Chapter 1-Runaway Harry
It had been years since Harry had such a headache. He was feeling terrible. Ever since the Dursleys had moved to Ireland he had felt terrible. It was not that he did not like Ireland, the only problem was that he could not make it to Hogwarts from there, precisely why the Dursleys were in such a good mood. He was really tired of hearing sneers from Dudley.
He went down to breakfast to see that the Dursleys were already there. He walked past them and made his own bacon and cheese sandwich which was one of his staple foods.
" Well, young Harry, isn't it a nice day? Not too cold, alright," Uncle Vernon muttered.
Dudley sniggered. " Any owls today?" Dudley snorted. "What happened to your friends?"
Harry had had enough. He stormed up to his room and took his belongings and some Muggle money that he had managed to nick from Uncle Vernon when the beefy-necked man had accidentally got his foot run over by Dudley while mowing the lawn. He hid his wand in his shirt pocket and opened the door.
" I've had enough, I'm going to Hogwarts myself." Harry moved out quickly in case Uncle Vernon found his neck to play with.
Uncle Vernon did nothing to stop him. Why? He anyway does not have any family, he'll come running home to Papa when he realises that, he reasoned.
That was not exactly what happened.
Harry hailed a cab and told the driver to head to the east of Ireland. From there he could take a flight to King's Cross in London. That was the original plan, anyway. But, when the meter reached a particular level, which Harry calculated , then there would be enough to reach King's Cross. Till then he would have to hitch a ride.
Slowly the meter rose to the desired point. Finally, he stopped the cab and got out on the middle of the road and realized that, he had no more money. He overestimated.
After getting out, he could only see a big manor in the distance and a long road ahead.
He headed to the manor, in the hope for some food.
Artemis was in a bad mood. Juliet had interrupted with French fries when he was meditating in the position Butler taught to him. French fries was something he had taken a liking to, ever since he had started being an innocent 17 year old kid. 4 years since the mind wipes, though he didn't know it.
Father saw Artemis in his meditating position. He knew better not to interrupt. He walked slowly to his wife's room. He still wasn't used to his prosthetic leg. Helsinki was where they had done the operation.
Artemis suddenly felt a flash in his head. He opened his mouth in shock as images flashed through his mind. Weird images that he had never encountered in his life. But one image remained in his mind. A panel and a great pool of magma rushing up to the screen. At least, that's what he saw. He turned to look at Butler and tell him about this phenomenon.
"Butler?" he enquired? "Are you there?"
The bodyguard didn't answer. Maybe he wouldn't, maybe he couldn't .
Butler was missing.
Harry dragged himself to the last of the steps leading up to the door of the house. He knocked on the door. Or at least tried to. But at the same time the door opened, as if someone had been expecting him. He fell face first into the ground. Unconsciousness was immediate.
Artemis was shocked. Here he was looking desperately for Butler and now comes a boy who literally falls at his feet. It wasn't that Artemis was a bad person, he just didn't have the time for it now. However, he called his father and they both hoisted Harry up to the spare room they had.
Mulch Diggums was still in prison. The gold disc that Artemis had given him was still with him but the condition had deteriorated after 4 years. He wanted to get out of prison.
The cell door opened and a gnome lawyer walked in. He said,' Mulch, you are now going to be free again.'
Mulch looked up at the gnome, not daring to believe it.
'True? Really? Excellent.' The dwarf's toes wriggled with joy.
All that Mulch knew that all those times Artemis had saved him, the debt was about to be repaid.
Harry awoke with an even bigger splitting headache. He held his soft and fluffy quilt and thought, Where am I? As if to answer his question, Artemis chose that moment to walk in.
"Hello," he said pleasantly.
Harry put his hand near his wand.
"No need to be afraid. I rescued you. You were unconscious at the doorsteps of my manor." Artemis fidgeted with his fingers.
Harry slowly let his hand move away from the wand. Artemis sighed.
"2 days and I still can't find Butler. What am I going to do?"
Harry slowly looked up. This boy had saved his life. Now he was worried about somebody. Somebody important, he surmised. The thought that he had saved his life was enough for Harry to think about repaying this boy for his help. Harry took a decision.
"Do you need help to find this Butler?"
Mulch's eyes adjusted to the moonlight. Police Plaza was well lit even now. Somewhere in the dead of the night.
Holly Short was just reporting to work. She saw Mulch and smiled painfully.
"Well, Mulch, nice day isn't it ? Good thing you made it out of prison. Thought I'd miss you."
The sarcasm stung to Mulch as it was quite a shooting offence.
"What's the matter, Captain Short? Doughnut bars all closed?"
"Nope, still some open."
Mulch sighed. He didn't want to waste time with this elf. He really needed to get Artemis's memory back. Total recall.
Holly didn't sense it, but something told her that Mulch was on a mission.
"What are you up to now, Mulch?"
"Can't tell you."
"Come on, Mulch, tell me."
He just stopped himself in time. He ran away, leaving Captain Short alone in the street.
"CAPTAIN SHORT!" Root's voice echoed.
"Damn and blast!" Holly jogged up to the office.
