Runaway Wizard 4 The next morning Harry got up a bit earlier than usual. He felt really good. He’d slept well and nothing hurt. Breakfast was great as Frankie got up with him and fixed scrambled eggs and sausages while he showered. “Are you going to take lessons from Mr. Liu?” Frankie handed Harry his plate and sat down to his own food. “I am. He said I could pay for my lessons by cleaning the dojo. I have to finish at Edith's today, so I’m going to be gone most of it. I’ll be home in time to make supper, if that’s ok.” Frankie nodded, his mouth full of sausage. Harry checked the pot and, since the tea was ready, he poured for both of them. “That’s fine. But get done at Edith's as soon as you can. If you’re going to work at the club you need to be trained.” Harry salted his eggs, thinking quickly. “I need to know more about what I’m supposed to be doing at the club.” Frankie nodded, he was proud of Harry for being careful and said so. “We talked about this before but I don’t blame you for being cautious. We’re going to train you in deportment, the way all the staff is expected to comport themselves. And we’ll see what you’re best at. First, we’ll put you on the door. You don’t have to be well trained to do the door. And that’ll help you see if you really want to do this or not. Then, if you decided to go farther, we’ll put you on the bar. After that, furniture, or a dancer. In the end, you could be one of the top sub’s in the club. You’re beautiful.” Harry shook his head. “Yes, you are. Don’t argue. But we’ll leave all that for later. Just concentrate on today, let the rest go for now.” Harry thought about it for a moment. “Ok. I feel a bit better. I really appreciate it that you don’t want to push me to do something I don’t want to. I’ll try working in the club. But, what if I really don’t like it?” Johnny spoke from the door. “Then we find you a job somewhere else. Just so long as you work somewhere.” He glanced at the clock. “You better get going. You don’t want to have to run all the way. It won’t do to get there all sweaty and Master Liu doesn’t tolerate lateness.” Harry gulped down the last of his orange juice and bolted out the door, tugging on his coat as he went. 0 Mr Liu looked up when Harry entered the dojo. The boy was sweating slightly, even in the cold. He knew that Harry had been very sick, even knew exactly why, so he was gentler with him than he would have been with another student. “Hello, Harry. In future I hope you leave early enough that you don’t come to class winded. Unless you take up jogging. In that case exceptions will be made. Now.” Mr. Liu handed Harry a gi and showed him were to change. “When you’re changed, come to the dojo proper and I’ll start you out.” It didn’t take Harry long to change and return to the large open, airy space. He looked around in approval. “Now. Harry. I want you to remember these things. You must call me Liu-sensei. It means Master Liu. That is what I am. A master of martial arts. You will bow to me when you enter the dojo, if I’m not in the room, you bow to the chair at the end of the room. It’s a sign of respect. Never take your eyes off me when you bow. Do you know why?” Harry thought about that for a moment. “It’s disrespectful. It looks like I think you can’t attack me?” Liu-sensei smiled in delight. “Yes, exactly so. Very good. To continue. If you get hurt, you must tell me at once. I don’t want you making a small injury worse. No arguing. You’re a special, private student. You come early so that I can train you before you go to work. Do not let the other students take advantage of you. You’re not their servant, you work for me. You clean the dojo, that’s all. If someone throws a towel or gi on the floor, you do not pick it up. It’s their job, not yours. I’ll show you how to polish the floors and clean the woodwork. You’re also responsible for cleaning the bathrooms, but not for picking up after the students.” Harry shifted from one foot to the other. “Um ... Sir? Or do I call you Sensei? If someone leaves towels on the floor, what do I do?” “You call me Sensei or Sifu and you come to me. I’ll handle laziness on the part of other students and on yours. The work is hard, but I don’t want you wearing yourself out. Understand?” Harry nodded. “Yes, Sensei, I understand.” Mr Liu smiled at Harry. “Good, good. We will begin. The first thing you must learn is how to fall. So.” Mr. Liu demonstrated how Harry was to fall, tucking his shoulder under and rolling. Harry tried it and succeeded in doing it right on the fifth try. Then he was told to do it fifty times, correctly. He groaned softly but began to do the exercise. He saw the sense in it at once. It wouldn’t do to be thrown around and not know how to fall without getting hurt. He just knew he was really going to feel it later. “I’m done, sir ... I mean Sensei. Sorry.” Harry blotted his sweaty forehead with his sleeve. “You did very well. Now, you’ll learn how to fall on the other side.” Mr. Liu chuckled at Harry’s dismayed face. “You think you’ll always fall on that side, boy? And then you learn how to fall straight back. After that you learn your first attack.” Harry sighed and watched as Mr Liu demonstrated the new fall. It only took him three tries to get that one right. And fifty falls later he wondered if he’d lost his mind. His whole body ached. “Well, that was very well done. You must be aching all over. Come, we’ll have tea.” Harry sighed and trudged to the small table set up by the chair at the end of the room. He settled into a kneeling position that Mr. Liu demonstrated to him and accepted the cup of tea. “That’s healing and anesthetic. You’ll feel better in a few moments. After you have two cups of tea, I’ll take you and show you how to do your chores. I have to go to the office and finish some paper work. Take your time drinking the tea and come to me when you’re done.” Mr. Liu stood up and bowed to Harry. Harry bowed from the waist while still kneeling. He never took his eyes off Mr Liu who smiled his approval. Harry started to drink the tea, but lifted his head at the soft pop of Dobby apparating into the room. “Dobby! What if someone had seen you?” Dobby laid on long finger beside his nose. “Dobby is smart house-elf. Dobby spied in the window first. Here, drink.” Dobby handed Harry an energizing potion and a mild healing potion. “They is just the kind Professor Flitwick gives after Quidditch practice. Dobby pinched them from the first aid kit at the pitch.” Harry took the potions with gratitude. “Thank you, Dobby. You’re very good to me.” “Harry Potter Sir is thanking Dobby? You is too kind, sir.” Harry shook his head. “Dobby, you’re one of the few people in the world that takes care of me. Thank you.” “Dobby is watching Harry Potter train. This is good? He is throwing himself on the floor over and over. It looks to Dobby as if he is punishing himself. How is this good?” “I’m learning how to fall without hurting myself. It’s very important. I just wish I had more time to train. It’d be nice if I could get really good at this. I’m afraid I won’t have the time. The lessons are too short. But I can’t work in more than an hour three times a week. Mr. Liu has another student that has Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. But, I can’t complain much. At least I’m getting something.” Dobby nodded wisely. “Yes, Mr Liu, sir, is very nice to work Harry Potter like a house-elf.” His expression said exactly the opposite. “Dobby will do the work, as is proper.” Harry shook his head. “No you won’t. You’re a free house-elf, you don’t do my work for me. I’m working to pay for my lessons. It’s a matter of honor.” Dobby sighed. “Well, if it is a matter of wizards honor, Dobby will not interfere. Dobby does not like it, but no one cares what a house-elf likes, no they don’t. Not at all.” Harry snorted into his tea cup. “Yes, I do. So don’t try to guilt trip me, it won’t work.” Dobby gave Harry a hopeful look. “You is sure? It is not working?” Harry shook his head slowly, side to side. Dobby snapped his fingers, frowned and sighed. “No harm in trying Dobby thinks. Dobby will go now. Harry Potter Sir wants Dobby, all he needs to do is call.” Dobby disappeared with a soft pop. Harry finished his tea and went in search of Mr. Liu. Mr. Liu looked up from his desk when Harry stuck his head in the door. “Harry. Finished with your tea?” Harry nodded, leaning easily against the door frame. “Good, come this way and I’ll give you your supplies and show you what to do.” Harry followed and was given a can of polish for the woodwork and a big pad of cloth to polish the floors. He was told that the shower rooms didn’t need cleaning this morning. Harry cleaned the floors in the dojo by the old fashioned method of putting the pad of cloth on the floor then leaning on it and literally running it up and down the dojo until the floors were clean and shinny. He examined the results of his labors with satisfaction. Now, if they suited Mr. Liu all was good. He went to find his sensei again. “Excellent. Very good work. They look great. You’ve earned your next lesson twice over. Why don’t you go on home and get some lunch?” Harry had expected to spend more time on his cleaning chores, so he’d allowed until one o’clock. He’d told Frankie and Johnny that was when he’d be home. It was only a quarter after eleven, he smiled, he’d have time to make lunch. 0 When he entered the apartment he heard an odd sound. He went in search of it and heard Frankie moan softly. Then he heard the sharp smack of leather on flesh. He called his wand to his hand and slammed the door to the usually locked room open. What he saw nearly made him curse Johnny. Frankie was tied to some sort of table with leather straps. He had a butt plug in and bright red strips across his buttocks. Johnny held a leather strap on a handle in one hand, the other was touching Frankie's back. “What the bloody hell is going on? Johnny! Get away from him.” Johnny didn’t do any such thing, instead he reached down to Frankie’s hands and a sharp click later Frankie was getting up from his position. Two more quick clicks and he stood up. “Well, shit. You’re home early.” Frankie’s calm remark was the only thing that kept Harry from cursing Johnny, or hexing him. “Ok, so it’s not what it seems. I still want to know what’s going on.” Harry pinned Frankie with a sharp look. “I like it. Go into the kitchen so we can get more presentable. We’ll be in to explain in a few minutes. Just remember, Johnny isn’t doing anything to me that I don’t like. Shoo.” Harry let his eyes run over Frankie for a moment, then looked at Johnny. Johnny’s level look decided him. He left and went to the kitchen to make tea. He needed it. It didn’t take Frankie and Johnny long to come into the kitchen. They settled at the table, accepted cups of tea and then just waited. It didn’t take Harry long to get his questions in order, he only had one. “What the hell was going on in there?” Frankie sipped at his tea for a second. “I’m a switch. And I like a bit of pain with my pleasure. Johnny is a switch too. When we play, it depends on who needs what, who’s on top. Right now, I’m stressed out. We need a door man and a bar tender tonight. Two guys quit yesterday. So I need a bit of ... stress reliever. I’m sorry we scared you. We waited until you left to start, so that you wouldn’t hear us. You came back way too soon.” Johnny put his arm around Frankie and hugged him. “It’s alright. We’ll figure out something else.” Harry frowned at Johnny. He didn’t look like what Harry would have thought a dom would be. He realized that most of his reluctance to work at the club was because of his stereotypical idea of dom/sub relationships. “Ok. I think I see. But what’s a switch?” Johnny answered that one. “A switch is someone who takes either position, dom or sub, depending on a lot of factors. Right now Frankie is feeling out of control because of all the things going on at the club. So he needs to feel that someone has control of something. In this case, him. He’s giving me all the control and relaxing into the scene.” Harry tried to decide whether he was more embarrassed by interrupting their fun, or seeing Frankie naked. “I’m sorry I ruined it. I just ... um ... I wanted to protect Frankie from ... er ... you. This is really embarrassing.” Frankie just smiled and reached out to pat Harry’s hand. “Well, sweetie, I think it was very nice. And, as to ruining anything, we’ll get back into the mood as soon as you leave. You’re going to clean at Edith's, aren’t you?” Harry nodded. “Yeah, I am. Um ... do you want me to go now? Or fix lunch?” “You ok? You didn’t ask many questions.” Frankie worried about Harry’s seeming lack of curiosity. “I’m fine. I ... well, it comes under the heading of ‘ not my business.’ If you like it, and he’s not doing anything you don’t like, I’ve got no place judging. My people mostly just go with the idea that as long as no one is forcing anyone, it’s all good. So, I’m really sorry I interrupted you. But, Johnny? Just so you know, if I find out he didn’t like it, or you didn’t stop when you should. You won’t like it much.” Harry turned his sharp green gaze to Frankie. “And that goes for you too. ... now, egg salad ok?” Johnny snickered and poked Frankie. “He’s not going to freak out. Told you. He’s got good instincts. Harry?” Harry made and inquiring noise as he poked in the fridge for the eggs. “I think you’re going to do really well at the club. We’ll put you on the door this weekend. We really need you.” “Ok, sure. Just so long as I know exactly what I’m supposed to be doing. I hate being kept in the dark. I’d rather know exactly what I’m dealing with. Ha! There they are.” he turned with the eggs in one hand. “What they were doing on the bottom shelf I’ll never know.” He went on to set the eggs to boil while he asked questions about the life, the club and what was expected of him. He didn’t seem shocked or worried so both his sponsors relaxed and chatted quite frankly about things. Harry was glad, he found himself a bit startled by some things, but nothing they told him was particularly frightening. After all, he was expected to kill a dark lord before he was twenty, what was a bit of bondage to that? After efficiently pealing the eggs and making the salad, Harry toasted some bread and fixed the sandwiches. Frankie and Johnny continued to answer a flood of questions from Harry. Some of them very innocent and some very smart. They were all answered openly and honestly. After lunch was done, Harry cleaned the kitchen and announced that he was going and that he wasn’t going to come back until at least 5 o’clock. “I promise.” “He snatched up his coat and hurried out. Frankie glanced at Johnny, looking a bit stunned. “Well, that went well? I think.” Johnny took advantage of his confusion and tugged him back to the play room. 0 Harry took his time getting to Edith's, Miz Clare had said that she didn’t want him cleaning during the busy time between eleven and one. He just strolled along enjoying window shopping and watching the other pedestrians. He stopped for a minute to look into the window of an art store. He loved drawing but had never had much time for it and none at all at Hogwarts. He wondered if he could afford to buy some supplies. He counted the small change he had in his pocket and realized that he only had about forty or fifty pence. He shrugged and put his money back in his pocket. He’d save a bit every week then go back. He made it to Edith's just after one. “Miz Clare, I’m here!” Clare stuck her head out of her office. “Hello, Harry. I just got rid of my last customer. I’m dying for some tea. Want some?” “No, thanks. I just finished lunch. I’ll just pop on back and work on the storage room. If you need me, just holler.” Clare winced at the Americanism but just settled at her desk to wait for the kettle to boil. Harry went into the storage room and sighed. The neat corridor he’d cleared the day before was now cluttered with empty boxes and other trash. Clare was not an organized person. He knew the storage would be stuffed within a week of his finishing the job, but it would pay for his game. He shook his head, he hadn’t even played with it yet. 0 Harry started by taking out all the boxes and trash, again. This time he checked the alley before he went in and kept an eye out while he was working. It didn’t take him long to dispose of the mess. Looking around the room, Harry decided the best bet was what he’d decided on before. He moved all the stuff on one side of the room to the other side. He swept and mopped that side of the room then he began moving stuff back. As he moved it, he sorted it. He wound up with three piles. One of stuff he knew was salvageable, one of things he could put right on the shelves and one of things he couldn’t decide what to do with. He decided to just finish sorting the other side of the room. That finished, he swept and mopped that side and put the mop, bucket and broom away. “Miz Clare? I’m done with the cleaning. I just need to know what to do about the stuff I’ve sorted. Could you come tell me what to do?” Clare wandered into the storage with a cup of tea in one hand and a biscuit in the other. “I don’t care. I just want most of this stuff out of the room. There’s no place to put anything.” “Ok. I’ll just make my own decisions then. If that’s ok with you.” “That’s fine. If it can’t be repaired, throw it away. If it can, box it up. I’ll get it to the repair place sooner or later.” Harry ran a hand through his hair and sighed. “Yes, ma’am. I’ll get right on it.” Harry decided to see what he could do himself. “Dobby, I need you.” Dobby popped right in. “Master Harry Potter Sir has sent for Dobby. What can Dobby do?” “Look at all this broken stuff. I want to fix it, but the minute I use my wand, the Ministry will know where I am. Do you have any ideas?” Dobby nodded. “Yes, Dobby put spell on Sir’s list.” he gave Harry an inquiring look. “Sorry, I haven’t had time to go over it very thoroughly. Which spell is it?” Dobby picked out a broken stool and set it on the clean floor. He made a motion with his hand and the stool repaired itself. Harry blinked. He knew Repairo but this wasn’t the same spell. “Show me again. I didn’t quite get it.” Dobby demonstrated again and this time Harry felt the spell. He tried it on a small lamp which sprang upright from it’s pitiful bent state. “That’s brilliant. Thank you Dobby.” “Dobby will help Harry Potter Sir.” Harry started to argue with Dobby but got a stern look from the elf. A look that sat strangely on his goggle-eyed face. “Dobby is not arguing with Master Harry Potter. Dobby is helping, friend to friend. So ...” He crossed his arms over his narrow chest and dared Harry to say anything. Harry just smiled at Dobby. “Well, in that case, thank you very much for your help.” After that the room was silent except for the crunching and crackling of items mending themselves. When everything was finally mended, Harry sorted them and put them all away on shelves. The entire middle of the room was now empty. Dobby picked up a small velvet Peter Pan suit. He asked Harry if he could have it and Harry just nodded. “I don’t see why not. Miz Clare won’t even know she’s got it. If she does and asks, I’ll tell her you earned it. It’s so out dated she’ll never sell it anyway. You leaving now?” Dobby nodded, clutched the suit to his bony chest and started to pop out. Harry nodded to him and said thanks just before he popped away. “Well, there’s nothing else for me to do, except to see if she’s satisfied.” Harry told Clare he was done and asked if she wanted to check his work. She barely turned from her tv to tell Harry she was sure he’d done a good job. She thanked him absently, more involved in her show than in Harry’s remarks. He shook his head, bid her goodbye and left. He did tell her as politely as he could that if she wasn’t satisfied, she could call the flat and tell him. He didn’t think she would but he wanted to make sure she was satisfied with his work. 0 Harry looked at the clock over the bank down the street. It said he had about an hour before Frankie and Johnny expected him back. He wasn’t about to get back too soon. He didn’t want a repeat of this morning, so he wandered back to the art store window to stand, shivering and wishing. He moved down the street a bit and gazed into another window, checked the time and sighed. It had only been twenty minutes. He was cold and tired. He wanted to go home. He smiled at that, it seemed odd that he considered a place he’d only been in for a few days, home. Harry continued his rambling return home by ducking into a doorway, he never realized that he’d just missed being seen by Draco Malfoy. Draco was in a bad mood. His visit to the muggle Charles Abbot hadn’t been as much help as he’d hoped. No one had realized how different the Muggle and Wizarding worlds were when it came to homosexual activities. Charles had admitted that he knew approximately where the red light districts were, but he couldn’t get closer than a general neighborhood. So Draco, Crabbe and Goyle were tramping the streets of every neighborhood the boy had mentioned. Frankly, he was tired of it. His father had managed to get him permission to come home on weekends, but he was wasting his time searching for Potter. “Look, I’m going home. You two keep looking. If you find him, bring him to the manor and ... I don’t know ... chain him up or something.” Crabbe sighed. He wanted to go home too, he didn’t get much time with his mother or father and this was eating into it. Goyle just grunted. He didn’t care one way or the other. Whatever Draco wanted was fine with him. 0 Harry slipped quietly into the flat, listening intently. There was a soft laugh from the kitchen. “We’re all done, Harry. In the kitchen. Johnny called out for Thai, it’ll be here any second.” Harry hung up his coat and went to the kitchen. “Great, I’m starved. I got Edith's clean. I don’t think it’s going to last long though. She doesn’t seem to be real organized.” “Clare’s a doll, and sharp as a tack. Organized, she’s not. You should see her account books. Or better, you should stay away from them. Come on. Set the table.” Harry went to do as he was told, smiling when he saw that the tea pot was already there, with three cups and spoons beside it. He got out the plates and cutlery, set them on the table and grabbed some napkins. He was placing them on the setting when the doorbell rang. “I’ll get that.” Frankie shook his head. “I better. There’s no money in the bowl. I forgot to refill it.” Harry shook his head. Frankie was a good guy but he’d forget his head if it wasn’t fastened on. “Ok. I’ll finish with the table.” Frankie brought the food back from the door and called Johnny to the table. “Johnny, I forgot to put any money in the bowl. Will you do it? I need to finish up the designs for the new uniforms.” “Ok. I’ll do it this time but you’ve got to work on your memory.” Frankie blinked furiously, obviously blinking back tears. Harry felt sorry for him and started to say something to Johnny but decided he’d better stay out of it. But Frankie could be such a girl at times. He decided to take care of his friend, to see that he and Johnny didn’t get into any more fights. The meal went well, Harry listened to gentle banter between Frankie and Johnny. He wondered if he could really work in their club and finally decided that he’d just have to see. Johnny grinned at him and asked, “Well, Harry, you’ve been thinking. What have you decided?” “I’ll try it. I don’t promise anything. But I’ll do the training and we’ll see. Ok?” “That’s all we ask. If you can’t, you can’t. Like I said before, we’ll find something else if you can’t do it.” He stood up, picked up his empty plate and nodded. “Well, that’s it. I’m stuffed. I’ll do the dishes. Harry, why don’t you go see how that game works?” Harry offered to help with the plates but Johnny sent him on his way with a nod and a grin. Frankie announced his intention to work on the designs and headed for his desk in the lounge. Harry went to his room and pulled the bag with his game from under the bed. He opened the bag and got out the handheld. The games were all in their original boxes with all the paper work. He wondered a bit about that but decided the boy was probably as anal as Hermione. He sighed, he really missed his friends but he didn’t dare to contact them in any way. He was sure they were being watched by someone. After picking through the cartridges, Harry decided on Final Fantasy III as looking interesting. He inserted the cartridge and started the game. 0 Severus Snape was exhausted, he’d been tramping the streets of London all day. His leg ached, his head was stuffy, and he was out of Cold Preventing Elixir. He snarled as his left hand seized, making the knife he held tap against the cutting board. When he was tired his hand shook and his leg went weak. He needed the Elixir and his cane. It looked like he wasn’t going to get either one. A soft pop behind him made him jump. “Dobby is sorry. Master Snape needs something? Dobby can tell. Just not what is needed.” Snape started to say he didn’t need anything, but realized he was making a mistake. Cutting off his nose to spite his face as the saying went, a serious thing, especially in his case. “I need a Cold Preventing Elixir and my cane. I was going to brew one, but it seems beyond my capabilities just now.” Dobby shook his head. “You is looking for Master Harry Potter Sir. You will not be finding him. Dobby will get you your cane. Will one of the elixirs from the infirmary be acceptable?” Snape just nodded, saying wearily. “Yes, since I brewed them myself. Thank you, Dobby. My cane first, if you don’t mind.” He’d never seen the sense in abusing the house-elves. They were in sorry enough shape as it was. In fact, he was more polite to them than to anyone. Dobby disappeared and returned with the cane. He handed it to Snape and waited until the professor got himself to his chair and eased into it. Then he left again to get the elixir. When he returned with it, he had to wake Snape to get him to take it. He also covered his legs with an afghan. He shook his head in sorrow, he would never find Harry by tramping the streets he’d chosen. The boy wasn’t there. 0 Harry ambled into the kitchen, game in hand and settled at the table. It was Johnny’s turn to make breakfast. He’d found, to his delight, that everyone took a turn at every chore. They even had a check list on a dry erase board in the laundry room. Johnny said that that way no one could say they didn’t know they were suppose to do that chore. He liked the whole idea. “Harry, could you put the game away now, or are you not at a save point.” Harry consulted the menu, saved his progress and put the game down next to his plate. “Saved. I really like this game. I can use magic and spells and earn money and ...” he laughed lightly. “Well, you know. It’s really fun.” Frankie smiled at Harry. “I’m glad you like it. This morning, we’re going to the eye doctor. We’ll get you new spectacles and see about contacts. Ok?” Harry nodded, “Sure, Frankie, whatever you say.” Harry gave Frankie an odd look. Frankie blinked, looked at Johnny and shrugged. Breakfast was quick and Harry tugged his coat on as he followed Frankie out the door. It was only a short walk to the optometrist’s office. Harry browsed amongst the frames while he waited for his appointment. Frankie finally plucked a frame from the display. “Here, try this one.” Harry put them on then laughed. Frankie had handed him a pair of harlequin frames with rhinestones on the corners. He snorted. “I look like Elton John on a bad day.” Frankie snickered. They fiddled around, trying on frames to amuse each other until the receptionist called Harry’s name. Frankie sat down to wait while Harry got his eyes examined. 0 “Well, young man, when was the last time you got your eyes examined?” Harry thought. The last time had been the summer of his second year, he thought. “About four years ago ... I think. My aunt and uncle were never ones to waste money on me. Is it really important?” “In this case no. Lets get started.” Harry went from machine to machine obediently gazing into lights, at various pictures and pointing the way E’s faced. After what seemed ages, he was finally in a chair like a barber’s chair. By the time the man was through flipping through an endless series of lenses, whose differences were so slight that it gave Harry a headache trying to decide between them, Harry was more than ready to have his eyes tested for contacts. “Now, I know you’re exhausted, I hate getting my eyes tested myself. But this is the good part. I know what your prescription is, and we have several different types of lenses here in the shop that fit it perfectly. I’d advise soft lenses in a Wearever brand. I don’t advise wearing them for more than a week at a time, but you can wear them all night. Don’t take them out at night, just clean them and stick them right back in.” Harry had to shrug. “You’re the expert. What if I don’t like them, or can’t wear them?” “There are very few people with your prescription that don’t like them. A few people with dry eyes have problems. But you’ve got a good tear flow, so I don’t see any reason to worry. But, if these don’t suit, there’s other options. Different brands and types. I’ll just pop out and fetch a set, shall I?” Harry nodded. “Sure. I’m kinda looking forward to getting rid of these glasses. But, the receptionist said I should have some?” “Yes, you’ll need glasses incase you run out of lenses before you can get another prescription, or you have problems. Sometimes, if you don’t keep your lenses clean enough, or wear them too long, you can get an infection. Just be sure to keep your lenses clean and don’t wear them beyond the prescribed time. I’ll be right back.” The man left the room and Harry sighed in relief. He was sure he looked as tired as he felt. He hated having anyone mess with his head. Hair cuts, eye exams, anything like that just irritated him for some reason. “Here we are. You might find them a little irritating at first, but most young people your age just pop them right in and off they go. Here ... I’ll show you how to insert one. And I’ll give you some drops for the irritation. If it’s severe or continues for more that three days, let us know. Just drop in so we can take a look.” Harry watched as the man balanced the lens on his finger tip and demonstrated how to put it in. He managed to get both lenses into his eyes and found that he barely noticed them. He knew they were there but he didn’t feel any need to rub his eye, nor did they water much. “Now then, how do they feel?” “Not bad. I barely feel them. Do I use the drops like regular eye drops?” “Yes, just two drops in the irritated eye. When you change lenses, you should wait at least three hours before you put in the new ones. Six to twelve would be better.” Harry nodded quickly. He could remember all this. It wasn’t that complicated. He took the boxes of lenses and bottles of solutions the man gave him and draped the handle of the bag over his arm. He still had to pick out new frames. When Harry returned to Frankie’s side, Frankie had gotten serious about the frames. He had three pairs picked out that he thought would look good on Harry. He showed them off by trying them on himself. Harry picked a pair and the waiting girl fitted them and measured to make sure the lenses would be correct. She smiled at Harry and tried to flirt. Frankie intervened when he saw how nervous it made Harry. As they left the shop, Harry thanked Frankie for his help, saying, “Thanks, mate. I hate it when they do that. I never quite know what to say.” Frankie just laughed. “Me neither. It’s uncomfortable. Come on. We’re going to start your training tonight and I want you checked over, salved and rested. Ok?” Harry just nodded and followed Frankie. 0 Draco sighed, he and Crabbe and Goyle had been tramping London all weekend without any result other than sore feet and frost bite. He decide to go see if he couldn’t get some information from the Dursleys. Surely they were worried about Harry. He stopped in Lucius’s office to tell him where he was going. “Father, I think I should have a word with the Dursleys. Maybe they know something. And I’m sure they’re worried about him.” Lucius looked up from a short letter from Severus Snape telling him that he was spending his time looking for ‘that damn Potter brat’ and would love a game of chess if it was convenient. “Probably not. They loathe him more than we ever did, for less reason. But go, see what they have to say. Just be cautious, my dragon.” “They loathe him? Why? I would have thought that they would dote on him. All the money he has ... and all that? Well. I’ll be careful, father. I’ll come to you when I get back, shall I?” “Please do. Severus will be here. Perhaps we can convert him to our new way of thinking. Deprive Him of another of his inner circle.” “Good idea. I’ll check in at least.” So Draco Apparated to No.4 Privet Drive, into the woods behind the house, which was the only point he knew in the area. He saw a rather fat boy sitting on a fallen tree trunk so he walked over to talk to him. “Excuse me. Can you ...” He didn’t get any farther than that. The boy jumped a foot and flinched. “Don’t hurt me! I’m sorry!” Draco immediately got snarky. “Well, excuse me for living. What the devil is wrong with you?” “You’re here about Harry. I recognize those robe things. He’s gone. Gone, I tell you. Pop didn’t ... he tried but I got him out.” Draco thought about the rather incoherent utterances and decided to see if he couldn’t find out more. “Yes, I’m in school with Harry. We’ve been very worried about him. I’m sure you are too. Do you know where he might have gone? Or why he ran away? ... oh, and what is your name, if you don’t mind my asking?” The boy bit his lip for a moment then sighed. “You won’t ... er ... curse me? Or hex me? Or whatever it is you do? Please?” “Well, I’m not promising anything, but at present I don’t have any intention of doing any such thing. Now. Why don’t you tell me what’s bothering you.” Draco ‘poured on the oil’ as Pansy called it. He admitted that his personality was more abrasive than anything, but he could be quite pleasant when he tried. He was trying now. “Well, it all started when I got in trouble at school, for bullying, you know. So I had to take anger management and personal relations classes. That’s when I realized that what Pop was doing to Harry was more than just ... I never really thought about it before then. It was just the way it was. Anyway, I got my shit straight and realized that what Pop was doing was criminal. So when he beat Harry bloody, I did what I could. I gave him all my pocket money and gave him his stuff, including his wand. He just disappeared with a sort of bang. I haven’t seen him since. Don’t know where he might have gone. Pop made sure he hadn’t any friends to speak of. You might check with ... um ... weasel ... wheezly? Something like that. Or Hermione something or other.” Dudley leaned back against the board he’d obviously setup as a backrest. “I’m sorry I can’t do better. He made me clean up all the blood. It was such a mess. He didn’t want Mother to see. She’s just as bad, though. She was always complaining that Harry ate us out of house and home. Now that I think of it, he barely ate at all. Sometimes they’d make him go days with just plate scrapings and whatever he could sneak out of the pot before he served.” Draco stared at the boy with a very strange feeling in the pit of his stomach. The much vaunted Golden Boy of Gryffindor had been beaten bloody by his uncle? And starved. He wondered if the world had turned upside down. But Dudley was still talking. “I know. I know. I should have done something, but I was raised to hate him and his freaky friends. But he saved me from ... damntors? And got in real trouble. They said that they might send him to Azerbakan? But that’s just crazy. He saved my life. And that’s what really got me thinking. He saved me. Me, who’d never been anything but a right bastard to him. He told me, ‘we’re cousins. Maybe you’ll remember that some day.’ I wish I’d understood sooner. Pop’s going mental. I better get back before he starts in on Mother. Again. Bye. Tell Harry, when you find him that I’m really sorry. Ok?” Draco just watched Dudley slouch back to the house. He felt like he’d taken a direct hit to the head from a bludger. He decided to sneak closer to see what he might hear. The first thing he heard was a loud smack of flesh on flesh. Someone was slapping someone. He eased into a position from which he could get a look in a window. It was a side window but it let directly in to the living room. A woman was hugging Dudley, obviously his mother. Draco pulled an extensible ear from his pocket and activated it. The crack under the window made a perfect entrance for it. “I said, no hanging about. You’re to come straight home from school. There’s chores to be done and your mother isn’t doing them. And you’re fat. Way too fat.” The man, Draco assumed it was Uncle Vernon, turned on Petunia. “He’s on a diet. And I mean a real one. Not all that lettuce folderol. I’ll feed him from now on. I’ll put on his plate what he gets and not a morsel more. You understand me, woman?” “But Vernon, he’s a growing boy, aren’t you Diddikins? He needs his good food. I’ll make sure he doesn’t overeat. Really I will.” Draco eased away from the window. He wasn’t about to listen to any more of that drivel but he wasn’t going to stand for the man abusing Dudley or Petunia either. They were bad people, but who was he to throw rocks? He pulled his wand out of his robe pocket and cast a Banging Hex. It was just a prank hex, the ministry didn’t track pranks. They’d go mental if they tried. So the hex did its work, separating and distracting the Dursleys so that Draco could work. He felt that Dudley was punishing himself enough, but both Vernon and Petunia needed some attention. He thought carefully then cast two curses on them. One was just a prank curse that made the person ravenous, it would fail the minute they ate something. But he also put a Permanence Spell on it. Then he put a hex on them both that made what they ate only give up a third of it’s nourishment. It wasn’t even really a hex, most girls used it to help them in reducing. He grinned to himself. They’d be perpetually hungry and unable to eat enough to keep on any weight. They’d starve nearly to death. He reminded himself to come take it off ... in about six months. He apparated away with a soft pop. 0 Draco’s talk with Lucius later in the evening, didn’t set well with him. That was one thing Draco admired about his father, above almost anything else. If he made a promise, he kept it. And a Wizarding Contract was much more than just a promise. Draco hadn’t realized that the guardianship papers were actually a contract until Lucius had told him. He wondered how he’d managed to convince his father to break his bond with Voldemort. He’d have to think about that one. Lucius watched his son think. He knew that anyone else would have seen nothing but a blank. He could read Draco like a book. He smiled when Draco wondered about Voldemort. He’d let the boy stew over that question for a while yet. “Draco? Pay attention, please. I want you to visit Ronald Weasley or perhaps ... Granger? Hermione, yes. See if Harry has contacted them. Be discreet. And see if you can’t make friends of them. Or at least don’t insult them. School will be starting again soon. Dumbledore managed a short break but the Governors wouldn’t allow any longer. He doesn’t want Harry’s absence to upset the wizarding world, but it’s time to go back. We’ve only got two weeks to find that boy.” Draco made a face. “I’ll try. I think perhaps it would be a good idea if you visited Weasley. I’ll try Granger. And don’t make that face. If I have to be polite, so do you. If the leopard wants to change its spots it has to show them off. Right?” “I don’t care much for the metaphor but you’re right. You go see Miss Granger and I’ll go see Mr Weasley. Ron. Dear me.” Lucius sighed. “Why on earth Molly and Arthur decided to give him the middle name of Bilius I’ll never know.” Draco smirked at his father. “Family name. Arthur, Mr. Weasley managed to put it off until Ron.” he shook his head. At least his family had decent names. Bilius indeed. “In the morning we’ll both go see our prospective informant. Good luck, my dragon.” Draco sighed. “Good luck to you too, father. We’re going to need it.” 0 Draco apparated into an alley way near the Granger residence and folded his robes over his arm. They looked enough like an overcoat that no one gave him a second glance. He knocked on the door and smiled at the woman who answered. “Mrs. Granger? My name is Draco Malfoy.” Draco noticed the woman’s face harden a little. “Before you slam the door in my face, please give me a chance.” “Come in, then. But you’re not going to upset Hermione, she’s upset enough that school’s been put off. Girl loves that place. Sit down. I’m just fixing tea.” Mrs. Granger bustled off, came back with tea and demanded, in no uncertain terms, an explanation of what Draco wanted with Hermione. Draco sighed, ran a hand through his hair and gave Mrs. Granger a frankly harried look. “Harry Potter is missing. You can’t tell anyone about this. That’s the reason school’s been put off. Everyone’s trying to find him before the word gets out. I need to speak to Miss Granger about what she might know, suspect or divine. Please. It’s very important.” “And why would you be looking for Mr Potter. I understand that you and he don’t get along.” “My father wishes it.” Draco offered no other explanation and Mrs Granger didn’t ask for one. Instead she called up the stairs for Hermione to come down. Hermione clomped down the stairs, making Draco wince. He winced again as he stared down the working end of her wand. “What do you want? You better not have upset my mother. I’ll hex to into next week.” “Hermione Granger, you put that up right now. I don’t want a visit from the Ministry at this particular date. Sit. He’s got something important to ask you. I’d listen if I were you.” Hermione just nodded at her mother, gave Draco a flat look and sat down. Draco decided that he liked her much better in her Muggle jeans and long sleeved t-shirt than he did in the Hogwarts skirt, button down shirt and baggy jumper. She’d put her hair up on top of her head in some sort of pony tail, he thought it looked much better than it did flying all over the place. He decided that comments on her appearance weren’t going to get him anywhere so he just told her the truth as best he knew it. “Harry’s run away from the Dursleys. I think ... I don’t know for sure, mind you, but I think. Damnit, I’ve gotten convoluted already.” Hermione blinked at Draco for a moment then just nodded at him. “To be blunt. He ran away because they abuse him. When he said, ‘they’re not nice to me.’ he ... master of understatement doesn’t even begin to cover it. That bastard Vernon is unhinged.” “Oh ... but ... Dumbledore said ...” Draco interrupted her. “Please do not tell me what that old fool said. He was wrong. Dudley told me that he had to clean up blood. I don’t want to even guess. I just need you to tell me if you know where Harry might have gone. Please.” Draco gritted his teeth as Hermione’s eyes widened. “Ok. ... um ... you said please and you haven’t insulted me once. So I know it has to be important. But ... I really can’t help you. If he’s not at the Weasley’s I don’t have a clue.” “Well, that’s just great. I knew this was going to be a waste of time.” Hermione cleared her throat sharply. “Nothing against you. But Pot ... Harry would know that you’d go running to Dumbledore the second you heard anything. I don’t think he wants to be found by him. I really don’t.” Hermione started to say something but Draco ran over her rather rudely. “Don’t. Harry is quite aware that Dumbledore would return him to the Dursleys forthwith. Why would he put himself in the position to be abused again.” He stood up. “Well, thank you for listening to me without hexing me. If you think of anything that might be of use. Please floo me. Please. Floo Dumbledore if you must but call me too. It’s that important.” Hermione gave him an assessing glare then nodded. “Alright, I will. If I think of anything I’ll floo you.” Hermione showed Draco to the door, completely forgetting to offer him any tea. She settled on her couch to think. She really needed to know exactly what was going on. This was so unusual that she'd been caught off guard and she didn't like it. What were they really up to? 0 Lucius Malfoy popped into the Weasley garden and strode up to the door. He knocked firmly and waited. Molly Weasley opened the door. “Well, what ... oh, my. Mr. Malfoy, what can I do for you?” Lucius hadn’t expected an invitation to inter the home, he had expected the rather fiercely dirty look Molly was giving him. “I’m sorry to disturb you so early in the morning but I need to speak to Ronald, if I might.” “I see. And what did you need to speak to him about?” “I’m afraid ... well,...” Lucius massaged the bridge of his nose for a moment. “I really would rather not say. I can say that he’s not in any trouble that I’m aware of. And, I swear, by my magic, that I mean him no harm.” Molly pressed her hand against her breast. This was something unprecedented. “Very well. I’ll call him.” She proceeded to do so, at the top of her excellent lungs. Lucius winced. “He’ll be here directly. He’s out degnoming the garden.” Molly shut the door firmly in his face. Lucius didn’t have long to wait for Ron to show up. He just ducked the hex that whizzed by his head and put up a shield. Ron hexed him again but it just bounced off. “Ronald Bilius Weasley, stop that. You’ll just break the windows. He’s sworn he means you no harm. Apologize for not waiting for a reason to hex him and pay attention!” Ron gave Lucius a sullen glare, kicked a rock and mumbled, “sorry.” “Walk with me. Just so we can talk without your mother screaming at you.” “Ok. What did you want?” Ron made sure to stay out of arms reach. “I’m not going to break squares with you, Ronald. Harry Potter is missing.” Ron stopped stone still. “Missing? Oh, bugger me. How long?” “I’m not sure. Just after Christmas, I think. I only ... well, never mind that. Do you have any idea where he might be?” Ron stared at him for a long time. Lucius met his stare calmly. Ron ran a hand through his hair, a harried expression on his face. “That’s why school’s been put back. Hum ... and you’re interested in this because?” “I’m afraid that is personal. Just say, I take care of what’s mine. I take it from your attitude that you have no idea at all?” Ron just shook his head, a worried expression on his pug nosed face. “None. You’d think he’d get in touch with me. But ... I don’t know.” “I don’t think he’ll get in touch with you because you’d tell Molly and Arthur at once. And they’d tell Dumbledore. And what do you think he’d do?” Lucius gave Ron that smooth arrogant down the nose stare that he hated so. But he though carefully and then sighed. “Send Harry right back to the Dursleys. He’s always said they’re not very nice to him. But ... to run away with no place to go to?” Lucius shook his head. “I’m more worried about him than you’ll ever understand. I know you don’t believe that I could ever do anything good. But ... Draco finally met Him. They didn’t get along. It seems that my son is even more stubborn than I. He refused absolutely to have anything to do with the Mark, or Him. We’ve turned our coats. Not that you’ll believe that. But we have.” His tone added appropriate capitol letters. Ron’s drop jawed look told its own tale. “You what? Draco ... I’ll be ... I never ... Ok, call me gob smacked.” “Gob smacked. I will swear that both Draco and I have abandoned the Dark Lord's cause. Will that reassure you?” Ron gave Lucius an assessing look. Evidently he liked what ever he saw. “No, that won’t be necessary. Swear you’ll do Harry no harm.” “I swear, by my magic, that I’ll not knowingly do Harry James Potter harm.” “Lord love a duck. Well, don’t that take the rag off the bush. Ok. ... let me think.” Ron paced back and forth for a few minutes. “I can’t think of a place or person who would take Harry in and not call Dumbledore the second they had a chance. Where do you suppose he’s gotten off to?” Lucius gazed at Ron for a few moments, his assessing look sharper than Ron’s by some thirty years experience. “If I knew that I wouldn’t be keeping you from degnoming that garden. Tedious task. If you think of anything please floo me. Do not, I beg of you, tell either Molly or Arthur. Harry must not be forced back to Privet Drive.” “I wish I knew what really went on there. We had to rescue him third year, they had bars on his window. He was so skinny. Really...” “You do not wish to know what was going on there. I have a hint and, while I’ll admit to being a bad, rude man, as the saying goes, I’m disgusted by it.” “You were trying to kill Harry. So ... never mind. If you’ve really changed, I’ll not throw it in your face.” Ron gave him an accessing look. “Much.” Lucius eyed Ron, wondering why he was taking this so calmly. “You’re being very calm about this. I’m wondering why.” “Play chess with me sometime. You better go. I don’t know anything to tell you and I’ve still got that garden to do.” Lucius just nodded, degnomed the garden and apparated back to Malfoy Manor.

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