Chapter 29. An Unattended Umbrella
The sound of hurried footsteps echoed above Harry just as he had reached the entrance hall. Neville and Luna were running down the stairs. Neville leapt down the last five steps, clutching his knees in pain.
"Harry, what's going on? There was a loud noise coming from downstairs . . ." said Neville with a groan.
"Filch is dead," Ron told him darkly. "He betrayed us and killed himself when we caught up."
Seeming to forget the pain in his knees, Neville stared at Harry in shock, and Luna's dreamy face had hardened as well.
"Harry, are you planning on finding Hagrid?" asked Luna quietly. "It was Filch who took Hagrid to his hut."
"Yes, that's right," said Harry. Luna once again proved to be much more quick-witted than she looked. "Now we need to see if he's all right. You two — wait in the school while we check it out with the Aurors."
"That's absurd!" protested Neville. "Don't you remember, Harry? We were with you at the Department of Mysteries! We're going with you."
"Neville's right," said Luna. "We care about Hagrid's safety as much as you do."
"This is not the time to argue about this, Harry." Hermione took Harry's arm. "The more help the better."
Harry thought for a moment. It would be his fault if his friends got hurt. Still, looking at Neville and Luna's stubborn faces, he was unlikely to convince them to stay.
"Okay, then," sighed Harry. "But you have to follow my instructions or I'll have to send you back. Got it?"
"Of course, boss," said Neville with a grin.
Hagrid's house was visible in the distance when Harry opened the thick door that led to the dim school grounds. There seemed to be no damage to the gamekeeper's hut, whose misty windows glowed brightly.
"Hagrid must be in there, safe and sound. Filch could've been bluffing," Ron said in a voice of forced confidence.
"It might be a trap. We need more Aurors. . . ." Harry waved his wand in the clear night air and bellowed, "Expecto Patronum!"
Four silver stags made of bright light emerged from the tip of his wand and ran in different directions. Just as Harry, Ron, Hermione, Neville and Luna came down the stone stairs and onto the lawn, Proudfoot, Savage, Berrycloth and Williamson sprinted out of the darkness toward them. Being quite old, the Aurors were breathing heavily after their short runs.
"Thank you for coming, gentlemen. Like I just told you through my Patronus, we need your help to find Hagrid."
Now there were nine people in the group and they moved quickly but quietly across the empty grounds of Hogwarts. The distance to the cabin seemed longer than usual, perhaps because they were in a hurry. His grip on the wand tightened as Harry remembered the day he and Hagrid had bought it at Ollivander's. The day Hagrid had led him back to the Wizarding world for the first time was still the best birthday of his life, even though he was over thirty years older now. Now it was Harry's turn to save Hagrid, just as the kind giant had saved him. . . .
Wasn't today his own birthday, like Hagrid had reminded him earlier? His eyes welled with tears as he remembered Hagrid's comment about throwing him a modest birthday party at his house. Now that Harry thought about it, he was used to receiving things from Hagrid, but was stingy when it came to returning the favor. . . .
"Hagrid, be safe — I'm coming . . ." Harry muttered in an inaudible voice.
"He will be fine," Hermione said as though she could read Harry's mind. "Do you remember when we were fifth years? Umbridge took five Aurors to arrest him, but Hagrid overpowered them all and managed to escape."
"Madam Granger is right — I happen to be one of those Aurors," said Proudfoot gruffly. "I still get pain from time to time in my ribs, broken back then . . ."
Harry was a little relieved to hear that. He recalled his knees buckling every time Hagrid patted him on the back. Yes, Rubeus Hagrid was the toughest man he had ever met — he would be fine, he had to be. . . . The moment he walked through the door of that hut, Hagrid would greet him with a chocolate cake strewn with candles, his face lighting up with a pleasant surprise. . . .
"Listen, Harry! I can hear Hagrid's voice," said Luna. She stopped and listened to the cool night air, and the rest of the group followed her.
. . . Odo the hero, they bore him back home . . . to the place that he'd known as a lad —
Hagrid's singing of "Odo the Hero" was clearly audible to Harry. Despite the faulty rhythm and beat, the song sounded incredibly wonderful at the moment, and he felt a great sense of relief.
"That is indeed his voice," Harry said, approaching the hut and standing in front of the wooden door. "Hagrid? It's me — Harry!" he shouted, but Hagrid kept humming the song as if lost in it.
. . . And his wand snapped in two, which was sad . . .
"Hagrid? Can you hear me?" Harry said, louder than before. Then the singing stopped, a chair creaked inside and heavy footsteps grew louder.
"Is anyone there?" said Hagrid's voice. Harry stepped forward, ready to embrace Hagrid at any moment. There was a squeak and the sound of the door opening. . . . However, Harry noticed that the door was still closed in front of him.
Wondering if he had heard something hallucinatory, Harry pushed the door gently. Since the door was unlocked, a little force was enough to open it. Harry could now see the familiar and friendly interior of the cabin: A crackling fireplace, a boiling copper cauldron, a huge bed in one corner that could seat three adults, hams and pheasants hanging from the ceiling . . . and finally, the flowery pink umbrella that Hagrid always carried with him whenever he went out, lying unattended against the bed.
"Hagrid!" Harry shouted, as if Hagrid were hiding in the tiny house. There was no answer, of course.
"There's no sign of a struggle," Ron followed him in and said. "Maybe he went out for a drink?"
Harry reached over and picked up the pink umbrella to see if there were any signs of recent use. Then Hagrid's voice rang out in the hut; Harry let go of the umbrella and jumped up.
And Odo the hero, they carried him home . . .
Harry jerked his head in the direction of the sound. The singing voice was coming from the cupboard. With a quick movement, Harry pointed his wand and opened it with a flick. There was a small radio next to a copper kettle and a milk bottle. The radio was playing Hagrid's song, which Harry muted with a button.
"Oh dear, is Hagrid on the radio right now?" Ron laughed and sat down in a nearby chair with a relaxed expression on his face. "That explains why he's not home."
"For heaven's sake, Ron — does that make sense to you?" Hermione said sharply, then turned to Harry. "Something suspicious is going on, Harry. We should leave now!"
"We have to find Hagrid first," said Harry firmly. "He may have gone into the forest to look around. . . . I'll open the back door and have a look."
"But Harry," said Luna, "you can't go near the forest tonight. That's what the centaurs said!"
"Centaurs? Did we miss something?" said Hermione, her eyebrows raised.
"You know how centaurs are, Hermione. . . . As always, I heard some ominous words from them earlier. That's their idea of a virtue, I suppose," said Harry. "Besides, Luna, I won't be venturing into the Forbidden Forest. I'll just check the outskirts." Before anyone could dissuade him, Harry strode across the room and stood at the back door leading to the pumpkin patch. "I'll go with the Aurors first. You stay here and check the place out."
He opened the back door and looked out, half-hidden. Beyond the backyard was total darkness, and all he could see were black silhouettes of towering trees, jutting out of the forest like giant fangs. Huge pumpkins lay scattered between the forest and the hut in the small patch between them. The full moon, which had been bright when they just crossed the grounds, was now hidden behind thick clouds, and the sky was now inky black. Instead of calling out to Hagrid, Harry made hand gestures to the Aurors waiting behind him, reminding himself that this was a perfect place to be ambushed. At his command, Proudfoot and Berrycloth crouched down and took cover behind the nearest pumpkins.
While their companions aimed their wands into the forest, Savage and Williamson followed their lead and advanced to the pumpkins closer to the forest for cover. Having been swallowed by the darkness, their figures were now hard to distinguish. Harry was about to leave when it happened: There was a small click in the still night air. A moment later, the fire in the grate behind him went out. The hut was enveloped in darkness that had spread beyond the boundaries of the forest.
"Harry! The lights are out!" said Neville in a panicked voice.
"I've got eyes," Harry hissed, turning around. "Don't light your wands yet! Anyone would see us from a distance, then."
"What now?" said Hermione in a small, worried voice. Harry's friends, who remained in the cabin, staggered and hit or knocked over objects around them, making very loud noises.
"Ron, where are you?" called Harry.
"Still in the chair . . . spiders aren't on their way, are they?" said Ron, his voice shaking.
"You're the closest person to the fireplace, Ron. First stand up, then turn left and take a few steps forward. If you can touch the bricks, light the wood right underneath them. Now, all of you, lie flat in your places as soon as the light returns. . . . They can attack at any moment."
Harry heard Ron drag a chair, walk hesitantly, and stand against a wall as he listened intently.
"OUCH, IT'S HOT!" yelled Ron. "The fire is still raging, Harry!"
"What do you mean?" whispered Neville. "We've all suddenly gone blind, do you mean?"
"Lumos!"
Growing impatient, Harry lit his wand to make a light appear at its end and approached the fireplace. His friends lit their wands as well and gathered around the grate. There was certainly no light coming from the fireplace, now illuminated by the wands. Nevertheless, the firewood continued to emit smoke as it burned black and produced hot fumes, as if being burned by an invisible fire. . . .
"Have you ever seen magic like this before, Hermione?" Harry asked Hermione, who looked just as shocked as the others.
"Not at all. Still, it doesn't feel right . . ."
"Here, Mr. Potter!" One of the Aurors called from the pumpkin patch. Harry rushed out of the hut and ran to the pumpkin where the voice had just come from. Crouching down next to him, Savage pointed into the forest. "There was a flash of green light over there."
"Could it be a firefly?" said Neville, who had followed him out.
"No, it can't be. There are no fireflies in the Forbidden Forest," said Luna dreamily. "Shiny things would attract the predators in there."
Harry swung his wand in the direction Savage was pointing. The light hanging from the tip of the wand broke off and flew off in the direction of the spot. The small light dispelled the darkness in the forest for a moment. He glimpsed a black figure hiding behind the bushes, its head adorned with protruding green eyes. . . .
Click.
The small sound was heard again, and all the light fled from their wands and spread out into the forest.
"What was that, Mr. Potter? A monster?" said Williamson from behind another pumpkin.
"We'd better get back to the hut, Harry," whispered Hermione. "If I'm right, they can see us in the dark . . ."
Before Harry could answer, a muffled shot was heard, followed by Savage's shrill screams. "ARRRGH! MY ARM!"
"EVERYONE, BACK IN THE HOUSE! Williamson, take Savage with you! Harry cried, hiding behind a pumpkin and watching the forest alone as the others fled.
"Lumos!" Harry lit his wand again. Savage and Williamson walked past him and Harry followed them to the back door.
Click.
He heard that sound again, and the light from his wand shattered and disappeared like pearls from a severed necklace. Turning toward the dark forest, Harry pointed his wand at it.
"Stupefy!"
A flash of red light shot out into the darkness. Through the trees illuminated by the passing light, Harry saw dozens of people wearing identical green goggles and black clothing watching him. Fighting back his fear, he ran for the hut and slammed the door behind him.
"What just happened out there? Why does the light keep going out?" said Neville.
"They're using the Deluminator!" shouted Ron. "Remember? Flamel's study was missing one! The light keeps going out when they use it!"
Harry understood now why it kept going dark with a clicking sound.
"Then how can they see us?" gasped Neville. He was examining Savage's bleeding forearm with his illuminated wand.
"They have night visions!" cried Hermione. "I saw one in a movie when I was young. . . . Those green devices on their heads let them see in the dark!"
"Muggles have things like that? You should've told me sooner!" said Ron shrilly. "What are we gonna do now?"
Click.
It was pitch black in the cabin now, as the light on the tip of Neville's wand had gone out. Something small and fast passed over Harry's head with a roar. He instinctively grabbed Ron and Hermione, who were close by, and threw them to the ground with him. A deafening roar of gunfire came through as numerous holes were made in the flimsy wooden walls of the hut facing the forest.
"Protego!"
Hermione's voice rang through the darkness. Then bullets from the machine guns ricocheted off the invisible barrier and scattered everywhere. Gunshots still rang out, but now there were no more holes in the walls.
"Good thinking, Hermione!" cried Harry. "Now we hit back! Get out as soon as the barriers are up!"
The sound of footsteps in the shadows followed the instructions Harry had given. The gunfire continued, but the bullets bounced off the magical shield without impact. Harry fumbled for the closed back door, broke it open and rushed outside. The forest was still dark, but compared to the enclosed cabin, it felt bright as day. The blinding light from the fire-breathing muzzles of the machine guns allowed Harry to dimly see the Dawn Breakers crouching or lying face down in the woods.
"Expelliarmus!" Harry shouted, and a blinding flash of red light flew toward the machine gun. With a small scream, the shooter and the large weapon were thrown backward by the spell.
"Stupefy!" Ron shot another shadowy figure, sending it flying.
"Well done, Ron! Keep going!" shouted Harry. "Keep your Shield Charms, Aurors! The rest of us will attack."
With Ron, Hermione, Neville and Luna at his side, Harry sent hexes and curses in all directions while his Aurors shielded them from flying bullets. More dark figures fell, and those that remained hid deeper into the forest. They finally reached a patch of giant pumpkins.
"It's not as hard as I —" But before Ron could finish, a strong rushing sound rattled their eardrums, and intense beams of green light flew straight at them.
"Killing Curses! Get down!" cried Harry. Despite the Shield Charm cast by Proudfoot, one of the curses went through and struck the Auror in the chest. It seemed as if Proudfoot had died before he even fell, his limbs bent like a broken doll as he lay beside a pumpkin. Two more Killing Curses flew right over Harry's head, but he ducked in time and continued to fire hexes in the direction of the green flashes. A missed curse caused the pumpkin covering his body to explode like a bomb, and the hard fragments of the shell hit him hard. Just as Harry was falling, another flash of green light shot through the air where his head had just been.
"Fall back! Get in the cabin!" yelled Harry. A barrage of bullets flew from the machine guns as soon as they turned their backs.
"AAAAARGH!" As Williamson ran for the door, a shot struck him in the back. He fell forward, motionless.
"We can't help him, Harry! Come in now!" shouted Hermione, standing in the doorway. Still, Harry turned to run and get Williamson.
"Protego!" Harry cast a Shield Charm, deflecting the incoming bullets off the transparent barrier. In a series of quick motions, Harry blocked bullet after bullet with his wand before grabbing Williamson's arm and lifting him up. The wounded Auror awoke and grunted, staggering to his feet.
"You'll be all right, Williamson. We'll fix you up."
Harry hurried to the back door of the hut with his arm around the Auror's shoulder.
"WATCH YOUR BACK!" yelled Ron.
Harry turned, and his eyes were instantly blinded by the flashes of intense green light coming at him from all sides. Harry's arm had been brushed by a Killing Curse that hit Williamson instead, knocking them both to the ground. The curses flew over Harry's head as he crawled over Williamson's body and out the back door. Harry leaned against the bullet-riddled wall as Hermione slammed the door behind him.
"No one should leave this house, in my opinion," said Luna. Her voice wasn't as dreamy as before, but compared to the seriousness of the situation, it was surprisingly calm. "We should especially avoid going into the forest."
"We've all figured that out by now, Luna," said Ron bleakly. "What now, Harry? Would it be all right if we went out the front door?"
"Definitely worth a try," said Harry. "Savage — Berrycloth — are you still there?"
"Still breathing, sir," said Berrycloth, grunting in pain. "Savage has bled too much, though. . . . He needs treatment as soon as possible."
"Take Savage and head back to Hogwarts. We'll stay here and cover you."
"Protego!" Neville's voice echoed through the darkness.
"Didn't you just see, Neville? That spell doesn't work on the Killing Curse," Ron said, sounding irritated. "There's no counter-curse for it."
"But it can still be physically blocked," said Hermione wisely. "At least we will be safe here from those Killing Curses. . . ."
Opening the front door of the hut, Harry pointed his wand around the seemingly empty school grounds. Unlike the forest on the other side, there seemed to be no immediate threat.
"You'd better hurry, Berrycloth! I'll watch your back."
The nearly unconscious Savage was supported by Berrycroth as the two crossed the lawn. Savage's arm was dripping with blood while Harry watched them through the dim moonlight. Just then, what looked like a large bird emerged from the clouds and flew rapidly toward the Aurors. Harry adjusted his glasses and looked at the descending object. Even though it looked like a bird, it did not flap its wings at all. . . . Harry only noticed that the left and right sides of the black craft had propellers instead of wings when it got close enough. He had seen Faraday use a drone that resembled a small helicopter, and the approaching machine looked just the same. . . .
Suddenly, the drone stopped in midair and fired a projectile from beneath its steel body. Small but dazzling flames emanated from behind the pointed, elongated metal shell — the missile flew like a dart and landed where the two Aurors were standing. Harry felt himself catapulted through the air by the huge explosion; he flew backward, crashed through the open door of the cabin, hit a chair hard, and collapsed hard on the floor. Screams and yells came from his friends.
"What happened?" said Neville urgently.
"D-drone . . . It blew m-my Aurors away," stuttered Harry. Feeling the hot blood running down his face, he realized his glasses were missing and raised his wand in search of them. "Accio Glasses!" Their steel frames felt cold against his hand when they zoomed toward him.
With his glasses on, Harry could now see more clearly what had appeared to be a red haze outside the door. From where the missile had hit, flames were devouring the lawn and approaching the cabin. Near the burning grass, Berrycloth limped to his feet. Just as Harry was about to run outside to rescue him, a muffled shot rang out in the forest. There was a violent jolt in the Auror's head and he fell to the ground.
He stood dazed in his cabin, locked inside. There was no way out now. Unless they subdued the attackers in the forest, there would only be more casualties even if he asked for help from the castle. . . . To make sure his friends were okay, he turned around. In the light of the flames, he could see the messy interior, littered with broken furniture and dishes. There was a pink umbrella on the floor that caught Harry's attention. Unsure of why, he crawled over and clutched Hagrid's umbrella.
The death toll had already reached four, and if things continued as they were, he and his friends would die as well. But what about Hagrid? There was no way he could be left alone in the forest, even if Harry had to die instead. A fire that had already blackened the grass had spread to the hut while he was lost in thought. Only a few whimpers could be heard inside. Everyone seemed to be in a state of shock.
Click.
A faint sound accompanied the disappearance of the flames and the cabin fell into total darkness. The acrid smoke and searing heat kept Harry aware that the cabin was in danger of collapsing, regardless of the lack of visual evidence.
"Come to your senses, everyone. We're not finished yet," said Harry.
"But how do we get out of here? They're blinding us by taking away all the light," said Ron weakly.
At a loss for words, Harry squeezed Hagrid's umbrella. His body shivered as if he were immersed in icy water even when the heat in the room increased. . . . Ron was right: The battle was lost if they couldn't see while the enemy could. But he could not give up. He had to hold on to even the smallest hopes that were unlikely to come true. . . . Harry had a sudden thought at that moment.
"Lally to me!" cried Harry. "Hermione — if I'm not mistaken, night visions only work in the dark, right?"
"That's right," Hermione said, coughing into the thick smoke. "In bright light, it blinds the wearer rather than improving their vision."
"Then it's simple," said Harry. "We need a light that doesn't go out."
"But how? Even the Wand-Lighting Charm doesn't work," muttered Neville.
"Let me put it this way, in case they overhear: What were you most interested in learning during our D.A. meetings?"
"I see what you're up to, Harry," said Luna immediately. Possibly because of the smoke, her voice sounded even more dreamy than usual. "We're going to use the spell on the forest side and escape, aren't we?"
"That's what you should do. The drones will attack again, so keep an eye out for them. . . . I'll go into the forest alone."
"But Harry!" Hermione shouted through her cough. "You can't get in there! There's nothing you can do to stop the Killing Curse!"
"There is a way to block it, I just thought of it," Harry said, tightening his grip on the umbrella. "Besides, it will be easier to evade pursuit if I go alone. Go see the matron right away; you've all inhaled a lot of smoke. Bring reinforcements only at dawn."
"Harry, but . . ." Ron sounded worried.
"It's Hagrid, Ron," said Harry firmly. "He would've risked his life for me if it had been the other way around. I can't leave until he's safe."
"You're going into the woods, aren't you? The centaur's prophecy came true, after all," said Luna vaguely. "That's the way it is in old stories — you can't change your fate. . . ."
"You make your own fate, not some human-faced horses," Harry said coolly, and Ron let out a nervous laugh.
"When you're ready, go out the back door. We'll cast the spell I mentioned as soon as I open the door."
"I still don't understand, Harry," said Neville weakly. "What spell do you mean?
"Let me explain," Luna said kindly, whispering something in his ear.
Meanwhile, Harry surveyed the Forbidden Forest through the countless bullet holes in the back door. There was no sign of movement yet, but the Dawn Breakers must be lurking in the trees, waiting for them to come out of the burning house. At this point, he seemed to have come up with an absurdly weak plan. . . . Still, it was the only option; there was no other way to save Hagrid.
In total darkness, Harry heard his friends gather around him. Holding Hagrid's pink umbrella in one hand and his wand in the other, he flung open the back door and dashed outside. In the woods, there was a bustle of people and the sound of guns clicking and reloading.
"NOW!" yelled Harry. "EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
"EXPECTO PATRONUM!"
The same incantation was chanted by four of his friends who followed right behind him. It seemed as if their numbers had doubled when their five brightly shining Patronuses joined forces: Ron's terrier, Luna's rabbit and Hermione's otter, all shining silver, hopped and raced past Harry.
Click.
Harry's heart skipped a beat when he heard the Deluminator click again. But unlike the other spells, the Patronus Charm managed to drive away the darkness that had engulfed the forest, while still maintaining its silver light. The charging Patronuses illuminated the bushes, revealing the Dawn Breakers hiding within. Hands shielding their eyes from the bright light emanating from the Patronuses, they struggled to remove their night visions.
"Avada Kedavra!"
There were sharp shouts, and flashes of green light flew toward Harry from deeper in the forest. Harry formed a shield in front of him by spreading Hagrid's umbrella as he ran. He heard a dozen Killing Curses pass by his ear before one of them hit the pink umbrella. There was a strong vibration in Harry's arm and his heart sank. . . . However, the curse failed to reach Harry's body; it only burned the pink canopy of the umbrella, leaving only its metal parts. Through the thin wire frame of the umbrella, the front was now clearly visible. Harry then spotted a hooded wizard right ahead of him, his eyes wide open and his wand pointed at him. Harry had no time to raise his own wand. . . .
"Stupefy!" Harry shouted instinctively. A blinding flash of red light shot from the tip of the skeletal umbrella, hitting the Dark wizard and causing him to fall. "YEAH, THAT'S IT!"
Harry threw the remaining metal frame to the ground and thought about telling Hagrid how his pink umbrella had saved his life. There was a sudden sense of clarity and refreshment in the forest air. After jumping over his fallen foe, he ran deep into the forest, thick, ancient trees on either side, not even looking back once. Trees and bushes around him continued to be blasted by the jets of green light coming from behind, but the barrage of curses gradually subsided and finally stopped. When Harry was out of breath, he stopped running, only to realize that he was all alone now.
He had successfully made his way into the Forbidden Forest.