Chapter 9
By Corgi
The elderly man woke slowly in the early morning haze. He slowly stretched before swinging his legs out of the bed and reaching for a pair of half-moon glasses. The wizard glanced around the room momentarily confused by the location before he remembered where he was and why he was there. Harry Potter was here with him at his old family getaway that hardly anyone remembers exists. The young wizard was severely drained and badly hurt and he, Albus Dumbledore, brought him here to recover in safety.
Sleep still fogged a portion of the old man's mind and he wondered why his mouth felt like it was occupied by a gym sock for a long period of time. Albus looked around the room and realized that this wasn't the room he normal slept in. He had also slept in his clothes, which was very unusual in itself especially when a quick flick of his wand could transfigure his robes into night wear. He quickly made his way to Harry's room, moving very swiftly for a one hundred plus year old man. He flung the door open and saw the empty bed. A bag of lemon drops lay spilled on the floor. Worry consumed him as he searched the house looking for his wayward charge.
After searching inside and outside and not finding the younger wizard, Albus began to panic, though it didn't show on his face. Not for the first time, the wizard regretted not bringing at least one house elf to the Lair. Moving quickly to the fireplace he grabbed a handful of floo powder and noticed a significant dent in the amount in the pot.
"Minerva McGonagall, Hogwarts!" He shouted as he threw the floo powder into the fire.
"Good Morning, Albus. Do you need anything?" The ever practical witch asked.
"Harry's gone. He's not here and I do believe he used the floo system to leave. I need you to search the castle in case he's returned to the school. Ask Poppy to help you search. I'll be returning as soon as I close up the house here."
"Albus, I haven't seen Poppy since she came to me asking for a bag of those lemon drops. She said you asked her for some. I don't believe she returned to the school after her appointment."
"She hasn't returned?" The old man frowned in thought. "Poppy said you sent the candy with her… Poppy's taken Harry. If we find her we'll find Harry. Contact both Remus Lupin and Sirius Black and have the two of them met us in my office, please."
"Of course, Albus, and I'll conduct a search of the more out of the way areas of the school. She may have brought Harry here. She did seem a bit of out of sorts when I saw her yesterday."
"Alright Minerva, I'll see you with in the hour."
"Good-bye Albus."
The moment his deputy's face left the fire his calm demeanor left and sparks of magic flew off his body as he raged at the nurse's rebellion. In a fit of temper no one has seem from the man before, he reached out a started throwing knick knacks at the far wall. He kept going for over a half hour before running out of objects to break. His anger was by no means abated and he vowed the make the medi-witch's life a living hell for the rest of his days. He wouldn't fire her, she was the best in her field when it came to troublesome teenagers, but he'll make her pay for disobeying her.
As he went around the house casting the charms and wards needed to keep the place in order while it wasn't occupied, his thoughts went back to the day after they found Harry's battered and exhausted body. Poppy kept insisting that they return Harry to Hogwarts; something about three lives being in danger if they didn't. He couldn't figure out who else would be in danger if Harry didn't return. He still didn't know why the young man kept asking for Severus. The two didn't get along. He decided that a little chat with the resident Potions Master was in order once he returned to the school. He finished up securing the cottage, put out the fire and left the building to apparate back to the gates of Hogwarts.
He entered the school through a little know passageway that went directly to the private chambers off his office. Once there a quick shower and change of clothes were in order before he returned to his office. He arrived just in time to see Remus Lupin floo in. He moved forward to greet the werewolf and fill the man in on the situation.
"Where's Sirius, Remus?"
"I honestly don't know. He was taking Harry's death, or should I say disappearance, rather hard. He's spent a good deal of his time drinking. He went out a couple of days ago and hasn't returned."
"That's not good. I need to speak with Severus, so why don't you come down with me?"
"Lead on, Albus," the graying werewolf replied worry for both Harry and Sirius marring his normal cheerful face.
They barely made it into the hallway before an agitated Minerva intercepted them.
"Albus, something must be wrong with Severus. He didn't show up for his classes this morning and I can't get through the wards on his rooms. He hasn't been feeling well and I'm worried he may be sicker than he let on."
"I was heading down to see him, Minerva. Has your search born any fruit?"
"None what so ever, though Poppy's stores are almost completely empty." Minerva took a step back in shock when she saw the anger radiating in the headmaster's eyes.
"Minerva, I'll go check on Severus. I would like you to contact Kingsley, Arthur, Mungdungus, and Tonks and ask them to check on all the safe houses they're aware of. Remus if you'd follow me."
Minerva went to floo the people the headmaster named, while he and Remus quickly made there way to Severus' quarters. First the headmaster tried knocking hoping the man was just asleep and didn't hear Minerva. When he received no response, he started to dismantle the various wards and traps the paranoid man placed around his quarters. I took the headmaster over an hour to do so. Severus seemed to have place even more wards around his quarters than before. When they opened the door, the room was completely empty. All of Severus' possessions where gone as well as his private potions stores and equipment. Remus walked through the rooms breathing deeply and sorting through the various scents in the room. He smelt Severus' distinct scent, as well as Poppy's and… His eyes widened in surprise as he quickly returned to the headmaster's side.
"Albus, Sirius was here."
"He didn't harm Severus did he?" Albus' concern was quite apparent in his eyes. He knew what Sirius was capable of when it came to Severus and if he chose to lay blame on Harry's supposed death on the man's doorstep the animagus would act.
"No, I don't smell blood or death anywhere in the room. Severus isn't well though, there's something different about his scent. I just can't place my finger on the change."
"Well it may be safe to assume that Poppy has brought Severus and Sirius in on her escapade. Severus has been quite preoccupied with Harry's whereabouts recently. I'll let the safe houses be searched just in case and then we'll concentrate on the Snape family properties."
Remus continued to ponder the change in Severus' scent. He knew he smelt something similar recently when he was at the Weasley's home. Bill's wife Fleur had a similar change in her scent… Once again Remus' eyes opened in shock. He turned to the headmaster and prepared himself to drop the bombshell on the unsuspecting wizard.
"Headmaster, I think we should leave them alone."
"Harry must be hidden until he recovers. The rest of the Death Eaters would like nothing more than to kill him."
"You must leave them be, Albus! Severus isn't sick. He's pregnant!"
~tbc~
