Chapter Six

Meanwhile, far away at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, a certain Headmaster was not having a good morning. Just after sunrise the shrilling of alarms had woken him with the knowledge that the school's magic had lost track of a prospective student. And not just any student, either. Five-year-old Harry Potter, Boy-Who-Lived and Savior of the Wizarding world had just fallen off the map. No, this was not good at all. So Dumbledore had sent his Potions Master and useful doer of dirty work, Professor Severus Snape to the home of Harry's guardians to find out what had happened. He was now anxiously awaiting Snape's report.

The man in question was currently on the front porch of Number Four Privet Drive ringing the bell loudly. The door was finally opened by Mrs. Dursley who, upon seeing a man in wizards robes, immediately tried to close it on him. But Snape was having none of that, and pushed his way into the house.

"Harry has gone missing, do you know where he is?" the wizard demanded without preamble.

"How should I know where the ungrateful little swine took himself off to. He ran away a while back and we haven't heard from him since. Probably dead in a gutter somewhere and good riddance, too." Mr. Dursley snarled, wanting to get rid of this intruder as quickly as possible. But Snape wouldn't be got rid of so easily.

"Ran away? A five year old? And have you made no attempt to look for him?"

"That's right!" snapped Mrs. Dursley. "We never wanted the little freak in the first place. Why should we care?"

"I see." Snape was appalled. "Good bye." And with that, he Apparated out.

Of course, Snape's report to Dumbledore started a massive Wizarding boyhunt all throughout the village of Little Winging and its environs, but of course they found nothing. Eventually, they were indeed forced to give the child up for dead.

Mr. and Mrs. Dursley spent five years in jail for child endangerment and neglect.

Moirethe, what exactly does a want-stick do in magic?

Makes it easier to direct and control, I think. Why do you ask, Wizardling?

I miss doing magic and I was wondering if it was possible in this form.

I believe want-sticks work to focus magic, the way a crystal can focus the sunlight. To do magic without one would mean doing all the focusing in your own mind and heart and soul. Difficult, probably, for some, but certainly do-able. We can start experimenting in the morning, if you like.

I would. Very much. It was the only good thing about being human. I don't want to give it up.

Naiser soon found that his magic worked just as well as it ever had.