Harry arrived at the Leaky Cauldron. If he wasn't going to get to go to Hogsmeade then he was going to make the best of the time he had before the train returned him to his home, Hogwarts.

As no one was aware he had run away from home he had no one to answer to. He rented a room from Tom the barkeep.

Harry spent a day exploring the shops in the alley, followed by two days site seeing in London, then a few more buying his school supplies and exploring the alley.

Snape had not heard from the brat in nearly two weeks and it was making him twitchy. The boy was like a teenager on a date, the quieter they are, the more likely they are up to something you don't want them doing.

On this day Snape was procuring some purchases along a few of the roads that branched off Diagon Alley. Serendipity. The Owl Post Office lay between Potions De Laso and Obscura Veste ad Omnia (Dark Attire for All Occasions), two of the places he planned on shopping today.

Snape jotted down a quick note and sent it off with an owl. Ten minutes later when Snape exited Potions de Laso with his order shrunk and safely tucked in his pocket he found the same owl on the ground near his feet with one talon held high.

The Reply:

Dear S.,

My summer is going well.

Sincerely,

Mr. Content

This was not good. Owls did not make it from Surrey and back to London in under ten minutes time. The brat was here, but he wouldn't be for long.

Snape found the wayward teen lapping the quickly melting strawberry ice cream from the side of a cone. "Evanesco." The cone vanished.

"Hey!" Potter exclaimed, before looking up at his glowering professor, "Oh, hello Professor Snape."

"Potter. I see no overflowing brains or tuffs of red nearby, so what are you doing here?"

"Relaxing."

"In London?"

"It's as good a place as any."

"Enough of this Potter. How long have you been here and why are you by yourself?"

"I've been at Fortescues for about an hour. It's nice to watch the world go by without having to entrain others with conversation."

"As much as I agree with your assessment of social endeavors your next response will represent the question implied."

"I left the Dursley's. I'm staying at The Leaky Cauldron. I've been there five days."

"Five days too many. Let's get your things."

"What? Why?"

"Don't question me Potter. Let's go."

Harry trotted after Snape, worried that if he didn't keep up with him all of his things would be shrunk and in Snape's pocket before he had a chance to fight for his right to stay.

Harry quickly tried to make a plan to achieve his goal: staying put. "Sir, school starts in nine days. If you allow me to stay I'll finish all of my summer homework and do well on it. Mr. Fortescue has been a great help with the history assignment. I'm sure others in the alley would be willing to give me advice on how to complete the rest of my assignments."

"Just what you need," snarked Snape, "Loads of sugar and the pickings of others brains rather than your own."

Harry persisted, "First hand experience is the best way to learn. Prior to this week I've only spent two days in a wizarding town and I had never been to London other than the train depot."

"All the more reason for you not to be wandering around such places on your own," responded Snape as the two continued toward the barrier between two worlds.

Harry tried again, "With so many witches and wizards around this place must be really safe."

Exasperated, Snape turned to Potter, "Hogwarts is loaded with people Potter. Have you found that causes all of them to be trustworthy?"

Harry looked away chagrined.

"It is no matter. I will not allow you to wander about while an escaped murderer is after you."

"What?! Who's after me? Is Voldemort back?"

Several people flinched and peered about from their bar stools to see who dare speak such a vulgar word.

Snape dropped 3 knuts on the counter and snagged a copy of the Daily Profit. Shoving it in front of Harry's face, he vindictively stated, "Meet your Godfather. He as good as killed your parents, by telling Voldemort where they live. Where you lived."

The headline: Escaped Convict topped the page.

Harry paled at first, then angry righteousness took over, "I'll kill him. The coward."

Snape snagged Harry's collar and dragged him up the stairs. Once they were safely away from listening ears and surrounded by a muffliato Snape pulled Harry close, "Watch where you are when you say such things. I desire revenge as well, but spouting such things in public could land you in hot water, should anything befall the person in question. Do you remember the goal I set you in the spring?"

Harry nodded, "Fast food night at Hogwarts."

"And the requirement for this goal?"

"Anonymity. Only you and I are allowed to know who caused it to happen. I take no credit."

"That isn't just a lesson in humility Potter. It's to teach you what it takes to successfully achieve a goal, possibly even those that are less than ethical, without being found out. You have a dark past Potter, and you'll likely have a dark future."

The implications of this "life lesson" didn't entirely sit well with Harry. Or more so, it was the fact that he very much desired to succeeded at this life lesson that disturbed him.

What did it say about him that he desired to be able to competently pull off a potentially nefarious plot without getting caught? Glimpses of Harry's childhood flashed through his mind: nicked food to fill an empty belly, swiped paper and pencils for school work, a toy car obscured by a thin mattress; and the punishments as he was caught doing each.

What achieving this goal meant for Harry was survival.

Laso: Greek goddess of healing.

If my Latin translation is incorrect feel free to email me the correct version. I used an online program for the translation, but I know they aren't always reliable.