Harry laced up his shoes and ran downstairs. Sirius had told him that they would go shopping for his supplies today and that the Weasleys would meet them in Diagon Alley itself.

He dashed into the living room just to see Sirius coming downstairs as well. "So, I've got your letter that has the school list. Molly said she'll meet us outside Gringotts and from there, we'll carry on with the rest of the shopping." Sirius explained as he readjusted Harry cloak so that both the ends were equal.

Harry couldn't help but smile at the small action. It was a small gesture but the parental affection made Harry feel warm nonetheless. "Ready?"

Harry nodded, although floo wasn't his favourite method of travel.

"Can I... Can I try on my own please? To go through alone?" Asked Harry nervously. He wanted to try it out, to see what it felt like to do it all alone. "Are you sure?" Asked Sirius, gazing at Harry worriedly. Judging from his godson's expression last time, Harry hadn't enjoyed floo travel all that much but now when he saw Harry nod tentatively, he complied reluctantly.

"Okay pup, here's what you need to do. Take a handful of the powder. That's it just like that. Now you step in and say 'Diagon Alley' loud and clear. Okay?"

"Okay." Harry replied and did as told. He stepped into the fireplace and took the floo powder in his fist. He threw the powder into the fireplace and green flames arose immediately. "D-Dia-gon Alley," he coughed, thanks to the smoke. And then came the disliked part.

It felt as though he were being sucked down a giant drain. He seemed to be spinning very fast, the roaring in his ears was deafening, he tried to keep his eyes open but the whirl of green flames made him feel sick and suddenly the his big lunch didn't feel so good.

He fell face first into he floor, his glasses snapped at the bridge and his elbow bruised. Harry groaned as he pushed himself off the floor and sat up. He blinked as his eyes took in the surroundings.

A glass case nearby held a withered hand on a cushion, a bloodstained pack of cards, and a staring glass eye. Evil-looking masks stared down from the walls, an assortment of human bones lay upon the counter, and rusty, spiked instruments hung from the ceiling. Even worse, the dark, narrow street Harry could see through the dusty shop window was definitely not Diagon Alley.

The sooner he got out of here, the better. Nose still stinging where it had hit the ground, Harry made his way swiftly and silently toward the door. An old wooden street sign hanging over a shop selling poisonous candles told him he was in Knockturn Alley. This didn't help, as Harry had never heard of such a place. He supposed he hadn't spoken clearly enough through his mouthful of ashes. He needed to find Sirius.

As he walked, he saw several people glance at him rather crookedly, like they weren't right in the head or something. They gave him twisted smiles and one of the guys, am old, bald man smiled at him weirdly, revealing one lost tooth. He sauntered towards Harry, taking his time. "Lost are you, boy?" He asked, his voice was gravelly and rough. "I'm alright-"

"HARRY! What d'yeh think yer doin' here?" Harry's head snapped to his left and he saw Hagird. Never had he been so pleased to see the genial half giant. He brushed past the old guy and ran towards Hagird.

"I was travelling through the floo and then... and then instead of going to Diagon Alley, I landed up here. His words came out in short desperate breaths and he wanted nothing more than to get back to Sirius.

"O'right. Let's get yeh back tah Diagon Alley." He said.

Sirius had turned up in Diagon Alley about a second after his godson had gone through the floo. Worry had seized his heart when he didn't see Harry waiting there. He looked around, his eyes scanning the crowd of people that thronged the streets of Diagon Alley but he didn't catch the similar flash of untameable black hair nor the glasses. He mentally chastised himself for having allowed Harry to go through the floo alone. He should have firmly refused.

Sirius, frantic with worry, suddenly wondered whether Harry had wandered off to meet his friends but he dismissed the thought immediately. Harry wasn't the sort who would do something like that. He was worried, angry and everything else.

"Sirius!" His head whipped around to see Harry and Hagird coming his way. The knot that had formed in his stomach loosened so quickly that it was almost painful. Harry all but ran towards Sirius when he saw his godfather and launched himself at the man. "I thin' I'll leave yeh both now." Said Hagrid after Sirius gave him grateful nod.

Harry clung to the man, seeking reassurance. Once Sirius was sure that Harry was back and safe, his anger returned. "Where were you? You can't just wander off wherever you like Harry James!" He said, pulling away and shaking Harry's shoulders.

Harry froze on hearing the anger in his godfather's voice. Sirius had only spoken to him that way only once so far and Harry couldn't hold back his flinch. "I'm sorry! I didn't wander away Sirius. Honest! I landed up in Knockturn Alley and then-" He explained everything as quickly as possible, not wanting to upset Sirius any further.

Sirius heard the explanation and saw nothing but sincerity in the boy's eyes and chided himself for having lost his temper that way. "I believe you pup. I'm sorry I got angry." He apologised as he slung an arm around Harry's shoulders, trying to calm the tense frame. It worked and as Sirius felt Harry lean against him slightly he smiled down at the boy.

"Harry!" Harry turned to see Ron and his family. His face broke into a smile as he saw all the Weasleys. "Hey mate." Harry replied, unable to control his joy. He had thoroughly enjoyed his summer with Sirius but that didn't mean that he hadn't missed his friends. Ron and his family needed to go to Gringotts to get some money out so all of them decided to go together to the bank first and then they would go to Flourish and Blotts.

As the vault pulled up in front of the Weasley vault, Sirius noticed Arthur Weasley's embarrassment as the man and his wife searched every nook and corner of their vault for sickles and knuts. He tactfully busied himself by talking to Griphook about something regarding some transfers that had to be made.

"Sirius, can we go to my vault as well?" Harry asked from his place next to Ron, just outside the vault. Sirius had not expected that. "Whatever for?" He asked, genuinely confused. Harry came over to him, hands stuffed in his pockets. "Well, I uh need money to but my school things." Sirius allowed himself a small smile. "Pup, that's exactly why I'm here. That vault of yours is going to remain untouched until you come of age. Till then, I'll provide for you." He said firmly, incase Harry objected.

Harry felt that warm feeling in his stomach. He had never had someone provide for him so it was all quite overwhelming. Sirius fulfilled every single one of his needs and wants without so much as an extra comment while at the Dursleys, every second hand article that they had 'bestowed' upon Harry had been taken account of. He had been made to work overtime and had been subjected to punishments that were worse than normal when he failed. Harry was extremely grateful to his godfather and felt indebted to him for all that Sirius had done for him.

After Gringotts, they went to Flourish and Blotts where Sirius picked up Harry's new books. Over there when everything was going fine, Lucius Malfoy and his son walked into the shop.

The Malfoys didn't notice him but Malfoy senior's gaze fell on the Weasleys. "Well, well, well. If it isn't Arthur Weasley and his too many children." He drawled, an arrogant sneer on his haughty features.

Harry clenched his fist and he noticed the way Ron and the twins reddened at the insult. He opened his mouth to reply to the snide comment but he was stopped by a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see Sirius looking at Malfoy with genuine amusement. "Lucius Malfoy. It's been a while, cousin."

Malfoy's arrogant sneer melted slid off his face the minute he saw Sirius, only to be replaced by a scowl. "Black. I should have expected a person such as yourself to associate with these blood traitors. " He snapped, a look of utter disdain on his face.

Sirius's look of amusement melted away instantly, his pureblood persona taking over. "Now, now Malfoy, that is hardly the way you treat your superior. What were to happen if you, the one who so staunchly believes in blood supremacy was caught disrespecting the head of his family?"

Malfoy didn't miss the underlying threat in the sentence. Of course the Malfoys were quite rich but then the Blacks had always been on the top. Now that Narcissa was married to a Malfoy, Lucius and his family were brought under the direct control of Sirius Black. "Remember cousin, one wrong move and you might find yourself ruined." Sirius said, although the expression on his face was light, his voice was steely. Lucius's normally pale face was as red as the Weasleys' hair and Harry had to control his laughter. "Now look he-" Before Malfoy could say anything' Sirius dragged him away from the others, to another part of the shop.

"You listen to me Lucy. I don't know what games you've played in my absence but all of your influence is going to stop. You can keep your house and all your so called business ventures but remember if you try anything funny against me or my godson, all your power won't help you out." His voice was low but deadly and the small beads of sweat on the haughty blonde's brow were enough proof that he was cowed by their conversation. "You can't d-"

"I can and I will do as I please because frankly me dear, I don't give a dam." Sirius snapped. The ire in his eyes told the recipient of the aforementioned statement that the Black Lord meant every word he had just said.

The senior Malfoy left without a word before he gave Sirius an opportunity to embarrass or threaten him any further. He grabbed Draco by the scruff of his neck and steered him out of the shop but before they could leave, Sirius caught Draco looking at him with a mixture of fear, awe and was that respect? Where did that come from?

"Harry, do you remember the trip to Dumbledore's office the other day?" He asked. Harry was currently lying on the rug in the living room on his stomach, reading a comic. He sat up and turned around to face Sirius, and nodded in reply.

"He offered me something and I accepted." Said Sirius, deciding that it would best if Harry knew about the proposition before he left for Hogwarts. Harry's expression turned curious. "He asked me to become the Defence Against the Dark Arts professor for the coming year." Said Sirius. He waited for the boy's reaction a little worriedly.

"So you'll be there the entire year?" Asked Harry. "Yes."

Sirius felt thin arms go around his waist and looked down at the boy. "Thank you." Harry said. Sirius felt relief and joy. He was relieved that Harry hadn't taken it in the wrong way and was glad that Harry was happy that he would be there at Hogwarts.

"I want to be there for you pup. I want to make sure that I can protect you and make sure that you don't go looking for danger." He pulled away slightly from Harry to look down at him a little sternly. Harry blushed a little, he knew that Sirius was talking about the Philosopher's stone.

Harry knew that this year was going to be different. Sirius was going to be there with him. He was elated but at the same time he was worried. He was glad that his godfather was coming to Hogwarts as he was sure that saying goodbye to the man would have been very hard but at the same time he was worried. He would have to make sure that he stayed out of trouble otherwise he was bound to get punished.

Things were different but they weren't bad and that was perfectly okay with Harry.