Disclaimer-Most character and plotlines belong to JK Rowling, not me no matter what the voices in my head say.

Chapter 2 Overheard Conversation

The four friends spent the rest of the day wandering around Diagon Ally. Harry, Vesper, and Ron had stood staring at the display window of Quality Quidditch Supplies. Harry told Vesper that he was too afraid to ask for the price of a Firebolt. Vesper being Vesper, walked inside to ask. She came back five minutes later, her face very pale and her mouth hanging open.

As they entered the Leaky Cauldron they saw Mr. Weasley sitting at a table reading the Daily Prophet. As he set it down the face of Sirius Black greeted them.

"They still haven't caught him, then?" Harry asked.

"No," Mr. Weasley said, shaking his head. "The minister took everyone off their normal jobs to put our efforts towards finding him. But it won't be any of us that'll find him. It'll be the guards of Azkaban, mark my words."

Vesper shifted uncomfortably. She looked downwards, refusing to look at the photograph of her father.

The awkward silence was ended with the arrival of the rest of the Weasley family, minus the two oldest Weasley brothers.

Fred and George walked over to Vesper and slung their arms over her shoulders. Vesper had become very good friends with the twins, joking and pranking with them. They were quickly shooed away by Mrs. Weasley who enveloped Vesper in a bone crushing hug.

"Vesper, dear, it's wonderful to see you," she cooed.

"It's great to see you too, Mrs. Weasley," Vesper hugged back. Mrs. Weasley let go in time for Vesper to see Fred and George fawning over Harry, making fun of Percy. Mrs. Weasley started to scold them before they began to do the same to her. Vesper just sat back and watched.

Dinner was a wonderful occasion. Throughout all five courses there was laughter and happy chatter. But soon everyone began to head upstairs to their rooms to finish any last minute packing.

Vesper decided it was time to say goodbye to everyone. She didn't want Remus to worry over her.

Vesper headed upstairs towards Harry's room. The door was slightly ajar and Vesper knocked lightly. She heard Harry's "Come in" and so she did.

"Hey," she said, flopping down on the bed. "I'm gonna head home, so I came to say bye."

Harry walked over to her and Vesper sat up. He gave her a tight hug and said, "I'll miss you."

They released each other and Vesper rolled her eyes. "Harry, I'll see you in the morning."

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Harry said.

Just as Vesper turned to leave, they both heard shouts from down the hall.

"Sounds like Ron and Percy. Wanna go see what they're yelling about?" asked Vesper.

"Well…" Harry trailed off. Vesper sighed and grabbed his arm, dragging him to the room.

"What's wrong?" Harry said.

"My Head Boy badge is missing!" Percy shouted.

"I think I left Scabber's rat tonic down at the bar," Ron said. "I need to go get it."

"Oh no!" Percy screamed. "You aren't going anywhere until you've found my badge!"

"We'll go get it," Vesper offered. "I was just about to leave. I'll see you tomorrow Ron."

"See ya," Ron said with a wave.

Vesper and Harry made their way down the stairs. About halfway there, thought, they heard even more angry voices which they recognized as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley.

"…makes no sense not to tell them. Harry has the right to know and Vesper as well. I've tried to tell Fudge, but he insists on treating Harry like a child and you know how he feels about Vesper. If Dumbledore hadn't intervened, she would be in Azkaban for sure."

"They are thirteen, Arthur, the truth would terrify them!" Mrs. Weasley cried. "Vesper feels guilty enough. For heaven's sake, he's happy not knowing!"

"I just want them to be on guard!" Mr. Weasley retorted. "Vesper is just like her father and so is Harry. When he ran away from home…think of what could have happened! He could have died!"

"But Harry is safe, especially at Hogwarts-"

"Molly, they say Sirius Black's mad, but he was obviously smart enough to escape from Azkaban. We have no clue where he is and it has been three weeks! The only thing we know is he's after-"

"Harry will be safe at Hogwarts," Mrs. Weasley insisted.

"We all thought Azkaban was safe. It won't be long until Black tries to break into Hogwarts."

"But no one's really sure that Black's after Harry-"

Vesper pulled away from the door, her eyes wide with shock. She got up to leave but Harry pulled her back down.

"They're talking again," he whispered.

"Molly, look. Fudge was at Azkaban the night Black escaped. The guards were telling him that Black's been talking in his sleep: 'He's at Hogwarts…' he wants Harry dead, Molly, you know that. He thinks this will bring You-Know-Who back to power. Black lost everything that night and he's had twelve years to brood on this."

Mrs. Weasley sighed. "Do what you must, Arthur. Just don't forget about Dumbledore. I honestly don't think anything would happen to either of them while he is there. I suppose he knows all this?"

"Of course he does. Had to ask him if the Azkaban guards could stand post outside the school. He wasn't happy, but he agreed."

"Why wouldn't he be happy?"

"Dumbledore isn't fond of them," Mr. Weasley said. "No one is. But when it comes to dealing with a wizard like Black they are unavoidable. It's late, Molly, we'd better go up…"

Vesper and Harry moved silently down the hallway to avoid detection. As they made their way to the main floor, Harry and Vesper saw both Fred and George hunched over something, trying to stifle their laughs.

"We took Percy's badge," Fred told them. "Made some improvements to it."

Vesper examined the badge. It now read Bighead Boy.

Vesper gave a small smile and she could tell that Harry's laugh was forced.

"Well, I'll, uh, see you tomorrow then," Vesper said. With this new information hanging over her head, it didn't feel right to her to talk to Harry. Her father was supposedly trying to kill him after all.

She grabbed a handful of powder and was engulfed in a green flame.

AN-You'll recognize some of the dialogue from PoA chapter 4. I had to change some of it to fit for Vesper and because I felt lazy and didn't want to type out the whole thing soooo ya. Hope you liked it! Please review!!!

Love Lora