Chapter Two

It wasn't hard getting through customs at the San Francisco Airport. SFO was one of the world's 30 busiest airports after all and all of 'Dudley Dursleys' paperwork was in order. It was disgustingly easy to ditch his Uncle Vernons' charming company. He told him he needed to use the lavatory and uncle Vernon had given him a nasty look with his piggy eyes trying to pin him like a bug to the floor and then he had said; "this is the last I ever want to see of you Boy, is that understood?

Harry had just nodded back, "Well, Uncle, thank you for helping me."

"Anything to get rid of you, boy." Vernon grunted and stomped off fingering what he called his anti-freak pin.

Harry walked into the men's room and that was the end of it. He exchanged some money once the potion wore off and caught a taxi to nearby hotel. He waited in the hotel lobby until he saw the cab pick-up another fare and then he signaled a new cab. He had this cabbie take him to the San Francisco Aquarium at Pier 39. He had never been to the Aquarium and the hotel lobby had a brochure for it. He could look at his city map he had picked up at the airport and maybe figure out how to send a letter to Sirius while there. Thinking about the letter he'd send to Sirius had him thinking about the package he'd received from his godfather not too long after arriving at the Dursleys.

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Hey Kid,

If all goes to according to plan (codename: Safe Haven) I should have a way to spring you from those nasty Muggles soon. I plan to meet with you at the new marauder palace by the end of the summer but to get you started on what I want to talk to you should read the book I've sent with this letter. You said something to me last year that made me start thinking about things that 'everyone knows' (everyone but you evidently.) So I dug out my old primer from way back when. Nearly every Wizarding kid learns to read from this book, so humor me and give it a read. It's like a password to how most Wizards think. We can talk about it when I see you. I have something special for you for your birthday. Cheerio and Toddle pip old chap. Love Padfoot

Tucked inside the Wizard primer were several notes, a package of stickers that had been spelled and labeled along with several numbered letters. In the first note (under B is for Broom) it explained that the letter was actually the plan disguised with a password. The password was safe haven and in the newly revealed letter Sirius explained about the Daily Prophet bashing him. What the Order of the Phoenix was and that they were guarding some sort of weapon. Sirius had told him that if the British Supreme Mugwump couldn't get him a trial in Britain with three witnesses and some truth serum then something was rotten in the British Magical World. He had asked if he was willing to leave. Leave Britain. To go someplace that would at least give a man a trial before condemning him. After all, Sirius joked in the letter 'believe it or not, it's rather hard to find a job and a bird when everyone outside of this house believes one is the next Dark Lord or a murderer, and while I'm not so worried about earning a living it's hard on a bloke to have girls run screaming when they see you.' All the country had to agree to do was listen to his, Harrys, testimony and then getting them to extradite and grant citizenship to an innocent man should be easy . According to what Sirius could remember from before Azkaban his Uncle Alphard Black had moved permanently out of Britain to America after being disowned for financially supporting one Sirius Black after he left home at sixteen to live with the Potter family. Sirius also told him he was sending him something in the Muggle post.

In the second note that he found in the ABC section it told him to get out a piece of parchment and then place his wand flat on it. Then the third note that he found under H for Hippogriff told him to call his key and when he did the key just…emerged from the parchment like it was rising out of parchment colored water. Placing the key on the top of the parchment, any plain parchment would do according to the note; he put his finger on the key and said his full name and the word balance it brought up his account information. His mind reeled. He was loaded with several vaults and no one had ever mentioned it. He could have been wearing new clothes was all he could think when he saw it. At least some new trainers or underwear that no one else had sweated in.

Sirius had sent him the two-way mirror he and his dad had used in detention as kids by muggle post with a letter explaining that Harry's mother taught him how to use the post. Harry was pissed. Not with his Dog-father but everyone else were on his feed dragon dung to list. I'm just a fifteen-year-old with a 'swelled head'," he though sarcastically, looking at all of the one line letters from his friend, "I don't heed curfew, don't complete my homework, don't comply with rules, and just generally don't give a damn about anyone but myself apparently. Can't trust me, nope you can't. Never mind saving the school and several actual life's from the Dark Man-who-should-be-mold. Dumbledore and the rest of the adults he knew had kept information from him and left him in Dursley-ban for the last time. As for Hermione and Ron… to paraphrase Dobby in second year are friends who don't write even friends anymore? It's not that he hated them or anything like that; he just felt like they didn't care enough to try to find a way to keep him as a friend. Hermione was muggle raised and could use both a phone and the post office just fine. He hadn't wanted secrets just some basic updates on what the grownups were doing about him that's all. Ron kept going on about the Cannons of all things and complaining about housework and he was worried about getting enough food to survive.

When he had called Sirius the first words out of his mouth were "I'll do it Sirius. Just tell me how." He looked at the room behind Sirius; he had no idea where Sirius was but it was ...gross. It was a bedroom obviously, but the furniture was tattered, a thick layer of dust covered most everything, and the mattress Sirius was sitting on looked like it was losing its springs. He could see a large shadowy shape moving in the background; Buckbeak obviously. At least it was in a house.

"Excellent! See Harry, I'm your legal guardian as your godfather and since the government never gave me a trial, I never stopped being your guardian. When your parents died their wills were automatically enacted, that's what is so cool with magical wills, and your guardianship transferred to me instantly. I can legally transfer your guardianship to someone else, my uncle Alphard Black for instance, with the condition that once I am absolved of suspicion custody reverts back to me.

As the silence started to stretch from Harry, Sirius decided to break it. With a more subdued tone of voice he told him, "I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you for so long kiddo. Azkaban saw to that. I've felt guilty that I couldn't get you away from those horrid Muggles since the night Pettigrew escaped. One of my repeating nightmares in Azkaban was that you wouldn't accept me as your godfather. When you did, I felt years younger. I used to pretend you were living with me and all the things I could be teaching you. So I wouldn't go crazy from loneliness you know. Can't do magic there, no wand so I didn't think I could escape. After a while I just lived in my dreamland. Wasn't awful like the other inmates who were trapped in their worst memories but wasn't really sane either. I lost track of reality till the Minister showed me the newspaper of the Weasleys on holiday. You were in danger and after that you pretty much know what's been happening with me in general up to this summer. I…"

"Sirius, are you even sure your Uncle Alphards going to want to be my guardian even for a little while?

"Well…actually no because Uncle Alphard passed away when you were nine but his son is in San Francisco still and he owes me a favor. Nobody except me knew Uncle Alphard had a son because Augustus' mum was an American squib and so is he. He doesn't know about magic really, he was told Uncle Alphard was from a mop family."

"I think you mean a mob family and if he doesn't know about magic how are we supposed to get help from him to free you?"

"Uncle Alphard said he was in the government fighting against crime. What the Dursleys are doing to you is a crime. Don't you dare think I haven't notice you flinch when their mentioned or how ragged and old your clothes are. I saw you in third year be chased out of that so called home," Sirius spat the word like an oath." Sirius stood and went out of the mirror frame for a moment. "Your parents," he said as he sat once more on the bed, "were extraordinary people." He opened what looked like a muggle shoebox and took out a photograph. It showed his parents, Sirius and a man with reddish brown hair and brown eyes with a trio of older adults. "That's my Uncle Alphard and your grandparents Charlus and Dorea. Dorea was my aunt; James and I were cousins as well as best friends you see. Augustus was Alphards' only child and I only met him once in person because he didn't want the rest of the family to know about him but we were pen-pals most of my teenage years, third year and on. He will take care of you if I send you to him. Your parents wouldn't have wanted you with people who hurt you and Augustus won't ever hurt you," he said with a conviction that hit deep, somewhere in Harry's chest.

Staring hard at the haggard face in the mirror, Harry felt something clench inside his guts, "You're keeping something back from me aren't you. You're doing what they do. Information is always being kept from me. I didn't think you would ever do that. Why now and not before this Sirius, what has changed?"

Sirius sucked in a breath and then blew it out again hard, "I need to protect you and I don't think that's what your Headmaster has in mind anymore. It would have made a lot more sense for your parents to inhabit one of the older Potter mansions, since they, as an Old Family, would have wards and enchantments on them that Voldemort could have never hoped to break. As for that whole Secret Keeper thing; really the man's supposed to be the most powerful, and brilliant wizard in Britain; a loyalty oath to the group should have been his priority. He could have at least peeped into peoples' minds to see who the traitor was; I know he did it at school and everyone knew there was a traitor among us. I will never forget the day James came to me confided that there was some sort of a prophecy to me. That bloody prophecy is what led to the death of two of my best friends as far as I'm concerned. Lily was my friend in a different way but she was still family to me. Your Dad never believed in divination and he decided he would do everything to make sure that the adults took care of the problem, not a child. The adults shouldn't have to be rescued by the children was how he put it. I think that's why security was lax enough for Peter to betray them. Dumbledore seems to believe in this prophecy and while I don't think he outright caused their death I know he could have done better. Dumbledore doesn't know I know about the prophecy pup, he is sending guards to watch the hall of prophecy and guards to watch you. Which means…?"

Harry was no ordinary child. Scowling, he realized that the Headmaster wouldn't want to burden a child with the truth, instead was letting him live in so called ignorant bliss until one day he would be attacked and murdered. "The Hall of Prophecy means I'm probably 'destined' to duel Voldemort, according to some vague sort of rhyme that's what it means; yet Dumbledore hasn't even taught me to duel properly. Voldemort must know there's something prophesized or is still smarting from not killing me as a baby so he is just going to continue attacking me. Dumbledore either has a plan, wants me dead, or a combination of the two."

"That was my thought pup. Dumbledore's had eleven years more than I have to figure all this out and nip Voldemort's support in the bud, what has he been doing? Waiting for you to grow up and do the magical worlds job for them? I'm not trading your life and happiness for the sheep-people of Magical Britain. The rest of the order probably thinks I'm crazy and they would have been right if not for two very decisive factors," Sirius expression got downright wolfish when he was being devious, Harry decided with a matching smile. "I'm Lord of the Black family and an Animagus. The Black heir, the future Head of the Noble and Most Ancient House of Black is given extra protection when born. It's a spell cast by some many-times great-grandfather of mine on the bloodline of Black. Back when the Head of the Family and heir to the title of Lord Black had to fear attempts on his life from every direction. There are several protections and the first one is that the heir can't be disowned and when my Grandfather died shortly after I was incarcerated I was automatically Lord Black. Dumbledore and most of the population believes my mother disinherited me but she couldn't. Most importantly for our situation the heir is given a mental shield, much like an Occlumency shield, but instead of just wall between whoever is trying to get into my mind I also have the ability of putting fake memories in front of that wall so the intruder won't realize they are being blocked. The shield also stays up regardless of the heir's current state or awareness, which doesn't happen with Occlumency; people have to keep the shield up there selves with occlumency. Dumbledore doesn't know about my shields, nobody without Black blood is told and anybody told can't tell the secrets without magical permission from the Lord Black and I'm not talking. I act all moody and un-predictable with everyone except Moony and talk about you constantly." Sirius let out a low chuckle that kind of sounded like a dogs bark to Harry; "Once they figure out you are decidedly not at Privet Drive I am going to have a lot of fun by throwing a major fit and acting like I have no idea where you are. I expect it to take a couple of weeks for them to figure out since Moody is still on restricted activity and everyone else will probably just think you're inside sulking."

"How do we keep the Dursleys from blabbing?"

"Simple, really, a combination of the carrot and the stick method, if they don't go blabbing as you put it to the order we don't threaten them and if they go so far as to help out they each get a notice-me-not pendent that prevents anyone with a magical core from noticing them."

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"No trial?" Vernon Dursley asked/shouted in outrage. "Your lot aren't just freaks their barbarians too! How many publicly contested convictions must they face until they understand trials must be held for everyone who pleads innocent to whatever they're charged with? We're British for the love…I have no problem against hanging maniacs who have been properly tried and convicted but letting an accused man rot in prison without a trial? I'll help you put one in the eye of your sorts' government I will."

For the first time in his life, Harry Potter felt happy to have the overly opinionated Vernon Dursley for an Uncle. Sure, Uncle Vernon was just interested in having someone to take him away but at least there was a hope for this plan of Sirius'. "Vernon, are you really getting involved in the boy's freaky business?" Petunia angrily asked.

"It'll be worth it when the boys gone," Vernon grunted in reply. "After he steps off the plane in America we can pretend magic isn't real like we did before the old meddling coot left the boy with us. Plus we get that anti-freak spell if we help him."

"What about the house though," Petunia fretted.

"There is an opening in the company coming up; Grunnings' will relocate the family that takes the position. Think about it Pet, no one will know about the boy, Dudley can still go to Smelting's. Boy head to your room the less we know about the others plans the less the rest of the weirdo's can get out of us if they catch on to us. Come on Pet, we could get a bigger house, in one of those enclosed neighborhoods."

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Harry wished he could just use the mirror but the distance between San Francisco and London was just too great for it to work. So he had bought a bunch of postcards in the London airport before he had gotten on the flight out of Britain. Taking one of Buckingham Palace he addressed it to Grimauld Place number six. Sirius had a spell on their mailbox to redirect anything written by Harry to a box under Buckbeaks' bed.

Dear Uncle Paddy,

See you at the appropriate Time on Tuesday.

Love from your nephew

Oliver Jamieson

It was written in code of course and once Sirius had read it he would burn it. Appropriate stood for no trouble from the Dursleys, Petunia and Dudley got their anti-magical noticing charm. Love meant he didn't think anybody had caught on while Tuesday meant no contact made yet. Now he could just relax and enjoy his first time at an Aquarium; he hoped nothing would talk to him this time.

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Thankfully nothing had talked to him at all; although he thought the eels sounded like they were speaking in some kind of a foreign language version of parseltongue. He kept his mouth shut firmly just in case. He wondered through the watery tunnels and resisted the urge to tap on the glass. He still remembered that stupid dream second year about being stuck behind bars and Dudley rattling them with his Smelting stick and figured the fish would appreciate his restraint.

Harry finally wondered back out to the aquarium lobby Harry stood in the doorway for a minute waiting for his eyes to adjust to the back to the bright light after the dim interior of the tunnel like aquarium walkways. Once his eyes adjusted he noticed a large group of pamphlets gathered in the lobby by the service desk. The flimsy information packets were on every San Francisco subject imaginable, all the tourist spots, historical sites, landmarks, restaurants and hotels. He took one of each and settled on a bench in the lobby to have a good look at them. He was especially attracted to the glossy Chinatown brochure with its picture of the gate on the cover.

"Interested in China Town are you young man? It's a fascinating place," the voice is mild but something makes Harrys neck hair prickle in warning. Harry jerked his eyes up towards the voice. The man standing there has on chinos and a short sleeved shirt in pale blue that matches his eyes and accentuates his tan skin and blond hair. Adonis like good looks with his nose just a bit too strong to let his face be perfect.

"I've never been. I'm visiting family here for a while," Harry cautiously told him forcing himself to seem casual and not tense up like a mouse confronted by a snake or cat.

"Hmm well, like I said it's a fascinating place, full of history and culture. One needs to get off the beaten path to truly appreciate all of its nuances though. Here;" the man tugged the brochure out of his unresisting hands and, taking an elegant pen out of his pants pocket scrawled and sketched a few things over the map on the back. "These are a few of the best eating places and such that I have found. They are the sort of places that the locals frequent. I would recommend Muir Wood as a future destination as well. I hope you enjoy your visit here young one and I'll say goodbye and good luck to you." The man smiled and retreated out of Harry's sight. Harry stuffed all of the pamphlets into his satchel as he watched the tall man walk away and thought to himself 'Well that was one of the weirder encounters I've had." Then he left to catch a cab to a hotel.

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Harry followed the valet up to his rooms. He was very happy with his choice of the Hilton and his room when he entered them late that evening. The room had a large ceiling to floor length window facing the bay, a desk and chair in some kind of light stained wood and a queen sized bed with the same sort of impersonal but pretty bedspread that Aunt Petunia used in the guest bedroom of her home. Harry got up and tried out the bathtub with the bubble jets and then decided he was starving. He looked through a black folder on the desk and noticed the Hotel had room service and a restaurant; along with dry cleaning, barber, boutique and men's store on the lower level.

Harry left his room intent on food but noticed the looks he was receiving from other guests. He decided to check out the men's store first; he needed clothes and it was just a few floors away; maybe some decent clothes would put a stop to the snooty glances he was receiving. The store struck Harry as a really snooty place. His uncle would like it he decided but Harry had deliberately picked a hotel far away from where his uncles drill convention was being hosted so at least he wouldn't need to worry about actually seeing the man. The man at the checkout counter in the store ignored Harry for a good ten minutes as Harry browsed around but at last ask if he could help him.

"Yes, please, my luggage was lost on the flight over" said Harry politely; pulling out a thick roll of muggle cash that Sirius had smuggled to him before he'd left. "I need some decent clothing, I have a set of my cousins but he is a little hard on his clothes and rather larger than me I can make do but I really would like to have something that fits."

Harry felt a ripple of amusement run thru his mind as the man's eyes bugged out of his head and he practically tripped over his own feet trying to suck up and help Harry. A short time later Harry proceeded to dinner feeling like a new man. He was still getting looks but this time recognized that it was because he looked very young and didn't have an adult with him not because he looked like a hoodlum. He'd only gotten one outfit but he was determined to buy more clothes just as soon as possible and maybe a new pair of shoes as well. The dining hall was floored in what looked like white oak and the tables where made of the same and set with stainless steel instead of pewter. It couldn't have looked more different from The Leaky Cauldron if it had been planned that way and the server was a pretty girl with a bouncy blonde ponytail and a pressed white shirt who didn't care what his name just that he knew what his order was. She suggested one of the small plate meals, a salad bar and a butter bourbon pudding. He picked the French onion soup and enjoyed every cheesy bite. Then he headed to his room

Harry smoothed out the Hotel paper on the desk and took out his best quill Dear Cousin Gus I am writing to you… Harry was stumped what to put …'Cause I just found out you Exist? Because I want to have you help clear my innocent prison escapee Godfather who is even closer to you on the family tree then I am. To tell you my parents are dead… to ask you love me… to beg you to keep and help me...' he wrote on his scrap paper. Harry took a deep breath then wrote, 'to introduce myself. My name is Harry. My parents were James and Lily Potter and I am fifteen years old. My dad was your cousin and I don't have a lot of family around anymore. I would like to meet you and I am in San Francisco instead of England so you are probably pretty close by compared to usually I mean. Please contact me CO/The Hilton, San Francisco USA. PS Even if you don't want to meet me now please write back.

"I hope I don't come off desperate or anything. He stuck the note in an envelope and used a stamp that Sirius had spelled to make sure the correct address wrote itself once you were ready to send the letter.