Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

9

Chapter 9-A Place to Hide

Summary

The world seems to slow down, then somebody screams, and everyone begins to panic and flee the wedding. Masked figures are appearing, and Harry and Hermione are looking frantically for Ron. When they find him, Hermione Apparates them all to Tottenham Court Road. The boys are concerned that they don't have proper Muggle clothes or their supplies, but it turns out that Hermione has everything in her small handbag (she put an Undetectable Extension Charm on it), having a funny feeling that something might happen at the wedding. She hands Ron a change of clothes and Harry his Invisibility Cloak. Harry begins to worry about everyone still at the Burrow, but Hermione insists that they can't worry about them now, and that they'd be putting everyone in more danger by going back. Ron agrees, saying that the Order will look after everyone.

Ron asks why Hermione Apparated them to this specific location and she admits that she thought they'd be safer in the Muggle world because it's not where Voldemort's crew would expect them to go. As she's trying to think of a good place to hide, men across the street keep whistling at her, inviting her to come have a beer with them. Hermione ducks them into a cafe nearby to sit and think. Under his cloak, Harry feels the Polyjuice Potion wearing off. Ron suggests that they go to the Leaky Cauldron to find out what's happening, but Hermione insists that they already know. She suggests that the find a place to Disapparate and head for the country. Once there they can send a message via a talking Patronus, which she has been practicing. As Hermione is about to pay for their coffees so they can leave (she cashed out all of her savings before she came to Ron's house), Harry notices two workmen across from them making identical motions and mirrors them, drawing his wand. Ron notices and pushes Hermione out of the way. One Death Eater is hit and collapses, Ron gets tied up by another jinx, and the waitress is hit by a rebound spell and falls to the floor. Hermione petrifies the other Death Eater when Harry's wand is knocked from his hand. She moves to cut Ron's ropes off, accidentally cutting him in the process.

Ron identifies the two attackers as Dolohov and Thorfinn Rowle. Hermione can't figure out how they were found, and her panic clears Harry's head. He advises them to lock to door and turn out the lights. Then he suggests that Hermione wipe everyone's memories, which will keep Voldemort's group off their tail longer. He cleans the place up with Ron while she goes to work. Once they're done, Hermione wonder again how they were tracked. She wonders if Harry still has the Trace on him, but Ron insists that's impossible and points out that they need a safe place to hide and think. Harry suggests Grimmauld Place-there are jinxes up to prevent Snape coming in, and even if he manages it, he's just one Death Eater compared with how many they might encounter elsewhere. Hermione Apparates them to the house, and they all head inside, freezing on the threshold. Harry eventually takes one step forward and the first jinx is triggered, in the form of Moody's voice. Their tongues are tied for a moment, but the jinx lifts once it's clear that they're not Snape. Then a horrifying spectre of Dumbledore appears, bearing down on them-Harry insists that they didn't kill him, and the figure explodes. This wakes up Mrs. Black's portrait, but Harry forcibly shuts the curtains. Hermione does a spell to make certain that they're the only people in the house, which they are.

They move into the drawing room together, and Ron looks out the window to see if there's anyone outside. Harry gives a cry of pain, and Ron asks what he's seeing. Harry tells him that he can only feel his anger, and Hermione scolds him again for keeping his mind open to Voldemort. The sensation builds until Harry is in horrible pain. Mr. Weasley's Patronus shows up and informs them that the family is safe, but they should not reply because they're being watched. Ron is relieved, and Hermione asks if they can all sleep in the drawing room so they're together all night. Harry excuses himself to the bathroom and gives into the pain he's experiencing, then sees Voldemort punishing Rowle for letting Harry get away. He plans to feed the man to Nagini once it's all over, but first he has Draco torture the man as well. Harry pulls out of the scene, laid out on the bathroom floor, feeling terrible for what Draco is being forced to do. He hears Hermione at the door, who asks him if he wants his toothbrush, and gets to his feet to let her in.