Chapter 9:

Ron gave a shout and ran from the room. Harry jumped to his feet, pulled out his wand and, with his other hand, felt his way out of the room and along the landing. He reached the stairs and held his wand high. Creeping down the stairs he kept his ears sharp for any sound that would expose someone. Harry reached the door to the kitchen as Ron ran past him, apparently just having checked the lounge room.

'Are you ok? What happened?' he asked, frantically. Harry listened carefully, then…near the fridge! He jumped through the door, wand raised.

'Very frightening, boy!' a gruff voice growled a few feet to the left of where he was aiming, 'a blind underage wizard aiming at his friends!'

Harry readjusted his aim and muttered 'stupe-'

'Harry!' a familiar voice cut across his spell.

'P-Professor Lupin?'

'Wow, you weren't kidding Remus. He is brave!' laughed a female voice, which Harry turned his wand against.

'Which is what got us into this mess in the first place,' growled the gruff voice.

'Don't be so harsh, Moody,' scolded the female, completely ignoring the blind teenager's raised wand.

'Professor Moody?' Harry asked nervously, turning his head but still holding his wand up.

'Not anymore,' he snorted.

'Come on, come on, introduce me,' whined the female impatiently.

'Okay, okay, calm down, Tonks,' laughed Lupin. 'Harry this is Nympha-' there was a thump and an exclamation of pain from Lupin '-phadora Tonks who prefers to be referred to by her surnames only.'

There was a slightly pause then Hermione lent closer. 'She's holding out her hand,' she muttered.

Harry lowered his wand quickly and raised his hand which Tonks grasped. 'Harry, Harry Potter.'

'I know who you are Harry,' she laughed. 'You look just like James. Well the little I can remember and the pictures I've seen.'

'Except for the eyes, Lily's eyes,' murmured Lupin and Harry stumbled forward until Lupin grabbed his arms and pulled him into a tight hug. If Harry still had them, he would have felt tears spring to his eyes at these words.

Mad-eye growled, 'Ask the question, Remus, this isn't some cosy reunion.'

Harry heard Lupin sigh and pull away, then; 'What memory did you use when you first attempted a Patronus in my extra lessons?'

'Um,' he hesitated, what was it? And why were they asking? Suddenly someone had him by the collar, lifting him into the air, a wand at his throat. 'Answer the question or reveal who you really are,' Mad-eye snarled.

'Er-' Harry gagged slightly as Mad-eye lifted him higher. 'First time I rode a broomstick, wasn't it?' he chocked. Mad-eye held him aloft another moment, presumably waiting for Lupin's confirmation, before lowering him to the ground. Harry rubbed his throat, backing away towards the fridge and his friends. Hermione placed a hand on his shoulder and he grasped it, squeezing reassuringly.

'What about those two?' Mad-eye seemed determined to catch someone out.

'What creature is Wormtail, Ron?' Lupin asked, in a monotone.

'Um, a rat, used to be my pet rat, Scabbers,' Ron answered quickly not wanting to receive the same treatment as Harry.

'When did you discover who Moony was?' Lupin asked Hermione.

'When Professor Snape substituted for you in Third year,' Hermione answered promptly.

Harry gripped his wand, frustrated, if he had to prove who he was so did they. 'What creature is Prongs?' shot Harry.

'A stag,' Moody responded without missing a beat.

Harry frowned, the question had been directed at Lupin…'Padfoot?'

'A dog,' answered Lupin and Harry relaxed slightly.

'Tonks, go get their trunks,' Mad-eye ordered. Harry froze and raised his wand, his grip tight again.

'Don't worry about me,' a woman chirped, her voice fading as she retreated up the stairs following orders. 'Poly-juice doesn't work on me; I'm a metamorphmagus .'

Harry had no idea what that meant but he could practically hear Hermione itching to ask 'Tonks' a million and one questions so he presumed it was something rare or difficult. 'What are you guys doing here? Where's Mr and Mrs Weasley?'

Harry felt Ron stiffen next to him, obviously not having realised Moody, Lupin and Tonks' appearance might mean his parents were hurt. 'They're fine,' Lupin assured quickly. 'We told you that just in case our owl was intercepted. We can't say where we're going, but we're taking you away.'

'Enough talking,' snapped Moody. 'It's here; we need to leave.'

They headed towards the back door, Harry guided by Hermione, and Harry stiffened. 'What's there?' he breathed.

'Nothing,' said Hermione, confused.

'Ah, good, the boy can hear it,' Moody said, a hint of impressed creeping into his voice. Harry stepped forward. He could hear the swish of wings and then, a clatter of hooves on grass. Moody grabbed his arm and, despite his agitation to leave, gently guided him to where Harry could hear the breathing of something. Hesitantly Harry raised a hand and a leathery muzzle brushed against it.

'It's called a Thestral,' murmured Lupin.

'Only visible to those who have experienced death,' breathed Hermione.

He was slightly startled by this information but brushed his hands all along the creature so to get an idea of what it look like. It seemed to be a winged horse. It was very bony giving Harry the impression that its skin hung close to the horse's body. Instead of fur it had a smooth slippery type skin that changed as he reached the wings to a leathery type which reminded Harry of bats. Harry stroked its muzzle softly listening to its steady breathing, feeling its ribcage expand and contract as it breathed.

The moment was shattered as a loud sound came from the kitchen a chair clashed against the floor, someone fell to the ground with a curse, then the painful sound of three somethings colliding heavily with flesh. Apparently Tonks had dropped the trunks on herself.

'Nymphadora, stop messing around,' growled Moody. 'And fasten those to the brooms.'

'Um, how are we getting where we're going?' asked Harry, nervous about the sound of brooms.

Moody completely ignored him. 'Ron, you're flying Harry's broom, Hermione you're on this one, Harry you're on the Thestral and we're flying around all three of you,' Moody ordered. 'Harry's trunk is on the Thestral, Ron, Hermione fly as close as you can to it. Once we're in the air we'll be joined by the rest of the guard. Our aim is that if anyone is waiting for us or watching us they'll think we're just moving Ron and Hermione. The Thestral's invisible to all but those who've seem death so it'll give us an advantage.'

'But won't they see Harry? He'll look like he's hovering in mid-air but they'll still see him, won't they….?' Hermione trailed off, confused.

'Oh yeah,' muttered Moody and someone hit Harry on the head…hard. Harry heard something hit the Thestral and a soft snort in protest then he felt a weird feeling. It was like an egg had been cracked on top of his head and was slowly, coldly dripping down the rest of his body. He heard an awed whoa from Ron and a satisfied ah from Hermione.

'Disillusionist charm,' Moody grunted. 'Still kind of visible but it'll do.'

'Now Harry, up you get,' Lupin instructed and Harry felt him clasp his hands near his shin and used one foot to boost himself onto the Thestral. He guessed it would have been really weird if he wasn't blind.

'Right! Three…Two…One!' shouted Moody and then it all fell away.