CHAPTER FOUR


Harry Potter sat in the empty compartment seat on those red leather benches, watching the scenery go past. Greyback sat opposite him, his hands folded together as if he was shaking hands with himself, deep in thought. The train was the Cannes 401, going straight to New Hampshire Docks. It was about a four hour long journey, and as Harry listened to the steady chugy chug of the train, he fell into a drowsy sleep, not quite a complete sleep but a half sleep that one gets when they are under anaesthesia in the hospital, or in Harry's case, something like the imperius curse.

As they went on he thought about his day and was wowed by it. He had done so much, and had gotten a new ally. But could this new ally be trusted? Greyback didn't exactly have a spotless record, being a death eater and all. And Greyback had also bitten Remus. Harry felt a bit guilty about hiring him. There was a more pressing problem however, when was Greyback's transformation into a werewolf? There was an even more pressing problem, he was going to be out of money at the rate he was spending. Things were expensive these days.

The train journey was quite boring, and the two passed the time mostly in mediation and sleep, just thinking of the previous day. They reached the New Hampshire Docks at about 9 o clock in the evening, and Harry despite having a nap already, was dead tired. Greyback also looked weary.

On the docks, not really on the water but pretty close by it, Greyback got them some tickets for a boat that went straight to the island of Alba, and from there they could catch a ferry to France, provided of course they had passports. Greyback had muggle cash, and he said that was enough for now.

"We can forge passports with magic, I've done it loads of times. I'll show you how later," Greyback told him as they got on the boat. The S.S Mary was an old freighter, mostly used for transporting barrels of oil. It had a white hull, and brown, dirt spotted sails. There was also a motor but the crew didn't use it much in the summer because Britain had a lot of stormy weather in the summer.

"Do you think the death eaters will attack us while we are on the boat?" He asked Greyback, who handed the two pink colored tickets to the man dressed in the navy's traditional blue uniforms.

"Let's think they will. It never hurts to be paranoid. I'll show you how to use a knife for starters tonight, and tomorrow while we are on Alba I'll teach you how to use a sword."

"Any time for sleep?"

"No," Greyback said eagerly, a smile on his face. "Drink bucket loads of coffee, m'man. That will get you through the month, hopefully."

"You are pretty sure I won't have enough galleons to pay you for another month, huh Greyback?" Harry said. They were both seated, once again facing each other in a small dingy compartment as the boat rocked gently back and forth.

"Harry, you don't realize the value of a thousand galleons do you?" Greyback asked, amused. "This will be enough for a wizard's retirement, Harry. I will protect you for a month, then I am off to America, or maybe the Carribeans for my long awaited vacation. You hear me boy?"

"I can get more," Harry said. "I just know I can."

"Look kid, I don't believe a little squirt like you can get a sickle much like a thousand galleons. You must be out of your mind."

"I am Harry Potter, you know. Boy who lived and-"

"Right, but don't let it get to your head, huh?" Greyback said sarcastically. He looked more like a wolf than ever, with his long grey hair, and bright eyes, and wolf like smile.

"You'll see." Harry said calmly.

"Okay, then. Whatever you say, boss. But I am willing to protect you for a month-"

"And train me," Harry said.

"Yes, and train you as well. With whatever I have at my disposal. I am yours for a month, only that much time, unless you can cough up some more money."

"Are you going back to Voldemort after your month is up?" Harry asked.

"Hmm?" Greyback frowned. "Know what, no. I don't think so. He's nothing but a fruitcake, no way I am going back to him."

Harry grinned. At least he had gotten one death eater out of Voldemort's service. That was worth the thousand galleons. Then something occurred to him. "When are you going to do the werewolf transformation? The full moon?"

Greyback stayed silent for a long moment. "In five days time. We will get settled in, and then I'll lock myself up somewhere and. We'll think of this later alright?"

"Okay," Harry said. "Why not. I think I will look through some of these books right here."

"Good idea. It's going to be a long journey."

Harry unshrunk his trunk and got out his bag of books. He unshrunk them with a wave of his wand, glad for the charms lessons with Flitwick, and started looking at the titles:

GUIDE TO ADVANCED POTIONS

DARK CURSES AND THEIR COUNTERS

DUELLING – HOW TO WIN

HISTORY OF THE DARK ARTS

DIFFERENT TYPES OF MAGICKS – MUSIC, ARTS, MATHEMATICAL, ETC.

The books seemed interesting, Harry thought. He opened the history of the dark arts first and started reading it for the rest of the journey. The book was about two hundred pages all printed on an early form of the printing press on thin brown pages that seemed to tear easily, and was very light. The print was also a faint black so Harry had to squint to read it. Basically it was about Salazar Slytherin and how he discovered dark magic during his intense studies. He developed the rituals that gave him the ability to do parseltongue and invented all sorts of different spells that did horrible things. There was a blood transfuser spell that sucked the victim's blood out of his or her body. There was a spell that made people's teeth rot out. Salazar was also very gifted in potions – he invented potions that made his intellect sharper, increased his concentration and meditation which led to the development of occlumency and legilemency and he also invented all sorts of instruments of an astronomical nature: telescopes, scaled models of the universe, things like that.

Harry was awed. Voldemort had most of these skills being Salazar's heir and all, and now he knew just what he was facing up against, a genius of the highest capability. How could he compete? He felt his will start to shake and crumble and all those insecurities he had done his best to burry came back again ferociously.

"How can I kill Voldemort like this," Harry thought. He drifted back to the meeting in Dumbledore's office last year – how he had argued with him, and how the old man had told him the prophecy. Perhaps Dumbledore was right after all, perhaps he needed some kind of unknown power.

No, don't think like that. He admonished himself. This kind of thought got Sirius killed. Forget about the prophecy and your inferiority. All you need to concentrate on is becoming stronger, and to survive.

As he drifted off to sleep, lulled into a sense of security by the gentle rocking of the boat, his last thought was to get better at everything related to magic – and that included potions.

A few hours later, Greyback was shaking him on his shoulder, saying, "Wake up Harry we are here." Harry blinked groggily and woke up, rubbing his eyes with his fists. "What?" He asked in confusion.

"Alba, we are here. The island of Alba known for its corn industries. Oh god, finally." Greyback gushed as he pulled Harry to his feet. "No fucking death eaters here, but they gonna come, give it time."

"Yea, but I have you to protect me." Harry said as he shook his legs and tried to get the blood back in his sleepy feet.

"Don't rely on me all the time, you gotta be independent, Harry m'man." Greyback said. "How else will ya learn? Now come on, we gotta get off this piece of shit boat."

"We need passports remember?" Harry said. Greyback stopped at once and turned around, wide eyed.

"That's right. Give me your wand, Harry?"

"What?"

"Your wand, I need to use it." Greyback said as he held out his husky hand.

"Okay," Harry said warily, watching very carefully as he handed his wand to Greyback. What are you doing Harry? He will take the wand and curse you, what the hell did you do? A deep part of his mind was screaming at him. Harry watched even closer. Greyback noticed this and chuckled.

"Getting paranoid, are we?" He said as he conjured them two life-like passports and handed the wand back to Harry.

"Yes, I find it helps me survive." Harry said simply and pocketed his wand. He took one of the passports and marvelled at the detail. He could see the bristles of his face perfectly. "This looks… good."

"I've always been a good artist," Greyback boasted. "Now come on, we have to take another ship to France."

They walked up the deck and down the ship to the docks. The passengers paid no heed to them, obsessed in their own lives. Alba looked deserted, and Harry could smell a scent of manure and shit. Lots of shit. But it was a pleasant perfumy scent mixed in with corn, and wildlife. This looked like a good rural area, someone like Vernon Dursley or Petunia might like this place.

They walked side by side, looking almost like father and son, around the dock toward the leasing office where they got two new tickets to Cannes, France, after showing their forged passports. The only thing wrong with it, Harry noticed was that it was too lifelike. The names had not been changed. The death eaters could find them easily enough by checking the records. Harry felt a bolt of suspicion go through him as he watched Greyback carefully. The man seemed at ease.

They bought a couple hot dogs as they waited for their ferry. Greyback paid with his own muggle money, saying simply, "You owe me for this." Greyback seemed to have a lot of money on him. As they walked, Harry read his history of dark magic book, and found out a bit more about another wizard: Merlin.

Merlin was quite the scholar, and studied everything, including the dark arts. Later on he would confess that he felt joy and happiness at learning this trade, but that was when he was a young and curious boy. He studied many different magicks including: Voodoo, Runes and Traps, Enchantments, Mind influencing drug like potions of which he tested on himself, and he studied how to put life into inanimate objects, the basis for transfiguration that we all learn today.

It went on about the different magicks Merlin learned and detailed into them. Harry decided to take notes. He went to a stationary store and bought a yellow paged legal pad and a few cheap ballpoints and took small, careful notes that Hermoine would be proud of. Greyback glanced disapprovingly at the books, "Not the best source of knowledge. The only thing worth learning is hands on knowledge, Harry. Like sword fighting and duelling. Once we get to a safe place I'm gonna work you ragged, I swear to god."

"I wouldn't have it any other way," Harry replied as they heard the bell sounds of the ship (The E.M Limbrook, a marine vessel that wasn't used in the army anymore) coming into the dock.

"Here's our ride," Greyback said and got up. Harry followed obediently, trunk in pocket, book in hand, legal pad in the other, wand in the back pocket. They got in the ship with no hassle after showing their tickets and this time were seated in a public compartment crowded to the brim with people. Greyback looked distinctly uncomfortable, while Harry took a corner spot and continued to read about Merlin's dark arts adventures.


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