Fate's Manipulation

Fate's Manipulation Chapter 9

“’ogsmeade post office.” James heard the words a moment before he saw Hagrid and Amanda disappear in a flash of green smoke.

“I can do this.” He swallowed hard and gave the bartender an uncertain smile. The problem was James wasn’t entirely sure that he could summon his magic back from wherever it had been hiding. A lumos didn’t make him a wizard again after all these years. The Floo would be his first true test and if he failed, he could be putting Adam into a dangerous situation.

James let out a long breath, and tapped the wand against his side, thankful that it had made the trip with him. He didn’t know why he had carried it, but the weight was familiar and calming, even as his unease continued to grow. He had to get Adam to safety, now.

He grabbed another pinch of Floo powder, realizing that in his haste to check on his wand, he had scattered the first pinch. He tossed the powder. “Hogsmeade post office!” The tremors in his voice might be his undoing, he knew, as the green smoke obscured everything and a sense of dizziness overcame him.

James landed hard on the dirt floor of the owl post office. He took the brunt of the fall

on his back to make sure Adam didn’t suffer any injury. Shaking off his pain, he stood and looked around for Hagrid and Amanda. Instead of soothing his sense of urgency, every nerve ending was charged with the purely animal instinct to run away from something unseen, something that raised the hair on the back of his neck and took his breath away.

“Hagrid?”

“Oy! Over ‘ere.” Hagrid was nearly obscured by the rows upon rows of owls who sat on their perches hooting curiously at the disturbance. James couldn’t see any sign of the after-hours caretaker. He cleared his throat cautiously, then moved forward. As Hagrid’s features became clearer, James was surprised to see that the giant looked ill at ease as well, but somehow that justified his own unease. “Did ye have any problems, James?”

James winced at the sound of his own name spoken in Hagrid’s booming tone. Maybe he was being far too paranoid, but he had always learned to trust his instincts and now they were screaming at him to beware, that danger lurked around every corner. “We’re fine. Could I ask a favor? Something seems off here. Please don’t call me James.”

Hagrid gave him a contemplative smile and nodded wisely. “You feel it too? Darkness in the shadows…or somethin’.” The giant shrugged. “I’ll call ye Adam’s pa. That should do it.” He peered out the small window and was silent for a few moments.

James joined him at the window. “We need to get by The Three Broomsticks. Can we do that quietly?” He tried to remember the intricacies of Hogsmeade’s layout but time was his enemy. He could barely call up the roughest of mental maps. Then he smiled as he looked across the lane, where lights winked inside a shop. “Honeydukes is open this evening. The basement, the trap door. We could get to Hogwarts from there.”

Hagrid merely arched an eyebrow but motioned James out first.

~*~

“I still think this is a bad idea,” Hermione said quietly. She hadn’t protested too much as Ginny and Ron appealed to her to leave the Hogwarts campus, but as they passed The Three Broomsticks, her nervousness grew. There were very few shops open in the evening. The taverns were sure to be doing a bustling business but other than that, the streets looked quiet, almost deserted. Hermione had been shocked when Ron and Ginny walked into Honeydukes. How had they even known the sweet shop would be open this time of night?

“So what should we get her?” Ron’s voice rang in Hermione’s ears. They were the only customers at this hour and the proprietors had left them to browse.

“Definitely some chocolate,” Ginny asserted. “And I think we should get some chocoballs and maybe even some fruity honey sticks, to flavor her tea and…” Ginny trailed off with a frustrated sigh. “I don’t know. The wizarding world hasn’t the perfect welcome home gift for…well...in these circumstances.”

Hermione made a face. “We haven’t anything of the sort in the Muggle world either, Ginny. This isn’t something that often happens.”

Ron’s frown was obvious, and his mood established as he raked a hand through his hair. “So what do we do then? Do we buy her a book?” Hermione’s face lit up at that and Ron let out a frustrated growl. “Or clothes, what do we know about clothes anyway? This is the best idea I’ve got.”

Ginny placed a hand on her brother’s shoulder. “Ron, it’s a wonderful idea. I know she’ll appreciate having some of her favorite sweets. I’m sure she doesn’t expect presents and anything at all will be a wonderful surprise.” She shot an imploring look to Hermione, asking without words for the older girl to help out.

Hermione stepped up to the counter and pulled down some vibrantly colored nougat. “Fruit nougat, this is a start. Fudge and chocolate and chocoballs and honey sticks will make a wonderful welcome home basket. She isn’t concerned about gifts, Ron. She’s just glad to be back where she belongs. I know it.”

Ron looked between his sister and his friend. “All right then.” He counted out change and called for Mr. Honeyduke who finished their transaction with a smile.

“What’s all this for?” He packed their purchases in a pretty basket.

The proprietor hadn’t commented when the three students walked in but he seemed mildly interested in them now.

Hermione broke the silence with her most adult smile. “A dear friend’s mum has been ill, and we offered to get her some treats.”

“With our own money,” Ron added. “And we don’t have much of it.”

Ginny turned a glare on her brother. “Ron, that was rude! Apologize.”

Ron flushed and scuffed his foot on the floor. “Sorry.” He looked up to find the man smiling at them.

“Perfectly all right, lad. Here, take something for yourselves.” He gestured to a small basket of sweets. “One here for each of you. My dinner’s cooking so I’d best be off. See yourselves out.” Even as he waved them toward the door, he was disappearing up the stairs to his above-store flat.

“Thank you!” Ron grabbed a chocolate frog and started for the door, only to find himself knocked flat on his back when a new arrival stormed in.

“Hey, watch where you’re going!” Ron squinted up at the tall figure who had something in his arms. Another man stood in the shadows, his arms weighed down with something as well. Were those people they were holding? Students maybe?

“Sorry ‘bout that. Ron?” Hagrid shook his head. “You ought not to be out this late. And what are ye doing in Hogsmeade anyway?” When the other man cleared his throat, Hagrid shook his head. “Nevermind. Just get back to school, eh?”

“But Hagrid,” Hermione piped up. “We have something to tell you.” She tried to get a glimpse of the other man, who shrank back further into the shadows. “What are you doing here?”

Hagrid shook his head firmly. “Come an’ see me tomorrow. Can’t talk now. You have to go. You shouldn’t be here. Do I hafta tell Professor Dumbledore that you were here alone?”

The three students looked at each other in confusion for a moment, then rushed out.

~*~

“Students?” James asked Hagrid quietly. He and his friends had been rather daring in their day, but to be out and about in Hogsmeade and so calm about it…well that deserved some respect.

“Yeh, they uh…Well they shouldn’t be out.” His conflicted gaze met James’ eyes.

“Do you want to go after them? I can manage with the kids.”

For a moment, James thought Hagrid would do just that and in a strange way, he understood. Hagrid had always been worried about the students.

“No, James. I’m here with you now,” Hagrid lowered his voice and clapped a huge paw on James’ shoulder. “I’m still feeling that strange thing and we gotta get to Hogwarts. I got just the place for yeh.”

James nodded and quietly negotiated the wooden steps. When they we’re finally in the cellar, the store to the shop closed above them, he began to breathe more easily. “What place is that?”

“Dumbledore had a cottage, that he used to use…”

James nodded. “I remember it well. That will do.” He tried to shift Adam and get to his wand, but his many years away from magic made his movements awkward.

“Let me.” Hagrid said a quiet word and soon the path was lit by a small but steady beam of light.

“They reinstated your magic?” James asked.

Hagrid cleared his throat and nodded enthusiastically but was otherwise silent for some long moments.

“Oh. That’s bloody fantastic.” James gave the other man a fond smile and fell into step behind the giant. They were silent for a few minutes as they began the walk to the castle.

“Thanks. You’re a good mate, James.”

“So are you, Hagrid, so are you.”

~*~

Claire ate her stew in silence, sitting across from the Constable. She really wasn’t very hungry but from the intense look in the man’s eyes, she knew that she was expected to eat. He was looking at her in a most disconcerting way, though. As if it wasn’t bad enough that he had made an absolute mess of his soup, he seemed determined to set her nerves on edge with his behavior.

“Are you through?” He was almost salivating over her food. Claire pushed the bowl toward him and shrank back as he lunged for a loaf of bread.

“Yes I’m…there you go.” She turned away. The sounds of him devouring the food were almost too much for her strained nerves. “You look like a man who hasn’t eaten in weeks.”

His eyes burned with emotion…the intensity was almost frightening. For the first time, she feared for her safety while here with him. What if he wasn’t as he appeared? Claire gave Peter a soothing smile. “There, go on.” He seemed to be waiting for a signal from her and when it was received, he dug back in.

Claire shuddered. This was all so strange and Peter’s disturbing behavior added to her unease. She felt lost in this frightening world. How could she meet the practicalities of this place? Where would she stay? Was her family safe? Would she ever see her children again?

Stay? What if she couldn’t get home? Panic rushed through her again and she drummed her fingers on the table nervously.

“What’s the matter?” Peter stopped slurping for a moment to look at her. Dribbles of soup ran down his chin to splatter on a worn and slightly stained shirt and waistcoat of some sort. It was so old fashioned and so out of place for a modern constable.

“You’re not really a constable, are you?” When he shook his head regretfully, she stood. “Then I can’t be here with you until you tell me the truth.”

”Y—you have to stay.” Peter jumped up and clasped her arm.

“No,” Claire said evenly, pulling her arm away. “No, I don’t have to stay. Have a nice meal, Peter. And thank you for your help, but I can manage from here.”

Peter stared in horror as the woman walked away. He reached into the enchanted purse and tossed some money on the table. She couldn’t get away. She was the key to getting new information. She was the key to his life.

He’d have to accelerate his plan. He’d catch her before she left the Three Broomsticks, then he’d have kill her.

~*~

“What was that all about?” Hermione turned to look back at the nearly deserted store. She couldn’t even see shadows in the windows. Hagrid seems to be carrying something or someone, and who was the man that stood behind him? This was a night of mysteries and Hermione was starting to feel unsettled by it all.

“I don’t know.” Ginny shook her head. “Hagrid seemed almost mean.”

“Not mean exactly, but he wasn’t patient and he’s always patient with us. I wonder what that was all about.”

“ Does it really matter?” Ron asked. “Come on, walk faster. Hagrid might snitch on us. We have to get back to Hogwarts before him.”

Hermione shook her head and rolled her eyes. “Ron, his legs are enormously long. He’ll get back long before we do, even if we run, and we can’t very well run with this basket.”

Ron considered this information. “I guess you’re right. How many house points will we lose?”

“Maybe none,” Ginny put in. “The headmaster knows how we came to be here. Surely, that counts for something.”

Ron sighed. “Don’t count on it. Harry isn’t with us and that means a lot.” He continued to hurry along but stopped when a woman stumbled into his path just outside The Three Broomsticks.

“Hey, are you okay?” Ron reached out to steady her but was shocked when she pulled back.

“Let me guess, you must be a Weasley.” Her voice was brittle.

“Um…yes,” Ron glanced at Hermione and Ginny.

“I figured as much.” The woman ran a hand through her hair. “Will Harry Bloody Potter be showing up soon?”

Ron edged closer to his sister and Hermione, ready to protect them if the need arose. He didn’t know what to say to this obviously disturbed woman.

The door to The Three Broomsticks crashed open and a man stumbled out.

“Get away, Peter!” The woman’s voice rose in panic and fear.

‘Peter’, Hermione mouthed in horror. He hadn’t seen them yet, but it was just a matter of time. Whatever was happening here, they didn’t want any part of it. She met Ron’s eyes and nodded. Quickly, the three of them slipped away and began running toward Hogwarts as silently as they could.

~*~

Peter’s whole world was focused on Claire. He shook his head sorrowfully. “I can’t. I need some information from you.” He didn’t want to kill her, blast it all. Could he just get the information from her and be gone? She didn’t deserve to die, did she? He was tired of the killings. There had to be a way out…

Claire blinked at him in shock. “I don’t know where I am. I have no information to give you. What could I possibly tell you?” She shook her head and began to walk away, but he had her arm in a steely grip again in moments.

“I need you, please.” Peter said quietly. “It could mean my life. Even if you don’t have the answers, will you talk to me?”

Claire stared at him for a long time. She wanted to believe he was lying, but there was something stark and honest in his eyes. “I don’t know…”

Peter sighed. “Look, my mum has a flat near here. Would you go stay with her and then talk to me tomorrow?”

Claire considered what he asked of her. He didn’t indicate that he would be with her, so perhaps she’d be safe enough without him around. And she could learn quite a bit from his mother. Plus, she needed a place to stay. She couldn’t very well sleep on a street corner and she’d rushed out without her purse. What if this new place didn’t even take her money? She was well and truly stuck.

Her decision made, she nodded slowly. “All right. Will you be staying as well?”

The frantic look entered his eyes again. “I c—cant. You can’t understand right now but….she thinks I’m dead.”

“She thinks what?” This was getting more bizarre and unbelievable by the minute. “What am I supposed to tell her? That her dead son visited me in a vision and told me to go there?”

Peter contemplated her words for some time. “I’ll write her a note, from my cousin Malcolm. Just tell her Mac told you to go to her.”

He pulled out a grubby piece of parchment and a quill. Was that really a quill? Claire’s mouth fell open and didn’t close until Peter handed her the parchment. “I’ll lead you to her flat. Please don’t tell her you spoke to me. It’s important…it means my life. I’ll come to collect you in the morning and we can go somewhere to talk it out.”

She nodded slowly, vowing to speak with the woman about her son despite what she said. How horrible it must be for a mother to believe her son was dead. Claire’s thoughts turned to her own children…where were they and were they safe? Would she get home to them soon or might she never see them again?

“All right, Peter You have one more chance, but don’t ruin it. You won’t get another one and I don’t like being deceived.”

~*~

“ ’Owe’re you doing, mate. Is the little tyke still asleep?”

James and Hagrid had been keeping a steady pace through the tunnels and had been mostly silent. James didn’t know what Hagrid was thinking but his thoughts were a mix of joy and confusion, wariness and watchfulness. Nervousness set every nerve ending tingling with…well he didn’t even know if the prevailing feeling was nerves or excitement.

“Yeah, he’s sound asleep. They’ll sleep through anything.” James glanced at his son and had to smile. Soon his children would be together and he could introduce Adam and Amanda to his world. Or the world that it had become in his absence.

“That’s good.” Hagrid’s comforting burr broke into his thoughts. “I’m going ta bring you to the old cottage. Remember it from the Order…the old days?” Hagrid looked guiltily down. “They’re sleepin’. They won’t have heard will they?”

“Don’t worry, Hagrid and yes I know the place. That will be good. I’d rather not stay in the castle and I imagine your place isn’t big enough for all of us.” James had to smile, remembering the cramped quarters of the groundskeeper’s hut.

“Nah it’s not.” Hagrid’s chuckle warmed James’ heart. How he had missed the little things. “And I can get Professor Dumbledore ta see ya tonight then you can rest an’ see Harry in the morning.”

James nodded, disappointed. He knew what the other man said was the smartest thing, but he wanted to see Harry. Now.

He had to make sure that his son was all right. The bloody books had painted such a terrible picture of his son’s life. The healing had to begin soon for Harry. The love had to heal him.

“Hagrid? How bad was it for Harry? I…I have a feeling things were terrible and I need to know.” It pained him to have to ask the question. He should have been around to protect his son. Even though James knew he had no control over what had happened, guilt pounded into him at the realization that he had abandoned his child to a cold world.

The bushy head of the man who walked in front of James nodded. “It was bad. Them Muggle relatives are useless. Worse’n useless. It don’t matter, anymore though. You’re here now and you’re what he needs. He always was hungerin’ for his mum and dad.”

So many questions swirled through James’ head. “Why them? I just don’t understand…why them?”

Hagrid’s sigh nearly shook the walls. “You’ll need to ask Professor Dumbledore about that, James. I didn’t like it at the time and I don’t like it now, but it wasn’t my decision ta make.”

“I know.” James placed a hand on the much larger man’s shoulder.

Hagrid cleared his throat. “All right then. You go up first an’ I’ll follow. Then follow me out of the castle. Do you remember where the cottage is in case I have to stop?”

“I’ll find it.” James was resolute. He’d get there. “Are you going directly to the headmaster or are you coming with me?”

“I’m going with you. I’ll get the tykes settled and come back. An’ I’ll bring some food. You an’ the tykes might get hungry. Tykes like good food around when they’re out o’ their element.”

Their voices lowered as they hurried nearly soundlessly to the front door of the castle. Soon they were slipping into the evening. James didn’t even have time to adjust to the fact that he was back at the playground of his youth.

Hagrid’s long legs ate up the ground and James hurried along to keep pace.

Soon, they were at an area that shimmered with magic. Hagrid intoned a password and a door swung open.