The Hero Everyone Wants Me to Be
Chapter 1- The Usual Suspect
So this is where my story starts. Just for some background it was two years after I left that I returned, the summer before what would have been my seventh year. It wasn't planned or well thought out. I really just wanted to spend some quality time with Snape in a soundproofed room. The Order could get me a step closer. Abe was happy enough for me to do it as well. He said it was time for me to branch out on my own anyway. He only asked that I leave Snape well enough for him to kill.
The Headmaster was his brother after all, despite their problems.
So we pick up with me just after a rather long Basilisk hunt in Brazil. Abe needed the venom for some friends and I just happened to be in the area at the time. But he got confirmation that the Order would shelter me for a while and I left straight away.
Needless to say I wasn't feeling too great; an international apparition was hard enough. Never mind worrying about dodging Ministry security wards. I ended up in Diagon Alley waiting for Mad-Eye Moody to take me to Headquarters. Now that turned into a bitch of an evening.
xxxxx
Harry stood on the corner of Diagon Alley and Knockturn Alley getting more pissed off by the minute. He had been waiting for Mad-eye Moody and whomever else from the Order who would be escorting him to Headquarters for nearly an hour. That and he had a rather large burn from a stalled spell up his arm itching against his robes. If he was honest, it was more irritating than painful.
The only thing he could do was cast a numbing charm on it but even numbing charms lose their effectiveness if used for a few days, so he was stuck with a dull throbing pain. The numbing charm and the cigarette in his hand were the only two things keeping him from blowing off the stupid Order and heading for one of his other Allies.
Harry was also on edge due to the fact that, Mad-Eye was never late. He arrived precisely when he meant to. Harry wouldn't have put it by the crazy old bastard to be slightly late to keep him on edge. But an hour was pushing it.
Harry quickly scanned the crowd again for any sign of the old Auror.
Harry sighed tiredly when he saw nothing but oblivious shoppers and the few Aurors guarding the alley. His hunt for a Basilisk in the Brazilian rainforest hadn't gone to well, never mind when he had actually found one. Only to get his arse royally handed to him by the big slithering fucker. Abe had caught up just in time to stop him from being killed and made into its next meal. An international Apparition after that wasn't really a welcoming addition to such a shit week.
Letting a breath out and watching the smoke rise through the air Harry silently wondered why no Auror had even stopped him. He was wearing a black robe and a hood up, covering his face. Not suspicious at all one would think. He supposed it was because the Alley was only lightly guarded by maybe half a dozen Aurors. He snorted to himself thinking about how the Ministry could leave a magical epicentre such as Diagon Alley so lightly guarded. It was sheer stupidity.
Quickly taking another draw from his cigarette Harry turned as he saw a rather large black Auror head in his direction. Speak of the devil, Harry thought as he leaned against the wall as casually as his burned arm would allow.
The Auror soon came to a stop and Harry noticed a rather small pink haired Auror a few feet away keeping watch. "And who might you be?" Harry asked, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
The Auror narrowed his eyes at Harry's tone. "I believe you have been waiting for a certain ex-Auror to meet you?"
"Even if I was what in the name of Merlin, has it got to do with you?" Harry retorted.
"There has been a change of plan. So my partner and I have come to escort you to Headquarters." He said gesturing to the pink haired witch.
"And I'm supposed to trust you just like that." Harry couldn't believe the arrogance the Auror portrayed. "What makes you think I should? Last I checked the Ministry were still looking for me never mind Death Eaters. You're minister would love to get his hands on me, what're they calling me this year? The 'chosen one' or something like that?" Harry asked with a slight sneer and his wand snapped from its holster and into his unburned hand. His agitation was getting the better of him. It was taking all of his control not to blast the idiot across the Alley.
"Look boy," he emphasized heavily on 'boy', "I didn't want to come on some stupid pick-up mission to get some egotistical little kid with a bad attitude. But Black and Lupin sent me. If you want proof ask my partner, she's Lupin's wife." That said the Auror turned to his partner and muttered a few words before moving away.
Harry only shrugged being mildly pleased at winning that battle of wills and waited for the now nervous looking witch to say something.
"Wotcher Harry!" She proclaimed loudly before wincing slightly. "Shit… I wasn't supposed to say that. I'm Tonks." Tonks said quickly reverting back to her cheerful pre-setting.
"Any chance you could keep your fucking voice down." Harry exclaimed in slight surprise. "The hood is up for a fucking reason you know?" Harry then glared at her slightly.
She wasn't all that tall but did have rather attention seeking bright pink, so either she was one freaky girl who liked that sort of thing or a Metamorphamagus, Harry assumed the latter. She couldn't be all that outgoing though, she did marry Lupin.
Harry also knew Metapmorphs couldn't change their height without severely affecting their balance and that must mean she was around her natural height. So she must be quick and have some skill with a wand to become an Auror. Not all that great though otherwise she would be an Unspeakable or Hit Wizard especially with her abilities. Though in fairness Harry did know she could be either as well, he just didn't know.
Finishing his quick mental assessment Harry asked. "So if you're really Professor Lupin's wife you'll have no problem telling me what form my patronus takes?"
Tonks gave Harry a smile indicating she knew the obvious answer. "Well that's easy it's a stag…" Harry gave her a slight look at which she added, "it also happened to be your dad's animagus form too. Happy?" She finished cheerily with a beaming smile and Harry only nodded tersely. "Good, can we leave?"
Harry snorted at her overly cheery attitude, though he did find it a refreshing alternative to her up-his-own-arse partner. "Yeah, whatever. How're we getting there?"
Tonks smiled knowing she was getting to him and said. "Well we'll be taking a portkey but first we need to get out of sight don't we? Oh and I need you to read this first…" Tonks then proceeded to fumble about in her robes for something as Harry watched her stumble and nearly trip over, before producing a small piece of paper. "Here read this." She said handing it to Harry.
Harry accidently reached out his burned arm and grit his teeth in pain; this didn't go unnoticed by Tonks who had a look of kind concern in her eyes. Harry just snatched the bit of paper out of her hand with his left hand. It read:
The Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix may be found at number twelve, Grimmauld Place, London.
After memorizing the information quickly Harry quickly incinerated it with a small flare of Elemental flame. It was a relief to burn away some of his pain and agitation and he could have cracked a smile. And then he did as Tonks gave him an accusatory look.
"How the hell did you do that?" She asked her voice filled with anger and a fine hint of fear.
Harry detected it immediately and laughed coldly. "You are kiddin'… At the big bad Auror academy they didn't teach you about Elementalism. Oh wait its illegal isn't it?" Harry asked with faux surprise. That soon tuned into a malicious smile as a sheath of emerald flame erupted all along his arm. He waved around his hand examining it as his eyes took on a piecing emerald glow. "You're not going to arrest me are you?" He accused with a laugh. If she wasn't Lupin's wife the idea of Tonks getting out handcuffs wouldn't have sounded too bad, she was a Metamorph after all. Kinky was never a bad word in Harry's personal dictionary. Well, unless it involved an Italian witch called Christina, his wand and a very sharp looking dagger at his throat. "You could try…"
Tonk's took a few weary steps back as Harry grinned at her. Her hair turned a mousy brown telling Harry she was more than intimidated by his threat. Whether she would admit it or not she just turned and walked back to her partner to discuss the latest revelation about Harry Potter.
xxxxx
Harry leant back against the wall he had previously occupied fully intending on finishing his cigarette; undoubtedly they wouldn't have a smoking area at Grimmauld Place. And it wasn't as if anyone would approve of his habit either.
Harry looked up to find Tonks still talking in a hushed voice with her partner. He could have strained himself and listened in but didn't bother. She was probably going on about how everyone said how much of a 'nice boy' he once was.
Harry had worked very hard getting rid of that image. It just made him seem weak and self-conscious. He much preferred the smart-arse and slightly sadistic variant he had evolved into over the past two years. He wasn't afraid to kill when he had to, not that it was a nice thing to do, and was confident in his abilities. He was good back then, but would never admit it, now he was even better and knew it. With his new attitude it was also easier to gauge people as well. The way in which they reacted to his words and actions said a lot.
Tonk's partner was like Harry, he wasn't a stupid guy. Harry knew he would rather kill a Death Eater than have the bastard get back up and kill him later. He'd just cut out the middle man and stop any future problems. Tonk's probably struggled with that aspect of her job, she was a right Mad-Eye protégé. The whole 'bring them in alive' trip; only for them to escape in twenty years and do the whole song and dance all over again.
Harry did always think that was a fuck up in itself. If Mad-Eye had just got rid of even half the Death Eaters he had captured then the Dark Lord would've been deprived of more than a few of his Elite before the Second War even started.
That would have been a gift from Merlin. Harry just took a deep breath and flicked away the remainder of his fag. Looking up Harry watched as Tonks and her partner turned and ran towards a crowd of recently disapparated wizards. Each and every one of them was dressed in the traditional black robes and hood of a Death Eater.
Harry could only groan tiredly as he flicked his wand from its holster and into his hand. Cracking his neck he quickly secured his hood in place with a spell and walked towards the foray of curses and hexes. He pushed his way through the near-rioting crowd of towards the fight and quickly realized more Death Eaters had apparated in, the Aurors were outnumbered nearly three to one but managed to hold their own quite well.
Harry strode forward confidently towards a group of four Death Eaters who were quickly wearing down Tonks. Harry sent a powerful blasting hex at the nearest Death Eater who turned just in time to see the reddish-pink stream of light explode into him, sending him spinning end over end and through a shop window.
The next turned away from Tonks leaving her to fight the others to attend to Harry.
Harry noticed the white mask almost immediately and the platinum blonde hair flowing from the hood was unmistakable.
Malfoy, Harry thought as a sneer crept onto his face and his anger built. Malfoy stood before him trying to size up his mysterious opponent.
The wrong move when it came to an Assassin trained Elemental.
Harry's burned arm flashed with flame before a streaming torrent of crimson Elemental flame shot from it. Malfoy somehow managed to conjure a strong enough to counter it but Harry could tell he was weakening.
But the pain shooting up his arm was becoming unbearable. He cut the stream shot and threw a yellow blasting hex at the Death Eater's shield which shattered into a thousand blue hued magical pieces.
Harry took a step back not wanting look overly confident at his minor victory, he would need to lure the inbred bastard in. In his state Harry could never defeat one of the inner-circle that easily.
Malfoy soon decided his opponent wasn't worth his time and pointed his wand directly at Harry as he said. "Avada Kedavra."
Harry's only movement was a wave of his hand and a mutter of "Dissendia." The sickly green and white arrow of magical energy advancing towards him stopped a few feet short of its target. He could almost touch it, if he was tempted to commit suicide.
Though it was true no spell could deflect or stop the killing curse. No one did say anything about slowing time around it, bringing it to an almost complete halt. Harry had found this particular time-dialation spell extremely useful in his year of knowing it. It was draining but useful to stop impending death and to scare the average Death Eater shitless.
Knowing he didn't have the time or energy to fuck around Harry stepped away from the frozen spell before releasing it. He didn't even turn around to look at its trajectory.
Harry smirked at the stunned Death Eater. "What's up Lucius? You should know not to try that little trick on me after last time. I thought you'd have learned."
"It's you," Harry could almost imagine the sneer behind his mask, "the Dark Lord shall reward me greatly when I kill you."
Harry almost rolled his eyes at the melodramatic Death Eater but ducked the dark orange spell threw at him first before throwing a grayish blood-boiling curse back.
Harry then launched himself into the duel as much as he could but found himself on the defensive for most of it. In his rather exhausted state he couldn't do much else. And as much as he hated to admit it, Malfoy probably knew as much about the Dark Arts as he did, if not more.
He was also better than last time they had duelled. He had probably learned after their last little scrap in which Harry killed two of his cronies and sent him back to the Dark Lord with his tail between his legs.
Harry sidestepped two crimson tinted curses, before parrying a stream of acid into a nearby cart before throwing his wand downwards as he mentally screamed "'Sectumsempra'". The dark green curse shot through the air tearing through Malfoy's robes and mask managing to create a large gash on his shoulder spilling even more blood to the cobblestone street.
"So resorting to the Dark Arts are we Potter. I always knew you had it in you." That said Harry watched as he turned on his heel as if to apparate away.
Harry laughed coldly. "What's wrong Malfoy scared of a seventeen year old boy? I'll let you in on a little secret that purple spell that hit you're shield. It was an Anti-Apparition ward. So you couldn't run away … this time."
"'Demprimo'" Malfoy screamed, rage twisting his aristocratic features.
Harry didn't have time to avoid or parry the purple spell as it exploded into the wall next to him. Harry took a large chunk of stone in the side and landed a few feet away. He groaned slightly as the pain shot up his side and he coughed spattering blood around himself. Quickly he cast a wandless Numbing Charm, wiping his mouth with his sleeve he stood shakily. "Bit more creative than usual aren't we?"
That said Harry forgot any mental spells and shouted, "'Reducto'," only for the reddish spell to shatter on the dark blue shield Malfoy erected.
Harry's face twisted in pain and he cast something more appropriate, "'Feindfyr'". The orange and yellow torrent of twisting flame shot from his wand and formed a three-headed serpent before crashing into Malfoy's shield. Harry ignored any signs of tiredness and watched as Malfoy was physically pushed back by the stream of Dark Fire.
Harry ended the spell as he felt the shield shatter and cast a quick disarming spell. He was lucky and caught Malfoy off guard and his wand was thrown away, skittering down the alley. Harry followed up with a quick, "'Reducto'," the spell ploughed Malfoy through a few tables and crashing into the barred door of Fortscue's Ice Cream Parlour.
The battle around them was beginning to unwind as the Aurors slowly got the upper hand due to their skill with a wand so Harry advanced upon Malfoy with a single purpose. He hauled Malfoy from the ground by the neck and slammed him against the door forcefully. Harry heard a satisfying crack and muffled scream before snarling. "Give me one reason why I shouldn't kill you and well I probably still won't let you live, any last words?"
Malfoy just gave an aristocratic laugh, probably the same laugh he used to suck up the Minister's arse every other week, and said calmly. "We both know you'd never kill an enemy in cold blood. Don't make me laugh Potter. You're have too much of dear old Dumbledore in you."
Harry sneered at Malfoy's flagrant attempt to get at him. "You know you've got a point Malfoy."
Harry dropped him before summoning Malfoy's wand and tossing it at him. Malfoy could only smile cautiously as Harry looked upon him expectantly.
Harry gave a cold laugh as Malfoy struggled to his feet. Broken ribs would do that to you. "But then again the Old Mans dead isn't he? And so is that part of me."
Malfoy's face contorted in genuine terror as Harry's wand was directed between his eyes. "'Avada Kedavra'."
xxxxx
Harry sat on the window ledge of Fortscue's and watched as the remaining five Aurors, one was down, Tonks and her partner cleaned up the rest of the Death Eaters. They only took an additional twenty minutes and Harry took the time to rest a bit. He wouldn't get to crash out immediately upon his getting to Grimmauld place and would need it. He had banished Malfoy's corpse away from his immediate area and waited until his escorts came upon him again.
Harry watched as the big black Auror started towards him with Tonks who Harry struggled to recognize with flaming red hair and violet eyes. "What took you guys so long? I finished Malfoy in less than ten minutes and have been waiting for the last half hour!"
Harry could only smirk as the large Auror's face contorted in anger and he replied. "Some of us had more than one opponent to deal with and well you're methods will be put under-".
He didn't finish as Harry's eyes glowed a bright emerald and his arm was once again encased in flame. "Look you pretentious bastard!" He said with a sneer worthy of Snape. "That Death Eater I just killed tortured me for around three weeks late last year, around Christmas actually. So see while you were playing happy families pretending the Dark Lord and his Death Eaters never existed I was tortured within an inch of my fucking sorry arsed life. The only reason I am alive right now is because of Aberforth Dumbledore and a few people you would love to throw into Azkaban for what they are. So fuck right off and don't dare tell me how to deal with a Death Eater or you'll be on the wrong end of my wand just like him." Harry finished by pointing to the unmoving corpse of Lucius Malfoy before angrily stalking off down an Alley willing himself to calm down.
Tonks hit her partner on the upside of the head and hissed. "Kingsley you idiot we were supposed to bring him to headquarters not make him angry you idiot. Wait here I'll take care of him."
Tonks then followed Harry down the back alley and came to a stop as she found him sitting on a barrel. He stood as he noticed her and Tonks placed a hand on his shoulder. "Harry, are you going to be alright?" She asked softly.
Harry looked up to find her hair back to its particular shade of bubblegum pink but her eyes a caring chocolate brown he could have easily mistaken for someone else, albeit that someone else was an uncaring bitch but the similarity was there. He laughed slightly before a hackling cough caused him to spit more blood onto the ground. Harry forced himself to stop and turned to her wiping his mouth with his sleeve. "Yeah I'll be fine. I've survived worse." He said with a slight smile, dropping his own pre-setting for a second.
Tonks nodded as though she didn't notice Harry's moment of weakness, though in truth she was amazed her was still standing.
He looked like shit.
He was limping as he walked away; he was hunched over slightly even now with an arm held close to his body. Tonks knew most of his injuries couldn't be recent so just pulled a small piece of rope from her robe and pointed her wand at it muttering, "'Portus'" while concentrating on her destination intently. If there was one thing Tonk's hated more than Death Eater's it was making a Portkey.
Again she spoke in a soft tone. "Me and Kingsley have to stay and clean up this mess or the people at the Ministry will get suspicious. There should be a few Order members waiting on you. And thanks for the save with Malfoy and the other Death Eater."
Harry just nodded slightly not taking in the information at all. He took the offered rope into his hand and immediately felt a powerful jerk behind his navel as the ground vanished beneath his feet.
xxxxx
Harry lifted himself off the ground with a pain filled grunt only to be pulled into a bone crushing hug by none other than Sirius Black. Harry almost laughed before pain shot up his side and arm and he fell back against one of the kitchen cabinets.
"Harry what's wrong? Are you alright?" Sirius asked in a concerned voice advancing towards his godson.
Harry immediately straightened himself with considerable effort as the charms he had placed on his body were beginning to wear off again. "Yeah not bad actually, just a bit of trouble in Diagon Alley, but your two Aurors managed to get me here in one piece, more or less." He added bitterly.
Sirius just shook his head motioning to a table a few members of the Order where sitting at. "You know there's no need for the attitude kid. How were we to know that there'd be an attack on Diagon Alley, it happened all of half an hour ago. Do you need a healer at all?"
Harry's only answer was a hackling cough and blood dripping down the side of his mouth.
"I'll take that as a yes…" Sirius muttered before turning to a wizard with long unmistakably Weasley red hair who Harry didn't recognize.
I've been away to long, Harry thought as Sirius said. "Bill go to the fireplace in the dining room and Floo Madam Pomfery she'll be at Hogwarts."
Bill didn't hesitate and left the only to return midway through Harry's tale of how he thought Mad-Eye was getting him and his subsequent duel with Malfoy, "-after my little trick with the Anti-Apparition ward he got a bit upset." At that Sirius and a few of the others including Bill grinned. "Then the bastard used a blasting hex on the wall next to me, a rather large chunk cracked me in the side." Nearly all of them winced at the thought including Harry, most wondering how he could still be standing. "But I got back up and finished the bastard for good after a little exchange." Harry grinned as he finished but he sobered as he saw the look Sirius gave him.
No one got a chance to ask Harry what he meant by finish for good as the Hogwarts Matron Madam Pomfery entered the kitchen and asked in a rather annoyed voice. "Who do I need to attend to now Mr Black?"
As Harry came into view her jaw dropped and she was visibly stunned by his appearance. "Hey Madam Pomfery, long time no see?" Harry said with a slight smirk.
She recovered easily enough and gave Harry the stern and scrutinizing look he was used to from his school days as she asked. "To what do I owe the pleasure Mr Potter?"
Harry could only shrug in response. She took that as her signal to begin and placed a large bag full to the brim with medical supplies on the table in front of him. She cast several medical diagnostic spells which identified some minor internal bleeding, nothing immediately serious, a magical burn of unknown origin on his right arm and a few broken ribs, and a calf strain for good measure. Harry had suffered worse before.
Not much worse, but worse all the same.
Madam Pomfery then gave Harry a suspicious glare. He just nodded; she knew exactly how that particular burn had come about. He wasn't up for explaining how yet. That was a conversation he'd avoid for as long as he could. She then rummaged around in her bag before placing three vials on the table. "The blue potion will take care of the cracked ribs and internal bleeding, the pink will mend the burn in a few days and the green is a pain relief potion. The leg, well you can suffer for being stupid enough to get yourself in such a state it will be fine in a day or two. I also recommend some rest as well." She then snapped the bag shut and left without another word.
Harry passed a glance at Sirius who turned to the other Order members including Bill and said. "The meeting was over an hour ago you can leave now." That said they all cleared out leaving Harry alone with his Godfather in the rather large kitchen. Sirius then turned to Harry with a sheepish grin and said. "Sorry about that, Madam Pomfery's a bit sick of patching people up on the fly."
Harry shook his head glancing at Sirius across the table. "It's alright I'd get a bit pissed off myself." He then popped the cork from the first vial before downing it with a grimace. "So where are we?" Harry asked before downing the second vial and pocketing the pain relieving potion.
Sirius only laughed at Harry's question and spread his arms wide. "You are privileged enough to be sitting in the Noble and Most Ancient house of Black, my house in other words."
"And ... I'm supposed to be impressed I guess?" Harry asked amused at Sirius's extravagant answer.
"Yes, very. This place was the only useful thing I could do for the first year of the war until the Ministry caught Peter in that whole fiasco at the Ministry." Harry nodded at Sirius's reference to the debacle at the Ministry; Voldemort had tried to lead Harry there by implanting a vision of Sirius being tortured in his head. Unfortunately for the Dark Lord Harry took it straight to his Master, Aberforth and they uncovered it as being false. So they tried to set a trap in turn. It didn't work all too well either but it did conclude in the capture of Wormtail, Evan Rosier and a few other low level grunts, much to Sirius's pleasure. "Then I was cleared of all charges and given my old job as an Auror back. A better job actually. More money as well."
"That's good Sirius, really good." Harry sighed slightly. "By the way I'm sorry I wasn't there when you were cleared and everything." Harry said sounding rather disappointed.
Sirius just shook his head. "Don't worry about it kid, you had things to do ... and me? Well ... I couldn't really spare a second to fit you in anyway." He added with a grin.
"Cheers." Harry retorted with a laugh. "So about this house?"
"Yes the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black. You see my parents were pure blood fanatics so this place was ready made with the best wards possible, unplottable, anti-apparition, anti-muggle charms, you name it this place more than probably has the more sadistic variety. The only thing needed was to put it under the Fidelus Charm to make it a secret and we got rid of the most Dark Wards, they're dangerous to have around younger kids. The only breach of that was Snape but we recast the ward once we found out his true colours' so he can't tell anyone the location or bring them here. Bit ironic using this house really, you see my parents always thought that Voldemort had the right idea, they never openly supported him, but they were all for the purification of the Wizarding race. My brother Regulus even became a Death Eater. But he bought into my parents crap as the dutiful son unlike me." He finished with a rather wistful tone.
"Is your brother still-"
"No." Sirius interrupted with a regretful look. "He was killed. He got into deep and wanted out, killed for his troubles. From what I heard my Mother went off the deep end after that and I became the heir to the Black family legacy. I think I was lucky to be in Azkaban otherwise she would have had me killed some way, she wouldn't have stood for a Blood Traitor being the family heir. Never was the nicest women my mum. You'll meet her soon enough." Harry just gave him a look. "Don't ask, she left a portrait behind. It's a right pain in the arse it won't even come off the wall! I even tried burning it and worse…" Sirius said with a scowl.
Harry cracked his first honest laugh in a long time. "You AK'd your own mum's portrait. I'll try my own way sometime if you want?" Harry asked hopefully, he even lit a small flare of violet flame in his unburned hand.
Sirius's slate grey eyes widened but he chose to forego any questions and stood from the table. "You can try later everyone has pot shots at her when she pisses them off, but you look like shit and I can guess you need some rest. You apparated from Brazil, wasn't it?" Harry nodded without a word. Sirius gestured towards the door. "C'mon you're room's just up the stairs."
Harry nodded again and followed Sirius from the room. Sirius led him up through the basement dining room and up the stairs towards the main part of the house. Harry could tell Sirius's family was as wealthy as any of the old pureblood lines by the enormity of the basement never mind the house itself. As they began ascending the large stair into the main house Harry pulled up the hood of his cloak to avoid any unwanted questions.
He noticed many people walking across the landings as they continued on towards the bedrooms on the upper floors; many were the same age or only a year or two younger than Harry himself. "Sirius why are there school kids here?"
Sirius just sighed as they reached the next stair and said. "A lot of the Order members have kids and it's safer for them to be here while their parents are away on Order business. Although some like Ron, Hermione and a few others stay here as may be targets of opportunity for the Dark Lord's forces."
At this Harry instantly perked up and they came to a stop in front of a door. "Ron and Hermione are staying here? Why didn't anyone tell me?"
Sirius just chuckled lightly as he answered. "Don't worry there not supposed to know you're here. But knowing what their like I wouldn't be surprised if they figured it out by now. You can use this room to rest; it was supposed to be yours anyway. Don't worry I took care of your Firebolt as well. It's still in perfect condition."
"It had better be otherwise I'd be forced to kick you're old arse." Harry muttered as Sirius just laughed his way back down the stairs.
Harry stepped into the room and found it a lot like his old dorm room at Hogwarts but smaller. It had a large four poster, and by the look of it extremely comfortable bed against the far wall, his trunk from his school days laid at the foot of the bed. A desk and wardrobe lay on the other side of a heavily draped window as well.
The whole room was decked out in Gryffindor colours as well. Harry walked forward and sat on the end of the bed and pulled his stuff off laying it on his old trunk.
The last item was his wand holster and a small dagger he had the habit of wearing on his other wrist but was in his waistband.
He looked at the trunk thoughtfully remembering the only possession he took with him on his little adventure as Abe liked to call it. His invisibility cloak was in the hands of the Dark Lord or more likely one of his followers. Harry just shook his head glancing down at the bruising around his ribcage and the loose bandaging around his right arm. It was still painful but had receded to a dull throb so Harry grabbed the vial of green liquid from his robe and drank it.
The effect was almost instantaneous as the pain receded completely and he fell back against the extremely comfortable bed. With a mental shrug he used a bit of telekinetic magic to turn the light off and fell asleep almost as soon as his head hit the pillow, hopefully into a nightmare free sleep.