Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter nor any of its characters. Nox could be considered a character and is mine.

Summary: After fourth year. Harry thinks he survived the worst, that is until his magic goes haywire and he finds himself stuck in his animagus form. Through turn of events Harry ends up with Remus. The Order and his friends think he's missing unaware that Harry is extremely close. Can Harry make them figure his presence out? Does he even want to be found?

A/N: I know this is unbelievable but yes this is an update. chapter 8 is ready, finally. I really hope I still have some readers. I can't apologise enough to you all and hope that one day I can be forgiven.
This chapter is a little shorter than usual, I believe but still an acceptable length. I'm not sure if it is up to standards of the previous chapters, I'll let you decide. Please don't be too hard on me, writer's block really took a hold of me and it's still lingering. I'm actually astounded that I managed to write this.
Okay I'll finish up with a thank you to Kurinoone, a fantastic writer who helped me with a difficult scene and helped along this chapter with her assistence. Oh and one last thing, the very last scene isn't very good I think, because I had to rewrite it completely when the site bugged me and I lost the first version of it. So I had to use what little scraps of the first version I could still remember to write it again. Wish I had photographic memory *sigh*.

Enjoy!

p.s. and spelling or grammar mistakes I apologise for. I haven't reread the chapter yet because I lack the time right now but I wanted to upload it now before I lose anymore readers, if I still have some.

Missing Right In Front of You

Chapter 8 – Confrontations

The deserted hallways were void of any sounds, except the sharp clicking of heels echoing from around the corner. Wrapped in a green and yellow robe, Minerva McGonagall rounded the corner at a fast pace. Her expression -visible in the soft light emanating from the tip of her wand- betrayed irritation and a smidge of confusion.

When the wards alerted her in the middle of the night, her first thought had been that the twins, -Fred and George Weasley- were up to their tricks again, but she quickly reminded herself that they were not present in Hogwarts Castle during the summer, nor were any other students. This only added to her confusion as her mind could not conjure any other explanation for a loud, banging disturbance inside of Hogwarts.

Without the twins as an excuse, what else could be causing such a ruckus in the dead of night? Of course those aggravating twins weren't the only culprits at Hogwarts -Potter and the youngest Weasley boy surely had their own list of disturbances- but only the twins did everything on purpose, or purposely to disturb everyone in the castle, whereas Potter and his friends couldn't help the trouble they caused or so went their saying.

Few professors remained in the castle this summer, but even if they had all remained she could not imagine any of them disturbing the short period of peace they possessed during the summer. Perhaps a potion or spell gone wrong -which was unlikely to happen to any decent professor and surely neither Snape, Flitwick or any other professor she knew for many years would let something like that happen to them- and especially not in the dead of night!

Which left her with no clue whatsoever as she marched towards the headmasters' office, for that is where this disturbance was taking place. Let it be nothing but coincidence that the very night Albus Dumbledore leaves the castle, something happens and who else to drag herself out of bed to deal with it then Minerva McGonagall. Even during the summer she never found a moment of peace, but despite it getting on her nerves every now and then, she wouldn't trade her job for any other.

As she rounded the last corner, the statue leading up the office becoming visible at the end of the hallway, she couldn't help but wonder who else could possibly be in Dumbledore's office when the whole of Hogwarts was practically deserted save for the few professors and the many house elves. A stray random thought popped into her head as she stopped in front of the statue.

Surely the house elves wouldn't trash the headmasters' office.

Brushing that ridiculous thought aside, she spoke the password and made her way up to the office, ready to find out who or what was causing her such trouble this time at night in this time of the year.

A group of house elves were busily at work in the Headmasters' office. With nothing much to do in the kitchen as it was summer and no hungry students were up and about, they had gone of to clean the rest of Hogwarts thoughroughly. This lucky group -existing out of a dozen house elves- had volunteered for the headmasters' office, or rather they had jumped to the job before anyone else could "volunteer".

the headmaster was held in high regard with the Hogwarts' elves. He was a kind master and never asked more of them than was neccessary. He also made it clear to every house elf that the students here at Hogwarts were the priority, even over the professors.

But as it was now summer there were no students and the elves could show their gratitude to their kind master by doing things they normally did not have the time for, like cleaning his office.

The fireplace suddenly roared alive with large green flames, startling the poor elf standing next to it resulting in him falling backwards onto the floor. a large object came tumbling out of the fire in an explosion of soot and dust. The fallen elf hastily crawled backwards to avoid being flattened, his fear cutting off his logical reasoning and thus making him forget he could have just as easily apparated out of the way. He was a house elf afterall.

As the flames died away and the cloud mixture of dust and soot settled, the house elves stared transfixed upon the object that loomed over them in height -which wasn't hard as house elves weren't particularly tall.

It was a huge -in house elf comparison- cage. A metal cage with bars on every side, closed on the top. And inside the cage sat a large black feline who in response to their staring growled particularly loud, its eyes clearly showing how very angry it was.

"B...big...k..k...kitty," the fallen house elf stuttered in a high pitched voice from his seat on the floor still. "Big b...bl..black kitty." Doay -as was his name- clarified for his companions.

No one else spoke, but all the house elves nodded as if accepting Doay's clarification. the black cat swatted one of its paws at the bars, growling angrily and causing all the elves to jump in shock except for Doay who rather than jump released some magic. It went straight for the cage hitting it with unintended aim straight at the lock. The lock popped lose and the cagedoor creaked slightly as it opened a sliver.

Silence filled the office as all elves held their breaths. The black feline wasted no time -showing high intelligence at its quick to understand the situation- and burst through the opened door into freedom, well a sort of freedome. It was simply in a bigger cage now, the office.

Panic rushed through the elves as the black monster burst free and they were running and jumping out of its way. A few managed to catch their wits about them and after seeking a high place out of reach from the black monster, their tried to bind it with their magic. But they had underestimated the feline. Extremely agile and quick it dodged their well placed spells, overturning side tables and other objects to hide behind.

Despite failings, others gained courage from their efforts at began to aid them. Soon enough the office no longer resembled an office, but rather a bombing area. house elves were scattered around the room, hidden between the broken tables, sde tables and many other objects within the office, the black cat hidden behind the headmasters' desk, one of the few things still in one piece along with Fawkes the phoenix' stand. The phoenix itself was luckily out this evening.

It was then -when the fight momentarily seized to recover their wits- that the Deputy Headmistress Minerva McGonagall entered the headmasters' office.

A loud bang broke the tense silence in Grimmauld Place followed soon by cluttering noises of people losing their footing and ending -from the sounds of it- with people ending up on the floor. A shout and curse followed after as a familiar voice grumbled angrily.

"Damnit!" Sirius Black was not a happy person. he pulled himself free from the tangle of limbs he and his friend Remus were strung up in and jumped to his feet. Without pausing and completely ignoring the other inhabitants of his hated childhood house, he strode over to the living room, intend on returning to those horrible excuses for human beings.

"Sirius!" Sirius could hear the warning in that one word, already acutely aware of Remus moving behind him with the intention to stop him. Animal instincts that had rubbed off on him after such a long time as a dog, warned him of exactly when Remus was within range. He ducked beneath his friend's outstretched hand avoiding contact and swung around in a blur getting in his friend's face, anger dominating him.

"What!" He blurted in Remus' face, no longer able to control himself, if he ever was. Harry was missing, his godson was missing and those monsters knew something. Sirius was sure of it. They couldn't be trusted. And Sirius was to be damned before he gave up on any clue to Harry's wereabouts.

"What's with the 'Sirius' warning? My godson is missing! Harry is missing!And those horrid- ," Sirius paused as he thought of a proper word to call the Durselys. "-swines knows what happened! How can you not notice someone disappearing form your own house? They did something to him Remus!"

"You don't know that," Remus began trying to force reason into his irrational friends' mind. "and you are not going back there!" Remus stepped closer to the furious animagus, vaguely wondering if becoming an dog animagus had made Sirius even more protective than he already was. "Albus is already there, give him time. He'll find out what happened."

Sirius snorted, obviously not as convinced of the man as everyone else was. Sirius always liked the headmaster when he attended Hogwarts himself for the man was never to strict about their jokes, seeing the fun in them. He was a lenient man, or so Sirius thought until he met Harry. How the fool could possibly believe that Harry was safe with those relatives, if you could call them that, was beyond him. No protection was worth the suffering of a child and Sirius would not forgive the man anytime soon -maybe never- for ruining his godson's childhood like that.

"Harry is missing?" the two Marauders turned around at the new voice startled. Nymphadora Tonks stood in the doorway with a shocked expression marking her face, he bubblegum pink hair drifting to a few shades darker.

Remus felt like a balloon that got punctured. He had hoped to prevent informing anyone else until Dumbledore had returned with news. He also worried for he did know what to expect from Tonks. She cared about Harry when she hadn't even met him yet, but Sirius had told her about him and the fact that the kid was sort of her family and he sounded like a nice kid was enough for her to care deeply for his wellfare.

Sirius sighed in annoyance and turned away. He had a place to be tonight. "Sirius!" Tonks shouted in an upset voice, not liking that he ignored her and didn't answer. Remus snapped out of his haze and turned around swiftly and managed to grab Sirius by the collar effectively stopping him -and in result angering him.

Roughly pulling free from the straining hold Sirius once again swung around, his face red in anger and his body tense as if for a fight. "Leave me alone, Remus! I'm going back there, right now!"

Remus lost control, his own worry fueling his anger, and snapped right back at his friend. "No you are not! You are staying right here where we'll all wait for Albus to return. You can't just go runnign around out there! you're a bloody fugitive Sirius! you've already risked enough for one night. Besides you are not exactly in your right mind and I'll be damned if I let you endanger your own safety!"

The fact that Remus had cursed -and twice for that matter- should have been enough warning how tightly strung his friend was. Back in the days Sirius would have picked up on it in a flash, but back then he didn't have as important a responsibility as he had now. Harry was on the forefront of his mind and overruled everything else.

"You really think I'm just going to sit here and wait while Harry could be anywhere by now, lost or hurt. Heck, for all we know Voldemort found him!"

"That's exactly what you are going to do! Harry is missing, Sirius! No one knows where he is. Albus is questioning the Dursley's. There is no reason to go over there and interfere nor is there any reason to go running around outside without a single clue! And if Voldemort has him, we'd know by now!"

Both man were breathing heavily as they stared at each other unblinkingly. Neither of them had noticed the added audience now assembled around Tonks consisting of all the Weasley's and Hermione. A loud bang split the air once more causing everyone to jump in surrprise and ending the stare contest between animagus and werewolf.

Kingsley and Mad-Eye Moody had arrived and looked -in Kingsley's case- surprised by the many pairs of eyes staring at them. Before Sirius could pounce on either man with questions another interruption took place in the form of large green flames erupting for the fireplace. Albus Dumbledore gracefully stepped out of the fireplace and without pause strode straight across the room, Moody already moving forward to intercept the man. Together they moved into the kitchen where most of the Order meetings took place and conversed in urgent but low voices.

Sirius and Remus followed close behind catching only a few words such as "Ministry", "Harry", "Empty". Moody quickly responded to the Headmaster. "Already put some feelers out. If there is any news I'll know about it soon." Dumbledore nodded before turning to Kingsley and asking him to do something, again in a low murmur.

Sirius, anger rising inside at being ignored by the man and denied information about his godson, turned his angry stare at Remus. "What's he saying?" He hissed at his friend, knowing he would be able to hear it with his werewolf enhanced hearing, espeically with the full moon only a week away.

Remus however completely ignored him, his face pale and his eyes wide. He had heard what Albus had said. "His relatives were no longer present. Whether they left voluntarily or against their will I do not know. I need you to find them. Please hurry."

Kingsley after nodding to Dumbledore, suddenly turned away and vanished into the green flames of the fireplace without a goodbye. Sirius, absolutely raging now as his worry had begun to shift into panic -the panic of a parent- snapped. "WHAT'S GOING ON? TELL ME WHAT'S HAPPENING TO MY GODSON!"

Albus dumbledore spared the distraught man a glance sighing deeply at the demand. "not now Sirius."

That had been a huge mistake. Not only did he make it seem as if Sirius was but a distraught child, he intentionally kept information from him about Harry whom by law was his responsibility and thus he was in the right to want to know what had happened. He followed the Headmaster with narrowed eyes as he promptly turned away and walked right by him. Desperation, anger, rage and plain fear coursed through him and later Sirius would blame his emotions and Albus himself for what happened.

His body moved on his own, grabbing the man's arm and turning him around non too kindly and his right fist went flying straight for the man's face. The resounding crack was awfully loud in the chaos of the moment, but to Sirius it was but a dull sound compared to his own heartbeat. Albus dumbledore stumbled backwards where Remus swiftly rushed to aid the man and steady him. Everyone looked in stunned horror at the scene, all the girls beside Tonks covering their mouths with their hands as if too prevent form gasping in shock.

Time has seemed to slow down as slowly the realization of what had just happened became apparent to everyone, including Sirius.

Sirius Black had hit Albus Dumbledore in the face.

Chaos erupted as everyone started shouting at once. "Sirius Black!" "Albus are you alright?" "What is the matter with you!" "Are you insane!"

Albus Dumbledore simply raised his hand and everyone went silent. His blue eyes locked on Sirius' eyes and though it twinkle was missing, there was no anger in those eyes. Only sadness and calm.

"I understand how you feel Sirius," Albus clmly stated risking fueling Sirius' anger who hated being talked to like that. "But violence will not bring him back." Sirius felt his anger freeze as he realized how true those words were. He wasn't happy with what he'd just done, but he felt it was deserved either way.

"I will tell you what I know." Albus calmly continued, his eyes never leaving Sirius until now. Wearily, the headmaster sighed as he looked down, gathering himself. Then he looked up again and with tired eyes stared at Sirius. "We know Harry must have been missing for several days and that he was injured. We don't know if he is still injured or not nor do we know where he currently is. The Dursley's have left their home before I got there which is rather fast considering Moody sent his patronus as soon as you were a safe distance away from the muggles. This makes me believe they were expecting us to come." Sirius started at that thought. "Yes Sirius, I believe this means they know what happened or at least know something of Harry's disappearance. I've asked Kingsley to search for the Dursley's and Moody to find any news of Harry or anyone resembling Harry in both the magical and muggle community."

"We have to find him," Sirius spoke with such vulnerability that everyone looked at him concerned. Dumbledore nodded in response. "We will, Sirius. It'll take time but I promise we will find Harry and bring him back."

And with that Albus Dumbledore turned away and went over to the fireplace where he threw in floo powder and setting his destination for his office at Hogwarts.

"Is that it?" Sirius' voice stopped him from entering the flames. Albus turned around not quite catching up to what Sirius meant. He had told him everything he knew.

"I have told you everything I can, S-"

"Did you even notice the locks?" Sirius spoke bitterly. Remus caught on and looked expectantly at his former headmaster. Behind him Remus heard the confused whispers from Molly and Arthur Weasley about the mentioned locks.

"Did you notice the blood?" Sirius continued his voice betraying an edge to it, an edge that was steadily growing and turning into anger.

At the mention of Harry's blood, Remus paled, remembering how it smelled and how horrifed and scared he was for Harry in that moment, thinking the worst had happened to his nephew.

"Blood?" Molly Weasley gasped, both shocked and demanding at the same time. Her children began muttering worriedly amongst themselves and Hermione seemed frozen in place, her eye wide in disbelieve. Albus Dumbledore remained as he was, standing before the green flames, his back turned.

"Have you even wondered for a second how the blood could have been spilled? Perhaps the locks on the door could give help you out? Or the fact that that horrid excuse of a man had a firearm in the house?" Many gasps filled the room and Hermione gasped "a gun?".

These were normal reactions, expected reactions, but Albus did not respond in the slightest which further angered the already furious animagus. "Do you even care that my godson has suffered his entire life at the hand sof those 'relatives', if you can even call them that! Are you not even going to admit your mistake in leaving him there?" Sirius demanded.

At this Albus Dumbledore turned to face Sirius, his expression showing his certainty at that decision he made so many years ago. Before he could open his mouth to say anything, Sirius cut him off. "I swear if you dare tell me it was for Harry's own safety or his best interest, I will do a lot more than punch your lights out" It was spoken with such intensity yet in a calm voice that for a moment everyone saw Sirius Black the escaped convict rather than Sirius Black the worried godfather and prankster at heart.

Albus stared at Sirius with twinkless eyes for several minutes in dead silence until he finally broke it. "I will let you know when we know more," And with that he stepped into the flames and disappeared.

Minerva Mcgonagall stood in the middle of the office looking around in surprise mingled with disbelieve. She had not thought she could be surprised easily anymore having suffered through many pranksters of Hogwarts, most mentionable James Potter, Sirius Black and the Weasley twins. But she had thought wrong. Standing in Albus Dumbledore's office surrounded by guilty looking house elves, she tried to process the damage.

Furniture was overturned and broken, the many objects Albus collected lay scattered and dented around the available space and claw markings were visible here and there upon the wals and furniture. She thought back to her ridiculous thought earlier about the house elves wrecking the headmaster's office and couldn't believe her thought had come true. Of course it wasn't done intentionally, one look at their guilty faces said enough.

How to explain to the headmaster how a black panther entered his office or where it came from, eluded her. She understood that the elves had only meant to catch the animal to prevent any damage, but their attempt seemd to have backfired badly. Minerva was also displeased with herself for freezing up in stunned disbelieve when she entered the office to see the maginificent creature. In her moment of shock, the animal had slipepd past her through the open door into an empty Hogwarts Castle where the ghosts and Mr. Filch were now searching for it.

the fireplace roared to live then in large green flames. Albus stepped out of the flames and she watched as he took in the state of his office. There was surprise as expected, but there was a weariness in his eyes she couldn't help but notice. When he locked eyes with her she saw it much clearer. There was no twinkle in his eyes and a worried crease showed on his forehead. Something terrible had happened. Without another care for the office and how to explain it, she turned to the more urgent matter for it couldn't be anything but urgent to make the headmaster worry so.

"What's wrong, Albus? What has happened?"

Minerva noted suddenly something she had not before. A slight reddening on the left side of his face. Before she had a chance to ask Albus sighed, a defeated look upon him that greatly worried her. She hoped it wasn't what she feared.

"Harry is missing."

A strangled, high-pitched gasp filled the office. Minerva and Albus turned towards the sound and saw a house elf with big blue bulbous eyes that were begging them to tell him it was a joke. He was wringing a cloth in his scrubby hands as if nervous or perhaps worried and in a squeaky voice spoke up.

"Mister Harry Potter sir...is mssing?"

Yes, Minerva thought. Something had happened to Mr. Potter. It was as she had feared.

tbc...

In case it wasn't clear: the chapter title, confrontations, refers to the confrontations that happen in the chapter like Sirius trying to return to the Dursley's but being stopepd by Remus, Sirius confronting Dumbledore, the house elves confronted by Nox and the most important one is being confronted with reality. The reality of Harry being missing, the reality of Harry's homelife and the reality that no matter how much precautions you use, anything can happen to anyone.

So Confrontation with Reality is the most important referance I was going for.

I hope this chapter was acceptable and possibly enjoyed. Please, if I still have readers, please review.

Next chapter could possibly involve the full moon. Stay tuned!