XII

The Disagreeable Curse of Harry Potter

When Tonks arrived back at Hogwarts, Severus was quick to send her away again, sticking his nose in his paperwork except for mealtimes with Jennifer and occasional visits to see how Corey was doing. Alex had come by as well to report that letters from Ambrose were still coming, despite the fact that no one had yet to find out where he was staying.

Fortunately, Severus didn't have to wait all that long for news of the other matter he was concerned about; the disappearance of Harry and Essie. For late in the evening on the day after Severus sent Tonks off to try and find them, she returned with both of them. They looked tired and worn, but at least all in one piece.

"I found them," Tonks declared, despite the fact it was obvious. "They were tied to a tree near the banks of Westray with Wizard's Rope. Good thing I happened along when I did before some local Muggles spotted them."

"It would have taken talent," Essie muttered. "We were tied near the top of the tree."

"I would have been back yesterday, but there was some business to take care of," Tonks said, glancing at Harry, who grimaced. "But I'll let Harry tell you about that."

"First, I better warn you to lock the castle gate before anything happens," Harry said, Severus raising his eyebrows at that. "It seems that the curse on me is some sort of enemy magnet. It's like everyone on the entire planet who has an issue with me can all the sudden pinpoint exactly where I am."

"I seriously doubt even if they can pinpoint you that any would show up at Hogwarts," Severus said. "I take it that was how you were both waylaid? An old foe?"

"Try two," Harry said grumpily. "Lex Burton and Ron Hammil…a thief and a con I both sent to the Tower on one occasion on another. Even Essie didn't see it coming," he put in, and Essie glowered at him. "Anyhow, to make a long story short, we went to find Madame Stone…gone, of course. In fact, when we did finally track down another wizard in the area, he didn't have any recollection of anyone at all being there…that the portal shop has been an abandoned shop as long as he could remember."

"Interesting," Severus nodded. "Go on."

"So we headed to a local pub to see if any of the locals recalled anything and…well the next thing we know, well…we're coming to on the other side of the island," Harry admitted, and Severus rolled his eyes, looking back and forth between them in complete disbelief.

"Were you or were you not both my students? What could you possibly be thinking, going into an unfamiliar place and not guarding your drinks?" Severus scolded them. But Essie shrugged.

"Aunt Jennifer never seems to watch her drink…" she pointed out. Severus paused, his lip twitching slightly.

"One small fallibility of Truth-Seekers is the tendency to watch people's faces instead of their own hands, expecting everything they are able to glean from their minds enough to protect them, but a little Occlumency can go a long way. If she had any sense, she'd learn to keep her hand over her cup when she's not drinking from it…as would both of you," he added more sternly.

"Trust me, I have no intention of letting anything like this happen again," Harry swore, "Especially after behind tied to a tree for three days."

"And where were the two dark wizards for all of that time?" Severus asked.

"They weren't traveling together, actually. Burton was the one who 'escorted' us out," Harry began. "He was convinced that I was there to take him in, since apparently he was in violation of his parole. I honestly don't think he had an actual game plan, other than perhaps to tie us up to give himself a head start. But the next morning, just when I almost had him convinced that he had nothing to do with the reason I was there, Hammil showed up…I don't know exactly how he stumbled across us…I don't know exactly how they know where I am," Harry added with frustration. "Anyhow, Hammil saw what was going on and had some of his own ideas what to do with us, and before we knew it, they broke into an argument. And then all of the sudden they challenged one another to a wizard's duel. They uh…they both lost."

"That was the matter we had to stay and clear up," Tonks explained ruefully. "In fact, I was the one who was supposed to bring Burton in. That's how I caught up with them so quickly…I had some suspicion they might have crossed paths."

"Tell me, do you happen to have any sort of sample of that potion you took? Perhaps some spilled on your clothing when you went out?" Severus said, Harry and Essie both looking surprised.

"No, I don't think so, Severus. We were hardly in any position to take any samples," Harry said. "Why would that be important? We know who gave it."

"But not who made it or may have supplied it," Severus murmured and got up, pacing. "Could it be possible? Possible yes…but probable?" he asked, and then paused as if listening to his own thoughts. "Yes, but would he have reason?"

"Severus, I don't know what you're thinking, but it seems to me these events are completely unrelated other than the fact that this stupid curse keeps throwing enemies at me," Harry said. "In fact, I really ought to be getting out of here before someone tries to come after me here."

"Harry, no enemy of yours would dare come into this castle, let alone get through any of the detections that has been added to Hogwarts over the years…" Severus began with exasperation. But he found his words cut short when he saw the quill to his appointment book moving and peered over to see what it was up to. "Then again, I may have been mistaken," Severus admitted with annoyance.

Before Harry could react, the door burst open and Minister of Magic Draco Malfoy stormed in the door, Hermione on his heels. Harry groaned.

"Potter!" Draco snarled, taking something out of his pocket and shaking it at him. "I have words for you!"

"Harry! Essie! Are you both all right?" Hermione asked in obvious surprise.

"Don't start with all that, Weasley! I've been looking for him for two days!" Draco snapped.

"And how did you know he was here now, might I ask?" Severus asked.

"A strong hunch, which apparently proved to be right," Draco said, thrusting a piece of cloth at him. "Potter, if you don't do something about that son of yours trespassing on my property, I shall personally see that he will no longer have the ability to do so!"

"Wait…this is a piece of my cloak! My father's cloak!" Harry said with dismay when he took a closer look at it. "How did this get damaged?"

"I found it in the crack of my front door after the intruder alarms went off in my house, Potter. It was your son attempting to sneak in and see Mary!"

"Cedric would have more sense than to have anything to do with any Slytherin, let alone a Malfoy," Harry said. "Where did you really get this?"

"Stop playing stupid, Potter! Or is the problem that you spend so much time chasing crooks that you don't realize you have one in your own family? If he shows up one more time, I'll have him arrested for harassment and stalking! Weasley, I demand you make certain that Mary doesn't have to sit any classes with that detriment to society!"

"Draco, please," Severus said, kneading his head.

"Detriment to society? Like you have room to talk! Tell me, Draco, how many votes do you plan to buy this reelection?" Harry growled.

"Harry, not now," Severus warned. "We have other things to…"

"How dare you try and make this about me when it's your perverted son who doesn't know his boundaries? I am officially putting a restraining order on that no good reject, and I swear if I do see him around my house, you won't be having any grandchildren by him," Draco swore.

"You touch my son and I swear…" Harry said, pulling out his wand despite Hermione's shouting for him to stop.

"Point that thing at me and I promise I will shove it up your…"

"ENOUGH!" Severus said, pulling out his own wand. "If you insist on act like ill-mannered students, you will be treated like them!" Without another word, Severus flicked his wand and a pair of shackles appeared on each of them, raising their arms high in the air.

Before either had time to do much but let out a wail, the shackles suddenly took off, dragging them both down the spiral stairs. In fact, the shackles were flying with such speed that they didn't have time to get their footing before they were pulled down the main stairwell, despite their pleas to stop. But the most frightening moments were when there was no staircase at all; for even when a stair had moved to another position, the shackles followed the same path regardless. Subsequently, the most painful moments were when they hit the landings again, which almost made them look forward for the momentary relief of the stairs being gone. At last, they found themselves on an even surface and were able to hit the ground running as the shackles, still high in the air, led them into the deepest dungeon and into a door that led down a long winding ramp into pure darkness. Finally, the shackles jerked up to meet some chains embedded in the walls near the school's cistern.

"Snape, you're fired," Draco groaned the moment he caught his breath.

"The board does that," Harry said, still wincing in pain and wishing he could rub his aching wrists and bruised feet and legs.

"Then I'll fire the board unless they do!"

"They're elected by…"

"Oh SHUT UP, Potter! We wouldn't be in this position if it wasn't for you in the first place!" Draco snarled. "You and that delinquent son of yours! Not that I'm not going to make Snape pay for this!"

"I don't Snape is completely in his right mind at the moment, Malfoy," Harry said quietly.

"Oh really? What was your first clue?" Draco said viciously. Harry simply sighed and waited. He hadn't forgotten that Hermione had witnessed what had happened.

In fact, at first she was in a state of shock, but she was able to shake it off after she saw Severus put his wand away and searching through his desk, pulling out a folder as if nothing had happened.

"What did you do to them? Where did they go?" Hermione rasped when she found her voice.

"I put them below the castle so they can think about their attitudes. I'd make certain they are still there when I get back, if I were you," Severus warned briskly, glancing over the folder before grabbing his cloak.

"Get back? Where are you going?"

"I have some school business out of the country, and there is another matter in Orkney I want to look into…"

"What? You can't honestly be thinking of going abroad while you have Harry and Draco shackled in the dungeon?" Hermione said with a dropped jaw. "Have you thought about what sort of repercussions this is going to have? Draco is the Minister of Magic!"

"If they are going to act like misbehaving students, I shall treat them like them!" Severus snarled loudly. "Tell Jennifer not to wait up. I'll likely be late and perhaps have to stay over. And leave them where they are, Hermione," he ordered again as he strode out the door. Hermione merely stood there a moment, exhaling slowly as she tried to pick a course of action.