Aevumiter

5: Train

The following morning was familiarly hectic.

As Harry was putting on his shoes Hermione came into the room. She had Hedwig on her shoulder, and Crookshanks in her arms. "Mum and Dad just sent Hedwig back." The owl fluttered over to perch on her cage. "Are you ready yet?"

"Nearly."

"Mad eye's complaining that we can't leave until Sturgis Podmore's here, otherwise the guard will be one short."

"Guard? Oh." Harry said. "I'll... Go talk to them."

"Do you think you can change Mad eye's mind?" Hermione asked.

"I'll try." Harry said, and set off down the stairs.

Mrs. Weasley was calling out to him. 

"Hold on!" Harry returned as he climbed over the trunks blocking the way. His animagus form would be useful right about now, Harry thought grumpily.

Mrs. Black's screeches made it hard to hear each other.

"I need to say something!" Harry shouted.

"Make it quick, boy!" Moody said from somewhere else.

"The guard is stupid!" Harry said before he could help himself. 

"You aren't going without so suck it up." Moody grumbled.

"I don't- I have a better idea," Harry said. "Tonks aced her disguise training, right? So what if we illusioned me to look different, and had Tonks pretend to be a relative escorting me?"

The members of the Order in the house stopped what they were doing to look at Harry.

"If Voldemort's going to attack me, they'll be looking for Harry Potter, not a random student." Harry said. "If I'm surrounded by a guard I'll only be that much more noticeable. If I look like an ordinary student, I'll slip right past without anyone being the wiser."

"They can't attack me if they can't find me." Harry added.

"I like it." Remus spoke first.

"So do I." Sirius said.

"We need to go now or we'll miss the train." Molly said. "Decide fast. I think Harry's plan will do."

"Fine." Moody relented, then waved Tonks and Harry over to a mirror, where they quickly worked out the two's new faces. 

Tonks was a woman with curly blonde hair, warm brown eyes, bushy eyebrows, and a long nose. Harry had inherited the hair, eyes, and nose, though his brows were rather thin, and he sported a cleft chin. The resemblance was plain, but not glaringly obvious that they were made to look similar.

"Alright, let's get a move on." Moody growled.

Harry managed to give Sirius a tight hug before he left. 

They'd even disguised Hedwig. For the journey she looked like a barn owl. It was a bit unsettling for Harry, if he was honest. But she completed the ensemble. 

Tonks and Harry didn't catch any second glances. They even had a bit of fun doing some acting along the way. Tonks was playing the part of worried 'did you forget so-and-so?' mother, and Harry was the reluctant child, 'No, Mum, I got it.'

"We grabbed Cinnamon's food, didn't we?" Tonks asked, looking at Hedwig.

"She gets her own food, or the owlery feeds her." Harry said. "I don't think they'd like us bringing sacks of mice on the train."

"Yes, yes, you're right." Tonks nodded. "That would smell an awful mess, wouldn't it?"

Harry made a disgusted noise. "I don't even want to think about it."