AEU Chapter 25
It had been, Harry thought, a most frantic time for everyone.
Apart from the final exam and Quidditch match preparations, Harry had also been trying hard to figure out just how the Wizarding world worked. Their trial process was considerably shorter than the nonmagical way, owing to the use of those pensieve things and truth serums being used to ensure that what they heard was the truth; though there were apparently ways of falsifying everything, this was in practice so difficult that getting caught was a guarantee.
The Law as it stood was tiered, with the most major offences were murder and the usual stuff, but just below that was the statute for secrecy, which was very carefully policed by all ministries. Punishments included fines, community service, prison, Azkaban and something called the Veil, which hadn't been used in two centuries.
Most actual crimes Harry recognised from his old life didn't appear to be issues in this world. Assault and rape were difficult to accomplish due to the victim almost always using accidental/instinctual magic under those sorts of situations, which also accounted for the low death and injury rates due to accidents of a nonmagical nature themselves. Burglary was rare as money was quite unnecessary for much of a daily wizard's use, and at any rate homes and objects were defended against that sort of thing. Bank robbery was, of course, laughable and the in-joke at Gringotts was that if one could break into their bank, they would be so talented that they would never need to.
As for the media, The Daily Prophet, which today headlined the Minister's "strongest speech to date," calling for unity amongst wizards in the face of adversity, seemed to be the only mainstream newspaper.
'That, if controlled properly, could be very destructive in the right hands,' Harry thought.
Quidditch was still at the forefront of the school's collective mind, as Slytherin had never been side-lined by another team since the departure of the legendary Charlie Weasley. Harry was under quite a bit of pressure as it was, being Hermione Granger's friend at the start of exam month tended to do that to a person. It was a tossup as to who was more demanding to Harry: his friend or Captain Wood, who was still working the team to the bone even after their perfect season. It wasn't a case of how many points Gryffindor needed, they just needed to win.
Slytherin wasn't even being contained by Snape or Greengrass in their attempts to cripple a few team members before the big game. As such, Fred, George and for some reason Peeves had effectively declared war back, and went on a pranking spree that rocked the foundations of the castle.
Everyone on the team was very tense, as few had dared to dream of the gleaming Quidditch cup since the Slytherin team had become so dominant. Harry was beginning to have nightmares again, this time about falling or failing to win. He cared about the sport too much to try and concentrate on something else the few days left before the match.
Finally the day came and the match was set.
Harry looked around the pitch, bathed in sunshine.
"Damn Oliver, you better win the toss for the goalposts or you're going to have the sun in your eyes for the entire game," he warned the burly Keeper, who marched forward to shake hands with the Hufflepuff captain.
Their team was quite unremarkable, save for a very talented Seeker called Diggory. Harry would have to watch him closely. From what he knew, the lad was friendly and fair minded, but being fifty feet up in the air did funny things to people's priorities.
The match was fairly lacklustre for the spectators for the first thirty minutes with the Gryffindor side was clearly superior to the opposing chasers. Lee Jordan was even starting to wander a bit in the commentary box, before Diggory dived down fast. Harry panicked for a second whilst shooting after him, he couldn't even see the...wait, there it was. The Snitch was evading the efforts of the boy in front, spinning around and flying upwards again, causing both players to swerve in chase, almost colliding together as they did so.
"Alright there, Harry?" The boy shouted towards him in a calm but loud voice.
Knowing the other Seeker was probably trying to unnerve him, Harry answered as coolly as he could, "Oh, not so bad. I say, the flowers are coming out beautifully aren't they?"
Harry flew forwards as Cedric Diggory blinked when the Sun shone through a cloud.
This Snitch was being difficult today, but Harry would not be denied. He caught the Snitch as it flew through one of the scoring hoops, narrowly avoiding decapitation as he did so.
"YES!" Harry shouted as Wood flew into him in tears, the rest of the team following close behind.
Slowly, they descended into the huge crowd of congratulating fans that carried them across to where Dumbledore stood in the stands, holding the huge gleaming silver cup that had been in the icy lair of Snape for many a year, the cup his own farther had won more than once in his time at Hogwarts.
As he lifted the cup above his head, Harry thought that this day was the happiest of his life.
"Oh come on, Hermione!" Harry pleaded later on that day, "The party's in full swing and the History revision can wait."
"Harry, the exam is in A WEEK! We have to go over everything again," she said disbelievingly, not quite understanding how a party can last until three in the afternoon without people getting bored.
"Hermione, relax," Ron said from his chair.
He was simultaneously eating, beaming and talking, which he had been doing for some time now.
The boy didn't seem to require oxygen to function.
She still didn't look convinced but Harry catching her stressing arms stopped her short.
"Please enjoy yourself today," he said, just loud enough to be heard over the general rabble in the Common Room, "You are going to do well-"
"But what if I don't? What if I-"
"Hermione, you are the best student in the year and probably the best in second year too. You wouldn't fail this exam even if you did it blindfold. What are you trying to prove?" Harry stated.
Hermione was quiet for a while but she did put down her book and joined the party, which Harry counted as a win in his head.
Harry meanwhile, had gone in search of Cedric, who had been the best challenges so far in his Quidditch matches. The Hufflepuff rooms were near the kitchen but Harry thought it more than likely he was outside somewhere.
He was in fact, smelling the roses.
"Harry?" the boy said when he found him.
"Hi Cedric. Thanks for the game," Harry said.
"Bit of a tricky snitch wasn't it?" The older boy said, smiling.
"Yeah, but I've seen worse."
The boy's chattered on about Quidditch games lost and won for a while before they headed back to their respective rooms.
Harry quite liked Cedric, who could have been in Ravenclaw if his marks were anything to go by. The fact that he was in with the badgers spoke volumes about his loyalty to his friends and loved ones.
Harry was quite ready to be his friend.
The exams came and went, with Hermione stressing quite a bit throughout the three week period, causing a number of headaches for everyone else. She aided everyone though and that endeared her to the rest.
Harry was only concerned about the DADA exam, as they had been on substitute classes for months now as the Headmaster searched for another teacher. Flitwick was superb at the practice side of things and fortunately, Quirrell had done an adequate job of teaching the theory earlier in the year. The higher years, those that did actually REALLY important exams, had a mixture of Flitwick, Snape and a few instructors from the Hit Wizard Squad. They were the apparent special forces/elite units in the Ministry, whilst the Aurors were the investigative police force and crime fighters, and were, in the last war, the Dark wizard hunters as a matter of default, as pretty much every crime of note was committed at the hands of one of Voldemort's people.
Their results would be given out on the last day of term, which made Ron groan in particular, thinking of those few weeks of living with the panicking Hermione. Harry had ingeniously gotten her to focus on what they already knew of second year whilst they waited for the marks. All three were cautious of the Transfiguration class next year but were looking forward to learning more powerful spells, and in particular, having a better defence teacher.
What was supposed to be a fairly enjoyable and relaxing few weeks in the sun at the end of term was shattered by the looming date of Sirius Black's trial, which had the media in a frenzy and Harry worried about attending. He knew he had to go and look at the man, to see justice done and learn of why he did what he did. But that didn't mean he wanted to hear the demented ravings of a madman, a follower of Voldemort, or to hear in detail of how his parents and more than a dozen other people died.
He had some good news though; the Weasleys and the Grangers had both invited him to stay with them for a week or more, which should be enough for Dumbledore to figure out where to put him for the last two weeks before school started again. He could always stay at the Leaky Caldron.
Dumbledore had given both he and his friends leave for the trial, so all three went with him and both Professor McGonagall and Snape to the Ministry, where the trial would be held. The courtroom was full to the brim: the Minister, Madam Bones and Kingsley Shacklebolt being amongst the few people Harry recognised.
The accused was brought in by six guards in heavy chains, along with two nasty looking creatures that suddenly made Harry feels very faint indeed.
Dumbledore suddenly shot up and said, "That will be enough of that. Please escort the Dementors out!"
Harry was surprised for a moment before he remembered that Dumbledore would of course be heading the trial as Chief Warlock. The horrible figures left, wizards escorting them out with white light pouring from their wands. The chill left the air and everyone settled in their seats once more.
Harry took a good look at Sirius Black as he was now.
He looked awful. He was starved, weak and silent, his head was covered in knotted and unkempt hair. The sight was pitiful and spoke of the horrors of Azkaban to Harry. The man's animalistic eyes were darting round the room, looking up at Dumbledore for a moment before darting round again.
He found Harry and stared.
'He doesn't look so insane,' Harry first thought in spite of himself.
And he didn't; the man was looking at him with sadness, with regret but not with anger or hatred
Harry wondered what it was all about.
"Silence," Dumbledore boomed.
The courtroom went quiet at once.
"We are here today to try one Sirius Orion Black, who has been thusly accused of:
The murder of Peter Pettigrew and the wilful murder of thirteen innocent members of the British public.
Treason against the United Kingdom, for both breaking the statute of international secrecy and plotting with subversive groups aligned against the recognised government,
Aiding and abetting the murder of James and Lily Potter,
Wilful destruction of property that in turn demanded thirty weeks of the Ministry's time to maintains the Statute of Secrecy,
Knowingly joining and commanding the terrorist group known as the Death Eaters.
How do you plead?"
"Not Guilty."
The abrupt answer and denial surprised many in the court, as most loyal Death Eaters were proud of their depraved crimes. If Dumbledore was taken back he did not show it.
"Very well, the trial commences. Do you willingly submit to Veritaserum?" Dumbledore asked the man in the chair.
"I do," the man replied and he was quickly given a potion through the mouth that glazed over his eyes.
Harry remembered a hazy page and a half that he had read on the truth serum. IT was exceedingly powerful but answered specifically. You needed to prepare precise questions to acquire precise answers.
"What is your name?"
"Sirius Orion Black."
"Are you a Death Eater?"
"No."
The answer stilled the court for a time. Whilst Black had never taken the mark, he should still consider himself a Death Eater, shouldn't he?
"Have you ever been a supporter of Lord Voldemort?"
"No."
Several angry shouts were heard amongst the observers. This news brought into question the entirety of his crimes, and yet still didn't explain his actions.
"Did James Potter cast the Fidelius Charm on his residence in Godric's Hollow?"
"Yes."
"Were you their Secret Keeper?"
"Yes."
An angry buzz filled the room at the confession.
"To whom did you tell the secret to? A full recounting please."
"Remus Lupin, Albus Dumbledore, Bathilda Bagshot, Frank and Alice Longbottom, James and Lily Potter, Peter Pettigrew."
The questioning stop for a moment as Dumbledore considered. All around the room people gave their neighbours confused glances. None of those people were known Death Eaters and all were in fact, rumoured to be members of the fabled Order of the Phoenix.
"Did you knowingly give any information to Voldemort or his supporters?"
"…No."
The pause before the answer made Dumbledore frown.
"Did you kill Peter Pettigrew?"
"No."
At this, Harry and a few other people gasped in surprise. This trial was starting to make less and less sense. A man in rather raggedy robes was crying in his seat across from Harry. Dumbledore fell silent and conferred with both Madam Bines and the head of the Jury. Suddenly his eyes flickered in understanding.
"Did you pass the mantle of Keeper onto another?"
"Yes."
"Do you know who this Secret Keeper was?"
"Yes."
"Who was the Secret Keeper?"
"Peter Pettigrew."
Another few noises, this time even more angry. Peter Pettigrew was a hero in the last war, confronting Black before falling before him. He had the country's highest honour, for Merlin's sake! If he was implicated in this, it raised many questions as to who else had escaped the justice of the Ministry. A few 'imperioused' members of the jury were squirming slightly in their seats.
"And you did not kill Pettigrew?"
"No."
"Who killed Peter Pettigrew?"
"I do not know. To my knowledge, he is still alive."
Harry was shaking in his seat now, the murderer of his parents and the person who betrayed them both was free and at large!
"Why did you and he meet in that street after the events of Halloween?"
"I was chasing him down."
"Why?"
"I knew he must have betrayed their secret to Voldemort and I also knew that he would escape if I didn't catch him."
"What happened then?"
"He came up to me in the street, shouted to everyone that I had betrayed James and Lily and then blew up the alleyway, bursting through to the sewer pipes underneath the street. This also set off a gas explosion. He cut off one of his fingers and then transformed into a rat, his animagus form. I was then captured."
Harry whirled around to Ron.
"A rat with a missing toe, Ron!" he said to the red head, who had gone white.
"Oh shit, Scabbers!" he whispered.
"Where is he? Is he still in his cage in Gryffindor tower?"
"He was when we left, but remember, we talked about the trial last night..."
Harry went as pale as his friend.
"Excuse me!" he said aloud to the court at large.
"I happen to know a rat exactly as this man describes, in the care of my friend here. He is missing a toe and has lived for nearly ten years with the Weasleys."
The court exploded. Not only had Harry Potter defended Sirius Black, he had also told them where the actual criminal was!
"Dumbledore! Allow us to make a portkey into Hogwarts at once!" Amelia Bones shouted to the white bearded man.
He nodded and began rooting through his pockets. He found and tapped a yo-yo, creating a blue glow around the object. The Aurors held onto the extended string and disappeared into a blue haze.
"Order! ORDER!" Dumbledore shouted, "The trial will continue."
"On this new evidence, together with the fact that this prisoner," he indicated with his hand to the bare arm of Sirius, "clearly does not have a Dark Mark or any former convictions, I move that he be found innocent of all charges and repaid for his many years in Azkaban."
Dumbledore looked around at the Jury who were quietly conferring behind an erected privacy shield. They soon dispelled it and nodded to the Chief Warlock.
"Very well, cleared of all charges. Sirius Black, you may walk free from this place with not a stain on your character." The gavel sounded, and many people broke into applause.
Sirius carefully got up from the chair, having already had an antidote to the potion given. Now he shook Dumbledore's hand before making a few unsteady steps towards Harry.
Snape however, got in front of him very quickly.
"Wait Severus..." Black startled in a half whisper of a voice before the potions master could speak.
"I just want to say...that I am sorry for screwing with you for all those years. Please blame me and not James for that 'incident' at the Willow, he knew nothing about it until after you had gone.
I know it doesn't excuse my crimes against you...but I have been punished for every wrong thing in my life for nearly eleven years. Please...please don't judge me poorly now." Black finished his piece and started to move around the other man.
He was stopped again.
"Black, I still don't like you. I was abused every day of my school life because of you and Potter. You made my life hell and I tried to do the same to you. I can't take that back, but I am on my way to forgiving James Potter. I can't do that for you so easily...but I shall try'" the Professor said, not really sounding like the snarky bastard that most students know and hate, but an uncertain man who didn't really know what to say.
Both briefly nodded at each other before parting ways.
"Harry?" Sirius said when he got closer.
"Congratulations on your release, Mr Black," Harry said quietly.
"Hmm, oh that simply won't do. I can't be Mr Black, it sounds far too distinguished for me," the man said with what could have been a smile under all that dirt.
"I just wanted to say that I'm sorry for chasing after Wormtail as I did. I should have stayed with you and did my duty. You see, I'm your-"
"My godfather, yes, I know. What did you call Pettigrew?" Harry said.
Sirius looked darkly at him, "That was the nickname we gave him when we had finished helping him become an animagus. James and I, we did it in our fifth year and it changed us considerably for the better. Wormy though, when we had finished helping the pathetic twit he ran off and joined Voldemort behind our backs. We never knew until it was too late."
"You and dad can change forms like Professor McGonagall? Isn't that monitored by the Ministry?" Hermione asked in wonder.
"Ordinarily yes, it's an insanely tricky thing to do though. I believe only three others have officially actually accomplished it this century. We were unofficial in our school years and when your father and I entered the Ministry as Hit Wizards, they kept our forms off the books to give us an advantage. It was the same with the Aurors. Very few of us could do it, and our enemies certainly weren't expecting it from us. So we kept it secret, and we paid the price. You say you know where Wormtail is?" Sirius asked.
"Yes, we think he might be Ron's-that's my friend Ron Weasley here, Ron's rat," Harry explained.
Sirius grinned savagely, "I hope they give him my old cell when they capture him. Word around the prison was that the Dementors are leaving, but I bet they'll make an exception if we ask nicely."
Harry shivered, "So what are those things?"
"Dementors Harry, are some of the foulest things that walk this earth. They live off the emotions of others, absorbing all positive aspects of people until you are nothing but a husk of what you were," an unknown voice said.
Harry turned to see the man who was crying earlier walking up to them with Dumbledore.
"Harry, this is Mr Remus Lupin, the man we talked about before," Dumbledore said as an introduction, before nodding at all three of them and walking off.
The two men hugged and Lupin apologised profusely for leaving Harry and believing Sirius betrayed them.
"I was a broken man once I found out. I was not only ostracised by society but now also alone, having had all my friends taken from me by Voldemort. I left after the funeral and didn't return to civilisation for a very long time. I heard about the new trial and made my way back here. I'm so sorry, both of you, you deserved better from me," the man said shamefaced, before Sirius clapped him on the back and said he forgave him, for the fourth time.
"What did the Headmaster want with you, Mr Lupin?" Harry asked.
"Please Harry, you can call me Remus...or Moony, I suppose. I'm sure Sirius has filled you in on our little nicknames, not that I really answer to it anymore," Remus said with a smile.
"Well, you can call me Sirius or Padfoot. You'll see my animagus soon enough whilst-"
"Whilst I hope you never have to see mine," Lupin finished Sirius' sentence calmly. "Dumbledore surely told you of my condition, yes?"
Harry nodded.
"Well, let's just say it makes finding a job difficult. However, he is willing to make me a teacher at the school if I submit to every precaution they can think of. I'll also have to bow to whatever the board of governors say in the matter, they have final say in appointments," Remus explained to Harry.
"What are you going to do, Sirius?" Harry asked.
He laughed and said, "Well, for now I have to find a place to live and learn how to operate again. Then I'll figure out what I want to do. More importantly Harry, what do you want to do?" he asked in concern. "Where are you living these days?"
"Er..."
Both men exploded when they learnt of Harry's treatment at the Dursleys.
"Crap. Well, we can defiantly do better than that, can't we Moony?" Sirius asked his old friend.
"I should think so Padfoot. I'm also thinking we should have them arrested and locked away. We can't leave them with power over any child, not even their own if they treat them like that."
Harry shelved that line of thought and reached for another, more desperately hopeful one.
"Wait, so I can come and live with you?" Harry asked, hoping against hope.
"Ehh...probably? I'd have to be declared fit to go by the Welfare board and then we need to check over the Potter will, since neither of us have read it. Hopefully...yeah, we can live together."
"Gee Sirius, you are a bountiful supplier of optimism," Moony said dryly.
"I'm sorry, I did just come all the way from prison."
"Excuses, excuses."
"Guys please," Harry said, bringing the two back from their bickering, "When can we go and check all of this out?"
"We can go to Gringotts and read the will now," Moony said, glancing at his watch, "But we need Dumbledore's permission for you to go walk-about for the next few hours."
"Ah, hello again gentlemen. I must apologise again for not coming to your aid sooner Sirius," Dumbledore said, walking over from a bemused but happy looking Fudge.
"Ah, Harry, I am giving you permission to go to the toilets before we return to Hogwarts. Alas, the Ministry is a large place and I am afraid you will need some time to find them. So I'll give you the rest of the day to figure it out, and hope you don't go walk-about," Dumbledore said with his eyes twinkling.
Sirius and Moony rolled their eyes at each other behind him.
"Never changes, does he?"
"Not at all, Mr Padfoot."
Harry looked quickly at his friends.
"Go on Harry," Hermione said, pulling Ron away with Dumbledore which, she reflected, she seemed to be doing rather too much of recently.
"See you later," he called after them.
The trio found their way to Gringotts after Harry was once again acquainted with the horrible feeling of apparition. The security around the doors screamed with their eyes when they saw Sirius and Remus walked nonchalantly through them, and many a goblin claw tightened on their triggers as the group proceeded through the bank. They marched across the marble floor to the head teller's desk.
"Hello there," Harry's godfather...his godfather, said.
The goblin peered up from his work and displayed the first emotion Harry had truly seen on a goblin, dull surprise.
"Oh good, you're out of prison," the goblin said with little enthusiasm. Apparently, Sirius had a reputation amongst the goblins as well.
"Never mind that, may we see the will of James and Lily Potter," Moony asked politely.
The teller peered at Harry for a second before pressing one of many buttons on his desk, "Barchoke, Rastaban, Griphook, you have a client request."
A few minutes later, two confused looking goblins in suits and one neutral faced goblin came out of a side door. Their confusion cleared when they spied Harry Potter amongst the visitors.
"Ah, Mr Potter," cried one of the unknown ones, "Griphook told me you had come through this past September. I am sorry we missed you but I was on holiday and Rastaban only works three days a week now. He's retiring next year. Griphook shall be his replacement. We are your family account managers, though we also attend to most of the other high security vaults as well.
Please step this way sir, and your guests? My, my! Remus Lupin! How are you sir? And Mr Black...please try not to set anything on fire, will you? Come with me."
The goblin went through the explicit action at high speed before racing off, with the humans looking bemusedly at his retreating back.
He turned around suddenly, "Come on, come on! We have many things to do today!"
"Ergh...Goblins, Harry..." Sirius explained to the boy. "Massive workaholics. That chap probably hasn't had more than two hours of paper work every day for ten years. Expect him to be very, very eager to do everything."
They followed after the goblin, with Griphook actually showing them the way whilst Rastaban was merely too slow to move at the pace his colleague was.
The will itself was fairly uncomplicated. Almost everything the Potters had left was left to Harry to be inherited on his 17th birthday. Remus Lupin was given two thousand galleons by James Potter and another two thousand from Lily. Sirius was given access to Harry's personal tuition vault, the one Harry had used at the start of the school year and the right to look after Harry as his legal guardian until he turned 17. He was also left 10,000 galleons from James...at the time the will was written, apparently Sirius had been left penniless by his own family.
"Don't worry about that Harry, Remus can have that extra cash," he said when Harry began to offer him finical aid he couldn't give, "My family took me back when I was thrown in Azkaban. Apparently they thought I'd finally found the 'light' as it were. Barchoke, I think you used to be in charge of what's left of the Black stuff too?"?"
"Still am sir and the fortune is mostly intact. 500,000 galleons in liquid assets and many unique items in the treasure vault plus the family house property, if memory serves correctly," the goblin ran off the numbers before routing through his drawers for something for Harry's godfather to sign.
"Ah, thank you Rastaban. Sign here please Mr Black. We can handle everything else."
Padfoot signed and claimed his inheritance. He looked as though he had just touched something revolting.
"Now Mr Potter, you were left what remained of the Potter fortune. They spent quite a lot of it in the war and beforehand, helping the Ministry and St Mungo's Hospital. Their large network of company business stocks however, remains intact and ready for you when you turn 17."
"Now gold-wise...ah yes, 847,000 galleons in the family vault, with 13,000 in the private vault of your parents. Here, there is also a treasure vault that is particularly full. Ah...the houses," the Goblin's face fell slightly. "I'm sorry, Mr Potter, but the family residence was destroyed in an attack following the natural deaths of your grandparents. The cottage at Godric's Hollow would need major rebuilding work and probably demolition first in order to be liveable again, that is, if the headmaster was willing to sell to you. There is a townhouse in Windsor that is unharmed, plus the land the Manor stood on still belongs to you. That's a great stretch of land by the way, quite close to the Goblin settlement outside of Tara. You could build again in that area if you so desired. However, for now, you may keep this key," he said, handing over the tuition vault key back, "And that is it."
"Thank you all for your help," Harry said as he rose to leave.
"Oh," he suddenly thought and turned back to the goblin at the desk. "Griphook said I wasn't allowed in the family vault until I was 17 anyway...something to do with an incident involving my father?" he queried. Barchoke gave a sharp look to Sirius before answering him, "Yes...there was a...misunderstanding between James Potter, this esteemed gentleman, three goblins and a um...Swedish Short Snout. The resulting crater was deducted from the family vault at their own insistence, and James was given a...what do you humans call it?...an arse kicking from his mother."
"Hmm...thanks again," said Harry, trying to contain his grin. He would have to ask Sirius about that later.
Sirius...
He was going to live with Sirius!
He wasn't going to live at the Dursleys!
"That was a good day's work I think, young Master Potter," Sirius said teasingly.
Harry groaned, he agreed with his godfather, he was nowhere near posh enough to be called that.
"Well Harry, I suppose I'll look into fixing up my place in London, as I'm fairly sure the damn pianist nicked my flat when they put me in prison. We'll see you again at King's Cross, alright?" said his Godfather, neither of them really wishing to leave the other now they knew each other.
"Right," Harry said with a heavy nod.
They shook hands, not quite ready for a hug yet.
"Harry, I'll see you there too," Moony said.
They shook hands also, before Harry walked into a fireplace and, feeling a bit silly, shouted, "Hogwarts!" Before disappearing from sight behind emerald green flames.
The two men walked out of Diagon Alley and went to the horrible house that Sirius had escaped from.
"Lovely, isn't it?" Sirius said.
"Very interesting security around here," Lupin said in response.
"True...Harry should be very safe here."
They went inside and coughed at all the dust.
"What a terrible mess," Sirius said, looking around.
"Filthy vermin, coming into my mistress's house!"
The two spun around and pointed their wands at a disgusting creature that was swearing loudly at them, which in turn caused a hideously portrait to start screaming.
"Well that's just dandy," both men said.
Harry was, for the first time that year, looking forward to summer. Ron and Hermione had both said their offers still stood if he wanted to visit, and he said that he most certainly would.
'I wonder if we have a magical library in that house,' Harry wondered as he once again contemplated the list in his head.
N.O. 1: Find a place to live...check.
N.O. 2: Find out more about my finances...I'm filthy rich now...check.
N.O. 3: Read, read, read...um...ongoing.
N.O. 4: 'Adjust' my glasses...uncompleted.
And so the list went. He was actually doing pretty well now he stood back and looked at himself. He had a house, if not yet a home, some money and finical security for the future, two new friends that knew his parents personally and now he was being invited to friend's houses.
Honestly, if he wasn't carefully he might become normal.