Episode 2.

Harry Potter was miserable.

"So, have you decided where to go, my boy?"

No, scratch that. Harry Potter was infuriated.

"You announced my vacation only yesterday, Albus."

"But there must some place you always wanted to go! Bahamas? Cuba? London?"

"Canada."

"What? That's quite random."

Dumbledore looked owlishly at Harry at surprise. Granted, it wouldn't have been Harry's first choice either, but –

"That's where Hedwig landed on when I span the globe last night."

The hallway was suddenly encompassed by silence.

"Well, no time to twaddle. Pack your things. You leave tonight."

"What? Why am I leaving tonight? If I use the international portkey the ministry issues – "

"I'm afraid the teacher's insurance does not cover it, so I'm buying you the muggle 'play' ticket, but I'm broke as you know, so I'm buying you the cheapest last-minute ticket. No time to lose, now. Consider it a gift!"

"But – "

Dumbledore pushed Harry into the chamber and locked the door, telling Hogwarts not to let Harry out unless he completed his packing for extra measures.

"But I'm not a teacher!"

Harried Harry yelled at the closed door, kicking it in distress.

'Wait a minute…'

"There was a teacher's insurance at Hogwarts?"

Meanwhile, Dumbledore luxuriated in his mahogany rocking chair with a knowing smile on his lips and a glowing orb on the table beside him.

Oh, if Harry only knew…

***

23:04 EST

Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, SeaTac, Washington, USA (over 4,000 km far from where he's supposed to be)

Harry Potter was grumbling miserably in the seat of the waiting area.

'Bloody muggle transportation…'

His mood worsened as he reflected back to how he ended up in his current position.

***

8 hours ago, at the flight desk after arrival.

Toronto Pearson International Airport, Toronto, Canada

"I'm terribly sorry, sir, but there has been a cargo mix-up – your pet carrier was sent elsewhere."

Harry's face drained of blood at the news. 'No, not Hedwig!'

"What do you mean 'elsewhere'? Where?"

"It appears that there has been a mistake while putting on the identification tag and now, your pet is in Washington."

"Wash- How the hell did it end up there?!"

"I apologize. Furthermore, according to the international package retrieval procedure, I'm afraid you must verify your pet in person at the Washington Airport. The company will supply the ticket, of course."

"I do NOT have the time or intention to go all the way to Washington when it was your stupid –"

"Your pet will need to be verified in person or else you will lose it, and will see it caged at the Humane Society in Washington."

***

So, that was why Harry was currently stuck in this stupid SeaTac Airport, waiting for his flight back to Canada. He had already retrieved Hedwig from the cargo personnel and seated idly for the boarding call. While Harry was fretting over his hard luck, a teenager staggered towards Harry, reeking of alcohol.

"Flight 903 to Toronto is now boarding. If you are first-class, please enter through the left side, please."

"That's my cue."

Failing to notice the drunk teen, Harry stood up and passed him by, but his hard luck just nosedived. All of a sudden, the teen grabbed a hold of Harry's shirt and… relieved his stomach contents.

"Bloody Morgana, what the bloody hell do you think you're doing, you bloody tosser!" screamed Harry, on top of his lungs.

From a distance, a young girl and an older female raced toward where he was having an emotional overload.

"Oh, Edward, you idiot!"

"Oh, my god, we're so sorry! He's never like this…"

'Err, is it me, or is there something really off about them?'

Harry may be a member of the Senior Council and one of the most powerful wizards alive, but that does not mean he's very perceptive to notice that the two women reached them a little too quickly for normal humans, or that their skin seems too pale to be healthy.

"We're so sorry. Edward, let go! I'll buy you a new shirt at the duty-free. Edward!"

Between tugging at the drunk teen named Edward and fervently apologizing to Harry, the woman appeared mortified as though she could die from embarrassment any minute.

"It's… Okay. I must leave to catch my flight, though. I think I can just wear the PJ they give us. That is, if he can just release my shirt…"

Harry tried to struggle free from the boy's grasp, but despite his delicate looks, the boy seemed to possess inhuman strength. Oh, if only Harry knew.

"Edward, what's gotten into you!? I'm awfully sorry. He's never like this. Edward, he has to go!"

At the woman's last statement, the grip seemed to tighten. Harry swore as he heard his shirt rip.

"Last call for flight 903 to Toronto, Canada. Mr. Harry Potter, please report to the first-class gate immediately. The gate will close in three minutes."

"Madame, it's alright. He can have the shirt. Here, if you don't mind, I'll just take it off for him to keep. It's soiled, anyway. My flight's due to leave soon, and I can't miss it. All my packages are already shipped…"

'Was that a growl?'

As Harry motioned to take off his shirt and leave, he heard the teen growl and felt the grip tighten. The shirt could not take any more and finally gave out with a loud ripping noise in the middle of the waiting area.

""Edward!""

Harry Potter wished he could cry.