That single name seemed to change everything, a spark that hadn't existed before appeared in the Werewolf's eyes as he straightened up just a bit more than before, his mind working furiously in ways that it hadn't in years.
Another few seconds passed before his voice called out, calm and yet authoritative.
"Keep him moving. Make a list of safe locations that are already warded and switch them out at random intervals, at random times, and in random order. If you think there is even a hint of a pattern do something random. If you don't think there is a pattern make a random change anyway. No more than a week at any location although that is pushing it. We keep the list separate, no one has the complete version. No one knows anything more than the next hop, or an emergency location.
"Now you are speaking my language boy! What else?" Moody growled with an almost excited note in his voice.
"No Aurors, they can be bought or bribed. No one that we are not sure is one hundred and ten percent on our side. No one stays with him the entire time, sweep everything he owns for tracking Charms at every stop, change his outfit as often as possible. Use Muggle and Magical outfits, no school robes. If he will allow it change his appearance but don't force him, we do that and he will act like a teenager and rebel which will make it worse."
"More, come on boy more!" the retired Auror encouraged, feeling life and almost intoxication flowing into his veins at being in the field once more.
"We need a list, a massive one of every possible safe-house we can use, from there we can narrow it down dramatically. Then we need a leak. Someone who is loyal enough that Sirius would trust him, but stupid enough to let out information. We give them a different list. No Aurors though and no traps. We are trying to slow him down until the Aurors catch up, not put him in flight mode. He flees and we have nothing. Right now we know what his target is."
"Is all of this necessary?" McGonagall whispered, almost shocked at the militaristic way that the situation was being handled.
"Sirius was one of the best trackers alive. Not only physically but also in blending in. He could get in and out of virtually any fortress the enemy had better than anyone else, except maybe Peter. But he could get information. He could eavesdrop on a conversation halfway across a crowded room and pick the perfect target for a con or seduction mission. He will find Harry if anyone knows where he is going to be."
"What happens if our luck runs out and he does meet the boy?" Snape inquired, a rare look of respect in his eyes focused on the homeless-looking man.
"Emergency Portkeys, several of them, each setup by a different person with a location unknown to everyone else. We each keep an indicator with us, should one go off, at all times."
"Then what, he will be able to trace…"
"Then we go off the grid entirely. No contact with anyone, period. We leave one message indicating he is safe… and then vanish."
"Meet back at the platform for school?" Filius inquired, his eyes burning brightly as he soaked up the information in the way only a true Ravenclaw could.
"No, if the emergency goes off he doesn't go back to Hogwarts. Sirius will expect it."
"Then what? We go on the run for the rest of his life? What happens if Black is never caught?"
"We deal with it if it happens. This is the 'emergency' protocol. If this group becomes compromised in anyway shape or form. At that point it is better for whoever has him to create a plan on the fly rather than rely on anything concrete that can be leaked. Use your best judgment, but take whatever you would probably do, and the opposite… then choose the option in the middle."
"We will start the list immediately. Most of his housemates are out of the question due to questionable ties either directly or through family friends. However it seems as though Miss Lovegood has taken quite the liking to him, as has the young Miss Weasley and Mr. Longbottom."
Remus nodded towards the eldest Wizard, "I can take him as well, hopefully he likes camping…"
"I am sure my mom wouldn't mind if we asked her, although considering she is cousins to Black… Either way I have my own apartment now under Auror level Wards. I can certainly let him stay with me."
Filius, McGonagall, and Sprout all nodded as well.
"I seem to have a decent friendship with Harry, I doubt Sirius Black will suspect his Astronomy teacher of housing him."
"Thank you Aurora, I myself would take him for the summer but with all of the meetings I have he would be in a constant predictable schedule, but I can at least take him for a few scattered days." The headmaster replied, his gaze drifting towards Severus, who gave a sigh at the look.
"I… can if no one else will. But considering my ties to Lucious Malfoy and my current… situation I doubt it would be for the best."
"I agree, we will certainly not force you to look after him unless it is an absolute emergency Severus."
...
"Harry my boy, thank you for stopping up to see an old man on such short notice."
"Of course sir, to be honest I expected this after last year. Perhaps this can be a bit of a tradition between us."
The older man smiled, before nodding. "Hopefully under better circumstances next time. A man named Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban less than a week ago. We believe he may have chosen you as a potential target and so we are going to be making a bit of a change in your normal summer routine."
"Oh? Might I inquire as to what this man would want from me?"
"Harry, my name is Remus Lupin." a poorly dressed man announced from the side, as he took a slow step towards the student. "I was a close friend of your parents, Sirius Black was as well before he betrayed them to the Dark Lord. He is the reason they are dead Harry…"
"I… see…"
.....
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