Author's Note:

Ambrose: Hello, and welcome to the third chapter of our story, "Never A Dull Moment". Look, look! Reviews! Wow . . . purty . . . Alright, enough of that - better get around to answering them in another round of, drum roll, please! REVIEW ANSWERS! OK, first to Quetzacoatls - who has migrated stories, and who we can trust to give us good feedback, by the way - yes, it does sound like something Jack'd come up with. Though, knowing him, he'd probably want to test it first - namely, the Vaseline part, and - well, you can see where this is going, can't you?

The Professor: If you don't, just say so - we'll direct you to the being that is Jack, via YouTube. Now, moving on to Love is the key to the world - which is surely John Lennon's catch-phrase? - we felt we needed a bit of lightness in the chapter, otherwise it'd just be Harry going 'hmmm' in his little shack. We like to get a balance, y'see. OK, now to Moi - if you're a bit thrown by the story so far, just contact us, and we'll fill you in on the bits that you'd like to know (within reason, of course :). And yes, the wand was a given - that's why we mentioned him grabbing it near the end of the chapter. Sorry bout that.

Ambrose: Finally, to henriette once again - well, I think we're getting known for our short updates. It's our brains, you see - they can't keep focused long enough! And our intention was to imply that Harry doesn't have a trunk anymore, if only because he'd consider it unnecessary to bring one along when he could simply have the lot in his pockets - and as to clothes - he lost his last shirt to a chemical fire, so he doesn't exactly have many other clothes that aren't too badly damaged. It'll be one of his first ports of call when he gets to 1962.

The Professor: Now that's over, on to the disclaimer - Harry Potter and all other people, places, concepts, species', etc that are affiliated with the Harry Potter universe are the intellectual property of J.K. Rowling, and of course all those guys at Warner Bros. who do the movies probably own a bit too. Any and all other references to outside TV shows, movies, cartoons, books, etc, are not in any way inclined toward encroaching copyright.

The Professor: Enjoy, read and review friends! Please do leave a review - we don't care what you say, so long as you say something. Cheers, guys - cue chapter!

(Chapter Three - Start)

A muffled pop heralded Harry's arrival in Hogsmeade, and it was with anxious eyes that he quickly inspected the ruin that had once been Britain's only all-wizard village, before ducking back behind the crumbling left wall of Dervish & Banges - it was barely a beat later that Gregory Goyle snapped around to look at the ruined store, having barely heard the pop. Splayed against the wall with bated breath, time seemed to slow as he waited for the notoriously stupid Death Eater to look away.

Come on, come on, look away you dumb sap - oh, hell no . . . Harry could feel his heartbeat quicken as Goyle's footsteps seemed to thump-thump forward toward him. He tightened his grip on the sweat-slick handle of his wand, and the words of any curse he knew were being mouthed at a feverish pace - there were dozen's of men like Goyle in the Death Eater's, it wouldn't make any difference if he killed him, he was just a blunt instrument - he was moving away.

Harry waited a few seconds until the heavy footfalls couldn't be heard, and sighed inaudibly. He'd only just arrived, and it was already incredibly close. He forestalled those thoughts, and went over his plan once again.

There were two ways to get into Hogwarts from his point of entry - well, three, he amended, but the third he wouldn't make a Demiguise use - there was the Honeydukes passage, which would take him straight from the village to the third floor of the castle; there was the Shrieking Shack passage, which would leave him on Hogwarts grounds (and in the sight of the up to thirty Death Eater's who were garrisoned in the Great Hall) - and then there was the road which would lead up to the Hogwarts gates.

Harry was quite happy with the Honeyduke's passage, thank you very much.

He had to make his way across Hogsmeade to Honeydukes without alerting any of the guards, no mean feat when one considered the fifty six meters that lay between him and the sweet shop. He shook his head and squared his shoulders: this was no time to chicken out. Heaving in another deep breath, he took another look at the gap that lay between Dervish & Banges, and his destination - the small house that was next-door to Madame Puddifoots.

While morosely reflecting that he would never have the pleasure of detonating the tea house to tiny paper bits, Harry measured the distance in his mind, while keeping any eye out for any more guards. Seeing none, he broke cover and sprinted the six meters that separated him and the safety of the hut. He knew the clip-clop of his shoes could be heard by the dead, but he didn't stop until he damn near propelled himself through the wall cover into the hut.

He caught his breath, cursed his still-hammering heart beat, and strained his pounding ears for any shouts or spells. An aeon seemed to pass as he awaited the inevitable detection, and he was still playing the scenario over in his head for a few minutes more before he realized he'd gotten across safely. Not daring to say anything, he began to make his way over to the back of Scrivenshafts, where he proceeded to have another miniature heart attack as his paranoia (no, his mind noted, this is anxiety - it's only paranoia if they aren't out to get you -) flooded his mind once more.

Harry had never wished more than he did now that he had mastered the Animagus transformation, as he gazed at the forty of so meters that still lay between him and Honeydukes. There was no way he could make that - not without being caught. If you get caught, then you get caught, his mind supplied, but if you stay here all night, you're just an idiot. Though offended that his own mind was insulting him (did that count as self-abuse?), Harry saw the point of the diatribe, and sprinted the distance once more.

Within minutes, he had arrived at the back entrance of the sweet shop, and with no alarms being sounded - though his trousers felt soaked with sweat. Harry eased open the back door, having cast a Lubrication charm on the hinges beforehand to minimize sound, and slowly closed it behind him. He felt ready to melt back into the door as he got over a large portion of his fear of failure, before standing up straight again and making his way down into the basement - it was far, far from over.

(Chapter Three - End)

The Professor: So, another chapter done. Question is, how's the story so far? That's what we want to know, people! Thanks for reading chapter three - no holds barred on the reviews, please! See ya next time!