Harry had planned to go home for lunch, but instead he had to send Eddie an owl cancelling. He met with Ron and Kingsley, Cho, Liam, and Kay-Kay inside the conference room with the largest table. Files, maps, and a huge selection of legal scrolls covered the wooden surface. A larger map of the region had been affixed to the wall with Sticking Charms. Ron placed a glowing yellow dot on a small village near Exeter.
"This is where Greyback grew up, although he was never seen there after he left home. I'll mark it as low probability."
Harry added an orange dot. "This is where he bit Remus Lupin as a child. He spent quite a lot of time in this region, so he probably knows it well."
Cho stepped up and pointed at a dark green area with her wand. "There were many reports from this village, after the war, of a pack of renegade werewolves the area." Harry placed a red dot there and frowned; there were already too many dots to easily cover in a short time, and even if they sent out Aurors now they would have no idea what to look for. Greyback could be holed up in any house, shack, or cellar.
Cho placed a hand on Harry's arm. "I'm sorry," she murmured. "I should never have left Greta. If I hadn't, he wouldn't have been able to use her as a weapon against you."
He gave her a wan smile. "You're not a trained Auror. You did what you thought was best."
Of the Aurors that had been sent ahead to Greta's house, two had been incapacitated by Greyback, despite the fact that they had been wearing invisibility cloaks. Ron had later explained that Greyback's superior sense of smell had probably decreased the cloaks' usefulness. Another Auror had entered through the kitchen door—drawing Cho's attention—and she had sent him back out to scout for danger just before hearing Harry's cry for help. Basically, it had all been a load of bad timing.
"Still, I feel terrible. Poor Liam. I need to do whatever it takes to get his son back." She glanced over at Nottingham, who sat at the table. He looked utterly broken and had barely spoken a word since their arrival.
Harry nodded. "We'll get him back." He didn't bother to reveal that it had been Draco Malfoy's words that had given him his only shred of hope for that prospect.
A knock sounded on the door and Kay-Kay opened it to admit Seamus. "Minister! A message! It's from Greyback!"
Everyone in the room converged as though drawn by a magnet. Kingsley cracked the seal. He read it and then handed it to Harry. "Merlin."
Harry skimmed the words. Some of them jumped out at him. 50,000 Galleons. Release of prisoners from Azkaban. 24 hours.
"He wants a ransom."
"That's great news!" Ron burst out.
Nottingham shot him a venomous look. "Great news? Why would that be great news?"
"Because he won't harm the boy if he wants a ransom. We won't trade for damaged goods."
"Damaged goods?" Nottingham looked horrified.
Ron coughed and looked at Harry with a desperate roll of his eyes. Harry heaved a mental sigh. It was entirely possible the boy had been bitten, but as long as he was alive they would do their best to get him back safely.
Thankfully, Cho spoke before Harry could think of a suitably diplomatic response. "Liam, it is good news. It means that Niall is alive and as long as we comply with Greyback's demands, then you'll have him back again."
Nottingham's features were grey and pallid. "We are going to comply, are we not? I'll gladly pay everything I have. Everything. I'll do anything. I just want him back."
Cho patted his back. "Of course we are, Liam. Of course."
"I just want my boy." Nottingham's voice broke and he buried his face in his hands. Harry looked away to stare at the map. His vision blurred and he tried to focus on the bright dots they had made.
"The fifty thousand Galleons will not be that difficult to procure," Kingsley said, "but he is demanding the release of several werewolves from Azkaban. That will be tougher to arrange."
"Niall's life is in danger, Minister!" Nottingham burst out.
"I did not say it was impossible, only difficult. Harry, Ron, please come with me. Cho, if you don't mind, will you please stay with Liam for the time being? We will attempt to get this ball rolling and have Greyback's demands met as quickly as possible. Auror Klein and Auror Finnigan, please stay here and try to locate more potential sites for us to search."
"Of course, Minister."
In the hallway, Kingsley said, "I do not want this to become common knowledge and right now Liam Nottingham is a spell waiting to go rogue. We are going to collect the Galleons—Nottingham himself has offered the entirety although he doesn't have it all at the moment—but I am more concerned with finding the boy before the ransom payment becomes necessary."
"Agreed, but do we have any leads?"
"One. The owl that Greyback used was from a public mail service. I am certain he thought he would be anonymous that way, but that would be a mistake. It could be the break we need."
Harry nodded. Since the war, public owls had been marked so that they could be tracked back to their places of origin, mostly due to an increase in death-threats and hate mail sent by the pro-Voldemort contingent. The general public knew about the new regulation, but it was possible that Greyback had missed that legislation whilst incarcerated.
Greyback had included instructions regarding how and where to drop the money. He would arrange to exchange the freed prisoners for the boy after the Galleons had been received.
The owl was traced to a small village called Tallgarden. It was close to Brecon Beacons National Park, and a stretch of woods that they had marked with a high-probability red dot.
"All right. We don't want to flood the area with Aurors and draw his attention, so I'm just going to send in you, Ron, Kim, and Seamus to do some scouting." Kingsley's voice was low.
They split up. Harry took Polyjuice to morph himself into an unrecognisable, nondescript Italian Muggle. Since Muggles were careless with their hair, it was fairly easy to acquire the needed ingredients for undercover work. Harry took the public Floo to a local pub near the owlery in Tallgarden. There, he spoke to the barkeep about vacation spots, pretending to be planning a surprise getaway for his wife.
The man was garrulous and helpful, giving Harry the general layout of the town. "Are there any abandoned buildings or old structures?" Harry asked. "My wife is something of a history buff and she likes to draw. She is a bit silly about weathered things."
The barkeep clucked sympathetically. "Artists can be a funny lot, yeah? There is an old shack up past the north road. You'll see a stone bridge over the dry riverbed there—only fills in the winter, don't you know? There's a foot track next to the river that leads up into the hills. The shack is nestled up against an outcropping of stone. Used to belong to an old goatherd, but he died some fifteen, sixteen years ago, and the place is falling down now. Picturesque area, though."
"It sounds exactly right. Thanks, mate!" Harry left him a large tip and went out. A few villagers were out and about and Harry scanned the area for Ron, Seamus, or Kay-Kay, but they had all entered town via different methods and would also be disguised. He headed for the north road and after a twenty minute hike he spotted the shack in the distance.
Unwilling to alert Greyback should he be hiding inside, Harry circled around and approached the place from the side. One window was broken out and Harry poked his head up to peer inside. The quick glance showed little but dust and broken furniture. The place had obviously been stripped and vandalised by the locals. A rapid circuit disclosed no recent tracks leading to or from the place. Harry heaved a sigh of disappointment.
He walked to the edge of the outcropping and surveyed the scenery. The view was lovely; rolling hills thick with wildflowers stretched away in the distance. He wondered what had happened to the goats with the old man's passing and then shrugged off the random question. He turned to head back to the village when he noticed an old track skirting the hillside. With a flash of inspiration, it occurred to Harry that the goats would have needed shelter, possibly a barn or other structure.
Hopeful, he took the path at a fast trot, alert for unusual sounds or activity. Birds cavorted overhead, singing loudly. Nothing seemed out of place for a lazy summer afternoon, and the sun was shining, despite clouds gathering to the south that likely promised more rain. The ground was damp from an earlier deluge, which could work to Harry's benefit as any recent footprints would be clearly visible.
However, he saw none as he followed the path to a small structure that looked to be in better condition than the shack he'd left behind. He slowed as he got closer, and pressed his back against the wood as he peered round the corner—only to find that the building was nothing more than a shell. Two sides were open to the elements, covered with a sloped roof to make a covered shelter. It had never been a proper barn.
Defeated, Harry sighed and debated returning to the village. It was possible that Greyback was not even in the area, but had only Apparated in to send an owl. It would be a wiser move than Greyback had ever been known for, but perhaps whoever had freed him from Azkaban was also giving him guidance.
The track Harry had followed continued onwards, skirting the wooden fence and disappearing into the wooded hillside. Unwilling to concede the game just yet, Harry took the path at a slow jog. He assumed it would drop down to the river and in that he was right. Although the river was dry, a large pool of water appeared around a bend, resting in a still pond beneath an overhanging sycamore tree. It was picturesque and Harry took a moment to admire it. He had never spent much time in the country until their mad flight from Voldemort when he was seventeen, and he hadn't really taken the time to appreciate nature. It was difficult to slow down and take in the view when running for your life.
This, though, was enticing. The thought of owning a small house in a remote village with no madcap rush of people and constant low barrage of noise… Here there was only the whisper of wind rustling through the trees, the warbling song of birds, and the occasional chirp or buzz of insects.
And the sharp crack of a branch breaking.
Harry crouched and spun, wand held ready. He scanned the hillside and tried to still the sudden pounding of his heart. Just a branch, Harry. It's probably one of the long-lost goats. Or some villager out hunting for firewood.
Another snapping noise, and then another, gave credence to the firewood theory. Someone was either clearing a path or collecting wood. Harry pulled his invisibility cloak from the Hermione-charmed pouch he wore. It shimmered for a moment and then he tugged it on. Feeling steadier now that he was out of sight, he started carefully up the hill, avoiding brambles and branches that might snag the edge of his cloak. He placed each foot with care, stepping over dry twigs and staying away from anything that would rustle or crack to give away his position. He was thankful for the recent rains; even the dried grasses were pliable and compressed with a damp squish rather than crackling.
He followed the sound of the snapping wood and barely stopped himself from gasping aloud when he caught sight of Fenrir Greyback breaking a large branch with a spell. A collection of wood hovered in the air next to him and, as Harry watched, the branch he worked with broke into three pieces and topped the pile.
The urge to cast a hex was great, but Harry held back. Hopefully, Greyback would lead him to the boy. Harry scarcely dared to breathe and took a moment to give thanks that the wind was blowing towards him rather than away. If Greyback got the slightest whiff of him, the game would be up. Even as the thought occurred to Harry, Greyback paused and lifted his head. His slanted eyes darted right and left in a wary pattern and he stood tensely. For a moment, Harry thought he'd been scented, but then Greyback shook his head, snapped one more branch from the dead tree at his feet, and then turned and started up the hillside with the gathered branches floating behind.
Harry was about to follow him when he felt a lurch and a shift; the Polyjuice he'd taken had worn off. The flask was still in his pocket, but he might lose Greyback if he paused to drink it now. Ignoring the problem for the moment, Harry took off after the werewolf.
Greyback's pace was fast, forcing Harry to rush to keep up. He hurried from grassy hillock to grassy hillock, trying to remain silent whilst keeping Greyback in sight. They were headed away from both shack and river, and Greyback did not seem to follow any sort of path. The climb grew steeper and Harry hung back even more, afraid the wheezing of his breath would draw attention. He was in good shape, but propelling himself up a hillside at speed was far from easy. And he had been admittedly lazy in the past couple of weeks, lounging around the flat and taking Eddie out for rich meals and expensive wine.
He pushed aside the thought of Eddie with a pang of guilt. He had not expected to get drawn into the Malfoy situation, but since it couldn't be avoided he would have to make it up to Eddie somehow.
Greyback disappeared into a copse of trees and Harry sped up, sacrificing silence in order to keep from losing him. He slowed as he neared the trees before entering carefully, peering into the shadows and hoping not to meet a violent hex or the sharp stab of claws.
To his relief, he caught sight of the floating wood just before it vanished behind a stand of shrubbery covered in overgrown ivy. Harry thought he heard someone speak, so he took extra care as he moved forwards. He peeked around the brushy hedge and drew in a breath when he spied a dark slash in the hillside—the entrance to a cave. Merlin, they hadn't even considered caves in their list of probable places to search.
Harry took several steps into the gloom, wary of his cloak and taking care that it didn't rustle against the stone. Greyback, however, was making no move to be silent.
"…get cold tonight. Don't give me that look. I'm your friend. Your precious daddums is not even looking for you. Probably glad you're gone, he is."
Harry nearly charged ahead, but the fiasco at the boy's grandmother's house was fresh in his mind. Instead he turned and picked his way out of the cave as the sound of wood being stacked echoed behind him. He didn't go far, just around the corner from the entrance, before casting a Patronus to alert the others. Now was not the time to deviate from procedure and possibly get the boy killed.
The pale wisps of the Patronus had barely faded when a man stepped out from behind a tree, just at the edge of Harry's vision. Harry crouched, but another man appeared and the two began to walk towards him. They seemed relaxed and he let out a pent-up breath when he realised they hadn't seen his Patronus, or him.
"…think Fenrir has eaten the boy by now?" One of them nudged the other.
"Not yet. 'E's desperate fer them Galleons. Needs 'em to flee the country, or 'e'll be back in Azkaban the minute 'e shows 'is face."
Harry did not recognise either of them as they drew closer. One looked vaguely like an owl, with huge eyes and a curious haircut that left tufts sticking up on each side. The other resembled an underfed hound, with long strands of brown hair giving the illusion of droopy dog ears. The dog-eared one wore jeans and a short jacket-robe that was currently in fashion. The other had more traditional split robes and black trousers; the hem of his robe was tattered.
Harry debated Stunning them both, but decided that any disturbance might alert Greyback, who could teleport out with the boy. He decided stealth was the better option. Using the noise they made entering the cave as cover, Harry slipped in behind them.
Greyback had a fire going and the small space was thick with smoke, despite a ventilation hole in the ceiling. Harry's eyes went to Niall, who was bound near a darkened curve of the wall. The boy coughed, looking pitiful.
"Did you bring it?" Greyback asked. "We don't want the little brat dying of starvation quite yet."
The man in Muggle clothing slung off his satchel. "Got some crisps and tinned meat. A couple cans o' beans. And a bottle o' pumpkin juice. Kids like pumpkin juice, yeah?" He shook the bottle towards Niall, who stared back at him with no expression.
Greyback snorted and threw another branch on the fire. Clouds had begun to roll in whilst Harry had called the others and a gust of wind swept through the cave, sending a shower of sparks up towards the ceiling. Harry used the distraction as cover to move quicker, sidling around the two newcomers to get close to the boy.
Harry's plan was to Apparate out with Niall then pop back in to take on Greyback, but that idea was bolloxed when Harry saw a thick iron manacle around the boy's ankle, and a short chain wrapped around a nearby boulder. He swore inwardly; there was no spell that could cut a chain silently. He would have to do this the hard way.
"Crack open one of those bean cans," Greyback growled. "I'm hungry."
The man crouched and used his wand to spell open the can. Harry took off his cloak and slung it over the boy. In the same motion, he cast a murmured Stunner at the owl-faced man. He knew Greyback would be the most difficult to take down—one Stunner wouldn't do it. The other two watched owl-face topple for a shocked moment and then sprang into action. The can fell, spilling beans into the fire as the man leapt to his feet, but Harry's Expelliarmus snatched the wand from his hand.
Greyback was fast, as expected, spinning and casting a Piercing Hex with a snarl, but Harry had already moved, drawing fire away from the boy. Although invisible, Niall could easily be hit by a stray spell. Harry needed to get them outside.
"Potter!" Greyback spit-snarled his name.
"Fuck is the boy?" the dog-haired man yelled, scrambling to reach his wand. Harry cast a Protego to counter Greyback's spell, and then Summoned Dog-eared's wand on his way to the entrance. Another Protego countered Greyback's spell and he thought he felt claws graze his calf, spurring him to greater speed. As he burst through the entrance, he smiled with joy when he beheld Ron and Kay-Kay.
Harry instinctively dove and rolled and a bolt of red light carved a furrow into the ground where he'd been. Two spears of light passed him and he heard Greyback howl as he bounced to his feet and turned.
"Expelliarmus!" he shouted again and felt a smug sense of pride when Greyback's wand wrenched from his hand and sailed through the air. Harry caught it just as Ron and Kay-Kay's spells dragged the werewolf down.
Harry didn't wait for congratulations. He raced back into the cavern to find it empty, although a desperate groping caught the edge of his invisibility cloak. He sighed with relief as Niall's scared features were revealed.
"Hi, Niall. I think you're safe now."
The boy did not look reassured. "You're the man from Gran's house." His voice was a hushed whisper.
"Yes, and I came to rescue you. I'll take you to see your father now. All the bad men have been taken care of." Except one, he thought to himself and wondered where the dog-eared man had gone. "Now, let's get these chains off."
Several careful spells later, the manacle fell away and Niall threw his arms around Harry's neck. He held the boy tightly and then drew back to pull the Mercury action figure from an inner pocket.
He handed it to Niall. "Here, I kept her safe for you."
Ron trotted in and clapped Harry on the shoulder. "Great work, mate. Kay-Kay took Greyback to holding. Are we done here? I got this one" He poked at Owl-Face, who glared at him from his Full-body Bind.
"Yeah. There was another, but I'd rather get Niall home than spend time looking for him. Let's go."
Niall tugged at Harry's sleeve. "Mister Harry? You can keep Mercury. She brought you good luck to find me, didn't she?"
Harry crouched down and took the Quidditch figure with a feeling of near-reverence. He smiled and squeezed Niall gently on the shoulder. "That she did, and thank you very much. I'll keep her always. Now, let's get you home."
Ron cast a spell that doused the fire and then they all Apparated straight to Auror Headquarters.
oooOooo
Draco let no expression touch his features as Potter spun his teacup in a slow circle on the table top.
"So, it looks like we owe you a debt of gratitude," Potter finished lamely.
"That must have hurt," Draco observed. "Would you like a Healing Charm?"
Potter gifted him with a wan smile. "I'm just glad the boy is safe. And he wasn't bitten. I would like to have brought in the third man, however. I can't figure how he escaped, since I have his wand. He couldn't have Disapparated."
"I wouldn't worry about it too much," Draco said and gave Potter a toothy smile. In truth, Blaise had barely managed to Apparate into the cave and pull out Desmond before the Aurors had rushed back inside. Draco hated to lose valuable resources; and Desmond was his key to most things related to the werewolf community. Even better, now he owed Draco a favour.
"That's easy for you to say. We don't even know who is behind this whole thing." Potter's green stare speared Draco, but he shrugged off the silent request. Potter countered that by asking directly. "Do you?"
Draco sipped at his tea and then placed his cup on the saucer. "I have some ideas, but I need to follow up on them before I put forth any hypotheses. I'm sure you understand."
"Yeah. You probably need to think about what to ask for in return."
Draco chuckled. "No, I am quite certain what it is that I want in return."
Potter flushed and got to his feet. "Anyway. Thanks again. Kingsley will be down to talk to you. I need to go home. Merlin, it's been a long time since I've seen that much action. I'm exhausted."
Before Potter could stride to the door, Draco stopped him with an upraised hand. "Harry."
A cocked eyebrow met his utterance, and Potter's eyes were wide with surprise.
"I'm serious about Eddie. Don't trust him."
Potter's stare turned into one of disbelief, and then he shook his head and went out.
~TBC~