Author's Note: Do not get used to this. I can not update this quickly all of the time. I'm in school right now and the update schedule may get a little crazy, but I will not abandon this fic. Thanks to all reviewers! I love you all!
Hermione snapped off her alarm and crawled out of bed, careful not to wake her roommates. She had just changed into her clothes for the next day when the others had changed into pajamas and made sure her blankets covered her by the time her roommates had entered the room. She could not allow anyone to discover her plans. She walked down the stairs in stocking feet and only pulled on her shoes in the common room. She jumped when she heard voices speaking in harsh whispers coming down the boys' stairs. Hermione dove behind the couch near the fireplace and waited, hoping that it was her comrades and not someone else. She breathed a sigh of relief when Neville's familiar face appeared at the doorway to the stairs. "Wake the entire Tower, why don't you?" She whispered at the group. All of the boys looked immediately contrite at their actions.
"Sorry, Mi." Neville said. "I was telling them to be quiet."
Hermione smiled at Neville and shook her head. "That's alright, Toad." Hermione smiled again at the nickname the group had given Neville at their first official meeting. She, Luna, Neville, the two Creevy brothers, and Ernie Macmillian were ready to help Harry in whatever he needed done and today was the day he needed a distraction to keep all the teachers busy while he appeared in the wizarding world. They decided upon nicknames to fool further any eavesdroppers to the group. The nicknames were obvious once you knew which name applied to which person, but without the context, the name could have been anyone at all. "You guys ready?" She asked the two brothers.
"Ready and willing. Let's do this." Colin said in a whisper, camera at the ready to record the faces of the teachers when they saw the aftermath of the pranks. Harry had recommended the twins for help in setting this up and once Hermione had written a letter describing what Harry needed, the twins were more than happy to provide the means to create an entire day of chaos. All of it was free of charge. Hermione passed out the bags and led the way out of the dorm, telling the Pink Lady that she and the students had urgent prefect business to do. The Pink Lady merely yawned and waved her hand at the group.
The Gryffindor group met up with Luna and Ernie, Sun and Bucks, respectively, in the Room of Requirement to lay out the final plans. Luna looked wide awake at the ungodly hour, while Ernie was leaning against the wall in a desperate effort to stay awake. "Good morning, Mi. How are you?" Luna said in her typical spacey way. Hermione wondered if anything at all phased the girl as she returned the greeting. Ernie mumbled a hello in Hermione's direction and allowed his eyes to slide closed again.
"All right, everyone. Gather round." Hermione said as she spread out the primary architectural plans for Hogwarts on the ground. They were primary because the image showed only the permanent parts of Hogwarts, the parts that did not move or disappear, in the schematics. "Does everyone have their schoolbooks?" Ernie pushed off the wall and held his bag out. "Good." Hermione said upon seeing everyone ready to appear as nothing more than an eccentric study group if they were at any time discovered. "Toad, you are to take the Herbology section. Sun, you have the Charms corridor. Bucks, you have Transfiguration. Shutter, the Potions dungeons, but for heaven's sake, be careful! Professor Snape is very protective of the place. Do not set anything destructive or that will react with his ingredients." Colin nodded his understanding.
"Fireworks it is then." He said to himself as though he had been trying to figure out exactly what he wanted to do. Hermione nodded her permission and turned to Dennis. "Little Bug, you've History. You will want something spectactular there, because Professor Binns is pretty dull and doesn't notice much. He didn't even notice that he was dead, after all. I'll take Arithmancy and the library. They're really close to each other. We'll meet up after breakfast and set the rest later. After you're done, we'll meet in the library and start studying. Breakfast after that. Any questions?" Ernie raised his hand. "Yes, Bucks?"
"What do we do if we're caught?" he asked. Hermione wished he hadn't asked it. She wasn't quite sure what to tell him.
"You could say that you've lost your pet, or you were looking for Neville's toad." Luna said. "He loses it all the time and you were so worried about the poor, little defenseless thing that you just couldn't sleep. It helps if you can manage tears in your eyes." Hermione stared at Luna and marveled at the unexplored depths to the girl.
"That works for girls, not boys." Dennis told her with a slight bit of disgust in his voice.
"Best thing to do: Don't get caught. Now, everyone ready?" Hermione asked as she looked around the group. Several heads nodded up and down. "Alright, let's go do this." She and the others smoothed down their uniforms and crept out of the room, bags stowed in their book bags, ready to start a day of mayhem courtesy of the Weasley Wizarding Wheezes. None noticed a magical shield separate to reveal the Potions Master of Hogwarts staring after them with a strange light in his eyes.
"What in the world are you lot up to?" He said to himself as he pondered whether to pursue them or wait and see what would happen. He thought for a few minutes before bracing himself to deal with magical fireworks in his dungeons. He could only discover what it was by allowing them to continue, but he would be sticking to Salazar's passageways today. He would not risk becoming a victim of a prank.
Harry smoothed out the jacket of his suit and stared at himself in the mirror. His Aunt Petunia had agreed to come to Sirius' will reading and appeared early that morning with a brand-new suit for Harry. He had to admit that she had decent tastes when she wanted to exhibit them. She said that the green shirt matched his eyes and the black perfect for the business of the day. He only hoped that he could carry off the look with the grace the suit demanded. Paul knocked on the door dressed in a suit of his own. Harry smiled and waved him in. "How you doing, buddy?" he asked.
"I don't really know myself." He answered truthfully. He looked like a different person in the suit. More mature, or something along those lines. He wasn't quite sure what to call it. "You still coming?" He had requested that Paul accompany him and Paul had jumped on the opportunity to see the magical world first hand.
"You couldn't keep me away. Just don't let them erase my memory." Harry smiled and shook his head.
"I'm not the Boy-Who-Lived for nothing. I won't let them do that to you." Harry promised. "The title has got to be good for something." He mumbled. "How do I look?" He asked. Paul looked him over and nodded.
"Very nice. Very professional. Very 'Super Powerful Wizard' who is now 'Filthy Rich Super Powerful Wizard'." Harry laughed a bit at the teasing.
"Don't you forget it." He told Paul with a smirk. Paul pulled off a bow worthy of the Weasley twins and gestured for Harry to leave the room first.
"After you, Super Powerful Wizard." Harry rolled his eyes and touched the weapons strapped to his wrists under his sleeves. Sensei had introduced him to the weapons and demanded that Harry wear them everywhere, even to bed. That had been difficult the first few days, but now he felt strange when he did take them off. He remembered when Sensei had given him the weapons and showed him how to use them.
(Flashback)
"Come, deshi." Harry woke up to find Sensei in his room. This was a common occurrence and he nodded to show Sensei that he was awake and would get up the second the man left the room. Sensei stepped into the hallway and Harry pulled on his uniform to go to the dojo. There were days when Sensei decided that Harry needed a bit of extra work and he would wake Harry early in the morning before classes. Harry smoothed his hair and yawned, wondering what it was that Sensei had to show Harry now. He found Sensei in the hall with a granola bar as an offering of food to the now perpetually hungry teenager. Harry had been told that most teenage boys were always hungry and that it was a part of growing up. Harry now ate almost everything in sight, which made him wonder what Dudley was going through, because he always ate everything in sight.
Harry stretched on the floor, as per Sensei's instructions upon reaching the dojo, and Sensei disappeared in his office to return carrying something wrapped in black cloth. He sat down in front of Harry and motioned Harry closer. "You have survived many attempts on your life, deshi. Most by luck. This will give you better luck." He unwrapped the cloth and displayed what looked like two leather braces for wrists, much like what Harry had seen archers wear when they practiced. They only difference was that these were flexible and covered only half of the forearm. Small spikes lay in little loops around the leather.
"What are they, Sensei?" Harry asked. He understood the concept. The sharp pointy things went into the other men. He just didn't know why Sensei was giving him this, or what Sensei wanted him to do with them.
"Throwing spikes. They will not kill. Disarm, discourage, only purpose." Well, a wizard would be in trouble if one of the spikes ended in his hand. "Try this on." Sensei said as he took hold of Harry's arm. Harry rolled up his sleeve and watched as Sensei fastened the device to his arm and adjusted the buckles. "Target practice. Hit the middle." Sensei demonstrated how to use the spikes and how to move his arm to allow a spike drop into his hand. Harry smiled when Sensei launched a spike at a target only to see the spike hit the middle of the target. Sensei left Harry to it when he finished. Harry worked for almost an hour before he managed to hit the middle, although he had hit the target itself every time. "Good." Sensei barked out when Harry had finally hit the middle. "Always wear. Never take off unless you are in here, or the shower." Sensei paused to look over Harry. "Show these to your friends?" It wasn't a question.
"No way." Harry answered. "This could give me the second I need to get away. Only you and I will know these are here." Harry promised. "I'm not even going to tell Paul about this." Sensei gifted Harry with one of his rare smiles.
"After my heart." Sensei told him. "Good. Now, breakfast!" Harry nodded and changed into his uniform (now long-sleeved due to the encroaching cold weather) and dashed to breakfast, his mouth watering at the smell of sausages.
(End Flashback)
Paul led Harry down to the reception room where Petunia was waiting. She smiled upon seeing Harry and straightened his tie. Harry allowed the attention and thanked her for the suit. "Not a problem. You needed one, anyway." She told him. "Are we ready to leave yet?" She asked.
"I think so. Remus said that he will meet us at the Leaky Cauldron at three." Harry said as he dodged her efforts to tame his hair. Rick had helped with it and Harry liked it. Aunt Petunia didn't need to touch it. "Stop!" He said in an exasperated tone. "It's as good as it's going to get." He froze when his brain caught up with him mouth. He couldn't believe that he had just snapped at Aunt Petunia. It felt familiar, but he wasn't sure why. An image of an eleven-year-old Ron telling his mother to "gerroff" popped in his head. Had he just done that?
"I suppose it's the style these days." Petunia said in a long-suffering tone. She acted as though it was completely normal to have her nephew say something like that to her. She wasn't mad at him for being disrespectful.
"Sorry." Harry said. She looked surprised at him for a minute and then gave him another smile. What was with all the smiles?
"If it works for you." Petunia told him. Harry nodded and she shrugged as though to say 'oh, well.' Petunia picked up her purse and started towards the door. "Shall we, gentlemen?" She asked. Harry shrugged at Paul and followed her, while Paul snickered behind his hand. Harry put on the sunglasses Paul had said made him look like a secret agent and blinked against the sunlight. He wondered if it was possible for a mortal to turn into a vampire through a dislike of morning sunbeams. He certainly felt like it. He stopped in surprise to see Sensei standing next to Petunia's car in a suit, looking quite dangerous in his own right.
"You should have told me you were leaving." Harry looked to Paul for help. Sensei didn't know! "Come, deshi. Sun is waiting." Petunia unlocked the car and Sensei climbed into the back seat. Petunia looked at Harry.
"Why are you here, Sensei?" Harry asked as he opened his own door. He didn't get in yet, as getting in would claim readiness.
"You are returning to your old life. I will act as your protection today." He explained as though it was obvious to everyone but Harry.
"You don't need to do that, Sensei." Harry told the man. "I'm sure I'll be fine." Sensei looked him over and grunted. He faced forward and proceeded to ignore Harry's protests. Harry groaned and got in next to him. Why was Sensei being difficult? What would he say to Remus? Paul snagged the front seat next to Petunia and started questioning her on her favorite books. Harry pulled out the CD player Hermione had given him and proceeded to lose himself in the joys of the Beatles. She had only given him about six CDs of their music. That should last all the way to London, shouldn't it?
Harry woke up to hear "Yellow Submarine" playing in his ears. Something had poked him. He opened his eyes and looked at Sensei, who gave him a mischievous smile. "We are here." Harry rubbed his eye and mumbled something to the man as he realized that he needed to fix his contact lens he had just managed to move. Sensei made a face as Harry willing poked himself in the eye in his efforts to fix the lens. Petunia parked the car and Harry noticed that they were a just a street over from the Leaky Cauldron.
"Just to warn you all, you might see some pretty surprising things today that I won't have time to explain. I'll answer any questions you have later." Harry explained. "Just try not to stare too much. It'll give you away." Sensei slid his own pair of sunglasses on to his face as though to say 'no worries there'. Harry led the way to the pub, wondering if he had a chance to turn back. He hadn't talked with Hermione yet today and he didn't know if her distraction had worked. Dumbledore could be hovering just inside the Leakey Cauldron, waiting for Harry to show his face. He felt a hand land his shoulder. It was Paul.
"Got your back, kiddo." He said. Harry smiled and made sure his hair fell over his scar and the sunglasses hid his eyes. Who ever thought that Muggle sunglasses could help hide his identity? Harry tried to open the door and enter, but Sensei beat him to it. Harry hoped that no hags were visible. Harry went in behind him and Petunia and Paul followed. This was going to be a disaster. Sensei paused in the vestibule. Harry pulled out his plain black robe and slipped it on over his suit.
"I need to go first, Sensei." He whispered to the man. "You don't know where to go." Sensei allowed Harry to step forward, but he stayed close to his student, obviously not fond of the clientle of the Leaky Cauldron. Harry kept his head down and led the way through the main part of the pub. He saw Remus sitting at a table and waved at him. Remus smiled and stood. "Hi, Remus." Harry said softly.
"Hello. Nice to see everyone." Remus said as he looked over the group.
"Not my idea." He explained. "He wouldn't take no for an answer." Remus only smiled and nodded.
"That's fine. Let's get you to Gringotts." Harry allowed Remus to lead the way, as it looked better to be a kid rather than the leader. Remus waved to Tom and led the entire group the archway. "You might all see some surprising things here. Just keep all questions until the end and Harry and I will answer to the best of our abilities." Remus produced his wand and tapped the bricks. Sensei had tensed for a moment and then relaxed as he realized that it was not a weapon (that he could identify). "Welcome to Diagon Alley." Remus told the group. Paul stared before giving himself a mental slap and Sensei's face had not changed at all, despite the fact that a solid brick wall had just opened in front of him.
Remus went through the archway while pulling on his own cloak. Harry ducked his head and followed, with Sensei on his one side, Petunia on his other, and Paul bringing up the rear. He felt almost important with so many people following him. Remus walked taller, if he could call it that, and people backed out of his way. No one had recognized Harry…yet. After all, Harry Potter always came to Diagon Alley alone or with his two best friends. Why would adults surround him when he should be at school?
Harry peeked a look at Sensei and smiled when he saw the man visibly controlling his reactions to "Magical Menagerie" and "Owl Post". He had a feeling that he would be explaining many things to the man later, but for now, he was acting as though he belonged here. Good. There was less of a chance of someone thinking he did not belong here. Paul, on the other hand, could not help but whisper questions to Petunia, whom found herself unable to answer and passed the questions onto Harry. Harry answered the best he could until they actually reached Gringotts. The rhyme over the main doors hadn't changed. Sensei had mouthed the words to himself while Petunia just stared. Oh, well. She could be explained away. She was, after all, a Muggle.
Remus did not bother going towards the counter. He led the entire group towards a side hallway opposite the direction for the vaults. A receptionist (another goblin, who was eyeing the three Muggles of the group with a fair amount of distrust in his eyes) greeted them at the end of the hallway. "Key, please." Harry pulled out his key and handed it over to the rather terse goblin. The creature inserted the key into a machine and pushed a button. He jumped when he read the screen in front of him. "Good afternoon, Mr. Potter. We are very glad you could make it." He told Harry as his entire demeanor changed. Harry removed his sunglasses and smiled at the goblin.
"Thank you." Harry paused to read the nameplate. "Blackmoss. I'm glad I could make it." He replied. The goblin hopped down from his stool and scurried around the edge of the desk.
"If you would follow me, Mr. Potter, and your guests as well, I'll show you somewhere more comfortable. Mr. Black's head goblin will be down directly." Blackmoss opened a door into a rather homey looking room, complete with fireplace and armchairs. "Tea will be brought in directly." Harry smiled and thanked him. It paid to be polite to the goblins. Blackmoss closed the door behind him as he left. Harry was about to collapse in a chair when Remus stopped him.
"Sit down normally and don't slouch." He told Harry.
"Is this what a mentor does?" Harry questioned. "Boss people around?" Remus looked thoughtful and shook his head.
"No. That's an uncle's job." Harry rolled his eyes, but sat down calmly, careful not to wrinkle his robe too much. He saw Paul about to burst with a question.
"Out with it." He told the man. Paul relaxed into a chair and smiled.
"What was that?" He asked. Harry refrained from asking 'which part' and smiled. He had a fair idea what his therapist wanted to know.
"That, Paul, was a goblin. Gringott's is the safest place in the world for anything you care to store. Goblins are very protective of wealth and guard it very well." Sensei snorted behind Harry. "Did you have a question, Sensei?"
"Goblins?" He said. Harry nodded. "A few things, you forgot to mention." Harry nodded again. "We will talk later, deshi." Harry opened his mouth, but Remus beat him to it.
"Harry, or Evan, as you know him, is not allowed to reveal this world without extenuating circumstances. He could tell his aunt, because she is his guardian, and he could tell Paul because he is his doctor, but you, I'm afraid, didn't make the list as a "need to know" person." Remus explained. "It's not because he didn't trust you with his secret. He just wasn't allowed to tell you." Sensei frowned and nodded, taking in Remus' answer.
"And you? What are you?" Sensei asked. Remus gave him an amused smile.
"I am both a wizard and a werewolf." Sensei's face changed behind his glasses.
"I see. And deshi, a wizard?" Remus nodded.
"That's right." Sensei folded his arms and stood behind Harry's chair. Harry looked up at him. Was Sensei still upset with him?
"Explains a few things." He told Harry with a smile. Harry nodded. "He can do it?" He asked, pointing at Remus. Remus laughed a bit and shook his head.
"Not like Harry can." Remus told him. Sensei raised an eyebrow at Harry and smiled again.
"Don't remind me. I miss being normal." Harry complained. He just wanted to be that slightly odd person down the block, not this famous wizard the entire world was making him out to be. The States were looking better all the time. Paul snorted.
"I don't think you realize how normal you are. Normal people don't want fame. You certainly didn't ask for it." Harry nodded and smiled as tea popped up in front of him. Sensei stopped him and inspected the tea tray. Harry groaned.
"Sensei, I'm starving." Harry whined. Sensei gave him a look as though to say 'Do I look like I care?' Paul mumbled something behind Harry that sounded something like 'yeah, completely normal teenager there'. Remus waved his wand and smiled as Sensei eyed him like a threat.
"It's safe, Harry." Harry helped himself to the tea and handed a cup to his aunt. "I wonder what's taking so long." Remus said a few minutes later once Harry had devoured two scones. A rather loud crash sounded from the other door in the room. Harry glanced at the door and smiled.
"I think he's arrived." Harry said in a whisper. Remus nodded and waved his wand at Harry, making sure that all crumbs had disappeared from his clothing. Blackmoss re-entered the room as Harry replaced his cup on the tray.
"Mr. Potter, Gablewall is ready to meet you, if you and your guests would care to come this way." Remus and Harry stood to go in first, with Sensei right behind him and Paul and Petunia coming after him. Harry found a rather harried looking goblin standing to meet him.
"Mr. Potter, such an honor to meet you. Mr. Lupin." Harry and Remus shook the offered hand and sat in the seats marked with their names.
"Aunt Petunia?" Harry motioned for her to sit next to him. Harry noticed Sensei shake his head. He would not be sitting. Paul took the seat on the other side of Remus and Sensei hovered behind Harry again. Gablewall froze and looked at the man.
"Mr. Potter, may I ask?" He gestured at Sensei with a frightened look and shaking hand.
"Protection." Sensei offered. Gablewall relaxed at the word.
"Ah, a bodyguard. I understand now." Harry fought back a smile and turned to Gablewall. "Please let me express my sincere condolences on the loss of your godfather." Gablewall started. Harry thanked him and motioned for him to continue. "Mr. Black has left explicit instructions on the management of his estate." Harry felt someone take his hand under the table. He glanced to his right and saw his Aunt Petunia looking straight ahead at Gablewall. How had she known? He squeezed her hand the slightest bit and she returned it. Everyone here with him was in his corner. That was great. "Let's begin, shall we?" Harry nodded and Gablewall pulled out the will.
Harry left the meeting room in a slight daze. He was having trouble remembering how to walk. He never wanted to go through anything like that again. Sensei lowered him into the armchair Harry had chosen earlier while Paul crouched down in front of Harry. "You okay, Harry?" Harry took a few deep breaths while he tried to pull himself together. How could Sirius expect so much of him? Why would he? Someone was smoothing his hair. That felt good. He took a mental catalogue of whom he could see and deduced that it was Aunt Petunia. Oh, well. He wasn't going to stop her. It felt nice and he needed a bit of comfort.
"Why would he do that?" He asked Remus as he fought back tears. "He left everything to me. Why?" He rubbed his face and cursed as he moved his contact lens again. He maneuvered the thing back into place and looked at Remus for an explanation. "He had other relatives."
"And he asked you to make sure that they got their share, Harry. He didn't want his relatives to go through something impersonal." Rage boiled up in Harry. What a nice sentiment!
"So I have to go through the impersonal stuff?" He demanded.
"You are his heir." Remus told Harry. "He wouldn't have done it this way if he thought it would do this to you. I'm sure of that, Harry." The words calmed Harry a bit and he waved Paul away from him.
"At least I managed to walk out of the room before loosing it." Harry told Remus. Remus gave Harry a smile and nodded as he leaned on his cane.
"There is that. The goblins respect you, which will help you later in life." Harry stood and smoothed down his robes. "You ready?" Harry nodded and gestured for everyone to move out. He noticed that they had fallen into a pattern. "I hope you don't mind, but I've ordered you some stationary with the crests on them. You can write to Sirius' relatives with that. They'll know you're serious then." Harry smiled at the old joke.
"I'm not Sirius. That's my godfather." Remus stopped and blinked after him.
"That never gets old, does it?" Remus asked. Harry shook his head and straightened his shoulders. If Dumbledore was waiting for him, he wanted to shock the man a bit. He was a bit disappointed to realize that Dumbledore was not waiting at all. Gringott's carried on with its business without notice of him. He smiled to himself and he left the bank, surrounded by people who actually cared for him.
"No time for ice cream?" Harry whispered to Remus.
"No." Sensei snapped behind him. Harry turned his head and stared at the man. "Too dangerous." Harry nodded and then snickered as Sensei gave him what Rick called the man's 'evil smile'. "We have ice cream at school." Paul glanced at Sensei with a frightened look in his eyes.
"I'll let you deal with him. He's too hyper on sugar for me." Harry gave an affronted look and snorted.
"I don't do 'hyper'." Petunia looked like she was struggling to hold back laughter. "I don't!"
"Harry, you are speaking to the woman who raised you from a baby. You were hyperactive on the slightest bit of sugar. Why do you think I kept it from you so often?" Harry stopped walking as the pieces fell into place.
"That's why?" He demanded. Petunia gave him a look that said that it should have been obvious. "That explains a lot." Petunia raised her eyebrow a la Snape and nodded.
"That it does." Harry walked when Sensei nudged him forward. He was looking forward to raiding the kitchens with Sensei later that night (he and the man had already managed it several times without being caught). He hoped that the staff had replenished his newest favorite, mint chocolate chip, in the freezer. He stopped a few paces later. Something was…off. "Something's not right." Harry whispered to himself. No one seemed to notice. "Something's wrong." Sensei pulled Harry towards one side of the alley and stood in front of him as he scanned for threats.
"Come, deshi." He ushered Harry towards the Leaky Cauldron. The whole of Diagon Alley seemed to tilt sideways in the next second. Death Eaters came from everywhere as they fired spells on the patrons. Harry found himself pushed behind several bodies as first Remus, then Petunia, Paul and Sensei shielded him from the chaos. Harry squirmed behind them and tried to fight his way to the front.
"Muggles!" A delighted voice said in front of the group. Harry dropped to his knees, crawled out from behind the adults, and stood. "Oh, what fun!" Harry shivered as the voice reminded him of something not quite human. He glanced at the Death Eater and decided it wasn't Voldemort. "What spell shall I use?" He questioned Petunia.
Harry spun away from Sensei's hand and rushed forward. His wand appeared in his hand and he faced the Death Eater. "Disapparation?" Harry asked the Death Eater. The man in disguise actually froze when he caught sight of Harry.
"Potter!" He shouted.
"The one and only." Harry told him, wand still pointed in the man's direction. Another Death Eater rushed up and grabbed the other.
"The Dark Lord has ordered that Potter is not to be touched." The Death Eater scanned the people behind Harry. "Or his friends." The last word was sneered. Harry had never heard this man's voice before, so he figured that he was new to the Death Eater game.
"We should be able to play with Muggles! Potter has been a thorn in our Lord's side for years." The other Death Eater raised his wand against the first. "Why should we change?"
"Potter is not to be touched!" He commanded. Harry watched the bizarre scene with a feeling of having found an alternate dimension. The first Death Eater raised his wand towards Harry. The second tapped the man on the head with his own wand and Harry could almost hear the smirk the man gave him. "Sorry about that, Potter. Some just need a bit of persuasion." He gave a short bow to the entire group and rushed off in the opposite direction. Harry watched the scene in front of him, mainly shots of Crucio and knew he couldn't allow it to continue. He shut his eyes.
"Deshi, you must listen if I am to keep you safe!" Sensei snapped. Harry waved him off. "What are you doing?" Harry decided that Sensei only spoke in complete sentences when he wanted to make a point.
"Stopping them." He felt slightly detached from the rest of his body as he felt his magic gather much like it did for Aunt Marge's escapade as a hot air balloon.
"Stopping them?" Sensei and Remus said at the same time. Harry didn't hear them. He couldn't hear anything at all for a few minutes, and he didn't realize that both Remus and Paul were trying to touch him, to pull him away, for those few minutes. He felt light for a few seconds before he heard the song of a phoenix and he slid into the welcoming darkness. Sensei rushed forward to catch him and lift him in his arms, turning to the Leaky Cauldron and ready to run for cover.
"Sensei. Look." Paul gasped out. Sensei turned and saw all of the men in masks and cloaks frozen in position, while the civilians were running for cover. Pops started all over the alley and other men in cloaks started to appear.
"Quickly. Harry can't be seen." Petunia told Sensei. Several Aurors called for them to stop, but they managed to get through the door before the Aurors could reach them. Petunia ushered everyone to the car and started the engine immediately.
"No wonder no one can protect him." Sensei grumbled. "He needs protection from himself." He lowered Harry down onto the back seat. Remus allowed Harry's head to rest on his lap while Sensei became a place for Harry's legs. Remus tapped Harry's forehead with his wand and muttered the diagnostic spell he had heard Pomfrey use on him when he was at school. He stared at the script before him and smiled.
"He'll be fine." He told the entire car. "He's just tired. He'll sleep for a while, that's all." Sensei was not happy with the announcement.
"Rest in the infirmary, where others may watch him." Paul agreed.
"I'll sign him in." Petunia nodded at the suggestion while Remus gave an amused look. Paul and Sensei were going to be very unpopular when Harry woke up. He only hoped that Harry would react in the sense the act was meant. These men cared about him. He hoped Harry would see that.
Dumbledore hurried down that hallway of the Ministry to the holding cells of the Magical Law Enforcement Division. Most of the Death Eaters were still recovering from whatever had happened at Diagon Alley earlier that day. The few that were awake were a little worse for wear, not quite able to remember who they were, much less who they served. Several mediwizards had been called from St. Mungo's to treat them. It was quite a 'Lockhart effect' from what every one had said so far. They had vague ideas, but no hard facts to piece together their lives. Some had not managed to wake up yet, existing in a bit of catatonic state. Dumbledore was concerned with only one wizard. He found the man relaxing in a private room away from the prying eyes of the press.
"William. How are you?" Dumbledore asked as he entered the room. William stood and shook Dumbledore's hand.
"Just fine, Headmaster." Dumbledore nodded to Kingsley and smiled. Kingsley nodded back and hurried off to his own work. Professor Zareh pulled on his normal robes and hid the mask in one of his many pockets. The two men Flooed back to Hogwarts and William lowered himself into Snape's customary chair. Dumbledore called for a house elf to bring tea.
"What can you tell me, William?" Dumbledore asked. William smiled and relaxed into the chair.
"There is something going on with the Dark Lord. He gave very strange orders today regarding a certain boy. A Harry Potter." Dumbledore straightened in his seat. A house elf appeared with a tea that could have serve at least twenty starving Harry Potters. William took a cup and sipped it. "He told the Death Eaters "the boy is not to be harmed". Several Death Eaters were not quite happy about it." William took a scone and ate it before continuing. "Anyone with Potter was to find the same 'mercy' applied." Dumbledore's eyes darkened.
"For what purpose?" Dumbledore mused. "Why would he do it? What is he planning?" He asked the air. Fawkes trilled a note and went back to preening his feathers.
"I can't answer that question. I was lucky enough to see his orders in action. I had to stop a Death Eater from going against them." Dumbledore jerked to attention at that remark.
"Harry was in Diagon Alley today?" William nodded and finished off his cup. He held it out and Dumbledore refilled it.
"He was. His aunt was with him, as well as two men. There was another person, but I didn't get a good look at him." William explained. "They all seemed very anxious to protect the boy, while the boy seemed to want to protect them. He has no fear, that one." William told him. "I saved an idiot's life when he wanted to attack Potter and then tried to lead focus away from the boy. I tried to grab him and take him to Headquarters, but by the time I stared forward to do so, another man had a hold of him and tried to lead him away. If I had tried to get the boy, someone, perhaps even Potter, could have gotten seriously hurt." He explained. Dumbledore nodded.
"I understand, William. You did what you could. We now know that Harry is in England, at the very least." Dumbledore told him. "Have you any explanation as to what happened in Diagon Alley with the Death Eaters?" William shrugged and finished his tea.
"Your guess is as good as mine in this one. I was the only one left standing." Dumbledore mused on the revelation. "How's everything downstairs?" He asked, curious as to how the prank removal was going.
"The children have earned a holiday. The pranksters must be turning cartwheels somewhere in their dormitories." Dumbledore would never know how right he was, as a certain group of students were celebrating in the Room of Requirement with a small party provided by Dobby the house elf. Two Slytherins watched them from the safety of Salazar's passages.
Author's Note: Anyone know how to shut off the Muses? They are interfereing with my paper writing.