RISING FROM THE ASHES

Chapter Nine – Never Turning Back

Overall, the wedding had been a huge success. Harry and Ginny shared several more dances, until finally calling it quits for the night. When the first stars had begun to appear in the sky, Fleur got up on stage and called for everyone's attention.

…

"Attention, please," she called, clapping her hands. The dancing couples reluctantly let go of each other and looked at her.

Fleur smiled. "Thank you. As zee tradition says, I must throw a bouquet of flowers into zee crowd. 'Oever catches it might just be zee next bride." she winked, and stepped back, tossing her bouquet into the air. All of the girls rushed forward to catch it, but it was Hermione's arms that the bouquet landed it. She glanced at Ron, a shy smile on her face. Ron turned pale and gulped, causing Harry to snigger.

He could not, however, have fully enjoyed the wedding with the knowledge that he, Ron, and Hermione would be leaving the Burrow – possibly forever – in just five hour's time.

…

Harry lay in bed, Ron's snores pervading throughout the room. Groaning, Harry checked the clock to see that they would be leaving in one hour. He rolled out of bed, rubbing his sleep-deprived eyes, and started packing, hap-hazardly shoving food he had nicked from the wedding buffet, spell books, clothes, and personal items such as letter and photos into his trunk. By the time he had finished, it was time to wake Ron, whose belongings he had already taken the liberty of packing, and Hermione.

"Ron," he whispered, kicking his mattress, "wake up."

Ron simply rolled over and ignored him, continuing to snore.

"Ugh, you lazy git," Harry said disgustedly, "maybe you'll respond to Hermione." He gave Ron's bed another kick for good measure, and crept into the hallway. He cautiously made his way down to the room which Hermione and Ginny were sharing, and knocked softly.

"Come in," Hermione called, and Harry, some what surprised she was awake at 3 a.m., obliged.

He found her sitting in an armchair, pouring over a large, thick book titled Detecting Dark Magic.

"Oh, hello, Harry," she said brightly. Harry stared at her.

"How did y—"

"I figured you would want to sneak out after the wedding," she explained, closing her book, "but why didn't you tell me ahead of time?"

"I didn't want to risk anyone overhearing," he answered.

"Is Ron up yet?" asked Hermione, standing up, pulling her trunk out from under her bed, and stuffing the book inside.

"No," said Harry, his eyes wandering to Ginny's sleeping form. Her red hair was splayed out across the pillow, and her lips were curled in a peaceful smile. "I need your help waking him."

"Oh, that should be fun," Hermione laughed, and left the room.

Harry crept to Ginny's bedside, and kissed her gently on the forehead.

"Goodbye," he whispered, and followed Hermione down the hall, back up the staircase, and into his and Ron's room.

"Ron!" Hermione hissed, "Wake up!"

No reply.

Hermione glanced at Harry. "How do you get him up in the mornings?"

Harry shrugged. "I dump cold water on him, but we can't risk him yelling. Not today."

Hermione sighed, and sat on the edge of the bed. She leaned over to Ron, and snogged him.

Ron's eyes shot open.

"Bloody hell!" he exclaimed, staring at her.

"We're leaving now," she said, "get dressed and meet us downstairs."

Ron, his cobalt eyes still wide, did as he was told.

…

"Where are we going first?" Ron asked, tucking his trunk in his pocket. Hermione had done them the favor of shrinking their belongings so that they wouldn't have to drag them along as they traveled.

"Godric's Hollow," said Harry immediately, "I—I've just got this…this feeling we need to start there."

"Alright, sounds good to me," said Hermione, nodding her head approvingly, "but before we do anything like looking for Horcruxes, or researching R.A.B, we need to strategize. It will save us a lot of time and a lot of effort; we just should stop and think things through, okay? No sudden, rash, decisions?" She stopped walking and looked at them expectantly.

"Okay," Ron and Harry muttered.

"So how are we getting there?" Ron asked Harry. Fortunately, Harry, Ron and Hermione had all passed their apparition tests prior to their departure, which would make travel significantly easier, but since none of them knew what Godric's Hollow looked like, they could not properly visualize their destination.

"We're going to fly, he said, pulling out the brooms he had hidden behind a bush. He handed Ron his Cleansweep 11 and kept his Firebolt. "Hermione, you can share with one of us," he said.

"Yes, Harry, but do you even know where Godric's Hollow is?" Hermione asked skeptically.

"No," he admitted, and Hermione gave an exasperated sigh, "but I bought an atlas awhile back that shows all the locations in Britain – Wizarding and Muggle."

"Okay," she said, "let's take a look."

They sat in the shadows of the trees outside the Burrow as Harry dug through his traveling bag.

"Found it," he announced, flipping to the index. "Godric's Hollow…Godric's Hollow…where is it? Aha!" He had found it.

"Hey!" Ron exclaimed, peering over his shoulder. "It's not too far from here!"

"It should be about an hour's flight," Harry estimated, "we'll arrive at around 5:00 a.m., then we should lay low until around 11:00. At 11:00…well, we'll do whatever it is we have to do," he shrugged, and mounted his broom, turning to face Ron and Hermione.

"Last chance to turn back," he warned them.

"We're never turning back, Harry," said Hermione.

"We'll be with you 'til the end, mate," Ron assured him.

Harry smiled gratefully. He waited as Ron helped Hermione onto his Cleansweep. She clutched Ron's waist, muttering, "Oh, I don't like flying," over and over again.

Harry kicked off, reveling in the feeling he got as the wind rushed through his hair. He was back in the sky, where he belonged.

As they flew away from the Burrow, neither Harry, Ron, nor Hermione noticed the figure that tailed them in the shadows.