Geneticus

CHAPTER FOUR: HARRY AND HEDWIG

When left to his own devices, Mulder would more often than not go off on his own, searching for information to help his investigation.

Once the students had cleared the hallway, Mulder fell back into this old habit. He began walking around, taking in the scene around him. He was still surprised whenever a person in a painting moved -- they would wave to him, whisper to their neighbors, or simply hide from his sight. He wondered if they could sense his Muggleness.

For nearly a full hour he wandered, until he found himself in a great hall, with a ceiling that rose several stories above his head. Four long tables stretched down to the end, where a fifth table ran parallel to the back wall.

A thought occurred to him, and with a grin he pulled his cell phone out of his pocket. It was off. Frowning, he pushed power, but nothing happened.

"Muggle electronics don't work in here, Fox."

Mulder whirled around, started by Dumbledore's sudden appearance. "I'm beginning to figure that out. Is...uh, is there any way I can contact Scully? I need to let her know I'm safe."

Dumbledore nodded. "We can send an owl, if you'd like. Owls are the main form of long-distance communication for us. They're quick, accurate, and undetectable, by wizard *and* Muggle."

Mulder smiled. "Sounds perfect."

"Just sit here and write your letter," said Dumbledore, producing a quill and a roll of parchment from inside his robes. "I'll send an owl down with a student who can give you further instructions." As quickly as he'd shown up, Dumbledore had disappeared again.

Mulder sat down at the nearest table and began to write...

S,

I've made it safely. So far everything in that letter has been true. They are wizards, Scully. But I know you won't believe me until you can see and touch and prod them yourself.

Professor Dumbledore has explained just how he can protect our William. But he says he needs William to be over here, living closer to him. I told the professor that I refuse to give William up so easily, not after working so hard to bring him safely into the world. Dumbledore told me...he said you and I could live here, as well; we could become a part of this world so we all can live in his protection.

I don't want you to decide yet; let me learn more about these wizards. They want to protect William for more reason than simply protecting one of their own.

I've been assured that this method of using owls to send letters is safe and undetectable. I'll be sure to keep you updated on what I've learned.

Give William a hug and kiss, tell him I miss him. I miss you, too, Scully. So much.

All my love,

M.

The student and owl hadn't yet arrived, so Mulder reached into his pocket and pulled out his wallet, once again finding the Polaroids of Scully and William. He wished he would stop feeling as though he'd abandoned them, for he and Scully had made the decision for him to come to Hogwarts together. It's for the best, he told himself, but still tears pricked at his eyes. It was only the soft sound of shoes scuffling across the stone floor a few moments later that pulled him from his thoughts.

"Sir? Mr. Mulder is it?"

Mulder turned and saw a young boy standing in the doorway, a snowy white owl perched on his shoulder. He recognized the boy from Snape's class earlier in the day, but he wasn't one of the students the professor had chosen to pick on.

"Yes, that's me. You were..."

"In Professor Snape's Potions class," the boy said, nodding. "I had hoped you were there to replace the professor. But the Headmaster has told me you are a Muggle."

Mulder let out a sigh. "Yes, that's right. But my son is wizard, I'm told. Your Headmaster wants to help me protect my son from some bad men who want to harm him."

The boy grinned. "I suppose that's why he chose me, then, to help you out. My name's Harry Potter." He held out his hand, and Mulder grasped it with a smile.

"Dumbledore's mentioned you. He's suggested that you and my son are similar in some ways."

Harry's smile faded a bit. "I hope for his sake he does not become more like me." Before Mulder could question him further, the boy sat down, gesturing towards the letter. "You'd like to send that letter?"

"Yes. You can help me do that?"

With a nod, Harry reached out to pet the owl. "You can use my owl, Hedwig. I don't *think* she's been to the States before..." Mulder raised his eyebrows. "Oh, don't worry," Harry added quickly, seeing the look on Mulder's face. "She hasn't failed at delivering a letter yet. You just write the name of the person you want to send it to on the envelope, their address if you'd like, and strap it to Hedwig's leg."

"That's it? And your owl...she'll find the addressee?"

"Yep. It's a guarantee. And she can wait to bring back a reply, if you'd like."

"Oh, that's good. Let me just add a bit on then so Scully will know that..." Mulder quickly scribbled a few instructions at the bottom of the parchment, and then addressed the envelope. Harry helped him tie it to the owl's leg, and off Hedwig flew, offering a reassuring hoot and nip to both Harry and Mulder's fingers on the way.

The two were quiet a moment, and Harry scanned the Hall, eager to break the awkward silence. His eyes came to rest on Mulder's cell phone.

"Oh, you've got a mobile...does it work here?"

Mulder shook his head, and turned to study the boy more carefully. As Harry said something about Hermione being right again, Mulder took note of his rumpled dark hair, nicked up glasses, and startling green eyes. The mandatory robes hid any other information about the kid, so Mulder fell back into his investigation mode.

"Wait, you know it's a mobile phone? But I thought wizards didn't use electrical items?"

Harry nodded. "I was raised by Muggle relatives. Didn't even know wizards existed until I got the invitation to come here. Best thing that ever happened to me, though, learning the truth about myself and my parents."

"What happened to your parents?" Mulder asked, gently.

"Murdered." He didn't offer any further explanation, and Mulder knew to leave well enough alone. He didn't want to alienate the boy.

"Well, that must have been quite a shock, finding out you were a wizard."

"Rather like finding out your son is a wizard, eh?"

Mulder let out a hard chuckle. "You can say that again."

Silence reigned again, and finally Harry stood up, motioning towards the door. "I've got to get going, Mr. Mulder. I have some work I'd like to finish up before dinner."

Mulder nodded, and checked his watch. "Yes, dinner...I suppose I should find my way back to the hotel."

Harry thought for a moment. "No. Dinner's in a half-hour. Why don't you just wait and eat with all of us. I mean, if you're trying to decide if you're going to enter the world, you might as well see what your son will be doing in eleven years."

"All right then," said Mulder with a smile. "Is this where you eat?"

"Yes, only at that table down there, more towards the professor's end. I'll make sure to get down here quickly, so that you're not standing around looking goofy."

Mulder chuckled, and Harry said goodbye, and headed out of the Hall. With a sigh, Mulder decided to spend his next half hour staring at his Polaroids again.

END CHAPTER FOUR