Harry Potter and the Blind Seer of Durmstrang

Chapter 18

Harry pounded his fist into the opposite palm in frustration. They had searched for Professor O'Carolan all night, at last giving up as dawn lightened the windows of Durmstrang. Harry and Jamie had not found a way to unlock the magical barrier to the dungeons either; they figured they would simply have to look during the day when the way was open.

Once daylight arrived, however, they were not to be allowed to continue their search, as the Hogwarts students had to be down at the quay. The ship that would take them back to their school in time for the Yule ball and the Christmas holidays would be arriving that morning.

With rather more force than was necessary, Harry threw his belongings into his trunk. He was beginning to get really worried about the Professor, not to mention his nervousness about meeting Sirius and Remus and coming clean to them about all that had happened. Whenever he thought about it, Harry felt a sharp edge of worry rake his insides. Feliss watched him pack from his contented perch on Harry's bed.

"You like this?" Harry asked him, and for a response, the cat yawned.

No one was in the room, so Harry shut the door and turned to face Feliss, who now reclined on Harry's bed, propped on one elbow.

"Sorry," he apologized. "Being a cat makes me so sleepy, especially when there is a nice patch of sunshine..."

Harry ignored this. "I couldn't find Professor O'Carolan," he hissed through clenched teeth.

Feliss let out a long breath. "I'll stay, and look for him," he offered.

Harry hadn't considered this possibility. "Can you?" he asked.

"You should be safe enough with Professor Snape on the journey back to Hogwarts," Feliss assured him. "You talk to Sirius right away, okay?" His tone had become laced with a sternness that Harry hadn't heard from him before.

"Right," Harry agreed, although the knot still sat uneasily in his gut.

At that moment, footsteps sounded outside the door. Harry looked quickly toward the bed, where the dim shape of the furry cat stretched lazily. Harry closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. The door opened and Adrian flung himself into the room.

"You ready to go?" he asked Harry.

"Almost," Harry replied briefly, trying to remember if he had set any of his belongings in out-of-the-way places where they might be forgotten.

"I'll be so glad to get out of this bloody place," said Adrian.

"Why?" asked Harry curiously.

"School, mate. Who likes school, anyway?" said Adrian diffidently. "And this exchange thing just makes it worse."

Harry wondered if Adrian was referring to his inability to read. He supposed having new professors and sometimes different languages would compound Adrian's problems exponentially. Harry didn't ask, though, because he was busy pulling clothes out from under his bed and stuffing them into his trunk.

"You going home for the hols?" he asked, when he finally emerged again and stood upright.

Adrian kicked at his trunk. "To my aunt's house, yeah," he said.

"I used to live with my aunt and uncle," said Harry.

"The muggles?" asked Adrian with curiosity.

"Yeah, you heard about them?" asked Harry.

"Well, I heard that Harry Potter had been raised by muggles, but not much about them," said Adrian.

"There's not much to know," said Harry, turning back to his trunk.