Disclaimer - I own nothing related to the Harry Potter universe or BTVS universe. Just writing for fun.

Harry sighed as he stood in the California heat, wondering what he did to deserve the fate he was suffering. 'One little bet and this is what I get! Damn Sirius!' Harry thought morosely to himself.

Harry stood outside the arrivals gate at LAX, waiting on the newest arrival to their rag-tag group of escapees, holding a sign stating "Moony" on the front while dressed like a character out of a Rudyard Kipling book, lots of Khaki and complete with the circular hat and monocle. Sirius stood next to him, dressed normally for a mundane person, sniggering quietly every time a passing tourist asked to take a photo with Harry, considering he was in LA and dressed in a costume they all assumed he was part of a reality TV show or some other theatrical event. Since none of them wanted the photos since he was the Boy Who Lived, Harry took his punishment for losing the bet with as much dignity as possible. As his thoughts drifted back to why they were waiting on his old professor Harry decided to make sure any future bets with his Godfather had a set result that he was aware of before agreeing to the bet. 'I may not like the result of losing this bet' Harry thought to himself 'but I never welch on living up to it!'

- Gringotts Bank, 4 weeks previous -

Following the Goblin attendant as he weaved his way towards the private meeting room that they had requested Harry was lost in the sensations of Love and Acceptance that he was feeling from his Girlfriend and Best Friend Hermione, her hand grasped tightly in his and her other hand grasping his upper arm and her head leaning close to his as they walked, a constant stream of information about Soul Bonds and what she knows about them flowing out of her delectable lips and her eyes shining as she shared knowledge, one of her favorite things to do. Harry had absolutely no idea what she was saying as he got lost in her eyes and stared at her mouth. Luckily for him, or unluckily as Harry thought about it, Dan Granger noticed this and, with a knowing smile on his face, politely interrupted his excited daughter as they reached the door to the private room. It was at this time that Harry realized that he recognized the Goblin they had followed as he escorted them in the room.

"This room is available to you and your party for as long as you need it Lord Potter, however we do request that your meeting not take more than one day." The Goblin stated, a smirk on his face (that is if you can tell when a Goblin smirks, most humans can't make that distinction!) "Is there anything else we can get for you?"

Harry looked around the room, noticing the long boardroom style table making up the majority of the room, a tea set with snacks already set upon the table. The stone facade of the room was imposing but Harry felt comfortable in the room, making the obvious connections in style between the room and Hogwarts. Turning to the Goblin, Harry smiled with closed lips. "Not that I can think of Griphook, unless you know how to contact my Godfather or Professor Remus Lupin? Even if I am considered an adult because of the bond I share they are the only adults not present that I trust completely."

Griphook shook off the shock at being recognized, especially since he hadn't introduced himself before he escorted them, and nodded before turning to the guards by the door and commenting in Gobbledegook. One of the guards nodded before leaving the room. Griphook turned back to the humans in the room. "If there is nothing else?"

Harry shook his head negatively and the goblin left. Shrugging, he turned back, seeing that Hermione had already poured him a cup of tea and had even placed a biscuit next to his cup, a knowing smile on her face. "Thank you, love." Harry said as he sat down next to her, placing a relatively chaste kiss on her lips, considering her parents were in the room. Smiling brightly even with a solid blush on both their faces both teenagers looked expectantly at her parents, who were both trying to hide their own smiles behind their cups. A few moments passed. "So..." Harry started before he lost it, laughter cracking through all their resistance and all four felt the tension of the past few hours leave their bodies. Just as the laughter began to die down a voice is heard from the doorway.

"What did I miss?"

The group all turned to the doorway before Harry jumped up and ran to the new occupant. "Sirius!"

- LAX, Present Day -

Harry was shaken out of his musings by yet another tourist approaching the pair for a photograph, sighing as he handed the sign to Sirius' hands, shaking with barely repressed laughter. By this point Harry had decided to get involved more in the prank, striking a pose with the tourist's wife and son as the photo was taken. As the tourists left, Harry turned to his companion.

"You're loving this, aren't you?" Harry asked, a slight scowl on his face. 'No need to let on that I'm starting to enjoy the situation.'

Sirius turned to his Godson, mirth evident in his eyes. "Hell yes, I'm loving this!" He exclaimed as he handed the sign back to Harry. "Even if this is quite tame compared to some of the stuff we used to get up to back at school, it's still a prank. A prank between me and my Godson and he is taking it like a man. It doesn't get any better than this!"

Harry smiled back at his Godfather, feeling determined not only to grin and bare it but deciding that revenge is on the cards. Seeing the laughter on his Sirius' face and in his eyes, made this all worthwhile. 'I better get Hermione in on this, she knows more spells than I do.'

Both men caught each others eyes again before they broke into laughter again, enjoying the bonding moment for what it was. Suddenly Sirius stood taller and shouted out into the crowd of incoming passengers. "Moony!"

Eyes searching the crowd, the previously mentioned Moony finally noticed the sign being held high in the air, waving like crazy. Remus made his way over to the sign, before noticing Sirius, the two childhood friends grasping each other in a hug, slapping each others backs. Remus pulled back from his old friend before resting his eyes on the young man next to him, looking every part a Victorian Elephant Hunter, complete with handlebar mustache. Cracks started appearing on his face as he tried, unsuccessfully to hold in the laughter at seeing Harry's getup.

With a stern look on his face, Harry handed the sign to Sirius. "Well? You better get started, I'm giving you a 5 minute head start." Harry stated, his voice complete with Malfoy-esque sneer for all of 5 seconds before they all broke into laughter and Harry hugged his honorary Uncle. "Let's go home" Harry stated happily. As they walked towards the car park, Harry let his mind drift back to that fateful day at Gringotts.

- Gringotts Bank -

After introducing his Godfather to the Grangers, questioning him on how he arrived so quickly (as a non-convicted Head of an Ancient and Noble House he had been hiding out with the Goblins, hoping that Harry would stop in) and filling him in on what had happened since the end of the Triwizard Tournament, the group started their discussions on their future.

"At the end of the day, it's not safe for Harry to be in Wizarding England." Sirius stated "I've noticed a lot of inconsistencies in how Harry has been treated and provided for since my escape, not least of which is my own treatment, considering I never received a trial."

With Harry and Hermione nodding in agreement Emma cut in. 'I still can't believe you never got a trial. That alone makes me never want to let my daughter return to that so called school, let alone stay in the country! My question is where would we go and how would we make sure Hermione and Harry continue their education?"

"Obviously our choices are limited. We would want to at least try and stay within the English speaking world, as while we can all speak passable French it's not fluent and neither you nor Harry speak it. I also think that we should try and hide in the mundane world. I don't think that leaving Hogwarts to go to a wizarding school elsewhere will keep them safe." Dan Granger commented. "So what we need is a reason to go to another country to live while hiding the kids at a mundane school and continuing their wizarding education on the side."

All three wizarding people made significant eye contact before Sirius nodded and pulled out a mirror from his pocket. At the questioning looks from the elder Grangers Sirius smiled winningly before holding the mirror closer to his face "Moony" He called out. Hearing a reply, Sirius began to explain some of the basics of the situation to his old friend, convincing him to make his way to the bank as soon as possible. As Hermione launched into a detailed explanation of the charms used to allow this form of communication to her parents and a stupidly smiling Harry, earning him a friendly slap on the arm from his Godfather, Remus arrived with a guest.

"Siri!" The young woman accompanying Remus cried out as she rushed him, her hair rapidly changing colors as they hugged and he spun her around, causing Harry and Hermione to laugh at their antics. Introducing the new arrivals to everyone explained that the young woman was Sirius' cousin, Tonks. When asking what her first name was caused her to growl, everyone decided that Tonks was a lovely name.

"Not to rain on the reunion Padfoot but we're trying to keep this all a secret. I know that Tonks is part of your family but can we trust her?" Harry asked sincerely.

Surprisingly it was Remus who vouched for her, causing her to blush wildly, including her hair creeping red from the roots up. "Considering that the Headmaster has asked the two of us to keep an eye on you at your relatives the deception will last longer if she is included. Plus she is family, yours too considering your Great-Grandmother was a Black."

"Well then Tonks, since we're family shouldn't I know your first name?" Harry asked cheekily,earning a slap on the arm, both from Tonks and Hermione to everyone but Harry's enjoyment. "Help, Help, I'm being repressed!" Harry exclaimed while running behind the laughing Granger parents, causing all three Grangers to laugh even more as well as Tonks, who had a muggleborn father. Once everyone had calmed down and retaken their seats the discussion began again. After explaining what had happened for a second time to the new arrivals, and calming both of them down from going after the Headmaster or Weasleys, Emma suddenly broke into the conversation.

"America!" Emma exclaimed, causing everyone to look at her in confusion and her to blush. "I have a cousin who grew up over there, in California. For years he's been asking us to come visit him and it's almost on the opposite side of the world to the UK. They speak English and, to be honest, it shouldn't be too hard for Hermione or Harry to walk into a school there and succeed. Plus their days run shorter there, so there is plenty of time for 'extracurricular' studies."

"We can ask Gringotts for the proper visas, passports and such. It shouldn't be hard to get the appropriate documents. We can even get some school records made to ease their integration into an American school." Sirius agreed. "You on board Moony?"

"Of course. If I didn't come who knows what you'd get these innocent people into." Remus said, a laugh in his voice. "Tonks and I can give you guys some time to organize your departure and make your arrangements with your family. Once you're outside the country, one of us can report that Harry escaped from his relatives and begin the hunt for Harry! Once we do, I'll make my own arrangements to join you and begin your studies under the impression I am searching for him."

"Do we want to plant some false leads?" Tonks asked, a mischievous lilt to her voice.

"What do you mean? How would we do that?" Hermione asked, always interested in learning more.

"Like this!" Tonks exclaimed before turning into an exact copy of Harry, then a copy of Hermione.

"Woah!" Harry exclaimed, causing the two Hermione's to turn to him, and scowl, their hands on their hips in an exact copy.

"Harry James Potter!" They both exclaimed before turning to each other and laughing, making Harry reach for his chair and sit, missing the whole thing.

Tonks turned back to her standard form, tears of laughter in his eyes. "The great Harry Potter reduced to a drooling mess!"

"Don't blame me!" Harry exclaimed as he stood up in a huff, his face reddening wildly "You can't just replicate perfection and then expect me to not react!" He stated, sitting down with a pout.

Hermione walked over to the chair he was sitting in and leaned in for a hug and a kiss, then whispered in his ear. "You really mean that, don't you?"

Leaning back and looking directly into her eyes, Harry stated with conviction as they stared into each other's eyes. "Every word."

A the silence extended towards the awkward side, for the adults anyway, Sirius cleared his voice, making Harry and Hermione both jump and blush.

"So we've decided then? We escape to California and enroll the kids into the local school. When Remus joins us, we can train them on magic and, eventually, we return to England, ready to fight that evil bastard who caused all this." Sirius stated passionately, everyone agreeing until Hermione made a comment which caused them all to stop and think.

"Which one?"

- Sunnydale, CA Present Day -

'I am going to be so happy to get this bloody costume off' Harry thought to himself as they arrived at the new house that Sirius had recently bought. Located on the outskirts of the town, they had decided to buy rather than rent, meaning they could place many more wards and defenses on the house. The large two story mansion had one neighbor on the left side and extended into the forrest on the back and right side. The many wards removed any threat of detection for magic use and threatening visitors, even if it couldn't stop the annoying ones from showing up.

Moving to this house was not part of the original plan, at least not so early in their relocation. Their quick move was solely due to the falling out between Hermione and her second cousin Amy. The first week there the three teenagers had gotten along really well. Hermione was enjoying meeting her family for the first time and Harry was just happy for Hermione. Then, after a weekend at her Mother's, Amy came back acting different. She was moody, argumentative and worst of all, especially to Hermione, she seemed determined to hit on Harry. Two days after she came back it became too much and they came to blows, Hermione coming out the better and instantly feeling guilty about it.

With apologies ringing in their ears, even if they seemed inconsiderate, Harry and Hermione avoided Amy as much as they could the rest of their time there. Harry knew Hermione wasn't worried about their relationship, more feeling betrayed that a member of her family could act that way. Sirius stepped up his house search and they lucked out as best as they could, moving to the secluded but tastefully appointed home by the end of the third week in America.

As they stepped from the car and gathered Remus' bags the front door opened and a bushy haired missile ran out towards the group before pausing, taking Harry's outfit into account before falling to the floor in tear-creating laughter, causing her Parents to come out and see what the commotion was, and suffering the same fate as their daughter. Harry sighed and turned to his Godfather.

"How much longer?" He asked with a smile, enjoying seeing the love of his life laughing and knowing it wasn't personal.

Sirius made a grand show of looking at his watch and counting out his fingers, as if deciding. During this delay, Hermione had gotten up and ran back inside before running back down, camera in hand.

"Harry!" She exclaimed, causing him to turn back to her, the flash warning him to what happened. Harry paused a second before growling in fake annoyance. "That's it, no more mister nice Potter!" He said before running after a laughing and squealing Hermione.

The grown-ups gathered together and watched the two teenagers laughing and chasing each other, enjoying themselves. Emma turned to the two wizards.

"It's good to see them having fun." She said with a happy sigh. "This might be their last chance for a while."

Sirius and Remus nodded. "Yeah," Remus stated "I can't see Hermione not wanting to learn now that I am here, we will have to start on their training soon."

"True, but that wasn't what I meant." Emma stated, "the neighbors invited themselves to dinner tonight."

Seeing Dan and Sirius groan at this statement confused Remus, so he turned to Emma for an answer.

"It seems there's something about the English accent that some American women love, and the two Chase women adore them. Since we've moved in Margaret Chase has spent most of her time trying to get Sirius alone. I swear he could talk about just about anything and she would be hanging on his every word!" Emma stated, laughing at Sirius' red face.

"Cordelia isn't much better." Dan commented, smirking. "Just don't say her name in front of Hermione."

"Say whose name in front of me?" Hermione asked as the pair walked up, arm in arm and Harry back in his normal outfit.

Silence reigned as the adults all looked to each other. Remus finally commented, curious as to the reaction. "Cordelia"

"Ooh, that stuck-up, pushy, egotistical..." Hermione ranted as Harry led her away and towards the house.

"Thanks Remus!" He called out before turning back and trying to calm his girlfriend down.

Once the front door closed the three adults all broke down in laughter at Hermione and Harry's reaction as well as Remus' face.

"That bad huh?" Remus asked, causing the other three to laugh again, even harder.

- End Chapter 2 -

Thank you to everyone who took the time to review this story. I appreciate the help and advice that some gave and especially appreciate the confidence boosting comments! I love to hear any advice, questions or comments, as long as they continue to be as constructive as they have been.

This chapter should hopefully be the last that has flashbacks in this manner. I have an outline as well as both series to draw from for the future and they should be starting school in the next few chapters.

Again, thanks!