Disclaimer: If you know it, I do not own it. Parts taken out of Halfblood Prince.

Owl Scores and You-No-Poo

Later that morning, Draco and Harry were lounging in the library when Tom burst in clutching several letters in his hand and a giddy expression. Harry leapt to his feet, while Draco rolled over onto his side in order to get up at some point.

"OWL results," Tom proclaimed, just managing not to bounce on his heels. "Mine showed up a few minutes ago and I came over to see if yours had arrived. The owls were sitting on the table."

"Why didn't they find us?" Harry inquired.

"They're not allowed anywhere in the house other than the dining area unless they are family birds," Draco said, getting to his feet. He took the envelope addressed to him and slowly read the parchment inside.

ORDINARY WIZARDING LEVEL RESULTS

Passing Grades

Outstanding (O)

Exceeds Expectations (E)

Acceptable (A)

Fail Grades

Poor (P)

Dreadful (D)

Troll (T)

Draco Lucius Malfoy has achieved:

Astronomy - O

Ancient Runes - E

Charms - O

Defense Against the Dark Arts - O

Arithmancy - E

Herbology - O

History of Magic - D

Potions - O

Transfiguration - O

Draco eye balled all the Os on his parchment before he looked up to find both Harry and Tom staring at him.

"Please tell me you didn't get all Os," Harry pleaded.

"No. I got two Es and a D," Draco reported.

"A D! In what?" Harry asked, snatching the parchment from Draco before he could stop him. "Oh, History of Magic. I got the same. I did collapse halfway through, what was your excuse?"

"I got bored," Draco replied. "I did better this time. Last time I got a T."

Tom snorted.

Draco turned to the tall boy and eyed him. "You managed to take the OWLs?"

"Yes. I did," Tom said.

"He got all 'Outstandings,'" Harry reported, looking both proud and grumpy.

"How on Earth did you managed that?" Draco joked.

"I went to school twice," Tom drawled, stuffing his parchment with his test results in his pocket. "I also had an unfair advantage seeing as I'm technically an adult with a real job who has been out working and doing most of the stuff on the practicals since before you were born."

"Did you tell them that?"

"Of course not."

"Well, what subjects are you going to take next year?" Harry asked. "You've got a career."

"Whatever you choose," Tom said, looking at Harry as if he were mental for asking.

"Oh. Yeah. Of course."

Draco rolled his eyes.

"I'm off to write Hermione. I wonder if she got ten 'Outstandings?'" Draco only half joked.

He left Tom and Harry in the library and headed to where the family owl was housed. He hadn't seen Hedwig since they'd gotten out of school, but she was with his own owl sleeping peacefully. After Draco woke his owl up, he tied his short note of inquiry to the ankle and sent him off. He thought he might have written Hermione a longer missive, but became pen choked when he tried to think of what to say, so he kept it straight and to the point. It was only after Ares was gone did he remember the magical parchment, which would have been faster. Figuring it wasn't that pressing, Draco headed back downstairs to make sure Tom and Harry hadn't blown anything up or gotten into trouble. Who knew what they'd get up to now that Tom was solid?

Draco, Harry, and Tom spent the next few weeks within the confines of Grimmauld Place. Draco began to get used to Tom being, well, real. The trio played Quidditch together, two against one, as Tom was dreadful at Quidditch. He always blamed the broom was much too different from what he was used to, but after the third week of this excuse, it was clear Tom wasn't the flyer Draco and Harry were.

It would have been a happy and peaceful holiday if the stories of disappearances, odd accidents, and deaths weren't appearing daily in the Prophet. Sometimes, Sirius and Narcissa brought news home before it reached the papers, though it was Remus Lupin who brought the news that Igor Karkaroff had been found during Harry's sixteenth birthday celebration.

"He lasted a year," Lupin mused grimly. "I'm surprised. Most don't last very long after deserting the Death Eaters."

"I barely made it an hour," Regulus badly joked.

Sirius threw a piece of birthday cake at him, nailing Regulus in the face.

"Sirius!" both Lupin and Narcissa scolded in the same tone of voice. Funnily, neither noticed. Harry snorted into his plate of cake, while Tom worked hard not to laugh.

"Did you hear about Florean Fortescue?" Regulus asked, wiping frosting off his face and dropping it onto his plate. "The man who ran the—"

"The ice-cream place in Diagon Alley?" Harry asked.

Regulus nodded, clearing his face of frosting and cake bits. Draco wasn't sure why he didn't just point his wand at his face and clean himself up, but maybe he liked being covered in sugar?

"Dragged off by the look of his place. Can't imagine what they wanted with him," Sirius muttered, cutting himself a new piece of cake. "He was a good man, kept his nose clean."

"That was likely the problem," Regulus said.

"Enough."

The men all stared at Narcissa. "While I do not forbid current event talk from meals, this is Harry's birthday celebration. Cease with the current events of the day for at least an hour. Regulus, go clean yourself up properly."

"I'll do it," Draco offered and did the silent cleaning charm before remembering he was only sixteen and he shouldn't be doing magic outside of school let alone non-verbally.

Instead of yelling at him, Narcissa deeply sighed. Sirius snickered. Draco realized that everyone in the room knew he was older than sixteen.

"I will get you later," Regulus warned, pointing at his brother.

And get him he did. Sirius, whose hair was his pride and joy, woke up the next morning bald.

"REGULUS!" he screamed, tearing out of his room at the ungodly hour of six. The following ten minutes were filled with curses, hexes, and a lot of high pitched screaming.

Since he was awake, Draco headed down to the breakfast room to eat. Narcissa was seated at the table, frowning at a pile of folders before her, ignoring her plate of food and unthinkingly stirring her tea with her wand.

"Good morning, Mother," Draco greeted, taking his seat.

"Good morning, darling," his mother distractingly greeted. She jerked, sat up straight, and looked upset. "I am sorry, darling. I've been so preoccupied since I began working."

"Mother, it is fine. You're doing good work."

"Not good enough. Ollivander was still taken," she grumped, indicating to the news story about the shop being empty. "They can't tell he was simply kidnapped or left voluntarily." She pressed her lips together. "What does Voldemort want with Ollivander? He's a wand maker and Voldemort already has a wand."

"One that acted strange when dueling with Harry," Draco remembered. "And…he asked for Father's wand before…before he tried to get Potter before the start of seventh year. He…Mother!"

Narcissa sat back, staring at Draco with a combination of worry and hope.

"We've forgotten. We were there when Ollivander sold Harry his wand! Remember? They share the same wand core!"

"Oh," Narcissa gasped, putting her hand over her mouth and sitting back hard in her chair. Her wand sent tea all over the table cloth as it clattered to the ground. "Why did I see this before? We knew he'd be taken. Voldemort would want to know why…and the only expert….oh, dear."

Without another word, Narcissa hurried from the room, knocking over a still bald Sirius on her way out.

"Hey!" Sirius exclaimed, resting on his elbows on the floor. "Where's she going in such a hurry?"

"She's realized why Ollivander was taken," Draco said. "I never knew…I was never present when he questioned the man and no one spoke of why he was prisoner."

"Figures. So why—oh. The duel in the cemetery," Sirius realized, going to push his hands through his hair only to find himself bald. He made an annoyed noise.

"How'd he do it?" Draco casually asked.

"Potion in my shampoo," Sirius grumped. "I'll have to wait for it to wear off. Nothing I can do."

Draco snorted into his napkin while Sirius glared at him.

Later that day, after all the adults had gone off to do work, the school letters and booklists arrived from Hogwarts. Harry's included a letter stating he'd been made Quidditch Captain.

"I can use the prefect's bathroom!" was the first thing Harry exclaimed upon seeing the note. "Tom! I can use the prefects bathroom!"

Harry took off running towards Tom, who'd walked into the sitting room accompanied by Lupin.

"Very nice, Harry," Lupin said while Harry jumped up and down in front of Tom, who was trying to get a hold of Harry's patch he was waving around. One would think with the good five inches Tom had on Harry (who had in fact grown a little and was at least as tall as Hermione once again) he'd be able to catch Harry.

"Thanks!"

"I've come to take you lot to Diagon Alley if you want to go now," Lupin quietly said. "Nymphadora said she'd meet us there on her lunch break."

Harry stopped jumping. "I need a security details, don't I?"

Lupin smiled and nodded. "Yes. Sorry."

Harry shrugged. "I've got super powers."

Draco rolled his eyes.

"I'll protect you all!"

Tom pinched the space between his eyes while Lupin looked bemused as Harry stuck his arms out and made whooshing noises as he ran around the room again.

Since Hermione was summering in Sweden and would be unable to go with them to Diagon Alley till the day before term begun, the boys all went that afternoon with Lupin. They went via floo and met Tonks at the Leakey Cauldron, which was emptier than usual for lunchtime. There were four people total in the usually crowded bar.

"It's like this everywhere," Tonk quietly said as they made their way back to the brick wall. "It's actually crowded in there today. Usually Tom's the only soul in there."

The Tom with them made a noise through his nose, then gasped at the sight of the street when the entry way opened.

"What happened?" Tom breathed. "We were just here s few weeks ago…"

Tom trailed off, looking as if he might cry. Lupin put a hand on his shoulder and squeezed.

"Been like this since Ollivander vanished, then others began getting knocked off," Tonks explained, glowering.

Draco steeled himself and entered the wizarding shopping district. Where it once was colorful and glittering, Diagon Alley was now dim and dreary. The only color came from the somber purple Ministry posters with security advice (totally useless for the most part). The only other things hung were wanted posters for various Death Eaters, Bellatrix Lastrange the most prominent after Lord Voldemort. Many of the shops were boarded up, while there were numerous shabby stalls selling junk supposed aimed at keeping away dark things.

"Where would you like to begin, boys?" Lupin asked, still gripping Tom's shoulder as they passed a stall selling amulets to ward off werewolves.

"I've done most of the boring shopping already," Tom proclaimed. "We ought to start at Flourish and Blotts."

"I need new robes," Harry volunteered. "I grew."

"I'll take Harry to get new robes, you take Tom to get the books," Tonks suggested.

"And what will I do? Gather dust?" Draco drawled, eyeing his cousin, who colored for some reason and looked anywhere but at the people she was with.

"You don't want to go to the bookstore with Tom and Lupin," Harry said, grabbing Draco's arm. "I'll be quick and then we can go see the twin's shop. And you can ask them about helping out maybe over Christmas break since you never got around to it this summer."

"I did ask them about this summer, but they said they were really busy and maybe next summer wouldn't be so busy and they'd know what to do with an intern," Draco ground out. He'd had to look up the word intern when he'd read it in their letter. "They answered my questions."

"I'd still like to see the shop," Harry said, tugging on Draco's arm.

"We'll meet you at the twins shop," Lupin decided, guiding Tom towards the bookstore.

Harry all but danced down the street to the robe shop. Draco had not actually set foot in the robe shop since that first time being fitted for robes. He grew so fast and so often, his mother had been getting robes in advance and simply sending them to him as he grew out of the old ones. The three entered the shop to find they weren't the only patrons. Nott was standing on the podium, being fitted with dark green robes. He wasn't speaking, nor did he notice what was happening around him. He was pale and sickly, not at all like the bloated, self important Draco Malfoy who had once stood in his place arguing with his mother about being able to shop alone.

Nott was alone.

He had no one.

"I'll be with you lot in a moment," Madam Malkin called. She went back to pinning the robe then told Nott to carefully remove it and she'd finish it by the end of the day. "I'll send it to you, yes?"

Nott nodded, still having not noticed who was in the shop with him. He paid, then turned their direction. He stared blankly at Draco for a long beat before he sneered and brushed passed them, banging out the door.

"Poor lad," Madam Malkin sighed. "Now, who's up and what do you need?"

Harry announced he needed new robes (finally) and got up onto the podium. Draco wandered around the shop looking at the pre-made robes, while Tonks stayed near Harry and kept up mindless banter with Madam Malkin. It seemed no time at all before they were back on the streets and heading off towards more exciting shopping.

The first time around, Draco had been too intent on his goal to even think about entering the Weasley Twin's shop. Sure, he'd seen the bright shop. It was impossible not to, between the glittering display windows and the huge purple poster that had flashing yellow letters proclaiming:

WHY ARE YOU WORRYING ABOUT YOU-KNOW-WHO?

YOU SHOULD BE WORRYING ABOUT U-NO-POO

THE CONSTIPATION SENSATION THAT'S GRIPPING THE NATION!

Harry laughed out loud at the poster, while Tonks shook her head.

"Mrs Weasley is worried they'll be murdered in their beds for that," Tonks chuckled as she ushered the two teenagers into the shop.

Walking into the shop was like entering a madhouse packed to compacity. Draco was unable to get anywhere near the shelves. His height helped him to be able to see what was being offered, most of the things Draco was familiar with. However, many of the shelves were almost empty. There were bins full of trick wands, the cheapest turning into a rubber chicken, the most expensive beating the unwary user over the head. There were jars of quills which came in Self-Inking, Spell-Checking, and Smart-Answer. As a space cleared in front of a counter, Harry pushed his way over where there were a gaggle of ten-year-old girls watching a tiny wooden man slowly ascend the steps of a real set of gallows. Draco snorted as he watched the girls begin to play a game of Hangman with the reusable hangman.

"Wow. 'Patented Daydream Charms…'" Harry read off something he'd managed to get his hands on. He flipped the box over and began to read the information on the back. His eyes went large and he looked up at Draco. "Is this what you want to do? It's bloody amazing."

Draco took the box, reading what the charm did. It in fact, was rather amazing the twins had developed a charm that allowed the user to vividly daydream for thirty minutes.

"Oh, Harry, you knew we were brilliant!" a twin said, appearing out of nowhere. Draco startled at the sight of the redhead wearing badly clashing magenta robes.

What was with Wealseys and wearing clashing colors?

"How are you, Harry?"

They shook hands.

"Pretty good," Harry replied. "Though, not as good as you and George. This place is hopping."

"That it is," Fred agreed. "Come on you two, I'll give you a tour."

Fred waded his way through the crowds easily, taking them to a back corner of the shop.

"Muggle magic tricks!" Fred proclaimed, pointing out the rather plain, full shelves. "For freaks like my dad, you know, who love Muggle stuff. It's not a big earner, but we do a fairy steady business. They're great novelties."

Draco reached out and picked up a rubber circle and stared at it blankly.

"What is this?"

"Whoopee cushion," answered a voice from behind.

Draco whirled around to find Lupin behind them, smiling fondly at the rubber circle.

"Confused the hell out of Sirius Black once," Lupin went on happily. "I've lost Tom, I thought he'd be with you."

"He'll be fine."

"Who is Tom?" Fred asked as George walked up.

"Afternoon, Professor Lupin," George greeted, then turned to Fred. "Giving Harry the tour? Come through the back, Harry, that's where we're making the real money— pocket anything, you, and you'll pay more than Galleons!"

A small boy hastily whipped his hand out of the tub labeled EDIBLE DARK MARKS—THEY'LL MAKE ANYONE SICK!

George whisked Harry off, leaving Lupin and Draco with Fred.

"What do you make the most money on?"

"Shield stuff," Fred answered.

"I heard you sold a boat load of Shield Hats to the Ministry," Lupin idly said, picking up a stack of playing cards that were all connected with string. "You've expanded into cloaks, gloves, and other products, yes?"

"Yes, sir," Fred answered. "We've got other things in the whole area of Defense Against the Dark Arts. Professor Lupin, would you like to take a look? We could use your help."

Lupin looked confused, but no one could say no to a determined Weasley Twin, mostly because you weren't given a chance to.

"Great," Fred said, clapping Lupin on the back. "I'll show you to the back. Come on."

After exchanging looks, the pair followed Fred where they joined Harry and George. Harry was desperately trying to hand back the items George kept pushing into his hands.

"George, I can't just take these," Harry said.

"Nonsense," Fred called out. Harry jumped. "You don't pay here."

Harry turned beet red.

"It makes sense," Lupin said casually, picking up a Decoy Detonator, eyeing it with interest. "You did give them their startup loan."

Harry looked at Lupin wide-eyed as he set the Decoy Detonator down and idly turned towards Harry wearing a serene smile.

"You didn't wonder why Narcissa or Sirius never asked where your winnings went? I'm sure your banker did."

Harry mouthed the word banker and stared at Draco.

"Harry, you're a member of an old family, plus the potential heir to the Black fortune. Of course you've got a banker," Draco drawled, rolling his eyes.

"But…but…but…"

"It was in the paper you'd won the gold," Lupin went on, studying the Instant Darkness Powder. Draco remembered ordering that through the mail order. "I'm sure the banker inquired where it had gone when a deposit wasn't made."

Harry looked panicked.

Lupin straightened and took pity on the boy.

"Sirius approved when he figured it out," Lupin assured Harry. "How could he not? This is his wonderland."

Lupin glanced over his shoulder towards the main area and chuckled a little sadly. He turned back to the group of teenagers.

"How'd he guess?" Fred (or George. They'd moved and now Draco had no clue which was which) asked.

"Harry told him about all the leaps and bounds you were making in your joke shop," Lupin said as if it were simple to figure out based on that. "And then when you took the lease on this place, Narcissa assumed Harry had given you your startup loan."

"Am I in trouble?" Harry asked.

"Heavens, no. One, I am not your guardian; two, it was your gold to do with as you pleased; and three, Sirius approved greatly."

"And Mother did?" Draco asked doubtfully.

Lupin shrugged as a young witch in staff robes entered the back area and said, "There's a customer out here looking for a joke cauldron, Mr Weasley and Mr Weasley."

Harry shook his head, as did Draco at the twins being addressed as "Mr Weasley."

"Right you are, Verity, I'm coming," Left Twin said, exiting with the witch. He threw over his shoulder, "Help yourself to anything, Harry! No charge."

"I can't do that!" Harry shouted. "I've got money!"

"You don't pay here," Remaining Twin insisted, waving away Harry's attempt at giving him money for whatever he was holding.

"But…"

"No. You gave us the startup loan and we didn't even think what it meant to your family, not that any of you lot are hurting," Remaining Twin remarked and Lupin snorted, "but, you did and we haven't forgotten. We'd not be here if it weren't for you, so take whatever you like just remember to tell everyone where you got it."

Remaining Twin made to move out of the room, but turned and said to Draco, "But, you gotta pay."

"I've no problem with that."

"Mostly because I know you still can't tell us apart," the twin said, winking before he vanished through the curtain to help with customers.

Lupin chuckled, studying the items in the back room throughly while Harry stuffed a bag of gold in the spot where he'd taken a few boxes of Decoy Detonators.

"I'm not sure they'll be needing my help with anything in this area," Lupin remarked as he finished his circle of the room.

"They could use mine, but this kind of stuff is below me," Tom proclaimed joining them. "There are many people here."

The three others in the room stared at Tom blankly as he shifted uncomfortably before them. Lupin was the first to realize the meaning behind Tom's statement.

"Yes, Tom. You're correct. Harry, Draco, have you seen your fill?"

"No. I haven't seen—oh, okay," Harry said.

"No. Stay, Harry. I was just going to tell you I'll be outside," Tom said.

"Alone?" Harry asked.

"No. Tonk is currently standing outside since Remus entered," Tom said, nodding at Lupin before sweeping through the curtain.

"It didn't occur to me the crowd would bother him," Harry quietly said as they exited the back room.

"Yes, well, he did spent the past twenty years on his own in a flat and before that he didn't exactly get out much," Draco remarked.

Lupin hummed his agreement.

Harry and Draco checked out the rest of the store, from the WonderWitch products to the little Pygmy Puffs. Draco wound up buying a few things he thought might be helpful during the upcoming school year. He handed over his gold and the pair exited the shop with Lupin to find Tom and Tonks in deep conversation about Nott.

"What was Nott doing?" Harry asked.

"Acting strange," Tonks replied. "I know why he's alone, but he was skirting around strangely as if he didn't want anyone to see him."

"It kind of made sure we saw him," Tom said flatly. "He's going to Borgin and Burkes, is he not?"

"Likely."

Tonks frowned.

"What's there he'd want?" Lupin inquired mildly.

"A wide array of things," Draco answered. "Well, at least there were the last time I glanced in the window as a boy."

Tonks frowned deeply, looking over at Lupin.

"If you must, but I fear you'll find nothing," Lupin said.

Tonks huffed, then charged off toward Knockturn Alley. Fifteen minutes later she appeared dragging Nott by the ear and scolding him while he insisted he wasn't doing anything wrong.

"While I cannot stop that man from running his store, the amount of illegal things in there is shocking and no place for an underaged wizard!"

"I am not underaged!"

"Yeah, you are," Tonks said. "And in these times, you shouldn't be down there. Are you looking for trouble?"

Nott straightened out his robes and glared at Tonks.

Draco waited for him to say something rude, something like he'd have said in the same situation, but Nott huffed and stalked off. Tonks frowned deeply at his retreating back before rejoining the group.

"What was he doing?" Harry asked.

"Bartering. I don't know for what, as they stopped when I walked in, but without an escort, someone his age isn't allowed down there. Obscure law," Tonks explained at the three blank looks she was getting. "Well, let's go. I've got to get back to work."