Harry straightened up once they appeared back at the mansion. "Is
everything all right?" Tom asked. Harry's head split open at the voice.
"The gig is up." Matthew said, helping Harry to a chair. "Dumbledore knew that Harry was missing and was in Diagon Alley with Snape and two students from Hogwarts, as well as a number of Aurors. They almost caught us." Harry leaned back in the chair and rested his head. If this was the kind of feeling that Apparating caused for every witch or wizard, Harry would walk. "You'll be fine, Harry. First time hurts." Harry waved his hand, telling Matthew not to talk so loud. Tom and Matthew moved away, giving Harry some much needed breathing space.
"There is no doubt that there will be several pictures in tomorrow's paper." Matthew told Tom. The man was pacing. They had almost gotten Harry!
"Well, that's that, then. Harry will just need to keep public appearances low. That's all. We'll keep him out of sight of the wizarding community until all of this dies down." Matthew nodded and looked over at the boy.
"Master, he's a free speller." Tom looked up. "He waved his hand several times, and something always happened. I'm thinking that he did it on instinct, but it was still very impressive." Tom looked at Harry. It appeared that the boy was asleep.
"Interesting. We'll have to help him develop that talent, won't we?" Matthew nodded with a smile. Voldemort had helped Matthew to learn how to use his own free spelling, but Tom had helped him perfect it.
Harry Potter Spotted in Diagon Alley This newspaper has learned that Harry Potter, the famous Boy Who Lived after being attacked by You-Know-Who, has been seen in Diagon Alley, accompanied by an unknown wizard. Harry Potter has been missing from his relative's homes for the last three days.
Professor Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwart's, has stated that the Boy Who lived is being held against his will by unknown individuals. He hinted that spells have been used to keep Mr. Potter docile to his kidnapper's wishes.
"It is our hope that no harm will come to Harry Potter, and that those who took him will allow him to go home to his relatives." Professor Dumbledore said when questioned.
"The boy's a good lad, never gave us any trouble." Harry Potter's uncle said. (Name is withheld to protect the Boy Who Lived) "He's kind and thoughtful, and is a bright child. I can't see why anyone would want to hurt him." Harry's aunt broke down in tears at this point.
It is obvious that Harry has been stolen from a loving home and good friends. To the kidnappers: return the Boy Who Lived unharmed, if you wish to keep your lives.
Rita Skeeter
Several pictures were on the front page, accompanying the article. One of them showed Professor Dumbledore reaching for Harry, while others showed Harry's disguise melting away and him being pulled along by Matthew. He had to agree, it all looked as though Harry was being held against his will.
"Well, Harry. I think you should stay in for a while." Tom said as Harry read the article.
"I agree. That all looks really bad. I don't believe the stuff about my relatives, though. I think Uncle Vernon said all that with a wand pressed against his neck." Tom chuckled. Harry smiled at his own joke and laid the paper on the table.
"Well, how about a Potions lesson?" Tom asked. Harry nodded eagerly and followed Tom down to the basement where the Potions equipment was set up. The photograph in the paper showed Snape staring at Harry speculatively, as though he knew something everyone else did not.
Later that night, Harry dressed in some of his new robes. He took out his wand and tapped himself on the head. "Masques." Harry watched as his hair changed from black to blond, his eyes green to brown. His bangs covered his scar perfectly. He had some people to see in Diagon Alley.
He crept down the stairs and outside. He closed his eyes in concentration and Apparated to Diagon Alley. He looked around. He actually made it on his own. He smiled and figured out where he was. Not too far from where he had wanted to be. He adjusted his robes and walked down the street, avoiding the late night shoppers. He stopped in front of "Weasley Wizarding Wheezes" and smiled. If anyone could meet his needs, it would be those two. He entered the shop and looked around.
Harry walked around the shop and waited for one of the twins to come out. The jokes that caused Umbridgeitis were there, as well as Ton Tongue Toffee. He smiled at the memory. "Hello, can I help you?" Harry turned and saw Fred standing there. Or it could have been George. He couldn't tell. The head was missing.
"Hello, I was wondering if I could speak with my business partners." Harry told him.
"Have you got the right shop, mate? We only have one." Harry smiled and pulled back his hair. "Harry!" The head abruptly appeared. It was Fred. "You got away from them!"
"Is there somewhere private where we can talk?" Harry asked. Fred nodded and changed the sign to closed. He lowered the lights and led Harry into the back.
"Oy, George! It's Harry!" George fell off the ladder he had been standing on and rushed over to Harry.
"Harry! I knew you'd break whatever spell they had on you. I just knew it. Mom will be so happy, Harry. I'll call her and she'll call the Professor. Hey, Mom wanted you to come stay for the rest of the summer." Harry stopped his enthusiastic friend.
"Please, don't do that. I need to talk to the both of you. Sit down, please. It's important." Fred and George both sat down, staring at Harry. "I can't tell you where I am now, or who I am with. I am not under any charms, or spells, or potions. I am staying with him of my own free will, for my own reasons. I have to ask you not to tell anyone that you have heard from me."
"Why Harry? You were kidnapped." Harry nodded.
"Yes, I know. The only reason he did that was because of what was happening to me at the Dursley's, which I do not want to get into right now. Trust me. I am better off now. I came to see if you could develop something for me." Fred and George looked as though they were interested. "The reason I look so different is that I am using a spell, which is very easy to reverse. I like freedom of movement, but now that my picture is everywhere, I can not do that." Fred and George nodded. "I wonder if you two would be able to create something that would make me look different that would be very hard to detect." Harry pulled the book that he had bought earlier out of his robes and handed it to Fred. "This should help you." Fred looked thoughtful for a moment.
"Interesting dilemma, mate." Fred said. "I'm not sure that we should though. It'd be like aiding the kidnappers." Harry almost rolled his eyes.
"If I'm staying with them of my own free will, then they aren't really kidnappers, are they?" George shook his head.
"We saw the papers. That man looked as though he was dragging you away." Fred told Harry.
"I stumbled. He was trying to keep me from falling." Harry told him.
"Why'd you run from Professor Dumbledore?" George asked. Harry shook his head.
"It's complicated. Very complicated. I wish I could tell you, but then you both would be at risk. I don't want that to happen. Can you do it or not? If not, I'll hit a Muggle shop. They might have make up tips or something." Fred and George both looked indignant at that suggestion.
"Of course, we can do it, mate. We just feel like we should tell someone that we saw you and spoke to you." Harry shook his head.
"Don't. I can't tell you where I am or why, but it is important that no one knows." He looked at Fred and George. "Swear." Both of the twins looked at each other.
"All right, mate. We won't tell. We'll get to work on it right away. But if we don't see you in a week, we'll assume that something happened to you." Harry smiled and nodded.
"A week then. And thank you." Fred and George watched as their friend walked out of the shop and down the street.
"What do you think, Fred?" Fred just shook his head. "Yeah, me too. Mental. Definitely mental. Do you think we should call Mom?" Fred looked at his brother.
"And have Harry hex us?" Fred asked. "I'm sorry, but I like all of my appendages where they are, thank you very much. We give Harry a week. If he doesn't show, then we'll tell Mom."
"This will be hard to keep from her." Fred nodded in agreement. Harry disappeared around a corner.
Harry smiled to himself. Fred and George would keep his secret, and he would gain something to make him look different when he needed to go out. "Potter." Harry froze. He knew that voice.
"The gig is up." Matthew said, helping Harry to a chair. "Dumbledore knew that Harry was missing and was in Diagon Alley with Snape and two students from Hogwarts, as well as a number of Aurors. They almost caught us." Harry leaned back in the chair and rested his head. If this was the kind of feeling that Apparating caused for every witch or wizard, Harry would walk. "You'll be fine, Harry. First time hurts." Harry waved his hand, telling Matthew not to talk so loud. Tom and Matthew moved away, giving Harry some much needed breathing space.
"There is no doubt that there will be several pictures in tomorrow's paper." Matthew told Tom. The man was pacing. They had almost gotten Harry!
"Well, that's that, then. Harry will just need to keep public appearances low. That's all. We'll keep him out of sight of the wizarding community until all of this dies down." Matthew nodded and looked over at the boy.
"Master, he's a free speller." Tom looked up. "He waved his hand several times, and something always happened. I'm thinking that he did it on instinct, but it was still very impressive." Tom looked at Harry. It appeared that the boy was asleep.
"Interesting. We'll have to help him develop that talent, won't we?" Matthew nodded with a smile. Voldemort had helped Matthew to learn how to use his own free spelling, but Tom had helped him perfect it.
Harry Potter Spotted in Diagon Alley This newspaper has learned that Harry Potter, the famous Boy Who Lived after being attacked by You-Know-Who, has been seen in Diagon Alley, accompanied by an unknown wizard. Harry Potter has been missing from his relative's homes for the last three days.
Professor Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwart's, has stated that the Boy Who lived is being held against his will by unknown individuals. He hinted that spells have been used to keep Mr. Potter docile to his kidnapper's wishes.
"It is our hope that no harm will come to Harry Potter, and that those who took him will allow him to go home to his relatives." Professor Dumbledore said when questioned.
"The boy's a good lad, never gave us any trouble." Harry Potter's uncle said. (Name is withheld to protect the Boy Who Lived) "He's kind and thoughtful, and is a bright child. I can't see why anyone would want to hurt him." Harry's aunt broke down in tears at this point.
It is obvious that Harry has been stolen from a loving home and good friends. To the kidnappers: return the Boy Who Lived unharmed, if you wish to keep your lives.
Rita Skeeter
Several pictures were on the front page, accompanying the article. One of them showed Professor Dumbledore reaching for Harry, while others showed Harry's disguise melting away and him being pulled along by Matthew. He had to agree, it all looked as though Harry was being held against his will.
"Well, Harry. I think you should stay in for a while." Tom said as Harry read the article.
"I agree. That all looks really bad. I don't believe the stuff about my relatives, though. I think Uncle Vernon said all that with a wand pressed against his neck." Tom chuckled. Harry smiled at his own joke and laid the paper on the table.
"Well, how about a Potions lesson?" Tom asked. Harry nodded eagerly and followed Tom down to the basement where the Potions equipment was set up. The photograph in the paper showed Snape staring at Harry speculatively, as though he knew something everyone else did not.
Later that night, Harry dressed in some of his new robes. He took out his wand and tapped himself on the head. "Masques." Harry watched as his hair changed from black to blond, his eyes green to brown. His bangs covered his scar perfectly. He had some people to see in Diagon Alley.
He crept down the stairs and outside. He closed his eyes in concentration and Apparated to Diagon Alley. He looked around. He actually made it on his own. He smiled and figured out where he was. Not too far from where he had wanted to be. He adjusted his robes and walked down the street, avoiding the late night shoppers. He stopped in front of "Weasley Wizarding Wheezes" and smiled. If anyone could meet his needs, it would be those two. He entered the shop and looked around.
Harry walked around the shop and waited for one of the twins to come out. The jokes that caused Umbridgeitis were there, as well as Ton Tongue Toffee. He smiled at the memory. "Hello, can I help you?" Harry turned and saw Fred standing there. Or it could have been George. He couldn't tell. The head was missing.
"Hello, I was wondering if I could speak with my business partners." Harry told him.
"Have you got the right shop, mate? We only have one." Harry smiled and pulled back his hair. "Harry!" The head abruptly appeared. It was Fred. "You got away from them!"
"Is there somewhere private where we can talk?" Harry asked. Fred nodded and changed the sign to closed. He lowered the lights and led Harry into the back.
"Oy, George! It's Harry!" George fell off the ladder he had been standing on and rushed over to Harry.
"Harry! I knew you'd break whatever spell they had on you. I just knew it. Mom will be so happy, Harry. I'll call her and she'll call the Professor. Hey, Mom wanted you to come stay for the rest of the summer." Harry stopped his enthusiastic friend.
"Please, don't do that. I need to talk to the both of you. Sit down, please. It's important." Fred and George both sat down, staring at Harry. "I can't tell you where I am now, or who I am with. I am not under any charms, or spells, or potions. I am staying with him of my own free will, for my own reasons. I have to ask you not to tell anyone that you have heard from me."
"Why Harry? You were kidnapped." Harry nodded.
"Yes, I know. The only reason he did that was because of what was happening to me at the Dursley's, which I do not want to get into right now. Trust me. I am better off now. I came to see if you could develop something for me." Fred and George looked as though they were interested. "The reason I look so different is that I am using a spell, which is very easy to reverse. I like freedom of movement, but now that my picture is everywhere, I can not do that." Fred and George nodded. "I wonder if you two would be able to create something that would make me look different that would be very hard to detect." Harry pulled the book that he had bought earlier out of his robes and handed it to Fred. "This should help you." Fred looked thoughtful for a moment.
"Interesting dilemma, mate." Fred said. "I'm not sure that we should though. It'd be like aiding the kidnappers." Harry almost rolled his eyes.
"If I'm staying with them of my own free will, then they aren't really kidnappers, are they?" George shook his head.
"We saw the papers. That man looked as though he was dragging you away." Fred told Harry.
"I stumbled. He was trying to keep me from falling." Harry told him.
"Why'd you run from Professor Dumbledore?" George asked. Harry shook his head.
"It's complicated. Very complicated. I wish I could tell you, but then you both would be at risk. I don't want that to happen. Can you do it or not? If not, I'll hit a Muggle shop. They might have make up tips or something." Fred and George both looked indignant at that suggestion.
"Of course, we can do it, mate. We just feel like we should tell someone that we saw you and spoke to you." Harry shook his head.
"Don't. I can't tell you where I am or why, but it is important that no one knows." He looked at Fred and George. "Swear." Both of the twins looked at each other.
"All right, mate. We won't tell. We'll get to work on it right away. But if we don't see you in a week, we'll assume that something happened to you." Harry smiled and nodded.
"A week then. And thank you." Fred and George watched as their friend walked out of the shop and down the street.
"What do you think, Fred?" Fred just shook his head. "Yeah, me too. Mental. Definitely mental. Do you think we should call Mom?" Fred looked at his brother.
"And have Harry hex us?" Fred asked. "I'm sorry, but I like all of my appendages where they are, thank you very much. We give Harry a week. If he doesn't show, then we'll tell Mom."
"This will be hard to keep from her." Fred nodded in agreement. Harry disappeared around a corner.
Harry smiled to himself. Fred and George would keep his secret, and he would gain something to make him look different when he needed to go out. "Potter." Harry froze. He knew that voice.