Letters

December: Voguing at the Ministry Christmas Ball

Harry was dancing with Achara; surprisingly left alone in the excitement of the Christmas cheer, though probably because it was clear Achara was causing everyone a lot of amusement at Harry's expense. She was trying to teach him vogue hands and she was laughing hysterically at his efforts.

The only thing was, Harry wasn't feeling the Christmas cheer in the slightest. Draco had stood him up without explanation. As Harry was expected to give a speech he found himself in a position of extreme anxiety; unsure what had happened but unable to leave to find out.

Achara stood behind him, pressed against his back and far taller in her enormous heels, trying to direct his arms and bend his hands in directions he was sure they shouldn't be going in. 'You're very distracted, Harry,' she said, concern dancing in her dusky voice in his ear. Her floral perfume seemed to cloud his mind and he was finding it unsettling.

'Draco hasn't turned up, I'm surprised, that's all. I'd have thought he'd let me know if something was wrong...'

Achara frowned but didn't say anything, as if waiting for Harry to say more.

'Maybe things are just moving a bit fast between us and I need to back off and give him space.'

'I'm sure it's not that,' she said. 'He's clearly besotted with you.'

'I've been a bit wrapped up in work. Maybe I missed something. It's just been a bit intense and hopelessly frustrating this past month with dead-end after dead-end'

Indeed, despite Ron finding out that Lucius and Abbott were at Hogwarts together, in the same House, even, their other investigations had proved unfruitful. Bill confirmed that the bank records showed no unusual transfers or activities involved in Abbott's and Langello's accounts and Harry still hadn't made it to Azkaban due to his work commitments. There was a lack of movement in the feelings from the book, just anxious anticipation. And Langello had remained unofficially missing. That is, missing until five days previously when he'd been picked up staying in the small seaside village of Staithes, just ten miles south of Whitby. The locals reported his strange behaviour to the muggle police; his guest house was concerned their visitor might have dementia as he seemed lost and unsure who or where he was.

Turned out his mind was completely Obliviated and Langello was currently in St Mungo's in the same wing as Gilderoy Lockhart in a very similar state of mind.

On top of the mystery of Langello, Hannah Abbott had approached Harry in the Atrium of the Ministry the previous day.

'Harry,' she'd called after him as he was just leaving to grab some lunch. 'Harry!'

He stopped in surprise, 'Hannah, how are you? It's been a long time...'

She looked close to tears. 'It's dad, I've come in to see if his department know anything. He's not been home for three days... Harry, I know you two don't see eye-to-eye but I'm really worried, it's not like him not to vanish like this and no one seems to know where he is...'

Harry immediately took Hannah to his office. 'When did he go missing?'

'Tuesday, he had a meeting outside the office but his diary doesn't show where.'

'And is there anything that you know of, in his private life, that might cause this?'

'You mean like a new woman after mum...' her bottom lip wobbled. 'No...'