Severus had woken up twice more in the past hour. Not with visions of the Potters running through his head, but visions of some of the nastier tasks the Dark Lord had asked of him during his service.
Lifting up his left sleeve, he fingered the skin where the mark, even twelve hours ago still shone black. It was now barely visible. If I were so inclined he thought I could go out with short sleeves. He chuckled at the thought and pulled his sleeve back down. He walked to the window. Students were frolicking on the grounds below. The Slytherins, though mostly still grouped together under a tree near the rock, did not appear to be the brunt of any harassing.
A few of the younger Slytherins, still relatively untouched by the house prejudices, were mingling the younger members of the other houses.
"It will not last," Severus snorted derisively. "The excitement will soon disappear and be replaced, as always, with the general distrust." he turned from the window and grabbed his robe from its resting spot on the hook near the door.
Exiting his private rooms, he stalked off to the potions lab.
--------10:13
Minerva was currently hiding behind a hydrangea bush near the garden wall, keeping out of sight from the people who had shown up at number four. Just as she peeped her head out to get a look at what they were doing, a tom cat sauntered up beside her.
Bristling, Minerva hissed and pawed at the bigger cat. He moved closer, seemingly unperturbed. Minerva exhaled and jumped up to the top of the wall. The tom cat followed.
Damn.
Swishing her tale back and forth, she captured his attention entirely. Realizing he wouldn't be easily led away, she gracefully leapt down and sprinted off down the street, occasionally checking behind her to see if he was following. He was.
-------10:21
"Headmaster! Headmaster!" a voice called after him. Dumbledore turned to see a young wizard with a head full of shockingly ginger hair running towards him. A smile broke across his face.
"Arthur, how are you?" Dumbledore greeted him warmly.
Arthur Weasley reached out his hand and took both of Dumbledore's in his. "I've only just heard the details. We'd been up all night with Ron, he's got an earache, so we heard the news straight away. It's dreadful, about the Potters. If there's anything Molly and I can do..."
Dumbledore cut him off. "Arthur, I do greatly appreciate the gesture, though I feel you and Molly have more than enough to keep yourselves busy with. The entire ministry is focusing on this. You, I think, would benefit from this break in the atmosphere, Arthur. Celebration is upon us."
"Yes, I know. And I am thrilled about You-Know-Who, but Headmaster-what's to be done with the boy?" Arthur asked, finally getting to the point of his hasty entrance to the exit hall.
Dumbledore regarded him. "Why?"
"Molly and I discussed it before I left for work, and I know we have enough children, some would say too many, and another one shortly due, but we would be willing to take young Harry in as well. He'd have enough brothers and sisters to keep him occupied. We are quite serious in our offer, Dumbledore." Arthur said, pulling himself up to his full height and looking Dumbledore straight in the eye.
Dumbledore felt his heart ache with warmth for the wonderful wizard in front of him. "Arthur, as much as I humbly appreciate your offer, the minister and I have decided to place him with family."
Arthur looked at him. "I didn't know the Potters had any relatives."
"Not the Potters, the Evans'. Lily has a sister with a boy the same age as Harry. I truly do thank you for the offer, Arthur. Be sure to tell Molly that as well. I'm afraid, though, I must be getting back to Hogwarts. Take care." Dumbledore said, tipping his finger to the side of nose and nodding.
Arthur gave a small nod and continued up the hall. Dumbledore brought his hand to his chest. "Dear boy. There are many who would offer, and most of them have much more to give than love. It was not easy for you to offer, I know that." he watched the red head disappear down the hallway.
"Well, to Hogwarts we go." He said to no one in particular.
-----10:33
I wonder if he's caught my scent. Sirius thought. It was getting very boring staying in dog form this long. He'd done it for hours before, but only because he'd wanted to, never because he'd needed to. Perhaps, though, here with the muggles, he could change back, just for an hour. Moving back to the shadows, and making a quiet circuit to look for any wizards hanging out in shadows, Sirius retook his human form.
"Ah, much better." he said aloud. He was still hungry, despite the large breakfast he'd slopped from the Leaky Cauldron. He spied a small sandwich shop opening its doors just down the street. Jingling his pocket, he took off, feeling a spot of lunch had been well earned. Stepping inside, he settled himself in a window seat. Muggles all around him were talking excitedly.
"Have you seen all the owls today? They're everywhere. Judith swears she saw a snowy owl dive in front of her car on the way to the sitter's this morning." said one woman.
"My brother-in-law swears he saw shooting stars this morning." said another.
"And have you seen all the freaks out and about?" said a small man at the table across from Sirius.
"You mean the ones all dressed in robes, acting strange?" said another old man, eyeing Sirius shiftily. Sirius looked down. He had remembered to take his robes off. He was currently wearing very dirty trousers and an equally dirty button-up shirt. He thought he looked no different than the general population of young men in the area and was about to say something when a news report came on the radio the waitress had set out.
"News bulletin: Reports of owl sightings skyrocket." Everyone's attention in the shop turned to the radio. "For no apparent reason, the owl population appears to be momentarily forgetting their instincts and venturing out during the day. Wildlife experts say not to approach the animals, as, with such aberrant behavior, there is no telling the reaction they might have."
The old men began to mumble amongst themselves. Sirius smiled knowingly. He could just imagine the post office in Hogsmeade today, or the owlery at Hogwarts. He was certain not one owl was sleeping today in all of Britain.
Taking a bite of the sandwich the waitress had absently set in front of him, Sirius listened to the rest of the report, which mentioned the appearance of folks dressed up, "Halloween was yesterday, folks!" and the supposed shooting stars.
When the report ended, the patrons went back to their conversations, leaving Sirius is peace to finish his small lunch.
--------10:45
Minerva had finally made it three blocks from Privet Drive, though the tom cat was still following her. She leapt up to a swing in the playground she had spotted while trying to outrun her companion.
The tom cat looked up saucily at her, and was making to leap up next to her, when Minerva morphed herself back into her human form. The tom cat spit and hissed at her before backing up several feet.
It cocked its head from one side to the other and then approached her cautiously. He sniffed around her ankles and began to rub up against her. She reached down and pet between his ears.
"Sorry, old boy," she said, amused, "I'm afraid I'm not quite your type, though I do appreciate the interest."
--------10:59
Remus shifted again in his sleep, still oblivious to the screams and cheers rising up every so often from the students down below his window.