Muggle | 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑑 𝑊𝑒𝑎𝑠𝑙𝑒𝑦

Chapter 154

The moment Moody gave us the signal, everyone shot through the air, whether it was by brooms, thestrals, or Hagrid's bike.

Moody caught my eye for a split second as we raised to the sky, giving me a nod before flying away along with Mundugus behind him.

Knowing what expected us ahead was scary, but to think of Moody or George was like torture. Although as I held on tight to Sirius for dear life, trying not to look down as we went higher, I came by a horrifying realization.

I knew that Sirius's future was unknown to me, but for the first time I came to realize that my fate was just as a mystery. My heart gave a sinking feeling as for the first I thought about death.

Dumbledore had told me that if I didn't leave on September first 2007 — the day I had traveled back to the past from my own timeline — I would cease to exist.

But what if I died here?

But just then, my thoughts were cut through when we heard a loud scream from the darkness of the night above us, and then a jet of light followed.

"What the —" Sirius muttered under his breath in shock as he quickly drew out his wand with one hand as the other held on tight to the broom, leaning forward.

Don't look down, don't look down, I kept telling myself as I let one hand go from Sirius's side to take out my own wand.

I knew Voldemort would first target the most powerful Aurors, meaning Moody and then Kingsley. But being Harry's Godfather, Sirius was going to be next and at the thought I found myself forgetting all about the height as we lost ourselves beneath the mass of clouds.

"LOOK OUT!" I shrieked the moment I saw a masked Death Eater spring toward us, his wand raised.

In a flash of a light, he sent a curse at us but Sirius ducked and shot the broomstick downward in a quick motion that I couldn't help but let out a sudden yelp. Uncontrollably, I clutched onto Sirius's sides and closed my eyes shut tightly.

"IT'S NOT HIM!" I heard someone yell overhead, but when I opened my eyes, I saw that the Death Eater was gone.

"What happened!?" I yelled through the loud sound of the harsh wind as we flew by.

"Pretty sure they knew Harry wasn't scared of flying," Sirius answered shortly, looking around him, alarmed.

"I-I'm sorry —"

"What are you apologizing for? You just saved us by a simple scream," said Sirius, turning to glance at me from over his shoulder with a grin.

"NO!" I shrieked as I spotted another Death Eater, flying toward us. So I raised my wand, yelling, "STUPEFY!"

The Death Eater was knocked off his broom, but before my spell had hit, he had sent a curse at Sirius, hitting him.

"UGH!" Sirius groaned in pain as his wand blasted in his palm, his hand starting to bleed furiously.

"I-it's okay! I've got this!" I said loudly, trying to keep my voice from cracking as I looked around worriedly, my wand out and held in my trembling hand. "Just — just keep going!"

"No — we have to stay and help the others!" Sirius said with a grimace of pain, striving forward where a duel was taking place.

"Sirius, you just lost your wand and you're hurt! It was Mad-Eyes orders to get straight to our safe houses!" But he wasn't even listening. So in a moment of desperateness, I yelled, "Harry will be fine, and so will Tonks and Lupin! But if you meddle, something might happen to you!"

Sirius looked like he was about to protest, but then the next moment, he finally turned the broom around with his other hand and dived down with top speed, getting us away from the battle above.

Even though he was riding the broom with only his left hand, he was still leading the way effortlessly, dodging the curses sent at us as I tried to hex them back.

My heart was throbbing so loudly against my chest that I could feel it as I breathed heavily. I didn't even realize how long it took us, but we finally passed the protection charms around our safe house and Sirius landed the broom on the green grass.

"It's okay — we're safe now," he said, panting as we got off the broom, holding his hurt hand as he tried to ignore the pain.

"Let's — Let's get you inside. Quickly," I said, starting to walk toward the entrance door.

Looking up, I saw that it was an enormous house, realizing that I'd never asked Sirius where this place was.

He just quickly got inside and dropped himself down on the couch, wincing in pain.

"I don't know any healing spells," I said helplessly, "but I know how to wrap a bandage in the Muggle way."

"No... no need," he mumbled, shaking his head as I watched him anxiously. "Our Portkey will be leaving in a few minutes for the Burrow. We can heal my hand then. Are you all right?"

"Yeah, I'm fine." I nodded. "So where's the Portkey?"

"It's that kettle on the ground," Sirius answered, gesturing at a black kettle that laid a few feet away from us.

"So — Harry... will he be all right?" He asked, looking up at me. "And Remus and Tonks? How about the Weasleys?"

I saw the look of worry in his eyes and couldn't hold myself back. "They'll — they'll live," I answered shortly, trying to leave Moody out of it.

But there was something I had done last night... something I had promised Dumbledore I wouldn't do. And now I could only hope for the best.

"So... what is this place?" I asked, looking around the hall which was quiet and dusty, yet looked as if it had once been magnificent with the chandeliers hanging from the high ceiling.

Sirius smiled to himself. "This was James's childhood home."

"R-really?" I blinked at him, feeling a rush of excitement within me.

Sirius opened his mouth to respond, but he was cut short when a woman's voice startled us from behind as she gasped.

"Oh, thank goodness you're all right!"