Chapter 504 Apr 2024
-oOo-
August 14, 1996Geneva, Switzerland
The kids had been far more careful since leaving Valence. He thought they would have found them yesterday, but it had taken them almost two days to track them to Marseille and then Geneva. The only reason they had been able to was the portkey they had used to get here.
Bergan was looking around, his divining rod moving. After a moment, it picked up a weak magical signature. Malfoy being able to get them a hair his son had stolen from school was a godsend. The fact the man's son had it was a little disturbing though…
"How much longer is it going to take? We need to find them soon," Nathan complained.
Sanguini sniffed. His face and all his flesh were hidden in the long cloak. Sun might not kill vampires, but it certainly burned them. "I will need to hunt soon," he informed them.
Bergan knew that Sanguini didn't need to hunt, but it was probably his way to ensure he didn't kill their targets. "Let's find them and then you can go feed," Bergan said in his high, squeaky voice. There were times he hated his mother for liking house elves so much. But other times, like now, it gave him an edge that he was able to use both magics, even if not at full strength for either of his birth races.
He led them towards the bank in the centre of the Wizard's Quarter. About halfway there, the divining rod waivered. It wanted to go in two separate directions. It took him a moment to figure out one way was still pointing towards the bank.
"What is the hold up?" the werewolf asked annoyingly.
"They went in two directions from here," Bergan said.
"Where?" Sanguini asked.
"The bank and that way," Bergan said, pointing towards the north.
"What does that mean? They just went to eat at that café?" Nathan enquired, looking towards a busy café.
Bergan frowned. By the strength of the pull, he didn't think it was anything that close. "I doubt it," he said. He wished there were cameras or something to tap into, but it seemed they had stayed in the Wizard's Quarters this time.
"There is an airship depot a few miles that way. Where is the nearest train station?" Sanguini enquired.
Bergan let the stick pull. The pull was a ways off. "The train station is that way," he said, pointing to the right and thinking of the map of the city he had seen. "If they took an airship, they could be miles away by now."
"Can you tell how long ago they came through?" Sanguini asked.
"This method doesn't work if the trail is more than a few days old," Bergan stated.
"We know they were in Valence on Friday. If they had to go to the bank, then yesterday would have been the first chance they could have been," Sanguini stated, knowing the gnomes only ran the bank on the weekend for those looking to withdraw or deposit funds through the tellers. They had gotten confirmation that Potter had closed all his accounts with Gringotts.
"Nathan, there is a ticket booth over there. Find out which airships were leaving yesterday and where they were going," Bergan ordered.
"And what are you going to do?" Nathan asked.
"We need to send off a progress report to our employer, and then I am going to get lunch before we head to the depot," Bergan told them. "Sanguini, if you need to hunt, now might be the only time in the next few days."
The vampire gave them a curt nod before disappearing. He would go hunt away from the wizards and be back in an hour or two. Bergan went towards an owl post office while Nathan grumbled and headed towards the ticket booth.
-oOo-
August 15, 1996Casablanca, Morocco
The zeppelin flew over the fertile plains that surrounded a large muggle city. From the observatory in the dinning room at the front of the airship, they could see settlements, farms and the city outskirts as the ship approached their last destination. The last few days had been relatively lazy. They had been pouring over the books they had picked up in Rome about the wizarding world outside of Europe.
Daphne had also picked up two books on runes. Harry wished he had taken the class before but had learned the basics from the beautiful blond last year. She was now trying to catch him up to the OWLS. She received her results shortly before his birthday, but like everything else this summer, no mail made it to him. He would have to find a way to get his OWL results. Maybe the gnomes or Jean-Paul could help, but if he was a wanted man by the Ministry, that might cause other issues.
Harry was feeling bitter towards the ministry, Voldemort, the Death Eaters, his old friends and the Order for taking away almost everything he loved and treasured. He would not let them take Daphne away. She was the only reason he still had to keep going.
Harry gave a small sigh of relief as the city grew on the horizon, though he couldn't see the tower the airship would dock at yet. Just looking at their destination had him smiling. He was starting to believe they had escaped his minders and Daphne's father.
Daphne moved in next to him, then wheedled her way into his arms. Harry moved to wrap his arms around her waist as she pressed her back into his chest. "What has you thinking so hard?" she asked.
He kissed her neck, and she shivered in his arms. He enjoyed that she did that. "I was just thinking about getting no mail and I'm glad the goblins were able to get my OWLS."
Daphne's arms wrapped around his. Her fingers made circles on his arms. She didn't sound pleased. "I still think they abandoned you like they did before. If Hermione really wanted to talk to you, you gave her the telephone number to your relatives, and she knows the address. Most wouldn't think about Muggle mail. The arse," as she often called Dumbledore, "probably had a mail redirect ward on you again."
"Probably," Harry said. He hadn't gotten any of the mail he had expected for months now. The only reason he had been able to communicate with Gringotts was because of the books that Sirius had gotten him. After the way his friends had abandoned him last summer, the way Hermione had tried to strong arm him into leading an illicit duelling club and the way Ron had been jealous of him at times, he wasn't sure if he wasn't better off only having Daphne to rely on. As much as the Delacours had been nice to them and owed him, he was still a little unsure of them. If Fleur did well by them as his account manager, then he would trust them more as time went on.
As this was going to be the last leg on this trip, all the passengers were ready to get off. Not really having anywhere pressing to go besides the Delacour's house on the outskirts of the city, they watched as the airship approached the busy hub of the aerodrome. Like Geneva, this hub was much larger than the others. Two airships were already moored, and he could see a third in the distance. For much of their Africa and Trans-Atlantic flights, Casablanca was a major hub for the gnomes. They stayed away from the other side of the continent. Harry wasn't sure why, but figured he would have to find out. If they were to stay in the magical world, at least partially, the areas that gnomes thought safe might be the best areas to stay in.
As they finally approached the transportation hub, Harry enjoyed the activity around the aerodrome. It was the only thing in the magical world that felt more like home to him. Harry hated the Dursley's, but he was a Muggle at heart and sympathized with Muggleborns. Having to give up their entire lives for a society so backwards at times was hard. Seeing the hundreds of witches and wizards, the dozens of gnomes or other races and dozens of automatons moving luggage and cargo around the busy tower and aerodrome grounds had him feeling more at ease. Giant elevators were moving the cargo up and down between the large cargo platform and the ground, with smaller ones taking the passengers.
For all the vaunted praise to goblins about making money and being expert bankers, gnomes were the true movers of the magical world outside those places controlled by the goblins. Harry wished that gnomes were in Britain. It would probably be much more cosmopolitan and closer to muggle society like this.
"It's so busy. Not even Diagon Alley looks like this during the holidays," Daphne said.
Harry grinned as he put a kiss to her neck. He liked the way she shivered in his arms. "It's brilliant."
They didn't move towards the gangway passage until the airship docked and the massive ramp on the front opened to the platform before them. Taking his hand, Daphne led them this time. As they approached the door, mild heat of the midday spread into the corridor as they came to the back of the line. He would be comfortable in the light-coloured trousers and polo he had on today. Daphne had liked when he dressed a little nicer, so he didn't mind. She was in a long dress that was supposed to be of the right weight and cut not to offend the locals. It still held enough of the hint of her form to catch his eye.
As they walked towards the lifts, Harry looked up in the cavernous interior of the zeppelin. Gasbags could be seen a good thirty feet or so off the main floor of the cargo hold. He figured tons of cargo were being offloaded. "I really didn't think there would be that much cargo in the wizarding world," he commented.
Daphne looked. "I think the warehouse on my family's estate holds about that much. Most wizards would prefer to buy produce, meat and grains grown by wizards. It makes up a large part of what we export every year. Those smaller crates, with the vines and crown," she pointed out as she spoke more in a whisper, "That's my family's seal for our business. That's most likely potion supplies or potions."
Harry squeezed her hand. He wasn't sure if she was second guessing herself or not, but he knew she had been trained for the last few years to understand economics and her family's business. Her father had wanted Daphne to take over or be able to guide her husband in the business. He didn't bring that up right now though.
She squeezed his hand back.
When they got to the base of the tower, they were pointed towards a few lines. Unlike in Europe, where they could just walk in and out without any passports or anything, here they were faced with workers and Aurors keeping an eye on who entered and left.
Daphne didn't let his hand go as she pulled out her passport, a copy of their betrothal, her OWL results to prove who she was and that she had the right to travel without restrictions. He pulled out his documents as well. They had both felt relieved when her father's signature had shown up on the copies a few days back. He also took out his emancipation papers. Last Harry put the declaration forms on the top of the pile that the gnomes had given them.
They had to wait in line as families and individuals went through the four booths setup. It flowed pretty easily, and they were soon stepping up to the customs agent. He was dressed in the local robes and greeted them in what Harry thought was Arabic.
"Ah, hello. We speak English. Tu parle Francais?"
"English is fine," the man said. "Passports and papers."
They put their stuff on the counter. He looked at them for a moment before quickly looking at the papers and then opening their passports. The man looked up to him after seeing his passport but didn't comment on it. "You are a little young to be traveling on your own."
"We are both sixteen. I have my emancipation and Daphne is my betrothed," he told the man. The man took out his wand and tapped the papers. One by one, the ink on them glowed a light green or blue. As though satisfied, he took out a ledger to write something in it.
"What is your business in Morocco?"
"We are on vacation," Harry told him. It wasn't exactly true, nor was it exactly a lie.
"How long do you plan to stay?"
"We don't know yet. We were going to look at other schools and stuff around the region," he replied.
The man looked up at them. After studying them for a moment, he turned back to the ledger. "If you stay more than six weeks you need to go to your embassy to apply for working or education papers and a long-term visa, or you can go to the Customs office in the Ministry. If you do not have extension papers after eight weeks you may be arrested. Jail time or deportation may occur," the man said in a bored tone as though he said this multiple times a day.
"Yes, sir," Harry said.
"Do you have any foreign plants, foods, animals, enchanted objects or spirits?"
"Just potions, supplies and what we listed on the form," Daphne said.
The man looked at the declaration form. He studied it for a moment before taking out a different stamp. When he crushed it to the paper, the ink glowed yellow. "You will need to have an Auror just run a dark scanner over you to ensure you aren't hiding anything. Anything else to declare?"
The man looked straight at Harry, his eyes going to where his scar was covered. "No, sir," Harry told him.
After a moment, the man stamped their passports and handed the papers back to them. "Have a good time and pay attention to local laws."
It took them another ten minutes to get out of there as they had to take their shrunken bags out of their pockets and Harry was asked to open his. Once the Aurors were satisfied, they were allowed to leave.
Daphne had a tight hold on his hand. "I've never been out of Europe before. Is every where like that?"
"I understand it is if you travel around the Muggle world, but you've been more places than I have, princess" he pointed out.
She pulled his hand to her mouth and kissed the back of it. "It's not like anywhere I've been before. I'm hungry."
Harry grinned. "I'm sure we can find something. Hold up," he said as they passed a stall before they got to the gates at the edge of the aerodrome.
"What is it?" she asked.
Harry was reading a sign with a French translation on it. A smile grew on his face. "I think I just found something good."
She looked at him questioningly. Harry pulled her towards the stall. "What is it? It just looks like jewellery."
"The sign says translation medallions," Harry told her.
"Oh, that would be brilliant," she said with a smile. Harry heard the teasing tone as she copied one of his favourite muggle sayings. He stuck his tongue out at her and she playfully stuck her chin up in a condescending way. After Harry had haggled with the stall owner, Daphne was putting on a pair of earrings while he was clamping a silver chain around his neck. If they worked as advertised, they would now be able to hear and talk more than a dozen languages.
Holding hands, they stepped out into the wizarding section of Morrocco. It was busier than Geneva had been. Seeing a nice restaurant, Harry led them through the crowd. When they were shown in, Harry held a chair out for her. Daphne gave him a brilliant smile before sitting.
While looking over the menu, Harry realized the translation medallion also translated the written dialect. He saw the funny letters, but as he read it, his mind formed it into English. It was a little disorientating. Daphne closed her eyes for a moment. "The translation charms?"
"It's giving you a headache too?" she asked.
"It's disorientating, but I think I'll get used to it."
"It's better than not knowing what is being said," she replied.
"What do you want to do after we leave?" Harry asked her.
"We should find the villa. I want to sleep in a normal bed tonight," she told him.
Harry grinned. He liked seeing her in her nightclothes, which was most often his quidditch jersey from fourth year, and the fact she wasn't as shy about only being in her knickers now. It was getting harder to wait for when they could be married. September eleventh would be the earliest date to satisfy the betrothal.
Daphne winked at him, as though knowing what was on his mind.
Looking out the window, Harry commented, "This place is busy."
Daphne was looking out the window too. "I knew Casablanca was a large trading port, but I didn't understand what my father was talking about until now."
It was the second time she had brought up her family today. Harry took her hand. "Daph, do you want to go back?"
She turned to look at him, her gaze intense and her blue eyes boring into him. "Harry James Potter, you know why I wanted to leave. I love my family, but I was not going to be some stupid girl to be sold off to the highest bidder or who my father thinks is right. I am not cancelling our betrothal. I am not going to become a servant of You-Know-Who. I am not going to see you continue to be ridiculed and denigrated by those that should be crawling on their feet for all you have done for them. I am not leaving you," she said rather fiercely.
Harry took her hand. "I never said I'm leaving you. You have just pointed out a few things about your family and mentioned them a lot in the last few days."
Daphne sniffed but kept a stiff upper lip. After a moment, her shoulders relaxed. "I just never thought my father would sign the betrothal. You know my family is neutral, and me being with you has declared a side. Until this year, I never would have thought about going against my family."
"So, I'm a bad influence?" he said, half serious, half joking.
Daphne shook her head and gave him an exasperated look. "The worst."
Harry laughed at her.
Daphne smiled. "You opened my eyes to how most of the world lives. I liked the option you offered more than the narrow one I was trapped into. If that is a bad influence, I'll take it."
They shared a kiss before the waitress brought them an exotic smelling meal full of spices he wasn't used too. Daphne looked at it rather apprehensively before her eyes grew wide as she took the first bite. Harry looked at her curiously. "It's really good," she told him before offering him a bite.
The older couple at the table next to them gave them indulgent smiles.
-oOo-
Same day…Ottery St. Catchpole, England
After being caught the last time on the stairs, Fred and George had come through for Ron and Ginny. They had not been invited to another order meeting after refusing to look for Harry but were as desperate as their younger siblings to know what was going on.
Ginny put a finger to her mouth and opened her door. She looked out, then closed it. "Mum has gone," she whispered.
Ron nodded and handed her one of the extendable ears. Last summer the adults had learned to ward the door, so this time they opened her window and lowered them towards the window of the kitchen. It was open in the warm evening.
"I trust you found Miss Granger?" the voice of Dumbledore came to them up the ears. It sounded slightly like he was talking through a long corridor.
The gruff voice of Moody replied. "Aye. We found the lass. Right upset she was. Her house was warded by the Australian Ministry, so I was unable to determine if she's received any letters or where hers may be going. Given her reaction, I don't think she knew."
"You mean about Harry running?" their mum asked concerned.
"I mean about any of it. I think Potter did an excellent job of hiding everything that he was doing and what was happening to him last year," Moody said.
Professor McGonagall, who hadn't come to a meeting before, spoke up next. "I had no idea. He came to me to complain about Dolores, but I never suspected…"
Ginny and Ron shared a concerned look. He had suspected something was going on after thinking of how last year went.
"I had no idea that was happening either. Her questioning this week revealed that she did that to more than twenty students. The ministry is launching an investigation into us about how we allowed it to happen," Albus said.
McGonagall was livid. "I did what you told me too. You told me it was more important for me to be at the school than go against the ministry. How could you expect Potter to keep his cool? You know his parents and his grandparents. No Potter ever kept their mouths quiet if there was an injustice, and I told him to just keep his head down because you told us it would be alright if we did that."
"Minerva, now is not the time. We are here to find Harry, Alastor, do you have anything else?" Dumbledore asked in a calm voice. Ron could imagine McGonagall sitting there fuming at the way she had just been talking. Ron wished he understood what was going on, but if Harry had come to her and just told him to 'keep his head down', there was no way he would have.
"Merlin, we really made a mistake last year," he muttered.
Ginny gave him a nasty look.
"I wasn't able to put any monitoring or mail redirection wards up. We couldn't alert the Australian ministry we were there. I found out before we left that her parents had asked for asylum from the Muggle government, and they contacted the magical one. She is under the protection of the ministry there," Moody replied.
"And she really doesn't know where Harry is?" Dumbledore pressed.
"The only things she said was that we would never find him and that everything made sense now. I couldn't press her on it, but she suspects something, but didn't until we told her about Harry running," Moody answered.
"Albus, we can't believe that Granger really didn't know anything. I told you all last year something was different with the boy," the oily voice of Snape spoke up.
"I know, Severus, but I couldn't get close."
"You didn't want to get close. You didn't want to be associated with him once the ministry decided to step into Hogwarts," McGonagall venomously stated.
"It was dangerous for me to do so. You know that I was being targeted more than him and needed to stay at the school to protect the students."
"Ye ne didn't protect anyone," McGonagall said hotly.
"This is not the time or place to discuss this. We have more pressing matters. Severus, do you have any word?" Dumbledore questioned.
"Only that the Dark Lord has people looking for Potter and Malfoy has people looking for Greengrass. Since Scrimgeour has gone public with Potter's disappearance, the Dark Lordhas sent out four teams to look for him. They are trying all the obvious places first, but I must agree with Granger on this one," Snape said. Ron's brow rose. It almost sounded like Snape was impressed with Harry. Ginny looked surprised as well.
"What do you mean?" their mum asked.
"I mean that Potter fooled us all last year. As much as he acts like his father, he hid his relations with Miss Greengrass. He must have been in contact with Black or the goblins if what Bill says is true. He snuck out while we were guarding him. You don't just shut down your accounts with Gringotts without some planning. And you don't just do that five days before disappearing without planning. If I had to say, I would think much of this was Greengrass. She is a cunning and bright girl, but Potter had to have had a hand in it. This is too daring and brash, even with planning, for Greengrass," Snape said.
"If Potter has any of his mother in him, he is probably off to see the world. Lily had plans when we were children. She talked about them incessantly and had a journal," Snape added.
"What was in the journal?" Dumbledore questioned, sounding concerned.
Snape had an amused quality to his voice. "She wanted to see everything. The gnomes. The ancient pyramids of Egypt and the Yucatan. The water dragons of China. The giant storm petrels in Japan. And in every country, she wanted to learn all she could. It would have been a lifetime of adventure. She also researched many of the magical countries, trying to figure out which ones you could do underage magic in. She had wanted to leave as soon as she got her OWLS."
Ron frowned at the way Snape sounded reticent, as though he wanted to go with her.
"And why didn't she go?" their father asked.
"I don't know. By then we weren't friends," Snape told them.
Ron and Ginny looked rocked to their core. BLOODY HELL! Snape and Lily Potter had been friends!
"No, the combination of Greengrass and Potter will be a hard team to catch. As much as I hate saying it, Hogwarts was the brainchild of Gryffindor and Slytherin. It took courage and brashness with planning and guile to form such a place," Snape said almost reverently this time. "Those two could be the Founders' heirs."
The kitchen was silent for a few. When Dumbledore spoke, he sounded tired. "How many teams has he sent out and to where?"
"Four I know of. The Dark Lord has also threatened Lucius if he doesn't secure the Greengrass wealth. He has sent his own team and they have found some hint of the teens in France and Switzerland," Severus told them.
"That is disturbing if they find them. Alastor and Hestia, I need you to find this group. If they know where Harry is, you must get to him first," Dumbledore told them. "Arthur, can you contact Charlie? I need him to get hold of Remus to have him looking as well."
"I'll get a message to him in the morning. I can't until I can get to an international floo," their dad agreed.
Ginny was clenching her duvet. "You don't think Malfoy will get Harry?"
Ron shook his head. "Harry always escapes everything. He'll be fine," he told her, trying to be encouraging, but feeling a little fear. He should have written to Harry this summer, but if he had, it wouldn't have gotten there anyways.
The meeting broke up soon after and they hurried to roll up the extendable ears. He had to get to the mirrors the twins had nicked from Sirius to let them know what was going on.
-oOo-
August 17, 1996Rotherham, England
Susan was picking at the porridge they had for breakfast. Astoria didn't know everything she had gone through the night the Death Eaters had killed their aunt, but it had her quiet and withdrawn. It was very unlike her much more outgoing and bubblier cousin. Susan was a Hufflepuff through and through, but Astoria wasn't seeing that right now.
The issue was, she didn't know how to get through to her.
Astoria was mourning their aunt.
She was missing her sister.
She was getting upset with the boy that took her away.
Her father and mother were talking, but their marriage seemed strained. Astoria had never seen that before. Her father had signed the betrothal, but her parents still seemed to be arguing.
Her two best friends were also not talking to her. She knew that their families supported the Dark Lord, but with Daphne's declaration for the Light, and her father still refusing to talk with Lord Malfoy, they had been told they couldn't talk with her.
The fact the Dark Lord was even back was due to her sister's new betrothed.
Her life was falling apart, and everything went back to Harry Potter.
She was working herself into a right state when an owl flew into the open window. It was a nice summer morning. The sun was out, unlike the last few days. When it landed before her, Susan looked up. They both looked slightly apprehensive. Her mother had warned them both to not take any missives without it being checked.
"We should get Auntie Tabitha," Susan said.
Astoria rolled her head to the side to look at the letter. She recognized the script. She scowled at the seal on the letter. "It's from Daffy… with the Potter crest on the seal."
Susan's eyes widened. "You don't think?"
"It hasn't been the minimum forty-five days yet. It must be Potter controlling her," Astoria stated.
Susan bit her lip. "Potter doesn't come off as someone like that."
Astoria snorted. She knew that Daffy wouldn't do anything she didn't want too. She had been able to fight off the imperious when Moody had tried it all on them. She reached out and took the letter.
"Astoria!"
"Please, Daffy would never do anything to hurt me, and father could break the contract if Potter hurt me," she said.
Opening the letter, she frowned.
-o-
Stori,
I know you will read this first.
First, I want to say I'm sorry. I'm sure you are terribly upset with me, but I'm hoping now that father has signed my betrothal that you will not have to worry about Malfoy. As part of the betrothal, our family can't align ourselves with anyone that follows or supports Tom Marvolo Riddle.
You are probably wondering why that particular name. There is no Riddle family among the ancient or lower houses. There is no known person by that name that anyone remembers. What Harry has told me, he is a half-blood of a muggle father and a witch. As best we can find, Harry and I know this:
The Riddle family was a Muggle family that used to be landed gentry. They were killed off in the 1940's. Thomas Riddle was the heir to the family. He had one child with a woman, Merope Gaunt. As you know, the Gaunts were descendants of Slytherin. Tom Marvolo Riddle, if you rearrange the letters, tells you the true identity of the Dark Lord.
Tom Marvolo Riddle is I am Lord Voldemort…
-o-
Astoria gasped, dropping the letter as though burned. She stared at it for a moment, unsure what to say. The Dark Lord is a half-blood! It doesn't matter if he is a Founder's heir, a half-blood leading the purest of families, especially with a muggle father, would be explosive!
"Astoria, what is it?" Susan asked, some of her natural curiosity poking through the girl's melancholy.
Astoria picked up the parchments delicately.
-o-
Harry and I included a letter to let mother and father know per the contract requirements.
I'm sorry to say, but we are not returning. There are people that want to kill Harry, the least of all the Dark Lord. There is a reason the Dark Lord wants my love, and I will not let You-Know-Who have him. I won't let the headmaster have him either.
If you ever need me, you can contact the gnomes in Switzerland. They will be able to find us but will not allow anyone to know where we are.
Please be safe. I hope this has helped to keep you safe.
Let mother and father know I love them, even if I didn't want the life they wanted for me. I love you Tori, and if Susan is there, I love her and miss Auntie Amelia as well.
Your sister,
Daphne
P.S. – I hope you are still my sister.
-o-
Astoria closed her eyes and put the letter on the table. At fourteen this was more than she was supposed to deal with. Susan, curious, reached for the letter after a moment. Astoria was still trying to go through what Daffy just wrote. There were other sheets, probably other letters below it, but this one had been a doozy.
"Dear merlin, is this true?" Susan said after a moment.
Astoria opened her eyes to look into the huge eyes of her cousin. Susan's shock quickly turned into anger. "Auntie was killed by a pureblood bigot, and he isn't even a pureblood!"
Astoria looked at her cousin curiously. She had never seen Susan so upset.
"Those bloody, two-timing wankers! I will kill them," Susan declared. She shot out of her seat. "I need Uncle Grover and Auntie Tabitha. Everyone needs to know this. I need to get to the goblins. There are a few houses that owe mine favours that Auntie had been talking about calling in."
Perhaps the fabled badger fierceness wasn't just a legend…
Astoria got up to follow her, wanting to know what Susan was going to do. She liked seeing this Susan compared to the one that cried half the days now.
-oOo-
Next time on Dear Order: Harry's feeling they were now safe may not be as true as he would like…
Chapter 6
14 Apr 2024
-oOo-
August 17, 1996…
Casablanca, Morocco
Daphne enjoyed seeing how flustered she could make Harry, though he didn't often get that way. The boy was dripping wet after being taken down by a wave. The sand and water were cool enough to be cold in the warm weather. Having to go up onto her toes just a little, she put a kiss to his lips. "You're cute when you get all red."
He glared at her, which made her giggle. "You did that on purpose."
She grinned with her mouth close to his. "You would let your betrothed be knocked down by a wave?" The fact she might have pushed him didn't matter. She hadn't wanted to get that wet. The waves lapped on the beach under the cliffs that the Delacour's villa sat on. Every few minutes a larger one would come further up the shore to where they were. She had hoped to go swimming in the ocean, but the waters were cool. One of the locals had said it was due to the currents that came out of the north.
"I don't know about letting it knock you down, but I would throw you in," Harry said, suddenly grabbing her waist.
"HARRY!" she screamed, squirming and pulling back too late as he wrapped his arms around her and lifted her up. She hit his hardened shoulders and chest. In the last year or two he had gone from the skinny boy she remembered seeing across the great hall to a boy that was going to be handsome and was growing muscular. He would never be tall, but he was tall enough.
Harry laughed as he stumbled into the small waves, and she fought to be free. Though, she wasn't trying that hard.
When they came back up spluttering, the tangy salt water in her mouth and matting her blond hair to her face, she kicked the water. Harry laughed as he tried to shield himself. "I like this dress," she scolded him.
When she flopped her hair back, Harry was grinning at her. "I like it too."
Following his eyes down, she blushed a little. The dress was clinging to her, outlining her knickers and bra, and showing her nipples from the chilly water. She playfully hit his arm before moving closer. "You are such a boy at times," she teased.
"Am I supposed to be offended at that?" he asked, a silly grin on his face that she had only seen since they had left England. She moved in to kiss him again. After a moment, she opened her mouth to let his tongue in and her arms snaked up around his neck. She was letting herself fall into their love to shield herself. She was still mourning her aunt and feeling a little guilty about running from her family. Harry was more important though.
The beach was relatively private, and what they had been doing in their bed lately, had her not caring as much if people saw her snogging her betrothed. She was really starting to anticipate their wedding night…
Daphne screamed as Harry suddenly broke off the kiss and spun them around. She was sent under the water. A wave grabbed her as she went under, losing her grasp on Harry as he let her go. A moment later, she came up spluttering and coughing, having swallowed half the ocean. Among the sounds of the waves, she became aware of spell fire. Still coughing, she threw her hair over her head.
Harry was a short distance away. Like in the practices they had done most of the year, he was moving in a strange dance. His wand was a blur as he pulled it up. Water from the ocean shot out at a huge man. It turned into a giant spear of ice. The man jumped back with a speed she couldn't believe.
As Harry's wand came around, a shield appeared on his side. A half dozen small darts bounced off it. They had been thrown by a small man with long, house elf-like ears. Harry's wand continued to move as he launched more ice spears at the large growling man trying to get closer to Harry.
She reached for the wand on her forearm in the holster they had gotten in France. She wasn't as skilled as Harry, but anything would help him at the moment.
Her wand came up and she slashed it before jabbing it. They had been concentrating on non-verbal casting the last few months. Knowing they couldn't be captured, a green flame shot out of her wand towards the short man. He threw something at the gout of fire. When it hit, there was an explosion. She was thrown back into the water, grasping her wand as tightly as she could.
As she came back up, she was suddenly lifted. An icy cold hand was around her throat. She grabbed at it, trying to breathe as she was lifted clear out of the water. "Surrender or she dies," the figure demanded in a voice as cold as his hand.
She felt the hand squeeze. She gasped for air. Her eyes managed to see who was holding her. A slight smoke was coming off the exposed skin around her neck. His face under the cowl was bone white and he had red eyes. She knew right away what he was. Knowing she didn't have long before she started to black out, she slashed her wand and jabbed it into the vampire's face. The green fire came out as a conflagration in her desperation.
He screamed. His hand squeezed her neck hard before she was thrown. She landed in shallow water and hit the sandy bottom hard. Her wand slipped out of her hand, and she rolled over, taking in a lung full of water as she tried to breathe.
She just managed to push herself up and cough out the water that was trying to drown her when a hand grabbed her shoulder. She wanted to scream, but it hurt too much. In her panic, she flopped over and kicked.
Someone splashed into the shallows next to her. "Bloody fecking hell, Daph!" Harry exclaimed.
She rolled over to her love. He had a hand to his head and was struggling to get up. "I thought…" she managed to get out.
There was a roar of rage from behind Harry. He rushed to his feet to grab her. "Wand," she managed to get out.
"Accio wand!" Harry cried out. Her wand sailed into his hand while his other was reaching out to her. The second she grabbed his hand, Harry twisted. The pull through the nether between one place to another was uncomfortable at the best of times. It became all too apparent that she was hurt by the way it constricted her body. She felt the way her neck hurt, there was a pain in her left shoulder and leg.
When they came out of the apparition, Harry collapsed next to her. "Oh god! Merlin, Daph, how hurt are you?"
She coughed, a hand going to her throat. It felt hard to breathe. "Throat," she managed to get out.
Harry picked her up bridal style and carried her to a couch in the villa's sitting room. "I need you to drink these and then we need to go," Harry told her. He had his bag out and pulled out three bottles. She recognized the pain reliever and pepper-up by their colour. She didn't recognize the last one, but she felt she should. She was good at potions but was starting to feel dizzy. He put the pain reliever and pepper-up to her lips. She had a demanding time swallowing them. A few seconds later her body hurt a lot less. His wand was going over her body. Probably doing the simple diagnostic spell she had taught him.
A moment later, he summoned a spoon and poured some of the last vial into it. "It's a tissue mending potion. It should work to help with your throat and the tear in the muscle in your shoulder."
She nodded and took the dose without complaint. It tasted like roasted, sweaty socks and she made a face and gagging noise.
Once she took it, she sagged into the couch. Her eyes closed as she felt the soothing relief of the potions taking effect. Everything was quiet for a moment. She started when a soft hand touched her cheek. She leaned into his touch opening her blue eyes. Concerned green eyes were staring back at her. He was still dripping water. A thin line of blood was trailing down the right side of his face and his shirt was cut open on that shoulder. She could see scratches that had bled some into his shirt.
She shifted. "You're bleeding," she said in a whisper.
He shrugged. "I'll be fine," he told her.
She hated when he did that. Reaching up, she pushed his hair back. There was a cut by his scar that was slowly seeping blood. "You are not fine," she told him.
Harry gave her a tremulous smile. "We can't stay. Can you get up or turn into your Animagus?"
He helped her sit up. She felt a little woozy and her neck hurt like hell when she moved it. Knowing that they had been found, she knew they had to move. Harry had apparated, meaning they could be tracked. "Help me up," she told him, her voice still soft.
He helped her to her feet. He put her wand into her hand. "Can you use your animagus form?"
She took in a deep breath. "I think so."
With a nod, he twisted. She knew that they had planned to apparate near the train station if they needed and run from there. It would be a risk, but if they kept moving and didn't use more magic, they should be untraceable for a bit.
-oOo-
That evening…
Casablanca, Morocco
Things at the ministry were not going the way Lucius wanted. He had to wait four hours to get an international portkey. There was a time his name and gold would have gotten him one in minutes, but apparently in his zeal to see Muggleborns out of the ministry, he had forced out three of five people in the International Travel Department that made the blasted things. His scowl was as much for not having more purebloods in the office as it was the wait.
By the time the portkey dropped him off in Casablanca at the aerodrome, it was already late evening, with only a slim sliver of light still on the horizon.
His temper didn't improve any as he was forced to go through customs. It was close to nine when he finally apparated to the hotel address he had been given and stood at the door. His cane wrapped on the door, leaving deep indentations.
He was about to do it again when he heard a dead bolt and the door opened. His brow rose to see a dishevelled werewolf with a bandage on his head and an arm in a sling. "What happened to you?" Lucius demanded. It wasn't out of any caring for the bounty hunters but needing to know if they had been found out.
The werewolf snarled at him. "You never told us they knew how to fight."
Lucius's face turned angry. "What are you talking about? My son says Potter is below average in his skills and Greengrass was failing her Defence course."
The werewolf growled. "Your son is an idiot!"
Lucius' face turned livid. "Don't you dare insult my son, you low life ingrate."
"Nathan, we can't afford this now," a squeaky voice interrupted whatever the werewolf was going to say. "Mister Malfoy, what my companion is trying to say is that you were given false intelligence, and we need to increase our price."
"I am not going to pay you more. What in Morgana's tit happened?" he demanded.
"The brats knew how to fight and weren't using stunners and bindings like you said," the squeaky man said, trying to push the snarling werewolf back.
"Impossible. Anyone trained by Dumbledore only uses non-lethal spells," Malfoy scoffed at the. "Did you engage them when I told you to wait for me?"
"Mister Malfoy, we are now one member down. We decided to capture them. It was the first time in the last day they were outside whatever wards they are hiding behind. If we didn't move, you may have lost them," the little man said. He was convinced the man was a half elf.
"I ordered you to wait. And where is the vampire?"
"He is unavailable," the small man said.
"You mean Sanguini is a pile of ashes in the ocean," the werewolf snarled. "I'm going to kill them."
Lucius's wand came out of his cane, and he pointed it at the werewolf's chest. "You will not harm them. What happened?"
After a few minutes, he had the details of a kidnapping that went horribly wrong. He was reeling inside. Potter had used lethal silver projectiles on the werewolf. He had cast some semi-dark cutting hexes at the bounty hunters. Greengrass had set the vampire on fire before Potter finished him off… This was not the same boy and girl that Draco complained about all the time.
After a few minutes of silence, Malfoy looked to them. "Can you still track them?"
The small man made a face. "I don't know. The apparition went behind wards I can't get through. There was too much ambient magic at the aerodrome, if they got onto another airship, and there is something about them that messes with my divination rods. If they are outside the city, I might be able to determine which direction they are going."
"Then let's go. We need to find them. If you get me them in the next twenty-four hours, I'll double your fee. Otherwise, you'll explain to the Dark Lord how you messed up," Lucius threatened, though he knew that he would be paying the price for this debacle if he was to let the Dark Lord know he almost had Potter and Greengrass and they escaped.
-oOo-
That night…
Rotherham, England
Tabitha was sitting on a couch in her husband's study. The girls were finally in bed after an explosive day. She had never seen Susan so worked up. The inflammatory letter that Daphne had sent her sister had them all upset and angered.
Now, her worry for her Daphne had grown exponentially.
Grover was standing before the unlit fireplace. He had a small tumbler of amber scotch in his hand as he had a hand on the mantle and heavily leaned into it. He had been standing like that for a while. She hadn't interrupted him, as he was deep in thought, and she had her own going through her head.
When he finally spoke, it startled her. She started and put a hand to her chest.
"I want you and the girls to go to the continent," he told her.
She frowned. "What about you? What about our estates and the business and getting Daphne back?"
"Tabitha, I love you more than anything my family has built here. You, Daphne, Astoria and Susan, you are my family. Nothing is more important than family," he told her. He turned his head to look at her. "You know my family left our homelands to protect family. I will not allow you to be hurt."
She frowned. She didn't disagree with him, but she wasn't sure if this was the best decision or not. "So, you believe Daphne and Harry?"
He let out a heavy sigh. "There have been rumours. Dangerous rumours. Rumours whispered at in private meetings and back rooms. I never wanted to believe them. I couldn't believe that a half-blood with a muggle father could rule over so many old families like he did. He turned them into ravenous wolves. The last war killed as many old bloods as new bloods. I am going to find out the truth of these rumours. What I need you to do is keep Susan from broadcasting this."
She felt a little anger come up. "Amelia was my sister. You can't think I would keep this from people. Imagine what the purebloods and everyone else would do if they found out he is a half-blood? Worse, he's the son of a muggle!"
"Exactly," Grover said. "Listen, Tabitha. I don't think you understand what this will do."
"I understand it will cost him support and probably cause some of his supporters to turn on him," she hotly replied.
"No, you don't understand," he said a little more forcibly. "You want to protect our girls? This will do just the opposite. You don't know the target this will paint on us. You remember how the Death Eaters hunted families. It's starting to happen again. I can't lose you. I am not saying we don't get this information out there," he said when it looked like she was going to argue again.
"Tabitha, please. I promise you that I will do everything I can to see You-Know-Who be outed and to destroy his support, but we can't be brash about this. I need you to explain this to Susan. I need you to trust me in this. I know I have made mistakes lately," he said to cut off her angry tirade that was building.
"I need to validate this. I need proof. I need a reliable source to disseminate this. Without that, I think it will be buried, and us along with this information."
She glared at him for a long few minutes. She wanted to go to Diagon Alley and start to shout this out. She wanted revenge for her sister. He wanted revenge for her niece. Susan had been hurting so much. She didn't know what to do to help her. Her best friend had fled. Daphne wasn't here. Astoria wasn't as close as Daphne was to Susan, but she was helping.
After a few, she stood up. "I will write to Beauxbatons that we are accepting enrolment. We will leave as soon as possible."
"We should ensure you have a safe place to go before you leave," Grover told her. "We will let the girls know in a few days. It might be best if you leave just before the start of their school year to reduce suspicions. They can't tell anyone."
She looked at him. Was she underestimating the situation? She had never seen him quite like this before.
"Grover?"
He sighed. "Malfoy and others have levelled threats against us now that Daphne is betrothed to Potter. He is still pushing for Astoria. Others have approached me about Susan. I will not sign them over to anyone," he told her with great conviction. "I have seen the error of my ways. I don't want you, or the girls, leaving the grounds. I will start talking with my contacts in France and Germany."
She moved over to him. "Grover, this is starting to sound like you are not coming."
He gave her a small smile. "Not right away. I can't leave all those that work for us, or have supported us, for all these years. I will get us established on the continent and take everyone I can, but I can't just pick up and leave tomorrow. I have already had some plans in place, but I thought it still a few years off."
She nodded after a moment. "What can I do?"
He gave her a far more genuine smile and stood tall. His hand searched hers out. "Continue to tell me when I am being stupid. Trust me. If you are not opposed, I could also use your help when you go to the continent."
She wrapped her fingers between his. "If it keeps you and our girls safe, anything."
He pulled her in to give her a soft kiss. "Thank you. We have much to do. I will need you by my side and to run errands that would be suspicious if I did it."
She nodded. "And Susan? You know she will be on a tear about this."
He sighed. "I know. It's a trait of the Bones women," he said with a bit of a wry grin. "It's some of what I love about you."
"Only some?" she asked, a brow raising.
"Well, it can be rather daunting at times as well."
She huffed, though wasn't really offended. "I was taught to protect family and to not bow to tyrants."
He chuckled. "And you have taught our daughters well. Amelia has made a strong young woman in Susan."
She moved in to peck his cheek. "I will try to keep Susan from contacting everyone she knows. She has an outlet for her anger and grief and won't let it go. Ami was much the same way."
"Stress we will not keep this a secret, it just can't be yelled out. Not yet. Not until we are ready," he told her.
She nodded. "I will try. Hufflepuffs are nothing but doggedly determined to see their goals."
"They are," he said, giving her a soft kiss. "If you don't mind, I will come to bed later. I have some letters to draft and numbers to crunch."
"Don't stay up too late."
He gave a heavy sigh. "I will try."
She kissed him before leaving him to do what he must.
-oOo-
Later That night…
Marrakesh, Morocco
Harry's shoulder was hurting too much now to stay in his dog form, so they were on muggle transportation. They had been able to find a bus to Marrakesh, and while waiting for it to leave, Daphne had dragged him into a bathroom to use some dittany and a potion on him, but he was fairly certain the man he had been fighting was a werewolf. The man wasn't changed, but his hands had claws. He knew only something like silver iodide would be able to get the wounds to close fully, but they didn't have any right now. At least the cut on his head was healed.
After taking a train to Marrakesh, they were at a bus station trying to decide where to go. He wished trains went further south, but they didn't, so a bus was their best option. He was leaning against the wall for support as Daphne leaned into him.
"We need to find you a healer," she told him. She sounded better than before, but a few hours had allowed bruises to form on her neck. He wouldn't be surprised if she had bruises elsewhere.
"I'll be fine, Daph," he told her.
"Will you stop that! I know you aren't fine, Harry. You were limping when we were changed," she told him.
Harry sighed and ran a hand through his matted hair. He could still feel the sand and salt from the ocean. He wanted a shower, but knew they had to get further away. "We'll find a healer when we get further away."
She pursed her lips. "How did they find us? I thought the potions the goblins gave us should stop any tracking charms or scrying," she told him.
"I don't know. There is a bus heading south," he said, looking at the board of busses and a map that was next to them. "Agadir is on the sea. Maybe we can find a boat or something to keep going south? There is a sizable British colony that doesn't recognize the ICW or the ministry in South Africa, or we could maybe head towards the Congo and Uagadou?"
She wrapped her arms around him. "I think there is a small magical community in Agadir. I read about it in the guidebook at the villa," she told him.
Harry kissed her forehead. "Merlin, I love you."
Daphne gave a small smile. It was all she could muster given the current situation.
Looking at the board, they would have to be here for the night. There wasn't a bus south until the morning. Harry took them to a corner and took out his cloak. She knew he had been avoiding it because some people could still find him under it, like Dumbledore or Alastor Moody, but it still made her feel better as they sat in the chairs, and she curled up into his side. Harry wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"I'm going to risk using the invisibility cloak," he told her.
She nodded. She knew they had avoided it because of the charms they had found Dumbledore had put on it, but she thought it worth the risk at the moment. Most tracking charms didn't work more than a few hundred miles, at most. They became active when Harry used the cloak. She wanted to get rid of the charms, but needed to learn more about runes before she did, not wanting to damage the cloak that Harry prised so much.
Harry looked around, checking to see if anyone was looking, before pulling his invisibility cloak over them.
-oOo-
August 18, 1996
Agadir, Morocco
It was early afternoon when the golden retriever nudged him. She was steering him to their left. Harry's mouth was open, and he was panting. His shoulder was killing him. He whined when she nudged his shoulder again. Daphne licked his snout.
He could feel the magic of powerful wards nearby but wasn't feeling well enough to track it down like he normally would. After wandering another street or two, they came out by the ocean and found the small wizarding section of the seaside town. It was relatively easy to spot as the only place that had a harbour with wooden ships. Most had two masts.
It took them a few to find the portal. Turning back into their normal selves, Daphne moved to support him as he staggered. "Harry," Daphne exclaimed.
"M'm alright, Daph," he said, a slight slur to his voice.
"No, you aren't. We are finding a healer," she told him.
Supporting him as they entered the dockside community, she had to ask a few people before being pointed in the proper direction. It turned out to be a small clinic. A few people were sitting in chairs.
Harry was sweating as they walked up to the man at the desk. The translation medallions were proving their worth as the man spoke Arabic. "Can I help you?"
"My betrothed got into a fight. He needs to see a healer."
"M'm fin," Harry told her.
"I swear, Harry, you say that again and I'll scream bloody murder," she replied in a fierce tone.
He chuckled at her. After filling out a form, they were told to sit. Daphne put a hand to his head. "You're burning up," she said worriedly.
"It's nothing. We ne'd to find a boat," he told her. They couldn't get caught and he wasn't sure that werewolf wouldn't try to kill them if they were found again.
"Harry, if you die, it won't matter," she shot back.
When they were seen into a room, he collapsed on the table before the Healer could look at him. The man was running a wand over Harry. "What happened to you?"
"We were attacked. I think it was a werewolf," Daphne told the man.
He just tsked. "They have been an issue at times. You did get into a fight. There is an infection, which is why he is running a fever, and the wounds will need to be treated with silver. I'm afraid there will be scarring."
Harry took her hand. "A few more scars won't hurt me."
"Be quiet, Harry," she scolded him.
He gave her a half-hearted grin as she helped Harry out of his shirt so the healer could look at the wounds. Harry was concerned by how concerned she was. He reached up with his other hand and traced her neck. "You should be checked over too."
"I will look your betrothed over in a moment. This will sting," the healer warned.
Harry took in a deep breath and closed his eyes as the healer dabbed silver iodine over the three long scratches that went up and over his left shoulder. Daphne squeezed his hand. After a few minutes, the Healer stopped then handed him three vials. "This potion is for the infection. It should clear in a day or two. I'll give you two more doses. One for before you go to bed tonight and the other for breakfast tomorrow. This one is for the fever. Again, I'll give you two doses. The last is a pain relief. Don't do anything strenuous with that arm for a few days. Werewolf wounds can take a bit to heal. The good news is that you won't be infected by lycanthropy, but I can't guarantee you won't show some signs."
"Yes, sir," Harry replied.
"I'll make sure he takes them," Daphne told the healer.
The man nodded. "I would like to see him again tomorrow to see how the wounds are doing. It may take another treatment or two. Now, let me look at you, miss. Your neck is all bruised."
They shared a look. Daphne didn't look to like it, but Harry knew she was agreeing to find an apothecary to find some silver iodine.
"She had a tear in her shoulder and a bruise on her leg as well,"Harry said, more concerned for Daphne than he was for himself. She gave him an unimpressed look. After a moment, the Healer commented, "Whoever did first aid on you did a decent job. I think a dose of muscle mending potion, some bruise salve and rest and you should be good in a day or two as well."
Daphne nodded.
Harry paid from their pouch before they left the clinic. He was already feeling much better. Daphne was eyeing him as he looked around. "Harry, should we find a place to stay the night? You look better, but you still look awful."
"Daph, I don't want to stay. If they find us, I don't want you getting hurt."
She frowned but didn't protest. There was an herbalist a few stalls down where they found everything they needed and were pointed towards a two masted schooner at the end of the dock. Approaching the ship, a dark-skinned man in a yellow robe in the cut of the locals was at the bottom of the gangplank arguing with a man. "I already paid the taxes."
"You can't leave without paying the taxes on the cargo you took on," a rotund man was saying.
The man in yellow made a very unflattering comment. "Akmed, you are fleecing me. I only need to pay on the cargo I unload here."
The corpulent man smiled. "If you don't pay now, I can't guarantee you will have a birth the next time you make port."
"By the gods!" the man in the yellow robes cursed before taking out his coin pouch. Then the corpulent man gave the man a grin with nasty looking teeth. Daphne moved in closer to him. There were some choice words said as four other men were loading the ship using wands to levitate the cargo.
After the other man left, they approached the ship. The man in yellow robes looked to them, eyeing them up and down before they could say anything. "I don't take passengers," he told them.
"Please, are you Captain Bachir? We need passage south of here," Harry told him.
The man's eyebrow rose. "Just south? Not to Dakar or somewhere else more specific?"
Daphne held out a handful of golden doubloons. "We can pay," she said. Harry knew that was more than it should cost, but they needed to go.
The man looked at them, then looked around. His eyes fell onto the coins. "A doubloon for each day, each, and three marks for meals each day."
Daphne didn't look impressed. "Five doubloons now, and ten when we get to our destination," Daphne countered.
"And where is your destination?"
"As far south as you are going," Harry answered.
The man regarded them for a moment. "Eight doubloons right now. Twelve when we reach Port Gentil in Gabon. Plus the three marks per day. If you decide to get off before then, five doubloons no matter what."
"Twelve doubloons only if its two marks per day," Daphne countered.
The man snorted. "I'm not the one running."
"Fine. When do you leave?" Harry said. He had the funds and they needed to go.
"The tide goes out in an hour or so. We'll leave then. Kadhem! Get these two a birth in the forward hold. We don't have any state rooms," the man told them with a grin.
Daphne leaned over towards him as they were led onto the small schooner and below deck. "I could have talked him down. My father said to always haggle."
"Daph, I don't care about the money. I just want to take a nap and be off," Harry whispered back. The forward hold had eight hammocks hanging from the ceiling. The man that showed them below deck indicated two for them and then left. Harry wasn't thrilled with the accommodations, but it was better than the bus station or the cupboard he had grown up in. Daphne managed to crawl in with him. Harry cast a few warning charms and other stuff before wrapping his arms around her and falling asleep to the rocking boat.
Daphne watched over him, unable to rest with the noises of the ship being made ready to leave.
-oOo-
Later that day…
Hogwarts, Scotland
Albus was pouring over maps on his desk. He knew he was supposed to be worried about hiring a new potion master but was too worried about Harry and what Tom could be doing to focus on that. He had told Minerva to get it done, and she rarely failed at anything he set her too.
Reports had come in from a few of his contacts on the continent. Death Eaters had been seen in a dozen cities over the last few days, mostly in France, Belgium and Germany, the most likely places they would easily get to by Muggle means. It was obvious they had escaped by not using magic. This was probably a blessing as Tom's people had truly little experience in the Muggle world.
As he looked at where they had been seen, Severus's assertion that they were checking every magical settlement was accurate.
The children had to be avoiding these places, otherwise his contacts would have seen them.
As his finger moved further afield, his eyes and mind kept going to a few places. Harry had closed his accounts. There was not an insignificant amount of coin, treasure and heirlooms that had been in the vaults. He doubted that Harry would haul that around with him, which meant he had only three real options where to put his wealth: one of the other goblin clans in Germany, France or Spain, the gnomes of Austria, or the vampires of Italy.
Albus unfortunately thought all three to be viable options.
He knew that Harry didn't have any grudges against magical creatures, meaning that all three banking options were open to him. He doubted that Harry could have made it to Italy by now if he wasn't using magical transport. Muggles were good at moving around, but he knew Harry was underage in their world and would have a challenging time getting an automobile. Severus and Remus had assured him that Harry would not be able to fly in an eareoplane. They wouldn't sell him the tickets at his age, and he wouldn't be able to get onto the eareoplane without Muggle identification. He could use a train…
It never occurred to him that Harry might try to convert everything over to Muggle currency or that he knew how to get Muggle identification until Severus pointed out that could be a possibility. It was such a devastating possibility that Albus didn't even consider it. Harry would never give up magic.
Albus sighed.
Harry had the knowledge of the Muggle world that very few of his contacts or people in the Order did. Those that did, Remus, Severus and Tonks, were very apprehensive they could find him if he went Muggle. Looking to the shelf of destroyed instruments next to the few that were still working, he knew there was going to be no way of tracking him unless the blood trackers were within two hundred miles or so of the boy. Unfortunately, Europe was a large place. Their best hope was that Harry or Daphne was forced to use magic and they could find them when the ICW or another member nation found them.
Looking at the destroyed instruments again, he wished he knew a place Harry had been. If they did, then certain magics would become available to track Harry.
Perhaps not telling Harry about things had not been a bright plan. Harry blamed him for Sirius's death. If truth be told, the boy wasn't wrong. Knowing the boy's fate, he had hoped he would have a good life, but the more he found out this summer, the more he understood why Harry would run.
He was pondering this when the small gargoyle above his door announced, "Severus Snape."
Albus leaned back into his chair. Hopefully the man had good news. A moment later, the door to his office banged open. Albus looked at the man with an annoyed expression. He hated when the door was slammed open like that. "You have news?"
Severus took a few strides over to his desk and placed a sheaf of parchment on it. "I was at the Malfoys. Lucius was summoned to Morocco. I think this has to do with the team hunting for Potter and Greengrass."
Albus's brows climbed up his forehead. Reaching for the letter that Severus must have taken, he read it. "Morocco? How could the boy have gotten to Morocco?"
Severus snorted. "I always told you he was more like Lily, but you always wanted me to treat him like his arrogant arse of a father."
Albus pinched the bridge of his nose. "I am not in the mood for this argument again. You already made waves at the last meeting, and I need you to keep your cover."
Severus glared at the man. "Albus, your Chosen One has flown the coop. I am dedicated to destroying my master, but if Potter is too smart to be involved, I will find another way."
"Severus, now is not the time. I will notify Alastor about this. If you find anything else, let me know right away," Albus told him in a dismissive tone. Severus glared at him for a moment more before stalking out of the room.
Albus picked up the letter. It said Potter and Greengrass were in Casablanca. Getting up, he went to the instruments on the shelf. Many were still destroyed from Harry's fit the night Sirius had died. Only one blood tracker was still operational. Drafting a note, he wrapped the tracker inside of it.
"Fawkes, my friend, I need you to find Alastor Moody and deliver this to him," he said, holding out the small package. The bird had refused to take him to or to retrieve Harry or Greengrass. He hoped his phoenix friend would do this for him this time.
After a long moment of the black eyes of Fawkes staring at him, the phoenix squawked, took the package in his beak and then disappeared in a ball of fire. Albus sat back in his chair.
"This is all a disaster," he muttered to himself.
-oOo-
August 19, 1996
Casablanca, Morocco
Moody was glowering at the customs agent that was looking at his passport. He always liked a good chase when he had to find a criminal, but he hated having to pay attention to local laws. Luckily, he maintained his ICW credentials, and they would allow him to act as a Hit Wizard here, even if Morrocco didn't follow the ICW accords.
The man looked up to him. "Are you here chasing a contract?"
Moody snorted. "I would have given you that when I stomped over here," Moody gruffly replied to the man with the thick accent.
"What is your business? You have presented a law enforcement waiver. Unless you are under contract, I will have to deny your entry," the man said. He nodded and three Aurors moved towards them. Hestia was already waiting for him. He gave a small shake to her head to keep her from drawing her wand. She was a Hit Wizard of some skill, but the last thing they needed was to draw attention that Harry Potter could be in the country.
He leaned over the counter and lowered his voice, hoping the privacy wards around the stand were as good as his eye said. Only him, the customs agent and the Aurors should hear him. "Listen, laddie. I'm here under official business from the British Ministry of Magic under a request to the ICW. Let me through. I promise I won't cause any trouble."
The man eyed him dubiously. The Aurors came closer, and Moody's hand was itching for his wand to come to it. One of the Aurors came within a few feet. After a moment, the man said, "Does this have to do with a certain alert we were sent?"
Moody turned to face the man as his eye scanned everywhere. "Aye, laddie."
After a moment of tense silence, the man waived for the agent to let him through. The man walked with Moody as he joined Hestia. "You need to stop at your embassy or the Auror office to register. If you violate any laws before doing so, you will be held criminally responsible. We are not an ICW controlled country."
Moody nodded. When he thought they were out of earshot and into the main wizarding district of the country, he whispered to Hestia, "Over my dead body am I registering. We need to find Potter soon."
"I was able to get a local paper as you were looking around the aerodrome," she said, handing him the paper. Moody looked at it with his fake eye, the translation spells on it changing the Arabic to English. She had left it open on an inside page to a disturbance at a local beach that had required an Obliviator and Auror response.
"It's as good a spot as any to start. Let's find out where this is," Moody told her.
Less than an hour later he was at the edge of the ocean. There were traces of magic all around. The area along the beach didn't see much magical use, so most of the traces were relatively fresh and pure. Looking around, he caught the signs of powerful wards on the cliffs above them.
Hestia was surreptitiously casting about and doing her best to avoid the few Muggles around. When she stepped up to him, she asked, "What do you think?"
"There was a fight. I can detect six signatures. The tracker is reacting to Potter's magic, but its weak. He's not in the area anymore," Moody told her. "There's also something up there."
Hestia followed his gaze to where he nodded. "It's too far away for me to detect with the spells I can use at the moment. What is it?"
Moody shrugged. "Something big. Probably a home."
"You think that is where Potter and Greengrass were staying?"
Moody's eyes looked towards the water. What ever happened down here happened along the water's edge. "Did you get any trace on that apparition?"
She pointed in the direction of the wards. "That way. Can't tell you how far though."
Moody grunted. He knew you could usually pick up apparition trails for twenty-four to forty-eight hours, but to know the distance, you usually had to be there within three or four hours. Looking at the beach and the cliffs, Moody had a good feeling that was where Potter had been.
Grabbing Hestia's arm, he twisted and they appeared on the top of the bluffs. She was used to his eccentricities and was moving to make sure they were safe instead of yelling at him for his rudeness. They were outside the safe distance of the wards. Hestia started to cast spells.
Moody took out the small glass vial on a string. It spun for a moment before aligning itself. It was pointing at the wards, then the small tip moved to the south by south-east. By the way it wobbled, it was obvious it was only following a weak link. The boy was either out of range of the tracker and it was just picking up the weakening trail, or he was on the very edge of the detection range. Either way, that meant he was a ways ahead of them already.
Taking out a map, he started to look for obvious places the teens could go. Hestia came to him a few minutes later. "There are traces of their magic, but I can't get any reads. It's like something is actively blocking me."
"I would say goblin anti-tracking potions and charms," Moody told her.
Her brow rose. "Those are pricey."
"From what Albus says, the kid had the resources, though he shouldn't have been able to get at them until he was seventeen," Moody answered her. "They are traveling Muggle. The blood tracker has only a weak link. I don't like this. Marrakech is the likely place along this path, unless they are going into the desert."
Hestia looked at the map, then pointed to a line with hash marks. "If they are going Muggle, then they could take a train or bus. From here they could go north or south," she told him. The lass had spent some time learning about Muggles. She was one of the best Hit Wizard trackers he knew.
"Aye. But which way? They want to avoid Europe, otherwise they wouldn't be here," Moody said.
They were both looking at the map when there was a soft crack not too far away. Moody's wand was out, and he tapped his head, dissolutioning himself before the map fell to the ground. Hestia was doing the same. The next swipe of his wand vanished the map. He would have to get another one now.
They slunk off towards a shaded area under a tree. A moment later, his magical eye fell on someone he wanted to put a piercing hex through. The blonde ponce Malfoy was following a short man with another big man behind him.
"You told me you could find them," Malfoy was sneering.
"I was using a divining rod attuned to the girl. That was broken," the small man retorted.
"Your gold better be worth all this," the big man said. Looking at them, Moody recognized the big guy as a werewolf and the small man had either house elf or goblin ancestry.
Malfoy snarled at the werewolf. "I am paying you. That should be enough. Now, where are they? You've already wasted a day trying to find them."
"I told you, the traces are going in a dozen different directions. They weren't just staying here," the small man said.
"I am telling you they are Animagus," the big man said.
Malfoy scoffed. "They are too young."
Moody thought about that for a minute. It was possible. The boy's father and godfather did it at the same age. Was that how he had escaped and they didn't know? He would be on the lookout for it now.
"I agree with Nathan. It makes it harder for a diviner to follow if they are in an Animagus form," the little man said.
Hestia tapped his shoulder, then tapped out a message. It was loud and clear, if they could get a read on Potter, they could follow them. The small man took another ten minutes before looking in the same direction the blood tracker had pointed. "Nathan, when we were at the train station, how long ago do you think they were there?"
The werewolf sniffed. "Yesterday."
"What are you saying? We missed them?"
"If there were cameras or other stuff, I could have found them. I think they headed further south. All this time we have been following them south," the little man said. Moody's wand was weaving an intricate pattern.
Lucius looked in the same direction. After a moment he said, "Where south? We have to find them. We have to find them today."
"I say we head to Marrakech. See if there are any way to track them by bus or train. I don't think they will use the gnomes' airships anymore," the little man replied.
Lucius snarled. "Get us there."
Nathan, the werewolf, snarled at the man's back as they walked away. They waited a few minutes after the cracks of apparition sounded before they disillusioned themselves. "Did you get trackers on them?"
"Two each," Hestia said.
Moody nodded. Unless they got a better lead, they were now chasing the bounty hunters as they chased the kids. Casting the charms to see where their quarry went, they apparated near the train terminal to see what would happen next.
-oOo-
Next time on Dear Order: Who is Tom Riddle? A mystery revealed. Another escape. A pissed off Bones woman.