Sorry this chapter took so long! Knew what I was doing, it just did not want to be written. And I'm not putting in any romance because the main reason I decided to write it is that I want to create a different kind of relationship between Harry and Snape, so romance might just get in the way and take from that storyline. Sorry. Please keep reading! ::pops up with a pout and puppy dog eyes::
Oh, and the next chapter title is tentative. I know what it will consist of, but my title doesn't seem to exactly fit. Anyway, enjoy!!
Sirius arrived at the Dursley's residence late that evening with Lupin. Both were tired from the long trip, but Sirius was driven by the need to find Harry while Lupin was likewise driven by the need to keep the last of his friends alive.
Sirius, in dog form by both prudence and Lupin's insistence, began his weary search by sniffing around the yard. For some reason he could pick up a faint scent of the ocean and chalk in some places, but he dismissed this and continued sniffing until he came to spot near the center of the yard.
In the yard's center he found Harry's scent at its strongest along with a scent of extreme fear. Sirius sat down here and whined pitifully, thinking of what his godson had to have gone through that night.
"What did you find, Snuffles," Lupin asked, walking up behind him.
Sirius let out another high whine and pawed at the ground where Harry's smell was strongest.
"Why don't we try sniffing around inside," Lupin told him after a minute.
Sirius nodded and, with a last look back, trotted towards the front door. Lupin opened it with a quick spell and they stepped inside. As soon as the door had closed Sirius changed back into a human with a look of absolute sorrow.
"He was there, Remus," Sirius said in a broken voice. "He was terrified. I could smell it!"
Lupin nodded sadly, worried about how he friend was taking it.
"It'll be alright," he soothed, placing a hand on Sirius's shoulder.
Sirius shook off Lupin's hand, "No, it won't. What if he's -" Sirius broke off and took a deep, shuddering breath.
"He's not. We'll find him," Lupin said firmly.
Sirius nodded once, "I feel like I'm back in Azkaban."
Lupin remained silent for a moment, unsure how to answer that. Finally he decided to leave it be and start back into their search.
"Come on, Sirius. Change back, maybe your nose can find something the ministry teams missed," Lupin told him gently.
Sirius nodded and changed back. He sniffed every room, snuffling and whining for a moment when he'd reached Harry's. Lupin followed a pace behind, checking over everything for something the ministry had overlooked.
"Find anything, Padfoot," Lupin asked finally.
Sirius shook his shaggy head sadly.
"Let's try Arabella Figg's house. I read in the paper earlier that she was killed in the attack," Lupin suggested, moving toward the door.
Sirius looked surprised, but nevertheless nodded and they made their way to Arabella Figg's house.
Once there Sirius immediately started picking up a strange scent. He explored the house, ignoring Lupin's attempts to attract his attention. The scent was faint enough that he couldn't quite place it, but it didn't fit with the rest of the house. Then he placed it and discovered that it was actually two scents.
"Moony," Sirius exclaimed in excitement as he startled Lupin by suddenly changing back to human form. "The sea! I can smell the sea and an underlying scent of chalk!"
Lupin smiled at the light that suddenly blazed in Sirius's eyes, reminding him of when they were younger. It was nice seeing some sanity and hope return to his friend.
"So they're somewhere by the sea then," Lupin said thoughtfully.
"They must be," Sirius said excitedly. "Let's go! I've got to find him before it's too late."
"Wait," Lupin exclaimed, seeing that Sirius was about to transform again. "We don't know where they are still. Only that they're by the sea."
"That narrows it," Sirius told him impatiently.
"Sirius, we're on an island," Lupin reminded him in a flat voice.
Sirius looked surprised a moment and then his face fell as he realized the truth of Lupin's statement. He sighed sadly as he sank into a near-by chair.
"What was the other scent again," Lupin asked him.
"Chalk."
"Chalk," Lupin repeated, taking a seat himself. He thought of schoolrooms first, since Muggles seemed to love to use chalk for teaching their students, but that didn't fit the other scent. Unless the school was by the sea. By the sea...
"It's perfect," Lupin exclaimed, startling Sirius.
"Moony," Sirius asked surprised.
"The White Cliffs, Padfoot," Lupin told him. "They're made of chalk! And they overlook the English Channel!"
"Perfect," Sirius exclaimed with a grin.
Lupin stood just as Hedwig flew in the door that they had left partially open. Hedwig flew straight to Sirius and dropped a letter in his lap.
"What does it say," Lupin asked him as Hedwig hooted sadly and fluffed her feathers.
"It's from Dumbledore," Sirius told him. "He says that Snape's gone. Dumbledore thinks he's been captured by You-Know-Who, probably while trying to rescue Harry."
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Harry woke from his illness-enforced nap to find that it had not all been a dream. His most hated teacher had actually come to rescue him - and gotten caught himself. The light twinkling in looked about as it had before, so he figured he'd only been out a short while.
"Awake, finally, I see," Snape said in an annoyed tone of voice.
"What happened," Harry asked him, still fuzzy on the details.
"You were sick enough to pass out," Snape said angrily, once more struggling with his bonds. For a moment Harry got the idea that Snape was not angry with him, but he passed that off to delusions brought on by his illness.
"How..." Harry began to ask as he started struggling toward the blur that was his professor again, "l-long...was... I...out?"
"All day," Snape growled. "Stay still, Potter. Do you want to kill yourself?"
"All...day," Harry repeated, breathing hard. He stopped moving and looked toward the fuzzy light, "But...the light's...like...it was...before."
"It's sunset, Potter." Snape told him grouchily.
Harry sighed, gave up, and began attempting to move toward Snape again. He was almost there, if he could just turn his body now, he'd be able to reach Snape's bonds soon.
"I thought I told you to stay still, Potter," Snape growled in a voice that would have Harry diving for cover at any other time.
Harry stopped to pant a moment and let out a moan. He was not well. He knew he was extremely sick, but at least his churning stomach kept him from feeling the hunger that had plagued him for what seemed like forever.
"You...did," Harry finally breathed, feeling as though he would be sick at any moment.
Instead of continuing his answer, Harry decided to keep moving and he finally made it to his professor.
"Where...ties..." Harry asked him, wishing he were still with the Dursley's for what must have been the first time in his life.
"Potter," Snape sounded as though he would like nothing more than to strangle his young student, but he moved so that Harry's grasping hands could find his ties.
Once Harry had untied enough of the ties so that Snape could move again, Sanpe shot up muttering words of murder and torture. Unfortunately, Harry could no longer tell what they were or even if they were directed at him.
He was so tired and cold. Harry shivered and concentrated on keeping his stomach where God had meant for it to be. He groaned as Snape untied him and rolled him over.
Snape cursed as he felt Harry's burning skin, "Move, Potter. Unless you would prefer to stay here and slowly die."
"Sounds like a good idea..." Harry replied weakly.
Snape cursed again and lifted Harry in his arms.
"Professor," Harry called as a sudden wave of nausea overcame him, "I'm gonna be sick!"
"Not on me you're not, boy," Snape said in a surly tone as he hurried towards the entrance.
Once outside, Snape laid Harry down and helped him be sick into the sand. Harry thought Snape was being extremely nice, almost like a father, as he held him up and wiped his face afterwards.
"Thank you," Harry told him weakly.
"Maybe you'll pay attention in my class from now on, Potter," Snape told him as he gave him his glasses.
It was dark now, but Harry got to his feet with Snape's help. Leaning on Snape heavily, they began walking away again as Harry wondered what was going on for the first time since Snape had found him.
"Profes-," Harry began when a sudden blackness began to overtake him.
"Potter," Harry heard Snape yell as he felt himself slip down.
Harry hit the soft sand and wondered briefly at the look of concern on Snape's face as the darkness finally finalized its hold on him once again.
Next Chapter: The New Search
