RELATIONS

Chapter III

Professor James MacDonald, Master
Glastonbury Magical Association

Professor Albus Dumbledore, Headmaster
Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry
14 July, 1993

Dear Albus:

This year, we are really fortunate to have two young master wizards coming to teach special seminars at Glastonbury. Gloria Stephens, renowned herbologist, will offer a series of one week seminars on British fungi and their magical, medicinal, and common uses. These will be open to a limited number of 6th year students as well as people from the magical community. Mistress Stephens, of course attended Hogwarts (Hufflepuff, 9 N.E.W.T.s and 11 O.W.L.s) in 1970. Since then, she has become perhaps the outstanding authority on the magical uses of common British flora, as well as earning advanced training and both Muggle and (where available) magical degrees throughout Europe.

The other young scholar is Doctor Edward Harold. While he was independently educated as a young student, he has earned advanced Muggle degrees in archeology and advanced magical training in Runes and Charms at the Vieux Carre. You are undoubtedly aware of his recent work in Egypt, with both Muggle and magical archeological teams. He will be giving alternating weekly seminars in primitive magical practice and on current theories of the origins of magical practices from October through mid-February. Dr. Harold is also already both a Sorcerer and a Warlock, quite amazing at his early age! The seminars on the origins of magic are open to 6th & 7th years, while the ones on primitive magic will also be open to 5th years (the first time to my knowledge our seminars have included 5th years!).

your friend and former pupil
James MacDonald

'Subtle,' Dumbledore thought. 'I wonder if I should send some students, or keep them away from him? Is he actually after some of next year's Fifth years, or just fishing in a larger pool?' His thoughts were halted from Fawkes singing a few notes that sounded like a scolding.

"Ah," Dumbledore spoke to the bird, "I see you still favor young Mister, or rather Doctor, Potter." The bird now sang happier notes in agreement. "And do you have any opinions on whom I should recommend to study under the erstwhile young Potter?"

The bird fluttered over to Dumbledore's desk and stood on the pile of the 3th students' final report folders. He pulled two out of the neighboring pile of now-former 4th years' folders. Dumbledore sighed. He should have guessed those would be the two new 5th years Fawkes would choose. "Mixing Potter and the Weasleys? Why am I not surprised? Very well, I shall suggest it to Filius and Minerva. Even Merlin might shudder to think what Master Edward might teach them! I should have given Black a month of detentions for helping that boy master that Muggle slight-of-hand!"

Dumbledore was struck by that thought. "I wonder why I thought about Black? I haven't thought of him in a very long time." Fawkes just looked at him in reply.

A few weeks later, Dumbledore wondered if that thought had been a premonition of some sort. With Sirius Black escaped, and possibly either targeting Harry or restarting Voldemort's organization or planning His reanimation, great care would have to be taken in choosing the next DADA professor, and in protecting Harry until he could arrive safely at school.

Two days after the announcement of Sirius Black's escape, Dumbledore received a visit from the senior (living) staff member after himself.

"Filius! I'm surprised to see you back so soon."

The little wizard hopped up onto the footstool he favored in Dumbledore's office. "I hadn't planned on coming back for a fortnight, but I received a letter with a suggestion, which I thought I should bring to your attention."

"I see." It was unusual for Flitwick to be so indirect. "And will I dislike the sender or the suggestion?"

"Well, to be blunt, it's from the best charms student in Hogwarts' history, concerning the Defense post for next year."

Dumbledore flushed. "I will NOT offer the post to Master Edward! He should stay hidden. Few people know he's even alive."

Flitwick looked at his mentor. "Really, Albus? We never talk about such things, but I am willing to wager that whomever has been leading the remnants of the Death Eaters is well aware of Edward's continued existence, and perhaps even his current whereabouts. There have been six attempts on his life since he left here, you know."

"I knew there'd been at least three. . . ." Dumbledore muttered. He straighten up in his chair. "There could be other reasons for the four attempts after his assumed his new identity."

"Still, ignoring your stubbornness, he did not limit himself to one suggestion."

That surprised Dumbledore a bit. "The second?"

"Remus Lupin."

"Don't you think a werewolf as a professor would cause some trouble?" Dumbledore asked mildly.

"Now that you have gotten Lucius Malfoy off the Board of Governors, no," Flitwick responded. "We probably shouldn't make it common knowledge at first, however. Still, he is employable according to the Ministry, and if Severus won't make him that new Wolfsbane Potion, then we will purchase it. If you don't have the budget, Edward said he would foot the bill." Flitwick became more serious than he usually showed himself. "If Sirius Black really did turn Dark, and if he really is after Harry, we need someone of Remus or Edward's power, not those weak ninnies we've had recently. And we need someone who has some idea of how Black thinks, and someone who will not be afraid of Black's power or reputation. If you won't hire Edward, hire Remus Lupin."

Dumbledore sighed. "I have thought of his name several times over the years, in fact he even turned it down once, and I have been trying to think if there was anyone else better for the last two days. I don't think there is. And you may assure Doctor Potter we will have the budget for the potion. You may also thank him for paying Harry's fees."

Flitwick was surprised. "Did those Muggles waste all of Harry's inheritance?"

"No, they know nothing of it. Harry is only aware of the Gringotts current account vault, since the Potter Trust won't pay money into it until Harry reaches seventeen. I gather he doesn't take much out, in any event. The Trust solicitor was rather evasive with me, but he finally admitted that Master Edward was paying the fees, so that Harry needn't worry."

"Lupin is an excellent choice," Flitwick said, "perhaps the second best in the world."

"If he'll come."

"Remus will come for Harry's sake. I never saw Remus happier than when he was holding Harry. I really wish he could have cared for Harry instead of his guardians." Dumbledore frowned. Flitwick defended himself. "You know I have no prejudices against those who aren't pure-born -- how could I have? -- but I haven't heard anything good about these people."

Dumbledore shrugged. "If the Dursleys weren't the type of people they are, Remus might have stayed with them and helped raise Harry. But they wouldn't have accepted even a Muggle-born who really fit into their petty-minded world. If I'd thought Voldemort's movement had died, even if Voldemort himself wasn't totally dead, then I might have allowed Arabella to care for Harry for a year or two and then let Edward take care of him. Remus would have helped. But of course, that wasn't the situation."

"I know, Albus. However, unless something happens to Edward, Harry will have to learn the truth."

"I know," Dumbledore said in return. "Secrets have the tendency either to come out, or twist into deeper conundrums. I fear all of this has already twisted out of my control."

Monday, August 30, 1993

"You shouldn't be here today, Teddy." Remus' eyes were bloodshot, and he was agitated.

"I'm not here to upset you further, Moony, but I know I can't see you right before you leave to go to Hogwarts."

"Albus made it a condition of my employment not to tell Harry about you, or the Marauders for that matter."

Edward's face tightened. "I see. Well, I won't add to your burdens by asking you to break your word. I know you too well for that. I wrote and offered my services, through Flitwick, but asked him to mention you were at least as good a candidate."

"Really?" Remus looked surprised.

"Of course. I know as much, if not more, about Defense against Dark Wizards as anyone on Earth, but you know a lot more about creatures than I do."

"Thank you."

"I'll be quick. Remus, the cottage will still be here for you, for vacations if nothing else, for as long as you can use it. I know you'll watch out for Harry. If you need anything, for yourself or Harry, contact the Trust."

"I will."

Remus was shocked when the very self-contained young man hugged him. "You're the only brother I have now," Edward said softly. "Take care of our honorary nephew."

It was a very much less angry Remus Lupin who transformed in the cellar that night.

Thursday, October 14, 1993

Fred and George Weasley stared at the wizard sitting across the table from them. They had been impressed with him the previous Friday evening, when they and four more senior Ravenclaws had been port-keyed to Glastonbury. The pair had not been certain how they had been selected, or if they were really interested, but 15 minutes with Edward Harold had convinced them that here was a wizard after their own tricky hearts.

The first lessons on primitive magic the next morning had confirmed their impressions. And, to their surprise, primitive magic was just what they needed to help their 'Great Project' along. No one, not their two oldest brothers, not nosey Percy, not their teammates, not even their best friend Lee, knew the pair were not just pranksters, but hoped one day to open their own joke shop.

For that, they needed really fantastic items, not just simple pranks. They had confessed their desires to Dr. Harold over hot chocolate that very night.

Edward of course wanted to pump them for information about Harry. He was a little ashamed about using the pair, but quickly decided he liked them. So, in return for their unwitting information, he supplied them with some practical ideas for the Great Project.

Some of what they had told him on Sunday night had made him wonder about the pair, and he had kept probing them throughout the week. Tonight, he had gotten them to confess that they not only possessed the Marauder's Map, but had it with them. He had just performed the password.

"How. . . how. . . ."

". . . .did you know?" George managed to complete Fred's question. "I mean, according the to announcement we saw, you didn't go to Hogwarts! So you couldn't have known about this before!"

"Can you both really keep a secret?" Edward asked, doubt in his voice.

The twins glared at him.

"I went to Hogwarts. I was in Gryffindor. I even played your position."

"You're Ted Potter, aren't you?" George demanded. Ted Potter was the most famous beater of Bill's era at Hogwarts, and Bill and even Charlie had told some great stories about him.

"George! Are you. . . .wait a sec, you're right. Black his hair and change his eyes, and he does look a lot like Harry!"

"Yes, I was Ted Potter. I'm in semi-hiding. Dumbledore seems to think it best for now."

"So you were more interested in our stories about Harry than all the others, huh?" Fred asked.

"Afraid so."

"That still doesn't tell us how you know about the Map," Fred reminded him.

"Unless he was one of the Marauders," George said.

"I wasn't. I can tell you who one of the last ones to have the Map was, though, although not if he was a Marauder."

"Why not?" George asked.

"That's part of some information Dumbledore is suppressing for at least a year, maybe longer. Anyway, James was one of the group that lost the Map in his last year." Edward grimaced. "Two weeks before they were going to give it to me!"

"James as in your cousin, Harry's father?" Fred demanded.

"That's right."

George and Fred looked at each other, and then at the map. They looked back, and nodded. "We need to give this to Harry," Fred admitted.

"And we won't tell him about you, or that his father used to have it."

Edward smiled. "How would you like to learn how to capture an engorgement charm in a sweet?"

The twins grinned. "Sounds like fair payment," Fred said.

Sunday, November 1, 1993

"You should not be here," Dumbledore stated.

"Do you really want to test that statement in Wizard's Court?" Edward Potter, looking every inch the powerful, influential, and famous wizard he now was as Edward Harold, paused. "I thought not. We both know that I would win, and that in the current climate, it might even force you out of here. Neither of us want that, of course, but don't force my hand. Now tell me, honestly, do you still think Sirius sane?"

"I would imagine he is at least a bit off-balance," Dumbledore said carefully, "but why do you ask that?"

"Because if he's really out to get Harry, why try to break into the Tower that time of night? He couldn't hope to hide there long enough to ambush anyone."

"And he should have known he couldn't get past the guardian."

"The Fat Lady?" Edward gave a twisted smile. "To tell you the truth, we always assumed it wouldn't be all that difficult to break through. You know; we thought her and the other guardians more for show."

Dumbledore smiled. "You all assumed wrong. It would take several very powerful wizards working together to break the enchantments. It is a much greater concern how he managed to gain entrance to the grounds and the castle itself."

"If some one let him in, it's easy. You know that's the one big hole in Hogwarts security. And Sirius and James knew every secret entrance, or at least a large number of them. They might not have let Remus in on all of them." 'Too bad I can't tell Dumbledore about the Map,' Edward thought, 'that would have helped. But Harry needs to be able to use it. And this proves, to me, that whatever Sirius is up to, he's not going to harm Harry.'

Dumbledore's head turned towards the door. "That should be Remus now."

It wasn't.

"Potter!"

Edward was on his feet and had his wand pointed before the second syllable of his name was uttered. "Snake!"

"That's Snape, boy! And you are advised not to point a wand at a teacher while here."

"You, a teacher? I didn't know the requirements were so low." Both men were snarling at each other.

"Well, we have your friend on staff, don't we?" Snape said with a sneer. He partially turned to Dumbledore. "Speaking of whom, we finished searching the grounds. We saw nothing to report." He gestured at Edward. "Has he come to withdraw his annoying relative?"

"Snake, I'm not 'an ickle Firstie' anymore. You never impressed me, and you can't bully me."

"Silence, the pair of you! Why is it none of you can act like adults?" Dumbledore snapped.

"Because we bring out the worst aspects of our childhood in each other?" Remus suggested from the door.

"Speak for yourself!" Snape nearly snarled. He turned to Dumbledore. "I hope this jackanapes won't be joining us as well. Between Lupin and that irritating, no-good, junior Potter we have enough. . . ."

Snape said nothing else, as he found himself pinned two feet in the air and his back pressed firmly against the door frame. Snape was shocked to see that Edward Potter was holding him there with just his left hand around Snape's neck, while his wand was pointing between Snape's eyes. Potter's eyes were coldly furious, but he wasn't even breathing hard from the effort of holding a man nearly his own weight off the floor. "If I learn you've been mistreating Harry, in class or out, I'll make you wish for the Dark Lord's torture," Edward said in a voice that not only sent shudders through Lupin and Dumbledore, but even through the calloused soul of Severus Snape.

"Put him down," Dumbledore said. "Severus has already saved Harry's life once. While he must show hostility towards Harry for some very sound tactical reasons I am not going to inform you of, he will not actually harm him. Now, put him down!"

Edward dropped Snape to the floor. Dumbledore frowned at the young warlock. "Edward, we have nothing more to say to each other at this time. Good day to you!"

Edward looked at Dumbledore for a few moments. "Very well," he finally said, "for the moment. Good evening, Headmaster, Remus . . . Professor Snake."

"Are you alright, Severus?" Dumbledore inquired after Edward left.

Snape stretched a little, making certain everything was in working order. "Yes, I am. Quite a temper that one has."

"You never dealt with an adult Potter," Remus told his old enemy. "You've never seen the raw power some have, either. I once saw James in a foul mood explode a small boulder into dust by accident. If you keep harassing Harry, that might be you some day. And if Harry doesn't, Ted just might. And if either of them said you pulled a wand on them and they got the drop on you without witnesses and killed you, I don't think there's any chance they would be convicted."

"And that wouldn't be Dark?" Snape managed to weakly sneer.

"Not after decades of harassment, no."

"Enough of this. Our concern is Sirius Black. Thank you for your reports."

Monday, February 28, 1994

"We're supposed to be under maximum security; how exactly did you get in!"

"I walked in."

Dumbledore frowned deeply. "You can't just 'walk in' to Hogwarts or my office, Edward!"

"Of course I can! Wards can be avoided if your intentions are not hostile and if you take your time. If you knew how much Gringotts have offered me to stop saving treasures and start stealing them for the bank as a curse-breaker, you'd know I'm the best in the world at avoiding curses, including wards."

"Did Lupin owl you. . . ?"

Edward broke in. "No, he didn't. I did talk with him before I came up here, but he didn't contact me." He didn't need Remus to tell him anything, he had two Weasleys.

"If any student saw you. . . ." Dumbledore was getting angry.

"They can no more see me when I don't want to be seen than they can see you! Now, you can sit there and bicker with me or we can have a useful and intelligent conversation! It's your choice!"

Dumbledore sat back and took deep breaths. Why did this man exasperate him more than anyone else? 'No,' Dumbledore thought, 'exasperate is the wrong word. Fudge exasperates me; Malfoy annoys me; Voldemort angers me. Provoke; that's it, provoke.' As he looked at the young warlock, Dumbledore realized at least partially why -- Edward Potter was on his side, shared his same goals (even if he no doubt ordered them with different priorities). Unlike the many others of whom that could be said, Edward Potter was not a follower, or at least not a very obedient one. Few people who totally agreed with Dumbledore's aims had given him serious arguments since the defeat of Grindelwald. 'Perhaps,' Dumbledore thought, 'it's a good thing Edward is around. Hubris is a dangerous thing.'

"On what subject shall we converse, Doctor Potter?"

"Sirius Black. Either he's totally insane, or he's not after Harry."

Dumbledore stared at the young man. "Expound."

"You know how the Death Eaters operated even better than I. Can you really believe one would hesitate to kill Ron Weasley just because he'd chosen the wrong bed? Or Sirius losing his nerve, period? Besides, Sirius must have been spying on Hogwarts somehow, and if he's really Voldemort's number one man, then there are no doubt a few Slytherins, and maybe even a few others, who have filled him in on Harry and his school mates."

"So?"

"So, give me a good thumbnail description of each boy in Harry's dorm just as some of their school mates would give, put me in that room, and I'll tell you which bed belonged to whom. So, first of all, it's hard to believe Sirius would make that basic of a mistake, and it's even harder to believe any Death Eater wouldn't have just killed or at least silenced the Weasley boy before he had a chance to make so much as peep, then either attacked Harry or fled, most likely the former."

Dumbledore stood up. "Let us see. The Third year Hufflepuffs have a free period. Miss Bones and Mister Macmillan shall be your informants. You are an agent of the MLES, reconstructing the crime. The Gryffindors will be in class for some time yet."

Forty minutes later, Edward entered the artificially darkened dorm room. A quick survey, and he walked over to the far bed and said, "Harry's." He then pointed. "Weasley, Thomas, Finnigan, Longbottom."

Dumbledore looked at the house elf he had summoned. "Is that correct, Twicky?"

"Yes, Master Dumbledore, sir." At a signal from Dumbledore, the elf disappeared, leaving them alone.

There were only a few personal items around each bed, but they'd obviously been enough. "How. . . ?"

"Two new Hogwarts trunks, three old. A Muggle-born, a Muggle-raised, a half-blood, and two Pure Bloods, Wizard-raised, one rich and one poor -- and you know we always like taking a family trunk if possible. James took his dad's, you know, which had been Grandfather's and Great-grandfather's. Harold had our Dad's." He paused and smiled. "Mum's was charmed to show shades of purple to any magical person, so I couldn't have hers. I had the first new trunk in several generations, because the others were too banged up for our standards, although most were in slightly better shape than Weasley's here. Weasley's was a give-away; Finnigan's obviously belonged to at least two witches -- you can just detect the various places where they had those flashing heart stickers or whatever at some point; Longbottom's is a least a hundred years old and in mint condition." Edward grinned. "I slugged Ethelbert Lockhart on the train that first day for asking me if I was a mud-blood because of my new trunk."

"Ah, Gilderoy's younger brother. A year ahead of you, I believe?"

"Ethelbert? Yes; Gilderoy was three years ahead of me. Twits, the whole family, and Slytherin to the core without being Dark."

"Ethelbert was indeed silly, but he was killed by Death Eaters for marrying a Ravenclaw of mixed parentage."

"Shame to be killed for one of the few right things he ever did," Edward said, embarrassed. "Anyway, Harry owned very little, apparently, until he came here. He takes the best care of everything, and has the least here. The owl cage helps. The rat cage also gives Weasley away, along with the cared-for yet totally banged-up condition of the trunk. The soccer posters give away the Muggle-born, the Irish national Quidditch team gives away Finnigan. Longbottom, infamous for his bad memory? Look at that jumble -- nothing noticeably out of place, yet no real order."

"And you saw all that in just a few seconds. You should have been a detective, Edward."

"Thank you. I did do some of the course work for Auror training, and some in Muggle criminal investigation as well. Anyway, you see my point. Sirius, if he was sane, was either after something Ron Weasley had, after Weasley himself, or was after something here."

"What could he be after, other than a current student?"

Edward shrugged. "Remember, this room was the Marauders' for seven years as well as this group of Gryffindors'. I'm not saying Sirius or James hid something here, but I am saying those two are about the only people who could have and gotten away with it."

"Do you remember how the beds were situated?" Dumbledore asked, knowing Edward was correct about James and Sirius' abilities.

"Of course. James' was between where Harry and Weasley's beds are, then Sirius, Remus, and Peter. It could just be a coincidence that Weasley's bed is about where Sirius' was."

"Let us return to my office."

As they moved through the corridors, the Headmaster asked a question he'd been pondering. "Did you by any chance buy Harry a broomstick this past Christmas?"

"What happened to the one I helped buy him two years ago?"

Dumbledore was surprised. "You knew about that?"

"Filius and Hagrid both wrote to me, saying some of the professors were taking up a collection. I told them to buy the best broom there was, and to charge the difference to me. I suppose they might have done it again; Hagrid and Remus both have the authority to ask my solicitor for the money. What happened?"

As they moved back to the office, Dumbledore explained what had happened. The Firebolt remained a mystery. After Edward Potter had left, Dumbledore was confronted with more mysteries than he cared to contemplate.

Master Edward, even more than Remus Lupin, had been unsure of Sirius Black's guilt. Dumbledore now also wondered, really for the first time in years, what the complete story had been.

Saturday, June 26, 1993

"I wish you'd stop violating our security! I just hope none of the students saw you before the train left."

Edward Potter just stared at the old man. He looked a bit more mussed than usual, but Dumbledore put that down to how he must have hurried to get there.

"What?" Dumbledore demanded.

"I've talked with Remus. I know the whole story."

"I see. And?"

"I am very disappointed in you, Albus Dumbledore."

Dumbledore was startled. "What?" No one had said that to him since his last year at Hogwarts, when his mother had scolded him for not watching out for his younger brother better.

"You let Remus be fired; you know Harry needs someone here to look out for his interests. . . ."

"I am here. . . ."

"YOU HAVE LITTLE INTEREST IN HARRY AS A PERSON!" Edward roared as he leapt to his feet. He breathed hard for a few seconds, controlling his temper, then sat and spoke more quietly. Somehow, that was equally powerful. "I know you have to look out for the British wizarding community, Dumbledore. But you're treating people like tools. Harry is not just a tool, to be trained, used, and discarded. Remus is not just a tool -- use him to guard against Sirius, then dump him when he no longer has a use. Is that why you never tried to help Sirius? Because he and James had their own plan? Because James dumped you as the secret keeper?"

"How dare you!"

"How dare I? How dare I! HOW DARE I WHAT?" The voice then quieted again. "Point out that, in your struggle to preserve Light magic you're in danger of using people like objects? You are, you know. I even understand why you might have to do that. But that doesn't mean that others can't remind you of what you're doing, and what those tools need."

"So, you don't think I'm totally gone over to Dark, boy?"

"No. I doubt you could go all the way over. But it's tinting you."

Dumbledore slumped down in his seat. 'Have I been so afraid of being too sympathetic that I've gone too far in the wrong direction?' Dumbledore sighed and changed the subject. "I was shocked to learn how James, Sirius, and Peter became animagi. Why didn't you or Remus tell me?"

"I think because, deep down, we didn't think Sirius was Dark, I guess. We couldn't risk his being caught and killed. Our hubris was not realizing this consciously. If we had, we either would have told you anyway, or perhaps figured out that if Sirius really wasn't Dark, then Peter was alive somewhere." Edward slumped in his chair as well and shook his head. "A boy's pet rat. Who'd have thought Peter was just a few feet away from us both last February?" A thought occurred to him. "Since when can students have rats?"

Dumbledore shrugged, deciding not to correct Edward's misconception of Peter's location. "We've always allowed the odd non-usual pet, if they're small, quiet, and harmless. I don't recall any in Gryffindor while you . . . no, wait, Georgina Bredon, five years ahead of you, and Carole Weasley, six years behind you, both had puffskeins. This year, we also had three pet mice, a hamster, and six puffskeins distributed between the three Houses that allow non-traditional pets."

"Let me guess, Slytherin?"

"Owls only, except for cats and kneazles for witches."

Edward sighed. "Figures. Thank you for helping Harry rescue Sirius, by-the-way -- one reason why I don't think you're in danger of becoming really Dark. But you knew when you hired Remus that people would find out; you let him go, flagellating himself."

"True, alas," Dumbledore acknowledged. "However, he will now be in a position to help Sirius."

"I imagine he'll go underground is some Muggle area. I'll arrange for Remus to have access to American dollars, so that he can supply Sirius."

"I believe we still have at least a year, if not two, before we need worry about Voldemort having a good chance at returning. You can go on your expedition with, I think, a clear conscience. If anything happens, I'll expect you early. If nothing happens, we have a luncheon date."

"Once we go in, we can't come out until a solstice." Edward stood up. "Still, I think I have to go, although I don't know why. Barring emergencies, I'll see you in just about two years, then."

'I wonder why he didn't rail on about Severus?' Dumbledore thought as Edward Potter left. 'Perhaps Remus didn't fill him in?'

Six minutes later, Professor McGonagall ran into his office. "Albus! We just found Severus on the back lawn; it looks like he was attacked about an hour ago!"

"Ah. That explains a great deal. Hexes or fisticuffs?"

"Hexes."

"I think you will find, not that Severus will ever admit it, that a defender of Remus Lupin challenged him to a duel."

"But Severus is an excellent dueler!"

"Not when he knows he was in the wrong, and the challenger had righteousness and a lot more power and experience on his side. I shall talk with Severus and make certain he is alright."