Chapter Ten
Escaping the Death Eaters

Ginny spun around and saw Harry standing there with his wand out and pointed at Krum.

"Harry! What are you doing here?" Ginny asked, surprised

Harry said nothing, but attempted to stun Krum. Krum rebounded the spell upon Harry, whom Ginny immediately revived.

"Thanks," Harry muttered and sprang to his feet. Ginny sent a Blasting Curse at Krum, and he was blasted ten yards away. After running up a few yards, Krum sent a disarming spell at Harry, and Harry's wand flew out of his hand.

"Accio wand!" yelled Harry, and his wand flew back into his hand. Ginny and Krum were both amazed. Harry just performed magic without a wand! Ginny was the first to get over her shock, and she and Harry yelled, "Stupefy!" at the same time. Both spells hit Krum squarely in the chest and he fell to the ground. Harry dragged Krum's body into an alley and left him there.

"We need to tell Dumbledore about this. He's going to want to know that Krum had been put under the Imperius Curse," Ginny demanded.

Harry didn't reply. He seemed to be thinking about something.

"Are you all right, Harry? You've hardly said anything to me. What's wrong?" Ginny inquired.

"Nothing. Just thinking. What are you doing in Bulgaria, anyway?" Harry replied.

"Looking for you, actually. Did you modify the memory of every person you came in contact with, or something? Because I knew they were all lying, but their memories were unclear," Ginny asked, looking at Harry.

"Actually-" Harry stopped, and grabbed Ginny's arm. He was pulling her back toward The Manticore Sting.

"What are you doing?" Ginny asked, looking behind her. Moving down the street was a group of six Death Eaters.

Ginny pulled free from Harry's grip and turned around, withdrawing her wand from within her robes.

"What do you think you're doing?" Harry demanded.

"Aren't we going to fight them?"

"What the hell do you mean we? I'm going to fight them. You are going-"

Ginny didn't know what Harry was going to tell her to do, but she knew what she had to do.

"Harry, neither of us should duel. I can't die right now! Not if I'm going to help you against Voldemort!"

Harry turned to look at Ginny, not knowing what she was talking about. Ginny was now squeezing something in her left hand that reminded him of a Remembrall.

'We need a place to hide where they won't be able to find us. A place that they can't see, and they can't get into, that we can stay in until they leave. We need it right now!' Ginny thought deeply with her eyes shut tight.

She opened her eyes and saw the Death Eaters about five feet away from she and Harry. Cleverly, Harry formed an invisible barricade that would last for a few seconds between the Death Eaters and himself and Ginny. Ginny grabbed Harry's arm and ran a few yards away until they came to a small house with a flashing red arrow above the door. Assuming this was their secret hideout, she pushed open the door and darted inside.