Author's Note: Hello there, faithful readers. Thank you so much to all the reviewers. I love the fact that you'll take the time to write down your thoughts about my humble fan fiction, even if it's just a sentence or two. As promised, all the reviewers get a metaphorical cook; they're chocolate chip! Next time, all the reviewers get metaphorical oatmeal raison; so, review! Oh, by the way, to answer HappeeGoLuckee, I have no idea how long this story will go. I'm just kinda playing it by ear; the story writes itself as I go along. Anyway, Chapter 6, people!

Disclaimer: Again, not mine. Why on earth would it be mine? Well, it's not, so get over it and stop making me write these, darnit!

Chapter 6 - I'm On A Boat!

~Harry POV~

Juan and Cindy followed me outside to say goodbye. Uncle Morty just gave a half-hearted wave from the table before falling asleep. Ha, I knew he was getting old! …How did dementors age? I made a mental note to ask Juan the next time I saw him; I couldn't very well ask him now, in front of the traitors, now could I? And I couldn't' ask Cindy because she'd start going off about 'never asking adding someone how old they are (event though that wasn't the question I asked) because it was rude and tactless and how some dementors would find it racist or something like that.' Yeah, it was better not to ask Cindy at all.

I followed the shaking auror out to where a large, rickety boat as docked. I think it was the same one I arrived in. What, the ministry was so cheap skated they could only afford one boat? Looking around, I inhaled deeply, enjoying the newfound sense of freedom. I hadn't really been a prisoner at Azkaban, but I still hadn't been outside very often. We just couldn't risk someone seeing me, however far off we were from shore, so I can count on one hand the number of times I've been outside in the past three and a half years.

Also, it was extremely nice out, which was weird. It's almost always overcast or rainy at Azkaban, which just adds to the gloomy atmosphere; but today the sun was out. It was bright and warm out, and I savored the feel of the sun on my skin. I had never had much of a tan before, but now I was completely pale. I needed to fix that, or someone was going to mistake me for a vampire, like I once had for Black.

Speaking of Black, I could barely restrain myself from looking back at him as I heard him and the others come outside, careful to lock the door behind them. Truth be told, however mad I was (and believe me, was I mad) at Lupin and Dumbledore for betraying me, I was even madder at Black because he is-no, he had been- the only family I had had left.

I ignored them as the three shuffled past me and onto the boat, casting guilt-ridden glances at me the entire time. I nearly groaned; this was going to be harder than I had thought. The auror settled down on the boat and looked at me expectantly. He was obviously gaining confidence the farther away from Azkaban he was. Darn, and freaking him out was fun, too.

Turning around, I looked over at Juan and Cindy and closed the gap between us, pulling them both into a tight hug. They each hugged back, and when I pulled back, I saw that Cindy's eyes had filled with ghostly tears. I heard a gasp behind me as I reached up to wipe them away and smiled. I tried to think back on what Uncle Morty had taught me about dementors. Apparently, it took times of extreme, extreme emotion to make a dementor cry. I was touched, and also, apparently, their tears brought good luck. Well, I could use all the luck I could get; fortune had never really favored me.

"Don't cry, Cin; I'll be back before you know it; and after five minutes with me back, you'll be ready to dump me off in the wizarding world all over again. Juan and I will make sure of that. Think of it as the calm before the storm."

Cindy gave a watery chuckle before pulling me into another back-breaking hug and whispering, "You'd better be careful, Harry."

After she pulled away, Juan put his hands on my shoulders. Looking back, I could tell that none of the wizards behind me had any idea what was going on or if they should stop it. Juan followed my gaze and chuckled softly before looking at me seriously for the second time since I had met him.

"Do you have a plan, Harry?"

I shook my head. "A rough idea, more like. I need to know what's been going on in the wizarding world before I can make my move."

Juan nodded in understanding. "Yeah, unless Voldemort is even more stupid and narcissistic than we thought, you won't be able to just walk up to him and kill him; he'll have layers of guards and wards and such."

"Yeah, but he's arrogant. He doesn't believe anyone would even think of betraying him because he's so scary; I can use that against him."

Juan looked at me for a moment, face unreadable, before sighing. "We all love you, Harry, and want you to stay safe. You'll win; I know it, but try not to die in the process."

I felt my courage bolster at his words. I wasn't alone in this; and that was the main reason I wouldn't lose. Not only did I have people I cared about supporting me, but I had a reason not to lose. I was the dementor's only hope, and I couldn't let them down.

I set my gaze determinedly. Juan smiled and walked back towards Azkaban, pulling along Cindy, who was shouting good byes and farewells hysterically. Just before he reached the door, Juan turned around to face me and smiled, calling, "I'll be dropping by to visit as soon as you break the curse, Potter, maybe even sooner."

I grinned, pulled myself up in a mock salute, and called back, "Looking forward to it, you nuisance."

As he disappeared, I heard Juan shout back "I'm not the nuisance here, Potter!"

The doors closed before I could yell back any snide reply, and I walked back to the boat grumbling about high-maintenance dementors who always needed to get the last word. Getting on the boat, I sat next to the auror without a name. The seat, incidentally, was as far from Sirius as possible.

"What are you waiting for?" I asked the auror good naturedly. "Let's blow this popsicle stand!"

The auror looked confused but started moving the boat with his wand towards land anyways, and I began humming under my breath as a certain song snuck its way into my brain and stayed there. Looking around, I realized it must have only been through Lupin's and Dumbledore's adamant refusal that Black hadn't approached me again.

'Seems my little good bye was a tad bit too emotional for Mr. Black,' I mused as I noted how Lupin was positioned in a way that seemed to be blocking me from Black and had a hand on his shoulder, pushing him down. I let my gaze wander, as if casually observing the ocean around me; but I knew Dumbles wasn't fooled. (If his eye-twinkle was anything to go by, that is)

I got my first real look at them all day long. Dumbledore looked basically the same. His beard may be a few inches longer, and his face might have a few more wrinkles; but I was pretty sure he had a bag of lemon drops hidden on his person somewhere, so he was essentially the same.

'How long until he offers me a lemon drop?' I wondered absently. 'Can't be too long now, we're been in this boat for what, two minutes now.'

Dumbledore endured my quick, harsh scrutiny with a genial smile. He probably thought it was a good sign or something. Not even close. I skipped over the unnamed auror, who will be henceforth referred to as UA (Unnamed Auror), because I really don't' care all that much about him, then moved onto Lupin, who was still restraining Black.

He looked even worse than he had at the trial. And the full moon was a full two weeks away! (Yeah, I checked.) His hair was now shaggy and unkempt, and it had turned almost completely grey. He was even thinner than I was, and I had been to Azkaban! (All facts towards the dementors and my immunity to them, I am still quite skinny.) I was still very angry with them, but, when I looked at Lupin, I almost caught myself feeling pity. The light and life (or what was left of it) seemed to have gone out of his eyes. He had let not just one, but two innocent men rot in Azkaban! He had repeated the same mistake he had years ago. (This is when I question taking history classes. They say we're there so we won't repeat past mistakes, but we always do.) That fact, though, I could almost pit;, but looking deeper into his eyes, I could see grim determination. I realized this man was stronger than anyone gave him credit for; he had to be to survive as a werewolf; and he neither needed nor deserved my pity. But I still felt my dislike for him; that was no excuse for what he had done to me.

Finally, I moved onto Black, who was staring at me, wild eyed. His hair was mussed up and even longer now. He had gained some weight, but not much, so his clothes still hung off of him a bit. He had a bit of a tan, and he also had dark circles under his eyes. He obviously hadn't gotten very much sleep the past few days, and wasn't that just too bad for him.

I leveled a glare his way and felt a wave of satisfaction wash over me as he flinched. Even Dumbledore's stupid smile faltered at my death glare. I turned my gaze over to the fast approaching land. Would this boat ride ever end? I wanted nothing more than to get as far away as physically possible from the people in the boat. (Except, maybe UA. He seems like a nice guy; wish I could remember his name.)

As we approached, I could hear a deafening noise, growing louder and louder. Craning my head, I realized with a gasp that there was a large stage surrounded by a crowd of people set up just a short way from land.

'Oh, no he didn't.' Fudge stood at the stage in front of the podium, trying to calm the excited crowd. I watched as people pointed to the boat, chattering excitedly, and saw the press flashing cameras my way. 'Oh, yes he did.' I felt my anger grow by the second.

Fudge had called together a meeting. I felt my fury rise even higher, and, judging by the way the traitors and UA edged away from me a little, it must have shown on my face. Good. I couldn't wait to get my hands on Fudge. I was supposed to be insane! Or, at least, that's what everyone thought I was going to be! Fudge had called this meeting to save face and to discredit me.

The crowd surged forward as the boat came to land. However, one look at my very sane and furious face, and the crowd pulled back as one, separating to let me through. I stomped onto land; glaring murder at Fudge. At the sight of me, Fudge's face paled dramatically; and the smile dropped from it. He seemed to realize I wasn't quite as insane as he had thought, and I could tell that he knew his career as a politician was over, then and there. Oh, he'd be lucky to get a job as a bus boy by the time I was finished with him. He looked like he could only hope that he didn't lose his life, too.

'That's right,' I thought viciously, pushing toward the stage, ignoring the traitors stumbling out of the boat behind me. 'You're sooooo dead, Fudge.'

Author's note: Kinda short, I know; and it didn't really go anywhere, but the next chapter has plot; and things will move along, I swear! I just needed to set it up, is all. I will try to update really soon, so please, please review. By the way, don't you just love UA? He's one of my favorites. I'm done with him now, but I might bring him in later just for kicks. Anyway, that's for reading. =)