They won't,' said Harry.
- that you're safe -'That'll just depress them.'
- and you'll see them next summer.'
'Do I have to?'
Lupin smiled but made no answer.
'Come here, boy,' said Moody gruffly, beckoning Harry towards him with his wand. 'I
need to Disillusion you.'
'You need to what?' said Harry nervously.
'Disillusionment Charm,' said Moody, raising his wand. 'Lupin says you've got an
Invisibility Cloak, but it won't stay on while we're flying; this'll disguise you better. Here
you go -
He rapped him hard on the top of the head and Harry felt a curious sensation as though
Moody had just smashed an egg there;
cold trickles seemed to be running down his body from the point the wand had struck.
'Nice one, Mad-Eye,' said Tonks appreciatively, staring at Harry's midriff.
Harry looked down at his body, or rather, what had been his body, for it didn't look
anything like his any more. It was not invisible; it had simply taken on the exact colour
and texture of the kitchen unit behind him. He seemed to have become a human
chameleon.
'Come on,' said Moody, unlocking the back door with his wand.
They all stepped outside on to Uncle Vernon's beautifully kept lawn.
'Clear night,' grunted Moody, his magical eye scanning the heavens. 'Could've done with
a bit more cloud cover. Right, you,' he barked at Harry, 'we're going to be flying in close
formation. Tonks'll be right in front of you, keep close on her tail. Lupin'll be covering
you from below I'm going to be behind you. The rest'll be circling us. We don't break
ranks for anything, got me? If one of us is killed -
'Is that likely?' Harry asked apprehensively, but Moody ignored him.
- the others keep flying, don't stop, don't break ranks. If they take out all of us and you
survive, Harry, the rear guard are standing by to take over; keep flying east and they'll
join you.'
'Stop being so cheerful, Mad-Eye, he'll think we're not taking this seriously' said Tonks,
as she strapped Harry's trunk and Hedwig's cage into a harness hanging from her broom.
'I'm just telling the boy the plan,' growled Moody. 'Our jobs to deliver him safely to
Headquarters and if we die in the attempt -
'No one's going to die,' said Kingsley Shacklebolt in his deep, calming voice.
'Mount your brooms, that's the first signal!' said Lupin sharply pointing into the sky.
Far, far above them, a shower of bright red sparks had flared among the stars, Harry
recognised them at once as wand sparks. He swung his right leg over his Firebolt, gripped
its handle tightly and felt it vibrating very slightly, as though it was as keen as he was to
be up in the air once more.
'Second signal, let's go!' said Lupin loudly as more sparks, green this time, exploded high
above them.
Harry kicked off hard from the ground. The cool night air rushed through his hair as the
neat square gardens of Privet Drive fell away, shrinking rapidly into a patchwork of dark
greens and blacks, and every thought of the Ministry hearing was swept from his mind as