Harry Potter and the Secret Treasures - H.P.S.T Chapter 1551: Departure

About a minute later, Tonks and the two “Harries” came back from the living room.

Harry could easily tell which one was Fleur and which one was Hermione.

Although they both looked like him now, the expressions on their faces were completely different, and the contrast was very sharp, with distinct personal characteristics, just like the smirk on Fred’s face just now. These two expressions would never appear on the real Harry in his lifetime.

“Harry, your eyesight really is awful,” said Hermione, as she put on glasses.

“Yeah, terrible, so skinny, so small,” Fleur commented. “This is the first time I know what it feels like to become a boy.”

The Polyjuice Potion was a full-body transformation potion. Its advantage was that the transformation was highly realistic; its disadvantage was that it was too realistic!

Therefore, the use of this potion was not simply for disguise, but could also do many other interesting things.

As long as you could get your hands on something from someone you were interested in, you could easily transform. For example, Fleur and Hermione had changed genders and become Harry, indistinguishable from the real one. It was amazing, highly effective, and had a wide range of uses.

But given the preciousness and price of the main ingredient — dried and shredded boomslang skin — few wizards would be so extravagant as to use it for anything else.

Under the supervision of Moody and Sirius, the fake Harrys changed their clothes.

They took rucksacks and owl cages, each containing a stuffed snowy owl, from the second sack.

Evan looked at the owl inside his own cage — her feathers weren’t as purely white as Hedwig’s.

A close look would easily reveal the difference.

Anyone who knew enough about Harry would realize Evan wasn’t the real one.

“Harry, let’s switch. Give me Hedwig; I’ll take her with me later,” said Evan, pointing to the cage in Harry’s hand.

“Why —”

“Give Hedwig to him. Evan will take good care of her,” said Sirius.

“I want to take Hedwig with me.”

“Listen, Harry, this is part of our plan. Evan and I will be a team. If the Death Eaters show up, we will do everything we can to make them believe Evan is the real you and try to buy everyone some time. So, Evan must be impeccable in his disguise, with not a single flaw. There will definitely be someone among the Death Eaters who knows a lot about you and might notice this detail. We can take advantage of this. You will be carrying this owl to reduce their suspicion of you.”

“Do as they say, Potter!” Moody shouted before Harry could answer, his magical eye darting around. “Give the owl to Mason. We don’t have much time to waste. This is the plan we discussed and think is the most feasible. They will leave on their brooms soon. Next group: Arthur and Fred —”

“I’m George,” said the twin at whom Moody was pointing. “Can’t you even tell us apart when we’re Harry?”

“Sorry, George —”

“I’m only yanking your wand, I’m Fred really —”

“Enough messing around!” snarled Moody. “The other one — George or Fred or whoever you are — you’re with Remus. Miss Delacour —”   

“I’m taking Fleur on a thestral,” said Bill. “She’s not that fond of brooms.”

Fleur walked over to stand beside him, giving him a soppy, slavish look.

The lovestruck “Harry” and Bill looked like they were about to snog right there in front of everyone — and it would have been “Harry” initiating it. The whole scene was… well,

“Miss Granger with Tonks, again by thestral —”

Though Tonks wasn’t exactly the most reliable person, Hermione looked slightly relieved, seemingly reassured. Evan knew that she, like him, wasn’t very good at flying a broomstick.

“Weasley boy, you come with me,” said Moody finally. “Harry, you go with Hagrid.”

Compared to the others, Ron seemed less pleased. He approached Moody’s side with some fear and hesitation.

“You’re with me, Harry. That all righ’?” said Hagrid, looking a little anxious. These were the first words he said after entering the house. “We’ll be on the bike, Sirius’s old one, 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,” said Harry, not altogether truthfully.

Just a moment ago, under Hedwig’s reproachful gaze, he had reluctantly handed her over to Evan. What upset him wasn’t Evan taking Hedwig, but the idea of being treated as someone who only needed protecting. Harry wanted to be one of them, fighting alongside everyone else, not just the one being guarded.

“We think the Death Eaters will expect you to be on a broom, Harry,” said Sirius gently, as if he had guessed how Harry was feeling. “The others, especially Evan, must try to look like you, while you, on your part, have to do your best to not look like yourself. Do you get what I mean? It’s the little details that fool people best. I know it doesn’t feel good, but we have to stay sharp. That bloody Snivellus has had plenty of time to tell them everything about you 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 and have the real Hedwig.”

“I get it!” said Harry.

“That’s good. The main goal tonight isn’t taking risks, but a safe escape.”

“All right then, that’s enough,” said Moody, tying up the sack with the fake Potters’ clothes in it and leading the way back to the door, “You all know what you have to do. I make it three minutes until we’re supposed to leave. No point locking the back door, it won’t keep the Death Eaters out when they come looking. … Come on. …”

Following him, everyone entered the dark back garden, and broomsticks were leaping into hands.

Evan took out his wand and tied Hedwig’s cage and his rucksack to Harry’s Firebolt, while whispering to Sirius about their upcoming plan.

The two of them would leave last, and if there were any Death Eaters, they would try to attract their attention.

What was Harry’s signature spell? Oh, right, Expelliarmus, and Evan would use it in a moment.

Not far from them, Hermione and Tonks had already sat on the back of a great black Thestral, and Bill helped Fleur onto the other.

Hagrid, goggles on, was standing ready beside the motorbike with Harry.

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