James and Sirius grabbed their stuff and quickly left the house, wondering what could have gone so wrong that the Potters were back from their vacation twelve days early and who was coming. James shielded the radio from the rain with his suitcase and became drenched because of it. They ran to the invisible car-like machine they had ridden in to get to Estrella Durge's dilapidated house.
"Who's coming, Mum?" James asked when he shut the door and put his new found possession aside. "Where'd Estrella go?" Mrs. Potter looked terrified as she signaled her husband to go before the on coming Muggle car ran into them.
"The Death Eaters are coming. The Order heard about it through the spies at the Ministry and we were notified immediately. There were about thirty arrests today, spies telling on spies and landing each other and themselves in Azkaban. Estrella was caught in the crossfire of a duel and was killed instantly yesterday morning on her way to the store we're guessing and there was supposed to be a raid of her house today." She spoke in a fast and worried manner, reminding Sirius of Kreacher when he caught him trying to steal his wand.
"What do they want with her?" Sirius asked, remembering the hawk soaring out the door and the piles of garbage everywhere before they started cleaning.
"They think she's of wizarding blood," Mr. Potter said suddenly, taking a sharp right turn as a group of menacing looking people in cloaks appeared though the thick downpour. "They think there might be something worthwhile there for them to take." He glanced at the rear view mirror and made another sharp turn so that they would be out of the Death Eaters' sight.
"If we hadn't found out, you two would be at that house right now and they would kill you just because they don't want any witnesses." James' mother turned her attention to the buildings on either side of the car, obviously trying to hide something.
"But we aren't at the house and they won't kill us," James said quietly, turning to look behind them and seeing nothing through the mud and water.
"Maybe not, but these are dark times."
"Can the Muggles see the dirt and stuff on the car, or is that invisible, too?" Sirius asked, suddenly worrying about what would happen if they were seen.
"We're not sure, but the Ministry has given us permission to drive in the rain at this time, so they'll sort it out later if necessary," Mr. Potter explained, pressing a button on the steering wheel and making the car Apparate back to the Potter's house.
"Uh, Dad, why didn't you do that back at the other house?" James asked, curious as to why they had had to run from the group of murderers when they could have just appeared where they wouldn't easily be found.
"The first thing wrong with that solution is that they could easily trace the spell and follow us. The other two things that would complicate the situation is that there might have been Muggles watching and to see an invisible car is one thing, but seeing it disappear is another, that and you have to be going at least fifty in order to make it work. I know, we've been working on the bugs non-stop, but we're not getting very far with it, seeing as it's a stubborn and advanced machine," he answered as they got out of the car and ran for the door because it was hailing in that area of the country.
"I hate storm season," Mrs. Potter screamed as she slipped on a chunk of ice and nearly fell back down the driveway. "All it ever does is make everybody miserable."
"We can add to that," Sirius said quietly so that only James could hear and he nodded, tightening his death grip on the radio.
It was a long and boring day, with James trying to replace the guts of the radio to make it pick up signals for both wizard and Muggle music, succeeding eventually and dancing like an idiot for about an hour. Sirius finished the History of Magic essays he'd been putting off all summer and watched him with disbelief, wondering what would have happened if Estrella hadn't been killed, or even better, if they hadn't been sent to her house to begin with.
"How long do you think it'll take them to realize that she has nothing that they want?" James asked, reluctantly shutting off the strange looking machine and slumping onto the bed. Sirius threw the last of his books back in the trunk and locked it, not quite knowing why he did so, and went back to the desk he'd been sitting at most of the afternoon.
"I don't know, but I'll bet you that they'll be there all day before they find out that she's a Muggle," he said, seeing the quill he'd forgotten and groaning at the thought of opening the broken lock on his trunk again.
"Probably. What do you bet that they take that doll thing in the pink box?" James replied, staring at a dark spot on the wall. He thought of Voldemort holding the hideous neon box, then screaming at the Death Eaters, demanding to know what it is and after receiving no answer, throwing it up in the air and blowing it to shreds; the head would still be smiling no matter what he did to it, so it would no nothing short of drive him crazy. The thought was both ridiculous and scary, especially the idea of anybody being stupid enough to bring Voldemort a Barbie doll.
"Well, what now?"
"I haven't the slightest clue."
"This has been a fun vacation, hasn't it?"
"Yeah, undoubtedly."
"Some summer..."