Disclaimer: I don't own any of the characters.
Free.
Dumbledore arrived at the house within a few minutes. A few teachers had come with him, ready to start looking for the small child. Remus greeted them and let them in. Sirius was still in Harry's room, trying to sort through his thoughts. Fear gripped him tightly, making him unable to think straight. Dumbledore talked for a while with Remus and after the werewolf had told him all he knew about Harry's sudden disappearance, he sent the teachers to the forest to look for the boy. No one thought Harry would have gone to Hogsmeade because of his fear of being around many people.
Remus cast a concerned look toward the stairs. He could imagine what was going through his best friend's head. A warm hand on his shoulder steered him to the door. He looked up and saw Dumbledore smiling at him gently. "Go, Remus. No one knows the forest as good as you and Hagrid. Go, help them find Harry. I'll deal with Sirius."
The werewolf nodded and joined the teachers outside. They were planning a search strategy to cover as much ground as possible and find Harry quickly. Hagrid had already left to talk to his friends in the forest.
Dumbledore walked up the stairs and saw Sirius sitting in a chair, his head buried in his hands. The old headmaster walked to him and gently put a hand on his head. The man looked up a little startled and brushed away the tears that had appeared in his eyes. "Headmaster, I'm sorry. I hadn't heard you come in."
Dumbledore looked at him with a small smile. "That's alright, child. Don't worry, the teachers have started looking for him. With Hagrid and Remus searching, it will not take long to find him. Remember, he's smaller now, so he could not have gone that far." Sirius nodded and stood up. "I'm going to help." He looked a little hesitantly around. "Someone should stay."
Dumbledore nodded. "I will be waiting here for news. Go now."
Sirius joined the others outside. He was still very pale, but he had a determined glint in his eyes. Remus smiled, relieved when he saw him. It was nothing like the man he knew to break down like that. Finally after a little more discussion, the party broke apart in groups of two. Remus wanted to go with Sirius, but between his heightened senses and Sirius ability to turn into Padfoot they would work more effectively if they separated. In the end, Snape and Hagrid went together, much to their mutual chagrin. Remus went with Sprout, Sinistra and Flitwick paired up and finally Sirius began searching with McGonagall.
Sirius and the deputy headmistress walked silently together, each lost in thoughts. When they had walked for a while, Sirius turned into Padfoot and started to search for Harry's scent. He didn't find anything and started to walk in another direction, hoping he would find some clue about his godson's whereabouts. Suddenly, he heard little footsteps and looked at his right. He was a little surprised to see a small tabby cat walking at his side, but McGonagall would be able to follow him easier if she also was in her animagus form.
Harry walked for hours. He didn't really know where he was going, but it didn't mater either, as long as he went in a different direction from his house. After some time, he simply became too tired to go on and sat down to rest. He was near a clearing. The sun finally broke through the clouds. He was thinking about what he should do now. He knew that it was very likely he wouldn't survive the night. He didn't have his wand there and knew the forest well enough to know it was dangerous. Well, at least he wouldn't put anyone he loved in danger anymore. He stayed there for a while, not thinking about anything in particular, and felt himself growing sleepy. He crawled under some bushes and curled up on his side, safe from view.
He woke up quite suddenly a few hours later when someone picked him up. Startled, he looked up and saw that he was in the arms of a centaur. Looking a little more closely, he recognised him as Firenze, the centaur that had helped him a few years ago.
"Hello, Harry Potter."
In a soft voice he answered. "Hi, Firenze."
"You know the whole forest is looking for you. Hagrid came to tell us you had run from your house and were now in the forest. You are lucky I found you before some of those werewolves did. They could have killed you easily."
Harry shrugged. "That doesn't matter. I can't go back there."
The centaur frowned. "And why can you not, young one? Do they treat you badly?"
Harry shook his head fervently. "No, it's nothing like that. It's just… Voldemort will kill them if I stay there."
The centaur obviously understood the boy's dilemma. Firenze lifted Harry so that they were on eye level with one another, Harry's feet dangling far above the ground. "Listen, Harry Potter, it is not your decision. You cannot decide for them if they want to be with you or not. Everyone knows the Dark One wants to kill you. They know that being near you could put them in danger. But they do not care, they love you enough to not care. They want to be with you no matter what." Harry stayed silent and the centaur continued. "Young one, don't you think your godfather and his friend would be in danger even if you weren't with them? Sirius Black and Remus Lupin have always been in important positions in light magic. They are some of the strongest wizards supporting Dumbledore. They would be in danger even if you weren't related to them."
Harry thought about it for a while. Finally he had to admit Firenze was right, he hadn't thought about it. Seeing the understanding in the kid's eyes, the centaur hugged him closer to his chest. "Let me bring you to your loved ones."
Harry whimpered a little. "Sirius will be so angry."
Firenze nodded. "Most likely he will. But don't you deserve it? I heard he was nearly in hysterics this evening."
Harry nodded silently, with a tired sigh he closed his eyes while he felt Firenze start to gallop. He didn't want to think right now, he didn't want to face Sirius. Even if the man loved him very much, he was sure he would be punished for this one.
To be continued…
A/N: Thanks for all reviews. Thanks to my beta reader LAHoney. Another thing, people have been asking me from the beginning to mail the updates to them. I don't mind doing that at all, but now I'm starting to get confused in who wants which story. So could you help me out and tell me exactly for which story you want me to warn you? If it's Free, Dangers in the past or both. Thanks.
Free.
Dumbledore arrived at the house within a few minutes. A few teachers had come with him, ready to start looking for the small child. Remus greeted them and let them in. Sirius was still in Harry's room, trying to sort through his thoughts. Fear gripped him tightly, making him unable to think straight. Dumbledore talked for a while with Remus and after the werewolf had told him all he knew about Harry's sudden disappearance, he sent the teachers to the forest to look for the boy. No one thought Harry would have gone to Hogsmeade because of his fear of being around many people.
Remus cast a concerned look toward the stairs. He could imagine what was going through his best friend's head. A warm hand on his shoulder steered him to the door. He looked up and saw Dumbledore smiling at him gently. "Go, Remus. No one knows the forest as good as you and Hagrid. Go, help them find Harry. I'll deal with Sirius."
The werewolf nodded and joined the teachers outside. They were planning a search strategy to cover as much ground as possible and find Harry quickly. Hagrid had already left to talk to his friends in the forest.
Dumbledore walked up the stairs and saw Sirius sitting in a chair, his head buried in his hands. The old headmaster walked to him and gently put a hand on his head. The man looked up a little startled and brushed away the tears that had appeared in his eyes. "Headmaster, I'm sorry. I hadn't heard you come in."
Dumbledore looked at him with a small smile. "That's alright, child. Don't worry, the teachers have started looking for him. With Hagrid and Remus searching, it will not take long to find him. Remember, he's smaller now, so he could not have gone that far." Sirius nodded and stood up. "I'm going to help." He looked a little hesitantly around. "Someone should stay."
Dumbledore nodded. "I will be waiting here for news. Go now."
Sirius joined the others outside. He was still very pale, but he had a determined glint in his eyes. Remus smiled, relieved when he saw him. It was nothing like the man he knew to break down like that. Finally after a little more discussion, the party broke apart in groups of two. Remus wanted to go with Sirius, but between his heightened senses and Sirius ability to turn into Padfoot they would work more effectively if they separated. In the end, Snape and Hagrid went together, much to their mutual chagrin. Remus went with Sprout, Sinistra and Flitwick paired up and finally Sirius began searching with McGonagall.
Sirius and the deputy headmistress walked silently together, each lost in thoughts. When they had walked for a while, Sirius turned into Padfoot and started to search for Harry's scent. He didn't find anything and started to walk in another direction, hoping he would find some clue about his godson's whereabouts. Suddenly, he heard little footsteps and looked at his right. He was a little surprised to see a small tabby cat walking at his side, but McGonagall would be able to follow him easier if she also was in her animagus form.
Harry walked for hours. He didn't really know where he was going, but it didn't mater either, as long as he went in a different direction from his house. After some time, he simply became too tired to go on and sat down to rest. He was near a clearing. The sun finally broke through the clouds. He was thinking about what he should do now. He knew that it was very likely he wouldn't survive the night. He didn't have his wand there and knew the forest well enough to know it was dangerous. Well, at least he wouldn't put anyone he loved in danger anymore. He stayed there for a while, not thinking about anything in particular, and felt himself growing sleepy. He crawled under some bushes and curled up on his side, safe from view.
He woke up quite suddenly a few hours later when someone picked him up. Startled, he looked up and saw that he was in the arms of a centaur. Looking a little more closely, he recognised him as Firenze, the centaur that had helped him a few years ago.
"Hello, Harry Potter."
In a soft voice he answered. "Hi, Firenze."
"You know the whole forest is looking for you. Hagrid came to tell us you had run from your house and were now in the forest. You are lucky I found you before some of those werewolves did. They could have killed you easily."
Harry shrugged. "That doesn't matter. I can't go back there."
The centaur frowned. "And why can you not, young one? Do they treat you badly?"
Harry shook his head fervently. "No, it's nothing like that. It's just… Voldemort will kill them if I stay there."
The centaur obviously understood the boy's dilemma. Firenze lifted Harry so that they were on eye level with one another, Harry's feet dangling far above the ground. "Listen, Harry Potter, it is not your decision. You cannot decide for them if they want to be with you or not. Everyone knows the Dark One wants to kill you. They know that being near you could put them in danger. But they do not care, they love you enough to not care. They want to be with you no matter what." Harry stayed silent and the centaur continued. "Young one, don't you think your godfather and his friend would be in danger even if you weren't with them? Sirius Black and Remus Lupin have always been in important positions in light magic. They are some of the strongest wizards supporting Dumbledore. They would be in danger even if you weren't related to them."
Harry thought about it for a while. Finally he had to admit Firenze was right, he hadn't thought about it. Seeing the understanding in the kid's eyes, the centaur hugged him closer to his chest. "Let me bring you to your loved ones."
Harry whimpered a little. "Sirius will be so angry."
Firenze nodded. "Most likely he will. But don't you deserve it? I heard he was nearly in hysterics this evening."
Harry nodded silently, with a tired sigh he closed his eyes while he felt Firenze start to gallop. He didn't want to think right now, he didn't want to face Sirius. Even if the man loved him very much, he was sure he would be punished for this one.
To be continued…
A/N: Thanks for all reviews. Thanks to my beta reader LAHoney. Another thing, people have been asking me from the beginning to mail the updates to them. I don't mind doing that at all, but now I'm starting to get confused in who wants which story. So could you help me out and tell me exactly for which story you want me to warn you? If it's Free, Dangers in the past or both. Thanks.