The boy who loved

Chapter 6.7 (Evil's first victory)

Harry could not move a muscle. He lay there beneath the Invisibility Cloak feeling the blood from his nose flow, hot and wet, over his face, listening to the voices and footsteps in the corridor beyond.

Did Malfoy really have to kick him in the face?

Harry had never hated Malfoy more than as he lay there, alone and invisible in the Hogwarts Express, blood dripping sickeningly into his open mouth.

What a stupid situation to have himself landed in....and now the last few footsteps were dying away. Everyone was shuffling along the dark platform outside. He could hear the scraping of trunks and the loud babble of talk.

The only person, other than Draco, who might know where Harry was, was Aurora and she'd probably think it fair to punish Harry for meddling in 'her business'.

The train lurched, causing Harry to roll over on to his side. Now he was staring at the dusty underside of the seat instead of the ceiling. The floor began to vibrate as the engine roared into life. The Express was leaving and nobody knew he was still on it.

Then he felt his Invisibility Cloak fly off him and a voice overhead said, "Wotcher, Harry." There was a flash of red light and Harry's body unfroze. He was able to push himself into a more dignified sitting position, hastily wipe the blood off his bruised face with the back of his hand and raise his head to look up at Tonks, who was holding the Invisibility Cloak she had just pulled away.

"We'd better get out of here, quickly." She said, as the train windows became obscured with steam and the train began to move out of the station. "Come on, we'll jump."

Harry hurried after her into the corrdior. Tonks pulled open the train door and leapt on to the platform, which seemed to be sliding underneath them as the train gathered momentum. Harry followed her, staggered a little on landing, then straightened up in time to see the gleaming scarlet steam engine pick up speed, round the corner and disappear from view.

The cold night air was soothing on his throbbing nose.

A gentle hand was placed on his shoulder. He turned around to see Aurora. She was looking at him with a raised eyebrow and a smirk that said: 'I told you so.' He just sighed in response.

"Episkey," whispered Aurora.

Harry's nose felt very hot, and then very cold. He raised a hand and felt it gingerly. It seemed to be mended.

"Thanks," he whispered, still not sure in what kind of mood Aurora was.

"Stop being so reckless, Harry. This time I found you but I might not be able to next time. Your curiosity is going to be the death of you one day."

He smiled carefully.

"You'd better put that Cloak back on, and we can walk up to the school." Said Tonks. She was as mousy-haired and miserable-looking as she had been when he had met her at The Burrow. As Harry swung the Cloak back over himself and pulled Aurora under it with him, Tonks waved her wand. An immense silvery four-legged creature erupted from it and streaked off into the darkness.

"Was that a Patronus?" Asked Harry.

"Yes, I'm sending word to the castle that I've got both of you, or they'll worry. Come on, we'd better not dawdle."

They set off towards the lane that led to the school.

"My dad's an idiot." Sighed Aurora, shaking her head and looking at Tonks with pitying eyes.

"Which one?"

"Well, both of them but this time Remus more specifically."

"You know what's going on with Tonks, don't you?"