"Lad, I have to go to Bulgaria where the Minister has set up a meeting for a business concern with House of Black and Potter", Lord Black was telling Harry, "Since Sirius has to go to Germany for a meeting and will not return before you are due to go back to Hogwarts and Remus is going to run some errands for me. I have arranged for you to stay for a week with the Weasley family. You will go to Hogwarts from there. Be on your best behaviour with them."

Harry nodded, "yes, grand uncle."

"And if you hear anything, please let me know before rushing into it like an idiot," he admonished his heir.

Harry ducked his head, embarrassed, "Yes, grand uncle."

"Neville has gone to Italy with his grandmother for the last week so I guess you won't meet him until the school will start."

"Then I am off," said Lord Black, "I am taking the first portkey out of Britain tomorrow."

When Harry returned to his room, he saw a house elf on his bed, jumping on it and squealing in joy. The elf was about the size of an average elf, had the trademark flappy ears, big eyeballs and his eyes were green in colour.

As he saw Harry, he said in awe, "Harry Potter! It's an honour!"

"Who are you?," Harry asked the elf.

"I is Dobby sir," said the elf, "And I has hear great things about the great Harry Potter. How the great Harry Potter defeated the Dark Lord and saved wizards. Harry Potter must not go back to school."

"What? Why?," Harry asked of the elf.

"Terrible things are going to happen," said the elf shuddering, "Dobby heard his masters talking. Dobby came to warn you. Dobby is a bad elf."

The elf lunged for a poker stick in the corner and Harry understood what he was going to do. Harry lunged for him and tackled him, "Dobby, I can't stay here. My friends are at school. I must go back there."

"Harry Potter be in danger if he go back to school," the elf said resolutely.

"Dobby, tell me who is your master? What is he planning?," Harry asked the elf.

"Dobby can't speak his name," said the elf, still shivering, "Dobby come to warn Harry Potter to not go back."

"At least tell me what your master is planning?"

"Dobby can't say sir," said the elf, "Dobby be going back. Harry Potter must not go back to the school. If Harry Potter insists then Dobby be stopping him."

Before Harry could do anything, the elf vanished with a pop. It all seemed peculiar to Harry and he was eager to find out about his masters and what they had planned to do at the school.

He immediately came to the Lord's study, "Grand uncle, an elf called Dobby came to me to tell me not to return to school. He said terrible things are going to happen if I go back."

Arcturus was listening raptly, "Tell me about the elf. Did he wear a house sigil on its clothes? What was he warning you about?"

"No. He was wearing old dirty pillowcase," Harry said, "I have a feeling that whatever he was warning me against is true, but I don't know who he belongs to. He told me that his master is planning something sinister for Hogwarts this year."

"Tilvar," Lord Black called, and the old trusty elf appeared with a pop, "Master called for Tilvar?"

"Yes Tilvar. There is a house elf called Dobby. I want you to find out who owns him. He knows something that is essential for us. When you find him, capture him, and bring him to me wherever I might be."

The elf bowed, "It will be done, master."

As the elf disappeared, Lord Black turned to him, "Lad, now up you go to bed. Tomorrow morning you'll go to the Weasleys."

"I get it grand uncle that you are going to Bulgaria but why I can't stay here with Sirius?"

"Because Sirius is going to Germany for a deal and Moony is gone to France on a leave, the first in years I might add," Arcturus said, "I really had to push the bloke out of the door and tell him to find a girl to bugger him. It is about damn time that he finds someone to spend his life with."

Harry laughed, "He also has that house that father left to him in his will. I hope he will find someone and accept residence there and before long there will be little Remus running around. Alright, Remus and Sirius are out but why can't I go to Aunt Andromeda's?"

"Because Andy is going with me to Bulgaria and I don't want to burden her husband with taking care of you," Arcturus patiently explained.

Harry's stay at the Weasley Manor was full of cheer. He had decided to bed with Ron despite being given a separate room. They went to play Quidditch when they were not studying however Harry was not lax to open his books every evening and study.

It was on his second day of stay at the Weasley Manor when he was studying a book in defence that Remus had set for him.

"Come on Harry, mate," said Ron, "the twins are going to play a pick-up game of Quidditch. Get your Nimbus and come with me."

"I need to finish this chapter, Ron," said Harry, "I will be there in 15 minutes."

"Why are you always glued to the books?," Ron said, "loosen up a little."

"You'd do well to take a leaf out of his book Ronald Weasley," said Molly, "I have seen your holiday homework and you haven't done a decent job at it. You will get a T in all those classes, and you have forgotten all your first-year lessons."

"But mum, we learnt very little in first year," Ron said nervously.

"Listen young man, if you don't work hard in your classes I am going to drag you back. I want to see your grades go up this year," she said glaring at him, "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes Mum," he said.

She then turned to Harry, "Harry dear, learning is important, but you should be available to enjoy things. You are still a child, and you need to learn to be a child around others. I know Lord Black loves you, but you have grown up in a household without a woman and children. You need to know how to interact in a crowd. From what I have seen, you have the perfect manners for a pureblood, but you don't do well with people."

"I have a lot of friends, Mrs. Weasley," Harry said.

She smiled, "I know dear but how many of them are your best friends? How many will you trust with a secret as dear to you as your life?," she asked.

That got Harry thinking and he speechless for a long time before he shook his head, "Hardly a handful."

She nodded, "It is good to have people that you can trust."

He nodded, "I will keep that in mind, Mrs. Weasley."

"Now up you get and go out," she said pulling him, "The others are in the grounds and waiting for you. Go and enjoy the sun while it lasts."

He nodded and left to join the others.

When he reached the grounds, he found that they had started flying around without him. Ginny was there on the ground, watching them with little greediness.

He had noticed that the Weasley girl was never around him and if he came into the same room as her, she would start blushing red as a tomato. Once to his embarrassment, she had put her elbow in the butterdish as he walked into the room. Over the years, Harry had seen some of his fans, but none were so much obsessed with him as her.

"Hi Miss Weasley," Harry said, and she jumped in fright.

"I am sorry, I didn't mean to scare you," Harry said trying to ease her, but she was mortified.

She ran for the Manor House as she got her wits back and Harry shrugged. If she continued being like that then there was a good chance that she will be sidelined and that was the worst that could happen to someone. He decided to do something about it when they returned to Hogwarts.

He then mounted his broom and joined the others up there to start playing the game of two a side Quidditch.

"We have found a local shaman who speaks our language and is ready to talk to us about it," said the first wizard to the other, "he says that he might have heard of such a legend as we have been looking for."

"What does he want in return of his services?," the second asked.

"What do you think? Gold obviously," said the first, "He wants 1,000 Galleons for taking us to the place with which the legend is supposedly associated."

"Where we have already put in thousands of Galleons in it, what is one thousand more?," the first said to second, "it is our last hope so it would do harm to us to try him also."

"I have already arranged for the gold to be transferred to him," he said, "we will go in the evening."

"Do you think we will finally find it?"

"I am still hoping, and I will keep hoping until I am certain that we have made every effort to find it. It's been ten hard years that we have searched for it. We know for certain that it exists, and we know what kind of power it can give to its users. We have staked our family fortunes on it, and it will be cowardly to retreat now that we have come so far."

"I know but I regret the time we have wasted so far. We learnt much in our travels and all those expeditions we took but we earned truly little in the form of gold and we have only squandered what our ancestors had hoarded for us. Hell, we even forgo marriage for this thing and when we do get it, we will be without any idea about what to do with our free time."

"Let's not talk about that. We are awfully close to it, and I can feel it in my bones. We will get it and we will have our revenge finally," the other said, "We will make him bow to us. And we are still of marriageable age, we will find brides for us after we are done with the purpose with which it all was started."

"You think we will be able to defeat him with it?"

"I have no doubt about it. I dream about the day when we will have him at our mercy, and we will have our revenge. Our Lord's death will not be in vain."

It was breakfast time at the Weasley Manor, and they all were sitting at the table, chatting about things to do later in the day when the Weasley family owl, Errol tried to fly through a closed window and crashed against it.

"Percy, can you please retrieve the letters?," Mrs. Weasley asked him.

Percy retrieved the letters and the owl and sat him down on his perch. He looked at them and said, "Our Hogwarts letters are here. Harry's are as well."

They opened their lists and Harry could see a lot of new books on the list. He looked to others who were looking at the list intently before they turned to Mrs. Weasley, "Five sets of all works of Lockhart! Bet the new Defence Professor is a witch who is fan."

"George," she admonished him.

"It won't be cheap, mom," said Fred.

She nodded, "I know but Arthur is earning more now so we can make do with getting a set each for all of you. We may have to buy some things second hand, but we will manage."

"When are we going to Diagon Alley?," asked the twins.

"We will floo to Diagon Alley as soon as you lot finish your breakfast," she said, "In the meanwhile, I will floo call to Arthur and tell him to expect us at about 10:30 a.m."

They nodded and went about their breakfast. Harry noticed Ginny was sitting on the opposite side of him on the table and she had her head bowed and intently picking at her pudding.

In attempt to ease her up, he said, "Are you excited to go to Hogwarts, Miss Weasley?"

Ginny shuddered and the spoon in her hand cluttered to the floor. She stood from the table and ran to her room.

Harry was disappointed so far with that girl. if this were the way she would be around him then things will be too hard for her.

He turned to Ron, "Does she have any friends?"

"There is a girl who lived near our house in Ottery St. Catchpole. Name is Luna Lovegood, and her father runs the magazine 'The Quibbler.' She and Luna are of same age and grew up together. They are friends with each other," he said.

"Has no one ever told her that I am just a child, and I can't have done even half of the things contained in those books?"

Mrs. Weasley kindly said, "Harry at that time, she was barely a child, and she could not understand it. When she got a little older, I did tell her the truth and she was more enamoured with the Harry Potter who is the boy-who-lived than the hero of those books. It happens with age. Don't you think of Lord Black as a hero?"

Harry shook his head, "I see him as the first family that I have known and not as a hero. He gave me the love that I had never known."

She nodded, "Now you lot, finish up your breakfast and let's floo to Diagon Alley."

They all flooed to Sirius's shop in Horizont Alley where only Arthur was present and staffing the shop. In the past week, Sirius had also employed a helper in the shop to help ease their burden and paid him one hundred Galleons a month. It was not much of a salary, but it was better than being unemployed and the said employee was learning the tricks of the trade from Sirius.

Lord Black had also obtained a licence for the establishment so that Sirius could impart training to others in Technomancy and the certificates that he would give on the completion of training would carry the same value as a mastery would.

"Arthur, you take Harry, Ron, and the twins and I will take Percy and Ginny," she said, "You go and withdraw gold from the bank, and I will get Ginny her uniform and other things. Let's meet in an hour at Flourish and Blotts to buy their books."

As Molly left, Harry turned to Mr. Weasley, "Lord Weasley, I have enough gold on me and I don't need to go to the bank. You take the twins and Ron to the bank, and I will await you here."

"Are you sure?," Arthur asked.

"I am sure," Harry told him, "Besides, Greg is here and if I need something I will let him know."

Mr. Weasley left with the children and Harry sat on the chair which was meant for Sirius waiting for them to return. He could have gone to Longbottom Manor, but Neville had chosen the most inopportune time to go out of the country with his Uncle Algie and he not expected to be back until the day they were supposed to return to Hogwarts.

He was looking in the alley out of boredom when he noticed Lucius Malfoy walking past the shop, trying to hide himself, not wanting to be seen by anyone. He was going to that end of the alley where there was a dead end.

"Greg, what is at the end of the alley?," he asked.

"A side entrance to Knockturn Alley, Master Potter-Black," the attendant replied, "The way will open near Borgin and Burkes."

"Knockturn Alley is nearby?"

"The backdoor of this establishment opens in Knockturn Alley, right next door to Borgin and Burkes," he replied with a grin.

"What do you reckon Lucius Malfoy is going to do in Knockturn Alley?"

"I have heard that he sometimes goes to Borgin and Burkes to sell dark artefacts," the attendant replied.

Harry's mind was made up in a minute and he stood from the chair, "I will be back in 10 minutes. If someone asks about me, tell them that I am gone to Florean's."

The attendant grinned, "Of course, master."

Harry went through the backdoor and exited next to Borgin and Burkes and no one was staffing the counter. He saw Lucius Malfoy walk around the corner and Draco Malfoy was at his father's heels, looking like a lost puppy.

Slightly panicked and wanting to find what Lucius Malfoy was doing there, Harry went into the shop and slipped into the first cabinet that he found open. It was not a second later that the father-son duo arrived at the counter. Draco Malfoy, the nosy git that he was, started rummaging in the shop and his eyes stopped at a skeletal hand. Harry could not read the description on it though. Soon, Malfoy was bored of the hand and started to walk towards the cabinet where Harry was, when Lucius said, "Don't touch anything, Draco."

A bell chimed in the shop and a lean, thin wizard came out, "Good morning, Mr. Malfoy. Here to buy something?"

"No Borgin. I am here to sell something. The DMLE recently has been raiding the manors of purebloods and they can come to my house any day."

"The Ministry is getting nosey, aren't they? Raiding houses of respectable purebloods," said Borgin, "I hear the new law is very strict."

"A work of the muggle loving fool Weasley and that blasted woman, Amelia Bones who got that nefarious bill passed."

"I hear that the DMLE has not raided your house yet," he said in a way of enquiring.

Lucius said haughtily, "The Malfoy name still carries enough weight that they won't just come barging into my house, but I need to get this stuff out."

"I am afraid I can't give you much for it, Lord Malfoy," said the shop owner.

"Give what you will," Lucius snapped, "I just want it off my hands."

"What is this thing?," Draco asked the shop keeper.

"A worthy choice. The Hand of Glory. Put a candle in it and it shows way to only the holder even in pitch black darkness. Useful for thieves…"

"And that is what he will end up doing, I am afraid if his grades does not pick up," said Lucius snidely.

"The teachers have all their favourites. The Mudblood Granger and that half-blood Hadrian Potter- Black," Draco whined, "No one would get ahead of them."

"And you have been outperformed by the same muggle born and the half-blood," Lucius snapped.

"It is a pity that pureblood is counting for so less these days," said the shopkeeper, handing Galleons to Malfoy.

"It is not so with me," Lucius said tersely.

"Not with me either, Lord Malfoy," said he bowing to them.

"Good day, Borgin," said Lucius leaving the shop.

As they retreated, the shop keeper said, "And good day to you. If rumours are true, you have not sold to me even half of what you have hidden in your manor."

As the shop keeper retreated, Harry saw the things that were on display in the shop and the things in the display made him shiver. Knockturn Alley was not a place that should be allowed to survive. He decided to do something about it when the time was apt.

When Harry returned to the shop, Arthur had arrived with the twins and was waiting for him.

"Harry, let's get to Flourish and Blotts, shall we?"

They started walking towards Flourish and Blotts and ran into Hermione and her parents, "Harry, how are you?"

"Hermione, I am fine. How are you?" Harry asked before he introduced the Arthur to Hermione and the Grangers.

When they got to Flourish and Blotts, Harry found that a long poster had been set across the shop, "GILDEROY LOCKHART WILL BE SIGNING BOOKS AT FLOURISH AND BLOTTS FROM 12:00 P.M."

There was a long queue to the inside of the shop from the alley, but Molly had saved them places in the line.

"Come on you lot," she told the children, "And behave. Mr. Lockhart will arrive in a moment."

About a minute later, a man walked in the shop with hairs which were in curls and bounced up on his shoulders and he gave a smile to the crowd, and it looked like all the witches would swoon. Harry felt like gagging.

"Welcome ladies and gentlemen. I am Gilderoy Lockhart, honorary member of the League against the Dark Arts, five times winner of Most Charming Smile by Witch Weekly. Please come in and form a line. I will sign books for everyone," he said still smiling stupidly.

As Lockhart went on and on, Harry said to Ron, "Such a long-winded bloke. You think he has done half the things that he claims in his books?"

Ron shrugged, "Who knows? I mean we have books featuring Harry Potter and his adventures and Harry Potter and then comes Harry Potter denying he did those things."

Harry snorted, "You got that right, mate."

At that moment, a wizard with a camera stepped on Ron's foot in a haste to get to the front yelling, "This is for Daily Prophet."

Ron muttered, "Big deal."

Lockhart heard what was said and looked in their direction and exclaimed, "Gosh! That is Hadrian Potter- Black."

The photographer grabbed Harry, "Go near him."

Lockhart pulled him close and tighter, "Together we will make front page, Harry."

Harry tried to pry himself from the ponce but with an iron grip on his hand, Lockhart dragged him to the front, "Today when Hadrian Potter- Black walked into Flourish and Blotts, he had no idea that he will be getting all of my books personally signed by me for free but also the real me."

There was so much simpering and applause at it that it disgusted Harry to see the looks on the face of the witches.

Lockhart was continuing, "it is time to make an announcement that I have been sitting on for the past month. For the coming school year, I will be joining Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as the Professor of Defence Against the Dark Arts."

Ignoring the applause, Harry pried his arm from Lockhart's grip and walked out holding the set of books which were given to him.

Harry found Ginny Weasley and gave those books to her, "You keep these. I will buy new ones."

When they were finally able to leave, Harry ran into Draco Malfoy who drawled, "The famous Hadrian Potter-Black can't even walk into a book shop without making the front page. Glory hog, aren't you?"

Before anyone could say anything, Harry coolly replied, "Of course you would want some of that glory, won't you? Especially after Daddy Malfoy has lost his influence and wealth. Stay away from me Malfoy if you know what is good for your health."

They pushed past him and walked out where Arthur was having his own altercation with Lucius Malfoy, "Weasley, giving a bad name to purebloods? Mixing with riff raff? What have you achieved in your life by being a muggle loving fool? You can't even get your children new schoolbooks!"

Mr. Weasley said defiantly, "We have different idea about humiliating our heritage Malfoy. Everyone knows what deal you had cut with Fudge to get out of the trouble between yourself and the ministry."

Lucius picked up books out of Ginny's cauldron and looked at them disdainfully before dropping them in, "It's a pity that your father can't afford you new things."

Later, no one would he sure who had thrown the first punch, but everyone would remember Lucius Malfoy staggering due to the punch to his jaw thrown by Arthur Weasley after which, the two grown up wizards got into a scuffle like two children.

Before anyone could do anything, they were both separated and picked apart by Rubeus Hagrid, "Break it. Cool down and go your own ways."

Lucius freed himself from Hagrid's grip and went away glaring at Arthur while Hagrid turned to Arthur, "Really Arthur? That was stupid of you to stoop to his level."

They said goodbye to Hermione at that point and Arthur went with the Grangers insisting on buying them a pint from the Leaky Cauldron while Molly collected the children and returned to Weasley Manor.

"Hedwig" Harry coaxed his owl to wake up, "We are leaving for Hogwarts soon and I want you to fly ahead. Meet me at the school at breakfast tomorrow."

Hedwig raised herself and took the offered treat and took to the skies.

It was the day that they were to return to the school, things were chaotic. Arthur had borrowed the car from Sirius to take them to King's Cross and they were getting constantly late. Sirius had brought the car from Arthur at a decent price but had allowed him to borrow it for taking his family to King's Cross. Arthur was already looking for another car to enchant it and sell it.

As they were leaving, they had to constantly stop. Once they had to stop to let Ginny get her diary from the Manor. Once the twins stopped them to retrieve their brooms which they had forgot in the Manor.

"Molly, I fear we may be late to the station," Arthur was saying, "If you don't mind, this big button here will get the car air borne and take us to King's Cross in no time."

"No Arthur," she said, "We can be seen. We still have enough time to go back."

They arrived at King's Cross with little time left before the train was due to leave.

"Molly, you take Ginny and the twins with you," said Arthur, "I will take Percy, Ron, and Harry with me. We will Disapparate from the platform and I will later return to retrieve the car from the parking lot. I am getting late for work."

Everyone had gone through when Harry and Ron took it at a run with barely 2 minutes to go. There! The barrier was nearing and they would be through within a minute to get on the express!

"CRASH!"

Ron and Harry crashed against the wall and a harsh voice sounded, "Are you two idiots? Why are you running into a wall?"

They found that it was a train conductor who was glaring at them.

Hastily offering their apologies, they walked away.

"Why the barrier will close itself?," Harry was saying, "It always lets us pass through."

"Harry, it's eleven. We could not get there in time. And I have heard that once the barrier closes, no one can come from that side to here."

Harry sighed, "And we have sent our owls ahead of us to the school. None of my elves will respond to my summons. What should we do?"

"Harry, the car!"

"What about the car?," Harry asked him.

"The car can fly and turn invisible. I can drive it," Ron said, "Let's take it to Hogwarts."

"Are you idiot, Ron?," Harry asked, "So many things can go wrong with it. We can be seen, or we could crash in the middle of nowhere."

"Well, then tell me when you have a brilliant idea about how we can get to Hogwarts," Ron said.

Finally, Harry conceded that their best bet was to take the car to Hogwarts and hope it could take them there without stopping in the middle of nowhere.