PART 2 - Escape

This is a very long story - about six pages on word - so make sure you have time to read it all!1

Harry had been to the Dursley’s and was back at his house. He was currently asleep. In his room, the dawn light streamed into the room, making the dust moats sparkle. Feu stirred from the place where she had been curled on the floor, watching. Four times she had evaded the magical eye of Mad-eye. Twice she had had to hide herself from the eyes of Mrs Weasly and Lupin as they had checked on the two boys she was protecting. It would be hard to keep them from spotting the portal though. It stretched out of the third reality unlike her. That was why she had waited till now. They were all asleep and the tiny measure of powder would keep them that way for another hour - providing no-one else entered the house.2

The spell was clean - completely undetectable once it ended. It had cost her people a moon to make and was very valuable. Still it would help with communicating to Hermione. Despite the young friends acceptance of her existence she doubted the adults would understand. Anyway, it was time to wake the friends up. Standing up with the grace of a cat she stepped over to the boys beds and shook them awake.3

“Feu! Is it time to talk to Hermione?” Harry whispered.4

“Yes and there is no need to whisper. The adults will not wake for an hour unless someone other than us enters the house.”5

“How on earth did you fix that Feu?” Quizzed Ron. “I wouldn’t have thought anyone could slip Moody anything.”6

“Mad-eye only went to sleep when he was sure that everyone else was. The powder I used has to be breathed in and only starts to affect anyone once they fall asleep. The variant I used is a mild version. It adds the entrance factor. If any one comes in they will need to be able to wake them up.”7

“O.K. So, can you call up the portal please? We need to talk to Hermione.”8

Feu did so and the shimmering white light blew up. It started as a ball, and then, as Feu concentrated, it flattened itself out and split, a hole appearing in the center, about the size of a normal window. Through it, Hermione was waiting.9

“How did you find it - was it difficult?”10

“No - Feu slipped them some sleeping powder or something. We’ll be safe for an hour or two at the most.”11

“O.K - well first I think we ought to talk about how to get away. It won’t be easy. For a start the grown-ups will want us to stay.”12

“Maybe Feu could give them some more of that sleeping stuff. We could sneak out while there snoring their heads off - we’ll be away before they know it!” suggested Ron.13

“Unfortunately Master Ron, the powder I gave has a localised affect. While one of the three of us is here it will hold for the time period that it has been applied to. The amount of powder required to get us away for more than ten minutes without us being there would be fatal.”14

“That idea’s out then we don’t want to kill them.”15

The group of them paused trying to figure out what they could do. It was Hermione, of course, who first suggested a way.16

“When you first met us you said that you could cloak us temporarily and that no-one would be able to see us. If you did that how long would you be able to cloak us for?”17

“It depends where you want to go. Some areas have a large content of what we call the friezing effect. It’s stuff that can limit the passage of third reality items to the fourth realm. When I cloak you I move the part of your bodies that can be seen into the fourth realm leaving your, spirit, I suppose you call it, to move in this one.”18

“That doesn’t sound very comfortable. We will definitely need to try it out before hand.”19

“So if that works the getting away part is sorted. What about where to go? I do want to see where my mum and dad lived but after that I’m not sure.”20

“A place to go won’t be a problem. My people are well adapted to creating hiding places that can not be spotted. Show me any spot on the map and I will get a place there within three or four hours - even underwater.”21

“Right that’s sorted then - so tell me about what’s happening with the order - I don’t want to miss anything out.”22

Harry and Ron started telling Hermione about what had been happening in the last two days. She wanted to know everything. After all, it is never good to be left in the dark by your best friends - even if there is a chance that your mail might be intercepted by the enemy.23

Two days later, Professor McGonagall and Tonks went to collect Hermione. She was ready and waiting on the doorstep. She had even managed to get Crookshanks into a basket. She had also placed as many protection charms as possible around her parent’s house. These included everything from anti-fire charms to Feu’s special barrier spell that prevented any wizard who did not have Hermione’s approval. In fact the only thing it didn’t cover was humans under the imperious curse. Her parents knew about the protections and had agreed to stay in the house as much as possible.24

“Got everything?” asked Tonks, “If you have we can be off now.”25

“Are we going to the Burrow or to Grimauld Place? It’s just I was wondering where we were going to meet. I wouldn’t want to go to the wrong place! Also, are we going to apparate from inside the house? I know the Deatheaters have been around a lot.”26

“We’re going to Grimauld place first so you can drop of your stuff and then we are going to the Burrow. Bill and Fleur are going to get married there and Mrs Weasly is going to make a wedding feast and yes we wioll appartate from in here.”27

Hermione accepted that and they stepped into the next room - ready to apparate. Carrying the trunk - Hermione and Tonks didn’t notice the Professor’s surprised expression. How did Hermione know about the Death Eater’s Activities? Maybe Moody was right and something was going on…28

When the three arrived at the Grimauld Place, Hermione spotted Feu sitting on one of the steps. Feu held up a finger to her lips and winked. Tonks went to sit on the stairs and Feu slipped out of the way. Neither of the adults acted like they could see her. Well, thought Hermione - that answers that question.29

“We can help you get your stuff sorted if you like - get it up to the room and everything. You see we’re running early and Mrs Weasly doesn’t want anyone to go to the Burrow while she gets Fleur ready and the feast.”30

“So where are they going to get married?”31

“There’s this nice little place that Charlie found when he was out on one of his trips. It’s in a village in Africa. The villagers there were having a problem and Charlie arranged to have the wedding there in exchange for helping them out. The villagers are going to get their priest to perform the ceremony and get everything sorted. We’re lucky we got such a good location!”32

“Right - so where is everyone else?”33

“They’re getting the material’s Mrs Weasly asks for, that is apart from Harry and Ron. They were getting some stuff together from Hogwarts. They should be back soon.”34

She had not spoken a moment too soon. Hermione heard a crack from up stairs as the boys apperated into their room. Saying an explanation to Tonks, she took her trunk up to her rooms and then continued up to the boy’s room next floor up.35

When she got there she saw Feu sitting on the Ron’s bed and talking to the two of them. When she came in, Ron and Harry shuffled up to make space for her. She couldn’t hear them at first, until Feu turned to her. She heard/felt a slight pop and then she could hear them.36

“I was just telling these two about a ceremony that my people have every ten years. All of our people have to attend and there are sometimes a few guests as well. I was going to ask if you would like to attend. Not just because it will mean that my people will recognize and help you; but because it is at that time that the spells that protect my people are woven at that point and if you are there - then some of the magic will come to you too - giving you some of my abilities.”37

“I think it will be a really good idea Hermione.” Enthused Ron, “I mean, you know what sort of things Feu can do and if we are going to fight You-know-who, we need all the help we can get! Plus it would be nice to have some extra help who actually do what you say without questioning it - wouldn’t it.”38

“Well, it does sound good. What sort of powers do we get?” mussed Hermione.39

“Some of the basic stuff that we can all do - increased power with your spells; ability to do magic without a wand; the portal trick; lots of stuff. The protection aspect is the most important thing though. It actually blocks killing curses like Avadra Kedavra, as well as stopping all of the basic stuff. Still, all that is nothing compared with the ability to create impenetrable shelters. There is other stuff as well but not everyone can do those - they’re limited to certain ability levels.”40

“Right that will be useful then, I vote we should go.” Said Harry.41

“Yeah, expelliarmus would never affect us again.” Agreed Ron.42

“Well I suppose so. When is it?”43

“Two days after Bill and Fleur’s wedding. That gives you time to enjoy the wedding and sort out any little developments that you think up.”44

“If we accept what would we have to do?” questioned Hermione.45

“You would have to do nothing - only be present. If you wished to take an active role in the spell that would be O.K; or if you wanted to just watch that to would be fine.”46

“Well, I don’t see any problems with it apart from how we are going to get out the house in the first place.”47

“I have been thinking about that too, Harry. I could stay and keep them asleep while you go through the portal and wait on the other side. I will close the portal and then join you. The magic will last until I’m gone and so they won’t wake up.” Suggested Feu.48

“That’s what we’ll do then. Feu - set the magic tomorrow night and come to us when they are asleep.”49

The guests were waiting for the bride. They stood in a room of sparkling gold - or so it seemed. The chamber was about the size of a Quiditch pitch and four or five floors high. There were about one hundred people in that room - each of them dressed in their finest.50

Among the guests, Professor McGonagall was talking to Mad-eye. She was telling him about Hermione’s knowledge of what was happening without her being there and the lack of questions that they were asked. She was now also convinced that they were up to something. She offered to go and ask the others to keep an eye on Harry and his friends. If they were going to do something then they should be ready to help or hinder depending what it was.51

It was the night of the escape and Feu was finding it hard to get everyone the powder. She had got it to everyone except Moody, Lupin and McGonagall - and these three were being stubborn.52

They were planning to stay up and keep watch. Mad-eye had taken to staring with his magic eye at the boys’ room - checking every five minutes that they were there. It was going to be difficult to get them the powder. Especially as they were discussing who was going to watch when.53

In the end, McGonagall would sleep first while Lupin and Mad-eye watched; then Lupin would swap with McGonagall; then Mad-eye with Lupin and round in a circle every twenty minutes. Feu decided to wait until it was Mad-eye’s turn to sleep - slip him the powder and then get McGonagall while Lupin was trying to wake Mad-eye; finishing with Lupin while he was looking for McGonagall. That way - it might work.54

Once they were asleep she woke the boys and Hermione. They got there stuff quietly and went to the portal that was shimmering pearly white in the darkness. Through it they could see a forest just approaching dawn. Stepping through, they carted their baggage into the forest and, with a smile, Harry signalled to Feu and she closed the portal. One minute later she was back with them. Leading them to the secret clearing, where her people were waiting, Feu began to explain about the different enchantments…55

Lupin woke first. With a muttered word, inaudible to the casual ear, he ran to the boy’s room and pulled open the door. It was empty - it looked as if no-one had ever slept there. With a curse, this time audible, he ran up-stairs to check on Hermione. Her bed too, was empty. With a sigh, he went to try to wake the others. They needed to find the kids quickly.56