"What?" Hermione asked. "What do you mean it's all he ever says to you?"

"When does he say this to you?" Ron asked

"Since when have you ever spoken to Malfoy?" Liz said. "You told me that you've never met him. He even said that he hadn't seen you since you were a little boy…"

"Calm down," James said looking around the table in disbelief. "I didn't know that this would be such a big deal. I mean if I didn't know any better I would think that you all were purposely trying to keep me away from him."

"You're bloody right we are!" Ron said looking from James to Harry. "I mean with all this business of him wanting to help you…I mean…"

"I don't pay it any attention," James said. "I usually just ignore the owls and what not."

"Owls?" Liz asked.

"Well," James said. "It started sometime last year. Right before 5th year when we were in Diagon Alley. You remember?"

"Yes," Liz said nodding. "But I still don't see what that has to do with owls."

"You went off to some shop," James said. "I went into Quality Quidditch Supplies when this guy came up to me and asked if I was James Potter."

"You didn't say you were?" Harry asked.

"I didn't know that I was in hiding," James said sounding a little taken aback. "I just looked at him and asked who was asking."

"And?" Hermione said.

"He said something about an old friend," James said. "I didn't believe him really so I just tried to ignore him. Strange bloke really. Dressed from head to toe in black, and even his hair and eyes were black. Rather odd. Anyway, I tried to ignore him, but he just kept following me. He was asking questions about where I was living and what not. He was really nosey as hell…"

"James said a bad word," Aiden said suddenly.

"Shut up Aiden," Hermione, Ron, Harry, and Liz all said in unison.

"What does it matter," James said shrugging. "I mean they just ask a bunch of questions and then leave me be. I never knew they had a connection with the ministry until I got an owl at school one day. The Minister of Magic would love to make your acquaintance upon his visit to Hogwarts…blah blah…a bunch of rubbish."

"And you went to meet him?" Hermione asked with nervousness in her voice.

"No," James said stiffly. "Why would I want to meet him? I mean after all the things you've ever said about him and what dad used to say. I had no desire."

"I can't believe…" Ron said. "Did McGonagall know about this?"

"No," James said still a bit taken aback. "I really didn't think it was anything to worry about. I mean the letters were almost always the same. First they were very formal, like 'from the desk of the Minister of Magic,' and then suddenly they were from him personally. Those were the ones that said things about him being able to help me to become great. I just thought it was because I was head of my class. You know like a honor thing that the Minister takes and interest in you because you're clever…"

"Malfoy really could careless about you intellect," Hermione said. "It's your last name he's after…"

"What?" James said slowly. "What does that have to do with…"

"James," Harry said. "Would today have been the first time you came face to face with Malfoy?"

"Yes," James said.

Harry shook his head. "Haven't you ever thought about the connection between Malfoy and your father's…I mean, my disappearance?"

"I've thought about a lot of possible scenarios," James said looking at Harry strangely. "More than anyone out there I'm sure."

"But don't you think that Malfoy is a strong candidate?" Harry asked.

"Should he be?" James asked. Harry could tell instantly that James had been sheltered from a lot of information throughout the past six years. Either that or he knew so much that he just chose not to believe it.

"Of course he should be," Harry said looking at Ron and Hermione. "Don't you all talk about this with him."

Ron and Hermione both seemed a little hesitant to answer that question. Almost as if they knew that they were slightly at fault for not talking about this with James, and for making it a purpose to shield her from Malfoy.

"Oh dear god," Harry said standing up. "James, today at the station, he said, and I quote, 'You'll end up just like him. Alone and pleading just like him."

"Him meaning?" James asked. Harry knew by the look in James's eyes that he knew the answer to that question. He just didn't want to believe it.

"Me," Harry said sympathetically.

"He said that?" Liz asked as James suddenly started staring at the floor. "He actually said that?"

"Yes," Harry said. "Now if that isn't a red flag I don't know what is. Now James, I don't mean to say that it's affirmative or anything, but it's definitely something to think about…"

"Excuse me," James said standing up and walking away from the table. Harry watched as he quickly disappeared up the stairs.

"I can't believe he never told me," Liz said quietly. "Never even mentioned it. He tells me everything."

"Liz," Hermione said. "Right now really isn't the time to get on him because he neglected to tell you something."

"That's a pretty important something," Ron said. "Something that he should have told us."

"Why would he have had a second thought," Hermione said looking at Ron. "Harry was right when he said that we never talk about it with him. I mean he didn't know that we didn't want him messing about with Malfoy."

"May I be excused?" Liz asked.

"No," Ron said. "Finish your dinner."

"I'm not hungry," Liz said. "Plus, I want to go and see…"

"Leave James alone right now," Hermione said. "You can go and talk to him in a minute."

"Fine," Liz said crossing her arms and leaning back in a slight huff.

"Does that mean," Conner began. "That the man from the newspaper is the reason that James's dad is missing?"

"We don't know," Ron said. "If we knew the man who was responsible for Harry's disappearance this would have all been over several years ago."

"I'm going to go talk to him," Liz said jumping up impatiently.

"I'm coming," Harry said standing up. "I'm damned and determined to make things better before I go back to my time. I'm going to figure out what happened to me."

Liz just nodded as the both walked upstairs and knocked on James's door.

"James?" Liz asked. "Can we come in?" There was no answer.

"James?" Liz asked as she opened his door. The room was dark and empty. James was no where to be found.

"Where did he go?" Harry asked.

"Out," Liz said walking over to his window and pulling the curtain back to show that the window was open. "He does this from time to time."

"What?" Harry said walking over and looking out the window and seeing that they were at least fifteen feet of the ground. "He jumps?"

"Well," Liz said looking out into the sky. "He is a wizard, Harry."

"When will he be back?" Harry asked.

"I don't know," Liz said sitting down on James's bed. "He was doing so well lately. I mean he used to have these depressive moments that were just so heartbreaking. Lately he was nothing but smiles and laughs."

Harry just looked around the room. His eyes landed on the notebook that he had seen from his first day here. He walked over and picked it up and came and sat down next to Liz.

"What are you doing with that?" Liz asked.

Harry didn't answer her, instead he just opened the book up and pulled out an article. The headline read, "THE BOY WHO LIVED: MISSING." He began to read.

"THE BOY WHO LIVED: MISSING" -Algium Creekson; DP Daily Correspondent

LONDON- Harry Potter has spent most of his life in the public eye as the "Boy Who Lived." He has saved the day on countless occasions throughout his entire life, and his run ins with the former Dark Lord were not limited to just that fateful October 31st night. Beside being a hero, everyone felt that they knew Harry Potter. He was the valiant soldier and a fighter for the rights of the common people. He was very public with his views towards the Ministry and anything having to do with what he stood for. However, as public as he was with his political ideals and occupational lectures, he was also kept an extremely tight lipped private life, and an even tighter lip on anything having to do with his son, 10 year old James.

The public was shocked, yet pleased to find out that Harry had had a son, yet Harry shielded his son from the lime light at all costs. In an interview conducted several years ago, Harry was quoted as saying, "If you have anything to ask me about my views on the Ministry's actions towards the treatment of war prisoners, then feel free to ask. However, any questions about my son or who his mother is, then you might as well not ask, because they will not be answered."

With the unfortunate and recent disappearance of Harry Potter, many witches and wizards are thought to be asking about what has happened to the young Potter, who as of next year will be starting Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. "James is in good hands," said a spokesman. "He is being taken care of, yet his whereabouts are not going to be disclosed for safety reasons." What about James Potter though? How is this little boy handling this horrific situation and what are those he cares about telling him concerning the whereabouts of his father?

The mysterious circumstances surrounding this disappearance has got the entire wizarding world on the lookout for the famous face. "This is a terrible situation," Minister of Magic Draco Malfoy, and one of Harry Potter political advisories said at a recent press conference. "However, I have full confidence in a successful recovery of Mr. Potter and have no reason to doubt otherwise. In the meantime, I myself believe everyone should keep their eyes and ears open.

For any information on the whereabouts of Harry Potter, please contact the Ministry of Magic.

"Bloody hell," Harry said reading the article. "Malfoy is full of crap."

"Oh his quotes get better," Liz said smugly. "You should read the one about James's life. They do an update on it every two years. Which means that they'll probably be knocking around any time now."

"I'm going to go and look for him," Harry said standing up.

"You'll never find him," Liz said. "None of us has ever been able to find him. He just goes off and comes back after a few hours."

"Yeah," Harry said absently. "Well, apparently I'm pretty good at going and getting lost. So maybe I'll get lucky." Harry turned and walked downstairs.

"How is he?" Hermione asked as she was clearing the table.

"He's left," Harry said. "I'm going to go and find him."

"Oh Harry," Hermione said very startled at hearing he was gone… "London is so big…"

"I don't care," Harry said not paying attention.

"Well, take Liz with you," Hermione said as Liz came down the stairs. "If you don't find James she can help you find your way back."

"Yeah all right," Harry glancing at Liz. "You want to come?"

"Yes," Liz said nodding.

"All right," Harry said. "Come on lets go look."

"I'll go get my umbrella," Liz said turning. "It looks like rain."

"Hermione," Harry said turning to her once Liz had gone upstairs. "I need you to take of work tomorrow."

"Why?" Hermione asked. Harry noticed that there was a complete expression of nervousness on her face that was extremely uncommon in Hermione.

"We're going to do some research," Harry said. "And we're going to visit Malfoy."

Hermione just stood there and stared. Harry knew Hermione too well to know that she was fine. There was something on her mind.

"Hermione what the matter?" Harry asked. "There's something you're not telling me."

"What?" Hermione said startled. "I don't know…I mean I don't…Oh Harry…"

"Hermione what is it?" Harry said taking a step closer to her. "You can tell me."

"It's just…" Hermione said. "I didn't know that James was getting letters for the past year. I should have known…"

"Its not a big deal," Harry said calmly. "We'll figure it all tomorrow, or at we'll try as hard as we can."

"No you don't understand," Hermione said. "The letters…"

"You can't blame yourself for it," Harry said. "I mean you told me that James didn't know any better…"

"No Harry ," Hermione said breathing deeply. "It's just…I mean it made me remember something that I had never remembered before…it had never clicked and I'm kicking myself for not remembering it sooner."

"What?" Harry asked.

"Harry," Hermione said near tears. "I don't know how long exactly it was before you had gone missing when you told me this, but it couldn't have been more than a year. You had said that some strange man had come up to you and asked you a whole bunch of odd questions one day when you were in Diagon Alley one day…You hadn't paid it much attention because people are constantly doing that, but something was off about this one."

"And?" Harry asked.

"Then you told me you kept getting letters…" Hermione said. "Mysterious letters…"

"From Malfoy?" Harry asked.

"No," Hermione said a little upset. "You didn't know who they were from. They weren't threatening or anything. Just mysterious and odd, saying things like, 'we can make you more powerful.' You started to just throw them out and not even read them. I don't know if there's any connection, Harry, but…" She held back tears. "Then you went missing…."

"Oh god," Harry said. "And now you think that James…"

"I don't know what'd I'd do it he went missing, Harry," Hermione said as a tear ran down her cheek. "I still can't handle the fact that you did, If he did…"

"Hermione," Harry said coming over and hugging her. "Don't worry. We'll figure this out." In Harry's head though he had just heard something that made his stomach do flip flops. Who were these people and what did they want? "Tomorrow we'll get answers…even if it kills me."

Hermione started sobbing. "Harry," she said between tears. "That's what I'm afraid of…"