A Potter Secret

Escaping the Wedding

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Harry scans the scattering crowd and meets Ginny's eyes, as she gets buffeted about. He pelts toward her, bouncing between bodies, losing sight of her. "Ron! Ron!" Hermione cries.

Harry turns, sees Hermione glancing about frantically. As she turns, Ron comes into view, pushes toward her. Suddenly the canopy above turns to ribbons as death eaters, in dark cloaks and masks, descend into the crowd. Arthur, Fred and George wield their wands. Harry sees a flower fall from Fleur's hair, watches it crushed underfoot, then catches sight of Ginny through the madness as she draws her own wand, copper hair gleaming, eyes flashing. He starts toward her, when- Lupin crashes in, spinning him roughly round. "Harry! Go! Go!" Remus calls.

A hand reaches out and grabs his. He looks. It's Hermione, clutching Ron's hand with her other. She closes her eyes and a great whooshing sound fills Harry's ears. He takes one last desperate look at Ginny as he is thrown up and back in a whirlwind and all goes black.

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A horn blares as a double-decker bus careens within inches of Harry, Ron and Hermione as they stumble into view, the streets teeming with drunken pub crawlers. "Where are we?" Ron asks.

"Shaftesbury Avenue. I used to come here to the theater with my mum and dad. Just popped into my head. I don't know why-" Hermione replies. They hurry on, glancing over their shoulders at the dark shapes that move within the crowd behind them, strangers bumping by, faces passing in a paranoiac blur; a drunken man, a cackling woman with blood-red lipstick. "This way!"

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As they take refuge in the shadows, Hermione begins to rummage through her tiny beaded purse. "We need to change," Hermione says.

Ron and Harry look at each other's dress robes. From the purse, Hermione extracts, in quick succession, two pairs of jeans, T-shirts, and a pair of light overcoats. Ron stares. "How the ruddy-"

"Undetectable Extension Charm," Hermione says.

"You're amazing, you are," Ron smiles.

"Always the tone of surprise." As she gives the bag a shake, there is loud echoing of heavy objects, as if something has fallen. "That'll be the books."

"Izzy, she's back there, in danger!" Harry cries. "I have to get back. I have to help!"

Harry reaches for his wand, but Hermione grabs him. "Harry, check your pocket." Harry's confused but reaches into his pocket. His face morphs to one of shock as he digs down so far his arm is almost enveloped before picking out a small kitten. Her eyes open dazedly and Harry smiles as she turns to her true form. Isabella smiles up at him as he kneels beside her.

"Hey, Izzy. Hey," Harry grins. "Are you alright?"

Isabella smiles. "I'm fine, Harry. I'm alright." Hermione pulls out Isabella's knapsack as the boys change. Isabella holds a sheet for Hermione as she quickly throws better clothes on before they all head out.

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Shabby. Greasy. Empty. The quartet slide into a booth. "Do you reckon everyone's alright at the wedding? Maybe we should-" Harry says.

"They were after you, mate. We'd just put everyone in danger going back," Ron reminds.

"Ron's right. Cappuccino, please," Hermione asks.

A gum-chewing waitress stands behind Harry. Ron, clueless when it comes to cappuccinos, nods to Hermione. "What she said," Ron says.

"Same," Harry adds.

Isabella almost adds something but Harry looks at her. "Water," Isabella decides.

"Wicked scar," the waitress smiles.

"So where do we go from here? The Leaky Cauldron?" Ron asks as they leave.

"Too dangerous. If Voldemort's taken over the Ministry, none of the old places are safe," Hermione says.

The front door squeals and two workmen enter, glance idly at the trio and step to the counter. "My rucksack. With all my things. I left it back at the Burrow-" Harry says. Hermione is shaking her head. Harry eyes the beaded purse and Isabella's knapsack. "You're joking."

"I've had the essentials packed for days. Just in case," Hermione replies.

Isabella nods. "Few months for me. Everything, even things we might never need."

"By the way, these jeans? Not my favorite. Bit tight," Ron jokes.

Hermione gives him a withering glance. Isabella smirks. "Not sure you can talk when you're not prepared. Hermione and I were ready to make a quick getaway. You weren't. You can deal with it."

Harry can't help but smile. Then his eyes shift to the small security mirror near the ceiling, see the two workmen turning. "DOWN!" Harry shouts. The tile explodes on the wall where Ron's head had been only seconds before. A rope of green light singes Hermione's hair. "Stupefy!"

The jet of red light hits the biggest Death Eater straight in the face and he crumples instantly. "Expulsio!" the death eater calls.

The table behind Harry explodes and the spell ricochets, shattering the security mirror, sending shards raining everywhere, including one that laces Hermione's cheek, then striking the cappuccino machine, which sprays hot liquid all over the Death Eater. He bellows in pain and Hermione and Ron hit him with twin stunning spells. As he spasms on the ground, Hermione adds another for good measure, "Petrificus Totalus!" He goes still. The Waitress steps from the backroom. Sees the quartet and the wands. Her gum bubble pops. "Go."

She doesn't argue. "Lock the door, get the lights," Harry commands. Hermione throws the bolt. Ron clicks the Deluminator, pitching the cafe into shadow as Isabella gets the blinds. Harry eyes the unconscious Death Eater. "This one's name is Rowle. He was on the Astronomy Tower the night Snape killed Dumbledore."

"This is Dolohov. I recognize him from the wanted posters," Ron says. Ron rolls him over with his foot. Dolohov's eyes shift in fear from Harry to Hermione, then back to Ron. "So what do we do with you, huh? Kill us if it was turned round, wouldn't you?" Ron's face is hard. Hermione eyes him uneasily. He notices. "Suppose it's him that did Mad-Eye. How would you feel then?"

Hermione looks at Dolohov. The moment hangs, then, Harry says, "It's better we wipe their memories. We kill them, they'll know we were here."

"You're the boss," Ron nods, turning to Hermione. "Hermione?" She turns, looks at him. He reaches out, wipes a trickle of blood from her cheek. "You're the best with spells."

Shakily, she points her wand at Dolohov. Her arm trembles. "Obliviate," Hermione casts. There is a flash of light.

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The trio move quickly, glancing about, paranoid. "How is it they knew we were there?" Harry asks.

"Maybe you still have the Trace on you," Hermione replies.

"Can't be. The Trace breaks at seventeen. It's Wizarding law," Ron states. Hermione stops. Harry and Ron turn, look back. "What?"

"We didn't celebrate your birthday, Harry. Ginny and I, we'd prepared a cake. We were going to bring it out at the end of the wedding-" Hermione explains.

"Hermione. I appreciate the thought, honestly. But given that we were almost killed by a couple of Death Eaters a few minutes ago-" Harry trails off.

"Right. Perspective," Hermione nods.

"We've got to get off the streets, get somewhere safe," Ron says.

"I have an idea," Harry smiles.

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