Hey, everybody. Back with another chapter.
Let's get to it.
Guest: Well, the Americans don't trust most people in Britain. Also, I think it would seem more authentic coming from an American rather than a British citizen saying it on behalf of the Americans.
Jack Smith1: This is a story where the Weasleys have been faking a friendship with Harry, so no, Ron will not be trying to help Harry.
Chapter 3- To the States
Hermione looks anxiously out of the window as she and her parents pull into a parking lot next to a hill. The directions that Sirius had left them before he Disapparrated had brought them here to this parking lot, miles outside London. Nobody else is around, so they hoped this would be the perfect place for Sirius to enact the plan to get them to the United States.
As her dad pulls the car towards the far end of the parking lot, Hermione sighs with relief as she sees Sirius resting against the fence that lines the perimeter of the parking lot. As Dan approaches Sirius, the wizard stands up and waits for them to stop.
Once Dan parks the car, he unlocks the doors and the family of three climbs out of the car. As they do, Sirius greets them, "Glad you made it alright. You didn't see any sign of you being followed?"
"No. Not at all," Hermione responds to the question.
"Good," Sirius responds. He then draws his wand and mutters the word "Portus" while pointing his wand at the Granger's car. After a moment, Sirius says, "Alright. Your car has been turned into a Portkey that'll take you to CIA headquarters in Langley, Virginia. I'll be waiting for you there, and I'll guide you into the facility. The Portkey will activate in sixty seconds." He bows his head respectfully, but with a cocky smile, then Disapparrates with a slight crack.
The family stands there, staring at the spot where Sirius vanished, before Hermione says, "We'd better get back in the car. If we're not in it when the Portkey activates, it will leave without us."
Dan nods and ushers his wife and daughter back into the car before sitting in the driver's seat himself. The seconds pass in silence as the three wait for the Portkey to activate.
Suddenly, all of them feel a jerk behind their navel, and the car suddenly seems to start spinning. Their vision blurs for several long seconds as their senses are bombarded. Then, all at once, it all stops.
As the three regain their senses, they realize they are in a large parking lot outside a large facility with multiple buildings. In one spot, they see a sign that reads, "Central Intelligence Agency."
"Well, we're here," Dan says.
Hermione quickly spots someone. "We're not the only ones," she says. This draws her parent's attention, and they also see Sirius approaching their car.
"Well, glad to see I can't mess up such a simple spell. Let's go, guys," Sirius says with a smile before he opens the door and climbs into the backseat.
Dan starts up the car and drives through the parking lot, following Sirius' directions. Anytime they come across a guard or a security booth, Sirius leans out of the car, and at the sight of Sirius, they always let the car pass.
Finally, they park outside a building and everyone piles out of the car. Sirius leads the Grangers into the buildings, where again the guards and receptionists let them pass as they see Sirius is with them.
Finally, Hermione asks, "Why do all these people know you so well?"
Sirius smiles his signature little cocky smile. "I've been working with the CIA since not long after you and Harry freed me. I've been here many times, and everyone here, whether or not they know about magic, know generally who I am and that I'm very close to the Director. I have special clearance to almost every CIA facility," Sirius explains.
"Wow. That's no simple task," Dan says.
"Yup. But, because of how important this is to the CIA and to the American government, it didn't take long given my position," Sirius explains.
Soon enough, the four of them reach an office with "Director" written across the door. A name plaque next to the door bears the name John M. Deutch.
"The Director is waiting for us," Sirius says before knocking and then opening the door.
As they enter the office, the four of them see Director Deutch sitting at his desk, talking with two men: a young black haired man and a middle aged black man. As they enter, Deutch looks up and says, "Ah, Sirius. Good to see you. And I see you brought the Grangers."
The two men turn to face them. Nobody but Sirius recognizes the black man. But everyone recognizes the other. Hermione is the most happy to see him.
"Harry!" she cries out. She runs to Harry and throws her arms around him, hugging him as tightly as she can. Harry hugs her back, but she just squeezes him tighter.
After what seems like a minute, she finally pulls back a little, but not letting go. "I was so worried when Sirius told me everything," Hermione explains the reason for embracing him so tightly.
Harry smiles at his best friend. "It's okay. I'll be alright. Especially now that you're here," he says. He then hugs Hermione closer again, and, to her surprise, kissing her on the cheek.
Hermione is completely stunned for several seconds. Then, her emotions finally winning out over her emotions for the first time in her life, she pulls back slightly and, before Harry can react, kisses him right on the lips. Harry is only frozen for about a second before he returns the kiss with just as much passion as Hermione is giving, finally realizing just how much he loves Hermione in return.
When the two finally separate, they stay looking into each other's eyes for several moments before Hermione says, "I can't tell you how long I've wanted to that."
"Glad you finally let your heart make the decisions," Harry says with a smile.
Their bliss is suddenly interrupted by a cough. The two glance around the office. Sirius is looking at them with mirth in his eyes, Kingsley is smiling slightly, Hermione's parents are stunned, and Director Deutch just looks slightly amused as if he has teenagers make out in office at least once a week.
"Sorry," Hermione says in a low voice.
"Oh, don't apologize. Please continue so I continue to be amused by the different expressions and colors coming over your dad's face," Sirius says with a bit of a laugh, which causes everyone, including Director Deutch, to laugh at Dan a bit.
"Alright, enough. Can we get on to why we're here?" Dan says, clearly done with being embarrassed.
"Yes. Everyone, please take a seat," Director Deutch asks his quests. Everyone takes a seat around Deutch's desk and waits for him to speak.
"It's a pleasure that Sirius and Agent Barton were able to convince to join us. However, we don't have a lot of time for catch up and niceties. We have a lot to discuss," Deutch says.
Deutch pauses for a moment, then begins his briefing of Harry and the Grangers, "I think it's time we give you a more full update on what has happened in Britain in recent months. First, I want to address your current status with the Ministry of Magic in Britain. Though none of them will say it openly, you are essentially public enemy number one for the Ministry. The Ministry, under Fudge, see you as a delusional boy that is trying to incite panic in the public, which will threaten their grip on power."
"More than that, we believe some see you as a threat that must actually be silenced. A bug placed on the executive floor of the Ministry by one of our spies has collected info suggesting that one of Fudge's top aides, his Senior Undersecretary, a vile woman named Dolores Umbridge, is plotting to take care of you to remove the threat she believes you pose, and that her plans may have been set for the next few days. While we believe this is being done without Fudge's knowledge, we believe he would have no issue with it, so great is his paranoia. We also believe that the Ministry may try to come up with an excuse soon enough to attempt to seize your financial resources, either to deny their use to you or to bolster their own income. We are deploying measures to keep your assets protected in the event our suspicions are correct."
"Now, to your true enemies: Lord Voldemort and Albus DUmbledore. Sirius and Kingsley are going to return to Britain as soon as possible so they can run interference with Dumbledore and throw him off your scent. Meanwhile, we have a spy running in Voldemort's camp to keep us informed on how Voldemort is doing in his efforts."
"We have also attained very important intelligence on a very specific matter. Lord Voldemort is pursuing something currently held by the Ministry of Magic, while Dumbledore and the order of the Phoenix are secretly trying to protect without the knowledge of either Voldemort or the Ministry. Through intelligence provided by Sirius, Kingsley, our spy in the Death Eaters, and a spy in the Department of Mysteries, we have identified it. The item in question is a record of a prophecy made regarding Lord Voldemort and, we believe, you. Voldemort believes he needs to hear the prophecy and understand to have a better chance of defeating you."
"So, there's a prophecy out there about me?" Harry asks.
"Yes. From what we can gather, the prophecy was in fact made by Sibyll Trelawney to Albus Dumbledore. Given Professor Trelawney holds no recollection of the prophecies she has given, that means Dumbledore is the only one who knows the entirety of it. We believe one of Voldemort's Death Eaters heard part of it and conveyed that to him, but only one line, and this line may have been what caused Voldemort to target you as an infant," Deutch explains.
"So, now Voldemort wants to know the entire prophecy?" Hermione asks.
"Yes. That is our belief," Deutch explains.
"So, where is it now?" Hermione asks in concern.
"The recording of the prophecy is held in the Hall of Prophecy in the Department of Mysteries. Getting in there is difficult enough, and the extra security being provided by the Order of the Phoenix will likely make it even harder. For the time being, we consider the prophecy to be safe, but we are continually monitoring that situation."
"For the time being, here's the situation as it currently stands. Nobody in Magical Britain will have been able to trace the departure of any of you with any degree of accuracy. In any case, we are going to continue monitoring the actions of the three parties that arrayed themselves against you. We expect that, as news of your disappearance, Mr. Potter, travels through Magical britain, then all three interested parties will begin reacting, which will give us the openings we need to exploit."
"For the time being, you will remain here in America. We have a pair of safe houses in Richmond, about a hundred miles from here, for you all. One for Mr. Potter, and one for the Grangers. They are on the same street, just in case you need some help, Mr. Potter. Each house has a supply of Floo Powder to travel to our version of Diagon Alley here in the States."
"In addition, we have a proposition for you from the President of MACUSA. As you may or may not know, the United States has its own wizarding school, known as Ilvermorny. Unlike Hogwarts, Ilvermorny is equipped to support Muggle technology. So, the President of MACUSA and the Headmaster of Ilvermorny have extended an offer for the two of you to study from Ilvermorny, either by attending in person or by attending class over video conference, until such a time as we have defeated Voldemort and Dumbledore and it is safe for you to return to Hogwarts, or until you have completed your studies. Whichever comes first."
Harry and Hermione sit there in silence for several moment, looking at each other and having a bit of a silent conversation. Finally, Hermione looks back at Deutch and says, "We'll have to get back to you on that. I personally want to agree, but I can't speak for Harry. I do have to ask when the term starts."
"Same as Hogwarts. September 1," Deutch replies simply. Harry and Hermione nod in response.
Deutch leans forward a bit. "Your orientation, so to speak, to the United States and to our efforts against Voldemort and Dumbledore has just begun. Tomorrow, we'll give you to get settled into your new homes. The day following, members of MACUSA will come to take you on a tour of the MACUSA building and introduce you to some important people for you to know as we move forward. After that, then things will start to get serious. I encourage you to take the next day and a half to relax and prepare for the craziness that is soon to come."
"Thank you, Director," Harry says in response.
"I have agents already waiting outside this office that will take you to a helicopter that will be taking you to Richmond, where more agents will take you to your safe houses and help you get settled in. I will contact you later tonight with any updates. I have a wizarding assistant who will contact you via Patronus Charm if anything comes up, and I will contact you at night by phone once a week. Understood?"
"Thank you, Director. We greatly appreciate all of your efforts," Harry says.
"Of course, Mr. Potter. It will be a pleasure to work with you," Deutch says, coming around the desk and shaking hands with Harry, followed by the Grangers, before seeing them out. The agents waiting outside the office, escort everyone outside, where Sirius and Kingsley Disapparrate, and the agents then lead Harry and the grangers to the helicopter that will take them to Richmond.
The skies over London are rather clear, and are rather brightly lit given the sun's position at mid-afternoon. In Diagon Alley, things are winding down a bit. The business rush is over, and the number of customers is dwindling.
As the few customers still in the alley are milling about in the street, some notice a man walking up the street. He's wearing Muggle clothes, but not ones that look terribly out of places for a wizard to be wearing. Still his clothing suggest he is at least somewhat well off. Everyone who sees him just shakes him off as just another customer.
The man is in fact a member of the American Magical branch of the Department of the Treasury by the name of Richard Murphy, here on a special mission from the Secretary of the Treasury. Not paying attention to any of the shops lining the alley, he has eyes only for the large building at the end of the alley. Gringotts Bank.
Murphy makes his way through the doors of Gringotts and walks calmly to the desk at the far end, where he knows one of the most senior tellers sits. Coming up to the desk, he says bluntly, "I need to see the general manager immediately."
The goblin looks up. "May I ask the reason?" he asks.
Murphy pulls out his wallet and opens it, displaying his badge as he says, "Here on official business with the United States government."
The goblin looks a bit surprised. Although not unheard of, people coming to Gringotts on business from other governments is quite rare. After a moment, he says, "Very well, Mr. Murphy. Follow me."
The goblin leads Murphy out of the main hall and down a side passage, eventually leading him to an office door that bears a name plaque that reads, "General Manager Scarface." The goblin opens the door and allows Murphy inside.
As Murphy enters, he sees Scarface sitting at his desk. The goblin looks up and asks, "Welcome. To whom am I speaking now?"
"Manager Scarface, greetings. It's a pleasure. My name is Richard Murphy. I'm here on behalf of the magical branch of the United States Department of the Treasury," Murphy says, showing his badge to Scarface.
"Ah, I see. Always a pleasure to deal with our friends in the United States. Do you by chance know the head of the American magical bank?" Scarface asks.
"Yes, I do know Longtooth. I saw him just a week ago. He said to give you his best," Murphy says, and Scarface gives a smile in response.
"Well, Mr. Murphy. What can I help you with?" Scarface asks.
"I am here to request a transfer of assets. Due to a series of circumstances that necessitate such a move, Mr. Harry Potter has moved to the United States and been granted asylum there. Due to circumstances in Britain, he fears that his assets are unsafe. He has asked that all of his money here in Gringotts be transferred to a new vault at the Magical Bank of America, and that access to his other assets through Gringotts be locked," Murphy asks. He then pulls out a document showing the official request from the Department of the Treasury.
Scarface looks over the document to verify its authenticity. Finally, he looks up at Murphy and asks, "May I ask what brought on this request?"
"Albus Dumbledore," Murphy responds simply.
At that, Scarface's expression changes to one of understanding, and he says, "Ah, I understand. Yes, Albus Dumbledore's actions surrounding the Potter assets have set off alarms for us several times. Yes, we will begin the transfer work immediately. Given the size of the resources involved, it may take us up to 24 hours to complete the transfer, and we will need an employee from the Magical Bank of America to come here to give us the necessary vault information and assist with the transfer. Once they have arrived, we can begin the transfer work. In the meantime, we will lock access to all Potter assets through Gringotts," Scarface explains.
Murphy smiles and reaches out his hand to Scarface, which the goblin gladly takes. "Thank you, Manager Scarface. It's been a pleasure meeting with you. We thank you for your cooperation in this. I trust that you will speak of this meeting to nobody," he says. Scarface nods in response.
Murphy smiles. This is all going very well. Dumbledore won't know that his whole plan is falling apart until it's too late.
Dumbledore smiles a bit as he watches Ginny Weasley add the final ingredient to the Amortentia she has been brewing for a few days now. Ginny has proven herself to be a very competent potion maker, hardly even needing Dumbledore's help. Now, the potion is finally complete. Soon enough, Harry will be brought to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, and once here, it will be an easy matter to get the young boy to take the potion without realizing it.
Things have been going very well for Albus Dumbledore. He's finally begun to begin recruiting his army, and with promises of additional payment once Harry is under his thumb, he's begun to start equipping and training them.
Dumbledore feels the tiniest pang of guilt over the pain he will be causing Harry and others throughout the wizarding world, but he easily pushes it aside as he reminds himself that everything he is doing and has planned is all for the greater good.
"Well done, Miss Weasley. You have outdone yourself. Now, all that remains is to wait for Harry's arrival," Dumbledore says. Mrs. Weasley, who is also in the room with them, smiles proudly at her daughter.
Right then, there's a knock on the door. A second later, Dedalus Diggle comes walking into the room.
"Ah, Mr. Diggle," Dumbledore says in a pleasant voice.
Diggle, however, looks very nervous. "Um, sir…we have a problem," he says.
"What is it?" Dumbledore asks.
"Umm….the guards we have had stationed watching Privet Drive have not seen any sign of Harry for almost two days. They think he's gone," Diggle says in embarrassment.
Dumbledore stands there, surprised. This definitely throws a wrench in his plans. He had planned to send members of the Order to retrieve Harry in a few days. But if Harry is gone, that completely throws his plans for Harry into disarray. He is now going to come up with a new plan and work on finding Harry. However, unknown to him, his plan has now been under greater threat than it has ever been.
And, I'll end the chapter there. Hope you liked it.
So, yes, this story will feature a Harry-Hermione romance. I thought about having them declare their feelings and have their first kiss a few more chapters in, but I thought why wait?
Next chapter should be up in a week or two. Until it is, please leave a review, and stay tuned!