PART THREE: MYSTERIOUS DEPARTURE


His best friend was on his mind the day that his whole world turned upside down. Only hours before he was so close to doing something that he has been meaning to do since the summer before fifth year. So close was he to giving his Mione, his best friend since first year, his one and only Hermione his heart. That, and a kiss.

If he had known that he would have begun crushing over Cho Chang to heavy in deep like with his best friend, Harry would have laughed at himself like a fool. At first, he was a bit worried that his other best friend, Ron Weasley, would also have feelings for their Hermione. His fears were eased however at the accidentally sight of Ron and a certain other Gryffindor fifth year making out. In fact, he would have let Hermione into his little discovery, but Malfoy had ruined that.

Life for Harry James Potter had been so sweet hours ago until he received the news that he would be leaving Hogwarts and those that mattered most to him.

The dreadful news was delivered in disguise as a blessing. He was suffering through another class with Snape picking on him, though two of the good things about the class were sitting on either side of him, Ron to his right and Hermione to his left. Suddenly, much to the surprise of everyone including Harry, Dumbledore entered Snape's classroom.

Dumbledore indicated that he wished to privately speak to Snape, to which he complied. Much of the students strained to hear the conversation, only to be disappointed upon the quick return of the two wizards.

"Potter!" Snape suddenly snarled, causing everyone to jump. Harry was the most startled.

As if the class could not become more surprised, Snape managed to stun everyone as his voice somewhat softened. "You are excused from class, Mr. Potter. Dumbledore wishes to see you now."

All eyes were on Harry as he just stared back and forth between Snape and a silhouette of Dumbledore patiently waiting for him outside.

"Harry?" He heard Hermione softly call his name, concern evident in her sweet voice. He glanced at her and noticed the quiet fear in her brown eyes. She was always so protective and worried of him. Has been concerned about him ever since they first met. That was one of the things that he loved so much about Hermione, her kind heart.

"Potter!" Snape snapped again, this time causing a somewhat relief all around, for what scared his students more was a "gentle soft spoken" Snape than the harsh cold professor they all love to hate. "Don't keep the Headmaster waiting." He sneered.

Harry jumped up and quickly gathered his things into his bag. He felt a kind hand on his shoulder and glanced to his right to met eyes with his other best friend, Ron.

"You're innocent til proven guilty, Harry. Remember that, okay?"

"Ron!" Hermione hissed and rolled her eyes at her fiery red hair friend.

Harry nodded meekly at his friend before standing up to leave. He turned and was prepared to leave when he felt a soft hand clasp into his. A bit startled, Harry glance and once again found himself drowning into her eyes.

"We'll be waiting for you in the common room, Harry." She softly whispered before releasing her grasp.

A smile appeared on his face. Knowing that his best friend, Ron, and the woman who had his heart, Hermione, will be there for him in the end gave Harry such strength and courage to face whatever was waiting for him in Dumbledore's office.

Unfortunately

"Harry I do realize that this news is not to your liking, but"

"Don't say it. Please don't say that this is all for the best" He met eyes with the man who held such wisdom in his eyes. "I don't think I can stand to hear it because you know that it's not true."

"My boy," Dumbledore placed a gentle hand on Harry's shoulder. He had accompanied Harry back to his room while he began to prepare for his departure. Dumbledore had just informed Harry that he was to leave Hogwarts immediately. That he must leave with a woman named Alecentra who was to help with his wizardry training elsewhere. That it was very important that he go with this woman at once. And that no one must know otherwise except for the fact that the famous Harry Potter has left Hogwarts and will not return. Not even for graduation.

"My boy, I do not like this as much as you do but you must understand something"

"Please Professor, don't." Harry stubbornly replied. As he finished the rest of his packing, he stopped for a split second to reconsider. Why was he even agreeing to this? To something that so far did not seem as life threatening or life altering as it sound. All Dumbledore had told him was that he had to leave with this Alecentra woman, learn magic under her guidance, and that he cannot return to Hogwarts to even finish out the rest of his schooling. Why was he even leaving when he saw no threat if he were to stay?

"Because Harry," Dumbledore answered, as if reading young Potter's mind. "Inside you feel its importance. You know that you must leave because you can feel it inside of you. That no matter how much we all want you to stay, including yourself, that you must go."

Harry sighed and closed his eyes. Unfortunately, every word that Dumbledore spoke of was true. That as vague as he was about him having to leave Hogwarts, inside Harry knew that he had to go.

"You must hurry, Harry. Remember, no one can know of your departure. Except that you have left and you will not return until years have passed."

Harry turned to Dumbledore, pain in his eyes. "What about Hermione and Ron? I can't even tell them good-bye?"

He watched the kindly old wizard bow his head, gesturing the answer that Harry dreaded. "I am sorry, Harry. They must not know either."

"They're going to hate me!" Harry exclaimed. "I'm not going to hurt the two most important people in the world to me! I need to at least say good-bye! Please, Professor. Please."

"Harry you mustn't. You can't. And, as painful as this will sound, you know that given the chance, you won't."

He narrowed his eyes, staring hard at his elder. "What do you mean by that? If I were given the chance, I would!"

"Not even knowing that saying good-bye to them will put them in danger?" Dumbledore asked mysteriously, causing a definite chill to fly through Harry's body.

"What?" He breathed, startled by Dumbledore's insinuation.

"What people don't know, Harry, can't hurt them." He replied, then paused before adding. "I shall await for you outside the door. Time is of the essence."

With that, Dumbledore disappeared behind the wooden door. Leaving Harry to ponder his words.

As Harry finished his packing, Dumbledore's words echoed deeply in his soul. *"What people don't know, Harry, can't hurt them."* What did he mean by that?

"Harry? Are you ready?"

A numbness spread through the young man as he took in what could be the last time he would ever see this room. He glanced over at Ron's bed pensively. "Bye, Ron." He whispered, "Take care of Hermione for me while I'm gone." Harry grabbed his backpack, leaving the rest of his belongings for the school's house-elves to tend for as Dumbledore instructed.

Dumbledore ushered Harry out, placing a fatherly hand on the small of his back. Taking one last regard, Harry bit his lip and exited the room.


~~~~**~~~~


"Hello, Harry."

He looked up at the woman named Alecentra and immediately both hated and respected her at the same time.

Her eyes, which were an unusual pair of blue and silver, gazed straight into his eyes, as if attempting to stare into his soul. Her raven hair, long and straight, seemed to glimmer by sunlight. She was of great beauty, which sent a chill through Harry, for image wise she defined perfection.

"Alecentra, right?" He challenged her eyes by trying to stare her down.

"Yes, that is my name. And you are Harold James Potter?" As if reading his mind, Alecentra returned the stare, hard and fierce. Only she added in a hint of amusement in her bluish-silver eyes.

"It's Harry. Not Harold." He fought back and stared harder as if whomever won this staring contest would win the other's utter respect. Harry would have had a complete lack of respect

If Alecentra had not lightened the mood and winked at him with laughing eyes.

"I'm not the wicked witch you may think me to be, Harry. You can trust me." She smiled warmly a him.

Though she had the apparent physicality and vitality of youth, her eyes revealed much more age and wisdom similar to match Professor Dumbledore.

"That's what worries me." He mumbled, scratching the back of his head as he somewhat softened up on her.

Alecentra glanced up at Dumbledore, "Albus," She acknowledged him with a comforting smile.

"Alecentra" He nodded. Glancing at Harry, then returned his gaze back Alecentra. "I trust that he is in good hands." He spoke, stating it more than questioning.

"Absolutely," She answered back, giving Harry a small smile. "Well, we must get going, Harry. You have much to learn with unfortunately little time to learn it."

"And much of those lessons, I'm guessing, can't be taught here at Hogwarts, huh?" He raised an eyebrow, yet learning another hint as to why he must mysteriously leave his home.

The twinkle in Alecentra's eyes seemed to have answered his question, for she just merely met his gaze and held it steady before breaking it to say farewell to Dumbledore.

"We shall see you again, Albus." She reached out and shook hands with Dumbledore.

"Yes I shall." He replied.

Alecentra glanced at Harry, winked, then with a flourish of her hand she magically apparated a muggle machine that Harry recognized as a car.

Inside the car, Harry noticed, were all his belongings nicely placed in the back.

It was an average car, yet there seemed to be a hint of magic sparkling around the four door blue vehicle.

"Harry, we must be leaving quickly." Alecentra smiled, hopping into the driver's side. "Come now you get shotgun, obviously." She laughed.

"Shotgun?" Dumbledore inquired, glancing at Harry.

"She means front seat next to the driver's side, Professor." Harry smiled.

"Ah yes" Dumbledore smiled down at his young student. Smiling a fatherly grin at him. "Harry it has been quite an honor to have had you attend Hogwarts. Though I do not truly want you to leave, I must say that I trust Alecentra will do a fine job helping you on that road to bigger and better things. I will miss you, dear boy. We all will."

"Professor I will see you again, won't I? It is possible for me to at least *visit* Hogwarts a few months from now, right?"

"That is not up to me to decide, Harry. But I will say that seeing you again would be quite a delight."

Harry went to Dumbledore, giving him a hug. "Thank you so much, Professor." Was all he could say, for fear that if he were to say more, he would lose his composure to leave.

Dumbledore returned the hug, then pulled away from the young wizard in training. "This is not good-bye, Harry. It is merely a see you later."

Nodding, "See you later, Professor Dumbledore." With that, Harry quickly jumped in next to Alecentra.

"You ready, Harry?" Alecentra started the car, surprisingly the engine did not start as noisily as a regular muggle vehicle would.

Harry turned around, taking one last view of the magical castle that was Hogwarts School. For a mere moment, he could have sworn that he saw his Hermione meeting eyes with him from one of the great windows, but only thought of it as him starting to miss her terribly. With a lump in his throat, and a stubbornness not to cry, he just faced forward and replied, "I'm ready."

Dumbledore watched as the vehicle start to race towards the trees of the Forbidden Forest. One whom had not known that the car was magically would have feared the machine to crash into the trees. And one whom had not known of the car's magic would have fainted in surprise as the car apparated and disappear quickly as it had appeared.

Albus Dumbledore just stared for a moment at the place where Alecentra and Harry disappeared. Then turned around and returned back to Hogwarts, preparing himself for a barrage of questions he knew that he was to face.