Emma Potter; Going to War

3: Attention gained

"What?" I asked blankly.

"He left!" said Mrs. Figg, wringing her hands. "Left to seesomeone about a batch of cauldrons that fell off the back of a broom!I told him I'd flay him alive if he went, and now look! Dementors! It'sjust lucky I put Mr. Tibbies on the case! But we haven't got time tostand around! Hurry, now, we've got to get you back! Oh, the troublethis is going to cause! I will kill him!""But —" 

The revelation that our batty old cat-obsessed neighbor knew whatdementors were was almost as big a shock to Harry and me as meeting two ofthem down the alleyway. 

"You're — you're a witch?"

 "I'm a Squib, as Mundungus knows full well, so how on earth wasI supposed to help you fight off dementors? He left you completelywithout cover when I warned him —" 

"This bloke Mundungus has been following us? Hang on — itwas him! He Disapparated from the front of our house!" 

"Yes, yes, yes, but luckily I'd stationed Mr. Tibbies under a car justin case, and Mr. Tibbies came and warned me, but by the time I got to your house you'd gone — and now — oh, what's Dumbledore going to say? You!" she shrieked at Dudley, still supine on the alley floor."Get your fat bottom off the ground, quick!"

 "You know Dumbledore?" said Harry, staring at her."Of course I know Dumbledore, who doesn't know Dumbledore?But come on — I'll be no help if they come back, I've never so muchas Transfigured a teabag —" 

She stooped down, seized one of Dudley's massive arms in her wizened hands, and tugged."Get up, you useless lump, get up!" 

But Dudley either could not or would not move. He was still onthe ground, trembling and ashen-faced, his mouth shut very tight."I'll do it." Harry took hold of Dudley's arm and heaved: With anenormous effort he managed to hoist Dudley to his feet. Dudleyseemed to be on the point of fainting: His small eyes were rolling intheir sockets and sweat was beading his face; the moment Harry let goof him he swayed dangerously. 

"Hurry up!" said Mrs. Figg hysterically. I pulled one of Dudley's massive arms around my own shoulders and together, Harry and I dragged him toward the road, sagging slightly under hisweight. Mrs. Figg tottered along in front of us, peering anxiouslyaround the corner. 

"Keep your wands out," she told Harry and me, as we entered WisteriaWalk. "Never mind the Statute of Secrecy now, there's going to be hellto pay anyway, we might as well be hanged for a dragon as an egg. Talkabout the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery . . . This wasexactly what Dumbledore was afraid of — what's that at the end of thestreet? Oh, it's just Mr. Prentice. . . . Don't put your wand away, boy,don't I keep telling you I'm no use? This girl seems to have a lot more sense--"

 It was not easy to hold a wand steady and carry Dudley along at thesame time. Harry and I each gave our cousin an impatient dig in the ribs, butDudley seemed to have lost all desire for independent movement. He was slumped on Harry's shoulder, his large feet dragging along theground. 

"Why didn't you tell us you're a Squib?" Harry asked Mrs. Figg,panting with the effort to keep walking. "All those times we came roundyour house — why didn't you say anything?" 

"Dumbledore's orders. I was to keep an eye on you but not say anything, you were too young. I'm sorry I gave you such a miserable time,but the Dursleys would never have let you come if they'd thought youenjoyed it. It wasn't easy, you know. . . . But oh my word," she saidtragically, wringing her hands once more, "when Dumbledore hearsabout this — how could Mundungus have left, he was supposed to beon duty until midnight — where is he? How am I going to tell Dumbledore what's happened, I can't Apparate —"