Chapter Six
Harry woke in the morning with a severe headache. A quick glance around the hospital wing showed that everyone had gone, presumably to eat breakfast in the Great Hall. Making sure that Madam Pomfrey was not nearby, waiting to fuss over him, Harry snuck out of bed and made his way through the abandoned halls. Just as he was about to turn the corner, he heard footsteps approaching the infirmary from the opposite direction. He would have hurried towards the Great Hall, but the sound of their voices made him pause.
"Does it hurt much, Severus?" asked Professor McGonagall, and Harry noted the tinge of concern in her voice.
"Of course it hurts. The Dark Lord does not have a gentle hand when his plans are upset," Snape answered.
"No doubt Poppy will be able to fix that arm in a jiffy," mused Dumbledore. "And hopefully you won't be too late for breakfast. The house elves are so excited to have a few more people around during the holiday that they are going all out."
"Severus, what exactly disturbed Voldemort's plans?" This was Lupin.
"He didn't say the exact cause for the link between him and Potter being broken, but it was my impression that it happened when the boy's head hit the wall. And I'm almost positive that their wands have nothing to do with it, since Voldemort used a different wand when he did this to me. He must have acquired some magical artifact when he was overseas. Eastern Europe is full of dark talismans and such."
Harry could hear the doors to the hospital wing swing open and he continued on to breakfast, knowing that his professors would not be far behind.
"Morning, Harry!" called the team, minus Angelina and Cho, who had both gone home earlier that morning. Harry took his seat next to Ron and Hermione at the Gryffindor table. Ron and Hermione leaned forward to talk to him in private.
"You missed it," whispered Ron. "We ran into Snape in the entrance hall as he was rushing off to Dumbledore's office, and he had the sickest looking cut on his arm that I've ever seen."
Hermione nodded in agreement. "It looked infected to me, which is surprising since he couldn't have had it very long."
"He never washes, though, does he? The slimy git." Hermione shot daggers at Ron, but otherwise ignored his comment.
"I've heard about it," answered Harry as he returned Ginny's smile and loaded his plate with eggs and sausages. "When I was leaving the hospital wing, Snape and the others were heading towards it. He got it from You-Know-Who sometime last night." Ron looked rather relieved that Harry hadn't said "Voldemort".
"Well, we figured that Snape was going to spy on him, didn't we?" asked Hermione, before turning her attention to Dumbledore, McGonagall and Lupin, who had just walked in.
"Where's mum and dad?" whispered Ginny, but both Fred and George shrugged.
"Good morning all," said Dumbledore, conjuring three chairs for the end of the table.
"How are you feeling, Harry?" asked Lupin. He was looking rather haggard, which was disturbing considering that it was not full moon.
"I'm fine," Harry answered, feeling much better after having gotten some food into his system. "Where's Sirius?"
"Mr. Black has gone on an errand for me. And Mr. and Mrs. Weasley are currently at your house, Harry, collecting your things," answered Dumbledore, helping himself to some kippers.
"My things? Where am I going?" Harry asked, though not really caring where he ended up as long as it wasn't back on Privet Drive or with smelly Mrs. Figg or in Azkaban, even if the Dementors had all abandoned their posts a week after summer holiday began.
"You're going to be staying with me, Harry," said Lupin. "That is, if you don't mind."
"I'm living with you? Excellent! Wait, where do you live? No, it doesn't matter! A hole in the ground is better than the Dursleys' house." Harry couldn't contain his excitement. Remus Lupin was probably his favorite teacher ever at Hogwarts. Lupin laughed.
"My house is a bit nicer than a hole in the ground, except one room, and that's beyond my control." Lupin must have been referring to whatever room he transformed in.
"How have you been doing?" Harry asked. He had not seen Lupin since Snape had let it slip that he was a werewolf.
"I've got a year's supply of Wolfsbane left. Now all I worry about is gnawing on the furniture."
At that moment, Snape walked in, rubbing his arm but looking perfectly healthy. Harry noticed Snape sneer as he approached the Gryffindor table, either upset that they all weren't sitting at the Slytherin table or that the only empty seat was next to Ginny Weasley. She didn't seem too happy about that fact either as the Potions master sat down.
"Well, Harry," continued Dumbledore. "Remus lives on the other side of Stoatshead Hill in Ottery St. Catchpole, so you'll be spending most of your days at the Weasley house. I only ask that you are back at Remus's by six, unless he expects you later."
"I bet the Dursleys were thrilled when you told them I'd be gone," Harry said, smiling at how thrilled he was to be gone.
"Actually, you won't be gone," said Professor McGonagall. "The headmaster will be taking Polyjuice Potion once the Weasleys return and then he will take your place at home."
Ron nearly choked on his orange juice, and Hermione also reacted in her own special way. "But Polyjuice takes at least twenty-one days to make, since the lacewings need that long to stew," she said, before realizing that no one knew about her, Harry's and Ron's adventure with the stuff during their second year at school. "Or so I've read," she added, a little too hastily. Snape gave her a look of suspicion but decided that he was in no mood to harass the students after last night.
"We've always got a spare vile of important potions lying about the castle," answered Dumbledore, that annoyingly knowing twinkle in his eye. "All I need is a chunk of Harry's hair."
"But Professor, the Dursleys!" Harry yelled. "I know you can handle just about any dark wizard that comes your way, but my aunt and uncle and cousin are entirely different stories! Couldn't you find someone else to be me?" Harry would love to see Dumbledore lose his temper and turn Aunt Petunia into the horse she so nearly resembled, but he was more worried about his family's uncanny ability to offend people of magic.
Dumbledore laughed. "I thank you for your concern, but everyone that I would trust for this job is currently engaged in other tasks."
"I don't understand why you feel this is necessary anyway," entered Snape, speaking so suddenly that Ginny was startled enough to drop her fork on the floor. "If You-Know-Who has the ability to attack Potter mentally, I wouldn't expect him to come after the boy at his house."
"Given the success of his last attempt to harm Harry, I'm not sure that he'll continue for long on that road. Besides, I've received some disturbing information this morning that makes me believe Voldemort may soon learn the location of Harry's home. Arabella Figg has disappeared."
Professor McGonagall made a strangling sound in her throat. "Not Arabella! What happened?"
"I've sent Sirius to find that out, Minerva," answered Dumbledore. "But you can see why I think it best that Harry not return to his aunt's and uncle's house, for now."
"I don't understand," said Harry. "What does that have to do with me?"
"You may remember a Mrs. Figg from your neighborhood? She is exceptionally fond of cats, if that rings a bell. She is your Secret-Keeper, Harry. That is why you have always been safe with your family. I don't believe Arabella would ever betray your location to Voldemort, but we must take precautions."
Harry couldn't believe it. Mrs. Figg? Who smelled of cabbage? A witch? Actually, it did make some sense. Once, when he was at her house, waiting for the Dursleys to return from a trip to the cinema, Mrs. Figg was showing Harry pictures of her cats and Harry could have sworn that Felix's tail had swished.
Mr. and Mrs. Weasley returned to Hogwarts soon after breakfast was over, carrying Harry's school trunk and Hedwig's cage and complaining about having to stun Dudley twice, he was so fat. Harry hoped that they'd performed a memory charm on the Dursleys as well, since Dumbledore's stay there would be decidedly more painful if his Uncle Vernon remembered two wizards barging into his house.
"Did you leave some clothes there, Molly?" asked Dumbledore, who was preparing to cut of a lock of Harry's hair.
"Yes, a few. Though they certainly don't spoil the boy," answered Mrs. Weasley. Harry appreciated the contempt the Weasley family had for the Dursleys.
"Professor Dumbledore, there's a loose floorboard in my old room where you can find some things that might be of help. Some food and books, in case they're in a good enough mood to let you back up there. And there should be some things under my cot in my cupboard under the stairs, in case they lock you up. I suppose we can hope that happens, since it'd mean you're doing a great job being me." All of the professors laughed, but Harry and his friends all knew that he wasn't joking.
"Surely it can't be that bad?" asked Lupin, who had noticed the seriousness on Harry's face.
"I wish I could say it wasn't," Harry answered. He could hear Snape's evil laugh a few seats away from him.
"I suppose it's time," Dumbledore announced.