ESTRANGED • The Final Installment

Fifteen

I squeezed his hand and looked back out to the horizon. How could I marry someone I wasn't going to remember?

...

I braided Hermione's hair before we left and she offered to do mine because of my shoulder but I didn't want it tied back too much, my head still hurt. I settled for it to be half up and Hermione obliged.

The moon rose high into the sky and that was our cue. Harry, Ron, Hermione and I stood hand in hand, clutching each other, but nobody did anything.

"Are we ready?" Harry asked softly.

"No." The rest of us answered easily.

I squeezed my eyes shut and let Harry take us to Hogsmead. The minute we arrived, a terrible screeching erupted.

Another alarm.

Men from the houses around began to hollar and Harry broke into a run. We followed quickly, ducking behind a table in a cabana of a nearby restaurant. The alarm stopped and we each froze.

"That didn't go as planned." I whispered. "How do we get to Honeydukes?"

Nobody responded and my brain was blank. Footsteps drew closer and I knew we were trapped.

Clothes from the other tables were being ripped off and I clasped my hand over my mouth to quiet my breathing. My heart beat faster and I closed my eyes, praying we wouldn't be found out this way.

The screeching alarm started again and the footsteps pounded as they retreated away.

"Potter!" A wizard screamed.

We all looked at Harry but he didn't look at us. He had his own personalized alarm. How sweet.

Harry got up once the voices were gone and led us through the alleys back towards the center of Hogsmead. We passed a few back doors before coming to the entrance of the small village but the gate was closed. Hermione went right to it and I followed, checking the lock.

It would have to be magically unlocked by someone that wasn't us.

The voice got louder again and none of us spoke a word.

A door opened suddenly and a dark figure stood in its wake. "In here, Potter." He whispered harshly.

Harry didn't hesitate. He jogged over and walked through the door but slowed down as he looked at the figure. Hermione went next and Ron gently pushed me to go after her. The dark figure came into light when I stepped into the doorway and I stopped short when I recognized him too much. My chest tightened as I continued down the stairs and into a small dining room that doubled as a kitchen.

The walls surrounding us were stone and there was a small window above the table. Lanterns lit up the cold room and a large portrait of a young girl sat on the wall just off to my right. Would have been a lot homier with a blanket strewn literally anywhere.

I leaned against the wall, my knees suddenly weak as the man's face ran through my mind over and over.

"Did you get a look at him?" Ron exclaimed quietly. "For a second I thought it was..."

"I know. Dumbledore." Hermione finished for him.

Harry put his hand on my good shoulder and I jumped, catching his eye.

"Harry." I whispered.

"I know." He nodded.

That night in the Astronomy Tower started to replay behind my eyes and I squeezed them shut, willing the scene to go away. It only made it worse. I opened them and gently pushed Harry's hand off my shoulder.