DISCLAIMER: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.
Chapter 24
Mayhem
Remus and Harry finished up their training lesson for the day. Although Harry thought he had much to do and had not improved very much, Remus knew otherwise. He could cast his spells quickly. Fast enough to catch the werewolf about half the time even with his enhanced strength and speed. Moreover, the raw power he possessed was staggering, quite literally in fact. He continued to improve his repertoire of spells, but Remus couldn't help but wonder if it would be enough to save him.
He also could not help but be intrigued about Harry's abilities. The boy had the strangest knack for complex spell work yet he did not seem to be able to convert the knowledge into his lower spell work. Harry had picked up animation of furniture quite quickly when using for defense, to duck and cover so to speak. Yet, he could not use the same exact spell to rearrange the furniture to redecorate. Remus had fallen off the chair in hysterics when the couch Harry was trying to reposition from the living area to the kitchen shuttered, ran out the door and jumped in the lake. He needed to research it further he knew. Even that spell he used in the beginning on the summer, forced apparition – of someone who was in a heavily warded, unplottable building. Forced apparition it self was somewhat of a myth, although documented no one had accomplished it in the last two centuries at least. Perhaps, Mikhail could head to Flourish and Blotts soon to pick up a few things that would help explain what was going on with the boy.
He knew he was acting irrationally but he had the urge to lock Harry away in order to protect him. Perhaps they could flee. He had heard the weather in the states or Australia was good this time of year. He shook his head. It was a flight of fancy, he knew. Even if he tried to convince him, he knew Harry would not run. He always placed the lives of others over his own. Harry's capacity for self sacrifice was mind-boggling, even to Remus. Though Remus felt this was not always a good thing. He had no doubt that the Gryffindor would step in front of a killing curse to save another, especially if it was someone he cared about.
Each year Harry faced Voldemort and although he had lived through each encounter they had taken a toll. Moreover, it seemed for each escape he had paid a higher price. With his breakdown this summer, Remus didn't think he could take much more. It almost made Remus hope that the prophecy did in fact refer to Harry. He knew there was something special about his friend's son to be sure, even having inherited Lily's cool calm intellect under pressure couldn't explain all he had been through. Something about the prophecy bugged him though. Harry was almost to obvious a fit, there was something missing.
Remus was snapped out of his musing by a sharp stinging in his side. Harry had hit him with a stinging hex. "Moony, you alright? I've been calling you for the past five minutes..."
Remus reddened. "Sorry, lost in thought. Come on lets head back up."
Mikhail landed in the clearing, holding tight to the sack of mail. He wondered briefly if he should have even brought it, but he knew they had to have an idea of what was going on, especially when the clerk vanished. He collapsed to the ground, sighing. How did I get myself into this again? Oh yes, of course, Remus. He sighed again. He truly liked the fellow werewolf. He had been a good friend to him and helped Mikhail through the roughest time in his life. He couldn't not return the favor when Remus had done so much to ease his 'transformation time' as he called it. Remus had always taken life's punches with ease. Mikhail had to admit he was a little disconcerted with the protective steak he had seen in Remus recently but he understood it. Harry was marked as pack; there was no doubt about it. As much as Mikhail wanted to keep his distance, there was something about the dark messy hair and green eyes that drew him in as well.
Remus saw Mikhail drop the ground and he took off. Something was definitely out of sorts. Why didn't he just apparate into the kitchen? As he got closer, he could see the large sack he had with him. What was going on? "Mikhail?"
"Keep the boy away." Mikhail snapped.
Remus turned to Harry. "Harry, go inside until we figure out what is going on."
"NO."
"Cub, please. At least stand by the door, and keep your wand out."
Harry grumbled and complied albeit discontentedly.
"Mikhail, what is it?"
"Honestly, Remus I have no idea. This," he gestured to the large sack, "is what was waiting at the post drop."
"What?"
"I have no idea either, but it gets worse. The clerk, he vanished."
"WHAT!"
Harry crept closer as Remus shouted. If he was unnerved, there was definitely something wrong.
"What do you mean vanished?" Remus shouted.
"Pretty self explanatory really," Mikhail snapped back. "The seal on the letter, he accidentally broke it, he was holding the letter and he disappeared, vanished, gone, not there anymore..."
"Why?"
"Now that is exactly what I wanted to know, the reason I brought the rest of these...Harry I know you're there I can feel you. Please head back to the house. I don't want anyone else, especially you disappearing today."
Remus heaved. "Portkey activated by the seal?"
"Would be my guess, but I really didn't stick around to investigate."
"What are all these, anyway?"
Mikhail laughed. "This would be Harry's post."
"WHAT!" came a shout from behind them.
"Professor, Professor, you need to come quick." Ron shouted into the fire.
"Mr. Weasley what can I do for you today?" Dumbledore stated with a bright twinkle in his eye.
"There's someone here at headquarters."
"Oh really, and who might that be?" Dumbledore replied knowingly.
"That's just it professor, we don't know. He just appeared in the kitchen."
"WHAT!" Dumbledore exclaimed. "Step back, Mr. Weasley. I'm coming through."
