Chapter 02

"So much for your confidence Dumbledore!" Minister Fudge was sat opposite the headmaster in his office.

They'd just been seen together smiling and congratulating Viktor Krum on his success in the first task. Hogwarts' champion Cedric was in second and Beauxbaton's Delacour in third.

The fourth entrant to the Triwizard was only notable by his absence, but noted nonetheless because of the contract.

"Ms Granger was more headstrong than I first thought Minister, compelling her was our best option," Dumbledore commented.

"And a mess it is now, muggles, unconnected by magic on Hogsmeade's grounds!" Fudge exclaimed shaking his head.

"On the rail line beside the town, Ms Ganger's father was surprisingly resourceful," the headmaster commented idly.

"And damnable fact is that the only laws broken were by your students!" The Minister exclaimed in frustration.

"They have been chastised for their involvement with the muggle's train Minister," Dumbledore lied. "Have you had any success determining the whereabouts of Mr Potter?"

Fudge shot him a look. "If you had policed your school properly Dumbledore that would not be required."

"This is not a prison Minister, we are here to educate," the headmaster explained calmly.

"You did not educate Potter that he is involved in a contract, a Ministry-sanctioned contract! He cannot simply run away from it, he doesn't get to choose, the choice was made!" The Minister exclaimed.

"I did Minister, I had complete trust in Harry that he would participate to the best of his abilities, his decision to leave was highly unexpected," the Headmaster explained calmly.

Fudge exhaled. "I have had some reports that Potter was sighted in Austria, we are working with all European wizarding governments to hasten extradition parchment work for when he is found."

"And treated well," Dumbledore interjected.

"Potter will be detained and extradited to the Ministry of Magic's jurisdiction," the Minister finished. "He'll then be returned to participate in the contract, and he will be required to make reparations for what he has done against the Ministry of Magic."

"My contacts in Europe have not revealed any such visitation by Harry, I thought you were conducting an investigation of Ministry employees?" Dumbledore asked. "Harry went to Hogsmeade station, from there we assume he used the floo or-"

The Minister cut him off. "Or was met by a Ministry employee, there were at least a dozen in this area Dumbledore," he pointed at Dumbledore. "Do not try to assign blame to the Ministry."

"Merely pondering Minister. Harry Potter's return and safety is my primary concern," he paused. "His trace revealed nothing?"

"Current theories are he passed across major ley lines," Fudge said in a calmer tone.

"That is not something taught at Hogwarts, nor is very well known Minister," Dumbledore commented.

"And that is why it points to something else Potter is involved in," he leant forward. "I am advocating instituting fugitive status, now that the tournament is active," he said in a lower tone than he had been speaking.

Dumbledore raised his eyebrows in surprise. "That is hardly necessary."

"You have another method of compelling the boy to return? The media storm will not be pleasant for any of us," Fudge commented irritably.

"For you," Dumbledore added.

"For both of us Dumbledore, you will support it, or I'll have your position," Fudge pointed at the headmaster. "The board will support it, I will ensure that."

Dumbledore looked at the Minister of Magic cooly. "There is another method of compelling Harry's return. Sirius Black."

Fudge remained silent, after the events of the previous year he had been informed by Dumbledore, but Black still ran from Azkaban and was still an unregistered animagus.

"Pardon him," Dumbledore said simply.

"Pardon him?! You think he'll retrieve Potter?" The Minister spluttered.

Albus looked to the Minister calmly. "If we have failed, perhaps a criminal-"

"To catch a criminal?" Fudge snorted and looked at Dumbledore. "Very well, I will pardon your criminal Dumbledore, but you will support fugitive status for Potter."

Dumbledore looked at the Minister. "That is an escalation of matters Minister."

"The Ministry does not want to wait forever," Fudge paused. "I have been informed, even when the tournament is finished Potter will remain in violation of the contract."

Dumbledore sighed. "I had considered that as a possibility Minister."

"Why couldn't Potter have sought safe haven or familial protection like a civilised wizard?" Fudge muttered to himself.

"Wizarding law is not something taught at Hogwarts, and one of your predecessors campaigned to remove it from our syllabus over a decade ago," Dumbledore commented idly.

"Well, Dumbledore? I'll release your criminal if you underwrite the one you let escape," Fudge asked.

"Mr Potter needs to be retrieved safely, this is no permission for death warrants Minister," Dumbledore warned.

Fudge threw him a look. "The Ministry doesn't release death warrants, don't be melodramatic Dumbledore."

"And I want a guarantee Minister, no future interference from you or the Ministry at Hogwarts, I do not want a repeat of the Dementors," Dumbledore said leaning forward to look at the Minister.

Fudge tugged on his coat, as though the temperature in the room had dropped several degrees. "Very well Dumbledore, I want, we want Potter retrieved, I will have the relevant parchment work drawn up." He rose quickly from his chair.

"Good day Minister," Dumbledore called as he rose from his own chair and over to his desk to pen a letter to Sirius.

Hopefully he would be able to resolve this situation where Ms Granger and he had failed, and, he hoped would avoid issuing any notices calling for Mr Potter's detention and confinement.

-/

Even now, away from Hogwarts and having had 'an adventure of derring-do' as her father had explained to her none too pleased mother, Hermione found herself wishing she was at Hogwarts.

The first task of the Triwizard had been completed, with injuries against all three competitors. How Harry might have coped, being younger and less experienced she didn't know.

Leaning back in her chair she closed the book in French that she had been studying.

A few days after her withdrawal from Hogwarts the deputy headmaster from Beauxbatons called their house, on the telephone to organise a time to meet. Just that act had impressed her parents. It was unlike when Professor McGonagall had shown up one night at their door with a letter and to 'explain about magic'.

Her parents had been reticent to let her go off to boarding school, a magical one at that.

They were still reticent to let her go off to a magical boarding school in another country where she only somewhat spoke the language.

But the deputy head of Beauxbatons had explained they had several bi- and trilingual students, including students intending further study in Britain, and courses 'tuned' for this. So that she wouldn't be missing out in British studies at Beauxbatons.

Hermione recalled him saying 'From what Madame Maxime informs me from her discussions with Professor McGonagall and Hermione's other teachers, Hermione is an intelligent capable witch. It is unfortunate Headmaster Dumbledore chose to….attempt to influence her in such a way. We will never, and our school's policies are also overseen by various European wizarding organisations and standards associations'.

It had further impressed her parents that the deputy head explained everything calmly, instead of the somewhat bristly way Professor McGonagall had. And had reassured her parents that should she wish to return home, a special international floo was always available, as the school had many students not from France attending there.

But it had been suggested that she improve her French to a better level. So she was taking this time, in between having withdrawn from Hogwarts and beginning at Beauxbatons to study with a tutor every second day. During that time forms would need to be filled out for her to study abroad, documents needed to be submitted to the Ministry of Magic, which thankfully Beauxbatons' staff would do and various other things related to this.

She also hadn't heard, or tried at all to contact Harry. Hedwig wouldn't take anything to him, even now they were away from Hogwarts.

There was also a question she had thought, though not mentioned to anyone; if the headmaster was ready to use her love of Hogwarts against her to find Harry, would he continue to monitor her after she'd withdrawn.

She'd asked the deputy head from Beauxbatons this; if there was anything tying her to Hogwarts now that she'd withdrawn. He'd hesitated long enough for her father and mother to press the issue.

To which he'd said that once all the paperwork had been completed and she was officially enrolled and a participant of Beauxbatons then, no.

Until then it was slightly more vague, she was technically 'without a school', but tied to Hogwarts regarding her education thus far.

As she sat wondering this Crookshanks wandered up, purring against her legs.

Reaching down she ran her hand through his fur.

With Crookshanks and Hedwig staying at home with her now there definitely wasn't a mouse problem anywhere around her parents' house or the neighbours' and probably much of the neighbouring streets.

—/ — \\—

Harry turned over on the bed, listening to the sounds of the city and reached over and pulled on his glasses. Not that he could see much; just the white of the tent.

It was the accommodation Karim had provided for him, after his first day he'd worked throughout the morning and afternoon, cleaning his cauldrons and potions equipment before moving onto the floors.

Karim had come into the room in the early afternoon and just started to laugh, slapping him on the back in amazement.

"You, Harry, are most certainly a" he'd said a word that Harry didn't recognise, it wasn't English he knew that.

It was still intimidating being here and not speaking the local language. Karim hadn't said anything of reassurance. Sometimes he'd just shout 'boy' and get him to do things.

But, Karim paid him and gave him the tent at the back of his shop to stay in, he'd even been invited to his home where his wife smiled at him, but spoke no English served up meals for them and their two youngest children.

The others Karim said were in Russia and Canada as engineers and doctors. Harry had wanted to, but didn't know how to ask if they were muggle or wizarding engineers and doctors.

He even had days off, something which he'd been surprised by. He thought, as he had at the Dursleys that he was just expected to work all hours. Yes, he was being paid for his efforts, but…Harry didn't really know.

He had discovered from asking Karim that there was a wizarding library a short distance away 'you could apparate' Karim had said but then looked at him and shook his head, saying he'd have to teach Harry, to make him more useful.

He wanted to see if there were any reports about the Triwizard Tournament.

Anything that happened in Britain seemed like a minor thing here, but he hoped that there was something akin to an 'international papers' section. He recalled his uncle talking about a work trip he'd been 'privileged' to go to in Germany where he'd had to look for the 'international papers, not all that foreign stuff'.

Sitting up he pulled himself up into a standing position casting some cleansing spells over himself, spells Karim had showed him twice and then said he should be able to manage them.

He grabbed a few pieces of fruit to eat and exited his tent. He found he had had returned back to his standard, more or less of eating smaller meals, as he did living with the Dursleys than at Hogwarts.

At Hogwarts everything tasted so good, and was so plentiful, thinking back, it seemed almost indulgent, even though it was barley two months since he had departed in such a flush and flurry.

-/

Bibliotheca Alexandrina, was a huge modern building, but one that had hidden features only visible to those who could see it.

Harry spent more than 2 hours wandering around before he saw the glowing orbs and a sign marked in more languages than most of the signs in the Bibliotheca.

The orbs illuminated a path down a corridor and then further down a series of steps where he felt the temperature drop a few more degrees.

He spent another hour wandering the shelves and racks before he located the newspaper section, but once there he was able to locate a consolidated British wizarding press publication. It seemed like it had been assembled from multiple publications, not just the Prophet, but some of the journals he'd seen Hermione reading in the library.

And then he saw it, a photo of the first task, with Viktor Krum in first, Cedric Diggory in second and Fleur Delacour in third.

None of them looked like they had had an easy task, all three had blackened and burnt faces. Cedric was bleeding from his torso while Fleur had a deep wound on her face and Viktor's arm seemed to be hanging limply from his arm in the slightly juddery way the wizarding photo moved.

Harry replaced the newspaper and then wondered where to go next, if he should send a letter to Amos Diggory? Then looking around he felt as though a vision of Hermione descended on him, chastising him for not using an opportunity he had; he was in a library! He could at least answer some questions concerning magic, not all of the books could be in Arabic.

Maybe there was somewhere that could help him learn it faster?

-/

Hermione looked out across the chalet's vista.

For Christmas those staying at Beauxbatons went skiing.

The deputy head had said she should come to Beauxbatons and stay over Christmas; it would allow her to ease into school life and have some 'bonding' time with the other students. Her parents had been a little cautious, but after spending a few weeks with them and home alone while she studied they'd let her. It helped now she had a means to contact them in the guise of Hedwig, who had taken to her new environment with ease. Hermione had mostly given up asking the owl if she would take a letter to Harry.

Whatever he'd said to Hedwig before he'd departed must have been strong and meaningful for the owl to be so loyal to his request.

Being amongst French speakers, not just at school but out in the village that the chalet was situated within had really helped her language skills, even though her tutor had praised her on how quickly she had established her French.

Hermione was finding that she was taking notes in English and French. Her fellow students had laughed and said it was common at first.

Those that had asked her, had praised her actions at Hogwarts; her refusal to be blackmailed, even if she couldn't have assisted Headmaster Dumbledore. It was a very worthy trait they said.

She did wonder where Harry was, she had spoken to a few students here whose parents worked within the International Confederation of Wizards who suggested that if Harry was in a wizarding contract, no matter if he'd entered himself, he would be bound by it. And all countries that had extradition agreements with the United Kingdom would be bound to return Harry.

Which meant, Harry had probably gone somewhere where those didn't hold water.

She didn't worry for him, well, not too much, at least she tried.

He had confided in her a while ago, about his life at the Dursleys, 'Ron doesn't really understand, he just thinks I had a muggle life, that the Dursleys were 'a bit mad', he doesn't totally see', he'd said. She'd noticed the baggy old clothes, huge belt and how much he ate when he was at Hogwarts.

She also remembered the fear he had of the Triwizward, after what Dumbledore had said and what the he'd experienced in the last three years at Hogwarts. She had hoped that all that was behind her.

Hopefully now she was away from it all, it would be.

-/

Christmas wasn't really a thing where he was at the moment, not that it mattered. Before Hogwarts Christmas had just been another day where he had to help cook and clean and stay in his cupboard.

He remembered the cloyingly fatty smells, and being allowed a leg of turkey that had been stripped of most of its meat. Unless Aunt Marge was there and then only her dogs deserved that.

He had to be "grateful" for a burnt Yorkshire pud and a bit vegetable, Dudley would never eat those.

However, on a quiet day Karim took him out to an equally quiet piece of desert with a bucket of a potion. He hadn't said what was in the bucket, only he needed him to be more useful.

"It is for…" Karim trailed off. "I do not know the word the English use for it, if you make a mistake, this will help."

For apparition.

Of course he made a mistake, that was what the potion in the bucket was for.

He remembered hyperventilating.

And the pain, it was like a pain that tugged at something unknown within him, like gravity was pulling him down into the earth in spiralised shapes as he had to do with various potions ingredients Karim had had him preparing for the lead up to the new year.

And then the pain stopped, Karim passed him a vial of a potion.

"Again," he said simply.

After twice more making mistakes Harry lost his temper.

"Why even bother with me, I'm a useless person," he shouted fighting back both anger and tears.

Karim walked the short distance between them and bending down to come face to face with him. "Because young Harry, you I suspect will one day need to run out of my life as quickly as you ran into it, even if I do no know why you did either. You do not have parents to teach you, and," he paused. "You are not a useless person, I have had many of them in my employ, now," he said standing up and taking his hand. "Open your senses."

And he disapparated with him.

-/

Ron was in detention, he had blasted a wall in the castle after Malfoy had been mocking him again.

Harry and Hermione had both abandoned their house and their school, and him.

"Well, Mr Weasley? Why are you darkening my office?" Professor McGonagall looked over her desk at him, having floated a cup of tea to him.

"It's Malfoy," he said in a glum tone.

"Mr Malfoy will always be a problem for you Mr Weasley, if you let him," she said as she sipped her tea.

Ron sighed. "It's Harry and Hermione's fault! They've left, abandoning us!" he exclaimed.

The Professor raised an eyebrow as she replaced her own cup on its saucer. "Ms Granger's departure from Hogwarts was unorthodox I will grant you, however completely within the rules, I have heard from Madame Maxime she is settling in well at Beauxbatons," she paused. "Perhaps you can write to her Mr Weasley?"

Ron drained his tea cup and placed it on the table beside him. "And Harry? I hear no one knows where he is."

Professor McGonagall remained silent on this. "Mr Potter was entered into a binding wizarding contract."

"That's what all the teachers say, it's not fair being left here," he muttered crossing his arms.

"As you imply Mr Weasley, you are not alone, you have the rest of your house around you, embrace that."

Ron sighed, "Okay Professor."

-/

"He's not here Headmaster," Remus Lupin said as he opened the door to his cottage.

"Whom do you think I am seeking Remus?" Headmaster Dumbledore walked in.

"Please sit, tea?" Remus asked waving his wand at the kettle.

"I did not expect to find Harry here Remus," Dumbledore said calmly.

"Harry?" Remus asked innocently.

Dumbledore looked at him seriously.

"I doubt Harry even knows where I live," Remus commented.

"And Sirius?" Dumbledore questioned.

"He probably knows where I live," Remus admitted.

"I have an offer for Sirius," he pulled out an envelope. "A full pardon."

Remus remained seated in silent shock. "And the price?"

"Merely to contact Harry, he is after all still a 14 year old inexperienced wizard," Dumbledore offered casually.

"Whom you pressured into participating in the Tournament," Remus commented cooly.

"As a Ministry sanctioned competition the contract is underwritten by them," Dumbledore added.

Remus held up a finger. "As the headmaster of the host school, you share responsibility for the contract and the participants."

"You were a very good Defence teacher Remus, a broad knowledge and breadth of experience," Dumbledore praised as Remus made a pot of tea.

"Just an unfortunate affliction," Remus muttered.

"I have another offer, for you," he passed Remus a letter.

"What is it?" Remus asked, not opening it.

"Employment, for next year," Dumbledore said simply.

Remus narrowed his eyes. "The Ministry must be putting pressure on you."

"The Ministry has assured me their interference in Hogwarts will be minimal," Dumbledore answered.

Remus thought for a few moments. "With conditions, I will."

Dumbledore seemed surprised. "Conditions, Remus I-"

"Guaranteed employment for 5 years," Remus stated. "That's less than what the other teachers have. You also supply wolfsbane."

Dumbledore nodded "I will have a new contract drawn up," he paused and looked at Remus. "And Sirius?"

"If or when I see him I will pass on your request headmaster," he paused and looked at the older man "I really don't know where he is. Probably in the tropics for all I know, somewhere the Ministry couldn't follow."

-/

Cedric sat floating in the prefects' bathroom, the golden egg sitting on the side of the huge bath. He was tracing his wrinkled fingers over the scar on his chest. Madame Pomfrey had made a lot of noise about the dangers they'd faced against the dragons and the tournament in general. 'I voiced my objection, this is an institute of learning! The last one is still cited in healers' journals, some of the worst injuries against children….outside of wars'.

Thinking again of his injuries he moved in the water to his face, the burns from the Swedish Short-Snout had been particularly painful, but those had been healed by Madame Pomfrey's expert touch.

As he was retreating the dragon had reached out and tried to grab him, the claws going deep into his chest.

Madame Pomfrey had been reticent to use a very strong potion or healing charms because of the injury's closeness to his shoulder and arm, lest it affect his ability to cast.

He'd instead had a few potions here and there that would speed up his body's ability to heal.

But the scars would take a lot longer to right themselves and heal.

If he was honest he hadn't expected the tournament to be this…not challenging, he knew that, so…visceral, so…so much blood.

It again confirmed that he had done the right thing in helping Harry Potter. He'd not heard anything about him, and his father hadn't said anything about him. Cedric supposed that was a good thing, that Harry had remained outside of the Ministry's wands. Safe, Cedric hoped. Safer than being forced to participate. He had wanted to be in the Tournament, he'd been reading and preparing as much as he could. But Harry, the fear was real, the terror and surprise, so some of his housemates had said was real when Potter's name came out of the cup. He'd been too excited to notice too much, but generally Hufflepuffs are good at noticing things.

Kicking down he pushed himself toward the edge to grab the egg. It was a mystery, its screeching defeated the few translation spells he knew, though most were for texts. He'd tried a conversion potion, which he doubted would work, but it was left over from some of the potions class in the fifth years' class.

Nothing.

Professor Moody had seemed like he was going to suggest something to him yesterday, but Cho came along the corridor and Moody hobbled off as she approached.

He pushed away from the edge, now with the egg sitting on his chest while he stared up at the ceiling.

"What are you?" He wondered allowed as he closed his eyes for a moment, letting the hot water lull him.

Then, what felt like moments later he coasted gently into the other side of the bath, startled he twisted and the egg fell onto the bottom of the bath.

"Merlin!" He muttered and spun around, swimming down he fumbled with the egg and it suddenly came apart, and under the water he didn't hear screeching, he heard singing.

-/

At Beauxbatons, a letter had arrived from Fleur Delacour about a certain screeching egg, that was the talk of the academy.

Hermione wasn't sure if those in the Tournament should outsource discovering the mystery of the egg, but as one of the students in the library with her said 'it is one school against another, through our champion'.

"Does Fleur say how loud and high-pitched?" Hermione asked, she hadn't seen the letter, but was thinking of the drills her parents used in their dental surgery. When they were in water being washed off or in between teeth the pitch changed. She related it to her fellow students. Those from magical families were unfamiliar with the concept of 'dentist drills', but those from muggle or mixed families quickly understood.

Someone clapped a hand on her back. "Great work Hermione, we'll send a kite immediately."

Hermione looked up in alarm, "Maybe try putting it under water with her head under the water as well, in a bath," she added.

"Of course!" They shouted with a grin as they ran off.

Hermione found herself smiling, she had found it…complicated to integrate into Beauxbatons and supporting Fleur in the Tournament, especially as she still felt ties to Hogwarts, but…Beauxbatons was her school now.

-/