Dear Mr. Potter

Chapter Fifty-Two

The snow was sparse the further in he got. The thickness of the overgrowth and the trees prevented much of it from actually reaching the forest floor. Once inside, he was re-introduced to the Forest's darkness. No wonder the kid was scared. Probably some poor Hufflepuff who had unwittingly followed in a ball or something. Been known to happen more than once.

"Call out again so I know where you are," Harry yelled. He should have found him by now. His voice hadn't been that far away.

"I'm here!"

Harry pushed further into the brush, continually glancing back to make sure he kept his direction straight. It'd do no good if he got lost while trying to get the kid.

Finally, Harry found the poor boy. No more than thirteen or fourteen by the looks of it. Course, Harry thought to himself, at fourteen he was fighting Dragons and mer-people. The boy was huddled in on himself using the school robe he had on for protection against the elements.

"Hey, you alright?" Harry asked as he came to kneel at the boy's side. He checked for wounds but it appeared the kid was all right. "Where is your leg hurt?"

Brown eyes finally looked up at him with fear. "I'm not sure," he whispered. "I fell and I might have twisted my ankle."

"Well, I'll help you up and we'll get you to Hagrid's. It's closer." Harry stood and grabbed hold of the boy's arm. Just as they were standing, Harry knew they were no longer alone. He immediately grabbed his wand and began looking about.

"W-what's wrong?" the boy asked.

"Someone's out there," Harry whispered. Keeping his eyes on the trees, he carefully pulled the boy's arm up and across his shoulders to better support him. That's when he finally smelt it.

Harry instinctually pushed the kid away but not before his wand was ripped from his grasp. The kid quickly and gracefully jumped over a fallen tree. Harry tried to control his rapid breathing but he knew he had just become surrounded. He watched as a man with ratty hair stepped out from behind a tree and put his hand on the boy's shoulder.

"Good lad," he said in a voice that was too rough to be normal. Harry watched the boy nuzzle the man's hand and then step back a pace, still holding Harry's wand. Harry finally noticed that the Hogwarts uniform was obviously the wrong size, causing his wrists and ankles to show. Well, Harry thought hysterically, at least I have proof that I'm not the thief.

A snap of wood and Harry looked to his right and saw another man, just as bedraggled as the first, stepped out and then another and another until Harry was surrounded by five of them including the boy.

"Don't be afraid," the first man said. "We aren't here to harm you. My name is Quint and I am the leader of this pack."

Harry studied their formation and realized that they had him well and truly caught. "You're were-wolves. Were-wolves attack Indago."

"Oh yes, but then, that is a one sided view. Indago also attack were-wolves. Why, think about the were-wolf who was run off by your alpha and his beta. But you mustn't fear," Quint said soothingly. "We have obviously gone to a lot of trouble to capture you."

"Why? What do you want?" Harry asked, trying to watch all five of them at the same time.

"We've come to rescue you. You have obviously been abandoned by your pack and it just so happens that we could use your abilities."

"My abilities?"

"Yes. You see we are in the process of forming a nice quiet society free from the hatred of the world outside of this forest. Here we are free to do as nature intended us to do and we do not feel shame. Most of us have ended up here due to unfortunate circumstances and now we look upon this place as a haven. Unfortunately, we do not have everything that a burgeoning society needs. That is where you come in, little one." Quint moved closer. Harry watched him closely, waiting for any sign of attack. He was struggling to keep his instinctual fear under control. His rational mind knew that to run now would just cause a chase that he would surely lose.