The missing boys ✔

Part 14: Buck

Dear Mum, Dad, and everyone else,

I'm still doing well, but I wanted to say I'm sorry. I know now it was mean of me to run away. I've seen the papers and I know you're all worried and scared and there's a lot of people looking for me. I wanted to say sorry for that. I'm also sorry because I can't come home, even though you miss me.

See, I have a friend and his name is Harry. Harry is brilliant, but the people he lived with before I met him were bloody terrible. Sorry to curse but it's true. They hurt him, and they didn't let him eat, and they locked him up, and they lied to him, and they called him names I'm not allowed to say in front of Mum.

Dad always said I should always try and do the right thing and Mum says I should look after people littler than me. Harry's littler than me and he needs my help, so I'm going to stay with him, it's the right thing to do and if the ministry can't find us they can't take him away and let those people hurt him again. Please don't be upset.

I love you,

Ron

The letter was enlarged, tacked onto the wall with a sticking charm. The whole room was reading it and re-reading it. It had been a week since the last letter. In that week a lot of things had changed. For one, the task force had been expanded to include both Sirius Black and Remus Lupin. The former had been cleared of all charges in a top-secret ministry hearing and was immediately placed on the case due to his knowledge of Peter Pettigrew. Remus had been included as well; it had been one of Sirius's post-trial conditions.

Dumbledore had been present for the "negotiation" of said conditions and had been thoroughly amused and impressed.

The minister had approached Sirius after the trial, bowler hat in hand. He had asked him for his cooperation on the case and requested they keep his innocence a secret so the boys' kidnapper wouldn't panic.

Sirius—never one to miss an opportunity—pulled out the full Black Family royalty complex. He demanded that Remus be added to the case and given the full privileges of a specialized ministry consultant, including salary and lodging. He also demanded that a petition for the custody of Harry be put in for him.

When Cornelius spluttered Sirius coolly suggested that perhaps he'd be better off asking the lawyer that managed his Gringotts account to help negotiate the terms. The implications about Black's large bank account and new-found political status had given Fudge pause.

Dumbledore knew Sirius had him in the palm of his hand though. If there was one thing Cornelius was always desperate to do, it was appeasing entitled purebloods with deep pockets. Sirius's requests had been granted, with the condition that he lie low until the boys were found.

A small group of wizards in the room examined the handwriting, and the parchment. A witch was bemoaning the fact that the owl had gotten away before Mrs. Weasley could catch it, and trying to brainstorm strategies to stop it from happening again. Another was talking about the first explicit mention of Harry.

Arthur Weasley stood in the middle of the room, looking at the letter and all the people moving around him, trying to crack the code before them. His eyes locked on Sirius and Remus, who were whispering to each other from across the room. Sirius had figured out that Harry's writing was on the envelope of the last letter. Perhaps he knew something.

The tall man walked over to the pair, who paused in their conversation at first, before relaxing when they saw who had come over.