Disclaimer: You recognise it? Then it is JK Rowling's.

Through the Furnace

Chapter Eight. Of Building Bridges

Harry's mind slowly regained consciousness. For at least an hour Godric had watched as Harry lay in a listless state: neither awake nor asleep. Harry emitted a low moan indicating he was slowly becoming awake.

Godric jumped from his comfortable velvet chair, which he had conjured to sleep in the night before, and went to check on his charge. He gently laid his hand upon Harry's brow. "It's safe to wake up, lad," he called.

As if Harry heard Godric's command: emerald green eyes slowly fluttered upon. Godric felt himself being harshly appraised by the said eyes as if the boy could not remember what had happened. "You're safe, Harry," Godric soothed clearly seeing the fear slowly ebb into the boy's expression. "You're safe."

Harry blinked slowly his gaze never wavering off Godric Gryffindor who seemed to be genuinely concerned. Then slowly he remembered what had happened. He called recall vividly the surreal state he was in when he was tied to the stake and the sheer terror of being burned alive.

Harry gave a small gasp and shuddered flinching his head away from Godric's touch. Godric smiled sadly in understanding and let his hands fall limply by his side. Harry however continued to stare. Even with the panic and horror of his execution he thought he vaguely remembered strong arms. Had Godric saved him even though he ran away? Why?

"Are you in any pain?" Godric inquired.

Harry shook his head in the negative and licked his lips, which were dry and cracked. "Numb," he mumbled.

"Of course he's numb," a second voice rejoined. "After all that numbing potion you gave him, Godric."

Harry started and turned his head to the side wistfully. He realised with a jolt of horror that the new comer was none other than Salazar Slytherin himself.

"What were you thinking?" Salazar hissed irritably glancing down at Harry as he placed several vials of ominous looking potions on a table by Godric's elbow. "You put both yourself and Lord Leo in danger. You should be thoroughly ashamed of yourself."

"Peace Salazar," Godric replied all the while staring at Harry. "I will speak at length with him once I believe him lucid enough to take heed of my words."

Harry internal gulped and looked away from the lion founder.

"As it is, Salazar my friend, I believe he is sincerely ashamed and chastened."

Salazar sniffed and strode further into the tent so that he was standing over Harry and Godric. "You bring me too many grievously injured Gryffindors."

Godric smiled wanly and sighed. "He has my forgiveness Salazar." Here Godric looked meaningfully at Harry. "I hope I am worthy enough for his."

Salazar raised his eyebrows. "Anything else you would like to add, Goddy?"

"I am most humbly in your debt, Sallie." Godric grinned mischievously at the giggle emitted from Harry's lips.

"Pray young whelp, what has amused you so?" Salazar demanded rounding upon Harry once more.

Harry smiled listlessly despite being half aware of himself. "Sallie is decidedly a female name only."

TtTtTtT

Hermione had thrown herself on her bed and cried herself to sleep. Not without securely locking her doors with an obscure locking charm.

She woke from her stupor of disbelief and numb realisation that Harry could be gone from her for ever about an hour or two later. She glanced at the magical alarm clock wishing only to throw it violently from her window in a rage.

The Dark Mark.

She shivered involuntarily remembering the pained expression on Remus Lupin's face when he had relayed the news. Fresh tears came unbidden to her eyes. The Dark Mark… it probably meant someone had indeed died. However Hermione saw the inconsistencies with what she knew about Lord Voldemort and his disciples.

The Dark Mark usually signalled the Death Eaters had struck and that someone had died. But not always. The Quidditch World Cup for example. No one was killed there. And the happens at Hogwarts, Dumbledore had been killed after the Dark Mark had been fired into the sky… it was used as a well placed decoy in order for Dumbledore to panic and act quickly.

A second mystery: Lupin had said the dark mark was floating not in the sky for all the world to behold in horror but floating in a basin full of muck. Why would a Death Eater put a Dark Mark in a basin where it could not be seen?

Hermione bolted upright with an idea. It was a long shot but worth it if it could possibly save Harry whom she regarded as a brother she didn't have.

She raced to her door letting it crash into the wall and down the stairs. She had to find Lupin…

FfFfFf

Harry blinked as he came back to realisation with a sudden jolt. He had been dreaming of the night Dumbledore had died needlessly for a horcrux that did not exist.

Tears pricked his eyes as ironically as the scene with Professor Trelawney played across his mind. The bug eyed divination teacher had given him ample warning of betrayal and death to come and he had been too much of a dunderhead, as Snape would say, to see what was in front of his eyes.

No. He was much to taken that it was Snape that was the spy who told Voldemort about the prophecy that had become his burden. It was Snape that betrayed his parents. It was Snape that had caused his problems. And Dumbledore trusted the snarly git because he was 'sorry'. As far as Harry was concerned 'sorry' didn't cover it at all.

"Bad dream?"

Harry nodded and tried to pull himself in a seated position wincing as he did so. He glanced down and flushed scarlet when he realised he was lying completely naked on top of Godric Gryffindor's bed. He took a moment to stare in horror at his legs which were covered in a blue-green paste and had made somewhat a mess of the founders lovely sheets.

Godric Gryffindor moved closer and sat on the bed. "You almost lost your legs, Harry. You were lucky."

Harry nodded in understanding. "It was you?"

Godric nodded not needing for Harry to elaborate for him to understand.

"Thankyou."

"You are most welcome." Godric sighed and raked his fingers through his hair making it stand on all ends. "Harry, dear boy, you must quickly understand the dangers of this time…"

"I made a terrible mistake."

"Yes," Godric nodded in agreement. "A terrible error which could have had tragic results for you and it nigh did. You should never, never, never approach a muggle and furthermore never enter a muggle village: that dear boy was nothing less than suicide."

"I know. I was stupid I admit. But this whole muggles killing wizards and witches because of there magic is so… so surreal…"

"I take it burnings don't happen when you are from?"

"No," Harry laughed. "If I was to tell a muggle I was a wizard they would laugh at me and tell me I'm completely insane because magic just does not exist. Anyway you wasted my mind so you would already know that."

"I see," Godric said dryly. "And I pulled the interrogation short, young master, so I don't know everything." Godric looked slyly to the tent flap. "Just don't tell Sallie that he'll burn me on the stake otherwise."

Harry laughed but choked. His throat was so very dry.

"Water," Godric offered and Harry eagerly nodded.

Harry watched from his position from the bed as Godric turned his back and transfigured a quill into a goblet complete with water. Harry did his best as the founder offered him the goblet not to ogle and ask questions that would embarrass him.

Harry slowly drank the water minding that he didn't miss his lips with Godric now watching him appraisingly.

"I'll add some of Salazar's balm to your legs shall I?" Godric inquired lightly a cheeky glint surfaced in his chocolate eyes. "Then we shall see about some clothes. Can't have you wandering about naked as the day you were born can I?"

"Erm no," Harry muttered his cheeks reddening truly uncomfortable that Godric Gryffindor of all people had seen him at his worse.

Godric smiled genially and gently added the balm to Harry's legs massaging them lightly. Harry kept his eyes trained on the ground through out the whole administration – so he was somewhat surprised when Godric suddenly stood.

Rifling through an open chest Godric threw out a white long sleeved shirt a pair of soft black leggings and a crimson robe. Harry was doubtful the clothing looked much too big for him. He did not dare compare them to Dudley who was a whale of a boy, but Godric was tall, broad shouldered. A total different build to Harry…

"Shall I help?" Godric said without waiting for an answer he plucked Harry from the bed and pulled the shirt over Harry's head. The hem of the burrowed shirt fell to the bottom of Harry's knees. Godric roared with genially laughter and shrugged it off before thrusting the leggings at Harry.

Before Godric could manually dress him, Harry clambered into the leggings which were sadly much too large for him. The final touch was an overgrown cloak draped over his shoulders.

Godric chuckled at Harry who was positively drowning in his new outfits. Harry on the other hand did not see the funny side at all. He pulled up the shoulders which were draping somewhere near his elbow.

Godric caught Harry's shoulders swiftly with both hands and ran his hands down Harry arms. In pure shock and delight Harry found himself wearing clothes that actually fit him.

Grinning Godric turned away. "Now for the final touches." He picked up a pair of boots and held them out to Harry who eagerly took them and shoved them quickly on his feet.

"And your hair, young master needs to be tamed," Godric offered.

Harry sniffed indifferently. "Good luck. Just don't give me a Friar Tuck hair do," Harry replied eying the wand that Godric was brandishing at him.

"I most certainly won't make you a Minister of the Church."

Harry rolled his eyes; obviously his humour had been lost on the founder.

With a flick of his wand Harry's hair became longer, still a mop of black hair but distinctly longer. Godric nodded to himself as if he was pleased with his handy work and took Harry's shoulders effectively turning him around. Grabbing a thin piece of leather Godric caught Harry's hair and tied it tightly at the nape of his neck.

Harry groaned. "Goodness anyone would mistake me for a girl."

"Nonsense!" Godric cried waving his hands about slightly annoyed that his work had been snubbed. "You look like a proper young wizarding gentleman – almost."

"These seeing eye things shall have to go also," Godric then said taking Harry's glasses off the bridge of his nose.

"But I can't see without those!" Harry grumbled.

Godric grasped Harry's shoulders and roughly turned him around. Harry looked up into the blurry image that was Godric's face. "If you want to survive this then I strongly recommend that you blend into your surroundings."

As Godric waved his right hand over Harry's face the world came sharply into focus. "I can see," Harry mumbled dumbly.

Godric shook his head good naturedly. "What do they teach at our school?"

TtTtTtT

Ron was annoyed. Or to be more precise thoroughly annoyed. He refused to believe that his best friend in the world had disappeared without a trace and would most likely be found at the bottom of the Themes as Moody had so moodily phrased it.

It couldn't be right. Harry wouldn't die on them, would he?

Ron gave a scream of rage and stood abruptly kicking the pages and pages of parchments that littered his bedroom floor. His plan had failed.

Ron had at first been optimistic of the likelihood his plan would work. Now however he knew his plan had been destined to fail. How could simple Ron Weasley ever come up with an ingenious plan?

The parchments had been letters all addressed to Harry. They were all along the lines of 'Please contact me now – Ron' but the later ones were more vehement 'Harry get your sorry backside back here now,' one said, 'Or I'll send a howler.'

It was an idle threat. Harry wasn't receiving any communication which in itself was terrible news. Hedwig when commanded to find her master with the letters flew around Grimmauld Place half a dozen times before returning to Ron's room. She looked positively exhausted, Ron realised guiltily, he must have written Harry thirty odd little notes.

It just couldn't be true.

Harry was gone.

FfFfFf

"Now of course I'll be looking after you, you being a Gryffindor and Salazar refusing to have much to do with you," Godric was saying as he paced the length of the tent. "Now to get you to trust me, which you must place all your trust in me, I'll let you 'interrogate' me."

"No, I couldn't." Harry protested shaking his head vehemently. "I couldn't do that."

Godric glanced sharply at Harry. "Why ever not, boy? Unlike you I am a willing 'victim' if you please."

"But..."

"Come now, lad, I will show you." Godric took a seat directly opposite Harry.