Black Dawn – Book 2 (Exodus)
Chapter 4
Harry sat back and watched the countryside slide by. Ginny held his hand gently in her own and had fallen asleep on his shoulder. Ron and Hermione had also drifted off, after a soft murmured conversation. The sun was long since gone when Harry awoke to the sound of a tapping against the window. Startled he opened it to allow the tawny owl into the compartment.
The owl imperiously lifted its leg and offered it to Harry. He removed the message and the owl left. On Beauxbatons stationary was a scrawled note.
Seamus knows. Alter travel plans.
Harry's eyes narrowed. Damn, perhaps I shouldn't have said anything in the note; he'd still be stomping about England right now. He crumpled the note into a ball, dropped it in the waste bin and set it afire. "Seamus knows."
Harry left the compartment looking for the other Companions, shortly they were all gathered in the dining car. He looked up and with a hint of sadness said. "We were found out sooner than I had anticipated."
The murmuring between the eight people before him turned silent.
Cho's eyes narrowed. "You said 'sooner than you had anticipated' does this mean then that you knew he'd be after us and would eventually catch us?"
"Catch up to us, yes, catch us, no." Harry said. "I had anticipated this to happen while we were sailing to Australia."
Justin growled barely audibly. "Still keeping secrets Potter?"
"Justin, I have no time for your insecurities." Harry said sighing.
Hermione looked at Justin angrily. "And you expected once we cleared England that Seamus would just shrug and say 'Drat we missed them.'?"
"Well no, but still…" his finger thrust out at Harry "How many times do we need to hear only what he wants us to hear?"
"No one is forcing you to come along Justin." Ginny said coldly. "You could have stayed and gone to trial. I'm sure it would have been just and fair."
Dean spoke up "Justin, Harry can't know everything, for Merlin's sake man, he's just human."
"Ok, if we are done bickering then?" Ron asked unfolding a map of their route. "Here's the plan."
--------------- Twelve Hours Later: Train Station in Salem, India ----------------------------
The train came to a full stop and Arthur Weasley stepped forth arching his back and smiling at the fifteen Aurors standing on the platform. He continued to knead his lower back. "Terrible seats these cars." He commented, and reaching in his robes withdrew a cigar. "Have a light lad?" He asked the nearest Auror, a young man named Jones. Came into the Auror Division two years ago. Had practically grown up in the post-Voldemort era, as he called it.
The young man smiled and lit his wand. Arthur hid his grin behind his hand as he lit the cigar. Molly will no doubt have my hide over this. He took a few more draws on the cigar and then asked the question he already knew the answer to. "What are a fine bunch of M.L.E.'s Finest doing in India on a night like tonight?" as if he had run into them in the Three Broomsticks on a Hogsmeade weekend.
The Auror in charge stepped up. "Arthur Weasley, you are being detained for aiding and abetting the flight of nine known felons."
"I assume you are referring to Harry Potter?" Arthur said.
"If you release them into my custody, you and your family shall remain free."
"All of my family?" Arthur asked.
"Of course." The Auror looked uncertain.
Arthur reached out and grasped the man's hand before he could think twice. "Deal."
He turned around. "Of course you do realize" he said as he placed one foot on the stairs "that four of the group, including Harry himself are part of my direct family, and being a Companion myself, I feel that all of them are part of my family. I have remanded them into your custody. I anticipate your signed orders to release them all within the hour. Good day." He tossed the cigar on the ground and re-bearded the train.
The Auror stood there horror-struck. From the darkened doorway behind them, they heard Seamus. "Arthur is one clever bastard." He handed the paper to the Auror already signed. "Of course, that's one of the reasons he was chosen for his department."
"What department sir?" Auror Jones asked.
"Arthur Weasley was placed in the Department of Improper Use of Muggle Artifacts." One of the other Aurors spoke up.
Seamus half grinned. "That was a cover. For years Arthur Weasley was one of the primary members of the Unspeakables. Quite good at his job too mind you." He lit a cigarette and Disapparated.
The Aurors took an unconscious step back from the train. An hour later Arthur returned, and simply held out his hand. The head Auror handed him the scroll. "Next time tell Seamus he should stop in for tea." He turned and re-entered the car, closing the door behind him.
Harry was leaning against the doorway with a smirk on his face, as they studied the parchment. "He had it signed already, he knew we would trick the Auror."
"Of course he did Harry." Arthur looked a bit put off. "It's because they intend on killing us."
"Yeah." Harry looked at the platform as it slowly slid past them, the train beginning to pick up speed. "I was really hoping this wouldn't take place in the water though…"
Arthur laid a fatherly hand on Harry's shoulder. "Molly and I are here son."
Harry smiled and hugged Arthur. He had been doing that far more these days. His adopted family still loved him even after the hell he'd put them all through. "Thanks Dad."
"Oh, and how's Percy holding up?" Arthur asked quietly, barely a whisper.
"He didn't say. He barely wrote five words." Came the answer. They parted and Arthur looked at the M.L.E. symbol on the parchment. His eyes flicked up and he watched the last of Salem slide away into the night. He turned and headed for his car.