𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐃𝐚𝐫𝐤 | Harry James Potter x Reader

DH ☆•°~'* 15

❈🌠➵9¾♌ ⚯ 🗲━━━━━★. *･｡ﾟ✧⁺

Y/N's feet touched the road. She saw the achingly familiar Hogsmeade High Street. Within the second of their landing, when Y/N had barely relaxed her grip upon Harry, the air was rent by a scream. 

It tore at every nerve in Y/N's body, and she knew immediately that their appearance had caused it. The door of the Three Broomsticks burst open and a dozen cloaked and hooded Death Eaters dashed into the street, their wands aloft. 

'Did you know about this?' Y/N whisper-yelled to Leonora, who shook her head.

Y/N was about to raise her wand when Leonora stopped her. There were too many of them to Stun. One of the Death Eaters waved his wand and the screaming stopped, still echoing around the distant mountains.

'Accio Cloak!' roared one of the Death Eaters. 

Harry seized its folds, but it made no attempt to escape: the Summoning Charm had not worked on it.

'Not under your wrapper, then, Potter?' yelled the Death Eater who had tried the charm, and then, to his fellows, 'Spread out. They're here.'

Six of the Death Eaters ran towards them: Y/N, Harry, Ron, Hermione and Leonora backed, as quickly as possible, down the nearest side street and the Death Eaters missed them by inches. 

'Let's just leave!' Hermione whispered. 'Disapparate now!'

'We can't,' whispered Leonora, whose head was spinning this way and that, looking for a potential exit. 'They've set up an anti-Disapparition Charm.'

'How'd you-?'

'We know you're here, Potter, and there's no getting away! We'll find you!'

'What about Dementors?' called another Death Eater. 'Let 'em have free rein, they'd find him quick enough!'

There were noises of agreement. Dread filled Y/N: to repel Dementors they would have to produce Patronuses, which would give them away immediately. 

The unnatural cold began to steal over the street. Light was sucked from the environment right up to the stars, which vanished. The group retreated down a side street, groping their way along the wall, trying not to make sounds. 

There was a grinding of bolts nearby, a door opened on the left-hand side of the narrow street and a rough voice said, 'Potter, in here, quick!'

Y/N did not know why, but she obeyed without hesitation. Though Leonora froze on the spot, Y/N grasped her hand and pulled her through the open doorway after Harry, Ron and Hermione. 

'Upstairs, keep the Cloak on, keep quiet!' muttered a tall figure, passing them on his way into the street and slamming the door behind him.

Y/N, Harry, Ron and Hermione shared a knowing look. 

'Did you see-?' asked Y/N.

'I know, Dumbledore!' whispered Hermione. 

By the stuttering light of a single candle, Y/N recognised the grubby, strewn bar of the Hog's Head. They ran behind the counter and through a second doorway, which led to a rickety wooden staircase, which they climbed as fast as they could.

'Why are we trusting this man?' asked Leonora. 'Has it occurred to any of you that he might be on the Dark Lord's side-?'

'Then he would've handed us over already,' said Y/N simply.

They entered a sitting room with a threadbare carpet and a small fireplace, above which hung a single large oil painting of a blonde girl who gazed out at the room with a kind of vacant sweetness.