17th April 1997

Albus sat at his desk considering his options, he had spread the map of Europe out in front of him. He had of course travelled before he settled into teaching, the tour he had intended to take before his Mother's death had been completed after Ariana's, with nothing to tie him to the country he had taken himself away. Somehow, in the intervening years he had forgotten just how large Europe was.

Arthur couldn't find the school Harry and Miss Granger had registered at. Due to the number that were simply refusing to cooperate Albus was no longer sure they would. There were a number of bureaucratic types that enjoyed the opportunity of refusing to help the ousted Supreme Mugwump. It hadn't helped they had no official reason for trying to locate the pair. He could hardly explain that Harry was prophesied to end the war in Britain. Without an official reason, or some official paperwork to back up their request, they were running out of schools to contact that would help based on Albus' previous position. He hadn't mentioned that Miss Granger was potentially short-sighted enough to have them complete a muggle education not a magical one, it would seed panic amongst the Order and would lead to despair.

Miss Granger had set the war effort back years by her selfish actions and he sorely wished to take her to task about them. She had laid the blame at his feet of course, as if he could help the circumstances of her birth. If she hadn't been so closely linked to Harry the Malfoys would never have offered for her, and she could have married some other wizard. She had gone from guiding help mate, capable of steering Harry where he needed to go; to liability as soon as the law had been drafted. Her actions in removing Harry from the safety of the castle and the protection of the blood wards had been criminal. He had no doubt that Voldemort would hunt them.

Severus had reported that Voldemort was interested in Harry joining the Death Eaters. A preposterous idea of course, Harry would not join the organisation that killed his parents, Harry wouldn't stand against the Weasleys who had taken him in and shown him a proper wizarding family. Harry was a defender of the light. He had bested Voldemort, defended his friends, his animosity to Slytherin House would not be easily overcome.

Miss Granger on the other hand had nothing to lose and clearly it had driven her to desperate acts. He would have to find them and bring Harry back to the castle before Harry was exposed to any serious danger. Muggles were not suitable chaperones for Harry Potter.

Miss Granger would have to be allowed to return. He could perhaps, make Harry understand the wrong he had done and allow Miss Granger to return on the condition of Harry's good behaviour. He would have to make clear there was nothing to be done in regards to the law. Severus would marry her as soon as it could be arranged. She would protest, Albus thought, but with her situation in life being what it was, she really could only expect him to do what was best for the war effort, her personal feelings would have to be put aside. If she ran away from Severus, he acknowledged that would put Severus in a precarious position with Voldemort. That could be used as leverage he supposed, it seemed unlikely she truly had any respect for the Potions Master, pretty things written in a letter didn't make them true.

Albus imagined he could negate her effect on Harry, and once Harry was back in the fold he could make sure Harry knew the wrong he had perpetrated. Yes, Albus thought that would do nicely, it would fulfil Harry's need to protect his friends and show that as a leader, he could be benevolent to those who had wronged him. It would be a good lesson for Harry to learn.

Of course this was only if he found them before Harry's coming of age, after that Miss Granger would be free to persuade him to marry her. If that calamity was to befall his plans, then it would need careful negotiation. Harry with a young wife might be less inclined to take direct orders, less likely to undertake those tasks required for the greater good. That would be unfortunate, however, it would be possible Albus supposed that the situation might lend itself to the required sacrifice, if he could stop Miss Granger interfering further.

Being a leader wasn't easy, he wasn't an evil overlord or a moustachioed villain, but he was a leader, he made the choices and laid out the plans. People he found, needed someone to lead them, they didn't want to have to make decisions. Follow orders yes, make decisions that might be morally suspect? No.

Here in his office behind his desk, with generation after generation of Headmasters on hand to share their wisdom, and for a wit, not one of them could help him. None of those that went before had had to balance the running of the school with the suppression of a regime that threatened the Statute of Secrecy as much as Voldemort's did.

Voldemort was allowing his Death Eaters to push the pureblood agenda, exclude the muggle born, and bring magic back into the hands of those with impeccable lineage. How they didn't see his plans didn't count those things as important was beyond him. Once he conquered Magical Britain did they think he would stop? The man tortured muggles for showmanship. If he controlled the magical might of Britain the muggles would be next. Once he declared open warfare on the muggles the Statute of Secrecy would be blown wide open. Wizards and witches around the world would suddenly be in danger because of one mad man's actions.

Albus rather thought that in the rush for grasping what they thought they had lost the supporters of Voldemort hadn't considered the ramifications. Maybe they were also unhappy with hiding from what they perceived to be a less superior foe. They had forgotten that muggles were dangerous and organised, magic might not be enough against an organised resistance. Voldemort's plans would lead them to extinction, total annihilation. It was possible, he allowed that one or two might be able to hide from the hunts the muggles would perpetrate against them, but it would be the end of magical society and it could not come to pass. He would not let it come to pass.

Albus regarded his desk and map again, the feathers he had retrieved from the owlery had brought welcome results. He had cast the locating spell from the Granger's home presuming that they would have sent the bird there before leaving on the supposed holiday. The tracking spell had led him to Switzerland. It had been a tedious long broom flight and the cold had been difficult to fend off with warming charms alone. The muggle village he had arrived in had shown no trace of the pair. Now he had a location, he had returned to Hogwarts by apparition to change into warmer clothes and gather some supplies. His flight to Spain had been longer, the weather had been less clement than he would have liked, and the apartment that the spell led him to was empty.

The journey from Switzerland to the location in Spain had taken over two days, pushing the broom and tracking spell to their absolute maximums. It had left him wobbly legged with exhaustion and he had had to rest an hour before feeling up to the apparition to Hogwarts. Two weeks it had taken him to feel recovered enough, and to shift his workloads around to give himself a clear week in which to return to Spain and trace the next journey. Thankfully the journey had led back to Hogwarts and he had a clear idea of the movements of Harry and Miss Granger up until the point the owl had brought the letter to Minerva.

The return trip he had undertaken in April had been slightly puzzling. The spell had led him from Hogwarts back to the apartment as he expected, then it had fizzled and died for no reason he could fathom. Re casting the spell on the feather had brought the same response. Transfiguring his clothes to allow him to blend in more with the muggle neighbourhood, he'd walked round the outside of the building, examining it for clues to where they might have gone and how long ago. It had been nearly three months since the letter had arrived, it wasn't inconceivable that they had returned to this previously safe house for a spell in the intervening months.

The scrub land behind the house had a number of trees in it, a movement had caught his eye. A bright white object moving lazily across the floor in the gentle breeze. Not believing his luck he'd stood and climbed over the low wall to cross to the tree and snatch up the item. It was a bright white feather matching those that had brought him here. The owl had returned here recently.

Hurrying back to the apartment building he'd laid some monitoring wards around the building and property perimeter. If either one of them crossed it he would know and be able to apparate straight to them. He'd cast the tracking charm on the feather and grinned in genuine delight as the spell caused the feather to spin and point out a direction.

He'd had to cancel the spell and return to the castle. He'd asked Minerva to act in his stead and he was aware that she was growing more concerned over his health as he made these journeys. Also it was coming close to exam season and she would be unable to hold his position for him whilst overseeing the exams and her own duties.

These were encouraging results however. If the owl had returned it stood to reason they were using this as one of their bases. Just because they had registered at a school, it didn't mean they would board nor did it mean they would reside in the same country as it.

If they wanted to make it as difficult as possible to find them then they would be better off registering at a school that took day students. Then travelling to it each day, thereby allowing them to move location every few weeks to throw off pursuers. Albus wondered if this was what Miss Granger was doing. Her parents could easily set up a home, allowing them to return for meals and such a safe place to complete homework, but allow the two students to live elsewhere.

It seemed elaborate, but it would he supposed, be seen as an adventure. They wouldn't really be looking after themselves, just the illusion of doing so. The perfect school age adventure allowing them the comforts of home, a continuing education, and the opportunity to thumb their noses at authority. Albus sighed, were all young people this impetuous?

The next night the wards alerted him that Remus had entered the castle. Curious as the man hadn't come to him he found himself walking up to Gryffindor Tower. He saw no one on his walk and the Fat Lady reported that she hadn't seen Remus, nor let him into the common room. Satisfied that Remus wasn't pestering Mr Weasley for information, he made his way back to his rooms. At the juncture of the corridor which would lead him to Minerva's rooms he hesitated. If Remus was in the castle anywhere he would be there. Severus was currently serving Voldemort and Minerva had seemed a little out of sorts at dinner.

Maybe he shouldn't intrude, Minerva would wear the edges off Remus' lingering anger at the delay in his being told of Harry absconding, he had fled to her rooms upon hearing the news the first time. Albus knew Minerva supported him fully, she'd never wavered from his side even when her cubs had been hurt, and she was a calming influence. No he wouldn't intrude, he would likely only make the situation awkward. He returned to his rooms and his work, when the wards alerted him that Remus had left the grounds some hours later he smiled to himself. No doubt next time he saw Remus they would be on their way back to more friendly dealings.


Albus spent the next couple of weeks developing a new spell. He devoted is evenings to it holing himself up in his office. The tracking spell was all very well but when flying on a broom it was difficult to hold in place. What he wanted was a way to make the spell direct him from the front. With that in mind and the fact that he was tracking an owl feather he was trying to modify the spell so it would form into a silvery owl form, much like a patronus, made of a nimbus of light. This nimbus of light could then fly in front of him allowing him to follow, rather than fly whilst constantly checking the direction the spell was indicating. It would also allow him to guess when the owl had stopped to roost or to hunt, allowing time for himself to have a break. This he hoped would decrease the time it took to follow the owl to the various locations Harry and Miss Granger were using as accommodation. Once he found them all and his ward network was laid, he would be able to monitor them from the castle. So far the pair hadn't returned to the apartment in Spain but this was not unexpected. Having no idea how many properties they would be using, he couldn't guess how long they might take before cycling round to it again.

He also made the time to ask Severus for some potions. The dour man had at once doled out dire warnings about his failing health and the consequences of pushing himself. He'd smiled at the Potions Master and sent him on his way. Severus would produce the potions and they would be of excellent quality, it was one advantage to keeping the sour man around.

Albus knew Severus needed him alive and well to keep his level of protection from Voldemort in place. Without Albus he would be friendless and alone. Once a Death Eater always a Death Eater. Severus had offered information and remorse, and desperate for a spy in the enemy's camp Albus had made the deal. It didn't mean that Severus had changed his spots. Just acknowledged they were only useful in the pursuit of information for his new master.

On the 18th of May he once again took his leave of the castle, apparating to the apartment in Spain in short hops. He didn't want to wear himself out if the flight from Spain turned out to be a long one. He'd finished his spell but had yet to find a way to vary the speed whilst active. Currently he had it set to a steady 40mph mimicking the likely flight speed of the owl. He would test it and make adjustments as he went. If he felt the need to slow it down he could, if he felt the speed could be increased, well he'd just make faster progress. At the apartment he cast a disillusionment spell on himself then cast the tracking spell. He took a moment to admire the glowing form of the owl before he mounted his broom and followed it into the sky.


12th May 1997

May was exam season and it set in for those on both continents. At Hogwarts, Severus and Minerva along with the rest of the staff, found themselves swept into the massive amount of work involved in getting seven years of students through their exams in one piece. For those students taking NEWT's and OWL's usually one student a year didn't make it, sometimes more.

Minerva was on her evening rounds patrolling the corridors, her thoughts occupying her so that the students were given ample time to scramble to the safety of their common rooms. She was worried that Albus, who had not left the castle since the week he was missing in April, was plotting something. Or had he managed to pin the location of the Grangers down more precisely?

She was aware that as summer approached and Mr Potter came of age the Order were becoming fractious about having him returned, and this had been taking up his time, but he had been squirreled away in his office more than normal.

She hoped he wouldn't find them. She had, in helping destroy the two horcrux they had found, decided Albus was out of order exposing students to that level of Dark Magic. They had been able to destroy the two horcrux in a secret chamber protected by Merlin only knew what magic. The chamber was so well protected it had fallen into myth. Creepy yes, but a safe place to destroy soul pieces most certainly. Tom hadn't noticed either being destroyed down there. Which begged the question where had Albus expected Mr Potter to destroy them? Surely anywhere that was less warded than Hogwarts and the Chamber of Secrets would enable Tom to notice, and an incensed Tom bearing down on you didn't seem worth contemplating. The students would have been in immense danger.

She would very much prefer never to see Miss Granger and Mr Potter again if it meant sparing them from such ludicrous plans.

Albus had told her he would be leaving the castle for another seven days. Severus had confirmed he had been asked to brew several potions for him whilst on his trip. Vitality potions mostly, something to keep the tiredness at bay and the reflexes sharp. Severus had looked concerned as he explained that over use of the potions could induce exhaustion. Albus was still contending with the curse in his arm even if he didn't notice it, or think about it. In his current state of health, he shouldn't be over taxing himself never mind propping himself up with potions. Severus had confessed he'd tweaked them as much as he could to reduce the side effects and had cautioned Albus that sleep was the best way to ensure he didn't over tax himself. From his expression Minerva gathered this advice had fallen on deaf ears. Was Albus so desperate to have Mr Potter back he would push himself that hard?

Yes, the Order would be happier if Mr Potter was back in Britain, the key members knew of the prophecy, and knew of the importance of Harry's role. But the Death Eaters had reported no more luck in tracking them down than Albus seemed to be having and Albus had been following the owl. Where ever he was he was clearly safe, the situation here was in no position to need his presence. What could he do but attend school and be a target for those who would harm him? The idea that Hogwarts was safer than where ever he currently was, was ludicrous, he had been in varying degrees of danger since he started his schooling.

She paused at the large window on the fourth floor looking out over the grounds. She could see Hagrid's hut, the light in the window shining out like a beacon in the night. Three weeks and the students would be gone, she would be gone. Back home to her house in Inverness amongst the hustle and bustle of the small magical community there. The eldest Weasley was to be married in August. It was all Molly could speak of when the Order business was done. The bride, a French girl, wasn't good enough for her son, but he wouldn't be swayed. The ceremony was to be held at the Burrow, Minerva was invited of course. As was Albus. She would go, she presumed Albus would too. Whilst the stalemate of escalating violence was still in effect there was little risk in attending. The Death Eaters wouldn't openly attack Albus, he was still too powerful, to public a figure. Tom's forces were not so large that he could risk the numbers, if he even had them, in such a public display.

She turned from the window and continued her rounds. Maybe she could persuade Severus to join her for a drink, or Septima if Severus was busy, she didn't feel like being alone tonight.