The Rescue and the Midnight visitor
Harry and Nathan launched themselves off the top of the ridge and skied and break neck speed into the black diamond pass. As the rounded a corner the spotted the three delinquent skiers up ahead.
"Harry," Said Nathan as he when into a tuck, "you get the girls I'll get blunder boy." with that lee lowered himself all the way into his tuck and pulled ahead of Harry. Harry went into his tuck and soon overtook Hermione and Ginny. Knowing that he couldn't just tackle them he turned and skidded his ski's sideways into the back of theirs as they moved from side to side. The impact caused their feet to go out from under them. They landed on their backs partially on top of Harry.
Hermione Jump up indignant,
"Harry James Potter," she snapped, "What do you think your doing?!"
"Saving your fool neck!" snapped Nathan before Harry could answer. He came walking up pulling James by the arm.
"I'll have my lawyers on you," he squawked as Nate drug him along,
"James," snapped Nathan, "shut your mouth or I'm going to forget I'm a lawman and shut it for you!" then he turned to the girls.
"Come on," he said, "All three of you."
"Where are you taking us," demanded Hermione as they began to walk on in the direction they had been skiing in.
"I just want you three to see where you would have gone if we hadn't dumped you." Replied Nathan. They walked down the trail for about half of a mile. And came to the stop at the top of a Colossal Gorge. There were sheer stone- walls on either side going down more than a thousand feet to stone crags at the bottom.
"This is Dead Man's Gorge," said Nate, "From where we're standing Clear to the bottom is a distance of 1500 feet, and those crags at the bottom are spires of solid granite."
"And this place isn't called Dead Man's Gorge for no reason," said Harry.
"That's right," said Nathan, "at least four skiers that I know of two with in my own life time have been killed skiing off the top of this because they didn't know about it and didn't see it until it was to late. It's like I have told Mr. Vandameer's father time and again. Not knowing your way around up here is even more dangerous than not knowing how to ski."
Hermione and Ginny's indignation had left them the minute they saw the gorge now they looked sheepish.
"We're sorry, Mister Williams," said Ginny. Nathan's expression softened,
"I'm going to let you girls of with a warning THIS time, but if it happens again I won't go so easy on you, and I told you to call me Nate."
"Thank you," said Hermione as she and Ginny brightened up.
"You're welcome," replied Nathan, "Harry I want you to escort the ladies back to the safe ski area whilst I have a word or two with young Mr. Vandameer." As he said that he turned slightly and grabbed Vandameer by the scuff of the neck as he was trying to sneak away.
"Not so fast," he said his expression becoming cross again, "this is the third time I've caught you bringing people in to an avalanche zone before the all clear is given, I am arresting you for reckless endangerment." With that Nathan snapped the cuffs on Vandameer,
"And before you get to smug, Jimbo," he said deliberately using the nickname that he knew Vandameer hated, "Remember you're the one that has to face Maggie after she finds out about all this and you know that she considers every boy or girl that comes here one of her kids, so if the judge doesn't rake you across the coals Maggie will!"
* * * * * * * * * * * "Harry," said Hermione as the three of them were skiing down the mountain, "I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier." Harry waved it off.
"Forget it," he said with a smile, "I just glad you're okay,"
"How did you meet Nathan?" Hermione asked changing the subject.
" I met him when I came to visit his father two years ago," replied Harry his eyes twinkling like Dumbledore's, "You see Nathan is my cousin."
"WHAT? HOW?" said Ginny and Hermione in unison.
"Well," said Harry, "when I finally got up the nerve to go back to Grimmauld place I found some secret letters that my father had received from a man named Ian Williams. As it turned out Ian was an American half -brother that my father had, for his own safety, kept hidden from the entire Magical world. Only Sirius and my father and mother knew that Ian existed. Nathan is his son."
"Harry," said Hermione, "Why didn't Dumbledore send you to live with the Williams instead of the Dursleys?"
"Hermione," said Harry, "as amazing as it sounds I don't even think that Dumbledore knew about Ian. And you know he wouldn't intrude on a person's thoughts."
"Anyway," continued Harry, to make a long story short, Nathan was already chief Ranger in this area even though he was only 23 at the time. He gave me ranger training and when I'm here I'm Lieutenant Harry Potter his second in command."
* * * * * * * * * * * *
The whole room broke into applause as Harry and Nathan finished their song.
"That was great," said Maggie taking a sip of her coffee, "give us another," Harry and Nathan whispered together for a second or two before they decided on one and began to play. Nathan began to sing.
You, know a dream is like a river
Ever changing as it flows
And the dreamers just a vessel
That must follow where it goes__,"
Just then Harry who had glanced out the window that he was facing cut him off.
"Nathan," he said, "Some one just passed out in the snow." Harry and Nathan were on their feet in an instant leaving their guitars on the couch they raced outside tramping through the snow until they came to the side of a Raven- Hair girl who was laying in a faint on the edge of the forest. Harry picked the girl up and carried her inside as Nathan held the door open for him. Harry carried her into the living room and laid her on the Sofa. In the light one could see that she was a Native American girl, and a very pretty one at that.
"Why that's Kyla Whitecloud," Exclaimed Maggie as she went to feel the girls forehead, "what would she doing so far from home at this hour-oh my word!"
"What is it, Maggie?" said Nathan.
"She's burning up with fever!!" replied Maggie. Just then Kyla roused a little she opened her eyes and saw Nathan and Harry leaning over her. Reaching up to lay a hand on Harry's chest she whispered weakly,
"Sickness on the Reservation!"
TBC Please Review
A.N: the song lyrics are from the song the River by Garth Brooks. Bridge over trouble water is a Simon and Garfunkle song.
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