Chapter XI: The Raven
The streets were covered with reporters, school children and a few wizards in disguise. Inside Honeydukes, a very tall, bearded man appeared. His head banged against the ceiling, knocking down a few chocolate covered broomsticks. Hanging off Hagrid's shoulders were the Longbottoms who had ceased their screaming.
"Who's back there?" a young male's voice asked.
A slim, tall fellow with dirty brown hair and protruding front teeth emerged. On his blue blazer was a badge with the name 'Colin' engraved upon it. Judging by his attire, he worked at Honeydukes, most likely a part time job.
"Hagrid?"
The place seemed familiar to the half giant. And that boy who knew his name… Hagrid knew he had seen that face before. Yes, it was when he used to teach at Hogwarts in a class about magical creatures. It all came back to him slowly.
"Colin… Colin," Hagrid read the nametag and searched for a last time. It hit him. "Colin Creevy."
"Yes, that's me all right! I thought you went and got insane."
"I did," Hagrid admitted. "But, I'm… I'm ok… For now." It was still a bit difficult to form full words and sentences.
Colin ogled at the mess of broken chocolate and spilled Bernie Botts. Surrounding Hagrid was a wall of luscious treats, ranging from raspberry tarts to mocha berry froths. Dripping off the back wall was a gushing waterfall of honey, a fairly new addition to the store. Collecting the oozing sweetness were small red buckets, each with a price of 5 sickles.
"Who are they?" Colin asked, spotting the two strangers slumped over Hagrid's shoulders.
"They… They're with me," Hagrid said. "I don't s'pose yeh are goin' back to Hogwarts."
Finally, his sentences were clear and normal once again.
"My shift doesn't end for another hour, but I can leave early. No one's around. But you can't leave the store from there," said Colin as he pointed at the front door. "Them Muggles keep trying to interview me."
"I see. What about a back door?"
Colin nodded. "Well, there's a passageway under the floorboards. But I don't think you can fit. Your friends might."
Hagrid tilted his head toward the now mellow Longbottoms. "They ain't in any condition to be left alone."
"Oh. Well, we can take the mountain path then. Out the side door and around the hills and through a tunnel that leads just outside the lake."
"How do yeh know about that?"
Colin smirked. "Sometimes I sneak off during my breaks to see my girlfriend. She's in the Gryffindor House. Her name's Maybelle."
"All right. We'll go that way." Hagrid placed down the Longbottoms and stared at them in the eyes. "Yeh follow me!" But they didn't move.
"What's wrong with them?" asked Colin.
"They're afraid of seeing their son again, of seeing Neville." But the couple didn't twitch or scream or moan. "I don't think he's gonna be at Hogwarts anyway. Come on yeh two."
And then it happened. Mister Longbottom walked forward and nodded his head. Mrs. Longbottom followed her husband's lead. Hagrid smiled, nodded back and the group of four, including Colin, headed for the side door.
The Diggory's home was marvelous. It was standing four stories high with glass fixtures curving around the sides and a dome encasing the roof. The front steps spiraled one story high and were glistening in silver and copper. A few rubies were etched into the large, archway of a front door.
Harry landed with his legs spread a part right on top of the railing. His face turned purple and his cheeks puffed. He fell to the side and tumbled onto a stair. His jewels throbbed in pain. As he crossed his legs and heaved in for air, Harry realized that he had did it once again. Disapparating was natural to him.
Unfortunately, it wasn't so for Ron. He hadn't reappeared at all. After a few minutes, Harry wobbled to his feet, his left hand clutching his aching parts. He regained balance by holding onto the railing.
"Ron!" Harry shouted. But he was nowhere in sight.
There was no use waiting around for him. With Ron's luck, he was probably in the next town over. Harry turned around and hopped up the steps until he found himself standing on a marble balcony. The jeweled archway stood before him.
"Is anybody home?" Harry asked after pounding his fist on the side of the archway.
A woman with her hair braided upwards and still wearing her bed gown answered him. She walked through the doorless archway and stared at Harry. Her eyes were fiercely green and her brows were plucked into a very thin line. It looked as though she slept in her makeup. Rubbed across her cheek was a pale lipstick that barely glossed at all over her lips.
"What do you want?" she barked.
"I didn't mean to wake you, I'm sorry."
"It's 5 in the morning. What did you expect me to be doing? Having a cup of tea?"
Harry shrugged. "I haven't been keeping track of the time."
"Bloody hell you haven't. You damn Muggle reporters. I don't have anything to say to yall. Good night."
"Wait!" Harry shouted as she turned her back. "I'm not a Muggle! I'm Harry Potter."
She stopped, turned her head in the darkness. Both of her green eyes glistened in the dark like a cat. "You're… Yes, you're Harry Potter. Come inside my dear boy, come inside..." She hissed and disappeared into the darkness of her home.
Harry followed her slowly, wondering if it were better just to go find Ron and come back later. But, his body already moved forward into the dimly lit home. Five candles lit up as Harry walked by them, each of them spewing a different color.
"Over here," Mrs. Diggory said.
Her voice came from not too far away. Harry turned into the living room and found four glorious couches. One was made from two bears, with two grizzly heads for the sides. The other three were a little more normal, covered in a black velvet cloth with white throw pillows tossed all over them.
The woman stood next to a fireplace. It was burnt out and partially boarded up with plywood.
"What brings you here?" she asked as she rimmed her finger around a glass cup.
"I have some questions," Harry began. "About what's been happening."
"You mean with all the Muggle reports?"
"Yes."
Mrs. Diggory nodded her head, placed down her cup and walked over to Harry. She patted him on the back and motioned him to sit down on the grizzly couch. He did, while resisting at first, and she sat right next to him.
"Why would you think I'm involved? Just out of curiosity."
"I didn't say that," Harry corrected her. "I just had some questioned about it."
"Well, why come to me? Of all people?"
"Well, I had just spoken to Mister Diggory…"
She hissed. "Him. What lies has he told you? He's gone mad since Cedric died. I don't blame him."
"I know, you wished I had died and not him."
"Nonsense! I would never wish another wizard dead," she said. "Who told you that lie?"
"Your husband actually."
"He's a lying drunk, he is."
Harry was stunned. Amos Diggory was a very proud wizard. Sure, he seemed a bit off today but with all that was happening, that was to be expected. Many years ago at the Quidditch World Cup, Harry remembered meeting him. He did not seem drunk. A liar, well, he did think Cedric had won.
"Pardon me, but I'm not really here to discuss him… I just wanted to know if you knew anything about the enchantments being broken."
"No," she replied and looked over at the empty cup now sitting on the sill of the fireplace.
She was lying. Harry could see the way her eyes fluttered and her face became a bit pink. He knew she was hiding something. But Harry really couldn't accuse her without evidence. And that was the reason he was really there wasn't it.
Pop.
A red haired boy appeared on top of the couch sitting across from Harry. He lay still, shaking and his eyes were closed tightly.
"Ron! You did it! You did it perfectly!" Harry shouted.
Mrs. Diggory jumped up at once and ran to Ron's side. Slowly, Ron turned over and opened his eyes. Harry came into focus first and then he noticed a woman towering over him. He jolted back a bit.
"I'm alive," he said patting himself all over.
"Yes, my dear. I suppose you're a friend of Harry's?"
Ron nodded. "I can't believe I did it."
"That was brilliant," Harry said. "Mrs. Diggory, this is my best friend, Ron."
"Should I be expecting any more guests?" She slurred on the s's.
"No," Harry said and waved Ron over to him. "Actually, I think Ron and I are going to leave."
Harry turned around, grabbed Ron's arm and pulled him toward the door that lead into the candle lit hallway. Ron was still beaming with pride that he had Disapparated perfectly. Just as they reached the door, a cloud of bright white blocked their path.
"You're not going anywhere."
Ron and Harry again turned. But inside of Mrs. Diggory glaring back at them, another creature appeared. It was a very large bird, a raven that was at least five times its normal size. The raven stared at the two young wizards with fierce, green eyes.
"Is that Mrs. Diggory?" Ron asked.
"I think so… She's an animagus."