Escape ↣ Harmione

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Chapter 28 - A Welcome Break

17th April 1997

Albus sat at his desk considering his options, he had spread the map of Europe out in front of him. He had of course travelled before he settled into teaching, the tour he had intended to take before his Mother's death had been completed after Ariana's, with nothing to tie him to the country he had taken himself away. Somehow, in the intervening years he had forgotten just how large Europe was.

Arthur couldn't find the school Harry and Miss Granger had registered at. Due to the number that were simply refusing to cooperate Albus was no longer sure they would. There were a number of bureaucratic types that enjoyed the opportunity of refusing to help the ousted Supreme Mugwump. It hadn't helped they had no official reason for trying to locate the pair. He could hardly explain that Harry was prophesied to end the war in Britain. Without an official reason, or some official paperwork to back up their request, they were running out of schools to contact that would help based on Albus' previous position. He hadn't mentioned that Miss Granger was potentially short-sighted enough to have them complete a muggle education not a magical one, it would seed panic amongst the Order and would lead to despair.

Miss Granger had set the war effort back years by her selfish actions and he sorely wished to take her to task about them. She had laid the blame at his feet of course, as if he could help the circumstances of her birth. If she hadn't been so closely linked to Harry the Malfoys would never have offered for her, and she could have married some other wizard. She had gone from guiding help mate, capable of steering Harry where he needed to go; to liability as soon as the law had been drafted. Her actions in removing Harry from the safety of the castle and the protection of the blood wards had been criminal. He had no doubt that Voldemort would hunt them.

Severus had reported that Voldemort was interested in Harry joining the Death Eaters. A preposterous idea of course, Harry would not join the organisation that killed his parents, Harry wouldn't stand against the Weasleys who had taken him in and shown him a proper wizarding family. Harry was a defender of the light. He had bested Voldemort, defended his friends, his animosity to Slytherin House would not be easily overcome.

Miss Granger on the other hand had nothing to lose and clearly it had driven her to desperate acts. He would have to find them and bring Harry back to the castle before Harry was exposed to any serious danger. Muggles were not suitable chaperones for Harry Potter.

Miss Granger would have to be allowed to return. He could perhaps, make Harry understand the wrong he had done and allow Miss Granger to return on the condition of Harry's good behaviour. He would have to make clear there was nothing to be done in regards to the law. Severus would marry her as soon as it could be arranged. She would protest, Albus thought, but with her situation in life being what it was, she really could only expect him to do what was best for the war effort, her personal feelings would have to be put aside. If she ran away from Severus, he acknowledged that would put Severus in a precarious position with Voldemort. That could be used as leverage he supposed, it seemed unlikely she truly had any respect for the Potions Master, pretty things written in a letter didn't make them true.

Albus imagined he could negate her effect on Harry, and once Harry was back in the fold he could make sure Harry knew the wrong he had perpetrated. Yes, Albus thought that would do nicely, it would fulfil Harry's need to protect his friends and show that as a leader, he could be benevolent to those who had wronged him. It would be a good lesson for Harry to learn.

Of course this was only if he found them before Harry's coming of age, after that Miss Granger would be free to persuade him to marry her. If that calamity was to befall his plans, then it would need careful negotiation. Harry with a young wife might be less inclined to take direct orders, less likely to undertake those tasks required for the greater good. That would be unfortunate, however, it would be possible Albus supposed that the situation might lend itself to the required sacrifice, if he could stop Miss Granger interfering further.