Chapter 2

Severus Snape hissed as he apparated and the sun was suddenly overhead and there was an dry smell on the wind.

Looking around him he sneered. There were a few dwellings on the other side of the lake and a scattering of palm trees around it.

Lake Yoa, he thought to himself, had been a small sketch on an apparition map before today.

Adjusting his hat he continued looking around. A short distance from where he stood was a figure standing over what appeared to be one of three carefully controlled and shielded fires, each with a cauldron hanging over it.

There was a small white tent nearby the fires.

The figure didn't look up as he approached, so Severus took the opportunity to observe the potions being brewed by the figure that was slowly stirring one of them with his back to him.

"Adequate Potter, I see you have improved on the skills I taught you while you have been on your escape," he said.

"People out this far don't even bother to apparate off to somewhere closer, some couldn't afford these potions, if they're sold by the travelling mages," Potter commented, still not turning around to face him.

"Two wizards have been grievously injured during the hunt for the horcruxes Potter," Severus informed him looking back over to Lake Yoa.

Potter turned around to face him. He was tanned and had darkened muggle glasses on his face; shielding against the sun. "Would it be better if I was hunting for these horcruxes that Dumbledore is so sure will end Voldemort?"

Severus flinched. Potter did not say anything.

"I understand words and names have power," Potter observed as he returned to his potion mixing. Severus noticed Potter had let his hair grow, it was pulled into a small bun behind his head.

"What are you brewing Potter?" He asked after some moments silence.

"Basic medical potions; Pepperup, a simpler bone regrowing potion with fewer ingredients," Potter pointed around him.

"Simpler is less effective," Severus said as he walked over to the cauldron.

"And significantly cheaper." Potter said simply, not enlightening what the other potion was.

"Are you just Dumbledore's messenger?" Potter asked as he stepped into his tent, emerging a moment later with two bottles of what appeared to be a muggle beverage. Already condensation was forming on it as he gestured to a small umbrella and two simple chairs hidden behind the tent.

Potter sat down into the chair gesturing to him as he twisted off the cap of the bottle. "If you'd prefer tea I can brew some if you wish."

Severus looked at Potter and took a seat opposite him. He'd been away from Hogwarts now for almost as long as he'd attended the school, and considering the conditions become a capable potions brewer. Opening the bottle he took a cautionary sip of the muggle drink and found it pleasantly cold and lemon-flavoured.

"I couldn't be arsed trying to poison anyone, least of all you," Potter, seemingly observing his cautionary consumption.

"Dumbledore wishes for you to return to Britain Potter," Severus finally said what he'd been asked to say. Since his discovery as a double agent for the Order and within Voldemort's ranks his use to the Order was mostly brewing potions and teaching at Hogwarts. The risks had not decreased, he now needed to watch over his shoulder, in case of Death Eaters ready to collect the bounty on his head.

"My deal with Dumbledore concerned only the prophecy," Potter paused to sip from his bottle. "I wouldn't be rushing off on any insane quests that he dreamt up."

Severus remained in control of his expressions. Black and Dumbledore had been the only two of the Order who had met Potter since he had left the overview of the International Confederation of Wizards. Running and escaping to lands without extradition treaties with magical Britain or any of its allies. There was very little rule of wizarding law here. It was more so a collection of gilds, associations and other groups.

Potter had, from his own investigation into his communications remained in contact with few people from Hogwarts. His muggle-born friend Hermione Granger who had departed Hogwarts shortly after Dumbledore mistakenly attempted to use Granger's friendship with Potter as a method of coercion. Potter also infrequently wrote to Cedric Diggory. There had been and investigation into him and his family with the suggestion that the Diggory family had assisted Potter escaping the country. But there was serious doubt that Amos Diggory had the contacts required to do this.

The Ministry of Magic had suggested it had been a member of the Delacour family attempting to corrupt a Ministry event, however they did not level the same accusation at the Krum family.

"Instead you allow Order members to quest on your behalf?" Severus asked watching Potter's expression, expecting him to rise to anger, he did not.

"It is Dumbledore who is sending them to quest. The prophecy does not mention the horcruxes. It is Dumbledore who held onto this information, I will likely have to face my mortality when I face Voldemort, do I need to wound my body and spirit questing for these splinters of his soul as well?" Potter asked looking at him.

"You're remarkably calm concerning matters of life and death Potter," Severus observed.

Potter shrugged. "I asked, I investigated, prophecies are hard to get out of. I considered not doing anything about it."

Severus looked at him. "And the Dark Lord, you would leave Britain to his ravages?"

Potter sat up a little bit more in his chair. "You know what I have lost so far in the battle against him. Should I be asked to give me life as well? For magical Britain who signed a death warrant for me because of a tournament?" He smirked. "Maybe wizarding Britain deserves the fate of Voldemort," Potter mused as he leaned back.

Severus remained silent as Potter stood up to attend to his potions, then he walked over to look over the potions and Potter himself. "Do you wish for me to inform Black of your location?"

Potter shrugged. "I'll remain here for a few more days. If you wish to return again I would not mind." Potter looked at him. "You pose interesting questions Severus." Potter said using his name for the first time in their discussion.

"And what of my questions?" Severus asked.

"Do I let magical Britain burn or potentially end my life to save everyone who wants my guts?" Potter asked as he extinguished one of the fires giving the cauldron a final stir.

"Indeed," Severus said and disapparated.

—/ — \\-

"I do hope you're not the cavalry," Harry said looking up from the newspaper he was reading.

He had been surprised to discover many more countries and magical groups that did not have extradition treaties or even associate themselves all that much with the International Confederation of Wizards, not that they really publicised this information.

It had been something of a shock to the system, after almost four years in wonderfully hot and dusty countries, but here near the Aral Sea was as stark as it was beautiful.

"A translation spell Harry?" Dumbledore asked observing the paper he was reading.

"Something I could have known about four years ago. No." Harry said putting down the newspaper that was completely in Cyrillic. "I learnt the hard way."

"You could have returned to Britain Harry my boy, all problems could have been worked out," Dumbledore said as he conjured himself a chair to sit next to Harry.

Harry looked at him and shook his head. "You've not publicly called for the death warrant to be removed, nor has anyone in the Ministry."

"A misunderstanding, a simple slip of the tongue." Dumbledore tried.

Harry shook his head. "Well, will I need to throw you in front of the first spell Voldemort casts at me?"

"That will not be necessary Potter, the Order will provide assistance," said a voice that sounded like Moody's and Harry hoped was him and not the imposter.

-/

"Uh…Harry," said a voice he'd not heard in over four years. They were setting up defensive positions for when Voldemort and his Death Eaters would arrive. How they'd been lured here Harry didn't care to know.

"Ron," Harry said simply as he pulled on his jacket which he'd been emptying out of various bit of detritus he'd collected while scouting around the area.

"Harry I uh…I just wanted to say…sorry, sorry for not believing you," Ron said awkwardly standing before him.

Harry looked to him and tried to smile. His friendship with Ron had been drastically affected after his lack of support concerning the tournament. Harry had fancied in the years since that had Ron and the others supported him, he might not be where he was now.

He didn't say any of this to Ron. "If I survive this, we'll go out for a drink, I found a great little pub in the nearest town. The vodka's strong and the food's filling."

Ron smiled but didn't say anything more as he was called away by someone in the order.

—/ — \\—

"Here I am," Harry said his arms gestured widely.

"Lured here Potter?" Voldemort stood, his wand out stretched.

"Kill me now and you can go on and conquer, not beholden by the prophecy," Harry looked Voldemort squarely in his sunken eyes. "Or do we battle?"

"I would not kill you simply like some food animal in the field." Voldemort took up a battling stance. "We fight," he held up his wand. "As wizards."

"Very well," Harry said drawing his wand, and changing his stance, ready to face what he knew was to come.

—/ — \\-

Hermione Granger pushed away the sand that had collected around the space she was crouched in front of.

It had been said that when they battled here, the sand had boiled and the two combatants had torn the earth asunder.

Running her fingers over the blackened glass-like substance she could see it wasn't just heresy.

The death of Voldemort had not been widely publicised until the Ministry of Magic had finished rounding up those who had supported him. And then an announcement to the international magical press had been delayed for a few months after that.

Now two years after Harry Potter and Tom Marvolo Riddle had battled and fought here, she'd found the site.

The Ministry hadn't put the location on any map and everyone in the Order had come here via portkey.

Only two people knew the location, Albus Dumbledore and Harry Potter.

The former had officially and unreservedly apologised for what occurred at Hogwarts, but she was glad to be rid of it. Beauxbatons had given her great academic freedom, even though she'd needed to improve her French skills to be there.

The latter of those two, rumours said he'd died here.

Even Sirius said he wasn't sure, he'd not seen Harry since that day. Sirius had indicated to her that he suspected Harry was done with Britain, unlike him.

The Ministry, after petitioning from Sirius had removed any existing warrants for Harry Potter.

So there was nothing stopping him from returning.

But Sirius had said to her that he wasn't going to try to find Harry. Sirius knew, he'd said, Harry had faced things, his own mortality for the wizarding world. He'd run when he'd needed to. It wasn't for Sirius to drag him back.

-/

Later in the evening after she'd walked around the Aral Sea Hermione found herself in a pub-like building using her somewhat bad Russian to order a meal.

It hadn't been amazing, but the vodka was drinkable.

Then someone sat down opposite her.

He had a darkened, tanned face and a rough platted hair hanging down from one side.

"The barman has a floo out the back, I got a message someone was poking around the battle site. 'A woman with a determined expression and head kicker boots'." The man quoted in an amused tone.

Hermione looked down at her boots. They were hard-wearing dragon hide boots. "Harry Potter."

"Rumours of my death have been exaggerated," he chuckled.

Hermione got off the chair and stumbled around to hug him. "You've gotten different."

Harry laughed. "A perfect drunken observation Hermione."

-/

She woke up with a headache she'd very infrequently experienced, cautiously looking around she found herself seemingly in a large roundish tent.

Pulling off the animal skins and rugs that were over her body she tried to blot out the thumping stabbing pain and stumbled outside.

Outside was a figure tending a fire, all she could see of him was a short platted pony tail against a coat he was wearing.

"You're awake, and probably have a headache, given the amount of vodka we drank," he said turning around and reaching into his coat pocket handing her a small phial.

"And that dreadful meal," she said taking the phial. "What is it?"

"Something to make you feel better, a bit Pepperup, a bit headache from something like willow tree and a little bit of something to settle the stomach," he said turning back to the fire. "I've some porridge on the fire, wholesome," he said in short beats of a sentence.

Hermione sipped the contents of the phial rolling the potion around on her tongue before she swallowed it and finished the contents.

"You'd think I'd poison you Hermione?" Harry Potter asked as he gestured to a log near the fire.

Hermione handed him the phial back. "Just caution. It's what I'll be doing, intelligence gathering for Magical Intelligence in Europe."

Harry raised an eyebrow at her. "How very…" he trailed off and said a word which sounded like it was Russian, but she wasn't sure. He frowned and thought. "Never mind, spy-worthy."

Hermione remained silent as he ladled out two bowls of a chunky porridge for both of them, scraping out the small cauldron. The bowl was a dented enamel bowl, like Harry had got it from a army supplies shop. She could feel the warmth of the porridge coming through as she sat it on her lap as Harry passed her a spoon.

"Will you return to Britain or Europe?" Hermione asked as she was halfway through the bowl of porridge, Harry had not said much only that the porridge contained fruit and nuts. From what she recalled of the previous night he'd not said much of what he'd been up to since they'd stopped corresponding which had, she now realised, been shortly before his battle with Voldemort.

Harry shook his head. "Why bother? I'm still the man who ran away from a contract. 'You can't trust a wizard who does that'," he seemed to quote in different tone. "'Only guilty men run to where they cannot be captured from'," he said quoting again.

Hermione chewed on her meal considering this. These were things that had been said in the press concerning Harry's situation. "They've rescinded all the standing orders against you."

Harry nodded. "You said last night."

Hermione looked at him.

"People think I died Hermione, out at the Aral Sea. 'Harry Potter, the coward of the Tri-Wizard died battling he-who-must-not-be-named.'" Harry quoted again. "I don't think I want to return to that, to the wizarding world. Why bother?"

Hermione exhaled. "Sirius?"

Harry let out a sniff of amusement. "Enjoying his pardon with Remus, getting into japes. It is not something I want Hermione," he looked at her as he finished his bowl. "Very few people have managed to find where I ended it with Voldemort," he smiled. "I'm touched you came to find where it ended."

"I came to try and find you. Owls haven't been able to reach you," Hermione looked to him.

"Not when I don't want to be found," he answered obliquely.

"So, this is it Harry, a nomadic life?" She asked putting down her finished bowl.

Harry smiled at her. "Why not?"

Hermione opened her mouth, but couldn't think of a good enough answer to challenge him on his current situation. Harry had been away from magical Britain for over six years now, abandoning a Hogwarts education, his friends…well, at the time his friends had abandoned him.

"Fine Harry Potter," she finally said in a tone of annoyance.

Harry laughed. "You're giving in to the nomad?"

Hermione glared at him.

—/

A/N:

I'm not entirely happy with this chapter and the end to this story.

In part probably because I wrote chapter 1 in 2012 and chapter 2 in 2016.

I remember I had some plans for this story which didn't make it into chapter 1.

There was going to be a scene where Harry visits serpent in the desert which allows him to understand other languages (though not speak it). It wasn't going to be a parseltongue thing, but something else. It was too clichéd universal translator sort of thing to include.

There was also going to be a scene where Harry's working in a potion supplies shop and Snape happens upon him. But it was too boring to set up and to write.

Both these would have set up a Harry more fixed in one location, working for his life because all his assets were frozen (and in Britain). There may also have been some time turner stuff where he'd work during the day, time turner back for learning and then sleep. But it was all a bit too much going over similar ground.

Following the reviews from chapter 1, they have given me ideas where I could take this story. I may one day revisit the core ideas and try to write this style of story again.

Update 2019: I did finally write a proper version of this story, properly fleshed out based on the ideas in this story, you can read it see my profile for: Extradition Escape.

Thank you for reading.