With his eyes closed Harry could almost believe he was flying on his Firebolt! Only thing was he had never flown his Firebolt so low over the tops of the waves that he could feel the sea spray on his face.
When he opened his eyes, the only thing he could see was the sea. Come to think of it, thought Harry, this was only the second time he had ever seen the sea!
Standing right at the front of Sam's boat the Griselda, the bow he'd called it, Harry could see nothing ahead of him but the waves disappearing off to the far horizon. Harry knew that Sam was taking the boat for a refit and that some friends had a yard at Tilbury in Essex, so that was where the work was to be done.
The journey was going to take a good few days, after all they were in no rush and "The old girl won't be pushed!" Sam had explained at dinner the night before.
The journey meant sailing right round the southeast of England from Southampton, round past the Isle of Wight, along the coasts of Hampshire, Sussex and Kent. They would sail past some of the most famous seaside resorts in Britain but Harry had never visited any of them.
The Dursleys had gone on holiday to the seaside when Harry had been small but he had never been allowed to go with them and the only other time he had seen the sea was when Uncle Vernon had gone mad trying to escape from Harry's Hogwarts invitation letters!
Remembering back to the hut-on-the-rock five years ago Harry realised that marked the end of his old life and the beginning of his new one and now....
Would he ever be able to return to the magical world or would he spend the rest of his days as an outcast?
It wasn't the first time that Harry had been alone in the world but at the beginning of his third year he spent only a short time away from the Magical World and the Ministry of Magic had conveniently ignored his "crime" of blowing up Aunt Marge. Somehow Harry did not think he would get off so easily this time, after all he was accused of multiple counts of murder not just some uncontrolled but relatively harmless magic!
The dreadful memories of just one year ago also came to Harry's mind.
All too well Harry recalled sitting in the chained chair in front of the full Wizengamot and having the list of his crimes read out. If it had not been for the clever use of logic by Albus Dumbledore, Harry would not only have been expelled from Hogwarts but most likely would have ended up in Azkaban the terrifying wizard prison.
Dumbledore.
What would he be doing now, thought Harry?
Would he use the Order of the Phoenix to come to his aid and help prove his innocence?
Or round up members of the Order to find Harry and "bring him in?"
Bill Weasley was a member of the Order and he was one of the witnesses against him.
As Harry raised Sam's binoculars to his eyes and scanned the distant shoreline, he thought about the omnioculars that he still had safe and sound, tucked away in his improvised rucksack. Would the information that they contained prove his innocence?
Strangely and despite all these worries Harry felt some degree of peace for the first time in ages
Because..........
He was not alone anymore.
Sam.
A newfound friend.
Sam............ ?Harry realised that he did not know Sam's other name. Tank he knew had the surname of Thomas, like Dean but he didn't know Sam's last name.
The rhythmic rise and fall of the waves and the slap, slap of the water against the craft's hull helped maintain the sense of tranquillity Harry rarely felt. His scar was calm and pain-free and so was his spirit.
The strange and disturbing revelations about Sam's Grandmother and his conviction that it was his duty to respond to the call for help when, not if, it came made Harry both respect and admire Sam.
It had been two days since Sam and Harry had waved goodbye to Tank and made ready for their trip to Tilbury. Harry had enjoyed the work of readying the boat for their departure, loading provisions and fuel. Checking the equipment, radio, and even the emptying of the bilge tanks etc.
Sam showed Harry the charts of their voyage, showing the water depths and hazards. Harry was intrigued to see the large number of submerged wrecks that were marked. Sam explained that the English Channel was one of the busiest waterways in the world; it was not really surprising that so many vessels had foundered in these waters.
Harry thought back to the magical ship that had brought the students of Durmstrang to Hogwarts nearly two years ago. Like many others Harry could not hide his astonishment when the great whirlpool formed in the Hogwarts lake and the vessel rose from the depths.
Nearly two years!
Harry thought back over all the events that had transpired in that time and the trials he had experienced. Becoming Hogwarts Champion against his will; all the tasks of the tournament and finally that year his ordeal at the hands of Voldemort and his Death Eaters.
Then last year. Harry wracked his brain to remember the phrase that Hermione used to describe it, he knew she had quoted the Queen and it sounded to him like a charm or an incantation. Then the phrase came back to him.
Annus horribilis, horrible year.
Yes, Hermione, you were right it certainly was that. Harry had felt that everything that made his life worth living at Hogwarts had been slowly taken from him, until he was left with nothing but the DA to keep him going.
Finally at Easter even that came to an end when Cho's best friend, Marietta, snitched to Umbridge. Her disclosure should have ensured that Harry was expelled but instead Dumbledore made it look as though the meeting had been all his idea and not Harry's.
When Dumbledore had been on the run from the Ministry, wondered Harry, where did he go?
This train of thought was disrupted when he turned and looked back along the deck.
Whenever he glanced at Sam he always seemed to be looking right at him.
At first this scrutiny was a little unnerving, disturbing almost but as time went on the feeling changed. Harry could not say how he knew but he felt that Sam was undeniably on his side. The first night out Harry had lain in his bunk and seriously considered telling Sam who he really was but who was he really?
A marked man?
A murderer?
A saviour?
A criminal?Harry's face was drawn in a tight frown as he pondered these unanswerable questions.
Through the binoculars Harry could see the now-familiar outline of a cross-channel ferry crossing their path and he knew they must be near Newhaven. That meant the lighthouse he could see on the horizon must be marking Beachy Head. To check his theory he shouted back to Sam.
"Well done mate! You're quite right. Once we round Beachy Head it's not too much further to Hastings. I plan on mooring overnight but the skies don't look too good and I'd rather we had a safe haven overnight than try to ride out a storm at sea in this old girl. Its just coming up 7 o'clock and the tide won't turn until nearly midnight. How about we eat ashore tonight?"
"Whatever you say Skipper!" Harry called back cheerily. At first reluctant to accept the welcome food Sam prepared in the tiny galley of the "Griselda", Harry finally gave in and enjoyed Sam's basic but more than edible food. Sam had finally convinced Harry that no only was he earning his keep but that he was actually good company and thus making the trip up to Tilbury very much more enjoyable and safer than it would have been solo.
As the first few spots of rain landed on the deck, Harry turned and made his way inside the cabin to where Sam stood at the wheel.
"You take over for a minute. I've a job to do." Harry took hold of the wheel and Sam told him what to do and to keep an eye on the compass.
"This is the life!" Thought Harry. If I am outcast from the wizarding world then perhaps I could stay here with Sam. Earn my keep or work on a boat with someone else.
At first he'd thought it strange that he didn't seem to feel seasick at all when they had entered the Solent from the safety of Southampton Water. Harry had felt comfortable and at home almost as soon as he had set foot on the Griselda and he supposed that the tossing and turning of the sea was much like being tossed around by high winds in a Quidditch match. That never worried Harry and neither had the sea.
Standing there Harry couldn't help but feel a smile play across his face but it didn't stay there for long.
In the corner of the cabin was Sam's maritime radio. It had been tuned to the shipping forecast and Sam had noted the details in the log but now the forecast was over.
Sam was listening intently to the news.
The national news on BBC Radio 4.
The broadcaster's voice was saying "The Surrey Police have repeated their request for any information in connection with the murder of a family in Little Whinging, Surrey. Chief Inspector Reid repeated the description of the 16 year-old boy sought for questioning. He is described at being 5'9" slim build with jet black hair, vivid green eyes and with a lightning bolt shaped scar above his right eye. The Police advise members of the public to not approach this individual as he is described as highly dangerous and possibly mentally unstable. Information should be telephoned to ........"
That was it.
The Griselda was fitted with a ship-to-shore radio. All Sam had to do was contact the Coastguard and ask for the Police to be waiting at Hastings. Harry would be taken into custody by the Muggle Police and that would be that.
Harry had spoken to Tank about being wanted and Tank said Sam wasn't too fond of the Police. Had Tank told Harry's tale to Sam? He'd had plenty of chance to.
Before he turned to look at Sam he could feel his eyes staring at him.
Slowly, Harry turned expecting to find an expression of fear? ... loathing? ... disgust? on Sam's usually smiling face.
But what he saw was an expression that showed no trace of condemnation but only concern.
"Is there something that you want to tell me.... Seeker?"
Harry looked down at the floor, a lump forming in his throat as myriad thoughts raced through his mind.
What about the Statute of Secrecy? By telling Sam who or what he was would he be committing another offence? Would he be able to explain to Sam what had really happened without telling him he was a wizard? When Harry at last raised his head to look Sam in the face it was through tear-filled eyes.
"It's a long story. I have no right to involve you, I could put you in danger and just make matters worse."
"Let's drop anchor here and go below. You can tell me what you can over a nice hot cup of tea."
Harry was immediately reminded of Ron saying "It's what my mum always does!" A nice chat over a cup of tea! "Well, it couldn't hurt." Thought Harry and he made his way below to put on the kettle.
Ten minutes later saw Sam and Harry cosily esconced in the tiny galley each clutching a mug of tea and with a packet of custard creams open on the table. More memories, everything seemed to remind him of his life in the wizarding world, a world to which he may never be able to return.
"Right now Seeker, why don't you start by telling me your real name!"
Harry nodded staring at the bubbles in his mug.
"My name is Harry Potter and that news broadcast was about me." Immediately he looked up at Sam's face and saw that he was frowning but he said nothing.
"I told Tank what had happened, I guess I thought he would have told you when I was asleep. Well, just over a week ago my Aunt came to stay. I'd better explain that I live with my Aunt (my mum's sister) and her husband and their son Dudley. My mum and dad were murdered a couple of months after my first birthday but I wasn't killed although sometimes I wish to god I had been."
Harry took a deep steadying breath and continued. "Anyway, as I said, just over a week ago Uncle Vernon's sister Marge, came to stay but she didn't pack her dog's biscuits. I was sent to a local shop to buy some and while I was there I was kidnapped by ... "
Harry struggled for an appropriate non-magical description of Death Eaters; finally he said "some supporters of the person who had murdered my parents. I don't know why they grabbed me but they knocked me out and took me to a big house in Wiltshire. The house was owned by one of the leaders of the gang who told me that someone made to look like me had murdered my Aunt, Uncle and Cousin as well as Aunt Marge and wanted everyone to think I had done it. I managed to escape but while I was getting away I heard a news report saying I was wanted by the Police. They think I murdered them but I didn't! I couldn't murder anyone! I was trying to make my way to London to some friends when I met up with Tank. You know the rest."
When he finished speaking Harry picked up his mug of tea and took a huge gulp. Because he was so tense the tea didn't go down smoothly and Harry began coughing and spluttering.
Sam jumped to his feet and began hitting Harry between the shoulder blades to relieve the coughing fit.
"Sorry! Some of the tea went down the wrong way." Harry exclaimed, now bright red in the face.
"You need to calm yourself, Mr. Potter!" Sam's deep voice proclaimed. Harry looked back into Sam's eyes and once again a powerful memory was brought to mind.
This time the memory came from the day last Easter when Harry had been caught by Umbridge running from the Room of Requirement. On that occasion Kingsley Shacklebolt used the same phrase to Umbridge, after she attempted to shake a response from Marietta Edgecombe. "You need to calm yourself, Madam Umbridge!" Shacklebolt had declared in his deep voice.
"If only Sam was Shacklebolt." Thought Harry, "I could just let him sort out everything, he could get in touch with Dumbledore and make sure the omnioculars get to the Order!"
Unfortunately for Harry, Sam was a muggle with no knowledge of the wizarding world.
"I'm okay now, thanks." Harry then had to ask the question to which he dreaded Sam's answer.
"Are you going to hand me over to the Police?"
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Author's notes: Thank you for all your reviews, each and every one is very much appreciated.