Growing up Pureblooded

The Boy No More

When Remus Lupin left Windermere Court that day, he said nothing to anyone. As soon as he left the street he forgot where he was and why he had come there. He went home via a circuitous route and directly composed a letter to Albus Dumbledore.

Dear Professor Dumbledore, he wrote.

I regret to inform you that my investigation has proved only partially successful. The Dursleys' neighbors on Privet Drive were able to identify Harry's kidnapper only as a blonde woman with an American accent. I have done my best to investigate further, but have been stumped at every turn. I think that it is most likely that the woman and Harry have left the country. I am so sorry that I can be of no further help in this matter.

Sincerely yours,

Remus J. Lupin

After sending the letter, Remus put his Potter photos back in storage. As he caught a glimpse of Sirius's happy face, he sighed, and thought of all the innocent lives the traitor had reunited: James, Lily and Harry of course, but also lovely Regina and poor Aries, who would never know his father. Remus thought momentarily of writing a letter to Regina and Aries in France, but soon reconsidered. There was no need to stir up painful memories.

Back at Windermere Court, Cassiopeia relaxed the wards and patted her brother gently on the cheek before leaving the house. "Well done, Mar," she said mistily. "I'm so proud of you." He said nothing, but only gaped after his sister stupidly as she left the house, whistling a merry tune. On her way to visit Callidora Longbottom, Cassiopeia dropped by Surrey and Oblivated the Muggles, starting with the odious Dursley boy. She was, unfortunately, seven minutes late to lunch, and had to apologize profusely to Callidora, but it was worth it for Cassiopeia to know that her great-nephew would grow up in safety, preserved from the pernicious influence of Albus Dumbledore.

Aries and Draco returned from Grimmauld Place that afternoon, clutching heavy volumes of Dark and advanced magic to show their aunt as proof of their alibi. The boys couldn't really understand anything they read in those books, and their aunt knew it, but it pleased her to see them take an interest in "special magic," and the boys found the books most helpful at avoiding punishment. Neither Marius or James said anything to the boys about the strange events of the morning, and they went about their routine as though nothing had occurred. They flew their broomsticks in the garden until dinner time, and then played exploding Snap in the parlor until quite late, when Marius finally sent Draco home and Aries to bed. Aries never learnt how close he had been to having his secret revealed, and though he was pleased at the additional kindness of Aunt Cassie began to show him, he suspected nothing out of the ordinary.

At Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Albus Dumbledore sighed in sad frustration. His troubles had begun with the letter from Remus Lupin. None of Dumbledore's other channels had yielded any fruit, and the Headmaster had counted a very great deal on the werewolf to locate the boy. If Harry had been taken out of the country, Dumbledore thought it highly unlikely that they could ever find him, not without involving the authorities, and Dumbledore thought it best not to instigate a panic by informing the world that the Boy Who Lived had been kidnapped. Instead, Dumbledore decided to investigate the Hogwarts list to see if Harry Potter's name was still written there. It was the only way he knew of to make certain the boy was still alive. He unfurled the parchment with every expectation of finding consolation, but met only disappointment. Harry's name was gone.

The Boy Who Lived had died, that was the only explanation. Dumbledore returned to his office and composed letters to the Ministry, the Wizengamot and the Daily Prophet, informing them that Harry Potter had died that same day, from a tragic bout of dragon pox. It seemed that his battle with Voldemort had drained the poor boy's magical reserves so greatly that he was unable to fight off a simple infection. When Cassiopeia read the news the next day, she cackled with glee. Marius and Clytemnestra felt a profound sense of relief. Two people, however, were confused and distressed by Dumbledore's lie. One was a certain werewolf in his late twenties, who was furious that Dumbledore would abandon the search for James's son so easily, and kept resolving to renew the search himself, only to be dissuaded each time by a strange compulsion to organize his bookshelves. The other was the Boy Who Still Lived himself, who felt that this new revelation only confirmed all the horrendous stories he had heard about Dumbledore from his family, and resolved never to trust anything the old man might say. Meanwhile, in Azkaban prison, a certain godfather overheard the tragic news from a human guard, and spent the nest three years howling in bitter sorrow.