Chapter 10: Missing the Hogwarts Express

I was once more standing within Nicolas Flamel's alchemy lab. The many oil lamps along the walls cast their light into the room, their luminescence casting shadows on the ground.

Standing before me was my teacher, who was looking at me with a smile that was one part amused condescension (which I had grown used to) and one part proud. I could tell he was pleased with my work. Not that I expected anything less.

"Well, my young apprentice, it has been a very eventful summer." Nicolas Flamel's smile broadened with an almost childish enthusiasm. "I am pleased to say that you have surpassed my expectations magnificently."

"Thank you, Master Flamel," I accepted the praise graciously, nodding my head and allowing a small smile to play on my face, even when all I really wanted to do was bask under the praise.

I had never realized how good being praised for your hard work truly felt until after becoming apprenticed to Nicolas Flamel. Sure, I had always been praised by my teacher's at school at my Professor's at Hogwarts, but it was different here. I wasn't learning information I could lecture on in my sleep or simple spells I had mastered wandlessly before even coming to Hogwarts. I was learning Alchemy, one the most challenging magics in the world.

According to Flamel, at least.

"And I can't help but notice that you have once again created furniture," the twenty looking six hundred year old immortal said slyly. His eyes once more glanced over at my creation. A rather nice looking bed.

The bed was a combination of modern utilitarian design and Renaissance style extravagance. It was a large king sized bed made with gentle curves that flowed together in a seamless fashion and had motifs of the Potter family crest and motto imbedded into the wood.

The wood was made of a dark oak that bordered on black. Under the bed, instead of there being a space where someone could hide under if they were so inclined, there were several drawers that could be pulled out. This not only made it easier to put items 'under' the bed, but would also save up space in my room by allowing me a place to put some of my items away that did not involve laying them against the wall or leaving them on the floor.

I also looked at my creation, before shrugging.

"I figured if I was going to be learning to use alchemy to create objects, I might as well create objects that will be useful to me."

That was why I had been spending so much time making furniture. While the furniture in my room was nice, it wasn't what I wanted. Even if no one from the magical world ever saw my room, I wanted it to look as nice as the ones I had seen at the Flamel Estate. Call me vain, but I had come to enjoy the renaissance styled rooms and wanted that for myself.

Aside from my sword that I first made, all of my creations to date have been furniture of some kind.

My teacher looked amused.

"I've said it before and I'll say it again; you are the most unusual child I have ever met."

I like to think I showed great restraint when my right eye didn't twitch at the way he commented on my age. That, or I was just growing used to the man making jabs at how young I was.

"And now, my young apprentice, I am afraid our time has come to an end. You have taken what I taught you and applied it to your work. There is nothing more for you to learn from me."

It was hard to tell whether Flamel was actually disappointed or just hamming it up. He seemed genuinely regretful that my time learning under him was ending, but at the same time the way he was holding his forearm over his eyes, rubbing them as he sniffled made me think he was just trying to screw with me.

"To think my cute little apprentice has learned all he can from me in just a few months..." Crocodile tears sprang to the man's eyes. I knew they were fake because Flamel never cried. I also sensed him cast some kind of wandless spell, which I am beginning to believe was a modified version of the augmenti charm. "I have..." Sniffle. "Never been more proud!"

I gave a long suffering sigh and began rubbing my face with the palm of my hand. Just go with it Harry. Let the man have his fun. It's the least you could do after everything he taught you.

"One more thing before you go, apprentice," Nicolas' small moment filled with crocodile tears ended as quickly as it began, his face drying up as if he had never been crying in the first place. Definitely some kind of spell. Maybe an illusion of some kind. Hmm... "There are many alchemists out there who claim mastery. You and I both know they are fools who know so little about true alchemy they aren't worth listening to."

I nodded my head. Having learned from Nicolas Flamel, the premiere master of alchemy for the past six hundred years, I could safely say that no one else understood alchemy like he did. Most hardly even understood it at all.

"You are one of the few alchemists in this world now. We are a small, selective group. Very few ever make it to the point where they can call themselves true alchemists, and only one currently holds the title of master."

It sounded incredibly arrogant of him to say that, but I knew he wasn't actually being arrogant and just stating facts. The truth was Nicolas Flamel was the only Master Alchemist in the world. No one else had accomplished as much, seen as much, experienced as much and learned as much within the field of alchemy as Flamel had.

That was the reason I held his praise in such high regard.

"I believe that you have what it takes to become the second person to bear the title 'Master of Alchemy', Harry." It had been the first time I've ever heard my teacher use my name. For a moment, I was actually stunned. "Keep working hard, create more circles, and you may begin to understand the true heights that alchemy can take you. Remember this, apprentice, you have only attained mastery when you can do transmutation without the need to use a transmutation circle."

Which basically meant that until I understood how deconstructing and reconstructing worked with each element, principle and all of the elemental and principle combinations as well as how to direct the flow of my own magic to accomplish those tasks so well I no longer needed the circle (or as Flamel called them, training wheels) to do my transmutations, I would not be considered a master.

"I understand."

It looked like I truly had a long road ahead of me before I could be considered a master in alchemy. Most people would probably discouraged by this news. I know there are a lot of people who dislike anything that requires you to put a serious amount of effort into something. Most magical beings are like that.

I was not. The challenge presented to me here was one that got my blood pumping. It excited me in ways few things could. Just thinking of the long and difficult challenge that lay before me as I made my way to becoming the second person to ever lay claim to the title of 'Master Alchemist' would be enough to inspire me for years to come and force me to push myself to new heights.

My own thoughts were interrupted by the amused voice of my master.

"If you psyche yourself up any further, you may explode."

Coming back to reality, I shook my head and chided myself on getting so focused on my own thoughts. It was a bit of a problem I've always had and something I really should work on fixing.

But that was for another time.

I showed my appreciation to the man who had trained me over the summer by giving him a bow.

"Thank you again for agreeing to take me on as your apprentice."

"It was no problem, no problem." Master Flamel waved my thanks off with a smile. "You were a delight to teach. Not many people are so focused and dedicated to learning, especially at your age. You young people are always more interested in getting things done now, then taking the time to learn things properly. It was refreshing to meet someone like you for change."

I didn't let his comments on my age bother me this time. Well, not much at any rate. I was simply too happy to truly get upset by his words.

"Now, you had best be off, Mister Potter. Your apprenticeship has come to an end, and there is nothing left for you to learn here."

I nodded. It was time for me to leave. Giving one last bow, I turned around and made my way out of the alchemy lab.

As I made my way to the Entrance Hall where I would use the portkey given to me to apparate back home, I allowed my thoughts to wander. Summer was coming to an end. There was one more week left before school started. I could not help but feel like this had been a long time in coming. This summer had felt extraordinarily long for just three months.

This may have had something to do with the fact that I had been using a time turner to travel back in time thereby extending the length of summer by about half, meaning I had spent more along the lines of four and a half months instead of the typical three. But that was a type of semantics I had no desire to gt into.

Time travel was an utterly baffling concept. One that I would not be even thinking about until I was well into my magical career.

"'arry?"

I stopped midstep at the sound of that voice; that beautiful, lilting accent. I recall Perennelle once telling me why she still spoke in an accent even though she could easily get rid of it the day after I rescued Selene. I could now say with one hundred percent honesty that I understood why Nicolas Flamel loved it so much.

Her accent really was sexy.

Turning around, I came face to face with Perennelle, who looked even more gorgeous then she usually did. She had put her hair into a ponytail today, making her look even younger than her twenty-something appearance and allowed me to see her slender and graceful neck.

Her clothing was much more trendy and in style for women who were in their mid twenties than what she usually wore. I was actually surprised by what she was wearing, as it did not seem like her type of clothing at all.

Covering her torso was a yannis black lace top that was almost completely translucent. Beneath that was a tight fitting spaghetti strap shirt that conformed to the woman's large breasts and thin waist like a second skin and left her slender arms bare. She wasn't wearing a bra, and I could see her nipples poking out against the fabric of the shirt.

Her wide hips and small, shapely bottom were being covered by black denim shorts that revealed just a tiny hint of her deliciously tight derriere; not enough to truly be revealing, but certainly enough that I wished they would show just a little more. The pants were stitched up the sides, adding a strange sense of sex appeal to them.

I gulped as my eyes traveled below that. I can honestly admit I have never seen so much skin before in my life. Her long, lean legs appeared to go on forever. It was an endless expanse of creamy looking skin that paradoxically did end in a pair of latrice ankle boots with thick overlapping straps that had adjustable buckles on the sides.

I'm pretty sure I just died of sexy. It did not help that Perennelle seemed to notice that I was staring at just about every part of her body my eyes could see and put on a sinful smile that I imagine she would probably use in the bedroom.

"From zat expression on your face, I take eet you approve?" she asked, twirling around for me. Was it just me? Or had she thickened her accent when she said that?

I was honestly surprise that the moan of approval and desire I wanted to unleash did not escape my mouth. For a second, a very long second, I could not say anything. I felt like I had been struck momentarily dumb.

Breath, Potter. Breath.

"Why..." my voice sounded incredibly choked, even to my own ears. "Why are you dressed like... like..." I couldn't even complete the sentence, such was my shock and arousal at the sight before me.

"Why am I dressed so provocateur?" I know she purred that last word out in French on purpose. I just know it. Of course, she acted like she did not notice what her words did to me as she continued speaking. "Nicolas and I are going clubbing tonight."

She then giggled and gave me a conspiratorial look, as if she were hiding some great secret. Both the sight and sound were some of the most mesmerizing I had in my memory, even beating out Selene. Unlike my vampire... friend, it was clear that Perennelle knew how to use what she had perfectly. She had experience.

"Well, Nicolas does not know we are going yet." She winked at me. "But I zink I can convince 'im to see zings my way, don't you?"

I absently nodded. Nicolas didn't stand a chance.

"I... I had not realized you were into clubbing," I mumbled as my eyes trailed up and down those beautiful legs. I could tell she worked them out. They reminded me of those legs I often see on female gymnasts I saw when watching the Olympics, only not quite as large and bulky. But by the gods were they well toned.

"I do not do so very often," Perennelle admitted, walking closer to me with a seductive sway of her hips. I was wondering if she was doing that on purpose. It was hard to tell since she seemed to always walk with a bit of a sway. "'owever, zis new club looks very intéressant and I wish to see what all ze hype is."

"Ah... well..." I began awkwardly. A part of me was screaming to run away. Another part was telling me that I should push this beautiful creature exuding sexual eroticism against the wall and make her mine.

Gods. Lisa's books really have corrupted me.

"I'll just leave you too it then. Take care of yourself, Madam Perennelle."

"Just a moment, 'arry."

I shuddered at the way she said my name. Really, this woman could probably make men cream themselves just by speaking.

"Before you go I just wanted to know..." by now she was completely in my personal space, close enough that I could smell her heavenly scent. It was a mixture of vanilla and her own natural scent. I couldn't place it, but it smelled spicy. "...Do you zink I'm sexy?"

I opened my mouth to speak, but was denied the opportunity to say anything when Perennelle shoved her tongue down my throat.

XoX

Harry Potter did not awaken with a sharp gasp of surprise, arousal and a startled expression, nor was the process of waking up long and drawn out. It was merely a shift from being unconscious to conscious. One moment he was asleep. The next he was wide awake.

It was good to see some things had returned to the status quo, even if other things had not.

Sitting up in the bed, Harry took around the guest room he was sleeping in at the Crawfts. While he let his eyes roam over the rather plain looking room, his body began to stretch and work out the few kinks he had gained while tossing and turning from last nights memories/erotic dream.

A quick look outside confirmed it was still fairly early. Sol had yet to truly rise over Terra's event horizon and was just barely peaking above the buildings. Only the splash of light pinks and purples signified that the sun would soon break out across the sky.

Deciding that now would be the best time to get up and shower (he did not want a relapse of what happened when he had slept over at the Crawft's during Christmas break), the young Potter heir stood up and began making his way towards the bathroom.

He did not even bother looking at the mess he had made of his sheets. Simply waved his hand and magically cleaned them.

After taking a quick shower filled with cold water, Harry returned to his room and got himself dressed in normal, non magical clothing; a pair of nice fitting black jeans, a dark green T-shirt with a King Cobra imprinted on the front and sneakers.

He looked outside of the window again. The sun was beginning to rise. He must have spent more time in the shower than he had realized. Knowing Misses Crawft, she would already be up and cooking breakfast.

Deciding that the best course of action he could take would be to wake his most likely still heavily sleeping friend, Harry made his way out of his room and towards Lisa's room.

As he stopped in front of the door to his best friends room, Harry knocked on the door just in case his friend was actually awake.

"Lisa?" he called out, knocking once more. "Lisa, are you awake?"

He waited for several seconds. When no answer came to him, Harry opened the door and quickly slipped inside.

The room inside was dark. Lisa had covered the windows with her blinds., preventing the rays of sunlight from streaming in into the room. A quick glance confirmed nothing had changed since he had last been inside. It still looked incredibly girly, posters of her favorite boy bands hung on the walls, the book shelf filled to the brim with romance novels was there too, as well as the desk and chair he and Lisa had spent a number of times sitting at while he helped her study for a test.

Then there was the bed. He could see the softly breathing form of his best friend laying in it, his enhanced vision picking out more details in the dark than any pair of human eyes should be capable of.

Making his way over to the bed, his footsteps silent as he walked on the soft carpeting, the young raven haired child found himself staring at his still sleeping friend.

As was the case on most times he had woken his friend up, Lisa had kicked the covers off some time during the night and was now laying on her back in the center of the bed, her arms stretched wide and her legs spread out as if she were trying to cover the entire bed by herself. She was wearing a cute pair of pink pajama bottoms and a Hello Kitty shirt with string straps. The left string had, at some point during the night, slipped off her shoulder and was showing a bit more skin than it normally would.

Harry gulped as he let his eyes wander the expanse of smooth looking skin. Gods, Lisa was adorable even in her sleep! How weird was that?

And what was it with every girl he knew being so utterly bewitching?

Shaking his head, Harry quickly got over his moment of teenage hormones, which had been getting much easier to do as time went on and made to sit down on the edge of the bed. Lisa shifted at his weight, but did not move or otherwise give any signs she had noticed his presence.

Reaching out with a hand, Harry gently removed a strand of long, brown hair that had gotten in his friends face and tucked it behind her ear.

"Lisa," Harry said, using his normal voice as opposed to speaking softly. He had finally gotten over that weird human habit of speaking in a hushed whisper that most people had when waking others up. "Lisa, it's time to get up."

"Nnggg," a strange noise issued forth from his friend's mouth as she began to wake up. Not at all that unusual all things told. Lisa often made strange sounds, especially when waking up. Harry didn't know why. He figured it was a strange quirk.

Besides, he thought it was cute anyways.

Brown eyes eventually fluttered open and blinked several times as Lisa's eyesight adjusted to the darkness of the room. She looked around for a second before her eyes landed on her friend.

"Harry..." Lisa was stopped from saying anything else with a long, loud yawn. Acting on nothing more than instinct, Lisa's arms stretched out over her head while her legs began stretching as well.

Harry's lips twitched as he watched. This girl really was too cute for her own good.

"Good morning, Lise," Harry said. Lisa blinked at the new nickname. Even in the darkness he could see the flush on his friends cheeks. "I figured I would let you know your mother is making breakfast so you should probably get ready."

"M'kay. I'll be out in ju..." Lisa's mouth opened widely as she yawned again, stretching the vowel out for a good number of seconds, "...ust a minute," she finished, smacking her lips a few times.

Harry stood up as Lisa made to sit up on the bed. As the girl blinked her eyes blearily, a hand came up to cutely rub the sleep out of them.

"I kinda wish you were the one cooking breakfast," Lisa mumbled for a second as her hand absently went the strap that had slipped down so she could pull it back up. Obviously, his friend was not fully awake yet. "I always love your cooking, and since this is the last day we'll get to see each other until Christmas..." she trailed off a bit, not wanting to continue that line of thought.

"Sorry to disappoint," Harry joked, trying to lighten the mood. It worked, partially at least. Lisa cracked him a small smile. "Anyways, you should get ready. I'll meet you in the dining room."

"Ri...g...ht."

It was not long after Harry made his way into the kitchen and helped Misses Crawft set the table that Lisa came walking in looking much more refreshed. She gave Harry a grateful smile that caused a most unusual feeling to well up in his chest. It felt like a humming bird were beating it's wings in his chest. Lisa's books often called the feeling 'butterflies'.

Harry ignored the feeling as he had done every other time he felt it recently, and sat down next to her just as Lisa's parents came in, Misses Crawft with plates of pancakes and Mister Crawft with a cup of coffee and the morning newspaper.

Breakfast that day was not nearly as bad and dreary as it was the last time Harry was set to leave for Hogwarts. He and Lisa managed to keep up light banter without needing to force the conversation, his friend was even laughing and giving him genuine smiles instead of those watery I-might-cry-at-any-second smiles he had received from her last year. It seemed like she had grown accustomed to him being away for several months.

Harry was not sure that was a good thing, but felt that so long as his friend was hurting less it couldn't be bad.

The morning was made even better because not only did Mister Crawft simply pretend he did not exist, which was a right sight better than the man's usual baleful glare, the bank manager also had to get to work early.

With his new found thoughts on girl's, Harry was actually beginning to wonder if Mister Crawft was just being one of those 'overprotective father' types some of Lisa's stories contained. It actually made a lot of sense in retrospect. Lisa was a very cute girl as he could most certainly attest to. While it was still a year off for most people, other boys would no doubt begin noticing her in the same way Harry had.

That still didn't explain why Lisa's father was being rude to him though. This had been going on ever since they had turned ten. It wasn't like Harry had even thought of Lisa in any capacity other than a best friend until this summer.

Maybe all father's just became overprotective of their daughters once they reached a certain age?

Time past very quickly and before long, Harry found himself feeling a sense of deja vu as he stood in front of the door leading outside with Lisa standing in front of him.

"Well... this is it..."

"Yeah..."

Harry wondered if it was the curse of all people leaving the ones they cared about to have no clue as to what they should say. You would think that after already having gone through this once, he would have been able to think of something, but no, words just seemed to fail him.

Fortunately, Lisa was not at a loss for words.

"I expect you to send me a letter at least once a week."

Harry cracked a grin as Lisa crossed her arms under her chest and gave him an imperious glare that left no room for argument. Leave it to his friend that the first thing she would say to his leaving was a demand for letters. For some reason, it made him feel better that she could still remain herself this time instead of looking like she was about to break down and cry.

"I will."

It was not unexpected when Lisa hugged him. He knew it was coming, yet it did not diminish the thrill he felt when she pressed her body against his. He really was beginning to enjoy the feel of Lisa pressing herself against him while he held her in his arms.

Gods be damned hormones.

"You'd better," Lisa mumbled in his ear before taking a step back and giving him a smile. She definitely looked better than their last goodbye. Harry did not even see her tear ducts beginning to form water.

As Harry stared at his friend, a strange impulse came over him, one he acted on before his brain caught up with him and told him he should not do what he was about to do. Leaning forward ever so slightly, Harry pressed his lips against his friends cheek, enjoying the momentary contact of her skin on his lips. At least, until he realized what he had done and reared his head back as if he had been struck in the face by a stinging hex.

Harry stared at his friend in horror, all the blood draining from his face as the opposite happened with Lisa and blood began rushing to her cheeks. The blush that began as two small dots on her cheeks soon spread to the rest of her face, all the way up to her scalp and then down her neck. It would not surprise him if it even extended well past her chest.

"Uh..." Smoother words had never been spoken. As Harry tried to get his brain to reboot without success, Lisa raised a hand to the cheek he had just kissed.

"H-Harry?"

The words jolted Harry into action, an action he would forever be ashamed of until the day he died.

Harry Potter ran away.

"Gotta go! I'll see you later, Lise!"

"Hey! Wait! Harry!"

And with that, Harry ran out the door and onto the street. Because of this, he missed Misses Crawft's 'aw, how cute!', however, he mostly certainly did not miss Lisa's shout of 'MUM!' right before disapparating with a slight crack.

Hormones, they truly were the bane of his existence.

XoX

Harry's apparition point was one that he had planned a week in advance. Now that he knew where King's Cross was, it was very easy to just apparate there. Apparition required not only clear knowledge on where something was geographically located, but also a clear image that could be conjured within one's mind in order to create the 'wormhole' as Harry had taken to calling it, from one point to another.

His apparition point in this instance was a small restroom stall that he had placed a muggle repelling charm around the last time he had been at King's Cross. He had used enough magic to make it last a few days. Any non magical human who went near it would suddenly remember they had something better to do than use the stall he had chosen.

His appearance was nowhere near as silent as it usually was this time, such was the haste in which he had apparated. The crack was loud enough that one of the people using the urinals several feet from the affected area of his repelling charm yelped in surprise at the sound and spun around, spraying urine all over the floor.

"God dammit! Shit!"

Harry ignored the swearing as he stepped out of the stall he had apparated into. He was about to begin heading for the door when the man who had been using the urinal stopped him.

"Eh? What are you doing here, kid? I don't remember ―"

Before the man could go any further, Harry waved a hand in front of his face. The face of the man who was wearing a gray business suit went slack jawed and his eyes glazed over.

"You will forget you ever saw me here."

"I will forget I ever saw you here," the dazed man repeated in a droning voice that reminded Harry of Professor Binns.

"You will also inform someone that you had a bit of an accident in the restroom and it needs to be cleaned up."

"I will inform someone that I made a mess and it needs to be cleaned up."

Harry nodded his head, then turned around. He paused, however, then turned back around and waved his hand one more time on impulse.

"By the way, these are not the droids you're looking for."

"These are not the droids I'm looking for."

Satisfied and feeling more than a bit amused, Harry left the restroom and stepped into the busy walkway of King's Cross station. Despite how crowded the station was, with people moving to and fro in every direction and leaving very few gaps in between where someone could slip through, the raven haired youth still managed to seamlessly work his way into the flow of traffic and begin walking towards his destination.

It did not take him very long to reach the small gateway that led to platform nine and three-quarters. Harry used his unnatural grace and cat-like agility and reflexes to deftly swerve and side step incoming people as he moved ever closer to the gateway that was illusioned to look like a wall. He walked directly over to the wall, prepared for the tingling sensation as the magic washed over him...

...And then walked right into it.

Into it. Not through it.

"What the...?" Harry blinked in confusion several times as he looked at the wall before him. He pressed his hands against the brick and gave it a firm push. Nothing. His hands did not slip through the wall like it was made of some kind of quicksilver. He was not allowed passage through to the other side of the gateway... because the gateway was apparently no longer there. Harry couldn't even feel the small tingle in the back of his neck that signified a place that was heavily saturated in some kind of magic.

Harry ignored the strange looks he got from a few of the people around him as he turned around and pressed his back against the wall. He slid down it until he was sitting, then crossed his legs underneath him and began to think.

Reviewing the past few seconds in his mind, Harry determined that, for whatever the reason, the magic that opened the gateway to platform nine and three-quarters was gone. Or maybe it was blocked. But then, if that were the case, whoever or whatever was blocking the gateway had to be incredibly strong. The magic around this place had been awfully powerful.

But why would someone that strong want to block the gateway in the first place? What purpose would that serve?

"Harry Potter must not go back to Hogwarts. He must stay where it is safe. He is too great, too good, to lose. If Harry Potter goes back to Hogwarts, he will be in mortal danger."

Harry immediately remembered the small house elves words several nights ago. His eyes narrowed in thought as he recalled the words spoken that night. He had not been able to learn much about the plot, namely because the house elf, Dobby he had called himself, had taken to bashing his head against something every time Harry asked him to extrapolate on the 'terrible plot to make bad things happen at Hogwarts'.

While Harry had not learned anything of use besides there being some type of evil plot that would be unleashed at Hogwarts this year, he had been able to determine that the house elf's family, or someone in his family, was the one who had concocted this plan. He had also determined through common sense that this person was likely a Death Eater, if only because Dobby had inadvertently implied that Voldemort was indirectly involved.

Unfortunately, that still left him with nothing to really go off of. There were a large number of Death Eaters who had escaped punishment. Two hundred in total. Most of them were just fodder, purebloods who had nothing to their name and would never be the Head of their families, but a good number were powerful pureblood Lords on the Wizengamot. Even if he were inclined to accuse them, doing so, especially without evidence, would be foolish.

The only thing Harry felt was certain of was that whoever was creating this plot was not one of the Death Eaters who had a child at Hogwarts. As callous as they were, he did not think they would be willing to risk their own heirs to complete their master's plan, especially when, as far as they knew, Voldemort was dead.

Sighing, Harry stood up. There was nothing he could do about the plot going on at Hogwarts, and even if this was in some way tied to that plot, there was little he could do about whoever had closed the gate.

What he needed to do was find a way to get to Hogwarts on his own, or maybe catch up to the Hogwarts Express. It was unfortunate that Hedwig was traveling to Hogwarts on her own. He could have really used her to send a message to Professor McGonagall to inform her of what happened.

Well, there was nothing for it. He had to do this on his own. It was just another challenge on his road to becoming the greatest wizard to ever live.

XoX

"Where the bloody hell is Harry!?"

"Language, Tracey!"

"Ugh... right, sorry. I'm just..."

"I understand that you're worried about Harry," Lisa added before Hermione could make another comment. "We all are. But there's not much we can do about that, you know."

"I know."

"In any event, if we knew where Harry was, don't you think one of us would have probably told you by now?"

"...What is this? Gang up on Tracey day?"

"That's every day."

"Oh can it, Lisa."

Daphne frowned as she let the comments from her compartment companions wash over. She did not partake in the conversation, if only because she had nothing informative to add. Instead, she simply stared out the window, watching as green pastures, hills and forests rolled across her vision.

Like last year, Daphne had woken up at the same time as always, and after saying goodbye to her sister, she and her father headed to Platform nine and three-quarters. She had been hoping to meet Harry there so they could find a compartment together, but her hopes had been dashed when Harry did not show up. At first she had thought he might have already found a compartment, but when she got on the Hogwarts Express and did a search, she found him conspicuously absent.

"So what do you think happened to him?"

"I don't know. It isn't like Harry to be late for something like this. I simply can't imagine him missing the Hogwarts Express."

"Maybe he ran into a troll on his way to King's Cross?"

"Not funny, Tracey."

…

"Right, sorry. Hey, Daph. Do you think something may have happened to Harry?"

Daphne sighed as she turned her attention to the other three people in the compartment with her. Because Harry was the only one who knew the expansion charm and he was not with them, they had been unable to all fit in the same compartment, thus they had been forced to split up. Sitting with her was Tracey, Lisa and Hermione. She knew that Terry, Blaise and Neville had gotten their own compartment while Susan and Hannah had gone to find their fellow first year Hufflepuff's to sit with.

"I honestly don't have any idea. And I can assure you that if I did, I would not be here." If she knew where Harry was, she would have been with him instead.

Of course, if she knew where Harry was it meant he would have been on the Hogwarts Express and chances were all of them would be sitting together.

Daphne frowned for a moment as the thought crossed her mind that Harry might be in danger, but she quickly shook the thought off. The only person who would have the audacity to do anything to Harry was the Dark Lord, and he was currently a spirit without a body. The chances of them running into each other was slim to none.

"In any case, I doubt Harry's in any kind of danger. He's more than capable of taking care of himself. Most likely there was just something that came up that caused him to miss the train. I suspect he'll send a letter to Professor McGonagall or someone and they'll go pick him up. We'll probably see him at the opening feast or tomorrow at the latest."

Tracey sighed.

"Yeah, I guess you're right. Still, I was hoping we'd all be able to sit together in a big group like last time."

Daphne shrugged. The truth was she didn't really like being with all those people. Oh, they weren't bad people or anything. She just wasn't fond of large crowds. Perhaps it was because of how she was raised in a large house with only Astoria as company, but Daphne often preferred solitude to being with a group of people.

"Can't help you there."

As Tracey gave a dejected sigh and turned around to talk to Lisa and Hermione, Daphne looked back out the window.

Her friend bringing up Harry had her thinking about him now. Contrary to her words to Tracey, Daphne was a bit worried for him. Harry was a very punctual individual, and she could not imagine him missing the Hogwarts Express for anything short of some kind of disaster. She could only hope he was alright.

Thinking about Harry also made Daphne think of the last time they saw each other, of that moment within the Leaky Cauldron when everyone else had left.

Despite her training, a small dusting of red spread across her cheeks and the bridge of her nose as she remembered how Harry had almost kissed her. Even now she could remember the half-lidded expression of desire on his face as he began leaning down to close the distance between them. That scene had played out in more than a few dreams since then.

A part of her wondered what would have happened if she had not said anything. Would he have really kissed her? What would being kissed by Harry feel like?

"I want you to get close to him, Daphne."

Daphne shut her eyes tightly as her father's words suddenly rang in her head.

"I want you to be the one he is closest to. If possible, make him fall in love with you."

She had never believed she could hate her own father as much as she did when he said those words. It sickened her to think that he wanted to use her relationship with Harry for his own benefit. Daphne had been so mad that the mask of cold indifference she often wore actually cracked.

"Even if I decide not to let him marry you, I want you to be the person he trusts and cherishes most. You will do this, Daphne, or you will be reeducated."

Daphne did not know if the shiver that passed through her was in fear or rage. It may have even been both.

There was no denying that her father was a sick man. The punishment he had given Astoria for coming with her when he had called for Daphne only was proof of his depravity. Even still, she could not help but think this was an all time low for the man who she shared blood with.

She sighed. There wasn't much she could do about any of this. As much as she wished it were otherwise, Daphne was powerless to do anything against her father.

The compartment door slid open. Daphne and the others turned their heads to see Draco Malfoy, his two goons Crabbe and Goyle, and Pansy Parkinson walk in.

"Well, well, well," Malfoy drawled as he looked at the four of them, his sneer of superiority turning into one of disgust when he laid his eyes on Hermione. "Look who we have here; the Greengrass heiress, the dirty little half-blood, some nerdy Ravenclaw and the disgusting mudblood."

Hermione gasped at Malfoy's use of the most derogatory term you could call a muggleborn. Meanwhile, Tracey flinched at the mentioning of her blood status and Lisa bristled at being stereotyped. Daphne kept her cold eyes locked on Malfoy, not showing a single hint of emotion.

It was amusing to see the boy direct his gaze away from her stare. Malfoy was such a coward. It was the reason her father refused to allow a marriage contract between them, which was the only thing Daphne had ever been grateful to her father for.

"I think it might be best if you leave," Lisa stated boldly as she wrapped an arm around a teary faced Hermione's shoulder.

"No," Malfoy smirked, "I don't think we will." He turned to Daphne again, his bravado back in place. "How can you stand to spend any time with these... inferior breeds?"

Daphne said nothing. There was no point in responding to the taunts of a fool like Malfoy. And besides, not saying anything would annoy the boy far more than if she actually said something.

"Look at how far the House of Greengrass has fallen," Pansy said in her shrill, annoying voice. Daphne had never liked Pansy, the sycophantic girl who looked like she had been cross bred with a pug. "Hanging around with mudbloods and half-bloods. You sure have fallen far, Daphne."

Daphne did not bother responding to the girl's taunt. Pansy was not worth her time.

She did, however, finger the wand now hidden in her left sleeve.

"I think you might be looking in a mirror," Tracey chimed in, having finally gotten over her discomfort. Daphne's friend had always been disheartened by her blood status, not because she disliked it, but because what it had meant for her in regards to society.

Had Tracey been a pureblood, her father would have let the girl visit them, since she was not, he had refused to let Daphne to see her and the only way they had been able to talk was through letters.

"How dare you mock me!" Pansy screeched. "Filthy little mudblood lover! I think you need to be taught a lesson in manners!"

"Couldn't agree more," Malfoy leered. "Crabbe, Goyle, why don't you help show these girl's why pureblood's are superior to mudbloods and blood traitors."

Daphne narrowed her eyes at the insult as Crabbe and Goyle cracked their knuckles and walked forward. She waited until the two were close enough that there was no way she could miss before acting.

Standing up quicker than anyone else had likely expected, Daphne whipped her wand from her sleeve and pointed it at the one closest to her. Goyle.

"Maldemer!"

A bright light shot from the tip of Daphne's wand and struck Goyle directly in the chest. The gorilla looking pureblood stared at her stupidly for nearly a second before the spell took effect, sending the boy to his knees as he began vomiting all over the floor.

"Goyle!"

The boy's equally stupid partner looked over at his friend in shock with the others. He then turned to Daphne who had just pointed her wand at him.

"You!"

As he surged forward, Daphne's eyes widened in panic. The boy moved much faster than she thought he would have been capable of, given how large he was. Still, she opened her mouth to launch a curse at him. The blistering curse. She had thought about using the castration hex, but Daphne was not cruel enough to do that to anyone unless they truly deserved it.

Before the words could get out of her mouth, Crabbe was already swinging one of his meaty fists at her.

A cry of pain escaped her lips as the fist impacted against her face. Her pain receptors cried out as lights filled her vision.

She tried to shake her head and will the pain away, but before she could, Crabbe grabbed her by the hair and yanked her up, adding to the pain she was already feeling. Tears leaked from the corner of her eyes as the feeling of her hair being ripped from her scalp set her nerve endings on fire.

"Daphne!?" Tracey screamed in shock at seeing her friend being manhandled. While Tracey was gaping, Hermione was moved into action. She stood up and pulled out her wand, pointing it at Crabbe.

"Petrificus Totalus!"

Crabbe's body suddenly stiffened. His hand let go of Daphne's hair, allowing her to stumble back into the compartment window, and snapped to his side. For one second all was still. Then Crabbe fell backwards, hitting the ground with a meaty thud.

"Filthy mudblood!" Malfoy spat as he pulled out his own wand. "I'm going to teach you a lesson on ―"

Draco Malfoy did not get to finish his sentence because at that exact moment the compartment door was slammed open.

Everyone turned around to see the person who had entered and gasped. There, standing in the doorway, his killing curse green eyes actually glowing like someone had cast a lumos behind them was none other than Harry Potter.

And he was pissed.

XoX

There were few times in recent years that Harry could remember being angry. The most recent two being when his friends had attacked that troll while he was trying to come up with some kind of plan to defeat it, and the other being when Ron Weasley rudely asked him if he remembered the night his parents died.

Yet even in those moments, the anger he felt then was absolutely nothing compared to what he felt at the sight before him. Daphne Greengrass was on the ground, tears in her eyes and a large bruise forming just off the side of her left eye. On his hands and knees beside her, dry heaving as he leaned over a pile of his own vomit was Goyle ― his friend's handiwork no doubt ― and in front of Daphne, laying stiff as a board was Crabbe. Tracey was standing up and looked ready about to cry, Hermione had her wand out and Lisa looked completely confused and afraid.

Then there were the other two, Draco Malfoy and Pansy Parkinson. Parkinson he didn't care for. She was just a follower. Malfoy was the ring leader here.

He watched with a grim smile as the two idiots that were still capable of standing and dared to attack his friends pale at the sight of him. His enhanced nose could practically smell the fear they were beginning to radiate.

That was good.

A nearly invisible wave of his hand conjured a modified silencing barrier. There was no need to let anyone in the other compartments know what he was doing.

"Potter ―" Malfoy tried to speak, but Harry would not give him the chance. Before the blond boy could finish his sentence, Harry was moving.

A wave of his hand in Pansy's direction conjured a set of ropes that quickly and efficiently bound the girl tight enough that she gave a sharp yelp of pain. The foolish girl was then sent crashing to the ground as she lost her balance.

Malfoy's eyes widened more. He made to point his wand at Harry, but by that point in time Harry was already within his guard.

Slapping Malfoy's arm to the side, Harry let the wand move up and over his shoulder as he closed the distance between them. There were so many moves he could make up close like this. Perhaps he should grab the boy's shoulders and slam his knee into the fools gut? Or maybe he should take the arrogant sod by the head and smash the idiots face against his knee? That one did sound awfully satisfying.

But no. He had a few things to say, and Malfoy wouldn't hear them if he was busy crying in pain. Plus, Harry wanted to see the fear in the boy's eyes as he realized how big a mistake he made when he attacked Harry's friends.

Grabbing the boy by the collar of his robes, Harry spun around and slammed Malfoy against the wall. The boy's yelp of pain was stopped early by a choked gasp as Harry gripped his neck with one hand and squeezed. Enhancing his body with magic, Harry lifted the child into the air.

The way Malfoy's eyes bulged from their sockets in fear was incredibly satisfying.

"It seems I have been to lenient with you, Malfoy," Harry's voice came out as a sibilant hiss that had Malfoy shuddering in fear. "Do you remember what I told you would happen if you hurt my friends again?" The fool in his grasp opened his mouth to respond, but only a rasping gurgle came out as Harry's fingers squeezed his neck harder. "I told you that if you ever went near my friends again, I would hunt you down and bring you such suffering that Voldemort himself would piss his robes in fear."

"Well, guess what?" Harry's smile was as cold as it was feral. He smelled urine as Draco Malfoy pissed himself. "You get to find out that I always make good on my threats."

Malfoy strangled cry of pain was drowned out by the sound of lightning crackling as Harry conjured purple electricity to his hands. Arcs of electrical discharge coursed from Harry's fingertips into the blond boy in his grasp, lighting nerve endings a flare and causing what Harry hoped was indescribable amounts of pain.

Soon, the smell of charred flesh began to permeate the room as Draco Malfoy's skin began to burn. small, red blisters appeared on his skin. The hair on his scalp began to blacken and crisp, turning to ash and falling away from his head. Soon, the boy was bald and the skin on top of his head began to blister as it too was burned.

"Harry! Stop it!"

Hermione's voice filtered through his ears. Harry blinked as he came back from his rage. He looked up at Draco, who looked like his skin was about to start blistering and blinked once more as lightning charged through his body like a thunder storm.

The lightning stopped as Harry let go of Draco Malfoy, allowing the boy to drop down the ground with a pained moan. He was still alive, and would be fine in a few hours provided someone fix up those burns and give him a potion to help deal with the pain.

Harry turned around. Everyone flinched when his eyes landed on them. Their faces looked at him in fear, their eyes wide and frightened at the terrible act he had just committed. They were afraid, afraid of him, of what he had done.

Harry felt sick.

"Here."

Hermione flinched as Harry turned to her, but instinctively caught the bottle and the vial he had thrown at her.

"The bottle contains a healing salve for burns and the vial contains a potion that will deaden nerve endings to stop someone from feeling any pain. Use them on Malfoy."

Spinning around, Harry left the compartment, pushing past his frightened and shocked friends, who moved out of the way like the red sea parting as he ran past them.

He needed to be alone right now. He needed to think. Most importantly, he needed to be away from his friends. Harry would not admit to it, but the looks of fear they had given him hurt worse than any curse, and he did not think he could bear the sight of them looking at him in fear any longer.

I would like to thank everyone again for reviewing this story. Last chapter received 167 reviews, which, by the way, is totally awesome.

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