Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

by HarmonyLupin

eh, something to read while you're cussing at JK Rowling "Write faster, wman! Dammit, write faster!"

2. Cosmo

chapter two

COSMO

As soon as the Knight Bus was out of view, Sirius pulled over, leaving the black Ministry car halfway on the sidewalk.

"Aw bugger. Gotta work on that," he shrugged. "Come on Harry, out! out!"

Bewildered, Harry got out of the car. Sirius slammed his door shut, drew his wand out, and looked around, making sure no Muggles were about. He brandished his wand and said, "Ostendit Verus !"

The sleek, black limousine squeezed together, turning into a chunky little car, and the black paint-job flashed and turned into a bright lime green. Sirius beamed at his new green Volkswagen Beetleä.

Harry stared at the garish, elfin car. "Huh. Cute, Sirius."

His godfather smiled, full of pride. "I transfigured it myself. Surprise that I still remember anything from Hogwarts after twelve years in…"

He trailed off and Harry took this as a signal to get back inside the car. "Cool car! Well we better be getting along now."

Sirius, who was staring off into space forlornly, shook it off and got into the driver's seat. Turning on the ignition, he looked into the rear mirror at Harry and said, "You know, Harry, I've been watching you ever since back at the Muggle house. I was trying to find the right time to come get you, but they you were either doing some homework or the Muggles were screaming their bloody heads off at you."

"Tell me something I don't know."

"I don't see how you could live with those Muggles. They seem so… bizarre," said Sirius, checking the window to his right as he backed out of the curb.

"They're not so bad if you get used to them," said Harry, buckling his seatbelt.

Sirius grunted doubtfully.

Harry leaned back. The interior of the Volkswagen was much more capacious than he had anticipated from it's outer appearance. But then again, Sirius looked like an actual gentleman — Ministry Troop even — and not the starving mess he was last year.

They drove away from the Muggle country and towards Diagon Alley.

The ride was rather awkward. Sirius had only learned how to drive (Harry didn't ask how) and was still unsure of London's traffic code. The car constantly swerved into the wrong lane and Harry marveled at the language Muggle drivers would use.

After they saw a car crash site somewhere near, Harry held his breath every time Sirius swerved or stopped too late.

"I'll never understand how those Muggles can stand these death traps," Sirius growled. "It's like being trapped in a metal can of death."

The green Beetle parked in front of a dingy pub, the Leaky Cauldron, and Sirius and Harry went inside.

"Er, Sirius? Are you sure you should park right in front of the door?" said Harry tentatively. "People might want to, you know, get through…"

Sirius gave him a puzzled look, then shrugged.

"Too bad for them."

Inside, Harry, Sirius and Tom, the wizened landlord, were the only ones there aside from an old witch leaning on the bar counter.

"I do hope Hogwarts serves better food or I am going to weep," she said in a surly tone, then left, wafting the smell of cabbages.

Tom, beaming, rushed over to Harry and Sirius, and shouted,

"My, my! Harry Potter! Staying here for the remainder of the holidays, I presume?"

"Yes, and I have a — a guest," Harry said, motioning at Sirius.

Tom nodded at Harry and Sirius, whom he didn't seem to recognize, and led them to a room upstairs.

"Here you go, Mr. Potter! Room twelve is free," Tom said, leading Harry and Sirius into the room at the end of the hall.

"Thanks," Sirius murmured.

The room was pleasantly inviting; there were two oak-polished canopy beds and hardwood furnishings, and the sunlight poured in from a wide window.

"If you two ever need anything, don't hesitate to ask!" said Tom, giving his final bow, and closing the door as he left.

Harry put Hedwig's empty cage by the windowsill (just in case she came back) and Sirius threw the trunks onto the two beds.

"Well, that about does it," Sirius grunted. "Tomorrow, let's head on over to Gringott's and get your stuff."

"Alright," said Harry, sitting down on his bed. He took a contemplative pause. "Sirius?"

"Yes, Harry?"

"Where have you been staying this summer? You weren't running around Europe, were you?"

"Naw, I'm getting too old for that. I was lying low at Remus' place. In fact," Sirius continued as though he just remembered something, "I think you're going to have a very interesting year."

Harry shuddered. "The last time someone said that, I did, and nearly got myself killed… But Cedric did."

There was an awkward moment of silence.

"I'll keep you posted on my situation during the year," Sirius said, breaking the tension.

"But Sirius, aren't you staying at Professor Lupin's?" said Harry.

"Er… no. It'll be too risky to stay at his place too long. Besides, I've got to keep moving around."

Harry sighed.

"But I'll stay here with you until you get on the Hogwarts Express," said Sirius, forcing a smile. "And once the entire Dark Lord mess is over, the Ministry'll probably clear my name."

Harry tried to look cheerful. "I suppose it's better than nothing."

The night air was cool and soft, and a mild breeze rustled the crisp, yellow leaves of the nearby forest, flowing through Harry's window. The long window curtains fluttered, brushing Harry's face gently. He blinked, waking up. It was barely midnight.

Harry sat up, stretching a bit, and fumbled about his bed stand. He sighed, staring off into the distance, his glasses now lying on the bridge of his nose. The sky was dark and crisp, each star twinkling against the black mass sharply. The pearly orb of a full moon hung above the earth, glowing milky-white. Gray clouds rolled across the heavens lazily, heavy with rain, and impelled by the indolent breeze.

A drop of water hit the windowsill. Pit. Another. Pat. And another. Pit. More raindrops begin to pelt down. Pit-Pat. Pit-pit-pat. Soon, drops of water shower Diagon Alley. Pit-pat-pit-pat-pit-pat-pit-pat-pit-pat…Harry laid his down and took his glasses off. Pit-pat-pit-pat…His eyes drooped, heavy with sleep. As the river of drizzling rain rolled down along the slope of the street, Harry drifted off , and a distant wolf howl echoed in his ears.

* * *

It was maybe four in the morning when the rain really began to pour down, pelting the earth silently. The sky was still pitch black except for the very vague, gray glow of the struggling dawn. We were dashing through a train station towards a scarlet steam engine, splashing puddle water everywhere, not that it mattered. My gray cloak sagged; the hem was filthy and drenched from the puddles I dragged it through, street after street, and town after town. But we had no choice. He was going to get us if we didn't run. My guardian's fur was soaked, but he kept running, dragging two rattling trunks. His paws are probably killing him. My boots squeak and slush, soggy with rain water.

I was hauling an owl cage and a blue trunk clunkered beneath it. But before we reached the bellowing train, another figure appeared behind us. The figure had the dark outline of a tall and skeletally thin man. I shuddered.

When the cryptic figure stepped into the dim light of a flickering lamppost, his eyes glowed like red coals protruding from a pasty white skull. Two slits replaced a nose above its thin, scaly lips, twisted in some sort of cruel smirk. When the thing raised its unnaturally bony and long fingered hands, several more black-robed figures stepped into the light from behind him. Oh bugger.

"Thought you could get away, hmm? Well, it isn't that simple my dear," the figure addressed me. My guardian growled, baring his fangs. I hugged the owl cage close to my chest, tightening my grip. My head was spinning with fatigue, soaked in sweat and rain, and my knees weak from running all night. They give in and I fell to the ground.

"No one who steals the powers of the Dark Lord can escape unpunished!" he continued passionately. His glowing eyes narrowed into thin crimson slits as they focused in on me. Though my face hidden behind my cloak, I trembled with fear and anticipation. No, I won't give him the satisfaction to see me weak. Never.

"They are both caught eventually…" he said darkly. "Now do as I say. You are the key to my true immortality and you will get it for me."

"I rather die a humiliatingly slow death than do anything for you — "

"And that you will," said the Dark Lord. "Or should I get him to do it instead? And then kill him right in front of you? Then it will be your fault that he dies, as it has been your fault for every bit of his suffering…"

"Shut up! Shut the hell up!" I begin to sob. I never meant to hurt Harry… I never knew… but it was my fault…

"Yes, I shall fool him into getting me true immortality, kill him in front of your very eyes, and then kill you, too," the Dark Lord nodded.

"GO TO HELL…" I hissed, scrambling to my feet. The Dark Lord's followers tried to seize us but we fought back fiercely. I kicked a Death Eater squarely in the chest, sending him to the ground. Ducking, I missed a hex and sweep-kicked someone's legs. She slipped, swearing, and hit the pavement. Swinging my leg into the air, I slam into another one, and rebounded drop kicking another Death Eater. Enough stalling. Finally, after searching the folds of my cloak, I got hold of my wand and scream,

"Crucio!"

Dammit, I missed. I tried again.

"Crucio! CRUCIO!"

I thought I hit someone this time, but they all closed in before I could do anything. I thrust my arm into a Death Eater's face with a left-cut jab as I tried to get free. My guardian rammed into his side and I was released. Then he pounced to the side, circling another Death Eater. A deep growl was rumbling in his throat. It grew, and his anger grew with it. The gray hair on his back piled itself into a long crest. Every white tooth in his head bared itself. In a blind rage, he sprang. There was a hoarse howling, baying, screaming, and the click of snapping teeth. My guardian dodged, parried, dived and snatched, striking for the enemy's throat like a snake. Dammit. I didn't make nearly enough Wolfsbane. This could get very bad.

I made the mistake of watching him fight and letting my guard down; someone sneaked up behind me and clasped her hand around my neck, digging her nails into me. I screamed, clawing at her arm. She tightened her grip and hissed in my ear, "You'll never win, girl… the Dark Lord shall slaughter you…"

Water… everywhere… drowning… My cloak was heavy and soaked, clinging to my body; my wet hair plastered to my face. With a growl, I lunged forward, flinging the Death Eater over my head. She hit the ground face first. More came at us. I swung my leg around, hitting two of them in the stomach. Half of them collapsed as I Stupefied them. My guardian clambered onto another Death Eater's back, snapping at his neck and digging his nails into his back. I waved my wand all over the place, screaming out every curse and hex I knew. Someone caught my wand and was trying to pry it away. Swearing, I drew my arms together and pivoted them, launching off on my right leg. My opponent and I flipped in the air in a full rotation. He fell, crashing into pavement, wandless. I landed on my feet.

A burly Death Eater came bungling at me, running headfirst and aiming to strangle my throat. I ducked and he missed, flipping over my back and into one of his comrades. Another lunged at my torso, but I rolled over, and she came crashing down. A Death Eater fought out of his Stupefied state and threw a Crucius Curse my way. I dodged it, and pivoted around him. I threw my arms around his neck, head locked him and kneed his back, forcing his legs to strike out at the others who were after me. But no matter how much my guardian and I fought, they still kept coming. He snarled at them, foaming at the mouth. Definitely not enough Wolfsbane.

The full moon waned as the enormous black rain clouds rolled over. The rain continued to beat down harder than ever and the single fog lamp finally lost its strength. With a crisp fizzing noise, it went dead, plunging my world into darkness.

The train platform was pitch black and all that could be heard was the pounding rain muffling the faint cries in the struggle. My guardian returned to his true form. A sudden lightning bolt broke out of the black sky and onto the wet earth, illuminating my owl cage as it came crashing onto the platform's concrete.

My elbow broke into someone's side as I felt an invisible bind snake around my ankles. I fell down, hitting the concrete, hard. I pocketed my wand before my arms, too, were bound. The Death Eaters swarmed around me like bats, forcing me in front of the Dark Lord. My guardian, kneeling beside me, was also restrained. His eyes were dark and grave, shadowed by his glasses.

Once we were seized, the Dark Lord drew out a wand from his robe and began caressing it. My shoulders shook violently as I tried to fight the invisible handcuffs. They only got tighter, cutting into my wrists, and stopping the blood flow. Soon, my hands went numb.

"No, no, no. There is no use in fighting it," the Dark Lord said to us in a menacing tone.

I shielded my head with my bound arms. I could feel the blisters forming and the pounding rain soak me to the very core of my bones. My scraped knees screamed with pain and fresh infection. The Dark Lord roared Avada Kedavra! as he brought the wand down onto me and green sparks flew everywhere. I heard a detached piercing scream flooding the empty train station, accompanying a sinister cackle and the pouring rain.

* * *

At that precise moment, Harry awoke with a startle, not too far away from King's Cross Station; he was in the same city. The scar on his forehead was glowing brightly, but he couldn't see it. Something was wrong. He could feel it. Evil and pain rang silently in his ears. Harry felt his racing heart turn cold and drop, and his breath fall short. Panic and adrenaline coursed through his blood. It was as if his head was plunged into a tub of iced water — shock… what was happening? Confusion…why was this happening? It hurt… who was she? Pain….

Hermione? Ginny? Whoever she was, he knew her… somehow…

Harry sat up and watched the bullet-like raindrops abuse the battered window. Slowly, the pounding rain lulled him back to a restless sleep.

* * *

The Dark Lord cackled as the life was draining out of me, his moaning victim, ignoring that fact that I did not die instantly as the curse dictates. He enjoyed causing a slow and painful death too much to care. A thin bloodstain appeared on my left sleeve and quickly became a scarlet blotch as my arm received the full blast.

Without warning, a snow owl suddenly flew screeching down from out of nowhere. It landed onto the Dark Lord's skull and began pulling at his scalp when its sharp talons clasp around the pasty skull. The other black-robed figures began pointing their own wands at the owl as the Dark Lord wailed in pain. As they were distracted, my guardian retrieved his wand and shouted, "Frigidus!" clutching the chain at his neck.

Everyone and everything froze in place except for the snow owl and us. Even the rain froze into droplets suspending in midair and the smoke from the steam engine froze into white puffs. We gathered our things and hurried into the train. I ran, staggering, and dragging my useless legs. My scraped knees were raw with pain, my joints aching. With a clumsy gallop, I board the train behind him. Then he shouted, "Proceedum!"

And with that, everything unfroze and the scarlet train began trudging along the tracks.

"Stop them!" the Dark Lord moaned once he realized what had happened. My owl had left red and bloody scars on his scalp when it let go to fly after the train. The Dark Lord's followers began running alongside the train, but failed when the steam engine began to pick up speed.

"You won this battle, but you will never win the war! Hear me?! HEAR ME?!" the Dark Lord roared. "I will find you! I will slaughter you horribly, girl! And everyone you hold dear! Especially Harry Potter!"

Soon, the huge train became a red speck as it raced into the countryside, ripping through the somber rain.

* * *

Harry jerked awake the next morning in a cold sweat sometime around dawn with his head was pounding. His scar burned intensely; the hot, searing pain was cutting into his skull, numbing his brain. Harry let out an agonizing howl and clutched his forehead.

Then a feeling of dread rushed through his spine. The only time it felt like this was when Voldemort was near or up to trouble, like during his battle with Harry last year at the end of the Triwizard Tournament.

But then again, it could have had something to do with the peculiar dream he had last night. Harry couldn't really remember much of it, but he recalled hooded figures and bright, green light — the same green light he saw the night his parents were killed.

The pain eventually left entirely, as though it was never there in the first place. Harry wiped his sweaty forehead and put his glasses on. He sat up and looked around the dark room. As his eyes adjusted to the dark, he could make out the familiar shapes of his room. The moonlight castled eerie shadows of Hedwig's cage on the windowsill and his prized Firebolt propped next to it. Sirius snored loudly, his bulky form rising and descending as he breathed. A chilly breeze snaked in from the open window and Harry shivered.

Harry woke up early the next day, since he couldn't get back to sleep, and eager to do his school shopping and wander around Diagon Alley. He had a huge breakfast of bacon, scrambled eggs, hash browns and a Muenster pumpernickel. It was the first real meal Harry had had since he was at Aunt Marge's. He put the Galleons, silver Sickles and bronze Knuts that they got at Gringotts early at dawn (the lines weren't as long) into his moneybag and began to leave when Sirius shouted through a mouthful of eggs,

" 'member to get yer school books and supplies first!"

Harry felt oddly comforted at Sirius' fatherly comment. He smiled at Sirius and nodded.

Harry headed to Flourish and Blotts, resisting the urge to squander his money at Fortesque's Ice Cream Parlor or Levulose's Sweets. The smell of fresh pastries and the giant tubs of Bertie Bott's Every Flavor Beans in the store windows seemed to beckon at Harry.

"Buy me…school supplies aren't that important…"

Harry finally fought off his sweet tooth and went inside Flourish and Blotts. The store was packed with books in every corner and smelled of ancient paper and wood. The manager glanced up at him and asked, "Hogwarts?"

Harry nodded.

"What year?"

"Fifth."

The manager scanned through Harry's crumpled booklist and led him to a wall of Advanced Magic Studies. He handed Harry a copy of Advanced Defense Against Dark Arts and Magic by Tremble N. Quiver and Talk to the Hand: a Guide to Palmistry by Phil Angie.

"Wait here," the manager said to Harry briskly and dodged to another part of the store. Harry paced back and forth, skimming any books that caught his eye.

After almost fifteen minutes, Harry began to go look for the manager. He went around in circles, going in and out of isles that looked exactly the same. Harry was about to give up and double back when a huge black book fell from a top shelf and in front of Harry's feet. Harry picked it up and read the page it was opened to:

… move silently quiet and deftly despite its large size. The Nundu also possesses a breath that causes a plaguing disease deadly virulent enough to eliminate entire villages, and have never been subdued by fewer than a hundred skilled and licensed wizards working together.

Occamy

Originating in Far East and India, the Occamy is a plumed, two-legged creature with a serpentine body. Reaching up to fifteen feet, they feed mostly on rats and foul birds, but have also been known to carry off monkeys, and possibly humans. They are aggressive to all who approach it and particularly protective of its purest, softest silver eggs.

Phoenix

This magnificent, swan-sized, scarlet red creature has a long golden tail, beak and talons. Phoenix nest on mountain peaks and are found in China, Egypt, and India. A Phoenix lives to an immense age, otherwise forever, as it can regenerate bursting into flames when body begins to fail and rising again from ashes as chick. These herbivores, being gentle and never known to kill, also have the ability to disappear and reappear at will. Its magical song brings courage to those with pure hearts and strikes fear to heart of impure. A famous legend tells of an Order of…

Before Harry got to turn to the next page, the book snapped shut, blowing a puff of old dust into his face. The manager snatched it away and sighed exasperatedly, "Don't waste your time reading such foolery."

"What's so foolish about it?" said Harry, eyeing the spine of the book, which read in extremely tiny gold print: The Very Complete Alphabetical Dictionary of Super Duperly and Ultra Rare and/or Dangerous Beasts That are Very Pricelessly Valuable for They are Rare and/or Beasts that May and Probably Will Maim and Kill You if They Got the Chance So You'd Be Better Off Not Reading This and Becoming a Paranoid Neurotic: Special Completely Unabridged and Repetatively Redundant Edition.

"It's just a collection of old fairy tales and such. I don't recommend that you waste time reading up on such horridly written literature. Do you realize how many people have returned a copy of these books? They believe that it is much too redundant and eventually boring, and I must say I agree!" the manager replied tartly.

He put the book back on a high shelf (though Harry could easily have gotten it, due to his sudden growth spurt) and handed Harry his copies of The Standard Book of Spells: Grade Five by Miranda Goshawk, A Beginner's Guide to Human Transfiguration by Cathmor Squain and A Charmed Life of Charms by Charisma Enchanda.

"Oh come on!" Harry griped "If that's the reason, then why won't you let me buy it anyway? Why do you care if it's not particularly well-written?"

The manager sighed. "Fine. Seeing as you're Harry Potter and all, fine. You want to know the real reason?" he dropped his voice so that Harry had to lean in very close. "This book is cursed." He turned to the back of the book. He lifted the book's hand-made binding and revealed the inside of the book's leather covering. "The Dark Mark," he whispered fearfully. And indeed, he was right. The Dark Mark glowed faintly, radiating the feeling of evil. Harry swore he could hear the snake hiss faintly, "Get the book… it isss your dessstiny… you mussst find out… the truth…" For whatever reason, this only made Harry want to buy the book even more.

"There," the manager said in his normal voice. "Now you know. So get your books and go away."

Harry tried again. "I promise I won't return the book — "

"No. didn't you hear me? It's cursed!" he warned. "I don't want anyone finding out and suing my bum off — "

"But I promise I won't —"

"But — "

"Zip it."

"I — "

"I said zip it."

"I just — "

"Zip it good — "

"Stop that — "

"I present to you, exZIP-IT A!"

"Fine! Fine," said Harry, surrendering. "You know, you are a very annoying and horrid little man."

Harry left the bookstore, swearing at the manager under his breath, and headed to Madame Malkin's. Once he returned outside again, sporting a pair of new and long black robes, he had an impulse to head over to the Owl Emporium. Inside, it was cool and dark. The dozens of glowing eyes peering from within the lined cages set the hair on Harry's neck on end. The somber undercurrent of hooting didn't help.

Harry found the sales clerk's table hidden in the corner with the only window. The clerk's face was hidden behind an issue of the Daily Prophet he was reading. Harry cleared his throat loudly and the clerk looked up.

"'Choo want?" he said in a scratchy and high-pitch voice.

"Stan? Stan Shunpike?" said Harry when he realized whose voice it was.

"Neville, ol' boy! Din't rec'nize you there! Been a while, ain't it?" Stan winked.

"What are you doing here? I thought you worked on the Knight Bus," said Harry.

"Only at night. Work 'ere the rest o' my day. As I said 'fore, 'choo want?"

"Well, my owl's been acting pretty strange lately and I was wondering if you could tell me why," Harry said.

"'Ow's it been actin'?" Stan asked nonchalantly, going back to his paper.

"Well, she's been out for quite a bit this summer and pretty restless in her cage. I don't know, she seems detached," Harry informed Stan.

"Righto. I fink that owl of yours' prob'ly restless 'cos it's 'er matin' season, 's all."

Harry stared at him for a while and finally said, "Oh, thanks."

"Mmm," Stan grunted, "Wonder where ol' Rita Skeeter is… ain't seen 'er writin' for a while."

"'Bye then!" Harry said, ignoring his comment.

"'Bye, Neville!" said Stan, taking out some parchment and a quill. "Now go 'way. I've got a letter to work on. Dear Slim…"

Harry left the emporium, pondering about what Stan had said.

At least nothing's wrong with Hedwig, Harry thought to himself, but what am I supposed to do now?

Harry began walking back to the Leaky Cauldron, taking no notice of which direction he was going in, when a quick and hairy blur pounced onto him and pinned him to the concrete. Harry began screaming as he felt the thing's sharp claws digging into his shoulders. The creature's hot stale breath smothered his face. When Harry managed to open his eyes, he was met with two sets of glistening white sharp teeth and saliva dripping from them.

"Hey, Cosmo likes you!" a voice called to Harry.

Harry stood up slowly when the thing jumped off of him. Harry, still shaking, saw that the voice belonged to a freckly redhead.

"Ron! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" breathed Harry, panting for air.

"I know," Ron laughed. Next to him was a tiny Jack-Russell Terrier, panting happily. It's brown and white coat looked old and worn, but it's brown eyes danced with plenty of life.

"Just got him last week. Took a bit of convincing, but mum finally gave in," Ron said, petting the dog. "Poor old bloke. Nearly got run over when George found him in the street."

"Uh cute," Harry said, also petting Cosmo on the head as he drooled all over his sneakers.

Cosmo looked just like any old over-hyper Jack Russell Terrier, except for a sharply forked tail.

"Ron? What's wrong with Cosmo's tail?" asked Harry, delicately.

"Nothing," Ron frowned. "Oh, I forgot to tell you! Cosmo's a Crup."

"A crap?" Harry said dubiously.

"No, a Crup. You know, a wizard dog," said Ron. Sensing the uncertainty in Harry, he continued. "Crups are dead useful. They'll eat anything, especially gnomes and tyres. That's why mum decided to let me keep him. They're also loyal to wizards and ferocious to Muggles."

"Then why did Cosmo try to kill me?" said Harry, eying the Crup.

"He was just playing — weren't you, ol' boy?" said Ron, mussing the fur on his dog's shabby coat. "At least, I think he was. Cosmo's probably a mutt. That'd explain why he's so…unbalanced."

Harry and Ron looked at Cosmo, who was chasing his tail, eventually falling over. He got up and performed the same ritual five times.

"Unbalanced, you say?" Harry said, petting the dizzy Crup.

Harry and Ron walked over to the Leaky Cauldron, telling each other about any recent news.

"You're lying!" Ron exclaimed in an audible whisper when Harry told him about Sirius staying with him.

"Here? In Diagon Alley? In your room? But what if he's caught?"

"That's the thing; no one seems to recognize him at all. Amazing how a shave and neat clothes can hide who a person really is," Harry said as they reached the pub.

"Wow. So I can actually meet him?" Ron said, struggling to get Cosmo away from a stray black cat.

"I guess, if Sirius is all right with it," Harry said.

"Down, boy! Heel! Sit! Uh, stay!" Ron stammered, yanking violently on Cosmo's leash.

When Ron finally got Cosmo under control, Harry glanced back at the tail of a stray cat disappearing around the corner into a dark side street. That tail looked much too big to be that of a normal-sized cat…

Harry shrugged it off. He, Ron and Cosmo went inside the pub and headed upstairs.

After the formalities between Sirius and Ron, Hedwig swooped in through the window, threw a fat envelope at Harry and returned to her cage, promptly falling asleep.

"I don't even want to know what you've been doing, girl," Harry muttered, opening his envelope. He poured the letters into a pile on the bed and began reading them one by one.

Harry,

Guess what! Guess! Oh, come on, just guess! Fine, be that way! Alright, alright, I'll tell you. I made prefect! PREFECT! For Gryffindor! Imagine how good that'll look on my records! I can't breath! Just got the letter! My hands are shaking like mad. The badge looks so shiny… I need to borrow some of Percy's books… A PREFECT! Can you imagine?! By the way, I haven't gotten you your birthday gift yet, but I'll find something! It's just been so chaotic with becoming prefect and that Potions and Charms assignment.

With Love,

"What Charms assignment?" asked Ron, after reading over his shoulder. "I ¾ I don't recall any Charms assignment."

Harry looked equally pale. "Me neither. We're in deep sh*t."

"All well," Ron shrugged. "Oh, that letter reminds me." He turned around and pulled something out from his bag. "Here."

Harry took the glass box from Ron. "It's really nice. Thanks. What is it?"

"You don't know what it is?" Ron's eyes bulged like two blue marbles. "It's a Helocube. You could play three-dimensional chess with it. Oh, I'll show you at Hogwarts."

Harry nodded and turned back to the rest of his letter.

Harry,

I have just met with several spies contacts of mine. Voldemort is planning something, but it's all classified and all access to any information is restricted. Fudge is still being a real jerk hesitant in accepting that the situation is as dire as it is. I want you to be alert Harry. Nothing¾no one¾ is what or who he or she appear. This is a very crucial time, Harry. Be wary.

Headmaster

"Wonderful. Voldemort's is out to get me and the Ministry is absolutely clueless and in denial," Harry muttered, folding up the letter. "What else is new?"

"Harry, I've got to get going now or Mum's going to can my bum," said Ron, tugging Cosmo out the door. The crup was growling at its own reflection in the wall-to-wall mirror. "Move, you rabid nutter! I'll see you at King's Cross, eh Harry? It's been fun, Sirius. See you."

"Wait. I'll go with you. I really need a pint at Hogshead. Bye Harry." Sirius disappeared, the door slamming behind.

Shrugging, Harry picked up the stack of paper on his bed and began sorting through them. They were blank. He frowned and finally found one with writing. It was small and looked as if it were flattened after being crumpled and torn from something else. The writing, though elegant, looked rushed and blurred from something, maybe rain.

I'll be seeing you soon, Harry.

That was it. No signature or anything else. But that wasn't even remotely the strange part. Once Harry finished reading, the scrap of paper disappeared in his hands, leaving no trace.

Much to Harry's disappointment, the summer holidays ended. September first was greeted by a appropriately cold and cheerless morning. The air was raw and chilly, the sky was solidly off-white gray, and Harry just couldn't keep his eyes open.

"Why do we have to get up so-so-so early?" said Harry, failing to stifle a huge yawn. "It's barely dawn."

"I'm aware, Harry," said Sirius, apologetic. "But who knows when we'll get there using that piece of crap called a car."

Harry, nodding off, felt himself being hustled into the backseat of Sirius' Volkswagen. He shivered. The feel of having his warm sheets being torn off and his body exposed to the cold morning lingered. Half asleep, Harry heard the thumping of his trunks being loaded into the boot, the loud thud of the boot closing, and the rustling of Sirius getting into the driver's seat.

Harry woke up an hour later. It was now truly morning. Daybreak had come, and the sun was shining warmly in the pale blue sky. Harry rubbed his eyes and felt Sirius shoving his glasses into his groping hand. He put them on and blinked.

"Awake yet?"

Harry nodded groggily.

"We'll be at King's Cross in maybe twenty minutes," said Sirius. He was finishing down a muffin and alternating sipping a cup of scalding black coffee gingerly. Only one hand was on the steering wheel.

"Wanna to muffin, Harry? 'ope 'oo like bluebewy," Sirius garbled through a full mouth.

"Sure," said Harry, still trying to wake himself up.

Sirius stuffed the rest of his breakfast into his mouth and grabbed a brown bag from the passenger seat and handed it to Harry.

"'ere 'oo go, 'arry," he garbled. "'Enjoy —"

"SIRIUS! KEEP BOTH HANDS ON THE STEERING WHEEL!" Harry shouted, lunging over Sirius's seat to grab to steering wheel.

The car swerved sharply across two lanes. Sirius clamped his hands on and turned the steering wheel the other way. The car swerved back into the right lane, leaving ugly skid marks in the road while Harry toppled back in the opposite direction, his head thrust out of the opened window. A huge trolley came rumbling down the street, zooming right past his head. Harry shrunk back into his seat, breathing hard and shaking. His hair stood up on end as a result from the trolley grazing the top of his head.

"Oops, my bad," Sirius said sheepishly. "Heh, heh… hope you're alright, Harry."

Harry, still clutching the headboard of the driver's seat stiffly, sat rigidly upright, his eyes bulgingly wide open, and his face as pale as Draco Malfoy's. He stuttered in a quiet and fluttering voice, "I-I-I'm okay… w-wide awake now…"

Muggle drivers rolled down their windows and shook their fists, shouting obscenities at Sirius, who returned the like.

"Bloody freaks," he growled, "…needn't have a stroppy…"

Harry and Sirius separated at platform nine.

"We don't need some nosy Ministry git recognizing me and starting all kinds of trouble," Sirius explained.

"I'm going to miss you," said Harry.

"Hah! You're gonna be too busy, trust me!" Sirius laughed, giving his godson a hearty hug. "I'll keep you posted. Bye, Harry."

Waving good-bye, Harry smiled, leaned into the wall, and disappeared from the Muggle world.