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No Obvious Truths	By : Danyealle Category: Harry Potter > Slash - Male/Male Views: 64502 -:- Recommendations : 8 -:- Currently Reading : 32
Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter and make no money off this work of fiction.

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Chapter 12

Beta'd by the amazing Tenchi. Thanks, woman! You're the BEST!

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Sitting in his office at the ancient school, Albus was going through the backlog of mail he had received while being out of the country for a little more than a month. Already, he had gone through what had been sorted into the pile that was deemed urgent. That was handled to the best of his ability. At the very least, he set whatever was needed in motion so it could be dealt with. Now, he was on to what was considered 'personal' business. That wasn't much, thankfully. Most of what was there had to do with contacts about events he knew would eventually come to pass, possibly this year. The stone in the vault was going to be moved when Harry was picked up to get his supplies. He was already counting on having to take that step, knowing the Dursley's would try to fight him. No, Harry would be coming to Hogwarts and no one was going to stop it.

Setting aside the more mundane letters from old friends, something he could deal with at a later time, his brow furrowed when he got to the mass of letters from Arabella. There were a whole stack of them. Opening the one that had the oldest date, he began to read through it, stroking his beard as he did. When finished, he moved on to the next, brow furrowing. Quickly, he read through the whole stack. When done, he compared some of them, not liking what he was reading. The cancer was back and particularly aggressive if he understood this right. No Healer himself, though having some passing knowledge of various areas of it, he knew that the young boy's magic would help to heal him, at least to an extent. No, it wouldn't do what a true Healer could, but it would keep him alive long enough for him to get to Hogwarts. Once here, Poppy would be able to handle the situation. After all, cancer for Wizards wasn't a big deal to take care of. Harry wouldn't feel the best, of course, but he would live and grow stronger. Besides, a battle like this would only toughen the lad up for what was to come. That would aid things down the line.

Setting the last letter aside, he made a mental note to answer her later. Perhaps a visit to check on things himself might be in order. That would only help to soothe Arabella's mind and put her at ease. Just some reassurance was all he felt was needed. As a squib, though knowing quite a lot about their world, Arabella wasn't one that would probably know that their Healers could work what Muggles considered miracles with diseases of all kinds. He would make certain to point that out to her. From his perspective, he thought she was just more frantic than normal because she didn't like the way Harry's family treated him. No, Vernon and Petunia weren't the most loving of families, he knew that, but they, in their own way, cared for the boy. It was doubtful they would neglect him in his time of greatest need. Like most guardians, they would rise to the occasion and do the right thing, that he was sure of. After all, Petunia was Lily's sister. They wouldn't be that different in this area.

Shaking his head with a sigh, he pressed on, stacking Arabella's letters aside to be dealt with later and continued on to more personal correspondence while reminding himself to check on the situation later in the week.

About an hour later, as he was chuckling over the misadventures of a friend of his traveling in Australia, Albus suddenly stopped laughing. Brow furrowing, he lowered the letter and looked at the stack from Arabella. Something about it was niggling him, though he didn't know what. It was also setting off some kind of warning flares.

Grabbing the stack, he began to leaf through it, hoping that whatever was there that was giving him the feeling would jump out at him. Shaking his head, he didn't notice anything right off the bat. It all just seemed to be the same kind of thing Arabella had sent since Harry was diagnosed with the horrid disease.

Sitting the stack back down on the desk, brow creased, he propped his elbow on the arm of his chair and put a finger under his long nose, looking at the letters. Something was wrong here, he just didn't know what. As he knew those feelings always came from something, he needed to figure it out.

Glancing at the top letter, the most recent, he sighed, wondering what it could be. It was then that his eyes lit on the date. It was over a week ago. There had been nothing since. It was then it hit him. Eyes widening, he picked up the stack and began to go through them again. For the two weeks prior to that Arabella had written him every day in a panic trying to get across how grave of a situation she thought young Harry was in. Those letters were filled with diagnoses that didn't look good with a myriad of details to back up what she said. Each and every one ended with a plea for him to help, send a real Healer, something. The last few even mentioned that it didn't sound like Harry was going to live through this recurrence from what the medical staff said. Then there was nothing. No letter, nothing since then. Now he got where the niggling was coming from.

Looking grave, he quickly opened the bottom drawer to his desk and pulled out a couple spindly silver instruments. They were something that he picked up on the continent and needed to set up since they would monitor the wards on Privet Drive. He just hadn't gotten that far yet. Quickly, he set them up and activated them but there were no clacking noises, no smoke, no nothing. In fact, there were no readings at all from them. It was as if those wards didn't exist anymore. Now he knew he had a real problem.

Quickly, he stood and made his way to the door, blue robes swirling around him. He needed to check to see what was going on. Whatever had happened negated those wards. That was bad news.

Standing across the street from the Dursley house, Albus was lost as to what to do. First thing he did was try to get through the Floo to Arabella. There was no answer. In and of itself, that didn't mean anything, he knew that. After all, she could just be out somewhere tending to what was needed. However, with the tone of her letters, he had a bad feeling about this. Rather than wait, he Apparated to Little Whinging. Of course, the first place he went to was Arabella's. That's where he encountered the problem. Her house was empty and up for sale. Though he didn't think he would get any information from it, he managed to get into the house to look around. It yielded nothing, of course. The only thing he learned was that she had a Wizarding moving company in because the house had been magically scrubbed, both for being clean and the atmosphere, so he could pick up nothing. Not good, not good at all.

Looking at the house across the street, Albus saw the child he knew was Dudley, but no sign of Harry. He didn't want to go over and disturb them because he knew the reaction wouldn't be good, but he wanted to know what was going on. Sighing, he didn't know what to do. Looking down, he tried to think. While doing that, he saw a couple of the neighbors walking by, two ladies who appeared to be gossiping. Listening in, he didn’t think anything would come of it, but it was worth a try.

“Poor lad, so sick! I mean, Petunia and Vernon couldn't even be bothered to get him checked this time. Just sent him out, still sick as a dog with his hair missing, to tend to their lawn and other rubbish,” the one sighed, keeping her voice down.

“I know! The lad was always strange, we knew that, not someone that fit in around here, but you don't treat a relative like that! I mean cancer. Really! Poor child! So sick and thin. He had that look about him, you know, one that told you it wasn't over. Now, well, Child Welfare stepped in and took him from what I heard. Charges of abuse and neglect,” the older of the two said in a conspiratorial whisper.

“Poor child,” the other sighed, shaking her head. “Harry was nice enough, you know, just so odd. Not a freak, mind, not like Vernon always spouted. No, the freak, if you ask me, is that nightmare Dudley. He and his little gang are going to end up in a bad way if you ask me. They terrorize everyone!”

“Big as a house, that one, and the parents see nothing wrong with it! Let the boy do what he wants! The lot of them run amok around the neighborhood and do nothing but cause trouble.”

“I know. Jail is coming for the lot of them if something isn't done,” the younger of the two said with a knowing shake of her head. Stopping, she then asked, “Did Arabella say if poor Harry is alright or not? I tried asking as she was moving but she got shirty with me! I mean, you know what it's like around here. Can't seem too concerned with the odd ones or you have troubles. I felt for the poor boy, but there wasn’t anything I could do. You know how it is.”

“A couple days before she moved out, she told me Harry was taken away from Petunia and Vernon by the system then put with another family to make sure he got the help he needed. Said it was dire, that he was in a bad way, but he would be fine. That was all I could get out of her, though. She seemed mad at the lot of us because we didn't 'care'. Like you said, we did, it was just we couldn't show it! She doesn't understand those types of things. I mean, she was always the odd duck, what with all those cats and strange visitors-- I mean, the way some of those that visited her dressed! My word!”

“Where did she go anyway? Do you know? She wouldn't tell me. I just got her back when I asked.”

“London was all she said, no more than that. I got the feeling she didn't want to talk to me either. I mean, she never fit in around here, we all knew that, but she knows what it's like. You would think she would give up information she knows we want!”

After that last part, Albus tuned out the conversation, rubbing his eyes in a tired way. Ignoring the two women and their wary looks as they passed in front of him, he stared at Privet Drive, trying to think. It appeared someone, somewhere, had stepped in and taken poor Harry away. Now he was at a loss to know how to proceed.

After casting a spell to tell him what he already knew, that the blood wards were gone, Albus tried to think. There had to be a way to trace the boy, but he didn't know how. If it were Muggle authorities that had taken that step, he wouldn't know where to start. Shaking his head, he Apparated away.

Sitting in his office at Hogwarts as dusk fell, Albus was stirring a cup of tea, looking down, brow furrowed with worry. As of right now, he was still at a loss as to what to do to trace Harry. He didn't have any idea where to even begin.

After leaving Little Whinging, he had gone to the hospital where the poor boy had been taken. A little talking and wiggling around got him nothing but a confirmation of the same story; Harry had been taken away by the authorities. Now, though, he was wondering if it wasn't the Magical ones that had stepped in.

When he was trying to get details from a candy striper that was being helpful, her eyes unfocused then she went vague. As he knew this was a standard spell put on Muggles to keep details private if they had dealt with magical beings, he was now more worried than ever! He could, of course, go to the Ministry and start going through the records of cases over the last month or so, but if it was a custody case or one of abuse, they would be sealed. It would raise all kinds of eyebrows for him to try to look through those. No, there had to be another way. He would, of course, go to the Ministry and try if it was the last resort, but there had to be something else.

Taking his spoon out of his tea, he tapped it on the side of the cup then sat it aside. Taking a sip of the heavily sweetened beverage, he tried to think. Drawn out of that as he heard two voices down in the hall below his office, he attempted to figure out who it was. Quickly, he determined it was Mr. Filch and Hagrid. As it was summer and the staff that was in the castle were busy with things like cleaning, repairs and whatnot, this wasn’t odd. Quickly, he dismissed that and went back to thinking. It was then the idea hit him.

Standing, he hurried off to Minerva's office. He knew that she was there, probably in the middle of preparing to send out the letters for the year. That was what he was counting on anyway.

Stepping in, he saw the familiar before term assembly line going as the letters wrote themselves out, folded and stacked before a quill started addressing them. Minerva, as always, was keeping an eye on the process, consulting various lists to ensure all was going well.

Stepping over to her desk, Albus asked, “It's all going as normal, I take it? No gremlins in the works?” While doing that, he picked up the magical ledger that contained the names of the students that attended. Flipping through the current year, he began to read the list, finger drawing down as he skimmed through until he got to the new class of first years.

“As always, it's going fine, Albus, no need to worry,” the aging witch said with a nod, watching the process. “The black quill was being temperamental, more than normal, though. I think this is the last year for it. We're going to need a new one for the next term. I'll make sure I requisition it long before then.”

“Ah, yes, it is the oldest of the lot. I imagine it's time to retire it and get a new one. Submit the paperwork and I'll get on it,” Albus said, brows drawing down. On one hand, he was relieved to see that Harry's name was among those listed to attend this year. That meant that the poor child hadn't passed on. However, he was more confused by the fact that the parents/guardians names and where he was staying were obscured. That wasn't normal. Quietly, he asked, “If a student's parent's name and address are obscured, what does that mean, Minerva? I don't think I ever encountered that before during my tenure.”

Not looking up, keeping an eye out to make sure one of the quills didn't take it unto itself to do something wonky, like decorate a letter with rampaging hippogriffs or something, she answered, distracted, “That's a privacy spell put on by the Wizengamot. Generally, it's due to child custody matters or to protect the child from prying eyes. It's odd, but not unheard of. If it is, it also tends to mean that though we will know who the guardians are when they come, usually because we'll see them at some point, we can't say who they are or communicate it in any way until the issue is fully settled. Sometimes it does happen after that as well, but it's rare. Nothing to worry about, Albus. Our students are always safe here. You know that.”

Stroking his beard, Albus shut the ledger and put it back on the desk. Now he was going to have to go to the Ministry the following day to see if he couldn't figure out what was going on and who had custody of Harry. He hadn't heard a thing about such a matter and would have if he had been in the country. It must have taken place while he was abroad. No, now he needed to know.

Looking at his deputy, he asked, “We have a good sized class coming this year?”

“We do,” Minerva nodded, looking up at him. “It's not a huge one, but decent in size. Next year, though, we'll get the first of the baby boom that happened when the war ended. That we need to start preparing for. If I calculate right, we're going to need plenty more space in the dorms for it, not to mention more supplies than normal. That should be taken care of before next summer.”

“Remind me and we'll start handling it this summer,” Albus told her with a nod. “Anything else urgent we need to start deal with?”

“A couple things, yes,” she told him, nodding. Setting a spell on the little assembly line to ensure that she would know if something was off, she began to go over the issues that she knew about, some of which needed attending to right away.

Though listening, filing away what his deputy said, Albus' mind was circling to the problem of Harry. This was something he had to find out about. Yes, he was going to have to take a trip to the Ministry. Because of his position on the Wizengamot, he could easily do so with it not looking odd. All he had to say was he was getting caught up from his extended stay out of the country and no one would bat an eye. Then he could go digging to see what he could find. He didn't expect a problem, of course, he was just worried what he might find, nothing more than that.

Sitting out on the balcony of his room at Malfoy Manor, Harry was curled up in his chair talking to Madam Bones. She had come for the first of her visits to check on him. Though he didn't remember her, or much of being in court, and she was a little intimidating, he liked her. She seemed quite nice, actually, talking to him pleasantly and smiling.

At first, she had wanted to talk to him alone. Not sure what that meant, he had been apprehensive, but soon relaxed. All she seemed to want to know about was if he was being treated well and taken care of. As he was, adoring both his huge room here and at Tom's, he told her it was great then went on to talk about Draco, how they had become great friends. Then he talked about all kinds of other things, grinning while he did. This actually seemed to please her because she smiled the whole time, the kind that actually reached her eyes.

After they finished talking, everyone else came out to join them. It was something along the same lines, mostly her asking about issues that may have come up and how he was doing. She also seemed pleased with what she heard there as well, nodding approvingly.

Sipping at his 7-Up, something Mrs. Figg had brought more of the day before when she came to visit for the first time, Harry was poking at his ice cream. He had already eaten quite a bit of it but wasn't feeling the best so he wasn't sure if he could finish it, though he wanted to! It had bananas and strawberries in it, his favorite. While doing that, he was listening in to what was being said. From what he gathered, it was about school in the fall. A few days ago he had finally been told he probably wouldn't be going with Draco because he was so sick. He accepted that, he really did, but was disappointed. That everyone understood. However, he was promised he could visit here and there to see Draco when he felt better. That kinda' made up for it.

Looking over the paperwork then at the young man, Madam Bones nodded, “I can appreciate that. No, I don't see how he could manage as ill as he is. Let me take this with me and fill out what is needed then file it for you. I'll ensure that it has my stamp of approval on it so there are no questions or shenanigans over it. Just have Harry's Healer send me a standard form with the reasons laid out and there won't be a problem.”

Reaching out and putting a hand on Harry's back, giving it a pat, Narcissa said, quietly, “Both boys are disappointed, of course, but we don't see any other way to do this. He's not going to be well enough to go. With the treatments, and side effects that can come from them? No, it's just not possible. We're already battling fevers because of two of the potions. They are touchy together, but work the best. The fevers are an interaction from them. As it's one that is something we can work with, the Healer wants to keep both of them going, just battle the fevers as they come because it's got the disease almost completely stopped. He says what's coming will be worse. I don't think, nor does Lucius and Severus, that Harry could handle school on top of it. We'll work with him, of course, to get him to the same place as everyone else, we just don't want to chance it.”

“No, no need to concern yourself. This one is completely understandable,” Madam Bones told her firmly. “I'm certain you can manage to work with him to get him to the level he needs to be able to go the second year.” Stopping, she looked at Harry and smiled a little sadly when she saw the discouraged look on his face and Draco's. “It has to be disappointing, I know, Harry. It's for the best. Let me look into things and see the procedures here to work with it. We'll make sure you're ready for your second year, no worries there. Then you and Draco can terrorize the castle together.”

Grinning a little, glancing at Draco, who was smirking, Harry nodded. “I understand. It's just disappointing. I heard so much about it that I want to go.”

“I completely understand,” the woman told him, smiling gently. Tucking the paperwork into the satchel she kept by her chair, she leaned back and picked up her teacup. After finishing it, she said, putting the cup down, “I believe that's all I need. All is going fine from what I see. Harry is in much better shape than he was in court, thankfully. He seems happy, content and is doing well. I think that's all that matters here. You're doing what is needed, taking care of him above and beyond what is the minimum. No, I see no problems. So, with that, I'll take my leave and do the reports. In a couple weeks I'll contact both of you about another visit.” Standing, she looked at the two young men and smiled then said, “I'll see you both later. Don't run your parents ragged.” Seeing them grin, she nodded then let Lucius lead her out.

Sitting at the table with the two boys, Narcissa was pleased. It had gone well, as expected. There wasn't any overt suspicion like there was with so many. No, that was good. Smiling at the two boys, she reached out and gave each of them a pat on the shoulder. “I believe that's all the stresses for the day. What would you two like to do now?”

Grinning, Draco looked at Harry then said, “How about a couple games? It's nice out here and we can sit at the table.”

Liking that idea, Harry grinned and nodded. “Works for me!”

“Alright, let me go find them for you and I'll let that psychotic beast you call Smaug out here to keep you company,” she told them, smiling as she stood.

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No Obvious Truths