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Chapter 7: Hogsnot

Harry hadn't much time to ponder Ravenclaw's broom. He had been trying to get Alexia to learn to Apparate. It had been a week since he found the broom, and he would occasionally go back to see if the three Death Eater's had discovered if anything was amiss, which they didn't. He had trained Alexia to Apparate from the start of the village and back, but she was not used to using her magic, so she would usually have to take a nap for a couple of hours after all the practice from exhaustion. Harry wanted to get back to Hogwarts soon because he wanted to diffuse the curses and release the Horcrux.

Harry believed that each Horcrux released would just go back to Voldemort, so he wanted to release them periodically so that Voldemort would believe that he was getting stronger (even though he was, but also not realizing he was becoming more human). He didn't have any reason to believe this or any proof, it was just a gut feeling he had learned to trust over the years.

Watching Alexia really helped Harry understand magic more. It was as if teaching her helped refine his skill. By reviewing the basics, his spells were more fluid, powerful, easier to cast, and less draining. It was also helping him to cast wordless spells. In just one week, he had become more efficient casting them than Hermione when he left. He didn't need to think of an incantation in his mind, but just precise wand movements and the intention of the desire spell. Alexia often remarked when she watched him practice his curses, that he looked like someone hitting something back and forth like in ping-pong or something with his spell casting. How she knew what ping-pong was, was beyond Harry for he only had an inkling of what it was.

Alexia herself was an enigma. Not just her either, but her whole village. The villager's were all wizards, but all too poor to go to school. They were also some of the smartest people Harry had ever met. It wasn't uncommon for most villagers to speak around four languages and know about renaissance literature and movements. It was the corrupt system of the eastern wizarding government that had kept generations back in time of the serfs, but without a lord. The only good thing Harry could find about the whole situation was that the people didn't have to pay taxes. It was like that people of their income bracket weren't even discriminated against, just ignored and forgotten in the system.

Alexia's smarts helped her progress quickly. She not only spoke English, but Latin as well. This helped her grasp what the spells did, and in remembering them in general. The only bad thing was that she didn't have a core for the shaft she had picked out for her wand. It was a swishy pine, just about as long as Harry's. It helped her perfect her wand movements, but she yearned for casting magic and not jumping around all day.

Harry had to keep a low profile still. Alexia still didn't know his true identity, and the other villagers only thought him a relative of Alexia who was staying for a bit. He would often help Alexia prepare for harvest that was going to happen in the next couple of weeks from her garden in the back of her little hut. Harry didn't have the heart to tell her that with any luck, they wouldn't be there for the harvest, which was an event in the small town. He kept hinting that she should give it to the rest of the towns folk, but she was too excited with her studies and the harvest festival coming up to take any notice.

After a week and a half, Harry was getting cabin fever. He was twitchy and had mood swings. He was getting nervous that he would be found out in his Horcrux hunting and either die trying to get rid of the Horcrux from the broom, or not be able to get to the rest of them. He still didn't know where the locket was, or even if Nagini was or still is a Horcrux.

Harry eventually had enough of the hut and gave Alexia until dusk the next day to get what she wanted packed so that they could leave. She was heart broken because the festival was in a weeks' time, and it felt like she had done something wrong with the way Harry snapped at her. However, before she could ask why, Harry had already left to go vent.

The next day arrived and was chilly. It was an overcast day with a seemingly hint of snow in the new fall air. Alexia was finishing up packing, having made a deal with her neighbors that they could have her crop that year if they looked over her home while she was gone. Harry wasn't feeling well himself, not sick actually, but like his magic wasn't behaving right, so he decided he would fly instead of Apparate.

Dusk arrived colder than dawn as Harry and Alexia prepared to kick off. They apparated to the wood opposite the one in the east where the Horcrux was, and flew from there so as not to spark suspicion from the Death Eater's or village people. Harry felt like he was going to get sick just after that short transition. His magic now felt strong, but when he apparated, his vision swam and his stomach rolled. Alexia didn't notice his clammy hands or his pale face, for she herself was nervous because she was going to be flying for the first time.

They kicked off, and Harry felt a little better to get some high altitude air in his lungs. He couldn't tell if Alexia liked it, because he could only see the back of her head, but she didn't scream or move around like Hermione did. After flying for a bit, they got colder and colder. Harry told Alexia to grab his wand and cast a Warming Charm on them both. Harry wanted to test her to see if she remembered it, because he knew she had trouble remembering the Charms not used for gardening and housework. It took her a few seconds before she remembered, and casted it first on her self, then Harry. It wasn't as strong as he wished it would have been, but he wasn't sure if it was her lack of skill, or not using her own wand. It was perfect timing too, for just as she finished tucking the wand back into Harry's sleeve, it started snowing. It was moderately think, but Harry thought it would be raining if they were on the ground.

They flew through the storm and landed when they saw clear sky with the stars over head. Hedwig landed on Harry's shoulder and would every now and then take off in search of a field mouse or anything of the sort. In the few hours of flying, they arrived at the place Harry started his journey from in Albania. They set up camp for a few hours, letting their bums get a rest from being on a broom for four hours and warm up a bit. Harry was now letting Alexia use his wand for almost anything she wanted to do. He let her light the fire, which was almost opposite the power of the Warming Charm in the sense that the fire was pretty much an inferno. She just clapped and began Transfiguring twigs and the like into needles, and pine cones into human like mice and then make them fight each other with the needles like they were little rapiers.

Harry pulled out the last of the dried meat he and Hagrid had left with. He warmed them up a bit and gave Alexia some as she watched with rapture at her little creations fight each other in a theatrical way. Hedwig looked on with rapture too, from a near by tree branch, but he was sure it was for different reasons.

Harry himself was feeling slightly better from their departure. He felt light headed and his stomach felt a little sour, but better. He told Alexia to wake him in a couple of hours or if there was any trouble. He thought a nap would do him a world of good.

Two hours later, Harry was woken by Alexia. He now felt like he had a cold as his nosing was running, no doubt from sleeping on the cold ground. He also had a creak in his neck that didn't let him turn his head, so he had to use his whole body, making him look ridiculous. His magic felt better though, and he decided he would Disapparate them to France. He didn't know if he could make it to the southern part, hopefully catching some warmth before going back to the start of a dreary time at Hogwarts, but thought that he shouldn't chance it.

Alexia grabbed his arm as Hedwig floated down to his shoulder. He spun on his heel and felt the horrible constriction of going through a tube until it ended when he thought he could take no more. He was however wrong that his magic was better. Immediately upon their arrival, Harry sank to his knees and threw up. Alexia was worried something happened, but Harry waved her off and told her to start camp right there. It didn't matter where they did it, for they were in a moderately thick forest, so their privacy was almost ensured. She got a fire going and put Harry's bedroll next to it so he could be warm throughout the night. She told Hedwig to scout the area for anybody wandering around, which the owl agreed to so that she could ensure her master's safety.

Harry awoke the next morning to Alexia boiling some soup they took from her home. Harry readily drank the broth but couldn't get any of the vegetables or meat down. He didn't feel as sick as last night, but he was again clammy and pale, which Alexia noticed this time. She felt bad for her Master, and warmed some water from a nearby creek and put a warm cloth on his head. It soothed Harry greatly.

He was dreadfully tired, but sleep wasn't coming to Harry. He was however thankful that he had no aches from sleeping on the ground, but he did have some from this type of flu he had. He sat with his back against a tree, propping himself up. He vision swam for awhile, not letting Harry focus on anything in particular. Alexia watched on, with growing nervousness. Harry was the only one who knew where they were at. She wouldn't be able to apparate them anywhere anyways if she did, and she didn't know how to fly a broom.

Harry seemed to be getting better though. His vision stopped swimming and his stomach quit rolling. He cheered up a bit too when one of those rabbits he seen in Diagon Alley that turned into a top hat came into the camp. He recognized it because it was a bit bigger than an average cottontail, and as soon as Harry let out a booming laugh at seeing it, it turned into a hat. It soon realized that it was among friends and hopped up to Harry to investigate him and nuzzled his cheek when Harry started petting it. Harry then started falling asleep as the rabbit made its way to a smiling Alexia as he drifted off.

He finally awoke sometime around eight. There was a delicious smile around camp that kept Hedwig around even, who had no taste for cooked meat. Harry looked around to see some animal being roasted over the fire. Alexia pulled it from the fire as he awoke and made him a plate, for she was a woman and thought ahead for these type of situations and brought things like plates and utensils. Harry loved it, and was able to keep the food down and all. Alexia was happy for that and another reason too.

"Master Felix (remember, that's Harry's assumed named)," she started with a smile, "I have found my core! Could you make my wand now?" Harry just smiled at the witch and nodded. The truth was he was happy for the occasion so he could finally use his own wand again.

She brought out her pine shaft that she took to polishing every day and a stringy piece of flesh, but somewhat dry. Harry didn't even want to know where she got it from. He took up his wand and flicked and waved it, until the bonding ceremony was complete and the wand was whole. Harry could feel that they were a perfect match, from the wood, to the core, to the witch. Alexia felt the same too, for as soon as she picked it up, gold sparks shot from the end of it, bathing Harry in the sparks. They didn't hurt, but felt good on his skin.

The magic used, though was only a small amount, brought Harry back to the point where his head was spinning. He remembered the last time this happened, a cute little rabbit came out and soothed him. He looked around in hope that it would come back, but he couldn't see it anywhere. He asked Alexia, "Where did that Trick Rabbit go?"

To which she replied, "In your stomach and in my wand," as she stroked said wand. Harry for his part didn't get sick, but just past out.

He woke up the next morning feeling much better, however his stomach was boiling, almost to the point that it almost made him sick, but he didn't know if it was because of his mysterious illness, or from the revelation he had last night.

He was left no time to dwell on it as he heard Alexia screaming and a squawking that sounded like Hedwig. He rushed to the scene to see a goblin with a sack full of galleons on his back, Alexia bruised and bloodied, and Hedwig flapping pathetically on the ground. At first, he thought Alexia got one over on a goblin until he heard a familiar cackling.

"Another victim before I claim my booty, how wonderful!" said a voice Harry knew all too well. Lucius Malfoy was standing like the proud man he was... but with mud in his hair, dirt on his face, and three teeth missing from his grin.

Harry, instead of being intimidated by the Death Eater, just cackled back.

"Lucius Malfoy, you have obviously seen better days," Harry replied, knowing instantly what happened that morning. Alexia and Hedwig had been aroused from sleep from Malfoy chasing the goblin for his gold. Hedwig, recognizing the platinum blond hair, attacked him, leaving her down on the ground, no doubt from a cheap shot. Alexia, taking her cue from Hedwig, started attacking Malfoy. With what, Harry had no idea, since he had not taught her any curses, hexes, or jinxes. He assumed that she just shot sparks at him while Malfoy toyed with her.

"Do I know you?" Malfoy's tone instantly went cold. Not because he thought that he had a worthy adversary, because in his mind there was no worthy adversary for a Malfoy. No, his vainness shown through because if this man knew him, they must travel in the same social circles. And if it got out that Lucius Malfoy was seen in this state, well, he would just have to kill a lot of people so it never got mentioned again.

"You could say that I know you," he replied just as coldly.

"Do tell," the other Malfoy responded. The voice was faintly familiar, and the body language, but he couldn't place the face.

"You're a Death Eater, abandoned by his master in Azkaban-"

"FOOL! You know nothing!" Malfoy angrily retorted. "My master has just released me from that accursed place."

"Oh, then why are you all alone. I don't think the Dark Lord would venture all the way to Azkaban for someone who led a dozen of his elites to a doom ensured by a half dozen children!" Harry retorted. He knew it would anger the Malfoy, thus showing everything Harry needed to know about his escape, even if Malfoy didn't tell him.

Instead of responding, Malfoy gave an unintelligent roar and launched spell after spell at Harry. Harry for his part just ducked out of the way of the more painful curses and batted the ones he could away from Alexia and the goblin. Seeing Malfoy slip a bit on some fallen leaves Harry launched a one spell attack. It wasn't that Harry could only get one spell off, it was that he only needed to get one spell off.

Harry roared, "Legilimens!" and invaded Malfoy's mind. What he found were crazy images of his time in Azkaban, showing that Malfoy was just a little more crazier than when he left. He did find what he was looking for. He found a note that said, 'This letter contains your freedom. Show this note to the next Dementor, and it will lead you to the outer part of the island. From there, bring me something valuable to buy your place in the lowest ranks of my Death Eaters. Fail, and you will die. Succeed, and you may once again eventually find yourself in my Inner Circle, Lord Voldemort

That explains a lot, thought Harry. Something valuable to Malfoy is gold. So, where do you find gold? A goblin. Malfoy finally pushed Harry out of his mind, with a scared look on his face. By going through his memories, Harry had brought up all of Malfoy's fears. Also the letter that Voldemort wrote, telling him he would die if whatever Malfoy brought back wasn't valuable.

Malfoy kept backing away and turned around, mumbling unintelligently, and Disapparated from the ground. It was a good thing too, for Harry collapsed once again.

He awoke again at dusk, with Hedwig perched on the ground, Alexia staring at him in awe, and a goblin grumbling around. Harry, instead having an upset stomach or spinning head, he now had a massive migraine. Hedwig waddled over to him so that she could be stroked, since she knew how much her master loved doing it. Harry felt like crying, seeing his beloved owl confined to hobbling to him instead of her graceful flight to his shoulder.

"How's your, er, whatever," asked Harry to Alexia. He wasn't sure what exactly happened to her.

"OH!" she jumped a little as if she was awoken from a dream, "I am good. Just bruised from some spell, I couldn't fight him," she added, turning her head, thinking herself not worthy of a master who could duel like Harry.

Harry didn't notice it as he waved it off, "Don't worry about that. I'm not training you to fight, right," Harry said as she began looking up for his next lesson, though he didn't know it. "As a witch, you need to recognize when to fight and not to. You, my dear, are never to fight. At least not yet. Next time, wake me up. He was an evil, evil wizard. He's had years of experience on you... and me. I'm training you so you can do the basics, then teach yourself the extra stuff. That way you can teach your village while teaching yourself."

"But I want to learn to battle... like you," she pleaded.

"No, not now. It's too late for you," Harry said. He knew once they got back to England and took notice of the war, she would want to stay to fight. He didn't want to train a warrior, he just wanted to train a normal witch. It brought a sense of normality to his life that he cherished now. Besides, it took him six years to fight on an above average skill level.

Alexia looked saddened, but Harry wasn't going to encourage her moping by acknowledging it. Instead, he chose to start talking to the goblin.

"Goblin, what's your name?" he asked.

The goblin mumbled something like, 'no manners,' 'just like the rest of 'em, all after me gold.' the goblin finally responded by declaring, "Hogsnot, sir, milady," he said the last part to Alexia, with a frightening smile. Harry didn't much care for the name himself. Even for goblins it sounded shady.

"Right, well, were you hurt back there? Need any help?" Harry asked, not really caring if he did or not, but thought he should be polite and ask.

Hogsnot just grumbled again, 'sure, now they act like they care, until I fall asleep and they get their hands on me gold,' but spoke louder, "I'm alright sir. Just a little worse for ware, I assure you." There was something about this goblin that seemed very familiar.

"Well, that's good, I guess," Harry said.

"Wouldn't be anything wrong if that lass went and got 'ya before that blimey Death Eater got on top of me, though," he said pointing at Alexia. Harry was immediately offended as Alexia began to tear up. She was still shaken from her first experience with bad magic.

"I-I didn't want to wake you," she said, through her tears. The goblin just got a bigger smile. "Y-you w-were so sick last night, th-that I thought it wouldn't be a big deal to go see what was going on!" Here, she finally let go and collapsed on Harry's shoulder, bawling.

"Now see here goblin," Harry said in a voice not to be reckoned with, "that was uncalled for, you-"

"YOU"RE NOT GETTING ME GOLD!" the erratic goblin shouted, and began to run off. Harry, now believed that the goblin and Kreacher were distantly related. If Hagrid's mother could be a giantess, then in Harry's mind, a house elf and a goblin could make whoopee a hell of a lot easier.

Harry patted Alexia on the head, and told her everything would be alright. After a bit, hey packed up camp, and began moving. They couldn't apparate because Harry was still not strong enough, and couldn't fly because of Hedwig, so they fled from that spot as quickly as possible, so that when a group of Death Eaters came to investigate Malfoy's claim, they would find noting but goblin footprints.

AN: Read my bio for responses to reviewers who like to get ahead of themselves and don't understand how my mind works.