Life of a Black (Sequel to Life of a Malfoy)

Escape

"Food, in case you need it." She put it in my backpack. "I-I know you're not stupid, but don't go anywhere dangerous-"

"Hermione, I'm not-"

"Yes, I only wanted to remind you. You know who you can trust, and you know who we trust." She wrapped her arms around me and buried her face into my shoulder. "I can't believe you're actually leaving." 

Just after she let me go, I noticed Ron leaned up against the wall in the hallway. 

"If you need any help at all, go to Bill and Fleur's. They told us where they would live after the wedding, and I'm sure it's safe by now. It's a shell cottage, on the outskirts of Tinworth," Ron said. 

"Thank you." 

"Where's Harry?" Hermione asked Ron softly. I didn't want him to see me off, and Ron could probably tell my the look on my face. 

"In the kitchen, but I don't think he's coming out." Good. 

"Well, see you then," I said to the both of them, and Hermione burst into tears. 

"Oh you just can't leave!" she said, sobbing. Her arms latched around me again, and I winced as her arms constricted my breathing. "You can't leave us again, please stay!" 

"Hermione." I coaxed her off of me, and put my hands on her shoulders. I made her look at me, and then smiled sadly. "I can't stay here, alright? It isn't you, you haven't done anything. I wish I could stay, but I can't." 

"But-"

"It isn't your fault, 'Mione." I gave her one last hug, and squeezed her tight.

"But it's mine, isn't it?" Harry asked from the hallway. I let go of Hermoine, and turned around. She placed her hand on my arm protectively, 

"Yeah, it is," I answered, and looked away from him. 

Goodbye," I told Ron and Hermione, and then gave one final glance at Harry. His face was emotionless, unreadable, and I opened the front door to Number 12, Grimmauld place. 

"See you," said Ron, and put an arm around Hermione as she cried. I cast the disillusionment charm over myself and prayed it would work right, and I was gone with a crack as soon as both of my feet hit the front step

As I apparated into the small alley, the stillness of the air caught me off guard. Why was everything so quiet? I waited a few seconds before I began to walk, and listened for any noises. 

I turned the corner and walked into a bigger alley. Grey tones littered the shops on the sides, and a few wizards were lingering in front of Gringott's. 

So this was what happened to Diagon Alley.

All those days with the lit shops and people bustling about led to this. 

I briskly made my way across the alley without causing any noise, and the wizards didn't notice me. When I came up to the shop entrance, I watched for onlookers, and then slipped in the front doors. No one would be in here, and it would be the perfect spot to hide. 

There was dim lighting from the setting sun, and it was almost cleared out of all of the products. My disillusionment charm fell, and I began casting spells on the door to keep people out.

"Who's there?" A voice yelled. I gasped quickly, but before I could recast the disillusionment charm, red hair poked out from the behind the wall.

"Lexa?"

"George?!" 

"What are you doing here?" 

"What are you doing here? I thought you and Fred closed this place down?" 

To my knowledge, Weasley's Wizarding Wheezes had been closed since the summer. I didn't have any idea what George was doing in the back room, especially because almost everything was cleared out.

"I'm just grabbing a few things - hey! Where are Harry and Ron and Hermione?" He walked over to me, and I contemplated for a few seconds before deciding that the more people knew, the more danger came to them.

"I'm not sure; we split up."

"Oh," he said, his mouth pulling into a frown. "What are they doing? We figured something would have happened by now."

"I know what they have planned," I said, lowering my voice. He raised his eyebrows, so I took a deep breath before answering. "They're breaking in to the Ministry."

"Blimey! When?" 

"Tomorrow." 

"What for?"

"I don't know, I never stuck around to find out what they want," I lied, and crossed my arms over my stomach. 

"Why did you leave them?"

"We just decided to split." 

"So what're you doing here?"

"I-I..." My words trailed off, and so did my eyes. What was I doing here? "I didn't know where to go." 

He shook his head. 

"It's not safe here. I'm surprised the ministry hasn't turned this place over," he said, and held up his bag. "I've got everything we need, though."

I smiled sadly, and then lowered my eyes. Where would I stay?

"D'you need anything? Food, any gadgets?" He wiggled his eyebrows, and smirked a little.

"No," I said, and sighed a little. Then, a thought occurred to me. Could I? "An owl, maybe?"

"Yeah, we have one in the back," he said, and disappeared around the corner. No more than a minute later he returned with a light brown owl on his hand. He passed the owl to me, and the owl nipped my ear affectionately. 

"Her name's Chirp," George told me, and smiled. He whistled, and the owl tweeted back. I smiled. "Use her for whatever you need."

"Thank you. You wouldn't happen to have some ink and parchment, would you?" I felt guilty, asking Geroge for all of these things.

"I do, in the back room. Here, come back with me and you can just grab it." I followed him into the back room and over to the desk where some scattered papers and several bottles of ink laid out, and he shuffled a few of the papers until he found a c;ear one. 

"There you go. I still have a few things to grab, but I'll just be out there for a bit."

I grabbed the ink, and hesitated writing until I was sure he left the room.

I need your help. It's important.

Meet me at 1 o'clock am in the SS.

DD

After finishing the letter, I hastily scribbled the name on the front, whispered directions to the owl, walked through the main room of the shop, and cracked the door open for it to fly away. 

The bird flew higher and higher into the sky until it was a speck in the horizon.

_____________

who is the letter to????

love you guys ♥

vote & comment okay?

♥ becca