Since sending Harry and Hermione into hiding, Dumbledore had been checking in on them every Sunday evening. He'd charmed the floo to only allow him access from his office, although even then he'd restricted it so it would only allow messages through, and not a whole person. As he always did on a Sunday, Dumbledore sent his message through to Sirius and sat back to wait for his reply. However, after ten minutes had passed and no message had come back from Sirius, he began to get worried.
After sending a second message, which again went unanswered, Dumbledore made the decision to actually visit the cottage. He'd only visited the cottage once since sending Harry and Hermione there, to deliver the news that he hadn't been able to locate Hermione's cat, and he wasn't happy with having to visit again so soon. Not that he thought anyone was monitoring him to see where Harry and Hermione were, but he didn't want to take chances. However, it seemed he had no choice but to pay a visit to the cottage and find out why Sirius hadn't responded to his check.
Not able to floo or apparate from the castle, Dumbledore pulled on his travelling robe and headed down to Hogsmeade. Slipping into a side alley where no-one could see him, Dumbledore pulled out his wand and apparated to the cottage he'd hidden Harry and Hermione away in. With the cottage being cloaked, Dumbledore had to land outside of the property line, but it gave him a chance to check things out and everything seemed fine to him.
Since Dumbledore had set the wards, he was able to access the cottage without needing to disarm the wards. Entering the cottage, he fully expected someone to come and greet him, but he was met with silence.
"Sirius," he called. "Harry. Hermione."
Getting no answer, he poked his head into the living room and found it deserted. The kitchen and the other rooms on the ground floor were also empty, and he could see no sign of anyone in the garden. Heading upstairs he checked the bedrooms and once again found no-one. However, it was in the bedrooms that he realised something was amiss and it occurred to him that since he'd arrived in the house he hadn't seen one personal item. Retracing his footsteps, he found the entire house was exactly as it had been when he'd handed the cottage over to Harry, Hermione and Sirius.
Dumbledore's explorations finally returned him to the living room, which was where he spotted an envelope propped up on the mantlepiece, with his name written on the front. Opening up the letter, he read Sirius's letter, claiming that he'd taken Harry and Hermione away so they could start a new life away from the dangers of wizarding Britain.
For a long time, Dumbledore examined the letter, not quite believing what he was reading. While Sirius had been happy to go into hiding with Harry and Hermione, he'd made no mention of them going away permanently. In fact, he'd spoke a lot about making sure they dealt with Voldemort so that not only Harry, but everyone, could live a normal life.
Needing another opinion, he made the decision to go and see Remus Lupin, as if anyone knew how Sirius's mind would work, it would be Remus. However, before he went, Dumbledore checked the wards around the house and found they had been dismantled. The only thing was, they had been dismantled from the inside, backing up the letter Dumbledore had found. Still not quite sure what was happening, Dumbledore headed off to Grimmauld Place. Luckily Remus was at home, enjoying a quiet night in with Tonks.
"This isn't right," Remus said with a shake of his head as he read the note Dumbledore had given him and explained what had happened.
"Is it Sirius's handwriting?" Dumbledore asked as Tonks examined the note for any signs of forgery.
"It looks like it," Remus confirmed. "But I don't believe he won't take Harry and leave. That's not Sirius. If he was going to do something like that, he would have done it when he got out of Azkaban. Or he would have handled it when Harry wanted Hermione and the baby protecting."
"You think someone got to them?" Dumbledore asked with a sigh, already thinking the same thing.
"I don't know, but I do know Sirius wouldn't take off without telling me," Remus insisted. "I take it there was nothing suspicious where they've been staying?"
"After I found the letter, I checked the wards and they've been dismantled from the inside," Dumbledore admitted. "Although I suppose someone could have gotten in, re-erected the wards and broke them again from inside."
"That would take some powerful magic," Tonks said with an impressed whistle. As an Auror she knew about wards and protective spells and knew they were some of the toughest magic around.
"If something bad has happened to them, we are dealing with powerful people," Dumbledore said. "But how could they have found them? I'm the only person who knew where they were."
"A tracking spell?" Remus suggested.
"That shouldn't have been able to circumvent the wards I erected," Dumbledore argued.
"Unless it was a blood spell," Tonks said. "Spells that use blood magic are very powerful. They would be able to bypass any ward out there."
"But for that to work, they would need some blood from whoever they were tracking," Dumbledore argued. "Or at the very least, blood from a close relative. I'm confident the dark doesn't have any of Harry's blood, and his relatives are dead. I can't see how they can have Hermione's blood either, and as far as I know, her parents are safe."
"Sirius does have cousins associated with the dark," Remus reminded him.
"I'm not sure they would be close enough to work," Tonks admitted. "But right now, I don't suppose it matters how they were found. They were, and now all three are missing. Which begs the question, what are we going to do about it?"
"Try and see what we can find out," Dumbledore said with a sigh. "I'm sure if the dark has Harry, we will find out soon enough."
"If he's still alive," Remus said sadly, voicing the thought that was running through all of their minds. They very well might be too late, and Harry could already be dead.
Returning to school, Draco waited to see if he would be able to tell when Dumbledore noticed Potter was missing, or if the headmaster would be able to carry on as though nothing was amiss. Over the weekend everything was normal, and even when Dumbledore was missing from breakfast on Monday morning, Draco didn't think too much of it as the headmaster didn't always show his face on a morning. However, come lunchtime he still wasn't present, and McGonagall was also missing, and by dinner time there were only a couple of Professors in the Great Hall.
"Where is everyone?" Blaise asked with a frown. "Each mealtime we seem to be losing more and more staff. At this rate we'll be free from Professors by tomorrow breakfast time."
"Sounds good to me," Draco replied with a grin.
"Shouldn't you know what's going on as Head Boy," Theo pressed.
"I'm sure if it's going to affect the school, I'll be informed," Draco said with a shrug. "I guess the Professors are entitled to skip meals if they wish."
"They're not the only one skipping meals though," Pansy remarked. "In case no-one has noticed, Weasley's not here."
Draco hadn't noticed, but when he checked out the Gryffindor table, he found Pansy was right. There was no sign of the garish red hair of Ron Weasley. With Ron missing, Draco was now convinced that Potter's vanishing act had been discovered. Although whether they bought the running away story, or if they suspected foul play wasn't something Draco was in a position to find out. At least not at this moment in time.
Since Severus was one of the missing Professors, Draco was guessing his godfather would know what was going on, and hopefully he would be able to fill him in on what was going on. However, Draco didn't rush off to see his godfather directly after dinner, instead he spent the evening down in the dungeons with his friends, and called by Severus's office on his way back to the Head Dorms.
"I half expected to see you sooner," Severus chuckled as he allowed Draco into his office. "You're showing some restraint."
"I wasn't sure if you would still be busy," Draco answered. "I take it you have been busy."
"I've been in Dumbledore's office most of the evening," Severus explained. "He knows Hermione, Potter and Black are missing."
"Did he believe the note we left?"
"Not entirely," Severus admitted. "Lupin refuses to buy it, and Dumbledore certainly has his doubts, but I do think a sliver of him thinks it could be genuine. Even if it is simply because there is no evidence Potter is dead."
"So as long as they don't know if Potter is alive, there's going to be a question mark over what happened," Draco deduced.
"That was what The Dark Lord intended," Severus chuckled. "He's planning on carrying on as he has been doing and letting Dumbledore and the others stew. The longer that goes on, the more they will doubt that he's got him. After all, if The Dark Lord has Potter, what's to stop him from letting everyone know and ending this war."
"He will make his move eventually though, won't he?" Draco checked. "After all, he has to get rid of more than Potter. Dumbledore still stands in his way."
"When he's ready, he'll deal with Dumbledore," Severus vowed. "And chances are, that will be when he reveals what's happened to Potter."
"What has happened to him?"
"He's still in the dungeons of the manor as far as I know. I don't know whether he'll kill him before the final confrontation with Dumbledore or after, but for now, he's simply a prisoner."
"Does Weasley know Potter's missing?" Draco asked. "Pansy noticed he wasn't at dinner."
"Professor McGonagall spoke to him earlier and let him know what was happening. He took it quite badly apparently and is in the hospital wing, where Madam Pomfrey has him sedated," Severus answered.
"Stupid git," Draco snorted. "How can he be so upset when he didn't want anything to do with Hermione and Potter just a few short weeks ago?"
"Merlin knows what goes on in his head," Severus snorted. "Let him play the martyr if he wants. All you have to worry about is getting to the Easter holidays in a few weeks' time."
"What's happening then?" Draco asked.
"It seems Hermione has persuaded her father that she needs you with her," Severus answered. "A plan is being put into place so that when you go home for the holidays, you don't have to return. And my guess is, whatever is going to happen with Dumbledore will happen then. This could all be over by the time Hermione gives birth."
"That would be good," Draco said with a grin as he thanked his godfather for keeping him informed.
Heading back up to the Head Dorms, Draco chased a few younger students who were pushing the curfew. With a spring in his step, he sauntered into the Head Dorms. Padma was busy doing the next few weeks patrol rota, and when she asked Draco for his help, he shrugged and said he needed to go and have a shower.
"I'll do extra when we get back from the Easter break," he offered, knowing full well he wasn't going to be around then.
"You don't have to do everything," Padma replied with a smile. "But if you want to do extras, I won't complain. These rotas are a nightmare. There is always someone complaining."
"Do what I do, and tell anyone complaining to get stuffed," Draco advised. "And then if anyone still complains, just give them more of the sort of patrols they've been complaining about."
"That is wicked," Padma said with a laugh.
"It's why I'm a Slytherin, darling," Draco retorted with a jaunty wink as he jogged off upstairs to grab a shower.
He then headed to bed, where he lay awake until the early hours of the morning, wondering what sort of plan would ensure that he wouldn't have to return to school after Hogwarts. Although it was only a few weeks ago, and he would soon find out what was going to happen, and if it would trigger a final confrontation between Voldemort and Dumbledore.