CHAPTER 6: Draco's Detour

"Harry!" Screamed Hermione and Ginny, both rushing forward to hug him.

"Let the man breathe, will you? How've you been, mate?" Asked Ron Weasley, stepping forward to help pry the two girls away from his best friend.

"I'm…better now." Harry replied simply, but everyone in the room already knew that. "So there's no need to worry that I'll blow up at you." Everyone laughed at Harry's statement, but Harry noticed that one laugh was very forced, he knew he would have to talk to Lupin soon.

"C'mon, Harry. How would we know it was you if you didn't—vent occasionally?" Asked Tonks, her bubblegum pink hair distinguishing her from the crowd. The group laughed again.

Harry spent quite some time going over his summer and his training with everyone there. Mad Eye Moody, Kingsley Shacklebolt, Arthur Weasley, and all of the girls (with the exception of Mrs. Weasley, who looked very concerned) commented on how cool Harry looked with his sword. Harry hadn't realized it but it had become a habit of resting his left hand on the hilt of the sword while it was sheathed. He recounted the stories about how he and McClaggan (whom he now called professor) trained in the mist outside of the cottage. The crowd called for a demonstration, but Harry respectfully declined. He wasn't so sure he would be able to just take out his sword and give them a good show.

After a few hours of chatting Harry noticed Lupin sneak through the kitchen door and head upstairs. Harry excused himself from the table, where Fred and George had begun to tell him about all of the Hogwarts students that had been buying tricks from them all summer. Harry reached for the door, but whirled around just in time to see Moody reaching to grab his shoulder.

"Damn it, Potter." Moody grumbled as he withdrew his had with a start. "I have a magic eye and I still don't react that fast. How'd you know it was me?"

"Er- I didn't professor, I just felt someone right behind me."

"Constant Vigilance, eh Potter?" Moody grinned, something that normally just made him look scarier. "And I told you to drop that professor rubbish. I never did get around to teaching you, did I?" Harry started to respond before the older man shook his head and continued. "That's not what I want to talk to you about. It's just that you seem quite well adjusted after last year and I think Lupin needs a bit of help. I never thought I'd say that Lupin was acting immature, but he's been keeping to himself quite a bit lately."

"Dumbledore told me. I was just about to go see him when you grabbed me." Harry said. Moody was about to interject before he saw Harry was smiling. He grinned back.

"He's in Buckbeak's room."

Harry nodded as he slid through the half open door. He made his way through the house, noticing for the first time that Dumbledore was right; the house was much cleaner than last year. For starters the heads of all the dead House Elves had been taken down. There were also brighter lights as he walked up the stairs. It gave everything a much homier feel. Harry realized, as he climbed the steps, that there was a colorful, patterned carpet covering much of the floor, including the stairs, which didn't creak or make any other ominous sounds.

"Could I have a word with you, Mr. Potter?" Harry heard from his right as he reached the second floor landing. He turned to see the painting of Phineas Nigellus looking straight at him.

"Could it wait a few minutes? It's just that I was off to see-"

"I understand. He has been moping around quite a bit lately. Acting like you did last year if you ask me. Just make sure you come back, I hate to be stood up by children." The portrait bowed slightly and walked out of his frame. Harry couldn't help but smile at the thought of the ex-Headmaster who hated kids.

Harry reached the door that lead to Buckbeak's room, and wondered whether he should knock. After a few moments deliberation he did so. After a few moments of waiting Harry heard feet shuffling. The door opened and Harry was standing face to face with his old Defense against the Dark arts teacher.

"Oh, hi Harry." Lupin said weakly. "I never did get to speak with you, welcome back." He tried to force a smile, but couldn't seem to do it. He bowed away and walked back to the chair in front of Buckbeak. Harry let himself in and closed the door behind him. He looked around the room to see that it was not clean like the rest of the house, as a matter of fact it was worse than ever. It had teeth and claw marks all over it. "Full moon," Lupin muttered, and Harry let it drop.

"Professor, we need to talk." Harry started, deciding that being straightforward was the only way to bring up the situation.

"I'm not your teacher, call me Remus."

"But I still wish you were our teacher, you were the best." Harry realized his attempt to cheer the man up wasn't working too well, so he decided to get back on track. "I wanted to talk to you about Sirius."

"How'd you do it? I mean, how did you forget about it so easily? I'd give anything to forget, but I can't!" Lupin said firmly. Harry was startled that he came out and said it so quickly, he remembered that when he was angry or sad it took ages to admit his feelings.

"I didn't forget him, Remus. I can't forget him. I just choose to remember him, not his death."

Lupin let out a little laugh and wiped away a tear with his sleeve. "When did you get so wise, Harry?"

"I had some help, and I cheated a bit, I took a…vacation." Harry had no other way to explain the affect of Spinners End.

"I just can't stop thinking about everything we had been through together, first with your father at school, and later in the Order. I just wish it could go back to what it was like then."

"I wish he could come back too. He can never be replaced or forgotten. But you have to remember that to some people dying in combat is the perfect end." Harry said these words as he thought about the men he saw fall on the battle field in the memory of Spinners End. He knew that Sirius was the same, and as much as he would like to have him back, he couldn't and had to move on. Without thinking Harry ran up to him and hugged him. He suddenly realized that the man he was holding onto was the last person he had after losing his father and Sirius.

The next day Harry woke up and went downstairs, only to find Mr. and Mrs. Weasley in the kitchen. Mr. Weasley was reading the paper and drinking a cup of coffee, while his wife worked on breakfast.

"Hello, Harry dear. Why are you awake so early? Are you OK?" She asked, becoming more and more panicked as she spoke.

"I'm fine, I just normally go out for a run about now." Harry said, realizing how different things were now that he was back at Grimmauld Place.

"Oh, I'm not so sure that's the best idea. I'll need to talk to Dumbledore before I feel comfortable letting you do that."

"Don't worry, Molly. The boy will be fine. If you feel more comfortable I will disilluion him." Said Remus Lupin, walking into the kitchen.

"No need for that, I'll wear my cloak" Harry told them.

"Harry dear, you can't possibly run with that invisibility cloak of yours! It's just too bulky!" Mrs. Weasley told him. Harry realized he would have to explain himself.

"No, I mean the cloak Professor McClaggan gave to me for my birthday. He said that with my training and this cloak I'd be very hard to find. I'll also have my wand and sword concealed underneath in case I need it." Lupin smiled when he heard this.

"Well it seems that you are out of excuses, Molly."

When Harry got back from his run everyone else was beginning to wake up. Harry realized that despite the absence of that mist, he still wasn't tired. The runs must have helped strengthen him enough for the real world.

After breakfast they decided that today they would go to Diagon Alley, where they would get all of their school supplies. Harry had found out that Hermione had gotten 18 OWLS, he was fairly sure this was a new school record, but didn't want to get her hopes up. Ron had gotten 10 OWLS, which was amazing because he had beaten Percy's 8, though nobody dared mention his name.

They all got ready and made their way outside, where Tonks, Lupin, and Moody flagged down the Knight Bus and ushered them inside. The trip was relatively uneventful, except for the fact that Ginny got hit with a small witch who got tossed out of her seat when the bus made a particularly violent turn.

When they arrived outside the Leaky Cauldron Moody stepped outside quickly to make sure the coast was clear. He signaled for Harry to lead Ginny, Hermione, and Ron into the pub while he, Tonks, and Lupin had a quick word with the driver. When Harry entered the pub the old bartender, Tom, nearly jumped out of his shoes.

"Mr. Potter! What a delight to see you here! Is there anything I could be getting for you?"

"Er- No thanks. We're just on our way to Diagon Alley."

"Right you are, Mr. Potter. May I just say that I, for one, always believed you and Dumbledore." He said quickly before bowing out of the way and returning to his bar. Harry had the fleeting thought of Tom waiting hand and foot on Cornelius Fudge in his third year, but thought better than to mention it.

Harry walked through the backdoor of the pub and found himself standing in front of a brick wall. Harry thought for a second before remembering what Hagrid showed him.

"3 up, 2 across." He said under his breathe as he tapped the corresponding bricks. The wall started to fold itself back, leaving an archway through which Harry and his friends entered Diagon Alley.

Draco Malfoy was buying his school books when he saw Harry Potter and his escort walk through the archway. He had wanted to give Potter a piece of his mind ever since he had gotten his father caught by Dumbledore in the Ministry of Magic. He knew it wouldn't be long before he was out of Azkaban and serving the Dark Lord again, but Potter had to pay for leaving him without a father for the summer. But Draco noticed the group of witches and wizards trailing Harry and his friends, and knew that now wasn't his time.

"Soon, Potter. I will see you soon." He muttered to himself, a vengeful smile playing across his face. Draco then turned and swept into the nearest alleyway before the group reached him.

"Hello, Draco." Said a cold, familiar voice from deeper down in the alleyway.

"Who's there?" Draco answered, already walking farther into the alley to find out for himself. When he saw the cloaked figure Draco knew that his suspicions were correct. "Father?"

"Yes, but do be quiet before you alert all of Diagon Alley to my whereabouts?" Lucius told him in a dark, sarcastic voice.

"I thought- When did you get out of Azkaban?"

"I didn't. That's what the Ministry assumes anyway. The Dementors have rejoined us, but are awaiting the Dark Lord's order to abandon their posts. They are buying us the time necessary to set our plans in motion."

"What plans, father?"

"Just wear this when you are on the train to Hogwarts." He handed over a black necklace with a silver pendant attached. "And the dementors will know not to attack you. While that fool of a headmaster thinks that we are safely in Azkaban we will be waiting to intercept the train, along with dementors to make things fun. For us, that is." He finished, laughing quietly to himself.

"Why do I have to go on the train? Why can't I just stay out of the way?" Draco asked his father, trying to conceal the tension in his voice.

"Because, Draco, you need to be my eyes and ears. If something happens on the train that I must know about, then you need to be able to send word. You know the way I refer to." Draco's eyes widened before he regained his composure and nodded. "Good. You also must be able to act as if you didn't know what would happen, if we fail I will need you inside that school."