Band of Gypsies

Chapter Ten

Snape pulled the hat down over his eyes and watched the street. The little village was busy with activity. People were excited. News traveled fast that the Gypsies were coming. So far everything had gone according to plan. He had stayed in the local inn for a week receiving news from his sources. The Dark Lord had believed him when he sent the message that told Voldemort that he had spotted Potter and was watching him.

Now all Snape needed to know was how Harry was going to deal with the evil wizard. Voldemort would want to come himself. He would not leave it up to anyone else this time. Snape shuddered even in the heat of the day. "Foolish, foolish, boy!" he murmured. Not even Dumbledore will be able to save him, he thought.

He moved down the street smiling and nodding. People saw his clothes, not his eyes.

"Yes. The Vardo Carnival is coming! Tonight! Yes, it is wonderful!" He handed out announcements and stopped to tack one to a post. He knew that it was a wasted effort. Everyone knew the gypsies were coming. But it was a ruse to observe.

Snape saw Arthur Weasley and his family of red-headed children in tow in the late afternoon. He made his way across the street.

"Alright, Molly," Weasley said, "I'll go in and sign for the rooms. It's so hot, why don't we meet down the street for some cool drinks. I won't be but a minute."

"Alright, Arthur." The chubby short woman rounded up her taller children and hustled them down the street.

"I say ol' Chap," Snape bumped into Weasley, 'got a sickle or two?"

"What? No!" Weasley frowned and turned away.

"Well, do you have one for me!" Snape used his own oily voice.

Weasley looked back into his face in shock. "Why, yes...yes, I think I do." He searched his robes all the while looking up and down the street.

"Perhaps we should step in here," Snape said, kindly. He pointed to the dark open doorway and followed the red-head.

"Snape!" Weasley whispered.

Snape shot his fiercest look. "Please, can we keep this on a no-name basis?"

"Yes, yes," Weasley grunted. "So it is on, then?"

Snape nodded. "When will the others arrive?"

"Soon, soon," Weasley said.

"Whatever made you think to bring your children with you?" Snape snarled in the most vicious manner her could manage.

Arthur Weasley paled, "Well,...well, I..."

Snape hated it when the man repeated his words. He nodded politely and smiled at two people entering the small lobby and bowed at Weasley. "Why thank ye good sir." He held his hand out for Weasley to drop the silver sickle in it.

Snape hit the street again, feeling the heat rise from the cobbled road. This is not going to work, he thought. Not with incompetents like that. He walked, careful to study the street behind him through the shop windows. Gaggles of children were laughing and forming up into little crowds at outside cafes. They licked ice creams and talked loudly.

Snape noticed a group of older children from Hogwarts. They were mostly Gryffindors. He recognized Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley and their friends. Snape pulled his hat down again. Adopting a rolling, almost drunken gait, he walked past. They didn't even look at him.

A hand touched his arm. He swallowed hard and glanced up from the bench he had taken to observe the gathering crowds. He recognized the blue eyes of Albus Dumbledore. Like himself, Dumbledore had gone to great lengths to disguise himself. The Polyjuice Potion is a very useful tool, Snape mused. Dumbledore had chosen to resemble Peeves, Hogwart's Poltergeist, although he had dressed much more conservatively.

He sat down next to him. "Good to see you dear friend," Albus mumbled.

Snape nodded and dropped his head as if sleeping.

"Have you noticed anyone?" Dumbledore snorted into a handkerchief.

Snape knew what he meant. Dumbledore wanted to know if any of the Death Eaters were around. "No," Snape whispered and then snored. A moment later he shook himself, as if suddenly wakening, got to his feet and lumbered away. Snape knew that Dumbledore wanted Harry to have a clear shot at Voldemort. The rest of them were there in case, just in case, Malfoy or his friends decided to show.

He slipped into a pub and found a corner near a window. The room was crowded but cool. Slipping a coin onto the table, the bar maid brought him a drink. He had to smile graciously and answer her questions about the Carnival and then he was left alone.

Lupin found him and slipped into a chair across from him. The man had taken pains to wear a cloak and cover his face. Snape watched the room carefully. Lupin was not obvious in the pub Snape had chosen. Snape smiled brightly as if meeting an old friend.

Lupin spoke softly, "I just want you to know, that if anything happens to... to the boy. Well, let's just say, you will pay dearly."

Snape kept the smile on his face and took a sip of his drink. "Of course." He nodded to some of the patrons who were noticeably celebrating, they were drunk. "When has it ever not been on my back?"

The other man snorted, "I don't think you understand, Severus. If anything goes wrong and you-know-who hurts him, then I will kill you." The cloaked man stood, looked down and said, "The other's are here and in place."

"Aye mate. Jolly good!" Snape smiled and shouted at Lupin over the din of the pub. Lupin disappeared into the crowd.

The sun set with the streets becoming ever more crowded.

"They're here!" someone shouted. Brightly decorated wagons began rolling down the street. Acrobats, with white-painted faces were cart wheeling down the street alongside the horses. Fiddlers played and dancing girls swirled and clapped their hand cymbals, their dark bellies writhing. Harry walked at the back of the last wagons, allowing the dust from the street to cloud up around him. His head was bent and he watched the ground. Jolie was whirling around their wagon, dressed as a clown. He was making people laugh by scooping up horse dung and doing tumbling tricks.

He slowed to speak to Harry. He was breathless. "You alright?" Jolie asked out of breath. He gestured expansively and smiled at the cheers from the crowd.

"Yes," Harry said.

"Almost there, hang on!" Jolie ran ahead and swatted the horse's rumps, jumping on their backs and doing hand-stands, making straggling people on the street, laugh and cheer. It was already growing dark and the wagons were rumbling their way over the rough cobble street through town, to the outskirts. A large fair ground was strung with lanterns and tents. A Go-around towered over the lights and Harry could already hear the sound of children laughing.

Harry drank the cool water that Katlana gave him. Nadya stood quietly by, talking to him with her eyes. They had met the night before, just as the dawn was rising. She knew what was going to happen.

Both women were dressed to do their fortune-telling. They would be in special tents separate from the main performance area.

"You must not come to me, Nadya." Harry had warned, as he held her and watched the pinks of the morning sun filling the sky. "If all goes well, we will meet on the road again."

She looked at him with her dark, warm eyes and nodded. He could tell that she was trying not to cry. "You chose the wrong person to love," he said in his own language. "And I made a mistake in loving anyone at all." He switched to Romani, "Do you understand? If something happens, you must not come to me. You have to believe that I will be alright."

"Tommy! It's time to dress." Luciano held out his blue silk trousers. "Sit! We have to do your face."

"Where's Gregor, Luciano?" Harry looked out through the crack in the tent flap.

"He will be along. He has many preparations for this night," Luciano said and slapped the white grease pain on Harry's face a little roughly.

"Lucie, ouch!" Harry complained, grabbing at the fast-moving hand.

"Agh!" The little man, stopped, grabbed Harry around the head and broke into sobs.

"Lucie, stop. It's alright." Harry was hoarse with emotion. Taking the jar of paint from his fist, Harry sent the man out of the tent. "Go. Go, fetch me some tea."

"Hello, Tommy." Gregor entered and took the jar out of Harry's hand. "We have a big crowd tonight." He smeared the grease paint over his face and began to attach his mask. He was already dressed in his blue and purple silk clothes.

Harry continued his own preparations. He was nervous; feeling worse than he ever had before a Quidditch match. He had a million questions running through his mind, but knew he couldn't ask them. He had talked to Gregor, Viktor and others earlier.

"Gregor?" he started.

"Yes, Tommy," he answered. He strapped on his bird cage harness. Harry watched and once again thought the transformation was impressive.

"Will you do something for me?" Harry hooked the buckle to his own cage.

"Of course!" Gregor stopped and waited.

Harry wanted very much to ask Gregor if he would comfort Nadya and tell her, Tell her what? he thought. Tell her that I'm about to die? "Nothing. Never-mind."

The entertainment had started. Harry and Gregor moved together as planned. The other stilt-walkers moved throughout the crowd. Harry's heart calmed to a smooth easy rhythm. He walked, stopped, made the bird motions and snatched the coins out of the air.

He caught himself almost tumbling for the first time from his stilts when he saw them; Ron and Hermione. They were with Ginny, Neville Longbottom, Dean Thomas and Luna Lovegood. Harry stared, forgetting to move his bird.

"Tommy! Gregor walked over slowly. "What are you doing?!" His dark eyes flashed nervously over the crowd.

Harry shook himself and pulled up his reins. He couldn't take his eyes from them. What are you doing here? He thought furiously, You weren't suppose to be here!

They looked up at him, their eyes not registering what they truly saw. Ron flipped him a coin and he caught it, just as he had done with all the others.

"Ha! He'd make a good Seeker, " Ron said.

Harry's heart was in his throat. He stopped and watched them melt into the crowd. When they had disappeared he put the coin in a pocket instead of the collection bag. Harry knew that he could not stop what was going to happen.

And then, he knew. Just as the man with the new short haircut, dressed in dark black robes, knew. Harry's scar exploded in agony, Snape's dark mark burned. Voldemort had arrived at the fair.