This Means War | Draco Malfoy [5]

Chapter 2 ~ The Eight Potters

"Who's that?" I asked Harry as I turned away from the door, facing him once again.

Harry walked by me, heading for the front door. I followed him, watching as he opened the door. Smiles came upon our faces. "Hagrid!" we exclaimed.

"Hello, Harry! Hello, Max!" Hagrid's booming voice greeted us.

Ron came up from behind him and tackled Harry and I for a hug. Then Hermione came in, giving us a hug as well.

"Yeh two are lookin' fit," Hagrid said.

"Yeah, they're absolutely gorgeous," Moody said, entering the house. "What do you say we get undercover before someone decides to murder both of them?"

They weren't the only ones who were here. Kingsley, Mr. Weasley, Lupin, Tonks, Fred, George, Fleur, and two other people I didn't recognize came inside, too.

"Kingsley, I thought you were looking after the Prime Minister," Harry said.

"You and Maxine are more important," he told us.

A ginger approached us with a warm smile. "Hello, Harry, Max. Bill Weasley."

"Pleasure to meet you," Harry and I said at the same time, smiling and shaking his hand.

"He was never always this handsome," Fred commented.

"Dead ugly," George added.

"I see you two haven't changed a bit," I told them, grinning at them.

"Oh, yeah? Well, you haven't, either, Max Potter," Fred said, pulling me in for a hug, followed by George, and then Fleur.

"Harry, Max," Lupin greeted us with a smile.

"Lupin," we said in unison.

"Well, hello to you, too, Potter and Potter," Tonks teased. "By the way, wait until you hear the news. Remus and I--"

"All right! We'll have time for a cozy catch-up later!" Moody interrupted, walking in the front of what used to be the living room. "We've got to get the hell out of here, and soon! Anyway, Potters, you're both underage, which means you two still got the Trace on you."

"The what?" we asked.

"If one of you sneezes, the Ministry will know who wipes your nose. The point is, we have to use those means of transport the Trace can't detect: Brooms and Thestrals. We go in pairs. That way, if anyone is out there waiting for us, and I reckon there will be, they won't know who or where the real Harry and Max Potter are."

"The real Harry and Max Potter?" I repeated.

Moody grabbed two tiny bottles and waved them in the air. "I believe you two are familiar with this particular brew."

Oh, no. He couldn't be serious. "No," we protested at the same time. "Absolutely not."

"I told you they'd take it well," Hermione said from behind us in a sarcastic tone.

"No, if you think we're going to let everyone risk their lives for me and Max--"

"Never done that before, have we?" Ron spoke up.

"No, this is different, Ron," I told him. "You guys are taking that stuff and becoming us. No. Harry and I are not going to let you guys do that."

"Everyone here is of age, you two. They've all agreed to take the risk."

Someone cleared their throat from behind. "Technically, I've been coerced. Mundungus Fletcher, by the way. Always been a huge admirer of you two."

"Nip it, Mundungus!" Moody snapped, causing him to be quiet. "All right, Granger, as discussed."