Where is Harry is both worrying, excited and wondering.

HARRY XXXI

"Potter! The table in front of my desk. Now!"

It was one week since the article of Rita Skeeter was published and his detention on Hogsmeade day. It was again double Potions to end another week, and Snape didn't seem to have forgiven Harry for his backhand comment during the previous Potions course. Grudgingly, and under Hermione's encouragements, Harry obeyed Snape's order at the beginning of the lesson and went to sit close to his desk. He didn't want to endure another detention, especially since he was supposed to go to the Quidditch pitch tomorrow morning. This time, he was decided to not give the satisfaction to Snape to remove more points from Gryffindor.

The lesson went relatively well first, at least as well as it could go with Snape as a teacher. He was too busy giving them instructions, terrorizing all students instead of only Harry, and checking for any mistake any student might make, especially among Gryffindors. However, Snape was soon back at his desk and focusing on making Harry's life miserable again.

"The press attention seems to have inflated your already overlarge head, Potter," he said quietly, so soft that only Harry could hear.

Harry ignored him. Ever since the beginning of the year, he was submitted to mockeries, laughs and insults, and he had endured them from Snape for years before. So if Snape hoped to break him, he would need to do better than that. Harry focused on cutting roots of the potion they were preparing today.

A week after the article from Rita Skeeter was published, the whole school seemed to know about the supposed love triangle between Harry, Hermione and Krum. Between the few who read the article, the rumors spread by the Slytherins and other less ill-disposed people but who didn't know what they were talking about, and the Howlers that exploded on a regular basis to Hermione's face in the Great Hall, everyone now knew about Rita Skeeter's story. Harry was tired to telling everyone that Hermione was not his girlfriend, but he took all this renewed attention rather well when compared to Hermione, who seemed to be embarked on a quest to make Rita Skeeter fall, although Harry wasn't sure how she planned to do it.

What made Harry angrier was the attention Susan got from this article. She hated this, and although she never blamed Harry for that, he felt responsible. Things had finally gotten better between the two of them after the second task, and now they had this. Susan claimed that she didn't believe Rita Skeeter's article even a single moment, but she was as targeted by comments and mockeries as Hermione was, except she didn't receive any letter from angry readers of Witch Weekly.

"You might be labouring under the delusion that the entire wizarding world is impressed with you," Snape resumed, "but I don't care how many times your picture appears in the papers. To me, Potter, you are nothing but a nasty little boy who considers rules to be beneath him."

Snape's opinion of Harry was nothing new. He kept ignoring the Potions teacher as he kept talking.

"So let me give you a fair warning, Potter. Pint-sized celebrity or not, if I catch breaking in my office one more time…"

"I haven't been anywhere near your office!" Harry snapped. He wouldn't let Snape accuse him of things he never made.

"Don't lie to me. Gillyweed comes from my private stores. I know you stole it." Snape produced a small bottle with a transparent liquid inside from his robes. "Do you know what this is, Potter?"

"No," Harry said.

"It is Veritaserum. A Truth Potion so powerful that three drops would have you spilling your innermost secrets for the entire class to hear. The use of this Potion is controlled by very strict Ministry guidelines. But unless you watch your step, you might just find that my hand slips right over your evening pumpkin juice. And then, Potter, we'll find out whether you've been in my office or not."

Harry went back to preparing his potion, trying as best as he could to ignore the vial in Snape's hand. Snape's accusations were totally unfounded. Harry never stole into his office. However, the prospect of drinking something that would force him to answer the truth to any question Snape might have made his insides squirmed. Dobby was the one who gave him the Gillyweed. What if he stole it from Snape's office? If Harry could get in trouble for stealing, he didn't dare to imagine what could happen to a house elf if he was accused of the same crime. But Snape could also ask him any question about any time Harry broke the rules, and Harry would be forced to answer truthfully about each one of them. How he went to the Prefects' bathroom and the library in the middle of the night with his Invisibility Cloak… How he learned in advance about the dragons for the first task… His many nightly visits with Ron and Hermione to Hagrid's cabin… The preparation of Polyjuice during their second year, although they finally never used it… Hermione stealing ingredients, including Boomslang skin, from Snape's private stores to prepare the potion… Hagrid raising a baby dragon in secret during their first year…

No, this would definitely not be good. Not to mention any question of private nature Snape or anyone else could ask him while he was under the influence of the Truth Potion. Any question about his mother's work, or even about Remus being a werewolf, or even about Ron's and Hermione's families… Worse, questions about his short relationship with Parvati last summer… Or even about his feelings for Susan… and Cho…

By the end of the lesson, Harry wondered whether he should begin to drink from a flask he carried on him at all times like Moody did.

"So, Snape didn't make your life too miserable I hope?" Ron asked him as they headed for the Great Hall for dinner.

"He couldn't have done worse than last week," Harry replied, avoiding the subject of the Veritaserum. He would rather not discuss it, even with Ron and Hermione.

"Well, we're rid of him for a whole weekend now, and a real whole weekend," Ron said, very satisfied. He had been in a very good mood for the last week, a result of him dating Hannah, Harry guessed.

"Hey, Harry," Neville asked him once he sat down at the Gryffindor table, "are you all still training on the Quidditch pitch tomorrow morning?"

"Yes, Neville. It's the same kind of training we had at the beginning of the year. It's Cedric who organized them. Again."

Harry couldn't completely hide the bitterness behind his voice. Despite the help Cedric provided for the second task, he still couldn't manage to like him very much since the Yule Ball. He tried to avoid him and Cho as much as he could now, and to focus on his relationship with Susan.

"As long as you defeat both Diggory and Malfoy during the selections, Harry, I'll be fine," Ron said.

Harry wanted to defeat Malfoy as well. Maybe he was a little less intent on defeating Cedric at all costs, but if only to take his revenge on how Snape and the Slytherins made his life and that of his friends impossible lately, he was willing to do everything to crush Malfoy at Quidditch, once again.

"Especially if their parents are there," Dean said. "I heard they are planning to have seats added to the pitch, to welcome more visitors, and that they are planning to sell tickets."

Harry felt a little uneasy all of a sudden. In front of how many people would he be playing?

"Even if the Malfoys come to the match, if Harry is playing as Seeker, they will not see Malfoy playing," Hermione pointed out.

"All the more reason to make sure he's out of the team on that day," Dean pointed out.

"Maybe we could cast on him a Confundus Charm during the trials," Ron suggested.

"You can't, Ron," Hermione protested. "It's against the rules!"

"Do you think Malfoy cares about the rules?"

"Anyway, Harry defeated Malfoy at every turn," Dean said. "So we will probably not need it."

Harry felt some pressure as they kept talking about the upcoming Quidditch match between Hogwarts and the united team of Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. Harry had no idea what the strength of the other team would be, but one thing was certain, Krum would be their Seeker. If Harry managed to be chosen as the Seeker of the Hogwarts team, he would be playing against the best Seeker in the world, the one he saw play with such talent at the Quidditch World Cup. That was if he managed to be selected as Hogwarts' Seeker during the trials. He would be facing not only Malfoy, but also Cedric and Cho. He wasn't especially eager to face them during the trials, especially Cho. And he would be training with them tomorrow and with all the other players of house Quidditch teams in Hogwarts. Harry had not found a good reason to refuse when Cedric asked him, and he hadn't wanted to refuse either, needing to train.

Harry left the Great Hall with the idea of going to the library and do some homework since all of tomorrow's morning would be busy with playing Quidditch. As he walked through the Entrance Hall, he noticed Susan who was waiting on a bench, reading a letter. She had let her hair fall free today. Harry liked to run his fingers between her hair when they kissed. That brought a smile to his lips, and he went to her.

"Hi, Susan."

"Hi, Harry," she said, beaming at him.

"What are you doing here?" he asked, sitting next to her. Before the second task, he would have hesitated and waited for her to tell him to sit down. This awkwardness from the beginning of their relationship was gone now.

"We have a practice for the choir in the Great Hall after dinner. So I'm waiting. By the way, that might interest you. We're preparing something for the Quidditch match."

"Really?"

"Yes. I'm not sure what it is going to be, but Professor Flitwick told us we would be part of the show, and he set many practices between now and the match."

"Well, good thing. I guess the people of Durmstrang and Beauxbatons will finally get to hear you."

She nodded, smiling. "Do you think you have good chances to play this game?"

Harry hesitated before he answered. "I guess. I mean, I defeated Cedric, Cho…" The mention of her name caused a jolt to his stomach he cursed internally, although he showed nothing of it to Susan. "… and Malfoy in the past. However, I trained so often with the others, they know my moves as well as I know theirs." Cedric and Cho indeed defeated him sometimes during practices. "To be honest, I mostly hope that it will not be Malfoy who will be the Seeker of Hogwarts."

"I hope so me too. Just to warn you, everyone in Hufflepuff hopes that Cedric will be Hogwarts' Seeker." Harry was not surprised by this. "But you should defeat him. You beat him the first time you faced each other, and Cedric probably wouldn't have defeated you last year without the Dementors."

"I'm not so sure about that," Harry said carefully, although he felt flattered by Susan's opinion.

"You can do it, Harry. Just play as good as you always do, and you'll be facing Viktor Krum next month." Harry had to admit that as challenging it may sound, the prospect was endearing. "Talking about Krum, how is Hermione doing?"

Harry sighed. "She didn't receive any Howler today. I guess that's the beginning of something. And her hands are completely healed now."

"Yes, she told me yesterday. After she received the three Howlers for breakfast."

It could hardly be forgotten. The three Howlers had exploded almost together, creating a cacophony of screaming voices inside the Great Hall as people were preparing to head for class. At least, almost everything those Howlers said was incomprehensible since they all tried to scream at the same time.

"What are you reading?" Harry asked, pointing the letter she held.

"It's from my mother. I received it this morning, but I didn't have time to read it."

"What is she saying?"

"She's mostly talking about how she's busy, with the referendum that is approaching."

"In her native country, that's it? It's certain that there will be one now?"

Susan nodded. "Yes. The Muggles had adopted a law to hold it. And my mother hopes that if a majority of Muggles in Quebec vote for independence, she could get their Ministry of Magic to be recognized internationally."

Harry nodded. Susan had told him a few times about her mother's work. While her father was a broomstick engineer, her mother was the official representative of the Ministry of Magic of Quebec in England and Ireland. She took that position the day she came to England with Susan's father, after they met. As a result, if Susan's father sent her lengthy letters about Quidditch, her mother could send her very long letters as well on the wizarding politics of North America.

"Did you receive anything from your father lately?" he asked her.

"Apart from the novel he sent to me after he learned that Viktor Krum would be playing a game at Hogwarts, no," she said, smiling while also sounding a little exasperated. Right now, Harry envied her. He wished he received a letter from his mother. But since Christmas, he received nothing from her.

"Already cheating on your girlfriend, Potter?" someone threw vehemently across the Entrance Hall.

"How much time do you think it will take before it dies down?" he asked, tired of it.

"I'm not sure," Susan replied, sounding just as exasperated, but without the fondness that characterized the exasperation she showed for her parents' long letters. "It will die down eventually. Rita Skeeter's stories never last long. People will stop talking about this after a while, once something more interesting catch their attention or that Skeeter writes another article."

"If she can. Hermione seems set on killing her."

"She shouldn't," Susan said on a warning tone. "The more you give attention to Rita Skeeter, the worst it is. She doesn't back down. Well… almost never."

That caught Harry's interest. "What do you mean?" Susan didn't reply to him immediately. "There's a way to force Skeeter to shut up?"

Susan hesitated further before she spoke. "Well… You remember that story about my aunt I told you about?" Harry nodded. "Well, the story died down eventually, but one of the reasons for that is that Rita Skeeter was unable to write further on it. When she wrote her first article, she promised more revelations afterwards. She began to harass my parents further, and that got my aunt very angry back then. So my aunt traced the person who Skeeter was using as her primary source. It was an employee in the Ministry that she retrograded when she got her promotion. He just wanted to take his revenge on my aunt. She had him write confessions that he not only lied to Rita Skeeter about my family, but that Skeeter also distorted his words to such a degree that she made him say things that were totally inaccurate. She then went to the Daily Prophet and all main news outlet with that confession and threatened to prosecute them and Rita Skeeter for defamation. The newspapers didn't want to face that kind of trial, so instead they barred Skeeter from publishing articles for a period of six months and promised to never publish anything about my aunt or her family again."

"And that worked?"

"Yes. They stopped talking about the story of my supposed illegitimate birth, and then they entirely stopped making articles specifically about my aunt and my family. Only, Skeeter tried to publish another article in a fringe magazine about her to get revenge. That's what happens when you go after her. If we make her angry, she will strike back. Or at least, she will try. My aunt was lucky. She found out about her new article before it was published, and she tracked down Skeeter's sources to prove she had fabricated the whole story again. She then used the same tactic as with the other newspapers, and this time Skeeter stepped back on her own. She never dared to approach my aunt again after that."

"I guess that explains why she doesn't mention you in her titles," Harry said.

"Maybe. Though I wouldn't be surprised if she wasn't even aware of our relationship. Rita Skeeter only searches for the information that interests her. She wants to bring an article in a certain direction. She isn't interested in anything that might not contribute to it."

"I'm not surprised," Harry said, thinking about it. "She interviewed Hagrid once, after the first task. It was supposed to be about the magical creatures we're working on in his class, but instead she only asked questions about me. She seems to have been looking for something horrible to say about me. And when Hagrid refused, she published this article where she revealed he was a half-giant."

"I'm not surprised. She spat on people in her articles for less than that."

It was good to complain about Rita Skeeter with someone. However, Susan eventually had to leave when the Great Hall was empty and went to her rehearsal with the choir. Harry, on his side, went back to the common room where he picked his things and went to the library where he worked for a few hours.

The next morning, he went to the Quidditch pitch after taking his breakfast, Susan accompanying him.

"I'm sorry I cannot stay to watch the practice, but I've got a lot of homework to do," she said as her feet made a suctioning sound each time one landed on the muddy ground.

"It's fine," Harry said. "You're going to be there for the selections?"

"Yes, of course. I would never miss them. But don't expect me to try and join the team."

"I'm not. Though I would have liked to see that," he said with a smile.

"So you could laugh at me?" she said on a falsely offended tone which her wicked smile betrayed.

They arrived to the pitch. "Have a good morning, Harry. I'll see you at lunch."

She kissed him, then walked away. Harry watched her move away until she disappeared on the horizon, then went to the pitch.

Many people had already arrived. Harry's teammates from the Gryffindor team, Angelina, Alicia, Katie, Fred and George were already present. A few other Gryffindors had come too. Seamus and Dean had borrowed broomsticks for the occasion, and so did Ron. Even Ginny was there. Harry wasn't surprised to see her there, but to see that Ron was present was still somewhat a surprise for him.

"So, ready?" Harry asked him as he took place next to his friend.

"Yes." His voice sounded hoarse.

"Everything is alright?"

"Yes." Ron didn't sound certain at all. "I have the jitters," he whispered.

"It's only a practice, Ron. No need to worry."

Yesterday, Ron had told Harry that he wanted to try to join the Hogwarts team as Keeper. He even told Harry that before the year began, he was thinking about trying his chance for the position of Keeper in the Gryffindor team. Harry was surprised, but he thought it was a great idea. The possibility to play with Ron was fantastic. Though Harry had to admit he didn't think Ron would get to play for the Hogwarts team. The other teams all had a Keeper to put forward. One of them, Herbert Fleet, the Keeper of Hufflepuff, just arrived. However, Harry kept those thoughts muted. He wouldn't discourage Ron.

Looking at the benches around the stadium, Harry noticed Hannah's presence. She waved her hand at him when she saw he was looking at her, and he returned the gesture. He turned to Ron, who wasn't looking that way.

"Ron, I think someone is trying to catch your attention."

Ron looked to Harry, then his eyes went up, and he looked surprised when he finally noticed Hannah. He waved his hand a little in her direction.

"Susan is not with her?" Ron asked, frowning.

"No. She had homework to do this morning," Harry replied.

"Ah."

Ron looked away. Harry had the impression he had been about to say something but didn't in the end. He chose to not press that with Ron, and instead went to talk with Ginny, Fred and George. All were excited despite the bad weather. While they discussed, other players and non-players kept pouring inside the pitch. Finally, Cedric and Cho came in together. Harry almost jumped when he saw them. Cedric waved at him with a huge smile, while Cho looked away and went to talk with some of her own teammates. Harry was almost happy that he didn't have to look at her in the eyes, for his stomach was doing movements he wished he could calm down.

"Alright, everybody," Cedric said. "So, it's been a while since we played, but I guess we're going to just fly to begin with. Then we will organize everyone to practice."

Everyone went to fly not long after. It was a great pleasure for Harry to fly once more. The last time he did it was when he faced the Hungarian Horntail. This time, he didn't risk getting on fire.

"It feels good." Harry realized that Cedric Diggory was flying next to him. "It's been too long since I took to the air."

Harry nodded. "Yes, it feels good," he confirmed shortly.

"Excited for the match against Krum?"

"Yes."

"Well, I wish you good luck, Harry. But I must warn you. Cho is determined to participate to that game."

He laughed and flew away. Harry wondered whether or not Cedric was doing it on purpose. Maybe Ron was right and Cedric Diggory was really an idiot after all. The vague clue he gave to Harry for the second task only reinforced this impression.

After a while, Cedric began to organize people so they could train by category of players. Chasers and Keepers were organized to practice shots and passes. Ginny joined them under Katie's invitation. The Beaters exercised with dummies to send Bludgers as fast and strong as they could. Then Cedric, Cho and Harry convened to decide who would chase the Snitch first. For once, Harry focused all his attention on Cedric to not look in Cho's direction.

"Okay. Well, I think it would be better if you faced each other first, Cho and Harry. I'll face the one who gets victorious out of it," Cedric decided.

Harry was uneasy with that solution, but well, he didn't have much choice. He would have to train against Cho sooner or later.

"It's been some time," Cho told him as they took position. "I may be a little rusty, but I warn you, Harry. I'm not going to let you catch it," she said, smiling and giggling.

Harry returned her smile but didn't look very long at her. He decided to focus his attention on the Golden Snitch.

"Okay. The Snitch has been released," Cedric yelled at them. "Go!"

The two rushed across the pitch, searching for the small golden ball. Cho wasn't tailing him this time, but Harry didn't really care. Now that he was flying, all other thoughts left his mind. He only had to focus on catching the Golden Snitch.

However, it was Cho who caught the Snitch this time. Harry still didn't care much. This was only a practice, not a real match.

"Well done," he told her sincerely as they landed on the ground.

"I was lucky. The Snitch almost flew towards me, and I caught it when it was close to me," she said.

"Alright, it's against me now, Cho," Cedric said, who had approached. "Good luck."

Cedric kissed her. Strangely enough, although it bothered Harry, it didn't bother him as much as he would have feared. He was even quite happy when Cho defeated Cedric, catching the Snitch for a second time in a row.

The practice went on for the whole morning. Ginny in particular was very happy about it, as she couldn't stop talking about it as she landed and was congratulated by Fred and George who admitted she played quite well. Harry supposed they still didn't know about how she stole their broomsticks during summer. Ron was not as enthusiastic.

"I let too many Quaffles get through me for the short time I guarded the goalposts," he said.

"Don't worry. You're beginning. You'll get better," Harry said, meaning to encourage him.

"I don't get the feeling that I'll be on the team of Hogwarts for this match. I would have liked to face Krum."

Harry understood that feeling. He was excited as well at the prospect of facing him, and as the opposite Seeker on top of all.

"Harry." His heart made a jolt as he recognized the voice. He calmly turned to face Cho. "Excuse me, but… Do you happen to know where your mother is right now?"

Harry was surprised by this question. If he expected any question from Cho, it would certainly not have been that one. "Eh… What do you mean? Why are you asking me?"

"Well, it's because my father is wondering where she is. He wrote to me recently, and he said that she hasn't been seen for months. He asked me to ask you the question since we… Well, since we know each other."

Harry didn't know what to answer. "Your father didn't see her at the Ministry lately?"

"No. He says he's without news from her since November."

That was the time when Harry last saw his mother. So she never showed up to the Ministry of Magic ever since. Harry didn't know where she was and why he couldn't contact her, but it was strange.

"I don't know where she is. She… I haven't had contact with her since Christmas."

"Oh." Cho seemed disappointed. "Okay. Well, have a good day, Harry."

And she walked away with her Comet towards Cedric who was discussing with the Chasers of his team nearby.

"Well, that was weird," Ron commented.

Harry partially agreed with him. But more than everything, the question Cho asked had him worried about his mother. Where could she be? She told him he wouldn't be able to communicate with her for a while, but nothing more. Where was she right now? And why didn't Cho's father, who worked directly for the Head of the Auror Office, know anything about his mother's whereabouts? This was really strange.

As a result of Cho's question, Harry kept thinking about his mother for the rest of the day. He ended up asking some advice to Hermione at the end of the afternoon, while they were in the library completing a homework on Ancient Runes. Susan was usually with them, but she had gone to the washroom.

"You have no idea as to where she might be?" Hermione asked him after he explained that he was worried about his mother.

"No. I had no news from her since Christmas." He still kept her letter in his luggage.

"Well, if she sent you a card for Christmas, that means she is fine."

"Probably. I just wish I knew where she was and what she was doing." He made a sound with his throat. "I don't get it! Why can't I contact her?"

"She's probably on some kind of secret mission. You said that according to Cho's father, she hasn't been seen in the Ministry of Magic for months?"

"Yes. Probably since November, after Halloween."

"That makes sense. She told you back then that you wouldn't be able to join her for some time. She must be on some sort of secret assignment. An operation that is so sensible that she is not allowed to contact other people and very few people at the Ministry were informed. Perhaps an undercover operation."

"My mother? Undercover? If the Ministry of Magic is stupid enough to believe that my mother can convince other people she is someone else, then Hagrid is right, they are a bunch of idiots there."

His mother may not be as recognizable as Harry was, since she had no scar on the forehead, but she was famous nonetheless and she could hardly go somewhere without someone noticing who she was.

"You may be right. But it must be a kind of sensible operation where she can't take the risk of being in contact with anybody. That would explain why Cho's father isn't aware of where she is."

"Yes, but from the way Cho was talking, her father didn't only ignore where she is. He also doesn't know what she's doing. That doesn't make any sense. He's the personal assistant of Rufus Scrimgeour. If my mother is on a mission, even if it's confidential or anything resembling, Scrimgeour would be aware of that."

"It is true that it's strange. It must really be something secret. Like when Dumbledore hid the Philosopher's Stone. Scrimgeour may not have shared the information with his assistant. Or maybe he doesn't know himself what your mother is doing."

"But he's her boss. My mother would be doing something, and he wouldn't be aware of it?"

"I mean, perhaps he is aware that she is on some sort of special assignment, but without knowing what it is. Someone higher than Scrimgeour may have given him orders without telling him exactly what was going on."

Harry thought about it. "Who could have given such an order?"

"Someone over Scrimgeour in the hierarchy. Maybe the order could come from the Minister himself."

Harry thought about this. He met Cornelius Fudge a few times, and somehow, he wasn't sure whether or not he should feel reassured that it would be Fudge who sent his mother on a secret mission for several months. After all, he was the one who insisted to position Dementors all around Hogwarts last year. However, if it wasn't Fudge, who could that be? Harry only knew one other person who stood between Fudge and Scrimgeour in the hierarchy…

An idea came to his mind, one that he already contemplated in the past, but without daring to proceed. However, he could probably talk about that possibility with Hermione.

"I've been thinking about something, Hermione. Do you think that Susan could ask her aunt what my mother is doing? I mean, she's heading the whole department where my mother works. She certainly knows what she's doing."

Hermione looked uncertain. "Harry, I'm really not convinced this is a good idea. This could cause problems between Susan and her aunt. And if the operation is secret, she would probably refuse to tell anything to Susan anyway."

Harry had thought about that. In fact, these were the main reasons why he didn't ask Susan yet. Also, he didn't feel comfortable involving Susan in his mother's stuff.

"Look, I'm sure she is alright, Harry," Hermione said, obviously trying to reassure him. "You've been without news from her for some periods in the past as well."

"Yes, but it was only for a few weeks, and I knew where she was."

"Maybe the Ministry is just keeping her location a secret. Remember last year when she was inside the walls of Hogwarts and you weren't even aware of that. She may not be far away like we could think."

It was true. Maybe Harry should stop worrying. Maybe he missed her more than he worried about her. He returned to his runes.

Later, in the night, Harry was lying down in his bed, thinking about his mother, and trying to guess where she could be right now. Was she in another country, which would explain why she wasn't to be seen at the Ministry and couldn't contact him? Was she in danger? Or was she still in England, hiding somewhere, like she hid in an abandoned classroom of the castle last year, watching or waiting for something to happen? At the same time, what would be the point of hiding at all times if she was still in England? She shared the guard duties at Hogwarts with three other Aurors last year. Perhaps he should try to find out whether another Auror had been missing from the Ministry over a long period of time. Maybe she wasn't alone.

Harry kept turning on himself in his bed, unable to find sleep. Somehow, the idea that his mother may be at Hogwarts, hiding, as unlikely as it may sound, remained stuck in his mind. Finally, he stood up quietly and picked the Marauder's Map in his stuff. He opened it and pointed his wand on it.

"I solemnly swear that I am up to no good," he whispered. "Lumos!"

The faint light illuminated the map, the hangings of his bed hiding it from his dormmates who were sleeping. Harry proceeded to look throughout the castle. Peeves was flying somewhere in the fourth floor. Filch was on the seventh. Mrs Norris was on the first. Dumbledore was pacing in his office. But most people were sleeping in the dormitories of their common rooms. He spotted Susan's name in the cellar of Hufflepuff after searching through the mass of points there. However, there was absolutely no trace of his mother. Harry wasn't surprised, but he felt disappointed all the same. He would have felt better if he knew where she was. He kept looking over the empty classrooms and deserted corridors as Peeves kept moving quickly from one place to another.

Harry was about to abandon. There was nothing worthy of interest to look at on the map. He looked one more time at Susan's name, who was sleeping peacefully right now by all accounts, then his eyes wandered on the side of the dungeons, where the common room of the Slytherins and Snape's classroom were positioned. Harry was about to close the map, as he wasn't interested in searching for a name like those of Snape and Malfoy, when his eyes caught something strange.

Someone just walked into Snape's office. And it wasn't the name of Severus Snape that accompanied the point. It was the name of Bartemius Crouch.

And now Harry found something odd.

I will not upload new chapters for a while as I'm leaving for long vacations, during which I will not be able to update the story. See you in about two weeks.

Please review.

Next chapter: Ginny