Chapter 6

One Breath

(That same evening)

Professor Albus Dumbledore was pacing in his room. No one knew what he was thinking about and no one dared to ask. Fawkes had returned to his stand and didn't seem to be worried about it. He was cleaning his feathers, openly ignoring the others in the room.

Professor Severus Snape was standing in the shadows of the mantelpiece. His eyebrows were knitted together and he had his usual sneer on his face. His thoughts however were racing. How had Potter survived? And who was that man?

Professor Minerva McGonagall was sitting on the edge of her seat and her eyes were following the headmaster. Her features were nowhere near the stern face she usually held. Her thoughts where somewhat lower than that of her colleague. Harry Potter is still alive, was the one line that seemed to be able to exist in her thoughts.

After nearly half an hour of silence the flames in the mantelpiece turned green and a man stepped out of the fireplace. "Where is he?"

It was Sirius Black who had entered the office. Remus Lupin followed him within seconds. "He is gone Sirius. He left a few minutes ago." Dumbledore took his place behind his desk again and Remus took one of the remaining seats.

"You are late once again Black," Snape said from the shadows and Sirius turned towards him. "You have once again failed to be on time for something."

Remus shook his head behind Sirius' back and Sirius growled like a dog, but did not take the bait. "We all make mistakes Snape. That's why we are human. Some just learn to accept them and learn from them. Sit down Sirius."

Everyone turned their attention towards Dumbledore the moment he cleared his throat. "As I told you two and as you two heard from Captain Jack is Harry Potter still alive. No doubt that he will be returning to Hogwarts soon. Until then I want absolute patience. We cannot have everyone spreading rumors through the press. Voldemort is still active and he may not know that Harry is still alive. We do not know what happened that night."

"Headmaster do you have any idea who this Captain Jack could be?" professor McGonagall asked. "I have never heard of him or of this planet Rex."

Dumbledore smiled at them. "I have no idea who this person is or where that planet could be found. I have heard of flame throwers, so I'm positive that Harry is save."

Snape nearly laughed and all turned towards him. "Oh please, Potter is never save. He always finds himself in some kind of trouble."

McGonagall smiled. "It's almost if you were concerned Severus."

Snape snorted and made his way towards the door. "Trust you Gryffindors to come up with a solution like that. I'm leaving." And he was gone.

(The following night and morning)

Harry breathed out deeply. He opened his eyes slowly and took in his surroundings. He was standing in a large crater and some of the rocks still seemed to glow. Harry coughed a little as the smoke entered his lounges.

Harry blinked and his surroundings changed. He was now high in the sky, floating above the clouds. As he started to loose altitude, he saw that he was flying between the mountains, following a river below. He tried to identify the creatures that were walking below.

He blinked again and once again did he find himself in a different part of the world. His mind was still clear as he let out a scream to stop the fighting below. He let fall a silent tear, but it strayed in the wind, healing one of the wounds on one of the fighters.

Harry blinked again and this time it was nightfall. He was resting in one of the trees. The tree was large and home to many animals. Suddenly a loud noise was heard from below. The tree shook and animals fled. He arose from the tree, just as it fell to the ground.

Harry blinked and found himself flying amongst the stars. Suddenly he heard a cry and he smelled fire below. The crying seemed to come from within the fire and a lot of men were standing around it, laughing hard. He pitied the one that cried and flew down.

Harry woke up from his nest on the floor. The familiar smell of burned wood filled his nose. He opened his eyes and the light of the sun, blinded him for a few seconds. He closed his eyes again and stretched.

"Ah, so you are awake. I was wondering if I had to wake you up." Jack was smiling. He pointed at a plate with a lump of bread, some meat and a cup of hot water and some herbs.

Harry smiled. "Thanks, so how did it go? You send me a pretty pissed Hornscrew, but you stayed away so long that I just went to sleep." He crossed his legs and started eating.

"Oh, you should have been there! It was hilarious." Jack started eating too. "I really like that professor of yours. He had the most stunned and murderous expression on his face that I was wondering if he had swallowed a poison of his own. He said 'It's not fair' and 'Potter is still alive'. Everyone was probably too shocked to respond on his words, but it cracked me up.

By the way, Cedric is alive and well."

Harry nodded and lowered his eyes a little. "That's good to hear. I wouldn't have expected otherwise. I'm just glad I guess." He laughed softly. "Snape just doesn't change, does he? But he'll see in the end, he'll see. Just got to wake him up a little."

Jack laughed too only a little louder than his friend. "In the end, everyone will see. Anyway, your headmaster is a crazy old coot you know that? He thought he could outsmart me! But no one can outsmart me."

Harry laughed. "Except your mother maybe." He quickly shielded himself from his friend. But when nothing happened, he lowered his defense.

Jack shot him an angry glance. "Your friends may think very highly of you, Mister Potter, but in my books you are still a child."

Note the fact that he didn't contradict it, Harry thought and he chuckled. "So he tried to outsmart you?" Harry asked waving absently and taking a sip of his drink. The herbs calmed him like they always did and he hunched himself in comfort.

"He put silent ears in the room, can you imagine? Anyway I told your friends everything they wanted to know. You friend, Hermione Granger, she didn't even know about Hornscrews and flame throwers. And about that Hornscrew, what happened?"

Harry grinned. "Well, you sent it to me and she was pretty pissed. I'm just glad that I was close to the mountains and that she had a nest. The moment you told me that there was a Hornscrew within the castle walls; I followed the marks of magic of her path. The moment I realized that she was to strong for me I turned to hide. She searched for me for about fifteen minutes before she gave up and flew back to her nest. Those creatures can be pretty aggressive if she's disturbed in the mating and hedging season."

Jack nodded. "Oh, I remember. That's why I left home in the first place. My mother was giving birth to her sixth child and kept screaming that I was useless and should get a job. I just hope she'll forgive me when I go home. It'll be embarrassing enough. Anyway, so what happened to this place?"

Harry looked around the 'room'. There was not much left of the rest of the house. Most of the wall had collapsed and the roof and second floor was almost completely gone. "The family left for a week vacation. One of the younger children thought it would be alright to leave a candle on. When the neighbors finally noticed, the house was beyond saving. The firefighters let it burn down. This room was the dining room once. The house will be broken down and rebuild completely tomorrow."

Jack nodded. "It's amazing how you humans can create such strong bonds with your houses and stuff. It's as if the whole room is stuffed with memories. Even after it is destroyed you can still hear them coming from the walls."

Harry smiled softly. "That is why I'll return to my old house one day. Too see if there is something left so I can listen to all its memories. But it'll have to wait for a while. I first have to return too Hogwarts." Harry fell into a thoughtful silence.

After a few minutes Jack grew restless. He stretched his legs and started to pace though the room. "I don't get why you have to return there, but I won't stop you. I'm coming with you."

Harry started to protest, but Jack shook his head. "You know why Harry, I told you before. I took you in because you needed me. I hold myself responsible for you now and you know why."

Harry sighted. "Stupid flame thrower. Why did I cross your path? Don't answer that, I already know the answer. I have to go too Hogwarts, because I can't spend my nights in every burned out house I see. Plus that I still have to figure out a way to kill Voldemort. It's like he's immune for every trap, trick or whatever that we set out for him. He just refuses to die."

"Wow, he's like you," Jack said laughing at his own joke.

Harry scowled and shot him a killing glance. "You really crack me up," he said, sarcasm dripping from every word.

"One breath mister Potter," Jack said raising one finger to strengthen his words. "One Breath."

A/N: The whole 'one breath' thing in the end was because Jack defeated Harry with one breath the first time Harry tried to go after the Death Eaters. He was still healing at that time, but he was really angry. Jack tried to stop him, but Harry was really stubborn. So Jack blew in his face and Harry fell backwards. But it was really to prove a point. Of course, Harry didn't know at that time that Jack had the advantage, because his breath can be counted as a weapon. He can produce windstorms, since his mother had been married to an Air blower. Though Jack is a true Flame thrower, he had that one advantage.