DISCLAIMER: -sigh- I do not own Harry Potter. Yes...I admit it. It pains me to do so, but I do.
A/N: Okay, so this is more of an informational chapter that fills in the gaps between Hogwarts and now and why/how people act now toward each other. You'll also see Harry and Maddy's friendship growing closer once again. Is there going to be more coming soon? Keep reading to find out! ...Heh...my A/Ns just seem to get smaller and smaller.
Chapter 10: Catching Up
"Well…once he comes back from Germany, it's off to Sweden, and then who knows where…" Maddy told Harry as they walked down the frosty sidewalk.
"So, he's telling you where he's going now, eh?"
Maddy nodded. Her outburst at the party had taught him to tell her in advance of his trips. It didn't make her any less upset about them, but at least he wasn't surprising her by just leaving. It wasn't odd to see Harry and Maddy together while Charles was away. Despite their constant arguing, they longed to spend as much time together as possible, to catch up on lost time.
"Carriage rides! Oh, Harry! I love carriage rides! Can we go on one?" Maddy pouted pathetically, as she pointed to a horse drawn carriage on the other side of the street. She clasped her hands together and batted her eyes in an attempt to persuade him.
Harry sighed and rolled his eyes. "Fine…"
Maddy clapped her hands together in joy, and raced across the street, not even bothering to watch for traffic. Harry followed her, and paid the driver for a ride through the park. Maddy climbed excitedly into the open carriage, and scooted over in the seat so Harry could sit as well.
The horses took off at a slow trot and Maddy gave a little 'Yay!'. Harry hadn't seen her more happy in a long time.
"So…" Harry started, desperate for conversation. The silence was getting to him, and the constant sound of hoof beats was annoying. "Have you kept in touch with anyone from school?"
Maddy didn't look at him. She had thought she had seen Neville Longbottom in town one day, but she wasn't sure. She shook her head slowly.
"No…I haven't…"
Harry nodded, "I thought so. You just sorta disappeared, you know. A lot of people thought you died. Killed by a DeathEater or something…"
Maddy scoffed. Harry looked embarrassed.
"I believed it for a while…"
Maddy looked at him, aghast. "Why…How?"
Harry shook his head, "I dunno. I guess, it just gave me an answer. I wondered where you were for…for a long time…and we could never figure out what happened. So, when people started saying you had been captured by a DeathEater, asked to join Voldemort's side, and then killed, because you declined, it just gave an answer to my questions. It may not have been true, but it was a solution. And everything just seemed so much easier…"
Maddy was confused. She didn't see how her being dead would have made everything easier. Harry could almost read her mind.
"People weren't bothering me all the time. People used to ask about you, you know…. 'Was she attacked by a werewolf?' 'Did she join the DeathEaters?'…" He frowned, pausing for a moment. "That one I started to believe as well. I almost half-expected you to appear under one of the black masks when I was fighting them. I almost expected you to have the Dark Mark on your left arm…"
Maddy raised her sleeve to reveal her left forearm. It was bare except for a few freckles. Harry nodded and laughed.
"I thought so…"
Maddy frowned, "I can't say, though…that I didn't think about it…"
It was Harry's turn to look horrified. "What?"
"When you left Hogwarts to find the rest of the Horcruxes, I had half a mind to go off and find the DeathEaters and join them. I would be perfect for them. I knew your weaknesses. I knew your strengths. Hell, I knew the prophecy by heart, and that was important to Voldemort. You had caused me so much pain, that I thought, the only way for it to end, was to end you…" Maddy shook her head slowly. She took a shuddering breath, and continued, "I even went to Spinner's End-"
"Spinner's End?"
"It's where Snape lived…"
Harry's eyes narrowed angrily. Maddy nodded, solemnly.
"I don't know what had gotten into me, but it didn't matter. The house was empty. Then, I decided that if I couldn't destroy you, I would embarrass you horribly-"
"You're pretty good at that…" Harry interrupted.
Maddy smiled, weakly. "I know." She sighed, "I was going to try and find all the Horcruxes before you did. I mean, if my father found one, who's to say he didn't know what, or where, the others were. That's why I returned to my old home, to see if he had left anything behind."
Harry looked curious.
"He didn't…" Maddy said, defeated. "I didn't know what to do anymore, so I went off to find a job. That was when I swore off magic. When it had pretty much ruined my life."
Harry nodded and held her hand. "I understand…"
Maddy sniffled and coughed into her handkerchief. Harry had jumped a little when she coughed.
"It's nothing, Harry, really…"
Harry knew it wasn't nothing. She used to cough like that when they were in school, and it had nearly killed her. For many years, they had thought it was some kind of Muggle disease, like tuberculosis, but she had tested negative for it. She had something that no one knew about. And it was fatal.
Maddy waved her hand, but continued to cough. "It's just a small cold. You know how I get in winters…"
Harry nodded, and pretended not to be concerned, but Maddy could still see a hint of fear in his eyes. Quickly, she looked away, and the carriage came to a stop.
Harry stood up and stepped down out of the carriage. He held out a hand to help Maddy down, and she accepted it, feeling a little uneasy.
"Thank you…" Maddy said, turning to the driver.
"No problem, Ma'am…" the driver replied, with a tip of his hat.
They walked away in the direction of a small restaurant. Harry nodded toward it.
"You hungry?"
Maddy nodded, "Starved."
They entered the restaurant and were seated almost immediately. Harry ordered one of the specials, while Maddy ordered a salad. He stared at her inquisitively, as she forked a piece of lettuce and popped it into her mouth.
"What?" she said, with her mouth full.
"Are you sure you're pregnant?"
Maddy looked down at her stomach and then back up at Harry, "Why?"
"A salad? Are you gonna starve your baby, or something?"
Maddy rolled her eyes, "What are you gonna expect me to eat? Chicken?"
Harry laughed unenthusiastically. Maddy swallowed and put her fork down.
"So, tell me what everyone else has been up to…"
Harry looked around for a place to start. "Well…our good friend Hermione…you remember her? She works at a book-"
Maddy laughed, "Oh, shut up. I mean, others. Other people we knew…"
"Well, you'll be pleased to here that Wood is still playing Quidditch…"
Maddy smiled. "Oh, boy. Quidditch! I miss that so much. We should go see a Quidditch game."
"It's not in season…"
Maddy looked confused, "You always played in the winter…"
"But that was at school…"
"Oh…"
"All right…um…Neville…Neville…I don't remember what Neville's doing, but I saw him at the Ministry. He may be an Auror. I don't know everyone…"
Maddy sighed. Harry was so pathetic sometimes. Unfortunately, it was still rather cute.
"And, Dean and Seamus...I don't have a clue. Parvati and Lavender…"
Suddenly, the words 'Won-Won!' jumped in Maddy's head. She chuckled under her breath, but stopped because it reminded her of Ron, who was still missing.
"I don't know about them either…I think I saw Parvati the other day in town, but I'm not so sure…"
"Could have been Padma…" Maddy said with a little smile.
Harry nodded, "It could have…"
Maddy continued to eat. Harry looked over her shoulder and spotted something that made him sigh and go, 'Oh my God'. Maddy looked up at him.
"What?"
"I think when we go into public you need to wear a hat or something…"
"Why?"
Harry nodded behind her. She turned in her seat to see some older ladies in the corner, eyeing them suspiciously, and muttering to each other. Maddy shook her head and slammed her fork down on the table.
"Dammit! Can't they mind their own business?"
Harry shrugged. "Just be thankful it isn't Rita…" he looked at the old women again, "It isn't Rita, is it?"
Maddy casually looked over her shoulder. The ladies were purposely looking away.
"No…" she shook her head. "I don't think so…"
"Good…" Harry continued to stare at them out of the corner of his eye.
When they were done with lunch, Harry walked Maddy home. Neither of them really said anything, but just enjoyed being together, for the first time in ages, not fighting.
As they approached the front door, Maddy turned to Harry.
"I wasn't kidding about the Quidditch game thing, either. I really think we should go and see one."
Harry nodded, "I agree. I think it would be fun. Even though I think I would rather be playing it."
Maddy smiled softly, "You really miss it, don't you?"
"Yeah," Harry looked away quickly, "I don't really fly much anymore. I don't really have time."
"Ditto…" Maddy said, though she wasn't talking about a broomstick.
Harry laughed, "I almost forgot you had wings. Do you think you could…if you wanted to…you know, fly?"
Maddy shook her head, "Nah…I've gained weight. I mean, I was pushing it when I was fifteen at like 100 pounds."
"You were so skinny. You still are, but not as bad…" Harry looked at her. She was still rather skinny, but not all skin and bones like she used to be.
An awkward silence fell between them. Finally, Harry decided it was about time he left. He had not told Ginny again that he would be visiting. Maddy kissed Harry on the cheek and said good-bye. As Harry was walking away, he turned around.
"You know, if you ever wanted to call anyone, I'm sure they'd appreciate it…"
Maddy nodded. She knew Harry meant to call someone that they used to know. Harry disappeared with a loud crack. Maddy jumped. She hadn't seen anyone Apparate in a long time, and had almost forgotten that they could do it. Maddy had been able to do it since she was little so she could study in both England and the United States.
She shut the door and looked around the foyer. A thought struck her and she scampered up the stairs and into her bedroom. She had an old address book in a bag of old school things. She had kept it hidden from everyone since she started working for the Wormwoods. Honestly, she was hiding them from herself.
She found the small black book, and plopped down on her bed, next to the phone on the bedside table. Flipping the pages she turned to a page marked T.
Picking up the receiver, she dialed the number on the page. Her hand was trembling as she heard the phone ringing.
"Hey, we're not here right now. Leave a message."
Maddy breathed deeply, hoping that this was still the right number.
"Hey Tonks…it's Maddy. I'm...I'm not sure if you remember me, but if you do that's great. I'm just calling to say Hi…I guess I'll try back later…"
A/N: Okay, so that's the end of this chapter. Now, please do your part and review...if you'd like me to update in the near future. If I don't get at least a couple reviews...I won't bother this century. Not really, I'm just trying to get you guys to review. I like getting reviews. Preferrably good ones, but hey, be honest. I won't take offense...much. -shifty eyes- ANYWAYS! Until next time o' faithful readers! Arriverderci!
