Ron and Hermione looked around anxiously as the time for Double Potions grew nearer, waiting outside the classroom in the Dungeons. They had waited in the Great Hall for as long as they could, before finally trudging down to the lower levels, hoping that Harry would come down before the class started.
"Where could he be?" Ron whispered to Hermione nervously, as he once again looked to the end of the hall, waiting for Harry to walk around the corner at any moment. "Surely Hank wouldn't keep him for this long, would he?"
Hermione shook her head uncertainly. "I don't know. I doubt he would though…… Ohhh, I hope nothing has happened again??"
"Now don't go saying things like that!" said Ron bossily. "In comparison, today's been a good day so far, so don't go jinxing it!!"
"I'm sorry, I can't help it – "
Hermione stopped abruptly, as the door to the Potions classroom was opened, and Snape walked into the hallway, sneering at them all as they filed into the room and took there seats. When Ron and Hermione reached him, his eyes searched the remaining students, before returning to them.
"You two will wait out here," he ordered brusquely, narrowing his eyes at them before staring down the remaining students as they entered the room.
Ron paled slightly and gulped, as he and a nervous Hermione, stepped aside and waited until everyone was inside. As soon as they were, Snape's gaze softened a little as he turned to face the nervous couple.
"Where, is Mr Potter?" he asked quietly, eyeing them both as they glanced at each other.
"We … uh … We don't know, Professor…" Hermione answered hesitantly, bracing herself for some sort of outburst. But it didn't come. Snape continued to study them both in a calculating manner.
"Why is that?" he asked, more curiously than angrily.
Almost stunned silent in disbelief alone, Hermione shook herself visibly before answering, "Well, the last we saw him was right after Care of Magical Creatures. He was heading for the Lake, and Hank went looking for him near the end of lunch … but we haven't seen either of them at all, since then…"
"Do you mean to tell me, that Mr Potter has been unaccounted for, ever since the end of your last class?" Snape asked in a worried whisper. Both Ron and Hermione nodded, unable to speak due to the surprise of Snape's newfound concern on Harry's behalf.
Snape rubbed at his forehead, apparently thinking about something, before realizing that Ron and Hermione were still standing there. "Go and take your seats," he said distractedly, waving them inside with a hand.
Obligingly, the two students took little time in entering the dim classroom and finding seats up the back, near Parvati and Lavender, leaving space for Harry if he showed up.
Throughout the lesson, Snape seemed distracted, much to the confusion of most of the students, bar Ron and Hermione. He barely paid any attention to the Slytherins, and didn't even get up any of the Gryffindors. Not even when Neville managed to melt his second cauldron that term.
About halfway through the lesson, Snape rose from behind his desk with a piece of parchment in his hand. Watching curiously, Ron and Hermione (plus most of the class) saw him grab some powder from a jar and toss it into the fire, making it turn a vivid purple, before tossing the parchment into it, and resuming his seat.
"What was that supposed to do?" Ron murmured to Hermione, who shook her head and shrugged in response.
"Haven't the faintest," she answered softly, still gazing at Snape curiously before returning to her potion. "It looked like some sort of letter … but why would he write it, then burn it?"
Ron shrugged, totally baffled by Snape's strange behaviour, before also returning to his potion.
The lesson dragged on, and Snape seemed to get more agitated as it went, either glancing at the fire, or gazing at the door. By this time, pretty much the whole class had noticed Snape's behaviour, and were gossiping about it avidly (Snape didn't even notice).
Both Ron and Hermione's worry grew with each passing moment, anxious to know where Harry could be, and just before the lesson ended, the door to the classroom opened, revealing something that made everyone's breath catch in their throat……
Harry stared into the wolf's piercing eyes for the briefest moment, before spinning around and bolting, as fast as he could run, back towards Hogwarts. He made no effort to remain silent as he crashed through the underbrush, batting away the small branches that got in his way, trying to steady the panic rising within him, knowing who he just saw.
As if by instinct, Harry reached into his robes and grasped his wand, praying that he wouldn't need to use it. But after what he'd seen two nights ago, he didn't think it would really help that much.
Harry glanced behind him for an instant as he approached the edge of the trees, not seeing anything pursuing him, and so swivelled back around, preparing to crash through the tree line, out into the courtyard … only to find himself skidding to a halt, as the form of the great Black Wolf, was standing before him.
Harry's insides felt like ice, as his eyes locked with the Wolfs burning yellow ones. How could he run from an opponent that had the ability to teleport? Wasting no more time, Harry quickly darted sideways, hoping to cut through the woods to Hogsmeade … but no sooner had the Wolf vanished from sight, something else was blocking his path to freedom.
A young woman with icy blue eyes, and fiery red hair brushing her shoulders, stood before him. She was strangely tall, probably about five foot ten, and seemed to emanate a feral beauty, like a hunter luring their prey. Her fine features were accented by her form fitting clothing, which consisted of a pair of tight denim jeans, and a deep blue t-shirt, that had to have been two sizes to small for her; showing her trim middle.
Harry's eyes locked with hers, mainly from surprise at seeing a person appear from nowhere, and he felt a chill run up his spine. Her eyes were slits of ice, showing little or no feeling, other than a cold determination, as she stepped forward with deliberate slowness; her bare feet making no noise in the leaves and debris that littered the ground.
"So," she spoke quietly, sounding far more dangerous than she looked. "You're the famous Harry Potter, that everyone has been raving about?" Her eyes travelled over Harry's thin and scrawny frame, smirking as her eyes laughed at him cruelly. "Not much to look at, are you?"
Harry felt his defiance return at her subtle insult and straightened up, setting his jaw as he stared into her eyes. "Looks can be deceiving," he retorted, still fingering his wand in his pocket. Harry eyed her cautiously, taking his own words seriously. Looks could be most deceiving, and he wasn't about to underestimate this woman, just because she looked fragile. Something told him that she wasn't human, and so he didn't assume anything … for to do so could be fatal…
"Hmmm," the woman raised an eyebrow as she studied him more intently. "You're not as dumb as you look though," she remarked snidely. "A man that uses his brain … who'd have thought it possible?"
Harry saw her eyes flick over his shoulder for an instant, before returning to him, but it was enough to perk his curiosity and couldn't help himself. Harry swivelled, only to find a broad chest in a button down shirt standing directly behind him.
Before Harry even had time to process what he saw, a large hand darted forward and wrenched Harry's arm that was holding his wand, and twisted it painfully behind him, swivelling so he never got to see his captors face. Harry felt his wand ripped forcefully from his fingers, and what was done afterward to it, he didn't know.
He looked over toward the woman, and scowled at her, seeing that she was casually leaning against the nearest tree, watching the event with what seemed to be amusement. Harry immediately started to struggle, trying to break the grip his captor had on him, but soon found himself immobilized as a thick arm wrapped it's way around his neck, applying an uncomfortable pressure to his throat, as the grip on his arm became even tighter.
"Don't struggle, little one," a deep and resonating voice said forcefully into Harry's ear. "Your pain will only be greater if you do. Come quietly, and co-operatively … and you will suffer less…"
Harry felt a wave of anger pass through him as he recognised the voice in his ear. He immediately started to struggle again, not wanting to be anywhere near the beast that caused Ginny such agony. He wanted to get free of him, to attack him, to cause him the same pain Ginny had been put through … but the man's grip was like iron, and Harry felt his anger grow as he heard him laughing at his efforts.
"So it is true," he remarked, tightening his hold on Harry. "Harry Potter has a soft spot for the Weasley girl. Would you be happy if I told you her feelings were mutual? I can guarantee … there was precious little else, on her mind that night…"
"I'm gonna kill you!!" Harry shouted, still struggling vainly against who he now knew was Piedro. "I'll make you pay for what you did to her!!"
Harry suddenly felt the arms holding him let go, and stumbled forward with his sudden release. He spun around to face the beast, his features twisted in rage – only to see a balled fist hurtle toward his face, before everything was plunged into darkness……
Piedro bent down and roughly lifted Harry by his collar, letting him drag over the ground as he walked toward the red haired woman.
"A delight to see you again my dear," he smiled, leaning in and kissing her softly on the cheek. "I trust your presence is not missed by anyone important?"
She smiled sweetly at him and shook her head. "No Marv … I've hooked up with someone of great value. She won't miss me."
Piedro suddenly gazed at her coldly. "Elise – How many times must I tell you…?" he trailed off, knowing the warning in his voice would be enough of a reminder.
"I'm sorry," she said quietly, bowing her head. "I keep forgetting. Anyway, back to the reason we came out today– "
Elise looked down at Harry's unconscious form, hanging limply from Piedro's hand. "We should probably take him now, before he's missed?"
Piedro followed her gaze, before lifting the small boy off the ground effortlessly, smiling in satisfaction as a trickle of blood seeped from his busted lip. "I'm going to enjoy this," he grinned, before taking Elise by the hand.
"Where to?" she asked.
"The Werewolf," he answered. A moment later, they vanishing in a swirl of black light, leaving no trace that they were there, except for the wand that had been cast aside … now laying amongst the litter under the trees……
Ginny woke with a start, bolting upright as her eyes darted around the small room, breathing heavily as the dream she'd been having slowly faded from her mind. She shut her eyes and held her head in her hands, trying to hold on to the vivid pictures, while not wanting to see them again at the same time.
She shuddered violently, as the last thing she saw before waking, flitted in front of her eyes, yet feeling fear creep into her soul as she remembered the last time she had dreamt of Harry in peril. It had been real.
"Oh my God!" she breathed, throwing the covers off of her and swinging her now healed legs over the side of her bed; standing and hurrying toward the door. She threw it open and hurtled out, into the hallway, all the while that last image, refusing to fade from her minds eye.
Harry lay on the grass, stained red as his blood spilled forth from the horrendous wounds on his body. Beaten and bloodied, Harry looked up; a shadow looming above him. In one swift motion, something that glinted was plunged downward, spearing Harry's chest with such a force he was fixed to the ground beneath him, the blade digging into the dirt as a fresh wave of blood seeped from the wound……
Ginny burst into the Main Ward, her eyes searching for Madame Pomfrey as tears began to build up in them, blurring her vision slightly. She prayed that she wasn't too late, remembering that last time, she'd waited the whole day before telling anyone of her nightmare. They'd been lucky enough to find Harry that time … but she didn't even have a landmark to go by this time, having no knowledge of where he could possibly be.
Her eyes darted round the Ward, not seeing a trace of the Matron anywhere. Beginning to panic, Ginny's breathing got quicker, trying to think straight as the thought of losing Harry for good clouded her mind.
Losing her head completely, Ginny screamed out, "Madame Pomfrey!!" hearing her voice echo in the empty Ward. Ginny sank to her knees, weeping uncontrollably as she rocked back and forth, the belief that Harry had been killed starting to dominate her mind. She covered her face with her hands as her tears sparkled on the stone floor, not hearing the Hallway door open and feet rushing to her side.
"Miss Weasley! What on earth are you doing out here? What's the matter?" Madame Pomfrey's voice drifted through the hurricane in Ginny's mind, barely distinguishing what the Matron had said until she knelt in front of her and forcefully removed her hands from her face. "What's the matter Ginny?" she repeated urgently, yet clearly, seeing Ginny's distress.
"Where's Harry?" Ginny asked, ignoring the tears rolling down her face. "Where is he? We need to find him!!"
"Calm down Ginny," Poppy said gently, not liking the dazed expression on Ginny's face. "Why do we need to find Harry? What's wrong?"
Before Ginny got to answer, the back door was opened again, and Hank popped his head out, looking down at the pair curiously, until he noticed Ginny's distress. His eyes grew concerned, and he glanced at Poppy, who motioned for him to approach them.
"Ginny," Poppy said again, as Hank also knelt in front of her. "What is the matter? Why do you need to find Harry?"
"There's no time!!" Ginny shrieked, her brown eyes wide and full of fear. "We have to find him now!! Where is he!!??"
"Shh," Hank hushed, moving forward and wrapping Ginny up in his arms comfortingly, rocking back and forth with her. "It's OK Ginny … It's all right…" he whispered, feeling some of her tension leave, but not all. Something was troubling her greatly, and seeing how it was related to Harry, Hank felt his own concern peak.
"Where is he?" Ginny asked again, more rationally than before, though still trembling violently at the thought of what could be happening to Harry. "Where's Harry?"
"He should be in potions at the moment, Ginny," Hank answered gently, still cradling her protectively in his arms. "Why? What's wrong?"
"You have to see if he's there!" she exclaimed, ignoring Hank's question. "Find him! I have to see him here, in front of me! You have to find him!"
"All right Ginny," Hank answered gently, feeling her tremble with whatever fright she'd received recently. "All right … we'll see if he's in potions, and if he is, we'll bring him up here … all right?" He waited for Ginny to look up at him, and nod, sending more tears rolling down her face. "OK…" said Hank softly, nodding to Poppy to do as requested.
Taking one more worried glance at Ginny, Poppy stood and swiftly made her way down the Ward and exited, leaving Hank and Ginny sitting on the cold floor. Hank remained where he was, continuing to try and comfort Ginny however he could, even as she continued to whisper, "Find him…" over and over, her voice growing progressively quieter.
When she fell silent, Hank looked down and saw that she'd fallen asleep in his arms, the exhaustion from whatever ordeal she'd experienced taking it's toll. Sighing quietly, Hank gently gathered Ginny up in his arms and manoeuvred her back into her room, easing her onto the bed before covering her up again.
Hank gazed at her for a moment, wondering what had caused her strange episode, before silently leaving the room and returning to the Main Ward, awaiting Madame Pomfrey's return … hoping that Harry would be with her………
Harry awoke with a massive headache, his vision blurry. Vaguely, Harry could hear someone speaking, and even though it seemed distant, he recognised the voice immediately.
"Harry?" it whispered, as though not wanting to be heard. The sound of his voice almost sent Harry into shock, and filled him with joy at the same time. "Harry, can you hear me?" he whispered again.
Harry turned his head, where he lay on the ground, and saw a blurry figure sitting nearby him, knowing that this was where the voice originated.
"Remus?" Harry groaned, though his happiness and relief could be easily recognised. "Remus, is that you?"
"Keep your voice down Harry," Remus replied quietly. "And yes, it's me. Are you all right?"
Harry didn't register the question. He simply stared at the blurry blob that he knew to be his friend, and felt as though a great weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Wincing, Harry got onto his knees and slowly made his way toward Remus, feeling his eyes burn with happiness as he did so.
"Harry, are you all right?" Remus repeated, sounding more urgent.
Harry once again ignore Remus's question and sat beside him, still unable to make out his features, even at this close range.
"You – you're alive!" Harry choked out, feeling the heat in his eyes spiling over. "I thought – I thought I'd – "
Harry couldn't continue, and instead broke down completely, resting his forehead on Remus's shoulder as he wracked with silent sobs.
"It's OK Harry," said Remus soothingly, trying not to imagine the guilt that Harry had to have been feeling that day. "It wasn't your fault. I shouldn't've just charged in like that, knowing you were on the edge. I'm so sorry that you had to go through that…"
"How?" Harry whispered, after he'd settled some, looking at where he thought Remus's eyes were. "How'd you survive a fall like that?"
"Um … I hate to say this Harry, but I can't tell you that. Not yet," Remus replied, truly sounding apologetic. "But, I do have a question for you?"
Harry sighed, feeling disappointed at first, but was too happy to know that he hadn't killed Remus to bother with being mad at him. He nodded, showing Remus he could continue.
"Why aren't you tied?"
Initially surprised by the question, Harry reflexively looked down at himself, only then realizing how pointless it was, as he still couldn't see clearly.
"I – don't know?" Harry answered, shaking his head in bewilderment. It was true, he wasn't tied down, and Harry questioned it avidly. Why Remus, but not him? Then there was the question of how Remus even came to get here, but Harry knew that he wouldn't answer that question either, and so didn't ask.
As his brain woke up more, Harry raised a hand to his face and only then realized why he was unable to see. His glasses had been removed from his face. Instinctively, Harry's eyes swept the dirt he was kneeling on, but he soon stopped and shook his head, scolding himself for his stupidity.
"Um, Remus? Can you see my glasses anywhere?"
Harry saw Remus's blur shift slightly, but he soon heard Remus answer, "No, I can't…"
"Finally awake are we?" a dainty, yet somewhat guttural voice spoke up, as a faint light shone into what Harry could now recognise as a makeshift shelter. "My, my … Wizards are deep sleepers, aren't they?" the voice laughed coldly.
Harry turned, and saw a shadow approaching him, but as he was looking into the light, he couldn't even distinguish the figures form.
"Aww … what's the matter, little one?" the shadow mocked. "Can't see without these ridiculous contraptions?"
The shadow seemed to raise an arm, and Harry could only surmise that it held his glasses. "Give them back," he said firmly, now getting to his feet, and only then realizing that the form in front of him was at least three feet taller than him. Harry could sense the figure smile down at him.
"Make me," the voice challenged, mocking his defiance.
"Vixsy!"
The shadow turned and stepped aside, allowing a much larger form step into the opening.
"Give him his glasses back, my dear," a voice Harry recognised ordered. "He should at least have the pleasure of seeing his superiors, wouldn't you agree?"
Harry glared at the larger form as the smaller one approached him, roughly shoving something into his hand. Harry instantly recognised them as his glasses, and set about placing them on his nose, making everything come into sharper focus. Harry looked up, and saw the imposing form of Wolfgang, standing before him. His silver arm and leg gauntlets glinting in the late afternoon light. As the last time Harry had seen him it had been as dark as ever, Harry now saw that his surcoat was of a deep purple colour, and reached just above the knee. There were no sleeves and Harry could clearly see the powerful muscles underneath the thick, jet black fur.
Harry stared fearlessly, back into Wolfgang's burning yellow eyes, and was slightly rattled when he grinned toothily at him, showing his fangs almost proudly.
"Better, little one?" he sneered, his voice remarkably like Kahn's, in that it was so deep and resonating, that Harry could almost feel it vibrate in his chest. Though Kahn's voice was not as coarse and harsh, more of a purr and seemed gentler. "Now, now, at least have the decency to show some form of manners, little one," Wolfgang continued, though his voice hinted a warning.
Harry stood straighter, not knowing if he was about to do something extremely foolish or not, but judging by the way Wolfgang was speaking, Harry took a chance.
"At least have the courtesy to call me by my name," he countered, as politely as he could manage, though still feeling indescribable amounts of hatred for the creature, as his thoughts once again moved to Ginny's injuries.
"I'd be more worried about myself if I were you," Wolfgang said after a moment of silence. "The Weasley girl is of little consequence to you at present, so it might be more prudent to keep your mind on the here and now? You're going to need it…"
Harry watched as Wolfgang raised a hand and clicked his clawed fingers, making a bright ball of light appear in the middle of the roof, illuminating the darkened shack. He stepped in and shut the door firmly behind him, before taking a couple of steps, and arriving at Remus's side.
Remus glared coldly up at him, as the Kanite lazily waved a hand over him, the ropes binding him vanishing with a small glow. At this, Harry was surprised to see extreme sadness on his face, rather than relief at being released from his bonds.
"No…" he whispered, looking crushed beyond words. "He wouldn't…?"
Wolfgang chuckled at Remus's words. "You should thank him when you get back," he said scathingly. "He did his part without even knowing it. Oh … and just because I said I'd give you back, doesn't mean you have to go back in good condition…"
Harry made to leap forward as Wolfgang bent down swiftly and grasped Remus by the front of his robes, but was held back as something snagged the back of his collar.
"Don't even think it!" the other shadows voice hissed into his ear, holding him steadfast as he struggled to get free. "My brother doesn't like being interrupted, once he gets going."
Harry swivelled his head, trying to glare at his captor, and felt his eyes widen at what he saw. Harry could instantly see that it was a female, but she was covered in dusty red fur, and had a head that bore a great resemblance to a fox. Like her brother, her eyes were a pool of yellow, with no pupil to speak of, and her clothing was almost identical; only more form fitting and feminine. The surcoat only reached mid-thigh and was of a deep green hue, so dark it seemed almost black. She also bore arm and leg gauntlets, but they weren't as large and cumbersome as her brothers. Her white-tufted tail brushing the back of her calves as she bared her teeth at him.
It was as Harry heard a sickening crunch behind him, that he realized that this was the same woman he'd met earlier on, in the forest, and it was also the very same fox by the Lake. Hearing Remus cry out in pain, Harry twisted around again, just as Wolfgang slammed Remus to the ground, holding onto the front of his robes; the sound of many ribs snapping clearly audible as the Kanite's fist plunged down even further.
"Humans are so frail…" Harry heard Wolfgang mutter, as Remus groaned and rolled onto his side, clutching his chest while trying to steady his breathing. "We barely get to warm up and they're already broken. Tsk, tsk, tsk…"
"Leave him alone!!" Harry yelled, feeling the heat in his eyes rise again as he stared at Remus, half conscious on the dirt. "You wanted me, right!?? Leave him alone!!"
Wolfgang paused for a moment, gazing at Harry thoughtfully as Vixsy tightened her grip on him. He smiled coyly and said, "Don't worry Harry … I'm not going to kill him. At least, not today…" he hinted darkly, his eyes brightening for an instant. "And you're quite correct in that we do want you … Your friend here was only incentive for another of your friends to do his job. The job has been completed, and so the Werewolf gets to live another day. Though, I do believe he'll be under the weather for a day or two, once he gets back to that wretched school…"
Harry stared, feeling the tears roll down his face as he saw Remus cough up blood, still unable to get to his feet. He'd curled up into a ball as he tried to alleviate the pain ripping through his chest, barely acknowledging the cuts and gashes he'd received moments before his ribs had been crushed.
"One final touch before I let Vixsy here return him to that school," Wolfgang stated absent-mindedly, holding a hand out in front of him. The next moment, a large bow materialized in his hand, a single arrow notched on the string.
Wolfgang grinned, as Remus was lifted from the ground by an invisible hand, floating over next to Harry, his feet inches above the ground. Remus opened his eyes wearily, struggling to raise his head as Wolfgang stepped back and drew the string back to his ear, aiming the metal-tipped shaft at Remus's middle……
Harry shook his head, wanting to turn away but finding himself unable to. His eyes moved to Wolfgang, just as he released the shaft…
The arrow vanished from sight, seemingly disappearing into thin air until Harry heard Remus's painful cry, causing him to turn and face him, making him feel sick to the stomach as the wooden shaft protruded from the soft flesh of his belly.
"No!" Harry exclaimed, pulling against Vixsy's, grip desperately trying to go to Remus's side. He'd only just regained his friend, and didn't want to lose him again, not after knowing what it was like to think someone he cared for was gone forever. Harry could see the agony in Remus's half open eyes, as he fell to his knees, his breathing laboured as the blood from his wounds soaked into his robes.
"You said you wouldn't kill him!!!" Harry screamed, glaring at Wolfgang in rage through his tears. His hatred for the Kanite grew with each passing moment he stood, smirking at him coldly.
"I told you the truth," he answered calmly, the bow vanishing from sight, though the arrow remained. "I won't kill him today. There's plenty of time for that … no need to spoil myself, is there? Not when I intend to have fun with you."
Harry swallowed, his insides turning to ice at the insinuation. He looked at Remus again, just as he felt the grip in his robes slacken, allowing him to stumble forward and kneel by Remus's side. Without hesitation, Harry slipped his arm around Remus's shoulders, attempting to keep him upright as his consciousness waned. Harry tried not to look at the wounds on his face and body, and didn't want to aggravate his ribs any more than they had to be already with his laboured breathing.
"Remus?" Harry breathed, tapping his face gently, trying to rouse him even a little. "Remus, come on don't fall asleep – "
"Take him back now please, Vixsy," Wolfgang said, overriding Harry's attempts to keep Remus awake. "It's time to test my theory…"
Harry felt himself grabbed roughly from behind, before finding himself thrown to the other end of the shack, landing heavily by Wolfgang's clawed feet. Winded, Harry struggled to sit up in time to see Vixsy vanish in a swirl of black lights, Remus vanishing along with her…
"Remus!!" Harry shouted, staring at the spot Remus had been moments before hand, scrambling to his feet, only to feel a stab of pain and the sudden sensation of flying, as Wolfgang kicked him in the stomach, sending him back across the room.
Coughing, Harry clutched at his middle, hearing Wolfgang laughing as he strode across the small distance to stand over him. Harry looked up, and felt his blood run cold at the sight of a large broadsword, glittering menacingly in the magical light as Wolfgang hefted it teasingly.
The Kanite chuckled deeply, baring his teeth as he smiled maliciously. "Let the games begin…" ……
"Poppy, what are you doing down here?" Dumbledore asked when he spotted the Matron, about to enter the Dungeon area and apparently in a hurry.
"Albus?" she exclaimed, jumping slightly at the sound of his voice. "I was just heading down to Severus's class," she explained, starting to turn down the darkened corridor. "Miss Weasley is in a right state at the moment, and was demanding to see Harry, so I came down to get him from Potions as she asked where he was. She was quite distressed about something, and only Hank managed to settle her down enough for her to make any sense. She was yelling at the top of her lungs, telling us that we had to find Harry…"
"Oh dear," Dumbledore sighed, appearing very grave. He'd just received a letter from Severus, telling him that Harry wasn't in class and hadn't been seen since the end of morning lessons. Making a decision, Dumbledore held out a hand and stopped Poppy from going any further. "Don't bother Poppy … He's not here…" he said gravely, shaking his head.
"What do you mean he's not here?" Poppy responded dumbly, obviously shocked by the statement. "Where else would he be?"
Dumbledore shook his head as he about-faced, now striding purposefully toward the Hospital Wing. "I don't know," he answered, hearing the Matrons footfalls behind him. "I intend to question Miss Weasley about what she knows though. The last time something like this happened, was when Kahn brought Harry back after he ran away. Ginny saw Harry being injured in her dreams … I only hope that it's not the case now…"……
Ginny once again woke with a start, as the horrible image of Harry being impaled once again flashed across her dreams. She bolted upright, breathing heavily as the cold sweat that had formed on her brow ran down her face, trying to remember what had happened before she'd fallen asleep.
An image of Hank appeared, he looked worried as he tried to calm her down, wrapping her in his strong arms as the Matron looked on concernedly. He'd sent her to find Harry after she'd been rambling on about having to find him…
Almost automatically, Ginny looked around, seemingly expecting to see a worried Harry in the room with her … but the room was empty. Feeling a twinge of panic, Ginny once again got out of bed and approached her door, hearing voices speaking quietly out in the Main Ward as she stepped into the Hallway.
Silently, Ginny crept up to the door and held her ear to it, trying to hear the hushed conversation through the thick wood……
Hank waited impatiently for what seemed an eternity, before the doors to the Ward were finally opened … revealing Dumbledore and Madame Pomfrey, which only succeeded in making Hank's heartbeat spike with a stab of fear.
"Albus?" Hank called, his voice echoing slightly in the empty ward. "What are you doing here? Where's Harry Poppy?"
"We ran into each other on the way down to Severus's classroom, Hank," Dumbledore explained as he crossed the distance between them. "I received a letter from him not long ago, and after reading it, I saw no point for Poppy to go and collect Harry … because he wasn't in class…"
Hank swallowed, trying to ignore the way his throat had just gone dry. "When was he last seen?" he asked softly, trying to quell the angst and fear steadily rising within him.
"According to Severus … Harry was last seen at the end of morning lessons, by Ron and Hermione. They told him Harry had gone for a walk around the Lake, and they hadn't seen him since."
"But that was hours ago!" said Hank, his concern showing clearly as he stood abruptly from the bed he'd been seated on, making him tower over his two companions. "I went looking for him near the end of lunch, but he wasn't at the Lake by the time I got there … I assumed that he'd gone inside and skipped lunch…" He shook his head in disgust. "How could I be so stupid…?"
"Don't blame yourself for this Hank," Dumbledore said gently, trying to appease his friends torment. "You had other things on your mind at the time … it's only natural to be complacent in times of stress…"
"But he wandered off because he found out I was a Feline," Hank countered tersely. "You were right Albus … I should have told him earlier…"
Dumbledore sighed and patted Hank's forearm reassuringly. "The past is the past and we can't dwell on it. Instead I suggest we put our efforts into locating Mr Potter as soon as possible, but first I would like a word with Miss Weasley. I understand she was in quite a state earlier on? Something about needing to find Harry … and seeing how he's missing, I need to know what she was talking about." ……
At first, Ginny stood, completely shocked when she heard Hank declare that he was a Feline; coming to her senses as she heard Dumbledore mention her name. She quickly darted back to her room though, when she heard Dumbledore request to speak with her, not wanting to be caught eavesdropping on an intentionally confidential conversation.
Jumping back into bed, she just got settled when she heard the door to the hall open, and the voices of Hank and Dumbledore conversing quietly.
"…She fell asleep not long afterwards, so I don't know if she's awake yet…?" Hank's voice told – who Ginny assumed to be Dumbledore – quietly.
"Well … she appears to be awake now," Poppy announced as soon as she opened Ginny's door and saw the girl lying awake, gazing up at the ceiling. "How are you feeling, Miss Weasley?" she continued, stepping into the room, followed by Hank and Dumbledore.
Ginny glanced at the Matron for a moment, before dropping her gaze to her sheets sullenly, knowing that they would ask her about her dream. "I'm fine…" she answered softly, not lifting her gaze.
"Miss Weasley," Dumbledore started, sitting on the spare bed, while Hank took a seat at the foot of Ginny's. "I'm sorry to disturb you, but there is something that I need to ask you – "
"Where's Harry?" Ginny interrupted, looking up at Hank for her answer instead of Dumbledore. Her gaze was piercing, but Hank could see the desperate worry lingering in the background.
"That's part of the reason we needed to speak to you Ginny," Hank answered cautiously, not wanting to upset her again. "You see – We don't know where Harry is. He wasn't in Potions as I thought he was. He hasn't been seen since the start of lunch…"
Ginny felt her eyes well up as she let it sink in. She'd heard Hank and Dumbledore talking about it in the Main Ward, but she didn't absorb the fact until Hank had said it to her face. Ginny hid her face behind her hands, not wanting her Professors to see her in such a state, as the tears slowly fell from her eyes. The vision of Harry being impaled once again flashed across her vision, making her sobbing more intense and desperate.
Hank gazed at Ginny sadly, wanting nothing more than to spare her the pain she was feeling at Harry's unexplained disappearance. Hesitating for a moment, Hank rose and shifted, resuming his seat, only now he was by Ginny's side. As though sensing his presence, Ginny almost immediately leant sideways and wrapped her arms around his neck, seeking the comfort he'd given her earlier on, in the Main Ward.
Without thinking twice, Hank returned the embrace and once again attempted to calm Ginny down enough to speak coherently, all the while gently rocking her back and forth, his chin resting lightly atop her fiery hair.
"I saw him dieing," she whispered after calming down somewhat, barely audible as she was buried into Hank's chest. "I saw it in my dreams…"
Hank felt his heart quicken and his breathing become slightly uneven at this, but he forced himself to remain calm, knowing that Ginny would feel his tenseness. He glanced at Dumbledore fleetingly, and wasn't appeased when he saw the old Wizard looking as grave and old as he'd ever remembered seeing him.
"What happens in your dreams, Ginny?" Hank asked gently, shifting slightly so he could look at the girls face.
Ginny gazed up at Hank, her face ashen as the scene flashed across her mind again, making her wince visibly. "I – I don't think – "
"Please Ginny?" Hank pleaded, breaking the embrace to kneel on the floor and bring him to eye level. His large hands rested on Ginny's shoulders as he gazed at her hopefully, even though her gaze had once again dropped to the sheets. "Please tell me? It could mean his life if you don't tell us what you've seen…"
What seemed to be forever passed in only a few seconds, as Ginny's gaze remained firmly on the bed, until she looked up and stared into Hank blue-green eyes, seeing for the first time that they were filled with a deep-seated fear.
"I – I don't know where he is," Ginny whispered, speaking only to Hank. "I just keep seeing Harry, lying on the ground…" Ginny began to choke up again, but she fought to speak through it. "He – He had cuts and bruises all over him – He couldn't even get up! He – I see him roll onto his back just – just before something stabs him in the chest so hard it goes right through him, pinning him to the ground – "
It was virtually impossible for them to get anything more out of Ginny after that. She shook her head before bursting into a fresh wave of tears, burying her face in her knees as she rocked back and forth on the bed, ignoring any other attempts to speak to her.
"Albus, we have to find him!" said Hank fiercely, standing after trying his best to calm Ginny again but having no luck. "He could be dieing, if not already dead!?"
"But, it was only a dream? Wasn't it?" Poppy put forward, still looking quite pale from Ginny's account of Harry's situation, but seemingly not in the right frame of mind to accept it.
"I don't believe so Poppy," Dumbledore answered heavily. "She's dreamt of Harry in danger before, and was correct. There's no reason to think it's not the case now…"
Hank was pacing back and forth across the room, running his hand through his raven hair in frustration. "We don't even know where to start looking for him!" he exclaimed, sounding harsh and short.
"Try to calm down Hank," said Dumbledore softly. "We need to think … we can't afford to lose our heads at the moment…"
Hank stopped pacing and nodded sheepishly. "You're right Albus. I'm sorry – "
A sudden sound and a shout cut off Hank's words. The three stood there, stunned for the briefest moment, before someone's voice was clearly heard yelling for the Matron, out in the Main Ward.
All three hurried from the room and dashed to the door; coming to a stop equally as fast at the sight that greeted them when they burst into the Wing, leaving them staring while chaos ran rampant around them……
A swirl of black light appeared at the base of the steps that led into the castle, leaving two figures as they disappeared. One was a red haired woman, the other a beaten and bloodied werewolf.
Elise sneered as she released her hold on Remus, letting him slump to his knees, groaning in agony. Her blue eyes glinted as she spotted the arrow, still imbedded in Remus's middle, moving up and down with the motion of his laboured breathing.
"That must hurt?" she stated quietly, bending down and speaking into Remus's ear. "Here … let me remove it for you – " She reached down swiftly and wrenched the arrow backwards, pulling it violently from Remus's stomach, resulting in a muted cry through gritted teeth.
"Aww … What's the matter werewolf?" Elise grinned, eyeing off the bloody end of the arrow with something akin to pleasure. "You seem upset about something?" Moving to the front, Elise knelt down and looked at Remus's face, noting the bruising already starting to show on his pasty white skin, and the blood seeping from the small wounds on his brow and lip.
"You know," she started, pulling Remus's wand from her pocket. "You should be happy. It's not often that my brother keeps the terms of a deal with the enemy. But then, he does like playing games as well, so no point in getting rid of all the players is there? Otherwise there'd be no game."
Elise stood again and stared down at the DADA professor for a moment, before bending and slipping Remus's wand back into his robes.
"Tell you what," she started again, grasping Remus by the back of his robes and roughly lifting him to his feet. "Seeing how you've been such a good sport, and the fact that even after my brother's beating you're still conscious … I'll do you a favour. I can see that you'd have some troubles getting up stairs and such, and you'd have little trouble going down them or crawling … so I'm going to lift you up these stairs here, and open these doors, just to give you a sporting chance of getting some form of help, before you pass out … the result of which would most likely be your death due to injury. What do you say?"
Remus let out a soft groan in reply, and Elise nodded, "I'll take that as a yes."
The next moment, Elise waved an arm and waved it widely, opening the oak doors with a bang. "Allioop!!" she exclaimed, smiling maliciously as she grasped Remus by the front of his robes and tossed him like a rag doll, soaring through the air before landing inside the cavernous Entrance Hall with a sharp crack.
"Hey I never said how I'd get you up the stairs!" she laughed, bordering on the hysterical before vanishing in another swirl of black light, leaving Remus half conscious and bleeding, lying in the Entrance Hall……
Remus forced himself to open his eyes, the burning need to find someone to help Harry overpowering any other thoughts for himself. Gritting his teeth, Remus slowly got to his knees, ignoring the agonizing burning in his chest and stomach. Crawling, Remus edged slowly towards the nearest wall and leant against it, trying to regain his breath before setting his jaw and using the wall to get to his feet.
Biting his tongue against the pain that ripped up his right leg, Remus shakily edged down the Entrance Hall, bracing against the wall to remain standing. The process was slow, as he had to stop every few yards to catch his breath, but after a time, Remus reached the point where he had to make a crucial decision. Bleary eyed, Remus glanced at the foreboding Marble Staircase, that would ultimately lead him to Madame Pomfrey, but he had to go up even more stairs to get to her. Looking ahead, Remus set his jaw and started towards a door next to the stairs … knowing that it would lead him to the Dungeons.
Loathed as Remus was to turn to Snape for help, he had little choice in the matter. He was unable to climb any stairs, and there were none to climb if he headed that way. Another thing that was plaguing Remus's mind, was the students that Severus would be teaching. He didn't want to cause them any distress, but yet again, he had little choice.
So, at an agonizingly slow pace, Remus began the long journey toward the Potions room, feeling his energy grow weaker each time he halted to regain his breath. He rounded a corner, knowing he was near passing out, when the door to Snape's classroom finally came into Remus's view.
Smiling wearily, and coughing lightly, feeling fluid on his lungs, Remus staggered forward, leaving a thin trail of blood in his wake as he slid along the wall. He reached the door and fumbled at the latch, his fingers slick with his own blood. Releasing it, Remus lurched forward as he started to feel light-headed and sluggish, feeling the door swing wide with his weight.
A deafening silence met his ears as every head in the room turned to face him, all showing a mix of shock, confusion or horror. Remus lifted his eyes to Severus, who was gaping at him in undisguised disbelief as his eyes travelled over him, taking in the bloody robes and wounds. He heard his name whispered by someone to the side, but he no longer had the energy to turn his head.
Knowing he would pass out any moment, Remus stared at Snape and said, "They have him…" before falling forward and plunging into darkness……
Snape stared as he recognised the form standing in the doorway, feeling horror shoot through him as he spotted the soaked robes and wounds. At Remus's words, Snape felt fear course through him, praying he didn't mean what he thought he meant.
As soon as he started to slump, Severus darted forward but didn't make it in time to catch the DADA Professor, cringing as he hit to floor with a dull thud. His breathing rapid, Severus swiftly knelt by Remus and turned him onto his back, gasping as he saw the livid bruises and cruel cuts on his face. There was a large rip in Remus's sleeve, so Severus carefully peeled the material back, only to find a vicious slash running down his shoulder.
"P– professor Lupin?!!!"
Snape looked up sharply and cursed under his breath. He'd forgotten that the students were there, and not all of them were accustomed to such sights. He could see that the majority were almost green with nausea, and wide-eyed in abject horror. Only Malfoy seemed almost unaffected by the sight, not that that was surprising.
"Everyone will stay here," Snape ordered as he stood over Remus, conjuring a stretcher out in the hall and levitating him onto it. "No one is to move until I return."
With that, Snape stepped into the hall and vanished from the students view, only then hurrying as fast as he could while still transporting Remus safely. He'd almost reached the Hospital Wing doors when he heard heavy footfalls approaching from behind him……
Hermione stared, unable to move as Remus appeared before her eyes. She barely saw any of his injuries, or his lack of vigour, and only had a single thought running through her mind. Remus was not dead. She vaguely recalled saying his name aloud, and watched, paralysed as he fell forward to the hearth, and lay motionless; the words he'd spoken before collapsing echoing in her mind "…They have him…"
Hermione heard Snape's orders after he bent over Remus from a distance, her mind asking, who had whom? As soon as Snape left the students alone, a vibrant chatter broke out, along with some of the other girls having a near breakdown with seeing Remus in such a state.
"Did you see all the blood?"
"How'd he get like that?"
"I hope he's all right?"
"What was it he told Snape?"
The questions were never ending, and Hermione was still dazed with the revelation that Harry hadn't killed Remus the previous night.
"Hermione?" a voice whispered in her ear, sounding worried. "Hey, are you OK?"
Hermione startled as someone tapped her lightly on the cheek, bringing her back to the hear and now, and also allowing what had just happened to sink in. Hermione felt a pair of arms encircle her, as she felt her knees buckle, stopping her from falling to the floor in shock.
"Whoa! Hey, you all right?" Hermione heard Ron's worried voice speak into her ear. As he gently sat her on her seat, he peered into her eyes concernedly.
"I thought he was dead?" she whispered absently, staring back at Ron blankly. "He should have died?!!"
"Hermione, what are you talking about?" Ron replied in a hushed tone, sensing that this conversation was best left unheard. "I know he looked bad, but he's not dead? He'll be fine now that Snape is taking him to the Hospital Wing…"
Hermione shook her head vigorously, starting to regain a rational train of thought. "No you don't understand!" she whispered urgently. "He shouldn't be alive! You know how Harry and I got back to the Common Room late last night?" Ron nodded, clearly confused as to where this was heading. "Well, the reason we were so late wasn't just because he lost his temper at me…"
"What was the other reason?" Ron asked hesitantly.
Hermione stole a quick glance around, before returning her gaze to Ron. "Well, Harry did lose his temper, yes … and I would've been hurt a lot more … if Remus hadn't come along…"
"OK…?" Ron responded, still not seeing where Hermione was heading.
"Well … Remus tried to stop Harry … but Harry ended up throwing him from the building, five stories up. He'd pushed him out a window – We thought he'd killed him!"
Ron's eyes widened, both in shock and injury. His surprise was obviously due to Harry actually hurling Remus to his supposed death … but Hermione could see that he was hurt that they didn't tell him this that night.
"Why didn't you tell me this last night?" he asked sadly. "And … How would Remus get like he is, if he was supposed to have been killed?"
Hermione sighed and started to stand. "I'm really sorry we didn't tell you, but Harry made me promise not to tell anyone. We didn't even tell Dumbledore…"
Ron nodded and stood with her, patting her shoulder as he did so. "It's OK," he said softly. "I can see why he wouldn't want to tell anyone … I guess that's why he was so short with me in the Common Room, huh?"
Hermione nodded glumly. "I was afraid for a while there that it would make Harry snap completely. He was so cold near the end there … it was unnerving…"
"C'mon," Ron announced suddenly, grasping Hermione by the hand and beginning to haul her toward the door.
"Ron, what are you doing? We're supposed to stay here!" Hermione hissed, though not really putting up much of a fight.
"Hey Weasley!" Malfoy called out as Ron opened the door. "You taking your Mudblood girlfriend to see your precious Werewolf, huh?!! Too bad he dies on route! Wouldn't that be a shame?!!"
Ron spun around, but Hermione continued with what Ron had started and pushed him out the door, before slamming it shut again.
"Ignore him Ron," she stated simply, taking his hand again and starting after Snape. "He's not worth it."
"I don't care!" Ron shot back angrily. "I'm sick of him calling you that!"
"And I really appreciate it," Hermione smiled, still tugging on Ron's arm. "But right now, I'd like to find out what happened to Remus, and if he's going to be OK…?"
"It's weird isn't it?" Ron panted as they ran as quietly as they could, up to the Hospital Wing.
"What is?" Hermione said over her shoulder.
"Well … the same day Harry goes missing, Remus – who was missing – suddenly shows up, and he's half dead … Doesn't it seem a little coincidental?"
"I don't know," Hermione answered, shaking her head as they rounded another corner. "What I'm curious about, is how on earth Remus survived that fall? Let's just hope he'll be able to talk about what's happened soon…"
"What are you two doing here?!!"
Ron and Hermione barely gave Snape a second glance as they jogged past him and opened the doors to the Ward, looking back when they noticed he was standing in the middle of the hallway staring at them.
"Professor Snape, I believe that Remus is bleeding to death while you stand there gawking," Hermione stated tersely, not caring about any punishment at the moment.
Snape sighed and started guiding Remus into the Ward, as Ron shouted at the top of his lungs for Madame Pomfrey.
"I told everyone to stay put!" Snape snapped at them as they placed Remus on a bed. "When will you two ever learn to listen?! I would've thought the last time you didn't follow instructions would've taught you something…?"
"We had to know how he got like this," Hermione replied, just as the door to the back hall opened, revealing Poppy, Hank, and surprisingly, Dumbledore.
"Oh my Lord! Remus!" Poppy exclaimed, dashing to his side and examining his wounds immediately.
"What happened to him?" Dumbledore asked Severus in an undertone, not wanting to disturb Poppy, or cause Ron and Hermione any more stress. He noted however, that Hank wasn't shocked by Remus's condition. He seemed pale, yes … but it wasn't from worry or concern … he couldn't quite pinpoint it…
"I don't know, Albus," Severus answered, just as quietly. "He just showed up at my classroom door like this."
"Professor Snape," Hermione piped up meekly. "May I ask what Remus meant when he said 'They have him'…? Who has whom?"
Snape stared down at Hermione for an instant, but he was not the one who answered Hermione's question.
"I can tell you that…" Hank spoke up gravely, leaning over Remus and assisting Poppy, not looking up at anyone when he spoke.
"Excuse me?" Dumbledore remarked, raising an eyebrow at the Feline. "How would you know – "
"Trust me, I know," Hank cut in, not even giving Dumbledore the briefest glance, as he started to heal Remus's worst injuries, leaving the minor ones for Poppy. "And I will try to answer the questions you have, but I ask you wait until we finish tending to Remus…"
Grudgingly, they all nodded and anxiously waited for Hank and Poppy to declare when they'd done all they could do for the professor.
"Um, Professor Snape?" Hermione asked again, meekly. "Why would Professor Lupin come down to the Dungeons instead of up here to get treatment first?"
"I wouldn't know, Miss Granger," he answered truthfully. "But judging by his condition, and the fact that he passed out by the time he got to my classroom, I seriously doubt he would have made it all the way up here. He would've collapsed in a corridor and bled to death, most likely … so I guess I was the next best thing…"
"Excuse me, Professor Dumbledore?" Ron spoke up, approaching the small gathering hesitantly.
"Yes, Mr Weasley."
"Um … I was wondering … Because you all came out of the back there, I was wondering if you knew if I could see Ginny yet? Is she still allowed to come to dinner tonight?"
"I think it would be best if you asked Madame Pomfrey her opinion on that matter," Dumbledore answered slowly, after a short, tense pause. "She was quite distressed earlier on and – "
"What?!! Is she all right? What happened? Can I see her?"
Ron had begun to walk swiftly toward the back rooms even before he finished asking his questions, not waiting for an answer from anyone.
"Ron wait!" Hermione called, sighing when he ignored her and disappeared down the hall. "Professor Dumbledore – Maybe we should start to think about our wording from now on when Ginny is concerned? As soon as someone mentions she's been upset or hurt, it's like he just zones out!"
"Let's hope he can do a better job than we did then?" Dumbledore remarked, sounding grave.
"Wait … Is there something wrong with her?" Hermione inquired uneasily, hoping that Ginny was fine.
Dumbledore gazed at Hermione fleetingly, before saying, "Miss Weasley has just had another dream, concerning Harry…"
"And?" Hermione prompted tentatively, when Dumbledore didn't continue, noticing that Snape was listening intently as well.
Dumbledore held her gaze, as though debating whether to tell her or not, when he finally answered, "She saw Harry dieing…"
Hermione's eyes widened and her breath grew unsteady, as she tried to force her mind to acknowledge what Dumbledore had just told her.
"But – the last time Ginny had a dream about Harry, it was – " Hermione paused, not wanting to even think about what this meant. "It was real…" she finished, her voice barely more than a whisper. "B – but we still have some time, don't we?!! I mean – Last time, Harry wasn't hurt when Ginny dreamt it, it happened later on – "
"Unfortunately, Miss Granger, " Dumbledore interjected gently. "We have no idea if what Miss Weasley saw, has occurred yet or not … Without actually finding Harry, there's no way to tell…"
"Did she tell you what she saw?" said Hermione, eyeing the headmaster expectantly.
"Are you sure, you want to know this?" he replied hesitantly. "It is not pleasant…"
"Neither was the last one. I saw it first hand," Hermione countered determinedly. "And he lived through that one as well, remember…"
After a brief pause, Dumbledore nodded. "Very well. Miss Weasley had a dream, and in it she saw, what she believes, is Harry's death. Although I pray it's not the case … I hold little hope, considering what it was she saw…" Dumbledore paused, hoping to see second thought's on Hermione's face, but seeing none, reluctantly continued. "Ginny described seeing Harry, already beaten so badly he could barely move, lying on the ground. When he rolled onto his back apparently, something drove into his chest with such a force it fixed him to the ground beneath him. It's all we managed to get from her before she broke down completely…"
Hermione stood, eyes wide and growing paler by the second. "But he's lived through things that should have killed him before?" she finally responded, her voice wavering in the slightest. "Like that gunshot … It should have killed him, especially with how long it took us to find him…"
Dumbledore listened to her reasoning, but shook his head sadly. "Miss Granger, as much as I would wish it untrue … Even with Harry's rather unnatural hardiness, I hold little hope of him surviving injuries of such magnitude…"
"So you're just going to give up on him then?!!" Hermione exclaimed, appalled that Dumbledore would relent so easily.
"I never said that," Dumbledore replied calmly, taking no offence with Hermione bluntness, knowing it was only spurred from fear of Harry's life. "But we have no way of even knowing his location. Ginny gave no landmarks … so if what she saw is indeed true, then we can't even find him to help him. We don't even know if it's happened yet or not?"
"Well, can't Hank try to find him, like he did with me?" Hermione suggested, glancing at the Feline for confirmation.
"As much as I wish I could Hermione," Hank started sullenly, "I know who has him, and you can rest assured that they've blocked off all ways of my reaching Harry."
"But there must be something they overlooked?" she persisted. "Anything that they wouldn't think of maybe?"
Hank halted his assistance with Remus for a moment, and looked at Hermione appraisingly, only to be stopped from answering when Snape spoke up suddenly.
"How is it that you know who has Mr Potter?" he asked, throwing Hank a truly penetrating glare. "And how do you know how Lupin got in this condition?"
Hank held Snape's stare unflinchingly, and without turning to look, asked Poppy if she would be all right tending to Remus alone for the moment. She replied that she could and then declared that he'd healed the worst and she shouldn't need his services again. Nodding, while still glaring at Snape, Hank requested they move away from Poppy.
"Of course," said Dumbledore, who proceeded to lead them all to the other end of the Ward. They all took seats on either a chair or bed, and prepared for whatever it was that Hank was going to say.
"All right," Hank sighed, running a hand absently through his hair. "This started last night. As you all already know, I was out on the rooftops having some fun, when I decided to come back inside. I was wandering the corridors that made their way around the outside of the school, when I looked out a window, overlooking the courtyard I'd been flying over not a couple of minutes earlier. It was then that I saw something indescribable. Someone had jumped through and out a window on the fifth floor. I immediately leaped out the nearest window and flew down, attempting to catch them … I did, but the momentum they'd acquired was enough to still send the both of us crashing to the ground below, albeit slow enough to not kill us. I was knocked unconscious with the force of the fall…"
Everyone was listening intently, though Hank could see a little more understanding in Hermione's eyes, and impatience in Snape's.
"Who was the person you caught, Hank?" asked Dumbledore curiously.
"That's why he's still alive," said Hermione, piecing some of the elaborate puzzle together. "You caught him…"
"Caught who?" Snape demanded irritably, as Hank nodded at Hermione's question. "And what do you mean by still alive? Why wouldn't they be, and how would you know about this?"
"You know how Harry lost his temper last night?" Hermione started, looking at Snape, who nodded. "Well, he lost it because he saw Hank on the roof. I tried to distract him and he wanted to know why I'd tried to, but I wouldn't tell him, so he started on me … and that's when Remus showed up. He tried to stop Harry, but he ended up getting thrown out the window … We both thought Harry had killed him. That's why I said still alive because until he showed up I thought he was dead."
"Oh," said Snape, completely dumbfounded. "Well, why didn't you say this last night?"
"Think Severus," said Hank dryly. "Who would want to admit to murder?"
"If we could get back to how you know how Remus got like this, and who has Harry please?" Dumbledore said suddenly, raising his voice and ending the discussion.
"Sorry, Albus," said Hank, pausing a moment to regather his thoughts. "Well anyway, I was knocked out after catching Remus. When I woke, I was out in the woods, and Remus was nowhere to be seen. There was a note left on me … from Wolfgang … and it told me to meet him at a place we both knew well – "
"Where was that?" Snape interrupted, only to finch when Hank looked at him sharply.
"That's not important," he replied icily, his blue-green eyes flashing angrily. "I complied, and went there. He told me, that he had Remus, and even though I'd caught him, he was still in need of attention badly. Right off the bat, Wolfgang told me to either accept the proposal I hadn't even heard yet, or refuse … the cost being Remus's life. Of course I had to accept, I wasn't about to be the cause of his death, and Wolfgang said he would fix Remus … but he was also payment for the deal I'd just accepted…"
"What was the contract?" asked Dumbledore, fearing he already knew, his fear showing in his blue eyes.
"I think we can all guess that one," Hank answered softly. "He's been missing for the last four hours … and Remus has been returned…"
"Harry…" said Hermione, feeling a wave of disbelief wash over her. "He wanted Harry…"
Hank nodded sadly. "Yes he did. He told me that, if I didn't deliver Harry to him by the next full moon … which we all know is next week … he'd set Remus loose inside the castle, right on dinner time…"
"So, what?!!" Hermione began, her anger flaring unexpectedly. "You just handed Harry over to that thing?!!"
"I would never do such a thing," said Hank, the severe injury at Hermione's words showing clearly on his sharp features. "I was intending to use that time to come up with a way to make it appear I was going to do my part, while still keeping Harry, and getting Remus … but they captured him anyway … and it was my fault…"
"Don't believe that for a second," Dumbledore said suddenly. "It's not like it was the first time Harry's gone walking around the Lake to think, Hank. You were placed in a lose-lose situation … we don't hold you responsible for it at all."
"Do you have any idea why he wanted Harry so badly?" Snape put forward, frowning in thought.
Hank paused for a moment, seemingly thinking about such a simply question avidly, before shaking his head. "No I don't know. Wolfgang might have only done it on Voldemort's request, but I doubt it. He's not high enough in the Ranks of Status to ask anything of someone with Wolfgang's prestige."
"What if he did though?" Hermione suggested tentatively. "Would Wolfgang do something that Voldemort asked of him, even though he doesn't hold the power to do so?"
Hank paused for a moment, thinking about Hermione's statement, when he finally shrugged his shoulders hopelessly. "I really don't know Hermione. I've known Wolfgang for a very long time … and I can safely say that he's never done anything without a reason. Even if it's something impossibly insignificant, he'll still do something if it will improve his station, or the station of the Clan. He wanted Harry for a reason … and if Voldemort really did request this of him … he would've had a reason to do it. Not purely because a fellow Clan mate asked … but for some other purpose…"
"If he has a reason for everything, then why did he leave Remus alive?" said Snape, glancing over at the unconscious professor.
Hank grinned dryly. "For no other purpose than he's still alive to play with some other time. Wolfgang stands out amongst most other Kanite's. He won't kill every enemy solely because they're his enemy. He usually lets them live for another day, in case they come in handy again. And anyway … if he killed all his playing pieces, how would he play the Game?"
Hermione glanced at Dumbledore, who seemed to be deep in thought, before returning her gaze to Hank.
"What Game?" she asked timidly.
"THE Game," he answered calmly. "The Game of the ever constant battle of wit and cunning between us and them. We usually don't tend toward all out battles as you humans have done over the centuries. We hold too much power, and it wouldn't be wise for either side to engage in mass warfare. So instead, we play with minds. Using things like deception, manipulation, blackmail … all manner of things to achieve what we need against our foe. Though … we all like a little hands-on work sometimes – At least a one on one … it's our nature…"
"So … What?" said Snape, looking mildly irate. "You're saying that this Kanite thinks all this is a GAME?!!"
"Uh huh," Hank nodded calmly. "Pretty much. He doesn't take very much seriously … but when he does get serious about something, that's when you really start to worry. He usually always gets what he wants, when he sets his mind to get it."
They sat in a tense and pensive silence for a time, rolling what Hank had told them over in their minds, while also trying to come up with a way to assist Harry.
"His wand…" Hermione muttered after a time, eyes wide with hope. "You could try and hone in on his wand, in much the same way as you do with a mind."
"Hermione, I'm still limited by the borders of the grounds when it comes to that," Hank explained logically. "And I've already told you that they'd've block off any way for me to sense him using his mind…"
"I'm not asking you find his mind," Hermione countered urgently. "I'm asking you try to pick up on Harry's wand. The wand of a Wizard forges a faint link with it's wielder, once they've been chosen to be that wands owner. You could try to pick up on the subtle traces of Harry's essence, that linger within his wand. Surely they wouldn't've thought to cut off you sensing him using his wand as an anchor?"
Hank ran the idea over in his mind a few times, truly wondering if his rival had thought of something similar. Deciding that it was the best shot they had, Hank looked up and shot Hermione a small grin.
"You know, that sounds like a good idea, and it's not as though we have anything to lose by doing it. There's probably a good chance that Wolfgang didn't think of that area of things, so I'll give it a shot, OK?"
Hermione beamed at Hank happily, while he turned his gaze to Dumbledore. "Do you know by any chance what the core to Harry's wand is, Albus?"
"Phoenix feather. Actually, it's a feather from Fawkes … why?" the Headmaster answered.
"Fawkes?" Hank repeated, feeling encouraged. "Excellent, could you call him down here please? His presence will help a little. Instead of focusing purely on a fragment of Harry, I can also focus on a fragment of Fawkes. It is his tail after all…"
Raising his eyebrows slightly, Dumbledore nodded and shut his eyes for a moment. The next instant, the Phoenix's unearthly song echoed in the quiet Ward, before a brilliant ball of flames suddenly burst forth near the roof, flying toward the small congregation, before the flames seemed to meld into the brilliant scarlet and gold plumage that was Fawkes.
Gracefully, the swan sized bird glided over, and fluttered onto Dumbledore's shoulder, crooning quietly when he reached up and scratched his neck affectionately.
Hank smiled, still finding it strange that the Phoenix had remained with Dumbledore for so many years, when he grew serious at the reminder of why he'd had the bird summoned in the first place.
"Hey there Fawkes," Hank greeted politely, extending his arm for the bird to walk onto, knowing that he trusted him as much as he did Dumbledore. "You look better than the last time I had a good look at you." Hank grinned as Fawkes let out a quite note, sensing that he was laughing at his remark. The bird settled himself on Hank's shoulder and started to croon again as Hank started to stroke his neck also.
"I need to ask your assistance in finding someone we both have a great likeness for," said Hank quietly. "He has one of your feathers in his wand, and that's what I'm looking for. Could you think of it for me? It would help a great deal…"
Fawkes turned to look at Hank, seemingly considering what he'd just asked of him, before he bent his head and gently touched it to Hank's forehead, drawing back again after a moment.
"I thank you," Hank smiled. Both Hank and Fawkes grew still and silent, both with their eyes closed and concentrating, while Dumbledore, Hermione and Snape looked curiously on.
They sat that way, looking on anxiously for at least ten minutes as a slight golden glow began to appear around the two beings. By this time, even Madame Pomfrey had finished with Remus, and had walked over, drawn with curiosity toward the small gathering.
Suddenly, Hank's eyes opened, startling them all as they were glowing an intensely white light, forcing them to avert their eyes as the golden glow began to dissipate.
"Did you find it?" asked Dumbledore, as soon as the glowing had diminished enough to look at Hank again.
Hank's expression was one of supreme confusion, almost as if he couldn't believe whatever it was he'd discovered. He spotted Hermione still rubbing her eyes a little, and apologized.
"I'm sorry I didn't wait until the glow diminished, but I was a little surprised by what I found and didn't think…"
"That's OK Hank," said Hermione, waving a hand absently. "Don't worry about it. So what did you find that was so surprising?"
Hank shook his head slowly, as though he still couldn't make sense of whatever it was. "Well … I did find Harry's wand…"
"You did…" Hermione stated cautiously, looking at Dumbledore, noting that he'd also spotted that Hank wasn't as happy with this discovery as he should have been. "And?" she asked, when he didn't continue.
"See that's the thing," he replied, frowning in confusion. "Harry's wand is still on the Hogwarts grounds, out near the Lake…" He glanced up at them all, and saw matching expressions of uncertainty. "Now I know Wolfgang has a fondness of the unexpected bordering on the ludicrous … but that would be ridiculous…"
"Perhaps you should take a short trip down there and have a look around?" Dumbledore suggested, scratching Fawkes as he resumed his former position on the Headmasters shoulder.
"That would probably be the most obvious decision wouldn't it…?" said Hank dryly, almost scolding himself for not thinking it sooner. "I'll not take long…" he said before Orbing out in a swirl of white lights.
"Do you honestly think that this Wolfgang would still be on the grounds?" said Snape, sounding as though the answer to that statement were obvious.
Dumbledore shook his head. "No, I don't. Harry could have just as easily been disarmed before being taken to wherever he is … meaning that Wolfgang most probably did think of Hank's using the wand as an anchor, otherwise he wouldn't have bothered getting rid of it. Someone like him holds no fear of simple wands…"
"That would explain why Remus has his wand on him then," Poppy spoke up suddenly, making them all jump.
"Not necessarily," Hermione countered, appearing thoughtful. "Harry's not a fully trained Wizard, so he doesn't know as many spells as Remus would, that might help him to escape. They could easily have given Remus his wand back when they brought him back here, but they wouldn't need to worry over it with Harry, because he doesn't know as much…"
"But none of it matters anyway, because we still don't know where Potter could possibly be held," came Snape's short response. "The only person that might have any idea, is Lupin … but I wouldn't trust to hope on that either. I doubt this Wolfgang would return him if he knew the location Potter was at…"
Dumbledore heaved a heavy sigh and leant back in his chair, taking on an almost defeated manner. "It looks as though Hank was quite correct, when he said that when Wolfgang really wants something, he will most certainly get it. It's as though he's thought of everything, while still remaining one step ahead of us." ……