Disclaimer:  See chapter 1.

Chapter 2 – Home to the Burrow

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Harry sat nervously, glancing between the fireplace, the window and the door of the Dursley's house.  Friday night had finally arrived and the clock on the mantle struck eight o'clock.

"Typical." Aunt Petunia sniffed.  "Of course they would be . . ." Whatever else she was going to say was lost as the rumbling roar of an engine thundered through Privet Drive.  Harry was on his feet in a flash, bolting for the window, where he let out an excited whoop and rushed to throw open the front door.

Outside a glossy black motorcycle rumbled up the Dursley's drive.  Bill Weasley climbed calmly off the motorcycle – long tied back hair, dragon hide, earring and all - removing his helmet and waving cheerfully at his surrogate younger brother in the doorway.  Uncle Vernon gripped the door tightly, his white knuckles contrasting interestingly with his purple face and twitching moustache as Harry grinned and pried it open to let Bill in.

"Ready to go, Harry?"  Bill asked, climbing the front step.  Harry grinned in response.  "Right then, let's nick on up and get your things then and we'll be off."  Bill said, following Harry up the stairs to the smallest bedroom.

Harry looked at the trunk, cage, and broomstick lying neatly on his bed and started to worry.  "Um, Bill?  How are we going to get all of this on your motorcycle?"

"Don't worry, Harry."  Bill pulled a wand out of his long coat.  "We'll just shrink them down and they'll fit on right enough."  Once his things were shrunk until they could comfortably fit in his knapsack, Harry followed Bill back down the stairs, warily watching Uncle Vernon as if fearing he would suddenly be forbidden to leave with Bill, who he knew looked like some nightmarish combination of rebel teen and fiendish wizard.  The Dursley's, however, didn't say anything.  Uncle Vernon glared at him – muttering something about weirdoes and respect - and Aunt Petunia ignored them completely.  Dudley hid behind the sofa as best he could (which wasn't very well, since he almost stuck out on both sides).

Grateful for the relatively quiet exit from his relative's lives, Harry waved brightly back to them, giddy with anticipation.  "See you next summer!"  Harry waved brightly at his glowering relatives', giddy with anticipation at the thought of freedom.

Bill gunned the engine of the sleek black motorbike as soon as Harry was situated comfortably behind him and they rumbled down the driveway onto Privet Drive.  As soon as they were fully out of sight on the outskirts of town, Bill reached over and flipped a switch and disappeared!  Harry looked down at himself and noticed that he too was invisible and he could see the ground racing by below.  Suddenly, the reason for the invisibility switch was apparent as the ground began receding beneath them!  Harry almost laughed aloud.  The motorcycle could fly!  Just like the one in his dreams from so long ago!  "All right back there, Harry?"  Bill called over his shoulder.  Harry grinned and called back excitedly at him in response.  Bill chuckled and nodded, directing the sleek motorbike higher into the clouds.

*

Harry was beginning to doze off by the time they finally landed and rumbled smoothly up the door of the Burrow.  Bill roused him with a gentle shake.  "Come on, Harry."  He chuckled.  "Let's get you inside."  Harry nodded sleepily, clambering off the bike after Bill and following him inside.

A tall man stood at their entrance and smiled in greeting when he saw Harry.  Clean-shaven and more filled out, Sirius Black was a far cry from the cadaverous creature that had escaped from Azkaban.  "Sirius!"  Harry cried, rushing forward to his Godfather, all vestiges of sleepiness forgotten.

"I promised you'd see me soon, didn't I Harry?"  Sirius grinned, patting Harry's shoulder.  Bill walked up, dropping a set of keys in Sirius's other hand and he nodded in thanks.

Harry blinked in surprise.  "That motorbike is yours, Sirius?"  Sirius chuckled but nodded an affirmative.  "Where'd you get it?"  Harry asked, astounded.  As far as he knew Sirius was still a wanted man; he couldn't exactly just march into a shop and purchase a motorcycle!

"Someone's been keeping it in storage for me."  Sirius answered simply.  Harry still looked a bit shocked.  "What?  I don't know much more than that myself!  Remus rolled it out and just said it was from 'an old friend'."

Harry lowered his voice and drew closer to Sirius aside, grateful that none of the Weasleys were present for the moment.  "Did you get my letter yet?"  Sirius nodded, his face going strangely blank.  "Do you think it WAS just a dream?  What could it mean, Sirius?"

"It may not mean anything."  Sirius shrugged with forced nonchalance.  "It sounds like at least part of it was part dream."

"Why do you think that?"  Harry asked.  Sirius smiled his slightly sad smile.

"Well, I wasn't battling Voldemort three nights ago, Harry.  Especially not with a white unicorn."

His mention of the unicorn jogged Harry's memory and he squinted his eyes in thought.  "Sirius, do you know any Animagi that can turn into unicorns?  Or anything about the Heir of Merlin?"

Sirius considered the request for a few moments before speaking.  "I heard of the Heir of Merlin a very long time ago, yes."  He nodded.  "Merlin was a very great wizard and I have no doubt Voldemort would be after his Heir, but I'm also sure that the Heir will be very well protected."  Sirius noted that Harry didn't look convinced and smiled at his concern.  "In any case, I'll write to Dumbledore in the morning and tell him about your dream.  You just enjoy your time here, Harry.  Let me worry about the Heir of Merlin."

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Final Note:  yes,  (Just in case anyone was curious) that motorcycle is the same one that Hagrid used in the beginning of book 1.