Harry sprawled in a chair, leaving Draco the couch. "Okay Malfoy, I said I would answer some of your questions. Ground rules: if I say drop it, drop it. If you continue a subject after I have said to quit, you lose any chance at getting any other questions answered."

Draco nodded. "Fine. First question, what were you doing in Diagon Alley today anyway?"

"I needed some potion ingredients. The wards keep owls away, so I couldn't have anything delivered," Harry replied.

"There are wards on this apartment. Who put them up?"

"I did."

"How are you using magic outside of school?" Draco was leaning on the edge of his seat now, fully interested in this question.

"I got a present from my godfather," he said, pulling a chain from under his oversized sweatshirt. Dangling from the chain was a tint gold charm in the shape of a lightning bolt. "It hides my magical signature, making any and all tracking spells useless, including the ones that track underage magic."

"Where did he get that?"

"I have no idea. Drop it." Harry frowned. He did not want to talk about Sirius, but unfortunately the questions Malfoy needed answers to could only be answered by talking about his godfather. 'Shit. I'm gonna have to tell him about Sirius,' he thought. Running an irritated hand through his hair, he settled himself deeper into the chair. "What do you know about Sirius Black?"

Draco blinked. "I thought I was the one asking questions here," he said. Then he shook his head. "Never mind, you must have a point here. Black escaped Azkaban. He wasn't a Death Eater. That's all I know."

Harry muttered a pungent curse under his breath. He was going to have to tell Draco everything. After a few minutes and several blistering oaths, he began to speak about his godfather.

At first it was all he could do to force the words out, but as he got involved with the story, it felt like the tale was flowing out of him.

He told Draco about third year: the grim, the map, Remus, the dementors, Pettigrew, even the time-turner. Harry laughed a bit at some of the expressions on Draco's face during the narrative. Before he had a chance to continue the story, Draco broke in.

"You know, Potter, I used to be angry that you refused my friendship first year," he said. "Now I'm just relieved that I didn't have to go through any of that."

"You haven't heard anything yet, Malfoy," Harry said, chuckling. "Try to keep up." With that, he launched into Sirius's role in the last two years of Harry's life. Talking about the department of mysteries choked him up and he had to fight back tears. Finally, he finished the tale, touching on the talk he'd had with Luna. He took several deep breaths before continuing.

"So I went back to the Dursley's, but I got an owl the next day. Sirius had set it up to be delivered to me on the first day of summer vacation. There was a small package, and a letter. I don't think he was expecting to die, but he wanted me to have the things he sent, and he didn't want Dumbledore to know he'd sent them."

Draco looked a bit surprised. "Why not? Didn't he trust the old man?"

"No, he didn't. Sirius thought that the way that Dumbledore was treating me was inexcusable. He couldn't go against him in plain sight, but he found a way. Here, I'll read you the letter, it will help you understand." Harry hauled himself out of the chair and fetched the letter from another room.

Dear Harry,

Hey kiddo, I know this letter probably comes as something of a surprise, since I more than likely just saw you, but there are things you need to know that Dumbledore isn't going to tell you. Your parents' were targeted by Voldemort for more than just being who they were. You see, there's a prophecy about you and the dark git, and that's why he wants you dead so badly. I don't know all of it, but I assume that you will have something to do with getting rid of him.

Problem is, you need to know this, and no one's telling you. Even worse, no one's training you. You get into trouble for protecting yourself, and I'm convinced that nothing is going to change anytime soon.

So here I am, going against Dumbledore because he's wrong. Sadly, this isn't his only mistake, and I find myself unable to justify some of the things he's done. If the blood protection at the Dursley's is so all important, fine. But no one checked on you for ten years. I know Arabella was there, but she's a squib, and she wasn't in the house. I have my suspicions about your home life, and let me tell you, if I didn't have you to restrain me, I think those muggles would be dead.

Anyway, off of that subject, because I know you well enough that you are uncomfortable with it, and I know you aren't going to tell me if I'm right.

On to the real purpose of this letter. I have enclosed a few things you need. One is a necklace. The pendant will scramble your magical signature, allowing you to use magic without the ministry finding out. I have one too, so don't even think about giving it back. The next thing is a debit card. It's linked to a muggle bank account that Remus started for me. I told him it was for me, but Moony is bright enough to know that it's for you, I'm sure. Thing is, he still can't do anything about it. Inside the envelope the card is on are all of the documents you need to become Greyson Smith, should you ever need an escape. You're listed as sixteen, so don't use them if you don't have to, you won't pass all that well until you hit a growth spurt. Feel free to use the money, it'll work just fine.

The final three things in the box are a bit harder to explain, which is why they have instructions with them. The two books are very important, and you must NEVER let Dumbledore know that you have them. One is ancient text on wards, the other is a journal that I have written for you. It contains everything I know that could conceivably help you stay alive. I can't say that it will help you defeat Voldemort, because I have no idea how to do that, but the book is full of how to fight, how to hide, and other useful things to give you a fighting chance while you look for a way to kill him. A very large chunk of that book is dark in nature, but I would rather you go a bit dark than to see you die.

And the last thing is a vial of my blood. Why? Read the books and the directions. The blood of someone who would die for you is a very powerful thing in protection magic. Of course it's highly illegal, but I think you know how little that concerns me.

Kiddo, I was never good with emotions, and Azkaban made it worse, but I do love you and I would do anything to keep you safe. My advice to you, here in a forum that the Order cannot control, is to Fight. Let no one, no matter their intentions, control you. You are not a slave, and you should not be treated like one. In the end, it is your life, and if you have to tell Dumbledore to go to hell, do it. Your life is not his. You are not a pawn.

Love, Sirius.

"Whoa," Draco breathed. "He could have gone back to Azkaban for that, even if they proved him innocent of what he was convicted of."

Harry sighed. "Don't I know it. Not that it matters now that he's dead, they can't hurt him, and I won't let them catch me."

"So you used the blood to set the wards?"

"Yeah. The wards on this place are stronger than any I've ever heard of," Harry said. "They're better than Hogwarts, better than the Dursleys', better than the headquarters of the order."

Draco nodded. "They're much stronger than Malfoy Manor, and those are considered very strong for a home. But why are you here, Potter? Why not with the Order, or with the muggles. You said something about being caught. Are you on the run?"

Green eyes rolled. "Malfoy, don't be dense. Of course I'm on the run! In fact, I'm currently hiding from four sets of people."

"Four? Aren't you talented? Enlighten me."

"First, I'm hiding from Voldemort. Personally, I'd like to live long enough to kill him. Since I can't do that yet, I'll hide. Throw all his lackeys in with him, make that one group. Then there's the ministry. If Fudge can't use me, he'd like to have me thrown in Azkaban as a dark wizard." Harry broke off at Draco's snort.

"Don't laugh, technically I am a dark wizard. I have cast an unforgivable, I use blood magic, and I'm contemplating worse. So the ministry is two. Then, of course, there's our illustrious headmaster and his gang of idiots, they make three because they want to haul me back to the Dursleys'. And finally, we have the muggles, both the ones that I am so unfortunately related to, and the authorities, who if they caught me would either send me to the Dursleys' or an orphanage. That's four. Merlin's beard, I'm running from damn near everyone I know!"

Draco smirked for a moment, then sobered. "Potter, you get into the most trouble of anyone I've ever heard of. I understand why the death eaters and the ministry are after you, but I don't understand why your opinion of Dumbledore and the Order has changed. Aren't all you Gryffindors on the same side?"

"Oh for fuck's sake, Malfoy! Were you listening to Sirius's letter? That meddling old man is going to get me killed. I for one am not ready to die. If he knew, and he did, that Voldemort was going to be after me, then why did he let me run around ignorant? I think that every one of my adventures has been nothing more than his barmy way of turning me into what he wants: an idiotic, rash hero who rushes in to save the day, even if certain death awaits," Harry snarled.

"And is that what you are?"

"No, at least not until I came to Hogwarts," Harry said, still highly agitated. "I used to have a fucking brain! Not to mention some sense of self-preservation. I'm no one's hero... but I will survive, no matter what."

"You're a bloody Slytherin," Draco breathed.

"Bingo, Malfoy, you win the prize."


Sorry this took so long, but I was hoping to get a tie breaking vote. Oh well, guess I'll just use my somewhat questionable judgement. Thank you to those who reveiwed.

Next time: More on why Harry doesn't trust the order... and why he ran.

Later - verdragon