ACT II

SCENE V

WHERE SHALL WE ADVENTURE?

.


.

"This is excellent," said Ron licking gravy from the finger he had just dipped into a serving dish. "Gin, your steak and kidney pudding is very nearly as good as Mum's."

"Well, thank you, Ronald," said Ginny, refilling four glasses of wine and sliding three of them across the candlelit table. "High praise indeed from an acknowledged connoisseur in the steak and kidney pudding department. In any case it's not mine, it's Harry's."

"Really? Top notch this is, mate!"

"Did you speak to Rose about keeping an eye out for Albus this term?" asked Ginny.

"I did," said Ron. "But I fear my entreaties fell on deaf ears."

"She refused?"

"Nothing so decisive. She sort of shrugged and said Wha'ever." He imitated Rose's glottal stop and demonstrated a disinterested shoulder movement.

.

The window was open and dusk was falling. An almost imperceptible breeze carried a foretaste of autumn damp into the dining room and a crane fly beat a disorganised tattoo against the lampshade. Harry gathered it into a bubble at the end of his wand. "Daddy long legs," he observed to no one in particular. "Means the nights are drawing in."

"This afternoon's meeting was a disaster," said Hermione draining her wine glass and reaching for the bottle. "I don't think anyone was paying attention. Maybe if Draco hadn't been there stirring things up it would have been more productive."

"He was certainly taking it personally, wasn't he?" Ron helped himself to several roast potatoes. "He didn't like it when you asked if anyone's Dark Mark had been hurting again. Do you think that means his mark has been hurting?"

"No one else said anything," said Ginny. "Maybe they wouldn't. But Draco's so bitter. I wrote to him when Astoria died, you know."

"Did you?" said Harry. "You didn't tell me."

"I'm telling you now," she said. "I invited Scorpius to stay here in the holidays. I got a very terse reply demanding that you publicly refute the allegations about Scorpius's parentage. Nothing else."

"Do you think Draco's lost his marbles?" asked Ron.

Harry grunted. "More than likely. Madness runs in that family."

Hermione was more sympathetic. "He's obviously let these silly rumours get to him. No one could really believe that farcical story about him using a Time-Turner to have Voldemort father Astoria's child. The very idea is monstrous! Whatever you think of Draco, he was besotted with his wife and shattered when she died."

"Maybe so," said Ron, "but don't feel too sorry for him. He accused you of only getting appointed as Minister because you're Harry's pal. I ought to punch him. Or put an infestation of death-watch beetles in his country pile. Doxys in his bedcurtains."

"And an Acromantula in the shrubbery," added Harry. "Sounds good to me. Want a hand?"

"Do you think there is anything to worry about in what Professor McGonagall said?" asked Ginny. "You know, about the things that had been taken from the Potions store? What did she say had gone? Lacewings? Boomslang skin?"

"The professor thought it was Peeves," said Hermione. "I see no reason to think differently."

"You seem a bit down, mate," said Ron nudging Harry's plate. "I thought you'd be glad to have the house to yourselves."

"You do seem a bit preoccupied," agreed Hermione. "Is your scar hurting again?"

Under the table Ginny took Harry's hand and pressed her thumb into his palm. He squeezed back. "No it's not that. I, er . . . recently lost a good friend."

"Oh dear!" said Hermione. "I'm sorry to hear that."

"Anyone we know?" asked Ron.

"No. It was Megan Fenwick's father."

"Your old Legilimency student? I didn't know you were that friendly. Was he very old?"

Harry swallowed a lump in his throat along with a large mouthful of wine. "No. He was sixty. It was very sudden."

.

There was a rattle at the open window. An owl had landed on the sill and was rapping its sharp beak against the glass.

"At this time of the evening?" Harry got up and took the letter, giving the bird a piece of meat from his plate. It tapped an acknowledgment and flapped away into the darkness.

"It's from Hogwarts," he said, showing the crest on the envelope as if he needed to prove it. All four of them exchanged glances. A chill settled in his chest.

"You'd better open it, mate," said Ron.

Reluctantly, Harry opened the envelope. He read the letter twice, not wanting to believe what it said.

"Harry? Harry!" Ginny's alarmed voice brought him to his senses.

"It's Albus." He felt boneless and limp. "He's missing." It was strange how normal his voice sounded. He looked at Ginny, then Hermione and Ron. "With the Malfoy boy."

"Let me see." Hermione held out her hand expectantly. Dazed, Harry passed the letter to her.

"They jumped off the train! How is that even possible?" Hermione assumed control of the situation. "Come on. Let's get down to the Ministry. Ronald you had better go and tell Arthur and Molly what's happened."

.


.

Teddy Lupin was sitting at Percy's desk and jumped up as soon as he saw Harry. "Boss! Mrs Boss!"

"Hello, Teddy." Ginny's smile was strained.

"We're going to the Meeting Room for an update," said Harry. "Tell me what we know."

"Jewett sent me up there as soon as we got the news from Hogwarts," said Teddy. "According to the Trolley Witch the boys managed to get off the train somewhere near Harrogate. Ah"—he consulted a notebook—"Merlinforsaken place called Flagley-Juxta-Mondrum."

"That trips off the tongue nicely doesn't it?"

"Yes Boss. They climbed on to the roof."

"Of the moving train?"

"Yes, Boss. The Trolley-Witch showed us exactly where they jumped off. We searched along the tracks both sides for a couple of miles; no sign of them. No blood or anything like that."

Harry shivered and closed his eyes for a moment. "I hope that means they weren't injured. That's something."

"Yes, Boss. There's nothing much around that neck of the woods. A few farms. Nearest village is Upper Flagley." Teddy closed his notebook. "I'm afraid that's all we've got for now."

"Thanks, Lupin. I want a second search in case anything has been missed."

"Yes, Boss."

.


.

The Ministry meeting room was much smaller than it had been earlier in the day. A dozen chairs had been arranged in a circle but only one of them was occupied. With a jerk of his head, Senior Auror Jewett indicated for Teddy to sit beside him.

Draco Malfoy was pacing back and forth. "You've taken your time getting here, Potter."

Harry ignored him, pulled a chair out for Ginny, and stood behind it, resting his hands on the back. If Draco wouldn't sit down then neither would he.

.

Hermione hurried into the room. "I've been upstairs to Whitehall," she said. "The Muggle Prime Minister was thrilled to see me as you can imagine. He's promised to file a missing person's report, but I got the impression he felt it was not his problem. And I'm inclined to agree."

"That'll get lost in a pile of bureaucratic paperwork anyway," Harry said gloomily. "I speak from experience."

"If this is connected with this—resurgence of Dark Magic," Draco said. "This Neo-whatsit you were talking about this afternoon, Granger. If they have been kidnapped—"

"They haven't been kidnapped," Harry said.

"How can you know that?"

"I just do know. Albus doesn't like Hogwarts. He didn't want to go back. And . . . we argued. Things were said in the heat of the moment."

"What things?"

"None of your business, Malfoy,"

"So this whole thing is, in fact, your fault, Potter. I should have known. You've always been a jinx on my family." Draco jabbed his wand in Harry's direction as if tempted to curse him.

"They've run away," said Harry. "They jumped off the train."

"What do you mean, they jumped off the damn train?"

"Simple enough to understand," muttered Harry.

"Yes, Mr Malfoy," said Jewett. "They jumped from the roof of the train. Near Harrogate."

"Scorpius would never have done something like that on his own initiative," said Draco. "It's the Potter boy's influence again, damn him! And nothing has been found by the tracks?"

"No, Mr Malfoy."

"Nothing," Harry confirmed.

"I want it searched again," said Draco.

"It's being searched again." Harry kept his annoyance under control.

"And the Trolley Witch?" demanded Draco.

"She's no help at all," said Jewett. "She's more concerned about how it reflects on her than she is about the boys. And she keeps sticking forks in her eyes by way of punishment. But she hasn't told us anything useful."

"How about the Trace?" asked Draco. "Do we know if they've tried to do any magic?"

"Traces aren't monitored in term time," said Harry. "In any case, since we don't know where they are, it's not much use. We can't go checking every bit of magic that's been used in Flagley Juxta Mondrum, Flagley Parva, Lower Flagley and Upper Flagley in the last seven hours, can we?"

"I want no expense spared," said Draco. "Whatever it costs, my funds are at the Ministry's disposal."

"The Department is perfectly well funded thank you, Malfoy," said Harry. "We have no need of your . . . financial assistance."

"You will not have any objection if I make my own inquiries then?"

"Of course," said Harry stiffly. "You must act as you see fit."

Draco inclined his head very slightly, turned and left the room without another word. Harry breathed a sigh of relief.

Ginny said, "I'll have to go and see Mum. She'll be distraught. Oh, Harry, where do you think they've gone? They'll be all right, won't they?"

"Of course they will," Harry reassured her with a confidence he did not feel. "They're not infants. I expect they'll be back when they're ready. Go and see your mum and dad. I'll stay here a bit longer."

"Come to my office," said Hermione. "We can discuss strategy there."

.


.

Ron was waiting outside Hermione's office. His expression was vague and Harry wondered if he had come from the pub.

"All right, mate?" said Ron. "And me beautiful wife."

"Ron! What are you doing here?" said Hermione. "Is there anything wrong? Has something happened to Hugo or Rose?"

"I thought I'd surprise you. I can surprise me wife can't I?" He pressed a kiss on to her cheek.

Hermione pulled back and wiped her face with her sleeve. "Have you been drinking?"

"Perhaps I should go," said Harry.

"No," said Hermione. "We need to get this business with Draco and your argument with Albus in perspective."

"Oh," said Ron, "you're talking about when Harry said he wished I wasn't—Albus wasn't—his son!"

For goodness' sake, Ron!" gasped Hermione, colouring.

"Thanks, Hermione," said Harry.

Ron shrugged. "Best to be honest about these things."

"This is not a good time, Ronald," said Hermione. "I'm sure you appreciate how busy we are. I'll see you later." She stepped past him and headed for her office door, but Ron dashed in front of her again and blocked the way.

"What are you doing now? Let me get into my office!"

"Babe."

"What?"

"Babe. You're still a babe after all these years. Let's have a holiday. A second honeymoon."

"Now I know you've been drinking." She tried to push him aside but he fastened his lips on hers with a sucking noise. Harry grimaced with mixed amusement and embarrassment.

Hermione fought her way free. "Have you put something in my office? One of your stupid jokes? Because if you have I won't be answerable for my actions. And you've been eating fish. Come on, Harry. Let's go to your office instead."

.

Harry fancied a look of relief crossed Ron's face and wondered what he had been up to in Hermione's office. There couldn't be a woman in there, surely? Harry shook his head and dismissed the notion as ludicrous.

.