Disclaimer: I own nothing except the plot and the occasional oc. Anything you recognize belongs to the wonderful J.K. Rowling. Don't sue me, I'm broke.

A/N: Thanks to D, goddessa39, and Rkhiara for the reviews. You all get cookies! Here's the next chapter. Hope you like it. R&R.

goddessa39 - Those are Harry's normal voices. Everyone has drilled it into his head to listen to Dumbledore and that everything Dumbledore does is for his own good.

Ch.2 Letters and Shopping

'There has to be a faster way to get through these books.' Harry thought as he attempted to read a defense book. He had been rereading this page for the last half-hour and he still didn't understand what the spinner spell did.

'Maybe Hermione knows of a spell or something. I just don't have the time to spend on all these books.'

At that moment Harry was distracted from his thoughts by a soft tapping at his window. He turned to see Hedwig with a reply from Fred and George. He hurried over to the window and excitedly untied the letter.

'Dear our most generous investor,

It's about bloody time you asked. Of course we know how to get around the ministry's magic tracking. What kind of troublemakers would we be if we didn't? What we are wondering is why little 'Harry Golden Boy Potter' wants to know? You know we wouldn't approve of you doing anything like turning your cousin's hair green and giving him a pig snout. We know you wouldn't ever do anything like that! We have included how to make the potion. It's fairly simple and only takes about two hours to brew. Once it's ready you have to drink it immediately. Be good... or good at it!

Yours truly,

Gred and Forge'

Harry checked the envelope to find a small piece of paper with the directions for the potion written on it. 'Looks easy enough and I think I have everything I need.' He set to work on the potion immediately.

After about an hour of carefully following instructions he found himself at a point where the potion had to simmer for thirty minutes. He set a timer and walked over to his desk and fell into his chair. All day long he had kept himself so busy that he hadn't even thought about Sirius. Although all the work he had done had kept him distracted it had also left him exhausted. Knowing he couldn't go to sleep because of the potion he decided to write Hermione about the reading problem. This wouldn't be easy considering he hadn't wrote her since they got out of school a week ago. He glanced at the stack of letters from his friends and groaned. Grabbing some parchment and a quill he started writing.

'Dear Hermione,

Sorry I haven't wrote but I just don't feel like talking. I've been trying to keep busy by reading as much as I can. I've been working on one of my defense books but I spend so much time on one page that I just give up. I was wondering if you had any tips or know any spell I can use when we get to school.'

The timer dinged letting him know that he had one minute left. He walked over to the potion and made sure the next step was ready. When the timer went off he started stirring the potion clockwise. It took him about twenty more minutes to finish the potion. For once the potion was the right color, a silvery blue. He poured some of the potion into a glass and then downed the whole thing. The potion was cool and gave him the feeling he was floating.

After cleaning up the potion, finishing his letter, and sending it off he decided to test the potion. 'Please let this work. Please let this work.' He repeated while summoning a book. Fifteen minutes later he had decided the potion must have worked or else the ministry owl would have already arrived. Just as he was settling back down with his book there was a knock at his door.

"Harry, it's Remus. Can I come in?" Harry glanced around the room to make sure he had put everything up.

"Yeah, come on in." Remus walked in and conjured a chair next to Harry's.

"How are you?" Remus asked while taking a seat. Figuring Remus would know he was lying if he said he was fine he decided to be honest.

"I've been better but I've been worse too. How about you?" Harry asked when he noticed how tired Remus looked. Remus' usually neat hair looked like it hadn't seen a brush in about a week, his clothes were wrinkled, and he had dark circles under his eyes.

"About the same."

"I'm guessing you were sent to talk to me about this morning."

"Dumbledore asked Kingsley but he refused to come so I volunteered. I managed to talk Dumbledore into letting you out of the house, but only if you stay inside the wards. This" Remus said while pulling out a folded piece of paper, "shows where the wards end. As you kindly informed Kingsley, they cover most of the town.This includes the park, stores, and the movie theater so try to have some fun."

"Thanks Remus."

"No problem, it's the least you deserve." Remus glanced at the defense book Harry had been reading. "Catching up on your reading?"

"Yeah, I had to find something to do. I'm bored out of my mind."

"Well, I thought you might like a new book." Remus said with a huge grin on his face. He pulled a small book out of his pocket.

"Looks old." Harry commented.

"It has a really interesting part on tracking spells and how to remove them." Remus told him with a wink. "Well I guess I should be going. Do you mind if I stop by again sometime, maybe during guard duty?"

"That would be great. Remus, could you do me a favor? Will you get this turned into muggle money?" He handed Remus a bag of money.

"Sure, I'll have Tonks give it to you tomorrow. See you later."

"Bye." Remus closed the door behind him and Harry heard him walking down the stairs. Once he heard the front door close he picked up his book and started practicing some of the spells.

'I'll have a look at that tracking spell tomorrow. I never thought Dumbledore would sink so low, but then again it is Dumbledore.'

After working out in his room for the last half hour Harry crept down the stairs and grabbed a piece of toast. The Dursleys had ignored him all summer but he didn't want to push his luck by waking themup this early.

"Wotcher, Harry." Tonks greeted him as he walked outside.

"Hey Tonks."

"Here's your money." She said handing him his money bag. "So, besides jogging, what are we doing today?"

:"Actually, I was wondering if you would help me pick out some new clothes."Harry said as they started their jog.

"You mean we're going shopping!" Tonks practically yelled. "So by helping you, you mean..."

"Basically I'm going to be your personal model." Tonks grinned mischievously as they continued their jog.

"I swear if you put me in anything stupid I will make your guard duty a living hell!" Harry threatened. He and Tonks had just walked into Little Whinging's only clothing store. Harry hated to admit it but he was starting to get nervous. He had never been shopping before and there was no telling what Tonks would pick out.

"Would I ever do anything to embarrass you?" Tonks asked while ginning like a maniac. She started to drag him in the direction of men's clothing.

"I think we should star with shirts. What size are you?"

"Uhhhhh..."

"Never mind, we'll figure it out." At this point she was piling shirts into his hands. When Harry had a good fifteen shirts Tonks pointed him in the direction of the changing rooms.

"Go try them on. I'll just sit out here and wait on you." They repeated this process with the pants and then Tonks made him pick out three pairs of shoes.

"I don't need three bloody pairs of shoes!"

"Yes. You. Do. I'm not going to argue with you any more. You are getting the shoes." Harry sighed. Maybe asking Tonks for help wasn't the best idea. She had been dragging him around this store for hours!

"Hey Harry, do you like these?" She asked from across the men's wear while holding up a pair of black boxers that had hearts all over them and said 'lover boy' on the butt.

"Tonks!" hissed a blushing Harry. He hurried over to her and jerked the boxers out of her hands.

"You get embarrassed so easily." She told him between giggles. "Well, if you don't like those, which ones do you like?"

After they picked out some boxers and socks, Harry dragged Tonks over to the cashier. "So, what are we going to do now?" Tonks asked once they were out of the store.

"I thought we would get some lunch before we go to get me some contacts."

"Sounds like a plan to me, I'm starving." She told him as they walked towards a nearby diner.