Preparation for Battle

Hermione eyes widened as she remembered something that had happened almost a year ago to them. "It's not important Harry. I just remembered that the Ministry can waylay items considered dark by the Decree of Justifiable Confiscation when being passed on in an inheritance. Remember Scrimgeour used it to look at the stuff Dumbledore left us."

"That's right," Harry exclaimed excitedly. "No breaking into Gringotts this time."

"If Dumbledore is back as head of the Wizengamot, he should be suspicious enough to look...or maybe we need an excuse for him too," Hermione said.

"Have anything in mind."

"Yes, that is if we can get him to tell us about Horcruxes," Hermione replied.

.....

With his Occlumency lowered, Harry could feel the attempts by Voldemort to send him images. The familiar burning of his scar occurred when he did. It took a lot of willpower to overrule the Occlumency and allow it to happen. Harry ended up waking from a sound sleep twice to scenes of the Ministry of Magic and of Blue orbs.

Thursday finally rolled around and the four friends gathered for breakfast in the Room of Requirements. Very little was said, but eyes glancing around the table said a lot. It was made even worse because Winky had told them the previous morning that Ginny had started brewing four different potions after receiving ingredients from owls. Harry and Hermione agreed to figure out what to do about her after the Battle that night.

"I think we have to see if Dobby will try Hermione," Harry said finally. "We might not get another chance with so few people guarding the place. Draco will be home in a week."

"I agree Harry," Hermione replied. "But his first order is to be careful."

When Dobby next appeared to serve breakfast, Harry asked him to sit with them.

"Dobby," Harry began. "You know what we are going to do tonight right?"

"Dobby knows," The elf replied. "Doby has Harry Potter's pepper up potions ready to go."

"We want to ask if you would do something," Harry said and before the elf could speak up he continued. "This falls under your order of if you don't want to do it, you must tell us. Do you understand?"

"Dobby understands," The elf replied. "What can Dobby do to help?"

"We want to know if, while your old Master and Voldemort," Dobby winced at the name, but he had been getting better at hearing it, "are fighting us, if you could go to Malfoy Manor and see if you can tell if that's where Voldemort is hiding. If it is, can you find out if Nagini, Voldemort's snake and Peter Pettigrew are there?"

"Dobby can do that," The elf replied nervously.

"You are to be careful Dobby. That is an order. If you are in danger, you have to leave no matter what," Hermione added. "You remember what we told you about what happened in the future."

"Dobby will do what needs to be done."

"Then you'll go with us to the Ministry and as soon as you see Voldemort, you go to Malfoy Manor," Harry instructed.

"Dobby nodded that he understood.

They had realized there was no way Voldemort could have expected Harry to fall asleep during the History exam. He just took advantage of it when it had happened. So they were going to finish the History OWL and then Harry would lie down shortly after dinner. A trip to Madam Pomfrey had supplied them with a simple sleeping potion. The Pepper-up potion would counter-act the effects when Harry awoke from Voldemort's influenced vision.

It was shortly after dinner when Harry took the potion and laid down. Hermione, Neville and Luna were all gathered around him. As he drifted off to sleep, the visions came almost instantly. It was a vision he had replayed in his mind many times after the last Battle of the Ministry and Sirius had died. Nothing changed in what Voldemort sent. An image of Sirius racked in pain but still defiant as he told Voldemort to kill him. Voldemort suggesting it would be hours before he would get around to killing Sirius.

Harry woke up with his scar on fire and looked around wildly. He felt his heart rate lessen as he saw the concern on Hermione's face looking at him. He concentrated and brought the occlumency barriers back up, hoping that Voldemort would not get too suspicious of that. They were certain though that Snape had told Voldemort of the Occlumency skills Harry now had, but the lack of focus could have easily been explained to weariness due to OWLs.

"Did it work?" Hermione asked when Harry opened his eyes again.

"Yeah…exact same vision as before," Harry answered. He pulled out the mirror and said. "Sirius Black."

"Yeah pup," The answer came almost immediately.

"I presume you are not currently being tortured by Voldemort in the Hall of Prophecies?"

"Nope, definitely not," Sirius replied. "I presume everything is working so far?"

"Yeah and we hope it still does," Harry replied. "There was one thing we thought of," Harry quickly relayed their suspicions on what Snape might be doing.

"So we'll see when he thinks to tell us," Sirius said. "It will tell us a lot though."

"I shut my mind back down to Voldemort," Harry said. "If the Death Eaters are there, it will mean that either Snape told Voldemort or Voldemort is a real idiot. If he does contact you earlier, call us on the mirror, but make sure the Order doesn't get there too fast."

"Good Luck Harry!" Sirius said. He knew they had a good plan that should keep the risk down after the initial confrontation but he still had a look of concern.

"See you soon," Harry replied. He put away the mirror and looked at Hermione, Neville and Luna. "Everyone ready for this?" He asked. As everyone nodded he continued. "Then let's make this happen."

....

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