Chapter 2
Harry Potter looked across the Irish Sea, imagining that on a clear day he would be able to see the British mainland.
It felt like a lot had happened in a short amount of time, with his exit from Hogwarts, he'd been instructed to gather all his things while his classmates were in class and return to Amelia.
Then he'd been whisked off to the Ministry, before being presented with 'safe' locations.
He'd chosen the Isle of Man as being the safest of them.
It was separate from the Ministry of Magic while remaining linked in all the important ways, and importantly there was an extra step because of its status a dependency which separated it from the Supreme Mugwump position so Amelia said as she'd congratulated him on his choice.
Harry pulled on a scarf and looked to Hedwig who was sat at the end of the living space, "Too windy for you Hedwig?"
She hooted in acknowledgment.
Maybe he'd write a few more letters today, after he had another meeting with Amelia.
The healer had visited a few weeks ago to look at the burns on his arms, she said they were old, too old to really help with potions.
Are you lonely?
That was Hermione's question. He didn't think so. Not really. He'd spent the first 11 years of his life with no one to talk to.
He could still send letters, and he could freely go wherever he wanted.
Amelia said that that was the benefit of his choice of the Isle fo Man, it was contained, safe, well safe enough for him.
The flat she'd found for him was in Ramsey, over the old life saving building, the owner of the building had done the flat up. He was a married to a witch and they'd lived on the island for most of their lives. There wasn't a floo, but it was spacious, especially compared to what he had. It was a 'studio apartment', there was only a small kitchenette, but it was plenty for him.
And it was his, for as long as he wanted, as long as he paid the rent of course. The Ministry wouldn't be covering that. His education yes, but not accommodation.
Bracing himself he walked out into what felt like a gale-force wind and pulled the door closed with all his weight against the breeze.
Even against the biting wind he smiled to himself, he was relatively safe and relatively free.
-/
Amelia Bones sipped a cup of tea.
Muggle abuse of a wizard was not a topic many of the wizarding world wished to consider.
The moderates within the Ministry did not wish to consider it at all, that something like that could happen could 'greatly affect the cause for muggles'.
Even the hardliners, they didn't wish to consider it because it portrayed wizards as weak to the muggles.
It happened, not as often as in muggle communities, but it happened. Usually a wizarding family member intervened.
Sirius Black would have been that family member, the last connected individual to Harry Potter, and he had escaped Azkaban. His sentencing however was another question mark.
She could go to the Minister with this, but instead she'd chosen to set up an independent investigative group. The Minister had only the other day ranted about how the Ministry should 'work on its own and stop bothering me with minor inconveniences'.
Amelia knew that he was talking about how much tea was ordered by the Ministry and the quality of floo powder used for the Ministry floos.
But she wasn't sure how this would play out with the Minister and the wider Ministry at the moment.
With an independent group it would let several up and coming, along with bedded in bored witches and wizards within the law department use the skills they'd been schooled in, but rarely got to use.
But, Amelia suspected, this would likely be a difficult case.
The report from the healer she'd requested look into burn marks on Harry's arms was testament to this.
There was also the information relayed to her by Lord Malfoy of Harry's living conditions.
"My son explained to me that Harry Potter knew nothing of the wizarding world prior to his eleventh birthday," Lord Malfoy stood clutching his cane. "A notable figure in our culture, and he knew nothing?!"
He was almost incandescent with anger, and rightly so, what Harry had revealed was the tip of the salamander's claw.
Now that Harry was settled in a secure location, and schooling for him organised; a mix of the familiar with former Professors from Hogwarts along with some other professionals, even a few on the Isle of Man willing to provide an education, she could organise to meet with him again.
The Tournament and Harry's participation in it, was but one part of this investigation. And she suspected those involved intended to exploit a vulnerable individual.
How he came to be in such a vulnerable position was something she was determined to uncover.
-/
Draco Malfoy looked up with surprise, internal surprise. He would never let his surprise show externally. His surprise was seeing Potter's snowy white owl fly over the Slytherin table and drop a letter for him before continuing over the Gryffindor table and then flying off to the owlery.
He slipped the letter into an internal pocket, none of his house mates recognised the owl, or if they did, did not raise the nature of the owl's owner with him directly.
I don't know why I'm writing to you.
But thank you.
You could have told the school, what I told you, but you didn't.
No, he hadn't. Draco thought looking at the short letter Potter had sent him. Potter had obviously continued to communicate with the mudblood Granger.
Weasley had continued to doubt Potter's concerns over the tournament, even claiming that Potter was disrupting it by escaping.
That Potter had the gumption and confidence to take the most extreme option was interesting. His father had explained as much in correspondence to him.
That Potter had chosen to leave what he considered the safety of Hogwarts spoke of his fear of the tournament, perhaps a rightly held fear?
Hermione worries I'm lonely, away from Hogwarts. I can still write to her.
I tried, to write, to Ron.
Draco doubted Weasley would have much to say, that the oaf could hold a quill was something of a miracle.
And here I am, Malfoy, writing to you...are you enjoying relaxing in your green wingback chair, the view of the fireplace or perhaps a view of the stairs as you come down into the common room? A drink maybe on the table beside you?
Draco almost dropped the parchment and looked around and to the left where a tea cup was sat alongside a small pot of tea.
Of course, you should know that only people who have been in your common room would know these things...
Draco stared at the parchment for several moments. Potter did not know enough high level magic to make the parchment respond to its surroundings, which indicated that Potter had been inside the common room.
Maybe you can tell me how much Ron is bad mouthing me? He won't reply to my letters.
I wonder, if we had met differently Malfoy...
There was a stain on the parchment where Potter had let the quill rest too long.
I don't expect us to be friends Malfoy. But, you helped me when you did not need to. Most of my housemates did not. I thought that was the point of having them around.
No, Potter, that isn't the point, not the only point. Draco thought to himself as he reached for his tea and then stopped.
Hedwig will wait, Hermione no doubt will take a letter immediately, but I told Hedwig to wait a few days, just in case. For now my location isn't something I should reveal.
I'm sure you can appreciate that.
Harry Potter.
-/
Harry looked to Amelia who was sitting opposite him at the small dining table. "You're investigating everything?"
She nodded. "Yes Harry, that you were placed in the position of being in the Tournament in the first place shows a failing at Hogwarts, as someone who had a trauma early in life you should have been protected and educated early on this. Somewhere there has been a failing and I am in a position to investigate this," she explained gently. "This includes your placement with your muggle relatives."
Harry nodded. "I never thought of being there as somewhere safe," he smiled briefly to Amelia. "Hogwarts felt safe, and then the Tournament, it felt like it was the last straw, that this year, I could just watch other people who wanted to throw themselves into things," he sighed, biting a nail distractedly.
"I understand Harry, I can cease any investigation if you're uncomfortable with this..." she paused.
Harry shook his head. "I never understood, why Aunt Petunia, why she hated me so much," he paused. "I lived under the stairs, I thought I'd done something, something that I deserved..." he trailed off. "I liked the spiders," he paused giving her a brief look, "I felt safe in there, the only animals until I went to school was Aunt Marge's dog," he shook his head and smiled at Amelia. "Sorry."
"No, Harry, please," she began. "Tell me about your life, before your eleventh birthday."
"That's when I got the letters," he smiled. "That was the most amazing day, I didn't even know when my birthday was until I went to primary school."
"...And that's when Hagrid turned up," Harry finished as he rose from the table, Amelia watched as he walked over to the muggle electric kettle turning it on with practiced casual ease of someone who had lived amongst appliances such as that. "Tea? I feel like I've been talking for hours?"
Amelia just nodded. She knew talking with Harry would take her and him into dark places, he didn't seem to acknowledge the worst parts of his childhood. "I think that's probably enough for now Harry," she said as he prepared the tea things.
He turned and smiled and nodded. "I know you don't want to skip ahead, but going to Hogwarts, that was the escape," he sighed. "I thought I would be safe there even if I wasn't safe, my friends were there."
Amelia nodded. Harry had recounted to her that he'd tried writing to most of his friends, but one, the youngest of the Weasley clan had not taken kindly to Harry's name coming out of the cup, nor his choice of escape.
There were no easy answers or advice she could give. There was no recourse in the law for that.
-/
Draco Malfoy keenly watched the first task and the injuries sustained by all three competitors.
An empty board for the fourth simply read 'absent' with black boards over the name, which had obviously been spelled and linked to the announcement from the cup in a method he'd not quite discerned.
The subject of which he had been corresponding with these past few weeks following his departure from Hogwarts and leading up to the first task. Why he had been doing so he still wasn't sure.
In part he wanted to slap it in the face of Weasley, but aside from seeing Potter's owl drop the letters to him Weasley had yet to confront him about the letters he had been receiving.
Draco continued to utilise Potter's owl to send the letters, he respected Potter's attention to detail and security.
Later, as the first task ended, Draco gazed through his omnioculars at the three school champions. Despite Krum's Quidditch skills his hair had been dangerously burnt giving him an even closer cropped haircut. Delacour had broken her arm in at least two places. And Hogwarts' champion had a large head wound that had bled profusely covering and matting his hair along with quite a deep wound in his thigh.
How Potter would have survived this was something of a perplexing question and added weight to the suggestion Potter had made to him, about his concerns for the tournament.
Draco found his father waiting for him at the bottom of the stands as he walked down intent on returning to the castle and Great Hall for some nourishment.
His father directed they walk along one of the slower paths to return to the castle.
"Potter has continued to correspond with you Draco?" His father asked.
Draco nodded, he had mentioned in a letter to mother about his correspondence. "Is that alright?" He asked unsure of his father's tone.
His father nodded. "There are shifting alliances at play at the moment Draco, the past is playing catchup to the present," his father paused to cast around with his wand. "Potter has chosen to remove himself from events at play, and we may follow suit," he turned to him. "The past has played well enough, but the future is much more uncertain."
"I don't think Potter has any power," Draco mused uncertain of the way his father was speaking.
"Perhaps Draco, but Potter knew when to run and protect himself, and that is a very valuable lesson, that he has chosen you to correspond with," his father paused.
"He also sends letters to the muggle-born; Granger," Draco reported.
His father frowned. "But not the younger Weasley?"
Draco shook his head.
"Potter took quite a risk, with our past personal history, a strength of character few wizards would risk, and it has opened several opportunities for us, and dangers," his father paused. "Know that this is also for you Draco."
-/
Remus almost had his breath taken away from him as Harry greeted him with a strong hug.
"It's good to see someone else from Hogwarts," he said letting go of him. "Grubbly-Plank's all professional, barely acknowledges Hogwarts even exists."
Remus laughed awkwardly. That Amelia Bones had contacted him because Harry had asked for him had been surprising. That the Ministry was offering him quite a substantial fee for tutoring Harry was quite amazing. He had not been keeping up to date with Hogwarts' goings on, nor had Sirius been in contact with him regarding events, so it had all been quite a surprise.
Harry had met him in a secluded space useful for apparition close to his lodgings on the Isle of Man.
He had to hand it to whomever had chosen this location. It was far enough away to be secure, large enough for Harry to explore, and would stop a lot of wizards not willing or able to apparate over here.
He was used to apparating long distances, there were several other smaller groups that he taught magic to. Not just Defence-type magic, potions, some history, anything that paid for his potions ingredients and put food on the table. But the fee the Ministry was paying him would pay for significantly more than that.
"Come on, let's get out of the wind," Harry was saying gesturing down a street.
Remus looked out the window, it was fairly bleak, in a bracing sort of way. Harry was busying himself boiling a muggle kettle for tea.
There was a bookshelf within the single floor space full of student's magical books for study, a desk and a bed separated by wall of storage cupboards and other things from the kitchen, with what he guessed was a small bathroom off to the side.
It was a small studio-like space, but a good size for a student living on his own.
"How are you Harry?" Remus asked as he took a seat at the small dining table and looked out to what was a small rooftop courtyard at the rear of the property.
Harry shrugged. "I couldn't stay, I didn't put my name in the cup, after seeing what happened during the first task," he shook his head.
"I don't blame you for running Harry, our instincts are more often right than wrong," Remus mused giving Harry a meaningful look.
"I've been writing to a few at Hogwarts," Harry began.
"Your friends?" He asked.
"Sort of," Harry said in a cagey way and then smiled at what seemed like a joke to himself before frowning. "Not Ron, but I write to Hermione."
"Ron didn't believe you, that you didn't want to be in it?" Remus asked, and then continued seeing the surprise on Harry's face. "I remember Mr Weasley Harry, you have to be observant, especially around you three at Hogwarts."
"Amelia's not sure if I'll be going back, she asked if there was anyone I'd like to be taught by," he smiled at him. "I told her you taught me the Patronus."
Remus looked at him surprised. "What did she say?"
"She asked to see it, and then said she'd find you," he explained.
"And then here I am," Remus sipped his tea in thought. No wonder Amelia Bones seemed impressed by him.
-/
A Patronus at such a young age.
If only that was the only unbelievable thing about Harry Potter's life.
Unfortunately the other things that were unbelievable were far more grim.
Sirius Black had been located, however she would need the Minister's sign off to begin a new trial for him. With the mounting evidence that he was not guilty of the crimes he'd been sentenced for.
For now, she had made contact and told him to remain in South America, the distance would keep him safe, and she'd reassured him that Harry was safe too.
That Remus Lupin would be instructing him seemed to alleviate Black's concerns. Some of them at least.
Potter's relatives had been located, and would be interviewed in due course. For now however she had authorised a floo intercept on Arabella Figg, Harry had noted in one of their interviews as one of the few people around him who'd looked after him, not that he considered her caring much.
But Amelia recognised her name, even if she wasn't a witch, Figg still maintained connections.
Hopefully something would come of the floo intercept, until it was in place she'd held off on sending anyone near to Potter's muggle relatives.
Amelia threw a speck of floo powder into her small desk-mounted fire. "Get Nymphadora Tonks in here."
Amelia thought she really should be handing more of these things off to the taskforce she had set up. They were all witches and wizards who had worked with abuse cases in the past, not likely to be put off by anyone above or sideways of their department, not liable to be influenced by the Minister, even though he knew he couldn't interfere even if he wanted. Hers was a position the Minister couldn't unseat.
About five minutes later there was a knock on the door and one of the Ministry's few metamorphmagi stepped through the door.
"You wanted to see me sir?" She asked.
Amelia nodded. "I want you to get to South America and find your cousin," she pushed a piece of parchment across the desk. "I want a sworn statement," she looked to the younger woman. "The visit's unofficial for now, I just want to make a start on the timeline of Mr Potter's early life."
Nymphadora nodded, looking at the parchment and then incinerating it and banishing the ashes. "Should I take a few days off, I did injure my tendon during training."
Amelia nodded. "That's perhaps wise, you are one of our most valuable aurors."
Amelia briefly smiled at the younger woman before she left.
While Amelia was head of the department Rufus technically was in charge of the aurors.
Then there was the issue of some things like sentencing of those involved in the past war which she needed to step carefully around, Crouch's quick sentencing had been heralded by many, and loudly argued by others. If she started to put a foot in around them, then scales may start to be ruffled.
-/
Nymphadora Tonks had modelled her look on several dozen people, the general look was from various art works, she'd seen in a gallery along with some people in the muggle newspaper. It was what some in the Ministry had suggested, 'don't try and look like someone Tonks. You should look like no one. No one recognisable, no one people will remember; be forgettable'. Of course some of the other training involved being a walking polyjuice, being able to mimic anyone, completely.
She wasn't working directly on the taskforce, but had done some small jobs around it. Everyone knew about Harry Potter asking for help about the Tournament.
No wizard in recent memory had elected to take the path he had, but she had to hand it to Harry, he had gall to do so. And looking at the injuries the competitors had endured he was right to have worried.
Tonks apparated the final time, she'd needed to work up to this location, and its elevation.
She'd memorised the coordinates provided by Madam Bones and then sought out a muggle library to check them. Tonks knew that Bones was trying to skirt around Crouch's previous ruling concerning her cousin. Even if it was largely an unwritten rule, she knew how the Ministry worked.
The muggle library revealed where she'd guessed the location was. It was still a surprise. She had assumed her cousin would be hiding somewhere pleasant, like other wizards on the run.
But this was less than scenic. Tonks shaded her eyes as she saw an aeroplane fly over and breathed in a breath of the air of La Paz. It felt lacking. This was the highest she'd ever been while standing on the ground. To have air like this and not be on a broom felt weird.
As she approached the house on the corner a gate opened noisily.
"I thought they taught you better than just wandering up," said a man's voice. "Turn around slowly, hands out in front," he ordered calmly.
She turned, morphing her face back.
He laughed. "Tonks, come on, let's get inside," he said looking around carefully.
After he shut the gate she took in his appearance, he was dressed completely muggle, like any of the other men she'd seen here.
"Worried about hit wizards?" she asked.
He laughed. "This isn't a safe neighbourhood to have conversations outside in the streets Tonks, coffee?" He asked. "And then you can tell me why you're here."
-/
Sirius looked to his cousin. "Only instant, my friend is very generous in some ways, but for food and fuel I have to look after myself."
"And this is off the books is it?" Tonks asked.
Sirius nodded. "Not just here, there's nicer places, but this seemed like the best to give the Ministry," he gave her a look.
Sirius handed her a chipped mug that professed support for the El Alto Airport. Sipping it she wrinkled her nose. "Very cheap coffee Sirius."
"Very," he admitted with a laugh and then his face fell. "Sometimes I just buy the cheapest booze, and other stuff," he said vaguely scratching his chest.
Tonks remained quiet for a few moments.
"Well, what does she want?" He asked.
"To know how Harry ended up with the Dursleys, what happened between the deaths and Harry being delivered to them," she answered truthfully.
"I should have been, but Dumbledore-" Sirius began.
Tonks held up a hand, removing a muggle notebook. "Start at the beginning, as far back as you want," she held up a hand at his frown. "She needs information to guide where to direct the investigation, no one'll be coming after you. "
Sirius sighed, scratching his neck. "Fine," he looked to her. "One day it better be official Tonks."
She shook her head. "Not my department cousin, was sent here because you'd trust me."
"And we have to trust that she's doing the best for Harry," Sirius sighed. "While I have to avoid him and the Ministry, she warned me about contacting my own godson!" He exclaimed in an almost rage.
Tonks didn't say anything.
Sirius wrinkled his nose, scratching his neck. "She said he's safe, Remus is teaching him so she says."
"I can ask to go and see him if you'd like?" Tonks offered.
Sirius beamed at her.
"Only ask Sirius, mind, and I can't be passing messages, you're still a fugitive," she teased.
Sirius rolled his eyes. "It's Dumbledore's fault, all of this you know."
"Tell me," she said gently.
-/
Amelia looked over the notes, they had been written on a muggle notebook. Auror Tonks having taken on much of her training concerning not being detected in the field. Muggle items carried no discernible magical trace or detection, they made for perfect tools when performing observation and surveillance of cautious witches and wizards.
Now she, and the taskforce had a list of names to pursue and a timeline of events.
Albus Dumbledore.
Rubeus Hagrid.
Peter Pettigrew.
One was dead, one was Supreme Mugwump and the other was complicated.
Hagrid had, as Harry himself had said introduced him and shown him around the magical world.
Unfortunately Amelia thought as she placed the notebook in a secure iron cube and slipped it behind her into her safe, it simply raised more questions.
Security, unlike her safe had not been maintained for Harry Potter.
Harry had authorised her to investigate his vault with Gringotts who very much did not like her investigating them.
But it was one of many questions about Harry Potter and his life. He should have had the key to his vault, even an underage wizard should have his key.
If it was lost, or he could not access it, the goblins would hold it until he could present himself to them, and they could prepare a new one if lost.
That Rubeus Hagrid had the key, then that presented numerous security access questions concerning who had access to his vault.
Tracing all of this would be a sub-division of the taskforce, one concerned with financial fraud.
Amelia had also been contact by someone close to the Minister concerning the taskforce and the use of her time, but had rebuffed them. This would provide a great deal of experience for a great deal of people within her department. Not just those sworn to secrecy of the grimmest details of Harry Potter's life, but it extended outwards beyond financial fraud to the use of spells on muggles and muggle environments. There was also the question of Peter Pettigrew and to a lesser extent Sirius Black as unregistered animagus and a series of other questions.
Sirius Black's case largely still remained on the 'to deal with later' pile.
Everyone involved with the details of Harry's case even on the edges would be brought under further confidentiality contracts, drawn up by those proficient in such things. The irony had not escaped Harry when she'd explained it to him.
But he had sighed and nodded. 'I want to know how all of this happened Amelia, why I had to live there with the Dursleys and why I had no choice by to leave the one place I felt safe'. He'd said it such a tired tone, far too tired for a wizard so young as him.
-/
Remus Lupin went over the study notes he'd made for the future lessons with Harry. He was voracious with his thirst for knowledge and acceptance of being taught. Remus had thought at first without his friends around him, and stuck on the Isle of Man there was only so much to stop him being bored.
But Harry had opened up, in part by his talks with Amelia Bones, how the Dursleys had restricted his interest in reading, it was quite saddening to learn of this, and Remus hadn't been sure what to say. Harry had gone on to explain he had found the local library on the Isle of Man and explained about 'inter-library borrowing', supposedly the librarians at the school before Hogwarts had mentioned something like it.
It meant Harry wasn't restricted to the library here in Ramsey, it was quite a broad-reaching muggle method of sharing knowledge.
It had also spurred him on to seek out a broader ranger of spells to teach him, beyond the fourth year and fifth year spells. He'd also reached out to Amelia Bones, requesting to teach Harry some potions. He was no potions master, but for the wolfsbane, without Severus' skills he had needed to learn how to make a few choice potions.
He knew they Harry had had a cycling few potions professors teaching him. Few liking the facilities of one of the warehouses nearby where he conducted some of his lessons with Harry, or a borrowed wizard's house with a potions lab, it was however poorly maintained and according to Harry smelling of damp.
Harry also had revealed that he was still keeping in contact with some at Hogwarts, Hermione and...Harry had hesitated 'some others, not friends'. Remus wasn't sure what Harry had meant by this, he'd indicated that Ron Weasley, whom Harry had been as thick as thieves with when he'd been at Hogwarts had parted ways on less than amazing terms. He didn't want to pry as to whom Harry was in contact with. Harry had revealed he 'understood security' and that only Hedwig was used to send and receive messages.
Even so he had added a sneakascope to his list of items to teach Harry about, whether Harry wanted to use his money to purchase one was of his own choice. But Remus had decided to broaden his own knowledge and learn about all the spells around those devices. He'd already taught Harry several protection charms, admitting to the young man that he knew these ones from before the availability of wolfsbane, when he needed to protect himself, and others.
-/