In Chapter 4, The Seven Potters, Harry has just said goodbye to the Dursleys for the last time and watched from his upstairs bedroom as their car swerved out of the driveway. He collects Hedwig, his Firebolt and a rucksack, heads downstairs and checks out his old sleeping quarters.
He hears a 'deafening roar from somewhere nearby' (p 43) and, after smacking the top of his head, goes to the kitchen and looks to the back garden to see what's going on.
'The darkness seemed to be rippling, the air itself quivering. Then, one by one, figures began to pop into sight as their Disillusionment Charms lifted.' (p43).
There's hellos, a minor arguement with Moody, six other Harrys are made and Harry's ready to leave Privet Drive never to return.
'...Harry felt the sidecar lurch: he was rising through the air fast... Around him, brroms were soaring upwards too: the long black tail of a Thestral flicked past... Higher and higher they climed into the sky -
'And then, out of nowhere, out of nothing, they were surrounded. At least thirty hooded figures, suspended in mid-air, formed a vast circle in the midst of which the Order members had risen, oblivious -' (p51-52).
I would have thought that it would seem logical to cast another Disillusionment Charm, even while they were in mid-air. Sure, they can't really do it while at Privet Drive, that would look like underage magic and alert the Ministry, but there had to have been ways with which they could better camoflage themselves.
I'm quite surprised that Moody didn't think of this, he was always the paranoid one and, if Barty Crouch Jnr's portrayal of him is as accurate as we're led to believe, his catch-cry of 'Constant Viligance!' wasn't employed here.
Did I miss something in the text? Was this issue addressed by the great many revelations JKR thrust upon us after the books release? Hmm, will have to look it up.
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