Harry Potter & the Price of Mercy

by: NecessaryEvil

Chapter Three: Ice Cold

Disclaimer: Ok, I just pre-ordered the fifth book. Would I haveta do that if they belonged to me?

A/N:Thanks to my three new reviewers.

fiddy: very eloquent review ya got there.

Bon: Got yer attention have I? Well that's a compliment if I ever heard one.

blazinangelwings: I'm glad you like this one so far. Now to answer your questions, Carpe Diem was nvr finished, but I intend to get going again on that no matter what sometime this summer, currently I am attempting to salvage it at its current location, but if I can't get on my other account soon then I'll put it on my own site and post a link in this accounts bio. This is not a continuation of Carpe Diem, but you may see one or two of the characters from Carpe Diem in this one later on. This takes place after the events of book four. I plan on keeping the chapters coming until I finish this one.

Ron was beginning to get worried and he wasn't the first to do so. In fact he was the very last as far as he could tell, everyone had begun worrying just days after Harry had gone missing, at first Ron had just figured that for once Harry's life threatening yet easily survivable by "the Boy Who Lived" adventures was happening during the summer, but it had been two and a half months and no one had seen or heard from Harry, at one point Hedwig had shown up at the Burrow with package after package of Harry's stuff and seemed to look around desperately for her master. That had been when Mr. Weasely had started to worry saying, "If that bird of his can't find the boy then nobody can,"

But Ron had continued to be calm, but now it was drawing near to the beginning of term and there was still no sign of Harry. Noting this calmly, he finally felt his insides freeze with fear for his best friends safety, but all the same he went to Diagon Alley to get his school things for the year ahead, still holding some hope that Harry would just turn up, just as he always had before when he disappeared.

Ron met Hermione at the Leaky Cauldron and they set off to Flourish & Blotts first to get the required texts for their fifth year at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. As they entered the store Hermione pulled out her list and took Ron's and went up to the clerk.

"Can I help you?"

"Yes you may. We need two copies of the Standard Book of Spells: Grade five, two copies of Advanced Transfiguration, one copy of Skills You Never Knew You Had and How to Use Them Now That You've Wised Up....,"

"I think I got it from here, you have Arithmancy and.....,"

The clerk had indeed figured out which classes Ron and Hermione had and knew what the required texts were for that year, they got their books and left to go get new robes as both of their standard robes were getting a little short and the Twins had leant Ron a little money for dress robes.

***

After getting their new robes and restocking their supplies, Ron and Hermione began making their way back to the Leaky Cauldron to meet the others, Ron's hopes of ever seeing Harry again diminishing with every step. When they were only a meter or so away from the Leaky Cauldron they ran right into a crowd of people gawking at something in their midst, as Ron and Hermione pushed their way through the throng they heard sounds of voices challenging each other. They came to the center to find a boy and girl with raven black hair facing off against a young man of about 20 with pale skin, blue tinted white hair, and eyes that were unmistakably crystal blue even from a distance off.

Just as the pair of Gryffindors reached the front of the crowd the three moved into position to fight each other, there was a brief pause in which there was complete stillness, it seemed even the wind bowed down to the uncertainty and then the young man charged to make the first move. He swung at the boy and some how even though it had looked like he had been right on target the next thing Ron saw was the man on the other side of the boy with the boy's palm on his chest. The young man pushed the palm away and brought his arm across his own chest and seemed to concentrate, a clear blade began forming around his arm, and when it was fully formed he lunged at the boy, but before he could make contact a new fighter entered the fray and this one Ron recognized...

***

He paused in awe at his opponents use of his limited powers and that was all that was needed for his opponent to charge at him full speed while he was off guard, lucky for him a black mass bowled through the air biting at the ice sword that Rem was using and knocking the ice adept to the stone ground.

The huge black dog that had suddenly appeared sat on his opponent and turned to Harry questioningly, Harry shook his head, he wanted this fight for himself. Sirius got off of Rem and Harry motioned for his opponent to get up. Rem did as he was beckoned, brushing dust off of his pale blue tunic, but then he turned to Harry and said in his frosty voice which left mist out into the air, "Lucky as you are Potter, everyone's luck eventually runs out. My master will surely permit me to make another attempt to be the one to finish you off," and with that he turned into a small cloud of icy mist and then totally disappeared.

Harry turned to Cho and Sirius to make sure they were ok and found that Sirius had wandered over to the front of the crowd that he hadn't even noticed forming, where a pair of kids were petting him gently. Harry walked over and smiled when he saw who they were and heard them calling him by his canine name, Snuffles.

"I believe I should tell you that my godfather will never let you stop if you keep at that much longer,"

"Well your godfather isn't here is he?"

"Have you forgotten already?"

At this point Ron and Hermione looked up to say 'huh?' and glanced the emerald green eyes and lightning bolt scar, "Harry?" Ron asked, Hermione being at a loss for even that word.

Harry merely nodded. At this point the girl came up behind and said, "I really should be getting home Potter, my parents were expecting me back a couple days ago, even if they did know where I was,"

Harry took one more look at Ron and Hermione, whispered, "I'll see you at the station," then turned to the girl and said, "I'll join you,"

"You sure you want to be meeting the Changs?"

"From what you've told me, you think they'll be more nervous than...,"

"Excuse me...could we maybe join you two? We haven't seen our friend Harry in almost three months and we haven't heard from him in over two," Ron had finally garbled through everything he had just taken in and figured out what to say.

Harry smiled and looked questioningly on the girl who merely nodded reluctantly and turned further into Diagon Alley, then paused and gasped out, "Damn, I've forgotten Padma," she then turned to Ron and Hermione and asked, "Have either of you seen Padma Patil?" they both shook their heads, "Could one of you go looking for her, I've got to go see my parents, but she needs to know I'm ok, especially if you two with Harry are any example,"

Hermione stepped up and finally uttered her first words since they'd seen the crowd, "I'll do it," then she turned, paused, thought, and turned back, "Except I don't know who to tell her is ok,"

Harry began cracking up and after a moment of thinking over what he'd heard said so did Ron. Cho merely nodded and said, "Tell her Cho Chang says hi." At hearing this Hermione's jaw nearly dropped to the ground, but she collected herself and nodded once and ran off.

***

The Changs owned a little artisan's shop near the back of Diagon Alley, the place where wizards went when they needed something with a family or house crest. They were the best of their trade anywhere in the western world, but were rarely used by common folk and more often employed by Wizarding companies, schools, and sometimes the ministry.

As Harry, Ron, and Cho entered, Cho's parents looked up and seeing their little girl (parents always recognize their kids) rushed forward to embrace her before turning to the two boys with looks of anticipation and hope, especially upon seeing the lightning bolt shaped scar under Harry's slightly more tame than usual hair.

A/N: Characters who disappear without being killed off almost always return.