Courage

-101-

Book: Courage
Chapter 101
Word Count: 3502

Everything seemed fuzzy, slow. Harry, Layla, and Hermione all jumped to their feet and drew their wands. Many people were only just realizing that something strange had happened; heads were still turning toward the silver cat as it vanished. Silence spread outward in cold ripples from the place where the Patronus had landed. Then somebody screamed.

Harry, Layla, and Hermione threw themselves into the panicking crowd. Guests were sprinting in all directions; many were Disapparating; the protective enchantments around the Burrow had broken.

"Ron!" Hermione cried. "Ron, where are you?"

As they pushed their way across the dance floor, Layla saw cloaked and masked figures appearing in the crowd; then she saw Remus and Tonks, their wands raised, and heard both of them shout, "Protego!", a cry that was echoed on all sides.

"Dad!" Layla cried out. Remus looked over his shoulder at her and smiled softly.

"Go! I'll see you again, Layla. I love you. Go."

"Ron! Ron!" Hermione called, half sobbing as she, Layla, and Harry were buffered by terrified guests: Harry seized Layla's hand to make sure they weren't separated as a streak of light whizzed over their heads, whether a protective charm or something more sinister he did not know.

And then Ron was there. He caught hold of Hermione's arm and grabbed Layla's with his other arm. Layla felt Hermione turn on the spot; sight and sound were extinguished as darkness pressed in upon him; all Layla could feel was Harry's hand as she was squeezed through space and time, away from the Burrow, away from the descending Death Eaters, away, perhaps, from Voldemort himself.

"Where are we?" said Ron's voice.

Layla opened her eyes. For a moment, she thought they had not left the wedding after all; They still seemed to be surrounded by people.

"Tottenham Court Road," panted Hermione. "Walk, just walk, we need to find somewhere for you to change."

They half walked, half ran up the wide dark street thronged with late-night revelers and lined with closed shops, stars twinkling above them. A double-decker bus rumbled by and a group of merry pub-goers ogled them as they passed; Harry and Ron were still wearing dress robes.

"Hermione, we haven't got anything to change into," Ron told her, as a young woman burst into raucous giggles at the sight of him.

"Why didn't I make sure I had the Invisibility Cloak with me?" said Harry. "All last year, I kept it on me and—"

"It's okay, I've got the Cloak, I've got clothes for all of you," said Hermione, "Just try and act naturally until — this will do." She led them down a side street, then into the shelter of a shadowy alleyway.

"When you say you've got the Cloak, and clothes..." said Layla, frowning at Hermione, who was carrying nothing except her small beaded handbag, in which she was now rummaging.

"Yes, they're here," said Hermione, and she pulled out a pair of jeans, a sweatshirt, some maroon socks, and finally the silvery Invisibility Cloak.

"How the ruddy hell—?"

"Undetectable Extension Charm," said Hermione. "Tricky, but I think I've done it okay; anyway, I managed to fit everything we need in here." She gave the fragile-looking bag a little shake and it echoed like a cargo hold as a number of heavy objects rolled around inside it. "Oh, damn, that'll be the books," she said, peering into it, "and I had them all stacked by subject. Oh well.
Harry, you'd better take the Invisibility Cloak. Ron, hurry up and change. Layla, you might want to change out of your dress, too. Your dress is fancier than mine, it'll draw more attention."