Disclaimer: HP belongs to JKR. 'Nuff said.
As far as school days went, it was a relatively good one so far.
He hadn't gotten beaten up. That was one major improvement to yesterday and the day before.
They had had Ms. Wolff in their last lesson before they went outside for break. That was good.
Ms. Wolff was keeping Dudley and his gang inside for a few more moments, to buy Harry time. She always did this. She knew she couldn't get involved in Harry's homelife, not after Mr. Ehrlich got fired after he'd asked one question too many. She was old, and looked a little bit like a bulldog, but she was a good teacher and quite friendly. Of course, all elderly women that weren't painfully thin looked a little like bulldogs, Harry didn't know why. It might have something to do with the way their cheeks sagged. He thought it looked rather friendly, except on Aunt Marge, of course.
So, he had about ten more seconds. Where wouldn't they find him, and of course, where wouldn't they able to surprise him as soon as they did find him?
It was unlikely he would be able to hid behind the dustbins - there he'd hid yesterday, and besides, Piers was sneaky. If he'd been lucky, he would have tried staying close to the supervisor, but today, it was Ms. Summers, and Ms. Summers was practically blind to whatever happened in front of her. She also seemed to have a crush on Uncle Vernon, and believed his every word. Yuck.
There was a spot behind the trees. They were around the corner, so Dudley and Gang probably wouldn't immediately look there. Out of sight, out of mind. As well as that, if one of them spotted him there, he could immediately start running. That was important. If he ran, they couldn't catch him.
He decided to try his luck there.
Unluckily, Amy Benson had spotted him.
As soon as Dudders and Donkeys were outside, she pointed out where he was. He heard her, and he knew all he could do now was wait for the correct moment to start running. If he started too soon, he'd run into their arms. It was his luck that the Idiots hadn't grasped concepts like "encircling" somebody yet. They always chased after him side by side. If they'd done that, he would have been in major trouble, because he wouldn't have lasted ten seconds if they were more co-ordinated.
The only one who always came from the other direction was Piers. Harry knew he probably was somewhere behind him by now. The rest of them came from the front, he couldn't see them yet, but he knew where they were. That left running to the side - on the left, there was the school building, so to the right. Harry mentally planned his route, and tensed his muscles.
He heard a twig behind him snap. Piers.
He ran.
They chased after him, like hounds on the trail of a fox.
First winding around this tree, beside Malcolm - luckily, the guy wasn't great at stopping once he ran, a disadvantage of his weight - then through the small opening in the hedge, where they couldn't follow through, onto the stairs of the terrasse, with Piers just behind his necks, and - where now? He went down to the other side, but Malcolm was already there, ready to get a hold of him, and Piers, Dudley, and co. where right behind him. He turned on his heel, to the left, Piers nearly crashed into Malcolm, and ran for the dustbins - if he could jump behind them, he could buy time, while climbing over that part of the fence.
A stone crashed beside him. Damn, Dudley had found stones. That was why he liked winter. Snowballs didn't hurt as much. Iceballs did hurt a lot, though, and once, he'd gotten one right into the face.
He jumped, over the dustbins, wishing to be somewhere safe, where Dudley and his gorillas couldn't get him.
And was suddenly sitting on the roof.
He was so glad he'd escaped, he just sacked his shoulders in relief for a while.
Of course, then he realized he was sitting on the roof.
He was in so much trouble.