All Characters (c): J.K. Rowlings

Plot Line (c): Anc1entalchemy

Harry had his back against his bed. Hedwig was perched on his knee, slightly pecking at his fingers. Every little peck of the sharp beak would remind Harry to bring his hand up to the owl's head and pet it slightly. His mind refused to focus on anything besides the events from the day before. How had they slipped in unnoticed? It wouldn't have been behind Fudge, he would have seen them. Suddenly his mind leapt back to his conversation with Tom.

"How could she have gotten in?" Harry asked with impatience dripping from every word.

She couldn't have apparted. I made sure of that when He came back. She just snuck into your room somehow."

"Nah, really?" Harry asked with obvious sarcasm. He was starting to get irritated.

Tom gave him a stern stare. "Sarcasm won't get us anywhere Mr. Potter."

"Sorry, but the bitch stole my wand! What, am I suppose to be joyous? That was my only key to being Voldemort's equal!" Tom looked up surprisingly at Harry's language then shivered and stepped back slightly upon hearing Voldemort's name. Harry just ignored him; it was now a habit to just ignore the shivers, gasps, and/or stares.

"Well it could have been a very low dose of polyjuice potion, invisibility cloak (if anyone has one of those) or some cloaking spell. I remember hearing about those death-eaters using them last time. Dark magic they are, very strong, even stronger invisibility." Tom had a confused and distant look in his eyes. They were transfixed on Harry's though they seemed to be looking right through him. "Well Mr. Potter. Your owl has been healed.

"Perhaps it'd be best for the- uh...for your safety if you would go back home, or maybe to a friends house. They would not be able to detect you there, and if they can, I'm sure you'll be better protected. Yes, I believe that'd be best. I think the wizarding world; especially Dumbledore- a short shiver passed through his spine at the thought- would be very displeased with me if you fell into harm while staying here unattended." A slight blush still lingered at his cheekbones, it had appeared when he let it slip that he was thinking of his shop before Harry's life.

Harry's mouth formed a small smile as he saw a headline. "The great Boy-Who-Lived, The Chosen One, was found dead today at the Leaky Cauldron, at least what was left of the place when the mob was done with it. Inn-keeper was sent directly to St. Mungos."

"Yes, we mustn't upset Dumbledore." Harry mused. "I will make arrangements tomorrow and be gone by the night."

Hedwig nipped at Harry's idle fingers, bringing him out of the flashback. He went back downstairs to where Tom greeted him as he had every morning. "So what'll it be for breakfast today?"

"How about some Floo Powder?"

"It's not healthy to eat too much Floo Powder, Harry." Tom said off-handily as he dried some mugs. Harry stared at him, trying to decipher if it was a joke or not.

"I'm joking. I don't have any at the moment. You can find some in the alley though. Just don't tell anyone I let you go back there alone."

"Oh yeah, of course someone down there does. Don't worry I won't. Alright, see ya in a few." Harry waltzed past the bar and into the back. He stood transfixed at the wall. He had no wand to move the bricks. His head fell slightly as he made his way back over to Tom.

"Uhh...I need you to open it for me."

"Oh, oh of course." Tom followed Harry and let him through.

The streets seemed near death. Very few people were walking around buying school supplies, or whatever else people shop for. He looked over at the ice cream shop. He remembered sitting there a few years back. Eating free ice cream and finishing his homework. The whole place was closed and boarded up. The sight of the street made his heart ache. It reminded him of Voldemort, which linked to Sirius. He decided that morning to stop mopping around. He owed it to Sirius to keep living his life. If only it wasn't so hard. Even the sight of the brooms in Quality Quidditch Supplies didn't lift his heart. The Firebolt that shined in the fake sunlight reminded him of his own; the one Sirius had bought for him. The store next door caught his eye and even drove thoughts of Sirius away.

"Wesley's Wizarding Whee's" shined in bright letters. It looked cheerful and happy, basically stark contrast to everything around it. He just hoped he had enough money left to buy some things from here, his school supplies, and that Floo Powder. The line at Gringotts was too long before and he just dipped into what he had left over from last time, which was barely enough to cover Hedwig's wing. He felt bad. He had completely forgotten about Fred and George's store. He realized he had been standing there for at least two minutes. Instantly he stretched out his hand and went inside.

"Hey there Harry! How goes it? Wait...Harry. What are you doing out here, ALONE?" George called out, forgetting momentarily about the young girl he was helping.

"Well he's Harry. No death-eater will touch him will they? He's all You-Know-Who's. Besides we've always known Harry is a risk taker. That's what makes life fun, eh Harry?" Fred gave him a soft punch on the arm. Harry gave him a small smile and rubbed his arm softly.

"Hey you better make sure mum doesn't know you're down here by yourself. She'd have a cow! Just plop down right there and have a cow!" He was still starring at the spot on the floor he was pointing at.

"Yeah, that wouldn't be pleasant. So how about we keep this to ourselves. I'm planning on going there tonight actually. You two wouldn't happen to be selling Floo powder would you?" Harry asked, bringing Fred out of his trance.

"Oh no, we don't sell it. We have some in the back that you can use though. Got a huge pot full. Go ahead and use it. Where are your trunk and owl and everything?" George questioned.

"Oh I left it back in my room. I only wanted to stick my head through and make sure it's okay and everything."

"Of course, of course. Go right ahead. Through those doors."

Harry walked back into the shop an hour later, carrying his trunk behind him. Moments later he was standing in the living room of the Burrow, taking in all the scents and sights he had come to love as his second home. Moments later he was standing in the living room of the Burrow, taking in all the scents and sights he had come to love as his second home.

Sirius had not gained the information he yet needed. He figured Harry would be at the Burrow with Molly and Arthur. But he had no way of knowing for sure. It took too much energy out of him, energy that he could not easily gain back, to search a whole house for him. He would rest tonight. There would be no dream diving. He needed to conserve the little energy he was sustaining. Since sleep would not come, he had nothing else to recharge except to sit and wait. He sighed slightly and sat down upon the hard floor. The couch he had at one point had disappeared. He never would know if he simply moved away from it, or if it had disappeared on it's own accord. As he wished for a new one, a comfier one, a plush and round thing appeared next to him. A small smile slid across his face as he climbed onto it. He curled up and closed his eyes. Praying for sleep. Hoping he would wake up and this would have all been a dream. Though the morning would not come to him. It would not until he left this hell, if he could ever leave this abyss.
Dumbledore looked around his office slightly. He knew there was something he was forgetting. Some letter that needed to be written. Nothing was jogging his memory. He could not remember what he was suppose to do. He looked over at the portrait of Phineas Nigellus and thought of Sirius. Suddenly the dream came back to him. He jumped up from behind his desk quickly and wrote out a short letter to Lupin.

"Dear Lupin,

I wish to hold a short conference with you.As soon as possible.

Dumbledore"

He looked it over. Short and to the point. He nodded slightly and gave it to Fawkes. He was the only he trusted with his letters at this time.

AN: Alright. Another chapter up. It hasn't been that long either. It's short though, and not really about Sirius. I just thought I'd explain what Harry's doing and how he got to the Burrow. That and I wanted to explain about Sirius and how he can't just get up and do it at any moment. So yeah. Hope you enjoyed it. There shall be more soon. Sorry for the weird spacing. My notepad tweaked out when I copied it on here...