Chapter Eleven
A few days later, as the sun had just crept over the horizon, Mrs. Weasley woke everyone up with a nervous and worried demeanor. “All right. Everybody get dressed. We’re going to Diagon Alley to get your school things.”
Ron and Harry had been grounded for quite some time. They occasionally would get jealous of the free time Hermione and Ginny got to spend as they wanted. “Can me and Harry go, too, Mum?”
“Yes,” she said quickly, “but NOT without a guard!” Ron’s face fell. “We’re going today, because it’s much earlier than usual. No one expects us to head out on a Monday. It should be safer that way,” she seemed to be thinking aloud without realizing it. She then stalked out of the room.
“I feel bad for you, mate. Always having to have protection,” said Ron, just as Ginny and Hermione roamed in with hair styles that resembled rats’ nests.
“The guard’s for all of us, not just Harry,” said Hermione simply.
“We don’t need a guard. It’s not us the dark side’s after.”
“Bellatrix and Lucius Malfoy knew how involved we were in the Department of Mysteries. Any help to Harry is a nuisance to them,” said Hermione, then added, “You can bet she’s reported us to You-Know-Who already.”
“Everything is so different now,” said Ginny sadly.
Breakfast was a sullen affair. The air was full of nervous tension for everyone. “Dad, why are we all going if it is so dangerous?”
“Well, we don’t know that it’s going to be dangerous. We’re just taking precautions in case it does.” Ron still looked unconvinced, so he continued. “We can’t avoid life, and living it because there are terrible people in the world. We have to live the best way we know how,” he said as he clapped his hand on Ron’s shoulder. “We have to take life as it comes.”
While the speech did little to ease everyone’s fear, it did at least settle their stomachs. They all were able to take in a little food before Mr. Weasley remembered to say, “Oh yes, Harry, remember to wear your invisibility cloak.”
After breakfast, the ladies ran upstairs to do their hair and makeup, and Harry grabbed his cloak. He immediately headed downstairs where Ron, Mr. Weasley, Moody, and Lupin waited downstairs, looking apprehensive as ever. Even the guard was cut short, because most of the Order was stuck doing other business. Harry was thankful for the first time that Lupin had no job yet, and Moody was retired. He caught a glimpse of Ron and laughed. He was pulling his fingers through his hair to make it look windswept.
“Stop primping, boy,” said Moody. “We’ve got serious business to attend to.”
Mrs. Weasley appeared downstairs, and looked to be memorizing the school lists. The quicker in, the quicker out, was what Harry guessed was her method. In a moment, the girls were downstairs. Ginny looked quite fresh-faced, and Hermione looked like a bronzed goddess, of course. Harry tried to imagine Ginny with a dark tan, but couldn’t. He thought he liked her as she was just fine.
“Everyone ready? Harry, got your cloak? Well, put it on, put it on! All right. Off we go,” she said determinately.
Harry quickly disappeared under the invisibility cloak. “I have some quick, last-minute instructions. Merlin forbid, if something happens, or we get separated, meet in the alleyway beside the Leaky Cauldron. Help will arrive as quickly as possible. Keep two eyes peeled!”
They used Floo powder to get to Diagon Alley, carefully pronouncing the destination’s name. The students arrived between the Order members, so there would be protection on either side of them. All of it seemed unnecessary to Harry. How likely was it that they would be attacked? After all, like Mr. Weasley said, they were doing school shopping on an odd day. Then Harry thought of the front-page obituaries. He decided he’d rather have protection than not. Then, he knew he certainly could not be seen. He understood, then, that the protection was for Ginny, Ron and Hermione.
They arrived in Diagon Alley with Harry quite well hidden. Immediately, with Mrs. Weasley setting a brisk pace, they rushed off to Flourish and Botts to get their new school books. They also got some parchment and new quills, and Ginny and Hermione got new hair products and potions. The group visibly relaxed after a rushed hour of shopping. Harry found it tedious to run around under his cloak, dodging everyone who got in his way, lest they become suspicious.
“Well,” said Mr. Weasley, “I reckon nothing will happen today. Why don’t we get some ice cream sundaes?”
“Hold it, Weasley,” growled Moody. “We can’t let our guard down, just because it looks safe.”
“We can’t have the kids on pins and needles all the time, either. Besides, we’re all here,” he smiled at his wife. “Let’s have a little fun.”
Harry poked Mr. Weasley and said quietly, "Can I take my cloak off?"
"No," he whispered happily. Harry's lip curled, annoyed. Sometimes, he thought he saw a bit of the twins in Arthur, as well.
The foursome beamed. Ice cream was never too childish for them. So off they went, with jaunty strides. Hermione ordered Vanilla, and Ginny ordered Butterscotch with Every Flavor Jelly Beans. Ron ordered himself and Harry a pair of Triple-Decker-Mint-Cherry-Chocolate-Brownie ice creams. As it was a hot day, the adults all ordered Glacier Juice- it lowered the body temperature by a few degrees on contact.
Harry noticed Hermione and Ron were holding hands beneath the table. He was happy for them. Ron had liked Hermione for ages. However, he felt a twinge of loneliness when they acted like a couple. It was as if his two best friends had abandoned him for each other.
He felt a gaze on his face as he ate his ice cream under his cloak (quite a task). He looked over to find Ginny wearing a searching expression on her face. She wasn’t at all embarrassed to have been caught staring, but Harry was. It was as if she knew what he had been thinking. For someone who couldn't see him, she was staring right at him.
A shriek pierced his thoughtful silence while a red beam of light shred the fabric on Harry’s sleeve. “Arragh!” he screamed as blood flowed easily out of the wound. It hurt a lot; as if a fireplace poker had been pushed into his shoulder. The spell had been aimed at Ron.
Harry allowed his instinct to take over. He plunged his hand into his robe and pulled out his wand, holding it at the ready. In the process, his hood had slipped off. As he looked toward the hex had come from, he saw five Death Eaters already charging toward their small group. The Order yelled at the children to run, and they turned and ran to face the Death Eaters, cursing and hexing to the best of their talents. Their main goal was to divert their attention from the teenagers, of course.
Ginny seemed to have caught her survival instinct as well, because she grabbed Hermione’s sleeve and yanked her out of her chair. “Run! The alley!”
They all began to run full blast down the cobbled street. The crowd running in the same direction blocked Harry’s path, and before he knew it, he’d lost track of Ron and Ginny. Working on the hope that Ron would protect Ginny, Harry sought out Hermione’s familiar bushy hair and caught hold of her hand. He did not want to risk getting separated, and losing a friend in panic.
Harry hoped he lost the Death Eaters, but he soon felt the same hex cut across the top of his ear. It didn’t hurt, but it still was very bad news. Without looking or stopping, he pointed his wand behind him, shouting, “Impedimentia!”
“Harry!” screamed Hermione. “We can’t make it! There’re too many people! Turn here!” she shouted, and pulled him into a small space between two shops.
They made it to the back, and turned around in time to see the lone Death Eater’s shadow looming over them, the sunlight at his back. “You thought I wouldn’t see you?” laughed the eerily familiar voice from beneath the mask.
It dawned on Harry who it was. He’d heard it many times before, and it always signified doom. “You!” shouted Harry in an accusatory tone. “You’re supposed to be in Azkaban!”
The man only laughed louder. “What’s the matter? Don’t your weasel friends tell you the news?”
Harry realized they hadn’t been, about the same time he noticed that Malfoy was taking the opportunity to move closer.
Lucius gestured the headline, “’Death Eater Escapes During Dementor Revolt.’ Ah, I suppose they wouldn’t tell you, Potter. Too afraid of hurting your tender psyche, no doubt. The point is, I’m here now. How lucky was I to catch you two here together? I didn't see you at first, but I must say, I'm not at all disappointed. As for the Mudblood, I could follow that bushy hair anywhere.”
At the word ‘Mudblood,’ Harry made to rush at him, but Hermione held fast to his hand.
“Is she your little girlfriend now, Potter?” He sniffed the air, as if it carried the scent of dung. “She may smell like a pig, but roasted so nicely,” he purred sickeningly, “I can see how she might taste good.”
Hermione glared at the masked Death Eater. “We're not afraid of the likes of you!"
"Oh yes? Then why are you shaking, little piggy?"
“Go fuck yourself, Malfoy!” shouted Harry, catching the insinuation. He moved in front of her slightly, as if he could shield her from anything Malfoy decided to throw their way. He tried to make it look natural, but the Death Eater caught the movement.
“Don’t bother Potter. It’s no use trying to save rubbish-“
“Petrificus Totalus!” yelled Harry.
“Protego!” said Malfoy, just as quickly.
The movement slowed down. Harry made ready to defend himself, as Malfoy made a slashing movement with his wand. The look on his face was likely glee, as he passed the silent hex their way. “Protego!” said Harry, attempting to block it.
Malfoy only laughed his deep, silky laugh. “Lesson one in wizard duels, Potter. You may want to look at where I am aiming!”
Harry whipped his head around and saw Hermione lying on the ground. Across her abdomen, a thick line of blood was forming. Her cotton shirt was soaking it up, making the wound underneath seem all the more gruesome. She was mouthing something, but Harry couldn’t hear her. He also couldn’t help her, not with Malfoy just waiting for the right moment.
A seething hatred rose from within. It almost felt like the snake was inside him again. His scar was burning. With all the power of his being, he launched an attack on the Death Eater, throwing every hex, every curse, and putting up any shield he had ever learned. He felt slow, and every second lasted a lifetime. It was all he could do to avoid looking at Hermione.
“Impedimentia!” came a shout from the entrance of the small alleyway. It was Moody!
Mad-Eye did a complicated wand movement, and Malfoy was bound, with only the ability to move his eyes.
“Moody!” yelled Harry, collapsing with his previous effort. “Hermione! She’s hurt!”
As the other members of the Order arrived, Moody hoisted her up into his arms, and quickly hobbled away. Harry threw his cloak over his shoulder, and followed behind; feeling nauseous, and gripping his shoulder where blood spied through his fingers.