Finding a Place to Call Home

Moon: And I'm back real fast with the second chapter! Thank you to everyone who commented, and if I may politely ask - more please! I crave your commentary! Try to make it lengthy, so I know what's working and what isn't! I promise, longer chapters as they actually get into the different wizarding countries, and I promise on a variety of differences! I do not own Harry Potter...and enjoy!

Chapter 2: Realizations

Professor McGonagall was the first person to realize that Harry was missing. And it took her almost an entire day.

In retrospect, it was a clear sign of just how badly they had failed the boy, but noticing that would have been beyond almost everyone inside the school at that point. There was a saying that kids could be cruel and nowhere was that currently truer then a good portion of the students in Harry's fourth year. If muggle parents had been looking in on the situation, they would have assumed Harry's situation had to be exaggerated – this level of bullying was something usually only seen in movies. But a single look from the boy would have confirmed it. Most parents would have clamored for the staff to do something about it. It would be considered appalling. But Britain had become rather lax in those areas, and Dumbledore figured that it would be a good way to toughen Harry up for his inevitable battle with the Dark Lord. He figured the other students would come around in time, and that it was just schoolyard arguing.

It was a pity Wizarding Britain didn't have child psychologists. They would have had a word for Harry's treatment – bullying.

Ron had basically become a de facto leader of the fourth year Gryffindor boys after Harry's name came out, but many of them quickly became frustrated with him. He had a loud voice and louder opinions, and got into fights easily. He started serving more and more detentions. Hermione was still putting her hand up in all the classes, but found that fewer people were prepared to tolerate her domineering and perfectionist attitude for very long.

Some of the other Gryffindors began throwing them resentful looks, looks they would have held back if Harry was still part of the house. The Slytherins never failed to throw snide remarks at the two of them and fewer people payed attention to them. Ron and Hermione started to realize that without Harry they were a trio adrift, and they didn't have the same weight that they did before they had turned on him. Hermione was mostly wondering why Harry would cheat; she had thought that she was a good influence on him. Ron was still burning over the fact that Harry couldn't be bothered to tell his 'best mate' how he managed to enter himself in the tournament.

Neville Longbottom was in a quandary. He was a timid boy and too afraid to stand up to anyone in Harry's defense. He just hoped his grandmother wouldn't find out that he'd failed to uphold his sworn duty as she'd taught him from birth – to be at Harry's side in all things. The Potters and the Longbottoms had a longstanding alliance that was birthed from this. With any luck, he thought, this entire mess would blow over and be forgotten about.

The Hufflepuffs were pleased that Harry was isolating himself and avoiding everyone. They figured this was the best way for their champion to get back the attention he would have received sooner had Harry not been chosen. They had been remarkably vindictive towards him considering that their house trait was loyalty, something that you'd think they'd show another member of their school. Ravenclaw either sat on the sidelines or joined in while Slytherin watched in silence.

It would be good for them, if Gryffindor was taken down a peg by their treatment of their star seeker and the boy who lived. Then the school might stop seeing them as social pariahs and they would be able to return to their roots as an intelligent, cunning group instead of a bunch of loudmouthed Voldemort supporters.

Dumbledore was a bit disconcerted by the sheer fury of the student response. He had been certain that this was the best way to go – to keep Harry isolated, to keep him focused on his goal instead of becoming placid or big headed. Sure, perhaps some of them were being a bit overzealous, but Harry was a good boy with a lot of love in his heart. It would all blow over likely before Christmas and he will have learned to rely on his friends, and that he couldn't expect to stand on his own.

He'd avoided his friend's first attempt at apologizing, sure, and he'd done better at his fight against the dragon then he should have, but that wasn't serious. He'd stop his moping before the ball and ask someone who might become his later romantic mate – either the Granger girl or the youngest Weasley would do nicely in that area, Dumbledore thought. He'd be even more popular with his house then before.

Sirius Black was getting worried. He hadn't heard anything from his godson ever since he had started school, which was unusual. Perhaps he should send him another letter.

McGonagall was the first one to go looking for Harry. She knew the boy had been avoiding everyone , but she had a good idea where to look and he needed to know something.

But then she checked the kitchen, the library, the Quidditch pitch and the common room, and she still couldn't find him. She went looking for Hermione and Ron, figuring they would know where he was.

"Ms Granger, may I have a moment of your time?" She asked, catching the young girl arguing with Ron in the hallway.

"Yes Professor?" Hermione said, a little irritated that she'd been interrupted from another attempt at convincing Ron of the importance of SPEW.

"Have either of you seen Harry? I've looked all over the school to tell him that he would be in need of a date to the Yule Ball, and I can't seem to find him."

Ron scowled. "He's probably hiding somewhere, making a martyr out of himself. Oh look at me, I'm Harry Potter and I suffer so much! Pity me and give me all your attention!"

McGonagall fixed Ron with a withering look. "Now now Master Weasley, is that any way we talk about our friends?"

"I tried to apologize to him, and he's making a great big deal out of it," Ron continued to mutter, ignoring the transfiguration professor. "Doesn't even talk to the Quidditch team anymore. What more does he want?"

Hermione decided to intervene at this point. "We haven't seen him, Professor." When she said this, she realized that she hadn't seen very much of Harry at all over the past few days. "In fact I'm not exactly sure of where to look for him."

"Why's that? I thought the three of you were inseparable," McGonagall said in surprise. She new intellectually that Harry had been facing some unpleasantness from the other students over his unorthodox picking as the fourth member of the Tournament, but surely it couldn't be that serious. After all, she'd gone to Dumbledore about it and asked what she should do about it when she saw those unfriendly buttons going around, but he'd said it was just a typical schoolyard argument and nothing serious.

"Usually," Ron said sulkily, "It's great having him around, with all the attention and the Quidditch victories he racks up, but now he's probably sulking somewhere. He's been doing it for weeks. He's in the Tri-Wizard Tournament? What's he playing at?"

"I think," McGonagall said sternly, "That he's having a bit of trouble dealing with those Buttons I've seen students wearing. Is that really how you're going to treat a fellow student?"

"I didn't make them," Ron said like a child being reprimanded. "Probably some Hufflepuff throwing a tantrum because their champion should be representing Hogwarts. They should be used to being overshadowed by now."

"For goodness sakes Mr. Weasley! This is a school, and it's unbecoming of a Gryffindor to speak such low opinions of your fellow students!" McGonagall exclaimed. She never would have expected this sort of behavior out of the boy in front of her. She'd known many Weasleys and they were usually quite decent people.

Neither Hermione nor Ron had anything to say to that. "Now, where do you think I should look for him?"

Ron shrugged. "Try his dorm, I suppose. He's been crying up there a few times, like he's six years old or something. It's embarrassing."

McGonagall didn't like Weasley's tone, but she was more concerned over this allegation that Harry had been crying a few times. Why would he do that? She had never seen Harry cry, even in the many times he'd been sent to the hospital wing for the injuries he tended to attract. She pursed her lips. Was he taking the existance of these buttons harder then Dumbledore had believed? Perhaps she should have a talk with Professor Sprout later about controlling her house. With that thought, she made her way to the Gryffindor tower.

McGonagall made her way inside and up to the boy's dorm. Neville and Dean where in the common room, but there was no sign of Harry. She walked over to his bed and stopped.

The boy's trunk was gone, the bed made and the curtains pulled. It looked as though no one had ever slept in it. Concerned, McGonagall walked around it. Had someone taken his trunk?

She pulled the curtain open. No Harry. Now McGonagall was truly stumped. Where on earth was the boy? She had looked absolutely...everywhere...

Could it be? No. Harry had never left the castle before unless it was an absolute emergency, or one of his mad adventures. He wouldn't simply abandon Hogwarts, that just wasn't like him.

Finally, McGonagall noticed that there was something sitting against the pillow of the neatly made bed.

There was a small note with no address and a small signature, written in Harry's handwriting. It looked rushed, as though he'd printed it at the last second before rushing off somewhere. She picked it up and read it quickly.

I've tried all I can imagine

I've begged and pleaded in true lover's fashion

I've got pride. I'm taking it for a ride.

Don't look for me.

-Harry Potter

McGonagall's eyes widened, she stared at the contents of the paper for several long seconds before their meaning registered. Strangely enough, the first thing she realized was that it sounded rather like a muggle song she'd heard somewhere before understanding that it meant Harry was gone.

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Dumbledore was sitting in his office, turning the Elder Wand over in his hand and deep in thought. It had been hard for him to get his hands on this, as well as locating the other two Hallows. To think that after all these years, Death's gifts had finally reappeared. It was good that he, one of the most beloved light wizards ever, had found out about them, rather then some other, more unscrupulous individual.

Dumbledore figured that once Tom identified his wand as the Elder Wand, he would start searching for the stone and the cloak as well. The cloak was with Harry, who was Dumbledore's protege and therefore in good hands, while the stone he had sealed inside the boy's first snitch. It was all perfect, and part of his ever expanding plan.

There was a brisk knock on the door. Dumbledore glanced at Fawkes, he hadn't been expecting any visitors tonight. Perhaps it was another student here to complain about Harry's placement in the tournament. He was growing tired of dealing with them.

As it turned out, it wasn't a student, it was Minvera McGonagall, looking pale and worried. "Ah, McGonagall. Have you found young Harry? It would be rather embarrassing for Hogwarts if he were to appear at the Yule Ball without a date. Perhaps you could suggest Ms Granger or-?"

"He's gone." McGonagall gasped out, glaring at Dumbledore.

Dumbledore wasn't sure if he had heard that right, "I beg your pardon?"

"I mean he's gone. Disappeared. Vanished. No where in the castle that I have seen! His bed is made, his trunk is gone, and no one, not even his friends know where he is." McGonagall snapped, her glare intensifying.

Disappeared. Gone. Those words echoed in Dumbledore's head. He stood up immediately. Had the boy gone to Gringotts? Had he discovered something, and kept silent with the knowledge? "Where did you last see him?"

"In class, yesterday." McGonagall retorted. "I'm beginning to think that the students treatment of him was more serious then you were saying! The things Ronald Weasley said to me-"

"He must just be upset, Minerva, it will blow over," Dumbledore said the false reassurance with little enthusiasm, he was more concerned about where his most valuable student was. "Summon the ghosts and the other teachers. Have them search everywhere. He's a student, he couldn't have gotten far.

Wizard Express to Magical Paris, France

Harry examined the map in front of him – or at least, pretended to. He was mostly trying not to look at Astoria, because he was pretty sure he'd start blushing if he did.

His main concern once they'd hit the streets of London was that a pair of oddly dressed, unrelated children wandering around after dark would catch them attention they couldn't afford. Luckily, he'd been able to find a clothes store quickly enough.

Astoria had been absolutely fascinated with everything inside the shop, and had taken almost two hours to pick two outfits out and only left reluctantly at the promise that they would shop more after they got out of London. Harry wasn't sure how long it would be until the staff realized they were missing and had Aurors out searching London for them. She'd asked him almost endless questions about every muggle thing she saw, from light fixtures to the cash register. She stared at passing muggles as if they were something she'd never seen before, and she'd accidentally set off an alarm when leaving one shop. She asked him what kind of creature could possibly cause the screeching of the alarms.

Astoria had stepped out of the change room, dressed in a black t-shirt with a Mockingjay on it, jeans and black shoes. Seeing her in the Hogwarts uniform had been one thing, but muggle clothes were much less concealing. Her happiness made her seem to radiate, almost, and Harry had barely been able to look straight at her without feeling his face burning. As an emotionally repressed child, he hadn't really understood girls before, even when Hermione entered his life.

Astoria seemed to be inducing new feelings in him – just like she'd given him the nerve to run away.

Then there was his scar. Astoria had offered to cast a glamour, but Harry found that muggle make up concealed the scar with less strain on the pair of them. He was tempted to dye his black hair as well; but the train they wanted to catch left in a quickly approaching deadline and he decided to do so later.

The Wizard Express was almost like the train to Hogwarts, in that it was concealed within a real muggle subway system. They'd stumbled around London for a while before Harry realized he was holding the map upside down. Nerves could do that to you. Harry had never truly run away before, except last year, and his stomach was a knot of anticipation.

They had followed the crowd downstairs, dragging their trunks along and vanishing seamlessly into the crowd. Hedwig had squeaked in distress as they went underground; Harry silently promised her that he'd let her out at the first opportunity.

"Well, it says here, Wizard Express, train to Paris. In between North and South," Astoria read aloud as they stepped downstairs. A nearby muggle looked strangely at her but said nothing.

Harry had nearly jumped out of his skin when a doorway opened up through the floor between the north and southbound train platforms, something that made Astoria giggle. It was a short stairway leading down onto another floor, and when Harry looked around none of the other muggles paid them mind.

"That's incredible!" He said, surprised. Astoria giggled.

"This train station's probably older then the muggle one," She said, "Built by the International Confederation of Wizards when the muggles first invented them. It's a mostly underground one, see. The muggles ended up building on top of it."

"I didn't realize there was an international train line," Harry said in amazement. "Where else does it go?"

"I'm pretty sure it goes to all the countries that are part of the ICW, at least all the ones connected by land. Then you take a muggle ferry or an oversea portkey." Astoria said. She looked oddly at Harry. "You really don't know any of this, do you?"

Harry shook his head. "No. Tell me more, please?" He asked pleadingly.

Astoria giggled and nodded, her blonde hair falling over her shoulders as she did so. "Sure, Harry."

"Excuse me," They looked down to the steps. There had been a man waiting for them to take their tickets, too. "Are you coming or not?"

Harry and Astoria blushed. "Sorry, got a bit caught up in it all." Harry said apologetically.

The man chuckled. "Ah, muggleborn, eh? They're always a bit starry-eyed before they get used to it. Charming, really."

The two former Hogwarts students entered the Wizard Express, the door closing behind them. Astoria gave their tickets to the man, who paused and looked critically at them. "Off to Paris, both of you?" He said. "A bit late for a train for ones your age, huh?"

"Early, actually." Astoria had said, a beaming smile on her face. "We're going to my family reunion, and I just couldn't sleep tonight with excitement! Mum got us the earliest train possible; she'll be coming along later with Grandmother, I imagine."

Harry wondered if all Slytherins could lie that easily. The ticket man smiled at Astoria, "Harry Evans aaaaand Astoria Dusley. Right, these are your seats, breakfast will be served in a few hours." He pointed in the direction of their train.

It was further down a bustling platform, a long, sleek silver snake twice as long as the Hogwarts Express. There were many doors, and if Harry looked inside he could see tables and chairs almost like a restaurant on the inside. There were large windows and it had an expensive and expressive flare to its appearance. Wizards and witches were already boarding it, looking tired, eager or determined.

Harry and Astoria smiled at each other and rushed off to the doorway. They handed their tickets to the boarding manager. "Would you like those taken to the cargo hold?" He asked, indicating their trunks."

"That would be nice," Harry said, lifting Hedwig's cage and a smaller bag containing his maps and the memo pad he'd be using to keep track of their plans off the trunk. The man yelled at another, and the trunks were magically lifted up and moved further down the train.

"They'll fly back to you as soon as your off the train." The doorman said cheerfully.

"Thank you!" Astoria said happily, and the two of them stepped on. Harry was impressed, once again, as he took in the inside of the train.

It seemed bigger on the inside, with many, many personal compartments going down on either side of the red-carpeted hallway. People walked in and out, talking to waiters and people in the bunkers across from them. Harry glanced inside the nearest one and saw the table turn into a comfortable-looking bed.

"I love magic," He said wonderingly.

Astoria gently tugged at his wrist and lead him down the hallway, muttering "Bunker number eighty-eight, it says..." she murmured. "Further down the hall." Hedwig chirped, her cage swaying slightly as Harry made his way down the hall until they finally found their seats.

Astoria pulled the door open, and Harry looked in and smiled.

There was a table and two long chairs, it could seat eight at full capacity but it would be just them. Four warm lights lit up the room from the ceiling chandelier. There was a rug and a window with a nice view of the station.

Astoria looked speculatively at the table. "I wonder..." She glanced down at her pamphlet and then at the table. "Bed, please!" She said.

There was a flash, and Harry couldn't help but laugh in amazement as the table and chairs turned into a large, fluffy bed with a nightstand. Curtains fell across the window, blocking out outside view. The lights dimmed and the door locked. All automatically and in less then a minute.

"I could get used to this," He said admiringly.

Astoria looked critically at the bed. "Is it big enough for both of us?" She asked.

Harry blinked, and then blushed bright red. Sleeping arrangements hadn't occurred to him, and now he wanted to melt into the rug. Astoria looked equally embarrassed. For a second, they both just stood there, staring at the floor as they considered their options.

"..."

Harry scraped together all his Gryffindor courage and turned to Astoria. "Do you want the right?" He managed, nearly choking on the words.

Astoria looked relieved. "Uh, sure!"

Back at Hogwarts

Dumbledore was furious and frantic. He had all the teachers and all the ghosts going around the clock looking for Harry, and they hadn't turned up a single thing.

How had the boy left? Why had he left? Surely he knew about the Tournament and how important it was! The Yule Ball was tomorrow! Hogwarts would be extremely embarrassed if one of their champions didn't turn up to the event. His credence as a Headmaster would go under questioning if it was suggested that he couldn't keep track of one of his most important students. It was Harry Potter, after all, the one student he had put so much effort into keeping track of.

An entire day of fruitless searching – where many students of all houses were interrogated ruthlessly – Harry still hadn't been found. Malfoy was still looking rather windblown after Minerva's interrogation. Everyone seemed as confused as he felt.

Dumbledore hated being confused or lost. The first war had taught him that every little bit of control mattered, no matter who or what it was. Especially if it was one of your most important assets.

Now why would Harry run away from the school? He'd taken his trunk and his owl with him, and left no indication in his letter of where he was going or why, at least nothing concrete. I've tried all I can imagine – clearly Harry had taken his schoolmate's reactions much harder then he should have.

He would have thought the boy would have developed thicker skin by this point.

Where could he have gone? Not to Little Whining; Dumbledore couldn't imagine the boy running away from the school that was his new home, back to a place where the muggles mistreated him and belittled him, and were probably in worse temper then usual after Arthur's unorthodox visit to their house.

"Must you keep me here, Dumbledore?" Snape said, sounding frustrated. "I have business to attend to. Obviously the Potter brat has gone off somewhere. Let Minvera deal with it, he's in her house."

"Now now, Severus, a student is missing. We must keep looking until we find him," Dumbledore said in the usual kind grandfatherly voice he had used for years. His frustration didn't show, which was impressive even considering his years.

Flitwick and McGonagall returned to his office, looking worn. "Any news?" Dumbledore asked them as gently as he could, trying not to let his impatience or panic show.

"The Fat Lady says she let Harry leave the Gryffindor Common Room with his trunk last night." McGonagall reported, looking worn and worried. "But he didn't tell her what he was doing or where he was going. He just said that he had to meet someone, and walked off."

"The other ghosts say that they never saw him in the hallways, either," Flitwick added. "None of the other students seemed to understand what happened either. It's as if he has disappeared into thin air. I don't quite understand it myself."

Disappeared into thin air...of course. The boy must have left the castle with the help of his invisibility cloak. Dumbledore hadn't thought much of it when he had returned the cloak to Harry, now he was beginning to regret it. No wonder no one had seen him.

"Did Harry seem...disquiet in any of your classes?" Dumbledore asked.

Evidently this was a sore spot for McGonagall, because she erupted like a volcano. "Disquiet? I suppose that's the word for a boy who's being lied to and continually abused by just about everyone in this castle! He always seemed so distressed and so unhappy ever since his name came out in that thrice-damned goblet, and you wouldn't even let me stand up for him. He's rarely seen in the halls anymore, and in class he always sits and the back and rarely speaks to anyone!"

"I agree with Minerva," Flitwick said, his voice squeaker then usual. "Harry seemed exhausted, angry and worn down whenever I saw him in class. I called on him a few times but he rarely said more then that. I never see him with Ms Granger and Mr. Weasley any more, and a few times I've seen some of my own students being cruel to him in the hallways. Forgive me, but I'm beginning to question your management of this entire tournament situation."

Dumbledore pinched the bridge of his nose and resisted the urge to groan in annoyance. The tournament was important to the boy's growth as a person, he was certain of it. Harry had more maturing to do before he faced Voldemort and a real-life crash course in battles against incredible odds would be good preparation for that. They wouldn't understand if he told them though. "I'm sure they will get over it."

"They haven't gotten over it, that's the problem!" McGonagall exclaimed. "Even I haven't been helping him, which is a point of shame for me, because you asked me to! I can't imagine what you think having him compete in this tournament will accomplish!"

"I told you before Minerva, my hands are tied in the matter."

"But you heard what Alastar said! Only an extremely powerful wizard could have Confounded the cup into forgetting that only three schools were involved with the tournament! There's only a handful of people who could have done so, how many of them were in that room that night?" McGonagall demanded.

There was a sharp scream from somewhere further down the hall. It was followed by another, and then by a cacophony of screaming and stomping feet all coming from the great hall.

Dumbledore followed a racing McGonagall, Flitwick and Severus into the Great Hall, where most of the students were pressed against the walls staring down at something.

There was a body on the floor dressed in Mad-Eye's coat. A body, however, that didn't resemble the grizzled old auror in the slightest.

Severus stared at the body for a long moment. "Barty Crouch?" He said in disbelief.

Later

Dumbledore was glad he had a glass of firewhisky on hand later that night. It was going way past the time he usually got to sleep, and he was no closer to a reprieve then he was when Barty's body was first found in the hall.

The other Headmasters were in the office, Karkeroff looking extremely unnerved and put on the spot. Snape was standing by the doorway, trying not to shoot Dumbledore yet another look that would plainly say 'I told you so'. Minvera was pacing like a caged cat. They were being joined by Amelia Bones and Cornelius Fudge.

"This will make it the third time you've managed to let someone with close ties to He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named into this school," Amelia Bones informed Dumbledore dryly. She had to be informed of everything that had gone on since the start of the tournament, and she wasn't pleased with her niece's behaviour, for starters. The news that Harry was missing and that they had found the man who had put his name in had just made her worse.

"You're sure its him?" Fudge asked for the third time.

Snape let out an impatient snort. "Yes, Minister. The Goblet's reaction was watched by the Hogwarts ghost the Bloody Baron, never mind that the resulting explosion was heard ringing from the walls inside the school. I checked the signature and confirmed. Barty Crouch Jr., was the one who put Harry's name in the goblet. Ergo, he's the one who lost his magic."

"An' this killed 'im?" Maxine asked, her voice heavy with concern. Now that she knew that Harry truly hadn't been entered by his own design, she was looking back badly on the way she and her students had been behaving towards him.

"He seemed rather frail." Fudge said. "But how? How did he get out of Azkaban?"

"Perhaps you should ask that of the senior Crouch," Amelia said tartly. "But I understand that's not the matter of concern right now. Now the student in question – who was entered illegally" Dumbledore fought the urge to wince. "-has gone missing?"

"Yes," McGonagall said, hanging her head. After she'd realized that Harry was truly missing, she was starting to feel extremely guilty over the happenings of the past few weeks and that she'd done nothing to prevent it.

"And you have no idea where he might have gone." Amelia added, scorn becoming evident in her voice. "There's no trace of him anywhere."

Dumbledore did wince this time; this was not going to reflect well on him if or when it hit the news. Given what a magnet Harry was, it was only a matter of time before it hit the airwaves if they didn't find him before that.

Dumbledore wondered if the boy was holed up somewhere, burning with resentment, speaking with Rita Skeeter or anyone who would hear him out for a few galleons.

Fudge glanced at Dumbledore. "And why would he leave, exactly?" He said with a searching look. Fudge's opinion of Dumbledore seemed to be dropping lately, as Dumbledore had begun to voice his concerns over Voldemort's potential return and his insistence that Dementors not be used as prison guards.

Maxine and Karkeroff looked at each other and shrugged, though it didn't escape Amelia's notice that the Drumstrang Headmaster looked like he wanted to be just about anywhere else at the moment.

"He competed in one of the tasks, did he not? Why would he suddenly decide to leave after facing off against a dragon?" Fudge pressed.

"I think..." Dumbledore began.

"Many students were less then receptive of Potter's unusual inclusion in the Tournament." Snape cut in, his voice heavy with his usual iciness. "And I'm referring to all the students, though the worst of it came from the Hufflepuff wizards."

"Can you elaborate on that?" There was a note of sarcasm in Amelia's voice; Dumbledore knew she was quite cross with him for not allowing her to investigate some of the questionable goings-on inside Hogwarts and didn't expect to be given information.

There was a look of surprise on her face when Severus actually responded; "There were buttons passed around that would say 'Potter Stinks' on them. He was regularly harassed, ridiculed and occasionally hexed in the hallways. His food was often stolen or overturned when he tried to eat at the table, and no one would sit near him, even those who had been his friends before this. People seemed to believe anything said about him – as long as it was negative."

"My boy, surely you exaggerate the situation slightly-" Dumbledore tried again, but Snape shook his head, his trademark sneer in place.

"I hardly exaggerate, Headmaster, you can ask Ronald Weasley or Hannah Abbot if you don't believe me. I was in the hallway when Ronald told Potter he wasn't welcome in the Gryffindor Common Room. And I saw Abbot send a curse at his back when he crossed the hallway once."

"And you didn't step in?" Amelia asked, her tone flinty.

"I released him from the curse, if that's what your asking," Snape responded. "And I took the information about the attack and what Weasley had said up to Dumbledore and McGongall, who said they'd handle it. I heard nothing more of it, though Weasley's attitude in my class continued to be poor, while Potter was starting to isolate himself from the rest of the school."

Dumbledore shot a brief glare at Snape. He knew that his spy didn't agree with all his plans, but was that really necessary? He thought he'd made it clear only to tell the Ministry what they needed to know.

"So he was being bullied." Amelia summarized. "Shunned. Told he was unwanted. And he took the hint and left, to who knows where. The only child of two people who sacrificed themselves to protect him and this country from Voldemort."

Her voice had gotten dry as a desert. McGonagall was staring at the floor. Fudge looked vindicated, while the other Headmasters watched the scene grimly.

There was a knock on the door. Dumbledore grabbed at the reprieve gratefully and said, "It might be a student coming with news. Come in!" He called, waving a hand. The door opened.

"Um, excuse me..."

A timid voice sounded from the doorway. The adults turned around to see a frazzled looking Daphne Greengrass standing in the doorway, looking intimidated by the people inside.

"Ah, Miss Greengrass, I believe? We're a bit tied up at the moment, if you don't mind holding onto your questions for a little." Dumbledore said pleasantly.

"I might know what's going on..." Daphne said, shifting from one foot to the other.

"You think?" Amelia echoed. "Do continue. What exactly do you think you know?"

Snape nodded at his student to continue. Daphne swallowed, walked inside and placed a note on Dumbledore's desk. "My sister – Astoria – disappeared from school. I've been looking for her, and she's gone. Just yesterday. Around the same time."

There was a pause in the office. Dumbledore's mind worked furiously. Astoria Greengrass...her father was Lord Daniel Greengrass...he'd been neutral in the last war. Was this an abduction? Had he changed his loyalties and wanted to prove it? He took another pull of firewhisky as he considered the possibilities, none of them good.

Daphne gulped again, and murmured, "I think..."

"They eloped?" McGonagall said incredulously. Daphne nodded uneasily.

Dumbledore nearly choked on his mouthful. McGonagall continued. "Astoria, right? Astoria Greengrass? But – but they've hardly ever exchanged a conversation! I declare, I don't think I ever saw them talk in class! I don't know if they even share classes!"

"Has your sister spoken of him?" Dumbledore asked Daphne, leaning over in his chair, looming over her like a judge.

Daphne shifted, her fingers clasping and unclasping. "My sister...she's different from other girls. She's different..." She paused. "She doesn't want to settle down. I keep telling her to network, to prepare for her role as Lady Greengrass, but she keeps telling me that she wants to get a job, to see the world. She's always so wild. Father's been searching for ways to get her to settle down, but nothing seems to work. But...but I didn't think she'd run off. Oh, I hope father won't be too angry..." She swallowed again, clearly worrying over the ramifications of her sister's decision.

Dumbledore knew that if her father was a staunch pureblood, and he'd thought Astoria had eloped with a halfblood, he wouldn't be able to banish her from the family fast enough. However, Daniel was a quiet man after he lost his wife Angela, and swore he'd never remarry. It seemed unlikely that he'd want to leave himself with only one Heir.

But was that what this was? Elopement? He'd been so sure that he was controlling Harry's ability to form romantic attachments – or even think about such things – had he missed something while Harry was isolating himself?

"If they left at the same time, it stands likely that they left together." Amelia mused, clearly thinking the whole situation over. "It's only been a day, and they're still minors. I suggest we go to Gringotts; I doubt they've gotten far."

In the Common Rooms

"So, Harry's eloped with Astoria, huh?" Tracy Davis asked Su Li.

"That's what I heard!" The Ravenclaw told the other girl enthusiastically. "Astoria was such a wild girl she didn't want to live in a pureblood world, and when she saw how everyone's been treating him she offered to run away with him! Isn't that romantic?"

The two girls giggled over this as Hermione walked past, her fingers digging into the cover of her book. She glanced in the direction of Daphne Greengrass and her grip on her book grew tighter still, determined not to cry or get angry.

She had thought, when Harry started distancing himself from her, that she might have made a mistake by letting Ron influence her opinion of him after he was chosen for the Tournament. She'd fooled herself into thinking that what she was doing wasn't serious, and they'd be back hanging around together once the boy's initial tempers had run their course.

Then Harry had avoided her after the first task, when she would have tried to apologize to him. She was seeing how foolish she had been – clearly he wouldn't want to fight a monster like that by choice, and the cold shoulder the other students had been giving her was another indication that she might be doing things wrong.

And now Harry was gone and reality hit her in the face with the finesse of a dead fish. She'd abandoned him. Her first real friend, who she thought she might have been developing feelings for, and she had abandoned him.

And now – now he was running away with a girl? With a Slytherin girl? Hermione's stomach burned. Had he been seeing this girl while he was isolated from Hermione? When she hadn't been looking, he'd been talking to this other girl...

Astoria – Hermione had a vague recollection of that girl, she was in Ginny's year and her sister Daphne was known as the Ice Queen of Slytherin.

Hermione glanced at Daphne. She was beautiful, more beautiful then the plain bookworm who talked to much in class. Her sister probably looked a lot like her. Suddenly, Hermione's brain was filled with images of Harry talking and laughing on a playground somewhere with a pretty blonde girl, and her eyes began to burn.

Ron watched as Hermione darted into her dorm, angry and bewildered. Harry was gone? Ran off? Just like that? Why would he do that? He was part of the tournament. He had all the girls. All the attention. Was that just not enough for him? He had to get more attention by running away, playing the wounded fragile orphan. And Hermione was more worried about him then she wanted to have conversations with Ron. It was an annoying state of affairs.

Susan knew she was in trouble when her auntie fixed her with a glare before going towards Dumbledore's office. Auntie Amelia rarely glared at her. Was she on Harry's side to? Harry...Harry had run away from school. Maybe she'd gone too far? She hadn't imagined him running away. It was just school stuff. Would he take it that personally?

Well, her aunt would find him, right? He couldn't be that far.

With Harry, most of the way to Magical Paris

Warm golden rose light streamed past the curtains, drawing intricate designs on the walls and ceilings as Harry opened his eyes. There was light rumbling of the wheels whistling over the tracks. Blinking rapidly, he tried to focus, finding his mind a little sluggish. The bed was wonderful, he thought distantly. Considering how little sleep he'd gotten since the night he and Astoria had left Hogwarts, it was more then welcome.

At that thought, Harry looked down at the bed next to him. Astoria was still asleep, her hair splayed out over the pillows and sheets and gleaming in the dying sunlight. Harry felt his heart thumping in his ribcage; it hadn't been that hard to fall asleep next to her, to his surprise. The soft rhythm of her breathing had actually helped him get to sleep.

Hedwig was chirping eagerly and batting at the sides of her cage. We must be close, Harry realized as he put a hand on the cage. Hedwig often got like that when she realized the end of a drive was getting closer; she didn't have a great fondness for Vernon's car.

He glanced out the window and had his breath taken away.

Gently, he reached down and touched his companion's shoulder. "Astoria, wake up. You've got to see this."

Astoria sighed and sleepily opened her green eyes. "What..." She pushed herself into a sitting position and saw Harry kneeling at the window. "Are we there yet?"

"Not quite. But look at this."

Astoria blinked and then followed Harry's finger. Her eyes widened. "Oh Merlin."

The dazzling City of Lights lay out on the ground below them, glowing like crystal. The train was zipping along a highly elevated track, one that lead into...

Harry had to blink a few times before he saw it, and when he did he laughed and laughed. "Wow." He said. "I knew the French did things differently, but...wow."

The magical portion of France seemed to exist directly on top of its muggle counterpart, like layers on a cake, or veils between a window and the road outside. Buildings built on top of buildings, platforms stretching across roads. Shops that were muggle at first glance rearranged themselves into wizard stores in the blink of an eye. What looked like cars at first glance were actually giant wolf like creatures with young riders tearing down the road, with muggle police vehicles struggling to keep up. Tall spires appeared from some buildings, clearly observatories of some sort. Streets turned into long green pathways. Some buildings actually seemed to float in the air, above the oblivious muggle's heads.

And it all vanished like ripples in water if Harry wasn't concentrating.

"This was a brilliant idea." Astoria whispered. "If this is Pairs, Australia can wait."

End Chapter

They'll get to Australia eventually, but as you'll see next chapter they decided to stop off in some other places while they're on their way there. Suggestions for possible locations are perfectly welcome! Also - should I keep following what's going on back in Britain, or should I stick solely with Harry and Astoria and have them come back to a radically different Britain?

Read and Review please!