Albus browsed over a few books in Severus' library while Severus and Tom viewed the memories regarding the orphanage and Tom Riddle learning he was a wizard. Tom was really quite insightful about things. Severus of course was trying to decide how they could search the orphanage at present, even if it was deserted - and if it wasn't - what then?

The pair finally pulled out of the pensieve. Severus had his usual neutral mask in place. Tom however had a look of irritation and ... regret? ... on his face. Perhaps seeing his father in the memory had been a bit traumatic. Albus hoped the boy wasn't' feeling guilty over his father's actions.

"I believe you are correct that we should look the place over. I'm sure the place would have been considered important to him in some way ... however I'm not convinced we will find a Horcrux there. I am hopeful we will find clues, though." Severus said bluntly.

"How so, Severus?" Albus knew if anyone could figure out Voldemort's plans it would be Severus. Albus could outmaneuver Voldemort on the chessboard of the battlefield with raids and such. But to figure out how to find something that Voldemort had hidden? Albus had found one - but Severus and Lucius had tracked down two. He would not discount their observations. After all, he was far ahead of schedule on robbing Voldemort of his immortality.

"The Dark Lord has put the Horcruxes in places of relative safety - in Abraxas Malfoy's hands, the Black Vault, and the ring was in the Gaunt cottage - it did have muggle repelling spells on it, and wizards had no reason to go there." Severus reasoned out. "The orphanage - even if he considered it important would be terribly insecure. Even warded ... if it was torn down the Horcrux could be lost to him. However ... we could look into it for information."

"Yes, I'll have information gathered about it and anyone still alive from that time - if he had any friends he may have confided in..." Albus stopped at Tom's snort, and raised an eyebrow.

Tom hesitated, he needed to be careful not to let slip information that he couldn't possibly know about Voldemort's childhood. "I just think - from looking at your memory of him as a child - he didn't seem to be the sort to confide in anyone, and...friends?...it's likely he had none, if this Mrs. Cole was afraid of him and calling him ‘odd' - if she was anything like the matron at my orphanage it is likely she called him worse when you weren't there. ‘Odd' children aren't well tolerated ... I doubt he had friends." Tom finished sounding a bit bitterer than he intended, and to his dismay Albus patted his hand in sympathy.

"Well, I'll let you know what we come up with, before going to see the orphanage for ourselves..." Albus was interrupted by the floo, and the sound of a shrilly hysterical Draco and a blatantly crying Dudley.

Severus arrived in the hall at the same time as Petunia. Draco spotted his godfather and lunged to wrap him in a hug. "I'm sorry...sorry... I tried to hold on but my arm dislocated. Dad's trying to find him..."

Severus' arms went around Draco in comfort, but he was abruptly aware that Harry was missing from the group, and felt like the floor dropped out from under him. The guide gave Severus a less disjointed explanation of what had happened ending the tale with, "...The lads said he turned into a bird while falling and flew off."

Severus took a deep breath and forced his frozen limbs to move. At least Harry was alive. But a sudden transformation like this - Harry was not prepared to separate himself from the bird, and would have only the bird's instinct as to how to fly. He was in an unfamiliar area... The list of things that had likely gone wrong was endless. However, at least Harry hadn't fallen to his death.

"Tom, please arrange for St Mungo's healers to see the boys, and contact Rosemerta ... and Andromeda and Dora - we may need them to help search. You can join us after Dudley and Draco are cared for." Severus said in a tight voice as he and Albus followed the guide back through the floo.

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Harry heard the sickening crunch as Draco's arm was wrenched from its socket and felt the boy's grip fail. He was then in free-fall with the river far below coming closer by the second. He could hear himself yelling in terror and desperately wished he could fly. Suddenly ... he was.

He was soaring with wide-open wings, eyes sharply watching the river and forest below. He could feel the wind under his wings, lifting him high above the ground. He flew in large circles, not sure of where he was supposed to go. He knew he was really a human ... not a bird, but his memories were confused and disjointed and he couldn't think and stay in the air at the same time. To top it off he wasn't sure how to land.

The bird liked water, and didn't want to leave the river. Harry glided up and down the river, high above it watching the fish beneath its surface. He was getting hungry, but the bird didn't know how to catch the fish, either. He decided to look for a tree he might be able to land on, with luck. And then he was spied by a flock of crow.

The crows had seen him coming ... an Osprey, who belonged by the sea - not here in their territory. A young sea hawk - but still much larger than them. However, they had larger numbers on their side. They attacked swiftly, forcing the young Osprey down, making him crash into the trees by the river and then he was lost from their view. They circled for a time and then left, satisfied they were victorious.

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Tom got the Healers swiftly enough; Harry's Healer from Diagon Alley had come over quickly and then had summoned a discreet friend from St Mungo's. He'd firecalled Yuan as well as the Tonks and Rosemerta. Yuan promised to ‘hold the fort' and watch over the boys and Petunia.

Petunia was beside herself, Dudley had never had a serious injury before and though the Healers had waved their wands and administered a potion, she found it hard to believe the sleeping boy was alright. She sat between the two and tried to divide her fussing equally. Draco seemed to enjoy her attention - Dudley had rolled over immediately after taking the potion, insisting it made him sleepy.

Draco cried repeatedly over not being able to save Harry, though both Healers, Yuan and Petunia all told him he couldn't possibly have held anything with a dislocated arm.

Andromeda, Ted and Dora had all flooed to the mine immediately and Tom was anxious to join them. Rosemerta, though, had an idea. "Fetch Hedwig - she'll be able to find Harry anywhere ... in any form." Tom brightened at that - a brilliant idea.

Hedwig was unhappy with the rough handling they gave her in their anxiety, and was even unhappier with the floo. She tolerated their trotting along the trail with an ill grace but tried not to fuss, knowing that there was some emergency occurring.

They got to the top of the bluff, wincing at how high they were. Tom cast several tracking charms on Hedwig as Rosemerta petted her and explained. "Harry is in a lot of trouble - he's turned into a bird and likely doesn't know what to do... You must find him and keep him safe - we will find you."

Hedwig hooted and nibbled Rosemerta's fingers in agreement, then flew to find her Harry.

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The Tonks' had all brought brooms and joined the others in scouring the area. Albus and Severus apparated down to the riverside, and started casting tracking and revealing charms.

Severus cursed and muttered to himself in frustrated anxiety. "Worthless Point Me spell doesn't work on animagus'...blasted boy won't be leaving Dragonsrest again before he's thirty after this ... Should have placed locating spells on him so I could find him at all times, before this..."

Albus tried to sooth him. "Putting a locating or tacking charm on him would have made him easier for others to find, as well. Harry will be found and he will be alright - I'm sure of it." Albus hoped he was right; Severus was in a froth and looking half-crazed with worry.

Rosemerta and Tom spotted them by the river and apparated to their side. Rosemerta smothered a gasp, seeing how distraught Severus was and hurried to reassure him. "I brought Hedwig with us - Tom cast tracking charms on her and we sent her to find Harry."

Severus almost collapsed with relief and gave Rosemerta a grateful hug. Albus brightened immediately. "Of course - a familiar like Harry's owl will find him - animagus form or not."

"We should start following her, now, it might be a long way." Tom said sensibly and cast the spell to follow Hedwig. They tramped along the river for several miles - it was very slow going and dark was closing in. Severus sent a Patronus to Lucius telling him their plan and Lucius sent the miners home and followed the Patronus back to Severus.

"Hedwig - brilliant idea." Lucius said in relief. Harry's bird was quite smart and could likely be trusted to keep Harry as safe as possible.

Albus summoned the Tonks' with a Patronus and they also agreed that Hedwig was their best bet. Albus sent Dora to Dragonsrest to update them and had Andy and Ted go on home. "It won't take this many to track Hedwig. We may need you later - and well rested - if this doesn't work."

Severus kept a rather brisk pace, considering the terrain. He was desperate to arrive at the end of the trail and reach Hedwig - and Harry. It would have been easier to follow by broom, but with Hedwig flying through the trees, they couldn't have seen her - or the spell trail.

Rosemerta tripped in the dark and twisted her ankle and had to apparate back to Dragonsrest. Severus hugged her and said he would bring Harry back soon.

Tom and Harry's Healer - Randall - was still there, to Rosemerta's relief. The Healer from St Mungo's had left, but had said he would return immediately if needed, but Randall was concerned after hearing about the unexpected animagus transformation. Such occurrences always seemed to end in disaster, as the young wizards didn't know how to transform back - a messy business. He was determined to be there if Harry returned in a bad state.

It was soon so dark on the river trail that even Lumos' were little use and the spell trail still went on. "We need to stop until daylight, Severus." Albus finally stated, to Lucius and Tom's relief.

Severus stopped, looking around in despair. Tom built a fire and Lucius conjured cushions and blankets. Lucius managed to get Severus to sit beside him, where he could be sure the man kept warm, though he wasn't sure Severus was really aware of it.

Albus settled in without a word, deep in thought, hoping to remember a spell that would assist them. He'd been watching Severus' despair for hours and realized that Remus had been right - the two of them considered each other as father and son. Remus, of course, was deeply unhappy about it. The thought also filled Albus with a sense of terrible foreboding. When Harry died - as he likely would in the coming conflict, he knew Severus was unlikely to survive it. Severus might love Rosemerta, but from the look on Severus' face at the prospect of Harry's death - even she would not keep him in this world for long, once Harry left it. Harry represented Severus' chance for redemption in his own eyes and if he felt he had failed to protect the boy - Albus sighed, this was one reason he'd not liked the idea of Severus taking care of the lad.

Tom sat as well, resigned to roughing it and too worried about Harry to complain. The thought of losing Harry was horrifying. Tom had come to care for all the boys, but Harry was the one he felt true kinship with.

"He was orphaned as an infant and not treated well and now are dependent on Severus...you have much in common." Yvane said. "He may not be your brother in blood, but his is your brother in your heart."

Lucius lifted his wand and bellowed "Ritzy!" Summoning an elf from so very far was tricky, but Ritzy was there in an instant. The elf looked around in horror at the circumstances her master was in. Lucius managed to calm her. "I just want food for all of us." Ritzy nodded and brought a small feast to them, along with a bagful of potions Lucius asked for.

If Severus kept up the pace he'd set yesterday, they would definitely need the pepper-up.

Lucius tried to settle in a bit and pulled something out of his pocket that was jabbing him, belatedly remembering what it was. He felt a stab to his normally chilly heart and sighed, looking at the ball of snowflake obsidian.

"What is that?" Tom asked innocently, making Albus and Severus also look over.

Lucius cringed a bit at Severus' sudden attention to him, but held the stone up. "Harry picked it out for you, Severus. He thought you would like it as it represented balance."

Severus took the sphere carefully - as if the stone was made of glass, his face a mask of grief. Lucius hesitantly put a hand on his shoulder. "We will find him, I swear it, Severus."

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Harry huddled miserably by the trunk of the tree, hoping the crows did not come back. He knew his left wing was broken from crashing into the trees. The pain was terrible, but once he'd managed to settle on the tree-limb and tuck it into his side it was a bit better.

It had taken him hours to separate his human thoughts from the Osprey's, remembering his identity and his past. It was a struggle, but he recalled a bit of the book he'd read - that an animagus had to be ready to separate himself from the mind of the animal or it could - and would consume them.

Now, though, he was stuck. He didn't have a clue as to how to change back into a human. He was badly injured, tired and very, very hungry. The Osprey creeled unhappily from hunger before Harry could stop it, but he stopped anymore noise from occurring after that. He was sure there were things in the woods that would find an injured Osprey a tasty meal.

Harry knew he had to stay safe. His dad would find him, he knew it, he just had to be patient.

Something landed on a branch above him after darkness had fallen. Harry gave a startled cry, that to his embarrassment sounded like a chick cheeping. He looked up warily and to his relief, saw Hedwig. She hooted softly and dropped to the limb beside him. Harry cuddled up close to her in relief. This must be a part of the rescue plan - he hoped.

Harry drooped tiredly, but with Hedwig there he felt he could rest a bit. He was soon sleeping under one of Hedwig's wings. Hedwig crooned to him happily. She had done as a proper familiar should. She'd found Harry and was keeping him safe. Harry's dad would be here very soon, she hoped, and would take care of the rest.

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Three of the party managed to doze, off and on for a few hours. Severus however chaffed at the delay, waiting impatiently for dawn. He'd eaten to keep his strength up and to pass the time. He clutched the stone Harry had gotten him closely, fear stabbing at his heart. He would not lose his son.

He was up at the first glimmer of light, banishing cushions and blankets and putting out the fire. They all downed breakfast and coffee - and pepper up potions - quickly. Severus cast the spell and they were soon off down the trail paralleling the river once more.

To their surprise only an hour or two passed when they saw the spell trail stop. Severus stepped forward nervously, fearful of what he would find. He relaxed as he heard an urgent hooting above him, followed by unhappy creeling. The four wizards looked up at the Snowy Owl sitting next to a young Osprey - obviously Harry, as instead of the Osprey's trademark golden eyes, this one had green ones.

The bird tried to open its wings, but failed, settling them back against its body unhappily.

"Broken wing - easily fixed I should think." Lucius said in relief, recognizing the bird as Harry as well.

Severus nodded and showed of his own flying skills, rising to the tree limb beside the two birds and carefully lifted Harry into his arms and holding him close to his chest in relief. "Thank you for finding him for us Hedwig", He said to the bird and sent her off home. He then flew carefully back to the ground and the relieved wizards apparated back to Dragonsrest.

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Minerva perused a letter from Enid Higgs. Between Enid, Minerva and Molly it was a rare day that went by the one of the three of them didn't lay eyes on Neville. Enid was once again visiting with the grandchildren fairly often. They were older and after hearing the ‘hung out the fourth story window' tale, they were behind Neville all the way. Molly, of course would still see him most mornings for lessons.

Augusta knew there were plenty of eyes watching Neville that she could do very little about - and Neville would be at Hogwarts in less than a year, anyway. So, she had told Algie that he was to cease disparaging Neville.

"You are likely correct that he has little magic - but he's all we've got. It's a good thing you got his magic active, but you'll have to stop pointing out how weak he is. I'll find a strong witch for him at the right time, and his children will have more strength." Augusta blathered, not noticing the fury in Algie's eyes. All his work for nothing, and now she was planning on more little monsters to do him out of his rightful fortune.

But, he had smiled and said, "Of course, mother." Planning Neville's demise before producing more brats was becoming imperative.

Minerva was luckily unaware of Algie's homicidal thoughts and sat sipping her tea on spring break. She was taking the first part of the week at Hogwarts and Albus the next. The other teachers came and went as well, but as there were only three children here for the break there was no need to keep many of the teachers there. All of the students were nervous seventh years, hoping to cram for the upcoming NEWTS.

Professor Sprout was still here as well - she had plans for a few day trips, but wasn't really going anywhere else. Minerva wandered to her office; she hadn't read the last two ‘transfiguration today' magazines and planned to catch up.

Her floo abruptly sounded and gave her a start. Her floo was only active when Albus was away, and she never got used to it. Albus' head appeared in the fire, looking stressed and unhappy.

"Minerva, there is a slight problem - could you come through to Dragonsrest?" Albus asked tiredly.

Minerva came through the floo immediately, hoping it was nothing too serious. She was confronted with the sight of a young sea hawk sitting on the arm of a chair that was occupied by Severus. Dudley and a young man who greatly resembled the nearby Lucius Malfoy were sitting in chairs next to him, talking softly to the bird, who was bobbing and shaking its head in answer to them.

Two Healers were hovering nearby, conferring between themselves.

Albus told her Harry's tale briefly, making her shake her head in dismay. Minerva was an expert in transfiguration, as was Albus - but animagus forms were a bit of a specialty of hers and she was proud to say there were few in the magical world that knew more than her about them. Harry's unexpected change - even though it had saved his life - could cause serious problems.

The Healers recognized the Professor and looked reassured. "We are unable to heal him until he's transformed - injuries in an animagus forms don't always reflect how the wizard is injured. If we heal him as he is - we could cause more damage."

Minerva took in Severus and Lucius' displeased faces - the Healers had likely been barked at for being unable to help Harry until he was back to his human form. "You're quite right - any magic done at present is risky." The Healers looked mollified, and Severus and Lucius sighed in aggravation.

Minerva sat in a chair vacated by Dudley and looked the bird over, smiling at the very green eyes. It was odd, the characteristics of the wizards and witches that carried over into the animals. "Can you understand me, Harry?" The bird bobbed its head in an affirmative.

Minerva relaxed a bit, Harry at least had control of his mind, then - that was half the battle won, already. If she had to extract him from the bird's mind this could have taken weeks. "We need to move him to somewhere he can transform comfortably." She said.

Harry was moved to his bedroom, and the bird placed on the bed. The Healers placed themselves on one side and Severus and Rosemerta stood on the other. The rest of the occupants hovered at the doorway anxiously.

Minerva transformed to her cat form and leaped onto the bed. This caught the sea hawk's attention and they were soon nose to nose, conferring.

"Well, Mr. Potter ... you've gotten into a pretty fix." Minerva purred at the young Osprey.

"We can talk?" Harry meeped in surprise. "I didn't mean to - I was falling and screaming and wishing I could fly..." Harry hunched in misery, his wing really hurt as well as his chest.

Minerva shushed him. "We know it was an accident, and we're glad you survived - even if the rescuing magic presents a problem." She abruptly turned to her teacher mode. "I need you to look deeply inside your mind - find your center and feel your human body and will very hard to have it back."

Minerva would not normally have given the instructions so simply, but the transformation on Harry's part had been instinctive and based on his already strong will, so she sensed his way back would be the same.

Harry concentrated hard on his sense of self - the boy, Harry Potter. Imagining himself as he had been just a few days ago - the first day of spring break when he and Severus had walked along the cliffs again, talking about what they would do when summer was there. He felt a change occur and a sudden sharp increase in pain and sudden difficulty in breathing. He gasped in surprise and yelped a bit in surprise at the hurting and realized he was human again.

The Healers moved forward quickly, casting diagnostics and healing spells. Severus moved forward and sat beside the bed, holding Harry's uninjured hand. Harry opened his eyes and looked at him with an unspoken plea, confusing Severus for a moment. Then Severus realized that Harry was worried that Severus was angry or perhaps worried once again about rejection.

"Don't worry son, the Healers will fix you quickly." Severus said quietly and was rewarded by the relief and pleased surprise in Harry's eyes.

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