Delusions: Chapter Three
I don't own Harry Potter, nor am I receiving any profit off this.
A/N: Yeah… This took a long time… Sorry! Thank you all for your wonderful reviews!
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Prowling, running, attempting to satisfy the urge. The scent of blood tantalizingly grips my nostrils. I want to taste it, to rip something into a deliciously bloody pile. Maybe then, possibly, the cravings will lessen. Want it. NEED IT. Stomach gnawing. Feelings intensify. Someone there. FOOD!!
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Snape hurtled out the door, hoping he didn't attract Muggle attention. He was dressed as an ordinary non-magical person, but it was quite odd to see someone running along the street at one in the morning. He couldn't afford to be stopped by a Muggle; Potter had already gained considerable distance, seeing as how Snape had been unconscious for about thirty-five minutes, He had just reached the end of Privet Drive when he noticed something gleaming in the street lamp's light glow. He bent down to examine it quickly, dread overcoming his senses. Potter had snapped his wand in half. He was now completely, assuredly without help. For a moment, he considered returning and waiting for other equipped wizards, but time was running rapidly. Trusting his instincts, he continued through the interconnecting streets by monitoring the slight bursts of magical energy Potter was unknowingly releasing. That was another thing to be thankful for: at least he didn't need his wand to determine such things as this. If would've been a terrible pain trying to track Potter down with such limited knowledge on his whereabouts. Snape had a strong suspicion that the Dark Lord had something to do with Potter's recently gained insanity and he had the feeling that Potter was heading towards Death Eaters at that very moment. Now, that was something to avoid at all costs. Dumbledore had always made it clear that Potter had something he needed to do about Voldemort, but the Headmaster was always annoyingly vague on the details. No matter. The important thing was to get Potter before unthinkable things happened. Wizards already feared the Dark Lord; they would go into a panic if they found out that a dangerously insane Harry Potter had joined the ranks of Death Eaters.
Snape wondered how long the two of them could keep the pace they were going at. On one hand, he had an excess of energy due to the potion he had taken in Potter's house, while Potter was running on stored reserves only. But with magical aid, that may matter very little. Snape noticed he was gaining slowly on the teenager, but things weren't going anywhere fast with the pace they were keeping. Snape knew he would not be able to accurately Apparate with Potter moving as he was but did wonder why the boy hadn't grabbed his broom at least. Was his sanity that far gone? And was there something Dumbledore knew but hadn't told him. Ignoring the slight protest coming from his legs, Snape continued onward, questions bubbling impatiently in his head.
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Dumbledore had immediately reached Poppy Pomfrey through the fire when Snape had stopped their conversation quite abruptly. He was grateful that Poppy had agreed on such short notice, for he knew a request for a Healer from Saint Mungo's would have been suspicious, to say the least. Cornelius had finally seen the truth, and Dumbledore couldn't afford to alienate the Ministry again with Voldemort coming out of hiding. That was fifteen minutes ago, and Poppy still hadn't contacted him. Dumbledore was feeling a rare burst of impatience, for he was quite sure he knew what was going on but couldn't leave the castle to do anything about it. He needed someone to go to Grimmauld Place and explain the circumstances in detail; things were far to complex to use floo powder. Yes, it needed to be in person, and the wards beings put around the castle would be weak if he left in this part of the process. Finally—finally he heard Poppy's voice say, "Professor Dumbledore?"
Dumbledore whirled around and strode towards his desk. Hovering over one of the two mirrors, he asked, "News?"
"I put them all under a sleeping draft, but there's nothing I can do without the proper medicine. I'll need to bring them to Hogwarts, but I don't know if they'll approve."
"It doesn't matter—they will be much safer here."
Poppy's face changed into a confused look. "Muggles in Hogwarts—odd, if I do say so myself… But how will I get them here? Their house isn't connected to the Floo network.
"I'll send a portkey."
"That might take some time, Headmaster."
"Not if I send a house elf."
"I'm waiting." She ended the transmission, and Dumbledore summoned Dobby to his office. The little elf appeared two minutes later, looking both slightly apprehensive and elated.
"Professor Dumbledore wanted Dobby?"
"Yes, Dobby, I have something important for you to do." Dobby's eyes lit up.
"Anything for Professor Dumbledore, sir!"
"I need you to go to Number Four, Privet Drive, Dobby, and give this to Madame Pomfrey. Harry is in trouble."
"Harry Potter is in trouble, sir?!"
"I believe so, yes. I need your help with this."
"Dobby will do it!" The elf extended his hand and Dumbledore gave him an empty vial that had already been turned into a portkey. Closing his fingers around it, Dobby left with a crack! Dumbledore pinched some powder from the firepot on his mantle and threw it into the fireplace, watching the flames turn green.
"Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place," he said while kneeling, entering his head into the flames immediately. He could see someone sitting at the kitchen table with his back to Dumbledore. Something to be grateful for—Remus was an insomniac.
"Remus," Dumbledore said, watching Lupin's back jump in surprise. He waited until Remus was eye level before saying shortly, "I need to talk to you. Can you come to Hogwarts immediately?"
"Of course," Remus replied confusedly. Albus got out of the fire and quickly stepped back; moments later, Lupin had flown out of the fireplace.
"Sit down," said Albus distractedly by way of greeting.
"What's wrong?"
"You haven't heard from Harry lately, have you?"
"Not for about two weeks when he owled us saying that he was sure the Dursleys would be civil and correspondence wouldn't be necessary twice a week."
"He hasn't been answering Miss Granger's letters for about fourteen days either."
"But that's not like Harry." Remus looked genuinely worried at that point.
"That is why I sent Severus to check in on him ninety minutes ago."
"But Dung—"
"Mundungus has been unreachable; Severus was the only member of the Order who was available at the time. However, Severus contacted me twenty minutes ago. He said Harry didn't appear to be sane, and that the Dursleys had been magically injured. Severus has gone after him."
"Not sane?"
"Yes; I feared this. When Voldemort possessed Harry, he left behind a splinter of his personality, a small section. He can control that section and his influence must've overpowered Harry very quickly. That is my theory/"
"Is Voldemort trying to lure Harry to him?"
"I believe so, yes. I need you to go back to Grimmauld Place—"
"I want to look for Harry," interrupted Remus firmly.
"I know you do, I know. However, Molly and Arthur have to be warned, for Harry may attempt to go to the Burrow because it's familiar in the recesses of his brain. You must contact Order members to stand guard at Grimmauld Place. Harry can still get in and we can't afford him entering headquarters." Remus nodded in assent, albeit reluctantly.
"Remus," said Dumbledore as Lupin was about to leave through the fire, "please hurry."
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End of Chapter
A/N: Why did Dumbledore want to talk to Remus in person? Because it would've been a nasty shock for Remus to hear these things. It was nicer that way. That is the only thing I wanted to mention now.