Vagary

{Seventeen}

The next morning brought on the question of how Caelum had disappeared again, without a trace or scent just outside of the main entrance. He assumed flight, but without a broom and no trace of illusion charms, it was highly unlikely when there were plenty of people about the place to witness almost every move. One didn't just fly away unnoticed.

Harry thought about his father's invisibility cloak, but didn't understand why anyone looking to go after Mrs. Black, if that's what it was about at all, would have access to it. Probably only James' inner circle of friends did, and being the Minister for Magic meant it was probably under lock and key all the time.

He turned to his notes and glared at them for the thirtieth time. Sure, he couldn't solve it in the first couple hours of the day, but wouldn't it have been nice to gain some type of lead? The aurors from overnight hadn't come up with anything new, nor had anything changed on the grounds of Hogwarts besides heightened worry.

The imperius curse.

Unicorn hair wand.

Possible flight.

Invisible.

Harry had a haunting suspicion.

Thestrals roamed the grounds of Hogwarts, living in the thick of the forest where the sun wouldn't touch them. It would explain why the kidnapper waited until after the feast when they were done pulling carriages. With no wars, everyone would be a lot less likely to see them, especially children and professors as what reason would they have to witness death? If one wanted to make a quick, magicless getaway, the creatures would certainly provide with nocturnal flight of the invisible kind.

Now to think on ways one could make themselves invisible to be close enough to imperious Caelum without being seen.

Harry only knew one possibility that didn't involve traceable spells, but none of his dad's friends would simply up and abduct someone they all loved.

Another revelation, and he felt smarter than Hermione, the rush sending a smile to his face.

Peter Pettigrew, as a once-friend to James Potter would undoubtedly know about the cloak, the thestrals if he took a wild guess, and how to combine the two to escape with Caelum in arm. The only question would be why. He could blame Pettigrew all day, but his word and gut feeling probably wasn't enough to get them to run with it like it would be in his old world. He'd need proof.

First, he needed help with finding some evidence to his theory and decided to loop in everyone else.

Rushing, he was out of his office in a flurry, barely noticing his father coming in at the same time, all attention on the Minister for Magic instead of him. As it should be.

"What's the matter?" Harry asked over the crowd, attention fluttering between them both.

"A ransom note, from Peter Pettigrew."

Ask and ye shall receive his mind thought, meeting James in the middle to collect the parchment, folded in quarters and blank except for the words:

This is what happens when you are not cautious with your kind, James. The meek shall inherit the earth, and if you don't step down from Minister, I'll make sure this boy doesn't inherit a single thing. I should hope to see it in tomorrow's papers.

Wormtail

"Could he have had access to your invisibility cloak and did Pettigrew have a unicorn hair core?"

James gave him a strange look. "We all had a cloak, Harry. Don't you remember? Sev and I found a way to replicate mine sixth year. He has both those things."