Prisoner of Azkaban

Chapter Twelve

Visitors

Xerxes Academy

Mrs. Weasley and Mrs. Longbottom arrived as prearranged just after the morning arrivals of students. They were met by Remus Lupin, who looked a bit tired as usual this close to the full moon, but he smiled cheerily at them and led the way to the guest cottage that the two women would be sharing just outside the campus. "For safety of the student body, guests are housed outside the gates of the school but inside Xerxes itself." Remus explained as he showed them inside. "We have several high-profile students in attendance, and it is for the best."

"High Profile? What do you mean?" Mrs. Longbottom asked as she sat down with her bag.

"We have the children of the leaders of Xing, Drachma, and Amestris currently attending this academy with the likelihood of more added in the near future." Remus explained. "Though there are treaties in place and have been for several years, the battles before them lasted far longer and there are unfortunately, some concern for the possibility of someone attempting to ignite tensions again. All very normal given the circumstance. None of the High-Profile students reside here, they are all day students, so there is no concern for the dorms I assure you."

'My Ron said his friend Yuery was out all week, is that normal?" Mrs. Weasley asked as she set aside her own bag.

"Not at all, though not completely unheard of either. We have had times before where one or more of our students missed time in classes. We tend to send along their homework and hope they return shortly." Remus replied. "Yuery, William, and Maes have been signed out for the rest of the week on a family matter. I am sure this was what had your child so concerned."

"I see. So, he is expected back soon then? My Ron seems rather attached to the child and I would hate for them to be disappointed over something so easily corrected." Mrs. Weasley said.

"As they are High Profile students…I'm not at liberty to say." Remus replied, "Tell Dumbledore to stop fretting, the child is perfectly safe and healthy. I do hope that wasn't the only reason for this visit."

"Sirius Black is trying to locate Harry Potter." Mrs. Longbottom added, "we are here to ensure he hasn't somehow arrived and is near our children."

"Of course, he isn't here. How could he be? No one has told him this location." Remus huffed. "I did go to see him, but I never gave him any information. I was hunting it instead."

"What do you mean?" Mrs. Weasley asked, but Remus didn't respond. Any further information would fall under the category of the Vow aside from Sirius' innocence which neither woman would be willing to listen to at this point… though now that he had them here, it was a good time to bring up the Rat that had been mentioned to him by several parties now. "Mrs. Weasley, Ron's pet rat, Scabbers I believe? How long have you owned him?"

"Oh, several years now, but unfortunately, an animal broke in not that long ago and the poor thing must have been eaten. We haven't seen him since. Poor thing was really getting on in years too." Mrs. Weasley said sadly. "Why do you ask?"

"The rat behaved in a rather strange manner; I have heard. It was believed it may have needed loser examination." Remus frowned. Pettigrew wasn't dead, surely. Sirius would have written if he was, which meant that damned rat had escaped. He had pieced together Scabbers true identity a few weeks ago after speaking to Yuery and Edward over how the rat felt to them. If the rat had somehow managed to Escape completely, it wouldn't arrive here, however. The protection spells would not allow it to pass the borders. He was an enemy and threat after all.

He leads the women to the campus to meet up with their children during the free period, he would have to inform the others of this development. Severus Snape was standing near the children when the adults arrived. Mrs. Weasley and Longbottom went off to visit with the children while Remus went to warn Severus what he had learned so far and that Dumbledore was clearly trying again to drag the boy back to England with them.

London England

Sirius had not intended to return to begging from the friendly woman. He had intended to sneak into his mother's house to find anything he could on the location of Cselkcess. His mother's house was warded however, it seemed that the Order was currently watching it. He couldn't trust them, not with them taking in 'Former' Death Eaters. So, he returned to his alley to think.

It was possible to find an empty wizard's home while they were away. He could then look up any information available, but the issue was really that the lost continent was a myth most had never heard of, therefore it was unlikely to have anything easily accessible. The Black Family Library had books and maps on the subject, for reasons he had never bothered to understand. He had seen the maps as a child, but to try to remember them exactly, all these years later, seemed nearly impossible.

He ate the offered dinner absentmindedly, as he tried to think of a different approach to his house then. His mother had died, so the house was his. It would recognize him as its master; however, he would have to be careful not to raise any alarm as he unbound the spells used to watch for him. There was no other reasonable choice. He had to get there, before Wormtail, that traitor.

Perhaps he might be able to take a cargo train for part of the journey, but he doubted he would be able to pass the entire journey in that manner, so it would be best to plan for several days on foot. With that in mind, he would also need supplies. Another reason to go to the house. After that he waited for nightfall. The cover of darkness would help to hide him from possible eyes.

Reseembool, Amestris

Elric House

Alphonse and Edward had decided the boys would return with Alphonse to Xerxes next week. Edward would be staying here to help Winry pack up Granny's house, and the girls would be heading back to Central with Dad the day before the boys and Al left. Their Dad had arrived on the morning train, to find both of his sons and his daughter-in-law in tears, the children still in bed.

He had ushered them all back to their rooms gently. "I know this is hard, I will care for the children. It may be better for the smaller ones at any rate, as they are accustomed to my presence before breakfast."

"We told them all last night; you won't have to break the news." Ed said sadly, as he went up the stairs. "I really should stay up with you though, they are used to me being there too, as you said it will make it easier."

"Not today, Edward. Take a couple of hours. I can handle my grandchildren, comfort your wife." Roy patted Edward on the shoulder, "Then, when you need comforting, come find me. I will likely take them out to the garden after breakfast."

"Rebecca will be by in about ten minutes with eggs and toast, she offered last night." Winry sniffled softly. "She was going to mind them for us had you not arrived."

"Then I have plenty of time to get them ready for the day." Roy assured them, "Go rest."

"Dad." Al said after Ed and Winry disappeared. "If you could, please contact Severus. Ask him if he could bring Mei out…I think she would want to be here as well."

"Of course." Roy answered, as he hugged his younger son. "The same goes to you as your brother. When you need me, come find me."

"Thank you." Al sighed as he disappeared into his own room. Roy then turned to the girls' room, suspecting that the boys would be ready to go downstairs as usual once the girls were ready.

He wasn't really surprised to find Yuery already with the girls, Sarah and Trisha already completely dressed and Izumi nearly ready. It wasn't uncommon for either Yuery or William to come help the girls in the morning before he arrived. "You didn't have to get the up." Roy said, as he did every time.

"I wanted to help." Came the usual reply, as Yuery smiled, then collapsed into Roy's arms for a hug. Yuery had been trying all night and morning to not let anyone see how sad he was.

He was worried about leaking magic, about the accidents he knew could happen if he wasn't careful. His Dad had enough to worry about without having to put out fires caused by Yuery's emotions. Now that Yeye was here, well that meant that Dad had help from someone who could handle the magic too. With Maes and Trisha already leaking magic accidents all over, and little Izumi having her normal amount of accidents, Yuery felt it was necessary to avoid causing more trouble. Of course, Yeye noticed right away what he was doing, "Stop trying so hard Yu. You know it is impossible to hold it in, and you'll only hurt yourself in the process. Your Dad and Mom can handle your slips just fine."

"Mom and Dad shouldn't have to, I've been training control since I was a toddler basically, and I've been training in actual magic for over a year. I should have better control of myself." Yuery frowned in frustration.

"You have also had a very stress filled week and anyone can have control issues given the circumstances." Yeye replied hugging him tighter. "Your Dad never wanted you to be perfect, just safe."

"Well, it isn't exactly safe to have these slips, is it? What if my magic accidentally caused someone to get sick?" Yuery asked fretfully. "Can that even happen?"

"I won't swear you will not or cannot harm anyone with this power, Yuery. That would be a lie and an insult to your intelligence." Yeye said with a frown. "I can promise that we will continue to help you learn to control this and that it keeps getting easier. What your father can do, what I can do…we can hurt people too. I have hurt people. A lot of people, to my deepest regrets. We strive to prevent you from having regrets like ours."

"Is this about the English Wizards again?" Yuery asked.

"No. This is about you. Do not worry about them and their war."

"Well, it isn't going away just because we don't think about it is it?" Yuery frowned. "Eventually, it will be my problem whether you want to address it or not."

"You sound so much like your father." Yeye sighed as he sat on the edge of the bed, pulling Izumi into his lap to braid her hair. "I cannot fight all of your battles for you, no matter how much I may want to this is true. However, this is not your battle. It isn't your friends battle. It is a battle the adults started and will finish on their own."

"Like Amestris?" Yuery asked with a frown. "That certainly stayed with those who started it didn't it?"

"You are a child!"

"So was my Dad and you let him fight."

"I wasn't given a choice."

"I don't think you will this time either!" Yuery huffed, then took a deep breath to calm himself as the lights flickered. He needed to stay calm. This probably wasn't the best time for this argument, but then it was never a good time for it because none of the adults would listen to him when he said this WAS his fight.

"That is enough." Dad said from the doorway. "Dad, take the girls down and feed them breakfast please. Yuery and I will be right there."

"" Don't fight with the boy, he's simply stressed from the events of this week." Yeye said as he leads the girls out to join the boys downstairs.

"I know, I heard what was said." Dad frowned as he gestured for Yuery to join him before leading the way outside to the garden. "Now. This began as you were fretting over your control issues. Forget the argument with your grandfather for now, that matter is a closed subject until it needs to be addressed. We need to work on your control at the moment."

"We can't just keep saying we will talk about it later Dad." Yuery said with a frown. "He is still alive and searching for a way to restore himself and no one is even looking for him. That rat is really a person, and no one has told the Weasleys, and there is something seriously wrong with Dumbledore and nobody gives a damn."

"Wow okay. We will address this then. You have some serious misconceptions. I have it on good authority that several different groups, including our own, are currently searching for him to destroy him. I did warn the Weasleys about the rat, not that they listened to me, which doesn't matter because he seems to have fled at this point." Dad began pacing as he spoke, a clear sign of how agitated he really was, he was also clenching his fists and jaw, but Yuery refused to back down from this. "Dumbledore, I am well aware of exactly what is wrong with that crazy old drunk. No, I don't give a damn. I told him to stay far away from you and I meant it, if he had his way, you would have been dead as an infant."

"Why is he still free?" Yuery frowned.

"Because I am not in charge there. The best we could do was prevent him from coming here which we did long ago." Dad sighed. "I know you feel obligated. I was the same way as a child. You are not. I've said this to you over and over. If, when you are grown, you want to help them that will be your choice. Not because you owe them anything. Not because someone said you had to, but because you are a good person. Until you are grown, it isn't your fight."

"Unless they make it my fight." Yuery said stubbornly. "Let's just get to the lesson please." Thankfully, Dad dropped the subject as well. It was not a matter that would be settled anytime soon for either one of them.