Hello, hello everyone!! I am so sorry that it has taken me THIS long to get out such a meagre amount of typing, but I'm afraid that I've had quite the bout of writers block where this story is concerned. I know what I want to happen, I just cant think of how to get there!! It's driving me batty.

Rainbow: I'm really sorry, but the HP website has deleted this story from their lists because I hadn't posted on there for so long!! If you're willing to wait (along with all my other readers) you can continue reading this here … just be prepared to wait a while in between postings. This story is much harder for me to write than "A Life of Lies".

I really appreciate everyone's patience, and I hope I will have more to give you sometime soon that is more than the small amount I have for you currently.

*****

Sirius smiled to himself. Then idea had promise, that's for sure. Wincing, he swung his legs back onto the bed and lay down, transforming with a small pop, and settling into his new form, getting rid of the small aches and pains that sprung up with his new position. Gingerly getting to his feet, Sirius leapt softly to the floor, only wobbling for a moment, before his legs got used to his weight and steadied out.

Grinning inwardly, Sirius cautiously made his way out of the room, and down the hall, quirking an ear to hear beyond the oak door easier.

"…Why can't we let him know about Harry…?" Remus's voice echoed, rather angrily. Sirius perked up at the sound of his godson's name, but sobered quickly as the conversation continued. Pressing his ear to the door harder, the next voice that drifted toward him, was Dumbledore's.

"We can't risk Sirius knowing what has happened, Remus. He needs to relax and rest, in order to heal properly, and he won't do that if he's worrying about Harry. Nobody is to tell him anything, understood?"

There was a small pause, until it was broken by a series of affirmative noises. Sirius wondered who else would be sitting in on the conversation in the ward, but he couldn't focus on that at the moment. What was making Sirius growl quietly, was the fact that his best friend, and the Headmaster, were keeping information about Harry away from him.

"…But he's been missing for hours…" Hermione's voice suddenly spoke up, obviously unable to remain silent about the issue. "And after what Ginny saw about him, we have every reason to tell Sirius what's happening. I know that he'd want to be told, even if there was any chance that Harry wasn't going to come back to Hogwarts alive!!" ………

"Now we can't go thinking like that, Miss Granger," said Dumbledore, his voice projecting a calmness that seemed to envelop everyone present. "We have Hank's reassurances that Harry will certainly be alive, when he finally returns, and I have no reason to think that untrue. We will wait patiently, and — "

Dumbledore stopped abruptly, as the familiar white lights suddenly materialized in the middle of the Ward. Noting the Headmaster's gaze, the others turned their heads, hoping beyond hope that what they'd all expected to appear, would be as far from the truth as possible.

"Hank!" Remus called out to the Felanade, who's back was to the small group. "Hank, is Harry all right?"

They all held their breath, seeing how the larger man was seemingly breathing rapidly, when he turned … his arms completely devoid of the scrawny boy they all knew.

"Where's Harry?" Hermione's voice rose shrilly, as she leapt of the bed she'd been sitting on next to Ron, who also rose to his feet; his features creased with worry. "Why don't you have him? You said you'd come back with him?"

She stopped when Hank opened his mouth, hearing the loudest silence she'd ever heard in the Ward at any time, as not only she, but also the Headmaster, Remus and Ron waited anxiously for the Feline's answer.

"I couldn't find him," Hank spoke so quietly that it was hard to hear, even in the stony silence. "I found where he'd been held … but he wasn't there when I arrived. I'm sorry…"

Hermione shook her head. "But you told us — "

"I know, what I said, Hermione," Hank cut her off forcefully, mid-sentence. "He was in very much the condition that young Ginny told me he was … but he wasn't there when I arrived. I've no idea how he managed it … but now we've no choice but to wait for him to come to us."

"Come to us?" said Ron, in all but a whisper. "So you just deserted him then?!!"

"Ron!" Hermione breathed, staring at him incredulously, and noting how Hank's eyes had flared a dazzling white, for an instant. "You take that back, this instant!"

"No," Ron shook his head, scowling deeply at Hank, and not even turning to face Hermione as she spoke to him. "He told us, that he would go and get Harry from wherever that lunk of a Kanite took him. So what does he do? He comes back, after not finding him where he thought he might have been." Ron stared into Hank's glowing eyes unwavering. "Did you even bother to look around the area, to see if Harry might have been hanging around??"

Hank took a single step forward, and drew himself up to his tallest; he dwarfed Ron considerably.

"Although I shouldn't have to explain myself to you, Mr Weasley, for the fact that you are one of Harry's closest friends, I shall." Hank's voice was ice cold and whisper quiet, but it was still clearly audible in the silent Ward. "I had traced Harry to a specific location, that is true. By the time I had arrived there, however, he was no longer present. I would have continued my search for him, within the particular area, but I had little choice in the matter, for my old friend Wolfgang decided to reappear … most likely to check on his dear captive. I was not about to stick around and play with him. And before you ask … No. I couldn't sense Harry anywhere. That, most likely, would be due to his transforming, in order to travel faster, no matter what his physical condition may be…"

Hermione took a tentative step forward, when Hank fell silent, still feeling wary after seeing the cold display. Ron was, unbelievably, still staring the Feline down, showing no fear at all.

"But … Hank," she started quietly. "You told us that Ginny saw Harry stabbed in a dream she had? So badly that he was stuck to the ground? How could he get up from an injury like that, along with any others he may have had before hand?" Hermione's voice was rising in pitch but still remained a whisper. "And what about You-Know-Who? Wouldn't he have felt what Harry was going through?"

"Miss Granger," Dumbledore interrupted, before Hank could give an answer. "At this point in time, I doubt that any of us would have the slightest inclination how Harry managed to accomplish what he has. Nor do we know the situation concerning Voldemort and his Bond with Harry, in this instance…"

"I wouldn't exactly say that, Albus," Hank spoke up, taking his now normal eyes from Ron, and facing the Headmaster.

Dumbledore's brow creased in thought. "What do you mean, Hank?"

"Well," Hank stepped from Ron (who was still glaring at his back) and took a few steps toward Dumbledore, and Remus, sitting on the bed that both Hermione and Ron had only just vacated. "I mean that I know the situation concerning Voldemort and his Bond with Harry, while he was being held captive." Dumbledore motioned for him to continue. "Well, when I found where Harry was supposed to be, only to discover him gone, I naturally scanned the surrounding area for his presence. When I attempted it, however, I discovered that Wolfgang had placed spells similar to those surrounding Hogwarts, over the area … with only one difference."

He paused for a moment to gather his thoughts, and Remus took the opportunity to ask, "What difference would that be?"

Hank drew a deep breath. "That the Bond connecting Harry with Voldemort would be null and void, while he was there."

The room was silent, as all eyes were focused on Hank, absorbing what he had just told them.

"You mean that Voldemort felt none of what Harry went through?" said Remus, his voice an almost awed whisper. The group turned to look at him, as though pondering his sanity for making such a comment after what they had just herd. Remus looked up at them all, seeing their expressions, and decided to elaborate. "Don't you see what this means? We've found a way to block Harry's Bond with Voldemort until Hank find how to break it! Hank can just do to Hogwarts, what Wolfgang did to the place they held me and Harry, and he won't have to worry about Raging or feeling Voldemort's pain, and such…"

Everyone's eyes grew wider and smiles started to show on their faces at the idea that Remus had brought forward … but they soon vanished when they laid their eyes on Hank, seeing his face saddened as he shook his head.

"What's the matter?" Hermione asked, concern filling her voice and face. "Don't you think it's a good idea?"

Hank looked down at her and sighed. "It's not that, Hermione. It is a great idea … but it's not possible."

Hermione frowned. "How?"

"Simple," said Hank. "I'm not powerful enough to alter the shielding of Hogwarts to such an extent. Wolfgang can accomplish something of that magnitude with a great deal of effort, yes. But I just don't possess the raw power needed to give Harry that kind of protection." Hank looked away sadly. "I'm sorry."

"Hey, it's not your fault," said Remus consolingly. "You can't help that your not powerful enough for something as big as that. Don't you dare think you're weak, Hank, because you're far from it. I've seen some of the things you can do, and they are phenomenal. We'll just have to think of some other way to shield the place from the Bond…"

"How about just focussing on a couple of areas, then?" Hermione put in after a brief reflective pause by all. "You could shield the Great Hall specifically, and Gryffindor Tower … You know, to give him somewhere that he'll know there's no chance of him losing control?"

Hank looked at Hermione and his face brightened significantly. "That's a brilliant idea, Hermione! Why didn't I think of that? It's so simple?" Hank took a step forward and gave her a quick but fierce hug, before releasing her and beaming at Remus and Dumbledore. "It's a perfect idea! I'll get to it as soon as Harry gets back and settled."

"And when exactly will that be?" a croaky and weary voice called out from the end of the Ward, making all the excited grins disappear in a heartbeat, as they swivelled around to stare at Sirius, leaning on the door frame and looking quite agitated………

Harry had been running for how long he didn't know, but eventually he came to an old road. Deciding to use it as a point of reference, he quickly made his way along it, needing to stop every now and then, as for some strange reason, the wound on his chest refused to heal any further then it did while he was at the shack. True it was now only a deep gash, but it was still adequate enough to slow his progress.

The moon was high in the sky before the first sign of civilization showed itself, in the form of a small farm off to the side, surrounded by grassland, and some sort of crop in the back fields. As Harry had no clue as to where he even was in the country, he knew he needed to find out if he was to get back to Hogwarts … but he couldn't show up as a lion, and his clothing would cause the asking of awkward questions, for they were torn, slashed, and bloodied.

Deciding to just look around, to see if the place bore any clue as to his whereabouts, Harry quickly sauntered off the roadside and headed stealthily toward the homestead.

It was a somewhat run down old cottage, but it seemed to at least have electricity as light was poring from the sliding windows. Leaping easily over the small wire fence, Harry crept towards the nearest window, and rose up onto his hind legs, peering over the sill into the room inside.

It seemed to be a kitchen, but thankfully the room was empty. There was no door separating the kitchen from the room beside it, and Harry saw what seemed to be the lounge room. Lowering himself back to the ground, Harry made his way around the house, intent on finding some way to look inside. Spotting the desired window, Harry sighed in relief and mimicked his earlier manoeuvre, peering over the sill and staring into the room.

A wide and toothy grin lit up the catlike muzzle, as Harry saw what he hoped to, in the form of a television situated on the other side of the room; thankfully it was on.

"Now I've just got to wait for the hourly Local News update, and I'll find out what area I'm in," Harry thought happily, unable to keep a whisper soft purring from sounding within his throat.

A couple of times, Harry had to quickly duck out of sight, as the two occupants of the small house wandered in and out of the lounge room, apparently almost ready for their Dinner. Thankfully, no one was around when the screen on the telly displayed the news update letterhead, and Harry had clear view of what was shown.

He waited patiently for any indication as to where he was, and was surprised when the Local Weather update told him he was near the Salisbury Plains.

"Well Damn!" Harry thought, as he lowered back to the ground and started back towards the road. "Hogwarts is near the other end of the country!! How'm I going to get there? I can't keep travelling like this, someone will see me. Plus I'm still hurt from earlier…"

Harry contemplated his predicament as he ambled along the stretch of bitumen, and stopped dead as a sudden thought floated into his mind.

"The Weasley's!" Harry thought, excitedly, starting to run a touch faster in the desired direction. "They're loads closer than Hogwarts, and I'm sure they'll want to help?"

His mind set, Harry put on a sudden burst of invigorated speed, determined to arrive at his surrogate home before the end of the night………