Chapter Six
Ron kissed his sleeping wife on the forehead and picked up his son who was also sleeping and put him in a cradle. The nurses would be by to pick him up in a bit. Closing the door softly behind him, he made his way back to the waiting room. When he got near the elevator, he saw a large group of security guards coming out of the waiting room his family was in. His interest and worry piqued, he picked up his pace, still not able to wipe the smile off his face that had been plastered on his face since he found out that James Newark was actually his best friend, Harry Potter.
When he opened the door and saw what was inside, his smile was finally wiped from his face. Ginny sat crying in Charlie's arms, his mum had her face buried in her hands and she too was crying. His father was staring at a wall while absentmindedly rubbing his wife's back. His in-laws looked lost, like they didn't know what to think. Fred and George looked uncharacteristically serious and sombre. Angelina just the same. Everybody looked up as Ron walked in.
"What...what's going on?" On closer inspection, he noticed someone was missing. "Where's Harry?" Nobody seemed able to answer. "Where's Harry?" he asked again except he almost yelled it. George answered after a pause,
"Ron, we don't know."
"What, so he's left us again?" He was letting his anger take over him. He promised Hermione that he was just coming to the waiting room. He lied to her face. He lied to me. His face was turning red and his eyes were bulging out of his head.
"Calm down. He hasn't left us voluntarily, Ron."
"George, what are you on about?"
George let his anger and frustration out on him then.
"Stop being so thick! He's been taken! Kidnapped. We don't know where he is or who took him."
"Nice joke George. Harry doesn't get kidnapped. Harry leaves on his own accord and frankly I'm getting sick of it."
"Stop! Ron, we saw it happen. He. Was. Kidnapped." Ron looked all around and after a few moments believed it. A sadness swept over him. He lost his best friend again. The sadness was quickly replaced by anger and resentment towards his family.
"You saw it happen and you didn't do anything to stop it?" Mr. Weasley got up and took his son firmly by the shoulders.
"There was nothing we could do. It all happened so fast. For Harry's sake, you have got to calm down. Getting angry won't help anybody get back home." Ron sank into a chair by the door.
"What happened?" he asked wearily.
"He got up to quiet the press down that was outside the door and was just yelling to the nurse probably to get security, but he never finished because a flash went off in his face. Ginny says she saw some sort of mist come out of the camera. The next second, Harry started to collapse but before he hit the floor, someone, who we can only assume had an invisibility cloak or an invisibility charm on him or her, grabbed Harry and took off down the stairs. I chased Harry's floating body down the stairs but the person either apparated with him or put an invisibility charm on him because he disappeared." Ron ran a hand through his hair.
"Just when he comes back. How did the person even know where he was? This is going to take forever to get him back."
"Ron, I'm sure you're forgetting that Harry is a very powerful wizard. He'll come out of where ever he is before we even get the chance to start looking."
"So what, dad. You're suggesting that I don't even look for him? That's something I can't even consider. I'm not going to lose my best friend again."
"I never said that, I just said that it won't take long to get him back. You'll have a lot of help, aurors, Sirius, Remus, me. And I'm sure that there will be even more than that."
"Yeah the whole Chudley Cannons team I'm sure." Ron muttered under his breath.
"What was that Ron?"
"Oh nothing."
~*~*~*~
Harry slowly regained consciousness and turned his head to the side. He groaned loudly in pain. It felt like someone hit him over the head with a hammer a couple hundred times. Harry racked his brain to try to remember why he was in so much pain. Then he remembered the bright flash and the mist. Someone yelling his name...what happened after that?
He opened his eyes and saw sunlight filtering through a window to his left. The room was still altogether dark but from what he could see, the room was empty except for the cot that he was lying on and a little bedside table. He could just make out the outline of his glasses. Putting them on, everything came into focus.
"See if Potter is up yet and if he is; give him this. If he gives you any lip, don't hesitate to remind him of who's in charge here." A harsh voice came from just outside the door followed by another deep one.
"Yes sir." The door opened a minute later and a cloaked figure came in. Harry couldn't see the man's face because it was hooded and when the faint sunlight hit him, he had a mask on underneath.
"Where am I?" Harry asked.
"Here's your food." Harry looked and saw a piece of bread, cheese and a glass of water.
"Oh well thanks for making sure I get enough."
"You're lucky you're getting anything at all Potter."
"Why don't you bastards spare both of us the time and kill me right now? You wouldn't have to give up this comfy little cot or all this food."
"I'd be only to happy to kill you but unfortunately I have to settle with torturing you. Although, it should be quite fun. Crucio!" Harry's screams reverberated off the walls as his body twitched with pain. The curse was finally lifted off of him.
"Maybe that'll teach you to hold your tongue. Don't forget, you're the one without the wand." The man walked out of the room with a sharp snap of the door. No wand was the only though going through his mind. His mind was hazy from the after effects of the Cruciatus curse. After a good quarter of an hour his mind cleared and he was able to think clearly. I don't need a wand. They don't know that. He shot up to a sitting position making his head spin. With great effort, he took away his headache and the rest of the pain with a wave of his hand His stomach gave a great jolt of hunger. Looking down at the ground, he saw the plate with its meagre contents and the glass of water. He transfigured the food into a shepherds pie and turned the water into pumpkin juice. He conjured and fork and began eating happily. Whoever knew you could feel so good while being kept prisoner?
After eating, he banished the fork and lay down on his bed and tried to work out a plan. He still had his powers but who knows what lay behind that door. While pondering this, he reached up and scratched his head and something fell down his wrist. After pulling up his sleeve, he found his watch. Not being very thorough are they? They didn't waste any time last time they captured me to take anything useful off. Must be lost without Voldemort. He chuckled softly at the thought. The watch could come in a little handy. It was just a Muggle watch that had the day, date and time on it. Although Harry wasn't exactly sure how he felt about this. He'd either be counting down to his death or his escape. Hopefully the latter.
The watch currently said that it was Sunday the 10th. Seven PM. He'd been unconscious for two nights now. At least he thought so. He was pretty sure that Hermione had gone into labour on the 8th but it was blending together. He could have been gone a month already and not known it. His thoughts were broken by another hooded figure coming in through the door. Without preamble he bellowed, "Crucio!"
~*~*~*~
"You've got to be kidding me James!" yelled Ginny exasperated. It had been a week since Harry's second disappearance. Ginny was on her 10th check of her boyfriends house since Harry disappeared. But he hadn't shown up. She asked the Cannons and they said that he had some family matters in America. Nice way to break up with someone. she had thought at the time. She somehow thought the Cannons were just covering up for him. Why would they want to cover up his ass when he wants to break up with his girlfriend? It made no sense at all. She had spotted his bodyguards the day before and followed them until she was sure James wasn't with them. Thoroughly exasperated and worried, Ginny decided to go and talk with Hermione.
~*~*~*~
Hermione laid her sleeping baby in the crib and went to the kitchen to read the Evening Prophet. Every day since Harry's disappearance, there had been an article on him. His mysterious disappearance five years ago. His re-entry into the wizarding world without anyone knowing, His kidnapping. They were even desperate enough to do life stories on Hermione, Ron and Sirius.
Tonight was a short article on James Newark.
Where is James Newark?
It was brought to my attention a couple hours after Harry Potter's disappearance that James Newark was also gone. Is it in fact, as the spokesperson for the Chudley Cannons say, just a family matter in America that he is attending to?
I hardly think so.
Standing outside St. Mungo's late Friday night, waiting to get a few words with the talented Quidditch player; he came running outside flanked by his bodyguards. They quickly disapparated. Twenty minutes later, Harry Potter apparated to the hospital and ran inside.
The two men do have a striking resemblance. I suspect that they are related some how and James is out looking for The Boy Who Lived. These two men are connected but only time will tell.
"Connected more than you know."
"What's that Hermione?" Hermione jumped.
'Oh Ginny! You gave me a fright! Nothing just talking to myself how ridiculous this new article is."
"Oh yeah, I read that earlier before I went to James's house again. You know it's bad enough to lose Harry again but now to lose James. You would think he'd get in touch with me if it really was just a family problem. I'm getting really worried."
"I'm sure James is fine. Just...just wait it out. I'm sure he's got a logical explanation." Hermione had gotten up from the kitchen table and went and stood in front of the kitchen window.
"Do you want tea or coffee?"
"Tea would be good I suppose. Is Ron still out looking for Harry?"
"Yeah, he's been gone since three this morning."
"Great wizards! It's almost ten!"
"I know. He's going to be overworked, overtired and crabby when he comes home. I'm hoping I'll be asleep before that."
"What possessed him to leave that early?"
"Well, we were woken up by Harry Jr. and he couldn't fall asleep again so he just left; said he'd be back tonight." She poured two cups of tea and handed one to Ginny.
Feeling restless she walked back over to the window.
"I'm getting really worried about him. He didn't take Harry's first disappearance good at all and he's not taking this one any better. Worse in fact. Its...getting really hard to put on a strong face for him. Who's to say we'll even find Harry this time? He's probably dead already; if you think about it. The last time he was kidnapped, it was for only two days and when he was found, it took him a good month to recover. He would have died if they wouldn't have found him when they did." she fell silent.
"You're jumping to the worst possible conclusions. I'd say you're not doing any better than Ron here. This is the same reaction you have every time he disappears." she stopped talking abruptly when a thought hit her. "Hermione, what if they did know each other? I mean it makes sense. Harry told us that he lived in New York City near the World Trade Centre where there are some wizarding shops and homes. And James told me that he grew up in New York City near the WTC. The timing is perfect, granted James did move to Los Angeles but they could have met and become good friends or something."
"Oh Ginny, don't be silly. Of course they didn't know each other. You told him about James didn't you?"
"Yes."
"And Harry didn't say anything about knowing James, did he? No. I thought not. If he did, he would have said something."
"I suppose you're probably right." They fell silent and Hermione turned her gaze from Ginny back out the window. Orange light from the street from the other side of the house filtered lightly into the tree filled back yard. Two figures appeared by a large tree and one started staggering towards the house. The second person immediately disapparated while the other person kept falling and struggled to his/her feet again.
"Who in the world? That better not be Ron drunk. Ginny, come look quick. Someone just apparated into our apparition area."
"Is it Ron?" Ginny asked, getting up.
"I don't know, there's not much light out there and plus there's too much light in here to see out properly. Whoever he is, he's planning on coming into the house. I really don't think its Ron. Wand out hon'. Better follow me." They walked quietly to the back door. They both jumped when they heard a thump on the door. Wand raised, Hermione turned the handle and pulled the door open. She jumped back and screamed as a body rolled down by her feet. Ginny started taking deep calming breaths.
"Hermione...who...who is that? He isn't dead is he?"
"I don't know, oh I wish Ron were here." Hermione replied clutching her chest. She knelt down next to the person who had rolled onto his stomach when Hermione had opened the door. She checked for a pulse. "Shit, he's alive." Very gingerly she rolled him over and took in a bloody face that wasn't even distinguishable.
"Mobilicorpus." Hermione muttered. The body was held up as if by invisible strings. "Ginny, go get some towels and my medi-potion kit. Whoever this is, needs some medical attention. I'll take him up to a guest room" Ginny rushed to the bathroom while Hermione guided the unconscious body to the second floor guest room.
After laying him on the bed, she lit some lamps and a fire in the small fireplace so that there was a warm glow to the small room. A minute later, Ginny ran into the room carrying a load of old towels and a large black kit floating behind her.
"Can you put warm water on a couple of those?" Hermione took a bundle of five towels from her and sat on the bed next to the man. She wiped the blood off his face. But there was still dried blood that needed to be washed off. The man's eyes were swollen and Hermione couldn't see how he could have even seen when he was conscious. His bottom lip was cracked open and bleeding. It was also swollen. Ginny handed her a warm wet towel and Hermione washed off the dried blood. His skin was slowly becoming normal colour, save the bruises all over his face.
"We've got to get his robes off. They're filthy and I have to see if he's got any injuries other than his face. Hold him up and I'll take them off." Ginny muttered, 'mobilicorpus' and Hermione gingerly took off his clothing leaving him with his boxers. His chest was covered in bruises and his ribs were in an unusual shape. She muttered a few spells to heal the ribs as best she could until he was able to take a potion for them.
"Hermione!" Ron's voice called from downstairs.
"Ginny, go tell him to be quiet. Harry's asleep and I don't need him waking up right now." Ginny left the room. Hermione turned back to the man and fixed his bleeding swollen lip and then made the swelling go down in his eyes. She gasped loudly and jumped up. She ran out of the room and crashed into Ron.
"Ron! I....Harry."
"I know, I'm sorry. I won't yell anymore."
"No! Harry! I found Harry!"
"What? Where?" Hermione grabbed his arm and pulled him into the room she had just run from. He sighed in relief.
"I don't understand. You found him like that? He's naked."
"He's not, he's got boxers on. And no, you prat. He came here and I didn't recognise him until I fixed his eyes. They were swollen shut."
"Doesn't he have that fake scar on though? He did that night he was taken."
"No, it's gone. We should put it back on so Ginny doesn't see he doesn't have one. She can't know he's James. Harry wanted to tell her himself. Do you know how to put it on?"
"Yeah, his bodyguard Greg told me how to the other day. I'll do it now."
"No, don't bother." Ron and Hermione turned around and saw Ginny standing in the doorway with tears running down her face.
"Oh Ginny. I'm so sorry you had to find out like this."
"When was he planning on telling me?" she asked, her voice noticeably shaking.
"I don't know. He wasn't even planning on telling us. I figured it out and then Ron unknowingly made him feel bad so he told him who he really was." Ginny walked over to Harry and sat next to him and held his hand. Tears fell down onto his bruised chest.
"Then I've been falling in love with Harry all over again this whole time." She let out a dry laugh. "I'm not meant to love anyone else. Even if the feelings are never returned."
"Ginny." Ron started in a gentle voice. "He has been returning those feelings. He told me last Friday that he was falling love with you."
"He said that?" she asked in a strangled voice.
"Yes, and he was so worried that you wouldn't forgive him for not telling you the truth about who he is."
"How could I not forgive him. I couldn't stay mad at him. Not since I've been in love with him since I was ten years old....will he be all right Hermione?"
"As far as I can tell by just looking at him. He'll be fine, I'm sure. I'll just take away his bruises now." She waved her wand over his numerous bruises and then looked at Ron and motioned with her eyes that they should leave.
"But..." Ron protested.
"Oh Ron. He's unconscious. What good will it do you to be in here? You'll see him when he wakes up." They closed the door behind them as Ginny extinguished the lamps. She pulled the blankets over them and laid in the space between his arm and chest. She laid her head on his bare chest and draped her arm over it. The flickering light from the fire danced across his handsome face. Ginny stretched up and lightly kissed his slightly parted lips. Laying back down, she closed her eyes and immediately fell asleep.
~*~*~*~
Harry woke up to pale sunshine coming through a window. There were light yellow curtains hanging over the window making the room brighter than it would have been without them. His mind became confused. He had no idea where he was or how he'd gotten there. He heard and felt someone sigh next to him. That's when he noticed the warmth on his left side and the slight weight on his chest.
Looking down, he tried to discern who the person was. Everything was blurry but he could make out red hair laying all over him. Ginny? He reached down to see if he had something on and found boxer shorts. She's dressed. We didn't have sex. What the hell is going on? He slid out from under her and sat up. What he decided were probably his robes, he picked them up and rummaged through his pockets and found what he was looking for. He set his glasses on his face and found them cracked. With a quick wave of his hand they were back to normal.
The girl was indeed Ginny but how he'd gotten there, he had no idea. The last thing in his memory was the man in the hooded cloak putting him under the Cruciatus Curse. It was Sunday on that day. And its....Saturday the 16th? "Great wizards." Harry got up from the bed and walked to the door holding his ribs. He tried racking his brain to try to remember why they hurt so bad but nothing came to him. He stuck his head cautiously out the door and looked both ways. It seemed to be safe. It was only 6:30 AM so nobody would be up.
Where ever he was.
Soft sunlight was filling the hallway as Harry stepped out. He realised that he really needed to use the bathroom. There were only five doors in the hallway he was in. Two of which were closed and one he had just come out of. The first room he tried was luckily the bathroom. He closed and locked the door quietly behind himself.
While washing his hands, he caught his reflection. There was dried blood in his hair and on his face and on his neck a bit. He decided to take a shower. If Ginny was here then he had to be safe. Five minutes later hot water was pounding on his face and hair. Blood swirled down the drain as he scrubbed his head fiercely with shampoo. After he towelled himself off, he stepped back into his boxer shorts and walked back into the room with Ginny.
Ginny slept peacefully with a smile on her face. He pulled a chair next to the bed and held her hand. Sleep started to come again so he climbed into bed and wrapped his arms around her and fell asleep.
~*~*~*~
Ginny woke to find herself completely wrapped in Harry's arms. She inhaled deeply and took in his fresh scent. She rolled over in his arms so she could face him and kissed his chest, sending a shiver through his body while he slept. She reached up and ran a hand through his thick damp hair. Quite unexpectedly, she was flipped onto her back and she was staring into Harry's grinning face.
"You just took a couple years off my life with that move." she tried to stay serious but couldn't help but smile back at him. He ran a delicate finger down the side of her cheek before closing the gap and kissing her softly. He deepened the kiss and then kissed his way to her earlobe and nibbled on it.
"Oh Harry." Harry shot up and stared at her wide eyed.
"What?" Ginny asked.
"You...you know I'm Harry?"
"Well, of course. Who else would you be?"
"But then why are you kissing me? Don't you have a boyfriend?"
"Harry, drop the act. I know you're really James. I overheard Ron and Hermione talking about it last night."
"And....you're not angry with me for not telling you?"
"I tried to be at first. But I just couldn't I can't stay mad at you. And plus I should have guessed. I did have a feeling about you but I just ignored it." Harry smiled.
"You're wonderful, Virginia Weasley."
"I know." she replied smugly.
"I'm really sorry for not telling you."
"Don't be. I already completely forgave you so don't let me hear you apologise about it anymore." Harry laughed.
"Did I tell you how wonderful you are?"
"Yes maybe once."
"You are." He kissed her again and looked her in the eye while playing with her hair. "Did I also tell you how much I love you?" Ginny's breath caught in her throat.
"No, I don't believe you have." she said rather croakily.
"I love you so much it hurts. I love every part of you. Your eyes..." he kissed both her eyes, "your nose..." kissed her nose, "your heart..." he pushed aside her robes to reveal a blue V-neck shirt. He pushed the neck line over and kissed her right over her heart. "I...love...you." Between every word he kissed her on the lips. He then looked into her eyes and noticed tears running out of them. He gently wiped them away. Ginny took a deep shuddering breath.
"Harry, I..." she was unable to speak anymore because she had dissolved into tears." Harry smiled at her. "Ha....Harry..."
"I know. I know. You don't have to say it. I already know." They kissed again until Ginny couldn't take it anymore and just cried into Harry's chest.
"I...love...you, so....much." Harry held her until her crying stopped. The tears were replaced by hiccups.
"Let's go get you some water." she nodded and smiled at him. They walked out with their arms wrapped around each other and went to the kitchen. They sat at the kitchen table together and Harry took in his surroundings.
"Gin, where are we?"
"You've never been here before?"
"No."
"This is Ron and Hermione's house."
"Oh...er-how did I get here?" Ginny nearly dropped her glass of water.
"You don't even remember?"
"No the last day I remember anything from is Sunday. The whole time I was where ever I was, I was only conscious for a couple hours that day." Ginny looked how Harry felt. Confused.
"So....you don't have any idea what happened between that time and the time you woke up this morning?"
"No. It's a complete blank." Ginny stared down at the table, tracing invisible patterns with her finger. Quite suddenly, Harry felt a searing burn on his inner left wrist. Slowly he turned it up and immediately felt nausea creeping up on him. He spotted a bathroom at the end of a hallway that was off of the kitchen and ran for it. He made it just in time to be sick in the toilet. A hand started rubbing his back in slow circles. Harry wiped his mouth and flushed the toilet.
Ginny turned his head toward her and pointed her wand at his mouth. His mouth tasted fresh like toothpaste.
"Blow your breath on me." He complied and she smiled. "Good. I'll go get some anti-nausea for you to take and some water." She returned a couple minutes later with a vile of thick pink liquid and a glass of water.
"Pepto-Bismol?" Harry asked.
"What's that?"
"Nothing. Muggle medicine for upset stomachs."
"No, this will be much more effective. Here." Harry downed it in one gulp and pulled a face.
"Not very good though."
"What made you sick?" He looked at her, wondering if he should show her. He decided to. Might as well, he figured if he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. He turned his left arm up and showed her the Dark Mark on his arm. She gasped and scooted away on her butt.
"Harry, you actually let them do that to you?" Harry furrowed his eyebrows at her and found himself getting angry.
"Of course not." he snapped. "I don't remember it happening. Its exactly what happened last time the Death Eaters captured me. They put it on me but I don't remember it happening. I guess I'll just have to find another Muggle doctor to take it off."
"Muggles can do that?"
"Yeah, I was surprised too..."
"Here you two are. I was wondering." They looked up and saw Hermione smiling at them with baby Harry in her arms. Harry jumped up and gave her a hug and kiss on the cheek.
"Morning beautiful."
"Morning handsome."
"Hand him over."
"Careful, I just fed him. He might spit up."
"I don't mind a little spit up 'Mione." Harry took Harry Jr. into his arms and played with his hair.
"How are you feeling this morning Harry?"
"Fine, my ribs are hurting. I don't know why though."
"Well....they were broken, I mended them as best I could without a potion. I'll get it for you now so that you can mend properly." Harry and Ginny walked into the living room and sat on the couch. Hermione walked in a minute later with a green bath robe and a vial of potion in each hand.
"Here, this is Roan's robe, put it on. We don't want that travesty of a body walking naked around here." Harry handed Harry Jr. to Ginny and stood up.
"What, you're telling me that you don't want my body? You know you want it. Look at these muscles." He said as he flexed his arms and chest.
"No, I don't want your body. I'll stick with Ron's flabby belly Six packs aren't for me."
"Well, that's a first. Someone doesn't want me." he said in mock hurt.
"I want your body Harry. It is quite sexy."
"That's all I need then." he smiled and bent down to kiss Ginny.
"I must say Harry that I kind of want your body too." Harry looked up and saw Ron.
"Uh, sorry mate. I don't swing that way." Ron laughed.
"The only person I want is the beautiful woman standing in front of you. Ginny can have your body. Put that robe on already. I can't take it anymore." Harry grabbed the robe out of Hermione's hands.
"I knew it. I'm just too damned sexy for you all."
"You need to drink this potion and then stick a pin in that over inflated ego of yours."
"Ah, 'Mione. You know I'm only joking."
"I did at first, but now I'm not so sure." she said with a sly smile. "I'll go make breakfast."
Over an English breakfast, Harry was berated with all sorts of questions from Ron and Hermione. They wanted to know everything that had happened to him over the past week.
"But Harry, there's gotta be something else you remember. How could five whole days just slip from your memory?"
"Ron, obviously they were torturing him the whole time so his brain just turned off when it became too much to handle. I mean there can't be any other explanation for it. What I'm really curious about is how he got here? It just doesn't make sense. We never even told him where we live so how could he just apparate here?"
"I don't know how I got here. Right now, I don't even want to think about it. I just want to go home, put some clean robes and find a good Muggle doctor to take this horrid thing off. And maybe get some more sleep. I'm exhausted."
"Harry, you at least need to make an appearance so that people know you're OK. And then call off the search. You especially need to see Sirius. He's been a wreck."
"Yes, I will do those things after I get some clothes. I can't go around in your bath robe Ron. I better get going now." Harry made to stand up but was stopped by Hermione.
"Now wait just a minute there, Harry. You can't go back to your house as you."
"Well, I was going to make my hair short again."
"Think about it logically." Hermione said in a haughty voice. "You can't have James AND Harry come back on the same day. It would look too suspicious. If you come back today as Harry, then you can't just apparate to your house. Reporters have been staked out there since your disappearance. What I suggest is that Ron alerts the Ministry that we've found you but you're coming back as James. The cover story was that you, James had family problems back in America that you needed to attend to. They can be settled now. And so lets say in a week or so, you Harry, can be found and since all your marks will be gone; we'll just say that we had you here for a day and took care of everything before you went out into the press."
"You've been thinking about this a bit haven't you?"
"No, I actually just came up with that now. I'm sure there's something I've missed but we'll fix it later. OK, so now Ron and Ginny can apparate with you to your house; no, scratch that. We'll get Greg and Brian over here and they can go with you. Ron can go to the Ministry to inform them of what has happened. Ginny, well, I suppose you can do whatever you want." Ten minutes later, Harry was still trying to take in everything Hermione had said. She had spoken very fast. His bodyguards were already over and they had brought some Muggle clothes for him to wear. So Harry, with his arm around Ginny and the other clutching his dirty robes, apparated to the front of his house. Reporters jumped into action and closed the space between them. Greg and Brian pushed their way through with Harry and Ginny protectively in between them. Flashes were going off in every direction. Harry found himself a bit apprehensive from the flashes. He was expecting a mist to go over his face at any second. The group ran inside the house and closed the door.
"I need some sort of protection around this house so that they won't be able to do that anymore."
"We already thought of it. The Ministry wasn't able to come until today. They'll be here later to disperse the crowd and put protection up."
"Good, one less thing I need to worry about contacting the Ministry about. I do feel like I should answer at least some questions for them."
"No, Harry you can't."
"Greg and I will do it, Mr. Newark."
"Brian, it's James. Not Mr. Newark."
"Sorry, I forgot. We'll just go answer a few questions for them."
"Thank you." Harry decided to go put in his blue contacts and then get dressed in clean robes. He rummaged around in his dirty robes pockets for his saline solution and found his wand. "I thought they took this from me." he muttered.
"What's that, Harry?"
"My wand. They told me on Sunday that they took it. I'm guessing they wouldn't lie but how in the world did I get it back?"
"I don't know. That's really strange. Just another thing you might never fight out. Is it all right if I take a shower?" Harry wrapped his arms around Ginny's tiny waist.
"On one condition."
"And what's that?"
"You've got give me a kiss."
"Oh, I don't think that would be possible." Harry lowered his head slightly.
"Really? Are you sure about that?" he asked in deep sexy voice. He gave her an Eskimo kiss and then brushed his lips lightly against hers. Involuntarily, Ginny's knees almost gave way and she had to hold onto Harry's neck even tighter.
"Maybe we can work something out." Ginny whispered against his lips. Harry grinned and pressed his lips firmly against hers. Ginny opened her mouth and Harry immediately deepened the kiss. Their hands entwined in the others hair. Harry started giving her kisses down the nape of her neck and then went up and nibbled on her earlobe. A low moan escaped her throat. Harry muffled the sound with his mouth. He started kissing down her neck again nibbled the area where her collarbones met to make a triangular shape. She masked another moan by speaking.
"I...I thought you only wanted one kiss."
"This kiss hasn't ended yet." he breathed into her neck.
"I'm going to go take a shower." She pulled away and Harry smirked at her.
"Want me to join you?"
"As tempting as that sounds, I'm going to have to pass. I wouldn't get clean."
"What makes you so sure?" Harry asked innocently. "Who says I wasn't going to be a gentleman and help you get clean? I'd be more than happy to."
"I'm sure you would. But no."
"Tease." She grinned wickedly and walked away. Harry watched her hips sway back and forth until she disappeared out of his room.
"I'm going to need another shower. A very very cold shower." He ran a hand through his short hair in frustration and left the room to pour himself a drink in the living room. As he entered, the large fireplace turned green and a body came out.
"Harry! I've been worried sick about you." Sirius walked the distance between them and embraced his godson in a hug.
"Hey Sirius. I'm glad to see you too but you're choking me." He backed away.
"Sorry." The fire turned green again and out shot Steve closely followed by Remus.
"Steve? I haven't seen you in months! How are you doing?"
"Good. I should be asking you this. You're the one who was kidnapped."
"Oh, that's why you're here?"
"Yeah, I've been staying with Sirius for the past week."
"You've actually taken it off of work?"
"Well, I went in on Wednesday. But I didn't last long. The time change was horrible. I was done by noon over there. They have me permanently connected to the Floo Network. Now I can come see you any time I want!" Harry groaned.
"What have you guys done? Just when I get away from him!" Harry laughed and slapped him on the back. "Only joking, Steve don't look so hurt. Hey Remus! All right? The full moon was this week right?" Remus looked extremely tired and his robes were once again hanging off him.
"Yeah, I've got a very good potion brewer making the Wolfsbane Potion. Works much better than Snape's. I can actually put sugar in it." Harry smiled at the recollection of when he had first witnessed Remus take the potion from Snape. Harry hadn't known that he was a werewolf then and he had thought Snape was trying to poison Lupin.
"That's good, I'm glad."
"Do you mind if I go and make myself some coffee? I need to wake up a bit."
"Sure, go help yourself."
"I'll come with you, Remus." Sirius and Remus walked to the kitchen together.
"Honestly, if you had told me a couple months ago that I would become friends with a werewolf and a man who can change into a dog; I would have said you're crazy." Harry laughed.
"But didn't you realise that you've been friends with a lion for five years?"
"What?" Harry changed into a dark tan lion with a even darker mane that was almost black. There were markings around his eyes that indicated that that was where his glasses usually sat when he wore them.
"Whoa!" Steve jumped back as Harry changed back.
"And a hawk." Harry changed into a hawk and flew around the room.
"That's amazing. I still can't get over it. I wish I could do that."
"I could try to transfigure you into something."
"I wouldn't do that if I were you, Harry. You could get into serious trouble with the Ministry if you messed it up."
"Gin, you're no fun. And don't call me Harry right now. Only when I'm Harry."
"I can't believe that actually makes sense." Ginny laughed.
"Another red head, huh?"
"What? Oh, yeah. She's the girl from school I told you about. Ginny. And would you believe it, she was the girl that I wanted at the Oasis that last night we went out together. I knew she looked familiar. Well anyway, Ginny, this is my friend Steve. Steve, this is my girlfriend Ginny." Harry was pleased to see that they got along quite well. Harry was pulled away from them by a tapping on the window. He turned to see a huge black bird outside tapping it's beak on the glass. He moved to open it and it flew into the room and landed on the arm of the couch. Harry removed the letter and it took off through the still open window.
The letter was addressed in red ink. Mr. Harry Potter Knowing where this was going, Harry sat on the couch and opened the letter up and read:
Dear Harry Potter,
You managed to get away from us at the expense of several lives. I shouldn't need to waste any time in telling you that you took out my best men. I am not happy at all. You will pay. Mark my words. You will not get out alive next time, Potter. Watch your back. People you love may not be who they seem to be. Until we meet again.
Harry furrowed his brow. I got away at the expense of several lives? What the hell happened? He folded the letter and pocketed it. The letter would stay a secret. It had said that somebody he loves is not who they seem to be. Who the hell could it be? Nobody ever gave him any reason not to trust them. Ginny and Steve were staring at him, with concern in their eyes. He nervously ran a hand through his hair and smiled at them.
"Do either of you want coffee or tea?"
"No." they echoed.
"All right, well I'm going to get some coffee. If you change your mind. You know where the kitchen is." As he walked out he heard Ginny mutter to Steve,
"It was another one of those letters. He got two of them at the hospital last Friday. I know that they have something to do with his kidnapping but he won't say anything about them."
Half an hour later, Harry, Ginny, Steve, Sirius and Remus were all sitting in the living room speaking happily with one another. Harry wasn't really paying attention. His eyes were straying over to the archway that led out of the living room, but his eyes were unfocused not really looking at anything. Laughter rang out from outside the living room and Harry's head jerked up. The sight that met his eyes made his jaw drop.
Ron Weasley and Draco Malfoy were doubled up laughing and gave each other a high five.
"I think hell must have just frozen over." Harry said faintly. The two walked into the living room wiping tears of laughter away from their eyes. Harry jumped up and ran over to them and felt their foreheads.
"Are you two feeling all right?" They both swiped Harry's hands away.
"Yes, of course we're all right. Do we look sick?" asked Ron.
"Actually, that's exactly what I was thinking. You two have never gotten along."
"Well, neither have you and I, but we do now, don't we?"
"Well, yes." he said slowly. "But, you two fought worse than we ever did."
"True. But in the past week, while we've been looking for you; we've decided to put aside our differences. Its not like we still don't fight. We just had one moments before we apparated here to help get rid of those damned reporters for you."
"You helped look for me too, Draco?"
"Of course." Harry's mouth dropped open. He still hadn't had much time to adjust to Draco's new friendship. It was all very new still. Draco closed Harry's mouth for him. "Don't look so surprised. I told you that I wanted to be your friend didn't I?"
"Yes, its just still like a new concept to me. I'm sure I'll get used to it. So, what was so funny." They both snickered.
"Well, Malfoy." Ron burst into laughter along with Draco.
"And then Weasley.....that reporter." They couldn't get another coherent word out of them for some time. When Draco managed to control himself, he slapped Harry on the back.
"We've got practice and you need to go. As do I. I haven't been there all week."
"What? It's a Saturday."
"They heard you were back so they called a last minute practice so that you could play. Not that you really need to. I mean you didn't get on a broom for five years and you were still great. So, I don't know why they called it. But whatever."
"All right. Ginny." he walked over to her and picked her up. She let out a squeal of surprise. "What did you have planned for today?"
"Well, I was going to stay here and wait for you to get back."
"Good, I've spent far too much time away from you all week." He gave her a full kiss on the mouth and only broke away when pillows from the couches came flying at them. Harry lifted his hand and sent all the pillows at everybody, successfully hitting everybody in the face. "Well, Draco. My work here is done. Let's go." They turned to go but Draco stopped when he saw Ron. He laughed and then sighed and closed his eyes and put his hand over his chest.
"That'll go down in the record books, Weasley."
"Not if you never tell anybody!" sighed Harry and dragged Draco out of the room. Harry gave him a calculating look. "I'm really starting to worry about you. You're friends with Ron. What's the world coming to?"
A/N: Please review!! Is my story getting worse? Not as many peeps are reviewing! Actually I think it may be getting worse. This chapter was pretty long and nothing really happened. But I guess I'll let you be the one to judge. I can't really give you too much on Chapter seven because I haven't written the whole thing yet! :( But there is going to be trouble in paradise with Harry and Ginny!! And more Quidditch.