The Last Black (Hermione Granger x Male Reader) Vol.2

CHAPTER SIX: The Rescue Mission

The afternoon had dragged. I was sat in an Order meeting whilst everyone in The Order discussed our plan to retrieve Harry from his Aunt and Uncle's. It was going to be the first mission I was allowed on, since it was relatively low risk. "Why don't we just drive to Surrey and pick him up?" Mum asked.

"Too slow," Moody grumbled.

"Not enough back up can fit in that muggle contraption either," Sirius interjected, "we're going to need at least ten escorts."

"Harry's a good flyer, why don't we just fly?" I suggested. It was the first time I'd ever talked aloud in one of the meetings.

"And how do you propose we stop muggles from seeing us?" Moody challenged.

"Well, we apparate there to reduce the risk of being seen by half," I explained, "and then on the way back we just fly above the clouds."

"Will there be clouds tonight?" Lupin asked curiously, and I nodded my head in his direction. I'd already consulted the orb.

"Someone could even place a disillusionment charm on Potter for extra precaution," I added. Mad-Eye nodded his head in thought, whilst Emmeline Vance took a note of my proposed plan.

It was decided we'd follow my plan, although Moody made the rest of the arrangements such as our flying formation.

Emmeline, Dora and I would fly above Kingsley Shacklebolt, Mad-Eye and Harry whilst Hestia Jones and Sturgis Podmore would take Harry's sides. Remus and Elphius Dodge would fly the closest to the ground. This formation meant that Harry Potter would be protected from all sides. Mum wanted to volunteer too, but she really hated flying, she always said that her ears popped, and the height made her wobble. Sirius also wanted to come, but his suggestion was quickly shot down by Moody.

Come six o'clock it was beginning to get dark, Autumn was coming now and that meant shorter days and longer nights. This worked in our favour however, since it meant we would be more concealed. Hermione and Ginny peered down through the spindles in the stair railings whilst I followed the other Order members out of the meeting room and towards the front door. I didn't look back though. Hermione and I had agreed to be friends, but it was too painful at the moment.

Charlie had gone back to work in Romania, but we still wrote to each other quite often. I'd grown rather fond of Ron Weasley and the twins; they were always joking around, which was quite uplifting. I was even spending quite a bit of time with Ginny since she was more than willing to ask for help with her summer homework.

I was quite settled into Grimmauld Place now I was actually seeing and speaking to people. Hermione and I never talked though; I think she was having a rough time since our mutual decision to just be friends.

Once we had all exited the house, and it had hidden itself within the terrace, we made our way into the trees in the park, ready to apparate. "You sure you're going to be alright Black?" Hestia Jones asked me caringly. I had my broomstick in one hand and had my other deep in the pocket of my jeans.

"I'll be fine," I smiled down at her, before pulling out my hand from my jeans pocket and taking hold of her arm, letting her apparate us out of the park.

The ten of us landed on a very dimly lit suburban street outside of London. 'Privet Drive', read the closest street sign. "We're here," Mad-Eye huffed, "come on!" We all followed him to the house numbered '4' and casually walked in upon noticing that there were no lights on.

"Maybe he's not here," I whispered quietly, following Moody and Dora into the pristine little house, but nobody responded.

"Very clean these muggles," Dora commented as we reached the top of the stairs and crowded around the only closed door.