A MASSIVE thank you to those who have reviewed! You dont know how much I appreciate the fact you read this, let alone take time to comment about it. I greatly appreciate it all!

This one is a little re-hashy (as there are parts from the book) but they are changed subtly. I promise this story will get more exciting, its the set up…

Hope you enjoy!

Harry woke up on the last day of the holidays, feeling himself already missing the aunt he had only known for a few days. He was ecstatic to have a real connection to his mother and father. He felt as if he had a million questions to ask her at once… but the night had gone too quickly.

She'll be at Hogwarts though…

He smiled to himself knowing he'd at least see Ron today. Adalyn had told him to expect the Weasley's any time today as they would be taking him to Kings Cross the next day.

He got up, dressed, went for one last look at the Firebolt, and was just wondering where hed have lunch when he heard a voice call out to him.

"Harry! Hi Harry! Over here!"

They were there; both of them. Sitting outside Florian Fortiscue's ice cream parlor. Rone, looking incredibly freckly. Hermione, very brown, both waving frantically at him.

"Finally!" said Ron, grinning at Harry as he sat down, "We went to the Leaky Cauldron, but they said you had gone. Then we went to Flourish and Blotts, and Madame Mulkins, and…"

"I got all my school stuff days ago," Harry explained, "You heard I'm staying at the Leaky Cauldron?"

"Yeah," Ron said nodding, "Dad told us about your Aunt coming to get you."

"Do you really have another Aunt?" Hermione asked in a serious voice.

"Yeah," Harry responded, "its been weird. She's my Dad's twin sister, an Auror…."

"She's an Auror?!" Ron said excitedly, "Cool!"

"I mean," Hermonie began skeptically, "Why are you just finding out about her now?"

Harry launched into the story of how Adalyn had rescued him from the Dursleys, how Fudge had been waiting for them at the Leaky Cauldron, Sirius Black and how she had been called back incase he came after him, how Adalyn had known Sirius Black, and how she kept evasively telling him she couldn't tell him certain things because of a vow she had given Dumbledore.

"What do you think she meant by a vow she gave Dumbledore?" Hermione asked once he had finished.

"Dunno," Harry shrugged, "She wouldn't answer much about it, but she's stationed at Hogwarts, so you'll both get to meet her."

Ron and Hermione looked at him suddenly, startled.

"What?"

"Hogwarts?" Ron asked, "There will be Auror's stationed at Hogwarts?"

"Yeah, as a precaution."

"Harry," Hermione said tentatively, "the ministry wouldn't station Auror's at Hogwarts unless they had evidence that Black is targeting Hogwarts, and likely you. Do you think you are safe?"

"Its just a precaution."

"I dunno, mate," Ron said, "I've heard stories. Black is out of his mind."

"That's why there will be two Aurors on the grounds. Between them and Dumbledore, do you think there is a safer place?"

Hermione pursed her lips, unable to find any argument with that. Ron, on the other hand shrugged in agreement before pulling something out of his bag.

"Look at this!" Ron said emerging with a long, thin box, opening it eagerly to show Harry, "Brand new wand! 14 inches, willow, containing one unicorn tail hair."

Harry grinned at him.

"And we got all our books!" Ron continued, pointing at the other bags under the table.

The trio began discussing their upcoming courses, how Hermione may not sleep at all that year, before finishing their ice cream and heading to the magical creature shop to get a sickly looking Scabbers looked over and Hermione a new pet.

*#&( *#() #) (#)_

Later Harry and a bickering Ron and Hermione entered the Leaky Cauldron. Ron holding his pocket containing Scabbers protectively, while Hermione held a large, purring ginger cat.

They found Mr. Weasley sitting in the Leaky Cauldron, a copy of the daily prophet open in front of him.

"Harry!" he greeted them, closing his paper, "How are you?"

"Fine thanks," said Harry as he Ron and Hermione joined Mr. Weasley with all of their shopping.

Mr. Weasley put down his paper and Harry saw the now familiar picture of Sirius Black staring back at him.

"They still haven't caught him then?" he asked.

"No," said Mr. Weasley looking extremely grave, "They pulled us all off our regualr jobs at the ministry to try and find him, but no luck so far."

"Would we get a reward if we caught him?" asked Ron, "it would be good to get some more money."

"Don't be ridiculous Ron," said Mr. Weasley, who on closer inspection, looked very strained, "Black's not going to be caught by a 13 year old Wizard. Its the Azkaban guards who will get him back, mark my words."

At that moment, Mrs. Weasley entered the bar, ladened with shopping bags and followed by the twins (Fred and George), the newly elected head boy Percy, and the Weasley's youngest child and only girl, Ginny.

Ginny, who had always been very taken with Harry, seemed even more embarrassed than usual when she saw him. Perhaps it was because he had saved her life the prervious year at Hogwarts, She turned very red and muttered 'hello' without looking at him.

Percy, however, held out his hands solemly as if he and Harry had never met and said "Harry! How nice to see you!"

"Hello, Percy," Harry said, trying not to laugh.

"I hope, your're well?" said Percy, pompously, shaking hands. It was rather like meeting the mayor.

"Very well, thanks."

"Harry!" said Fred, elbowing Percy out of the way and bowing deeply, "Simply splendid to see you old boy."

"Marvelous," said George, pushing Fred aside and seizing Harry's hand in turn, "Absolutely, spiffing."

Percy scowled.

"That's enough now," Mrs. Weasley told them.

"Mum!" said Fred as if he had only just seen her, and seized her hand too, "How really corking to see you!"

"I said thats enough!" said Mrs. Weasley, depositing her shopping in an empty chair, "Hello, Harry dear. I suppose you heard our exciting news!" she pointed to the brand new silver badge on Percy's chest. "Second head boy in the family," she said, swelling with pride.

"And last," Fred muttered under his breath.

"I dont doubt that," said Mrs. Weasley frowning suddenly, "I noticed they didnt make you two Prefects."

"What do we want to be Prefects for?" said George, revolted at the very idea, "It would take all the fun out of life."

GInny giggled.

"You want to set a better example for your sister!" snapped Mrs. Weasley.

"Ginny's got other brothers to set her an example, mother," said Percy loftily, "I'm going up to change for dinner."

George heaved a sigh, "We tried to shut him in a pyramid, but Mum caught us."

* #*() *#)(

Dinner that night, was a very enjoyable affair. Tom the innkeeper put three tables together in the parlor, and the seven Weasley's, Harry, and Hermione ate their way through five delicious courses.

"How are we getting to King's Cross tomorrow, Dad?" asked Fred as he dug into a sumptuous chocolate pudding.

"The Ministry is providing a couple of cars," said Mr. Weasley.

Everyone looked up at him.

"Why are the ministry providing cars, father?" Percy asked.

"Its because of you, Perce," said George seriously, "and theyll be little flags ont eh hood with HB on them."

"For humongous bighead," said Fred.

Everyone except Percy and Mrs. Weasley snorted into their pudding.

"Why are the ministry providing cars, father?" Percy asked again in a dignified voice.

"Well, as we haven't got one anymore," said Mr. Weasley, "and as I and Harry's aunt work there, they are doing me a favor. Adalyn and I had to pull a couple of strings, but we got them in the end."

His voice was casual, but Harry couldn't help but notice that Mr. Weasley's ears had gone red, just as Ron's did when he was under pressure.

"Good thing too," said Mrs. Weasley briskly, "Do you realize how much luggage you all got between you? A nice sight you'd be on the muggle underground. You are all packed, aren't you?".

"Ron hasnt put all of his new things in his trunk yet," said Percy in a long suffering voice, "he's dumped them on my bed!"

"You'd better go and pack properly, Ron," Mrs. Weasley told him, "We wont have much time in the morning."

Ron scowled at Percy.

After dinner everyone felt very full and sleepy. One by one they made their way upstairs to their rooms to check their things for the next day. Ron and Percy had taken Adalyn's room nextdoor to Harry. He had just closed and locked his own trunk, when he heard angry voices through the wall and went to see what was going on.

The door was ajar.

"It was here!" said Percy loudly, "I took it off for polishing!"

"I havent touched it, alright?" Ron roared back.

"What's up?" said Harry.

"My head boy badge is gone!" said Percy, rounding on Harry.

"So is Scabber's rat tonic," said Ron throwing things out of his trunk to look, "I think I might have left it in the bar."

"You arent going anywhere until you've found my badge," yelled Percy.

"I'll get Scabber's stuff, I'm packed," said Harry to Ron and he went downstairs.

Harry was halfway along the passage to the bar, which was now very dark, when he heard another pair of angry voices coming from the parlor. A second later, he recognized them as Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's. He hesitated, not wanting them to know he had heard them arguing, when the sound of his own name made him stop, then move closer to the parlor door.

"Makes no sense not to tell him the whole truth," Mr. Weasley was saying heatedly, "Harry has the right to know. I've tried to tell Fudge, but he insists on treating Harry like a child. Thank Merlin Adalyn Potter is back and told him some of it."

"Arthur, she should have. The whole truth would terrify him!" Mrs. Weasley told her husband, "Plus, is she really the right person to even be telling him? Who knows what she believes to be true!"

"Molly, she was cleared," Mr. Weasley countered.

"I know she was legally cleared, but she was engaged to Black, living with him! You cant tell me that one of the most elite Aurors the ministry has just missed that she was engaged to You-Know-Who's right hand!"

Harry felt his stomach drop.

Engaged? Adalyn had been engaged to Black? Why hadnt she told him that. She had just said he was one of her best friends…

"Molly," Mr. Weasley said sternly, "you saw how she was treated after Black was caught. Endured nearly 2 years of being yelled at and shunned before she was sent out of the country…:

"And rightly so…" Mrs. Weasley told him.

"Molly, she had served her Penance. The ministry sent her into the woods to do recon work for the last 12 years. She hasn't even seen Harry until now…"

"But why did they send her to Hogwarts?" Mrs. Weasley asked in frustration, "How do they even know Black will come there and that she'll stop him?"

"Because they say Sirius Black is mad, and maybe he is, but he was clever enough to break out of Azkaban and thats supposed to be impossible. Its been 3 weeks, and we have seen hide nor hair of him. I don't care what Fudge keeps telling the daily prophet, we are no nearer catching Black than inventing self-spelling wands. The only thing we know for sure is what Black is after. Fudge wants it kept quiet, but the Azkaban guards told him he has been muttering in his sleep 'He's at Hogwarts. He's at Hogwarts. They know Black is after Harry and Adalyn Potter knows Black better than anyone else. Dumbledore himself requested her for the post. The fact that he trusts her to catch Black is more than enough for me."

"But Harry will be perfectly safe at Hogwarts!"

"We thought Azkaban was perfectly safe. If Black can break out of Azkaban, he can break into Hogwarts. You keep forgetting that Black is deranged, Molly. He thinks that killing Harry will bring You-Know-Who back to power."

"But how does the ministry or Dumbledore expect her to protect Harry? How can they know?"

"She's his Aunt, Molly. Black fooled a lot of people back then. She hasn't said it, but its evident this whole thing has tortured her. She even thanked us for looking after him when she couldn't."

"But why couldn't she?"

"I've heard rumors, rumors that she gave Dumbledore an unbreakable vow she would stay away from him."

"The unbreakable vow? Why on earth would Dumbledore even do that?"

"Its a rumor, Molly."

Mrs. Weasley sighed, "I just dont know if she can be trusted. Why is she so interested in Harry's welfare now that Black is on the loose?"

"Molly, for the last time, she was cleared of any knowledge of Black."

"I know, but love makes you do stupid things…"

Mr. Weasley laughed slightly at her words, "You think she's still in love with Black? After all that he did?"

"It is possible…"

"You havent met her, Molly. I sincerely doubt that."

"I was just saying, Arthur that the heart wants what the heart wants. I doubt she's told Harry any of this. The boy was so excited he has some family. Did you see his face when he spoke about her at dinner?"

"I know, I am telling you though, Molly, if Dumbledore trusts her and those rumors are true, we have no reason to suspect she has anything but Harry's best interests at heart. And honestly, I will sleep better at night knowing that someone who knows how Black thinks will be watching over Hogwarts with Dumbledore."

Silence took over the room.

"Anyway, its getting late, Molly. We'd better go up."

Harry heard chairs move. As quietly as he could, he hurried down the passage to the bar and out of sight. The parlor door opened and a few seconds later footsteps told him that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were climbing the stairs.

The bottle of rat tonic was lying under the table they had sat at earlier. Harry waited until he heard Mr. and Mrs. Weasley's bedroom door close, then headed back upstairs with the bottle.

Fred and George were crouching in the shadows on the landing, heaving with laughter as they heard him dismantling the room in search of his badge.

"We've got it," Fred whispered to Harry, "we've been improving it."

The badge now read "big head boy"

Harry forced a laugh, went to give Ron the rat tonic then shut himself in his room and lay down on his bed.

So, Black was after him. All this protection wasnt a 'just in case' scenerio. This explained everything. Why Adalyn had picked him up from the Dursley's and why she had seemed so paranoid. Why Fudge had met them at the Leaky Cauldron. Why Adalyn had been so vauge with her explanation of her sudden return, and why two Aurors were to be stationed at Hogwarts. Why there were two minststry cars being sent to take them to Kings Cross so that the Weasley's could look after him until he was on the train.

Harry lay listening to the muffled arguing next door and wondered why he didn't feel so scared. Sirius Black had murdered 13 people with a single curse. Mr. and Mrs. Weasley thought he would be panic stricken if he knew the truth, but Adalyn… why hadnt she told him?

Was she ashamed she had been engaged to Black? This was a new piece of information, but it made more sense to Harry why that witch had upset her and she had been stationed out of the country.

Or was it this 'Unbreakable Vow' she had made to Dumbledore? That had to be the vow she was referring to when she said she couldnt tell him why he had to live with the Dursley's?

Harry couldnt help but remember one thing his Aunt had said to him the night he had met her…

"If Black was loyal to Voldemort…"

If.

Was Mrs. Weasley right? Did she think Black may be innocent? After all that had happened? He didnt think she was helping Black. If Black wanted him dead, she had had plenty of times to kill him when they were alone… plus, she was the only real family he had who didnt treat him like a piece of trash. She was his father's twin sister, his mother's best friend… surely that meant that she would help protect him?

But regardless, the safest place to be is wherever Albus Dumbledore was. And if he had requested Adalyn Potter for security, that meant that he believed in her ability and trusted her, which meant that Harry did too.

* &#*( #() )_(#_

Adalyn pushed harder through the last straight of the run she used to run everyday with her brother at Hogwarts. Her lungs burned and her legs felt heavy. She wasnt sure if it was the time since she had run this exact loop, or the fact that she felt as if she had a million things running through her head.

The lack of sleep was catching up with her. She had spent most of the night up talking with Harry before she left, then most of the night prior going over plans with Jones. Soon after they had unpacked, Mr. Filch had shown up at their door with the greatest amount of distain that Adalyn had ever experienced. As soon as she had saw him, she knew that he had remembered her from her school days. She had lost track of the amount of times her and the boys had been threatened with whipping and shackles…

His anger had been somewhat funny as he showed them all the secret passageways he knew of that Black could attempt to enter through. She had smiled to herself as she knew of at least 2 he hadn't mentioned, meaning she knew about them, and Filch still did not… which was still some sort of perverted victory for her trouble-making side. She knew she should tell Filch, but telling Jones and ensuring both entrance and exit were covered was a better answer. She doubted anyone knew how to get into the Whomping Willow, and Honeydukes was being covered by the Dementors and the rest of the wizards in Hogsmeade had that covered. Adalyn remembered the amount of joyful memories those passages had brought her. She didn't want to spoil that for future students.

Plus, she knew Black knew about them…meaning they would have even better coverage. She had the advantage of knowing exactly which passages he favored in and out of the school….

Adayn slowed her pace and began to walk with her hands above her head, catching her breath as she slowly made her way back to the castle.

The students arrived today. They still had so much work to do, but so little time. Staying up until 5 AM planning and then sleeping in until 2 PM didn't help things.

She felt herself sweating as she walked back into the castle.

God, it was so weird to be back here…

Adalyn made her way down the corridor, opening the door to the office her and Jones shared. She wasn't paying attention at first, but she heard a scuffle, and a grunting, causing her to spin around in surprise.

"...89,... 90…. 91"

Adalyn stared in disbelief. There was Jones. Shirtless, in sweatpants doing pushups on the floor. He was next to a chair and a magazine was chucked to the side.

Did he seriously expect her to believe that he didn't wait for her to come back in before he started trying to workout and impress her?

Adalyn shut the door and rolled her eyes as she walked towards her room.

"Last I knew, you started with one, not 89, Jones," Adalyn told him as she reached her door.

"What?" Jones said, obviously pretending to just notice she was there, "Oh, hey! I didnt hear you come back in. I was just getting a workout in…"

Adalyn just stared at him for a moment, before opening her door and rolling her eyes once more, "Yeah," she muttered sarcastically before shutting and the door behind her.

She heard Jones swear quietly under his breath, causing her to smile herself as she stripped off her running clothes and started the shower.

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