An Opus Alchymicum Vol 4: The Dæmon's Crucible

Into the Flood

It took over an hour to splash their way from Kings Cross back to the Embankment. The freezing water was shin-deep and rising, the rain lashed their faces and they were forced to navigate carefully through the unseen debris lurking beneath the grey wastes stretching out from them in all directions.

Harry was deathly cold. His bones rattled with it and he could hear Hermione's teeth chattering next to him, as the chill wind blew frosty against her saturated clothes. She refused to let go of his arm, but now it was more for courage and support than any expectation that he was going to run off and try to join the fight they'd left behind.

Only Seren seemed content with life, and that at least was a bit of good news. Harry had bundled her inside his jacket to keep the rain out, hoping that his body heat was enough to keep her warm. Hermione had found a biscuit in her pocket, that she was saving for the train journey to Hogwarts, and gave it to Seren to suck on as they plodded their way through the seething waters. Seren gurgled and made noises of contentment, as she slurped away at the biscuit and looked out with keen interest at everything around them.

"At least she's easily satisfied," Hermione quirked through her nattering jaws, inclining her head to the baby. "Though I cant see how anyone could be happy in this!"

She angrily brushed more of her hair away, from where the rain had plastered it to her cheek.

"What are we going to do, Harry?"

"We have to get indoors, for her and us," Harry replied. "Even if we have to use the canoe, we need to get as dry as possible first. We'll need supplies, particularly for the baby. I didn't think to put any in."

"That's hardly your fault. None of us expected this."

Harry looked back in the direction of Kings Cross, his expression drawn and fraught. "Do you think they're alright, Hermione?"

"I'm sure they are," she nodded, squeezing Harry's arm to reassure him. "We'll probably get back to the flat and find them there waiting for us."

"I hope so. Seren will need a change and a feed soon, and I don't know how to do nappies or make up baby milk or anything. I should have listened more to Mum, or asked more questions. I'm pretty useless, aren't I?"

"No, you're not," Hermione disagreed. "And we'll work it out. We're pretty good like that when we put our heads together. But think positive ... the adults will be back before we are, and will probably have a roaring fire going, and steaming coffee ready for us, and Sirius will tell us all about using the Jelly-Legs Hex on Lord Voldemort and watching him dance the fandango!"

Harry smiled weakly and ploughed on through the grey deluge. It took a while to reach the flat and Harry clung on to the vain hope offered by Hermione's words until they were almost at the basement car park of the building. There would be a light in the window, that coffee would smell like nectar, and his father would be waving jovially from the upstairs window.

But none of those things happened.

All they found was the deepest water yet. It was so high now that the entire ground floor was submerged. Fortunately, the lower levels were mere storage units, with the Potters' flat being found on the upper floor. The front door had been smashed from its hinges and was floating around inside near the stairwell, which seemed to be completely underwater.

"There's no way we can get up there with the baby," Hermione squeaked. "Could we climb the drainpipes and get in through a window?"

Harry scoffed. "Is that a skill of yours that you've been hiding from me?"

"I'm just saying," Hermione huffed crossly.

"Even if we could get up there, those shutters are sealed by magic," Harry frowned as he assessed their chances. "They are designed to keep out magical intruders ... I just didn't think we'd be some of them.