Distance // Draco Malfoy

Chapter 72

As soon as the potion touches my lips, I am horrified by the contrast between the taste and the look. Just as Mad-Eye put it, it recalls a taste one could only presume was goblin piss. The feeling is one of which that I can barely describe at all - I feel morphed and stretched beyond all physical comprehension, and experience growing pains beyond any which I ever did experience as a child, growing up and constantly getting taller at a younger age - yet this level of growing pains is beyond any I did ever feel.

Before I know it, I am looking among six other Harrys, and I myself am supposed to look like one, is my presumption. I judge from the blurry vision that gives me the most horrific headache that I have indeed changed into my dear friend Harry, which sparks all kinds of cogitations when I seriously think about the fact that I look exactly like my best friend, yet I am not him himself, and am still Alyssia, yet I do not look like her. (A/N switched Fleur out for Alyssia.) Frowning, I look between everyone, and stifle laughter on a remark made by two of the Potters, who I assume to be Fred and George by the outfits, saying, 'Wow, we're identical!'
'Not yet you're not.' Mad-Eye remarks, lumbering to the middle of the room with a large bag, and tipping the contents onto the floor.

Inside this bag was the exact same items, which are now spread out over the floor; seven red tops, seven identical jackets, sets of jeans and shoes, and six pairs of glasses, for the original Harry has his own pair already on his face, presumably, as his eyesight is so appalling it is incomprehensible. Picking up each of the items, I look from Mad-Eye to the several Potters around the room, the majority of which are already changing. One other, however, like myself, is not, and I presume it to be Hermione, who is looking around bashfully, before the two of us reluctantly begin to undress and pull on our Harry outfit changes, me feeling mortified, as I'm sure the other girl must be, too.

After pulling on the correct outfit, I feel my comfort beginning to settle once again, and I turn to face Mad-Eye, who is chuckling as he looks between us all. Before I have time to fully register what is actually happening, we are being rushed outside, paired with Order members, and are all standing firmly on the gravel drive, looking up at the night sky above us, the darkness pressing in.

I take my place by Bill and look towards the jet black creature of a Thestral, and I look up at the white eyes (that are really rather scary in the dark, I mustn't lie), and take a deep breath. Bill holds out his hand, and kindly helps me to mount the horse-like creature, for which I am very grateful, as I think I would have struggled, rather like I did in fifth year. Hogwarts. Oh, how I will miss it so. Bill then seats himself in front of me, and I continue to watch as everyone takes their places, waiting for Mad-Eye's orders.

'On the count of three! One, two, three!' With that, the brooms begin to fly from the ground, followed by the Thestrals. We take off from the ground at a dramatic speed, flying high above the area of Surrey, lights speckling the city, before we are plunged into thick and dense clouds that hang low over the sky, immersed by the thud of thunder from hardly above, rather all around us. Being much further behind, we lose the others in the cloud, and are looking around curiously, whilst my eyes water furiously. And then, all of a sudden, I see a scene of pure horror in front of me.

Dark, masked figures swarming on brooms, so many that I am rendered unable to count the amount, all branching off and chasing in different directions, chasing the Potters and their guards. Plunged straight into the thick of it all, Bill hurriedly steers the Thestral as well as he can to get us out of harm's way, whilst I extract my wand, and begin throwing jinxes, curses and hexes in every possible direction, aiming at the billowing black cloaks. As I turn around, I catch a glimpse of something pass by us. 'Bill, watch out!' As the figure appears just beside us, I throw a stinging jinx, hit him directly in the face, causing him to fall from his broom, as Bill shouts a, 'Thanks!'

On we go. I do not see any other members of the Potter party, and continue to throw jinxes. And then, I catch sight of Mad-Eye beside us. He glances for one second, until I note something we both detect. A fine trail of black. Then, a snake-like face appears. A scream, Mundungus disappartes, and a flash of green light, and Mad-Eye falling far below. 'No!' I scream, extending my arm from instinct, but the body is out of sight already. 'Alyssia!' Bill shouts, and I note the Death Eaters, compose myself, and begin shouting more jinxes.

When I notice the lights fading below us, and hear a thud, I realise that Bill has landed us on a back road, and we are galloping along, a trail of Death Eaters behind us. As Bill also fires some hexes ( I cannot blame his inaccuracy, seeing as he is driving) and I continue to fire my jinxes and hex several Death Eaters, I note a trail of black smoke, faintly dancing around my line of fire, and notice a severe decrease in spells fired from the opposition. I watch carefully as the trail get closer, until it is fully opposite me.

The white, snake-like face of Voldemort looks into mine, his eyes glinting. I gasp loudly and tap Bill, hurriedly shouting, 'Go up, go up! It's him!' Understanding, Bill pulls us up into the air, as the face disappears, and we appear to be alone, with no surrounding Death Eaters. But as I look below us, I catch a broom. 'Swerve!' I shout, aiming a hex at the Death Eater, who falls from the broom. 'Good one. Is that it?'
'I think so.'
'Good. Let's get back on track, then.'

Only now after the adrenaline stops do I feel the effects of the Polyjuice potion waring off. Bill turns the Thestral around, and we soar high above the city for a while, before approaching the structure of the Burrow and hearing the boom around us as we pass through the barrier of protective enchantments. The Thestral lands gently, and Bill slides off to help me down, stroking the creature. 'Alyssia!' I hear Hermione shout, and look to see her running to me, Ron in her wake. I embrace her tightly, glad she is safe, and then Ron joins us. Harry pulls us all into him, clearly feeling gratified. 'She was amazing.' Bill smiles at me, and I can't help but grin back.
'Well done.' Hermione whispers, before we are forced to break apart by the arrival of Fred and Mr Weasley.

'Are we the last back?' The latter asks. The surrounding party glances around, exchanging looks, and Hermione whispers to me. 'George ran into a really nasty curse, his ear is in a mortifying state.'
'Where's George?' Is what I hear directly after this, and when no one replies, the two bodies hurry indoors, the rest of us following them into the warmth of the Burrow.

On the sofa lies a pale, greying George, blood surrounding the entirety of his ear, and running all down his neck, Mrs Weasley stroking his hair, and I feel my own face and stomach drop at the mere sight of him like that - I am very fond of George, after all. Fred drops down by his mother's side, saying in solemnity, 'How're you feeling, Georgie?'
'Saint-like.'
'Come again?'
'Saint-like. I'm holy. Get it Fred, "holy"?' George points to his ear, me suppressing laughter. How he has just lost his ear and still has his usual witticisms about him I do not know. I look at Bill, who nods.

'Mad-Eye's dead.' The room falls silent, all looking sombre. I did not have time to truly grieve the idea during the fighting, there wasn't time, but now it really sinks in, saddening my heart, as the whole room becomes dense with sadness. It shows it could happen to anyone, even the most elite person. We just lost our best warrior, our best and most agile person, with so much experience. And the impact will be and already is very, very heavy.