If You Are Reading This…
Ch 2
Albus sighed as he dropped the letter on his desk. 'Damn that Boy.'
"Well?" the broge of his right hand Witch demanded his attention. "Why is the Lad writing to mae, talking about being dead...or worse?"
"I think that was a joke." the old man sighed. "But I think Harry is safe… for the time being. I would like him back with his Aunt, but I feel that between my tampering and this letter, he has escaped for the year."
A twitch of her wrist, snapped the letter into her hand. "Escaped?" she hissed, "Why would he need to escape?"
"He is a young lad." the old wizard grinned at her, "He is feeling invincible, and is testing his boundaries." he pulled a sheet of parchment from his top drawer, as he grabbed his goose feather quill, a dip of his custom ink, scribbling out his note… "I will ask Shacklebolt to keep an eye out for him."
"And just what is the Lad doing?" the Headmistress demanded. "What is he doing for food, shelter...Protection?"
"He most likely ran to his friends' for the summer."
The Scot snorted, as she stomped from the Solarium. "We'll see!" a pinch of powder…" Diagon Alley."
Finishing the note, he cast a wandless charm to set and dry the ink, before folding it and rising to take it to the firebird. "Okay Fawks, I you need to deliver this note to Shacklebolt and return." the gripped the the note in its claws, cawed, and flushed away.
"Told you a week ago" the voice of the Hat chuckled behind him, "the Lad knows what he is doing. Your watchdog devices reported when the Wards fell, and the Boy was in good health. Then while still in good health, You lost all linkage to him."
Albus sighed and walked back to his desk. 'If I did not that bloody Hat for the Sorting…'
121
Minnie McGonagall stepped from the massive fireplace, swept the ash from her robes, before twisting into the either…
...Only to pop into place in an alley, a couple doors out from her favorite Witch's house. She strode with quick, purposeful steps to the walk, and up to the door. A quick press of the button, and she waited…
...tapping her toe, and her drumming her fingers on her elbow.
"Professor!" the door swung open to reveal the bushy haired, buck toothed girl. "What can I do for you? Please come inside."
As the door closed behind her, "Miss Ganger, have you by chance seen Mr. Potter…" a frown, "Or his owl?"
"No Ma'am." a mirrored frown, 'not for a couple of weeks… Why? What happened?"
"Read this, tell me what he is saying, please." the letter was offered to the witchling.
Taking the letter, Hermione scanned it, before rereading it in depth. "First off, he is okay… A joke from our first year. I was admonishing the boys for being out after curfew, and we ran across Fluffy. When we got back to the Tower, I declared I was going to bed before they got us killed...or worse, expelled."
She sat on the couch, waving for the Headmistress to join her. "He boasts that Sirius is alive, Innocent, and his sworn GodFather…" looking at the older witch, "I take it that is important?" she scrunched her face, "The old 'pure-blood' ways are a bit of a mystery to me, as we Muggleborn are not taught these things…" Returning her attention, to the letter, "He highlights just how unhappy he and the Dursleys are that he is with them, offering a deal to keep them out of his hair while he is preparing to leave. He closes with reporting on his life with those people, before stating that while he is 'Taken' he went willingly."
"Any idea where he is?
Granger tapped the letter on her palm. "Somewhere safe, with nasty wards...most likely with Black and Lupin."
"How Black? The letter says…"
"That Black sent a note that he was going away…" Hermione folded up the letter, "Black was raised Slytherin, has half of the Ministry after him, the other half need to be reminded to eat, they are so engulfed in their own worlds. Lupin can not take in Harry, as to his so called 'furry problem', and I doubt that either has access to wards of this caliber."
"Potter Manner." McGonagall sighed, "If Black and Lupin took Potter anywhere, odds are that it is there. With the War-Wards up, Black could moon the entire DMLE, there is nothing that they could do."
"If you want Harry, before school starts…" Hermione handed the letter back, "You need to see that Black faces a trial. Hedwig is to see me every other Friday. This Friday, I can pass on a message to them… if they are together…"a clumsy grin.
"Indeed" The tartaned witch stood, "May I see your backyard?" no sooner had the Scot stepped from the house, she twisted into the either yet again.
'The Laddy is just like his Father.'
121
Shacklebolt, Kingsley. Master Auror First Class, First Investigator...was not having a good day.
Madam Bones, Director of the MLE, had called him to her office so he could explain to Fudge and his Bachtrine Bulldog Bitch (he grinned in his mind at that one) why he had not caught Black yet.
After explaining that due to incompetent handling of the Prisoner by non-DMLE personal (Fudge) and gross interference by Ministry Personal (Fudge and Umbitch...uh Umbridge) the entire DMLE was at a quagmire in the Investigation, and until either the Ministry or Wizimgot loosened certain restrictions… there was no trail in sight. Three times.
"I need this mess put behind us!" a red faced Fudge pounded the desk, before leading his Toad(y) from Bones' office. The pink witch 'Hem-hem'ed as she tottled after.
No sooner did the door close, then the Headmaster's Phoenix flashed into the room, dropped the note on King's head, and flashed away. The Tall black man grabbed the note off his hat, and quickly read it then frowned.
"Bad news?" her eyebrow over her non-monicled eye rose.
"Yes and no." the bald copper sighed, before handing the note to his Chief. "Just the Old man asking for a favor."
Kingsley,
A wayward student of mine has decided to leave his family, and the protections there in.
Over the course of your Duties, I find myself needing to ask you to keep an eye open for him.
Harry Potter has not done anything wrong at this time, but given who and what he is to the Greater Magical Britain…
All I am asking for is a heads up, if you or yours see him.
A.P.W.B.D.
"How often do you do a favor of this …" She waved the note in her off hand at Shack.
"Now and again." He shrugged, "He is Albus, as long as it is not encroaching on my Oaths or the Law…"
"No More." She reread the Note, "And next time, bring it to me, before you do Anything."
"Yes Ma'am"
She frowned, as the note in her hand and the whole Black issue was creating an itch in her mind… "Go to the Archive, bring me the Black File. Everything."
"Yes Ma'am." the Big Black Wizard all but ran from her office.
She read the note one last time, before pulling her wand and tapping a crystal egg on her desk, "Rookie Tonks to my Office."
Closing her eyes, she listened for the sounds of the Cadet 'running' to her office. She jumped when there was a knock at her door without any sounds of Tonks moving. "Come."
A purple haired head poked in, "You rang, Boss?"
"No crashing or tripping?" she waved the young woman in.
"No Ma'am. The whole bullpen voted, and moved me to the cubicle across the isle from your office." She stood before the desk, "Less for me to run into or trip over." she frowned, "So far."
"I need you to write a summons. I need to speak with your Mother, as soon as possible." a flick of her hand sent the cadet careaning out the door...into the desk of the Secretary for the Director of the MLE. Bones shook her head.
Five minutes of paperwork later, a knock at her door snapped her head up. "Come!"
Surprising, Deputy Headmistress McGonagall stepped into the office, closing the door.
"Amillia dear, good to see you, even if this is not a social visit." The scottish witch sat in the chair she was waved to. "One of our Students, one the Headmaster keeps an eye on year round…"
"Harry Potter." Bones held out the note from the old man. "And why is Hogwarts looking for Mister Potter?"
"Until about five minutes ago, I was under the impression that Black was looking for him." Minnie handed the letter to Ami. "I just learned that right now, odds are that Potter is with Black and Lupin, at Potter Manor."
A knock at the door prevented the conversation from going further. "Come!"
Kingsley entered, pausing on seeing his former head of house, before plowing ahead to drop the file on his boss's desk. "Sorry boss, but that is going to piss you off."
Bones opened the file. It contained three sheets of paper.
An Arrest sheet for one Black, Sirius Orion
An Order to Break the Wand of one Black, Sirius Orion
An Order to Transfer to Azkaban for one Black, Sirius Orion
Each signed by her predecessor, Barty Crouch
Countersigned by Undersecretary Cornelius Fudge
Initialed by A.W.B.P.D.
There was no mention of a trial, conviction, or anything relating to due process.
She glared at the Black man.
"And to make things worse," Shack pulled another file, dropping it on her desk. "Black was named Heir, and with no trail or conviction…"
"The Great Ministry just sent an innocent man to Hell for Life, and when he escapes, we signed his Death Warrant." Bones surged to her feet. "Cancel the 'Kiss on Sight', We will not Assassinate a Lord of the Realm!" She snarled. "No matter who pays us what!" Tapping the Egg on her desk with her wand... "Auror Scrimgeour, Auror Robards. My Office. Code Underhill."
Shacklebolt opened the door, as the men jogged into the office.
"Gentlemen, We have a Dire Problem." She leaned on her desk as she glared at the men under her command, "Somebody is trying to use Us as common murderers for hire. I have before me, Proof that an unclaimed Lord has been sent to Azkaban without trial. Proof that this same Lord has been targeted for extermination. Proof that it was done by this very Body of Power, with no regard for the Law!" she stood up straight. "Now, I do not care who does what, but I need Fudge, Crouch, and Dumbledor in interrogation… now!"
"How strong is this proof?" Rufus looked at his boss
"When Fudge sees my evidence, he will triple our budget for the next year, just to cover his ass."
"Dibs on Fudge." Rufus yanked the door open, shouting for his squad to fall in.
"Dibs on Crouch." Gwain ran out the door, yelling for his partner.
Turning to his former Head of House, "Any idea how to get the old man here?"
"Tell you have Potter." the old witch sat back, "But there is a complication. Potter is most likely at Potter Manor… with Black."
"Boss? Your Floo?"
"Please" She sat back, to watch the show. "Invite him over."
121
Albus reclined in his chair, a cuppa of lemon zest tea cradled in his palms, his long fingers laced around the handle, as he gazed out over the Lake. A sip of the tangy sweet broth, a sigh, a wish that it was cold out, if only to enhance the warm tea feeling.
"Headmaster, are you there?" Kingsley Shacklebolt's head, bald with a tribal cap, bloomed from his floo, in green flames.
"I am here, Shacklebolt." Albus called back.
"Good news, We found the Boy." the green face swallowed, "Bad news, there is an Underhill inprogress. I have been asked to invite you to the Director's Office." the green face withdrew.
"Underhill?" Albus set his cup on the desk, stood, adjusted his robes and held his right hand out to Fawks, "Take me to the Director's Office. I will call you when I am ready to return."
The bird landed lightly on his arm, and flashed to Madam Bones' office, only for them to hear in stereo, "Stupify."
