Ch 2 The Capture

This is the second chapter with contributions from Deb, Diane and Francois. Thank you all. We start a several chapter adventure.

Albus noticed Cleo and Nancy Weasley sitting at one of the Gryffindor tables with the scent making supplies out. Daniel Tiger was coming to join them, with quite a few of couples were heading their way as well. Albus and Scorpius strode firmly over to where Cleo and Rose were, Cassie following along behind.

Scorpius held up a dusty old book. "More work on Runes? I think we can make some excellent progress with this."

Rose looked at Scorpius, then at Cassie, then at Scorpius again. Cassie made a face; she knew nothing about what Scorpius and Rose were doing, and when they were engaged in the translating she was pointedly ignored.

Rose wondered if Scorpius was really interested in the Runes assignment, or if he just wanted to get rid of Cassie. Rose saw Percy coming towards her. He was an adequate dance partner, and it was better to have a date for dances, but she did not want to be Percy's steady boyfriend.

"Scorpius and I are going to go to the library and work on Runes."

Rose thought that that Runes would probably get rid of Percy and Cassie. In some ways it would be easier if Scorpius was her boyfriend, but in other ways it would be much more complicated.

As the Scent session was ending Albus reminded Cleo, "We have an appointment tomorrow right after breakfast." He did not want to tell everybody that they were going to see the Merpeople, although Scorpius knew, as did Rose.

Saturday morning Albus was worried, not an uncommon emotion for him. Normally he initiated the visits to the Merpeople, but they had contacted the centaurs, and Firenze had told him. Albus had texted his father about seeing the Merpeople. As soon as they could Albus and Cleo hid themselves under the Invisibility Cloak and left for the pond, their Elves – Frerin and Dis – following at a discrete distance. They disrobed at the edge of the pond, in a hidden area, made sure their wands would survive the transformation, and jumped into the pond, leaving the Elves to guard their clothes and other items.

The initial meetings were awkward. Albus could not tell why the Merpeople wanted to meet with them. mermen were surrounding him, and mermaids were surrounding Cleo. Then, for the first time, some of the mermen started a fight. Albus quickly vanquished them, but Cleo had disappeared. None of the Merpeople would tell him what had happened to Cleo. Albus did not dare to try to get into Cleo's mind while he was transformed into a Merperson, so he swam back onshore and quickly changed back, put on his clothes, and tried to get into Cleo's mind.

"Albus! They've got me! I'm in the ocean Albus! Oh Merlin, please help me!" came the thoughts as Albus attempted to make contact.

"I'm coming," Albus thought back. How? How was he going to follow? "Expecto Patronum!" conjured up a huge lion. "Can you lead me to Cleo?"

The Patronum answered, "Above the sea, follow me. Below the sea, cannot be."

How to follow? Albus summoned his Firebolt. He looked at Frerin and Dis. "Can you come with me?"

Dis replied, "Only two people on a broom. With another broom we could."

The only other Firebolt that Albus knew was at Hogwarts was his brother's. He flew to the Quidditch pitch, where his brother was conferring with some other Magi.

"Cleo has been captured, I need to follow her, and take the Elves Frerin and Dis along. I need your Firebolt, right bloody now! Thank you! Tell Dad."

Albus put his hand on his brother's prized Firebolt broom, the second one he had been given, the one he received after Professor Chen had destroyed his first one.

James released his grip on his precious broom, totally shocked. Albus flew off as fast as he could, James Firebolt in his hand.

James did not have a mobile to call his father, but Madam Henrietta Hooch-Hepplewhite did, so he waved her over.

"Albus just told me that Cleo has been captured, and he and their Elves are following in our two Firebolts. I need to tell my father, as soon as possible!"

The Madam took out her Magic/Muggle mobile and handed it to James, who promptly called his father.

"Dad, Albus just told me that Cleo has been captured, and he needed my Firebolt so he and the Elves could follow her."

"What?! Oh Merlin; do you have any more information, James? Where were they? What were they doing? Where is he going?"

"Dad, he was panicking. That's all he told me."

"I'll be there as soon as I can, James. You did the right thing by calling me right away."

Harry, Ginny and Minerva were in the Drawing Room of Twelve Grimmauld Place. Ginny was getting ready to go to the stadium where the Harpies were playing, and Harry was going to be taking Minerva over to her grandparents before joining her when Harry's mobile rang.

…

"… do you have any more information, James? Where were they? What were they doing? Where is he going?"

…

"I'll be there as soon as I can, James. You did the right thing by calling me right away."

Harry terminated the call. Ginny was close to panicking. "Harry, Harry, what is going on?"

"Someone has captured Cleo. I don't know who, but they were going to see the Merpeople. Albus and their Elves are following, trying to rescue her. I don't know anything else, I'm off to Hogwarts right now."

Ginny started to gather Minerva's things. "I'll take Minerva over to Mum and Dad's, and then, Oh Harry, I don't know what. Maybe I will get my stringers to cover the Harpies game." Ginny was frantic, and not only for Albus. She did not know how she could handle losing Cleo either.

Harry kissed his wife, ran downstairs, and took the Floo to the Hogsmeade branch of Weasley's Wizard Wheezes, which also had a small Auror/DMLE office. He ran to the Hogwarts gate, and the Department of Magical Law Enforcement guard let him in. He ran up to the front door, where James and Minerva McGonagall were waiting.

"Albus took my Firebolt!" James shouted.

"Do you know anything more about Cleo being captured, James, or what Albus was going to do?" Harry was frantic, obviously having a hard time controlling his emotions.

"Only that it had something to do with the Elves."

Harry nodded. "That makes sense. You really cannot easily take more than two people, beings, on one normal broom. I guess it makes sense to take along Frerin and Dis." Harry turned to James, shaking his head, "James, the Firebolt is the least of my worries, and it should be yours too."

"Minerva, do you have any more information?"

Minerva McGonagall shook her head no.

People were starting to gather at the main front door to Hogwarts castle. It was a perfect early autumn day, and maybe half of the students were outside enjoying the warm weather.

"Come into my office, Harry," Minerva suggested.

"May I come?" James wondered.

Minerva nodded 'yes.'

When they arrived at the office Harry asked, "Do you know where Rose and Scorpius are?"

Minerva took out her version of the Marauders Map, and found Rose and Scorpius sitting in a comfortable study/sitting area in the Slytherin dorm. Ginny Wang and Jesus Rios were close but not right next to them. Minerva conjured her cat Patronus, and told it, "Quietly ask Rose and Scorpius to come to my office."

Harry placed a mobile call to Dan VanLente, but there was no answer. He then called Dan's father Al, who did answer.

"Cleopatra has been captured by Merpeople, who have taken her into the ocean, Al. At least I think that is what happened. I don't know any more, except Albus and two Elves are following on two brooms."

"I'm sorry Harry, but it sounds like the Pirate Witch Queen. That is a long way to swim, and it will take the Merpeople several days. She has used Merpeople like that before."

"Can Albus rescue Cleo?"

"It is not impossible. If he does rescue her – tell him this if you can, send a Patronus or something – they need to leave the area as quickly as they can. Jezebel always sends Magi Transformed into Merpeople along to herd the Merpeople, and the Magi will Transform back, get on brooms, and chase Cleo. I really don't have any more advice. Good luck. A few prayers couldn't hurt."

Harry pondered what Al VanLente had just conveyed, before conjuring his Patronus. "Tell Albus that when he rescues Cleo he needs to get as far away from where he has gotten her as quickly as possible, because Magi are traveling along with the Merpeople, with brooms and wands, and they will try to recapture or kill you."

Harry's Patronus left for who knew where. One problem with a Patronus is that they were pretty much one way communicators. You could not ask a Patronus where it had gone.

There was a knock on the door, and Minerva said, "Come in."

Rose and Scorpius peered into the room, and entered.

"Did you know that Albus and Cleopatra were going to be visiting the merpeople this morning?" Harry asked.

Rose and Scorpius looked at each other. It was obvious from Rose's confusion that she did not know anything about it. "I think she mumbled something about merpeople, but did not quite come out and say anything. She really doesn't say much about visiting the merpeople, like she is embarrassed or something. She said she would probably want to change clothes after lunch, and could I help her look pretty, but that was it. She bounced out of the room like she usually does."

Scorpius admitted, "Albus did tell me that they were going to see the merpeople, and that he was worried. Well, I think Albus is worried most of the time, and I have to admit he has had plenty of reasons to be worried. He said that Firenze told him that the merpeople had told someone in the herd, which was unusual, but that this beautiful autumn day was probably as good a day as any to visit them.

"Why? Has something happened?"

"We think a group of Magi and merpeople from The Pirate Witch Queen captured Cleo. Albus and the Elves Frerin and Dis are trying to follow on two brooms, Albus's Firebolt and James."

"You let Albus take your Firebolt?" Rose shrieked.

"I didn't exactly offer it," James admitted. "Albus told me he needed it and just took it. By the time I knew what was happening Albus was gone."

"He must have REALLY needed it, then," Rose suggested.

Harry's mobile rang. Harry answered, and turned towards the headmistress. "I will ask her.

"Minerva, could you open your Floo so Ginny could come here?"

Minerva took out her wand, looked at Harry, and reminded him, "I need to know where she is coming from."

"Where are you, Ginny?"

After listening for a moment, Harry explained, "She is at The New Burrow, her parents' home."

Minerva opened the Floo with a charm that only allowed one being from the New Burrow to use it.

Ginny stumbled through the Floo, Harry rushing to catch her. "Where is Mitzi?" Harry gasped.

Minerva was very embarrassed. "I only let one being come through the Floo. I will allow another one to come."

Ginny commanded, "Mitzi, come here through the Floo."

The little Elf came through the Floo, looked at Ginny, and griped, "I was blocked."

"It was my fault, Mitzi, and I apologize," an embarrassed Minerva admitted. She handed Ginny and Mitzi masks, and the two females put them on.

Ginny looked at Harry like she was going to explode, hands on her hips, face determined. "WHERE are Albus and Cleopatra, and WHAT are you doing about it, Harry James Potter?"

"I'm rather sure they went to see the merpeople, and that Cleo has been captured. I am almost sure the ones who captured her are working for the Pirate Witch Queen. Al VanLente gave me some advice I relayed to Albus via Patronus. But I have no idea where they are or how I can help."

"THEN FIND OUT!" Ginny screamed, her face getting red, frustration all over her being.

"There may be some information I can get in Switzerland, Ginny," Harry suggested. "Minerva, Ginny, can Ginny stay here? I want one of us here for Albus and Cleo when they get back."

Harry turned to Minerva. "Open the Floo to 'Harry Potter's office at the Ministry,' only for Harry Potter."

Minerva did, and Harry disappeared into the Floo.

Minerva turned to Ginny. "I want you to go to the hospital wing and get tested. Two negative tests and you are free to be at Hogwarts without masks. Until then stay quarantined at the hospital wing. If Albus and Cleopatra come back here, they will almost certainly be in the hospital wing first."

"But, … but, I thought you didn't have any of this Covid-19 here," Ginny objected.

"We had one first year come with it, and since she was quarantined with four other witches all five of them caught it," Minerva snapped. "They all tested negative after a week, but we quarantined them for another week before they went through their sorting, a week late.

"Ginny, yes, we are free of this illness, but you have no idea how much work it has been."

Ginny and Mitzi went to the hospital wing, where they were tested, and then shown to a private room.

Harry showed up in Switzerland, and rushed to the Prophecy department. He spent some time with the Crystal Ball, which only told him that the future was uncertain. It was obviously very important if Albus and Cleo lived, if she was or was not captured. Harry could not get a good reading on their health or anything else.

Sometimes Harry wished he understood more about this prophecy stuff, except all of the prophets who he felt knew what they were talking about emphasized how uncertain prophecy could be, despite its usefulness. It didn't help that Trelawney was not a particularly good prophet or teacher.

The prophets in Switzerland agreed with Harry's assessment of the situation. The did tell him that since Albus was his son his insights were probably better than theirs.

Harry found Valerie Bushman, who with her husband managed the Prophecy Department. She suggested, "Sometimes the master Tapestry has some additional information." They went to a large room where, on a high wall, there was a 30-meter-high by 30-meter-wide (100 feet) Tapestry. There was a new walkway as wide as the tapestry; before to find something up high you had to use a broom, and that was awkward. Valerie took a control with her, waved her wand, and said," Albus Potter." Something shown about halfway up, and Valerie worked the controls and the walkway rose, the sound of electric motors coming from each side as the platform was winched up.

"This is way better than brooms," Valerie pointed out. "We have controls hard wired if the person emits too much magic for the wireless to work, and we even have a couple of escape brooms and a rope ladder we can lower."

Harry always loved the combination of magic and Muggle technology.

Harry found the names of Albus and Cleopatra, and with Valerie's help found that they were in grave danger. Well, Harry knew that! They were alive, but stressed at least.

Day turned into night, and there was no more news. The symbols on the tapestry showed that Albus and Cleopatra were more and more stressed. Harry and Ginny talked on the mobiles, and tried to get a little sleep. By Sunday, nothing had changed.

Sunday afternoon Ginny was on a deck right outside the hospital wing, where patients and others could get a little fresh air, when Lily Luna came in.

"Any news?" she asked.

"None," Ginny got out, almost crying, pulling her daughter to her in a hug.

"They cannot die!" Lily sobbed. "They cannot, they are the hero and heroine, and nothing horrible happens to them! Everybody lives happily ever after; they don't get killed in the middle of the adventure!"

"Just as the sun was rising, Harry Potter and Tom Riddle exchanges spells, and Tom Riddle was down, and Harry caught his wand, the hero victorious, and they lived happily ever after? Harry and Ginny kissed, and the next day married? Not quite. My brother was dead, Teddy's parents were dead, Mr. Creevey's brother, Roseanne Creevey's uncle, was dead, as were his wife's parents and brother. So many people died. We did marry but that first year was just frantic." The two sat down on some chairs looking over Hogwarts' Yard.

"I think I knew that Roseanne only had one set of grandparents, but I didn't know her family lost that many people during the war," Lily reflected.

"There are so many sad stories, Lily. I am sure you have not heard anywhere near all of them.

"Then I had a fantastically successful Quidditch career, but your father and I were apart often during those years, and then I was hurt so severely I have not been able to fly since. Lily, I am really very happy, and blessed, but bad things happen." Ginny was crying at this point, and the two witches hugged for a long time.

"I prayed last night," Lily admitted. "Albus says I only pray when I want something, like I am treating God as some big vending machine in the sky. You know, those Muggle machines where you put in money and get something out?"

"I know what a vending machine is, Lily,"

"I'm not really praying just for myself, am I? Oh, God, don't let Albus or Cleo die! Please!

"Albus is my brother, so maybe I am praying some for myself, but please God, and I don't know quite what Cleo is, but she is almost a sister, she is … well she is … but she is part of the family! Please!"

Lily and Ginny spent a couple of hours together, talking, and praying.

Sunday night nothing had changed. It had been two most difficult days.

2021