Harry Potter, Scion of Harker

Ch 04

Isdh

121

Albus spun into the Headmaster's Office, just as the heel of his left boot, dissolved. When he had apperated away from everyone in his panic, his focus flickered. A swish of the Elder Wand, and he was wearing his slippers. He would let the elf who handled his wardrobe deal with the boots.

He eased himself into his chair, as he sucked on a lemon-drop.

He had just thought them simple muggles, and showing up with Hagrid and McGonagall would have the boy trotting at his heel, like the lost puppy he was. When he brushed the boy's mind, he felt a barely contained rage. Focusing on why Harry was angry, Albus noticed the 'black spot' was being eaten by the boy's magic. Then Albus learned that Lily was not of Even's blood, meaning that the Blood Wards were useless from the get go.

Followed quickly by the twin facts; a) that the boy was strong in the ways of Magic, and b) had little control over his Magic as he threw Hagrid aside like a feather. Only his fear of the boy targeting himself, kept the Elder Wand up his sleeve.

He had gone in, thinking he was returning a 'lost lamb' to the Flock. What he found was really pissed off Ram.

He now knew he had made a mistake, taking those two as his 'back up', but he wanted a Show of Force that the Boy would trust. Then Potter flings his half-giant like a gobb-stone, before his most trusted Deputy turns on him, threatening to do bodily harm...the muggle way. Than the High Hand of the Law turns up, having overheard enough that he would need some wand work to spin it to keep himself out of cuffs.

He tried for his signature exit, only for his Familiar to be shot down with a muggle death wand, held by a Wizard. The first step to breaking the binding on the bird. The boy then gathers up the chick, allowing the bloody bird to choose to shift its bond to the one holding it. The second step. If the brat offers the bird the option of freedom, there is no way Albus would ever be able to reclaim Fawks.

His Floo bloomed, "Albus! You gotta help!" Fudge's pale face in the green fire was almost comical. "Black has Escaped! Bones won't listen to me, and I can't reach Lucious!"

Albus blinked, as his mind drew the picture before him. Black had escaped Azkaban Prison, being there was only One Wizard or Witch known as 'Black'. Bones was doing her job, as Fudge was being his nosy self. Malfoy was out of the loop. If Albus could not use Force to bring Potter to heel, maybe Black could. "Cornelius. I am coming. I have to leave a note for my Deputy. In the meantime, summon everything you have on Black, and I do mean everything. Leave out even a single sheet of parchment, and all could be lost."

"Right. Everything on Black!" the bloom collapsed.

A quick note for McGonagall, explaining he had Chief Warlock duties, and he would explain everything when he got back. An Elf delivered it to her desk.

A quick letter to a former student, one who owed him a favor or twenty… someone who over the last decade had earned a Mastery of Defense from the ICW, but for one reason or another, was always looking for another job. The promise of a years pay, no matter how long he worked, plus expenses, should be enough to lure a counter-lever into place, should Black be unharnessed. Also sent by Elf, this time to the Owlery.

With a sigh, the bearded 'fool' flicked a pinch of green powder into the floo, "Ministry of Magic, Atrim."

121

"...in other news; Last night, terrorists attacked the Village of Cheddar." the noon news anchor read off the promoter, "No details at this time, but the Ministries of Health and Defense advise against traveling to the area. More details promised tonight. It is now ten past the hour, here is Pat with the Sports."

Hermione grunted as she turned off the tele. The only reason she was watching tele in the first place was that this BBC channel ran two hours of Dr Who just before noon. She stretched as she stood, before readjusting her two piece swimsuit. The heat was high enough to make wearing more unnecessary, but low enough that padding about in a nylon and cotton blend was a choice she had to make each morning. She knew her thirteen year old body was nothing compared to the likes of Cho or the Flying Foxes, but she liked the idea that she was only a year or two behind them.

'Wait a minute…' Hermione turned to look back at the cooling tele, 'She said Cheddar, where Harry is…'

She bolted to her room… only to find Hedwig perched on the mini bust of Dewey. "Thank Athena! I need to write a letter to Harry. One minute, please." she sat her desk, and grabbing a biro, wrote a quick letter. Tucking it in an envelope, she scribled his name on it. "To Harry please. If you are back by breakfast… bacon?"

"Burk!" the owl nipped her finger tips, before biting the envelope, and winged away.

121

Earlier that morning…

A Klakson sounded.

Scrimgeour Looked at where the Alarm was sounding from, paled. And bolted straight for the Rookie Tonks, tackling her into an apparition.

"You Arse!" Bones Roared, as her 'Right hand man' vanished before she could change her orders. "Shacklebolt, Dawlish, and Runcorn! You are first Wave! GO, GO, GO!" As the three men hit the floo running, "Hammer, you are with me! The Rest of you, squad up, and be ready!" the Buzz from the night before redoubled.

Two hours later, Fudge wondered in. "Bones! What is all this racket?"

"Sir." The Tired Director turned to glare at the fool, "We have had an escape from Azkaban!"

The pudgy politician paled. "Who!?" to her tired mind he sounded like an owl.

"Black." She accepted a fresh cup of coffee from Hammer. "It was discovered over an hour ago, but odds are he gave us the slip six to eight hours before that."

"How?"

"No Idea. My best men are on the job." She sipped, "And you are underfoot. It would be safer if you would return to your office."

Fudge ran…

Thirty minutes later Albus shuffled in, wearing bunny slippers.

"What now old man." the director growled.

"Just dropping by to see if I could help." the doting grandfather smile beamed at her.

"Sir. I am still up after pulling a double shift yesterday, then there was the Cheddar thing, and now Black. I have been on my feet for over thirty hours. I have had to deal with idiots the likes of Fudge and Umbridge for the last two. When Shack, Runcorn, and Dawlish return to report, I will read it, I will give everyone their orders, then I am going home to bed. The next non-auror to poke their nose into this office will spend the night in the cells!"

"Hem-hem!" the pink dressed witch spoke from Albus's elbow. "What is the latest word on Black?"

"Congratulations." Hammer tucked her arm under the shorter witch's. Years of practice, allowed the greying blond to 'lift' the toad's wand without being noticed. "You can be the first to ask him yourself. This way." she led the pink fuzzy robed witch to the lifts.

"What was that?" Shack asked, wiping Floo ash from his Dragonhide coat.

"Hammer is escorting Umbridge so she can interview Black." the witch downed the last of her coffee. "Report."

"Black is gone." Runcorn grunted, he dropped a copy of the Prophet on the desk… the smiling faces of the

Weasely Clan waved up at everybody. "That was on the bed. His neighbors said they heard him cursing and something about, and I quote, 'He is at Hogwarts.' Now this was from his Cousin, and all, but everyone agreed. This was the First time he made any noise."

"That's it?" the tired witch hissed.

Runcorn grinned, before flipping to the crossword puzzle. Everybody recognize the handwriting. They received three memos daily from the Author.

"Okay. If Fudge enters this office for Anything but to resign his Office, he gets the cell next to Umbridge. I will deal with him personally… in the morning." Bones stood up."Albus. I will see you in the morning." she staggered to the Bullpen Floo, and embraced the green flame.

Shack looked around. "Alright people. Work your contacts. Somebody knows something!" the bullpen became a beehive of activity. With a sigh, the black 'law thug' turned to the Headmaster. "Albus. What can we do for you."

"Ah, Senior Auror. It seems one of my … lambs has wandered off." Albus grinned at the man, "I was hoping to get a hand digging him out of the briar patch he has found himself in."

"Do you know where he is?"

"Yes." grandfatherly twinkling eyes.

"Give me an Hour. Paperwork. Then I will help." the black man snagged a chocolate bar on his way to his Desk.

"Thank you, King." Albus called, "I will go bother Fudge for the time." he shuffled out of the DMLE.

121

After lunch, Harry retired to his room, while Tonks, no first name, checked out the room across the hall.

There was a visitor waiting for him.

"Burk!" her leg extended...

"Hey girl. And you went and found me a letter. Who's a smart girl?" he closed on her, first removing the letter, than scratching her sweet spots. "You are! Yes you are!"

"Are you needing some alone time?" Tonks asked from the door, "I thought you were into Human girls."

"I am" Harry found a spot under Hedwig's left wing. "But some girls just need more attention than others."

"Burk!"

"And just how do you list these … girls?" Harry completely missed the teasing tone, but the Owl did not. She glared at Tonks.

"It depends on the girl." Harry's fingers moved under Hedwig's right wing, "This little feathered goddess needs her scratches and bacon. Granger needs her books, and Patil needs her gossip pages."

"Urr!" the owl shook her feathers, and hopped from her perch on the back of a desk chair to the top of the wardrobe.

"And now she will nap for an hour." Harry turned to the witch in his doorway. "What you need now?"

"Just giving you the heads up. I am popping home to pack a few things. Shouldn't be more than thirty- forty minutes." she waved as she turned and strolled to the front door… tripping and falling after the last step. Once outside she vanished with a krack!

Harry gathered his old raggy shirt, and made a nest on the desk, before pulling the chick from his pocket. "Looks like I am getting you both perches." The chick trilled. It had doubled in size since he had scooped it from the ground. Leaving the 'nest' in the sunlight, Harry opened the letter.

Mister Potter!

I heard about the attack on Cheddar! You should have immediately written me letting me know you were ok. Seeing Hedwig at my window is the only thing preventing me from panicking. This is becoming a habit for you, Mister Potter.

The list of books should be out in two weeks. I was hoping we could meet up that Wednesday.

Your worried friend

HJGranger.

Harry blinked, reread the letter, and blinked again. From the desk, he pulled a pad and biro, and wrote a response to his worried female friend.

Miss Granger.

It was not intentional, but I have been busy. I am pleased that Hedwig was able to find and calm you. The exact details of my new situation, I can not defulge right now, as there is some legal 'i's and 't's to be crossed and dotted. I can say that the Dursleys are no longer my Keepers. There has been a few deaths in the family. My new Keeper does allow for me to have phone privileges. I do not know the number, but when Hedwig returns with your next note, and if you include your number, I can call you. It will most likely be in the evening, before Dinner, as that is when I have an hour off.

My new Keeper has a private guard, and the 'Boys' have included me as a 'Specialist'. One who fits into a nitch that the grunts can not, for one reason or another. Yes, I am a bit young, but they are training me up.

Saw McGonagall and Hagrid today. It seems that my Keeper does not fully trust Dumbledor, and we were talking about me taking my schooling to France or the Colonies. I believe I can get Sir Integra to include you, if I am to be sent out of Britain.

I write this, just after receiving and reading your quick note, but because Hedwig has flown both to and from your place today, I am having her nap for an hour. When she arrives, keep her overnight, please. I would prefer her not to be caught up in any of our night time activities.

Your stalwart survivor

HJPotter

He folded it up, and slid it into the envelope included with the pad of paper. He smirked at the header on the paper and the embossed logo on the envelope. Both were the shield emblem of Hellsing. He knew that by nightfall tomorrow, Hermione would know everything civilians knew about the Hellsing Organization. Writing 'HJGgranger' on the front of the paper packet, he set it aside.

He checked the clock. Tonks had been gone ten minutes. Thirty more to go…

He stood before his mirror, inspecting his new look. 'Goyle' and 'Crabbe' glinted in the afternoon sun. he practiced drawing first one gun, then the other. He tried to draw both, but their length threw off his speed.

"Give it time, lad." Al's voice echoed in the room. "Speed is cool, but slow percisin is scarier." his chuckling laughter echoed. "Besides, you are trying to quick-draw as a human. Your Dhampher abilities include speed beyond human sight."

"Hey Al." Harry tried to calm his heart rate. "What are you doing here?"

"Besides checking up on my ex-wife's heir?" the humor in the Undead King's voice was warmer than the sun, "Boss wanted to see ya, and to test your sword skills." the humor in the voice cooled slightly. "She and the Witch are three doors east of the great stairs. Do hurry."

Harry trotted off, and quickly found the room he was directed to. McGonagall was sipping from a tea cup, as Integra had removed her jacket, and was examining swords along the inner wall.

Harry grinned at the tartaned witch. "Don't get too comfortable, Professor. You might change and nap in the sun pools. You might even sprawl."

"Mr Potter!" the scott looked scandalized, "For a witch of my standing…"

"Was thinking of the taby I saw back in september of '91" Harry pecked her cheek, "Nothing more."

"Potter. Show me what skills you have." Integra tossed him a sword…

121

The Raggedy shepherd climbed the hill to his hut. He had made a good profit by selling today. Half his of his ewes were pregnant, and they all had full clean downy coats of wool. The flock-master was so impressed with the flock he brought in today, he was offering a very poor flock for a third of his profits. But our shepherd declined the offer. He had some traveling in his future, but if the 'Old Man' could keep him in mind come late spring early summer, he would work his 'Magic'.

As he shouldered into the Hut, a barn owl hooted. Dropping his cap and gloves on the table, he took the note, offering an Owl Treat to the bird.

It was an Offer of Employment. One Year as Hogwarts' Defense Against the Dark Arts. Full pay; he had his ICW stamped Mastery. In fact he was being offered the full years salary in advance… Meals, Housing, and Potion included.

Looking at the owl, "Done… will meet the Headmaster in his office, in three hours."

"Hoo-hoo." the winged out the open window.