Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any other canon characters or plots. JK Rowling does. Any characters that she doesn't own are mine, though.

Chapter 2: An Unwilling Reunion

Harry shook his head. He couldn't believe this! First Malfoy had had the nerve to put up traps, knocking him out for two days, and then Dumbledore had to find him and take him to Hogwarts! What did Fate have against him? Never mind. That was probably the most idiotic question he had ever asked.

Master, must you be so harsh? They were worried about you. You said yourself that they would all be upset when they thought you were dead. Misno hissed at his master. And why was his snake helping them? It was downright weird, considering his familiar's origins.

"I am dead! To them, I am dead. Life would have been easier for them if they could just move on. Now they know I'm alive, and they'll want to see me, but I can't let them."

Why not? Lucius Malfoy was the last Death Eater – you could at least try for a semi-normal life. Harry snorted. Again, when you factored in who gave the snake to him, Misno's thought process made absolutely no sense.

"You know as well as I do that he'll never let me go. There will always be evil people wanting to get power. You know that he sees me as an easy way to deal with those people. Death Eaters, Neo-Nazis, political fanatics, blood fanatics, whatever. It'll never end. His use for me will never end. I can never have even a semi-normal life, Fang, you know that!" It was really depressing. All his life he had wanted to be normal, but Fate would never allow that, it seemed. If only Voldemort hadn't put him in that cave.

"Harry! Oh, Harry!" Through his (very bad) peripheral vision, he saw two blurs in Hogwarts robes run up, waving their arms. A moment later, he had to stop when one attached itself to him. Or rather, herself. Harry grimaced. He had forgotten that Hermione got clingy when she was emotional. To his left, Ron was grinning broadly. It looked as if he was barely restraining himself from flinging himself onto Harry, as well.

"How've you been, mate? We all thought you were dead! How'd you escape that cave, huh?" Blunt as always. Wonderful.

"Why does it matter, Ron?" He asked, exasperated. All he wanted was to go clean his sword and yell at his familiars. But no, he had to deal with these two. "I'm out. I'm alive, for the most part. And I'm as healthy as I should be, all things considered. Does the method really matter?" A good point for him, too. Voldemort was dead. He had enough power to ensure that others like him didn't rise to power. Did it really matter what he gave up for that power? He grimaced again. He hated mental debates.

"Matter? Of course it matters, Harry! I mean, it is absolutely wonderful that you are alive, and I don't really care how it happened, but what if it happens again? We might need that knowledge!" Harry raised an eyebrow.

"Right, and even if that unlikely circumstance doesn't occur, and the many factors that let me escape aren't needed, then you're still curious," was his dry reply. Hermione flushed slightly.

"Well, you must admit it's intriguing, Harry."

"Actually, I don't need to, since I'm not at all fond of the memory." When their faces lit in anticipation, he clarified. "I was in a panic and about to die. Why do you think I would have liked that?" He smirked when they both flushed.

"Anyway, mate, I've got a question, too. When they said you were dead, they said that they knew since there was too much blood for you to have survived. And," Ron licked his lips, nervous. His eyes flicked down to Harry's hands, then back to his face. "They said that they found two hands. Your hands. But they're right there." Hermione glanced down, startled, at his hands, too. Irritated, Harry stuck his hands in his pockets and scowled.

"That's right! I thought something was off about your appearance – not that it's bad," she said hurriedly, "but well, oh never mind."

"Good," Harry growled. "It's none of your business, either of you. Now if you don't mind, I need to be going." He brushed them both away and stalked towards the huge doors that led outside. To his great dismay, Ron and Hermione both jogged to catch up.

"Wait a minute, mate. Where are you going?"

"You don't mean you're leaving Hogwarts?" Harry growled under his breath and turned to his now twelve inch snake.

"Could you bite them or grow really big? Scare them off." Misno simply looked amused, if a snake could.

What would be the point? They are your friends, Master. Why should your familiar scare them? Yep, he was amused.

"A twenty foot long snake baring his fangs should scare them. Hermione was Petrified by a basilisk when we were twelve and Ron's little sister was almost killed by one. If you grew to about the size of a small basilisk, you might scare them."

"Blimey! Harry, you could have mentioned that you had a snake! Where'd you get it? What are you saying?" Curse it. Ron just looked startled and interested. Stupid Gryffindor courage. Maybe Hermione…

"What kind of snake is that, Harry? I don't think I've ever heard of one with those colors. And yes, what are you saying?" Double curse it. Neither of them was afraid. And why did they have to keep asking questions he couldn't answer? He felt another fleeting longing to be able to tell them. But no, he couldn't. Bad enough that the amulet had survived, that they all knew he was alive. He wouldn't make it worse, which meant that he had to get out now!

"Like I keep saying, I can't tell you! I have absolutely no business with you two. You have none with me. So leave me alone!" Making a quick gesture designed to freeze them in their tracks. He ignored their earlier questions. Of course he was leaving Hogwarts. He couldn't stay and attend Hogwarts. Though, he really wished – no! He wanted to leave. That was it.

Finally, he had reached the doors. Ignoring the feel his old friends' hurt looks on his back, he yanked a door open and strode out.

Master, do you mind if I stay? I would like to look through this Forbidden Forest.

"Do as you wish. Just return when I need you, okay? Hey, where's Hedwig, by the way?"

I believe she went hunting.

"And I guess that's what you want, too, huh?"

Partially.

"Well, I don't care too much what you do in there. Go ahead." Given Harry's permission, Misno slithered to the ground, grew another foot, and headed for the forest. Harry watched him for a moment, then shrugged and began jogging towards the end of the apparition wards. He couldn't apparate, but he could make it look like he had. That should throw them up. Harry just hoped that he would let him. Well, it was in an attempt to follow orders, so it should be okay.

"Where did he go?" Dumbledore asked the two shell-shocked Gryffindors. Frowning when neither made any move to respond, he tried a few charms on them to counteract whatever Harry must have done. Nothing worked. As he tried to think how he and Poppy had freed themselves from the same spell, they both suddenly shook off their paralysis. He sighed. So it was a timed spell. Where had Harry learned of such a thing?

"Professor! We need to hurry! Harry ran off! He – he said that he had no business with us, he froze us somehow, and he ran off!" Hermione cried with Ron nodding. Both began fingering their wands. He had no doubt that they were thinking of hexing their friend to remind him not to do that again.

"Which way did he go?" he asked, urgently. When Hermione pointed the direction, he nodded, and the three of them headed that way. Maybe they could get him before he was spotted and scared someone. After all, famous dead wizards simply did not walk around with snakes curled around them. Famous dead wizards didn't walk in the first place. No dead person did. Some floated, but – he shook his head to stop his rambling thoughts. Harry was not dead, though he was walking around with a snake. He had to get Harry back. After all, he had schooling to finish, and how would anyone believe them if they didn't prove that Harry was alive with Harry? Besides, he still wanted to understand what was wrong with Harry. Who was he rebelling against?

A sudden thought chilled him. What if whatever was giving Harry orders didn't want Harry around those of his old life? Would the young man get in trouble for letting them find him, and then speaking with them? How would he be punished?

Suddenly, a white owl swooped down in front of them, stopping them. Recognizing Hedwig, the three began to worry. Had Harry sent her to stop them? When Misno slithered to block their path further, Hermione and Ron began to panic. After all, who wouldn't when they saw a snake that had been a foot long, but was now two and a half feet long and growing larger every second? His tail whipped at them, and Ron caught the amulet. Eyes twinkling, Dumbledore laid a finger on it and motioned for Hermione to touch it as well. The two poor teenagers were surprised again, when the hissing made sense.

Don't bother to follow our master. You won't find him.

"Why not?" Ron demanded.

He is … very skilled at disappearing. Landing on the ground, Hedwig hooted and bobbed her head in agreement.

"Then, Misno, would you be willing to explain just what has happened to Harry? Something is most certainly off. Who is he rebelling against?" Ron and Hermione threw surprised looks at him. He explained to them what Misno had told him about the amulet, and his suspicions.

You are correct. My master is forced to obey the one who freed him from the cave. The same one gave my master his sword, as well as me. If you don't mind putting off your search for my master, I will try to explain. But understand, I cannot reveal all. I know what happened, but he ordered my master to order me to not reveal his identity. Nor can I explain Master's true capabilities, or how it is he kills.

"Kills? Who has Harry killed?" Hermione turned pale as she put two and two together. "You mean, the Hunter, he's Harry? He killed twenty-five Death Eaters?"

"As well as Lord Voldemort, and Lucius Malfoy," Dumbledore confirmed. "It was due to his rather, ah, disastrous duel with the late Mr. Malfoy that I was able to find Harry at all. Mr. Malfoy had anticipated an attempt on his life and set traps. Harry was apparently caught by some of them, or destroying them distracted him enough that Mr. Malfoy could attack him and do a great deal of damage. That was two days ago, and when I found Harry, he was still lying where he killed the man, and hadn't woken up yet." He was saddened to see the looks of horror on the teenagers' faces, but he understood. Anyone would be upset to learn that their fifteen-year-old best friend had gone on a killing spree of Death Eaters, and that the last kill had knocked him out for two days.

It does not matter, interrupted the snake. That is in the past. My master did not have a choice when he killed them, as I had no choice when he had to order me to inject them with my venom. What does matter is you understanding enough to help my master regain his old life, or at least parts of it. He will not admit it, even to himself, but he longs for it desperately. He has simply given up hope. Now, I ask you, will you learn and study and discover my master's plight, and help him? Startled, the three looked at the snake, who was now six feet long and shrinking.

"What are you talking about?" Ron demanded. "Are you nuts? Of course we'll help Harry! Now start talking, snake!" Hermione and Dumbledore nodded their assent, but Dumbledore held up a hand.

"Just a moment. I am not sure that we are the only ones who should hear this. Sirius and Remus also have a stake in this. Sirius is Harry's godfather, and Remus may as well be. Besides, I doubt they would be pleased to hear that we withheld knowledge of Harry's continued life from them any longer than necessary." At that, the teenagers grinned sheepishly and agreed.

Very well. But hurry and fetch them. My master will need to report in soon, and I would prefer to finish this before then.

"We'll be quick." Dumbledore promised, while wondering again who Harry answered to, and what would happen when whoever it was found out what happened. What kind of danger was Harry in, thanks to him?

Author's Note: So, I came back from Utah, and then three days later, I was dragged down to Maryland and D.C. Spent most of the time either in a car or staring at statues and paintings and memorials. Boring! The only good part was when we went to the Washington DC temple. I love that temple. But anyway, that experience wasn't very conducive to writing. However! In Utah, I wrote about four pages (handwritten) of information about the one controlling Harry at my friend's house, and then I wrote approximately five pages (handwritten again) of chapter summaries. Very looong chapter summaries. Unfortunately, I was away from a computer while I did that and forgot how I ended this chapter. So in order for me to continue, I had to rewrite a bit. Hope you don't mind. But don't worry. Chapter 3 will have a lot of explanations! Although, um, it's a bit wordy. What took me a sentence to explain in my summary took about 590 words (one page) in the actual chapter. And that was the minor part of the chapter! You guys better appreciate all that my hands are going through getting these chapters out.

Anyway, I really like what's coming up next. Chapter 3 will be out either today or tomorrow. I'm not sure which. Hopefully today.

Please review!