Chapter Three

Chapter Three

Late in the night of mid April, there was an unexpected meteor shower. Many astrologists could not explain the meaning and reason for the shower, but they enjoyed watching it, claiming it to be one of the most spectacular meteor showers of the century.

In the wizarding world, the meteor shower passed without much celebration. A fifth year astronomy class at Hogwarts took note of the position many of the meteors came from, and all took note of the one meteor that seemed to travel straight down to earth to land somewhere not in their vision.

However, in both worlds it passed by into insignificance. Forgotten by all except those who cared. Which is a shame for the wizarding world, as that was the point when their saviour was returned to them.

--

Sirius walked through the streets of Diagon Alley wondering where to start the search next. He had begun to start loosing hope, though he refused to accept that his godson was dead. It couldn't be true and he would find his Godson, wherever he was.

Remus looked at the man standing next to him and sighed. They had searched nearly all of the magical world only to return once again to Diagon Alley. Voldemort's actions had begun to increase and they had both been called back by the Order to begin actively helping in the war against Voldemort. Not that Sirius was entirely impressed with this. He refused to give up on his search. Remus did agree with him on one point. Their cub was not dead. He was just lost to them at this point in time.

"Sirius, we must go to headquarters soon. Dumbledore wishes to speak to us." Remus said, staring at his oldest friend, concern shining in his eyes.

"Soon Remy. I have a feeling we need to be here first however." Sirius responded vaguely, looking out into the crowded street.

"Whatever for? Come on Padfoot, we need to be going. We're going to be late."

"I don't know. I just know we have to be here."

"Well, will we be here for much longer?" Remus asked, beginning to get impatient. He leaned against the wall of the shop they were currently standing in front of and then gasped when he saw an other worldly creature making his way through the crowds.

A young man, not much taller than some of the younger students at Hogwarts, made his way through the crowd. He was wearing strange robe-like clothing in pure white, which only made his pale skin seem to glow. His hair was white at the roots, however seemed to fade into black just below his shoulders, the overall length reaching to his mid back by Remus' estimation.

Glancing over to look at Sirius, he noticed that he had also seen the man, and was now staring at him with wide eyes.

"Sirius? Are you okay?" Remus asked, placing his hand on Sirius' shoulder gently. Sirius nodded and took a small step forward, towards the mysterious man, who had stopped and was now smiling gently at two children that had managed to somehow miss him and run into him.

"It's Harry." Sirius whispered, taking another step towards the man. Remus looked at Sirius, then at the man, before turning back to his friend.

"I think you are mistaken. Harry would look to be around that age now, but he would have bright green eyes and black hair. That can't be him." Remus said, following Sirius, who was now walking towards the man at a steady pace.

They reached the man quickly and stood in front of him, getting his attention quickly. He glanced up at them and smiled brightly, pale green eyes shining with a seemingly inner light.

"Excuse me, but you remind my friend and I of someone we once knew. May I ask what your name is?" Remus asked, keeping a hand on Sirius' shoulder in warning to keep quiet. So far it seemed to be working.

"My name? I was named Arcas long ago. I believe that would be what you call my name. Arcas." The man, Arcas said, voice so quiet even Remus had to strain to hear.

"Ah, then I am afraid we have gotten you mixed up with someone else. Sorry to have disturbed you." Remus said, tugging gently at Sirius to make him move away.

"No! I know you're real name! You can't be called Arcas!" Sirius said, pulling his shoulder away from Remus, who groaned and glanced at the people around them who were now beginning to show interest.

"Perhaps we should take this conversation elsewhere? Maybe we could go and get a drink in the Leaky Cauldron?" Remus suggested, indicating to the pub with his head. Arcas looked at the pub and then back at the two men, confusion shining in his eyes, before he smiled slightly and nodded.

"That would be fine by me. Perhaps you two could tell me your... names?" Arcas asked, saying the word questioningly, as though unsure of it.

"Ah, well I am Remus Lupin and this, this is Sirius Black. If you follow me, we can find a table and continue this conversation." Remus said, tugging sharply at Sirius' shoulder and then leading the two other men towards the pub.

Once they had gotten a table inside and placed their order for their drinks, they all looked at each other and an uncomfortable silence settled around them. Remus glanced around him and discreetly cast a privacy ward over their booth, assuming, correctly, that this would be a conversation they would not wish to be overheard.

"So... Arcas, may I ask what brings you to Diagon Alley?" Remus asked, ignoring the glare Sirius shot him as he kicked him when he opened his mouth.

"I am in search of someone. Though I do not know who." Arcas added, looking away and frowning. Sirius frowned at the young man and leaned forward.

"Why do you lie and tell us your name is Arcas?" Sirius asked, making Remus groan mentally and roll his eyes.

"I do not lie. My... name... is Arcas. That is what my people referred to me as." Arcas said, looking at Sirius in confusion, lips twitching when he noticed Remus shake his head in despair.

"Why do you do that?" Remus asked, making Arcas tilt his head to the side in confusion. "Why do you say the word name as thought you are unfamiliar with it."

"I am. We do not know this word, as it is not one we use often." Arcas explained, making both wizards frown in confusion.

"Then what did you refer to each other as? Why do you not use the word name?" Sirius asked.

"We do not have much need to call one another by a separate... name. Though we seem many, we are in fact few and far between. We communicate to one another very rarely, only when we have need." Arcas said, looking into his glass as though it held the answers to life.

"That sounds very lonely. Who are your people?" Remus asked, just as Sirius also asked his own questions.

"What do you do all day? What do you do for entertainment?"

"Who should I answer first? It does indeed get lonely, yet we have our own sources of entertainment. We watch you for entertainment. You are all very amusing. May I ask a question of my own?" Arcas asked softly, glancing around him at the people in the room.

"Sure thing, ask away." Sirius said brightly, though both men noticed he avoided answering Remus' last question.

"Why do you not believe I am called Arcas?"

"It is an unusual name. What, may I ask, is your surname?" Sirius asked, narrowing his eyes at the man in front of him.

"Surname? I am afraid I am unfamiliar with this term. As for my name being unusual, that I cannot help. It is what my people decided they would use in reference to me."

"It is a family name. Mine is Lupin for example, I share it with my kin." Remus explained, getting a thoughtful look from Arcas in return.

"I do not have one of those. Neither do any of my kin." Arcas said with a small smile at the two men across from him.

"No surname? How strange."

"You never did answer my question though. Why do you not accept my name?"

"You remind me of someone I one knew. My godson. Harry. He went missing when he was six, almost eleven years ago." Sirius explained, making Arcas frown.

"I remember being called that once. Many, many years ago. I have been called Arcas for much longer though. That is what I am more comfortable with." Arcas said, frowning as he remembered something long past.

"How old are you Arcas?"

"Me? I am half way into my third millennia of life." Arcas said, not noticing the stunned looks the two men were giving him.

"What are you? An elf? I thought they had left this world long ago." Remus said, not noticing the disappointed look on Sirius' face at this revelation.

"An elf? No, I am not one those. You are correct in assuming they left many years ago. Though really they only hide. Only found when the need is great. Which is not very often in their eyes. They care not for the woes of humankind... or indeed, any other race." Arcas said, amusement glittering in his eyes.

"If you really are over three thousand years old, then you cannot be my Godson. He would only be seventeen at the end of this month." Sirius said sadly, glancing down at the table and therefore missing the confused look Arcas gave him.

"In your time, I suppose I would be seventeen. Time runs differently in the heavens." Arcas said almost dreamily.

"Your name from your past wouldn't happen to be Harry Potter, would it?" Remus asked curiously.

"How do you know that name?" Arcas asked sharply, making Sirius look up at him, hope showing on his face.

"Was that your name? Please! You must tell us!" Sirius begged, making Arcas look at him nervously.

"Yes. Once, long ago, that is what I went by. Though it was not for long. I was soon taken away." Arcas said, gazing past them at something only he could see.

"You are Harry Potter? You are my Godson!" Sirius exclaimed happily, standing up to hug the man in front of him, only to stop quickly when he noticed Arcas flinch away from him sharply.

"Please, do not touch me. It will do you more harm than good." Arcas said, drawing his cloak around him tighter and making Sirius take his seat once more.

"Arcas? Would you do us the favour of coming with us to meet some people. They also, were hit hard by the loss of you all those years ago." Remus said, making Arcas tilt his head to the side once more in thought.

"I do not see the harm in it. So long as anyone there knows not to touch me. Only one can touch me safely. Only he can risk touching me without burning." Arcas said softly, making both Remus and Sirius frown, wondering who he could be talking about. And why no one could touch him.

"If no one can touch you, then what do you and your people do, in case you accidentally walk into one another." Remus asked curiously.

"Walk into one another? We do not see each other very often, it takes too long. Only those who have mated have company. We only meet when there is need. And even then we do not touch. Though, in theory, it would not harm us as much as one who is not part of our race. We each burn, but cannot be burnt." Arcas explained, as though that answered their question. Which, in a way, it did.

"Will you come with us then? We need to be heading there now anyway?"

"Okay. Where is it you are heading? How shall we get there?" Arcas asked brightly, looking from one wizard to the other and back.

"We are heading to the headquarters of the main resistance of this war. It is in a secret location. We must take a portkey to get there." Remus explained, making Arcas frown.

"Would that not mean we touch? I do not wish to harm you. Nor do I wish to become involved in your war. It does not concern my people and I." Arcas said with a frown.

"If you wrap your cloak around you, there will be no risk of our skin touching. Will that make a difference? As for joining the war, you and your people may not have a choice soon. Soon this war will reach every corner of the world, wizarding and Muggle. No one will escape the dark of Voldemort." Remus said sadly, looking away from the confused look on Arcas' face.

"I will come, but I make no promises." Arcas said, standing up and wrapping his cloak tightly around him, then looking down at the two hopeful men.

"Shall we leave then? Hold onto this and we shall leave for Headquarters." Sirius said, holding out a pink Frisbee. The two other men held onto the Frisbee and Sirius whispered a seemingly random word. "Hope."

A/N – Hmm, I think this chapter is a bit shorter than the one before, but well, I figured this was as good a place as any to stop. Next chapter we meet the Order, and perhaps see what old Voldie is up to.

As for the vote, well, I figure I will keep it going for the next chapter at least. At the moment Harry won't be with anyone, though he may meet them soon, depending on who it is.

Who Harry/Arcas is searching for depends entirely on the vote as well. It can go one of two ways, and I have planned the story out for both.

Anyways, the results so far are:

Voldemort – 3

Charlie – 5

Bill – 4

Draco – 4

OMC – 2

Severus – 1

Blaise – 1

OC (Please state who you wish it to be.)

To the person who requested Cho Chang, I am afraid this will be a slash, so Harry will not be with her, sorry.

You can vote as many times as you wish. Though I think in order to do that, you may have to sign out... I think...

So yeah. Here's the next chapter and I hope you enjoyed it. What Harry/Arcas is will come up in the next chapter, if no one has guessed already. Only one reviewer seems to know where I am heading. And no it isn't a crossover. Though it may seem that way.

Thank you to all who have reviewed so far!! I am very appreciative!! : )