Disclaimer: The world of Harry Potter does not belong to me. I just play in the wonderful beach that fan-fic authors are allowed to use. I do claim the plot and any original characters that show up.

-oOo-

Chapter 1

09 Mar 2024

-oOo-

Premise:

Harry has had enough and decided that the only way he can live is to leave. Leaving a note to the Order of the Pheonix, he declares he is fed up. This sends many into a panic to find him, then come the allegations that he may not have gone willingly…

Will he be caught?

Why wouldn't he go willingly?

Will Lucius Malfoy survive his own stupidity?

Does Dumbledore really care?

I know a 'Dear Order' letter is not a new idea, I just hope that this is a different spin and people enjoy. The 'original', unedited Chapter 1 and 2 are in my Ramblings and Dribbles. This should be about 15 chapters. Give or take a chapter or two.

WolfgangNH
09 March 2024

-oOo-

August 1, 1996

Ottery St. Catchpole, England

Dear Order,

I quit!

Please inform the Chief Jailor that I am done. I have allowed myself to be deceived for the final time and have come to the realization that I do not matter, no one cares for me. There is nothing for me in Britain. Sirius is gone. My friends don't write. The Fried Turkey Patrol has abandoned me. As such, I not so respectfully resign from everything.

If you receive this letter, then understand I am done being ignored and locked away. If I wanted to be a mushroom, I would have allowed Voldemort to kill me or the dragon to eat me before now.

If any of you survive the storm you wanted a sixteen-year-old to fix for you, then don't ever look for me. If not, I'll toast your passing like everyone did for my parents and godfather. I'll be an adult soon and then leave it all to a child to solve my issues. It's all I have ever learned from anyone.

Sod off!

Harry Potter

-o-

"Oh, shite!" Ron exclaimed as he finished the letter. It appeared on his bed after a pop that sounded like a house elf. Ron had hoped it was something from Harry, since he hadn't heard from him all summer, but this was not what he had expected. "MUM!"

An hour later fifteen people were in his house with Dumbledore standing at the end of the table in his kitchen trying to silence the rowdy crowd.

"Why were we called for an emergency meeting? I'm supposed to be patrolling Diagon Alley," Tonks said, her hair a dangerous red with her mood.

"Albus, is he at his house? This must be a joke," his mother screeched.

"Bloody brilliant," Fred said.

"If you ask me," George added. Both were grinning.

"Bill is checking to see if Harry was seen in the bank today," Fleur said to a question Ron hadn't heard.

"SILENCE!" Dumbledore bellowed with use of a sonorous charm.

The room came to an anticipatory hush. "I am sorry to call you all in the middle of the day, but we have just recently received some disturbing news. It would appear that Harry is not at his relatives. Ronald has received a missive that is somewhat distressing." Dumbledore held up his hand to keep everyone from talking.

"Alastor is at Privet Drive talking with the Dursleys. The last time we can positively say Harry was there was yesterday morning when Alastor witnessed him in the house. After that, William Weasley was guarding him for a bit, but we have not been able to talk with him."

"Bill said he saw Harry go towards the library with a bag, but he came back before dinner," Fleur said.

"Thank you, Fleur. Did Bill say anything else?"

"No, headmaster," she said.

"Thank you. Mundungus was supposed to be watching him from midnight until about seven this morning, but we have not been able to contact him yet," Dumbledore said with a small frown.

"You trusted Mundungus after he left Harry last year to get some wanking cauldrons?" Hestia Jones questioned.

There was some grumbling in the kitchen at that statement.

"He was the only one available," Dumbledore said, sounding tired. "We are going to organize a search for him, but before we do, does anyone know why Harry would write a letter like this?"

"What does it say?" Tonks questioned. Everyone that lived at the Burrow already knew. Dumbledore gave a disappointed look and passed it to Tonks. As she read it, her eyebrow rose. "Well, he's growing more colourful."

"Harry can't be allowed to just traipse about," his mum demanded. "Albus, we have to get out there and find him."

There was a soft pop from outside. They all turned to see Moody and Kingsley approaching the house. "Alastor, what word?"

"What ever happened, happened over the night. There is no trace of magic, so if he went all coward, he did it muggle," Moody said.

"Harry is not a coward!" Ginny exclaimed.

"Well, he ain't at home and left his aunt in a right state about him leaving and no longer considering it his home. All the wards are broken, Albus," Moody said before throwing a letter and a few envelopes on the table. Moody turned to Ron. "Did ye write to him at all this summer?"

Ron, feeling off footed, leaned away from the man. "What? No. Harry always writes to me first and then I write back. The last time I send Pig over he said his uncle almost killed him."

Moody glowered at him. "It looks like he's been trying to write his friends all summer. I told those waste of flesh muggles that he was to write every three days, or I would come to visit them. The alarm I set up never triggered, meaning he was sending out letters."

"But… but… I never got one. Did you?" Ron asked Ginny.

Her eyes were wide as she shook her head.

"We got one, but it came from Gringotts. The poor boy thought he could get rid of us," George said solemnly.

"Tried to return the stocks we gave him in Weasley Wizarding Wheezes," said Fred.

"We set him right though," George said with a wink.

"Right, we did, brother," Fred replied with a wicked grin.

"So, no one has heard directly from Harry all summer?" Dumbledore demanded.

The room was quiet.

"Then who were all the letters too?" Ginny enquired, looking at the few before Dumbledore.

"I found these unsent letters. One address to the lad over there and the other to Potter's lass," Moody said.

Potter's lass? Ron thought. "Harry's not dating anyone," Ron blurted out.

"It reads like a Dear Sally letter," Moody snarked. "The boy must have been besotted with her, but it seems no one wrote back to him. I told you we shouldn't have sent him back. The boy just lost his godfather, Albus."

"He had to return, Alastor. The wards would have fallen," Dumbledore said.

"Well, they have fallen now. I told those waste of flesh Muggles to get, like Potter said in his letter. If you want the boy's relatives alive, you better get over there now," Moody told the headmaster.

"We need to focus on finding Harry. Molly, you know Miss Granger. Please go and see her and see if she knows where he is. Alastor, I need you and Kingsley to go back and discover how he escaped and if there are any other clues. Fleur, can you go into work today and see if you can help Bill find anything?" Dumbledore ordered around.

"I cannot. The goblins are very particular about our work schedules. They do not mind if we work overtime but would be suspicious if I just show for a shift that is not mine," Fleur said.

Albus nodded. "Do what you can then."

"Fred and George, keep an eye on Diagon Alley and the surrounding area. He will need to get to Gringotts and probably doesn't know much about the magical world," Dumbledore told them.

"I doubt that matters," George said.

"Indeed brother, dear," Fred solemnly replied.

Dumbledore turned his full attention to Ron's brothers. "Is there something you haven't told us?"

"Nothing that we know," Fred said.

"Well, for certain, Forge."

"Indubitably, Gred."

"Fred!" Molly screeched.

"I'm Fred!"

"No, I'm Fred. Its Friday."

"No, it's Thursday."

"Oh, right, you're Fred then."

His mum threatened then with a huge wooden spoon. Ron grinned at them. For some reason he didn't feel that concerned that Harry wasn't going to be ok. Tonks was sniggering at them all and gave the twins a wink.

"I swear you two are not too old to be put over my knee," their mum threatened.

"Geez, woman! It's not like you are the only one confused," Fred... Ron thought it was Fred… said.

"I would trust my shorts, but they say Gred and Forge," George said having turned over the top of his trousers. "OI! Woman!"

Their mum had hit him.

"Enough!" Dumbledore demanded. "What do you know!"

Fred and George shared a look. "Well, we might have seen Harry."

"Mind it wasn't long," George said.

"It was rather short, and he was rather rude to the goblin."

"Wouldn't you be if a goblin had just through you out of Gringotts?"

"He was thrown out but escorted."

"By the butt of a poleaxe?"

"True, but I thought it was just the dog running around him."

"It did nip the poor thing."

"True."

Dumbledore stood, his hand slapping the top of the table. The man was radiating a power that should have cowed his brothers as his face looked rather put out. Ron leaned back from Dumbledore. "When did you see Harry at Gringotts?"

"A few days ago," Fred said.

"Monday, wasn't it?"

"I think so. We always do inventory Monday afternoons."

"True, and we're a few items down."

"I still say it was Malfoy. The wanker stole ten galleons worth of Peruvian Instant Darkness Powder." George looked upset.

"I also say he was over in the area of the portable swamps and we are missing two."

"Did you say anything to Harry or see where he went?" Dumbledore pressed, looking more like he was losing his temper.

"Say? I wouldn't say that, but we saw him. He was heading back to the Three Broomstick laughing at the dog that was following him."

"They did look rather comfy with each other."

"I would say so."

"What dog?" Dumbledore demanded.

"It was a big one with golden curls," Fred said.

"Rather a fetching-looking bitch, if you ask me."

"It was. OI! Will you hit Fred for once!"

Ron and Tonks were grinning at each other. Dumbledore pinched his nose. "Why didn't you tell anyone?"

George shrugged. "Didn't think it that important. Why would we care if he had business with the goblins?"

"He was supposed to stay at his relatives," Dumbledore just about growled.

"Well, we saw Moody nearby, so we thought it was allowed," Fred replied. Dumbledore whipped his head around towards the old Auror.

Moody was scowling at the twins. "What are you on about, boy! I never took Potter anywhere. And it was Monday, I was patrolling the alley for the DMLE."

"Oh, that explains why you didn't follow him," George stated.

"I didn't think of that," Fred. He winked at Tonks. Ron thought that odd but didn't have any time to think on it more.

"Enough! Fred and George, if you see him again, report it to us right away. Fleur, let Bill know of this. I want to know if Harry took out any money," Albus told her. "Nymphadora, I want you get Remus, then patrol around Little Whinging to find him."

"You never said anything about his account information. I will not pry like that," Fleur indignantly stated.

Dumbledore gave her a sharp look. The haughty French woman returned his stare.

"You all know what to do," Dumbledore told them.

"What about Ron and me? If he's missing, what can we do?" Ginny asked.

"Let us know the second you hear anything from him," Dumbledore snapped. "I must go to the ministry to make sure he hasn't been picked up."

The man turned and stormed to the floo, then disappeared into the green flames.

Everyone in the kitchen shared a look.

"You reckon we got to him?" Fred asked.

"If we were lucky." George said. "Oi! I'm leaving before I get more bruises."

"You get back here! Where did Harry… I swear I will have them over my knee," Ron's mum screamed as the twins jumped out of the open top half of the kitchen door then apparated.

Ginny gave him a glare. "Did you write to Harry at all this summer?"

"I always write when he writes me. I didn't get anything," Ron defended himself. He wasn't abandoning Harry like he had last summer, though he was starting to wonder. It had been almost six weeks since they had gotten off the train…

-oOo-

August 2, 1996

The English Channel…

The rising sun shown in his face as the boat rocked to gentle waives. Whining, he pulled a paw over his eyes. The golden hair retriever curled up to his side, moved to hide her face between them. He let the gentle sway of the boat try to lull him to sleep, but it wasn't working.

Growling, he looked up bleary eyed at the sun as it disappeared over the side of the truck bed they were laying in. They had snuck on the truck last night, randomly choosing one so that it made it harder to be tracked. Who would be looking for two dogs when it was two sixteen-year-old magicals trying to leave the country. The sides and the warm body below him were keeping the colder winds from getting to him.

He put his head back down onto her side, only to growl again when the boat swayed back over and the sun, just barely above the horizon, warmed his snout and got in his eyes again.

The golden retriever shifted below him at his growl. He moved to see its dark blue eyes glaring at him. His green eyes glared back, even if it wasn't her he was annoyed with. She huffed before pulling her head back and giving a huge yawn.

Harry copied her.

After a few minutes, they poked their heads over the side to make sure that no one was watching them. With a small yip, the retriever jumped over, and the larger dog followed. He had long hair, mostly black fur with a white belly and snout, brown socks and brown markings around his jowl. It had taken them a little bit to figure out he was a Bernese Mountain Dog. A Golden Retriever had been obvious the second she had changed.

In the still early light, they snuck off towards the passenger deck. They ducked into an alcove in a passageway. Harry pulled on his magic and shortly was his usual green-eyed self. Unlike usual, he was in nicer clothes. Trousers that fit well, a Ramones tee and a light jacket.

Across from him a slightly shorter golden blonde with dark blue eyes was looking at him. She was in a pair of nice fitting jean trousers, a green button-down shirt and cardigan. He wasn't used to seeing her so Muggle but enjoyed it.

The boat rolled and Harry stumbled into the girl before he had fully caught his balance. Her musical laughter held so much joy compared to when they had first met. Something had changed in her, even more so in the last month since they had decided to leave. She had been one of the few things to keep him from going round the twist the last year. He grabbed the rail to steady them both. "I can't take you anywhere, can I?"

He looked up to her, his green eyes reproachful. "I don't see you dancing around as the boat rolls."

She gave him a cheeky smile, so different than the much dowerer girl that she had been. "You haven't asked, have you?" Her brow rose in challenge.

He snorted in mirth. "Unless you want me trampling your feet, I think we should wait until we get on solid ground."

"As you say, but I'm holding you to that," she told him.

Harry pulled her to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and put her head into his chest. Harry kissed the top of her golden hair before taking in a long whiff. He loved her smell, but his growling stomach spoke first. "I smell food."

"I am famished." Her stomach growled too.

He grinned but didn't say anything as she glared at him. "Let's go find the cafeteria."

"Is that a muggle place?"

"It's a dining area where we can get some food," Harry told her.

"You had me at food," she cheekily replied before kissing his cheek as he rolled his eyes at her. He had no clue that the Pureblood Princess could have such a wild and wreck loose side to her.

"Come on, princess," he told her, wrapping an arm around her waist and she kept one wrapped around him.

"So, do you know where we are going yet?" she asked.

"France," he replied.

"I got that much," she told him, sounding unimpressed.

Harry looked around them as they got to a glass door. "Well, you generally don't ask if you are sneaking aboard," he whispered into her ear. She shuttered against him.

"Yeah, that would ruin it, wouldn't it?" she asked.

"Reckon so," Harry replied.

The ship was much larger than Harry had expected. It was two decks up and towards the stern they found a large dining hall. Princess stuck close to his side. As far as Harry knew, this was one of a handful of times she had been in the Muggle world. She was doing well, but like she had said the first time Harry had met her two weeks ago, Muggles Studies did nothing to prepare you to live in the Muggle world, or even interact with it properly. The normally self-confident girl was hesitant.

Harry slipped a tenner into her free hand. She had money just in case they were separated, but Harry felt responsible for her until she was more comfortable in the world he grew up in. Though, Harry figured he would always feel responsible for her. "This will pay for breakfast and get you some change," he told her. "Once we get to France, we'll get some francs."

The girl looked at him. "Why do the Mug… normals," she said at his look, "have so many different currencies? Everyone in the ICW uses galleons, sickles and knuts."

Harry shrugged. "Everyone wants to be different, I guess."

They were trying to avoid anything in the magical world until they could get out of Europe, considering most governments in Europe were under the ICW banner. Harry didn't want to take the chance of them being caught and then sent back to Britain. Even with Harry being emancipated by Sirius, neither of them turned seventeen until next summer. He didn't want to take the chance that the goblin emancipation papers would be found invalid. Even after they turned seventeen, they would need to be careful where they were, since many Muggle governments didn't recognize them as being legal adults until they were eighteen or older.

The sat at a table. The girl looking bemused at the paper cups and lids that held their tea, the foil wrapped sandwich and the fruit they had chosen. They didn't say much as they started to eat, both being famished. He doubted she had ever missed a meal, but to make the boat, it had been an adventure. They ran when Mundungus had taken over the watch the night before, and they didn't make the boat until late last night. They were not using magic and had tried to stay in their animagus forms as much as possible to avoid detection or being traced. As Sirius had taught him, magicals could only be traced in the form the traces were cast in. Unless it was some type of blood magic.

Through their adventure, she hadn't complained, which impressed Harry more than she already had since last fall.

It wasn't until she was picking at the fruit and the boat seemed to be waking up when she asked, "Do you know where we are going yet?"

He looked up to her. A French family had sat behind them, and he had overheard them. "Saint Malo. I'm not exactly sure where that is, but it's in France."

She looked to him. "You need to teach me more French."

Harry nodded. He understood and could speak enough for them to get by from his primary school years. They had all been required to learn a foreign language and had enjoyed it. The year of the Triwizard Tournament had allowed him to revive his skills and bring them to passable levels. That was a pang of hurt to think Hermione had been as excited about it as him.

"Votre beauté est plus radieuse que le soleil du matin," he said in as husky a voice as he could.

He saw the glaze to her eyes and enjoyed the way she leaned into him. "What did you say?" she asked in a husky tone that matched his. He felt a shiver run through him.

"That your beauty is better than the morning sun," he said, a grin coming over his face as her gaze intensified and then she leaned forward. It may have taken them most of the year to realize that they liked each other, but Harry didn't regret it. She gave him a rather chase kiss, making him drop his grin.

"I won't snog you in the middle of a restaurant," she told him.

"What about a closet?"

She hit his arm and pulled back, huffing. He didn't miss the smirk that quickly came over her face. "Only after your breath doesn't smell like dog breath anymore."

"And yours?" he asked.

Her chin went up and she looked like a pureblood princess. "I'm a lady. I never smell."

Harry laughed at her. She hit his arm again.

"You're a prat," she accused.

"Yet you came along," he said.

She sidled over on the bench to lean into him. Her right hand snaked into his. "You promise not to leave me?"

"Never," he said, kissing her forehead. He never thought he would be so affectionate, having made fun of others that were so sappy with Ron. He had been younger then, and in the last few months, Harry had come to realize it was going to be just them and he needed her. Being affectionate like this was just one of those things she had awakened in him.

She gave him a soft smile.

As he had realized that night in June, it was just them now. Sirius was dead. She didn't trust her parents. His friends had betrayed him for the last time. It was only each other they could rely on. Well, if he was being honest, they never would have pulled this off without Fred, George, Tonks and Remus helping, even if they didn't realize it. He hadn't trusted anyone enough to truly let them know what he was doing. This girl was too important to him. He felt slightly guilty for not trusting them. It wasn't because of anything they had done, but who they associated with. The Weasleys always put family first and Harry wasn't exactly their family. Not to mention Dumbledore and the Order.

"Do you think they know we are gone?" she asked, sounding a little frightened.

"I would imagine they would. I had the goblins send a letter to the Order. Did you leave a note for your parents?" he asked.

"Only one for Tori. She's going to be upset, but I just couldn't do it anymore," she said.

"I know. I still don't know where we'll end up," he told her.

"As long as I am with you, it won't matter," she said. Harry would do everything he could to make that happen.

"We still need to finish our education," he mentioned.

"I want to get a Muggle education if we are going to keep hiding," she added.

"We can do that."

They fell silent, watching the passengers come and go from the cafeteria for a short bit before making their way up to the top deck. The day was clear with a stiff breeze. Choppy waves rolled up the Channel. Princess shivered and he stepped up to her, putting his arms to either side and holding onto the railing to keep them steady as the boat gently swayed. The land was in view. The announcement just a short bit ago said they would make landfall in just over an hour.

The golden blonde shivered as she leaned her back against his chest.

"Cold?" he enquired.

"Not really. I just don't know what to expect," she responded.

"I don't either," Harry admitted. They were now further than anywhere he had ever wandered before, and he was starting to realize the world was a lot bigger than the small few miles he been confined to all his life.

-oOo-

The same morning…

Rotherham, England

The morning was foggy. Thick bands of it hung onto the fields, hills and woods around the manor. Looking out her window, she could see the greenhouses, workshops, crops and flocks that had given her family the life they had now. From what she understood, her family had fled to England a little over three hundred years ago with naught but the clothes on their backs and enough galleons to start a small farm. In that time, The Greengrass name had become famous for their green thumb and had elevated themselves into the top tier of the magical society of Britain.

Even so, her family wasn't indoctrinated into the fanatical pureblood beliefs that dominated many in the circles they dealt with. There was still some of the beliefs in purity though. She knew they were different, starting with house elves and their workers.

Her family didn't believe in using house elves for everything. Instead, they liked to hire the 'less fortunate'. Most lived on the property in the old stone houses down the lane. Five large stone buildings, encompassing a bunk house, potion ingredient and animal processing buildings, a barn and a warehouse, made up the core of the Greengrass business on the sprawling estate. She knew they had two other farms around Britain, but none as large as this one, and all the products came here before being shipped out around the world.

Nearby was a large brewing house and a row of stone longhouses down a cobbled lane. It was a small village.

She watched as men took some tools, along with their wands, to head out into the fields and paddocks. They apparated once past the stone wall of the small central compound. Others went to the various buildings that fuelled the small empire her family had made. Two women stayed in yards to tend small gardens or livestock as four children, not of Hogwarts age, ran around. She knew that three of her year mates lived in the houses, but they were not in Slytherin, and her parents hadn't encouraged them to play or become friendly with them when younger.

Her family wasn't 'blood bigoted', thus many of the families that lived on the land were half-bloods or highly skilled Muggleborn. After listening to Daffy the last few months, she didn't feel so benevolent about her family's non-blood bigotry, especially when she had found out the supervisors were all purebloods, even if they had become purebloods while living on their lands.

At least her family treated everyone well. Much better than it sounded like most families they would associate with.

Everyone worked under seven-year contracts that couldn't be renegotiated but renewed. Per their contracts, they could stay in the bunk house for free or in one of the rental properties around the estate for a reduced rate, any children were guaranteed to go to the premier school in Britain, Hogwarts, for free tuition, and received a modest stipend. When she had asked what that was, Daffy said they earned a few hundred galleons a year and a cut of the profits. Daffy said most earned six to eight hundred galleons a year, then when you add in the benefits, most made far more.

Astoria had thought that a pittance until Daffy pointed out according to the ministry, the average witch or wizard earned around seven hundred galleons a year. Then they had to use that to pay for everything themselves, which was why most were educated at one of the other schools around Britain. Hogwarts was a luxury the average person couldn't afford with the standard tuition being seven-hundred and fifty galleons for each student.

Astoria could remember her eyes bulging.

Her allowance was eighty galleons a month. She got almost a thousand galleons a year, not to mention everything her parents bought for her, and paid for Daffy and her to go to Hogwarts and get tutors over the summer. She had never thought of money, their business or anything larger than herself until Daffy had educated her last Christmas. Daffy wasn't sure, but she was fairly confident that their family business was worth around six to seven-hundred thousand galleons a year, with probably more than a hundred thousand in profit.

She still found it hard to believe that her family brought in a hundred times or more a year of what they paid those that helped them earn their money, and the workers were being paid better than most. No wonder they were always so happy and defended her family so vehemently.

That conversation had then led into the larger economy, where she had found out that the top one hundred families, which they were part of, controlled more than half of the entire economy, probably more. Daffy estimated that the Greengrass business was one of the larger businesses.

By then, her head had been spinning, then Daffy had said that even though they employed about sixty people on the grounds and up to a hundred and twenty or so total, their business impacted several hundred more. This all meant that the Greengrasses probably kept about six or seven hundred wizards, possibly more, working in their world.

It had Astoria looking at the people in a much different light than the other purebloods she had grown up with. It also had her wondering about blood status as most of the people working for them were doing jobs she would have no clue how to do, or perhaps never want to do.

The one thing she understood now was that Daffy wanted to change things, but she wouldn't be able to. It had been a hard lesson for her sister this year, one that she was certain broke her sister. With the Dark Lord back and the pressure that was now being put on her family, there was no path for a woman to do what she wanted, even being a pureblood like them. Being so prominent, meant that the other prominent families would look to them to support the coming changes, and most supported the Dark Lord. Most of the old light or truly neutral families had been killed in the last war, or their power so corroded from the wars in the last hundred years, the houses were shadows of what they once were. Astoria could see the writing, you either supported the Dark Lord or got out of his way.

She could understand why Daffy did what she did. It didn't mean that she agreed or condoned what her sister had done. Actually, she was feeling quite furious this morning after one of their only two elves had handed her a letter shortly after she woke. Her sister was leaving her to deal with this all on her own.

Was that why Daffy had spent so much time with her in the last six months?

So, she could understand the responsibilities she was being left with? Or had Daffy really been trying to open her eyes, like her sister said?

She had known Daffy was seeing someone.

It had taken her a while to figure it out. Daffy had also become even more secretive. She spent large tracts of time outside the common room during times she normally wouldn't. Her uncaring, cold nature had changed. Daphne had gone from biting the heads off the idiots, especially those that had supported the pink toad, to ignoring them. She didn't miss that the quieter she got around them, the nastier the pranks that started to plague them became. She didn't care about Pansy Parkinson, but had the girl deserved to be bald for three weeks before Professor Snape had found a cure?

Now that she understood who Daffy was seeing, and that the Dark Lord was back, the letter in her hand could cause significant issues for her family. Sighing, as she knew she couldn't put this off any longer, Astoria made her way down to the small family tearoom. It was the main room that her family used to congregate.

It was mid-morning on a weekend, so her mother was already enjoying her tea and snacks. As much as her mother was a proper matron, she enjoyed the greenhouses and potions lab, so often was down in them first thing in the morning, often before any of the staff, and back up with the supplies she needed for her own research and in the tearoom by ten.

Her father was looking through a few international papers, probably looking for the current prices of herbs and other commodities, or something that he could use to help the business.

She sat in the chair across from her mother and straightened out her dress.

"I'm glad to see you didn't waste the entire day in bed," her mother said with a smirk.

"I have been awake for a while," she told her mother, who didn't look up from the book she was reading.

Astoria took in a deep breath before saying, "Mother? Father?" She waited until they were both looking at her. There was no safe way of saying this, so she did what she did best. State things in the way that would cause the most havoc and let the pieces fall. Though, she wanted to build up to the truly catastrophic news. "Daphne has left."

They both blinked before her mother said, "I thought she wasn't even back from Tracey's yet."

Astoria had to hand it to her sister. She had covered her tracks well. Placing the letter on the table, Astoria stated again, "Daphne has left."

"What do you mean Daphne's left?" her father asked.

"Daffy has run away with her betrothed," Astoria stated in a flat tone.

Her father's confused frown foretold the suddenly quick grab of the letter by her mother. A few seconds later, her mother took in a sharp breath.

"Tabitha?"

A hand went to her mother's mouth. Astoria reached for the hot water after making sure she had her favourite tea leaves in the cup before her.

"Grover, she's left," her mother said.

"What do mean Daphne's left?" he said, anger starting to colour his words.

"She's left. Oh, Merlin, she's left with Harry Potter! What is she thinking! That boy is going to get her killed!"

"She what!" her father bellowed. He stood up, knocking over the table with his papers and tea.

Astoria may be upset with her sister, but for once the perfect little princess was going to be in real trouble and Astoria was going to like this.

"She says can't see our family go to the dark side. She's fallen in love. She won't marry Draco Malfoy or any other bigot," her mother said, looking up, a sudden rage on her face. "Tell me you did not try to sell one of my daughters to Lucius Malfoy!"

Her father took a step back, colour draining from his face. "That is hardly the point right now. Where is Daphne? She can't be with Harry Potter," he said.

Her mother's magic flared and the parchments in her hand burst into flame. "Grover Cleveland Greengrass! Did you promise Lucius Malfoy's arrogant sod of a son that he could have one of our daughters?"

"Well, it couldn't really be Daphne, not unless we wanted to merge houses," her father said. "That option is open, if you want."

Astoria started to choke on her tea and then spat it all over the table and her mother. Her mother didn't even notice as she started to yell at her father, her wand coming out, as Astoria coughed and spluttered. Astoria thought that just a joke on Daffy's part. "Merlin… Daffy! The kneazles… among the krups."

-oOo-

August 6, 1996

Hogwarts, Scotland

It had been five exceptionally long days since it had been found Harry Potter had gone missing. In that time, he had gotten extraordinarily little sleep. No on in the Order had. They were arguably trying to find the most famous person in their world without letting anyone know he was missing. If Tom and his followers knew, then the race to find Harry would become even more important than before.

He sat at his desk after surveying his domain. He really needed everyone out looking for Harry, but his staff had to prepare for the start of the year, and he was still in a quandary about his staffing for the year. Horace had now turned him down three times. He had hoped to entice the man with Harry, but without the boy, it was impossible to show the man what he was missing.

This put into jeopardy the promise he had made to Severus to finally give him the post he wanted, with the caveat he had to try to find the curse on the DADA position. If he couldn't find a potions master, Severus would have to go back to the position he hated and he would have to find another body to be sacrificed. For the better part of forty years, he had tried to find the curse, but been unsuccessful. At first, he had been able to keep professors for about three years. But for the last decade, he had barely been able to keep one the year.

He was pondering who he could approach, while searching for Harry, when the tawny owl with the Daily Prophet came into his window. He didn't really have the time to read it, but knew he needed to keep up with what the public knew. As he unfurled the paper, his eyes grew huge to see the headlines on the first page.

Heiress Greengrass Kidnaps the Boy-Who-Lived

Torrid love affair or something more nefarious?

Are the Greengrasses followers of You-Know-Who?

"Oh, dear Merlin," he muttered before jumping up. "What has Rufus done now!"

He knew they should have elected the man to be minister last month, but with the death of Bones, they didn't have a better option.

Dumbledore missed the ad for You-No-Poo. The constipation prank that his grasping the nation

-oOo-

Next time on Dear Order: Unexpected allies as the hunt begins.

-oOo-

A/N: The Euro wasn't adopted in France until 2002, just in case anyone was curious. Until then, it was still the franc, decimes and centimes.