Author: phoenixmaiden20

Disclaimer: Harry Potter is not mine. But Jack and his friends are mine!

A/N: Sorry it took so long, but college is hard. Finding time to write between school and work really is difficult. Well here is Chapter 7. Enjoy!

Harry Potter and The Last Journey

Chapter 7—Information

After a few months of traveling with no luck of finding a Horcrux, they finally had a break. Through their travels they had each gotten stronger with their magical abilities that would make Mad-eye Moody proud, and they were still growing.

The trio had just arrived in Egypt a few days ago and was currently driving into a small town when Harry felt a shearing pain in his scar.

"Harry! Are you all right? Ron, stop the car," Hermione yelled.

Ron immediately slammed on the brake of Harry's Toyota RAV4 and gunned the engine, and then turned in his seat toward Harry who was holding his head, "Are you alright?"

"Is you needing anything, Master Harry?" Dobby asked looking frightened his green eyes wide.

"No, I've never felt better," Harry said grimly even though he didn't look it.

"Are you sure?" Hermione asked looking into his eyes.

"Yes."

"Really?" Ron asked.

"No," Harry replied.

"What?" they both asked confused.

Harry sighed but then smiled, "No because it hurts like a mother, but yes because it means we are close."

Immediately Ron and Hermione sat up and Dobby and Winky squeaked with joy.

"Are you certain?" Hermione asked, her eyes wide.

"Very much certain," Harry confirmed.

"After all these months of looking," Ron said in awe, then turned and looked forward, "It's near that small town up ahead."

"Yup. Close enough that I can felt it. Literally," Harry said rubbing his scar, "Okay. Ron keep driving were almost there."

With that said, Ron started the car and drove toward the town.

"Anything?" Hermione asked sitting down in a chair and setting out a map on the table.

They had just arrived in town about mid afternoon and had stopped at the pub to stay the night.

"Yes, it's close," Harry said probably out in the desert somewhere."

"Great! Out in the desert," Ron said dryly.

"Don't complain," Hermione said.

"I'm not."

"So," Harry said ignoring their arguing and taking a marker and circling the town where they were, "the first Horcrux is around here," he said more to himself.

The clanking of dishes and pots and pans being put on the stove was heard from behind them. Dobby and Winky were cooking them lunch in the kitchen when they were done they came up to them loaded with food. Even if they were traveling, the house-elves made sure they ate right at every single meal.

"Master Harry and his friend's needs to be eating now, sir," Dobby said.

"Alright," Harry said knowing better than to argue with the over protective elf, and they cleared the table leaving room for the food.

"What Horcrux do you think it is," Ron asked after a few moments of silence.

"Don't know it can be any one of them," Hermione replied.

"Right. The locket, the cup and something of Gryffindor or Ravenclaw," Harry murmured repeating the manta that has been going through his head since they left Hogwarts.

"We should ask around to see if the towns' people know anything," Hermione said.

Harry nodded, "That's a good idea and then we can look in the stores for anything that we may need."

There was a tap on the window and Harry got up to open it and let the owl in with the newspaper, then it took off again.

"No!" Harry exclaimed as he opened it.

"What it is Harry?" Hermione asked alarmed.

"Damn it!" Harry shouted again and slammed the newspaper on the table so they could see.

Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry Taken Over

"Oh no!" Hermione said stricken.

'Last night Hogwarts School was taken over by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named after a five-hour battle on the school grounds. Several aurors and teachers were injured, and only three were killed, one of them a Death Eater, during the battle. Headmistress Minerva McGonagall had been preparing to reopen the school after the death of long time headmaster Albus Dumbledore for students who still wished to attend. Now there is no school to open in September and You-Know-Who is getting stronger. Will this war ever end?'

"Wow," Ron whispered, not really knowing what to say after reading it.

"I hope McGonagall is okay," Hermione said fretfully, "and the rest of the teachers too."

"That fucking bastard!" Harry growled, "I know he did this on purpose. He knows how I feel about that place," and he started pacing.

"Ry, calm down, you know that the order is not going to stand for this. They'll get it back," Hermione said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Voldemort is probably trying to get you to come out," Ron said quietly.

Which was true, for the past few months Voldemort had been trying to find out where Harry was by trying to get into his mind and sending him dreams to draw him out. Voldemort could feel Harry's growing power and wanted to stop him before he got any stronger. He knew that Harry and his friends had taken off and he kept asking Harry in his dreams where he was at and threatening him. So Harry started learning Occlomaccy again to block him out. But it was relatively easy this time around.

"Well it's not going to work. I'm going to find his Horcrux and destroy it. And I hope it hurts the mother fucker!" Harry declared.

"Harry!" Hermione gasped shocked. She had never heard him swear so bad, or at all for that matter.

Harry took a deep breath and sat down on the couch in the living room, took his glasses off and put his head in his hands, "Sorry 'Mione," he mumbled.

"It's okay," she said.

Ron let out a breath he had not known he was holding. He never wanted to be on the receiving end of Harry's temper.

"The sooner we find this Horcrux, the sooner we can leave to find the others," Ron said.

"I know. He just really pisses me off," Harry sighed and got up and got his cloak, "I'm going for a walk and I'll try to get some information while I'm at it."

"Okay good luck," Hermione called out.

"Bye," he replied, tucking his glasses into his pocket. He no longer needed then thanks to a potion he had found; now he only needed them to read. "Oh! And try to find any spells that we may need out there." With that he was gone.

Ron and Hermione looked at each other. "He's really tense," Hermione commented.

"I wouldn't blame him," Ron said, "This has been tough on him."

Hermione nodded, "I think that he thinks he's not going to live through this. Have you heard the way he talks sometimes?"

"Yeah, like last week. When we were talking about Quidditch, he made it sound like he was never going to fly again."

"He will survive this, he has to."

"He will 'Mione, he will."

Harry walked down the dirt road, not really going anywhere, just taking in his surroundings. He was not really worried about someone recognizing him, he had grown out his hair and he no longer needed his glasses, so no one gave him a glance anymore. This was just fine with him. And it was a Muggle town too, so nothing to worry about.

The people in the town were going about their business, going from shop to shop. Children were running around the street playing games. A bar on the corner caught his eye and he walked in. 'If any place had information it would be here,' Harry thought.

At the counter he ordered a drink and looked around the bar with interest. It was dark and nicely kept for being in the middle of the desert. Harry leaned back against the counter and looked to the bartender, "Nice crowd you got going here," he commented gesturing to the guys around a table playing what he guessed was poker.

"I guess," he grunted, cleaning a glass with a cloth.

"What's going on? It doesn't look like a normal poker game."

"Oh! That guy over there just came back from an expedition in the desert. He's got one hell of a story to tell from what I can hear."

"Really?" Harry asked.

"Yeah, supposedly something attacked him and his crew out there."

'Wow. Just my luck' he thought. "What was it?"

"Don't know. You'll have to ask him yourself," the bartender replied and moved on to another customer.

Harry finished his drink and wandered over to the table where the crowd was starting to move away, leaving only three people.

"Hey, I heard that you have one hell of a story to tell," he said sitting down next to the man.

He seemed to be in his late twenties early thirties, medium build, light brown eyes and hair and a smile that lit up the room, Harry almost had to shield his eyes. 'Someone takes care of his teeth' he thought amusingly.

"Yeah, come to hear?"

"Sure."

"Cool. I'm Jack by the way. This is Ryan and Matt."

Harry nodded to all three of them; they like Jack were all in their late twenties early thirties. Ryan had blonde hair tied back in a pony tail, and Matt had shaggy black hair that reminded him somewhat of his own.

"Ry," he replied automatically. The nick name was starting to grow on him, but he could never hear the end of it from Hermione if he admitted it.

"Nice to meet you. Anyways, we'll get started. We are Archeologists and we came to Egypt about three months ago to find…you know whatever," Harry nodded showing he understood, "Well my crew and I stumbled on a cave two days ago. It was hard to get to because of the sandstorm that was around it, kind of like it was guarding it."

Harry nodded, "Why was there a cave all the way out there?" he asked.

"Don't know," Matt replied, "It was there for a reason and it probably holds all kinds of ancient artifacts."

"But we never got as far as the cave opening," Ryan finished.

"What happened?"

Jack shivered, remembering, "It all happened so fast. One minute we were standing there ready to go in when something came out at us, or a bunch of somethings."

Harry frowned, "What was it?"

"That's just it. I don't know," Jack answered confused.

"When we all got back to our campsite after we ran, we all got together to find out what the fuck it was. But everyone saw something different," Matt said.

Jack nodded, "I saw that clown from the movie IT by Stephen King. I saw it when I was 9 or 10, scarred me shitless."

"I saw a mummy. You know, the bandages and red eyes kind," Ryan said.

"And I saw a big huge shark. I was bitten by one s couple years back. Though I have on idea how a shark could be out in the middle of the desert," Matt said thoughtfully.

Harry nodded deep in thought.

"But one of our diggers swore he saw sort of a snake slash rabid rabbit or something. Same with everyone else, each one was different," Jack said.

"At least half of the crew is missing. Whatever they are I think it killed them. We didn't want to risk going back in there to find them even though we should. It terrified us, so we came back," Ryan replied.

All of a sudden it clicked into place in Harry's head, but he had to confirm something, "So each one was different?" he asked.

"Yep."

"Did they…umm…change shape or something?"

All three of them thought for a minute, but it was Jack who answered, "Yeah I think it did. There was a moment when the clown was chasing after me and I looked back, but it was a zombie, not the clown or at least I think it was a zombie, I don't know. Someone was behind me. Of course I didn't stick around to kind out where it went. I got the hell out of there."

"Why do you know what it was?" Matt asked, leaning forward in his chair.

"Maybe. I've heard of it somewhere on my travels," he replied.

"Really? What exactly do you do, Ry?" Ryan asked curiously.

"Me? Well my colleagues and I travel in search for exotic creatures/ animals, just like the ones you described for research. How far out it the cave?" Harry asked.

"About a two hour drive going south of town. Why don't tell me you are going out there?" Jack asked in shock.

"Yes."

"After what we just told you," Matt whistled, "You must be really brave to go out there, or really stupid."

"No. I've just done this type of stuff before. I know what I'm doing." Harry replied, "Tanks guys, you've been most helpful."

Uhh…your welcome?"

Harry chuckled at Ryan's confused expression

Jack smiled, "You know what Ry, I like you, even if you are a little crazy. I can lead you and your friends out there if you like."

"Really?" Harry asked surprised.

"Sure."

"I'm game," Matt said, and Ryan nodded.

"Thanks. I guess I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Yeah. Meet us here at 8am and I'll take you," Jack said.

"Okay Thanks." Harry said.

"No problem. Just don't expect us to go in there with you," Ryan joked.

Harry laughed.

"See you later Ry."

"Yeah." With that Harry left the pub and back to the motel.

Ron and Hermione were sitting around the cramped, but comfortable living room in the motel looking in spell books when Harry came in.

"Hey," he said breathlessly, shutting the door behind him.

Hermione looked up at him and took in his disheveled appearance, "Hey, are you feeling better?" she asked thinking of Harry's earlier outburst.

"Yeah, I'm fine. But that's not important. I went to this pub earlier," Harry started, but stopped at the look Hermione gave him, "I know, I know! I shouldn't be in there, but where else would I get information. Besides I don't drink."

"He has a point," Ron pointed out.

She sighed and nodded, "Go on."

"Well, I met these guys in there…" Harry explained everything that Jack and his crew had seen out there in the middle of the desert. When he was finished, they were in awe.

"Boggarts!" Hermione exclaimed.

"Exactly," Harry replied.

"Well, that should be easy," Ron commented, "Right?"

"Maybe. The fact that there are a whole mass of them may be a bit difficult. Plus there might be something else in there," Harry said.

"Yeah, the rest of the crew disappeared," Hermione said remembering.

"Plus whatever is inside of the cave," Harry commented.

"So how do we get there?" Ron asked.

"Actually, Jack offered to take us to the cave tomorrow at 8am."

"Really?" Hermione asked surprised.

"Yeah he said he liked me," Harry said getting up and gathering the papers on the table, "We should pack up everything we need tonight and go out to the town and see what supplies we need."

"Okay, but we don't take everything, right?" Ron asked.

"Yeah. There Muggles so we have to leave our spell books and anything that looks suspicious. Dobby and Winky can stay here and take care of everything," Harry said.

"Then lets get started," Hermione said getting up and heading into the bedroom followed by Ron.

"Oh yeah! If they ask anything about what we do. We travel the world looking for exotic creatures," Harry called out. He heard them laughing in the bedroom and they got to work on packing.

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phoenixmaiden