(9)Midnight Attack

For the next few days after the first Quidditch game on Sunday, Potions went by easily. Gryfindor actually earned a few points for once. Harry half-hoped that Snape would stay at Grimmauld forever!

Harry, Hermione & Ron were on their way to Gryfindor Tower after Potions on Thursday when Dumbledore appeared beside them. "Would you three mind stepping into my office for a moment?" He led the way to the stone eagle door. He made them sit down & then sat behind his own desk. "I've just received an owl from Severus. I'm surprised he sent me one & risked interception so it must be urgent!" Dumbledore sighed & looked at Harry. "Voldomort has sent Malfoy & Black to destroy the Dursleys; after which, Lucious will come here for you!"

Harry glanced at Ron & Hermione & then to Dumbledore. "Are they alright?"

"I don't know yet. Those in Grimmauld will try to stop them!" Dumbledore started. "Now, Lucious is coming here for you so I want to send the three of you to Grimmauld. Alastor Moody will escort you there on broomsticks."

Harry sighed. "When do we leave?"

"Tonight!"

Harry stared. "Tonight? Now?" He couldn't believe it! The next Quidditch game against Ravenclaw would be next Sunday & now he wouldn't be a part of it?

"What about schoolwork?" Hermione asked as Harry & Ron rolled their eyes. Trust Hermione to think of school first!

"Oh, I don't think you'll be gone that long!" Dumbledore's eyes sparkled at her. "Isn't your life more important? It'll only be a few days until this passes!" He leaned back a bit. "Now go get ready & then meet Alastor downstairs.

Harry, Ron & Hermione stepped out into the cool night. Moody was waiting for them with three broomsticks. Harry had has own Firebolt. He cast an invisibility charm on everyone. "It only lasts three hours!" Moody warned. "So don't stop for anything!" With that, they lifted into the air & headed for Grimmauld.

"What?!" Lupin stared at the letter Snape was holding.

"You heard!" Snape snapped. "This letter said we have to get the Dursleys out & bring them here before Lucious & Bellatrix can kill them!"

"Here?" Lupin exclaimed. "At Grimmauld?"

"No," Snape snapped again. "Here at Hogwarts! Of course, Grimmauld, you mutt!" Lupin snarled warningly. "What? You want to bite me?" Snape dared the werewolf but got no reply. "So BITE me!! What do I care?!" Lupin jumped up!

Tonks yanked out her wand. "That's enough!" Tonks declared. "YOU!!" she was as equally scary to Lupin as that werewolf was to humans on full moons! "Just wait for full moon, OK? & YOU!!!!" she whirled around to Snape. "Calm down! I think the problem with both of you is a bad case of cabin fever! Now," Tonks sighed. "Staying here won't help the Dursleys! So do we let them die? Or shall we go save them?" She glared at one upset man & then the next & back again. Both nodded agreement but kept their hands inside their capes, tightly gripping their wands. "Good!" Tonks declared. "Besides, it's not like the Dursleys don't know of us magic folk! They're Harry's aunt & uncle! Now let's get ready & go!" Tonks ordered. Those two are going to need this action if only to stop themselves from ripping each other to shreds!!

Snape stepped outside first but stopped on the stairs. "Mystique? What are you doing here?" he stared at the horse. She had been missing since the day Snape came to Grimmauld. She got down to let him on. "Not this time!" Snape said. "Stay here where it's safe for you!" As if feeling left out, Mystique shoved passed him & entered the house! Snape closed his eyes & waited for it! There was nothing else he could do!

"HEY!!!" shrieked Mrs. Weasley. "Oh for heaven's sake! Does this look like a barn?!"

"There she blows!" Snape muttered to himself through gritted teeth, thankful he was outside alone! Then he heard Lupin & relaxed a bit.

"Relax, Molly!" Lupin said. "Put her in with Buckbeak! I'm sure the Hippogryf could use a friend!"

Tonks, Snape & Lupin aparated at the back door of the Dursley home at the same time Lucious Malfoy & Bellatrix Black aparated at the front. "Let's stall them, Remus!" Snape ordered. "Dora, get the Dursleys!"

"Hey, who put you in charge?" Lupin growled.

"Albus!" Snape snapped.

"Please drop that fight for now!" Tonks pleaded as she headed upstairs. She found Dudley & Petunia & pulled them out of bed. "Where's Vernon?" Tonks glanced around.

"On a business trip!" Petunia said. "What is your kind doing in my house?"

"Well," Tonks sighed exasperatedly. "Half of us have come to kill you & half of us have come to save you! Take your pick but let's move!" She dragged them downstairs. Tonks placed a Portkey charm on a book lying on the patio table.

Snape & Lupin were still holding off Lucious. Bellatrix was already passed out on the floor. "Get out Remus!" Snape ordered as he threw him out the door. "I'll be fine!"

"Like hell you'll be fine!!" Lupin marched back in the door!

"Stubborn mutt!" Snape snapped. "You go with the others. I'll look for Vernon! I can find my own way back! Now go! EXITOS Lupin!!" Snape commanded & Lupin was thrown back out the door by the seemingly well-named Exitos charm & collapsed in a heap! Lupin picked himself up.

"You needn't stay for Vernon!" Malfoy laughed. "We killed him first!"

"You hear that, Remus?" Snape yelled out the door as he held off Malfoy. "One Dursley is already dead; now get out of here!" Snape sent out spell after spell against Malfoy until he heard the familiar pop sound of the portkey! Snape took a chance & dived out the door. He snatched up his wand again & turned to face Malfoy but was hit hard by Cruccio. He landed in the bushes & collapsed under its pain.

"You should never have left us, Severus!" Malfoy laughed. "Now I shall kill you! Avada Kedav----!"

A loud whinny interrupted his incantation as a black creature knocked Malfoy hard to the ground. Snape jumped on Mystique & fled.

Malfoy glowered. He aparated to stand in front of the horse. "So help me Merlin, I WILL kill you, Severus!" Malfoy raised his wand again. Mystique stood up & the Aveda Death Curse struck her in the chest. She fell back down the hill with Snape rolling down beside her. Both lay still at the bottom.

Malfoy laughed. "So I got you & your pet!" He aparated away.

Snape picked himself up, feeling winded & out of sorts! He was slightly dizzy from being hit by a horse. Horse! Snape remembered. He glanced around. The white mane & tail was easily seen, but Snape tripped over her black body. he had no idea of how she got here. Snape knew Mrs. Weasley would not have let her out in spite of herself!

"Come now! Get up!" Snape snapped. "This is not the time to play games!" He tried peering down at her in the darkness. She couldn't be dead! The curse was not meant for her, but for Snape. Mystique suddenly turned her forleg white. It was broken. Snape sighed, relieved she was alive, but now he had another problem! "Picked a fine night to break yourself, you silly creature!" he snapped. "You're to large for a Portkey & I can't carry you!"

Mystique actually glared at him & sighed in disgust! Then, she changed into a spaniel, small & easy to carry! Snape stared! "Wha----? How'd you---?" Snape stuttered as he picked her up. "What sorcery is this? And don't say animagic! No human can change into more than one animal! You're well-named, Mystique! Well-named!" Snape pushed the little dog under his cape & turned a branch into a Portkey. They appeared in Grimmauld kitchen.

"Oh, for heaven's sake!" Mrs. Weasley greeted them. "First a Hyppogrif! Then a horse & now a dog? What next?!"

"How'bout a rat?" Lupin snickered as a rat suddenly scurried in through the door that Mrs. Weasley had left open for some fresh night air & dived out of sight under a broken floor board!

Mrs. Weasley threw her hands in the air & sank into a chair! "How'bout a rat!" she fumed. Lupin burst out laughing.

"Molly, how did Mystique escape?" Snape asked, ignoring Lupin.

"What do you mean "escaped"?" Molly got up to close the door, also ignoring Lupin!

"This dog," Snape pulled her out & laid her on the table. "is Mystique!" Everyone stared at the name on her side. "She appeared as a horse at the Dursley home! Saved me from Lucious! Then she changed to a dog so I could carry her through a Portkey! Was the window open in Buckbeak's room?"

"Yes," said Mrs. Weasley as she fixed Mystique's leg.

"I wonder if she can change to other animals as well!" Snape said. "Perhaps a bird?"

The door opened again & in flew Moody, leading Harry, Ron & Hermione.

"Did you get to my aunt & uncle on time?" Harry asked.

"Your uncle didn't make it!" said Lupin. "But your aunt & Dudley are here in bed."

"Here?" Harry wasn't expecting that.

"Did you want us to leave them at home to get attacked again?" Snape jumped into the conversation. "Mr. Potter! We meet again!"

"Swell!" Harry snapped as he glanced to Ron & Hermione. "Shall we go see Buckbeak?" They started for the Hippogryf's room.

Snape held Harry back. "Oh, you won't escape me!" he sneered. "Seeing as you'll have some time these next few days, we will continue our Occlumency lessons!"

"What?" Harry yelped.

"Be down stairs first thing tomorrow morning, Potter!" Snape half-smiled evilly. "Don't disappoint me as you usually do!" He let Harry go. Harry ran, furious, to Buckbeak's room!

"You WILL do Occlumency this morning!!" Snape roared. It was early the next morning before the others were awake & Snape & Harry were in the living room.

"Please, sir!" Harry pleaded. "You don't want to see my dream last night!"

"Oh, but I do!" Snape stepped threateningly toward Harry.

"Trust me! You don't!" Harry begged again.

Snape & Harry played this "I do!/You don't!" game for a few minutes but Harry could see it was useless. He gave up. "OK, fine!" he retorted. "But don't get upset! This is your fault that you want to see what I dreamed!"

"25 points from Gryfindor for being a stubborn brat!" Snape snapped as he entered Harry's mind. His face went from stiff........to curious.......to horrified.......to downright INSANE! Snape yanked himself to reality! "What was that....thing.....you dreamt I was wearing?" he finally asked after a moment of silence. "& what EXACTLY was I supposed to be doing?!"

Harry edged around to the door & got ready to run. "Answer to your first question: a pink tu-tu of the ladies variety. Answer to your second question: Swan Lake Ballet, a muggle dance!" Harry & Snape eyed each other in horror! "Told you that you wouldn't want to know!" Harry fled upstairs to his room!

"HAROLD JAMES POTTER!!!!!!!!!" Snape woke up the whole house. "Go to your room!! NOW!!"

"I'm already in my room! Or did you notice?!" Harry slammed the door shut!

"Don't you dare tell anyone about that!" Snape marched upstairs! He reached the top & stopped at the last stair. There, in front of Harry's door, was a Cobra! it's only Mystique! Snape told himself but a quick glance to Buckbeak's door changed his mind. The door was locked from the outside & the window had been shut to stop Mystique form escaping again. The window had a tricky catch that no animal could undo! Snape tried to move to get out his wand but the Cobra became irate. No matter, a certain Parsle-mouth was behind the door.

"Mr. Potter?" Snape whispered softly over the hissing Cobra that was eying him. Harry didn't answer. The Cobra hissed at him again. Was Harry telling it to attack? "Mr. Potter?!" Snape tried again, louder.

"WHAT?!" Harry shrieked as he yanked open his door! The snake turned in surprise & now Harry, Snape & snake were at odds with each other.

"I don't think it's Mystique!" Snape nodded to the door where Mystique & Buckbeak were sleeping.

"I'll tell it to leave!" Harry muttered & then spoke Parsel. The Cobra eyed him & hissed madly. Harry suddenly went pale! He couldn't understand! He tried talking to the snake again but it was no use! He couldn't understand the snake. "I'm sorry, sir!" Harry gasped. "It's gone! I can't understand the snake!" Harry stepped backwards & closed the door, leaving Snape alone with the snake.

Snape glanced at the Cobra. "Mystique? Come here!" he ordered. It was worth a try. The snake lunged out & bite Snape on his hand. Snape stumbled back downstairs. He pulled out his wand & cast a healing charm on the poison & then headed back upstairs but the Cobra was gone. Snape sighed. "Don't tell Molly!" he warned himself. "Maybe it'll eat that rat!" Snape headed back downstairs.