It Could Have Gone That Way; A Harmione Fanfiction

Chapter 67: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

"And under here, Hedwig-" Harry pulled open the door under the stairs,"-is where I used to sleep! You didn't know me then - blimey, it's small, I'd forgotten..."

Harry had been having a last look around 4 Privet Drive with Hedwig. They were going to be moved to a safe-house that night, and the Order of the Phoenix were due to come and pick them up very soon. Harry took a final look at his tiny bed with a heavy heart.

Suddenly, from outside, there was a deafening roar, and Harry jerked upright, smacking his head on the doorframe. Staggering backwards into the kitchen, Harry took the time to employ a few of Uncle Vernon's choicest swear words. He looked out of the window to see a rather large crowd of people in the garden, however, his eyes fell on one person in particular.

Harry hurried over to the back door, twisted the lock and wrenched it open. He hurtled into the mass of bodies, calling out the occasional greeting as he pushed his was towards the back fence. Finally, Harry made it through, and he saw just what he had been wanting to for the whole week-and-a-half they had had of the summer holiday:

Hermione was pointing her wand at Hagrid's motorcycle to keep it steady as he attempted to climb off. She hadn't noticed Harry standing behind her. He sprinted forwards and flung his arms around her, knocking her off balance and taking her by surprise.

CRASH!

The pair broke apart sheepishly to see Hagrid and his motorcycle in a heap on the floor.

"Hagrid!" Hermione gasped,"Oh - I'm so sorry! - are you all right?"

"'M fine...'m fine." Hagrid stood up,"I'll walk it off..."

Harry grinned,"Sorry about that, Hagrid."

"Nah, I geddit, Harry." Hagrid winked,"Yeh've not seen yer friends for jus' gone an entire week now, I geddit." He shook with laughter at his own weak attempt at humour.

"In the house!" Someone growled. Harry spun around to find the owner of the voice looming over him, his magic blue eye spinning madly in its socket

"Hello, Professor Moody-"

"I'm no professor, Potter, now get in the house!" Moody snapped.

"Yes, sir!" Harry didn't need telling more than twice. He and Hermione hurried into the kitchen after everyone else, formally greeting each other. The Order were spread around the kitchen and living room, some standing up, some lounging on chairs, and a few were even sitting on the clean counters. There was a general cry of greeting as Harry walked in, and he felt himself receiving a few handshakes, hugs and a kiss on the cheek from Fleur Delacour.

Smiling to himself, Harry took them all in: Ron, long and lanky; Hermione, her bushy hair tied back in a plait, a sympathetic smile on her face; Fred and George, grinning identically; Bill, badly scarred and long-haired; Mr Weasley, kind-faced, balding, his spectacles a little awry; Mad-Eye, battle-worn, one-legged, his bright blue magical eye whizzing in its socket; Tonks, whose short hair was her favourite shade of bright pink; Lupin, greyer, and more lined than ever before; Fleur, slender and beautiful, with her long, silvery blonde hair scraped back into a high ponytail; Kingsley, bald, black and broad-shouldered; Hagrid, with his wild hair and beard, standing hunch-backed to avoid hitting his head on the ceiling, and Mundungus Fletcher, small, dirty and hangdog, with his droopy, basset hound's eyes and matted hair. Harry's heart seemed to expand and glow at the sight: he felt incredibly fond of all of them, even Mundungus, whom he had tried to strangle the last time they had met.

"All right, Potter," Moody growled once everyone had gone quiet,"we've changed the plan. We're still going to safe-houses and all that, but we can't use Thestrals - couldn't find any more of 'em, and the ones we had've started sicking up all other the place - so we're all goin' on brooms apart from you and Hagrid, Potter. We won't all be headed to different safe-houses like we were s'posed to do, 'cause I've got a bloody good feelin' we've been betrayed by one of 'em, and Ted's owled me to say his Portkey's actin' up. We'll just go straight to Molly and Arthur's, but we'll travel in chunks so we're harder to follow. We're goin' in pairs, and each Potter'll have a guardian-"