Chapter 13

Eric and Ron were called back to the Ministry the next day. Hermione and Ginny stayed behind with the three kids.

"Did you guys hear?" Ginny asked. "The Ministry and the Magic Congress are teaming up to hunt Harry down."

"That was quick," Hermione said. "But considering just who Harry is, I'm actually not that surprised. It was inevitable they teamed up. After all, Harry attacked both of them."

Alex huffed.

"What was that pendant Harry stole from the bank?" Ginny asked. "Alex, you know dark magic. Did you feel anything from it?"

"I was too far away to get a clear reading on the dark magic, but from what I could tell, it was an unusual type of dark magic." Alex said.

"How can you tell?" Ginny asked, frowning in confusion. "I didn't feel anything but dark magic from that pendant."

Alex looked at her.

"Trust me, when you spend your whole life immersed in dark magic, you become rather sensitive to dark magic. As a result, I have gotten to know the differences between some types of dark magic compared to others." he said.

"And Harry is the same as you, as well as a genius in everything," Hermione said, slightly disgruntled.

Hermione looked at Alex.

"So, for fourteen years, you were just searching for a way to put Harry back together," she stated.

"Yes," Alex said. "I couldn't exactly communicate with Harry since he was stuck inside Hedwig. And I had to find various dark artifacts that had the proper type of dark magic to build a kind of device that would rebuild Harry's body without any repercussions. Some of those artifacts were almost impossible to find, but I kept at it and eventually found them all."

"It must've been horribly lonely," Hermione said softly. "Spending fourteen years like that with nobody to talk to."

"I still had Harry to talk to; he just couldn't speak back," Alex said.

Alex sighed tiredly.

"The things I go through for that idiot," he muttered. "You know...sometimes I wish our father really did go through with his promise to kill him when we were just infants. Then I wouldn't have to be going through all this trouble for him."

Alex shook his head to clear it.

"Never mind," he said. "Forget I said any of that."

"Is it still true?" Ginny asked.

Alex paused and looked at her.

"No," he said finally.

Alex chuckled humorlessly.

"At least not my father...if it's anyone that's going to kill Harry, it'll be me." he said. "That's what I've always told him."

"Well...you're awfully morbid," Ginny said, not knowing what else to say.

"You've said that before," Alex said dryly.

"It's true," Ginny said. "So, what's the plan? Go after Harry? Help him? Stop him?"

"That is if we can find him," Hermione said.

"You two don't have to do anything," Alex said. "I'm doing this by myself. If you two got involved, you'd only get in the way and if you're caught, you'll get sent to Azkaban."

"So would you if you were caught," Ginny said. "You'd probably even get the Kiss."

"I wouldn't get caught so easily," Alex said. "You seem to have forgotten I've been hiding for the past fifteen years."

"Fair point," Ginny muttered.

"The point is, if you need help, we will help you," Hermione said. "Eric and Ron may not help; in fact, I think they're against it, but Ginny and I... we'd help you."

"Why?" Alex asked. "Why would you help me? You know all that I've done to you. I manipulated you. I helped the diary Horcrux with its schemes in our second year, nearly killing Ginny. I helped torture Gilderoy Lockhart into insanity just because I found him annoying; same with Umbridge in fifth year. I casted the torture curse on Eric in that graveyard and I killed Cedric Diggory in our fourth year. I helped my father attack Hogwarts by bringing down all the wards. I've tortured and killed so many people since I was just a child. Why would you want to offer your help to someone like that?"

"Because I want to believe you've changed," Hermione said. "Yeah, you're acting more like your true self now, but it isn't that far off from how you were in Hogwarts. I count you as one of my best friends. Eric and Ron, they're my best friends, yes, but...you and Harry understood me when those two didn't."

"Careful there, Hermione, you sound like you're in love with Alex," Ginny muttered.

"Shut up, Ginny," Hermione said, glaring at the redhead. "You really think Alex is the type to settle down, marry someone, and have children?"

Ginny snorted.

"No," she said without hesitation.

"Ron is my husband. Nothing is going to change that," Hermione said. "Alex is my friend, nothing more."

"Are you two seriously having this conversation in front of me?" Alex asked emotionlessly.

Hermione sighed and turned back to him.

"Sorry, Alex," she said. "Let's just forget it and move on."

"Agreed," Alex said.

It was evening when Eric and Ron came back.

"Hey, what's going on?" Ron asked.

"Where are the kids?" Eric asked.

"The kids are sleeping. They're exhausted from all the recent events," Hermione said. "What happened at the Ministry?"

"Just that the Ministry and Magic Congress are teaming up together to conduct a worldwide manhunt for Harry," Eric said.

Eric looked at Alex.

"Alex, mate, don't get in our way," he said. "Harry is a criminal and a Dark Lord; he has to be hunted down."

"And what are you going to do if you catch him?" Hermione asked.

"What else? He'll go to Azkaban, get the Kiss," Ron said.

"He'd kill himself before that happens," Alex said.

"Eric, Ron, we want to help Alex find Harry before anyone else does," Ginny said.

"Are you serious?!" Eric exclaimed. "Ginny, if you're caught, you'll go to Azkaban! In fact, just being here with Alex is a crime in itself!"

"Are you saying you're going to turn Alex in?" Ginny asked, crossing her arms.

"No," Eric said. "The manhunt for Alex has died down ever since the world found out about Harry."

"Just like Harry predicted," Alex said softly.

"Of course he did, because he knows everything," Eric said angrily.

"I don't know what's up with you, Eric, but you need to calm down!" Ginny snapped.

"Can you blame me? The very man I killed with a point blank killing curse is still alive! Wouldn't you be freaking out?" Eric exclaimed.

"Of course, I would! But you're taking it to a new level," Ginny said.

Eric sighed tiredly, taking a few seconds to compose himself.

"Ron and I can't help you and Alex," he said finally.

"He's right," Ron said. "We've been ordered to join the manhunt for Harry."

"When do you start?" Hermione asked after a few seconds of silence.

"Right after we get the kids back home," Eric said. "That'll be sometime tomorrow. Ginny, Hermione, you two are going with them. It's too dangerous."

"Don't tell us what to do, Eric-"

Hermione caught Ginny by the arm, cutting the redhead off.

"Fine," she said, giving Ginny a warning look.

Alex sighed.

"You guys can stay here for tonight if you want," he said.

"Thanks, Alex," Eric said softly.

Alex fixed them with a harsh glare that promised death.

"Just know I will find my brother before you." he said quietly.

Eric looked at the ground.

"I don't doubt it."