Phoenix Tears

Chapter 15: The pied piper

"No, Harry. We're not. We are not going to risk... well... everything to find a rat!" Hermione said tremulously, over Ron's howling protest.

"It's not just any rat, it is Scabbers. And he could already be dead!" Ron cried out, his voice breaking in distress.

"Oh, Ron. I'm sorry," Hermione hiccuped. "I just don't know."

Gemma was gesturing next to him and Harry waited for someone to tell him what she said, but George was already speaking.

"Listen, if we're going to do this, we've got to go now. Mum and the Aurors are already on high alert. I say we go out there, lure the rat with the flute... and hide it. I think under Harry's cloak is the best bet. Maybe in your staff? I mean, no one has been able to track you under that thing... not the Ministry, not Hogwarts, not even that Death Eater."

Gemma was signing emphatically again and the others were making agreeing noises.

"Can someone tell me what Gemma's saying, please?" Harry asked.

"Yeah... I'm going to play a tune that I whistled a lot to Scabbers... before I had the flute. He seemed to like it," Ron said.

"Harry, don't you have Hedwig's cage in your staff? Wouldn't that work for keeping Scabbers safe from the dog?" Ginny asked.

"Yes, but..." Harry said and was cut off.

"And then, once Harry has the rat, he apparates back to the cave where he's been hiding," Hermione added grudgingly. "I still don't like it. Won't it mean that the dog will be after Scabbers and Harry?"

"But what is Gemma saying?" Harry asked again, his throat tight with frustration. Gemma pat his back reassuringly... letting him know her part of the conversation with simple gestures and he relaxed. She would tell him directly if she had something to say that he had to know... even if his friends couldn't be bothered to keep him in the loop. He blew out a frustrated breath. At least Gemma understood.

"But they'll both be hidden. Everyone's been searching for Harry for months, but they can't track him at all... and he's been doing all sorts of magic... that's supposed to alert the Ministry... underage magic traces and all that!" Neville said. "My Grandmother said that it is unheard of."

"I wish we could all go with you..." Ginny said glumly. "But we can't all fit under the cloak all the time and they might find you by looking for us."

Ron moaned.

"It's just for a day, right?" Harry said, putting on a brave face. "Then I'll meet you all at King's Cross station and I can give you Scabbers, Ron... he'll be safe at Hogwarts."

"It's a solid plan," Fred said.

"I don't know what could go wrong," piped in George.

"Come on. Let's go," Ron said breaking out of the circle.

Gemma slipped under the cloak with Harry as he pulled the hood back over his face.

"Can you read the slips of paper in here?" Harry asked her.

She grabbed at the fluttering slip and nodded, her head under his arm. She had slipped her arm around his waist and had started guiding him, following the sound of the others as they made their way onto the pavement.

Ginny had a hold of his elbow through the cloak on his other side. Behind him, he could hear Neville and Hermione talking quietly. They were keeping really close behind him and Gemma and he realized that they were creating a bit of a buffer, so no one walked into them.

Ahead, Ron, Fred, and George were quickly outpacing them, hurrying on to the egress that led to Charing Cross Road.

"Let's head to the alley... the apparition point... by the Center," Harry suggested. Gemma grabbed the paper by his lips.