Title: Onward to Discovery
Author: Altaira
Rating: NC-17
Pairing: Severus/Harry

Summary: The California Trail will lead Severus Snape to more than gold.
Disclaimer: Not mine, the recognizable characters belong to JK Rowling.
Feedback: ajmummy@yahoo.com
Beta: Rakina and Pennydreadful
Archive: Part of the From Dusk till Dawn Severus Snape/Harry Potter Fuh-Q-Fest at http://www.kardasi.com/HPSS/storyindex.htm
Challenge: History, history, history. Pick a time, place, people or an event in history you like and put our boys (and everyone else from the Harry Potter universe you like) in the middle of it. Ancient Rome, the Wild West, Renaissance Italy, Regency England, 1492 A.D., Boston Tea Party, Mary Stewart or Cleopatra, J.F.K. or maybe they fought in one of the may Wars??

Circa 1849

The dust was everywhere, settling on everything. Harry had a hard time seeing where he was, let alone where he was going. He was supposed to be getting water and he knew in his head the river was nearby, but he couldn't find it. He could hear the stamping and settling of the hundreds- no thousands -of oxen, horses, and cattle in this gathering place before the wagon trains set out across the expanse to the west and the good land… the good life as his Uncle Vernon called it. He couldn't see how the chaos surrounding him now would ever manage to form into groups…trains, he remembered… organized enough to cross so many miles. He also could not figure out how Uncle Vernon was going to find train to join in all this fuss and leave as quickly as he wanted. He hoped somehow Uncle Vernon found some place for them, he wasn't sure his back and shoulders could take much more of his uncle's frustrations. Harry thought it rather unlikely that anyone had followed them all the way here from England, but Uncle Vernon insisted the great and mysterious ‘they' were still after him. Perhaps someone was, Harry was certain Uncle Vernon had stolen a great deal of money and they'd used much of it already in getting to America and getting to be here. Harry knew there was more as well, stashed in all sorts of hidden places throughout their belongings.

Harry stumbled again, nearly pitching forward down the bank, prevented only by a large hand pulling him backwards. He flinched as the hand pressed the rough clothing into a particularly sore whip wound. Harry had found the river, such as it was. It certainly wasn't clear and pure looking. He looked back to thank whoever had saved his hide from the tumble into the mud, only to be momentarily caught up in gaze of the man who'd saved him from injury in his fall, or at the least injury at the hands of his uncle had he come back to camp muddy. The man was tall and dressed in dark clothing. Harry briefly thought of all the rumors and descriptions of those in the area who might wear such dark clothing - those of the odd religions he kept hearing about. The dark-clothed man had dark eyes as well. Harry wanted to call them black, but knew logically they had to be dark brown. His dark hair was a bit long and hung into his face, although it did nothing to hide the man's large nose.

“Thank You, Sir.” Harry said.

“You are English?” The man asked.

“Yes. You as well?”

“Yes, although I have spent more time in Scotland in recent years. Are your parents nearby?”

“No. They died many years ago. I was placed with my mother's sister and her family and I am with them here.”

“I am sorry.”

“It was long ago. I never knew them.”

“Still. Let me assist you down the bank so you may fetch your water. I would advise you to boil it for about ten minutes or more before drinking or cooking with it. It will help.”

“Thank you.”

The man helped Harry down the bank and then back up with his full buckets. He winced as his shoulders were strained. “It was nice hearing such refined speech patterns, I had not realized how I'd missed good English,” the man told Harry as he guided him to a less dusty area, where Harry could see the direction he needed to go to get to his uncle's wagon.

Harry smiled. “Thank You, again, sir. I'm pleased to have met you as well.”

The man headed in the opposite direction Harry needed to go and Harry hurried back to his uncle, hoping he'd not spent too much time getting the water and thus incurred his uncle's wrath.

******************************

Severus Snape walked back to the small group he was traveling with. There were fifteen wagons in their group. He figured they were probably the oddest set of travelers anyone was likely to find in the whole area at the moment, even if they did not look the part. They had, in fact, gone to great measures to look like any other group traveling together. After all, it wouldn't be good for anyone to appear as the witches and wizards they really were, robes, wands and all. Of course, they all had their wands on them; none of them were foolish enough to be out in this wilderness without them. When it was all said and done, Severus still thought the whole idea was rather on the barmy side, but he owed much to the old man who was his boss. It could be worse, he supposed, although preparing to venture out into the American west was pretty awful. Just the language usage was torture to his refined British ears. Albus, Severus' boss, was correct though, if you wanted aid from other Wizarding societies, you must be willing to give aid yourselves.

Salem Witches Institute wanted to start a west coast branch and they had requested aid from Albus Dumbledore, the Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, in the location and building over the summer and fall as they themselves rebuilt their wards and restored several buildings on their main campus which had fallen into disrepair. As more and more immigrants came to the United States of America the magical students were soon outnumbering what Salem could handle, not to mention as people had migrated west, getting students to the school in Salem had become a hassle in almost all cases, and impossible in many. Albus had agreed to help, sending out half his staff and the most talented of his upper level students (or rather those who weren't taking the NEWTS the next year and could afford the time) and several who'd just finished school. They were to be joined by representatives from each of the other main Wizarding Schools in Europe and a few Aurors to help keep everyone safe. Their task was to travel to the west coast, making detailed enough maps and observations so that others could Apparate step by step later on. They were then to locate a suitable spot for a Magical Academy, preferably somewhere not too far away from San Francisco and start the groundwork for building and warding. Dumbledore and Anthony Crew, the head of the institute, both insisted that the only rational means of traveling across the plains was the same way everyone else was doing it, by wagon train. If Albus hadn't insisted, Severus was certain they could have found other ways to accomplish their task -but no. And so the original group started out, including the magical protectors, several students who had excelled at charms, transfiguration and defense arts, and as many of the top Hogwarts professors as they could move, while still maintaining a normal appearance. Flitwick, the top charms professor in the world, had not been able to come along due to his diminutive stature nor had the giant groundskeeper Hagrid, who would have adored the stubborn oxen that pulled the wagons.

It had taken some effort and revising, but Severus figured they'd managed to look somewhat normal quite well. They appeared to be a group comprised of several families and then further groups of single men traveling together. Less than half of the fifteen wagons in their group actually carried families, though. At the start the only real family was the Weasleys. However, they received way too many odd looks and questions traveling as they did originally. Apparently, older women traveling with several young ladies weren't viewed as decent citizens. Minerva had received many outrageous propositions before she realized that people thought her the mistress of a traveling brothel. Young men were often found traveling with older men, though, or in groups together. However, they were swiftly informed that wagons usually could only carry supplies for four or five adults, maybe a wee bit more if one was traveling with small children who didn't eat as much.

The lack of young children disturbed people as well, especially when it became apparent they weren't off to hunt gold in California. They'd had to send messages back to England to have some real families, other than the Weasleys, come to travel with them. When the word went back, the Ministry of Magic decided they needed to send more representation as well and Mr. Malfoy wasn't enough of it. Madam Bones traveled out to join the group, along with the other families they'd managed to get to agree. The Creeveys, the Grangers and the Malfoys had joined the group a few days prior. They tried to find willing families with children younger than adolescents to travel with them, after they'd received many strange looks and several outright questions as to where the ‘young'uns' were, however only one of the families- the Creeveys- actually had younger children.

The true families varied in size. The Weasleys were of course the largest family in their small group. They all had flaming red hair and freckles. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were sharing a wagon with the four youngest children, eighteen-year -old twins Fred and George, sixteen -year -old Ronald, and fifteen- year -old Ginny. Their eldest sons each had wagons of their own. Bill was the only one of the Weasley boys who was actually married. He was traveling with his pregnant wife and two small children they had…borrowed for appearance's sake. Traveling with them was one of the other female students posing as a nurse maid to aid with the children, who were aged two and four and both red haired boys, since Bill's wife, Fleur, was a bit delicate. Katie Bell was seventeen and old enough to be hired in that type of post, especially since her coloring had made it difficult to place her with any of the other families.

Most the young children in the group were…borrowed, for lack of a better term. One of Albus' old friends was the Overseer of one of the magical orphanages and had agreed that as long as none of the children died on the trek, it would be a great experience for them. After all, most of the children had never seen this much wide-open space and this many plants in their young lives, as they were mostly from the tenant areas of London. Of course, Severus suspected that the man also hoped that the children would end up with permanent homes where their magical abilities would be accepted. Fleur was French and had graduated from Beauxbatons a year previously, and was one of the representatives from that school.

Charlie Weasley was traveling with one of their hidden protectors, a young witch who had originally been traveling with Minerva McGonagall and the female students. Tonks was trained as an Auror, and Severus was trying to avoid their wagon for the time being. She'd been in a snit ever since Minerva had informed her that she was to be called Dora and had to pretend to be a Weasley and wear a dress like the rest of the females in the area. Although she couldn't hex anyone with anything too obvious, people who got too close to her kept finding themselves dancing jigs or itching uncontrollably. Their wagon was anything but blissful, and many times Severus found himself holding back a chuckle when Arthur introduced the two as happily married newlyweds. The last Weasley boy traveling with them was Percy, and he was paired with Alicia Spinnet, who was also unhappy with the whole setup, but not quite so boisterous in her displeasure.

The Malfoys started as only the three of them. They had insisted that if all the families had younger children, it would look just as suspicious. Severus rather suspected that it was part of the deal Dumbledore had made with the wealthy man and his aristocratic wife, that if they went and allowed their son to go they would be spared any small children. However, Narcissa found herself the cheerful temporary guardian of one of the girls traveling with the group. Lisa Turpin was blond and had enough features to pretend to be a Malfoy. Lisa also looked older than their son, thus reducing the need for too many…lies. It had been a problem with so many of the students traveling with them all being about the same age.

The Grangers also came to accompany their only child, Hermione. They, however, also agreed to host two more children and allow another of Hermione's female classmates to travel with them, posing as their child. Hannah Abbot didn't stand out as a Granger, of course, but she didn't stand out as not-a-Granger either. Hermione's mother had a wonderful solution for the closeness in age, thank goodness. Since Hermione's birth date was in September, they simply moved Hannah's back two months, putting hers in August, with eleven months between them. She also had a wonderful sob story about several lost children, in case she was questioned about the age gap between the older girls and the two children they'd borrowed, who were seven- and eight-year-old girl and boy siblings.

The Creeveys were a family of six, with four children of their own and two borrowed. Their two sons had been part of the original group, and they brought their younger two as well, aged ten and eight. The borrowed children were small, five and three, and looked as if they really were Creevey kids. Both were little girls and apparently Mrs. Creevey was ecstatic about it since all she'd had were boys. The adult Grangers and Creeveys were all non-magical, which had quickly become a boon. They were able to warn the others in the Hogwarts group when things weren't real enough or looked ‘off'. The last family with the group was the Bones. Madam Bones refused to be matched with any unattached males, instead traveling with her niece Susan and two borrowed children, a boy of nine and a girl of six. She told the story of her husband dying just after they reached the States and deciding to finish the journey on her own.

Minerva had talked Moody into joining her in her wagon, instead of heading his own like they'd been planning. It left Severus in charge of two wagons, instead of just one. Of course, technically five days a month Sirius Black would be in charge of two wagons as well, but Sirius had been given two of the young male students to assist him. Severus still hadn't figured out how they were going to explain Remus Lupin's disappearance to the rest of those traveling in the large wagon train, but he was sure they'd come up with something. Albus had arranged for him to Portkey someplace safe during the full moon and the days surrounding it. Severus had pre-made the potion which would keep his wolf in check by sedating, so he would still not find the change as stressful, but they all decided that it was best never to have Lupin in wolf form near the wagon train. Granted, Blaise was actually Lupin's charge and Seamus was Sirius', but both were competent and could actually be of help. Severus was left with Neville Longbottom to help take care of the two wagons, several horses and two cows. Longbottom was useless with the animals and driving the wagons and… Severus got headaches thinking about how he was going to manage. He wished they hadn't had to send Terry Boot home, but when they discovered he had an allergy to sagebrush…well, it was home or taking potions everyday to combat the allergy, and Severus considered sending the boy home was the best option.

The final two wagons carried the representatives from the other schools. Durmstrang had sent two young men who'd been out of school for a year, and they were traveling together with another young male, the second representative from Beauxbatons. The final wagon carried the three representatives from Salem Institute. All three young men were related to Crew in some way but not talented enough to be needed for the rebuilding and re-warding of the American school, so they had ended up being sent on the trek. Severus suspected he could possibly grab one of the young men from these two wagons if he needed, but he didn't trust any of them really and would prefer not to.

As Severus walked to his wagons, he briefly thought of the boy he'd met by the river. The child literally thrummed with magic. Severus couldn't understand why the youth, being obviously British, hadn't been in Hogwarts all along. Sure, the boy hadn't seemed large enough to be the same age as most of the students he was traveling with, but he was certainly old enough to have started school. None of the students traveling with them were as powerful, none vibrated with magic like that. He wished he'd asked the youth's name, maybe then he could have Minerva check the books when they got back to the Hogwarts. The boy looked a bit familiar, but he'd been so dirty that it was hard to tell who he might have been related to that Severus had known. He hadn't missed the youth's sorry state of health, either. He could see the great bruises on the lad's shoulders and smelt the dried blood that had shadowed the back of the raggedy shirt. For all that, something about the young man, besides the magic thrumming around him, called to him in a manner that he hadn't experienced in years. At the remembrance of the soft voice, Severus' loins stirred and he found himself readjusting himself quickly before he reached the group of wagons.

“Severus!” Minerva called to him as he passed her wagon. “Captain Scott just rode by. If we are to join his train, we must be ready to leave in the morning. We join forty wagons just south of the main camp at near eight. Did you get the fodder for the horses and the sheep?”

“Yes, have you explained to me why we are bringing sheep with us?”

“Why, for food and wool of course and to give the children something to do.”

Severus rolled his eyes and wandered on. As they had joined a wagon train which was mostly pulled by oxen, the sheep shouldn't be too slow in movement, and Merlin only knew when they might want some mutton. He nearly tripped over the dogs the Weasley twins had procured and he'd nearly laughed aloud when he realized Miss Granger was traveling with her cat. Every one of their wagons had a resident owl as well, and he was still trying to think of an explanation for that. Just before nightfall, Severus gathered all the children and youth in the train and set them out to the river. Their barrels had finally arrived, along with Poppy Pomfrey and four children, one of whom he knew from Hogwarts.

“The barrels are guaranteed never to run out of water and to purify all water put into them. Albus said to remind you the children must be seen to get the water every day, as it will seem odd if they do not. He also sent canteens for everyone which will also never run out of drinking water. We are to join Lupin, so his wagon will have a family traveling with it, even when he is away. I brought the children because Albus said we lacked children in their early teens. You know Miss Rose Zellar, from Hufflepuff? The older boys are from the orphanage, Clyde and Edward, and are squibs and the young girl is my niece Stazya. I've the provisions for us all shrunk and tucked into my pockets.”

The youth were loud and boisterous, excited to be finally heading out. The boys, who were mostly in charge of keeping track of the various livestock, kept chattering about the guns they were learning to use, and several of the girls were complaining because they weren't allowed to do so. It was one thing Severus had noticed while wandering amongst the other wagons, females in the Wizarding world had much greater freedom and better opportunities. Hermione Granger, Tonks and Alicia were the ones having the biggest problems with it; none were content with the Muggles' place for women. Hermione, in particular, was going on and on about rights for women and how she refused to be pigeon-holed into those tasks which were traditionally women's just because she was a girl.

“Ah, come on Hermione. Just give it a rest. I'll teach you to shoot if you just stop the lecturing, please.” Ron Weasley begged. Those two were almost always together, and Severus was almost certain he could hear wedding bells when they had finished school.

As the group stepped down the steep bank, Severus noticed the boy from earlier. The dark-haired youth was standing near a woman with a thin and bony face and a rather fat blond youth who looked to be about the same age as he was both with light hair.

“I don't see why we have to help, mum. Why can't the freak fetch the water like he usually does? Father is being so mean. He was supposed to buy me a horse, is he going to get me a horse before we leave tomorrow? I don't see why we have to be doing this anyway, why can't we just go home?”

The whining continued. The woman cooed and fawned, comforted and placated the irritating young man the whole time. The dark-haired boy he'd spoken to earlier hung back a bit, doing his chores without complaint. Severus spotted a new bruise on the youth's arm and noticed how he had a hard time picking up the full bucket.

Severus wasn't the only one who had noticed. Draco, who Severus had honestly expected to be acting like the fat blond given his background, was discussing the boy with Blaise.

“Maybe he's their servant and he's done something wrong?” Draco hissed. “Papa often needs to punish our servants and sometimes they look that bad.”

“I don't think so, Draco. I mean, do you really think people who have servants would travel with them this way? They'd take a ship or just acquire new servants when they where they are going. Besides, they don't look the sort to have servants. They are not nearly sophisticated enough.”

“True, they are English but they certainly don't look like anyone we would generally associate with.”

“Draco, need I remind you that for the remainder of the summer you are not a pampered little Pureblood but just an everyday settler?” Severus spoke up, interrupting what was starting to become a conversation they couldn't risk.

“In other words…please remember to act plebeian.” Blaise said, smirking.

“Blimey, guv'ner, it's right hot in these ‘ere parts.”

Severus eyes grew huge. “No. Oh No. Those two dialects should not be combined. In fact, try to avoid them both if at all possible.”

Severus had not realized how close they'd come to the dark-haired boy, who looked to be still struggling to lift the yoke which carried his buckets onto his shoulders. He must have caught Draco's performance because a light laugh -almost a giggle- was erupting from the child.

“Hello, again,” Severus said.

“Hello. I am sorry for laughing, but it was quite funny,” the dark-haired boy said.

Draco smiled. “I am glad someone saw the humor. Hello, I'm Draco. Draco Malfoy.”

“Draco?”

Draco grimaced. He'd forgotten he was to use a nickname since Draco was a name that stood out. “Family name, I know it is a wee bit odd.”

The other boy nodded his understanding. “Hi, I'm Harry. I understand about the whole name thing- my cousin is named Dudley. There were several Dudleys we knew back in England, but here everyone looks at him strangely.”

“I'm Blaise. Need help with that?” Blaise entered into the conversation, already reaching to help Harry lift the buckets.

Harry's face took on a light pink hue. “Yeah, I think I do. Thanks. Well, I'd better be going. My uncle wanted the barrels filled by the time he got back from getting the very last supplies. We're leaving tomorrow. I doubt I'll meet up with you again. It's too bad really. I've enjoyed hearing the sound of voices from home.”

Severus spoke again. “Who knows? We are leaving tomorrow as well. We might just be traveling in the same train.”

Harry smiled, and looked at each in turn. “I hope we are. I think I would enjoy that. Goodbye.”

Severus watched as the boy struggled up the bank and walked back in the direction he'd sent him earlier.

“Did you see?” Blaise asked when he was certain the other boy was gone.

“See what?” Draco asked.

“Those were whip marks Draco, and handprints around his neck.”

Draco shook his head. “No, I didn't look close enough. That's odd.”

Severus raised an eyebrow, but Blaise asked “What?”

“Where did all the ambient magic go? This place was literally thrumming with it when we first got here.”

Blaise stopped and reached out with his magic to feel about.

“You're right. It's still there, but it is almost as if it has been muted or something. I have to search for it now.”

Draco shrugged. “Oh well, I thought we'd found an area to write back about.”

Severus, who realized just where the thrum of magic had gone, left the issue for a while as he started to gather up all the brats to direct their paths back to their wagons. Neville had tripped on the way back up and dumped out both his buckets, Fred and George (the twins) were complaining that Katie and Alicia hadn't been able to join them, Hermione and Ron were still arguing, and Blaise and Seamus were having a loud discussion on who was traveling where now. The Creevey boys were talking with the young Weasley girl and Hannah and Susan, but they were at least keeping their discussion to topics which were not too odd and were trying to include the new boys and Rose. Severus was starting to get a headache. He thought about the boy- Harry- and added another ache to his list of complaints, although it was a much more pleasant ache. His wagon with his potions was calling his name and he meant to get to it quickly. He briefly wondered if he could manage a quick batch or two more of the basic pain potions before they left. He would have liked to take care of his other problem as well, but Longbottom shared his camp area, and that was definitely a mood-killer.

Camp wasn't really any more peaceful. He'd first asked at Arthur's wagon if he could borrow the twins during the day to drive the second wagon under his care. He'd dismissed the young men from the other schools when they refused to join the other youth and him fetching the water. If they couldn't pitch in and do the chores required for them to keep up appearances, then he couldn't trust them to pitch in with his second wagon. Molly, of course, fussed about it, but she had to admit that between the lot of them they had enough to drive their wagon. After Arthur agreed to send the twins over in the morning so they could hitch the wagon and drive it during the days, Severus was waylaid by Poppy - a very furious Poppy.

“You have got to be joking! Limit our magic? Nothing obvious? Act like those around us? I refuse to let any of those other hooligans come sniffing near Rose or any of our girls! Do you know what I saw? Who I met? Just today? Just now?” Poppy ranted.

Severus was confused. He'd run into much that he could see affecting the woman, sadly. Things were simply different here. His pause was enough for Poppy to decide she needed to continue.

“I met a fourteen-year-old girl who just got married today. Married an old man -near forty -whose second wife had just died of some disease. He married her so she could look after the children he'd been left with…eight of them, Severus, more than half under age ten, infant twins!… and she married him because he agreed to take on care of her 5 brothers and sisters until they were old enough to fend for themselves once they all got to California. Her family died here as well. He's got a son older than her from his first wife who'll be driving the wagon her siblings will still be in, but she'll be bunking down with her husband.”

Severus, who'd heard many similar stories in the few weeks they'd been here waiting to be able to roll out, was hardly surprised.

“How did you meet the unfortunate child?”

“She was completely hysterical on the path as I sent the younger children into the surrounding trees to gather some firewood. I gave her some calming draught before explaining to her the way sex works and then having a chat with her husband on the importance of bedding such a young wife with gentleness. The man may be too old for the child, but he was at least kind-hearted towards her.”

Severus rolled his eyes. “Poppy. We are not supposed to….oh, forget it. Please remember to refer to yourself as a midwife, and try not to use too much magic when you end up birthing all the babies from every train leaving within three or four days of us in either direction. Limit the potion use to potions we know can be used on Muggles and try not to do any major feats of healing too quickly.”

Severus hoped not stopping the mediwitch would not cause more harm than good, but he also knew she would not be able to deal with not being allowed to work her healing magic if she could help out. He had already had to deal with Minerva on the issue of diseases and accidents which could be easily dealt with. She was determined their wagon train would be a miracle train and lose no one during the crossing, thus keeping the children who were with them blissfully unaware of the true dangers.

Severus returned to his camp to find Minerva waiting with a list of potions she'd like him to brew before they left, and Tonks with a few questions about children and how not to hex them. Luckily Minerva's list pretty much matched his own, so he simply brewed larger batches. Although he did not sleep much, he was well enough rested to be set to leave in the morning.

The wagons rolled over to the area which Captain Scott designated as the meeting place. Much to Severus' dismay, the wagons in their group were spilt up among the other wagons. Captain Scott had insisted he wanted a good mix of families and young men or couples -only traveling throughout the wagon train with traveling groups also split up and mixed in. Severus had been hoping to keep them together so that he could better monitor the ‘acting normal' edict. Luckily, their wagons were nearly all in sets of two and generally in the sixth and seventh position. The pattern would make it easier for him to keep a good watch. There was one section almost right in the middle of the train where the count was upset, where their single lone wagon sat. Worst of all, the Weasleys -Molly, Arthur, Ginny, Ron and the twins- were in the unpaired wagon. They were five wagons behind the Bones, with the Grangers in front of them so it wasn't nearly as bad as it could have been. However, Charlie…and Tonks…were four wagons behind his parents and the Malfoys were right behind them. Although Severus figured he could trust the Grangers and Creeveys to manage the whole Muggle look - that was about it. He was definitely wary about that many Weasleys, the Malfoys, the Bones and Tonks being bunched up that near to each other. He was hoping that with the Grangers where they were, and his wagons just six behind the Malfoys, they could keep the use of magic to nearly nothing and cover up any that did happen. He supposed it could have been worse. Their lone wagon could have been the wagon behind Captain Scott right up front.

And at least they were, for the most part, traveling in pairs. From the talk he'd heard while getting in line, other traveling groups weren't so lucky with their placing. Orval Otter, his wife and three of his children were traveling in front of Severus. There was one thing Severus learned very quickly about the whole family – they were chatty. Before long he'd heard pretty much their whole story. Severus heard all about how also in the train were his brother Oscar and his family, his sister Olivia and her family, their parents, and the parents of each spouse. They also had two wagons being driven by the older boys in their families, each carrying three cousins. Orval spent much of the time complaining while they waited for the rest of the wagons to get in line. For once Severus could fully understand. Muggles in their sixties were rather old to be taking on the track he kept hearing about without the help and aid of their families close by.

“It isn't nearly so bad for us,” Orval said as the oldest of the children traveling with him, a girl about age ten, lead the second yoke of oxen to their wagon. “Felicity-that's my wife- her folks are just three wagons ahead of us and she has a young cousin who is traveling with them and will be able to help out some even though she is a just a girl. And my eldest son Howard is not too far ahead of them with two of his cousins. I haven't any idea where the rest have ended up yet and I let my other son, Nate, have our horse so I have no way to go and check. I'm not so sure about those boys all traveling nearly alone now. Daniel, my sister's oldest is not much older than my second, not yet sixteen. Is that there your son driving your wagon?”

Severus glanced over at Neville, who was nearly wetting himself at such a thought. “No, he is a ward. We are trying this arrangement out. If it does not work, Neville here will be traveling with another from our group and I'll swap or borrow a youth or two, like I am doing for the wagon behind me.”

“Oh, those redheads are with you then? I was wondering if they were like us, and just a large family that had been separated.”

“They actually are, but we were all traveling within a larger group as well. Fred and George will be sleeping with their family, as their mother wasn't willing to be separated from them the whole time.”

“One of them is a George, huh? That little one of mine is a George too.”

Severus snorted. “If you can manage it, keep yours away from those two. They are pranksters, even if they are rather brilliant.”

They worked a while longer before Severus spoke again.

“I've two horses here, if you'd like to borrow one and ride up to find the rest of your traveling party, you are welcome to use one. Neville is not fond of riding.”

“I might just take you up on that at some point today if we run into a slow period.”

Before Severus could answer, Captain Scott rode by, telling everyone that they were lined up and to be ready to move out. Severus climbed up into the seat beside Neville and signaled to the oxen to move. Severus quickly uttered a small spell that would keep track of the miles they traveled during the day and log any remarks he vocally made during the day. This would create log Albus had requested each member old enough make. Severus had the added task of keeping his senses open and recording any large usage of magic.

The first day out was a rather calm day, although the train did not travel as far as Severus had hoped. Captain Scott spent much of the time riding up and down the line, giving people new spots and locations until he had finally settled on the line-up he thought would work best. Near noon, the train was brought to a halt and the midday was prepared. Wagons were moved until they matched Captain Scott‘s rearranged plans. Orval Otter borrowed the horse Severus had saddled in the morning and rode the length of the train while his wife tried to quickly put together a hot meal. Severus and Neville ate the stuffed bread pockets that he'd cooked while working on his potions the night before. They'd been common food in the Wizarding world for ages, as they could be cooked in the banked ashes overnight. Mrs. Otter had never seen the likes before and found them fascinating.

As Orval came back he seemed much relieved. Severus, setting a few cups of peas to soak during the day so they could be made into soup that night, asked how things were.

“The set of younger cousins are right behind the wagon master's wagon. There seems to be enough good folk about to keep a watch on them. My parents aren't far off, just six wagons behind them. The largest space between our families is ten wagons. It is manageable. I was quite upset, though. There are two spots where families were kept together. The wagons right before Olivia belong to a family of eight and his two brothers. She said the Captain told them, when they asked, that it was because the brothers were carrying a good deal of the provisions for the larger family and needed to be nearby for that. She gave the Captain a bit of her mind, insisting that keeping the boys near a parent had to be just as important, but the Captain didn't see it her way. The two wagons right after my folks are almost the same way; that family has got my ma all up in arms. They were wed just a few days ago in Independence; the young girl is not even as old as my Nate. He married the girl so she could care for the children from his previous marriages and she married him because he agreed to take her siblings the whole trek and help provide for them until they were old enough to be on their own.”

“Ah, I've heard of that family. One of my traveling companions is just as upset as your mother.” Severus answered. Severus closed his eyes, briefly hoping the man wouldn't be as vocal the whole trip. He knew Albus would find it extremely humorous that Severus had such a neighbor.

Captain Scott rode by and informed them that they were rolling out in about another hour, but not to expect two full hours for noon break everyday. Severus took the opportunity to ride the length of the wagon train himself and figure out where everyone was.

He found Minerva and Moody near the head of the train, the sixth wagon, with the boys from Salem Academy right behind them. Severus knew as he rode past an older couple which were stationed right behind the Salem boys that he'd located Orval Otter's mum and dad, the older man looked very much like his talkative neighbor. After them were the family Poppy had fussed about and Severus could see why the situation upset Poppy and Otter's mother so much. The girl seemed tiny, trying to get two boys taller than her to behave. They, of course, refused to listen to someone who wasn't their mother or old enough to boss them, no matter if their pa had married her or not. Meanwhile two small girls who looked just like her clung to her skirts with two more small girls and she jiggled an infant on her hips, trying to stop it from crying while another wailed from a cradle beside the wagon. A boy who was obviously her brother had two other boys who had to be siblings and a young boy who had to be related to the two clinging to her skirts organized into a stick gathering crew.

Just as Severus was almost past the first of the two wagons an older boy, probably near the same age are the Weasley Twins stepped out from behind the second wagon. “I will tell Pa if'n you two don't start obeying. She is Pa's wife now and that makes her your boss in terms o' chores and such. There ain't nothing wrong with minding them cows, we need that milk.”

“But Jed…”

“If you whine, I'll have Pa let her mind them cows and you'll be minding the babies!”

Severus watched the two boys head off to watch the cattle and the girl give her thanks to the young man, thinking that if she'd had to marry; she should have married him instead. He briefly let the feeling of chaos he'd felt just riding by the two wagons rush over him, reminding himself that it didn't seem to constitute abuse of any type here for a child her age to be placed into such a situation. He was aware similar things occurred back in England, but he'd seen more while waiting to travel across to California than he cared to have to face. She should have been getting ready to start a new year of school, not playing mother to so many children, a few who were even older than herself.

Another older couple was traveling behind that family, the wife asking her husband if he would allow her to aid the young girl during the day sometimes, and Severus figured between Orval's parents and this couple, the girl would get the help she needed, so he could provide Poppy… and himself…with some reassurance.

Victor Krum, Fleur's friend and the other boy from Durmstrang were the next wagon of the group he ran into, six wagons behind the Salem boys. The boy from Beauxbatons was speaking with Fleur and Katie, who were in the wagon behind them…in French. The wagon behind them held the first family Otter had complained about, Severus suspected. Bill was speaking with the eldest of the three men at the campsite, while trying to corral the two redheads traveling with him. His suspicions were confirmed when a woman who looked just like Orval Otter, but with long hair and a better figure kept yelling “Katherine, Anna…Katherine, Anna” towards the area where Bill was still talking and way too many children were running about.

The Grangers were six wagons behind Bill Weasley and his…family. It wasn't as quiet there as Severus had expected.

“There is absolutely no way to move in these things!” Hermione was shouting, lifting and shaking the front of her skirts. “There is too much cloth here, these petticoats are atrocious. I've tripped over the thing four times today, four times! I want my old clothes.”

Hermione was furious about the whole skirt issue and Susan Bones, from the next wagon, had joined her. Severus had quickly noticed that the dresses and skirts worn in the Wizarding world were a bit shorter and not nearly so bulky. He figured it was so they fit under their robes much easier. Albus had insisted all the women dress in the fashions popular in the United States, though. The complaints had been heard since. Amelia Bones was being no help, as she was finding the length to be irksome, getting too dirty and too confining to be safe. Severus spoke to Mrs. Granger quickly, telling her that he'd noticed children's skirts were about six to eight inches from the ground and he was certain he'd seen several women with their skirts about three to four inches from the ground as well.

“They could probably lose one of the petticoats as well; I think most of those traveling along with us haven't brought enough clothing with them to wear so many layers as was fashionable in Salem.” Severus added, rather glad he'd noticed what the Otter girl was wearing earlier.

She waved him off with great thanks. “I was losing patience. I just kept having to tell myself -at least they are wearing their bonnets.”

Severus was happily surprised to see that the order of the wagons from the Bones to his had been unchanged, positioned just as they had been when the train started moving in the morning…with one exception. When he'd driven by the Malfoys' wagon in the morning, the next wagon had carried a large family with some pack mules in tow. Now the wagon behind the Malfoys carried the family of the young man they'd met by the river, the boy who simply hummed with magic, the one who had captured the interest of those parts of Severus that hadn't paid attention for nearly a decade.

“Luc…” Severus nodded as he rode up.

“Severus, have you ever seen such a thing? So far it's been rather a delightful stroll today. Cissa insisted I allow her to learn to drive the wagon and she has been at it all morning. Lisa will be driving this afternoon. I am so glad I bought those dragonhide gloves with the extra protection. Cissa will be able to drive without ruining her hands; I have found I do prefer to ride beside the wagon. Thank Merlin we are rid of that family who was behind us, although I'm not certain I like this one any better. Six children- six of them-and the oldest was just thirteen. It was a nightmare! And those mules…unpleasant animals to say the least.”

“Why don't you like this one behind you now?”

“The man is presumptuous. They are English as well, you know. His wife- called Petunia of all things- has spent all break trying to speak to Narcissa. That boy of theirs is a whale and a brat. He's even worse than my child at his worst, and I know Draco can have his moments. Apparently he hired the other young one, who seems to be doing all the work. Something about that boy had Draco upset, but I never did find out what; I got distracted. Have you noticed the thrum? I can't quite tell if it is the area or something else, but the ambient magic is phenomenal since we stopped.”

Severus wondered how long it would take Lucius to figure out that thrum of magic was coming from the dark-haired child. He listened to Lucius prattle on for a few more minutes, before excusing himself with the excuse that he wanted to check his wagons before they were to move out.

Things were going well at his wagons; the twins had the second wagon ready to roll and were assisting Neville with the first. Severus decided to continue his ride down the train, making sure people were where he expected them. Sure enough, Lupin and Poppy were six wagons behind him, and Sirius was right behind them. He suspected the older couple right behind Black was somehow related to the Otters. After a wagon filled with very boisterous men, he passed the wagon Lucius must have been complaining about, with many small children and pack mules. Two wagons later he rode past the Creeveys' wagon and Percy's wagon – the sixth and seventh positions behind Black. He quickly looked down the rest of the wagon train: three wagons. He knew the wagon after Percy carried Orval Otter's brother and his family. The last two were wagons full of men. They were a wild-looking bunch and he was glad Percy was the one nearest to that crew. Whatever else could be said about that particular Weasley, he did have a rather uptight attitude about rules and wasn't afraid to request the rules be followed, not to mention he tended report those not following them.

Severus rode back to his wagon just before the call to head out came, after dodging four little boys who all looked almost the same age being chased by an older girl with flaming red hair who could have easily been a missing Weasley. She stopped and apologized for the twins, whom he discovered were actually two sets just a year apart, aged three and four. He also found out that there was another set of twins that was just learning to walk and the children's mother was newly pregnant again. The family was traveling just two wagons behind his second. With a sinking feeling, Severus knew deep in his heart he'd be seeing way to of those twins, as well, over the journey.

He had to take control of the wagon before the afternoon was over, for some reason the stupid creatures kept trying to go off in their own preferred direction while Neville had the reins. He sat teaching Neville the proper way to hold and move the straps, and the proper words to shout, but the moment the boy took them on his own the wagon veered off and out of line. By the time the train was brought to a stop for the night, Severus had to remind himself almost constantly not to hex the boy.

The next few weeks were the same and the journey soon became monotonous. He'd spend all day trying to keep Neville from running the wagon somewhere odd, as they drove over long stretches of waving grass; every once in a while there was a hill. On the third day he sent Neville to travel with Minerva and Moody, and managed to get Black to lend him Blaise during the day. Blaise couldn't stay at night though, because he was the protection for Poppy's wagon when Lupin wasn't there, and Poppy wanted him familiar with the wagon and those traveling in it. Lupin's monthly disappearance had turned out to be less of a problem than they had originally suspected. It was not unusual for the Captain to send out small groups of men for a few days, to scout out possible hazards and to go away to hunt. On the days Lupin was supposed to Portkey out, they simply made sure it was men from their group who went out.

Severus quickly came to regret the lack of company during the night though, and found himself wishing for a youth to replace Neville who wasn't on loan from one of the other families. It was lonely not having anyone to speak with around his camp fire at dinner and often he found himself not cooking anything substantial. Mrs. Otter would sometimes drop over some food, if they had extra. Orval, insisting it wasn't good for a man to be alone so much, spent a great deal of time talking at Severus as well. Sometimes he'd bring his boys, and Severus would talk with the two children while Orval happily continued chattering at him. Severus probably knew more about Orval's mother's clock from Germany which had to be left home and Nate's old dog, Spot, than even Orval's wife Felicity did. Severus, when the children weren't present, let his mind drift to the type of companion he desired- a bit quieter, someone he could talk with about his whole life, and someone who would appreciate him. The boy from the river always came to mind.

He didn't mind the lack of company too much in the very early morning, when he woke with the remnants of dreams he had thought he'd outgrown years before. The rest of the time he wished for real company. Sometimes other boys would come down to travel with them during the day, Ron often joining his brothers and Draco sometimes coming down to join Blaise. He enjoyed days with Draco, who was always full of stories about everyone else in the train.

“You should have seen it the first few days, Severus,” Draco said on one of the first days he'd joined them. “That fat blond who was whining to him mother that day at the river…he's had to walk most of the time. His dad never got him that horse. I'd have thought he'd ride in their wagon, but apparently it is too bumpy for his poor rear end. He was getting bruises.”

“You should not make fun of the boy. Would you like to ride in the wagon all day?”

“Merlin forbid, not in any circumstance. Mother says the only place the ride is even remotely bearable is sitting on the driver's seat. Father says it is the back of a horse. I agree with mother, as I don't mind riding on the driver's seat of a wagon. She made me stay inside the second day out, though, after I'd been burned by the sun. I was nauseous the whole day. I am so glad you put together a potion against sun burns, sir. “

Severus learned from Draco that Hermione had gone on another crusade and planned to have every child over the age of seven reading before they reached California. She, Hannah and Susan rode up and down the train giving lessons during the day. Ginny, the Creevey boys, and the youth traveling with Poppy- joined by Neville after Severus had sent him off to Minerva- had taken charge of keeping track of all their livestock…with the aid of several well-placed tracking spells.

Draco and Seamus were the biggest surprise of the students traveling with them, though. Although Severus shouldn't have been surprised, after all it had taken the full evening that first day they unable to gather wood to burn of driving to each wagon and explaining that no one could use their wands to gather fuel. He didn't care what the buffalo chips had been at one time; as long as they were dry they were now fuel and had to be picked up - by hand. They had all bought gloves before they left, after all. Draco and Seamus devised a game and had managed to wangle every single child who could walk and carry into finding and picking up fuel for the fires. Draco had dipped into his personal sweet supply, charmed by his dad and mum to be never-ending of course, and handed out prizes. For many of the children it was the only sweets they had during the day. Draco got the biggest kick watching other people pick up buffalo chips. ‘ Who wouldn't find a bunch of little children picking up waste funny ?' he'd insisted when asked. The fee for playing Draco's game? One tenth of what ever you found, keeping Draco from having to do any of the picking up of the chips himself. Severus kept a bag hanging off the side of his wagon and just tossed what he ran across during the day in there, asking the twins and whoever was helping drive the wagon to do so as well. Only rarely did he have to go looking for more in the evenings. The smell wasn't nearly as frightful as Severus had feared, either.

If Severus hadn't been keeping such a close watch on the use of magic within the wagon train, he would have missed the first signs of accidental magic. At first, he put the flares of magic down to the small children they had borrowed, who were all magical children.

The first occurrence was during a river crossing. Captain Scott had lost several families crossing the river the year before and refused to allow the wagons to ford the river, insisting they ferry across. Ferrying across wasn't entirely safe itself - the oxen and livestock hated it and there were several instances where feet were trampled or run over. Severus felt a huge calming spell being cast over everything several minutes into the crossing and figured one of the children had gotten scared. Upon asking, though, none of the small children known to be magical were within the area, as Fleur and Poppy had insisted they all be taken and settled before the wagons and animals. All the younger children were taken across first, and during the main crossing they were being watched by those women who were pregnant or whose job the child minding was inside the large tent the Weasleys had packed. The magical signature didn't really match any of his students, either. After the whole train was across, which was a two-day venture, Severus rode through and spoke to all the adults about watching the magic use, but none had used any magic. Severus was at a loss until Draco mentioned that all the animals and people had seemed much calmer right after the oxen bolted at the wagon behind them and nearly gored the boy they'd met getting water. It made sense as soon as Draco said it, and Severus had to keep himself from blushing when he realized the reason he hadn't thought to connect the spell to the young man - his thoughts on the youth first and foremost jumped to waking up embarrassed in the morning and not the thrum of magic the boy emitted.

“I don't think he'd have survived that either, that Dursley man would have killed him if the injury itself didn't. Didn't he say they were his cousin and uncle? I was certain he did, but that Dursley man says the dark haired boy is just a hired help. I don't know how he manages, they don't feed him and his uncle and cousin are always hitting him. Sometimes I worry he will be the first death on the trail from our train.” Draco said.

When the next several instances of magic outbursts were of a healing nature and again checking with those in charge of the children revealed it hadn't been them, Severus thought more and more about the boy in the wagon behind the Malfoys. He hadn't found a way to step in without drawing to much attention to himself and the rest of the Hogwarts group and although Draco was very worried, Lucius insisted it couldn't be quite as bad as Draco kept saying it was, otherwise the boy wouldn't be able to keep going on with his chores. Severus considered riding up and seeing the boy for himself, but dismissed the notion time and time again. He wasn't going to stalk the young man just because his body had taken notice. Severus finally decided that he would ask Draco to see if he could find out reason for Severus to approach the dark-haired young man the next time Draco rode with him.

They were near a river called the Little Blue River, and due to what the Captain was calling ‘uncommonly nice weather' they were covering a good amount of distance, averaging almost twenty-five miles a day. About a week before they were due to reach the Platte River, Captain Scott called for a three day layover for washing and stocking up with a bit of food.

“You'll prefer to wash here, as the next leg is along the Platte and it ain't a good river for cleaning at all.”

Nearly everyone was down at the river washing. Severus hoped to see Draco and make his request, as Blaise had been driving for Poppy the last several days so Draco had been there. Fred or George had driven instead when he couldn't, one taking each wagon when Severus was called to scout or hunt. Many of the men were seen washing out the heavier items like tents, and some ambitious folk even took down their wagon covering and washed it out. Women were working on the bedding and clothing. Some of the men, who weren't on wash duty had taken off to find some game; a few days' stopover would give enough time to do some butchering as well.

Severus spotted Harry before he located Draco. It was the first time Severus had seen Harry since they had left Independence. Severus allowed his body to walk him over to where the young man was doing the washing. Harry was nearly skin and bones and covered with bruises. He had all the family's laundry and was scrubbing it among the rocks. Draco's worries seemed a great deal more significant all of a sudden. Severus settled next to the young man.

“Hello again,” he said.

Harry turned to look at the man who'd spoken to him. “Oh, it's you. How have you been? Enjoying the journey so far?”

“It hasn't been too bad. A bit monotonous, grass and hills and the only trees are those here along the river bank. I also lost my co-driver.”

“Lost? I thought we'd not lost anyone yet.”

“He and the oxen don't get along well; he couldn't seem to control them. The situation had become much too stressful for both him and myself. I sent him to travel with our friends in the front of the train; Minerva and Alastor will take good care of him.”

“I am finding I work rather well with oxen.”

They were silent for a bit. Severus was watching the boy as he washed. Every once in a while, the boy would use the back of his hand to push the mop of hair out of his eyes, and Severus would catch a glimpse of the stunning green eyes. The action stirred him and Severus found himself allowing the cold water to splash onto his front as he scrubbed his clothing.

“That is quite a bit of clothing you have there,” he commented.

“Yes, Vernon and Dudley refuse to wear a shirt for much more than a day or two at a time. They insist they smell too awful if they do so, and I admit they do smell quite bad. Petunia is nearly as bad; they are wearing completely impractical clothing.”

“Where do they put it all?”

The boys face clouded over. “Sacrifices had to be made,” he answered, looking down at his own clothing. The boy picked up the washed clothing and set it in a basket. “I've got to go, I was only given an hour in which to wash. I'll see you later, maybe.”

Severus watched the boy leave, struggling to carry the basket of wet clothing. His shirt, oversized and hanging off his frame, slipped over one shoulder and Severus could see the dark hand marks bruised into the shoulder blade. Severus found himself agreeing with Draco…the boy wasn't being simply punished, it was more than that. It stirred a fierce surge of protective instinct in Severus which he had to fight down. He thought about going to Minerva with it, however she'd already been on Poppy's case about interfering with the day-to-day lives of the others traveling with them in the wagon train in such bold ways.

“What we consider abusive isn't necessarily what those around us do; even in our world people spank their children. Taking a belt to a child once or twice doesn't mean we have to step in automatically, Poppy…nor does a man bedding his wife, even if she is too young in our eyes. There are different ways here, and we need to be respectful of that.” Minerva lectured just the week before when Poppy had come asking what she could do within the wagon train. Severus was well aware Poppy had secretly given the young wife she'd been so worried about a contraceptive potion that would last a full month and she'd healed several children up after they'd been punished. He'd seen Bill bringing her the children from the wagon behind them more than once. Minerva had owled a report to Albus, though, and Poppy had been the recipient of a unique howler, which first cast a silencing spell before yelling.

The camp was a hive of activity when Severus got back. He took a few moments to hang his clothing and start a fire; he wanted to get some brewing done before they started up again. His headache draught was running low and Poppy wanted some sort of potion to keep insects from biting. When he had his fire going he went towards the main camp fire and discovered that the men who'd gone out hunting had brought several antelope back. They decided to have the evening meal together, sharing out what was left out after everyone had finished eating. Minerva had also asked that one of the sheep be slaughtered, and one of the other families had a cow that was going lame and was put down as well. Most of the meat from both animals was to end up dried, and Captain Scott showed everyone several ways which to travel with the drying racks so that they need not stay in one place until the meat was completely dried.

The next few nights Severus made the effort to attend the dances that the train managed to put together. He'd avoided those held previously- he had no patience with dances of any sort - but he wanted to catch a glimpse of the boy. He couldn't sleep at night from worrying. The last night they were camped Severus finally caught sight of the boy.

He noticed the boy's aunt and uncle first (even if they didn't acknowledge it), but didn't see the dark-haired youth anywhere. The cousin, who was still huge even after weeks of walking, was hanging out with a small group of other young men, who were bullying some of the younger children. He recognized the two youths who had the step-mother about their own age and the oldest from the wagon with the pack mules. He was relieved to see that none of their young men had joined the group of bullies and noticed the Otter boys avoided them as well. He noticed the girls of their group were in demand and danced every dance. Even the younger girls of the train, those aged only about ten or eleven, were often taken for a whirl. He noticed the young redheaded girl who traveled with the family with all the twins looking on wistfully, but she had her hands full with the four little boys. Before long Fleur came over and offered to watch the small boys while she took a turn dancing with one of the Weasley twins.

Finally he caught sight of the boy he'd come looking for, leaning against a wagon and watching. From the way he was standing, Severus was certain he'd been hurt again. Unfortunately the uncle also saw the youth.

“Boy, what did I tell you? No one here wants a freak attending a happy gathering. Get back to the tent,” the fat man growled, smacking the youth across the face. Harry backed away from the campfire and Severus was about to go find the young boy and carry him off like some knight in shining amour when a cry went out. Someone's little girl had gotten too close to the fire and her skirts got caught in the flame. Luckily, Bill was nearby and doused her skirts with a bucket of water, but the child was howling and her mother was nearly as bad. Severus stalked over to the commotion was going on, the others making way for him after he pushed the first few people blocking him out of his path.

“Ma'am, you bring the child and come with me. I have something in my wagon that will be of aid. Bill, pick up her other young one and take the baby. Go find their father. Bring them back to the first of my wagons if you can't find him, not the one your brothers drive. Tell Poppy to meet me there as well if you see her.”

The young mother and the child followed Severus, the woman singing softly trying to get the child to calm down.

“Here we are.”

The young woman looked up and noticed where they were. “You're the man who is two wagons behind us. Do you really have something that can help?”

Severus nodded, pulling out a chest from the back of his wagon. Upon opening there were a myriad of bottles, vials and jars. Severus poured some water from the inside bucket onto a cloth, and quickly washed the burns, augmenting the physical cleaning with a mild Scourgify spell. Then he pulled out a burn salve and spread it over the young child's leg.

“It's not nearly as bad as we were thinking,” he told the mother, trying to give her a rational reason for the quick healing he was certain his potion would produce. It was really as bad as he had feared, third degree burns on much of the child's leg, but Bill had got the fire on her clothing doused quick enough so there was not much charring of the flesh and he'd managed to distract the mother so she hadn't seen what was there before the salve went on. It would have been horrid if there was no one in the train that could heal. “Bring her back tomorrow morning and I'll redress the wounds.”

As Severus was speaking, pointing out the best way to hold the child's legs, he slipped the young girl some pain potion as well. He'd have Poppy do some simple pain relief charms on the child throughout the next day, if need be.

That night Severus felt a huge surge of magic sweep through his tent, which he set up between his wagons each night. He discovered traces of the magic all over both his wagons the next morning. He had fully expected to have the child come to him fully healed, however she hadn't. The burn was much improved, but still pretty bad. He showed the young mother, who finally introduced herself as Kathleen Anders, how to dress the burns and offered to let the child, Jessica, sit up by him while he drove the wagon that day. He was well aware that the child had been walking as they hadn't room in their wagon for her. Severus invited Ginny Weasley to sit with them, figuring the mother would be more comfortable letting her child ride with Ginny there instead of just in the company of a relatively unknown male. It also put the child somewhere where they could give her pain potions and coat the burn with the burn salve much more often.

The next several days were spent listening to Ginny teach the child the alphabet while he drove the wagon all day, once the child was in a condition to pay attention. Severus would have turned the driving over to Blaise, except he needed to be near the young one to dress her wounds and give her the potions they were using on her, which had to be done every few hours. It could have been worse, Severus constant reminded himself – it could have happened to one of those twins a few wagons back. At least Jessica could sit still and was somewhat quiet.

They were encouraged to store up water before they reached the Platte, if they were lucky they might even have enough stored up not to have to use the Platte water for drinking before they reached Fort Kearny. Severus secured two of the extra charmed barrels to the side of his wagons, and made a big show of filling them up. Oddly enough, he'd become rather fond of the Otter family during their traveling and was hoping they'd accept at least drinking water from the barrels. Every time anyone spoke of the Platte River, Severus shuddered. No wonder so many were lost to disease along the trail.

The Platte was everything he'd dreaded it would be, and he was never more grateful for their charmed barrels. The little girl who'd been burned had been able to start walking again just the day before they reached the Platte and he quickly informed Mrs. Anders that if they didn't have enough water, she was to bring the girl to his wagon and he'd use his water, but she was absolutely not to use the water from that river to wash the child's wounds until he gave her permission.

A few days later, they stopped at Fort Kearny for a day and Severus spoke to the indigenous peoples for the first time. He found them much more intelligent than many of the soldiers stationed at the fort.

The fort doctor had been giving advice which made Poppy irate. Luckily many of the folk had learned to have a great deal of faith in what Poppy told them, and so most listened to her rather than the doctor. They bought a few chickens for fresh eggs, although Minerva informed them that the method she was trying, storing the eggs in a barrel of cornmeal and using the cornmeal as one unburied the eggs, worked very well. Several families replaced items that had been broken, bought items they hadn't thought of bringing with them (like flannel shirts, everyone kept insisting Severus needed some flannel shirts) or bought material to sew up clothing to replace that which was falling apart. Letters were written, to be taken back by those who were returning, for whatever reasons.

That night another magical surge passed through the train, and Severus once again couldn't identify what exactly had gone on. It was not healing in nature, nor was it similar to any charms, hexes or curses he knew. He considered getting up, but he could hear the sentries from the fort patrolling and it wasn't worth trying to explain to go investigate, since he did know it wasn't dark in nature. With Draco's comments he was pretty certain he knew at least where the magic was coming from.

The next day he got his first clue to the mysterious intent of the magic that swept through camp. It was rather windy, and the cloth he'd been using to remove the pots off the fire blew from the rock he'd set it on into the fire. It did not burn. Intrigued, Severus got a stick and went to fish it out and a gust of wind whipped the flames up and over his arm. His shirt should have caught on fire, as it wasn't one of those he'd already spelled but a new one…one of those flannel shirts everyone kept saying was a necessity. It hadn't felt like the charm he used, but he was certain that the magic surge had been a fire repellant.

He looked long and hard at the cloth and his shirt. That night he joined the others around the fire in the middle of the train, where they were getting up another dance. He heard several people talking about how they'd had close calls with accidents due to the fires whipping about in the wind, but had just escaped. He spoke that night to all those in their group, reminding them to pay attention to the magic usage of their charges and told Minerva, Poppy and Lucius to keep a feel out for more magical surges.

“It will make no difference,” Mr. Malfoy told them. “Haven't you noticed? There is just a very powerful ambient magical field through out this area.”

“No there isn't.” Minerva said. “I can sense some pockets, but for the most part there are not many strong magical locales that we have passed through.”

Severus shrugged, his job had been to keep his senses open for magic usage on the trip and keep it to a minimum, and he wasn't supposed to be noting magical hotspots. Sure, he'd felt a few and wrote the locations down…any good wizard would.

“I don't know about a strong field, but I have noticed how the area seems to have a soft ambient magic clinging to it,” Poppy noted.

Lucius glared. “I am telling you, it is a strong field. Working at the school must have dampened your senses. Severus, pay attention the next few days and you'll see I'm right.”

They parted, and Severus walked Lucius back to his wagon. “I'm not sure that what you sense is the area's magical field.”

“Of course it, Snape. What else could it be?”

“It could be a someone.”

“Nonsense. The air thrums with the feel of magic, just ask that Weasley boy and my odd niece.”

They spoke for a while about how the journey was going and how the family was dealing with it. Severus thought it hilarious, although he made sure not to show it, that Narcissa was having a grand time.

“We've done a trip to Paris over the holidays so often and it is so overdone. None of our friends will have done anything like this. I'll have everyone's attention for months,” she explained as she made him stay for tea and sweets.

Draco, he'd already been informed, found the whole trek infinitely worthwhile due to the wonderful physique it was leaving him with. “Look at this body, Severus. Have you ever seen such perfection?” was the remark he was treated to the day before they reached the fort. Severus had to agree that for most of those with them, the trek was favorable for their bodies.

It was nearly five days out of Fort Kearny that Severus, and the others, felt the next surge of magic washing through the wagon train. They were stopped, even though they hadn't yet managed more than two hours of travel, due to a loose wagon wheel on wagon number three. Captain Scott noticed and caught the problem before the wheel could come off and possibly snap the axel, and then rode down the rest of the train, checking everyone's wagons for potential problems as well. Just as the man had passed Severus' second wagon, the magical surge swept through, and this time Severus managed to cast a spell that would lead him to the source, although he was certain where he would find himself.

Fred came running to the front wagon. “Sir, did you feel that? That can't be a good thing, something must be wrong!”

Severus agreed. “I'm going to go check; you drive this wagon if we start up before I get back.”

Following the tracking spell, Severus moved forward towards the front of the train. He didn't have to go far. The cause of the commotion was just five wagons ahead. Many people were there, some just standing around, others stopping Lucius Malfoy and Charlie Weasley from getting to the center of the knot. Severus could feel the fear and hurt rolling out from the middle of the knot of people, and knew he had to get into the center quickly. Severus, after a few good jabs of his elbow in just the right spot, soon reached the site of the problem.

“I told you, you little freak, I told you! You are not to eat the food, you have your own previsions and you can eat from those, but you cannot eat our food. Every morsel is precious out on these plains.” Each sentence was punctuated with a punch or a kick from the huge man bellowing at the dark-haired boy.

“I didn't…” A cuff across the face silenced the protest.

“I saw you! You brought that spoon to your mouth. You ate the food.”

“But I had to taste…” The punch that cut the youth off tossed him across towards Severus.

The youth was bleeding, blood flowing out of his mouth, and more terrifying to Severus, out of his nose and one ear. His breathing was ragged and the uneven sound had a slight gurgle to it. Severus heart nearly froze. He'd been so distracted –first with the little girl, then Fort Kearny and opening up to the land's ambient magic, and finally tracking the magic use in the wagon train, that he'd not been paying as close attention as he had planned on to the dark-haired youth the past few days, except in dreams of the unmentionable sort.

“Stop!” Severus shouted. He bolstered the command with magic and everyone stopped. Lucius Malfoy and Charlie were released and came to stand by Severus.

“Please, sir…” the boy begged. Severus wasn't sure what he was begging for.

“What is the meaning of this?” Severus demanded.

“The boy stole our food.” The heavy man yelled, looking slightly stunned.

“I am under the impression that the boy is traveling with you. Am I correct?”

“Yes. But he ate our food!”

“Is it not his food as well?”

“No, he has his own provisions.”

“Yet, he was cooking the food he was accused of eating?”

“So? He can't have any of that. It's ours.”

“Did any of his provisions go into the meal?”

“Probably, but he still can't eat any of that, it's ours.”

“Did he actually have any of it? Serve himself a dish?”

“He put that spoon in his mouth. Of course he was having himself some, because I know for a fact his provisions are mostly gone.”

“Excuse me? Has he come to you and informed you of this? Or were you in HIS provisions?”

“It doesn't matter if me or my family got into his provisions, they're in my wagon and I can do whatever I please with what's in my wagon. However, he can't eat our food. I should just take the rest of his food as payment; yes that would be fair. He has no provisions left. He can starve-or better yet leave. Since his is gone he can just go back to the fort. We aren't that far out.”

Severus looked at the bellowing man as if he were insane. The child was a bloody mess, they were five days from the Fort, but in the boy's condition he'd be dead before he could make it.

“Boy…”The child looked at Severus in fear and Severus realized that was what his uncle always referred to him as. “Harry, would you explain to me…”

“You ain't got no right messing in this affair.” Severus was spun to face a large barreled-bodied man with a scraggly yellow beard who had just started yelling at him from the crowd. He was one of the more wild men traveling in the wagon train. Rumor had the man responsible for everything from bank robberies to stealing a pig from his neighbor before being run out of his old town. Severus simply knew he didn't like the man.

“I don't?” Severus asked the man. “And why haven't I?”

“This here's an issue between Dursley and his hired help.”

“Hired help?”

“Yes. Dursley here said this boy is hired help and that's why he does all the chores.”

“As hired help, is it proper for the one doing the hiring to go into the helps belongings and take what they want?”

“Well, no- that's stealing.”

“Then, sir, I suggest you unhand me and go over the conversation earlier in your mind a few times, if you can recall those few moments. Sit.”

“Now, being hired help…or not… the fact is Harry was just told to leave by Mr. Dursley and therefore I can and will involve myself in the matter, as a potential employer,” Severus announced to the rest of the crowd, glaring at any who looked as if they might speak out and causing Harry's uncle to stutter.

“Harry, can you tell me what happened? I don't want to hear the tale only from the side of a man who not only can't seem to control his temper, but seems to be dishonest.”

The first thing Severus noticed was Harry's breathing had eased a little. He then noticed Draco standing a bit behind the crowd with his wand out. At Severus' acknowledgement, or rather glare, Draco nodded and tucked his wand into his sleeve, where Severus knew Draco kept a concealed wand holder.

“Well…” Harry started, his eyes darting from his uncle, who was turning an alarming shade of red, to Severus, as if trying to come to some decision. With one last look at his uncle, Harry looked straight into Severus' eyes. “Well, Dursley insisted that since we were stopped there was enough time for a hot meal, after all just three meals a day is barbaric. I started the last of the meat I cooked up last night into a stew with the remainder of the vegetables from last night. Together it would only have to heat through, with a little bit of liquid and some seasoning. I brought the spoon to my mouth to see how much more salt was going to be needed, if any. Then Dursley started shouting and beating me.”

“Did you take more than a bite?”

“No, sir. You don't need more than a single bite to determine if more seasoning is needed.”

“On average, how many tastes do you need before you have finished cooking a meal?”

“Two per dish that needs seasoning. One to check if any is needed and one after I've added seasonings to make sure it is all well.”

Severus looked around to the crowd that had gathered. “Now, I ask, is that unreasonable for cooking? Would any of you consider that actually eating?”

Other than the few young men who shouted “Taste test? Season? Well, damn, that's what we've been doing wrong!” the others gathered agreed that it was more than fair, many of the women and men who cooked pointing out it often took them five or six bites to get the food right. All agreed that it wasn't actually eating.

Severus nodded. “Harry, did you use any of your provision in the meal today?”

“Yes, Dursley insists I use my own flour because their bags are up front under too much stuff to pull out. Since it was an impromptu meal, Ma'am hadn't left any of the dried foodstuffs out either, so I used a wee bit of my dried apples to add to last night leftovers.”

“So, some of the food you tasted was yours…or at least should be yours?”

“Yes, but Dursley says it doesn't count as mine if I had to add it to their meal.”

“How long has your flour been used for meals?”

“Almost two weeks.”

“So Dursley could have pulled out their flour on at least three occasions?”

“Yes, sir.”

The crowd started murmuring again, looking at Dursley and then the boy.

“So, you have not, in fact, eaten anything at all that wasn't part of your provisions?”

“No sir.”

“You have, instead, loaned your provisions to the Dursleys…or rather been forced to give your provisions to the Dursleys?

Harry nodded. “Have you received payment for doing so? Have they repaid you the foodstuffs they've used?”

“No.”

“We all know what it is called when we take what is not ours without paying for it in some manner, don't we?” Severus asked the crowd.

Harry's uncle was nearly foaming at the mouth as the people gathered talked about it as if the boy wasn't doing the stealing. “Boy! You are no longer welcome here. If I see your face near my wagon I'll kill you,” Dursley hissed.

“Well, you will have to control yourself somewhat because he shall be traveling with me. I want the remainder of his previsions brought to my wagon before nightfall, as well as the rest of his items. You will find yourself extremely sorry if anything is missing. Harry, come with me, we'll get you cleaned up. Charlie,” Severus said, turning to the young redheaded man beside him, “Go get Poppy and tell her to meet me at my front wagon. Draco can ride with Dora if we move before you get back. Have Blaise come assist me.”

Draco had been standing close enough to hear and took off for the wagon in front of his family's wagon. Charlie went with him, and was riding by on a horse before Severus had even managed to walk past Orval's wife's parents' wagon. Charlie waved as he passed.

“Remind me to ask Mr. Otter what his wife's folks' last name is,” Severus muttered as they passed.

“Yes, sir.” The voice was quite small and the child's breathing was sounding wrong again.

They had passed the next wagon before the boy spoke again. “Do you really mean it, sir?”

“Mean what?”

“You'll take me with you?”

“Yes, I wasn't lying. I could use someone to travel with me. It's been hard since I sent Neville away.”

The boy stiffened and stopped walking.

“You've sent someone away? Where did he go? Did you make him walk back alone? What was wrong?”

“Halt. Remember that day down by the river, washing clothing? I told you about it already. Neville Longbottom can't drive oxen. Have you driven a wagon before?”

“Yes,” Harry answered, sounding none too sure.

“When you take the reins, where do your oxen go?”

“Where I tell them to, even without much signaling, they still just followed right behind the wagon in front of us.”

“Exactly. When Longbottom takes the reins, for some odd reason oxen start to wander off. They veer out of the line. He simply could not make them follow his commands. Still can't. Furthermore, I didn't send him back; I had him go travel with one of the other members of our group. He never liked me, really, and is very happy with Minerva and Alastor up at wagon six. He doesn't even have to do any cooking anymore.”

“But what…”

“If for some reason we really couldn't work together, I would find someone from my traveling companions who would have a place for you. However, I really don't think you will have any issues here.”

Harry paused and tilted his head. “I'll give it a go, I guess.”

Severus smiled. He had been hoping the young man would say that. He desired nothing more than to get to know the youth. After the scene with his uncle, Severus' interest in other types of relationships had dimmed considerably. He rather thought the young man would shy away from most physical contact and had no intention of scaring the youth.

Severus had lowered the back of the wagon and lifted Harry into it by the time Poppy arrived. Severus nearly laughed when Harry pointed out how organized his wagon was; compared to the others he'd seen. “This is Poppy,” Severus said as Poppy pushed her way into the back of the wagon. “She knows a bit of medicine, as do I. I'd like her to check you over, but that might be best if you were asleep. May we remove at least your shirt?”

Harry removed his shirt, insisting he wasn't tired enough to sleep. Severus watched Poppy as Harry undressed, and noted her shocked expression. “I think a cup of tea is in order, Severus,” she said.

Severus nodded and soon handed Harry a cup of tea, doctored a bit with a sleeping draught. They settled Harry back as the potion took effect.

“I don't see how he could even be walking about.” Poppy said. “I can tell from the bruising at his side he has at least a few broken ribs. I think one of his arms might be broken as well.”

“It doesn't surprise me; you know what magic can do.”

“But…”

“Poppy, open your senses.”

“Merlin be…he thrums with magic, doesn't he?”

Poppy stayed with Severus for the rest of the afternoon. Severus counted it lucky that they had about six wagons in the train that had loose wheels and so they didn't start moving again until nearly two in the afternoon. More than once over the course of treating Harry's injuries, Poppy muttered that if he'd been a Muggle he'd have been dead.

“I can't believe no one stopped this,” Poppy muttered.

Severus sadly shook his head, feeling pretty upset at himself as it was. He'd known something was wrong, but he hadn't thought it was as bad as it was and he'd let himself become sidetracked when he should have concentrated on the boy. He had a feeling Harry probably wasn't the only child in the wagon train who was being abused, and not just punished. Poppy finished with the charms and spell work, and grabbed a sheet of paper from one of the trunks, along with a quill and ink.

Within minutes a list was handed to Severus.

“These are the potions he'll need and I want him to remain asleep and still for at least two days. He's spelled with a cushioning charm and to float above the bedding a bit so the jostling of the wagon won't shake him much.”

Night fall came and nothing had been brought to Severus' wagon. Severus left Harry asleep under the watchful eyes of the twins and went to the Malfoy's wagon.

“Would you like to come with me?” He asked.

“Where are you going?” Draco asked.

“”To retrieve my new charge's belongings. First I'm going to first ride up to Captain Scott's wagon and have him come with me as well. If you want to come along, meet me here as we come by, ready to go.”

Draco and Lucius nodded and Severus went to discuss the issue with the Captain. Captain Scott agreed that the Dursleys should give all of Harry's belongings to Severus' care and walked with him to confront the large man.

“That boy doesn't own a thing.” Mr. Dursley insisted when they asked.

“I and my boy both heard you earlier saying the boy has his own provisions. He also has at least one other shirt- such as they are- and a bedroll,” Lucius said.

“You told me that all members of your traveling party were in possession of the bare minimum on that list I handed to you when you first asked to travel with me.” Captain Scott added.

“Yes, well, the boy lost it all or wasted it somehow. What we have in our wagon now is ours. It is all Dursley property and that boy ain't stealing our stuff.”

“You either come up with the youth's remaining items or you come up with the money to allow Mr. Snape here to buy the provisions Harry will need for the rest of the journey at the next Fort, as well as compensation for having to provide for him from his own stores until then,” Captain Scott told Dursley.

Dursley turned the same alarming shade he had earlier. “I'll see what I can do.” He stomped over to the back of his wagon and started rummaging around.

Severus stayed, tapping his foot while he waited for Dursley to bring Harry's belongings. It didn't take long for the man to come back over to him a small bundle wrapped in an old blanket. Severus took it and opened the top. “Where are his other trousers? Shirt? Long underwear? Where are his eating utensils and canteen? Didn't he have more food provisions? You said he was almost finished with his but both of you acknowledged there was more left.”

“Don't know, that was all I could find. Now, you'd best be going.”

“Dursley, I strongly suggest you bring what you do find over to the Snape wagons and that you better be finding more soon,” Captain Scott said, before turning to leave.

“Yeah, I'll find his stuff, sure, and he'll get it….someday,” Dursley muttered as the others started to leave, unaware they could hear him.

“What are you going to do, Severus?” Draco asked.

Snape smirked. “By midnight tonight I'll have everything from the wagon that is or should be Harry's.”

Lucius smirked as well. “I'll help by slipping them sleeping draughts. It will cut down a little on the spellcasting that is done.”

That night, Severus Snape stood outside the Dursley wagon and summoned the belongings of the boy Harry to him, shrinking and tucking the food provisions and other bulky items away. Bit by bit they would be added to the Snape wagon inventory. He was aware that there were items still in the Dursley wagon that probably should have been Harry's…or that were pointed out to the Captain as belonging to Harry for purpose of making sure it appeared as if everyone in the wagon was equipped that didn't respond when Severus summoned Harry's items, as the boy was still woefully under-equipped. However, he also ended up with several items he doubted the boy knew were really his belongings, like a small chest full of books… valuable books, and several nice quilts.

Severus did send the cooking pots and pans back into the wagon, when he realized that they were all designated as Harry's. He had a particularly evil grin adorning his face as he thought of Mrs. Dursley struggling with them over the next several days.

Draco volunteered to drive Severus wagon for the next two days as Severus cared for the youth in the back. He roused Harry just long enough to get the potions down him and then put him back to sleep. Severus would sit by the youth's side, brushing the hair off his face and making sure he was as comfortable as Severus could make him. Poppy came over to the wagon a few more times to cast spells and check for other problems that might have been hidden. The boy quickly healed under their care.

Harry refused to remain asleep a third day and insisted he was up to driving for at least part of the day. He was truly surprised to see any of his belongings at Severus' wagon. When Severus asked about the rest his answer was simply “Sacrifices had to be made” just as it had been at the river when he was doing the Dursleys' wash. Although Severus was at first skeptical about Harry being well enough to drive, he did just fine…much better than Neville ever had.

They settled that day into a comfortable routine. Harry would drive during the morning and Severus would join him for the afternoons, unless he was needed elsewhere. Severus would drive the wagon and Harry would sit beside him, or ride horseback right beside the wagon, and they would talk. Harry was a natural with the horses, and was thrilled he'd be able to ride so often. Severus slowly chiseled away at the youth until he could get his story out of him, and Harry did the same with Severus.

The second day Harry was awake; Severus spoke of magic for the first time. Severus was spending the whole day riding with Harry, although many of the others who could go had ridden out to find the extent of the flattened and churned-up ground they were covering. The Captain had informed them all that they were very lucky- it was the sign of a stampede, which had probably occurred just the day before.

“How come your water is always clear, fresh and cool?” Harry asked.

“Do you believe in magic?” Severus asked in return.

“Uncle Vernon said magic doesn't exist, often very forcefully,” Harry answered, rubbing his side.

“Well, we all know what Uncle Vernon really is. Harry, magic exists. People who can do acts of magic exist. There are many of us in this wagon train, traveling together to set up a school for magical children in California. The other main school for America is in Salem, but they were in need of a school out west somewhere and decided California would be best. The barrels on our wagons have been spelled to keep the water pure and chilled and to never empty.”

“Really? Magic exists?” Harry's face clouded for a few moments. “What type of things can magic do?”

“It can be used to heal; there are spells for calming people and creatures. Magic can change something from one thing to another, generally temporarily. It can be used to both defend and attack, and when you know where you are going, it can be used to travel. Magic is used in making clothing and sometimes even food production. We use it to keep food supplies fresher and to shrink belongings so everything we needed would fit. Many of our items were also spelled to be lighter.”

“Always with spells? Or can it happen without really knowing it, like if someone was frightened?” Harry asked.

“Accidental magic happens to those who are magical, often when they are frightened and often without them knowing. Also magic tends to try to keep itself alive, so it might heal the body enough to keep going when it needs to, without the one who is magical knowing it had happened. Has anything odd ever happened around you, Harry?”

Harry nodded.

“I thought it might have.”

The Platte River, or the mighty muddy muck, as Severus had quickly taken to calling it, was their companion still and the lifeline for the travelers, sadly. Severus and the rest of the magical community had never been so grateful for the spelled barrels and the clean water they had for drinking and cooking with. They still brought the stock down to drink at the river, which was shallow and often quite wide, but usually not all that fast-moving. The rest of the train often had to let their water sit for an hour before they could use it to allow the mud to sink to the bottom of the buckets. After the little children in the Otter wagon and the wagon before that spent a few days ill, Severus - at his young charge's request - invited the small children over to have a cup of good water a day. The day after that Fred and George brought all the twins from the wagon behind them to drink at Severus' barrels as well. The mob, as Severus growled when the children overran his camp to get their drinks, was becoming fast friends with the boys who hung around Severus' wagons.

Little known to Harry and the children -but well known to Poppy, all the Weasleys and the Grangers, who were also doing it - the cups of clean water were spelled to help them fight off the diseases the muddy, and sometimes near-stagnant, water of the Platte could cause. Minerva, it seemed, had taken care of ensuring the elderly folk in the wagon had water that wasn't going to kill them. Those who went out hunting each day had so far been successful each time, even if they only brought back rabbits or other small game, so no one was relying solely on their stores.

The Captain had promised a several day layover at Ash Hollow, which was one of the camp areas which was most anticipated on the whole trek. First, they had to cross the Platte, so they would end up following the North Platte and not get stranded somewhere in the middle of nowhere. The Captain had scouts ride into the river at the spot he'd used for crossing on previous journeys, and drive poles along to make a trail through the river. It wasn't very deep, but it was more than a mile wide. What the Captain liked best about that particular place to cross was that the river bottom was much more solid than in most other areas. Scott didn't even think any special care would be needed to be able to cross without getting everything wet inside the wagons.

The crossing turned out to be smooth and the only problem they had was dealing with the livestock traveling with them. The children who herded them across easily dried out in the sun, afterwards.

They traveled on after crossing the river and camped at the top of Windlass Hill, which was about 300 feet nearly straight down. It would be the first time the party had to lower the wagons by rope, but it wouldn't be the last. It took two days to get the wagons down. Harry helped Severus lower both wagons during the early morning of the second day. Severus helped with about half the rest of the wagons and then spent the rest of the day getting the splinters out of Harry's hands. They spent two more days at Ash Hollow, enjoying the cleaner water, having wood to burn, and doing a great deal of washing and mending. The captain asked that everyone check over their harnesses and leather works, as well as check out all the ropes they frequently used for excessive wear.

Many of the men went out hunting the day after they got all the wagons all down the hill, ‘to rid themselves of excess adrenalin', Severus told Harry. He took Harry out from camp and taught the boy how to shoot both the guns Severus owned – just in case, Severus told Harry. It was the first time he'd been able to get Harry to leave the wagons or their tent since Harry had joined him. Women made breads and soups, cooking food they thought wouldn't spoil while they had the chance. Several large animals were brought in and the whole train had roasted meats the first night. They were moving out of the seas of tall grass and into new land which wasn't as well suited for moving the amount of miles each day they had been used to.

They moved more slowly in those days after leaving Ash Hollow. The soil was sandy and they traveled up and down bluffs and along the bottom of ravines. Two days after they left Ash Hollow the huge red rocks became visible. Although the rocks were still far off the sight had seemed to invigorate the wagon train and people were in fine spirits.

The day they passed the huge rocks, more than half the camp found the means to get closer to the huge rocks. Captain Scott, citing the good traveling they'd been blessed with, allowed the whole second half of the day for seeing the huge landmasses. Many climbed to the top and carved their names, enjoying the view. Severus overheard Ron whispering to his brothers about riding brooms around the massive bluffs and quickly rid them of the idea. Severus enjoyed watching Harry climbing around at the base of the massive rocks just as the other young people from Hogwarts were doing, but he enjoyed the fact that Harry always made sure Severus was in sight even more.

The next day found them taking a midday break at Chimney Rock, which Severus found easily the most impressive thing he'd seen thus far. Lucius rode back and informed him that it was a rather magical spot as well. It was the first time Lucius had been back to Severus' wagons since Harry had joined him.

“Odd,” he said. “You must be stopped over a magical hotspot. It's literally humming with magic here. The ambient magic up by my wagon is much more like Minerva was commenting on; I have been wondering if Draco had been up to something and hadn't shielded his spellwork right.”

Severus smirked. He suspected Draco had caught on about Harry, since he'd let himself slip into conversations of magic a few times while traveling with Severus and Harry. And he was certain the twins knew, but obviously Lucius still hadn't figured it out. The stop at Chimney Rock, although just a couple of hours that was used as noon break, gave the team from Hogwarts enough time to get enough coordinates for Apparation, and for further studies on the Rock's magical properties, although most of the students were not helping in any way. Years latter, Severus wondered if these young people's children would come to the spot to find the names they'd carved into the landmark that day. Harry joined the Hogwarts youths without needing Severus with in his sight constantly for the first time since he started traveling with Severus. Severus was proud of him, but the small victory was a little bitter sweet.

The wagon train had to veer south a bit to go around the last of the huge bluffs that jetted out with such magnificence. The small children had taken to asking Captain Scott at all times if the huge bluffs were named after him. Although the man told them time and time again that they were not, many children just wouldn't believe him.

Hermione came up and spent time with Harry for the first time while they were passing along the bluffs. Severus, who found it rather humorous that she was still on her educate-the-whole-wagon-train crusade, had to stop himself from laughing as she made Harry read excerpts from the small reading books she'd borrowed from Mary Stanley (Orval's wife's sister…Severus was finally getting the family straight) until she was satisfied he could read. She then quizzed him on spelling, math, geography, sciences, and even Latin. Finally she declared him well educated and asked if he was willing to do evening lessons for some of the grown men if they asked. She'd already conned all the Weasley boys into the task.

They'd been lucky with the weather so far, a few rain showers, but always followed by sun and with little wind. Captain Scott had, in fact, jokingly insisted the wagon train was charmed. There had been few injuries, none that had taken a life, very little illness, and they hadn't even had to stop for repairs or the weather very often.

Although Severus and the rest of his traveling companions quietly took credit for the lack of illness, Severus considered the pleasant weather to be just plain luck and the lack of need for repairs to due to Captain Scott's insistence for good maintenance. Severus was certain the frequent checks on the wheels and undercarriages of the wagons had prevented many potential accidents. Sure, they'd had to deal with the mosquitoes, gnats, and other bugs, but even these hadn't been nearly as bad as they had been expecting.

The weather couldn't hold indefinitely. It started raining, and raining. The winds were horrid. For the first time, Severus tied the horses to the wagons and even he had problems seeing through the wind-driven rains. The wagons became bogged down in the mud and many mothers who'd tossed their small tots in the back to keep them somewhat dry, found themselves dealing with sickness because the children ended up with motion sickness. After two days of the rain and mud, the Captain insisted they would camp until the storms let up a bit.

The Captain led them up closer to the bluffs, where there was good water and grass, and even some wood. They were tucked into a somewhat protected area, cutting down the winds quite a bit. They would all maintain that it was a very good thing, however most families still decided to take as much of the items they'd attached to the sides of their wagons down and tuck them inside. The livestock had been gathered and corralled.

The rain let up at the very end of the first day they were camped and the Captain decided it was too late to move. The next morning was sunny, but the Captain must have sensed something most of the wagon train didn't. He warned them not to unpack to wash yet, nor to leave camp. The storm swept in before mid-morning, hailstones the size of small eggs pelted down. They fell hard enough to mar the sides of the hardwood wagons and leave lumps on the heads of those unfortunates who didn't find shelter quickly enough.

One of the Otter boys caught the first sight of the column of twisting clouds which was barreling down along the wagon trail. If they had still been on the trail or heading back to it, they would have been right in its path. Severus watched as prairie animals were caught up in the twisting mass, as well as several of the discarded bits of junk that littered the trail. Their animals started to panic, Harry and several of the other teen-aged boys trying to work with them to keep them settled and prevent a stampede. A surge of magic calmed the creatures before the boys lost control and Severus knew Harry had been responsible again.

The twisting mass passed, but was followed directly by a lightning storm and hard rain. There were a few close calls but the train's somewhat sheltered camping spot seemed to protect it from most of the brutal storm. A few hours later, the storm had passed, and by noon several women had enough hot food cooking to feed the whole train using the wood they'd tucked away in their wagons the night before.

They spent the next day washing and drying everything out. The children were sent out with older teens to locate any items which had blown off and away. Several of the young men who were in wagons where they could leave someone in camp to do the washing and such, went out in search of food. They brought back two young buffalo that had been standing by the corpse of their mother, who had been struck by the lightning. They reported several areas where it looked like the lightning had struck the ground and started small fires, but the rain hadn't let any of those get a good start and there were no fires burning that they could see. Another group had brought in a large buffalo, which had been injured and limping when they shot it. They ate buffalo roast for dinner and started the hides curing and the rest of the meat drying as well as taking the time to start other means of preserving. They decided to stay an extra day to allow the preserving to get farther along before they started traveling again.

When they left, they hadn't been traveling for more than half the morning before they came upon a small train that hadn't been so lucky. Captain Scott ordered his wagon train to stop in order to give what aid they could. Even two days after the storm the small train was in chaos. Scott gave the order to set up camp off to the side, and gave Severus and the boy who'd been on horseback right by the front wagon, the order to find out some information. Severus and the oldest Otter boy finally found someone who could speak to them and tell them what had gone wrong.

The train had been down to just twenty wagons. In Independence the captain, Mr. Rider, had put together a wagon train of only those traveling to Oregon. It was only his second trek across, his first as a captain of a train. They had very few wagons of young men; they were mostly families and couples, many with over-filled wagons and people packed too closely together. They'd had four families turn back at Fort Kearny when they realized they weren't nearly prepared enough. Then they lost another four wagons due to illness or accidents along the way. The captain had decided to just travel through the storms and hope to reach Fort Laramie and dry out there because they had already had too many stop days already due to illnesses or burying people. They had been in their line as they traveled when the feel of the air changed, and then the hail storm started.

The livestock had spooked and stampeded, catching the last two wagons in the stampede, managing to tip and crush one. Two of the men who owned the wagon had been pinned under it and suffered from broken bones. The two men who had the second wagon, which hadn't tipped but had been knocked so hard that a wheel had broken off, had been thrown. Although one had managed to get to the safety of the wagon, the other had been trampled and was unlikely to survive another night. The other men traveling with those last two wagons had ridden off to see if they could bring back the livestock and had yet to return.

The worst damage was in the middle section of the wagon train. The twisting winds had swept right through the middle section, picking up four of the wagons and tossing them through the air like a child's ball. Although three were dropped within a few hundred feet, the other was thrown to the ground nearly a mile up the trail. The oxen were mangled messes, as were the majority of those within the wagons. Two of the wagons carried elderly couples, and one a single male who had been traveling with a young teen he'd picked up at Independence to help him travel. The single male and the young boy had managed to throw themselves to the ground and avoid being picked up by the winds somehow, but the elderly couples had both been lost. The fourth wagon, the one lifted and dropped up the trail, had carried a young family with newborn twins and one small girl. By some miracle, both babies had been found alive. The rest had perished. A wagon in the very front of the train had been hit by lightning - killing three of the occupants and leaving four small children as orphans - as had a wagon near the end. The second hit killed the father of a large family. The mother was still abed due to a very long labor and hard birth with her eighth child just a few days before and was suffering for a very high fever. The oldest child, who was trying to care for everything was just nine years of age. Both lightning strikes had killed the oxen pulling those wagons and one had set the grass in front of it ablaze.

The hail had done its fair share of damage as well, with nearly half the wagon train members sporting cuts or bruises even before the other disaster had started and so many were slow to react. The winds accompanying the lightning storm caused a fair number of issues as well. The Captain of the train had been knocked out by a piece of flying debris and had yet to come around. Six of the other men in the train had also been harmed by items flying off the wagons. Another wagon had been set ablaze from the fire caused by the lightning, but the driver had been able to get himself and nearly two thirds of the contents out of the wagon before the blaze burned it to the ground. The other three men who were sharing the wagon had been busy trying to help others with keeping the cart animals from bolting. The final blow had been the death of one of the children of the wagon train who'd been run over when the oxen pulling his family's wagon had bolted.

Captain Scott soon had all the adults in his wagon organized into different groups. He sent off his main scouts to see if they could locate the missing livestock and men. Scott ordered the teens that didn't drive wagons round up all the children who could walk and carry things, including those from the ravaged wagon, and take them out to find and bring home every scrap of anything that might have come from the wagon train. Each group took two packhorses with them, so they could load larger items and bring back more on each trip. Harry was asked to go with the teens, but Severus insisted he stay with the wagon, convincing the Captain Severus could be of more aid if he didn't have to drive and could easily go where the Captain could use him best. He'd seen Harry's face as he rode by and although it might be the least difficult task, he didn't want Harry away from him with Harry as upset as he was.

A few of the older teen girls were put in charge of the piles where what was salvaged was dumped. It didn't surprise Severus at all the Hermione took charge of the task and soon had orderly piles. Captain Scott had all the women start the cleanup of the immediate area, while the men driving wagons from Captain Scott's train corralled them, settling the livestock in the center to provide the most protection with the least amount of effort. The Captain left the younger drivers, such as the Otter boys, Harry, Seamus, and the Weasley twins in charge of keeping their stock under control, despite the smell of dead bodies nearby.

Within a few minutes several of the larger tents were erected, and the small children were tucked into them with the pregnant ladies watching over them. Fleur and the mother of the wagon traveling in front of Arthur Weasley's wagon found themselves left with the care of all the children between age two and five in a tent right behind Severus' wagons, where Harry was stationed. Soon Harry had a few of the little boys sitting up on the driver's seat, helping him watch the livestock. The children were all so upset that the women were having a hard enough calming crying tots without trying to keep track of adventuresome boys. One of the other pregnant women was in charge of the tent full of babies and the noise could be heard all the way across the ring of wagons.

A third tent, situated right behind Poppy and Lupin's wagon, housed those too injured to work.

The rest of the men had the grim job of finding and removing all the dead bodies and digging graves. Then they were to start figuring out which wagons were trailworthy and fixing what they could. Six of the wagons were total losses, but they hadn't yet decided on the two wagons which had been struck by lightning or the second one caught in the stampede. Severus maintained that they could all be repaired easily with what the wagon had on hand, and then there would be less crowding and more of a chance that the wagon train might actually make it to Oregon at some point, but many of those in the small train thought it would take too much work to make the wagons roll again. The canvas covering of two more of the wagons had great slashes in them, where plows or axes stowed in the bed were picked up by the winds and thrown from the wagons, through the canvas coverings. Molly Weasley soon had those patched and nearly as good as new…without the use of magic.

By noon most of the immediate area had been tidied to the point where half the women could go and cook, using damaged supplies which would have been unable to travel farther. Severus, after helping Captain Scott, the Weasleys and the Otter men get the wagons hit by lightning suited for travel, went to find Harry and hopefully share a meal before they were dragged off to other chores. Their meal was simple, and eaten with the company for several little boys, but it was together and Harry was much more relaxed when Severus left to go back to the tasks the Captain had given him.

Harry was relieved of duty when the bodies that had been located had been buried. Right after their noon meal, Severus had rode ahead with the two oldest Weasley boys and brought back the three bodies from the wagon train that had blown down the trail. He told Harry they had decided to go because they could use magic to help them in their mission. They had also moved the oxen away from what was left and burned them, to help keep the disease and stench down.

Later on in the day, Minerva remarked that as much as they could manage to keep their own wagon train as free of death as magically possible, they hadn't taken into account running into other trains that didn't have as good a train master or magical help. The sight of twelve fresh graves had been hard on a great deal of their train, and they could only imagine how devastating it had been for the small train the dead had come from.

Poppy, busy tending the injured - including the young man who had been trampled and who even she couldn't even give hope for - almost lost her sanity when two of the pregnant women from Captain Scott's train went into labor. Harry found himself conscripted to serving in the temporary infirmary while Poppy sent up yet another tent and sanitized it and the area with the most powerful spells she could use, and then had Moody and Percy set up wards to keep it that way.

Harry's job description was simple, he was to keep the bandages cleaned and change them often for the seven men who'd been hit with large items of flying debris and had substantial injuries, many which were deep and bled a fair bit. He had to try to keep those with broken bones as comfortable as possible and not let them move at all until Poppy could get some of the able men to help with splints and setting the bones she hadn't managed do with the help she'd had so far. He was also to rub the burn salve Severus gave him onto the man who'd rescued so much out of his flaming wagon but got some serious burns in the process; watch over the mother of the boy who got ran over and who had needed to be sedated, and finally try to ease the last moments of the young man who'd been in the stampede.

With the births, though, Captain Smith's wagon train again earned its miracle status, at least according to the wife of the other train's captain.

“We've already deemed ourselves the orphan train. Three of the wagons we lost earlier had infants still at breast, who survived. Other children survived from the illnesses and accidents as well, leaving thirteen orphans before this disaster and almost all of them are younger children, which can't be of any help. The only older child is a boy and he is being stubborn and won't make any commitments to keeping himself a place that he's been offered if they don't include the rest of his family, four small children. I almost wish he'd have died and the two girls between him and the next surviving child had lived instead. They would have jumped at the chance to travel with someone by doing chores and helping out, they were nice sensible girls, but no - they went and died with the parents. The orphans are just draining our resources and causing so much stress.”

Minerva was extraordinarily glad Poppy was busy with the birthing as she listened to the women continue to prattle on.

“We were going to leave most of them at Fort Laramie, expect for one of the babies who the mother wet-nursed and got attached to and a set of three who are actually related to the family who took them in. Two of the new orphans are infants who could not yet make it without a wet-nurse, and I'm not sure the newest infant will survive if the mother's health doesn't improve soon. That's six new orphans, in one day, I have no idea what we can do with them,” the woman continued to complain to Minerva as she helped bandage injuries. Minerva took the problem to Molly.

Poppy was informed and she talked to the new mothers, whose deliveries had gone extremely well and were in incredible shape for having just given birth, thanks to some of Poppy's magic. She wanted to talk each of them into taking one of the infant twins to nurse for the length of the trek. Poppy told them that if they didn't want to keep them, she would find someone who could take them both by the end of the journey; both agreed. Then Poppy went to work on helping the mother of the large family who'd lost her husband to the lightning get better. Again thanks to Poppy, the problem - a bit of retained placenta -was taken care of. Both the mother and Poppy were glad it was something she could fix, neither wanted to think of the reaction the addition of eight other orphans to the small train would have been from Mrs. Rider. Poppy had all the nursing mothers feed the infant twice a day as the new widow recovered and they worked on getting her milk to come in.

Poppy then returned to the infirmary tent, slightly surprised at how little her patients were complaining, since she hadn't been able to give any of them pain potions before she'd left. Harry just smiled, suspecting he might have had something to do with it, even if he hadn't consciously made it happen.

By nightfall on the first day, the grave count had gone up by one more as the young man who'd been caught in the stampede succumbed to his injuries. However three of the men who'd gone off after the stampeding livestock had been found and brought home safe. The other was being brought home more slowly due to a fracture of his upper leg. He would be joining his wagon-mate in the back of someone else's wagon for a while once they all started moving again.

The captain of the tattered band of travelers had finally awoken as well, and his wife had promptly fainted when he did. All those with broken bones now had them set and encased in casts which Poppy devised to keep them completely still. Hermione had started sorting her piles of items, getting all cloth and perishables sorted and returned to their owners as best they could before dark. The girls figured the rest of the stuff could be sorted out the next day.

Severus woke several times to Harry whimpering during the night, and finally resorted to pulling the boy right up next to him so he could sleep. He knew that several times throughout the day Harry's spontaneous magic soothed the people and creatures in the wagon trains, helping keep the ability to accomplish what needed to be done flowing smoothly. Severus knew it had come with a price though, and Harry was much more upset than he'd admit by the deaths in the small train, especially the children and the young man he'd tended that afternoon. Severus was awake and had breakfast cooked well before Harry woke the next morning.

Wagon repairs, livestock location and reclaiming, sorting of items, and coming up with the solutions to six lost wagons took them three days. By that time, the only ones left in the infirmary tent were those with broken bones. Both the wagons which had been struck by lightning had been repaired so they could be used, as had one of the wagons which had been caught in the stampede, but they had never been categorized as ‘lost' either, thanks to Severus, the Otters and the Weasleys. Two wagons had been pieced together from the remains of those which were destroyed, which took the greater length of time.

The mother of eight stayed on with her wagon and the second lightning struck wagon was given to the men whose wagon had burned. One of the pieced together wagons was given to the single man and young boy who had lost their wagon to the twister. The other wagons, the repaired and second pieced-together wagon, went to the other two groups of men who had lost theirs to the stampedes.

Surprisingly, enough provisions had been scavenged and reclaimed to allow everyone in the damaged train to make it all the way to Oregon without having to ration to an unhealthy point. The newborn twins had already been moved to the wagons with the two new mothers who were to feed them, but four orphans still needed to be housed. Poppy insisted they be brought into Captain Scott's train though.

Captain Scott was adamant on escorting the ravaged train to Fort Laramie. They made it on the second day. Minerva and Molly hadn't believed the other captain's wife had meant what she said, but sure enough, the moment the two wagon trains entered into the fort area, the other woman rounded up the nine unwanted orphans in her train and started to drag them towards the military headquarters. Some quick action by Minerva and Molly and the nine orphans were brought to Captain Scott's train. Mrs. Rider couldn't seem to remember what had happened to them, only that she was rid of them. Harry had left Severus' wagons, on his own, to make sure Poppy hadn't let the orphan be abandoned, standing outside where their wagons were corralled to make sure they all came back with the women. It surprised Severus as he saw Harry standing there as he was on his way into the fort. Severus had not been able to get Harry to leave their wagons at all since they started moving again.

The repaired wagons were all brought to the blacksmith's building and checked for stability. Captain Scott insisted they all be taken to one of the military wagon outfitters as well, when all five wagons asked for permission to travel with his train to California instead of remaining with the train they'd started out with. The captain almost refused the widow, until he was assured that the men in all three of the men-only wagons had taken it upon themselves to make sure she had someone to drive for her and do all the hard labor.

Two more of the wagons from the ravaged wagon train asked to join Captain Scott's train to California as well once they found out that the other wagon planned to stay at the fort until another Oregon wagon train came along which they could join. Captain Scott said all who wanted could join, and told the wagons to pull into line at the back when they headed out, trying to keep a good mix of families among the single men or couples.

After much discussion, Arthur and Molly Weasley purchased a second wagon from a man who had decided to turn back after his wife died. Due to the fact he was selling it all off, and was going to travel back on horseback with just a pack mule and what he needed to travel alone, they got the rig and much of the provisions needed for much less than buying through the trading post would have cost them. The second wagon was to be driven by Ron and they managed to talk the captain into placing it right behind their main wagon. They put the provisions the Hogwarts group had bought at outrageous prices at Fort Laramie for the orphans they'd moved into the train in the new wagon. The boy and his four little siblings that had ‘burdened' the other train were given the wagon to sleep in and under as well, with Molly Weasley as their caretaker.

Poppy escorted Harry to each of the wagons the orphans would be living in, understanding he needed to be reassured no one was being left behind. The Reeds, who were Oscar Otter's wife's folks, took in the four children who'd been orphaned due to the lightning strikes. The Anders family took in the baby and his brother, since Kathleen was still nursing her own baby girl. Her reasoning to her husband when he initially rejected the idea was that she owed it to Severus and Poppy for all they had done for their daughter, and he agreed after that. The last two orphans, siblings to the baby the one family had kept in the other train, were taken in by Charlie and Tonks. Severus spent weeks trying to figure out why before breaking down and asking. Nymphadora finally answered him with a simple “The little girl's name is Theodora and she is called Dora. If I took her in, I'd have to be called Tonks again to avoid confusion.”

Severus spent a bit of money at the Fort as well. He bought more sugar, tea, and flour. He found that he and Harry tended to eat more baked goods than many of the others. They had devised a way of getting their bread made even when others didn't think there was time for making it. Harry was extremely surprised when he came back to camp Harry's provisions full stocked again, as well as enough clothing to get the boy comfortably to California.

He took Harry in the next day for boots and gloves. Once the boy was dressed in clothing that fit, Severus was shocked at how handsome the he really was. All the thoughts about the young man which had been plaguing him but which he'd buried when caring for the boy while injured came rushing to the forefront of his mind again at Fort Laramie.

“If you are buying me stuff, I suppose that means you've decided to keep me?” Harry asked the night they'd bought the boots.

Severus smiled at the young man. He'd been much too quiet since they'd run into that small wagon train and very tense. Severus had noticed he seemed more relaxed the last day or so. “Of course I'm keeping you with me,” Severus said. “I enjoy your company and you have to admit, we work well together.” <