A/N: Sorry for the long wait everyone. I kept changing a few things with this chapter as I wasn't happy with it and I kept having long days at work, so I was only doing bits at a time. This is as good as I think I can do and now I can focus on the plot that I've had in my head for Year 3 at Hogwarts properly, I hope :P I hope that you enjoy this chapter and stay tuned for the beginning of the new Hogwarts year.

Chapter 39: Words Of Warning

Harry eventually got up and went back downstairs after Sabrina warned him about looking suspicious, but he couldn't stop thinking about that conversation with Ginny. Throughout the day, it just seemed like everything and everyone was keeping them apart and prevent him from trying to talk to her again. If he ever did see her, she would be guided around by her mother or she would be hiding behind her father. All that did was make him feel worse and worse as it showed just how far this had gone.

Once all of them had gotten their supplies, including Ron getting a new wand with some of the leftover money that his mother gave him, they made their way back to the Leaky Cauldron to have dinner. Harry wasn't paying much attention to any of the conversations at the table and merely gave short answers to anything said to him. He saw that Hermione had noticed his solemness and tried to show her concern, but he just shook his head, telling her silently that now wasn't the time.

Harry would occasionally look up from his food at Ginny and only managed to catch her eye for brief seconds before she would look away with a sad and slightly frightened look on her face. Every time they would make eye contact, he could hear words like 'weak', 'pathetic', 'worthless' and 'pain' in his head. This only managed to make him feel ill and put him off the remainder of his food. Mrs Weasley showed some fake concern, but he just brushed it off by saying that he ate well before coming and was just full.

When everyone had finished and were heading to their rooms, Harry hoped for a chance to catch Ginny alone without any interference but, before he could go after her, he was stopped by Mr Weasley.

"Harry, do you mind if I have a quick word with you...in private?" Mr Weasley asked.

Harry inwardly cursed his luck, but he put on a mask of not being phased by the request and nodded. Mr Weasley led him over to a quiet area of the pub and looked around to make sure that no-one was in earshot, Harry assumed.

"So, what did you need to tell me, Mr Weasley?" Harry asked.

Harry was wary of this sudden need to talk. Mr Weasley looked to be torn and a little bit scared, which only made Harry curious. What was so bad that it would make this kind man both want to tell him, yet also spare him from knowing? Something very secret, if Mr Weasley gesturing to a quiet corner was anything to go by. Once they were out of anyone's earshot, Mr Weasley began to talk.

"The Ministry wouldn't be too pleased if they knew that I was telling you this, but I think it's only right that you ought to know," Mr Weasley said.

"What's happened, Mr Weasley? And why would it have anything to do with me?" Harry asked.

"I don't know whether you're aware, but someone broke out of Azkaban recently," Mr Weasley explained.

Harry mentally sighed with relief. Mr Weasley was going to warn him about Sirius. Obviously, Fudge didn't make it clear to anyone in the Ministry that Sirius shouldn't have even been in Azkaban in the first place. Though Harry knew that there was no threat, he still admired Mr Weasley for trying to warn him when this could be frowned upon. His respect for the man grew quite a bit from this. However, he needed to play his part, as much as it made him feel bad for lying.

"Someone broke out? Who?" Harry asked.

"His name is Sirius Black. No-one knows how he did it, but they have an idea as to why he did," Mr Weasley replied.

"And that reason is to do with me, I guess?" Harry said.

"You see, Harry, Black was one of You-Know-Who's most infamous followers. When you stopped You-Know-Who, Black lost everything. Now, the Ministry believe that he has escaped to find you and..." Mr Weasley explained, unable to say the last part.

"And kill me?" Harry asked, internally chuckling at the very notion.

"Harry, you have to promise me that, no matter what you may discover, you won't go looking for Black. I don't want anything to happen to you," Mr Weasley said.

Harry knew what Mr Weasley was referencing, but he wasn't supposed to know. So, he just nodded and Mr Weasley said that he better get back home soon. Mr Weasley also insisted on taking him home, likely worried about the situation with Sirius. Harry felt bad, but he used a subtle compulsion charm so that Mr Weasley would let him go on his own. He didn't want to get Mr Weasley caught up in this mess with him, Dumbledore and Mrs Weasley.

With a final goodbye, Harry left the Leaky Cauldron and used his portkey to return to Potter Manor. He went straight up to his room and just lay on his bed. He wasn't in the mood to see Hardwin or train or do anything else today for that matter. He couldn't see a way to fix this mess and that scared him. Not having Ginny around scared him more than anything else, he realised. And now, his worst fear seemed to be realised.

Unbeknownst to Harry, Sabrina had slithered down to the training room to wake Hardwin up. She asked him if there was a way for him to contact Harry as she felt that he needed someone wise to talk to right now. Hardwin asked if there was still a small empty picture frame on the desk in the master bedroom. Sabrina tried to remember and remembered seeing Harry place it in the desk drawer as he thought that it was just a spare frame. Hardwin explained that he could move between this portrait and that picture frame as the black card acted as a smaller twin linked to his main portrait. He told her to go back up to Harry and that he would be there shortly.

Harry was still moping when he heard a muffled sound coming from the desk drawer. He grumbled before he opened it and saw Hardwin's face in the supposed empty picture frame.

"Hardwin? What are you doing there?" Harry asked.

"This is linked to my main portrait, allowing me to come and go when I am needed," Hardwin replied.

Harry just nodded and tried to hide his emotions from Hardwin, but he was failing miserably.

"Harry? Tell me what's wrong, lad," Hardwin implored, seeing the pain in Harry's eyes.

Harry thought for a moment about whether to open up or not. The part of him hoping for some advice eventually won out and he began to tell Hardwin what happened at the Leaky Cauldron.

"I messed up big time. Ginny was unresponsive when I saw her with her family in the Leaky Cauldron. When I finally managed to talk to her, she just...left me. She didn't think that I wanted or needed her. They hurt her on that trip and I wasn't there for her. They made her feel unworthy and weak and I wasn't there to correct it. All because I was too focused on myself and the future issues. Now I've lost her and...I don't know how to get her back," Harry explained.

"So, you're just going to give up on her now?" Hardwin asked, showing no emotion.

"What?! No!" Harry replied almost instinctively.

"Well that's certainly what it sounds like. Here you are feeling sorry for yourself instead of planning how you're going to turn this around," Hardwin said.

Harry looked down in shame. Hardwin was right. All he was doing was moping around as if everything was lost for good. Sabrina slithered up to him and she managed to catch his eye and speak to him.

~Focusing on the negatives and the problems isn't going to help you get Ginny back, my Harry. Yes, you made mistakes, but what matters is that you understand that and work to fix them. You are a good person, my Harry, and I know that you can make things right~ Sabrina said.

"You have to keep trying, Harry. You know that she has always cared for you deeply and, no matter how many times you have denied it, you know that you have always felt the same. You have to show that to her. Instead of preparing to protect her in the future, you need to protect her now. The best way to do that is to be there for her now. No matter what mistakes you made or will make, what matters is what you do now. Even if you fail at first, the only true failure is when you stop trying for her. Do you understand?" Hardwin explained.

Harry nodded in agreement. He would have to bide his time and wait until they returned to Hogwarts, but he would find a way. Hardwin and Sabrina were right. He couldn't give up now. He would prove himself and get Ginny back no matter what it took.

Elsewhere at Malfoy Manor, Lucius was waiting with Draco for Dominic's arrival. Tonight, they would finalise their plan. A knock at the door signalled Dominic's presence and Lucius quickly let him inside and guided him and Draco to the study to discuss the plan as his son would need to know what part he would play.

"So, I take it that you found a suitable candidate for this mission, my friend?" Lucius asked.

"Indeed. In light of who your target is, I have chosen my own childe to undertake this assignment. The strongest amongst my group, bar myself of course," Dominic replied.

"Excellent. Now, we have gone over the details, but I hope that you don't mind us going over them again for my son. I didn't want to tell him anything until we knew, for definite, that the plan would be going ahead," Lucius said.

"Understandable, Lucius. So, I will bring my childe to you the night before your son goes back to school disguised as his new 'pet'. You will forgive me if I don't describe them or name them in any way for now. It's paramount that no-one knows of them just yet. I don't trust some of the teachers to possibly snoop through your son's mind and find any concrete information to track them down and stop our plan. Knowing about a vampire in the school wouldn't be too problematic if they don't have a description to go off of, considering what you've told me about the ineptitude of the Hogwarts staff," Dominic explained.

"Yes, I understand, Dominic. Please continue," Lucius replied.

"Your son will just need to take my childe on the train and weave any story together as needed when asked by his fellow students and staff as long as he gets them into the castle. Once inside, he can let them go free and they will find the right place for their base of operations. They will feed a few times to rouse interest. Then, your son's part of the plan will come in. Once the deed has been done, my childe will come back to your son in their disguise and it will be up to him to lure Potter to his doom," Dominic explained.

"That sounds agreeable. Do you understand, Draco?" Lucius asked.

"Of course, Father," Draco responded, trying to hide how giddy he was feeling.

After a few more exchanges, Dominic bade the Malfoys farewell and Lucius led the vampire out. He then returned to his son and told him to go to bed.

"It won't be long now, Draco, but you mustn't forget the importance of this mission. You need to stay focused on it throughout this year," Lucius said.

"Yes, Father. I won't let you down," Draco said.

"Be sure that you don't. We cannot afford to fail this mission. Its success will not only get rid of Potter for the Dark Lord, but it could also give us the perfect avenue to the light's destruction," Lucius replied.

Draco couldn't see exactly how they would fail this time. The plan was foolproof. There was no way that Potter would be able to prevent their plan from succeeding. Potter was just a half-blood. He stood no chance against a plan concocted by pure-bloods and vampires. This year; Potter would fall and the Malfoy family would be rewarded when the Dark Lord returned to power. Soon Draco would prove to everyone that Potter was nothing and he would reap a hefty reward after it all. He could hardly wait.