Kapitel 144: Grimmauld Place, London

The day Christina Norton returned from Hogwarts, Dumbledore put a shielding charm around her house to prevent any wizards, witches or any magical creatures to entering her house. Only muggles can cross the shield and the day Christina will come out of the shield, it'll dissolve. So she had to stop going out from her house. Apart from that there was always some wizards who were keeping watch on her house from outside. For her father's protection everyday a wizard was following him. It was because her life was threatened by a ten centuries old wizard Malgino. The others asked her to stay with them in safe house but she wanted to spend at least a month with her father. So she did, now, as promised she've to leave. It was good that her father was about to go to Asia for business after she left for Hogwarts, but as she'll leave early she made her father to leave early too. That way he'll be safe, she thought.

The remaining days after her birthday, in her house went by, convincing Mr. Norton that there's was nothing life threatening in that situation and the things he noticed all were for a secret mission.

"I'm sorry, Dad, I can't tell you. It's just..." she hugged him. "... I'm going through something. I can't let you worry about myself. So I'll just tell you this.... remember you said you can feel I'm born for something big. So the big is already here. I've to prove myself."

She looked up at her father.

"People trusts me, Dad. I can't let them down.. I can't let myself down. And you're my strength not my weakness, right?"

Finally he agreed to not ask any questions.

So the evening of August 1st, Mr. Norton and Christina both packed their suitcases and trunk respectively. Mr. Norton's employees came and Mr. Norton left at afternoon.

"Take care." Chris hugged him.

"Are you sure you're going to be okay alone? I mean..."

"Dad they're sending someone to take me. Don't worry."

"Alright. Alright." He fondly kissed her top of the head. "Love you eagle."

"Love you too Dad."

She kissed him on the cheek as Mr. Norton get in the car.

Chris waved goodbye.

Almost at six o'clock Leon came in soaring inside the house, as Chris was cleaning the dinner plates.

Chris dragged her trunk and Leon's cage outside and saw few people waiting in the dark. Chris looked around for their neighbours and saw the Hemels didn't have their lights on(so they're not in the house, she guessed). And the others didn't care what was she up to.

Chris stepped forward but didn't crossed the shield immediately. She had this kind of experiences, so before knowing who were standing outside, she'll not break the shield.

Maybe realising her hesitation the figures started to step forward and a voice said calmly, "It's all right, Christina. We've come to take you away."

"Professor Lupin?" Chris said recognising the man's voice.

To answer her question, the figures came out of dark and Chris saw Lupin smiling at her. Though still quite young, Lupin looked tired and rather ill; he had more gray hair than when Chris had said good-bye to him, and his robes were more patched and shabbier than ever. Nevertheless, he was smiling.

Chris looked around and saw there was three more people, a young witch with flaming red hair (like Ginny) upto her shoulder, a silver-haired wizard, a tall black wizard and Mad-Eye Moody, who had long grizzled gray hair and a large chunk missing from his nose, was squinting suspiciously at Chris through his mismatched eyes. One of the eyes was small, dark, and beady, the other large, round, and electric blue — the magical eye that could see through walls, doors, and the back of Moody's own head.

"Are you quite sure it's her, Lupin?" he growled. "It'd be a nice lookout if we bring back some Death Eater impersonating her. We ought to ask her something about actual Norton, to be sure."

"Okay, tell me what form does your Patronus take, Christina?" said Lupin.

"An Eagle." Chris replied confidently.

"That's her, Mad-Eye," said Lupin.

"And what's yours?" Chris asked, to be sure for herself. She knew what actual Lupin's Patronus was.

"A wolf." Lupin answered with a big smile.

Chris stepped out of the shield and it dissolved.

"How are you?" Lupin held out his hand and shook Chris's.

"Good."

"This is Alastor Moody, Christina." Lupin introduced Moody.

"Yeah, I know," said Chris, it felt odd to be introduced to somebody she'd thought she'd known for a year.

"And this is Nymphadora —"

"Don't call me Nymphadora, Remus," said the young witch with a shudder. "It's Tonks."

"— Nymphadora Tonks, who prefers to be known by her surname only," finished Lupin.

"So would you if your fool of a mother had called you Nymphadora," muttered Tonks.

Chris chuckled.

"And this is Kingsley Shacklebolt" — he indicated the tall black wizard, who bowed — "Elphias Doge" — the other wizard nodded.

"Er.. Don't mean to interrupt the introduction..." Chris said. "... but we're in a middle of a muggle neighborhood, so don't you think we should..."

"Sure. Sure. We're just waiting for the signal." Lupin nodded seriously. "This way."

Lupin showed Chris to turn the corner, so they muggles don't notice them. Tonks took the trunk and Mad-Eye came towards Chris.

"I need to Disillusion you." He growled.

"Okay." Chris nodded. She knew how to do it herself but she decided not to use magic unless she've to.

Mad-Eye tapped his wand on Chris's head and Chris's body blend in with the surroundings.

"So how are we traveling?" Chris asked.

"Brooms." Tonks said. "Take out yours."

"Alright. That meakes sense." Chris replied. "The night is pretty cloudy too, good for cover."

"Absolutely." Moody said. "Now, 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 other two be circling us. We don't break ranks for anything, got me? If one of us is killed the others keep flying, don't stop, don't break ranks. If they take out all of us and you survive, Norton, the rear guard are standing by to take over; keep flying east and they'll join you. Understood?"

"Yes." Chris said seriously, taking out her broom.

"Wow! A Firebolt?" said Tonks enviously. "And I'm still riding a Comet Two Sixty."

"Mount your brooms, that's the signal!" said Lupin sharply, pointing into the sky.

Far, far above them, a shower of bright red sparks had flared among the stars. Chris hurriedly mount her broom. Tonks took the trunk with her broom.

"Let's go." Lupin said and they all kick off from the ground.

The cool night air rushed through Chris's deep brown hair. The cool breeze changed her mood like always.

"We need more height. . . . Give it another quarter of a mile!" Mad-Eye barked. "Bear northeast and keep climbing, there's some low cloud ahead we can lose ourselves in!" called Moody.

"We're not going through clouds!" shouted Tonks angrily. "We'll get soaked, Mad-Eye!"

Chris laughed. She didn't mind the cold or getting wet. It feels alive according to her.

On they way Moody and Tonks kept barking at each other over the cold wind.

"Time to start the descent!" came Lupin's voice. "Follow Tonks, Christina."

Chris followed Tonks into a dive. They were heading for the largest collection of lights, a huge, sprawling, crisscrossing mass, glittering in lines and grids, interspersed with patches of deepest black. Lower and lower they flew, until she could see individual headlights and streetlamps, chimneys, and television aerials.

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