Rise of the Death Eaters [3]

Chapter 54: We Fly of Course

Ronald Weasley took the navigator role very seriously. So seriously in fact that he would have left all of us in the dust had the lot of us not started running to keep up.

It didn't help that half of the school was out and about after classes and exams; lingering in the halls. They were literal flesh blockades testing my patience—more than they already do that is.

And while Ron had no trouble dodging the masses with his long legs, some of the smaller people in the escapee party were less fortunate. But in the end, the red hair worked well to keep a visual as we followed him out onto the grounds and past Hagrid's hut.

"I knew bringing Umbridge away from her office was the best call given the situation, but isn't this distance a bit over kill?" Ella asked, out of breath, as she slowed in step with Sam and I.

"The real question is why have we decided to follow Weasley all the way out here," Sam replied quietly. But her sister, Tati, who was walking in step with Ginny, heard her and turned to cast her sister a dirty look.

"If you don't want to be part of this, then leave, Sam."

"You know I can't leave you and Alice to whatever trouble this is—"

"Then stop complaining about it!"

"Ella and I can keep an eye on your sisters if you really don't want to be part of this, Sam," I offered as I side stepped a massive root coming out of the ground. We were walking into the forest, allowing a new hush to fall upon the group.

"I wouldn't be able to sit calmly in the common room knowing this is going on," was her only reply before we heard Ron call out ahead of us. Ginny stilled a moment before booking it with the rest following suit.

Ron, Theo, Neville and the rest up front had made it further into the forest where the afternoon sun shaded the trees, casting unsettling shadows around us.

Directly in the middle, looking rather beat up but otherwise okay stood Harry and Hermione.

No Umbridge in sight.

"How did you all find us?" Hermione's clear voice cut through the rush of moving leaves. We rounded up closer to the main two, so that the mass of us had created a half circle around them. All the while, Ron and Neville were doing their best to explain the past events.

"Not that it matters now with the witch gone," Theo commented with an itch to his temple. "Where uh, did you place her exactly?"

"She got carried away," Harry explained rather sheepishly. "By a herd of centaurs."

"Oh hell no," Ella blurted as she twisted around to the neighboring trees. "When did Centaurs start living in these forests?"

"Well before you showed up, that's for damn sure," Dom replied, turning Ella back around to face forward. "Doubt we'll see much of our headmistress now, don't you think Jasper?"

Jasper made no comment but he kept his gaze fastened to the neighboring trees of the clearing.

"So," said Ron as the others bunched closer. "Had any ideas of what to do next?" He had Harry's wand outstretched to his friend who was regarding the question with a serious frown.

"The Department of Mysteries. That's our next bet. But –"

"When did a petty break in to a fireplace suddenly involve breaking into the Ministry?" Sam whispered hastily to Ella but it was clear that the others in the group had heard her. Hermione, in particular, was looking towards us. Noticing the gathered attention, Sam cleared her throat and spoke louder for the rest to hear.