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Toonie\'s Love	By : SpeedyTomato Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male > Harry/Sirius Views: 50454 -:- Recommendations : 3 -:- Currently Reading : 10
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and make no money off this story.

Chapter List
- 10
- 11
- 12
Beta'd by the amazing Tenchi. Love you, woman, you're the best!

With help from Lynn who works with me when it comes to flow, continuity and other issues.

Chapter 11

“Petunia is gone,” Arabella said, looking around at those at the table, clutching onto her purse tightly with both hands. “She left Vernon a few days ago. He's beside himself, of course, and can't find any trace of where she went. From what I've heard when it comes to gossip, he was—well, you've all met Vernon, so this should come as no surprise, abusive towards her. There has been plenty of talk about bruises, black eyes and whatnot over the last few years. Ones that know her have said it's been more frequent in the last year or so than at any time before. The only other thing I know that might help is that Vernon seems unable to trace her either, even through the mobile they have. Wherever she went, she's hidden herself well.”
“Which shores up what was said in that article,” Albus sighed, stroking his beard. “We'll see what we can find. If Harry did help get her away and is hiding her, I don't fancy our chances of finding out where she is. He's managed to keep himself hidden well enough that he is rather adept at it. I'm sure she's somewhere safe, of course, but where to start looking is beyond me.”
“I can't see her leaving the country, Albus,” Remus tossed out there. “Which means we start here then broaden the search. While there are plenty of places still to hide in the UK, there are records we can use, especially when it comes to Muggles.” He hoped that would buy time, though he knew PJ's plan for his aunt was as good as anyone could get. Not to mention that the Swiss, and their laws, would make it almost impossible for anyone to get information on her.
“I'll start tomorrow and see what I can find,” Hermione said in a stiff voice, glaring across the table at the pale Ron, who flinched at her gaze.
“I'm going to have you go see what you can manage when it comes to Dudley as well,” Albus told her, not at all pleased with what he was seeing from her and Ron. That was understandable, of course, if what was in that article was true, but it was an area they didn't need either. There were enough bits in there that would cause massive problems outside the Order, he didn't need dissension among the ranks to aid in issues. And that was probably coming with all that was there about some of them.
Groaning, rubbing a hand over his face, Sirius shook his head. Remembering what PJ asked of them, he tossed out there, “We might want to see what we can do to protect Dudley. Vernon too, probably. I doubt whatever the other side might try will draw Harry back, but I bet they'll give it a shot. If those two know nothing, they don't need drawn in.”
“That we do need to tend to,” Albus said firmly, making a note of it on some parchment.
“How are we going to manage to work with the mess in this paper, Albus?” Kingsley asked, looking at the man after leaning back in his chair. “It's a nightmare. We don't have the bodies or ability to even start tracing where he might be. If we want to question that reporter, I'm betting that will take a trip to the States. No one here has the time to go there and start looking for him. We have a name, of course, but I'm sure the man knows what hell this could bring on for him and is probably lying low as well.”
“I don't know,” Albus told them honestly, leaning back and twiddling his thumbs as he thought it over. “We need to start with the reporter. Let's see what we can find out about him. That may give us a hint where to start looking for him. Even if we get that, there is no guarantee that we can get any information. The States—you need to remember that their laws are different than ours when it comes to journalism, sources and such. While we are used to the Prophet, what comes from the States is far more intensive and truthful. They also take protecting sources seriously.” He schooled, looking around. “Unlike the Prophet, they use the standard spells and some more advanced to not only protect sources, but information. Even if we can find this Du Bois, there is no certainty that we can get anything out of him if those were used.”
“More news that just makes this all the worse,” Severus snarled, scrubbing a hand over his face. “What about taking the bits that Potter gave up and were shown in the paper then using those to trace him? That sounds like a better way to go about this.”
“I don't think that will come to anything,” Albus sighed, picking up the paper and looking at the picture of the medical report on the Horcrux removal. Tossing it back down on the table, he shook his head. “You need to realize that if this was done when Harry was a juvenile, those records are sealed in most countries. We can try, of course, and see if we can at least find out where the surgery was done, as that might give us a hint where to look for him, but I'm not counting on that either. Nothing in that picture gives us a clue where to start looking. The world, even ours, is a big place. The only place we can safely rule out is the UK. That leaves many countries to look at.”
“There aren't that many magical schools, Albus,” Tonks said, glancing around. “Let's start there. He would have started in his fourth year, so it would narrow it down.”
“That's not as easy as it sounds either,” Albus groaned, shaking his head. “If it's as he said, and I have no doubt it is, as we've never found a trace of him, not only did he go to one of the more secure schools, one that it's doubtful would give up its list of students, but we wouldn't be looking for Harry's name either. I don't think any of us have a clue what name to look for. If his name was legally changed by Petunia, probably in another country as we've not seen any hint of that being done here in either our courts or the Muggle system, we'll never find it. Those records, if done in a Magical court, are sealed and there is no way of getting into them.”
Shaking her head as she listened in, Hermione then shot another glare at Ron, who cringed. She would be having another talk with him when they left, that's for sure. Now wasn't the time for that, though. Help was needed and she had to focus. Clearing her throat, she said, “I can take on part of this, but I need help. With my job there isn’t any way for me to work on it all.”
“This is true,” Albus admitted with a nod. “Which means that we need others to help.”
Looking at Black, who was glaring at Albus, Severus snorted then sneered, “Have Black get his lover to help. He knows how to research. That's obvious.”
Before Albus could respond, Sirius snapped, “No. Absolutely not!”
“It could help,” Albus told him softly. “At this juncture we need that, Sirius.”
“I said no!” Sirius barked. “I won't ask him.” Before anyone could press him for it, he said, “One of the caveats for him moving in was to keep him out of this mess. He made that damned clear and I promised him I would make sure of it. I'm not asking and breaking my word. I want to find Harry as much, probably more, than the rest of you do, but I'm not going back on a promise to do it.”
“Understood,” Albus nodded with a sigh. “We won't involve PJ in this and I'll see what I can do to enlist a few people I know to give us a hand.”
Picking up the paper and reading through the article again, Bill sighed. One segment jumped out at him as he did.
'Albus Dumbledore is a con man. That's the only way to describe him. He wraps himself in a Light cloak, but is worse in ways than Voldemort because he convinces you to trust him while shoving you in front of a bus for 'the greater good'. I can't trust that anymore. I've been away too long and can see what's going on from a perspective I couldn't when I was younger. I'm also not that little boy that left, the one that looked up to and blindly trusted him. Because of that, I won't go back. And I won't help.
If he would be honest about what's truly going on and does what he purports, I would think about it. That's not something I see happening any time soon. No, he's too Machiavellian for that. His plans have to play out just how he set them up. For that to happen, he uses people like pawns on a chess board. I'm not a pawn. While he never out-and-out lies about what he's doing, the fact that he hides the real truth is just as bad. There are questions about just what he's doing that there are no answers for.
While he looks for me, he's not stepping up to end this war. He's making sure everyone knows what's going on, but as the person Voldemort seems to fear, don't you think he could actually do something to end it? He hasn't tried. No, I'm not going back and being anywhere around someone I can't trust or who wants to use me. Because that's what he'll do. It's obvious. He wants me there, not for whatever reason he may profess, but to use me to end this thanks to a prophecy. Nothing more. He hand-picks his followers, the ones that will do him the most good and be the biggest help, then uses them as well to get what he wants without really telling them what he's planning. Sorry, no. He can get stuffed.'
Sighing, he tossed the paper back down then said, softly, “I think we should leave Harry alone and not try to find him.” Hearing sputtering and outrage at that, he shook his head, “What's the point of finding him? Not only is he an adult, he's making it clear that he doesn't trust Albus. Finding him and trying to get him to come back may end up making this worse, as it's just going to infuriate him all the more. From what's there, he's laid out every reason in the world for him staying away. And they are good, solid reasons, ones all of us would understand normally. Our issue comes in because it's us and Albus he's talking about, thus we can't see beyond that. I think we need to handle what's going on ourselves and leave Harry out of it. If it finally comes down to we're in a bad way, then we start looking.”
“I think Bill is right,” Remus said softly, shaking his head. “Like Sirius, I want Harry found so we can make sure he stays safe. We all know the other side of this nightmare is looking for him as well. This will probably intensify that. It's as Bill said; it's going to anger him. He's made his choice in the matter. One, from what's said in that interview, it is well thought out with valid reasons behind it. We would accept that from anyone else. So, we should from Harry as well. We've all said all along, and made it clear to those wanting to join the Order, that it is a choice. Why is Harry an exception to this choice?”
“Because he has to end it!” Severus snapped, glaring at Lupin.
“No, he doesn't,” Sirius said, tone so cold you should have been able to see his breath. “Prophecies are more self fulfilling than anything else. Who's to say that's the only one out there that is related to this mess? Just because it's the only one Albus knows about doesn't mean there isn't another. And the whole bit about he has to do it?” Gesturing to the paper, he said, “That's Harry's hand right there, if it's really by him. He set it up with the Horcrux being removed and destroyed. He set up to start the battle we all knew was coming. He used a power that the other side didn't know about or have. He gave us an advantage we didn't have. Most of all, he gave us everything in the world we need to stop this now by giving information no one knew. That is 'by his hand', Snape. And just because it's a prophecy, doesn’t mean we have to follow it. Or that it can't be metaphoric.” Glancing at Albus, he said, “I'm betting that whole bit is your interpretation of what it means, isn't it?”
“Well, yes,” Albus admitted with a nod.
“And you've never made a mistake, have you?” Sirius asked, still looking at him.
“I do admit I have, yes. That's self proving with some of what is in the paper.” Albus conceded.
“So, you interpreted it and have made mistakes,” Sirius pressed on. “Are you sure it's not metaphoric in nature and that we have to take it literally? Because if it's literal, it can mean two people; Harry and Neville.”
“Tom made sure it was Harry that night in Godric's Hollow,” Albus sighed.
“That's your interpretation,” Sirius said, tone sharp. “Are you sure it's not Neville?”
“I think it's rather self proving, with all that happened, Sirius. Not to mention Harry's scar. That's clearly marking him,” Minerva chimed in softly.
“Really? Are you sure? Are you sure it wasn't a way to play out part of it so Neville can end it as he was 'marked' as well by what was done, though not physically? He's never encountered the evil arsehole to see if there was the same reaction as from Harry,” Sirius shot back. “The Horcrux is long gone from what that record shows. And, if that article is real, Harry is still very much alive. So is Neville. Harry may have given Neville what he needed to end it. So, it can go either way. Just because Albus is convinced it's Harry, doesn't mean it is. And why the hell do we have to follow a prophecy anyway? You had us guarding it, that's for damned sure, but never told us what it said. Why didn't you, Albus? Because of what it said?” Sirius asked, looking at the man.
Sighing, Albus wasn't sure what to say about that.
“Answer him, Albus, because I'm curious to know as well,” Arthur said softly, though there was some bite to his tone.
“Well, yes,” Albus admitted. “I knew that many wouldn't react well if they heard all of it.”
“Especially the part about Harry dying, even though he isn't named,” Sirius said, snarling. “His name might have been on that jar, but mistakes are made. We all know that.”
“The people that work there thought it referred to Harry as well,” Albus told him softly.
“And they haven't made mistakes either?” Arthur asked, looking at him still. “There is no history of a mistake ever being made there? I think, from all we know, that's not possible.” Red in the face, he was getting just as angry as Sirius over this and what it meant, not to mention how far back this went.
“They have as well, yes, and admit to that. They've had to change names on the jars before,” Albus conceded.
“So, you've made mistakes in what you've done. They've made mistakes in deciphering prophecies and had to change names on jars, but you want to force Harry back here to fight that evil son of a bitch because you're sure you're right and it's Harry not Neville. That's the gist of it?” Sirius asked, voice a low snarl. This had been coming since he learned from his godson just what that prophecy was. Harry interpreted it a different way, of course, but agreed nowhere did it say he had to end this.
“It is,” Albus admitted with a reluctant nod.
“Albus, really,” Molly huffed. “This is madness! You had all of us running in circles over something you interpreted as Harry having to face You-Know-Who? And want to find him so he can come back to end this? Not to protect him? How dare you! He was a child when he left!”
“I don't think anyone here will argue that Harry needs protected,” Albus sighed, not liking dealing with this.
“We will agree there,” Kingsley nodded. “I think, though, Harry is proving he knows how to do that on his own. He's managed so far. It's been almost a decade since he vanished and no sign of him has turned up. Which tells me he knows what he's doing. And we need to leave him alone to continue doing it. Forcing him back will result in him being in danger because he's made it clear he won't trust you. If we do it at your behest, he won't trust us either. And I don't blame him there. You've ruined that for all of us.” When he ended, his tone was plenty hard, hoping to impart that he was outraged by what was mentioned when it came to the young man he had never met.
“I think, as I already said, that he needs left alone,” Bill said, tone stronger than before. “We have no right to force him back here to face that maniac. Prophecy be damned on that end. If it is real and it is Harry, something will bring that about. We don't need to manipulate someone to force them to fulfill it. I don't care what you or Severus think on the matter. Severus is doing what he is by choice. You are doing what you are by choice. We are all doing what we are by choice. Why are either of you pondering taking that away from Harry? Because he's Harry? That's not right either. We don't force this on anyone.”
“I think Bill has a point,” Fred chimed in for the first time.
“He does,” George agreed with a nod. “Harry—blimey—I think the best protection we can offer him is to leave him alone and not look for him.”
“He's stayed safe so far when everyone has looked for him, from both sides,” Fred added, looking slightly angry at what was being discussed as his memory of Harry was what was in that picture, not the grown man that gave that interview.
“Let him keep going. It's his right to stay out this mess and he's made his choice on it. Can't say I blame him on why either,” George finished, a hard look on his face.
“You know I agree with you most times, Albus, but I'm siding with Bill on this one,” Moody gruffed, slightly irked by this whole discussion and what was planned out so long ago. “Sirius made some damned good points that have me wondering if he's not right as well. It can lean either the way he said or how you interpreted it. I say that we leave it. If it's real, it'll play out how it intends. It's not for us to force it. We have plenty of other bits here that need our attention more. If you want to try to trace the lad, that's fine. It may end up with us having to step in to help him, if he'll allow it, as I'm sure the other side is going to try as well. No guarantee there, either as he's making it clear how he feels and I don't blame him. We are about to have problems that are bigger and demand our attention more.” Holding up the paper, he pointed to the section about Voldemort and known Death Eaters. “That's going to set this entire country on fire. We need to focus more on that.”
Sighing, hoping to get off that topic as he didn't want to go into what he planned there, Albus admitted, “Tom—this will set him off. There is no doubt there. Harry exposed plenty, as did the reporter. There will be a backlash from that. Tom is also bound to take advantage of the fact that Harry said he won't return, thinking that means he has free rein to do what he wants. People—we know the majority won't step up to help. That was proven during the last war. Which means that we can expect plenty of problems. I think he will finally push to take over the Ministry and put his plans in place while looking other places. It's too good of an advantage for him not to take it. Which means, we need to focus there. Those of you with Ministry jobs need to stay on your toes and pass information to the rest of us so we can prepare.” With that, he began to give various things to keep watch for and how to prepare. He also wanted time to read the article again and dissect what was there more thoroughly. Once he did that, he would know how to go about this better. Plus, he needed time for everyone to cool down before he could get them going how he wanted.

Flopping in a chair in their room, Sirius gave a contented groan. He was stuffed, all there was to it. He, PJ and Remus had just returned from the steak dinner to celebrate PJ getting the advanced copies of his novel. Not only was it a great meal with good conversation, he was mildly buzzed from the drinks they had. This was good.
Seeing PJ settle in his own chair, he grinned at him, “That was good!”
“It was,” PJ admitted, feeling slightly buzzed himself. Grinning, he shut his eyes and leaned his head back. Quietly, he said, “I liked doing this bit with you two more than I have in the past. It felt like it was more special that way. It's the only time I've gotten to celebrate with people that were close to me. The last two times it was by myself.”
“I can safely speak for Remus when I say we adored sharing it with you,” Sirius told him honestly. “That's something damned special to celebrate and the fact we got to enjoy it with you made it wonderful.” Chuckling, he added, “And I never thought I'd be out catching a buzz with my godson. I liked it though!”
“So did I,” PJ laughed. Shaking his head, he focused, “Is there anything I need to know about what went on? Or is it best I don't?” He figured Sirius would get that he was talking about the Order meeting. Though he didn't want to know what went on most of the time, this was part he thought he had to if it came to himself.
“Nothing to worry about,” Sirius told him. “At least so far. Let's see how it plays out. At the moment, Albus is fumbling. I spun him in circles a few times, making the sheep think a bit. Remus tried to divert him, having others agree with him. So, let's see what he does from here. If it's anything to worry about, I'll let you know.”
“Good,” PJ sighed, smiling at that.
“Just be more careful going out to tend to what you have to,” Sirius cautioned. “We're sure the other side of this nightmare is going to unleash hell on all of us. And he's not going to care who is caught in the middle. So, when you're out, you need to watch yourself.”
“Will do,” PJ nodded.
Grinning, Sirius said, “You know, I think the three of us are going to have to go out more often. That was fun. I don't think Remus and I have had that much fun in a long time.”
“I'd like it, too,” PJ admitted, glancing his way. “Maybe once a week we can find something to do. Even if it's just a night at a local pub to watch telly.”
“We'll start planning on it,” Sirius told him. “I'll get with Remus and see what he wants to do. Maybe take turns picking places.” He liked this idea as he thought it was a way to reconnect with his godson in a different manner than what they had been doing. Tonight was the first night they really talked about areas unrelated to this nightmare or PJ's past. In doing that, he learned plenty about PJ. That he adored. Up until this point, they had mostly been working with the mess around them and getting used to each other. Sure, they spent time together, but it wasn't as much as he would have liked. PJ slept most of the day then worked all night. The times he was up, he was busy with other bits as well. They did get to spend time together and talk, but not like they had tonight. So, he wanted more. He would get with Remus the following day and work out something for this.
“What’s Tonks like? PJ asked, curious, as he had been told she and Remus were headed towards something serious. “I’ve only encountered her a couple times up until now.”
“You'll like her,” Sirius grinned. “She's a riot! How she puts up with Remus I'll never know. Hell, she had to kick him in the direction of a relationship anyway. That should be enough to tell you that she's got plenty of backbone and won't tolerate too much stupid shite. Other than that, she's got a great sense of humor and is easy to get along with. I'll make sure to introduce you to her more formally the next time she's around.”
“If she's related to you and close, she can't be all that formal,” PJ grinned.
“She's not,” Sirius laughed, shaking his head. “Andromeda gave up most of that Pureblood bullshite when she married Ted. Tonks was raised to be who she wanted to be and wonderful. Which makes her great.” He then went on to explain his cousin to PJ, knowing he would like her. With that, he vowed to drag her along one night to have fun. It would look good to do that, he admitted it, but they would have fun as well.
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