𝙻𝚒𝚟𝚎𝚜 𝙸𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚝𝚠𝚒𝚗𝚎𝚍 II SS/HG ✔️

Scrapes

On January first, Hermione, Harry and Ron huddled in the foyer of Grimmauld Place. Walburga Black's portrait was screaming at them, enraged that no noise came out of her painted mouth. This was the first time the three of them had been alone in a room together. Bill, in particular, kept a close eye on them and even asked Harry if Dumbledore had given them some sort of 'stupidly dangerous mission.'

Harry had kept mum. Bill did not press the issue but to hover when he wasn't at work.

"Did Dumbledore give you guys presents, too?" Ron asked. He double checked the finnicky latch of his suitcase.

"The Snitch. The first one I caught."

"In your mouth?" Ron snickered. He zipped up his puffy coat.

"It still counted as a win." Harry wrapped his Gryffindor scarf around his neck.

Hermione buttoned up her coat as she said, "He gave me a book."

"Big surprise," Harry said.

"Of wizard fairytales."

"A bit below your reading level," Ron said, confused. "He gave me a Deluminator. Watch."

He flicked open a silver lighter. As he clicked it, the two lights in the hallway popped from their sconces and floated into the Deluminator. The hallway was dark but for the Deluminator's glow.

"Isn't that wicked? But I'm not sure what I'll need it for." He clicked it again. The lights returned to their proper places.

"Very strange," Hermione admitted. She pulled on her knit hat.

Ginny and her parents walked down from Ginny's bedroom, her satchel slung over Arthur's shoulder. Molly looked a nervous wreck. She smoothed Ginny's hair before tucking a hat over Ginny's ears so snugly Ginny grimaced.

Arthur said, "Kingsley and Podmore are on the train. Moody and a few others are monitoring the trail and the gate."

"You two stick together," Molly said. She pulled Ron and Ginny's arms and tangled them up so they'd get the hint to Apparate together.

"We will," Ron promised.

Arthur put his hand on Hermione's shoulder. "Be careful. Tonks did some...investigating. There are groups that plan on preventing some students from even reaching the gate."

"What do you mean?"

The pitying look on his face meant only one thing.

"To take them to Umbridge's-nonsense."

Hermione shivered. "Groups?"

"Snatchers," he said. "They grab people for Umbridge or You-Know-Who for money."

Molly checked her watch. "Okay. It's time. You have two minutes before you can Apparate there."

Severus had some less than generous words about the plan when he heard all students had to sign up for a time to Apparate to the gate. Obviously no one wanted to get Splinched-but the list could fall into the wrong hands.

Molly and Arthur cast the Disillusionment Charm over them. The cold sensation down Hermione's neck didn't help her tremors.

The students squeezed through the door to the stoop.

Someone-or several someones-watched them. Invisible.

Hermione ignored the tingle of unseen eyes to focus on the metal and stone gate. She heard one pop.

Hermione spun away and landed in the fresh snow before Hogwarts.

Moody's blue eye counted the four of them, once Ron and Ginny arrived. Ginny removed the Disillusionment from all of them.