⤷ 24| FIGHT AND FLIGHT

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chapter twenty-four : fight and flight

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chapter twenty-four : fight and flight

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Juniper had no idea what Hermione was planning, or even whether she had a plan. She and Harry walked half a pace behind her as they headed down the corridor outside Umbridge's office, knowing it would look very suspicious if they appeared not to know where they were going. June leaned heavy on Harry but noticed that with every moment that passed since the Cruciatus Curse hit her, she felt a little bit better. By the time they entered the grounds, she could walk by herself, though her muscles were still very sore.

The sun was falling towards the tops of the trees in the Forbidden Forrest now, and as Hermione marched purposefully across the grass — Umbridge jogging to keep up — their long dark shadows  rippled over the grass behind them like cloaks.

"It's hidden in Hagrid's hut, isn't it?" Umbridge said eagerly.

"Of course not," Hermione said scathingly. "Hagrid might have set it off accidentally."

"Yes," Umbridge said, whose excitement seemed to be mounting. "Yes, he would have done, of course, the great half-breed oaf."

She laughed. Juniper felt a strong urge to swing round and seized her by the throat, but resisted.

"Then . . . where is it?" Umbridge asked, with a hint of uncertainty in her voice as Hermione continued to stride towards the Forest.

"In there, of course," Hermione said, pointing into the dark trees. "It had to be somewhere that students weren't going to find it accidentally, didn't it?"

"Of course," Umbridge said, though she sounded a little apprehensive now. "Of course . . . very well, then . . . you three stay ahead of me."

"Can we have your wand, then, if we're going first?" Harry asked her.

"No, I don't think so, Mr Potter," Umbridge said sweetly, poking him in the back with it. "The Ministry places a rather higher value on my life than yours, I'm afraid."

As they reached the cool shade of the first trees, Juniper wondered once more where they were heading to, but Hermione didn't meet her eye and plunged straight into the trees, moving at such a pace that Umbridge, with her shorter legs, had difficulty in keeping up.

"Is it very far in?" Umbridge asked, as her robe ripped on a bramble.

"Oh yes," Hermione said, "yes, it's well hidden."

"Er — are you sure this is the right way?" Harry asked Hermione pointedly.

"Oh yes," she said in a steely voice, crashing through the undergrowth with what June thought was a wholly unnecessary amount of noise. Behind them, Umbridge tripped over a fallen sapling. No one paused to help her up again; Hermione merely strode on, calling loudly over her shoulder, "It's a bit further in!"

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