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Chapter 15

Everything was ready. He had people waiting to pick up the package. Now all he had to do was get the package out. That would be easy enough. Especially since the old coot lowered the wards at this time to allow visitors in. Not apparate, of course, but flying was fine.

Jade chewed her lip as she left the library. It was Halloween. She didn't want to go to the feast. Wizards made it out to be such a big celebration. And it was even more of one since it was the anniversary of Voldemort's disappearance. But none of them stopped to think. Many of them were in the dark on who she was, of course, but they still didn't stop to think. They didn't remember that it was the anniversary of the date a child had lost her family. Granted, James Potter wasn't her biological father, and she didn't remember either of them. She also had a family now. Her dad, her mum and of course, all the others. But she had still lost so much that night. She had been through so much pain because of that night. And no one thought of what had happened to her because of that night. No one gave a thought to what had been lost. And it angered her.

She was so lost in her thoughts that she didn't notice anyone in the corridor with her until she collided with them. She fell to the ground, and her books went flying. "Sorry!" She said, grabbing her books, and standing, only to see Draco Malfoy.

"You should be, Mudblood!" He sneered. "Why are you even here? No one wants you around. You're worthless."

Jade flinched, as if physically struck. Those words. They were so terrifyingly close to what was in her dreams. How could something that similar to what she heard every night come from his mouth. She sidestepped him, and hurried away, trying not to show how hurt she was. She needed to clear her head. She'd found in the past few weeks that she had enjoyed flying. It was calming to her. Perhaps it would help this time. She wandered onto the quickly darkening grounds and to the broom shed. A muttered 'Alohamora' later, and she was pulling out one of the better school brooms and was in the air. The rush of air was relaxing. Her books were in her bag, which was on her back, so she didn't have to put them down. She flew for a little while, and was very close to the walls of the grounds when a red spell hit her in the side. The last thing she felt was someone grabbing her and throwing her over a broom like a sack of potatoes.

Hermione frowned as she entered the Room of Requirements. Jade wasn't there. She had been to the library, and Madam Pince had said that she had left almost an hour ago. Hermione turned and shook her head.

"She's not there then?" Neville asked.

"No."

"How about the astronomy tower? It's peaceful. And even though she doesn't remember them, today has to be a hard day for her." Ernie suggested.

"It is, you're right." Hermione said. "Let's go. If she's not there, we'll go back and check the common room and the dorms. If we can't find her, I guess we'll have to go to Professor Sprout."

They almost ran to the Astronomy tower. And found no one. Worry was beginning to set in for the three first years. Jade was never this allusive. And she wasn't anywhere to be found in Hufflepuff either. Not the common room, or the dorm. Really worried now, they hurried to find Professor Sprout, who was in her office.

"How can I help you?" She asked, smiling kindly to them.

"We can't find Jade." Ernie said. "We've searched everywhere! Hermione even searched the toilets in between Jade's usual haunts!"

Professor Sprout frowned. She had never lost one of her students before. "Come with me. All of you."

She lead them from the office and up many flights of stairs to a stone gargoyle. "Jelly Beans." The gargoyle jumped aside to reveal a winding staircase.

"Where are we going Professor?" Hermione asked.

"To see the headmaster. He has a spell that will allow him to tell if a student has or hasn't left the grounds." Professor Sprout said. "If somehow Miss Stark is no longer on the grounds, he will be able to tell." She was worried for the young girl. She was sure that most of the pranks going on were her doing, but they were only harmless fun, and always a good laugh. Plus, she had never been caught, there was no proof it was her, and she was seemingly a model student, homework always the best she could manage, working hard in class. Apart from the one detention, she'd never been in trouble yet.

The three nodded students, and when they reached the top, their head of house knocked on the door.

"Come in." Came the headmaster's voice.

The four entered.

"Ah, Professor Sprout! What can I do to help you today?" Dumbledore asked.

"I have a missing student, headmaster. Jade Stark."

"I'm sure she has just gotten lost." Dumbledore said, his eyes sparkling.

"If I know one thing about Miss Stark, it is that she has an impeccable memory. Miss Granger, Mr Longbottom and Mr McMillan have not been able to fid her in any of the spots she would normally be at."

Dumbledore pulled out his wand. "Then let me put your worries to rest, that she is still on the grounds, somewhere, and will be found, or come back herself. Invenire discipulo Jade Stark in ratione." His wand tip lit up red. His face looked grave. "It seems she is no longer on the grounds. This is indeed worrying. I will have to set up a search party. Professor Sprout, if you would take your students back to their common room. I will get started right away."

As they left, the three students seeming terrified for their friend, Dumbledore frowned. He wouldn't put it past her father to have pulled her out and not informed him, but there was also the option of Voldemort. Perhaps, in case of the first scenario, he should have a better plan in place. A guardian for young Jade. Someone who would keep her at Hogwarts.

Hermione dragged Neville and Ernie into the room she shared with Jade.

"Hermione, what are we doing?" Ernie asked.

"Making an important phone call." Hermione said. She opened Jade's trunk and pulled out her mobile. She searched through contacts, and when she found the name 'dad' she hit call. No one picked up. The same when she hit 'mum'. How could they both be busy? So, she went to the next promising phone number. 'Uncle Steve'.

"Hey Jade." He answered.

"Um, I'm not Jade. I'm her friend Hermione. I cant get hold of her parents."

"What's up? What's happening?" Steve asked.

"She's missing! She's no where on school grounds."

"When was the last time you saw her?"

"Just after last lesson. She didn't want to attend the Halloween Feast. It's a big thing here. She said she'd be in the library. But, when we went looking for her, she wasn't there, or anywhere else she normally went to think."

"And you're sure she isn't on the school grounds?"

"Positive."

"Alright, thank you for telling me about this. I'll make sure Tony knows." He said, before hanging up.

"He said he'd let her dad know. I think that's all we can do." Hermione said.

"Then let's just hope that she can be found." Neville said.

"And that she doesn't end up sharing an anniversary with the Potters." Ernie said grimly. Hermione let out a gasp and swatted him over the back of his head.

"Don't talk like that!" She said, tearing up.

"I'm sorry." Ernie said, rubbing the back of his head, as Neville comforted Hermione. "But you've heard the way she talks sometimes. She doesn't think He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named is gone. What if it was him?"

Hermione just began crying harder.

Steve marched to Fury's office, and threw the door open. The man looked up from some paperwork, startled.

"What can I do for you, Cap?"

"I just got a call from a friend of Jades, using Jade's mobile. She's missing. And Tony and Pepper are both busy- they aren't answering their phones."

"Get the team together. Now! I'll go get Stark. Oh, and have someone activate her tracker that Stark placed in her bracelets."

A/N: Please Review! Thanks to Little-bast for the idea!