Harry and Amelia Potter

7.6

A horn blares as we land in the middle of a street. A double decker bus careens within inches of the four of us as we stumble to the side of the street, the streets teeming with drunken pub crawlers.

"Where are we?" Ron asks.

"Shaftesbury Avenue." Hermione answers. "I used to come here to the theater with my mum and dad. Just popped into my head. I don't know why..."

We hurry on, glancing over our shoulders at the dark shapes that move within the crowd behind us. Strangers bumping by, faces passing in a paranoiac blur. I notice a drunken man and a cackling woman with blood-red lipstick.

"This way!" Hermione tells us. As we take refuge in the shadows, Hermione begins to rummage through her tiny beaded bag. "We need to change."

Ron and Harry look at each other's dress robes. From the purse, Hermione extracts, in quick succession, two pairs of jeans, T-shirts, and a pair of light overcoats.

"How the ruddy..." Ron trails off with wide eyes.

"Undetectable Extension Charm." She states plainly.

"You're amazing, you are."

"Always the tone of surprise." As she gives the bag a shake, there is loud echoing of heavy objects, as if something has fallen.

"Oh no! Not the books." I sigh.

We get changed out of our fancy dress, and make our way to an all-night cafe. The four of us slide into a booth.

"Do you reckon everyone's alright at the wedding?" Harry asks. "Maybe we should-" I cut him off.

"They were after us, Harry. We'd just put everyone in danger going back."

"Mia's right." Then she looks behind us. "Cappuccino, please."

A gum-chewing waitress stands behind Harry. Ron, clueless when it comes to cappuccinos, nods to Hermione.

"What she said."

"Us, too." I tell her, gesturing to my brother and I.

"So where do we go from here? The Leaky Cauldron?" Ron asks.

"Too dangerous. If Voldemort's taken over the Ministry, none of the old places are safe." I say and Hermione nods in agreement.

The front door squeals and two workmen enter, glance idly at the us and step to the counter.

"My rucksack. With all my things. I left it back at the Burrow..." Harry trails off. Hermione and I shake our heads. Harry eyes the beaded purse. "You're joking."

"We had the essentials packed for days. Just in case." Hermione tells him.

"By the way, these jeans? Not my favorite. Bit tight." Ron states.

Hermione gives him a withering glance. Harry and I can't help but smile. Then my eyes shift to the small security mirror near the ceiling, and I see the two workmen turning.

"Get down!" I shout, pushing Harry to the floor. Ron does the same with Hermione.

The tile explodes on the wall where Ron's head had been only seconds before. A rope of green light singes Hermione's hair.

"Stupefy!" Harry sends a jet of red light out of his wand and the biggest Death Eater straight in the face and he crumples instantly.

"Expulsio!" The other Death Eater casts, I duck and the table behind me explodes and the spell ricochets, shattering the security mirror, sending shards raining everywhere, including one that laces Hermione's cheek, then striking the cappuccino machine, which sprays hot liquid all over the Death Eater.

He bellows in pain and Hermione and Ron hit him with twin stunning spells. As he spasms on the ground, I add another for good measure.

"Petrificus Totalus!" I cast. He goes still. The Waitress steps from the backroom, seeing the four of us, and our wands. Her gum bubble pops. "Go."

"Lock the door, get the lights." Harry instructs.

I throw the bolt. Ron clicks the Deluminator, pitching the cafe into shadow. Harry and I eye the unconscious Death Eater.

"This one's name is Rowle." I point to him.

"He was on the Astronomy Tower the night Snape killed Dumbledore." Harry says and I nod.

"This is Dolohov. I recognize him from the wanted posters." Ron rolls him over with his foot. Dolohov's eyes shift in fear from Harry to Hermione, then me, then back to Ron. "So what do we do with you, huh? Kill us if it was turned round, wouldn't you?" Ron's face is hard. Hermione eyes him uneasily. He notices. "Suppose it's him that did Mad-Eye. How would you feel then?"

Hermione looks at Dolohov. The moment hangs, then I speak up. "It's better we wipe their memories. We kill them, they'll know we were here."

"You're the boss." Ron says, turning to Hermione. "Hermione?" She turns, looks at him. He reaches out, wipes a trickle of blood from her cheek. "You're the best with spells."

"Well, I wouldn't say the best, per say..." I joke, trying to lighten the mood, but Harry just nudges me.

Shakily, she points her wand at Dolohov. Her arm trembles. "Obliviate."

The boys step out, Hermione stays behind, a look of fear plastered on her face. I place my hand on her shoulder. She shivers at my touch.

"Hey..." I say. "You okay?"

"I just, didn't expect this." She states. "Not so soon anyway."

"Hermione, it's okay. We'll protect each other."

"It's not that, Mia." She says, turning to me. "I thought I was ready. The bag was packed, I read up on everything...."

"Nothing could have prepared you for this." I tell her and I grab her hand and we walk out towards the boys.

We all move quickly, glancing about, paranoid.

"How is it they knew we were there?" Harry asks.

"Maybe you two still have the Trace on you." Hermione suggests.

"Can't be. The Trace breaks at seventeen. It's Wizarding law." Ron informs her. I scoff.

"When has the Ministry ever obeyed their own laws?"

Hermione stops. Harry, Ron, and I turn, looking back.

"What?" Ron questions.

"We didn't celebrate your birthdays, Harry and Mia." She says with a frown. "Ginny and I, we'd prepared a cake. We were going to bring it out at the end of the wedding..."

I smile at her. "Hermione. I appreciate the thought, honestly..."

"But given that we were almost killed by a couple of Death Eaters a few minutes ago..." Harry continues for me and I nod.

"Right. Perspective." She shakes it off.

"We've got to get off the streets, get somewhere safe." Ron tells us.

I look to Harry. "I have an idea."