Disclaimer: See first chapter

A/N: Just a reminder that I'm not British nor have I been there so I'm not up to scratch on their transport system.

Chapter 3

"Deranged and dangerous!" Bolt raged. "I am not deranged and dangerous!"

"Shit. This is bad man." Lucky said as he looked down at the newspaper. Overnight, Bolt had gone from teenage runaway to wanted criminal.

"Fuck," Blondie said. "This is bad, you're going to have every copper in the city looking for you!"

"Maybe even the country," Lucky said.

The newspaper was just one of many that were reporting the Harry Potter story. There were even television reports about him. All reporting the same thing. Harry Potter was a teenager who was reported missing weeks ago but it was not revealed he was mentally unstable. After breaking into an unnamed store and holding the owner hostage for three hours he moved off to a nearby house and almost killed the man inside. There were great concerns for his safety and people were warned that he was currently around the London area.

"I'm going after Snape," Bolt said defiantly. "I'm going to get in contact with Ron and I'm going to get him to help me get into Hogwarts."

"Its too risky." Said Lucky "If you get caught now you are in serious trouble."

"Do you want to get back Zazza or not?" Bolt snapped.

"I'm not saying we don't risk something for Zazza but I think we should wait until this dives down a bit." Lucky said.

"It isn't going to dive down, it won't stop until they find me." Bolt replied.

"Then maybe they should find you," Blondie said slowly. The boys turned to her and she was smiling greatly.

"What if we faked your death?" Blondie said.

"That would require some serious skills," Lucky pointed out.

Blondie shook her head. "Not really, you see all we have to do is drown you but it has to be somewhere where it is virtually impossible to find your body and somewhere where people would see you,"

There was silence as they thought of where they could stage Bolt's death.

"The Lake," Bolt breathed. "The Hogwarts Lake! It's huge and I would get some serious attention!"

"And you'll be able to get to Snape! It's brilliant!" Blondie cried.

"I'll send Hermione a letter saying to met me near the lake and I'm going to swim across. She will tell someone and they'll all be waiting for me. Then I'll splash around halfway across then dive under and disappear. I'll swim as fast as I can underwater to the nearest shore and hide. By the time they realize I've drowned I should be able to hide somewhere. Then that's it, I'm dead." Bolt grinned.

"We have a problem of how the hell are we going to get to Hogwarts?" Lucky said.

"We have to go back to Dufftown, it's very close to Hogwarts. After that I know the way." Bolt said.

"How are we supposed to get to Dufftown?" Lucky asked.

"We could get another portkey," Bolt suggested.

"By going back to Borgin and Burkes?" Lucky asked. "It's impossible, we'll be caught for sure."

"Who said anything about us going to get it?" Bolt grinned wickedly and looked over at Blondie.

"Me!" She exclaimed.

"Yes you." Bolt said. "You'll arouse less suspicion."

"I don't even know where Borgin and Burkes is!" Blondie exclaimed.

"Maybe we don't need a portkey or any magic," Lucky said slowly. "All we need is some money."

"I thought we already established any type of public transport was out of the question," Blondie said.

"No, we established that Bolt couldn't go on public transportation, we can and we pack Bolt into a box and put it in the bottom of the bus. We go to Dufftown on the bus and we hang in Dufftown until Bolt drowns himself." Lucky said.

"What happens if I suffocate?" Bolt asked.

"We'll take you in the bus with us and put you in the overhead compartment. I'll tell them that we're moving to Dufftown and our valuables are in them and we want to keep an eye on them." Lucky explained.

"It's a long shot but it just might work." Blondie said.

"Great," Bolt rolled his eyes. "I'm going to be stuffed in a box for hours on end."

"We haven't got much choice," Said Blondie.

"I guess it could be worse………" Bolt said.

"How could this possibly get any worse!" Bolt shouted from inside the cramped box. His knees were curled up underneath his chin and that was the only possible way he could fit in the box. Blondie was standing outside the bus station with Bolt sitting in the box.

"Shh! You can't talk or make any noise for the whole trip alright?" Blondie said.

"Fine, I won't bless you with my gracious wit." Bolt remarked.

"They said they'll load the box onto the bus now if it's really heavy," Lucky said as he came back from getting the tickets with a trolley.

"Okay Bolt, we're loading you up," Blondie whispered and the two lifted the box carefully onto the trolley.

"We're bus number nine," Lucky instructed as they pushed Bolt along.

"You must be the kids with the heavy box," A large balding man smiled at them as they appeared at the door of bus number nine.

"Yep, that's us. We have to be very careful with it. It's breakable." Lucky said.

"I'll give you a hand." He came down and after much lifting and groaning, the box was safely on the overhead compartment. Bolt was on his back, as they had to put the box on its side. Hours, minutes and seconds melted together as Bolt sat in the box. Every so often Blondie would ask if he was alright.

Eventually, Bolt felt himself being lifted down and a weird voice asking them if they needed anymore help with the box.

"I'm free!" Bolt cried when he was finally allowed to get out.

"I can't believe we actually got away with it!" Blondie sighed with relief.

"Let's find a place to hide out and then you can write a letter to your precious Hermione." Lucky grinned.

"Hahaha." Bolt rolled his eyes.

They found a train station a few hours later. It wasn't much of a station; it was actually just a tiny platform and some old train cars. They settled in one of the cars and Bolt began writing his letter. He handed it to Lucky to read since Bolt was still new to most literacy techniques.

Dear Hermione,

I'm not sure who I can turn to but I need some help. I am in so much trouble. I'm staying near Hogwarts and want to see you. Meet me outside near the lake at Hogwarts at 7.45pm this Saturday. I'm coming on Saturday whether you are there or not. Don't send a reply because it won't find me. Please Hermione, I need your help badly.

From Bolt.

Lucky looked up and smiled. "You sound desperate which is good."

"I have to find an owl to carry it. Do you think that the owl I gave you to contact me with is still at Mrs. Figg's house?" Bolt said.

"It might be." Blondie said. "I'll go and see if it's there."

She left Lucky and Bolt wondering how this plan could possible go wrong.

"Professor Lupin, Professor Black!" Hermione ran into their office without knocking.

"What is it?" Sirius jumped up immediately. "Did they find Harry?"

"No but he sent me this," She presented the letter to them.

"He says he's staying nearby," Sirius read. "Do you think he's in Hogsmede?"

"It doesn't matter, he wants to met her tonight and he's coming here. We just ambush him as he comes." Remus said.

"Why is he asking you for help? Why wouldn't he ask us?" Sirius asked.

"Maybe he's ashamed of what he's done and feels he can't trust us." Remus supplied.

"I'll do anything to help," Hermione said.

"Don't worry Hermione, you've already helped by showing us the letter," Remus assured her.

"He's coming here and we'll be ready for him." Sirius said.

Bolt climbed into the water and winced. To make it look authentic Lucky and Blondie had cut his clothes and his skin to make him bleed. He'd strip off the clothes as he pretended to drown, it would make a getaway faster.

The water was cold and deep. Bolt could distantly see the lights of Hogwarts. He knew they were all waiting for him. He smiled, as he got close enough for them to hear him scream.

He slipped of his shirt and his pants and took a deep breath as to attract attention…

"HELP!" A voice cried from the lake and Sirius, Remus and the rest of the staff of Hogwarts turned. "HELP ME!"

"He's swimming across the lake!" Sirius cried.

They could hear the splashes and cries distantly and then there was nothing.

LINE

The cuts on Bolt's body were stinging as he swam as quietly as he could to the shore. He hadn't even gone to the center. He just made it far enough to believe that he would drown there.

He saw the lights coming across the water and he dunked himself underwater. He swam the remaining part underwater and resurfaced very quietly and pulled himself out of the water. He was freezing and in his underwear but ran and hid behind a tree.

LINE

"There's blood in the water," Remus said as he ran his hand through it.

"Do you think something attacked him?" Sirius asked. The others in the boat (Dumbledore and Hagrid) didn't answer.

"Oh no," Remus gasped and reached over the side of the boat to produce a bloody and torn shirt.

Sirius could feel his head spinning. He couldn't have lost him again. Was life going to be that cruel to him?

LINE

Bolt stumbled back to the train carriage later that night soaking wet and in his underwear. He hadn't brought any spare clothes with him.

He settled down to sleep beside Blondie who was entangled in Lucky's arms. His eyes slid closed and he fell into a deep sleep.

LINE

It was a large house and in its day would have been beautiful but now was in wreck and ruin. Inside everything was covered in a thick layer of dust but some was disturbed. Up the stairs and at the end of the hall was a faint light and whispers.

"He destroyed the diary," Lucius Malfoy whispered. "I misled him by saying that Snape knew something. He's probably about to get caught by them."

"Good," A raspy voice replied. "As soon as we find him we will be able to lead him here."

Bolt blinked away sleepiness from his eyes. So Lucius Malfoy misled him. He would pay. Now he was stuck. He didn't have anywhere to go or any idea where Zazza was. He knew it was time to pay Malfoy another visit.