A/N: Thanks to everyone who has added the story to their favourites and alerts. Special thanks to my one reviewer. :)

Chapter 2

It was very abnormal for Harry to be late to his lessons. He was usually a very punctual and polite boy.

So when both Ron and Hermione turned up to Herbology without their once firm friend. Professor Sprout was worried. Even though they had once been the closest set of friends that she had ever seen, there had been some sort of a big row that had split them apart.

It had probably been something to do with the blossoming romantic relationship between Ron and Hermione leaving Harry feeling like a third wheel.

Harry had gone on to make some new friends and to strengthen the ties between himself and those who had previously been friendly acquaintances.

Upon questioning them about Harry's whereabouts she learned that they hadn't seen him since breakfast. Broadening her question out to the rest of the class, she learned from Seamus and Dean (some of these newer friends) that he hadn't been feeling very well and that they had suggested that he should head over to the infirmary.

At this statement Professor Sprout had raised an eyebrow, it was school policy that if a member of staff intended to keep a student into their next lesson time, they had to inform that staff member of this fact. This was done either by sending a message through other trustworthy students, floo or by patronus.

It was vital in a school this size, as it meant that the whereabouts of all children could be known.

Poppy would have floo'd her anyway, to tell her if Harry was too ill to attend her lesson but she had heard nothing. This boded ill.

The professor started the class potting seeds into bigger pots, leaving Neville (her star pupil) in charge as she headed to the fireplace located in her office. The office that was attached to the greenhouses.

As she entered the room she made a note to do some cleaning. It was so easy for things to get on top of her during the school year. What with the plants to tend to, papers to grade and her duties as head of house, there was little time for anything else. Once she reached the small stone fireplace and added the floo powder the flames turned emerald green.

"Poppy's office!" Pomona called whilst placing her head into the flames. Her back and knees clicked and once again it reminded her not only was she not as young as she once was but that she would probably need to add some sort of cushion to her next shopping list to preserve her knees.

It wasn't long before Poppy answered her floo call. So early in the school year, there were very few patients in her infirmary. Instead of the green flames that had been in front of her, there was instead an image of her friend's concerned face.

"Hello, Pomona. Not to be rude but to what do I owe the pleasure of this call?" Poppy asked her face creased with worry. It was very unusual for any of the staff to contact each other during lesson time unless there had been an accident.

"Is Harry Potter with you Poppy? He hasn't turned up for my lesson. Mr. Finnegan and Mr. Thomas have told me that he wasn't feeling very well. I thought he might have come to see you." Pomona asked shifting her weight from one knee to the other as they started to protest at their treatment.

The Matron's face grew even more worried. She knew that Harry was the sort of person that kept things to himself for as long as possible, therefore it was likely that he was iller than he had admitted to being.

"No he's not here." She said. "Nor have I seen him at all today. I know that you have a class, so I'll go look for him."

Pomona thanked her before they both pulled out of the floo.

Hogwarts' Matron was a woman who had managed to keep both Severus Snape and Sirius Black confined to a bed. Therefore she was not someone that was to be crossed.

Poppy prided herself in knowing all her patients to some degree. For example, Severus would ignore and avoid her for as long as possible until he was so ill that he couldn't fight her off anymore. Harry was much the same as Severus he refused to come in to see her about something if he believed that it was a minor affliction.

She counted herself lucky that he actually knew when something was serious and did, in fact, come to see her. Now she just had to find him.

The infirmary was practically empty and the few patients that were there would be able to look after themselves for the few minutes it would take to contact the portraits. Her shoes made an echoing noise in the empty corridor as she made her way towards the portrait of Hippocrates that hung just around the corner of the Hospital Wing.

There weren't any portraits within the infirmary due to their propensity for gossip.

"Sir if you wouldn't mind, would you ask the other portraits if they have seen Harry Potter? He's ill and should have been to see me by now." Poppy asked, brushing her apron down as flat as possible. Hippocrates left his frame and it was some time before he returned...

The healer was beginning to become anxious it shouldn't have taken this long. Almost every room corridor and staircase was covered by a portrait. It was how the staff managed to keep an eye on the children that were at the school.

It was also why Albus seemed so all knowing.

When Hypocrites walked back into his frame he looked worried.

"Marcus saw him shortly after breakfast and he turned the corner but Brigit has no recollection of seeing him. Therefore something must have happened to him in-between the two."

"Could you send the message to Severus and Minerva I think that they're free at the moment?" Poppy called, as she set off at a pace that showed she meant business. Her skirts were gathered in her left hand to ensure that she wouldn't trip.

Marcus and Brigit's portraits were on the third floor, in an area that included a sharp bend in which it was impossible for either of the portraits to see anything occurring. It was amazing that if Harry had collapsed, that none of the students had seen him. After all, he had gone missing shortly after breakfast that morning. That was one of the times in which the school was at its busiest. Sure, this particular corridor wasn't the most popular of routes but it was frequently used.

Poppy wrung her hands, she hoped beyond hope that none of the students were callous enough to leave Harry in there and not tell anyone.

It took some time for her to reach it as for some reason all the staircases seemed to be working against her today. She waved to Brigit, who waved concernedly back to her, before turning the corner.

It was brightly lit and it was easy to see that there was nothing there.

Poppy was stumped how could Harry have gotten around either of the two portraits?

Suddenly she became aware of a quiet creaking noise and jerked her head up in the direction that it seemed to be coming from.

She stifled a scream.