Fight and Flight

Disclaimer: I don't own Hp.

Kitty saw Hermione and Harry walk out of the office, followed by Umbridge. Kitty couldn't figure out for the life of her what Hermione was up to. Out of the corner of her eye, she looked at Vandyll, who caught her glance and then looked at Ron.

The room was suddenly filled with shouts of 'Expelliarmus!' and 'Stupefy!' . Kitty watched unable to do anything for Malfoy had taken her wand. Nevertheless, she did stamp hard on Pansy Parkinson's toes who shrieked in pain and hopped about on one foot. In the middle of this commotion, Malfoy threw Kitty's, Hermione's and Harry's wands across the floor to Kitty, who picked them up at once.

'Epoximise!' said Kitty pointing her wand at Crabbe who was sprawled on the floor and was trying to get up. Crabbe's body stuck to the floor, as he struggled hard to get up, and stretched his hand to seize Kitty's ankles.

Ginny had hit Malfoy with a Bat Bogey Hex with the result that great flapping wings now covered his face. Ron and Vandyll had stunned Goyle and Zabini. Luna had disarmed Millicent Bulstrode who had seized her robes. Marcus Flint was frozen with his hand extended towards Neville.

'They've gone towards the Forbidden Forest!' said Neville who was sporting a large purple black eye, as they ran out of Umbridge's office and towards the Entrance Hall. Ron, Kitty, Vandyll, Neville, Ginny and Luna sprinted down towards Hagrid's hut and then ran past it into the Forbidden Forest.

After about five minutes of running through the tress shouting Harry's name, Kitty heard voices that were growing louder and louder.

'Well, we can't do anything without wands,' Hermione was saying hopelessly, 'Anyway, Harry, how exactly were you planning to get all the way to London?'

'Yeah, we were just wondering that.' said Ron walking towards them. So, had any ideas?'

Kitty handed back Harry and Hermione their wands. 'How did you get away?' asked Harry in amazement.

'Couple of Stunners, a Disarming Charm, Kitty did some charm that stuck Crabbe to the floor, Neville brought off a really nice little Impediment Jinx,' said Ron airily, 'But Ginny was best, she got Malfoy-Bat Bogey Hex-it was superb, his whole face was covered in the great flapping things. Anyway, we saw you out of the window heading into the Forest and followed. What've you done with Umbridge?'

'She got carried away,' said Harry. 'By a herd of centaurs.'

'And they left you behind?' asked Ginny, looking astonished.

'No, they got chased off by Grawp,' said Harry.

'Who's Grawp?' Neville asked interestedly.

'Hagrid's little brother,' said Vandyll promptly. 'Anyway, never mind that now. Harry, what did you find out in the fire? Has You-Know-Who got Sirius or-?'

'Yes,' said Harry, as his scar gave another painful prickle, 'and I'm sure Sirius is still alive, but I can't see how we're going to get there to help him.'

They all fell silent, looking rather scared; the problem facing them seemed insurmountable.

'Well, we'll have to fly, won't we?' said Luna, in the closest thing to a matter-of-fact voice Kitty had ever heard her use.

'OK,' said Harry irritably, rounding on her. 'First of all, "we" aren't doing anything if you're including yourself in that, and second of all, Ron's the only one with a broomstick that isn't being guarded by a security troll, so-'

'I've got a broom!' said Ginny and Vandyll together.

'Yeah, but you're not coming,' said Ron angrily.

'Excuse me, but I care what happens to Sirius as much as you do!' said Ginny, her jaw set so that her resemblance to Fred and George was suddenly striking.

'You're too-' Harry began, but Ginny said fiercely, 'I'm three years older than you were when you fought You-Know-Who over the Philosophers Stone, and it's because of me that Malfoy's stuck back in Umbridge's office with giant flying bogies attacking him, and if Kitty can go why can't I? After all, she's only twelve.'

'Yeah, but-'

'We were all in the DA together,' said Neville quietly. 'It was all supposed to be about fighting You-Know-Who, wasn't it? And this is the first chance we've had to do something real-or was that all just a game or something?'

'No-of course it wasn't-' said Harry impatiently.

'Then we should come too,' said Vandyll simply. 'We want to help.'

'That's right,' said Luna, smiling happily.

Harry's eyes met Ron's. He knew Ron was thinking exactly what he was: if he could have chosen any members of the DA, in addition to himself, Ron and Hermione, to join him in the attempt to rescue Sirius, he would not have picked Ginny, Neville, Vandyll or Luna.

'Well, it doesn't matter, anyway,' said Harry through gritted teeth, 'because we still don't know how to get there-'

'I thought we'd settled that,' said Luna maddeningly. 'We're flying!'

'I s'pose we're going to ride on the back of the Kacky Snorgle or whatever it is?' Ron demanded.

'The Crumple-Horned Snorkack can't fly,' said Luna in a dignified voice, 'but they can, and Hagrid says they're very good at finding places their riders are looking for.'

Kitty whirled round. Standing between two trees, their white eyes gleaming eerily were two Thestrals, watching the whispered conversation as though they understood every word.

'Yes!' she whispered, moving towards them. They tossed their reptilian heads, throwing back long black manes. Harry stretched out his hand eagerly and patted the nearest one's shining neck; how could he ever have thought them ugly?

'Is it those mad horse things?' said Vandyll uncertainly, staring at a point slightly to the left of the Thestral Harry was patting. 'Those ones you can't see unless you've watched someone snuff it?'

'Yeah,' said Harry.

'How many?'

'Just two.'

'Well, we need four,' said Hermione, who was still looking a little shaken, but determined just the same.

'Five, Hermione,' said Ginny, scowling.

'I think there are eight of us, actually,' said Luna calmly, counting.

'Don't be stupid, we can't all go!' said Harry angrily. 'Look, you four-' he pointed at Neville, Ginny, Vandyll and Luna, 'you're not involved in this, you're not-'

They burst into more protests. Every moment they delayed was precious; they did not have time to argue.

'OK, fine, it's your choice,' he said curtly, 'but unless we can find more Thestrals you're not going to be able-'

'Oh, more of them will come,' said Ginny confidently, who like Ron was squinting in quite the wrong direction, apparently under the impression that she was looking at the horses.

'What makes you think that?'

'Because, in case you hadn't noticed, you and Hermione are both covered in blood,' she said coolly, 'and we know Hagrid lures Thestrals with raw meat. That's probably why these two turned up in the first place.'

Harry felt a soft tug on his robes at that moment and looked down to see the closest Thestral licking his sleeve, which was damp with Grawp's blood.

'OK, then,' he said, a bright idea occurring, 'Kitty and I will take these two and go ahead, and Hermione can stay here with you five and she'll attract more Thestrals-'

'I'm not staying behind!' said Hermione furiously.

'There's no need,' said Luna, smiling. 'Look, here come more now ... you two must really smell ...'

Kitty turned: no fewer than eight or nine Thestrals were picking their way through the trees, their great leathery wings folded tight to their bodies, their eyes gleaming through the darkness. Harry had no excuse now.

'All right,' he said angrily, 'pick one and get on, then.'

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