𝐋𝐚𝐝𝐲 𝐢𝐧 𝐑𝐞𝐝 {𝐇. 𝐆𝐫𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫}

95

Everything seemed fuzzy, slow. Johnny and Hermione drew their wands, their backs together as they looked for a sign of Death Eaters. Many people were only just realising that something strange had happened; heads were still turning toward the silver cat as it vanished. Silence spread outward in cold ripples from the place where the Patronus had landed. Then somebody screamed.

Johnny and Hermione threw themselves into the panicking crowd. Guests were sprinting in all directions; many were Disapparating; the protective enchantments around the Burrow had broken.

"Ron, Harry!" Hermione cried. "Where are you?"

As they pushed their way across the dance floor, Johnny saw cloaked and masked figures appearing in the crowd; then he saw Evan, Lupin and Tonks, their wands raised, and heard the three of them shout, "Protego!", a cry that was echoed on all sides-

"Ron! Harry!" Hermione called, half sobbing as she and Johnny were buffered by terrified guests: Johnny seized her hand to make sure they weren't separated as a streak of light whizzed over their heads, whether a protective charm or something more sinister he didn't know-

And then Ron and Harry was there. They caught hold of Hermione and Johnny's free arms, and Johnny felt her turn on the spot; sight and sound were extinguished as darkness pressed in upon him; all he could feel was Hermione's hand as he was squeezed through space and time, away from the Burrow, away from the descending Death Eaters, away, perhaps, from Voldemort himself....

"Where are we?" said Harry's voice.

Johnny opened his eyes. For a moment he thought they hadn't left the wedding after all; They still seemed to be surrounded by people.

"Tottenham Court Road," panted Hermione. "Walk, just walk, we need to find somewhere for you to change."

Johnny did as she asked. They half walked, half ran up the wide dark street thronged with late-night revelers and lined with closed shops, stars twinkling above them. A double-decker bus rumbled by and a group of merry pub-goers ogled them as they passed; Harry and Ron were still wearing dress robes. Hermione and Johnny looked like Muggle;s in their smart attire.

"Hermione, we haven't got anything to change into," Ron told her, as a young woman burst into raucous giggles at the sight of him.

"Why didn't I make sure I had the Invisibility Cloak with me?" said Harry, inwardly cursing his own stupidity. "All last year I kept it on me and-"

"It's okay, I've got the Cloak, I've got clothes for all three of you," said Hermione, "Just try and act naturally until- this will do."

She led them down a side street, then into the shelter of a shadowy alleyway.

"When you say you've got the Cloak, and clothes..." said Harry, frowning at Hermione, who was carrying nothing except her small beaded handbag, in which she was now rummaging.
"Yes, they're here," said Hermione, and to Harry and Ron's utter astonishment, she pulled out a pair of jeans, a sweatshirt, some maroon socks, and finally the silvery Invisibility Cloak.

"How the ruddy hell-?"

"Undetectable Extension Charm," said Hermione. "Tricky, but I think I've done it okay; anyway, I managed to fit everything we need in here." She gave the fragile-looking bag a little shake and it echoed like a cargo hold as a number of heavy objects rolled around inside it. "Oh, damn, that'll be the books," she said, peering into it, "and I had them all stacked by subject.... Oh well.... Harry, you'd better take the Invisibility Cloak. Ron, Johnny, hurry up and change..."

"When did you do all this?" Harry asked as Ron stripped off his robes.

"I told you at the Burrow, I've had the essentials packed for days, you know, in case we needed to make a quick getaway. I packed your rucksack this morning, Harry, after you changed, and put it in here.... I just had a feeling...."