Jigsaw

CHAPTER 4

Harry lay quietly on the couch, staring down at the words he’d written in his leather poetry diary. He couldn’t sleep. Despite the countless glasses fire whisky and his sore throat from singing he hadn’t managed to stave off the nightmares long enough to actually find some rest. It didn’t help either that Hermione was staying the night and so he had been resigned to the couch. Not that Harry minded. Ron and Hermione hardly ever got time to spend together and what Harry could do to help their relationship along was worth the sacrifice of a night on the couch. Mrs. Weasley lived in the hope that someday soon they’d get married, but Harry knew for a fact that Ron wasn’t going to ask until he had enough money to by his girlfriend a ring and pay for them to get their own apartment together. It was a sweet gesture and Harry had always known Ron was a romantic at heart. Thankfully tonight though Ron had remembered the silencing charms and so Harry was spared the inevitable vocal commentary of what his two best friends were doing undoubtedly on his side of the bed.

Harry scribbled out another word and replaced it for another, again re reading the phrase to make sure it flowed. Harry hadn’t really ever thought about poetry before the war but as things had become harder to cope with Harry had found an outlet in letting his mind spew out all his frustrations and worries into words on a page. It had come as shock to Harry to find the words he’d put down turn into poetry, and it was even more surprising to find people wanting to read it. Not that he showed many people his work. Ron said it was depressing. Hermione had said it had feeling. Mrs. Weasley described it as artistic. Sirius told him not to show him cause it would be under appreciated, because Sirius hated all poetry. Remus had said it was very emotional. All in all the consensus was good but Harry had reservations and so only a select few ever read what he’d written.

Tonight his mind was filled with thoughts of his Potions Professor. Harry had had so many questions when he’d woken up in hospital after the last battle and it had taken Sirius and Dumbledore a good three days to explain to him everything that had happened. But there had been a blank spot unfilled, where Harry had been separated from the order, but unaware of what had been going on. The answers about those minutes leading up to his defeat of Voldemort and directly after it were answers only Severus could provide.

Harry sat up a little as he heard the door to the bedroom creak open. In the shadow of the moon shining in through the kitchen window Harry watched as Ron’s familiar figure tiptoed across the tiles towards the kitchen. Harry listened as his best friend poured himself a glass of water from the fridge before quietly going to return to the bedroom.

“I’m awake.” Harry whispered smiling as he watched Ron’s figure freeze the boy jumping so much that he spilt water all over himself.
“Bloody hell Potter, don’t do that.” Ron whispered harshly as he closed the door to the bedroom again before wandering over to where Harry was still lying flat out on the couch.

“Sorry.” Harry whispered quietly as not to wake up Hermione in the other room. Ron sat down on the end of the couch, having lifted Harry’s feet and rested them back in his lap.

“Nightmare?” Ron inquired knowing all to well the troubles his best friend went through trying to sleep. It had been Ron in the first few months who’d held Harry night after night when the boy had cried himself to sleep both in physical pain of his injuries and of his mental anguish. It had been a crushing sight to see his best friend so sad but he’d stuck by him and slowly he was getting better.

“Yeah, thinking about Snape.” Harry whispered as he closed his poetry diary and rolled over onto his back so he could face Ron’s shadowed face in the dark.

“Ugh, you’re kidding me. I’d be having nightmares too thinking about him.” Ron finished his glass of water and leaned over to put it on the coffee table before slipping his hands beneath the end of Harry’s blanket to keep his hands warm in the cold air of the apartment. Harry threw his best friend a glare but it was lost in the dark and so Harry sighed and continued.

“Ron I need a favor.” Harry smiled as he heard Ron groan knowingly.

“You always need favors birthday boy.” Ron tickled Harry’s feet making the boy squirm for a moment before Ron relented and gave up the tickle.

“I know but this is important.” Harry saw Ron nod slowly for Harry to continue. “I need you to find out where Draco Malfoy is for me.” Again Ron groaned and Harry knew what was coming.

“You know I can’t do that Harry, all personal information at the ministry is confidential.” Harry rolled his eyes glad that it was dark so that Ron couldn’t chastise him and begin lecturing him about the importance of his job and his responsibilities within the Ministry.

“Come on Ron, all I need is an address, just two lines that’s all I’m asking for. I need to find him.” Harry pleaded with Ron who at length sighed, having bowed easily to Harry’s whims. If there was one thing Ron couldn’t do it was say no to Harry Potter, and especially after he’d just got his rocks off with his girlfriend.

“What makes you think they’re even going to have that kind of information Harry. Not everyone has up to date records at the Ministry.” Ron looked seriously over to Harry who shrugged his shoulders hopefully.

“Look even if the information is old I’ve still got somewhere to start looking. Besides his wand is registered I’m sure, as he was a student at Hogwarts after all, so he’ll have been tracked, especially having a known death eater as a father.” Harry watched as Ron looked incredulously over at him.

“Wand Registration information is definitely not something I can give you Harry.” Harry rolled his eyes not having expected to receive that kind of ‘secret’ information.

“I’m not asking for his whole file Ron just the important bits that’s going to help me find him. I’ll do the rest of the legwork myself I just need a start. Please Ron it’s important.” With another exaggerated sigh Ron nodded in reluctant agreement.

“Fine, I’ll see if I can get into the records tomorrow but I’m not promising anything. Is there anything else you want to know why I’m there?” Ron asked sarcastically not really expecting a reply.

“Well actually you could get us everything the ministry know about Applegate estate.” Harry smiled cheekily at Ron who tutted loudly and rolled his eyes before pushing Harry’s feet off his lap and standing up sharply.

“Right that’s it I’m going back to bed before I get conned into doing anything more to jeopardize my job.” Ron threw his hands up in the air and made his way swiftly back towards the bedroom. Harry smiled in successes as he snuggled back into his blankets.

“Thank-you Ronald.” Harry whispered quietly listening as Ron snorted in disgust before the door to the bedroom closed and Ron returned to Hermione’s side. Harry was pleased with himself and as he settled down to try again to find rest he was almost excited about tomorrow. Perhaps Severus Snape didn’t want to be found but Harry was going to make damn sure he found him, at least long enough to fill in the blanks.

TBC>>>>>>>>>>>