Chapter 10: Meeting at Diagon Alley

"Why did it take so long for Headmaster Dumbledore to send the list of materials for this year, Sirius?" Harry asked his Godfather. "I don't like the idea of going to Flourish and Blotts the same day Gilderoy Lockhart will be there to promote his autobiography."

"It took even longer than usual for him to find a new Defense teacher, Prongslet." Sirius explained. "Hopefully the current one will be better than the last one. Probably not since we're being required Lockhart's books. The new teacher is probably a fan of his."

"Or someone being paid to promote his books." Harry suggested in reply. "I'd suggest Lockhart himself but I don't think he'd dare defy the curse."

"Dumbledore would rather hire a Death Eater, I guess." Sirius joked. "He already has one to teach Potions."

"He should." Harry replied. "One by one, the curse would kill them like it did to Quirrel."

"Hahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha!" Sirius laughed like nobody ever heard before aside from that unfortunate incident back in 1981. "Now that's something I'd like to see."

After a good laughter session, they went to Diagon Alley to buy school supplies for Harry's second year at Hogwarts. Once again, several people were upset at seeing Sirius Black near their savior.

"We should kill Black." A passerby whispered to another one.

"No!" The other one replied. "Black might use the boy-who-lived as a human shield and then not only he'd finally get Harry Potter killed without punishment and we would pay for this like he blamed our martyr Peter Pettigrew for the Potters' deaths."

Harry Potter and Sirius Black couldn't help but feel sick at people's stupidity. They'd say something but knew it'd only add fuel to the fire. They entered the bookstore, causing almost everyone in there to keep their distance from the reputed Death Eater. Gilderoy Lockhart perceived this as an opportunity to gain even more publicity. "Don't worry, people." He proclaimed. "With me around to protect you, even You-Know-Who's most faithful follower wouldn't dare to harm any of you." Lockhart then noticed Harry. "Don't worry about the boy-who-lived either. As Hogwarts newest Defense teacher, I'll be able to negate the Dark influence he received from Death Eater Black."

"Accused Death Eater Black!" Sirius protested. "And I have nothing to worry if you're the Wizarding World's best hope to lure Harry away from me."

"You'd better not to underestimate me, Black." Lockhart said while faking bravery.

"Considering what happened when I underestimated Pettigrew, you're right but I'm still confident enough to defeat a braggart like you, Lockhart." Sirius replied. "If you want to make me believe in your skills, keep Harry safe from Death Eater Snape."

"Snape might be a good potioneer but that's it about him." Lockhart arrogantly said. "What could he do to me?"

"Whatever he does, I'd like to be there to watch." Sirius thought. "Either way, I'm only buying your stupid books because they're required for classes."

"DON'T INSULT HIM LIKE THAT, YOU DEATH EATER!" He heard someone shout. It was Molly Weasley.

"Molly, be careful what you say!" Her husband was worried about what Sirius would do to her. Provoking Voldemort's right-hand-man was never a good idea.

"What a surprise." Sirius sarcastically stated. "The one woman with the courage to shout at me just happens to be the wife of the Ministry worker who searched my home for dark artifacts twice in a same week. I appreciate your overzealousness but twice in a week sounds like a persecution."

"A persecution that you deserve and you know why, Black." Arthur angrily replied while forgetting his previous worry.

"You should look for Dark stuff at Malfoy's." Sirius suggested. "I'll even help you if you'd like."

"Unfortunately, I don't seem to be any closer to find his hiding spots than I am to finding yours." Arthur replied.

"I've already bought all books I need for my second year, Godfather." Harry stated. "May we leave now? I'm tired of being near stupid people."

"I don't blame you, Potter." Draco Malfoy said as he intervened. "The only thing worse than Weasley filth is the muggle filth you'd be stuck to if your Godfather didn't rescue you."

"At least they'd not raise the Boy-Who-Lived to become a Death Eater, Malfoy." Ron Weasley replied.

"Don't be so sure, Weasley." Malfoy argued. "Being forced to live in that filth might make Potter understand how despicable they are."

"You might have a point since Voldemort grew up in a muggle orphanage." Sirius said shocking everyone. It wasn't clear what shocked people the most: someone other than Dumbledore mentioning Voldemort's name or someone claiming that Voldemort grew up among muggles. "Harry, we may leave."

Right after Sirius Black left, Gilderoy decided to throw his two knuts as part of a well-thought (by his standards) plan to get attention. "Don't believe Black. I'm certain that he's just making up this stuff so we'll blame muggles for making a Dark Lord."

"I don't know what's worse: putting up with Lockhart or putting up with Malfoy." Sirius commented.

"I'll say Weasley." Harry replied. "They could be our friends but waste it by refusing to even grant you the benefit of doubt. Have they never heard about 'innocent until proven guilty'?"

The next day, Albus Dumbledore was shocked at the Daily Prophet. When he read about Sirius Black revealing that Voldemort grew up in a muggle orphanage, he was worried only about how Death Eaters would react and what Voldemort would do about that secret being revealed. Dumbledore was now at the same time grateful that Lockhart managed to convince people that Black was lying and worried that his new Defense teacher was correct about Black trying to use Tom's origin to make people blame muggles for Voldemort. Once again, Dumbledore was marveled and horrified at Sirius Black's creativity. His musings were interrupted by Severus Snape. "Please, Headmaster." The Potions Master pleaded. "Tell me that Lockhart was correct about Sirius Black being a liar for that regard. I refuse to believe that a descendant of Salazar Slytherin was unfortunate enough to grow up among muggles."

"Severus, you're not blaming muggles for Voldemort's crimes, are you?" Dumbledore sternly asked.

"That'd certainly justify his hated of them." Snape replied while thinking about his own childhood with a muggle father.

"You and Tom made your respective choices and must live with the consequences." Dumbledore stated.

"Yes, Headmaster." Snape gave in and then asked. "Headmaster, do you agree with Lockhart about Black's motive to reveal the Dark Lord's childhood?"

"I am no longer sure about what to think of Black." Dumbledore revealed. "It can be either this or Black trying to convince his fellow Death Eaters that he's a worthier Dark Lord than Tom Riddle."

"I'd rather die than serve Sirius Black." Snape angrily stated and then calmed down. "Not that he'd allow the second option."

"Now I have even more reason to figure out how to rescue Harry Potter from him even if Voldemort doesn't return." Dumbledore stated in worry.

End chapter.