mirrorball

chapter eleven

"Yes, I- I did everything. No one should be able to hear us," she whispered back.

Heavy scuffling and scraping noises, plus the sound of dislodged stones and twigs told them that several people were clambering down the steep, wooded slope that descended to the narrow bank where they had pitched the tent. They drew their wands, waiting.The enchantments they had cast around themselves ought to be sufficient, ion the near total darkness, to shield them from the notice of Muggles and normal witches and wizards. If these wereDeath Eaters, then perhaps their defenses were about to be tested by Dark Magic for the first time. 

The voices became louder but no more intelligible as the group of men reached the bank. Harry estimated that their owners were fewer than twenty feet away, but the cascading river made it impossible to tell for sure. Hermione snatched up the beaded bag and started to rummage; after a moment she drew out three Extendable Ears and threw one each to Harry and Ron, who hastily inserted the ends of the flesh-colored strings into their ears and fed the other ends out of the tent entrance.Within second Harry heard a weary male voice. "There ought to be a few salmon in here, or d'you reckon it's too early in the season? Accio Salmon!"

"Here, Griphook, Gornuk." 

Goblins! Hermione mouthed at Harry, who nodded. 

"Thank you," said the goblins together in English."So, you three been on the run how long?" asked a new, mellow, and pleasant voice.

 "Six weeks . . . seven . . . I forget," said the tired man. "Met up with Griphook in the first couple of days and joined forces with Gornuk not long after. Nice to have a bit of company." There was a pause, while knives scraped plates and tin mugs were picked up and replaced on the ground. "What made you leave, Ted?" continued the man. 

"Knew they were coming for me," replied mellow-voiced Ted. "Heard Death Eaters were in the area last week and decided I'd better run for it. Refused to register as a Muggle-born on principle, see, so I knew it was a matter of time, knew I'd have to leave in the end. My wife should be okay, she's pure-blood. And then I meet Dean when, what, a few days ago, son?" 

"Yeah," said another voice, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione stared at each other, silent but beside themselves with excitement, sure they recognized the voice of Dean Thomas, their fellow Gryffindor. Clara put a hand over her mouth to try and silence her breathing even though she was certain the group couldn't hear her.

"Muggle-born, eh?" asked the first man. 

"Not sure," said Dean. "My dad left my mum when I was a kid. I've got no proof he was a wizard, though."There was silence for a while, except for the sounds of munching; then Ted spoke again. "I've got to say, Dirk, I'm surprised to run into you. Pleased, but surprised. Word was you'd been caught." 

"I was," said Dirk. "I was halfway to Azkaban when I made a break for it. Stunned Dawlish, and nicked his broom. It was easier than you'd think; I don't think he's quite agile at the moment. Might be Confunded. If so, I'd like to shake the hand of the witch or wizard who did it, probably saved my life." 

There was another pause in which the fire crackled and the river rushed on. Then Ted said, "And where do you two fit in? I, er, had the impression the goblins were for You-Know-Who, on the whole." 

"You had a false impression," said the higher voiced of the goblins. "We take no sides. This is a wizards' war." 

"How come you're in hiding, then?"

 "I deemed it prudent," said the deeper-voiced goblin. "Having refused what I considered an impertinent request, I could see that my personal safety was in jeopardy."

Clara felt her heart beating fast. How could she have thought that they would be the only people on the run? Of course, there was probably hundreds of students who hadn't returned to Hogwarts. Not to mention many families who were no doubt hiding from the horrors that Voldemort could make in a moment's notice. Clara shook her head from these thoughts and focused in on the conversation again.