Chapter 2 – Quidditch and Diagon Alley

"Harry, what's like flying a Nimbus 2001?" Ron eagerly asked.

"I don't know, Ron." Harry casually replied. "I still haven't flown it."

"Then you'll have a chance to do it now, mate!" Ron exclaimed. "We can play Quidditch at the nearby field but using apples instead of Golden Snitches. We can't risk allowing muggles to see signs of magic."

After breakfast, Harry and the Weasley boys went to play Quidditch. Harry with his newest state-of-art broom while the Weasleys took old brooms their family kept at a nearby tool shed. To make it fair, they took turns using Harry's but he was first since it was his.

"Too bad Vernon and Petunia aren't with us." Sirius commented with a happy smile. "They'd love to see their nephew on his first broom flight."

"I won't say anything about Mr. Dursley but his wife might have a different opinion." Molly Weasley counter argued with a slightly stern tone. "I remember the first time I saw one of my children flying and I was afraid he'd fall. If even I, who grew up in the Wizarding World, could be worried about that, I wonder what a muggle mother would feel."

"She's not a real mother." Sirius said in dismissal.

"Sirius, Ron told me Harry doesn't see things that way." Molly replied, always willing to give lectures. "Harry sees the Dursleys as his parents and they see him as their son."

"James and Lily Potter were Harry's real parents." Sirius argued.

"And I'm sure they must be glad their son found a family to take care of him." Arthur intervened, hoping to end the discussion.

After the game, all of them were having lunch when several owls dropped letters. Those were Hogwarts letters informing them which books were required for that year. "It took longer than usual for the letters to arrive." Sirius commented.

"Headmaster Dumbledore was having difficulties in finding a teacher to replace Professor Quirrell." Molly replied. She then started opening one until Sirius interrupted her. "Wait. I want to mirror Vernon and Petunia to inform them." Sirius then pulled a two-way mirror (mirrors that serve as means of communication) and called Harry's muggle parents. "Sirius, how's Harry?" Vernon asked from the mirror.

"Harry's fine, Vernon. Too bad you and Petunia missed his first flight." Sirius commented. "Anyway, we just got the list of materials for Harry's second year."

"Weren't you at the Weasleys'?" Petunia asked in confusion. "How did the Hogwarts owl find you?"

"Magical owls are able to find people no matter where." Sirius explained. "Wanna see Harry opening his?"

"Oh, sure!" Petunia excitedly exclaimed and Vernon gave a sign he felt the same. As Harry and the others opened their lists, they found something unusual: that year's defense course required several books instead of only one as usual. All of them were authored by Gilderoy Lockhart.

"The new Defense Professor must be a fan." One of the Weasley twins suggested. "She's probably a witch."

"I bet so." Sirius added.

"How much?" Vernon asked catching them by surprise.

Sirius quickly saw this as a chance to score easy money. "Ten galleons, Vernon. And what about you, kids?"

"SIRIUS ORION BLACK!" Molly Weasley shouted in outrage. "I MAY NOT PREVENT ADULTS FROM GAMBLING BUT YOU WON'T DRAG MY CHILDREN INTO THIS!"

"Fine, I wage ten galleons the new defense teacher is a witch." Sirius said.

"You're on!" Vernon replied.

"It's too late to go back now, Dursley." Sirius bragged. "Who else besides a witch would require students to buy so many Gilderoy Lockhart works?"

"Gilderoy Lockhart." Were the two words Vernon needed to make Sirius worried about the bet.

"Anyway, Vernon, I know you wanted to avoid the day Lockhart is announcing his magical biography but we're too close to the beginning of the term." Sirius said.

Vernon and Petunia then whispered between themselves. "Fine." Vernon grunted. "We'll meet at Diagon Alley and then we'll buy the materials, Sirius."

"Agreed." Sirius replied.

"We're going now. End transmission." Vernon said and then Sirius' mirror became like a normal one.

"Lord Black, do we have to wait for the Dursleys?" Ron asked/moaned.

"Ron!" Molly scolded. "I know they're muggles but they must have figured a way to use the floo as well as any of us."

"Actually, the law prohibits the fireplaces of muggle homes from being connected to the floo network, dear." Arthur explained to her.

"They should open an exception to Harry's family, Arthur." Molly stated. "It must be safer than Sirius Black's flying monstrosity."

"I wouldn't know, Mrs. Weasley." Harry commented. "I never used the floo before."

"Then you'd better pay attention as my children use it, Harry." Molly replied. "You go first, Percy."

Percy Weasley then tossed some powder (Harry was told it's called "floo powder") at the fire, turning it green. Percy then shouted "Diagon Alley" and vanished into the flames, which resumed their previous color. Harry was scared by the idea of someone being burned alive. "Don't worry, Prongslet." Sirius reassured him. "That pompous prefect is still alive and will, unfortunately, remain able to stop pranksters."

"Did Lord Black say…"

"…Prongslet?" Gred and Forge asked in shock, refusing to believe what their ears told them."

"No time for that now!" Molly scolded the twins. "To the floo!"

After all the Weasley children went, it was Harry's turn. Fortunately the Dursleys raised him to be a confident boy, otherwise he might have mispronounced the place's name and ended up at some horrible place like Knockturn Alley or Snape's potions lab. Harry was practically tossed from a fireplace at the Leaky Cauldron and was covered in soot. "My first time using the floo was like that as well, Harry." Percy commented.

Sirius Black appeared soon after that and noticed Harry. "Let me help you, Prongslet." He said as he pointed his wand at his godchild. "Evanesco!" The soot vanished.

"Lord Black, why did you…"

"…call Harry 'Prongslet'?" Gred and Forge asked.

"It was derivated from Prongs." Sirius explained to their shock. "It was his Dad's, his real one, not Vernon Dursley, nickname at Hogwarts."

"He was a marauder?" The two of them were really shocked this time.

"How do you know of the name?" Sirius asked in surprise.

"Well." Gred started to explain. "We found an old parchment…"

"The Marauders' Map?" Sirius asked, furthering their shock.

"How do you so much about the Marauders, Lord Black?" Forge asked, still in shock.

"I am Padfoot." Sirius simply explained. The twins soon bowed to him.

"We're not worthy!" Gred exclaimed.

"Who're the other Marauders, Lord Padfoot?" Forge asked.

"Remus Lupin is Moony and that despicable traitor is Wormtail." Sirius said showing anger at the last part.

Harry and the Weasleys soon understood Sirius was talking about Peter Pettigrew and decided not to mention Wormtail anymore. "Please tell us about some pranks from your school days, Lord Padfoot!"

"YOU WON'T GIVE THEM ANY IDEAS!" Molly shouted in anger. Arthur and Sirius then started talking about flying vehicles. "Won't you be in trouble by violating one of your own laws, Arthur?" Sirius asked. "You made it illegal to enchant muggle vehicles to make them fly and then you enchanted that Ford Anglia."

Arthur chuckled. "It's only illegal when one intends to fly it." He explained, happy at his own brilliance. "For as long as I don't fly it, it's okay. Now, Lord Black, since your motorcycle has been enchanted before the law has been passed, may I fly it?"

"Sure." Sirius replied.

Molly now wanted another change of subject. "Arthur, how about we go to Gringotts to get money for school supplies?" She suggested.

"Well, I've got Harry's key with me." Sirius replied. "Let's go." He then talked to Tom the Bartender. "Tom, if Vernon and Petunia Dursley show up and ask for us, tell them we'll be back soon, please."

"Yes, Lord Black." Tom replied.

"Harry!" They suddenly heard someone exclaiming. They look around and see Hermione with her parents.

"Hermione!" Harry exclaimed. "What a coincidence."

"Hermione insisted in coming here as soon as she got the list." Her mother explained, to Hermione's embarrassment.

"Your parents, I presume?" Harry asked.

"Yes, Harry." She replied. "Mum, Dad, this is Harry Potter, one of my year mates at Hogwarts. This is Ronald Weasley, another year mate of mine and these are his big brothers and his parents but I still don't know the girl with them."

Ron intervened. "This is my little sister Ginny. She'll start attending Hogwarts this year."

"Nice to meet you, Ginny." Hermione said. After all compliments were exchanged, they went to Gringotts. Arthur had a childish pleasure watching the Grangers exchanging muggle money. Harry felt bad for having so much money within his vault while the Weasleys had so little within their own. After that, they went back to the Leaky Cauldron. (The Grangers agreeing to meet the Dursleys as well)

As they returned to the Leaky Cauldron, they noticed the Dursleys were already there. "Your parents, Harry?" Mr. Dr. Granger asked.

"Yes/No." Harry/Sirius replied.

Noticing the Grangers' confusion faces, Sirius explained. "They've been raising him but his real parents were killed protecting him."

They then went to Flourish and Blotts Bookstore. The place was crowded by Lockhart fans expecting him to sign their copies of "Magical Me". Lockhart then noticed Harry Potter and tried to approach him. However, as soon as he grabbed Harry, Sirius grabbed him. "How dare you hold the heir of a Noble and Most Ancient Family like that?" He asked.

"Gilderoy was scared at this. "My sincerest apologies, Lord Black." He quickly said and then tried to save face. "Well, now I'd like to announce that all students will not only get my books but also the real magical me. That's right. I, Gilderoy Lockhart, am the new teacher of Defense Against the Dark Arts of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry."

Sirius Black wasn't sure about what was the worst of his announcement: that he lost the bet or that Harry would have that braggart as a Professor. Unfortunately, he didn't have too much time to think about it because his Sneakoscope (a device that looks like a spinning top and lights up, spins, and whistles if someone is doing something untrustworthy nearby) indicated the presence of someone with harmful intentions. Sirius knew it couldn't be Lockhart or the Sneakoscope would have been activated sooner.

"Harry Potter, may I hold your hand?" Sirius heard somebody ask and then he quickly grabbed the somebody's arm. "Were you the one who triggered my Sneakoscope?"

"Die, Black!" The somebody angrily reacted and tried to stab Sirius, who quickly stunned his attacker. Two Aurors who were patrolling the area captured the attacker, unhooded him and recognized him as Bartemius Crouch Junior. It soon became the first page of the Daily Prophet.

"I can't believe that maniac came so close to killing our son." Vernon commented as he read the Prophet at home.

"I hope Harry recovers from the emotional shock, Vernon." Petunia replied. Sirius Black then appeared. "Sirius, any news on the Crouch case?" Vernon asked.

"Yes, Vernon." Sirius answered. "Crouch confessed he wanted to capture Harry and use his blood in a ritual to restore Voldemort to his full power."

"Disgusting!" Petunia ranted.

"I concur." Vernon added, also feeling disgusted.

"By forcing him to take Veritaserum, the Ministry got Crouch to reveal where Voldemort was hiding." Sirius explained. "A team of Aurors captured Voldemort and is keeping him imprisoned."

"Why don't they simply hang him?" Vernon asked. "After all he did…"

"Vernon, remember about the soul piece in Harry?" Sirius asked. Vernon and Petunia nodded.

"There's at least one object with another piece of Voldemort's soul in it and, as long as Voldemort has one, he cannot die no matter what happens to him." Sirius explained and the Dursleys accepted it.

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