Harry Potter and all characters, etc. belong to J.K. Rowling, not me.
The Time Meddlers
Chapter Twenty-Four - In Search of Susan Bones
Potion Supplier Wanted
The Troublemaker's Paradise joke shop requires the services of a Potions master for an extremely lucrative arrangement, whereby all present and future potions-based products will be manufactured and improved upon by the Potions master, which will allow the owner more time to manufacture and design other products in this time of expansion. The owner is willing to pay top Galleon for the services of a qualified individual. Interested parties may walk in for an interview during business hours.
After much discussion, it was decided that Terry Cochran would run this Daily Prophet ad in an attempt to lure Severus Snape to his shop, in hopes of tracking him to wherever Susan Bones was being held prisoner. Although Harry, Hermione and `Terry' were well aware that Minister Bones had issued a warrant for Snape's arrest, they were hoping that money would lure him out of hiding. If it didn't work, they'd only wasted a few Sickles for the advertisement anyway.
At the same time that ad was being delivered as part of the newspaper, Harry and Hermione were inside a muggle McDonalds (Polyjuiced as adults) sitting at a table waiting for Kingsley Shacklebolt. After finding nothing at the Bones' residence after they'd snuck there to investigate Susan's disappearance, the time-meddlers decided to see if the aurors had found anything that wasn't being reported. Harry had a stack of hotcakes drowning in syrup in front of him while Hermione was nibbling on a breakfast sandwich when they noticed the bald man enter the room. Harry got up and walked toward him.
"Hello, Shack. Don't look so serious?" That was their agreed-on password was a reference to the case of Sirius Black, wherein they'd met.
The Head Auror turned to see a tall, blond man with blue eyes, dressed in casual muggle clothes. He blinked. "Hello, er, Tox?" When Harry nodded, Shacklebolt continued. "You're taller than I remember and dressed differently."
Shaking his head in disappointment, the Boy-Who-Lived replied, "Surely a man like you knows that looks can be deceiving. We have a reason for secrecy. Order your breakfast and then join us. Thanks again for meeting with us." Harry returned to his seat with Hermione.
"We met once, but I didn't give you my name," said the only female occupant of the table. "You may call me Sky."
"So, what is it you wanted to talk about?"
"Very direct, Mr. Shacklebolt," said Tox. "To put it simply, we're going to attempt to find and rescue Susan Bones, and wanted to find out if there's any information about her kidnapping you could share."
His eyes widened as he appeared shocked. "Well, that's a generous offer, but half the aurors are…"
"…bound by the laws of the Ministry," interrupted Sky. "Surely you could see the advantage that people operating outside of those guidelines have over aurors."
Tox added, "Surely the priority is getting Miss Bones back safely. Not who gets the credit."
"Which we don't want, anyway."
The bald man scratched his chin as he thought it over. "Yes, rescuing the Minister's niece is our top priority, and if you can locate and free her, that would be appreciated." He sighed. "Unfortunately, we don't have a lot of information, but I'll tell you what we know."
--TM--
About three hours after their meeting with Kingsley Shacklebolt ended Harry and Hermione were on the Hogwarts Express heading back to school. The Head Auror hadn't had much information to share, but that in itself told them one thing. This Shadow character was thorough. Neville, Ginny and Luna were sharing the compartment with them while Harry thought back to the conversation he'd had with his girlfriend after that meeting.
"I wouldn't be surprised if Susan is being held under the Fidelius Charm," commented Harry.
"I'd be surprised if she's not, which leads to the question of how to find out who the Secret-Keeper is and get that person to tell us the secret." She took a deep breath. "I doubt it would be Snape, but he might know who it is, probably the Shadow. In that case, we'll have to find a way to capture the Shadow."
"What if we simply followed Snape there?"
"It wouldn't work, Harry. We wouldn't see…"
"What if someone was holding onto Snape when he entered the building?" interrupted Harry.
Looking as though she were lecturing a five-year-old, Hermione replied, "In the cases where someone has managed to enter a Fidelius-protected house without knowing the secret, the person is unable to see or hear anything, as though blind and deaf. Some reported brief flashes of sight and sound every few minutes, but not enough to accomplish any task inside the protected house. That person would be helpless to defend themselves against any occupant of the house who wished them harm."
"So you're saying it's a bad idea?" questioned Harry. His girlfriend didn't dignify that with an answer beyond rolling her eyes.
His thoughts returned to the present when the snack trolley showed up outside his compartment and they were offered to buy treats. After the kids made their purchases and the snack lady was gone, Ginny asked, "Before she got here, you seemed to space out for a few minutes. What were you thinking about?"
Harry saw she and Neville were looking at him curiously while Hermione looked concerned. Luna, as usual, had her face hidden behind an issue of the Quibbler.
"Truthfully, I was thinking about poor Susan Bones, wondering what's happening to her."
"That was terrible to read about, even if Rita Skeeter couldn't make up her mind about Susan's name," commented Neville.
"That's so scary to think about," said Ginny.
"I'm sure the Nargles will keep her alive until the snake saves her from the darkness," declared Luna without looking up from her magazine.
"I hope so," Harry agreed, thinking of his Animagus form.
--TM--
That night at dinner, Dumbledore made no mention of the tragic kidnapping of Susan Bones, and Harry knew exactly why.
"It's because he's still defending Snape!" he exclaimed once he was alone with Hermione. They'd snuck into the Chamber of Secrets so they could discuss the situation more freely. Harry still enjoyed looking at the images from the Pac Man game that had replaced the snake decorations Slytherin had put there originally, but right now, even they couldn't amuse him.
"Of course he is, Harry! We knew he would. Snape could Crucio me on the head table during dinner and he'd still say, `I trust Severus.' In fact, we're counting on it."
Taking a deep breath, he replied, "I know. We even read it in the paper, but to have him totally ignore the fact that Susan was kidnapped by a former professor that he'd defended for years…he's probably still mad at me for getting Snape sacked."
Hermione looked thoughtful for a moment. "I just wish we knew why Dumbledore trusts Snape. Did he have proof that he had turned away from evil…"
"Which I doubt."
"…or just that he hated Voldemort?" she finished after glaring at Harry for interrupting her.
"That's got to be it!" declared Harry. "It makes perfect sense! Anyone watching Snape for five minutes would realize he hadn't become a good guy, especially around me. But if he simply hated Voldemort for some reason it would force him to work with Dumbledore."
"And whatever problem he has with Voldemort wouldn't necessarily apply to the Shadow," added Hermione. "Especially if it was a personal reason. Maybe Voldemort killed someone Snape cared about and he wanted revenge."
"Or he got sick of the way Tom tortures his followers more than his enemies," suggested Harry.
"It could be anything," admitted Hermione, "but the point is that if Snape only had a personal grudge against Riddle then he'd have no such problem with the Shadow."
"But Dumbledore is too naïve to even consider that possibility," Harry huffed. "He always wants to believe the best of people, despite stacks of evidence against him."
"And that is his biggest weakness," concluded Hermione. "While that attitude might work for a religious leader trying to help someone change their ways, it is certainly inappropriate for a man with Dumbledore's positions. I mean, in the muggle world, no one with Snape's record would ever get a position as teacher in a public school. Even if muggle teachers aren't perfect, and some are even mean, none of them are known murderers, and even the meanest can't get away with blatantly bad behavior like Snape did."
Harry nodded. "They'd at least have to hide their favoritism and not publicly advertise it."
"And that's saying nothing about what damage Dumbledore's attitude has been doing in his position on the Wizengamot all these years. How many guilty people has he let go unpunished."
"He does care a lot more for the criminals than the victims," agreed Harry, thinking about how he knowingly let Malfoy walk around the school for a year with a Dark Mark, nearly killing both Katie Bell and Ron Weasley, Imperius'ing Rosmerta, eventually leading Death Eaters into the school, all because he wanted to `turn Draco from the path of darkness.'
"And everyone completely trusts his flawed judgment."
--TM--
The next day, Dumbledore, as Harry, Hermione and Sirius knew he would, proved that he was still on Snape's side as he walked into the Diagon Alley shop known as The Troublemaker's Paradise, just as Terry Cochran, aka Sirius Black, was closing the door. He immediately reinforced his Occlumency shields when he noticed the visitor to his shop.
"May I help you?" he asked the man with purple robes, a pointy hat and a long white beard walked up to him. He kept in mind that he should not know the man's identity.
"Good day to you, sir," Albus replied with a twinkle in his eyes. "Are you by any chance the owner?"
"Yes, sir. Terry Cochran at your service. Whatever pranking needs you have, I'm sure I've got just the thing for you. However, we are just closing so…"
"Although your products are quite intriguing, I'm here on another matter. It's regarding your advertisement for a Potions master."
"Oh, yes. Are you interested in applying? Then come on in. Let me get you an application, Mr…"
The Headmaster's eyes widened slightly at not being recognized. "Dumbledore, Albus Dumbledore. I don't believe you attended Hogwarts, but perhaps you've heard of me."
"Oh, yes," Sirius replied as he closed the door behind them, "I have heard of you. You're the headmaster of at that school. Now that you mentioned your name, I believe I've seen your chocolate frog card."
"Yes. Delightful sweets if I do say so myself. I'm not here because I personally desire the job you advertised; rather I'm representing someone else."
"Oh. If it's one of your students, I'm afraid I need a more experienced…"
"No, Mr. Cochran. The man I'm representing is a quite experienced Potions master. He even taught Potions at Hogwarts before he began brewing them independently to sell to many businesses."
Terry grinned broadly, pretending that he had no idea who Albus was talking about. "Sounds promising. Send him over and I'll be glad to interview him."
"It may be difficult for him to come here personally, but I can vouch for the quality of his work."
"While I don't doubt your word, Headmaster Dumbledore, I do insist that I personally interview anyone who I hire. You can tell him that it will be well worth his time. This business is really growing, so there's plenty of profit available for the right people. You tell him to be here at 7 p.m. on Friday and I'll interview him. I will have him brew something during the meeting, so tell him to be prepared for that. If he's as good as you say he is then we'll come to an agreement that's profitable to both of us."
"I shall relay the message," said Dumbledore merrily before walking outside. Sirius locked up the shop and immediately contacted his godson.
--TM--
On Friday night, everyone was ready for the plan. Terry Cochran was inside his shop while Harry and Hermione, under invisibility cloaks, were nearby. They'd thought of putting listening charms or devices inside the joke shop, but Sirius believed Snape would find them. He was bound to be very careful since he was wanted by the law.
Harry tensed when he saw their target Apparate just outside the shop. "Remember the plan," hissed Hermione.
"I know," he whispered back.
Severus knocked on the door, which opened at once. Right after Snape entered and the door closed, the young couple moved much closer to the door and waited, drinking Polyjuice about an hour after the door closed, according to the plan.
--TM--
"You must be the Potions master Professor Dumbledore mentioned," said Terry with a grin.
"Yes, Mr. Cochran. My name is Severus Snape." The fugitive had his hand on his wand, ready to Obliviate the shopkeeper if necessary.
"Haven't I read your name in the Daily Prophet recently?" he asked. "Oh yes. That article that couldn't decide if Susan or Sharon Bones was kidnapped. I'd imagine they got the kidnapper's name wrong, too. Am I right?"
"Yes," agreed Severus. "The inaccurate reporting of that so-called newspaper is quite annoying."
"No doubt. Anyway, why don't you tell me about your brewing experience before I have you prepare some Pepper-Up Potion?" They talked for a bit, with Sirius continuing to pretend to like Snape, who brewed an absolutely perfect batch of the requested potion. They then haggled on prices and Terry promised to owl him an order, along with instructions for his products, in the next week.
--TM--
The door swung open about seventy minutes after it had closed, and Harry immediately hissed, "Imperio!" He'd already been aiming his wand. The unforgivable curse hit Snape, who tried fighting it but the Boy-Who-Meddled-With-Time was using his custom wand, which was quite powerful.
`Make a portkey to take us just outside the building where Susan Bones is being held!' Harry silently commanded the former head of Slytherin. He did as commanded, and the three partners were able to grab the piece of parchment Severus had used in time to feel the familiar tug behind their navels.
Harry fell on his rear when he landed, losing his concentration long enough for the glazed look to leave Snape's eyes. Without a word, he started running toward a building the others couldn't see. Harry jumped to his feet and raced toward his long-time foe, jumping on him just as Severus opened the invisible door and they both fell in.
--TM--
Harry felt just as disoriented as books on the Fidelius Charm had warned. He was in complete darkness and silence, but he could still feel Snape, so he punched him in the face before pulling his wand back out and Imperius'ing the Potions master to free Susan Bones. Harry kept holding Snape's arm and walking, hoping that he really was controlling his nemesis. After five minutes, they stopped moving.
For a full second, Harry could see and hear what was going on. He saw Snape open a cage door where he saw Susan, looking terrible, lying on the floor staring at them. He heard a somehow familiar voice call out from behind him, "What are you doing, Severus? Crucio!" Harry immediately realized the curse wasn't aimed at Snape, but himself, as he began to writhe on the floor in pain. Pulling his Occlumency up all the way - not to stop the pain but to keep his wits about him - he tightened his grip on his wand and pointed it in the direction the curse was hitting him from.
"Reducto!" he shouted. Under the darkness of the Fidelius Charm, he couldn't tell if he'd hit his target or not, but the pain stopped. He felt a foot kick him in the face and grabbed it with his free arm, tripping Snape before he felt a smaller hand touch his shoulder and weakly pull him. He hoped it was Susan and got up, saying, "You'll have to guide me to the door because I can't see anything."
He then pointed his wand where he thought Snape was and started firing, "Stupefy," knowing that if he hit anywhere on his attacker, he'd be down for the count. He continued moving his wand around firing that hex blindly (providing cover fire) while being slowly led by Susan, until he felt her guide his hand and hold it in place. Taking the hint, he fired another, "Stupefy!" While he'd have rather used a Reducto, he knew it wouldn't put anyone out of commission unless it hit the head or chest, which couldn't be guaranteed. Susan then moved his hand to another direction, so he did the same. Finally, Susan let go of his wand hand and weakly dragged his arm, which led Harry to believe that he'd hit the target.
Finally, after what seemed like forever, a door was opened and he could see and hear again. He saw his girlfriend, in an older female body, looking both concerned and angry at the same time. She was about to start screaming at him before he noticed her eyes resting on the person he'd rescued. He knew he'd still get an earful from Hermione later, but right now she was more concerned with the immediate crisis.
"Susan!" Hermione called as she came forward. "We need to get you to Saint Mungo's."
At that moment, Harry swore as he felt his Polyjuice potion wear off. Instead of looking like a grown man, he was back to being himself.
"Harry?" Susan asked in surprise while Harry got his first good look at her. Her clothes were torn and she was filthy. Her skin was pale and she was obviously malnourished. She also had a scar above her left eye where a knife had obviously cut her. There were more assorted scars he could see on her, but that one was the worst.
"Please don't tell anyone," he asked before pulling a flask out of his pocket and drinking from it, reverting to his previous form.
"If…if you say so. Thank you." She looked at the girl. "Are you Hermione?"
"Yes, but…"
"Are you Neville?"
"No," said Sirius. "I'm an adult friend of there's. Only say that Tox and Sky rescued you. Don't mention me at all."
"Neville knows nothing of this," said Hermione while Sirius made a portkey to the Wizarding hospital, "and please don't tell anyone." She sighed while Susan nodded. "We're secretly trying to stop the Shadow, but right now, we don't even know who he is."
With a half-grin, the weary victim said, "I know who the Shadow is. The Shadow's real name is…"
--TM--
Please review. Thank you to those who have. Sorry I took so long to complete this chapter, but real life can be time-consuming. It makes me wish I had a time-turner.
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