Hi everyone! Yes, I'm back. I'm very sorry for the very long delay in updates. All I can say is life got hectic and my writing took a backseat that lasted roughly two to three years. However, I'm back to writing and trying to regain my balance for time spent between real life and my stories.

Chapter two was going to be longer than what it is, however, I don't think anyone who is still waiting, really wants to wait anymore. So, the parts of the original chapter two that I'm still working on will be combined with chapter three.

Thanks to everyone who has review my stories so far. They help a lot.

Those of you who are reading Crossroads of fate, yes, I'm still working on it. I will post a preview of chapter 6 up later today or tomorrow. The preview will consist of two or three scenes that will be replaced with the full chapter once I get the chapter finish to my satisfaction. On a side note, the preview will be roughly 6-7 pages long. The full chapter is roughly 21 pages.

Well, enough or my rambling. Enjoy the chapter. And please review!

Chapter Two: Dear Minister Fudge, sincerely get lost.

Mr. Warden leaned against the wall next to the entrance to the Leaky Cauldron as he watched the Minister of Magic approached the Knight Bus. "Tom." He said, causing the inn keeper to pause beside him. "Did you reserve the rooms that I asked you too?"

"Yes, Mr. Warden, room eleven and twelve are reserved for you and your guest."

Mr. Warden nodded. "Thank you."

"Quite welcome, Mr. Warden. Quite welcome." Tom said while doing a small bow before scurrying towards the Minister of Magic.

Mr. Warden crossed his arms as watched as Harry stepped of the bus. The boy seemed a little goggling, most likely a side effect from riding the Knight Bus while being tired. He stumbled lightly as the Minister of Magic place a hand on his shoulder and began to guide him towards the entrance to the pub.

Mr. Warden scoffed. "And here is where the trouble will begin for our youngling."

With each step toward the pub Harry's shoulder slumped a little further. As Cornelius Fudge drew closer to the entrance he said to Tom. "A private parlor, please, Tom."

Mr. Warden silently fell into the step behind Harry as they started down a small corridor. Tom paused at the doorway to the small room and glance at him. "Do you need help with something, Mr. Warden?"

He shook his head. "Not at the moment, Tom."

"Then you need to be moving on sir." The minister said testily. "This is a private conversation between Mr. Potter and me."

"My apologies, Minister, but if it concerns my charge then it will concern me as well."

"Your charge?" Three voices called out at once.

"Yes, my charge." Mr. Warden said. "One, Mr. Harry James Potter."

"What?"

"Impossible! Who do you think you are?" Minister Fudge demanded.

"I am Harold Mark Warden, senior auror in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement." Harold said as he pulled a piece of parchment from his pocket and handed it to the Minister. "As of twenty minutes ago by the request of Mr. Vernon Dursley and Mrs. Petunia Dursley, I will be Mr. Potter bodyguard till the threat of Mr. Black is over."

Harry's eyes widen in shock. "Wh-what? My relatives wouldn't do that sir."

"You see." Fudge nodded. "There must be some mistake here. You may be on your—"

"There is no mistake, sir." Harold turned towards the minister and stared at him. "It had seemed the Dursleys were never informed about the serious matter that Black represented and the possible threat containing to their family."

Fudge shifted nervously. "But surely Harry told—"

"Harry was nothing more than an infant when Sirius Black was arrested for murder, Minister." Harold interrupted. "He wouldn't have any more knowledge in this matter then his relatives. The fact that he was never given a warning concerning Mr. Black the moment of his escape is alarming. Because of the lack of warning, Mr. Potter could've walked right into any trap that Black set for him."

"Yes, but that is your department fault, Mr. Warden." Fudge said testily.

"Not when the Minister of Magic overrides the head of our department decisions concerning these matters. Amelia Bones had given orders to send individual warnings to Black's most likely targets to fully inform them of the situation and to set up a security details for them. An order you had stopped because and I quote, "Everyone knows what Black has done. Just keep broadcasting over the news and they will get their warnings. We need the people from the security squads to find Black and to discover what happen to Dumbledore. Mr. Potter is well protected with the wards around his house and we don't need to protect a werewolf." Those were your words minister." Harold leaned against the wall. "Amelia is rather upset with you, Minister Fudge. She doesn't like idiots overriding her orders like that. Especial when they don't know what they are talking about. However, her order still stands and a guard was assigned to the targets."

Harold turned his attention away from the glaring minister and focus on the bewildered Harry. "Your relatives once they were fully informed of the current situation and the possible procedures came to some rather quick verdict."

"Verdict?" Fudge said blandly. "You make it sound like they are a jury."

Harold shrugged. "Though they declined guards for themselves they choose to allow Mr. Potter one as long as he does not return to their house for as long as Mr. Black is loose."

"Now, just wait here." Fudge snapped. "This cannot be allowed. Mr. Potter must be allowed to go home."

"Actually, that is fine with me, sir. I don't want to go back to the Dursleys, ever." Harry interrupted.

Fudge shifted nervously. "Surely, you don't mean that, Harry. They are your family."

Harold snorted. "He'll be better protected away from them since I will not have to divide my attention sir."

"This is not your decision auror." Fudge warned.

"Nor yours, minister. Legally it is Harry's guardians and they did agree."

Fudge frowned. "Yes well, you can wait out here till our conversation is over."

"Are you asking me to shrink my duties minister?"

"Of course I'm not." Fudge flustered. "But you can do your duties just as well out here."

Harold raised an eyebrow. "No, actually I couldn't since Harry would be out of my sight. Thus if danger was in close proximity of him, I wouldn't be able to prevent it."

Fudge glared at Harold. "Are you saying I'm a danger to Harry here?"

"I don't know. Are you?"

"Of course I'm not a threat to Harry. I only have his best interest at heart."

Harold snorted. "Then you shouldn't mind my presence at all, would you minister?"

"Of course not," Fudge force out, "but you're stepping the line of your boundaries, auror. If you step too far you could be fired and we wouldn't want that, would we?"

Harold put a gentle hand onto Harry's shoulder and guided him into the parlor. "Auror is only one job, minister, there will be others."

They sat down a small round table that had a small tray of tea and crumpets on it. "I am Cornelius Fudge, Harry, the Minister of Magic." Fudge stated as he pour some tea. "Well, Harry, you've had us all in a right flap, I don't mind telling. Running away from your aunt and uncle's house like that! I started to think—"

"Minister, I do advise that you get to the point of this conversation since I still need to go over security detail with Mr. Potter. No offense, sir." Harold nodded to Harry. "But Mr. Potter looks like he ready to drop."

Fudge glared at him. "I could have you fired."

Harold shrugged. "I believed that we already had this conversation, sir."

Fudge set the tea down onto the table his lips press into a thin line for several seconds before he smiled. "Yes. Yes. Harry does look a bit dead on his feet. We will shorten this conversation so he can get some rest." He turned towards Harry again as he buttered a crumpet. "You will be pleased to hear that we have dealt with the unfortunate blowing-up of Miss Marjorie Dursley. Two members of the Accidental Magic Reversal Department were dispatched to Privet Drive a few hours ago. Miss Dursley has been punctured and her memory has been modified. She has no recollection of the incident at all. So that's that, and no harm done."

Fudge smiled at Harry over the rim of his teacup, rather like an uncle surveying a favorite nephew. Harold glance at Harry's bewildered face before he glanced down at his watch and slowly counting down the second when he would have to interrupt Fudge's speech.

"Ah, you're worrying about the reaction of your aunt and uncle?" said Fudge.

"Minister Fudge, though I sure Mr. Potter appreciate your concern." Harold interrupted Fudge while raising an eyebrow at Harry. "I see very little reason why you should even be here since this matter is not your concern."

"Not my concern? I'm the Minister of Magic of course it's my concern." Fudge said testily with an uneasy smile.

"If the Minister tries to do everything that are the duties of the departments then nothing would get done." Harold stated simply.

Fudge glared at Harold. "Well, all there is left to do then is to decide where you're going to spend the next two weeks of your vacation. I suggest—"

"That is for Mr. Potter and me to work out Minister."

"I suppose you could, however—"

"Hang on," blurted Harry. "What about my punishment?"

Fudge blinked. "Punishment?"

Harold snickered.

"I broke the law!" Harry said. "The Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry.!"

"Oh, my dear boy, we're not going to punish you for a little thing like that!" Fudge cried, waving his crumpet impatiently. "It was an accident! We don't send people to Azkaban just for blowing up their aunts."

Harold snorted; glancing at Harry he raised an eyebrow.

"Last year, I got an official warning just because a house-elf smashed the pudding in my uncle's hours!" Harry told Fudge, frowning. "The Ministry of Magic said I'd be expelled from Hogwarts if there was any more magic there!"

"Circumstances change, Harry…. We have to take into account…. In the present climate…Surely you don't want to be expelled?

"Of course I don't."

"Well then, what's all the fuss about?" laughed Fudge. "Now, have a crumpet, Harry, while I go and see if Tom's got a room for y—"

"Minister, I do believe that I told you that I would handle that." Harold interrupted.

"Yes well, since I'm already up I think I'll—"

Harold shook his head. "A room has already been book for young Mr. Potter, sir."

Fudge glared at Harold before shifting nervously on his feet. "You seemed to be expecting these things, Mr. Warden, rather well."

Harold looked at Fudge and smirked. "I'm very good at my job sir. That's all there is to it."

"Of course." Fudge briefly laughed. "Just one thing, Harry, and I'm sure you'll understand… I don't want you wandering into Muggle London, all—"

"Sir, kindly stop stepping on my guard duties. I assure you, Minister, Mr. Potter will remain safe."

Fudge glared at Harold. "You are coming close to being fired Auror."

Harold matched his eyes and raised an eyebrow. "And I would think that you would be getting tired of repeating yourself. Good day, Minister."

With one last glare at Harold, Fudge smiled at Harry and shook his hand before leaving.

Silence passed between the two as Harold sipped his tea for several moments before Harold stated, "Questions, Harry?"

"Um, well, the Minister of Magic doesn't normally get involved in underage magic, does he?"

"No, he doesn't, at all."

"Then why?"

Harold raised an eyebrow at him before he tapped his forehead in relation to where the scar on Harry's scar was located.

Harry thought a moment before scowling. "Figures."

"Indeed."

Harry shifted nervously for several moments before he asked. "Sir, early in your conversation with Minister Fudge you said Dumbledore was missing. Do you know what happen?"

Harold sat his tea down and raised an eyebrow at Harry. "You don't keep up with the news during summer break do you, Mr. Potter?"

"No. I can't really." Harry grumbled.

"Really? Would you care to explain why that is?"

"Not really."

Harold sighed. "If your relatives are mistreating you, then you should report it to the police department in the muggle world."

Harry snapped his head up. "They are not abusive if that's what you're thinking."

Harold shrugged. "I didn't say they were abusive. But being neglected is also being mistreated, Harry."

"Who's says I'm being neglected?" Harry shifted nervously.

Harold snorted. "One, you ran away after you accidentally blown up your aunt."

"I didn't mean too."

"I believe you, Mr. Potter. However, to do that type of accidental magic especially after you begun training your magic would take either extreme fear or extreme anger."

Harold held up his hand to gesture that Harry should remain silent. "Two, there is no pictures of you in the Dursley's house. And three, you wear clothes that are obviously your cousin's old ones and yet their clothes are brand new. So you can't argue that they give you hand me down because money trouble."

"How do you know all that?" Harry said as slowly stood up.

Harold pulled a piece of parchment from his pocket and placed it on the table. "Those were the details that I notice when I went to the Dursley to have them sign the papers to finalize the contract stating that I was your bodyguard during your summer break until you graduate Hogwarts."

Harry stared him in disbelief. "About that, my relatives wouldn't do something like this."

"They are a disagreeable lot." Harold nodded. "I simply told them that the sooner they signed the sooner I leave."

"But—"

"They did threaten to call the police." Harold chuckled. "They were quite shock when I pulled out a police badge and inform them that I was also part of the muggle police."

"They wouldn't pay for this." Harry stated.

Harold shrugged. "They don't have too. The ministry is since it was their lack of foresight that allowed Black to escape. At least that is the reason Madam Bones is using to see to your protection."

"Why that reason?"

"It's the only one that Minister Fudge can't back out on without the public eating him alive."

"How's that?" Harry questioned.

Harold raised an eyebrow. "You need to take a class on politics, young one." Harold ignored Harry's scowl and leaned back in his seat. "You're famous for defeating the latest dark lord, Harry, a task that many are thankful for. If the public discovers that the Ministry and as such the Minister was lack in the protection of their hero during his time of need they would call for the minister blood."

"So I'm to be protected because the minister is afraid of the public."

"In a matter of speaking, till you do something to make the public doubt you, you'll have the minister bending over backward to please you."

"That's stupid."

"No one ever said that the minister was smart, youngling." Harold smiled as Harry yawned. "You need rest. Our conversation can continue tomorrow."

"But—"

"No one knows exactly what happen to your headmaster, Harry, only that nobody can reach him at the moment." Harold interrupted. He stood up and gestured for Harry to do the same. "Everything else can wait till morning when you have a clearer head."

Harry frowned before he yawned again. "Alright."

That's it for now. Please tell me what you think so far. I plan to get chapter 3 out soon. By soon I mean within a month time. That's my goal. I shouldn't disappear for year or three like how it happened last time. But, I will warn everyone that work and college are my first priority, my writing will come second to that. Well, till next time.