mirrorball

chapter eighteen

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The room was completely silent. Clara stared at Ron trying to think of anything to get them out. The capturers still held tight to their cloaks, and Harry and Hermione were bound to need some help. Ron nodded his head to his left. It was such a small movement that Clara wondered for a moment if she had imagined it. She looked towards that direction and saw their wands piled up. Clara nodded her head slightly, and turned to look at Draco with sad eyes.

"Draco. Can't you let us sit down? My legs are tired." A scoff echoed through the room.

"Not a chance. Can't trust traitors like you, can I?"

"You know I'm not one of them. Please, Draco."

Draco finally looked at her and Clara tried her best to look trusting. She could see his mind turning and smiled when he nodded.

"Fine, but only you."

Clara's hood was released and she quickly scrambled to a seat. The wands were at least two feet away, how would she get them without anyone noticing? She ran her finger along the arm of the chair and examined its pink cloth. She stole a glance at Ron who flashed some weird hand gesture at her. Just as soon as his hand moved back he was looking up.

"Look! It's Harry!"

Each member of the Inquisitorial Squad let go of their captive and ran to Ron, looking up at the ceiling. Idiots. Clara gripped the wands, rushing them into the hands of their owners.

"Stupefy!" she shouted, trying her best to avoid Ron. Luckily, the ginger ducked to the ground. The rest of the group shouted out various spells until the whole squad was unconscious or unable to follow them.

The group ran out, only stopping once they had gotten to Hagrid's hut. They paused, forming a small circle. Clara handed Ron his and Hermione's wand. 

"Thanks guys. I really hoped you would pick up on my plan."

"We didn't. We're just not stupid enough to think you could see Harry through a ceiling." Ginny said.

Ron's cheeks reddened slightly and the group continued to the edge of the forest. Two figures were pulling themselves up from the ground.

"Well, we can't do anything without wands," said Hermione hopelessly, "Anyway, Harry, how exactly were you planning to get all the way to London?" 

"Yeah, we were just wondering that," said Ron. The group looked quite terrible, there were several long scratches running the length of Ginny's cheek, a large purple lump was swelling above Neville's right eye, Ron's lip was bleeding worse than ever, and Clara's nose still hadn't stopped bleeding from her capture. Apparently punching ladies was highly encouraged in Umbridge's club.

 "So," said Ron, pushing aside a low-hanging branch, "had any ideas?" 

"How did you get away?" asked Harry in amazement.

 "Couple of Stunners, a Disarming Charm, Neville brought off a really nice little Impediment Jinx," said Ron airily, now handing back Hermione's wand. "But Ginny was best, she got Malfoy — Bat Bogey Hex — it was superb, his whole face was covered in the great flapping things. Anyway, we saw you heading into the forest out of the window and followed. What've you done with Umbridge?" 

"She got carried away," said Harry. "By a herd of centaurs." 

"And they left you behind?" asked Ginny, looking astonished. 

"No, they got chased off by Grawp," said Harry. 

"Who's Grawp?" Luna asked interestedly. 

"Hagrid's little brother," said Ron promptly. "Anyway, never mind that now. Harry, what did you find out in the fire? Has You-Know-Who got Sirius or — ?"