He hoped to Merlin that the fire hadn't been set by whoever was threatening Harry.
Another frisson of unease and wrongness snaked down his spine.
He wanted to leave.
He wanted to get back to the tent and check on his son. He wanted to have never have left in the first place.
Why had he left? Right, civic duty and the thought that Harry was safe in the tent.
Harry was safe in the tent. Bill was there. Minerva was there. Narcissa was a complete bitch when riled and she was sworn to protect Harry. Harry would be fine.
Harry was safe.
Maybe if he thought it another hundred times, he might start to believe it, Sirius mused irritably.
Richard gestured up at the wall. "It's all going to come down if they don't get here in the next ten…"
Pounding footsteps had them all turning to look behind them and Sirius felt a rush of relief at the sight of the Magical Fire Unit device carried by members of the Magical Catastrophe team at the DOM.
A large blond man approached him. "Lord Black? I'm Hector Flint. Thanks for your help. We're here to take over."
"All yours!" exclaimed Sirius happily. "We've tried to keep the fire drenched with water from above but…"
"Don't worry," Hector waved him away, "we've got this. You lot should head the infirmary tent and get checked out." He immediately turned to his team and started shouting orders.
Charming, Sirius thought momentarily amused but he was too happy for the curtness to bother him and in truth he'd rather Hector focus on the fire than the niceties of social interaction.
He took a couple of steps back, lowering his wand.
Richard grinned at him and gestured towards a green tent that had been erected a safe distance away; a make-shift infirmary. Sirius wanted to head straight back to the Potter alliance tent but he felt a responsibility to the men he had led to ensure they got examined for cuts, abrasions and smoke damage.
"Sirius!" Andromeda leaped at him as he entered and he accepted a quick hug as she ushered him and the rest of the volunteers through to an examination area. She and Ted had been visiting his partner at the healing clinic when the fire had broken out and they'd all made their way to the infirmary tent to volunteer their services.
Ted was conferring with another Healer over a young boy but he looked up and nodded at their arrival.
"The poor thing got trampled on by his older cousins when they cleared the tents closest to the East stand." Andromeda informed Sirius in a quiet voice. "I heard you were containing the North stand. Is Harry back at the tent?"
"Bill stayed back to guard him." Sirius confirmed. He plucked at his damp soot-marked shirt. "I'd like to get back there as soon as possible."
"Understandable." Andromeda said. "I'll get someone to come and see you. In the meantime, you can all drink some water and clean-up through there."
The porta-bathroom was a welcome sight. The band of volunteers made quick use of the facilities and the chance to wash the worst of the sweat and grime of the fire away. Sirius was the first out. He had made minimal use of the bathroom, simply wanting to get back to Harry.
Ted was waiting for him when he exited. He was pushed to sit on a bed. "Everyone owes you and the men who helped a huge thank you." He said as he began the diagnostic.
Sirius shrugged. "We wouldn't have been needed if Bagman had actually followed the fire regulations for a stadium."
Ted sighed. "You should see the state of the infirmary stores! It's like he hoped nobody would have anything worse than a paper cut!"
Sirius nodded, impatient.
"You're fine," Ted said, "some smoke inhalation so here."
He handed him a potion which Sirius drank down with a grimace. The vague tightness in his chest and the slight rawness at the back of his throat disappeared and Sirius found he could breathe easier.
"Thanks." Sirius jumped off the bed, eager to get back to Harry. He hadn't taken a step when Jeremy burst through the tent opening and into the examination area, followed by a worried looking Susan Bones.
"Lord Black!" Jeremy sketched a bow and waved frantically towards the exit. "Thank Merlin we've found you! There's been an attack!"
Sirius's heart leaped into his throat. "Harry?"
"He's OK but Bill Weasley and Professor McGonagall are hurt." Susan confirmed, breathlessly.
"Are you alright, Susan?" Richard hurried to her, pulling her into a hug.
"I'm fine; Harry protected us all with a shield." Susan said clearly awed.
Ted was already packing up a bag, calling to other Healers to come with him to an emergency, and he shooed Sirius away. "Go!" he said. "We'll be right behind you!"
"I'll alert Rufus and get some Aurors out!" Richard confirmed.
Sirius didn't need any further encouragement. He raced out of the entrance and within a few strides had changed into Padfoot; his animagus form could make better time. The Grim also had the advantage of sending people stumbling out of his path shrieking in fear, leaving the way clear.
He raced through the rows to get to the Potter alliance tent, skidding around corners and almost tripping up one Irish supporter who came out of his tent at the wrong time.
He entered the Potter alliance tent at a run and changed back at the scene of mild chaos; most of the children had been gathered into the centre of a ring of chairs and were being comforted; Bill Weasley was on the floor to the side, Alicia healing him with help from a couple of others but she looked tired and pale. Minerva sat on a chair to the other side of the room, with Augusta and the Grangers tending to her. He couldn't see Harry and his panic began to rise.
"Sirius!" Minerva greeted him with relief, although she continued to hold a compress to her head. "Thank Merlin!"
"Where's Harry?" asked Sirius immediately.
Augusta and Minerva exchanged an anxious look, silently conferring.
"Someone pretending to be an Auror entered the tent and tried to insist on evacuating only Harry," Minerva began, hurrying her words out, "we refused to let him, of course, and he attacked. Harry shielded everyone but myself and Bill who were engaged with the imposter. Unfortunately I was taken out quickly…"
Sirius gestured for them to get to the point.
"Bill was good but whoever it was that attacked was better." Augusta said, picking up the account. "Once Bill was down, the bastard tried for Neville before saying that the rest of the Weasleys were running out of time before departing."
"Ronald was very upset and insisted on leaving to check on his family," Miriam joined in smoothly, "he requested Harry's presence and Harry followed him out of the tent despite Hermione's advice for them both to remain."
Oh no.
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