Perhaps it was a testament to how well looked after Harry had been in the wizarding world that he had never yet been surrounded by such a quantity of aggressive spells.
Darkness subsided, replaced instead by a cornucopia of multicoloured lights, coupled with a thousand powerful roars.
"Stupefy!"
"Reducto!"
"Sonnium!"
"Petrificus Totalus!"
Where had Harry heard that spell before? He focused his vision and saw a familiar dirty face, contorted in concentration as his wand whipped around the air in a blur, knocking down every soldier that had marched into the room.
Ah, yes, thought Harry as the events of the day returned to him. But how on earth was Sirius Black holding his own against all these Aurors?
It seemed the universe had a sick sense of humor, because Harry watched the last Auror standing slam a red jolt slam into the man's chest not a moment after entertaining the thought. And even though that was the man who had kidnapped him not an hour earlier, Harry felt a jolt of terror slam into his own chest.
If anyone had asked Harry why he shut his eyes and steadied his breathing then, he would not have been able to answer.
What are you thinking? That's an auror! But the screaming part of his soul somehow couldn't outweigh the silent empty pit of resolve that made Harry open his eyes by a slit, subtly point his wand at the Auror and whisper, "Stupefy!"
Harry felt a pang as he watched the poor soldier hit the ground with a thump, and yet there was no time to lose: there could always be more on their way. He scuttled towards Sirius, aimed his wand and whispered the revival spell. The man's eyes then went through a lot of things very quickly, starting on assessment, flashing with pride and settling on anger.
"That swine!" he hissed, grabbing Harry's wrist at the same time. "We have to get out of here."
As it was apparent he could not Apparate inside the mansion, Harry found himself following the alleged murderer through the dingy corridor, hopping over the bodies they were leaving behind.
"Thank you," Sirius began, the wisps of moonlight reflecting off his shaggy hair as they stood just outside of Grimmauld Place. "I don't kno—"
"SIRIUS!" Harry screamed, grabbing the man by his shoulders and yanking him to the ground, the flaming jet of light missing its target by a millimeter.
Sirius instantly leapt into action, spinning on his heels and drawing his wand at the stickler Auror in a single movement. The buildings dazzled in the light from their duel, and Harry watched as curtains began to unfurl.
"The Muggles!" Harry rasped in an urgent whisper..
"Gotcha." said Sirius. "Follow my lead."
Out of nowhere Sirius crouched to the ground, a familiar red charm exploding from his wand and sending the Auror's one flying behind him.
Sirius pelted forward, running with unimaginable speed for someone who had supposedly spent twelve years in a cell. Harry sped after him, wondering what Sirius would do to the crouching Auror.
Sirius yanked Harry's arm towards him and did the same for the Auror, then the floor lurched beneath them. But Harry knew they couldn't leave like that. "Obliviate!" said Harry, pointing his swirling wand at the windows above, but it was too late. The misty grey bolt did not leave the bubble of swirls that were forming around the Auror, Sirius Black and the Boy-Who-Lived.
Every scent of Grimmauld Place vanished, replaced instead by a dirty mechanical smell which clawed its way down Harry's throat, sending him dazed and sputtering onto the concrete that materialised below.
Harry's bones creaked as he shifted to get a better look at his surroundings. A train station?
And then he turned to see Sirius Black already up and poised to fight, and the exact opposite for the Auror, who's position much more closely resembled Harry's.
In a light and casual voice, the Auror looked at Harry and asked, "Who— where are you? I mean me. Where are me?"
"Don't worry," whispered Sirius, creeping up behind him. "Don't worry at all..."
And Harry suddenly knew what was going to happen, the realisation streaming like ice over his skin. He tried to raise his wand but it was too late, he called already practically see the 'avada kedavra' forming once again on the murderers lips—
"Sonnium," said Sirius. The Auror fell, but not dead. His chest gently rose in a way that told Harry he had been absolutely wrong. It was just a sleep spell. His own chest heaved as he sucked in the breath of relief, before stretching among the black and white tiles, grateful to be in a Muggle place again. No more magic... just for a bit...
And then a snowy white owl swooped into the station, a letter for Harry Potter undoubtedly tied to her leg.