The Last Goodbye

"I knew Ginny was lying about that tattoo." Ron said, looking down at his bare chest.

"Harry, your eyesight really is awful." Hermione said as she put on glasses. Once we were all dressed, we each took rucksacks and owl cages, each containing a stuffed snowy owl, from the second bag.

"Good." Moody said. "The eight pairs will be as follows: Mundungus will be travelling with me, by broom-"

"Why'm I with you?" He grunted.

"Because you're the one that needs watching." Moody growled. "Arthur and Fred-"

"I'm George." The twin at whom Moody was pointing. "Can't even tell us apart when we're Harry?"

"Sorry, George-" Moody began.

"I'm only yanking your wand, I'm Fred really-"

"Enough messing around!" Moody snarled. "The other one- George or Fred or whoever you are- you're with Remus. Miss Delacour-"

"I'm taking Fleur on a thestral." Bill said. "She's not that fond of brooms." Fleur walked over to stand beside him, giving him a soppy, slavish look, which looked ridiculous on Harry's face.

"Miss Granger and Ron with Kingsley, again by Thestral-" Hermione looked reassured as she answered Kingsley's smile, I knew that Hermione too lacked confidence on a broomstick.

"Which leaves you and me, Hayley!" Tonks said brightly, knocking over a tree as she waved at me. I laughed at her clumsiness but was happy all the same.

"An' you're with me, Harry. That all righ'?" Hagrid said, looking a little anxious. "We'll be on the bike, brooms an' thestrals can't take me weight, see. Not a lot o' room on the seat with me on it though, so you'll be in the sidecar."

"That's great." Harry said, but he didn't look terribly excited.

"We think the death eaters will expect you to be on a broom." Moody said. "Snape's had plenty of time to tell them everything he's never mentioned before, so if we do run into any death eaters, we're betting they'll choose one of the Potters who look at home on a broomstick."

I felt a little uncomfortable as Mad-Eye said this, because I belonged on a broom, I lived to fly.

"All right then, I make it three minutes until we're supposed to leave. No point locking the back door, it won't keep death eaters out when they come looking. Come on..."

We walked outside and I recognised my broom. Arthur handed it to me and my hands brushed over it. I turned to Tonks and gave it to her. She climbed on and I waited for everyone else to be ready before I had to get on.

"Hold on tight now, Hayley!" Tonks said.

"Yes ma'am!" I said, squeezing her stomach ever so gently. Hagrid's bike roared into life.

"Good luck, everyone." Moody shouted. "See you all in about an hour at The Burrow. On the count of three. One... two... THREE!