Disclaimer: HP&Co belong to JKR&Co. Not me.

A/N: Sorry for the longish A/N, but I've had several people point out that Harry seems too perfect, too much like a Gary-stu. I'm going to take a moment to address these concerns: Harry has faults. Several, in fact, and if you look close enough, you can see them. One of the main ones is that he's a work-a-holic – he can't stand sitting still without having something to do. He's also a bit of a neat-freak (personally, I can't wait to get him to the Burrow!) Another one is that he's still just a seventeen year-old kid subject to the 'I know everything' syndrome that plagues teens. This hasn't been expressed much just yet, but a prime example of it is his animosity towards the headmaster. Though he's been told that Dumbledore is an intelligent man, and that he must have had his reasons for placing Harry with the Dursleys, Harry has not once asked the Headmaster what those reasons were.

In all actuality, Harry's abilities all stem from the fact that the main thing he has going for him is his mind. He's cute, I'll give you that, but he'd never make it in modeling or the movies. He's not athletic at all, in fact, he's on the short and scrawny side of barely-healthy. He only really interacts well with people he knows; Remus, Sirius, the Kellermans, the guys from the shop, his teachers. He's not very outgoing. If someone talks to him, he'll return the favor, but he's not the type to go out and meet people on his own.

Lyrith – you might not have noticed, but you really don't have much room to argue that Harry's too perfect. You're one of the people I'm basing him on! You've also pointed out how creepy you find it that all these people are so willing to help Harry… Keep in mind that the majority of them are aware of the prophesy and Harry's importance. The rest are either Harry's friends, or well-paid for their involvement. They do have other things going on in their lives, but this story centers on Harry – not them, so I don't feel that I have to include that much about them. :-P

Herein we see Harry take his OWLs, another weekend meeting with Hermione and Ron in Hogsmeade, Harry dates a bit, Chad and Moody begin working together, and much more!

SECTION BREAK (THE DAMN LINE THINGIE AIN'T WORKIN')

Chapter Twenty-Five: Passing Time

On the Wednesday following the group meeting of the 24th, Harry was escorted to a shabby phone box in London by Sirius. Remus had wanted to take Harry in to take his OWLs, but Allen's shop had hit a bit of a busy stretch, and he was needed in the office. Despite having been reassured that he was ready for the tests, Harry couldn't help but feel a touch nervous.

"You alright, Pup?" Sirius asked, noticing that his godson was sporting a rather unusual shade of green.

Harry nodded, "Yeah, I think so. It's just…" Harry took a deep breath and let it out slowly.

Sirius chuckled, "I think I know what you're trying to say. Your mum was a lot like this right before tests, too. The night before we all started the NEWT testing, your dad and I took turns holding her hair for her. Remus had been busy with some last-minute studying, and I can't remember where Peter was off to that night, but your dad and I had figured that if we didn't know the answers by then, then no amount of cramming was going to help. I had actually planned to spend some quality time with my girlfriend… Lemme think… That would've been Cassiopeia Witherspoon… cute little sixth-year, big… um…" Sirius shook his head, bringing himself out of his memories. "Sorry, Pup. Tell me when I'm babbling."

Harry shook his head, but realized that his godfather's rambling had also calmed his nerves, not much, but enough that he no longer felt as though his intestines were trying to escape via his sinuses. "It's okay, Sirius. Really."

Sirius smiled, "That's a bit better. Now you're just pale, not green."

Harry laughed a little. "Thanks. And why are we standing in front of a phone box?"

"It's the entrance to the Ministry, of course. Come here," Sirius beckoned as he stepped into the graffiti covered booth. Harry stepped into it behind him. "Pick up the receiver and dial 6-2-4-4-2."

Harry did so, and jumped a little when a voice reminiscent of the one that tells you 'The number you have dialed is no longer in service,' asked for his name and business. Sirius supplied, "Sirius Black and Harry Potter. OWL testing and moral support."

There was a little clink as something dropped into the change slot. Reaching in, Harry found two badges, one said Harry Potter – OWL testing, and the other said Sirius Black – Tagalong. Harry chuckled and handed Sirius his badge. As he did so, the entire box began to sink into the ground. After a short period of darkness, Harry saw that the box was moving elevator-like down a wall overlooking the entrance area of the Ministry of Magic. He saw a multitude of people standing in various queues; there were several fireplaces along one wall where people were coming and going, all looking as though they had the most important of errands to attend to; another line was waiting for use of the lift, along with what appeared to be a flock of paper airplanes hovering just overhead of the people below; yet another queue of people – many of which were carrying luggage of some sort – were waiting near a roped-off area. As Harry watched, he saw someone appear in the cordoned-off clearing and understood it to be an apparation or portkey zone. Lines of waiting people aside, there were also groups of people sitting on benches – some reading papers, some having lunch – surrounding a fountain of a wizard, a centaur, a goblin, and something else Harry couldn't readily identify. If one ignored the obvious magic, and the general size of the room in view, Harry could easily picture it as the same bureaucratic office where he had registered Viridian. Actually, it's not that it looks anything at all like that office, it's more that it feels the same. Harry snickered. Politics all smells the same…

"What was that, Harry?"

Harry shook his head, "Nothing, Sirius."

"Nothing serious?"

"Isn't that what I said?"

Sirius didn't have time for a comeback, as the phone box-lift had landed. He quirked an eyebrow at Harry and strode to the shortest line in sight. After a blessedly short wait, their wands were checked and they had directions to the testing center. The bored-looking wizard barely blinked at Harry's name, though he did a double-take on hearing Sirius'. Upon arriving in the testing center a few moments and a long lift-ride later, they were greeted by a witch in her late teens or early twenties. "Good morning. Mr. Potter, I presume?" She offered Harry her hand.

Harry lightly shook her hand, "That's right, Miss…?"

She tossed a long braid of brown hair over her shoulder, "Penelope Clearwater. Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Potter."

"Harry, please."

"Of course," she nodded to Sirius. "Mr. Black." She pointed to a couple of hardwood chairs along a wall, under a poster advocating wand-safety. "Have a seat. Your tester should be here in a couple of minutes. I'll apologize now, Mr. Black, for the lack of reading material. The apparation testers came in last week and absconded with all our magazines."

Sirius grinned, "That's no matter, I've brought my own." He pulled a thick tome that didn't boast a title on the cover out of his pocket and resized it.

Turning her attention back to Harry, she said, "According to your tutor, Mr. Lupin, you'll be testing for Ancient Runes, Astronomy, Arithmancy, Charms, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, History of Magic, Muggle Studies, Potions, and Transfiguration. Does that sound accurate?"

"Almost. Muggle Studies?" Harry turned to Sirius.

Sirius shrugged, "You needed a minimum of ten courses, Pup, and it should be an easy grade. Remus should have mentioned something…"

Harry shook his head, "Not a word."

Penelope chuckled, "I'd trust Mr. Black on this one, Harry. It's a really easy test if you know anything at all about muggle life." She grinned, "And the practical is fun, too."

Harry shrugged, "If you say so…"

Penelope nodded, "I do say so. Here," she handed him a piece of parchment. "That's your testing schedule. Most of the tests are in two parts, a written and a practical – the exceptions being Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, and History of Magic. All of which are written only."

Harry took a moment to memorize his schedule before tucking it into his pocket. It looked as though he would be covering both the written and practical portions for Charms, DADA, and Transfiguration today, with the tests for History of Magic, Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, and Potions tomorrow, and the tests for Herbology, Muggle Studies, and Astronomy the day after. "Looks fine, though I have to wonder what Miss Hawthorn is thinking…"

"Miss Hawthorn?" Penelope asked.

Harry smiled, "She's the secretary for my muggle school. I've never missed a day of school before, and now this year – if I don't get sick – I'll be missing something like five or six days."

"In any case, for the written tests, you'll have between an hour and a half and four hours, depending on the subject. For the practical portions, there's no set time-limit, but most of them don't take longer than a half an hour. The two exceptions to that are Potions, which can take up to three hours, depending on what potion they have you do, and Muggle Studies, which… Is pretty unique to the individual."

Just as she was finishing up, the door from the hallway opened and admitted a wizard of indeterminate age, dressed in navy-blue robes. He had salt-and-pepper hair, and a leathery face, as though he had spent the vast majority of his life out in the sun and wind. "Miss Clearwater? I assume this is our independent OWL-sitter for the remainder of the week?"

"Yes, Mr. Bruce. I've just finished letting him know the general schedule, sir. Will you be wanting anything else?"

The man shook his head, "No, but I'll expect tea in an hour or two. No rush." He turned to Harry and offered his hand. "Aconite Bruce. I'll be proctoring your testing, Mr. Potter. If you'll follow me?"

Harry shook the man's hand and followed him through another door into a largish room after casting one last glance at Sirius. "You'll do fine, Pup. When you're done with the first couple, there should be a break for lunch. I'll see you then."

With that, Harry took a seat at the only desk in evidence. Mr. Bruce handed Harry a quill, "There are anti-cheating spells on the desk, chair, quill, and parchment." He laughed a little, "You'd be surprised at the lengths to which some people go, in order to get out of doing actual work. In any case, there's also a general monitoring charm on the room, so if I need to leave for anything, I can still proctor the exam. The first test of the day will be the written Charms exam, followed by the practical Transfiguration. The exam itself will appear when time starts; you will have two hours to finish this test." With that, he shot a spell at a giant clock that graced one wall, and Harry's test appeared. He flipped it over. 1. Name three charms used in animating an inanimate object. 2. What spell is used to levitate small masses? 3. What is the difference between Wingardium Leviosa and Wingardium Geliosa? Harry read through all two hundred questions before penning his responses. When he finished, he still had ten minutes on the clock, and felt he had done well. He sat his pen down and waited for the proctor to reappear.

The clock chimed to signal time, the proctor entered from the door to the waiting area, a cup of tea in hand, and a cardboard box tucked under his other arm. "Finished?"

Harry nodded, "Yeah. I didn't know for sure about a couple of the questions, but I think I did well."

Mr. Bruce nodded. "You've got a five minute break, but you're not to leave the room."

Harry nodded again and got up to walk around a bit. When the break was over, he was called to the desk to do a series of progressively harder transfigurations, starting with turning a needle into a matchstick and ending with turning an earthworm into a pocket-watch. The entire test took all of fifteen minutes.

Once that was out of the way, Harry again sat at the desk and was given ninety minutes for the Transfiguration written exam. He was still scribbling his last answer when the clock chimed time, luckily Harry was on the last word of the sentence. The test was followed by the DADA practical, which took twenty minutes. After that was done, he was given an hour for lunch.

Sirius looked up from his book, "All done for now?"

Harry nodded, "I have to be back in an hour for the rest of today's."

"Come on, then. Let's hunt out a spot of lunch, and you can tell me how you did."

Harry followed Sirius to the tea room and they had a couple of sandwiches. The remainder of Harry's testing that day followed much in the same vein. The following morning was a repeat of the day before, though Miss Clearwater did not make an appearance. The last day of Harry's testing began much as the previous two. The practical for Astronomy reminded Harry of the field trip he'd taken to the planetarium while studying the course at Stonewall. Since Harry's tests were all scheduled for the daytime, the proctor had set up a brilliant – in Harry's opinion – illusion over the ceiling and walls to mimic the sky as it would appear that night.

The very last test Harry took was for Muggle Studies. As with all his other written tests, the parchment scroll appeared as the proctor started the clock. Harry unrolled it with a little trepidation; he'd not actually studied this, and if it was going to be hard, Harry was going to kill Remus for signing him up for it. He needn't have worried. He had to bite the inside of his cheek as he read the questions. 1. What is the name of the energy muggles use in lieu of magic? 2. Name two uses for an umbrella. 3. What is the primary denomination of muggle money in Britain? 4. Why do muggles use automobiles? 5. What are 'stamps' in the muggle world? 6. What is the name of the device muggles use to talk to one another over distance? Though he was allowed a full four hours for this test, he finished in just under one. All one-hundred-fifty questions. When he finished, he sent a mental apology to Remus and silently agreed with Sirius – it was an easy grade. He remembered what Miss Clearwater had said about the practical, though, and wondered just what it would be.

He didn't have long to wait. The proctor had been reading in a comfortable-looking brown recliner, conjured as Harry took an earlier written exam, looked up from his paper. "Done already?"

Harry nodded, "Yeah."

Mr. Bruce smiled patronizingly. "That's quite alright. A lot of wizards have difficulty with muggle things." Harry smirked, but didn't deign to correct the man. "If you'll step out into the waiting area, I'll have your practical staged in about half an hour." Harry nodded and did so.

"Almost done?" Sirius asked upon seeing his godson reenter the waiting area.

"Yes. Only have the Muggle Studies practical left."

Sirius grinned, "I don't think you'll have much trouble with it."

After what seemed to Harry to be an inordinate wait, but was in reality the promised half-hour, the proctor stepped out of the testing room. "For this practical, you'll be completely on your own. I will be giving you a series of instructions, which you will attempt to complete to the best of your ability. Your actions will be observed and graded. Whenever you are ready, you may begin by entering the testing room."

Harry quirked an eyebrow at his godfather, who merely shrugged and grinned at him. Sighing, Harry opened the door to the testing area. He found himself in the combined kitchen and living area of a small flat. If the 'window' was to be believed, it was on an upper floor of a high-rise in London. The 'window' also showed it was nearing dark. The proctor's voice sounded in the room, as though coming from a hidden loudspeaker. "You see before you your place of residence. As you can see, it is nearing nighttime. Your first task is to prepare a meal with what is available. You will not be graded on what you choose for your meal, only that it be prepared the muggle way." Harry very nearly broke down laughing. This is the practical?

Before the gathering gloom of the room became too dark to see, he flicked the light switch on the wall next to the door. He took a few minutes to peruse the refrigerator and cupboards before gathering the ingredients to make some pasta with a cheese sauce. Though he had the ability to make something more complex – and the kitchen boasted everything from canned tuna to a live lobster in a compartment of the fridge – Harry did want the test to end sometime today. When the pasta was done, the proctor's voice sounded again, "Close your eyes, the room is going to shift. We've found that those who don't do so are likely to become a trifle ill at the change." Harry followed the instruction. When he was told to open them again, he was standing on a busy street, all the people around him caught in a freeze-frame, like a video on pause. "There is a wallet at your feet, once you pick it up, the image will animate. You're to locate and purchase something from a street-vendor." Harry tried hard not to roll his eyes. It took him all of a minute to locate a newsstand and another minute to purchase a packet of gum, paid for with the smallest of bills in the wallet. It took him a moment to realize the vendor had given the wrong change, the change for a larger bill, but he rectified the situation. Once he'd given the vendor the correct amount back, the proctor told him to close his eyes one last time.

When he opened his eyes again, the testing room was back the way he'd first seen it, a largish room boasting but a single desk and chair and a massive clock on one wall. Mr. Bruce re-entered the room, smiling. "You sure you're not a muggle?"

"Sometimes I wonder." Harry replied dryly.

The proctor laughed. "Well, that concludes your testing, Mr. Potter. You can expect your results in three weeks or so."

"Thank you."

SECTION BREAK (THE DAMN LINE THINGIE AIN'T WORKIN')

The following Saturday, Harry met up with Hermione and Ron at the Three Broomsticks in Hogsmeade. "Hey guys," Harry said as he slid into a seat.

"Afternoon, Harry." Hermione looked up from a book and smiled at him.

Ron nodded, "Hey. I've been wanting to ask… Just what on earth are you and Dad doing? That night we all met up at the hotel, Hermione and I stayed at the Burrow for the night, and Mom and Dad were up really late talking about something. I couldn't hear quite what, but your name came up, and something about you hiring Dad for something. He quit the Ministry, for Merlin's sake!"

Harry laughed, "Oh, it's not much, Ron. Sirius and I are starting a company to research ways to combine magic and muggle technology, and, after talking with your dad, we hired him to lead our research and development department."

"Really?" Hermione asked, her book momentarily forgotten. "It sounds fascinating… Have you looked into the laws surrounding such an action?"

Nodding, Harry waived to Rosmerta. "Why does everyone keep asking me that?" Harry shook his head. "Yeah, Andie Tonks and her husband are looking into that for us. Once all the pertinent documents are located, Ted – Mr. Tonks – will be working for us, too. He may be a muggle, but he specializes in Business Law. Sirius and Arthur both agree that he'll be useful enough to keep on retainer until we actually start to do more than just kick around ideas."

"What can I get for you, honey?" Rosmerta asked, wiping her hands on her apron.

"A round of butterbeers, and a chicken-salad sandwich for me. Did either of you want anything to eat?" Harry looked to Hermione and Ron.

"Bowl of stew would be good," Ron said.

Hermione nodded, "That does sound good."

"So three butterbeers, a chicken-salad sandwich, and two bowls of stew. Anything else?"

"Not right now, thanks," Harry took a moment to yawn and stretch as Rosmerta walked away.

"Tired?" Hermione asked.

Harry shook his head. "Not really, still recovering."

"What from?" Ron looked concerned.

"Just the OWLs. Finished yesterday."

Hermione tucked her book back into her bag, "How do you think you did? And what courses did you test in?"

Harry shrugged, "I think I did alright. Took Arithmancy, Ancient Runes, Astronomy. Um… History of Magic, Herbology, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Potions, Charms, and Transfiguration. Oh, yeah. Remus also signed me up to test for Muggle Studies."

"Muggle Studies?" Ron asked. "Of what use is a Muggle Studies OWL?"

Harry shrugged, "I've no idea, but the test was probably the easiest one I've ever come across – muggle or wizarding. Sirius said that Remus signed me up for it 'cause I needed ten courses."

Hermione nodded. "Independent testers for OWLs need a minimum of ten courses. For the NEWTs, you'll need at least seven."

Ron arched an eyebrow at her, "Where do you store it?"

"Store what?" Hermione asked.

"All that useless trivia." Ron said, making sure his shins were safely out of kicking range.

Hermione scowled at him. "It isn't useless."

Harry smirked, "Look at it this way, Hermione. If there's ever a wizarding version of Jeopardy, you'd be sure to win."

Hermione crossed her arms, "Ooh! You two… Just… Ppbht!" She stuck her tongue out at them. Ron and Harry shared a look and broke down into laughter.

SECTION BREAK (THE DAMN LINE THINGIE AIN'T WORKIN')

On February fourth, Harry stopped at the shop on his way home from school. He was going to see when Remus was going to start his apparation training, and see if there was anything Allen needed done around the shop. He didn't get much farther than the waiting area adjacent to the office. A pretty girl around his age was scowling at her mobile phone. She had long brown hair pulled into a ponytail and large blue eyes, a heart-shaped face, and was wearing a yellow sweater and jeans. A fluffy white coat was sitting with a black backpack in the chair next to her. "Bloody hell. No one's home." She seemed to be talking to her phone.

Remus looked up from the computer and saw Harry staring at the customer. He smirked, then schooled his expression into something more neutral. "I can call you a cab, Miss White."

The girl shook her head, "No… no. I'm sure someone will answer."

Harry cleared his throat, "Remus?"

"Harry," Remus nodded at him. "Did you need something?"

Harry's mind was momentarily blank. "Um…"

Remus grinned. "I know Allen doesn't need any additional help, if that's what you stopped by for. This is Amelia White, by the way. She's having some trouble with her car."

"Hi." The girl looked up from her phone.

Harry swallowed, idly wondering why he was having trouble getting his mind to work. "I'm Harry."

"So I caught. You have a last name, sweetie?" Amelia flipped her ponytail over her shoulder.

"Potter." Stupid, stupid, stupid. It's just a girl. Talk, damnit!

The girl stood up and offered her hand, "Good to meet you, Harry."

Harry shook her hand, "Likewise."

"I haven't seen you around before."

Harry shook his head, "I work a bit. Between that and school, I don't get all that much spare time. Where do you go to school?"

Seeing that Harry had things well in hand, Remus turned back to his game of solitaire on the computer, keeping one ear on the conversation between Harry and Amelia. This sounds promising…

"West Chesterly. I'm looking forward to finishing up this spring. You?" Amelia's voice was friendly and had an indiscernible quality to it that Harry thought quite attractive.

"Stonewall. I'm finishing up this spring, too." Harry motioned to the chairs.

Amelia sat back down and pulled her coat and bag into her lap. "So, Harry, what are you doing here?"

Harry sat in the cleared chair. "I just stopped by to see if Allen – he's the owner and my foster-dad – needed any help. I've been working here since I was fifteen… So, two years or so."

"That's cool. I wanted to get a job when I was fifteen, but my mom wouldn't let me until last summer. I ended up waiting tables over at Kirby's Diner. Do you like working here?"

Harry nodded, "Yeah. I've learned a lot, working here. And the other guys are good to hang out with, too."

Amelia laughed, "God, I can't imagine hanging out with any of the people I work with. The other waitresses are all around the same age as my grandmother, and the cook is just… I think 'psycho' is the word I want. He's about twenty-five or so, but he keeps hitting on me all the time and asking if I want to go clubbing with him."

"He doesn't sound that bad."

"That's what you think, but I don't think he showers, ever. And I know he spends his breaks out behind the diner smoking pot."

Harry grimaced, "Remind me to never eat there."

"Alright. Harry, don't ever eat there." Amelia giggled.

Harry laughed, too. "Who were you trying to call?"

Amelia shook her head, "What?"

"When I came in, you were looking at your phone like it'd done you a personal wrong. I was just wondering who you were trying to call."

Amelia shrugged. "Oh, I don't know. Someone. Anyone. I wasn't having much luck. No one I know that has a car was answering their phone."

"Where did you need to go?" Harry asked.

"Nowhere important, just home. They said my car wouldn't be ready until tomorrow. I'd take a taxi, but I really don't care much for public transportation. You never know what's been done to the surface you're expected to sit on, and I easily get ill."

Come on, Cub. You've almost got it… just one more question… Remus moved the queen of hearts onto the king of spades, still listening to Harry and Amelia. "I've got a truck… If you wanted, I mean, I could, you know, take you home." Finally! Almost right, Cub. You should have offered to take her to dinner, though… Remus shrugged. Meh, you'll get it eventually.

Amelia smiled at Harry. "I think I'd like that, Harry."

Harry got to his feet, and held a hand out to Amelia. The pair left, chatting about what they wanted to do after they were done with school. "Was that what I think it was?"

Remus jumped at Allen's voice. "Don't do that! And yeah, I think it was what you thought."

Allen snickered and shook his head. "It's about time that boy started thinking about something besides work and school and magic."

Remus nodded his head in agreement.

SECTION BREAK (THE DAMN LINE THINGIE AIN'T WORKIN')

Chad wasn't quite sure what to think of the man that he was expected to work with. He seemed overly paranoid, jumpy, and altogether crazy – though he did appear to be rather intelligent and obviously knew what he was talking about. Alastor Moody. Where do these people dig up these nutty names? Chad lit a cigarette, inhaling deeply. "Come now, old boy, it can't be as bad as all that."

Chad quirked an eyebrow at Moody. "What?"

Moody smiled, "Most folks I know only smoke if stressed… This isn't all that stressful. Never much liked the sit-and-wait part of the job, you know? Much preferred to actually be doing something useful."

"So it would seem," Chad indicated the plethora of visible scars adorning his companion.

Moody shook his head and turned back to the notes Chad had taken during his multiple interviews of both Dumbledore and Snape. "You said you got most of this from Dumbledore, right?"

Chad nodded, "Yeah. The man was collecting memories of people that knew Riddle growing up. That guy was seriously messed up, even as a kid." Chad finished his cigarette and ground it out. "I honestly don't know if we can predict his actions. It's hard to anticipate madness."

Moody nodded, "I know, but I don't think he's completely crazy. If he were, he wouldn't be planning."

"How's that? I know of plenty of people that are nuttier than fruitcakes that are cognizant enough to make plans. Doesn't mean those plans actually work, but they do make them, nonetheless."

Moody pulled a blank notebook over and started doodling while he spoke, "It all goes back to the magic factor, sonny. If a witch or wizard loses their grasp on reality – goes completely around the bend – they become incapable of rational thought. I don't pretend to understand everything about it; I'm not a mediwizard."

Chad groaned, "Great." He leafed through another stack of notes. After a few minutes of silence, he sighed. "So… You're supposed to be helping with all this magic shit. What do you have so far?"

SECTION BREAK (THE DAMN LINE THINGIE AIN'T WORKIN')

The alarm beeped incessantly. Turning it off, he blinked angrily at the ceiling. How did this happen? How in the hell did this bloody happen? He stretched and rolled out of bed. He grabbed his robe off the back of the bedroom door and headed for the bath. After he was showered and dressed, he met Aunt Marge for breakfast. "Morning, Dudley. Sleep well?" she asked while feeding Ripper a rasher of bacon off her plate.

I hate these ruddy dogs. Dudley smiled, "Yes. You?"

Marge nodded, then proceeded ignoring Dudley for the remainder of the morning. After he'd finished breakfast, Dudley pulled on his coat and disappeared for the remainder of the day. He refused to go to school. Ever since his mom and dad had been arrested, even his friends were giving him a hard time. It's all Potter's fault! He runs away over the summer, and then look what happens! Mum and Dad are the ones to get into trouble! He kicked at the ground. It's all his damnable fault!

SECTION BREAK (THE DAMN LINE THINGIE AIN'T WORKIN')

"Now, this isn't something that can be learned simply through studying, Mr. Potter." Minerva peered through her spectacles at Harry.

"Harry, please, professor." Harry was at Hogwarts for his animagus training. Though Sirius had wanted to help him with the animagus transformation, he wasn't a teacher. After three sessions wherein Harry learned a lot about the Marauders, but nil about the transformation, Remus contacted Dumbledore, who set up classes three times a week with Professor McGonagall. "And I've noticed it can't be learned from books. Hermione said you recommended a book, which I've read a couple of times, and it just didn't click."

"Ah, that would be Volk's 'The Beast Within.' Believe it or not, it is the best guide out there." The professor offered Harry a tin of ginger newts. Harry took one, and so did Minerva. "The main thing to keep in mind while starting is that the form you ultimately become isn't something you decide on, it's determined by your personality and innate talents. It has little to do with your House or, if you have one, your patronus form."

"Patronus?" Harry asked.

"The spell used to ward off dementors. You'll likely be taught it at some point. The form your patronus takes is more of an animal representation of who or what you see as a protector. This usually doesn't have a bearing on the animagus transformation. Another thing to keep in mind is that all animagus transformations are normal animals. Regardless of your personality, you will not become a dragon, unicorn, grindylow or any other magical creature."

Harry finished his newt, nodding. "Makes sense. I have to wonder what I'll be, though."

"The first step is a moderately difficult potion. It will do two things; firstly, it will determine whether or not you have the ability to complete the transformation, and if so, it will then reveal your form. Once you know your form, you will need to research the animal in detail. You will need to learn its biology, its habits, its place in whatever ecosystem it hails from. Also, if its something exotic, you will want to research any ownership laws pertaining to the creature, just in case someone notices something odd and reports it to the authorities."

Harry snickered at the thought of something like a lion or cobra being seen in Little Whinging. "Yeah, I can see how that would be necessary."

"This evening, Professor Snape has agreed to oversee your production of the potion element. Do you know where his office is?"

Harry nodded, "I think so. I've been there once before, but I think I got a little lost the last time."

Minerva smiled, "The dungeons are a touch… mazelike, aren't they? Are you familiar with the 'Point Me' spell?"

Harry shook his head. "No. How's it go?"

Minerva showed Harry the simple locator spell and described the shortest route to locate the Potion Master's office.

SECTION BREAK (THE DAMN LINE THINGIE AIN'T WORKIN')

"So, Cub, how'd the lesson with Minerva go?" Remus asked that night over dinner.

Harry shrugged, "Wasn't much of a lesson, truth be told. I actually spent most of the session brewing the animagus potion with Professor Snape."

Sirius tried not to let his curiosity get the better of him, but failed miserably, "Do you know what form you'll be?"

Harry laughed, as did Jenn. Nodding, Harry said, "Yes, but I'm not telling."

Sirius' expression turned pleading. "Please?"

May it not be said he doesn't have the 'puppy' look down pat. "Nope. And you know, your face will stick that way someday."

Sirius scowled and turned to Remus. "Is he always like this?"

"Yes." Both Jenn and Remus answered simultaneously. "You get used to it after a while." Remus supplied.

"Yeah. I don't hardly notice his oddness anymore." Jennifer smiled.

"Why me?" Sirius asked the ceiling.

"Because you must have done something bad in a past life." Harry pointed out.

"I can't think of a single thing that I might have done to warrant having to put up with you," Sirius teased back.

Harry laughed and returned his attention to his chicken. "Where's Allen and Chad?" he asked Jenn. "They haven't managed to kill each other, have they?"

Jenn shook her head, smiling. "Not that I'm aware of. Chad's working with that Moody fellow, and Allen's helping Mike fix the furnace over at Mike's place. Said he should be home around eight or nine, if he and Mike don't go to the pub for a pint or two."

The remainder of the meal passed relatively quickly, and Harry excused himself to his room to finish up his homework. He was three pages into the assigned reading for his history class when his cell rang. "Hello?"

"Hi, Harry?"

"Yeah. Who's this?"

"Amelia. You gave me that ride the other day…"

Harry grinned and moved from his desk to the bed. "I remember. How are you?"

"Not bad. You?"

"Likewise."

There was some muted voices in the background of Amelia's end of the line. "Hang on a tick, would you?"

"Sure." There was the sound of a phone being set down and some talking, of which Harry only caught a couple of words. Then he heard the phone be picked back up.

"Sorry. My little sister's being a pest. Had to throw her out of my room."

Harry chuckled. "Not a problem."

"I was wondering if you were doing anything Saturday night?"

"Tomorrow-Saturday or next week's Saturday?" Harry asked.

"Tomorrow."

"Not that I'm aware of, why?"

"It's just that my cousin got a couple of tickets to go see a concert, but now she's come down ill and won't be able to go. I figured it'd be a fair trade, a ride there for a ticket in."

Did she just ask me out? Harry coughed. "Um…"

"You don't have to go, I mean… It's just that… Well… It's my favorite band and I've got that extra ticket and all…"

Harry laughed. "No, I mean, yes. I'd love to go with you. Who's playing?"

"Pearl Jam. They're American."

"I've heard of them. They did that song where the video got banned from MTV in the States, didn't they? The one where the kid kills himself in front of his class at the end."

"Yeah. The song's 'Jeremy.'"

"Sounds fun. I've never been to a concert before."

"Really? I've only been to a couple. As in, two. Last summer." She laughed. And such a nice laugh it is, too.

"What time should I pick you up?"

"The concert starts at nine, and we'll want to be there about an hour early…"

"So, around six? If we're too early, we can always grab a bite to eat beforehand."

"Sounds like a plan. See you tomorrow."

"See you. Bye." Harry clicked off. A concert. Nifty. He no longer felt as though he could concentrate on his homework, so he bounced off the bed and down the stairs. Sirius and Remus were playing chess in the lounge with the set Harry'd been given for his birthday. "Hey."

Sirius looked up from the board and noticed Harry's enormous grin. "What's got you so happy?"

"I'm going to a concert tomorrow evening."

"Oh?" Remus asked, "With whom?"

"The girl from the shop on Wednesday."

"Miss White?" Remus glanced at Sirius.

Harry nodded. "Yeah. She just called."

Sirius slowly smiled. "You're going to a concert?"

"I believe I just said that."

"With a member of the female persuasion?"

"Do you know another definition of the word 'girl' that I'm unaware of?" Harry was a touch confused.

"Without parents? Or an older sibling?" Sirius asked another maddening question.

"Yeah. Are you coming to the point before the end of this century?"

Sirius turned to Remus. "He doesn't get it, does he?"

Remus shook his head, mock sadness evident on his face, "Alas, dear Padfoot, methinks he doth not."

Sirius turned back to Harry. "You do realize, don't you, that's the very definition of 'date,' right?"

Harry's grin faltered. He paled. "It is, isn't it?" He swallowed thickly. "Remus? Sirius?"

"Hmm?"

"Help?" Harry squeaked.

Sirius and Remus laughed.

SECTION BREAK (THE DAMN LINE THINGIE AIN'T WORKIN')

"Have you determined his location, Bella?"

Bellatrix nodded, "In part, milord. My nephew reports that he sporadically shows up at Hogsmeade and Hogwarts, as well. He further reports rumors that the boy will be taking his NEWTs with the current seventh-years this spring."

The Dark Lord nodded, "And what of when he is not in Hogsmeade? Have you located his home address?"

Bellatrix cringed, "Not as yet, milord."

"You disappoint me, Bellatrix. Time grows short. I want him found by the end of the month!"

"Yes, milord." Bellatrix bowed and hurried out of the room. How am I to locate someone in the muggle world? Aurors still search for me, so I can't locate him magically… They're sure to have an alert on my signature. Bella sighed and rubbed her temples. I don't dare disappoint milord again. It's only his current state of weakness that keeps him from unleashing his disappointment now, if I fail to locate Potter, I'm sure the probable punishment will be far beyond what I can imagine… That was the main difficulty in serving Voldemort. If he didn't punish you for a transgression immediately, said punishment became exponentially worse with each subsequent transgression. And he had a long memory, so there was no hoping that he'd forget. Maybe Cissa will have some ideas.

Bellatrix scrounged up some parchment and a pen and sent a quick owl to her sister. With luck, Mrs. Malfoy would be at the Manor, and not off on one of her frequent trips to France or Greece.

SECTION BREAK (THE DAMN LINE THINGIE AIN'T WORKIN')

Harry woke up late Saturday morning. He was a little at a loss to explain why, when he suddenly remembered the phone call from Amelia the night before, and the subsequent hours of worrying. He went from the pleasant relaxation of barely-awake to slightly nauseous and highly nervous in a matter of moments. Glancing at his alarm clock, he noticed it was nearing nine. Eight hours… What am I supposed to do for eight bloody hours? He got out of bed and meandered towards the shower.

Afterwards, he went to the kitchen, intent on breakfast. There was a note from Remus on the marker-board on the fridge saying that he'd be over at Sirius' for most of the day. Jenn had also noted that she'd be working in the office on a project for Maxis, and she wasn't to be disturbed. Harry sighed and poured himself a cup of tea and made some toast. So much for hoping one of them would be able to distract me…

He was just finishing up his breakfast when there was a tapping on the kitchen window. Looking up, he saw a large brown barn owl standing on the windowsill. He got up, opened the window, and the owl fluttered over to his chair at the kitchen table. Harry offered the bird the last of his toast and took the heavy parchment envelope. The owl ate the crust quickly, bowed its head to Harry, and flew back out the window. Harry closed the window behind it. He then turned his attention to the envelope. Wonder what this is? It was addressed to him in a dark blue ink, and had an unfamiliar wax seal holding it closed. Shrugging, he broke the seal and opened the letter.

7 February, 1998
Dear Mr. Potter,

Attached you will find your results for your recent independent completion of the Ordinary Wizarding Level tests. Should you decide to continue independent study in any of the areas wherein a passing grade was achieved, please be aware that a minimum of seven subjects will be needed to take NEWT-level tests, unless testing occurs within the guidelines of an established scholastic venue. Should you decide to continue your education at one of the magic schools within the United Kingdom, a minimum of five subjects will be needed. If this is the course of action you wish to pursue, you may write for information on the schools available, though it remains your responsibility to contact any and all schools that you are interested in. If you decide to continue your education outside the UK, it will be your own responsibility to locate information on schools not subject to Ministry of Magic guidelines. Likewise, if education outside of the UK is what you wish to seek, please contact the Department of Educational Standards to review what courses are recognized on British soil.

Sincerely,
Aconite Edvard Bruce
Head of the Department of Educational Standards

All thoughts and worries of his impending date that evening fled his mind as Harry flipped to the second sheet of parchment.

Ordinary Wizarding Level Results

Pass Grades ...Fail Grades
Outstanding (O)... Poor (P)
Exceeds Expectations (E) ...Dreadful (D)
Acceptable (A) ...Troll (T)

Harry James Potter has achieved:
Ancient Runes... E
Arithmancy ...O
Astronomy... E
Charms ...O
Defense Against the Dark Arts ...O
Herbology ...A
History of Magic... A
Muggle Studies ...O
Potions ...O
Transfiguration ...E

It is noted that the examiner stated if there were a higher grade
possible, it would have been achieved on the Muggle Stuidies exam.

All-in-all, it looks rather like my report card from Stonewall. Harry snickered at the thought of Mr. Eindelberg teaching Transfiguration in the physics lab and Mr. Jonas teaching the fall of Grindelwald alongside the development of the atomic bomb. He folded the letter and stuck it back into the envelope, then tucked all of it into his pocket. Figuring that both Sirius and Remus would want to know his results, he located his trainers and coat. Ignoring the light snowfall, he jogged to Sirius' house and rapped on the door.

"Morning, Harry. What brings you by?" Sirius answered the knock.

Harry grinned, "I got my results just now."

Sirius grabbed Harry's shoulder and pulled him through the door. "Come on, then, let's not keep Moony waiting!"

"Hey!" Harry protested at being manhandled into the sitting room. "Geroff me!"

Sirius ignored his godson's protests and shoved him into a chair. He held his hand out expectantly, "Come on, Pup, hand 'em over."

Remus looked up from the game board on the coffee table at Harry's abrupt entrance. "What's going on?" he asked.

"Harry got his OWL results and was just about to share them." Sirius was acting more like a kid than he had on Christmas. That was, if his grin was anything to go by.

Remus brightened, "That was quick. Come on, Harry. Let's see them."

Harry shook his head at the antics of both his tutor and godfather. Should I feel older than they are? He withdrew the now slightly-battered envelope and handed it to Sirius. Sirius pouted, "You opened it without us?"

Harry nodded, "Well… yeah. They are my results, you know."

"Whatever," Remus waived Harry off for the moment and bounded out of his seat to read the parchment over Sirius' shoulder.

"Wow." Sirius breathed.

"My sentiments, exactly." Remus looked up from the parchment. "We should frame it, you know."

Sirius grinned. "I know. You want to do the honors, or should I?"

Remus returned Sirius' grin and pulled out his wand before Harry could protest. "Permanente framus il documento." A golden oak frame, complete with wire hangar and glass, appeared around the parchment. Sirius took it and tapped the mortar between two bricks above the fireplace with his wand – causing a small hook to appear – and hung it.

Remus wiped away an imaginary tear, "They grow up so fast, don't they Padfoot?"

"They do indeed, Moony." Sirius' mock-solemn expression faded into an evil grin. "Do you know what I just realized?"

Remus shook his head. "I shudder to even ponder what your mind is capable of."

"Guys?" Harry tried to get their attention. He didn't like where this was going one bit.

"He's got a date tonight," Sirius ignored Harry.

Remus echoed Sirius' grin, "He does at that, doesn't he?"

"Pictures would be best," Sirius said.

"Guys?" Harry tried again.

"I know where some are…" Remus smirked.

"There was one in particular, though," Sirius grew wistful.

"Which one? His first birthday, the one with the plush quaffle, or the one in the bath?"

Sirius brightened, "You have all of them, don't you?"

It suddenly dawned on Harry what his godfather and the werewolf were planning on doing. "NO!" he shouted, "God, guys! NO!"

Remus and Sirius turned as one to Harry and asked, "Why not?" before breaking into gales of laughter at the look of horror on Harry's face.

Harry scowled at them both, "Because I said so! And because Amelia's a muggle, and I don't think she'd even know what a quaffle was! And aren't wizarding photographs more like snippets of soundless movies? I think that might just clue her in on a few things I thought we wanted kept quiet!"

Sirius' expression fell, "True, true." He sighed, "It's a shame, though."

"But the look on his face made it more than worth it, Padfoot." Remus pointed out.

Sirius smiled, "It did, didn't it?"

Harry groaned and grabbed a throw-pillow. He screamed as hard as he could into it. When he was done, he looked back up at Remus and Sirius. "Wow, Moony. Another one."

"Should you tally it, or will I?"

"I will." Sirius incanted something in what sounded like Hindustani, and a glowing scoreboard appeared with '58' on it. He tapped it once, and the number rolled to '59.' "Hmm…" Sirius examined the board. "One more and we'll break sixty."

Remus shrugged, "Looks like we'll just have to try harder in the future."

Harry blinked at the glowing numbers. "Dare I ask what that is?"

Sirius banished the scoreboard, "It's a running tally of how many people the Marauders have managed to irritate to mindless screaming."

Harry didn't know whether to punch his godfather or start laughing hysterically, so he did neither. Instead, he took a deep breath, counted silently to ten, and slowly let it out. He noticed the game laid out on the coffee table. "What's this?" he asked. The board looked rather like a Risk game, but the pieces were moving about, and was that a miniature campfire he spotted on Antarctica?

"Conqueror's March. It's a lot like muggle Risk, but can be played with two people. Risk is always the most fun with four or more people." Remus answered.

"It looks like fun," Harry said.

"It is. Did you want us to teach you how to play?" Sirius asked.

"Sure."

It took them a couple of minutes to re-set the board, and the three of them spent the remainder of the morning and most of the afternoon playing.

SECTION BREAK (THE DAMN LINE THINGIE AIN'T WORKIN')

"Harry?" Jenn knocked on Harry's bedroom door.

"Just a second, Jenn." Harry pulled on his bathrobe. The clock indicated that he still had forty minutes before he had to go pick up Amelia. He opened the door. "Whacha need?"

"You left your phone in the kitchen. Amelia just called. She wanted you to call her back." Jenn handed over the phone. "You didn't tell me you had a date tonight."

Harry grimaced, "Sorry. Thought I had, but now that I think about it, I only told Sirius and Remus. It's okay, right?"

Jenn smiled, "I suppose so. Where were you going? The girl mentioned something about a concert."

"Yeah, a Pearl Jam concert in London."

Jennifer nodded and sat on the edge of Harry's bed. "Anyone else going with you?"

Harry shook his head, "I don't think so. Amelia didn't mention anyone else."

"Do you know what time the concert is supposed to let out?"

"Yeah, I checked it online. It starts at nine and goes until midnight. We were going to try to grab a bite to eat beforehand."

"Where?"

Harry shrugged, "'No' and 'idea' spring to mind."

"It's too late to get reservations at anyplace fancy, and you don't want to insult the poor girl by going to McDonalds or Burger King –"

"Why not? I mean… It's just a concert."

Jenn chuckled, "Oh Harry, you really have no idea what you're getting into, do you? You like her, right?"

"Well… yeah. I don't think I'd be going with her if I didn't like her. But what's that to do with anything?" Harry sat in his desk chair.

"Just pointing out that if it goes well tonight, she'll want to go out with you again."

Harry paled. "Again? This stress again?"

Jenn laughed, "It does get easier with repetition. You've not had a date before, have you?"

Harry shook his head. "Nope."

Jenn sighed and motioned him to stand up. "Come on, let's get you ready." Harry followed her to his closet, which he hadn't added all that much to since his original outing for clothes back when he first moved in with the Kellermans. She pulled the chain to turn on the light. "You really don't care for shopping much, do you?"

Harry shrugged, "It's not too bad, I've just been a bit busy. Haven't had the time."

"Remind me to take you to the mall next weekend. You should have more than a week's worth of clothes."

"So… what do you have in mind?"

Jenn thumbed through the sparse selection available. "Hmm… A full suit would likely be too formal for the concert. I'm somewhat familiar with the band. Likewise, you don't want to just show up in jeans and a t-shirt… There's got to be something that will work that's nicely between the two extremes." Within ten minutes, Jenn pulled out one of the white shirts that went with Harry's school uniforms, a pair of jeans, the navy jacket to his suit, and his dress-shoes. Harry quirked an eyebrow at the selection. Jenn had managed to pick something so quickly when he'd been staring at the contents of his closet for the last half-hour. She stepped out of the room, allowing Harry to dress in privacy. When he signaled that he was dressed, Jenn returned. She took one look at Harry and shook her head.

"Lose the jacket." While Harry did so, she shouted down the hall, "Remus! A little help, please!"

Remus came running, wand in hand, assuming something was either about to fall and break or was on fire. "What?"

"Can you change the color of Harry's shirt for the night?" Jenn smiled.

Remus took a deep breath to calm his pulse, "Is that what the shouting was for? I thought for sure someone was about to be maimed, at the least."

Jenn waived a hand, "Sorry, but we are in a bit of a hurry here. Harry's got to leave in about half an hour, and I still have to tackle that bird's nest he calls his hair."

"Understood. What color did you want it?"

"Can you match his eyes?" Jenn asked.

Remus nodded and tapped Harry's shirt cuff. A blotch of green a touch lighter than his eyes appeared and spread over the shirt. Where it came across a button, the button darkened from a clearish white to a shiny dark green. "Perfect," Jenn proclaimed.

"I don't know, he looks a bit unfinished," Remus said.

"Hmm…" Jenn walked in a circle around Harry. "I see what you mean. Harry, roll up your sleeves, just to the elbow."

Harry did so, wondering for a moment if this was how dolls felt in the hands of little girls. "What next?"

Remus looked thoughtful, "Wait here a sec, Cub." He hurried out of the room. Harry looked to Jenn, who shrugged. After a minute or so, Remus reappeared with a wooden case the size of a cigar box. He opened it with a tap of his wand. It was obviously larger on the inside than it was on the out, as Remus reached into it nearly up to the elbow. "Here it is!" He withdrew a box, slightly smaller than the wooden one, but about twice as deep and covered in red plush. "I expect these back, Cub, but you can borrow them for tonight." He handed Harry the box.

Harry opened it. "Wow." It contained a thick bracelet made of what Harry assumed to be platinum, since Remus couldn't wear silver. It was approximately two inches wide, and tooled to look like interwoven strands of rope. On the front, there was a circular piece of tiger's eye. Under the wrist cuff, there was a matching pendant on a thick chain. "Thanks, Moony." He slipped on the cuff and pendant.

"Much better," Jenn said before grabbing Harry's hand and pulling him towards the master bath. "Come on, we still have about fifteen minutes to tame that mess of yours."

Harry tossed the red box to Remus before being pulled completely out of the room. Remus caught it and followed Jenn, chuckling the entire way.

SECTION BREAK (THE DAMN LINE THINGIE AIN'T WORKIN')

'Check out muggle archives.' What in Merlin's name did Cissa mean? Bellatrix pulled the muggle coat she was wearing tighter. She's got to be joking! Muggle archives? Where would they keep those? She scowled at the clear night's sky overhead. It was numbingly cold. Come on, Bella. Think this through. If I were a muggle, where would I store information on where people lived? She shuddered at the thought of being a muggle. They don't have magic, so… I don't know! Bellatrix stomped through a patch of slush on the sidewalk. Looking up, she noticed one of the businesses in Little Hangleton was still open. Her eyes narrowed. She wasn't having much luck working it out on her own, so she might as well just ask a muggle. She was close enough to Voldemort that she should have enough time to bully someone into telling her what to look for, if they didn't help her voluntarily. She'd Imperio the blasted muggle, if she had to, and then ride her Dark Mark back to her lord. She grinned, happy that she had a plan, however tenuous.

SECTION BREAK (THE DAMN LINE THINGIE AIN'T WORKIN')

Harry called Amelia while on his way to her place. He let her know that he was on his way and that he was sorry he couldn't call her sooner. She promised to be ready before he showed up. When Harry pulled into the driveway, he found himself greeted by a blonde ten-year-old. "Are you 'Melia's boyfriend?" the girl asked.

Harry shrugged, "I'm Harry, is Amelia ready?"

"Dunno. Come on," the girl grabbed Harry's hand and tugged him towards the house. I'm starting to get a little tired of being dragged around like this. "Mum! 'Melia! He's here!" The girl shouted upon opening the door.

"In the sitting room, Charlotte!" a woman shouted back.

Harry allowed the girl to pull him to the parlor where a tall woman that looked quite a lot like an older Amelia greeted him. "Good evening. You're Harry, correct?"

Harry nodded, "Yes, ma'am."

The woman smiled at him. "Thanks for bringing her home the other day. I'm Patricia White, but please call me Patty. Amelia should be down in a moment."

"Thank you, Patty."

The little girl tugged on her mom's sleeve. Patty leaned down to hear what Charlotte wanted. She smiled at her daughter. "I know, honey, I like him, too." Harry was obviously meant to hear it, as it was spoken in a stage-whisper. He could feel a blush creep up his neck. Luckily, he was saved from having to make conversation by the appearance of Amelia.

She was wearing a denim skirt and a pair of what looked to be fuzzy boots, along with a black sweatshirt. She smiled at Harry, who had obviously attempted to make his hair look like it was messy on purpose. "Hey."

Harry smiled at her, "Hey. You look good."

"Thanks. You, too."

Patty interrupted them, "If you were going to go have something to eat, you'd best be going." She started to shoo them out the door. "Be home no later than two, Amelia!" She shouted just as they were getting into the truck.

"Will do, Mum!" Amelia hollered back. She waived as they backed out the driveway.

Two hours later, they were finishing up dinner at a diner not far from where the concert was going to be held. Harry paid the tab and then they finally – finally – arrived. Harry could see right away why Amelia insisted that they arrive an hour early. The sheer quantity of people available made Harry want to find the nearest empty room and hide. Most of them were either in their teens or early twenties, though he did spot an older couple who looked like they'd be more at home at an opera. It didn't take long for them to find their seats. After that, Harry treated Amelia to a couple of things from the vendors, including a t-shirt and CD. He debated on getting a CD for himself, but decided against it for now. He wasn't that familiar with the group, after all.

After what simultaneously felt like both forever and next to no time at all, Amelia and Harry were in their seats and the house lights dimmed. Harry thought for a moment that he'd gone deaf, the sudden cheering from the crowd was that loud. Luckily, they toned down after a moment or so, and the music started. Harry found that he rather liked most of the mellower music they did, but didn't care for the harsher songs they played. In a pause between songs, he told that to Amelia. She recommended their album 'Ten.' Harry made a mental note to buy it before they left.

The concert wound to a close, Harry bought his CD, and was walking with Amelia back to the parking garage when he heard a voice behind him that he'd thought he'd put firmly in his past.

"Well, well, well. If it isn't the freak."

Harry stopped and slowly turned around, "Dudley."

"What are you doing here, freak?" Dudley sneered at Harry.

"Harry?" Amelia tugged on Harry's arm. "Who's that?"

"Dudley Dursley. He's my cousin."

Dudley had closed the distance between them in the time it took Harry to answer Amelia's question. "You the freak's girlfriend?" He leered at Amelia.

"Let's just go, Harry," she whispered.

"Where are your manners, freak? Introduce me to the pretty girl." Dudley grinned. "Or is it that you know she'll run screaming when she realizes what a freak you really are?"

Harry sighed, "Dudley, please. Don't be like that."

"Like what? You're lucky I don't just pound you into the sidewalk. It's your fault Mum and Dad are in jail."

Harry shook his head, wishing momentarily that he'd had the foresight to bring his wand with him. "No, it isn't, Dudley. They put themselves there. It's your ignorance that can't see that."

Dudley spit on the ground. "No, freak, it was your fault. We'd all still be living on Privet Drive, if not for you."

Amelia could see things were rapidly degenerating. She stepped between Harry and Dudley. "Dudley, is it?"

"You got it, doll." He smirked at her.

The smile made her skin crawl. "I don't know what you're talking about, but could you leave it for another time? Please?"

"Yeah, Dudley, leave us for now. You can… how'd you put it? 'Pound me into the sidewalk' some other time." Harry was slowly backing away.

"I don't think so, freak!" Something dark flashed across Dudley's rotund face. "You called me stupid, and you should remember you don't get away with that!" He shoved Amelia out of the way. That was the last thing Harry remembered before Dudley's right fist connected with Harry's left temple and the world disappeared into blackness.

SECTION BREAK (THE DAMN LINE THINGIE AIN'T WORKIN')

A/N2: I know it's been way, way, way too long since I last updated, but I'm currently without internet access, so I'm writing this without access to verifiable information. Ergo, any issues with anything are to be blamed on the fact that I don't have access to the Lexicon or any other source of information. I had to search for a good fifteen minutes to find the section of HBP where Harry received his OWLs.

To make up for all that, this is, as you can see, a much longer chapter.

Also, FF is being a bitch, and won't let me use the section break lines, so I apologise for the text. It also messed up my formatting for Harry's report card, but I figured I fixed that well as I could without going over the one-hour limit at the library (which, incidently, is almost a full twenty miles from where I now live. My life sucks.)

Reviews make me smile and laugh.