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The Lost Flash: Deleted/Alternate Scenes

Deleted Scene I: While Harry Slept…

Albus carried Harry's thin frame gently out of the alley, watching his steady breathing. Relief and guilt coursed through him all at once - he had sworn to the boy that he would not hurt him in any way, whether by touch or with his wand. And though he had not done either, the look of puzzled hurt in Harry's eyes when he had cast the Sleeping Spell tortured his thoughts. Surely, surely Harry knew that he would never hurt him in any way, would never even consider...!

He ran into Remus and Mad-Eye Moody as he stopped in the middle of the street, pulling out a silver cigarette lighter - or so it looked.

Click.

"Dumbledore!"

"Harry!" Remus cried; he was at Albus's side instantly, cradling Harry's head between his hands. The boy sighed; to Remus he seemed more of a child, or even more of his own age, when he was asleep and vulnerable.

"Gentlemen," Albus acknowledged softly, in between frequent clicks. "I am glad you've caught up. ...But where is Severus?"

Moody shrugged. He had never much liked Snape.

Click. Click. "Alastor."

Moody sighed, and held up one hand. When all the streetlamps had gone out, he hastened to explain. "Potter - he managed a wave of wandless magic that knocked him out cold. He's back there somewhere..."

Albus's eyebrows rose. "A wave? Of wandless magic?"

"Yup. And like I said, it really got - "

Moody saw the stern look in Albus's blue eyes and decided to leave it at that.

Albus put the Put-Outer away and turned to Remus. "And Nymphadora?"

"Harry's magic caught her, too - we thought you were back there, and so would find them first."

"No..." Albus smiled sadly. "I sensed Harry near me, so I of course went to find him. And here he is..."

Harry shifted in Albus's arms, scooting up so that his head was nestled in Albus's shoulder and his arms were gripping his mentor's back. The sadness in Albus's eyes vanished at once, replaced by a bright joy.

Remus said quietly, "Albus, come back to us..."

Moody chuckled; that brought the Headmaster out of his daze. Hastily he readjusted his posture, so that Harry would be more comfortable, and shifted back into being the Leader of the Light.

"Alastor - I know I am asking much of you, but won't you revive Severus for us? I am sure he would like to be conscious and not hauled back to Grimmauld Place like luggage."

"I could do that for you."

"Alastor! Please."

Moody sighed again and bowed his way out of the small group. Albus smiled ruefully, then turned to Remus - who was also smiling, stroking Harry's ever-untidy hair.

"Remus...I hate to tear you away...but won't you wake Nymphadora as well?"

"Of course, Albus."

"Thank you," Albus replied softly, taking Harry's hair gently between his own fingers; the sleeping young man giggled, shifting again. Remus's smile widened, watching them, before he went away to retrace his steps.

Left alone, Albus shifted his pupil's weight again - then he pulled out a silver whistle encrusted with scarlet gems, blowing on it lightly. One gentle note vibrated in the air.

A trill sounded in response; and in a flash of fire, Fawkes burst into view, singing softly. He flew in a circle, then landed swiftly on his master's shoulder.

Albus smiled yet again. "Fawkes...won't you take us to Grimmauld Place? It would be extremely helpful."

Fawkes trilled still more softly. Of course.

"First things first, though, my friend..."

Albus concentrated on an image of Harry's wand, remembering with a bit of distress that the boy did not know what had become of it when he had run from the others. Then he held up one finger, made a swishing notion...

"Accio Harry's wand!"

A soft fwooosh could be heard from far away, and eleven inches of holly and phoenix feather flew and settled into Albus's outsretched hand.

"Good, good," he murmured softly, pocketing it for the moment. He would check for damages later, when both he and his child were settled (apart, as usual, but he couldn't help it!). For now he turned to Fawkes and whispered, "I'm ready, my friend."

The phoenix's fire sprang up around both wizards, hot and searing - yet neither was harmed as they vanished from Privet Drive faster than a Muggle could blink.

A trill sounded again, a remnant echo, followed by a strange sound:

Click.

By this time Remus and Mad-Eye had met up with each other, with the snarling, fully-awakened Potions Master and clumsy Metamorphmagus Auror in tow. After about two minutes of Snape and Moody glaring at each other and exchanging not-so-polite words, Remus unsuccessfully trying to play mediator, and Tonks yelling at the top of her lungs, a familiar sound was heard to all:

Click.

Instantly all the streetlamps on Privet Drive sputtered back to life.

Remus yelled, "Stop!"; and when the rest at last all turned their attention to him, he spoke in a calmer tone.

"...Look. Dumbledore's obviously gone now, and that means we should be too. Now let's go!"

Grumbling, coughing and grunting, they all spun on their heels and were gone in one loud pop!.

"Here."

Andromeda Tonks took the boy gently in her arms, despite his obvious reluctance to being pulled away from Albus. "You'd trust me with him?"

"Of course," Albus replied, echoing his phoenix companion. "Should I not trust you, Andromeda?"

"No!" She shook her head, dark locks bouncing. "I'd never hurt Harry; and even if I were to consider it, I'd also factor in how you would kill me before I even plucked a hair off him."

He chuckled wryly. "I suppose I would at that."

Andromeda turned her attention to Harry; he was trembling, and when she put a hand to his forehead they both flinched.

"Albus...I mean, Professor...I shouldn't...you should! He's so hot...feverish, definitely..."

He bowed his head. "I know. And I know that I cannot help him now."

"For heaven's - ! Is it Rufus again?"

Albus chuckled again. "It is Rufus and Cornelius, actually. And I cannot ignore a summons at this time."

Andromeda snorted. "You can do anything you want or wish."

But Albus was already striding away. "I'll come back to check on him every couple of hours each day - I'll want to know if he's okay. Get your daughter to help if you wish - she is quite fond of him, for only having known him for a year..."

"Albus! Wait, please, I - "

He turned around at the door, smiling, hair and beard shining in the little light, eyes sparkling even in the absence of his phoenix.

His eyes said You'll do fine, but when he spoke he only said gently, "Don't worry, I trust you."

The door closed and he was gone. Andromeda, now almost alone in the house, looked back at a beautiful, feverish boy she didn't even know and yet would have to nurse back to health...

"And that makes it all better," was her sarcastic response to the air. "Contrary to popular belief, my mothering instincts do not kick back in that quickly..."

But deep down she felt better, as all those trusted by Albus Dumbledore eventually do.

...And that concludes Chapter Five's Deleted Scene. It is Deleted, so technically it is canon with Lost Flash - and those which say Alternate will be more of 'what if' moments - fanfiction within fanfiction.

Chapter Six will have two Deleted Scenes! Double the reading pleasure! Yay, yay, and goodbye for now. Thanksgiving Break will be over in mere hours, and I must prepare for prison. Farewell.

UPDATE: Okay, I WOULD have had this out the last Sunday of Thanksgiving Break but for extenuating circumstances. And then last weekend we got cold weather, of all things, and... forget it.

A true farewell this time...