Patrick Anderson woke up early as usual. He was conscientious about keeping fit and religiously went for a jog every morning. After splashing some water on his face he quickly put on his tracksuit and made his way outside where he performed a few stretches. He was just about to start his run when he was surprised to see a young teenager appear at the end of his driveway.
"Hello", said the young man, speaking in a British accent. "Sorry to bother you sir, but I have a bit of a problem and I was hoping you could help me."
"Uhh", said Patrick, wondering how he should politely decline. He didn't really want to waste time; he had a routine to stick to after all.
"It won't take long, it's just that I've been house sitting next door and the power seems to have gone out. It's probably just the fuse box, but I don't really know anything about electricity"
"You're staying at the Carmichaels? Oh yeah, I forgot they were going on vacation", said Patrick.
"Yes, you know how it is; I'm just here to look after the plants and all. My parents are friends of theirs so...anyway I don't suppose you could have a look?"
"Sure kid, sure. Not a problem. Probably just the fuse box like you said." No harm in helping the kid out, besides it pays to be neighbourly. You never know when you might need some help as well, thought Patrick as he followed the teenager next door.
The kid showed him into the house, leading him to the fuse box and gesturing helplessly at it.
Patrick shook his head. Kids today were absolutely useless. None of them seemed to know anything. He wondered what on earth they were being taught at school these days. He opened the box and peered at the switches. Hmmm, none of the fuses seemed to have tripped.
He was turning towards the boy to ask him whether there were any other fuse boxes when he heard the boy mutter something, a sudden flash of red light filled his vision and he collapsed unconscious upon the floor.
...
Tonks was elated. Just when she had been about to give up, Dumbledore had come through. He had finally come up with a smaller version of his tracker that she could carry around with her. She would find Harry soon. Even now, the tracker was indicating that he was less than fifty miles to her north. She was flying towards him, disillusioned on a broomstick. Once she was close enough the tracker should point her right at him.
Soon the search would be over. Soon Harry Potter would be back at Hogwarts safe and sound and then she could finally get back to her job.
She accelerated and pushed the broom to its top speed. The faster she got there the better.
...
He came to with a start to find himself sitting in a chair in the Carmichaels' kitchen. The kid was sitting on the other side of the kitchen table. There was another kid, a short one whose face was hidden by an orange hoodie, puttering around near the stove. What was going on? Why had he passed out? Why couldn't he seem to move? He felt that he should be more panicked about what had happened but for some reason he was strangely calm. Almost as if he had been drugged.
"What's going on?" he demanded.
"Uh...Well, I guess I should start by apologising", the boy said. "I'm afraid I got you here under false pretences. I don't really know the Carmichaels. I just had my friend here look for a house where the owners would be away."
"Okay", he said. So the boy had broken into the Carmichaels' house. Really, what did it matter? It was really odd how he couldn't seem to make himself care about things like that. He frowned, something was seriously wrong with him. "Did you drug me?" he asked.
"Drug...no, no, nothing like that I assure you. I just hit you with a calming charm. I couldn't have you panicking after all", said the boy, looking for all the world like he was truly regretting what he was doing.
Calming charm, what the hell? Okay, ignore that and try to figure out a way out of this mess. "Okay, then why am I here? What do you want from me?" he asked.
"Well, it's a bit of a long story really so I'm going to just stick to the main points. The thing is...hmmm...well, the thing is - I need your help with something."
"My help! Why can't I seem to move by the way?"
"Oh, don't worry about that. You'll be fine in a little while, I've just stuck you to the chair. Now as I was saying I need your help."
Stuck him to a chair...Bloody hell...Okay, so the kid needed help. Strange way he had of asking for help but what the hell, he guessed he no choice but to hear the kid out. Not like he had could do anything else right now.
"Someone is trying to kill me and..."
"Shouldn't you go to the police then?" he interrupted.
"I would, but they don't believe me. I think the minister is working for the man who is trying to kill me so the police wouldn't help me."
The minister? What the hell was a minister? Some sort of priest? He had never been particularly religious, but ministers were like priests, right? Why would the cops be listening to some minister?
"So basically - I need to hide. I need to do something so that they can never find me and the best way to do that is to use something called the Fidelius Charm."
"What's that?"
"It's a magic spell, well they call it a charm, but really it's more of a ritual I think. Certainly seems to have some components that are very much like rituals."
Okay, this kid was definitely a couple of sandwiches short of a picnic. Poor little bugger - nuttier than a fruitcake. He was probably one of those wiccans or something. He would feel sorry for him if the lunatic hadn't gone and kidnapped him.
"So...you think that some hocus-pocus stuff will keep you safe. Well, go for it then", he said. Yes, he would try humouring the kid, as long as it got him out of here.
"Right, so I just need your help with this spell and then I can let you go on your way."
....
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