Since Privet Drive || Harry Potter

Snatchers

Chapter 36 - Snatchers

"They're somewhere around here, they've gotta be."

"Ho-"

"The deluminator. Call me crazy, but I-I heard my name. I don't really know how, but I heard my name. Come on." Taylor was confused to say the least, but followed him.

It seemed like the protective spells that Hermione put up worked, because they couldn't find the two anywhere. A few days later, they disapparated again; still, nothing was found. They walked around the forest they had gone to for a while before some rustling came behind them. Both quickly took their wands out, waiting for the people to show themselves.

Hearing the smallest bit of noise from a bush, Taylor yelled, "Stupefy!" Immediately, there was a thumping noise as the person most likely fell, and 5 others came out.

"Well, well, well... who do we have here? Why are you running about?" The cousins looked at each other, Taylor thankful that her hair was a deep brown to blend into the woods - it made her look more normal. The snatchers didn't look very skilled, but they were still outnumbered. Taylor took a step back while moving closer to Ron. Then, in a whisper that was so quiet Ron could barely hear it, she said, "You distract them, I stun."

Ron nodded discreetly. "Um, I'm Stan Shunpike."

Taylor could have slapped him. Merlin, he was being really thick. However, as they searched through a bag looking for some paper, it was still good enough of a distraction for Taylor to take action. She shot two quick stunners as Ron put a body-bind on the guy with the map. There were two left who had taken out their wands at the attack.

They didn't move for a few seconds until the bigger one yelled out "Levicorpus!" only to be blocked by a quick shield charm. Taking the spare opportunity, Taylor yelled "Expelliarmus!" getting the smaller one's wand in her hand and Ron stunned the larger one. Not wanting to take any chances, Taylor barely grabbed Ron's fingers before twisting and apparating away.

They appeared in the Quidditch World Cup forest again, only because it was the first place Taylor could think of. Ron took out his deluminator again that night. Showing up in yet another forest, they heard something. It was nearby, so they hid behind a bush before seeing a figure jump into a river.

Immediately, Taylor jumped out, followed quickly by Ron, because she recognized that person. It was Harry.

Both her and Ron jumped in as Taylor pulled out Harry and Ron grabbed something else at the bottom that was glinting silver. Harry was panting, barely able to breathe as Taylor tried to pull off the locket that was choking him. She quickly pulled out her wand and, knowing that there was no other choice, severed it off of his chest.

Breathing heavily, she said, "What the bloody hell were you thinking?"

Harry's heart stopped. He knew that voice. He shot up and looked into the eyes that changed all the time yet still looked the same in a way to him. "Taylor," he breathed. She let out a soft chuckle.

"Oi! I'm here too so don't get all lovey-dovey in front of me." Another familiar face. He turned around to see Ron holding a sword with a sheepish smile on his face.

"You came back."

Ron's face became solemn and apologetic. "I... I regretted it as soon as I apparated. We wanted to get right back but... well... we got held back." He glanced at Taylor and noticed her guilty look, rushedly adding, "Both of us." He quickly diverted the attention to the sword, which just so happened to be the Sword of Gryffindor.

With that, they got straight to business as Harry gave Ron the locket, who, after much convincing, agreed to destroy it. It was a terrible scene, and Taylor couldn't help but think how long Ron had had an inferiority complex. How had she never noticed? Of course, he had always been compared to his brothers. To Harry. She made a promise to herself to talk with him about it along with the rest of the family as soon as the war was over.

The situation got a bit worse, however, when they returned to the tent. As soon as Ron came into sight of Hermione, she pulled out a bag and exclaimed, "You-foul-git-Ronald-Weasley!" pronouncing each word with a slap. She only stopped when both Harry and Taylor pulled her back.

"Taylor!" she immediately pulled Taylor into a tight hug.

"Why does she get such a warm welcome?" asked Ron but immediately regretted it.

"Because she wasn't a complete arse who abandoned her friends and only left because of you!" and she returned to beating Ron with the bag.

Taylor and Harry had to pull her back again as Ron started to explain. "I wanted to come back - we both did. Right as soon as we apparated. But... we ran into some snatchers... and we couldn't find you... and... and..."

"We had to stay at Shell Cottage for a little longer because... well..." Taylor choked up, not wanting to admit it, but knew that she should. Ron noticed her troubles and tried to help.

"We... we got some bad news... from Bill and Fleur... It-it-"

"There was an attack on Privet Drive," said Taylor in a small voice. Her hair was changing from grey to white to a small bit of red as her emotions changed. Hermione and Harry gasped, Hermione pulling the metamorphagus back into a tight hug. "I'm so sorry," she whispered.

"It's not your fault. She... she knew what she was doing by staying there..." she said dryly. Harry wanted to comfort her, be there for her, say something to help her, but didn't know how.

"Bellatrix Lestrange," Ron said in a menacing voice. At this, Harry's face turned to rage. Hermione finally let go and, without saying anything, grabbed Ron's arm to pull him into the tent to leave Harry and Taylor alone.

They were silent for a few moments. Harry didn't know whether he was supposed to be angry at her for leaving, happy that she was back, planning revenge on Bellatrix, or simply sorry for what had happened to her mum.

Instead, he walked up to Taylor and put all of his emotions into a kiss.

She was shocked. Whatever it was, she wasn't expecting a kiss. Nonetheless, she quickly reacted and kissed back.

For the first time since she got the news, her hair turned a light, pastel, shade of pink.

It could have been minutes or hours, she didn't know, but when they pulled apart, she broke down. When she had originally heard the news, she couldn't talk about it. She locked herself up, or simply listened. But now she finally did. And Harry was there. He listened to what she was saying, while holding Taylor in an embrace. Then, when she finished apologizing and ranting and delaying plans, he finally spoke.

It wasn't about how she had left. It wasn't about Ron. It wasn't about what had happened while they were gone. Instead, he recited what Taylor had told him after Sirius died. Every word. Taylor didn't know how to react until Harry did the thing that she needed. More than anything. He made her laugh. Not a smile. Not a chuckle. A real laugh. Something that she had nearly forgotten how to do but was so glad when she remembered.

"So, do you think we should stay out here to plan Bellatrix's death? Maybe if we stay out here long enough the sexual tension inside that tent will grow so much that Ron and Hermione will finally snog each other."

The sound of Taylor's laugh was like angels singing. He watched as Taylor's hair grew more vibrant and soon Harry was laughing along with her. Finally, after creating a mental list of every possible way for Bellatrix Bloody Lestrange to die and making a bet on whether Ron and Hermione would be snogging, they finally went back into the tent.

"Five Galleons, Harry."