Catcher
Disclaimer; I own absolutely nothing that you have heard of from the five books by J.K. Rowling and anything that is from other stories that I copied without realising it. Other then that the ideas are just my imagination causing problems. I used the same disclaimer as before, cause I don't think I can come up with another readable one!
A/N; This chapter is officially dedicated to my first reviewer.Yana5.round of applause please! This chapter switches viewpoint a bit, don't worry it isn't permanent! On with the show! Yeah I just finished my 4th coke bottle today!
Chapter 2; Giving up
Professor Albus Dumbledore sat at the front of the Great Hall with the four heads of houses that had remained with the school during the holiday.
He had requested the presence of the other teachers but they had all asked to finish their holidays, preferring to spend time with their families for the time being then to be with students that they would spend the next ten months with. Sometimes he didn't blame them for it one bit, but he loved his job and wouldn't give it up for any amount of gold.
The students sat in silence while the last few students took their seats. There was a notable decrease in the numbers present as the ex- seventh years had yet to be replaced by the over-excitable first years and then there was the missing new seventh years that had declined the offer to attend and preferred to stay with their families.
Finally all the school was seated and Albus stood to welcome them back, however informally the school was with its lack of students.
"Welcome back students, even if it was only a month ago that I saw you leave the grounds." He spoke, his voice seeming to echo over the lack of any noise, "This next month will be very informal, there will be no regular detentions and the normal house points system will be suspended until the sorting ceremony on the first of September. However another system will be installed tomorrow morning to ensure that you don't start killing each other." Scattered chuckles accompanied this, but mainly it was just for politeness.
"Without further interruptions from this old man, I bid you eat and wish you a pleasant night."
He clapped his hands sharply and the feast appeared on the tables.
Albus grinned as the conversation turned to what he knew it would. The new system.
"Albus, I meant to ask you earlier but it slipped my mind, and the amount of students here reminded me." Minerva McGonagall caught his attention as they both piled potatoes onto their respective plates, "How are we going to teach this amount of student? We can't teach them every subject."
"Quite right Minerva," He raised his voice ever so slightly to catch the other professor's attention. He waited for Snape, Flitwick, and Sprout to look up and once he had their attention he spoke again. "I will expect that you will all be happy to continue teaching you own classes, and I will be asking certain students to fill in with the others," he paused for a second, "speaking of which."
He stood up and the students looked at him in anticipation. He swept his eyes other the tables, noting with regret the missing figure of Harry Potter as well as the missing figures of Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. The last three's parents had request that their respective children remain at home due to a family crisis. It was apparently purely coincidental that the three families had their own 'crises' at the same time. He came out of his musings as his gaze resettled on Harry Potter's usual seat which he noted with a slight amused chuckle that Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger had left unfilled, probably in a vain hope that he would make a grand appearance at any minute.
Personally he didn't hold much hope of that, almost every wizard and witche in the Order of the Phoenix were looking for him at this very moment and had been since that morning. Not one person could find anything on him apart from his magical register left at his house and then seemingly disappearing.
Someone's magical register was a complex and unique pattern left after your presence even without using magic. They had hoped to be able to track it like they did when searching for new first year students, but so far it had yielded no results, apart from the revelation that Harry Potter, potentially the greatest student Albus had met had vanished into thin air.
He forced himself back to reality as the faces of the students reminded him of the reason he stood up in the first place. "Could I ask that after the feast has finished, Mr. Weasley, Miss. Granger, Miss. Parkinson, Miss. Zabini, Miss. Abbot, Mr. Finch-Fletchley, Mr. Boot, and Miss. Brocklehurst remain where they are seated, I would like a quick word with you all."
With that statement conversation returned to normal and it seemed that the other teachers were content to wait, or at least they decided to shut up until after the feast to find out what he would say to the students he had named.
The feast finished quite quickly after that and Albus dismissed the weary students. When they had left he motioned to the remaining eight sixth year students to come up to the table as he stood and the other four followed suit.
"I have asked you to stay," he started when they were assembled, "because I have a request of you, as you can see because of the holidays, we are short of teachers." He paused while they nodded. "I have decided to carry on teaching only Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology." He motioned at the four teachers as he said their respective subjects. "History of magic will be taught by Professor Binns as usual, and Defense against the Dark Arts will be taught by you eight." He paused to look in amusement at their astonished faces. "You will pair up and teach your own house's second, third, forth and fifth years. What you teach is up to you, and the lessons will be put on your timetable, so you needn't worry that you will miss out on any normal lessons."
"But Professor, wouldn't it be better to leave the teaching up to the seventh years," Hermione piped up, looking nervous but eager at the prospect of teaching.
"I have chosen it this way so that the seventh years can work on their NEWT's without interference," Albus replied, he had been expecting that particular question from Miss. Granger. "Now if there is nothing else I bid you all good night."
It was more of an order then anything else and six of the eight left, leaving the two Gryffindors behind.
"Sir," Ron started, and Albus' twinkle left his eye, knowing what he was about to ask, "has there been any news on Harry."
"I am afraid not Mr. Weasley, please don't worry, I will inform you as any information is found on his whereabouts, I assure you." They looked happier at this, but were still unnerved by their best friends absence, "Why don't you go back to your common room and work out between the two of you what you are going to teach the rest of the students this week?"
They left without anymore than a muttered thanks to the headmaster and a nod towards their head of house who was looking at them with sympathy.
* * *
Albus Dumbledore was standing looking out of the window in his office, trying to work out where his young student was. He ran through the facts again in his mind. That morning the Weasleys had dropped in at Privet Drive to pick up Harry. When they arrived they had found that Harry wasn't there, there was no sign that a Wizard had ever lived there.
Arthur Weasley had immediately Apparated to The Order of the Phoenix's Headquarters and had caught Albus there just before he left to go on to Hogwarts. Albus himself as well as Tonks, Moody and Snape had arrived at Privet Drive only twenty minutes after the Weasleys had first arrived there.
They of course found no solid evidence but Albus was able to read the magical register that was unique to Harry and had discovered that Harry had simply stood up from his bed, walked towards the desk and disappeared. Albus couldn't pick up the magic left behind by Apparition or a port key or Dark Magic for that matter so it couldn't be any of those reasons. But did find a small magical residue left behind by a magical creature but couldn't match it to anything he knew of. He was very confused.
He was brought out of his memories as the fireplace blazed green and Alastor Moody and Tonks stepped out of it.
"Good evening, Alastor, Tonks, please be seated." It was obvious why they were here.
"Albus, we'll get right to it, it won't take long anyway." Moody started.
He had obviously intended to continue but Tonks being herself jumped in, impatiently, obviously distressed at the news she had. "We found," she paused, "absolutely nothing, not a hair, not another magical residue on the entire planet."
"Thanks you Tonks," Moody rolled his normal eye around in exasperation, but continued when Albus turned to him. "As far as we, or the ministry, or even Voldemort is concerned the boy is not on this planet. We went to a tracker and visited every country with her and found no trace that he was there or ever had been there. There is also no trace of the creature's register or species pattern anywhere on the planet."
"So," Albus spoke, "the only way we will find him is if he comes to us."
"Excatly, Albus, there is no point continuing the search. We need the Orders members elsewhere."
"Ok, I agree I will call off the search and we had better all cross our fingers that Harry can either get away on his own, or return of his own choice depending on whether he chose to leave or not. Tonks," he turned to the stunned witch, "I know you want to find Harry, but there is nothing we can do, it is in his hands now. Could you please go to the Gryffindor Tower, the pass word is 'Excalibur' and inform Mr. Weasley and Miss. Granger of the news."
Disclaimer; I own absolutely nothing that you have heard of from the five books by J.K. Rowling and anything that is from other stories that I copied without realising it. Other then that the ideas are just my imagination causing problems. I used the same disclaimer as before, cause I don't think I can come up with another readable one!
A/N; This chapter is officially dedicated to my first reviewer.Yana5.round of applause please! This chapter switches viewpoint a bit, don't worry it isn't permanent! On with the show! Yeah I just finished my 4th coke bottle today!
Chapter 2; Giving up
Professor Albus Dumbledore sat at the front of the Great Hall with the four heads of houses that had remained with the school during the holiday.
He had requested the presence of the other teachers but they had all asked to finish their holidays, preferring to spend time with their families for the time being then to be with students that they would spend the next ten months with. Sometimes he didn't blame them for it one bit, but he loved his job and wouldn't give it up for any amount of gold.
The students sat in silence while the last few students took their seats. There was a notable decrease in the numbers present as the ex- seventh years had yet to be replaced by the over-excitable first years and then there was the missing new seventh years that had declined the offer to attend and preferred to stay with their families.
Finally all the school was seated and Albus stood to welcome them back, however informally the school was with its lack of students.
"Welcome back students, even if it was only a month ago that I saw you leave the grounds." He spoke, his voice seeming to echo over the lack of any noise, "This next month will be very informal, there will be no regular detentions and the normal house points system will be suspended until the sorting ceremony on the first of September. However another system will be installed tomorrow morning to ensure that you don't start killing each other." Scattered chuckles accompanied this, but mainly it was just for politeness.
"Without further interruptions from this old man, I bid you eat and wish you a pleasant night."
He clapped his hands sharply and the feast appeared on the tables.
Albus grinned as the conversation turned to what he knew it would. The new system.
"Albus, I meant to ask you earlier but it slipped my mind, and the amount of students here reminded me." Minerva McGonagall caught his attention as they both piled potatoes onto their respective plates, "How are we going to teach this amount of student? We can't teach them every subject."
"Quite right Minerva," He raised his voice ever so slightly to catch the other professor's attention. He waited for Snape, Flitwick, and Sprout to look up and once he had their attention he spoke again. "I will expect that you will all be happy to continue teaching you own classes, and I will be asking certain students to fill in with the others," he paused for a second, "speaking of which."
He stood up and the students looked at him in anticipation. He swept his eyes other the tables, noting with regret the missing figure of Harry Potter as well as the missing figures of Draco Malfoy, Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. The last three's parents had request that their respective children remain at home due to a family crisis. It was apparently purely coincidental that the three families had their own 'crises' at the same time. He came out of his musings as his gaze resettled on Harry Potter's usual seat which he noted with a slight amused chuckle that Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger had left unfilled, probably in a vain hope that he would make a grand appearance at any minute.
Personally he didn't hold much hope of that, almost every wizard and witche in the Order of the Phoenix were looking for him at this very moment and had been since that morning. Not one person could find anything on him apart from his magical register left at his house and then seemingly disappearing.
Someone's magical register was a complex and unique pattern left after your presence even without using magic. They had hoped to be able to track it like they did when searching for new first year students, but so far it had yielded no results, apart from the revelation that Harry Potter, potentially the greatest student Albus had met had vanished into thin air.
He forced himself back to reality as the faces of the students reminded him of the reason he stood up in the first place. "Could I ask that after the feast has finished, Mr. Weasley, Miss. Granger, Miss. Parkinson, Miss. Zabini, Miss. Abbot, Mr. Finch-Fletchley, Mr. Boot, and Miss. Brocklehurst remain where they are seated, I would like a quick word with you all."
With that statement conversation returned to normal and it seemed that the other teachers were content to wait, or at least they decided to shut up until after the feast to find out what he would say to the students he had named.
The feast finished quite quickly after that and Albus dismissed the weary students. When they had left he motioned to the remaining eight sixth year students to come up to the table as he stood and the other four followed suit.
"I have asked you to stay," he started when they were assembled, "because I have a request of you, as you can see because of the holidays, we are short of teachers." He paused while they nodded. "I have decided to carry on teaching only Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, Herbology." He motioned at the four teachers as he said their respective subjects. "History of magic will be taught by Professor Binns as usual, and Defense against the Dark Arts will be taught by you eight." He paused to look in amusement at their astonished faces. "You will pair up and teach your own house's second, third, forth and fifth years. What you teach is up to you, and the lessons will be put on your timetable, so you needn't worry that you will miss out on any normal lessons."
"But Professor, wouldn't it be better to leave the teaching up to the seventh years," Hermione piped up, looking nervous but eager at the prospect of teaching.
"I have chosen it this way so that the seventh years can work on their NEWT's without interference," Albus replied, he had been expecting that particular question from Miss. Granger. "Now if there is nothing else I bid you all good night."
It was more of an order then anything else and six of the eight left, leaving the two Gryffindors behind.
"Sir," Ron started, and Albus' twinkle left his eye, knowing what he was about to ask, "has there been any news on Harry."
"I am afraid not Mr. Weasley, please don't worry, I will inform you as any information is found on his whereabouts, I assure you." They looked happier at this, but were still unnerved by their best friends absence, "Why don't you go back to your common room and work out between the two of you what you are going to teach the rest of the students this week?"
They left without anymore than a muttered thanks to the headmaster and a nod towards their head of house who was looking at them with sympathy.
* * *
Albus Dumbledore was standing looking out of the window in his office, trying to work out where his young student was. He ran through the facts again in his mind. That morning the Weasleys had dropped in at Privet Drive to pick up Harry. When they arrived they had found that Harry wasn't there, there was no sign that a Wizard had ever lived there.
Arthur Weasley had immediately Apparated to The Order of the Phoenix's Headquarters and had caught Albus there just before he left to go on to Hogwarts. Albus himself as well as Tonks, Moody and Snape had arrived at Privet Drive only twenty minutes after the Weasleys had first arrived there.
They of course found no solid evidence but Albus was able to read the magical register that was unique to Harry and had discovered that Harry had simply stood up from his bed, walked towards the desk and disappeared. Albus couldn't pick up the magic left behind by Apparition or a port key or Dark Magic for that matter so it couldn't be any of those reasons. But did find a small magical residue left behind by a magical creature but couldn't match it to anything he knew of. He was very confused.
He was brought out of his memories as the fireplace blazed green and Alastor Moody and Tonks stepped out of it.
"Good evening, Alastor, Tonks, please be seated." It was obvious why they were here.
"Albus, we'll get right to it, it won't take long anyway." Moody started.
He had obviously intended to continue but Tonks being herself jumped in, impatiently, obviously distressed at the news she had. "We found," she paused, "absolutely nothing, not a hair, not another magical residue on the entire planet."
"Thanks you Tonks," Moody rolled his normal eye around in exasperation, but continued when Albus turned to him. "As far as we, or the ministry, or even Voldemort is concerned the boy is not on this planet. We went to a tracker and visited every country with her and found no trace that he was there or ever had been there. There is also no trace of the creature's register or species pattern anywhere on the planet."
"So," Albus spoke, "the only way we will find him is if he comes to us."
"Excatly, Albus, there is no point continuing the search. We need the Orders members elsewhere."
"Ok, I agree I will call off the search and we had better all cross our fingers that Harry can either get away on his own, or return of his own choice depending on whether he chose to leave or not. Tonks," he turned to the stunned witch, "I know you want to find Harry, but there is nothing we can do, it is in his hands now. Could you please go to the Gryffindor Tower, the pass word is 'Excalibur' and inform Mr. Weasley and Miss. Granger of the news."