Disclaimer: All characters belong to JK Rowling except for David, Molly, Janice, Celia & Lucy who are my original creations.
Hope you all enjoyed the first Chapter of Third Year. There will be a bit more excitement and more arguments in this one.
Chapter Nineteen: Arguments, Quidditch, Buckbeak and Sighting
It was early Wednesday morning and Harry, Draco, Ron, Neville and Hermione along with the other Third Year Gryffindors had just come back to Gryffindor Tower following an exhausting midnight Astronomy lesson.
Harry hated Astronomy. He hated anything that prevented him from getting a decent nights sleep.
The thing that most annoyed him at the moment however was not losing sleep or studying a subject that held little interest.
The thing that annoyed him the most, was the constant bickering between two of his best friends.
It seemed to Harry that since Monday night when Crookshanks, Hermiones cat, had been caught chasing Ron's new pet around their dorm room, all Hermione and Ron had does was argue.
Ron would accuse Hermiones cat of being a pest and a horrible orange blob, despite the fact that he had praised the cat back at the Leaky Cauldron.
Hermione for her part would hit back by saying that it was just what cats did and it wasn't as if ferrets couldn't defend themselves.
If Harry was being totally honest, he was getting sick of it. It had been going on for twenty four hours.
Their arguing had been so bad in Astronomy that the pair had nearly earned themselves a detention for not paying attention to the Professor or to their task.
As the group headed up to Gryffindor Tower for a few hours of sleep before morning classes (their first class wasn't until ten am due to the Astronomy lesson) another argument broke out "you need to keep that ugly orange fur ball away from my pet Hermione or I'll chuck it out of the Tower" Ron threatened.
At these words Harry saw Hermione get angry "don't you dare threaten him! he just follows his nature!".
Harry had finally had enough. As the group of five climbed in through the portrait hole he cut off a retort from Ron with a furious "will you two shut up!".
Ron and Hermione glared at him for getting involved only for their glares to subside when they saw just how mad he really was at them.
"I love you both like family" Harry began "but your arguing is driving me insane! you two need to sort this out and I have a perfect solution" Harry turned to Ron "Ron you keep Minky up in our dorm room with the door firmly shut, that way Crookshanks can't go near him".
He turned to Hermione "Hermione you keep Crookshanks in your dorm room and away from Minky".
Hermione and Ron still glared at each other "I am sick of this fighting, we are meant to be friends, best friends, we're meant to be there for each other not spend all of our time arguing like little kids, now shake hands and make up or I'm expelling you both from the group".
He spoke calmly but firmly. The threat hung in the air for a moment before Hermione sighed and said "Harry's right Ron, I'm sorry, I should be keeping a tighter control over Crookshanks. I promise that he'll never go after Minky again".
With a firm look and a nod, Harry indicated Ron to apologise as well "I guess if you're willing to keep that pe...erm...that cat away from Minky then I can apologise too. I'm sorry for shouting Mione".
"Now kiss and make up!" Neville shouted causing the other Gryffindors to laugh and agree.
The tension in the air was burst for now.
Though for how long, Harry had no idea.
Following the conclusion of that argument life settled down to quiet routine.
On the first Saturday of term the Quidditch trials were held in warm but overcast conditions.
The same team was confirmed to play for Gryffindor this year as last year with the full team being:
Oliver Wood - Captain and Goalkeeper
Angelina Johnson - Deputy Captain and Chaser
Katie Bell - Chaser
Alicia Spinnet - Chaser
Fred and George Weasley - Beaters
And of course Harry Potter as the Seeker
Harry was pleased that Draco, Ron and Neville managed to get onto the team as reserves as did his girlfriend Ginny.
What pleased him the most was that most Gryffindors knew it was because of their talent not because he was friends with them.
He had as a matter of fact refused Wood's offer to help select the team in order prevent ideas of favouritism.
Harry had made the decision that after the arguments of the past few days they should plan a prank.
He had in mind to play the prank on Slytherin House as he felt that Nott and his goons deserved it due to Nott's arrogance with Buckbeak and his disrespect of Hagrid who was a great friend to all of the New Marauders.
On a warm Sunday, two weeks after the start of term, Harry and the rest of the New Marauders decided to have tea with Hagrid.
He'd invited them even before the school year had begun.
When they got to his cabin on the edge of the woods however, they found the curtains drawn at the windows and no sign of life within.
They knocked repeatedly on the front door but received no reply. No one got up to answer it "I can hear crying" Draco said in confusion as he put his ear to the door.
The others copied him and also could hear crying.
This alarmed Harry as the last time he had heard his big friend crying was when Harry had almost been killed in the dungeon chamber by Quirrell and Voldemort.
They knocked a bit more and were surprised when the door was opened by... "Professor Dumbledore" Harry exclaimed.
He had not been expecting the Headmaster to be visiting Hagrid.
He noticed the Headmasters face looked solemn which alarmed Harry even more given that the elderly wizard usually had a twinkle in his blue eyes.
"Ah Harry, Draco, Ron, Hermione, Neville, Ginny, Luna" he said nodding to them all in turn "you'd better come in, I think Hagrid needs his friends right now. I've been trying to cheer him up with no success and I am needed back up at the castle I'm afraid".
"Don't worry Professor, we'll look after Hagrid" Harry assured him "right guys?" he said as he turned around to face the others and received nods or verbal confirmations that this was so.
Professor Dumbledore took his leave of them and they went inside.
The atmosphere was heavy with the smell of firewhiskey and must and indeed Harry noticed two glasses on the large wooden table in the centre of the main room.
It was clear that whatever had upset their large friend had been enough to cause him to drink, heavily.
"Hagrid?" Harry said tentatively.
Hagrid looked up and Harry could see that his eyes were red and blotchy and a bit bloodshot. No doubt from a combination of crying and too much drinking.
"H'llo Harry, Draco, Ron, Neville, Ermione, Ginny, Luna" the half-giant greeted them sounding despondent.
"What on earths happened Hagrid?" Harry asked in concern.
Hagrid sobbed a bit.
Harry nodded to Draco to make some tea for them all.
When they'd sat down, tea in front of them, Harry said "what's got you this upset Hagrid?".
Hagrid sniffed and told them "so, on Friday evenin, after school had finished, this fella in ministry robes knocks on me door and gives me this" the large man gestured to a piece of parchment.
"He said it was to do with Buckbeak" Hagrid began to cry again and motioned for Harry to read it.
When Harry got halfway through he turned pale.
It was a letter from the Committee for the Disposal of Dangerous Creatures and it declared that Hagrid was to bring Buckbeak up to London for a hearing on the creatures future. The letter declared the hearing was to be held in January to give Hagrid and the Committee time to prepare as well as the person who had brought the complaint.
As Harry read the name of the man who had demanded a hearing be held he felt his blood boil in fury.
Patroclus bloody Nott was causing problems again for Hogwarts and for the people Harry cared about.
Harry passed the letter around to his brother and friends who all read it through.
"Surely they can't do this Hagrid" Ron exclaimed in disbelief.
Hagrid shook his head "they have ultimate power over the life or...or death of dangerous creatures and Nott has much pull in the Ministry".
"We won't let him get away with this Hagrid, I was the one who accidentally got hurt, not Nott, his Dad has no case because I'll testify that it was an accident and his precious son riled up a gentle and calm creature".
"You..you would?" Hagrid croaked in amazement.
Harry nodded and smiled slightly "of course Hagrid, you're my friend, I'll always help you if I can".
Hagrid smiled weakly and patted his shoulder causing Harry to nearly fall from his chair.
"And we'll help too" Hermione declared "I've read legal texts before, I'm sure I can find a precedent for Buckbeak to not be harmed" she said.
"Yeah we'll scoured as many texts as we can and build up a case" Draco promised.
The rest of them also added their intention to help.
At the end of it, Hagrid was so emotional he cried a bit but then he said in a choked voice "thank you, thank you for helping Me and Beaky".
After the seven of them had finished their tea (but not scones) and had managed to calm Hagrid down, they left the cabin and trekked back up to the school through the grounds.
Harry was burning in anger.
He'd held a strong dislike for Nott before.
But now with this incident his dislike had turned to outright hatred.
It was clear that just to get at him, his nemesis had told his Father of the incident with the Hippogriff and most likely was the one to convince has Father to bring proceedings against both the Hippogriff for being a dangerous creature and Hagrid for not being responsible.
Harry knew one thing, Hagrid had become very cautious and worried about his job after the Buckbeak incident and had switched from showing them exciting or interesting creatures to the most boring creatures Harry ever know in his life. Flobberworms.
They were small, didn't move much and had to be fed very carefully.
Harry would never usually be so uncharitable with an animal but he would never see the point of looking after a Flobberworm.
The creatures had no use whatsoever.
Harry felt a resolution in him to help his friend and not only that, to ensure that Hagrids confidence in his teaching ability was rebuilt.
The days went on and Harry was somehow managing to avoid letting Nott get to him this year.
It was the 31st of October. Halloween.
It was a day generally not celebrated by Harry or his family due to the events of 31st of October 1981.
Harry had woken up early that morning and gone for his now customary jog around the grounds joined by Ginny and Draco.
Right now he was waiting patiently in Headmaster Dumbledore's Office for his Dad.
They were supposed to be going to the village of Godric's Hollow which was a mix of magic and muggle.
The plan was to visit his Mum Lily's memorial in the church yard followed by a quick stop to see their old home and then back to Marauder Manor for lunch before Harry flooed back home.
Just as Harry was getting impatient, glancing at his watch, the fireplace flared out and out stepped his Dad.
James Potter looked thoroughly exhausted and Harry knew from his letters home and two way mirror conversations with his Sister Molly, that their Dad was under a lot of pressure.
Not pressure just because he was expected to catch Mundungus Fletcher but also pressure from himself to do the deed.
His Dad had bags under his eyes but right now he was smiling "ready to go Harry?".
Knowing the stress his Father had been under, Harry decided against pointing out how late he was and merely replied "yeah, all set Dad".
James ruffled his sons hair, two said goodbye to Professor Dumbledore and exited the office.
They arrived at the charming village of Godric's Hollow via the fireplace of the Vicar who was himself a wizard.
He greeted them warmly as they did to him.
They then stepped out into the October morning air.
As they walked their graveyard Harry could feel a definite chill in the air and it was obvious to him that winter was not far off.
They soon found the memorial to Lily and after placing a bunch of flowers on it, proceeded to tidy it up a bit to make it look more respectable.
They took their coats off and sat down on them starting the statue.
The plaque that highlighted his Mothers name and age was as shiny as ever.
Harry felt eerie knowing that one of his parents had died when she was just eight years older than he was now.
"She'd still be alive if not for that damn traitor!" Harry burst out fiercely, startling his Father as they had been in deep silence.
His Father sighed "we believed he was one of us, although he came from Hufflepuff he was like the fifth Marauder, you know how there were people called the fifth Beatle? well that was him to us, he helped us plan pranks and carry them out. We laughed with him, shared our joys and our sorrows, he even knows Remus is a werewolf".
"You really trusted him that much?" Harry asked in amazement.
His Father nodded grimly "we thought he was our friend but then..." his Fathers eyes began to shine with tears "then he betrayed us".
"Why?" Harry asked, trying to understand why someone would betray their friends.
His Father snorted "why does anyone betray anyone else in this world? he was given power and would have been given much more power and wealth if you hadn't stopped Voldemort".
"So that's why he hates me" Harry said aloud.
His Father nodded.
Harry had one last question as they sat there staring at the statue "do you think he's after me still?".
His Father closed his eyes for a moment. When he opened them again Harry could see that his normally warm and happy hazel eyes were filled with tears that began to fall "yes I do Harry but he won't get you" his Father said fiercely.
He pulled Harry into a tight hug and Father and Son stayed that way for a long time.
That night Harry returned to Hogwarts. He'd asked his Dad to return when the feast would be nearly over.
He had no wish to partake it in whatsoever.
As he walked up the stairs towards Gryffindor Tower he was sure that he could hear much shouting from within the common room.
He thought he recognised the two voices that were having a war of words and sure enough as he drew level with the portrait hole he could distinctly hear Ron shout "your cat killed my pet!" and then heard Hermione fire back "you don't know that Ronald! he may have run off!".
Harry gave the password and the Fat Lady let him enter with a word of caution "I would avoid the freckled boy and the bushy haired girl if I were you".
As Harry stepped in he found his two friends glaring at each other from across the common room while most of Gryffindor House watched on including Ginny, Draco and Neville, a visiting Luna was also there.
Everyone was looking very uncomfortable with the whole situation especially Harry's friends and girlfriend who had idea which one of the two angry teens they should support.
Harry was gobsmacked.
For weeks now things had been fine between his two best friends. There'd been no arguing of any kind save minor trivialities.
"Run off!?" Ron yelled indignantly. He held up a bed sheet on which there was blood and some fur.
Harry saw Hermiones intake of breath before she responded "that still doesn't prove anything Ron!. Minky could have got hurt by a falling object or hurt himself trying to escape the dorm room".
"Oh come off it Hermione, it's no coincidence, your fur ball hated Minky. He was always trying to get at him and you say he didn't kill him?".
Harry knew he had to intervene and so, reluctantly, he stepped forward through the press of people to break up yet another argument "guys, people are watching you, this isn't the time or the place to be talking about this" he said calmly.
Ron turned to Harry and glared at him. Harry had never seen that look aimed at him before "stay out of it Harry" he said harshly "this is between me and Hermione and that stupid orange fur ball".
"Don't you dare call him stupid!" Hermione flashed angrily "he's more intelligent than you are!".
Ron gaped at her for a moment before declaring "well at least I'm not a know it all who shows everyone up!" Ron then stormed towards the staircase and the boys dorms.
Before he reached them he turned back for a moment to call out "stay away from me Hermione!".
"Fine I will!" Hermione called out.
Harry sank into a nearby armchair and put his face in his hands.
He didn't know how much more of this arguing he could take.
The worst thing was that both of them had valid points which meant that this argument couldn't just be dismissed as groundless.
He felt someone flop down on the arm of the chair "you alright Harry?" it was Draco.
He heard someone else flop down and saw Neville on his right "like Draco said, are you ok?".
Before Harry could answer he found that Ginny and Luna had both crouched down by his feet.
He looked round at them all and saw them looking at him with concern "I'll be alright guys" he said heavily "I just wish they'd stop fighting all the time".
Harry could tell from the determined look on his girlfriends face that Ginny wasn't going to stand for him being upset.
As she stood up he said "Ginny there's no need".
Ginny looked at him seriously "there's every need Harry. They have to learn their fighting has consequences".
Harry said nothing to this and Ginny strode over to Hermione "Hermione".
Hermione turned round into a slap.
The sound was loud, reverberating around the room and Harry had no doubt that it stung badly "how dare You and Ron behave like this!" she said furiously "you know where he's been today right?" Hermione, still in shock nodded "and you know how he feels about Halloween?" again Hermione nodded "then you and Ron need to grow the hell up because Harry has had to deal with a damn sight more than lost or dead pets and animals being called stupid, You and Ron had best stay the hell away from him until you are both ready to behave like intelligent people and not idiots".
She then stormed from the common room calling out "I'm going to tell my idiot brother the same bloody thing!".
Harry and everyone else stared after her in surprise at this as Ginny got on very well with Hermione and vise versa.
After a few moments people resumed their activities from before the argument and Harry saw Ron's brothers Fred and George go over to Hermione while Percy headed over to himself.
He heard the conversation the Twins had with the bushy haired girl "our sister was right, you two need to stop acting like little kids and grow up, you two really have been the best of friends to Harry lately".
They walked off and Harry could see Hermione silently mulling this over "hi Harry" he heard Percy say as he reached him "my brother and Hermione were really out of order". He grabbed a wooden chair from a desk nearby and sat on it "I know today can't have been easy for you what with the anniversary and everything. If you need to tall about it I'm here alright" Percy patted his shoulder and Harry flashed him a grateful smile "thanks Perce" he said.
Percy smiled back, ruffled his hair and walked away.
Harry reflected that along with Fred and George, Percy was the older brother he'd never had. They watched out for him, cheered him, laughed with him, cried with him.
Sometimes they were better friends than Ron and Hermione.
After a short while Harry heard footsteps on the stairs and turned to see Ginny heading into the common room.
She looked serious and sat down next to him. He pulled her into a hug "thanks for sticking up for me love" he said with a smile.
Ginny smiled back "it's what couples do love and those two needed taking down a peg or two".
"What did you say to Ron?" Harry asked curiously.
Ginny's face hardened "I told him to stop being so damn selfish and to think of you and his other friends more often, I said that the last thing you need on Halloween on what's already a bad day for you and your family, is for him and Hermione to be fighting".
Harry kissed her forehead and murmured "you are the best girlfriend ever".
They spent much of the night curled up in the armchair, at peace.
The first week of November went by and their was much tension in the air.
It was clear to everyone that Hermione and Ron had taken Ginny's threat seriously in part as they had come nowhere near Harry since Halloween.
Not only that but Draco, Neville and Ginny weren't talking to them and only hung around with Harry as did Luna to show how much they disapproved.
In this climate of tension Harry had put on hold the prank against Slytherin as he was no longer in the mood for it and he knew none of the others were either.
It was now the first Saturday of November and after two months of practice and tactical sessions, Gryffindor was ready for their first match against Hufflepuff.
That Saturday morning Harry woke up with a deep sense of foreboding.
He wasn't sure why but that day it seemed like something was going to go horribly wrong.
Even after an early morning jog around the grounds in blustery and rainy conditions the bad feeling lingered.
He mainly put it down to the bad weather (the rain was coming down heavily) and to the rift in his friendship caused by the two of them who were not only ignoring each other but avoiding him.
He had wanted to say something to them but last night Ginny had told him that they had to make the first move to repair the friendship.
Harry had realised that, as always, his girlfriend was right.
The gloomy weather as Harry headed down to the Quidditch stadium flanked by his brother and girlfriend and with Neville and Luna just behind, made his mood worse.
It was just too much on top of everything else.
By the time he entered the changing rooms he was soaked to the skin, shivering and his teeth were chattering "here Harry let me help" Wood said as he walked up to him and muttered the incantation for the drying charm.
Steam began to rise from Harry's clothes and skin and in moments he was dry and warm "thanks Oliver, I appreciate it".
"No worries Harry, wouldn't want our star playing coming down with the flu or worse" Wood replied as he went over to get changed.
Harry himself got ready very quickly and was soon joined by Fred and George who got changed and the three of the chatted about the gloomy weather and their chances.
Harry had thankfully remembered to cast an impervious charm on his glasses to prevent the rain from impairing his visibility too much.
Eventually, Angelina, Katie and Alicia arrived and after chatting briefly they heard the sound of a throat clearing and knew that Wood was about to give one his fiery speeches.
"Today's the day everybody, we've been training for this for two months" Wood said calmly at first "we were robbed of the trophy last year when the season was cancelled" he began to pace "we will not let that happen this year. It's been my dream since before I came to Hogwarts to lift the Quidditch Cup in my last year" he eyed the team "I need this" he told them.
Harry could see an intensity in his eyes that he had not noticed before "FOR GRYFFINDOR!" Wood bellowed at last.
This seemed to galvanise the Gryffindor Team who shouted "GRYFFINDOR!".
Finally the team exited the changing rooms stepping out onto the pitch to thunderous applause as, rather ironically, thunder boomed overhead and lightning crackled in the sky.
Even as the Captain of Hufflepuff Cedric Diggory shook hands with Wood and the teams prepared to kick off, the rain continued to hammer down furiously.
Harry was convinced it would be a near impossibility to find the snitch.
'I have to try though' he told himself resolutely. For himself, for Gryffindor, for Wood and most importantly to get out of this damn rain.
The whistle blew and fifteen brooms rose high into the air.
Harry only just about heard the commentary of the Twins friend Lee Jordan "and the match begins, a match up of two good teams here, though Gryffindor has Harry Potter".
"Jordan" came the warning voice of Professor McGonagall.
"Sorry Professor" the boy replied.
Harry tuned out the commentary from this point as he began to search all around him for the small golden ball that would win the match.
Despite the impervious charm and his lightning fast reactions he couldn't see the snitch anywhere.
He watched as his opposite number whose name he didn't know, continued to search the sky for the snitch.
After twenty minutes of getting wet and feeling miserably Harry was surprised when he saw the tiny golden ball enter his field of vision.
He zoomed after it as it sped through the sky.
The Hufflepuff Seeker had noticed it too however and a battle ensued between them for capturing it.
After bashing their brooms against each other for awhile Harry succeeded in shoving the other boy away and looked around for the snitch only to curse in frustration as it had once again disappeared in the late morning gloom.
Harry tuned in to the commentary again and was happy to hear that the team were up sixty points to thirty.
If only he could find the damn snitch.
It was another ten minutes before he saw it again flitting through the sky.
A quick glance at his opposite number found that the boy had not noticed it.
Harry quickly adjusted his broom and gave chase, climbing higher and higher and flying further and further from the pitch as the snitch twisted and turned in the air.
This high up it was cold. He shivered and his teeth chattered.
Suddenly the snitch changed course and began to fly back towards the pitch.
As Harry renewed his chase he got a sudden very cold feeling in his whole body.
Memories began to flash before his eyes. His Mothers death, falling off his broom when he was eight, being kidnapped by Deatheaters, killing Quirrell, fighting the basilisk and Lockhart.
Harry knew what was happening even as his thoughts turned to outright despair.
It felt as if all the happiness, all the goodness, anything kind, was gone and the world was one mass collage of grey.
It was as his countenance changed that he saw them through the gloom. Flying towards him, the vision of death in living form.
He saw their robes as black as night, heard their death rattles that passed for breathing, saw their eyes dark, soulless.
He knew he had to get away.
Determinedly he kicked hard and sped off after the snitch even as the minions of death chased him.
After what seemed like an eternity his hand closed on the snitch.
He was horrified however to see his arm begin to freeze up.
As if in slow motion he slid from his broom.
Memories of a summer day in 1988 passed terrifyingly through his brain.
He fell and fell, seeing the ground loom before him and knew with a despairing certainty that this was it.
Harry Potter, the Boy Who Lived, the one who was supposed to defeat the evil of Voldemort, died from a fall off a broom.
If he hadn't been so terrified he'd have laughed at the absurdity of it all.
When thinking of ways to die this had not been at the top of his list in any imagining.
As he fell through the clouds towards the ground he thought he could hear people screaming, shouting, crying.
His eyes closed and he felt no more.
He awoke in a familiar, brightly illuminated room. He opened his eyes and looked around.
He tried to sit up but found that just the slightest movement was pure agony.
Harry licked his lips.
He felt very thirsty. He tried to move his arms but found that nothing happened.
"What...where...how?" he mumbled intelligently.
His voice was very hoarse and his throat felt as though cheese wire had been wrapped around it.
"Harry!" said an overjoyed voice.
He knew that voice "Ginny?" he said shakily.
He felt someone grasp his arm and felt a kiss being planted on his forehead "yes it's me my love, I'm here".
He looked to his left and saw his girlfriend sitting on a chair right up against the bed.
"What happened?" he asked.
A different voice answered him "you fell from your broom Mr Potter".
Madam Pomfrey came into view and began to examine him "it's a miracle that you survived. You fell from a hundred feet, no one could have survived it and neither would you Mr Potter were it not for your brother".
"Draco" Harry croaked.
"Harry you're alright" a voice said in relief.
"Draco!" Harry shouted, trying to sit up.
The effort put much pressure on his ribs which began to ache painfully "Mr Potter be more careful" Madam Pomfrey chided in concern.
Draco approached the bed and sat on the edge.
Harry could tell that his brother was worried about hurting him further as instead of their usual full on hug he merely put his hand on Harry's shoulder and smiled.
"Harry!" came another voice from the doors into the hospital wing. Harry looked over at them and saw Hermione running towards his bed.
Her eyes were brimming with tears.
Behind her looking very subdued was Ron.
Hermione looked like she wanted to hug Harry but instead kissed his cheek and said "I'm sorry for the way we've been behaving. We've been idiots".
Harry knew exactly who she meant and was about to wave it off when Ron spoke.
His best friend's voice sounded haunted "she's right, we've been bloody selfish arseholes, when I saw you falling..." his friend took a deep breath and tried to blink his tears away.
"We're sorry we screwed up our friendship with our fighting Harry".
"It doesn't..." Harry tried to say only for Ron to cut him off.
"For a while there on the Quidditch pitch I thought you were dead" he said quietly "if you'd died without me being able to make it up, to tell you that I love you like a brother..." Ron shook his head and began to cry.
Hermione hugged him.
Harry looked at his two best friends and realised just how remorseful they were.
Life was too short for such petty disagreements.
He'd faced death so many times now that he was losing count.
He also knew that despite their bickering and occasional stupidity, there were few other people as loyal to him as Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger "guys" they looked at him "I forgive you, it's time to move past it all".
James Potter was just planning to head off to lunch after finishing up a very depressing report on the slaughter of a muggle family by two pureblood supremacists, when there was a knock on his office door "come in" he called as he finished typing.
The door opened and in stepped John Dawlish one of his senior Aurors "yes John?" he said as he looked up from his work.
"We just got this report in boss, a team of DMLE wizards in Edinburgh caught sight of Fletcher".
Dawlish handed him the folder containing the report. He flicked it open and read through it.
His face paled and he looked up "none of them survived?" he queried.
Dawlish shook his head sadly "not a one. The report comes from our local Auror squad who managed to question one of the wizards before they died and he specifically said that the man was bald, short and shifty looking".
"That could be anyone" James said as he mulled it over.
Dawlish's next words put paid to these thoughts "the wizard killed all of them while sustaining no injury to himself".
"Do they know where he's headed?" James asked in concern as he closed the file.
He noticed that Dawlish gulped and took a long time to answer. Eventually he did saying only one word "North".
James put his head in his hands.
If Fletcher was heading north, it confirmed what he and his team suspected, the wizard wanted Harry either dead or meant to kidnap him.
He knew he had to take decisive action. He stood up "Dawlish I want you and Shacklebolt to head to Hogwarts now, you'll take a team with you to guard the students".
Dawlish nodded seriously "I also want the Auror presence in Hogsmeade beefed up, take another five Aurors to protect the village".
Dawlish nodded again and left without a word, his face set in determination.
James grabbed his wand, slipping it into it's holster and walked to his office door.
As he went to open it a loud whooshing sound came from the fireplace.
He turned his head at the sound and was astonished to see Sirius's head in the flames "Padfoot" he said happily "how did the match go?".
Sirius's face turned grim and James knew instantly that something was wrong "what's happened?" he asked, worry making his insides churn uncomfortably. The response he got nearly caused him to retch.
"It's Harry" Sirius told him "he fell from...well...really high up" Sirius said "he's badly hurt and in the hospital wing".
James had to grab onto the wall to steady himself as he said "tell everyone I'll be there soon".
Sirius' head left the flames which died away. James walked or rather stumbled to his office door. Opening it, he called to one of his Aurors "I'm going to be away from the office for the rest of the day, I have to see my son".
Not even waiting for a reply he hurried back into the office, slammed the door and rushed to the fireplace where he took a pinch of floo powder, dashed into the fireplace, threw the powder down and called out loudly "Headmasters Office, Hogwarts!".
He disappeared in a flash of green flame as his worry for his son threatened to overwhelm him.
Authors Note:
A kind thanks to everyone who has read, favourited and reviewed this story so far and in the future and a special thanks to fhl1234 for their kind reviews.
I really enjoyed writing this chapter.
Third Year is advancing along. We've had our first major sighting of Fletcher since he escaped Azkaban, Harry has been hurt and the tension that has been surrounding the New Marauders has abated.
In the next chapter we shall see Harry's recovery, a haunting sight on the Hogwarts grounds, a warning, preparations for Buckbeaks trial and the first prank of the year by the New Marauders.
Everyone who is reading this, it would be good to have suggestions of names for Peter and Celia's baby who is only now a few months away from being born.