"Harry." Elizabeth answered.
"Me?" Harry looked up shocked, "Liz I'll do whatever you need but… I mean I'm only seventeen. I'm a mess myself just ask Dr. Abby. She knows what kind of shape I'm in. I can barely take care of myself."
"I believe having Emily to care for will help you heal." Abby said, "That's why I agreed with Elizabeth."
"But…"
"Harry I need you to do this. You're the only one who can take her back to England. You're the only one who can keep her safe, you've proved that. I want you to adopt her. Make her Emily Potter." Elizabeth pleaded.
"I'll do whatever you want, but you need to think this through. You need to be sure." Harry expressed his concerns.
"I'm positive. I want her to go to Hogwarts and I don't want her to be in Slytherin. She can be in Gryffindor, Hufflepuff or Ravenclaw but not Slytherin." Ellizabeth stated.
"I'll do my best." Harry assured her, "Even if I have to burn the hat to keep it from putting her there."
"Thank you." Elizabeth said, "I'm telling Emily tonight. Harry I want you to be there for her please."
"Absolutely." Harry replied.
As the meeting broke up the other teachers moved about the room talking to each other, Elizabeth or Abby. When it had cleared Abby approached Harry, "How are you doing?"
"Bloody awful." he replied, "Thanks for coming. I felt more comfortable talking about all this with you here."
"We've asked the other teachers not to say anything about what they learned." Abby said, "Your secret should still be safe."
"Thanks."
*** Back in England and weeks previous***
Kingsley wasn't sure if he was glad to be voted in as Minister for Magic or not. They were in the middle of a crisis and he needed to help look for Harry not sit idly behind a stupid desk. At least they knew the death eaters didn't have him anymore. But that wasn't helping where Molly and the rest of the Weasley's were concerned. As he sat at his new desk and pondered the situation his secretary came in bearing an letter.
"This was delivered by owl post a few minutes ago." she handed him the letter, "Its urgent from Gringotts."
Kingsley tore open the letter fully aware of the directives on Harry's accounts. He would be notified if anyone tried to make a withdraw. The note was short and to the point. It read; There has been activity on the account in question please come to Gringotts to discuss the matter.
Kingsley grabbed his cloak and was out the door before an Auror escort could be notified. They were able to catch up to him in the lobby.
"Minister what are you doing?" Tonks demanded, "You know you're not to leave without escort."
"Gringotts." was his only reply. The team of Aurors knew this must be about Harry so they quit complaining and followed quickly and quietly behind the man.
They all arrived in short order and were shown to a room. The Goblin that entered introduced himself, "I'm Gornuk head of relations, please have a seat Minister."
Kingsley sat and asked, "Is this about Harry?"
"Yes sir. His account has had a withdraw and the blood identification shows it was Harry Potter. He asked us to deliver this message to you."
After reading the letter he thanked the Goblins and said, "I won't be asking where he is. Thank you for fulfilling his request. I plan on honoring it. The only thing I ask is this, was he happy?"
"The manager who aided him said he seemed to be in good spirits if not exactly happy." Gornuk replied.
"The best that can be hoped for." Kingsley replied.
"He did have a curious question of us though." Gornuk stated, "He asked that if he was to be charged with any crimes if we would let him know so that he could seek council."
"A question I did expect." Kingsley stated, "He hasn't had the best luck with Minster of late. I can foresee no charges that I could make against him in conjunction with the deaths of Voldemort or his followers."
"You know there was an award out for their capture or arrest." Gornuk hedged.
"I was hoping he would come back to receive it." Kingsley said, "If you would please let him know the difference in his accounts."
"Certainly." Gornuk replied.
After leaving the bank Kingsley turned to his escort, "I'm headed to the Burrow. Tonks is coming with me, I need one of you to send Arthur and Percy home, another to get the twins and Bill. Someone else please find Remus Lupin and send him. Oh and tell Bill to get Fleur if she's not there. I think the rest are already there."
The group split up and went about their tasks. All feeling a little better knowing Harry Potter was alive. Once Kingsley and Tonks had arrived at the Burrow they sat at the table drinking tea until the rest of the group arrived. Many people were anxiously waiting news when Kingsley finally started to speak.
"Gringotts sent me a letter today. When I visited them per the request they told me that Harry has accessed his account." Kingsley stated, "They used a blood identification to make sure it was him."
"Well where is he?" Ron asked.
"We don't know and he wants to keep it that way." Kingsley stated, "He wrote a letter."
Kingsley,
First of all congratulations on becoming Minister of Magic. I know you'll do a fine job. Much better than the previous two but I know that's not saying a lot. I'm doing as well as can be expected I guess. I'm seeing several doctors here including a muggle psychologist. She's helping me deal with my issues. She said it stems from a post stress something or other.
"Post Traumatic Stress Disorder." Hermione stated, "It's common among muggle military personnel who have fought in a war, had to kill someone or were captured. Which we know Harry has had to deal with all of that."
"Thanks for clearing that up." Kingsley smiled then went back to the letter.
If Hermione were there she could probably tell you all about it.
Tell the Weasley's I'm sorry. I can't even begin to say how sorry. I don't think I can say more than that right now. It just hurts too much. I miss the three of them so badly.
I know this is short but I felt bad leaving with no word. I just want you all to know I'm safe and being cared for. I just can't come back right now so please don't look for me.
Sorry to cause so many problems.
Harry Potter
ps: if you find Draco Malfoy I did that too. He was going to kill a little girl and I overpowered the cutting hex when I was trying to protect her. She is also safe at home with her mother.
"What did he mean if you find Draco Malfoy?" Ron asked, "And what in the world is he apologizing for?"
"And if he misses us so badly why doesn't he just come home." Ginny had tears running down her face.
"Oh my… you don't think… they found that potion… and the hair." Arthur was having trouble .
"What are you saying Arthur?" Remus pleaded.
"We found polyjuice and hair at Malfoy Manor." Kingsley stated, "A few long red hairs, a few shorter red hairs and a few curly brown hairs. There were also three dead muggles with traces of polyjuice in their system. One boy and two girls."
"They polyjuiced the muggles to look like Ron, Ginny and I." Hermione said leaning back in her chair in shock, "He thinks we're dead and that he couldn't save us."
"We have to find him." Ginny stated, "We have to let him know somehow."
"We could give an interview to Rita Skeeter." Ron said, "She's been dogging us for years."
"Brilliant Ron." Hermione said, "We'll just talk about how much we miss him but that we're sure he's alive and will be back home when he can."
"He won't see it." Ginny said calmly from her seat. She had stopped crying and had a deep resolved look on her face, "We're going to have to find him."
"But he doesn't want to be found." Kingsley stated.
"Because he thinks we're dead and he's trying to learn how to deal without us." Hermione stated loudly, "We'll find him and if he still doesn't want to come home then we just won't tell anyone where he is."
"So either help us or stay out of the way." Ron stated forcefully.
"I think it will be best if we stay out of their way." Remus said, "Hermione's right. If he finds out they're alive then coming home shouldn't be a problem anymore."
The fire flared and a head poked through, "Kingsley, sorry to interrupt but you need to see this."
"What's happened?" he asked.
"Draco Malfoy's been found. Well most of him has been found." The head Auror shuddered, "He's in three pieces."
"Where was he found?' Kingsley asked.
"United States." the man said, "They've had him for a few weeks. Evidentially they have a law that all bodies must be processed and have an autopsy to determine the method of death. Why it took them two weeks to say he died because his head was chopped off I'll never know."
"On my way." Kingsley used the floo and headed to the ministry.
Tonks followed after saying her goodbye's and hugging Remus, "He'll be ok."
"I know." Remus smiled, "Come back when you can. I think we need more info about the case."
Ron was thinking hard. Hermione could tell he had something on his mind but until he found it she had no idea how to help him.
"Ginny?" Ron said, "Can you remember the places he memorized portkey coordinates for?"
"Let's see there were ten weren't there?" she asked.
"Yes." Remus answered, "I assigned him to memorize ten coordinates after I taught him how to make emergency portkeys."
"Right." Ron said, "But do you remember where they were?"
"I don't." Remus said, "I didn't have him tell me where they were just that he had them."
"There were two in the United States." Ginny said, "One was the wizarding section of New York City because he wanted to see something there, but I don't remember what. The other was in a small half and half town in the state of Colorado. He said it had mountains that were bigger than the ones around Hogwarts."
"Do you remember the coordinates?" Remus asked.
"No. Just the name of the state and why he picked it." Ginny answered.
"I think he would have chosen Colorado." Hermione said, "If I remember my geography right it's the farthest from here."
"Why do you think he'd go for the farthest?" Ron asked.
"If you were being held captive by death eaters wouldn't you want to get as far away as possible?" she asked.
Ron couldn't fault her logic so he started to plan, "We'll need some money to make the trip and keep us in hotels and things during the trip. I don't fancy sleeping outside all the time."
"What about Perkins tent?" Fred suggested.
"I'll need to learn some wards to keep wild animals out." Hermione said, "I think they have bears and wolves not to mention snakes."
"We'll need travel guides and portkeys unless you're going to apparate us everywhere." Ginny said.
"I have a bit of a savings account." Hermione said, "I can empty it out and we should be good for money. What's the exchange rate for American currency?"
"We'll fund you." George said, "We want our business partner back."
"Wait!" Molly yelled, "You have school starting soon, you can't go gallivanting around the world. You just can't."
"We are going." Ron said, "You won't be able to stop us."
"But Ginny's under aged she can't…"
"The only way Harry is going to believe we're alive is to see us." Hermione said.
"Even if Ron and Hermione are alive, if Ginny wasn't he still wouldn't come back." George said.
"What do you mean?" Bill asked.
"We're dating." Ginny said, "I'm pretty sure he loves me."
"Pretty sure?" Charlie asked.
"She means a lot to him." Remus said, "Like her I'm pretty sure he loves her."
"That doesn't matter right now. All that matters is that he thinks he saw us all die. Because he was too slow." Ron said.
"We have to find him." Ginny stated.
"I agree." Arthur stated, "They are the only ones who can go."
"But Arthur…" Molly pleaded.
"They can finish school when they return." he said, "This is more important."
"You're right of course." Molly sighed, "I better contact Minerva."
A few days later the trio of teens sets out. Fred and George supplied them with funds. They readied the tent and Hermione packed her books. Within days they caught an international portkey to New York. They spent a few hours in New York waiting on the next portkey. They took the time to look for news stories about a man saving a little girl. None were found so they were ready to move when it was time. Soon they landed in Denver, Colorado the capital city of the state. The three of them stepped out of the building and begin to look around. They had booked a hotel that was set up for a few days so that they could acclimate themselves to the time and elevation.
"Why can't I get a breath?" Ron asked.
"We're at more than five thousand feet in elevation." Hermione said, "The air is thinner here."
"What's our elevation at home?" Ginny asked.
"Around eight to nine hundred feet." Hermione replied, "This is why we're staying here for a few days."
Ron looked across the hilly terrain, "So are we on top of the mountain then?"
"Not hardly." Hermione said, "Follow me." She walked to the edge of the tall building they had stepped out of and looked behind it, "That's the mountains."
"Oh." Ron said staring up at the mountains that had been hidden behind the building.
"Wow." Ginny said.
"The highest peak in Colorado is Mount Elbert which is fourteen thousand, four hundred and thirty three feet." Hermione stated, "That's nine thousand feet higher than we are right here."
"Oh." Ron said.
"Wow." Ginny added.
"I think we better find our hotel." Hermione said, "I also think a taxi would be a good idea. Walking a long distance will probably give us a headache and make us dizzy. Those are just some of the symptoms of altitude sickness."
"Did you read up on all this before we left?" Ginny asked.
"No." Hermione answered, "When my parents and I went skiing in the Alps a few years ago I looked it up. I heard some guy saying how the skiing was better there than in the Rockies. That's the name of this range the Rocky Mountains."
"Weird name." Ron said, "I thought all mountains were rocky. How come you're not having the trouble we are?"
"I've spent time in the mountains before." she replied, "I knew what to expect."
They spent the next three days trying to get used to the lack of oxygen and then they started their search. They moved from town to town looking for signs of Harry and reading newspapers to find cases of a young girls being saved or a dismembered bodies being found. They had no luck at all. Every few days they sent letters back to Fred and George lamenting their lack of finding anything. The only news that was new from home was that Harry wasn't being charged with murdering Draco Malfoy. The dark mark on his arm and the killing curse on his wand was enough to clear Harry of any wrong doing. Ginny's birthday was spent in a hotel going over Hermione's notes. They did splurge with a dinner out with desert.
It was three months later when they got a break. The original destination for their portkey was in the middle of a snow storm so instead of waiting for the storm to pass they took the next portkey out to a clear destination which dropped them into a small mountain town called Quebec Petit.
In the library Ginny was looking through the old newspaper articles when she excitedly called Ron and Hermione, "I've found something."
"What?" the two quickly stepped over to Ginny and Hermione read over her shoulder, "Teen saves a child. Two teens portkeyed onto one of the main thorough fares of the wizarding side of Quebec Petit yesterday. The blond teen with a british accent made to attack a young girl. The other teen with dark hair sent a cutting curse and the blond and summoned the girl out of the way of danger. Unfortunately for the blond he slipped and fell into the overpowered cutting curse and lost his life. The people who witnessed the accident all stated good riddance. The blond was obviously going to hurt someone and the brave dark haired boy stopped him. No names have been release at this time."
"Sounds like Harry and Malfoy to me." Ron said, "Let's have a look around town shall we?"
"Brilliant deduction Ron." Ginny said sarcastically.