She reverses her hands and grasps mine just as tightly.

‘Check your house, girl, rip it apart. If they’re there, it must be close. Do it soon, almost out of time!’

Sam’s hands appear over ours. Honestly I’d forgotten about him in that strange little tableau she’d caught me in. He mutters soothing words and phrases, which seem to help. When we can’t get her hands to release mine, we work together to stand us all up and manoeuvre her into the car. A few more minutes of soothing, she slowly releases her grip and settles back in the seat. Sam closes the door as gently as he can and turns to me.

I try to be subtle at wiping the tears from my face, but he’s seen it all.

‘Well, thanks for stickin around to help this time.’

‘You weren’t even supposed to be here today.’ I make it an accusation and he looks a bit guilty.

‘Yeah well, she was waitin in the car for me when I got ome. She told me where she needed to go.’ He drifts off but I hear what he doesn’t say. He’s scared he won’t have her like that for much longer, so all of them were precious. I don’t say it because he won’t thank me for it. Besides, when an elder tells you to do something, you do it. No questions. It’s my turn to shrug.

‘Thanks then. She seemed to know what was goin on.’

‘Yeah, her clear days. She’s a real cluey old girl, most people forget that though.’ He won’t look at me.

‘Well, she knew about Potters before anyone else,’ I say, getting defensive for some reason.

He smiles at me then. It’s kind of nice.

‘It’s too late to go there now?’ I can’t hide my disappointment and he looks a bit guilty.

‘Yeah, sorry. Takes bout a hour to get there. And if I rush I can get to the end of practice. Sides, goin there in the day is bad enough, I don’t wanna be there at night.’

‘Yeah ay.’ Nice to know I’m not the only one shitting themselves. ‘We’re still goin from school tomorrow though, ay?’

‘Course.’ Sam smiles again.

I nod and what I’m really thinking slips out. ‘We’re so gonna get busted.’

My words rip the smile from his face and I feel terrible.

‘I’ll see you tomorrow,’ I say, before turning to walk down the track while he goes back around the car. I wave at Aunty May as I go past, but it looks like she’s going to town talking to herself.

‘Tace,’ Sam calls.

I stop and look back, watching this weird little foot shuffle he does. ‘Umm, did you want a lift?’

I laugh. ‘No thanks, I like my life.’