogwarts.

"In the course of this action," continued Sirius, "I came to learn about certain Squad members and their involvement with the wrong side of the street. Unfortunately, I have proof that these colleagues are not running an undercover stunt, quite the opposite. Their number is a bit high for my taste. I've split them into two groups, minor cases and severe cases. The minor cases will find a letter in their box, with an invitation to an inquiry. From the others, I want to see their badges here on this table within the next five minutes! I'm talking about the following Squad members: Argyll - Amerill - Denbroke ..." Sirius listed twelve names, then looked up, staring into the audience.

Someone stood up and shouted, "You can't do that!"

"So?" Sirius stared back. "I'm Squad chief, and I can."

"This you've been the longest time!"

"Maybe so, but still I am. Therefore, Mister Lampart, you've heard my order."

Harry counted ten Squad members, coming forward to deliver a badge, or to hammer it down on the desk. The faces reminded him of the session after the Battle of Hogwarts, when interrogating the dark wizards.

Sirius was up again. "I'm going to deliver written reports about these twelve cases, although it'll take me a day or so to have them finished - but you can believe me, I know what I'm doing, and I know why I'm doing it here, in full public. And now, for the next thirty minutes, you have the opportunity to interview my own witnesses - in the style of a press conference, which means you may not get every answer you want to hear."

---

The first questions dealt with the events of this morning. People wanted to know which other wizards were involved, only Snape kept vague, referring to friends who preferred not to appear in public. Then, of course, the questions concentrated on the man who supposedly had murdered Belinda McGraw, alone or together with others.

Sirius glanced at Harry. "Give them a summary - if it's okay for you."

Harry nodded, looking into the audience. "This man - even now, I don't know his name. I call him the jump artist because he's - was very skilled in combat without weapons. I met him twice before this day - both times, he tried to attack me - "

Someone called, "Wasn't he good enough, or are you some kind of super wizard?"

Harry ignored the question. "Today, he could run into a tunnel - all this took place in an old mine. The Goblins wanted to wait him out, but I went after him. Well, I found him, and talked with him, and he admitted that he was one of those who killed Belinda McGraw, after getting an order from some bosses. When I asked him for another case, he said that wasn't his work - "

Someone asked, "Which other case?"

It was Sirius who answered. "No comment. Go ahead, Harry."

"And at that moment, he tried another attack - that's why I couldn't ask more, because all this took place at an air shaft, and he fell down and was dead."

"Fell down? By accident, eh?"

"Yes," replied Harry. "I wasn't finished with my questions, only he made it impossible to do anything else."

Another Squad member stood up. "Mr Potter, can you tell me which legal authority gave you the right to be there and to kill a man?"

Sounds of protest in the audience.

Sirius tried to answer, but Harry stopped him. "What I can tell you is that all this took place in Goblin territory, and that the Goblins had no objections seeing me there. The contracts between the Goblins and myself are of private nature."

"Then maybe you have invented all this - nice story, a man without a name, and - "

The remark drowned in a storm of protest and indignation. Even so, it gave a first example of what might lie ahead for Sirius in the days to come.

When the hall was halfway quiet again, the questions turned to the months before. The same Squad member came up again. "Mr Black, how come you didn't use other Squad members to help you?"

"Very simple," replied Sirius, "I felt better with these people." He pointed at Snape and Harry.

"Professor Snape, can you explain to us why Mr Black selected you - a teacher - as his anchor man?"

Snape smiled politely. "Yes."

After a moment of expectant silence, laughter could be heard. But the man didn't give up. "Professor Snape, do you have any qualification for this role?"

Snape's expression didn't change. "Yes."

"Would you please tell us what kind of qualification this is, and when or where you gained it?"

"No."

The man turned to Harry. "Mr Potter, would you please tell us why Mr Black selected you, a student, as his contact man?"

"Sure - I know him, and I know Professor Snape, so I was the natural choice."

Other members shouted to drop it - wasn't it obvious that there wouldn't be an answer revealing more informative? And next moment, another man had the attention of the audience.

"Mr Potter, your name is well known in the context of Lord Voldemort - and now you appear again in this story where some people try to get dark wizards out of the prison. That's hardly a coincidence, is it?"

Harry glanced at Sirius, saw him nod, and said, "No, sir, it's not. There's no evidence, so your guess is as good as mine, but you're right - I believe that Voldemort can be found somewhere in the background. By the way, he's no lord - not by blood, not by title, and certainly not by character."

His last remark caused quite an applause, and Sirius took the opportunity to end the interview.

---

With the meeting done, Snape had only one interest - returning to Hogwarts as soon as possible. He said goodbye and left, dismissing Sirius' offer to escort him outside.

Harry followed his godfather to Sirius' office. Now that the official part was over, they would have an opportunity for discussing the events more privately, in particular the details in Rita Skeeter's letter. When passing the ante-room, the secretary looked at Sirius and said, "You have a visitor, Mr Black. She's waiting in your office."

Sirius stared at her. "Did it ever cross your mind that there may be confidential papers lying around?"

The woman looked indignant. "There's no room here for people to wait. And she seemed to know you."

Within the woman's earshot, and purposefully so, Harry said to Sirius, "You need a new reputation, a new secretary, and a new guard for the prison gate. That guy was so convincing - " He stopped, seeing which she was waiting inside: Cho.

She smiled, stood up, and bowed. "Chinese mail is evel so fast - lettel fol you, sil." Then she reached into a large bag and produced a thin pile of sheets - Rita Skeeter's letter.

Sirius smiled back, lost his smile quickly while reading the letter. In the meantime, Cho was busy assuring Harry how glad she was to see him, see him alive and well, and to be here. She invested a bit more than words for that.

Sirius looked up. "Harry, this letter - "

Harry stopped him, gesturing through the room as well as toward his ears.

"No, it's okay; I had a team here to clean up the room. When did you get this letter?"

Harry explained how it had arrived, and what he had done since then, giving copies to Mr Chang and Dumbledore. He also described what the Headmaster had in mind with his contact to the Daily Prophet.

Sirius nodded. "Good idea ... Well, Harry - what I still need from you is a written and signed statement about what happened in the mine. After that, you're done with police work and can concentrate on your schoolwork."

"And this letter?"

"I'll keep you informed, but otherwise - you're welcome in the Squad, I mean after having finished Hogwarts."

Harry didn't like this answer, quite in contrast to Cho.

Sirius shook his head. "It's police work, and you're not authorized for that - remember the question? For example, talking with Rita Skeeter's lawyer is a natural first step, but if there's anything to be learned, then certainly not for a private person - even if it's the one to whom this letter was sent." Thinking for a moment, Sirius added, "Today it's too late for this statement, because the office machinery is gone - "

Harry asked, "And tomorrow?"

Sirius looked at him, looked at Cho, smiled. "I would offer a guest room, only my house hasn't been debugged yet ..."

Cho looked disappointed.

"... so I don't think that's an option to be considered. Well, I think you should return to Hogwarts. After all, that's where students belong in the middle of the week."

"And the statement?"

"I'll send someone to Hogwarts, one of the next days. Let's agree on a keyword - if the person that comes doesn't have it, it's someone else trying to milk you."

"And what?"

"Ah - daisy chain."

Storing the keyword in his memory, Harry saw again the line of assailants in the two-lane hall, a picture in sharp contrast to Cho's grin right in front of him.

They said goodbye to Sirius, who could hardly await scanning some archives - "it's amazing, Harry, what you can find in this building after hours, when other people are gone."

Out in the street, Harry looked at Cho. "I hate the idea of returning to Hogwarts now, except I have no better idea ... Maybe we should eat something first."

Cho smiled. "Didn't you run an O.W.L. about Transportation? Hasn't been a serious one, if the Linkport is the only thing that crosses your mind."

"It wasn't serious, that's for sure, but even a flying carpet won't look attractive in this weather."

Cho smiled broader. "You still have to learn a lot, young Potter."

He followed her, wasn't any wiser when they reached King's Cross Station. Looking around, he asked, "What's on your mind, the Hogwarts Express?"

"Certainly not, you dummy. Ever heard of the night train London - Glasgow? And Glasgow has a Linkport too, which will bring us to Hogsmeade - some time in the morning."

Also because this train included a dining car, Harry found this an excellent idea - until he stood in the compartment, looking with disappointment at the two narrow bedsteads, arranged vertically to one side of the compartment.

Cho's voice behind him asked. "What's your choice, Harry - above or below?"

"Huh?" He turned, not believing his ears.

Cho's face showed no expression. "I asked where you want to lie - above or below?"

Harry felt thunderstruck. "Erm - above."

A sparkling appeared in Cho's eyes. "That's fine with me - and I think we'll use the lower bedstead."