The Search for Harry (3/?)

by Gweniviere

Email: queen_potter_freak@hotmail.com

Category: adventure, romance, humor

Keywords: Harry, Ron, Hermione, Sirius, Lupin

Rating: PG

Spoilers: All the Books

Summary: When Harry is kidnaped by Wormtail, Ron and Hermione set out to find him, meeting

some old friends, as well as some new ones on the way.



This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various

publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast

Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark

infringement is intended.



Author's Note: I know this took a long time to post. I'm really sorry about that, I couldn't work

on it for two weeks for lack of a proper computer. I hate Apples!!! I'm sorry, I just had to say

that.



Chapter 3: Blind Men and Coconuts





Ron and Hermione were lucky enough to arrive ten minutes before the train left. As the

countryside flew past them on the train, they didn't say much. The only person to come to their

compartment was the old witch with the snack trolley. Hermione bought them a few Cauldron

Cakes, and the silence continued.

Ron was contemplating the night's events so far. Quidditch practice, well, Ron would be sure to

lighten-up from here on out. A thought occurred to Ron.

"Hermione, how did they get onto the grounds?"

"What?" Hermione asked, startled by the sudden conversation.

"How did You-Know-Who get onto the grounds?" Ron repeated. Hermione looked blankly at

him. "Well, it's just that, if it was so easy for him to get onto the grounds now, why couldn't he

just have done it before? I mean, he came back at the end of fourth year, right? Now it's sixth

year, almost two years later. Why did he wait so long to do it?"

"Ron! I've just an idea! Perhaps that was why it was so easy for us to get out! You-Know-Who

did something to the defenses on the gates or something. I knew there had to be some sort of

way for keeping students from running away. It would be rather silly if there wasn't. Hagrid has

to sleep too you know and even without an Invisibility Cloak someone would have been able to

get out. I knew those winged boars were there for a reason. They obviously aren't very good for

decoration, they're ugly as sin-"

"Hermione, can we get back to the subject please?" Ron interjected.

"Oh, right," Hermione said, blushing slightly.

"Even if that is how we got out, that doesn't explain why he waited so long."

"Well I don't know why You-Know, oh, Harry is right, it's much easier just to say Voldemort-"

"Hermione! Don't say it!" Ron said, looking around wildly.

"Oh Ron, hasn't Harry taught you anything? Stop being afraid! Now, I haven't the faintest idea

why Voldemort waited so long to kidnap Harry. Maybe he was waiting for something, I don't

know. What I do know is Harry has been through more challenges than any normal person ever

has, and if anyone can get himself through a mess, Harry can." Hermione said, almost defiantly.

"Yes, he can." Ron replied quietly. "So," he said, trying to change the subject. "How are we to

go about finding where You-Know- oh, right, sorry, Vvv-Voldemort, ewe, that was horrible,

yeah, so how do we find out where he is hiding Harry?"

"Well, we need to just start cautiously asking around. It's going to be very hard. If the Death

Eaters get wind that we're out looking for Voldemort, we're in big trouble. Basically, we're

sitting ducks. We have no idea what we're doing, where we're going, and how to do anything.

We're an easy catch." Hermione said miserably.

Ron wasn't sure what to say. She was right, as Hermione usually was, and it was a hard truth to

swallow. He decided to try to figure out a way to ask where the greatest dark wizard of

there time was hiding, with out looking suspicious. The task seemed, at least to Ron, to be

impossible.

"What we need," said Hermione after a long pause, "is a person, whom no one really trusts, but

knows just about everything."

"Professor Trelawney thinks she knows everything. Does that count?" Ron said, grinning at

Hermione. He knew only too well what Hermione thought of Professor Trelawney.

"Ron, that's exactly the type of person we need! Only they really do have to know everything.

We need... we need... oh! Blast!" Hermione shouted, kicking the seat next to her.

"Hermione! Be quiet!" Ron whispered, very happy he had decided to sit across from Hermione.

"Who else is on this train? Absolutely no one! Who cares!" Hermione shouted.

"Hermione, please be quiet!" Ron begged. Although he was sure the train wasn't completely

empty, there weren't many people around, and most likely no one would hear them. But Ron

didn't want to take the chance of being caught and sent back to Hogwarts Harry-less.

"All right. Composure. I need... composure." Hermione said evenly, taking deep breaths. She

settled down. "So, what we need, is one of those blind men who always helps the hero in books

and movies by saying intricate riddles that they have to figure out in order to get the advice."

"What? Blind men? Intricate riddles? Movies? What are you talking about?"

"They're like True Seers, not stupid frauds like Professor Trelawney."

"And how do you know that?"

"Because. Muggles have a basis for all their stupid 'make believe' things, like fortune-telling,

werewolves, and vampires and such. They don't just make up the whole spiel about the blind

men being True Seers. Somewhere along the line, someone let something slip. Someone being a

witch or wizard who knows all about werewolves, vampires, and blind men who are True Seers."

Hermione stated.

"You really think so, huh? Fine, first thing when we get to Diagon Alley is we go up to every

blind man and ask him to hand over Harry." Ron said sarcastically.

"You know Ron," said Hermione, getting angry, "If you can lay off the sarcasm for two seconds,

something might be accomplished."

Ron didn't say anything to this. He sat and stared angrily at Hermione. Did she think that he

didn't want to accomplish anything? Harry was his best friend, of course he was helping to

contrive a plan to get him back! Ron just didn't want to rely on something he considered to be

quite stupid and most definitely wrong.

* * * * * *

When Harry woke, he kept his eyes held tightly shut, hoping dearly that he had been dreaming. //I

haven't been kidnaped by Wormtail and Lucius Malfoy for reasons most likely ending in my

death. I am lying in my bed in Gryffindor Tower, safely at Hogwarts, with Dumbledore close by,

keeping an eye out for me.\\ This was rather ridiculous, because Harry was fully aware of the

cold stone floor on which he slept, the horrible pain in his scar, and the faint glow he could sense

behind his eyelids.

He opened his eyes. He was still in the dungeon with the cage surrounding him. He sighed. He

was never very good at denying the cold hard truth. He wondered what was to happen. Surely

Voldemort was on his way, to finally kill him. He thought suddenly of Ron and Hermione. He'd

been such a jerk. Maybe he should have been more on task, he'd still be kidnaped, but at least

Ron wouldn't be mad at him at the same time. Then again, perhaps Hermione had told him of

Harry's disappearance, and Ron was no longer mad at him. Harry hated speculation. It never is

the way you think it is, so why bother? But he couldn't help it. Who was the spy? If Snape was

once a Death Eater, maybe it was him. What would Ron and Hermione be doing? Would

they go looking for him on their own? He knew he would, if he was in their position.

Harry's thoughts were disturbed by a creaking door opening a few feet from his prison. It was

Wormtail. Harry immediately replaced his confusion with pure hatred. He loathed the man so

much, if he could turn back time, he would have aloud Professor Lupin and Sirius to kill him on

the spot. Was this why Wormtail wouldn't look directly at him? Because Harry had saved

Wormtail's life? Harry thought that was most likely. //Can't stand that he's going to kill someone

who saved him!\\ Harry thought bitterly. //What I wouldn't give to have a time turner big enough

to turn back three years. Wait! Sirius! He's bound to be looking for me! Sirius will be able, I'm

sure he will!\\ Harry's hopeful thoughts must have shown on his face, for at that moment, Lucius

Malfoy appeared, and looked at him nastily.

"If you think that someone is going to miraculously save you, I'd advise you think again. There

is no possible way. I wouldn't allow such a flaw to come into my plan." He said piercingly.

Harry looked put-out, but kept his hopeful fire alive, trying to deceive Malfoy. He knew Sirius

would prevail, despite what Malfoy obviously thought. Lucius bought the act.

"Now then, your meal. We can't have you dying of starvation before The Dark Lord arrives to

have you do his bidding." Malfoy threw a chunk of bread and a flask of water at Harry through

the bars of his cage.

Harry looked at the food suspiciously. He wasn't just going to sit there and blatantly let Malfoy

poison him.

Malfoy seemed to read his mind, for he then said, "I haven't poisoned it, Potter. We need you."

Harry still didn't touch the food. "Fine. Your stomach will make you eat soon enough. I'm not

going to waste my valuable time forcing you." He turned, and started for the door, motioning for

Wormtail to follow. Harry watched them leave.

He realized that Malfoy was most likely telling the truth, though he didn't want to give him the

pleasure of seeing him rip right into the first food offered to him. He picked up the bread

cautiously though, just to be sure. He broke off a corner and chewed carefully. It seemed ok. He

finished the bread and drained the flask of water. It was wonderful to have food in his stomach.

He hadn't realized how incredibly hungry he was. After finishing his, literally, prison food, he

stood up to stretch out his legs as much as he could in his cell. He was hopeful, and this cheered

him up slightly. Sirius wouldn't let him down. He wouldn't be surprised if Sirius came before

even Voldemort arrived. As for the, "We need you" statement Lucius made, Harry wasn't too

worried at the time. Things have a way of working out in the end.

* * * * * *

Ron and Hermione let the silence between them repair their bad moods. As they came into

King's Cross Station, Hermione led them to a deserted alley.

"And why, my I ask, are we here?" Ron said.

"Harry told me all about the Knight Bus. I'm going to try to get us a ride." Hermione said,

sticking out her wand hand, looking remarkably like she did when she knew the answer to a

question in class. Ron sniggered slightly to himself as he thought this, and Hermione gave him a

nasty look.

Out of nowhere, a giant bus leapt into the alley. Hermione grabbed Ron by the jacket and pulled

him up against the wall, just barely missing getting hit by the triple decker bus. A young man

with a fair amount of pimples jumped out of the door.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transportation for the stranded witch or wizard. Just

stick out your wand hand, step on board, and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My

name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this evening."* He said formally.

"Hello. How much is it?" Hermione said brightly.

"Depends where `choo want to go." He said, letting an obvious accent slip.

"Diagon Alley."

"Ain't that far. `Ey, your `Ogwarts students, aren't `choo?" Stan said suspiciously.

"We were aloud to leave on special circumstances Hermione said quickly.

"Yeah, our, er, grandmother died." Ron added.

"Soes 'choo related?" Stan said skeptically

"Distant cousins." Hermione said.

"Right. Anyway, it's seven Sickles to get to Diagon Alley." Stan said.

Hermione counted out the silver coins in her pouch. They then boarded, and each took a seat on

a bed. Stan took his seat, and with a enormous bang, they were off.

After a sickening ride, in which neither Ron nor Hermione thought it wise to open their mouth in

fear that something more than words would come out of it, they were in front of the Leaky

Cauldron. They walked in. It was early morning now, about 6 am. Tom the balding bartender

was at the counter, toying with what looked like a hairy ball. As he saw them, he too grew

suspicious.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes, we were wondering if you had any rooms open?" Hermione asked cautiously.

"Yes, I do. Aren't you a bit young to be out on your own? Why aren't you at school?" He

asked.

"Our grandmother died, and were on our way to the country, but we need to, er, rest a while."

Ron said casually. Tom looked at them, shrugged, and said, "I'll get you your room in a

moment." He went back to toying with the hairy ball, which he stuck a long string into, and then,

noticing the odd looks he was getting from his customers, shoved it roughly under the counter.

He came around and led Ron and Hermione up the staircase to number 7.

"How long will you be staying?" He asked.

"We're not sure."

"Then you can pay when you check out." Tom replied, and left them.

Ron and Hermione entered the room, and Hermione flung herself onto the bed, thoroughly

exhausted. Ron looked at the door peculiarly.

"Hermione, was that a coconut he was playing with?"

"Yes, I do believe so."

"What exactly was he doing?"

"I don't know." Hermione said sleepily. She curled herself up into a little ball and instantly fell

asleep. Ron stared at her for a while, wondering what he should do. He finally resolved to sleep

in the armchair that was in the room. He too fell asleep almost instantly, dreaming of blind men

and coconuts.









* Please note that this is actual text taken from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K.

Rowling Scholastic Publishing, American Edition. The reason is this- Stan has a very obvious

lisp, accent, whatever you may call it in the book, but, when he is first introduced he is very

formal, and accent-less. I figured that he was trained to memorize a certain dialogue so as to

sound professional and smart. That's all.