"We leave a trail too difficult to follow," Sirius improvised. "We'll split up for the
time being. Ron, Side-Along with Draco back to the forest where you returned to us," he
directed. "Harry and Hermione will go somewhere Muggle, I'll Apparate to the cave where
I stayed when I was on the run. Then we'll need to Apparate somewhere else and meet
up."
"Malfoy Manor," Draco offered.
Ron paled. "What?!"
"If the Dark Lord is on his way here, that means he won't be there! The Floo in my
sitting room connects directly to the headmaster's office at Hogwarts. It's how Snape and
I have been communicating throughout this."
Sirius growled at the name, and Draco groaned. "Look, I know you've got a problem
with him, but he's on your side! And we're wasting time!"
"We need to get to Hogwarts anyway, Sirius," Harry pointed out, his gaze unfocused
as he slumped against Hermione. "It's where the next one will be. I saw it in his mind. I
saw him trying to figure out where to go next."
"I still don't think we should trust―" Ron began, but Harry cut him off.
"We need to get going," he said firmly. "Can you imagine what he's going to do
once he realises the ring and the locket are gone? What if he moves the Hogwarts Horcrux,
decides it isn't safe enough?"
"That thing's a fucking Horcrux?!" The colour drained from Draco's face as he
stared at the cup in Hermione's hand. He looked up at Harry. "What did you mean by ring
and locket?"
"He's got more than one; we've been destroying them," Harry explained.
"Fuck." Draco grimaced, his face finally showing fear.
Sirius growled. "Everyone go. Now!"
Turning on the spot, they each vanished into the crushing darkness.
Sirius landed on the small road on the outskirts of Hogsmeade that led to the cave
where he had hidden years ago while he had been on the run with Buckbeak. He had