Disclaimer: Anything you recognize, I don't own. Containing parts from POA.
Authors note: This is my first Fan Fiction. If it sucks don't hold it against me. Please R&R. Flames welcome; I need something to warm my bed a night! ;)
Harry was several streets away before he collapsed onto a low wall in Magnolia Crescent, panting from effort of dragging his trunk. He sat still, anger still surging through him, listening to the frantic thumping of his heart.
But after ten minutes alone in the dark street, a new emotion overtook him: panic. Whichever way he looked at it, he had never been in a worse fix. He was stranded, quite alone, in the dark Muggle world, with absolutely nowhere to go. And the worst of it was, he had just done serious magic, which meant that he was almost certainly expelled from Hogwarts. He had broken the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry so badly, he was surprised Ministry of Magic representatives weren't swooping down on him where he sat.
Harry shivered and looked up and down Magnolia Crescent. What was going to happen to him? Would he be arrested, or would he simply be outlawed from the wizarding world? He thought of Ron and Hermione and his heart sank even lower. Harry was sure that, criminal or not, Ron and Hermione would want to help him now, but they were both abroad, and with Hedwig gone, he had no means of contacting them.
He didn't have any Muggle money, either. There was a little wizard gold in the money bag at the bottom of his trunk, but the rest of the fortune his parents had left him was stored in a vault at Gringotts Wizarding bank in London. He'd never be able to drag his trunk all the way to London. Unless…
He looked down at his wand, which he was still clutching in his hand. If he as already expelled (His heart was now thumping painfully fast), a bit more magic couldn't hurt. He had the Invisibility Cloak he had inherited from his father-what if he bewitched the trunk to make it feather-light, tied it to his broom-stick, covered himself in the cloak, and flew to London? Then he could get the rest of the money out of his vault and… begin his life as an outcast. It was a horrible prospect, but he couldn't sit on this wall forever, or he'd find himself trying to explain to Muggle police why he was out in the dead of night with a trunkful of spellbooks and a broomstick.
Harry opened his trunk again and pushed the contents aside, looking for the Invisibility Cloak- but before he had found it, he straightened up suddenly, looking around once more. (AN: Now the original part begins.)
He turned back to his trunk again, when suddenly he was pushed forward onto is stomach. Once he gathered his bearings he noticed a heavy weight on his back. His heart raced at the prospect of what was standing on him. Slowly he turned and he saw a… Dog? A BIG black dog! A Really BIG black dog! A Really, Really, BIG black Dog. A… (Well, you get the point right?) He just lay there, petrified. The dog stared down at the petrified boy and then suddenly, without warning he pounced and… licked Harry's face!
"Stop please, No, No." He laughed as the cold, wet tongue attacked his warm cheeks.
After a minute licking the dog backed up and bark playfully at him. Harry couldn't help it, even after all that had happened tonight, he grinned from ear to ear. "What are you doing here all alone?" he asked the dog. The dog just gave him a quizzical look as if saying 'what are you doing here all alone?' Harry absent mindedly started to scratch the dog behind the ear. "I'm in serious trouble. I broke the Decree for Underage Wizardry. I pretty sure I got expelled from Hogwarts, and to top it off I have no were to go." He sighed, more to himself than the dog, but never the less, the dog was still listening. He let out a slight whine and licked Harry's outstretched hand. They sat there in silence for a while, until the silence was broken by Harry's hysterical laughter. The black dog stared at the tasseled raven haired boy as if he had gone mental. "It was funny thought," Harry said in between laughs, "to see her like that. I'll never forget it… Aunt Marge, The Great Ballooned Git. I can see it now… Special aisle 6, make your friends wet themselves with terror, Aunt Marge Balloons, buy 2 and get pack of Ripper balloons free." The black dog made a noise that reminded Harry of a human laugh, but he didn't read too much into it.
"Do you want to come with me?" Harry asked the dog when he finally quit laughing. "You can keep me company. I mean I have Hedwig, but walking around with an owl might raise some suspicion. But a dog, well, I would just look like a normal boy out with his normal pet." The dog raised his ears and licked his face again. "Alright, alright already, I guess I'll take that as a yes." The dog just gave a bark of his consent. "Now, what should I call you?… I know Snuffles." The dog whined, but it went unnoticed by Harry, as another thought came to Harry's mind. "Were are we going to stay?" he voiced out loud.
The dog, seeming to understand, gently bit down on Harry's sleeve and tried to pull him up. "What, you know a place?" he asked as he got up. The dog just bit down on his sleeve and began to pull his new master in the direction of the ally. "Just a second." Harry said as he grabbed his trunk and began to pull it after him. 'What a site we must be,' Harry thought, 'a dog pulling a boy, pulling a trunk.' He chuckled to himself. Once they were down the ally and out of the sight of prying eyes they stopped. 'Now is as good as ever.' Thought the dog.
"Wow, this is your brilliant place to stay?" Harry asked sarcastically while looking around. "I think I'll just find another place, shouldn't listen to a dog in the first place." He mumbled with a slight chuckle. But just then something caught his eye. It was Snuffles, but something was happening to him. His snout was getting smaller, his body frame bigger, his front paws became hands and his back feet, he stood up on two legs, and all except the hair on his head disappeared, and the hair that was on his head got longer.
"Wha.. who.. Who are you?" Harry asked nervously.
"Don't be scared Harry. I'm Sirius, Sirius Black. I promise I won't hurt you." The man replied.
"How did..?"
"How did I change from a dog to man?" Harry nodded. "Simple. I'm animagi."
"A what?"
"A wizard that changes into an animal."
"Oh."
"I haven't seen you since you were a baby." Sirius said. "Your dad was so proud of you then." He said with a sadness to his voice.
"You knew my parents?"
"Yes. Your father was my best friend. He named me your Godfather. And your mother put up with me just because I was your dads friend, at least that's what she said. But I think she enjoyed or antics more then she let on."
"You, you're my godfather?"
"Yes."
"But if you're my godfather, then when my parents died, how come I didn't go and live with you instead of the Dursleys?"
"Well, that's a bit complicated. You see, I was blamed for your parents' death. But I didn't do it, I swear, you got to believe me."
"If…if you didn't, then who did?" Harry stammered out.
"It was our other friend, Peter Petigrew. That rat sold your parents out to Voldemort." Sirius growled out in a most dog like fashion.
"But if he did it, then why did you get blamed for their deaths?"
"Because I chased after that rat. I cornered him in an ally and was about to kill him when he yelled out 'How could you Sirius? They were our friends!' Then he blew-up the ally way and killed several people in the process. Then, I suspect, he turned into a rat after cutting off his finger and ran for it. The Ministry showed up, thought I did it and sent me off to Azkaban without a trial."
"But, how did you… I mean you did…"
"Escape from Azkaban? Yeah, I saw this and recognized the rat in the picture as Peter." He handed a newspaper clipping to Harry.
"That's, that's my friend Ron and his rat Scabbers." Harry said awestruck. "What are you going to do to him?"
"I was going to kill him, but then I decided I'd rather turn him into the Ministry, and regain my freedom. And…" Sirius began nervously, "I was hoping to regain my title as your Godfather."
"You mean leave the Dursleys and come live with you?" Harry said excitedly.
"Yeah, I know you probably don't want to bu…"
"Are you kidding?" Harry interjected, "I'd love to live with you! Right now, lets go."
"Really?" Harry shook his head yes. "That's great! We can't go to my house now, there might be someone guarding it. I pretty sure Dumbledore knows where my house is. But we could go the Leaky Cauldron and I could be you're pet."
"Ok." Harry sounded a little disappointed. But then perked up. "Right then, let's go- Snuffles." Harry smirked.
"Um, Harry, about that, do you think you could give me a different name, like killer or maybe Ripper?"
"Nah, Killer sounds too aggressive. And Ripper is the name of my aunt's dog, and it hates me. I like Snuffles, it's the sound you made a while ago."
"But Harry, I…"
"Nope, I'll call you Snuffles, and that's final."
"Oh really?" Sirius asked mischievously.
"Yep."
"Well then." Sirius said before pouncing on Harry and tickling him.
"Stop please. Stop." He laughed.
"Had enough?"
"Yes, yes." Harry gasped as Sirius let-up on tickling him. "Snuffles." Harry burst out after he finally caught his breath.
Sirius just glared at him, but despite his desperate trying, couldn't keep from smiling.
"I just thought of something." Said Harry as he wiped a tear from his eye.
"Hmmm?"
"How are we supposed to get to the leaky Cauldron?"
"Knight Bus." Sirius stated simply, as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"What?"
"Just go up to the road, and stick out your wand."
"Huh?"
"Just trust me."
"Ok." Harry said hesitantly.
"I'll change back into Padfoot, and follow you."
"Padfoot?"
"Yeah that was my nickname in school. Your dad gave it to me."
"Oh." Harry watched as Sirius changed back into Padfoot, or Snuffles, as he's known to Harry. Harry grabbed his trunk and walked back to the street. "Just stick my wand out?" Snuffles barked yes. "Oh well, whatever you say."
Harry stuck out his wand. Nothing happened he looked down apprehensively at snuffles and then… BANG. He rolled onto the pavement just in time. Right were he'd been standing stood a violent purple triple-decker bus with gold lettering over the windshield spelling The Knight Bus.
"Welcome to the Knight bus, emergency transport for the strand witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board, and we take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this evening."
Harry looked stunned s he pulled himself up and Snuffles growled at Stan for almost running over his godson. "Woss that on your 'ead?" Said Stan abruptly
"Nothing," Harry said flattening his hair over his scar quickly. If the Ministry of Magic was looking for him, he didn't want to make it too easy.
"Woss your name?" Stan Persisted
"Neville Longbottom." Harry said the first name that came to his mind. Snuffles just perked up his ears and gave Harry a quizzical look. "So this bus can go anywhere?" he asked trying to distract Stan.
"Yep, anywhere you like, long's it's on land. Can't do nuffink underwater."
"So how much would it be to get to London?"
"Eleven Sickles," said Stan, "But for firteen you get `ot chocolate, and for fifteen you get an `ot water bottle an' a toofbush in the color of your choice. And that will be extra seven sickles for the-" but Stan stopped abruptly as he laid his eyes on what was currently standing next to Harry. "A GRIM! A GRIM! Neville hurry-up and get on! There's a Grim next to you!" Stan said panic stricken.
"What?" Harry replied confused, staring at the paled man. Stan pointed a shaking finger towards Snuffles. "Oh." Harry said amused, "that's not a Grim, That's just my dog, Snuffles."
"Your, your `og?" Stan asked.
"Yeah don't worry, he won't hurt you." Harry said. He swore he heard Snuffles make an almost human sounding laugh, and grinned himself.
"Uh, Ok. That `ill be an seven sickles for your, uh, mutt." Stan said shakily. Snuffles gave an indigent snort. And Harry just chuckled and scratched behind Snuffle's ear. Then he dug into his trunk, extracted his money bag, and gave some gold to Stan.
Stan stepped out wearily next to Snuffles and helped Harry in with his trunk, with Hedwig's cage on top. There were no seats on the bus. Instead, a half dozen brass bedsteads stood beside the curtained windows. Candles were burning in brackets beside each bed, illuminating the wood paneled walls. A tiny wizard in a nightcap at the rear of the bus muttered, "Not now, thanks, I'm picking some slugs." And rolled over in his sleep. Harry distinctly heard a snort of laughter coming form the black dog at his side.
"You `ave this one," Stan whispered, shoving Harry's trunk under the bed right behind the driver. "This is our driver, Ernie Prang. This is Neville Longbottom, Ern. And his…uh… `og"
Ernie Prang, an elderly wizard wearing very thick glasses, nodded nervously to Harry, keeping his eyes on Snuffles, while Harry, in return, nervously flattened his bangs and sat down on the bed.
"Take `er away, Ern," Said Stan, sitting down in the armchair next to Ernie's.
Then, BANG. Harry found himself flat on his bed, thrown backwards by the speed of the Knight Bus. Snuffles gave a snort of laughter at this. "Shut it." Harry growled good naturedly back, as he sat himself back up. He stared out the window and saw that they were now bowling along a completely different street. Stan was watching Harry's stunned face with great enjoyment.
"This is where we was before you flagged us down," he said. "Where are we, Ern? Somewhere in Whales?"
"Ar." Said Ernie.
"Best go wake up Madam Marsh, Stan, we'll be in Abergavenny in a minute." Said Ernie.
Stan walked up a narrow wooden staircase and disappeared from sight. Harry, still looking out the window, became nervous. Ernie didn't seem to have quite mastered the steering wheel and kept heading straight for mailboxes and lamp posts, which seem to jump out of the way for him and jump back after they had passed.
Stan came back down followed by a faintly green witch wrapped in a traveling cloak.
"'Ere you go, madam Marsh," Stan said happily as Ern stamped on the break and the bed slid a foot or so towards the front. Madame Marsh glanced nervously at snuffles then put a handkerchief to her mouth and tottered down the stairs. Stan threw bags out after her, rammed the doors shut and then… BANG. They were off again.
Stan pulled out a copy of the Daily Prophet and began reading it. Harry quickly realized who was on the front page after he felt a cold wet nose on his hand and heard a slight whimper.
"Excuse me Stan, but do you think I could borrow the front page of that?" Harry asked, pointing to the paper in Stan's hand. "Sure Neville." Stan said handing it to Harry.
Harry held the paper up to the candlelight so both he and Snuffles could read it:
Black Still at LargeSirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, is still eluding capture, the Ministry Of Magic confirmed today.
"We are doing all we can to recapture Black," said the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, " and we beg the magical community to remain calm."
Fudge has been criticized by some members of the International Federation of Warlocks for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis.
"Well, really. I had to, don't you know," said an irritable Fudge. "Black is mad. He's a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle. I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breath a word to anyone. And lets face it-who'd believe him if he did?"
While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other), the magical community lives in fear of a mass massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse.
Harry could feel Snuffles stiffen up as he read the article, so he put his hand on the dogs back and gently caressed him a soothing manner, then handed the paper back to Stan. He stared out the window, absent mindedly petting Snuffles and thought to himself, 'Great, not that I have enough worrying about with being expelled, but now I also have to be careful of my godfather getting caught and put back into Azkaban.' Snuffles noticed that Harry seem to be in a different dimension and decided to bring him back to this one, and maybe in the process, make him laugh. He got up stealthily walk over to Harry (all the while humming the theme song to the Mission Impossible series that he used to watch as a kid), paused, thinking about what would be the best spot, and the he tackled Harry and started to nuzzle him in the ribs.
"Snuffles, Snuffles. Stop that tickles." Harry said between laughs. Stan just stared at them with amusement written on his face. Finally after about 5 minutes, Snuffles back down and gave Harry a chance to breath.
One by one the witches and wizards started to get off the bus, dressed in gowns and slippers. Each of them eyeing Snuffles as the passed by Harry's bed as quickly as possible. Finally Harry and Snuffles were the only passengers left.
"Right then Neville," said Stan, clapping hi hands, "whereabouts in London?"
"Diagon Ally," said Harry/Neville.
"Righto," said Stan. "'Old tight, then…"
BANG. The bus went back to motion. Harry thought about what he was going to do. He would lie low a couple of hours, then go get his money from Gringotts, and then he and his godfather would set out for a new life away form all of this.
Ern slammed on the brakes and the Knight Bus skidded to a halt in front of the shabby looking Leaky Cauldron.
"Thanks," Harry said to Ern.
He jumped down the steps, with Snuffles in tow, and helped Stan lower his trunk and Hedwig's cadge onto the pavement.
"Well," Harry said. "Bye, then."
But Stan wasn't paying any attention. Still standing in the doorway to the bus, he was goggling at the shadowy entrance to the Leaky Cauldron.
"There you are, Harry," said a voice.
He heard Snuffles give a slight whimper of fear, and was about to turn around when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Stan shouted from the doorway, "Blimey! Ern, come `ere! Come 'ere!"
He looked up at the owner of the hand and felt as if his insides had frozen. For low and behold, he had run straight into Cornelius Fudge, the minister of magic himself.
TBC
AN: Hands tired… Can't go on! Must stop.
Hope y'all liked it. Please R&R, it would make my day, especially if the reviews are good ones. –Hint-hint-nudge-nudge-wink-wink- Kind of a cliff hanger there, not much of one I'm afraid, but what do you expect at 1:00 am. A New York Times bestseller. –Mummers-from-the-crowd Cough-Steven King-Cough. Er, right. Oh well, back to the drawing board. Oh and thanks for reading!