Chapter Four
Bow to death Harry."Ron take Ginny and run, I'll hold them off."
"I'm not letter you do this by yourself"
"For once in your life just listen to me and run." Ron ran Ginny in his clutches.
Avada Kedavra! The green light shot out from the yew wand with a phoenix core. Ron fell to the ground.
The scene seemed to shift.
"Yes my lord the one you want to go after is a mudblood of the name Lily Evans. Eliminate her and it will solve many problems before they start." Harry was feeling extremely happy. Pleased that he had some useful information.
"Thank-you, you will be rewarded, you may go now." Harry woke up with a sharp pain in his scar.
The Hogsmeade weekend approached quicker than Harry would have liked. Still he was glad that he was caught up with all his marking and could enjoy the peace of the castle. Neville was supposed to be taking his parents to the Three Broomsticks for a butterbeer. Minutes into his musing when flames from behind him erupted.
"Professor Potter, could I ask a favour of you?" Professor Grey had her head sticking out of the fireplace.
"Sure what is it?"
"I now this is short notice but something came up. Could you take my supervision duties at Hogsmeade?"
There went Harry's quiet day to himself.
"Course I will, everything all right?"
"Yes yes, something important just cam up. With that she was gone, but Harry saw a look in her eye that told him that she was not telling him everything.
The streets of Hogsmeade were just as he remembered them. Many of the owners were still around in his time although a little older. He could see James and Sirius in Zonko's, Bellatrix Black walking towards the post office and Snape making his way toward the Three Broomsticks. In the distance he could see some younger students playing on the Quidditch pitch.
Harry made his way over to the Three Broomsticks and found himself an empty table facing the door. In a corner he could see Neville talking with Frank and Alice he was beaming like Harry had never seen before. With a bright flash of light Neville disappeared to what Harry assumed was back home. Alice gave a little scream and Harry went over to comfort her. He told her that everything was all right and that this was expected.
"Will I ever see him again Professor? He seemed like such a nice person?" Harry did not know really how to answer her so he replied that there was a good chance that she would see him again. Not exactly a lie just a stretch of the truth, one of the things that Severus Snape had taught him. It was a little strange to Harry that Frank seemed to accept that a man he was just having a drink with disappeared with a flash of light. But then Harry supposed it could be a common occurrence in the wizarding world.
Harry was sad to see his friend go but knew it was his time to go. He tried to remember what Neville had said when he first arrived about how he was to get home. Love will show you the way; maybe it was just as simple as his parents love for each other. Harry hoped that a similar phenomenonwould send him home as well. Though at the rate James and Lily were going he would be stuck in the past forever.
Then to his surprise he noticed that Lily and James had just walked in together and sat down at the same table. Well this is an interesting development. Maybe I will get home after all.
Later in the evening Harry made his way down to dinner a quick glance around told him that Grey was not back yet and that Dumbledore looked a little worried.
"Anything the matter Professor?"
"Did she happen to mention anything to you Harry?"
"Just that something came up and that she needed me to take over her supervision duties in Hogsmeade. Although now that you mention it she did look like she was hiding something."
"This is what I have feared, I believe that she is in grave danger and I have no idea where she may be." Harry considered this for a few minutes. He had not had any flashes from Voldemort as of late maybe somehow Malfoy knew about his connection with the Dark Lord. He did not really have an idea where the Potions Professor might be. He doubted that she was with Voldemort. Maybe it really was a family type emergency.
"Maybe you are right Professor, are you going to send someone to look for her?" Harry did not want to admit it to anyone but he was really starting to care for her. Nothing to the point that he was in love with her, but realized that they had become very close friends in his few short months in the past.
"You may leave to look for her now Harry if you'd like, I don't think she has much time left. I will cover your classes this week. I would go myself but I don't want to let anyone know that we are suspicious." Harry was surprised with this move he knew that Dumbledore trusted him more since their blending but he didn't think it was enough for something like this. Or maybe it was that he was hoping that Harry knew more then he let on. In this case he didn't, he had never heard of Gwenny Grey before he was introduced to the teachers.
Harry hoped that this search was not going to be in vain and that he found her alive and well. He left dinner early to prepare for his expedition. He really had no idea where to start; he knew almost nothing about her family.
"Well the easiest place would probably to eliminate Voldemort" He thought aloud to himself. Alone with his improved Occlumency lessons in his sixth year he found that if Voldemort had his defences down he could break into his mind very easily however if Harry concentrated enough and used enough power was subtle he could break in and Voldemort wouldn't be any the wiser.
It took about half an hour for Harry to determine that Gwenny was not in the hands of Voldemort; he breathed a deep sigh and proceeded to Dumbledore's office to get some information on the family. It's a place to start.
His meeting with the family was a waste of time in his opinion they clearly did not even have a care that Gwenny was missing. He now found himself in a forest similar to that of the Forbidden Forest. An unnatural quiet. Harry was greeted by no animals magical or not. It felt to him as though the forest herself was telling him that there is danger here; leave while you still can. But Harry was on a mission and was not about to let some creepy trees dictate what he could do.
The deeper he went into this nameless forest the more the wind picked up. By the time he arrived at the centre of the forest he could barely keep his feet planted onto the ground.
By now Harry was convinced that there was something else at work here. He stopped walking and the wind died down. As soon as he tried walking in the direction of the centre of the forest again the wind picked up with gale force speeds.
Harry knew it was pointless to keep it up so he quit walking all together to ponder the mystery. He had learned several interesting spells over his years at Hogwarts both in classes and his private lessons. But one of his biggest and hardest learned lessons was not to rush into an unfamiliar situation.
Acentio. It was an interesting story which led Harry to the discovery of this particular spell it was the middle of Harry's last year at Hogwarts …
Harry walked down toward the now visible house. After knocking on the door he went into the small cabin to take a look. It was very small had only two rooms, kitchen and a bedroom. On the wall of the dinning area of the kitchen was a painting. This picture had a very familiar feel to it.
"Stand and fight you scurvy cur!" There in the picture was Sir Cadgeon with his horse.
"Good day Sir Cadgeon, say any particular reason you're portrait is hanging in a house in the centre of a creepy forest in the middle of nowhere?"
"Of course young knight, why this is my house of course. I have been here since the days of old." Harry did not know what to make of the painting that had once guarded the Gryffindor common room. He always tried to avoid the knight at the best of times and these were far from the best of times.
"Has anyone been by here lately?" He knew it was a long shot but at the moment he had nothing to go on.
"Sure, odd it is, haven't had visitors in years then in the last two days two completely random people com by."
"So what did they look like?"
"The one fellow had black robes, couldn't see his face had a white mask covering it. And accompanying him was the most beautiful lady I've ever seen." Harry heard enough to know he was on the right track.
If they had passed through here the night before Harry knew he had a good chance of catching up. So instead of continuing to keep up the conversation with the crazy love obsessed portrait he continued on the path he created for himself.
It was several hours before Harry picked up the trail again. He approached the campsite of two individuals. One was dressed in black robes and a white mask just like Sir Cadgeon described him, Death Eater robes. The other was Gwenny Grey; she looked unharmed but had a blank look upon her face. Harry waited so he could plot his next move. It had been a hard lesson learned but now he did not rush into unknown situations … well almost never. He still had some of that reckless attitude of his father and that saving-people thing Hermione accused him of so often. But now he thought before he acted – or at least gave a second thought to his first one. If he learned anything it was to never underestimate your enemies, that was Voldemort's biggest mistake and Harry vowed never to make the same one.
He crept behind a tree so he could see what was going on. Neither seemed to be talking. Harry waited until the Death Eater turned his back and shot a stunner at him.
"Well that was easy." Harry made his way toward Gwenny. She seemed like she was in a daze. "Gwen?" Her gaze looked right through him. "Gwenny, it's me Harry can you hear me?" Again she showed no signs of recognition or even if she was aware there was another person with her.
"What have they done to you?" Harry mumbled. He did not want to try anything as he was not a healer and did not want to make it worse.
"Will she be okay Madam Pomfrey?" Harry was now back at Hogwarts trying to get some information out of the school nurse – it was like pulling teeth.
"Yes, yes now everybody out, this patient needs rest!" Harry was about to protest but Dumbledore led him to the Headmasters office.
"Found her in some forest with the man I took into custody. Did you get his name?"
"Yes, he was most forth coming with information after a little influence. His name was Antares Crux and he had some interesting intelligence.
"He is under the impression that there another time traveller here from the future." Harry realized then that he had not told Dumbledore about Malfoy or his plot to kill his mother.
"Oh right, that was the reason Neville came, guess I forgot to mention it." Dumbledore just gazed at him through his half-moon glasses. "Sorry?"
"Just tell me what you can" It did not matter what time you were in Albus Dumbledore was still Albus Dumbledore. Harry proceeded to tell the younger Headmaster about Draco Malfoy's plot in the past. Although Harry did not have all the information he told the Headmaster all he could.
"Very well, I'll keep an eye on the situation. Why don't you get some rest, it has been a tiring week for the both of us" Harry could just imagine Dumbledore teaching defence to a bunch of pranksters and bookworms.
"Yes sir, good night." Harry's night was not very pleasant, plagued with nightmares of the past and flashes of the current Voldemort plans, he had a very restless sleep. When he awoke in the morning he remembered nothing of importance.
It was Christmas morning before Harry was able to visit Gwen. He had bought her some Honeydukes chocolate and conjured some flowers.
"They're very nice Harry thank-you." She looked very appreciative but would not look Harry in the eyes and when he questioned her on what happened she refused to say anything more.
After the holidays almost everything was back to normal. Professor Grey was still not talking to Harry but he did not really care at this point. He figured that she would come to him on her own time and he was not going to chase after nobody.
"Professor Potter am I doing this right?" It was the end of a particularly hard day.
"Jab it a little harder, very nice." He was just finishing a fourth year Slytherin class. When the class was over he prepared himself for a long night of marking assignments.
"We're here professor and may I say you're looking extremely well this fine evening." Sirius Black made his entrance into the classroom. Harry forgot he had given both Sirius and James detention after he found them goofing off during a particular important lesson on ministry laws on defending yourself. No matter, the detention had been prepared in advanced.
"Right, here is what you guys will be doing we are going to be visiting one of my memories to further you education. Harry took out his pensieve and a tube which contained a slightly altered version of his trail during his fifth year.
James looked a little apprehensive but Sirius had a blank look on his face.
"Now, stick your head into the pensieve and I'll see you there." Harry followed the two boys into the pensieve and found himself down the alleyway between Mangnolia Crescent and Wisteria Walk. Ahead he could see himself and Dudley having their little chat.
"Who is that professor?"
"That's my muggle cousin bit of a buffoon, keep watching the good stuff is coming up" Everything went dark and as the younger Harry fought the pain of dementors the older Harry watched the expressions on the boys' faces'. A feeble attempt at his patronus then out of his wand appeared Prongs.
"Whoa; Prongs"
"Later Sirius" Uh oh, forgot to change the appearance of Prongs a little. Harry thought to himself. He would have to come up with an answer later. They watched as Mrs. Figg approached Harry and they followed him to Privet Drive. They followed them into the house.
"I still don't understand this Professor"
"Just wait a moment Sirius the important part of the scene is coming up."
"But…"
"Listen"
'OWLS AGAIN! I WILL NOT HAVE ANY MORE OWLS IN MY HOUSE!" Both James and Sirius moved over to the younger Harry so they could read the ministry letter.
Dear Mr. Potter
We have received intelligence that you performed the Patronus Charm at twenty-three minutes past nine this evening in a Muggle-inhabited area and in the presence of a Muggle.
The severity of this breach of the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery has resulted in your expulsion from Hogwar4ts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Ministry representatives will be calling at your place of residence shortly to destroy your wand.
As you have already received an official warning for a previous offence under Section 13 of the International Confederation of Warlocks' Stature of Secrecy, we regret to inform you that your presence is required at a disciplinary hearing at the Ministry of Magic at 9 a.m. on the twelfth of August.
Hoping you are well.
Yours Sincerely,
Malfalda Hopkirk
Improper Use of Magic Office
Ministry of Magic
"But Sir they couldn't possibly expel you for that you were just trying to protect yourself and your cousin."
"We know that but keep watching for a few more minutes and I'll try and answer some of your questions. I knew very little of wizard law so I had no idea what to expect and had to rely on the advice of others. But I wasn't going to give up without a fight at any rate." Then the second letter from Arthur Weasley arrived.
Harry
Dumbledore's just arrived at the Ministry and he's trying to sort it all out. DO NOT LEAVE YOUR AUNT AND UNCLE'S HOUSE DO NOT DO ANY MORE MAGIC. DO NOT SURRENDER YOUR WAND.
Where Arthur Weasley's name should have been was blurred out.
"Who was that from?"
"That is from my best mates father, he worked at the ministry."
"Why was Dumbledore personally seeing that you stayed in school?"
"Oh I'm sure he does that for al of his students." Answered Harry evasively. Harry let himself lost in the memory. He was still surprised how much his aunt hid her knowledge of the magical world.
'Enough – effing – owls,' muttered Uncle Vernon distractedly, stomping over to the window and slamming it shut again.
Dear Mr. Potter
Further to our letter of approximately twenty-two minutes ago, the Ministry of Magic has revised it decision to destroy your wand forthwith. You may retain your wait until your disciplinary hearing on the twelfth of August, at which time an official decision will be taken.
Following discussions with the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, the Ministry has agreed that the question of your expulsion will also be decided at that time. You should therefore consider yourself suspended from school pending further enquiries.
With best wishes,
Yours sincerely,
Mafalda Hopkirk
Improper Use of Magic Office
Ministry of Magic
"Well that figures first they tell you you're expelled then, you're not can't they make up their minds?" Sirius blurted out.
"Yes well now you are starting to understand why understanding the law and your rights are important. Without Dumbledore's help I would have been in real trouble. I was ready to run away and take matters into my own hands before that last letter." The scene ended and they found themselves back in Harry's office. "I have one more memory to show you. The trial I had to attend to; after you." After both James and Sirius entered the pensive Harry followed. It had been very difficult for him to modify this memory. The names of people, their faces. Minister fudge kind of looked like a fuzzy blur. It would not do to have a person who just recently graduated as the Minister for Magic. Fortunately he had managed to change a few faces and names.
"Wow professor I thought this was suppose to be a hearing not a trial." Sirius asked.
"Yes well I always was a little different." Answered Harry.
'You're late.'
'Sorry,' said Harry nervously. 'I – I didn't know the time had been changed.'
'that is not the Wizengamot's fault,' said the voice. 'An owl was sent to you this morning. Take your seat.
The tree of them made their way to where the younger Harry was sitting. 'Disciplinary hearing of the twelfth of August,' said Fudge in a ringing voice, 'into offences committed under the Decree for the Reasonable restriction of Underage Sorcery and the International Statute of Secrecy by Harry James Potter, resident at number four, Privet Drive, Little Whinging, Surrey." The scene blurred a little then continued.
"Witness for the defence, Albus Percival Wulfric Brain Dumbledore." The scene continued to its conclusion as once again they found themselves in Harry's office.
"If Dumbledore hadn't been there for me I don't know what would have happened. A good understanding will get you out of trouble and knowing you two that might come in handy. This is why it is important to pay attention in my classes it my help you later in life or tomorrow. Any questions?"
"No professor I think you basically covered everything come on James lets go. James however looked distracted and had not said a word sine the appearance of Prongs. Then he looked at Harry with a pointed face and asked, "Just who are you?" And with that left the room leaving a stunned Sirius and worried Harry.