Past Present

Maybe they paired off in a particular order of some sort, complement to complement, or opposite to opposite... the fire and the water, the earth and the air. Or maybe the air and the water, the fire and the earth? Or something about the order they came in on the crest? But was there some sort of specific charm that did it... or... Viktor sighed and doodled some lines across the parchment, connecting the words he had jotted here and there. One theory was just as valid as another, unfortunately. And how would he know when he had the right answer anyway, short of trying it out? He would just have to arrange it tonight, when they got out of the final. A few hours where they could just experiment and see what happened.

What he wouldn't give to be able to go up the spiral staircase to the Headmaster's Office and just ask Dumbledore. He stuck a finger in his pocket and idly rubbed the small red envelope, sealed with wax, tucked there. He had carried it all these months, just in case, charmed it to stick fast in the pocket, so he wouldn't lose it. He had been afraid to leave it in his room, what with Umbridge snooping around every chance she got. Unless she started frisking him, it was safe in his pocket.

Not that one could ever expect any such animal as a 'straight answer' from Dumbledore, but even an obscure charades game would be better than no guidance at all and these blind stabs. He had the nasty feeling that the answer was flitting around just at the back of his brain, and he couldn't quite lay a finger on it and pin it into place. He put the quill down and leaned back in the chair, stretching, turning his head to look toward the Astronomy Tower, lit in the night, and the lights from Hagrid's hut windows. Not so much time left now, it was just past midnight. He leaned back and studied the ceiling for a moment, easing the crick in his neck from bending over his notes and the books for so long . It took a moment for it to register that something was wrong.

It was just the wee, nagging jolt that one had when viewing a picture that wasn't quite right, but he couldn't say what. He turned back and studied the scene. All as it should be with the tower, well lit, he could even see some of the telescope lenses glinting in the moonlight as they swung back and forth, the shadows of forms near the windows bent low over papers and eyepieces. But as he watched, more and more, the telescopes swung down instead of up, all trained in the same general direction. The hut. There were silhouettes in front of the hut. The roar that went up across the lawn made him leap out of the chair. Hagrid. "Be reasonable Hagrid!" drifted across the grass as well before he heard the rustling from his pocket as the envelope jerked free, sailed out and hovered right in front of his face.

The seal neatly parted and the envelope opened, and he had just enough time to recognize Dumbledore's hand before hearing, "Reasonable be damned, yeh won' take me like this, Dawlish!" His eyes were drawn to the window for a moment, the red streaks of light, stunning spells, bouncing off uselessly. He tore them away and forced himself to read

Take the three of them now, but show them this note first. Minerva and Hagrid and Hogwarts must see to themselves, Filius will see to Crookshanks, Baramir, Ivan and Natasha. Refuge to be found at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, London. Advised to travel by unsupervised Floo if possible.

Albus Dumbledore

Viktor reached up and snatched the envelope out of the air, shoving it back into his pocket. He nearly knocked the chair over in his haste to get out, but did hastily lock the door as he sprinted back toward the castle. Ridiculous to be conscientious about his promise to Madam Pince to lock the door when he left at a time like this, but still. The front doors opened, and light spilled across the lawn as a lone figure ran from the castle to the fray. "How dare you!" the figure shouted as she ran. "How dare you!" He could almost see McGonagall's clenched lips go white and her stern expression in his mind. He caught only "Leave him alone!" before he had made the front hall. Already, a passel of students, some in dressing gowns and pajamas, had gathered in the lower corridors, drowsy and wondering what all the fuss was about.

No use standing on ceremony now or trying to disperse them. He would bet anything they were probably the first two down here, them and Lee. "Fred and George Weasley! Out here, now!" Two red heads bobbed in the crowd and the twins pushed forward.

"We didn' do anythin'! Wha's goin' on out there?" Fred mumbled as he yawned and scratched at his wild hair. For a moment, Viktor was reminded of Alexei.

"Never mind! I'm collecting on my bet! Give Umbridge hell! I need a distraction. Keep her busy as long as you can, can you do that in a few minutes?" Viktor asked.

George perked up considerably. "Give her hell? You mean, you're not only giving us permission, you're actually requesting..."

"Fireworks if you have them, force-feed her those Canary Creams and Skiving Snackboxes of yours if you have to, but keep her and those six with her busy!" Viktor interrupted.

"I can stand to lose a bet like this! People, you are about to get a free demonstration of the new fireworks line from Weasley's Wizard Wheezes! Gather round, bring your friends!" Fred shouted. Viktor had little doubt that most of the school would be packed in the front entrance and halls by the time he got back. Which was just perfect.

"Get him! Get him!" Umbridge screamed, and Viktor had just enough time to spot Hagrid's silhouette, running toward the gates, before he set his sights back on the Astronomy Tower and the wind carried her voice to him once more. The words he had been dreading. "And then we question Potter...", but a fresh gust of wind carried off the rest. Didn't matter. She wasn't going to be scared off easily now. The Queen of Hearts. Alice in Wonderland. That's who she reminds me of, Hermione had said. Off with his head! Bring me the head of Harry Potter! He would have laughed if he could have summoned the breath, but the panic squeezing at his chest prevented it.

He picked out her voice before he could pick out her form in the moonlight. "That evil woman! Trying to sneak up on Hagrid..." He nearly collided with Ron before he could stop and snatch at their robes and prod them in the direction of the castle.

"No time... walk fast, don't run, try not to draw too much attention, but don't dawdle," Viktor hissed, stepping between them and behind Hermione.

"But what..." Harry began, but Viktor shook his head vigorously.

"Umbridge wants you... move it before she decides to get you while you're out. In front of me, Harry, look neither right nor left, make it to the front hall before they make it back up there," Viktor ordered, steering Harry by the upper arm.

"Poor Professor McGonagall... Four Stunners right in the chest... and she's not exactly young, is she?" Hermione exclaimed.

"She'll be alright," Viktor murmured, as much to convince himself as to convince them. In a few moments, they had made it to the front doors and started plowing through the crowd of students. Most of the professors who were up were either outside seeing to Minerva, trying to find out what had happened, or simply too stunned to try to send the students back to bed. Squeezing past Harry and Hermione, he turned down the hall toward Umbridge's office.

"Where are we going?" Ron asked.

"Umbridge's office. To use her Floo. But you three read this first," Viktor said, handing him the red envelope. "Read it to yourself, then pass it on. Alohomora!" he said, grabbing the handle and rattling it. It was still firmly locked. "Too bad she didn't get sloppy," Viktor muttered, while Ron passed Harry the envelope. "Finite Incantatem!" The doorknob rattled again as Hermione took the envelope. Viktor swore softly under his breath, "Damn! That would be too easy...I bet she put a password on the thing..." The Reductor also had no effect.

"She's going to be back any moment!" Hermione whispered urgently, and sure enough, he could hear her voice out in the front entry, as well as the one Hagrid had called Dawlish.

"Professor Snape! I was just about to come see you! I need for you to provide some Veritaserum," Umbridge's voice rang out, "and then, you should see about getting these students to bed. No reason the lot of you should be up!"

"And why would you be needing Veritaserum at this hour?" Snape's oily voice replied.

"I need to have a real questioning session..." He could hear her footsteps getting closer to the other end of the hall, the sharp little clacks of her heels ringing out and echoing off the stone.

He was just about to grab them and head for the opposite end of the hall when the first explosions and high pitched squeals sounded out in the front entry. "What on earth was that?" Hermione asked, raising her voice to be heard over the murmurings and shrieks of the crowd gathered there and the scattered booms, sizzles, and whistles. Umbridge could be heard screaming for Filch.

"That will be the payoff on my bet with Fred and George. Well, we have no time for guessing games, so no point in being subtle. Sometimes direct and doing things the hard way works better! No one will hear over that racket!" Viktor shouted back. He stepped back and smashed his booted heel into the wooden doorjamb, splintering the wood. Four more solid kicks to the jamb and the knob popped the shattered pieces apart from one another. "She will not haff this one monitored, get some Floo powder, get in, go to the address on the note. Move it! Harry first!"

Grabbing a handful of Floo powder from the bowl on the mantle, Harry stepped to the fireplace. "Twelve Grimmauld Place, London," he said clearly, and the whirling, dizzying trip began. As always, he had trouble staying upright, skidding and banging a knee hard as he shot out of the fireplace at the other end. He dimly registered the three other arrivals close behind him as he panted for breath. Harry pushed his hands into the hearth and struggled up. A pair of black shoes entered his field of vision, directly in front of him.

"Harry... so it's begun in earnest then, has it?" came a voice. A familiar voice. Harry adjusted his glasses and followed the legs up, up, and up. Into the once handsome face of his godfather, Sirius Black.