We Disapparated and appeared in an empty street in what I immediately recognized as Hogsmeade.

Suddenly, I was overwhelmed by how much I missed Hogwarts and Hogsmeade.

But just as I was wishing that I could go back, the air was rent by a heart stopping scream. And then many Death Eaters ran from what looked like the Three Broomstick, wands held aloft.

"Accio Cloak!" one of the Death Eaters yelled.

I saw Harry grab the Cloak, but it didn't even matter. The Cloak didn't make an attempt to move.

"Not under your Cloak, eh, Potter?" the one who tried to summon it. Then he turned to his fellow Death Eaters and said, "Spread out. He's 'ere."

Six Death Eaters ran forward, straight to us. I held my breath as they passed inches from us.

"Lets just get out of here," I whispered frantically. "Disapparate now!"

"I agree," Ron said.

"WE know you're here, Potter, and there's no getting away! We'll get you!"

"They were ready for us, you two," Harry whispered. "They set it up that spell so they'd know when we'd come. And I doubt we can even get out of here. They've probably put up a spell to trap us."

"Reckon we should call them Dementors?" asked another Death Eater. "Let 'em get Potter? They'd find 'im quick enough."

"The Dark Lord wants Potter alive and dead by his own hand," the leader said.

"Yeah, and they won't kill 'im," said the same Death Eater who suggested the idea. "They'll just suck 'is soul out. Besides, if he ain't got no soul, he'll be easier kill, won't he?"

Many of the other Death Eaters murmured in agreement.

Dread filled me. I was dreadful at the Patronus charm, and besides, if we all did the Patronus Charm, it would give us all away.

"We're going to have try to Disapparate, Harry!" I whispered to him.

But then sudden cold seeped into my very bones and I felt all the happiness drain from me. This was a folly trip. We were never going to find that Horcrux. This was a waste of time.

"Expecto Patronum!" Harry whispered.

His stag erupted out of the end of his wand and charged down the street at Dementors I finally saw.

"Did you see that?"

"It was a stag," another Death Eater said. "That's him!"

"Quick, get in here," said a third voice from behind us. "Get upstairs, keep your Cloak on."

We all rushed inside and up the stairs.

"What are you doing?" said the first Death Eater.

"What? I told you I wasn't having any Dementors down my way," said the bartender. "You do that, and I'm gonna send a Patronus at 'em."

"Was that your Patronus?" the second Death eater asked. "It looked like a stag."

"A stag? Are you blind?" the bartender roared. "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"

A goat erupted from the tip of his wand and ran down the road.

"So it wasn't you?" the first asked.

"It was me! Didn't I just tell you?" the bartender asked.

"But we saw a stag," the second said, sounding confused.

The bartender slapped his forehead. "THAT WAS A GOAT!"

"Alright, fine," said another Death Eater. "But curfew's been broken, you heard the noise. Someone was out on the street against regulations."

"Look, you moron, if I want to put my cat out, I will," the bartender snorted.

"So it was you that set off the Caterwauling Charm, was it?"

"So what if I did? What? You gonna arrest me? Send me off to Azkaban?" he asked mockingly. "D'you reckon your lovely Dark Lord will enjoy being called for me and my cat? No."

"Don't you worry about us," said a Death Eater, "you ought to worry about yerself."

"I stil say I saw a stag," the first Death Eater mumbled.

"IT'S A GOAT!"

"All right, we made a mistake," said the second Death Eater. "But next time, we won't be so lenient. Consider yourself lucky."

The bartender huffed a breath and slammed the door then turned to face us.

"Are you stupid?" he asked us angrily.

"How-how did you know?" Harry asked.

"What were you thinking, coming here?" the bartender asked as he dropped into a chair by the fireplace.

"Thank you," Harry said as he handed the Cloak to me so I could put it in the bag, but I shook my head.

"You might need it alter."

Shrugging, Harry tucked it under his jacket and turned back to the bartender.

"We can't thank you enough," he said. "You saved us."

The bartender grunted as Harry slowly approached him.

"It's your eye I've been seeing in the mirror!" Harry cried.

Ron and I exchanged curious looks. What mirror? He's been seeing an eye. Well, not creepy at all.

"And you sent Dobby."

"I did. Though he might be with you," the bartender said.

"Bellatrix Lestrange killed him," Harry said quietly.

The bartender looked impassive as he said, "Shame. I liked that elf."

He turned away, lighting lamps with his wand. He didn't look at us at all.

"You're Aberforth," Harry said suddenly to his back.

he didn't say anything while I bent to light a fire.

"How'd you get this?" harry asked, picking up a small mirror.

"Dung was selling it out here and I picked it up," the bartender said. "Albus told me what it was. I've been trying to keep an eye on you."

Ron suddenly gasped, causing me to look at him with worry.

"The silver doe!" he said excitedly. "Was that you too?"

"With brains like yours, you could be a Death Eater," Aberforth grunted. "Haven't I just proved my Patronus is a goat?"

"Well….it's not my fault!" Ron said defensively. "I'm hungry."

His stomach rumbled as if to give emphasis to the fact that he was hungry.

"I have food," Aberforth said dismissively. He left then and returned with food and three bottle of Butterbeer. He set it down on a table where we all flocked to the food.

"Right, so we got to get you guys out of here," Aberforth said as he watched us lazily. "We can wait til morning when the curfew lifts and you can put your Cloak on and be gone. Hide in the mountains or something. You might see Hagrid. He's been hiding there with that half-brother of his."

"We aren't leaving," Harry said. "We need to get into Hogwarts."

"Are you mental?" Aberforth asked.

"We have to," Harry replied.

"Whys that?"

"Dumbledore – I mean, your brother – wanted us to do something for him," Harry said.

"Did he?" Aberforth asked. "Well, I should tell you the people who tried to carry out Albus's plans usually got himself killed. You'll be the same way if you don't abandon whatever it is he told you to do."

"You don't understand," Harry persisted.

"Oh, I don't, do i?" Aberforth asked. "Think I don't know my own brother?"

"That's not what i-"

"Ever heard of my sister, Arianna?" Aberforth asked suddenly.

Harry, Ron, and I exchanged glances.

"Well, I should tell you about her, shouldn't i?"

Then, without preamble, he started to tell us everything when he was home from school. About when his brother met Grindlewald and planned to take over the world. But then their mother died because of their sister, the sister Muggles tortured. So Albus had to stay home with her, putting "world domination" plans on hold. But Grindlewald didn't wait and soon, he was back, telling Albus all about what he wanted to do. But Albus disagreed and suddenly, they were all fighting. Grindlewald, Albus, and Aberforth.

"Arianna tried to stop us," Aberforth said in a choked whisper. I want to comfort him, but what could I say? "And then, well…one of said a spell and the next thing we knew, she was dead. I don't know who it was. No one knows who sent that spell. But it doesn't matter. She was gone. Dead. Forever."

"I'm so sorry," I said, putting my hand on his arm. He was shaking.

"After that, Albus was finally free," Aberforth said, wiping his face on his sleeve. "Free of the burden of watching his deranged sister."

"He was never free," Harry said suddenly. We all looked at him.

"Pardon?" Aberforth asked.

"That night, well…he drank a potion that drove him out of his mind," Harry said. "He started screaming, pleasing with someone. 'Don't hurt them, please….hurt me instead.'"

Ron and I stared at Harry. He'd never told us anything about that night. I just assumed he never wanted to think about it, talk about it.

"He thought he was with Grindlewald and you, back to that day," Harry said.

"How can you be sure?" Aberforth said after a moment. "How can you be sure that aren't dispensable, like my sister?"

"He cared about Harry," I said angrily.

Harry shook his head, his eyes closed. "Look, we've a job to do and we have to get into Hogwarts. If you can't help, we'll wait til morning. But if you could help us, that would be great."

"There's only one way into the school now from here," Aberforth said, looking at the painting of a little girl. "They've blocked off every other secret passageway into the school. Except one."

He stood and walked to the portrait of Arianna. "You know what to do."

We all looked at him in confusion.

"What-?" Ron began.

"This is the only way," Aberforth repeated. "The school is heavily guarded. The Carrows are there, so watch out. They're Death Eaters. And evil."

But I was watching the portrait. Where did she go? But just as I thought this, I saw a small light appear and I watched as it got bigger and bigger.

"What the-?" I asked, staring at the painting.

And then I saw a person form. His face was horrible injured, cuts and bruises over almost every inch of his face. His hair was shaggy, but he was beaming.

"I knew you'd come! I knew it, Harry!"