FicWad

Seeing as how Ficwad didn't like it as one chapter I've split it up This is part 2.




The shock of the letter had Minerva dropping back into her desk chair while reaching for the bottle of single malt she kept stashed in the lower right hand drawer. Quickly conjuring a glass she drank the first several ounces neat before conjuring a single ice cube and letting it chill the next few ounces as she slowly sipped them letting her mind wander. She was glad Albus was away at the ministry playing his little games. She needed to work through the affects of this shock before facing him. Albus would not take the loss of Mr. Potter well but perhaps he might let something slip that would finally provide a clue as to the real reason he was so concerned about the boy beyond what he'd said at the various order of the phoenix meetings.

Minerva waited until the Professor's final preparation meeting the next day before informing anyone of the changes. When Albus sat at the head of the staff room table the meeting began with Albus running through the standard agenda with well-practiced ease. Fully expecting the tired response of "No headmaster" he'd heard for years Albus thought, 'still form must be followed' as he looked to his deputy headmistress asking, "Any changes in the returning student prefects?"

"Yes, Miss Granger sent a letter saying she has chosen not to return to Hogwarts. I've subsequently offered the sixth year Gryffindor prefect position to Miss Patil." Minerva replied.

"Well that cuts my essay review time in half." Severus Snape the potions professor said sarcasm dripping from his every word.

Deloris Umbridge returning Defense against the Dark Arts professor bit back the comment on the tip of her tongue remembering the admonition of Minister of Magic Fudge when he informed her she'd be returning to the post she'd held last year. "Deloris you have to return the students grades in Defense were the highest in the last few years and I need a source of information about what's going on at the school. Unlike last year I need you to keep a low profile. I'm sure Dumbledore will be trying to get rid of you so please do your best to avoid that."

'Harry will be at a loss. This will be an excellent opening for Miss Weasley to make a play for young Potter.' Dumbledore thought.

At the same time Charms Professor Flitwick said, "Mr. Potter's and Mr. Weasley's work will have to be carefully watched I worry about their grades without Miss Granger to keep them motivated."

"Quite right Filius. Minerva I trust you can arrange for that?" Dumbledore directed looking at the boy's head of house.

"I of course will watch Mr. Weasley's progress as I have for the previous five years."

"Not Mr. Potter's?" Filius asked surprised at his counterparts dismissal of one of her lions.

"Mr. Potter has also chosen not to return. According to the letter I received he has joined the Muggle Military." Minerva said watching Dumbledore out of the corner of her eye.

She didn't have to wait long as Dumbledore instantly exploded yelling, "What, Why wasn't I told about this immediately?"

"You were at the ministry and international confederation until this morning. Just when was I suppose to inform you?"

"Why did you wait until this meeting you should have contacted me after receiving Mr. Potter's owl."

"First Mr. Potter didn't send an owl he sent a letter to our muggle mail drop. Secondly you have never been overly concerned when a few fifth year students failed to return in the past. I did not believe this to be that different." Minerva countered.

"Minerva you know that anything involving Mr. Potter is to be brought to my immediate attention."

"Then why is it you avoided him like he was carrying dragon pox last year?"

"That has no relevance in this discussion. Was there any indication precisely where Mr. Potter is?" Dumbledore asked obviously still annoyed.

"No, just he'd joined the Royal Military."

"I'll have someone locate him and bring him here before the start of school." Dumbledore said with finality before starting to bring up the next topic only to stop and glare at his Defense against the Dark Arts professor as she moved to speak.

"Headmaster I would have thought you would be pleased that such a spiteful child is not returning. Why last year when I was high inquisitor I gave the boy a lifetime Quidditch ban for his malicious and unwarranted attack against a pure blooded student. And I can't remember just how many detentions I awarded him last year for his insolence and cheek. I believe this school is far better off with both of them gone." Deloris said in her simpering high pitched voice.

"I agree headmaster. My only regret is with Miss Granger gone I will have no Gryffindor's in my sixth year potions class this term." Professor Snape added his regret obviously false.

"Yes headmaster what about Miss Granger? Why the concern about Mr. Potter and not Miss Granger?" Minerva asked upset that her favorite student was not worthy of discussion.

"Miss Granger can do as she pleases. It is young Potter I am concerned about. His importance to our world can not be over stated." Dumbledore replied.

"If what I remember from discussions with prior Muggle born students is correct I believe Mr. Potter will be well ingrained in the Muggle records it might be quite difficult to arrange for him to just disappear from a military base." Filius Flitwick said trying to support Minerva.

"Nonsense, while I was working against Grindelwald I had occasion to observe a number of muggle soldiers being made to 'disappear'. It should be no problem for a trained Auror to take care off." Dumbledore countered.

The rest of the staff was enjoying the show provided. Some in more amusement than others Deloris Umbridge for example was sitting quietly after her short outburst watching the debate knowing Minister Fudge would find all this very interesting.

Seeing Dumbledore was intractable Minerva McGonagall sighed there was no reasoning with Albus. He'd been so powerful for so long. He hadn't been corrupted by the power as much as he'd lost the ability to see things from another's point of view. He also thought change in the muggle world proceeded at the same pace as it did in the magical world. She thought about mentioning Miss Granger was now Mrs. Potter but she couldn't see any good coming out of brining it up other than to cause Albus to shout and scheme even more. Deciding that wouldn't be in the best interest of the young couple Minerva kept that knowledge to herself well other than sharing it with Filius when he was visiting some night and needed something to pick up his spirits.



"And after three jobs in five months I figured I had to do something different so here I am." The recruit to Jim's right said finishing his statement.

Jim reminded himself to thank Dan for the warning and preparation he'd put Jim through getting him ready for this moment. He'd been at RAF Halton Recruit Training Squadron less than a week and was in a team building session with his flight group. After a deep breath that bore a strong resemblance to a sigh Jim started saying, "I'm James Robertson but I prefer just Jim. I'm probably the youngest one here but I'm here for a lot of the same reasons. I spent my schooling from eleven on up at a new age school. It had good programs in animal husbandry and gardening all the rest stunk." Jim stopped as the other recruits chuckled continuing once they'd quieted down Jim said, "So when I left school last June I found out I had no real job skills. As a result here I am." Looking around he could see a few eyebrows raised so he added, "I know a number of you have been talking about my scars." Pointing to his forehead he said, "This one is from when a drunk driver killed my parents. I tend to not deal well with people who drink and drive. Most of my other scars came from my uncle and cousin when I was growing up." Jim finished sitting back and hoping the recruit to his right would start talking.

Instead one of the other recruits spoke up asking, "What's with the fancy ring you're wearing?"

"The rules are you share what you want. This isn't an inquisition." The Junior Non-commissioned officer in charge of this initial team building meeting interjected.

"No it might as well come out in this setting so everyone hears the same thing. My ring is an old family ring that I wear in honor of my parents. I also wear it as a wedding ring. I married my best friend back in July and just incase anyone's concerned she's a girl." Jim finished amidst gasps from several of the women in this class.

"Alright next." The Non-com said firmly ending any further questioning of Jim.



Later that evening the recruit that asked about his ring approached him as Jim sat polishing his newly issued boots to a high shine saying, "I didn't mean to pry. I just thought it was a cool ring and had a story associated with it."

"Don't worry about it I'm sure it would have come out sooner or later."

"So one of the women you gave the hug too after you were sworn in is you wife?" a female recruit asked from the doorway.

"Yea, the younger one obviously. She and her mother drove me down and stayed for the what did they call it?"

"Attestation," the first recruit volunteered.

"That's it."

"They live nearby I take it."

"About two hours away. I plan to go home for the weekends when they let us." Jim replied smiling at the thought of spending time with Jane.



August 26th Jane was sitting in the living room of her parent home looking at pictures of her wedding and of Jim joining the Royal Air two days ago. She still had three weeks to go before seeing him again, assuming Jim's group managed to get their first scheduled weekend off. Checking her watch she noted it was just about time for her mother to pick her up she had her second appointment with Dr. Bashir this morning to check the progress of her pregnancy.

She looked up startled as the front door unlocked and open. A man she recognized as Alastor 'Madeye' Moody entered. He'd gained the nickname when he'd replace the eye a death eater had removed with a magical eye that spun through all 360 degrees of a sphere and possessed the ability to see through a variety of objects.

"Where is he missy?" Alastor asked his magical eye spinning to apparently check out the remainder of the house.

Jane slipped the pictures she'd been looking at out of sight before her hand instinctively clutched her abdomen as various answers popped up in her mind. The only one that made it to her lips was "Who?"

"The boy who put that ring on your finger. Don't think I don't know what it means girly. Any wizard or witch with the proper upbringing knows exactly what that ring means. Now where is he?" Alastor asked glaring at Jane his magical eye had stopped spinning and she was sure he was viewing every inch of her body through her clothes.

Her father had provided her with several stock answers to questions like this. "He's at his base." She replied doing her best to avoid direct eye contact. Jim had told her the ring would protect her from a mind probe but she figured caution was always good.

"Give him a call then."

"I can't call him he's in training. He has to call me."

Alastor slipped his wand into his hand raising it to the ready position. Seeing the fear in Jane's eyes he said, "I'm not going to hurt you I'm just going to do a bit of Legilimency to verify what you've said and find out how to contact him. Dumbledore's express orders you know."

"No I don't please leave."

"Sorry girly can't do that. Now this shouldn't hurt you too much."

Dan Granger could not pinpoint what made him slip on his old vest this morning. He'd had a feeling and given his past history with those feelings he followed them. At this moment he was glad he had. This stranger was threatening his daughter in his home and had failed to leave when she asked. The motions he practiced every month or two in his basement out of sight of his wife and daughter were still fluid as he slipped the two throwing knives into his hand despite the close to two decades between live use. The smooth motions continued of their own accord and an instant later the wand pointed at his daughter was in two pieces and the hand that held the remaining half had a knife imbedded in it.

Alastor Moody's brain had time enough to register the pain in his hand before it recognized the knife at his throat. "Do anything to make me twitch and I'll slice you from ear to ear." A cold hard voice said from behind him.

Alastor had been in life threatening situations before but he'd never felt this close to death. Before there'd always been a bit of distance between him and his opponent, distance that meant time to trigger his spare wand or some other trick he'd arranged. Slowly his magical eye left Jane to take in the man behind him.

Jane sat astonished she had been expecting her mother to pick her up but the sudden reversal from Moody threatening her with his wand to that wand being in pieces with her dad holding a knife at Moody's throat had her in shock. Seeing Moody's eye leave her she broke out of her stupor to say, "He's looking you over dad."

"Not a problem." Dan said smoothly as Alastor hadn't even twitched.

Alastor recognized the look in Dan's eyes and realized his wasn't the first throat to feel this knife and his wouldn't be the first one it had slit. The well trained Auror recognized a fellow warrior and after a few moments decided not to push his luck. "You've got the drop on me. Where do we go from here?" Alastor said quietly.

"Princess, any suggestions as to how we resolve this without me killing him? Body disposal is always such a pain and your mother complains about all the blood." Dan said in a conversational tone.

"Other than him giving a magical oath to leave Harry and I alone I don't know of one. With his wand broken he can't make a binding oath."

"Oh, I'll bet he has at least one more wand on him. Give me a moment and I'm sure I can find one."

"No need of that. I have two other wands on me." Alastor volunteered.

"That means he has at least three. Come up with a fool proof oath Princess and we'll see just how trustworthy he is." Dan said not relaxing one bit.

"Yes daddy, give me a minute or two to work out the wording."

It took five minutes before they had an oath acceptable to Alastor Moody, Dan Granger, and Jane Robertson. "I still can't believe you don't want me to use my name," Alastor said as he gave the oath one last look over.

"No if you said, "I Alastor Joseph Moody" and your name was really Joseph Alastor Moody it would potentially render the oath invalid. In this usage I believe your use of the I is unambiguous enough to insure magical compliance."

Alastor nodded his understanding as he followed her logic. With Dan Granger standing behind Alastor his fingers resting on the small of Moody's lower back. Dan watched carefully as he drew a backup wand and raise it pointing at the ceiling saying, "I promise on my magic to never again attempt to locate or contact by any means Hermione Potter (ne Granger), her husband Harry Potter, or any other members of Daniel Granger's family. I also promise to never reveal anything I've learned in the last hour or will learn today involving Granger or Potter family so Mote it be," A flash of light enveloped him as he finished the oath.

"I suggest you leave now," Dan said coldly his fingers still resting against the small of Moody's back.

"Right you are. May we never cross paths again missy," Moody said glaring at Jane.

"That's easy enough to ensure. Stay in the magical world. And by the way allowing yourself to be read by anyone you know to be a master of Legilimency will be interpreted by magic as knowingly revealing that information. I also officially inform you that both Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape qualify as Masters of Legilimency. So you might want to caution both of them before they accidentally turn you in to a squib." Jane replied smiling sweetly as she watched the Master Auror leave.

The next morning Alastor Moody entered the Hogwarts Headmaster's office to find Dumbledore in a discussion with his potions professor. "I can return another time Albus," Moody stated turning to leave.

"No need Alastor I know how hard it is for you to get here," Dumbledore replied a serene smile gracing his face.

Alastor bristled at having his impairment pointed out more so as it was in front of Albus' pet death eater.

Seeing Alastor looking around Dumbledore spoke up, "We're quite alone and Severus is aware of the problem you were asked to deal with."

"Albus I'll get right to the point. There is nothing I can say about what I found."

"Can't or won't?" the potions master sneered.

"Can't," Alastor said returning the sneer. At Dumbledore's raised eyebrow Alastor shrugged only to snap his wand out a instant later stunning Severus Snape so hard he bounced off a wall before falling to the floor.

"Alastor!" Dumbledore exclaimed.

"Remind your death eater to stay out of my mind. I'll be less pleasant next time," the retired Master Auror stated.

After a Rennervate from Dumbledore Snape got groggily to his feet before noticing Moody still standing facing Dumbledore, biting back an retort Severus slipped his wand into his hand slowly raising it.

"Snape my next spell will be a Reducto. Put your wand away or raise it just a bit more, makes no difference to me." Alastor stated with out acknowledging Snape any further.

"Gentlemen we are on the same side." Dumbledore said with a touch of firmness.

"Headmaster, am I to take being cursed without any response allowed?"

"Severus do you deny attempting Legilimency on Alastor?" Albus asked already knowing the truth.

"I was merely trying to ascertain the type of oath he was obviously under in the hope we could find a counter or loophole." Severus offered by way of explanation.

Albus didn't say anything in response he just smiled his serene smile while his right eye twinkled while waiting for Alastor's comment, which never came. After a minute of silence Albus said, "Thank you Alastor for trying. I can see now this will have to be done a different way."

Alastor nodded leaving the headmaster's office having recognized the implicit dismissal in Albus's words.

After they were alone Albus looked at his potions professor saying, "Severus, I feel the need to caution you. Master Auror Moody was not retired because his wand skills had diminished. If anything he has gotten quicker with age. He's even quicker to draw after the incident with Bartemius Crouch Jr. He knows you were a death eater and will not hesitate with you. Do not try him again I fear he could do something we would both regret."

"Headmaster?" Severus replied a bit surprise he would condone the old Auror attacking him.

"You heard me. Alastor will not hesitate to use any force he feels appropriate if he feels threatened. That includes deadly force."

Severus nodded at the headmaster taking his leave. Making his way back to his potions laboratory in the dungeons Severus thought, 'Then I'd better strike that old man first.'



"I can't find Harry or Hermione anywhere." Ron said as he returned to the cabin on the Hogwarts Express where his sister Ginny was sitting with a few friends.

Ginny shrugged replying, "Harry may already be at Hogwarts. We should see Hermione in a few minutes at the Prefect's meeting. Speaking of which." She added nodding towards the inner window were several prefects from other houses were walking by headed to their meeting in the first car.

Ron headed back out the door forcing his sister to scramble to catch up with him. Entering the prefects meeting room in the first car Ginny asked, "Parvati what are you doing here?" seeing the older Gryffindor from her brother's year standing in the room talking with one of the Ravenclaw Prefects.

Parvati opened her mouth to reply but snapped it shut as a nasally voice called out loud enough to be heard by everyone in the car, "Oh, this is perfect, Dumbledore didn't even bother to tell his Gryffindor lap dogs that Dumbledore's golden boy and his mudblood bint have left Hogwarts."

"What are you on about Malfoy?" Ron sputtered getting red in the face at having his counterpart in Slytherin heckling him.

"My father told me that the minister was approached by Dumbledore himself asking that he contact the Muggle Minister and have Potter and Granger returned to him directly. Naturally the minister refused to get involved. He told my father that Harry leaving the Wizarding world was the best news he'd had all month. He was just disappointed both of them had passed enough owls to keep their wands. Father is going to propose to the Wizengamot that they pass a law to have the wands of Half bloods and mud-bloods broken if they return to the muggle world. Once they do I think I'll ask if they'll let me break Potter's wand." Draco Malfoy drawled in reply.

"I thought daddy was Azkaban bound after we caught him in death eater robes in the Department of Mysteries last spring?" Ginny asked snidely.

"Oh no, Pesky thing that Impervious curse. Once the minister realized someone had cast it again on father the minister released him and offered the family round the clock Auror protection to prevent it from happening again. Father of course declined but the minister wanted to insure his safety and granted him a waver allowing father to hire private guards for the family to prevent a re-occurrence." Draco replied smugly.

"And where are your guards now?"

"Oh Crabbe and Goyle didn't have enough owl's to continue on so Father made arrangements for them to guard me. They are back in my compartment right now but they will come and get me when this meeting ends. Professor Snape said he'd see what he could do to have them attend classes with me. After all it wouldn't due for the scion of House Malfoy to be unguarded in these dangerous times," Draco's smug face was now almost smiling at the two Weasleys.

Ginny lead her highly agitated brother to a seat whispering in his ear that this was neither the time nor the place to have it out with Malfoy. Dumbledore would straighten all this out. She had not been privy to the conversation Hermione had at the end of last term with her dorm mates and was mentally praying that the rumors about what Hermione claimed she'd done with Harry weren't true otherwise Harry was totally lost to her.

They returned to their own compartment after the meeting was over to questioning gazes from Neville and Luna. "Hermione wasn't at the meeting Parvati is the sixth year girls prefect now." Ginny announced.

Neville looked surprised while Luna said, "I thought the billwoggles were gathering around Hermione when we rode home last spring."

A confused Ron just looked at Luna before shaking his head as if to clear it. Moments later Ron announced, "Malfoy was running his mouth saying Harry and Hermione were not coming back to Hogwarts."

"Where did he hear that?" Neville asked.

"Apparently his father got off again. The minister told daddy and daddy told Ferret." Ron replied with his typical shrug.

"I doubt Harry or Hermione's left. You know Malfoy's all talk." Ginny said hoping Harry would be at Hogwarts when they arrived. She really didn't care about Hermione but realized her bother might no make it through this school year without the girl's help.

After the Welcoming feast ended and the students were settling into their Dorm room most conversations included discussions on where Harry Potter and Hermione Granger had disappeared to. The prevalent view was their absence would result in a far different Hogwarts experience this term.

The first hint of just how different this term would be occurred the second night when Harry Potter fan boys Dennis and Colin Creevey were found beaten to the point of unconsciousness by a Ravenclaw Prefect duo making their rounds. They contacted the head boy and girl then returned to their common room.

"Albus I'm sending both of the boys to St. Mungo's." Madam Poppy Pomfrey the Hogwarts healer told the Headmaster when he visited the hospital wing to check on the brothers a few hours later.

"Poppy I don't believe it will be necessary to send them to the main hospital in London. I have complete confidence in your ability to heal up their injuries." Dumbledore replied thinking it would be better to keep this problem in house.

"Albus Dumbledore I'm the healer not you. I have confidence in my abilities but I also am intelligent and honest enough to know when I'm out of my depth. I can heal their physical injuries without any problems. It is their severe obliviations I can't deal with. Those will require the specialized abilities of a mind healer." The Hogwarts healer replied firmly.

"They've been obliviated?" Albus countered his eyes going a bit wide.

"Yes and whoever did it is good."

Albus sighed realizing he had only two options, obliviate his healer as he had whenever she raised concerns about Potter's physical condition or give in to the healer's recommendation. Shifting to his gracious headmaster mode Albus said, "Poppy I did not intend to dispute your medical decision I'll contact St. Mungo's and make the necessary arrangements if you wish."

"No need I've already done so they should be arriving shortly to pick up these two now that I have them stable enough to transport." Poppy Pomfrey said hiding her smile of satisfaction.

The story of what happened to the Creevey brothers was hot news at breakfast the following morning, at least until the Owls arrived delivering the Daily Prophet.

"Harry Potter Missing," screamed the Daily Prophet's headline Sept, 3 1997.

"Well they're only a day later than I expected," Minerva McGonagall said as she scanned the paper that arrived with the morning owl post stopping to occasionally enjoy some of the breakfast the Hogwarts house elves had made, while also scanning the great hall noting most of the other students were reading the same paper as her or having it read to them by fellow classmates.

"This reporter was informed when the Hogwarts Express pulled away from platform 9 and 3/4 this year it was without sixth year student Harry Potter. My source said at first the students were not concerned as they expected him to already be at Hogwarts a theory that was proven false when The Boy Who Lived never turned up at the welcoming feast nor breakfast the next morning. Checking with fellow classmates it was quickly determined no one had seen him since they arrived at Platform 9 and 3/4 the previous spring.

The Daily Prophet tried but were unable to contact Mr. Potter's magical guardian Hogwarts Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. This lack of response from the Headmaster leads one to believe he has no idea where his charge is.

When we asked the esteemed Minister of Magic Cornelius Fudge about Mr. Potter's disappearance he expressed concern the boy had returned to the muggle world where he was raised at the instigation of Albus Dumbledore. The Minister also stated, "The return of muggle born and muggle raised witches and wizards to the muggle world is of great concern to me and my advisors. We feel it poses a significant threat to the security of our world. With their assistance I will be introducing bills to the Wizengamot requiring individuals returning to the muggle world surrender their wands to the ministry who will hold them in custody until the individuals return to our world or one hundred years have passed at which time they will be auctioned off with the proceeds going to the Hogwarts general fund.

"The Daily Prophet is concerned that a wizard of Mr. Potter's unstable nature retained his wand upon leaving our world and calls upon the Wizengamot to make the bills our beloved Minister brings before them retroactive. Thereby allowing them to confiscate Mr. Potter's wand once he is found. We also believe the proposed bills should include a provision to obliviate any muggle born or raised deemed a threat once they leave our world."

McGonagall finished reading the main article and looked around the hall noticing many students appeared to be in agreement with the Prophet's position.

A muggle born first year from Ravenclaw was assaulted and obliviated a week after the Creeveys without any increase in security by Headmaster Dumbledore. Neither the Creevey brothers nor the Ravenclaw first year could remember anything about the magical world and were quickly moved over to a muggle hospital once it was determined safe to do so. Letters to the Ministry of Magic from parents and concerned students were answered with "It's Dumbledore's problem," if they were answered at all.

Hufflepuff took to traveling in pack of no less than three trying to insure at least one member of each pack was a pureblooded witch or wizard in the hope that individual would be allowed to escape and they could then summon help.

2 weeks after the Creeveys were assaulted a group of first through third year Hufflepuff's were found in the now standard condition of beaten to the point of unconsciousness and obliviated. The two pureblooded members of Hufflepuff were found next to them stunned. When they were revived all they could remember was a spell striking the other one. They'd been stunned at the beginning of the assault.

When the following week passed without incident Albus remarked at the staff meeting that the problem appeared to have resolved itself like he suspected it would. The alert members of Hogwarts staff felt it was more likely it was due to the deference being shown to the pureblooded members of the student body.