Cry Gone Unanswered
Chapter 1- A Hero Vanished
"Do you see him?" Hermione asked hopefully of the approaching redhead. Ron Weasley, youngest boy of the Weasley family, shook his head as he drew level with her. They were standing in the center of the bedlam that was Platform Nine and Three-Quarters. Around them, fellow pupils of the renowned Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry rushed through the insanely packed platform to find compartments, friends, and family. The first was all too important as none wished to be stuck looking for one later, after the train was well under way. The second was the beginning of the re-knitting of the tight community that was both a blessing and a curse. Being close meant there was always someone to turn to if you're in trouble. It also meant there was a grapevine of gossip were rumors traveled faster than a Firebolt pushed to its limits. The third was to bid farewells too, with promises of good behavior and earnest pleas to keep safe. Normally this would be given lightly but no longer. The students of the previous year had returned home with Dumbledore's declaration of Voldemort's return. By the parents' actions of obvious worry and over-protection, they had believed the Headmaster. Only a handful at most had taken to heart that the Minister was correct and the venerable professor had lost his proverbial marbles. Those that thought this did not truly believe it but merely tried to convince themselves they did for they did not wish to face the hard times of the Dark Lord's previous reign of terror. But, then again, no one did. Who in their right minds would? But these seemed convinced that if they thought the Dark Lord had not risen again, he could not hurt them. That was highly unlikely.
At the moment, none of this crossed either Gryffindors' mind as they scanned the crowd, once again, for their friend. Harry had sent them letters all summer. The overall tone of most were boredom and desperate want to leave the Dursleys.
'Not want,' thought Hermione, 'Need is a better word.' Though the fact they had had any contact at all with him was a relief, they knew something was amiss. Three or four of the letters (more like notes really) had consisted of nothing more than of, "I need to get out of here." Always just the one line, often repeated several times. They would only be signed with an H. What was really the cause of her unease was the feeling that emanated from those in particular. It was desperation, despair and enormous amounts of fear. She could not shake the feeling for a good five minutes after touching them so she'd taken to wearing gloves to avoid contact with them.
Now they could not find Harry.
"I'm really beginning to become worried, where in the world could he be?" Hermione voiced both of their thoughts. That one in particular mush have run through their mind several times already but had yet to yield and answer. Before Ron could offer a response a familiar sneering voice cut through the crowd's noise behind them.
"Well, well. Weasel and the Mudblood. Where's your Saint Potter? Was he too scared to come back this year?" The two Gryffindors turned to face the person both wished least to see: Malfoy. had they not been so worried about their lost friend they might have noticed one not so small detail; the Slytherin was alone. Malfoy always traveled with his two goons. Ron drew his wand threateningly but Hermione placed a restraining hand over his.
"Go away, Malfoy, we have no time to deal with you." All looked up when the train gave its last warning whistle before it left the station. "Come on, Ron, let's go to our compartment." Hermione tugged at his sleeve, managing to pull him away from the potential fight.
When they disappeared into the throng, the blonde's smirk faded to a frown. Where was Potter? Normally one could not find him far from these two yet they seemed uncertain of his whereabouts. Draco was willing to bet they had no clue where the Golden Boy was. Why he cared was anyone's guess, he didn't know himself. But over the summer, things had.....changed. His father had returned to he service of Voldemort and Draco knew for certain that was not the path he wanted to follow. The man had become increasingly violent as well.....He shook his head to banish those thoughts Whether the changes were for the better or worse had yet to be seen. For now, all he could do was let his instincts guide him. Glancing in the direction of the train, he caught a glimpse of a very familiar pair of emerald green eyes. He held them for a moment before they disappeared into the depths of darkness. Draco stood momentarily stunned by what he had seen before shaking himself free of the shock and heading to his compartment. he needed to do something--anything!--to take his mind off the emotions he had seen trapped within those burning green orbs. Fear, pain, hatred, anger and bitterness. All that and more.
It was the more that frightened the Slytherin.
The compartment was cold but the feeling only went skin deep and could be easily ignored, at least in the sole occupant's opinion. Any one else would immediately feel the need to call the front to ask about heating But the occupant did not, he had been the one to shut off the heat flow in the first place. This action had mostly been spurred by the wish to be alone. Th other reason was he enjoyed the cold, it suited his mood. If anyone was foolish enough to enter, if the atmosphere did not chill them, the other occupant would. Impassive expression set in granite, eyes cut from the finest (and hardest) emeralds, and wild black hair falling to his shoulders. The famous lightening bolt stood out prominently on the alabaster skin, but instead of it being slightly red as it was normally, it was completely black.
Frightening.
At the moment those hard eyes were trained on the chaos outside. He thanked whatever deity there was that he had convinced his uncle that he needed to arrive early. The man had agreed of course but not before getting in a few farewell blows. The teenager's left eye was nearly swollen shut but he defiantly held it open against the pain, determined not to give in. Vernon had been happy to see his "good-for-nothing" nephew leave. The teenager had only too happy to oblige. Not that he wanted to be here anymore than he had his relative's house. He was not welcome. The only difference was the only pain he would suffer through at Hogwarts would be from his dreams.
His eyes fell on a familiar pair: one brown head, the other red. This was the first time he had seen them since the end of last year where they had parted at this very station. Now.....he could care less if he ever saw them or anyone again. That's why he'd donned an invisibility cloak when the red-head had conducted his search. His one wish was to be left alone, forgotten by the world. He would do his very best to ensure that happened. For a brief moment, part of him wondered if this was the best course of action. For a fraction of a second those diamond-hard eyes softened before "common sense" reasserted itself and he shut his eyes. A soft growl escaped his lips, the only sound he had made since he'd arrived. No, he would not give in. They did not truly care about him otherwise they would have answered his plea for help......but there was no use dwelling on that. When he felt in control of himself enough to re-open his eyes it was to find the pair walking toward the train and away from a familiar blonde Slytherin. Malfoy turned his eyes in his direction and for a moment they stared at one another. He almost immediately turned away, frightened by what he saw there. It was as if the boy could see through him and he must not allow that happen.
Never.
And he wouldn't, he decided as he settled back into the red cushions, he would make certain of that. The train lurched into motion a moment later and the noise from outside was muffled by a charm. Silence, something he had never seen until recently as golden. But after this summer.....again he consciously wrenched that train of thought to a stop. Unfortunately, it persisted and with nothing but the train's rhythmic motions to distract him, it won out. So, alone, he brooded.
"Still no sign," Ron answered automatically as he entered their compartment. Hermione closed her mouth, having not been able to ask the question before it was answered. The true sign of the red-head's distraction showed when he sat beside his girlfriend and absentmindedly stroked Crookshanks's ginger fur. The large cat let out a deep purr that conveyed comfort and sympathy to anyone who was distressed. At the moment, that was everyone in the compartment.
"You don't think he's missed the train, do you?" Ginny asked, her fear as plain as the rest. The unspoken question, "You don't think he's been taken by the Dark Lord, do you?"--was tagged onto the end of that. Fred shook his head.
"Not likely," he replied to both questions, "If he had, there would have been a great deal of hell raised by now and as you can see, everyone on this train is more or less as calm and cool as a cucumber. If you forget the excitement and jitters of beginning a new school year." He shrugged helplessly. "We're the only ones that are anywhere near panicked."
"I don't think I'll reached panicked until we get to Hogwarts and he still hasn't made an appearance," Hermione interjected wryly, though she clutched the feline close. Crookshanks's purring nearly doubled. To all of them, the dark-haired Gryffindor was a brother, one very dear and special that they did not wish to lose. His disappearance was sashaying over tightened nerves like a tap dancer. It was not surprising, therefore, when all jumped when there was a knock at their door. Being closest, Ginny stood to open it....and nearly leapt aside in astonishment. Framed by the shadows of the door, was Malfoy. Without being invited, he slipped in and quietly shut the door behind him. He immediately found himself the target of several wands. In the universal sign of surrender, he raised his hands.
"Look, I didn't come here to cause trouble," he began, only to be interrupted by Hermione's contemptuous snort.
"I'm so sure, Malfoy," she added mockingly, displaying none of her customary patience or kindness. Worry over her missing friend had stolen that away from her. He cast an annoyed glance in her direction and fought desperately not to roll his eyes. Gryffindors were known to be somewhat hot-headed at the best of times. Now....well, they were not in the best of moods. Stifling a sigh, he lowered his hands.
"Believe it or not, Granger, that is up to you." The girl's wand-tip lowered and she frowned.
"What did you call me?" Now Draco really did roll his eyes.
"Granger. That is your name after all. Look, I have something to tell you so would you let me so I can leave and be in peace?" After trading glances and a few words, the wands were lowered and the Slytherin let out a sigh of relief.
"All right, Malfoy, out with it." Ron crossed his arms, demanding to be impressed. The blonde did not have the time or patience to do so but he could still give his message.
"I know you've been looking for Potter and I also know you haven't found him otherwise he would be among you. I know this: he is on this train, I have seen him." Ron growled and leapt to his feet, slamming the Slytherin so hard against the door Malfoy's teeth rattled.
"Where is he, you little snake, where is he?" Draco stared down at those blue eyes and replied in a calm tone.
"I don't know." The red-head pushed harder but Hermione called to him and he backed away, eyes smoldering. The blonde took a moment to straighten himself before continuing. "I checked the entire train from one end to the other, but I couldn't find him anywhere."
"Then why did you say he's on the train if you couldn't find him either?" George asked warily. Draco shrugged, not blaming them for being skeptical. If he were in there position, he would be as well. Not for the first time he wondered why he had come here at all.
"For one simple reason, I've seen his eyes."
"His eyes?" Ron repeated incredulously. The Slytherin nodded, letting his annoyance slid away.
"Yes, eyes. It was only for a moment but I know they were his. If anyone has cared to notice, he's the only person I've seen with those colored eyes. There was no mistaking them," he concluded. Silence fell upon them for a moment as each was left to his/her own thoughts. Why in the world would Harry be hiding from them? If what Draco said was true, then that's what he had to be doing, by why? Why? The only way to answer this would be to find the dark-haired Gryffindor but he was going to make that difficult for them.
"Is there anything we can do?" Ginny wondered aloud, posing the question to everyone. None had an answer. Malfoy cleared his throat, drawing their attention back to him.
"I must leave, I've said what I came to say." The youngest Weasley touched his arm before he had a chance to escape.
"If you see him....." She trailed off, leaving the rest unspoken, eyes imploring. He nodded, slate gray eyes projecting uncommon sympathy.
"I will find you if I do," he promised before opening the door and slipping through. Ginny pushed it shut behind him then slumped into her seat with a sigh. This was already shaping out to be a bad year and it hadn't even truly begun yet!
As the train came to a stop, the emerald eyes watched the chattering students pour from the train and crowd the station like a mass of ants on a piece of food. Speaking of food.....his stomach grumbled loudly but its owner ignored it as he had so many times before. No, he was not truly hungry, his body merely thought that it required some type of nourishment to appease it and keep functioning properly. As much as he hated to admit it, he knew this was true, it should be fed, but only enough to ensure he would not collapse from malnutrition.
When enough students had left his area, he rose to his feet, as silent as the night itself. He waved open the door and stepped out, the invisibility cloak floating around him like a cloud. Weaving through the crowd he was not felt, heard nor seen by anyone. When he judged he was a sufficient distance from the pressing mass he drew from his pocket a small object that he could barely make out in the dark. With a wave of his hand and a muttered spell the object returned to its original size and revealed itself to be a broom, a Firebolt to be exact. The teenager mounted it and flew in the direction of the looming edifice he would call 'home' for the next nine months before he was returned to hell. The boy; 'home' was really only a lesser hell in his eyes these days. Once it had been a haven, the one place he counted himself safe. No longer and never again would this be true.
He would not ride the carriages, even if the trip wouldn't be too jarring on his battered body. Still another reason was he did not want to be around others. He knew eventually he would have to re-join the student populace but was holding that off as long as possible.
As he neared the castle he pulled up, pointing self in the direction of the Gryffindor Tower. No, he would not go to the feast, that meant facing the school and his 'friends' who were probably wondering if something had not befallen him. Another snort. Oh, something had befallen him all right, the cruelty of life. It had taught him that the least he was around others, the better. No friends was a bonus.
With a softly whispered charm the window of the boy's dorm swung open noiselessly, allowing him entry. There was no need for quiet really but it was ingrained in his nature. Silence equaled survival. Stealth was the key. The room was empty of course (or so he thought), the carriages had yet to arrive. The teenager was therefore surprised when a faint whistling fell on his ears. He was not alone. With moves that would have been envied by any fighter, the boy crept around the bed, cane in hand. The whistling continued, the person unaware they were being stalked. In a sudden flurry of black robes, the Gryffindor leapt from his hiding place and pointed his cane at the intruder. The person squeaked and toppled over in surprise. The teenager cursed colorfully and lit the end of the cane. The light revealed the intruder was not a person at all, but an elf, Dobby to be exact.
"Harry Potter, sir!" the elf squealed, jumping to his overlarge feet and hugged the teenager's leg. When he felt the tight muscles stiffen he immediately released his hold, afraid he had offended the Gryffindor in some way. "It is good to see you again, sir," he added timidly. Harry forced to relax and nod.
"You as well." At the civil reply the elf began to bounce happily, glad he had not caused offense.
"Harry Potter is here early."
"I decided not ride the carriages," he answered indifferently, lowering himself on the bed. The brown creature adjusted his tea cozy and resumed his hyper bounce.
"Is Harry Potter going to feast?" Dobby asked hopefully. Green eyes flashed in momentary annoyance.
"No, I'm not." His tone reflected the look within his eyes.
"Dobby bring Harry Potter something?" the elf asked hopefully. Harry sighed; there would be no getting rid of the elf if he didn't give him something to do.
"Yes, just water please." The green tennis ball eyes were alive with joy.
"Right away, sir!" Was followed by the customary crack that signaled the elf's exit. Relief washed over him as he removed his shoes and robe and neatly placed them in his trunk. He paused before closing the lid, then decided he would change clothes. Even if his night clothes consisted of Dudley's longer shirts they were still better to sleep in. As he finished changing a small tray of water and crackers appeared on his night stand. A sigh escaped the soft lips; Dobby had good intentions but he just did not wish to eat. Just this once he decided to humor the elf and nibbled one of the plain saltine crackers as he climbed under the heavy scarlet coverlet. After downing the water he waved the tray back to the kitchen, having taken only one of the crackers offered. As he turned on his side he was already deciding how to avoid the others in the morning.
A/N: Well, that was interesting, do you think I should continue? For those of you that have not read my other story, Gold and Silver, Fire and Ice, you may not understand the references to the "cane" that Harry has. That's okay, it will be explained later on.
The boy seems awfully.....different....this will be good for me. I need to write a depressed Harry, Severus and Albus. It'll be good for my system. :D Bye!
Please review!
