Consequences of not writing

Over the first few weeks of the summer holidays, the Weasley's and Hermione had stayed at Grimmauld place, there was one thing they all had in common. They wanted Harry brought to the house sooner rather than later. They knew he would be angry that they hadn't been allowed to write. He went through something terrible and now he was left alone. Everyone believed that was wrong, everyone except Albus Dumbledore.

When Albus finally said Harry could join them, he got a group of some of his order members together. They were to go pick up Harry and fly back. They had to be careful in case Voldemort had his death eaters watching for anyone associated with Harry or Albus.

Mad-eye Moody flicked his wand, unlocking the door to the muggle home. The group with him followed him inside.

'Lupin, since he knows you, it would be best if you went to get him.'

'We won't be long,' Remus said, but he thought he hoped they wouldn't be long. No one had received any mail from Harry and Albus forbid anyone from writing. He thought it was wrong to leave Harry so isolated. The members of the order that had been keeping an eye on the house all said the same thing, they never saw Harry, nor the Dursley's. They had all been concerned when dementors had been seen in Little Whinging. A few muggles had been kissed, including Harry's cousin and some other boys he had been with. They were pleased Harry wasn't amongst them but they were worried about why dementors had been there. They had thought they would hear from Harry after that, but no letter arrived, which made them worry more.

Remus growled when he saw the locks on the door. He vanished them then opened the door.

'Quick, get help.' Remus yelled.

Moody conjured his patronus while the rest of the people raced up the stairs. They found Remus do some scans over the boy, who looked unconscious. But one thing they noticed about Harry, he had lost a lot of weight, quickly. He was skin and bones.

'They've starved him. I found four locks on the door.'

'I got an emergency portkey,' Mad-eye held it out to Remus, 'You take the boy but Albus will need to get Poppy into the house. We'll apparate back.'

'Find his things,' Remus said before he gathered Harry into his arms then activated the portkey.

Sirius, Albus, Minerva, Snape along with the Weasley's and Hermione were waiting, 'They locked him up and starved him,' Remus growled.

'Take him to my room,' Sirius said straight away and didn't allow anyone to say anything, just hurried up the stairs with Remus, 'Get Poppy,' Sirius yelled.

'We always sent him food because they never gave him enough,' Hermione said then glared up at Dumbledore, 'But you told us we couldn't write, this is all your fault,' Hermione growled then raced up the stairs.

It took hours of administering potions to Harry before Poppy said he would live. She also said it would take six months or more before he would be able to get around normally or even use magic. She would have to monitor his organs as many had stopped working. She explained that she believed Harry's magic kept him alive. If he wasn't a wizard, he would be dead.

It was only a day later that Harry woke. He ignored the people in the room, he closed his eyes and refused to look or speak with anyone. Food was brought up, he refused to open his mouth. If they forced the food in, he spat it at the person who tried to feed him. Everyone at the house hoped if they gave Harry a bit of time, he would listen to them so he would know not all of them had wanted him kept at the house. He needed food but refused to take it. The potions would help for now, but he would need proper food. They hoped by tomorrow, Harry would eat.

That evening, when everyone was asleep, Harry called Dobby, the house elf. He explained what happened to him and what he wanted. He offered to pay Dobby but the little elf wanted to belong to Harry, he agreed. Now he knew he would have help until he was well enough to leave and he was going to leave. After what he went through, there was no way he was going to stay or help anyone.

Harry and Dobby decided the first thing they would do is seal the room so no one could enter. Using elf magic meant no one could get the door opened. But Harry added to it by using a password in parseltongue. If anyone tried to force it, it would burst into splinters and into the room Harry was in, which could cause him more injury, it could even kill him. Harry knew no one would do that, not after they knew Harry blamed them for what happened to him.

Over the following week, while Harry was slowly gaining his strength thanks to the food and the potions Dobby got him, Harry was making plans with Dobby. He was weak and knew it would take a long time before he would be really healthy again but it didn't stop him working on his plans. During this time, people kept banging on the door trying to get Harry to let them in so they could look after him. Harry ignored them like he did when he was first brought to Grimmauld place.

'I think it's time Dobby. The moment you get me to our new home, return here and gather all our things. Then unlock the door before joining me.'

'Dobby do master Harry.'

Dobby took Harry's hand and transported them to an old abandoned muggle house. Dobby had found the house right near a forest which helped keep it secluded, but he used elf magic to hide it from the muggles. From the front of the house, you could see the ocean. He had stocked it with food and many potions that he had taken from Hogwarts. The potions were the ones Dobby heard Poppy Pomfrey say Harry would need. Dobby also took a lot of linen for the beds and towels for the bathroom. He had already repaired the floor, walls and roof, now he just had to stock it with things his master would need.

Dobby made sure Harry was sitting on the sofa with his feet up as he was still weak, he lit the fire to keep his master warm, then he returned to Grimmauld place. He gathered all Harry's things and his own things along with Hedwig before he unlocked the door. He disappeared and returned to his master.

Dobby put everything away before he began to prepare dinner. Harry stared out the window at forest. He hadn't been able to stop thinking about what he went through. He had been starved by the Dursley's. When they first locked him in the room, he had been pleased that he told Hedwig not to come to the house as he didn't want to risk his owl to his uncle's temper. After the first day and no food, water or allowed out to use the bathroom, he had tried to call for Dobby, but the elf didn't come. Harry had asked Dobby when he did appear at Grimmauld place, Dobby said he never heard Harry, which meant there were wards to prevent someone calling a house elf. He had blamed Dumbledore for that, the wards he did stopped Harry from getting help. He had already been feeling terrible and having nightmares after what happened in the graveyard, yet the old man thought it was smart to isolate him and make sure no one wrote to him. None of them seemed to care about him, so he made the decision to leave. They can deal with Voldemort. He didn't even care if they got killed. He had enough. Now he was going to think of himself.

Harry knew now he was away and that he would eventually get healthy, he would need to make some long term plans. All he had done so far was to get away and hidden in a place no one would think to look for him. He was in Australia. He knew he couldn't remain in England, not with the ministry, Voldemort, Dumbledore and everyone else. He decided to pick a country far away and hope no one from England came this far to try to find him.

It took three days after Harry left before someone at Grimmauld place tried to get into the room Harry was in. Hermione pushed open the door to see the room empty and all of Harry's things were gone. She raced down the stairs and into the kitchen were the order had just finished having a meeting.

'Harry's gone, so are all his belongings.'

'He could not leave, the door is charmed,' Molly said.

'He must have found a way,' Remus hurried up the stairs after Sirius who was scanning the room, 'Anything?'

'It's weak, so he must have left between three and five days ago.'

'How did he leave though? Albus charmed the door so it would only open to an adult.'

'I don't know,' Sirius stepped into the room and began to look everywhere, 'There's rubbish in the bin in the bathroom, which means you were right. He somehow was able to get food that wasn't from here. I'm glad he wasn't giving up and starving himself.'

'Didn't he mention once about a house elf he freed?' Remus asked.

'Yeah, Bobby, I think.'

'No, Dobby,' Hermione said as he stepped into the room, 'He used to belong to the Malfoy's until Harry saw Lucius hurting him so he tricked the man into giving Dobby a sock. Dobby loves Harry and would do anything for him.'

'So that's how he did it. Dobby got him food. It gave him time to get his strength back and then Dobby took Harry somewhere. The house isn't warded against house elves that belong to the owner. They could take anyone or anything in and out of the house. The trouble is, this Dobby doesn't belong to me or Harry.'

'But Harry's not the owner of the house, you are,' Ron said who had also entered the room.

'Harry has Black blood due to his great great grandmother so Kreacher would have to obey him. I would say this Dobby bonded to Harry so he could help him escape. I hope wherever he is, you-know-who doesn't find him. Remus, you better tell Albus that he's lost the-boy-who-lived and it's all his fault.'

'Albus is a great man. Harry should have stayed and listened to him,' Molly said.

'Shut the fuck up you loudmouth hussy. My godson was almost starved to death because of that fucking old goat. Do not stick up for him in my house or I will force the wards to painfully evict you.' Sirius snarled.

Everyone was shocked at the way Sirius spoke to Molly Weasley. Before she could retaliate, the twins dragged their mother out of the room. They told her some of what they knew of the wards the Blacks use, some could be deadly but all are dangerous.

Sirius glared at everyone, he had been doing that a lot since Harry had been brought to the house. Now he knew what he had to do.

Albus, Minerva and Severus had tried to use the floo to get into number twelve, when that didn't work they apparated and arrived in front of number twelve. Albus sent his patronus inside as there seemed to be some type of shield preventing him from getting near the door. Albus used his order coin to find out what was going on. It only took ten minutes before Remus arrived.

'Stay away from the door,' Remus shouted.

'Why?'

'Sirius activated some of the more dangerous Black wards. They evicted all of us, Molly took her lot and Hermione home. The rest that had been here, left.'

'What is going on?' Minerva asked.

'Harry disappeared. We believe he had the house elf, Dobby, take him away. We found old food in the room so we know he was getting food somehow, we believe it was Dobby. We checked for magic, it was anywhere from three to five days old since he disappeared. After Sirius activated the wards, he left a note say he was leaving since he blames Albus for what happened to Harry.'

'We need to find Harry before Voldemort does,' Albus said.

'I doubt you will find him. Since he was raised in the muggle world he will easily disappear into the millions of muggles,' Remus turned and walked away.

'Where are you going Remus?' Minerva asked.

'I'm leaving. Anyone that can leave a child with abusive people then allow his pet death eater to torment that child, is not someone I want to have anything to do with. I'm going back to Norway.'

Before Albus could say anything, Remus was gone. He knew he had made a lot of mistakes in regard to Harry but he never believed the Dursley's would starve the boy. Now Harry was gone and if Remus was right, he doubt he would find him. Harry would spot anyone from the wizarding easily and long before they saw him. Without Harry, the war with Voldemort was lost.

Even though Hermione was angry with Dumbledore and Molly Weasley since she kept sticking up for him, she went with the Weasley's to the Burrow. The moment she got the chance she wrote a letter for Ron to read, snuck out of the house and called the night bus. She wanted away from people that support Albus Dumbledore. She decided to speak with her parents and hope they would want to move. It would be too easy for someone like Lucius Malfoy to find the Granger's address. Then death eaters would turn up and kill them. Hermione was not going to allow anything to happen to her parents, if she could help it. She would never trust anyone in the order, not after they all followed Dumbledore which meant Harry almost died, but now her first ever true friend was gone.

When the first of September arrived, many people knew that Harry Potter had left. It was mainly people from the order or anyone like his friends or family of order members. No one knew where he went but many were trying to find him. When the students arrived at Hogwarts, that's when everyone realised Harry was not coming back, but also, there were many students missing. Hermione Granger was one of the first that most noticed wasn't at Hogwarts, but the others that weren't there, were all muggleborns. Most of the Slytherin students knew they would have to inform their parents who would tell Voldemort, which would make him angry.

Albus and Minerva believed that Hermione had written to all the muggleborns when she disappeared from the Burrow. Some of the order had gone to the Granger's only to find the house empty with a note left on the table saying the Granger family wanted away from the backward world and dark wizard know as Professor Dumbledore, who didn't care if children lived or died, so they decided to move overseas away from people like Dumbledore and Molly Weasley, who supported him.

Harry had received a few letters while he was in hiding, all by owl. Since Dobby had warded the cabin, the owls could find him but anything like portkeys or howlers would be destroyed by the wards. The wards would also destroy any type of tracking charm. Dobby also warded the cabin against a phoenix. Harry didn't want to take the chance that Dumbledore would send Fawkes to take him back to England.

The letters Harry did receive were from Sirius and Hermione, who had left England. The letters explained why they left. Sirius had evicted the order since he blamed them and Dumbledore for what happened to his godson. Sirius wrote that he also believed Albus never bothered to get Sirius a trial as he wanted Harry away from the wizarding world. Sirius wrote he will never have anything to do with England or Dumbledore, ever again. He explained how he tried to write to Harry but their were no owls and no one would take his letter since Dumbledore ordered everyone not to write to Harry. Sirius wrote that he hoped Harry would eventually write just to let his godfather know he was okay. He was so worried about Harry, his mental state and his physical state. He needed to know that Harry was alright. Hermione's letter was also about leaving. She wrote that she had written to every muggleborn student who had also decided to leave England. She knew if Dumbledore could allow Harry to be abused, he would not care what happened to a few muggleborns.

What Harry found surprising about Sirius's letter and Hermione's letter, both said they were now living in Australia. They wanted to get as far away as possible. Going on what he read, Harry didn't think either Hermione or Sirius knew the other was in the same country and neither knew Harry was in the same country. Hermione was living in Tasmania and Sirius was staying in Queensland, for now.

It took just over a week before Harry finally wrote to Sirius and worked on a way to meet up, as long as Sirius never told anyone he was seeing Harry or where he was.

Harry was sitting on the beach down from his house, he staring out over the beautiful blue ocean. He would sit there every day, unless it rained. Dobby always made him take two blankets, one to sit on and one to wrap around him if he got cold. Dobby also packed him a picnic that would stay warm until Harry opened the lid. On the side of the basket was a bottle of drink, that would always stay cold. On the other side of the basket was a cup of tea that would stay hot but also it would not get strong or go off. Most of the time when he sat there, he would drink his tea and eat but mostly he rested, which was all he could do at the moment.

When Harry heard a noise, he turned his head and saw Sirius running towards him. All he could do was give a small smile.

'Harry,' Sirius sunk to his knees and hugged his godson.

'Hey,' Harry said weakly.

When Sirius let Harry go, he stared at his godson's face, 'You still look sick.'

'Because of how bad I was, my organs will never be the same. I will always be on potions but I will never have the energy to do a lot. The healer I saw said it's lucky I'm powerful as that's what kept me alive. Even with how sick I always am, I still have all my power. She suggested sitting here every day, not just for sun but the salt air. When it's warm, I do sit in the water, I just don't have the strength to swim. There's a man-made rock pool just around the bend, I use that a lot. She explained that if I was a muggle, I would need organ transplants but they aren't always successful and you usually have a long wait. The potions will help, it will just take a long time, years before I'm well enough to be anywhere near normal. The potions and magic is the reason I'm alive.'

'Then if you let me, I'll stay with you and help. It's not like either of us need to work. I already transferred all my money to a muggle bank. I did that at Gringotts, but it was to America. I didn't want anyone finding out I was here. I went to America, close the account and opened another one here.'

'I had Dobby go to my vaults, all the money is here, hidden with house elf magic that he warded me into. I had Dobby go to the wizard bank here and changed half to muggle money. I knew I would need both. After I got your letter, I got one from Hermione. She left right after they left the house. Her parents wanted her away from them so they moved. They live in this country now, but in Tasmania. I did write back but I didn't tell her I was here or that you were here. I couldn't trust her when she always supported that man. She said she doesn't anymore but she's easily influenced by people like that.'

'She was angry at Albus and Molly. But I think you did the right thing, Albus is good at spinning stories so people will believe him. I studied up on this country when I got here. I doubt either of us would just accidentally run into Hermione.'

'No, I doubt it. If you want to stay, I would like that. Dobby does everything for me, since I can't really do a lot.'

'Did the healer say you will improve over time?'

'I will, but she's not sure how much. The main thing she said was I will never have my full health back but I will get better as long as I continue to take the potions. The potions are repairing my organs but they will never be as they should. I get out of breath easily and tire even doing the smallest things. I have to keep going to see her every few months so she can run some tests. If I had a muggle transplant and it worked, then I could be normal but there is no guarantee it would work. Doing it this way will take longer and again, no guarantee how well I'll get, just that it'll take a long time. I'm getting tired.'

'Here,' Sirius helped his godson to his feet. He felt like crying then he felt like going back to England just to kill Dumbledore. He wouldn't, he was going to stay here and help Harry, anyway he could.

It only took a few months and everyone England knew Harry Potter had been telling the truth. Voldemort was seen when he attacked Diagon alley. Amelia Bones had instantly arrested Cornelius fudge along with his staff. But it didn't make her feel better about the deaths that happened in Diagon alley.

When people found out how many people lied about the-boy-who-lived, people began to band together and fight. Normally when the death eaters appear, everyone would run away screaming. This time they just fought back and the death eaters ended up losing. A lot of them ended up dead. It was now law that if anyone had the dark mark, they were instantly kept in the ministry's most secure holding cells. That's if they didn't fight and if they did, most of them ended up dead. The people who banded together also went after the reporters and editor of the Daily Prophet, for all the lies they printed. The building was completely destroyed and the people who worked there had all be hexed, in one way or another.

Every time Voldemort sent his death eaters out, most never came back. Some ended up dead, some ended up arrested. Voldemort was already planning on breaking his followers out of Azkaban, now he would have more to break out.

What Voldemort didn't know was when Amelia took on emergency powers, she had all the prisoners questioned using veritaserum. Once she knew they were guilty of serious crimes, like murder or torture, they were instantly killed by use of the death veil in the department of mysteries. The unspeakables found a way to destroy the dementors before they deserted Azkaban and followed Voldemort. Now there were goblin's guarding the prison and they will fight to the death if they have to.

By the time Voldemort got to Azkaban, none of his supporters were there but he lost more of his supporters to the goblins. It wasn't until a month later that he found out that all his supporters he thought had been sent to Azkaban were all dead. Another thing he found out, Amelia Bones and the Wizengamot sealed all vaults. Ever person in the country had to submit to questioning by the aurors using the truth potion and having a healer using legilimense to see their real thoughts. If they supported Voldemort, their vaults were seized and they were sent to the new, secret prison that only two people knew where it was. Voldemort now only had a few supporters left. Some of the ones that used to supply him money had stopped and their homes were now warded with the fidelius charm. Without money or supporters, he could not take the ministry.

It was months later that Sirius began to read the international newspaper to Harry, about what was going on in England. But he mainly read about the deaths, on both sides.

'I don't want to know any of it Sirius,' Harry slowly got up and walked out onto the deck.

'Sorry pup, I just wanted to find out what was going on, I figured you might want to know as well.'

'I don't, I don't care if they all kill themselves. So please, don't tell me anything. You can read that if you want, I just don't care anymore.'

'Sorry, I'll keep that to myself from now on. Now, I was thinking about what the healer said. Even though you will always tire easily, you still need to move around and she did suggest swimming, with my help. What if I buy a house that has a pool. I could charm the water to stay at a nice temperature and then stay beside you while you begin to swim.'

'I wanted to, but I knew without help, I could drown. Plus, I didn't want strangers to begin to pay me attention.'

'Then I'll begin to search for a house tomorrow. I'll make sure it's a single story but big enough that it will give us both some time alone, if we want. Dobby would be ready to get lunch, do you want to sit on the deck or inside?'

'On the deck. I always feel better sitting out there, I don't know why, but I do.'

'Then stay out there as much as you want. Now, I was thinking about keeping ourselves occupied. With your health, it means we need to find stuff you can do while sitting.'

'I always liked to draw, maybe I could really concentrate on that and eventually work on painting.'

'Then first I will get some information pamphlets for you to go through. You pick out what you want or need, I'll get it. I thought I could begin working on those mirrors me and your dad had. Maybe I could make them to connect to others, like muggle phones. I'm only thinking about it in case we make new and better friends here. It might not be for a while but you never know.'

'Sounds good. If you do, I could probably speak with Hermione using one but I have to make sure she doesn't guess where I am.'

'Then you can work it with just a plain wall behind you and add a silencing charm so she can't hear the ocean or any other sound. We can work that out once I get the mirror's made. Also, I'll begin to teach you everything you want when your healer says it's okay, which we know won't be a while. This country does not have restrictions for underage witches and wizards.'

Dobby brought out their lunch, but like always, Harry had Dobby join them. He wanted Dobby to be part of his family, not just a servant. Dobby saved his life. He knew if it hadn't been for the elf, he would have either died or forced to stay with Dumbledore and the others. Dobby had done so much for him so Harry was giving Dobby one thing he really wanted, to be part of Harry's family.

'There is something I did want to tell you but I was waiting until the right time. I realised there isn't really a right time.'

Harry sighed. He wasn't sure what Sirius wanted to tell him but he figured it was about someone dying. All he could do was nod.

'After you left, I knew I was going to leave. I decided to find the Dursley's. Since their son had been kissed, they spent a lot of time at the muggle hospital. Well, a few curses, they left, then I used some rather painful curses on them. Once they were dead, I transfigured the bodies into rubbish and tossed all of it in the bin.'

'Good, they deserved it. Was it just her and the fat fuck she married or did you get his sister as well?'

'The three of them were at the hospital when I found them.'

That told Harry that Petunia, Vernon and Marge Dursley were dead. Dudley was as good as dead and by now he might be dead. A witch or wizard could last years without their soul but a muggle would be lucky to last a few weeks. It had been three months since he left, so he would say Dudley was dead as well, along with his gang who had been with him when the dementors attacked. He would have taken care of them himself but he just was too weak to do anything and all he wanted was to get away from everyone.

It might take him years to get healthy but he was beginning to make a new life for himself in Australia. He had Dobby, who he had begun to think of as a little brother. He had his godfather who he had begun to think of as a father. It might not be a conventional family, but to Harry Potter, he finally felt like a normal boy.

The end: