Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or Honda Civic. The characters belong to J.K. Rowling and the Civic belongs to Honda.


Author's Note:
I'm not one to follow the actual Harry Potter time line. Thus this story takes place in present day not 1997. Also, since I am Canadian I'm not entirely sure how the British currency system works. I have done research but fair warning of incorrect usage. Just remember that.

Chapter 2: An Exhausting Search

Ron walked out of the kitchen and headed towards Harry's room with the morning newspaper in his hand. Harry was removing the things from the wall when Ron entered the room.

"Fuck, it won't all fit," muttered Harry. Ron pulled his wand out of his back pocket and aimed it at the contents of Harry's trunk.

"Reducio! There. Now you should be able to get something else in there," Ron stated. Harry was a bit taken aback by Ron's use of magic but was soon consoled by the fact that Ron was now a full fledge wizard. Actually, now that he thought about it, he was too. He grinned and pulled out his wand. The rest of his things flew into the trunk and the lid slammed shut and locked. Harry grinned again.

"Here's the paper," said Ron. Harry stared at Ron.

"I think I'm going to move into Godric's Hollow. I want to see what my parents' life was like before Voldemort killed them."

"That's not a good idea," Ron said shaking his head. "I mean we can go see it but moving there doesn't seem like a good idea Harry. Your house was destroyed remember? Not to mention the fact that Voldemort would probably be waiting there to attack you. You're safer here close to your family." Harry was now glaring at Ron.

"It's amazing really how you sound more and more like Hermione every day. You still don't know what you're talking about though." Ron's ears started to show a dangerous shade of red.

"I just don't want my best mate to get himself killed. Sorry for giving a fuck." There was a loud 'crack' and Ron was gone. Harry instantly felt like shit for snapping at his best friend. He lay down on the bed and thought about Godric's Hollow. Maybe Ron was right. Maybe it would be better if he stayed close to the Dursley's. He picked up the paper and started to read through the flat advertisements. He circled three possibilities and laid the paper back down. Snatching up a piece of parchment and a quill he scratched a quick apology to Ron and explained about the three flats he had read about. Writing a final brief invitation to help him choose, Harry rolled up the parchment and trotted over to a sleeping Hedwig's cage.

"Wake up. I need you to bring this to Ron," he said softly. She ruffled her feathers and stuck out her left leg. Then with a soft 'hoot' she set off out the window.

It was 10:30am on 31 of July. Harry was awake, showered, dressed, and well fed. He had transfigured his trunk into a backpack and had been sitting on the bed waiting for Ron for half an hour. He was starting to get frustrated and decided it was time for a cigarette. Laying down the backpack, he crossed the hall and headed into Dudley's main bedroom. He opened the closet door and reached into a pocket of one of his cousin's leather jackets. Just then he heard a loud 'crack' followed by a crash and some frustrated language. Harry smiled, put the pack of smokes back in the jacket and went back to get his bag. Ron was standing at the bottom of the stairs. Behind him was Hermione. She was giggling at the very tired looking Ron.

"Sorry we're late. I had to get the twins to help me get him out of bed." she said smiling. Harry chuckled and started down the stairs towards them. At this Ron muttered something about sleeping rights of the summer, before heading back into the kitchen to get something out of the fridge.

"I haven't taken my apparition test yet so we'll have to walk to the different flats," said Harry. Ron stared at him and grumbled something incoherent yet again.

"Oh Ron it won't be so bad. It's a nice morning." Hermione stated.

"Nice or not it's still morning. I'm not walking anywhere until noon." he replied. Hermione shook her head and pulled a toy car out of her pocket.

"I figured this would happen so I brought my car," she said with a sigh. "But we will have to go to an alleyway because Harry's aunt and uncle don't have a garage and the neighbors would question how is it that we are growing a car in the driveway." Harry nodded and Ron let out an annoyed grunt. The trio pulled on their trainers and left the house.

Harry leaned against the wall in the alleyway between Magnolia Crescent and Wisteria Walk. Hermione had set the car down in middle and was pointing her wand at it and casting the Enlargement charm. The silver civic grew to normal size and everyone got in.

"Ok where to first?" Hermione asked as she started up the car. Harry read out the first ad for a flat.

Two bedroom flat. One bathroom, kitchen, living room.

19A Genive avenue, Little Whinging, Surrey.

Rent negotiable.

"Genive Avenue it is then." She replied before pulling out onto the street.

Ron laid back and seemed to be taking in as much sleep as he could before the car pulled into a driveway. "Ron, wake up. We're here." Hermione said nudging him.He awoke with a start and grumbled as he got out of the car.A man with straggling blond hair and a protruding girth stepped out on to the step and nodded at them.

"You here about the flat downstairs I suppose." Harry nodded. The man let out a rather disgusting belch and pointed toward the door on the side. "Take a look and let me know what you think."The three exchanged glances before advancing toward the door. Harry looked down at the handle. It was worn and unkept. He grasped it tightly and turned it. The interior of the apartment was, like the door handle, worn and unkept. As they entered a strong musty smell wafted past their noses leading to much coughing and sneezing. The floor had an undistinguishable color and it seemed that there were holes leading down straight down into the earth, if the carpet did not cover them.

"Eug!" exclaimed Ron. A grey spider of abnormal size crawled out from under the carpet at the edge of the room. "I hope this is the worst one we have to see today." Harry shook his head and left the flat. Once outside he took a deep breath and waited for the other two to follow him. After a few moments his curiosity stepped up and he heading back in to see what had happened to his two best friends.

Once inside, an ear splitting scream rang through Harry's ears. He sprinted toward the farthest bedroom and found Hermione and Ron in the corner cowering away from an adolescent Skrewt. He pulled his wand from his backpack and shouted, "Immobulus!" With a swift motion only seen in those who are panicked, Ron and Hermione ran from the corner. Hermione pulled out her own wand this time and transfigured the creature into a spider before casting a concerned glance at Harry and Ron.

"How did that get here?" Harry muttered to no one in particular.

"Who cares? We've taken care of it. We should just go now. Come on. You still have two other flats you want to see today." Ron replied. He turned around and headed back out into the fresh morning air. Harry and Hermione followed without a word. Once outside the trio dove for the car. Harry had just opened the right backseat door when a voice called out to them.

"Oi! What did you think?" It was the uncouth man again.

"Um, sorry it's not for us. Thanks anyway," Harry called back before disappearing in the car. Ron turned around and looked at Harry with a wide grin plastered on his face. Hermione started to giggle.

"What's so funny?" Harry asked. He was confused by how the mood had just changed so drastically from only moments before.

"That man looked like a child would look like if its parents were Slughorn and Lucius Malfoy." Ron chuckled. "Egh!" Harry chuckled and shook his head.

"Let's just look at the other two" he said passing Hermione the addresses. She started the car and they sped off to evaluate the next candidate.

The trio had seen the other two flats before lunch. Neither was much better than the first. The second was too small and costed too much. The third was perfect up until they met the land lady. She was a bit off her rocker. After she explained her long list of strict rules the trio uneasily promised to mull things over during lunch and contact her at a better time.

"Well I guess the third is the obvious choice. The other too just seemed unreasonable," Hermione stated before munching on a forkful of salad. Harry shook his head.

"But those rules seem a bit over the edge. I might not be able to follow them to a tee. I need to shower more than 3 times a week and I can't be expected to only flush the toilet once every two days just because she can't stand the sound of water through the pipes." Harry replied.

"He's right Hermione. Harry can't live there. The land Lady would have the mickey torn out of him," added Ron. Hermione gave a deep sigh and took another big of her salad. There was silence for a few moments as Ron took another large bite of his Hamburger.

"Ron, see that yellow box over there with the window showing the muggle newspaper, take these and buy one." Hermione said handing him a one-pound coin and 50 pence.

"But what do I do," Ron asked with a confused look on his face. Harry, puzzled as to why Hermione didn't make him get the newspaper, finished his club sandwich and awaited an explanation.

"Just place the coins in the slot, pull the handle toward you and reach in and get the morning paper. It's not too difficult." Hermione replied in an exasperated tone. The waitress that was pour them each another glass of water, glanced at the bickering two with condescending disbelief.

"He's from a tiny town when they just sell the paper in piles on the street," said Harry quickly. The waitress nodded and moved on to the next customers. Harry turned back to see Ron heading back to the table clutching the new newspaper.

"I'm teaching Ron how to be more muggle-like," Hermione stated. Ron nodded and smiled. "He now knows how to use a washer and dryer, how to use a phone and that the television isn't a two way communication device." Harry chuckled at the thought of Ron yelling at the telly. Hermione thrust the paper under his nose and pointed to a small advertisement on the bottom of the left page.

Three bedroom basement flat.

One bathroom, kitchen, living room.

27A Ridley Blvd, Little Whinging,

Surrey, England.

Reasonable Rent. See Land Lady.

Hermione shook the paper for emphasis.

"OK, we can go and see that one, but if I don't find a flat by noon tomorrow then we're going to Godric's hollow," said Harry before munching on one of Ron's fries. Hermione nodded and went back to circling any possibilities.

The trio had seen three more possibilities and the sun had started to go down. They pulled into the driveway of 27 Ridley Blvd and looked up at the house with hope. It had seemed normal enough as they climbed out of the car. Hermione went to the front door while Harry and Ron snuck a peek in the window to give a quick judgement.

" Look how clean the window is," Ron said admiring the glass as the moved toward it.

"There's hard wood down instead of carpet," muttered Harry. "

"And look how clean the walls are. Harry, you'd be stupid not to move in here," exclaimed Ron.

"The rent will probably be brutal," he replied heavily.

"It's not bad at all actually; only £450 a month. You can afford that for a while. Mrs. Tuck thinks it's too much but her real estate agent wouldn't put it on the market if it were any lower. Go talk to her. She's getting the papers and the key to the flat." Hermione said walking down the front steps. The trio waited for two or three minutes before a tiny woman with snow white hair and an absent-minded air hurried out of the house.

"Here are the keys and a copy of the paper work incase you would like to do a bit more investigating." She said in a timid mousey voice. She handed Harry a brown envelope and a set or keys. "I hope you like it. It's kind of plain." Harry handed the envelope to Ron and headed toward the door.

He unlocked the door and slowly opened it. Harry could feel himself gasp before he said

"I'll take it!"

A/N: That's it. There's the second chapter. Please read and review.