They agreed, Hermione a little faintly, and now Harry could see the

dragon's wide yellow underbelly rippling in the surface of the water.

"NOW!"

He slithered over the side of the dragon and plummeted feetfirst toward

The surface of the lake; the drop was greater than he had estimated and he

Hit the water hard, plunging like a stone into a freezing, green,

Reed-filled world. He kicked toward the surface and emerged, panting, to see

Enormous ripples emanating in circles from the places where Ron and Hermione

Had fallen. The dragon did not seem to have noticed anything; it was already

Fifty feet away, swooping low over the lake to scoop up water in its scarred

Snout. As Ron and Hermione emerged, spluttering and gasping, from the depths

Of the lake, the dragon flew on, its wings beating hard, and landed at last

On a distant bank.

Harry, Ron and Hermione struck out for the opposite shore. The lake did

Not seem to be deep. Soon it was more a question of fighting their way

Through reeds and mud than swimming, and at last they flopped, sodden,

Panting, and exhausted, onto slippery grass.

Hermione collapsed, coughing and shuddering. Though Harry could have

Happily lain down and slept, he staggered to his feet, drew out his wand,

And started casting the usual protective spells around them.

When he had finished, he joined the others. It was the first time that

He had seen them properly since escaping from the vault. Both had angry red

Burns all over their faces and arms, and their clothing was singed away in

Places. They were wincing as they dabbed essence of dittany onto their many

Injuries. Hermione handed Harry the bottle, then pulled out three bottles of

Pumpkin juice she had brought from Shell Cottage and clean, dry robes for

All of them. They changes and then gulped down the juice.

"Well, on the upside," said Ron finally, who was sitting watching the

skin on his hands regrow, "we got the Horcrux. On the downside-"

"-- no sword," said Harry through gritted teeth, as he dripped dittany

Through the singed hole in his jeans onto the angry burn beneath.

"No sword," repeated Ron. "That double-crossing little scab..."

Harry pulled the Horcrux from the pocket of the wet jacket he had just

Taken off and set it down on the grass in front of them. Glinting in the

Sun, it drew their eyes as they swigged their bottles of juice.

"At least we can't wear it this time, that'd look a bit weird hanging

around our necks," said Ron, wiping his mouth on the back of his hand.

Hermione looked across the lake to the far bank where the dragon was

Still drinking.

"What'll happen to it, do you think?" she asked, "Will it be alright?"

"You sound like Hagrid," said Ron, "It's a dragon, Hermione, it can look

after itself. It's us we need to worry about."

"What do you mean?"

"Well I don't know how to break this to you," said Ron, "but I think

they might have noticed we broke into Gringotts."

All three of them started to laugh, and once started, it was difficult

to stop. Harry's ribs ached, he felt lightheaded with hunger, but he lay

Date: 2015-12-11; view: 628