Lucy Riddle and the Boy Who Lived

Dolohov's Sneakoscope

Chapter Forty-Three

It was late at night when it happened. Lucy was fast asleep along with her three companions, completely secure with her new charms and spells she'd replaced around the perimeter of the campsite. No one would be able to find them. But still, for extra measures, she had Dolohov's Sneakoscope outside their tent. Everyone was exhausted, so there weren't any volunteers willing to endure the nightshift.

Harry had told her Sneakoscopes weren't reliable. He owned one before, and all it did was go off for days without end. But nonetheless, he eventually stopped bugging her and let it be. Lucy didn't doubt her family's gifts anymore. Especially since Bellatrix's bracelet and Rodolphus's knife proved worthy of their cause. Dolohov wouldn't disappoint.

None of them changed out of their grimy clothes. Their filthy faces and bodies were full of drowsiness, and there also wasn't a way to clean themselves. The lake water was too cold for their warm bodies to endure. It would take hours for them to heat up a small pot, and they were just too tired.

Lucy and Hermione's long hair was full of nasty knots, and the lot of them had bits of dirt all over themselves from the days without showering. When they all crashed onto their beds, the only sound that could be heard was the snoring of four teenagers in a tent.

A sudden alarm went off. Lucy was first to wake, never letting her guard down. She was usually a deep sleeper, but after everything that happened, she got used barely sleeping at all. The others wouldn't wake up from their sleep. Lucy had to shake them all until they were conscious to finally take action.

Dolohov's Sneakoscope was going off. Lucy searched around the area, never leaving the protective border, but couldn't find anyone. Hermione was pulling something from her bag. She held the binoculars to her eyes and continued on Lucy's search. It took a couple minutes for Hermione to gasp and shout, "They're here! The Death-Eaters and Voldemort!"

They could hear the soft snapping of twigs being broken. The Death-Eaters were lurking around the forest, looking for any signs of magic. It wouldn't take them more than five minutes to feel the magical barrier.

Lucy realized then that Dolohov's gift was meant to save her from her father. She remembered what he told her when she came home last year. Even if the Dark Lord tells us to kill you, we'll never do that."Was the Dark Lord coming to kill her?

She sprinted inside the tent, watching for a few seconds as her best friends were trying to pack everything into their bags. There wasn't enough time for them to do it manually, so she chanted, "Pack!" and watched as everything went inside their respective pouch.

Their wore their small pouches, curtesy of Hagrid, and left. Even the tent was stuffed inside Hermione's. They crept out of the magical border and started running as quietly as they can. Just to be sure, Lucy mentally casted, "Muffliato!" She hoped the Dark Lord or any of the Death-Eaters could hear them.

The forest was like a maze. There were so many twists and turns, it was hard to find the way out. They didn't even know where to go. The only options were either to go to Hogwarts or the Ministry of Magic, but then again, what would they do there?

Hermione was the head of the pack. Then it was Harry and Ron. Lucy took the rear and checked occasionally to see if there were any movements behind them. So far, they were safe.

The group stopped in a densely populated area full of trees. There was no way anyone could see the lot through them. They were all panting, trying to catch their breaths. Hermione wheezed, "Where should we go? The forest is full of Death-Eaters, and I can try to Apparate us out of here, but there's just not enough room. The trees will stop you from spinning, and you'll be left behind."

"I don't know where to go," Lucy whispered. "Harry, it's your call. Where do you think we should head to?"

Harry straightened his shoulders. His face was hard with determination. "I still believe we should go to Hogwarts. Voldemort wanted to be a teacher there. He loved that school. There has to be something from one of the founder's that he hid there."

Hermione sighed. "Fine. We'll go there. But first, let's find a way to get out of here." She grabbed ahold of a tree branch and attempted to pull herself up. Hermione slowly, but surely, climbed the tree until she was at a decent height up. Her eyes scanned the area, and when she came down, her lips were tight with a frown. "There's no way out of here. Its full of trees."

Out of the corner of Lucy's eye, she saw something misty. She whipped her head — almost getting whiplash while doing it — and saw the doe. Lucy stared at it for a while, trying determine whether or not it was the same doe she a couple days ago. "Look guys," Lucy muttered. "It's the doe!"

They all looked at Lucy's direction, but she was already heading off. The doe was leading her somewhere, and they were all uncertain, except for Ron, whether the misty figure was reliable. Though Hermione and Harry weren't really up for it, they still followed the other two.

The doe took many left turns and a few right. It was hard to remember the way to go. When they did try to keep track (left, left, left, right, left, left, right), it was easier to just follow the doe than count how many left turns they took.

It took nearly half an hour before there was a pasture free of trees. The doe disappeared instantly, and the only thing left of it was warming feeling it left in their chests.

The lot took sucked in deep breaths of the cool air. Their lungs expanded, full of oxygen. Hermione grabbed ahold them and pulled them towards a plain, but partially hidden, area.

"Grab onto me. I'm not sure if I'll be able to Apparate this many people, but I think I'll be able to do it. Just . . . don't let go. At all," Hermione warned. She took a quick, deep breath and closed her eyes. They all spun in one direction and were gone.