All too soon they had reached the Hogsmeade station, where the bright red train was waiting for them. All six grabbed their trunks and one by one exited the carriage. Ginny announced that she was going to find some other fifth year Gryffindors and left after she hugged Ron goodbye.
"Wherever you're going, because I know you're not coming home," Ginny said, "have fun!"
"He will," Katie promised as Ginny left. The two exchanged a knowing smile and Ginny departed.
"I'm going to find Seamus. He has my Mimbulus mimbletonia, and I have to get it back. He wanted to show it to some fourth year for some reason…." Neville said, confused.
"Bye, Neville," Harry said.
"See ya!" Neville called, and left them to find Seamus.
"Anyone else gotta leave?" Katie asked, smiling.
"I think we're good," Ron said.
"Then let's find a compartment," Katie said, and they hauled their trunks onto the train, looking in windows at the happily chatting occupants. They did happen to look into Malfoy's compartment, and he gave them a death glare. Harry swore he saw Katie smile as they continued on.
"Here," Hermione said, looking into one on the left. "It's empty."
Hermione entered first and shoved her trunk into the rack above them. Ron followed her as she took her seat and sat next to her. Harry let Katie go next and followed her, sitting across from Ron and Hermione.
"So how're we going to get to this base of yours?" Hermione asked.
"Well, we'll walk a little ways. I hear there's a secluded alley near King's Cross. We'll head over there and perform a couple disillusionment charms, then fly," Katie said as the train revved up.
"Will we blindfold them?" Elyse asked as she opened the compartment door, Heather by her side. They took the two seats left.
"Oh, I think we can trust them," Katie said, smiling.
Conversation used up all their time on the train, funny moments being shared and laughs exchanged. Harry was happy again, something he used to think was a foreign feeling, ever since he'd discovered the prophecy about Voldemort and himself. Harry didn't join into the conversation much, just sat and watched some of the people he'd come to love. Hermione and Ron had been there for him ever since he started Hogwarts, and now they were coming with him to this secret base. Katie had snatched his heart away from him when he tried to keep it to himself. Elyse and Heather were just really nice. He didn't love them, they were acquaintances, yet somehow they were more, like close friends, even though he'd just met them. They were like the Weasley's: too nice to hate, unless you're a Malfoy.
The Hogwarts Express slowed and eventually halted as they reached Platform 9 ¾. The chatter ceased as they stood and grabbed their suitcases, then filed out again, one by one, Elyse and Heather in the lead.
"Er…" Elyse said.
"Left," Katie said, nodding toward the direction to leave the train.
"Right," Elyse said, and headed off in that direction. Heather stifled a chuckle and they followed.
Leaving the platform was probably the adventure of leaving Hogwarts. Parents and students were being reunited and had already started conversation on what they'd learned the previous year. Students from the four houses were saying goodbyes, the seventh years in particular posing much difficulty as they were clustered in groups by house, all discussing their futures. People by the multitude were attempting to exit off the platform, the station manager in quite a fit on trying to control them.
Katie rolled her eyes. "You'd think they'd make another way outta here."
"You would," Harry agreed.
They waited for ten minutes before the manager gave them the all clear. One by one they casually stepped through, pulling their trunks along behind them on carts Elyse had picked up for them in a corner of the platform. Harry went through second, after Katie, and waited for another ten minutes before Hermione came through. Apparently a seventh year Slytherin had attempted to blow up the train so no one could go back to Hogwarts and held everything else up while they tried to restrain him.
Once they were all there, Katie led them outside King's Cross where a brilliant amount of light screamed at their faces. Harry blocked his eyes as Katie paused, then led them to the left. They walked for several minutes, taking turns and avoiding muggles. Katie finally took another a left and they'd entered a narrow, dark alley.
"Okay, Lyse, Ron; Heath, Hermione," Katie said. "I got Harry."
There was a tapping of wands and something cold trickled down Harry's back. Ron and Hermione gave a quiet gasp, but soon became accustomed to their chameleon-like bodies. There was another series of taps as the Angels disillusioned themselves, then Katie spoke.
"Would you like to use the bubble or fly on your own?"
"We can't," Hermione said. "Remember?"
"Oh no, you misunderstand her. We could help you. A simple spell can allow you to fly, as long as you are within a certain distance from us. Would you prefer that instead?" Heather asked.
Harry, Ron, and Hermione exchanged glances.
"Sure," Harry answered. "But what about our stuff?"
"It'll be at the base before we will," Elyse said, saying a spell. Their luggage vanished.
Katie reached out and touched Harry, closing her eyes and whispering something Harry couldn't understand. Immediately afterwards, however, she put both her hands on his shoulders and held him down tightly.
"Kate, what--?"
"It will be a little difficult to control at first. Stay near me."
She let go of him, and Harry started to float upward. "Whoa."
"Be careful, stay close," Katie said again.
"How do I control it?" Harry asked, wondering how to stop going up.
"Think of something happy," Elyse said with a smirk.
"Ha ha," Heather said sardonically.
"Use your mind. Want to go one way and you will. It's just like walking, just… in the air. You have to get over your fear first." As Harry rolled his eyes, she added, "You'd be surprised, Harry. You're not afraid on a broom, but it's like Ron and Hermione on a thestral. Without a visible means of support, it's scary at first."
Harry nodded and dared to go higher.
"Ron, don't go farther than twenty feet from Elyse. Hermione, the same for Heather. Harry, I'll hurt you if you're more than five feet from me," Katie ordered.
"Why me so close?" Harry asked, telling himself to go right.
Katie narrowed her eyes with a smirk. "Because you're my boyfriend and there's a madman after your head."
Harry smiled. "Two good reasons."
"I'm so good at those." Katie smiled at him.
"Well, I hate to break up such a loveable moment," Heather said with a smirk.
Katie glared with a smirk to match Heather's.
"It'll be morning by the time we get there as it is. Don't make it worse," Elyse said. "Let's go."
Elyse, Heather, and Katie rose from the ground, signaling that Ron and Hermione should do the same. The two looked at each other, grabbed hands, and closed their eyes tight as they started to fly, Elyse and Heather's weight no longer keeping on the ground. Harry tried not to laugh at the sight.
When Ron and Hermione were in the air, hands still held tight as they tried to get used to this new means of transportation, Katie nodded them to go to the left, where they had just come from, as Harry pointed out. Katie shrugged with a smile, making Harry roll his eyes. That was pointless….
Harry couldn't count the time in which they flew. Conversation was tried to start up, but with the wind whistling in their ears, Harry could hardly hear what Katie, less than five feet away from him, was saying. Hills, towns, and cities all passed under them, their lights showing off like sparkling Christmas lights. They passed over a few major private residences, and Harry was surprised when they passed over Malfoy Manor as the sun crept behind the horizon.
"Doesn't this bother you?" Harry yelled. "Going over Malfoy Manor?"
"Nah," Katie tossed back. "If we see Voldemort, oh well. I doubt he's looking for a disillusioned Harry Potter in the sky."
"But what about the Malfoy's? What if they're looking up in the sky and they see us?"
Katie shrugged through the wind. "Not like they know where we're going!"
The stars showed themselves when the sky went black, twinkling like small bits of glitter spewed throughout the sky. Harry flew with his back facing the world below, watching the stars smile at him as he rested on the air. He only turned back around when Katie had to lead him on by hand because they made a turn and he hadn't noticed, still flying straight without a care in the world.
"There!"