SALEM ᵈ ᵐᵃˡᶠᵒʸ

xvii. Welcome Home

BEING back in Hogsmeade was a long awaited present finally being opened at last.

It had never occurred to me that I'd be taking my previous visits for granted, always thinking that the village was just a walk away and I'd always be able to visit anytime. But after everything that happened, I allowed myself to actually feel good when I basked in the warm familiarly of the little shops and the winding cobblestone road. And — Merlin — the Three Broomsticks too.

A screech reverberated through the air as soon as our feet touched the ground, luckily sounding after I took a proper sweep of the village; a bittersweet moment, since I can't be too comfortable here anymore.

Despite being under the Invisibility Cloak, I tensed and held onto the fabric as a dozen hooded Death Eaters burst from the Three Broomsticks with wands at the ready.

"Accio Cloak!" one of them roared, albeit unsuccessfully; it had not been summoned to them.

"Not under your wrapper, then, Potter? Lovett? Spread out, they're here," he yelled out. I clamped a hand on my mouth to muffle the giggle, the others casting incredulous looks in my direction.

Under your wrapper, I funnily thought to myself.

That amusement was quick to fade however, as the six of them hurried towards our direction. We shuffled backwards into a side street, steering away from their path as they let their spells bounce off down the street.

"Let's just leave!" Hermione hissed. "Disapparate now!"

"Good idea—"

"We know you're here, Potter, Lovett!" one Death Eater interrupted Ron. "There's no getting away! We'll find you!"

"They were ready for us," Harry realized with a whisper. "They set up that spell to tell them we'd come. I reckon they've done something to keep us here, trap us—"

"What about Dementors?" yelled another Death Eater. "Let 'em have free rein, they'd find them quick enough."

"Are you fucking kidding me?" I muttered.

"The Dark Lord wants Potter dead by no hand but his—"

"—an' Dementors won't kill him! The Dark Lord wants Potter's life, not his soul. He'll be easier to kill if he's been kissed first!"

Some of them made grunts of approval, until one of them cried out, "You're forgetting that Lovett girl, you shite! You even touch a hair on that lass's head an' the Dark Lord will blow you up—"

"We're going to have to try to Disapparate!" Hermione told us urgently.

But it was already too late. A different type of cold settled around us like another blanket, instantly draining any energy we saved and pushed our shoulders to sag down. The four of us started to walk deeper down the side street, feeling our way using the walls as we rounded the corner — and saw the Dementors gliding in. 

Harry was quick to raise his wand. "Expecto Patronum!"

A silver stag burst from his wand, the Dementors scuttling away as it floated through them, breaking their formation as they disappeared round the corner just as a victorious yell echoed the streets.

"It's him, down there, down there, I saw his Patronus, it was a stag!"

The footsteps sounded much, much closer now, on either side of the alleyway leaving us cornered in both directions.

Panic crawled it's way to my chest, and I turned to Harry to urge him to Disapparate before we were found, but the words died in my mouth as a rough voice spoke out, "Potter, Lovett, in here, quick!"