Warning: AU for all the books, whilst it will follow them in key events.

AND THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE

By

SilverSkies

CHAPTER FIVE: Plans

As the day dawned, few people were up and about. One of these people however, was currently putting the last few touches on a small box. It was a small box, wrapped in cream paper decorated with brightly coloured balloons. A thin strip of gold ribbon was tied around it, ends curled with a sharp knife that the user wielded with ease. It was early, she knew, too early to give it to him, but that didn't mean she couldn't let the anticipation build up as Harry counted down the days 'til his birthday. A wicked grin crossed her face, as she considered his reaction - possibly a bit of pouting, then amusement as he called a sadistic fiend intent on torturing him with the most inescapable thing that could possess him – curiosity. She couldn't withhold the laugh, though she was able to make sure it wasn't too loud. No need to let her neighbours think she was mad.

She idly watched her clock ticking, considering the past few years: She'd met Harry, he'd healed her of her time in Azkaban and she was no longer suffering from an overdose of Dark magic. She was living in the Muggle world, as Isabella Black – close to her true name, but not so close that the Wizarding world would suspect anything if they came across her name. They probably wouldn't suspect anything even if they came across her – she'd dyed her hair. It was now a rich red-brown, closer to Andy's hair colour than anything else, giving her a nice reminder, and went a good ways to changing her appearance.

She was passing herself off as a part-Spanish, part-English woman. She was living in a well-kept council flat, a marked change from the previous one where she'd been squatting. She'd kept the bills paid through tutoring in piano and French for the first few years. Now she had a job at a local sixth form college teaching A-level French and at Harry's insistence had volunteered at the Shelter, which had helped her with all the various forms to apply for a place to live and in finding work. Before she'd never grasped the complexities of Muggle society, but there was so much needed – a place to address correspondence, a national insurance number… then there were the problems with her name.

She'd ended up being aided by Constable Peter Phillips, with explanations that she was fearful of using the name Bellatrix, because of an arranged marriage to a cruel man, and that both the families were powerful and she didn't want to be found – all true, and he'd somehow organised all her paperwork – with help from others in his department. The laws were changing on domestic violence, making legal protection easier to get, but since they couldn't do a thing to aid her, it was all rather moot. It had, however, opened her eyes to how much more adaptive the Muggles were. They saw something wasn't quite right, they tried to change it – and they were far fairer than in the Wizarding world, where amendments to laws had to first pass through a minimum number of four Department Heads, and the Minister of Magic, before going before the Wizengamot – which meant persons like her brother-in-law were swift to stop any piece of legislative action he didn't approve of.

In all Isabella Black, was doing rather well for herself, and soon it would be time to pick up Harry. After all Miss Black was a rather excellent babysitter for the young ruffian, and since old Mrs Figg had broken her leg… well Miss Black was delighted to baby-sit the young boy in her place – she was planning on re-arranging some of her furniture and would be happy to have someone to help – something that Mrs Dursley had been pleased to hear. After all Bella still knew how to manipulate people.

It was time. Bella swiftly gathered her handbag, a light summer jacket and was about to leave the flat, when the phone rang.

"Hello?" She really couldn't think who might be calling her.

"Hello. Miss Black? It's Petunia Dursley calling."

A look of consternation crossed Bella's face, was that obnoxious excuse for a Muggle going to stop Harry from staying with her for the day? She cleared her throat and spoke, "Yes, is something wrong with my picking Harry up?"

"Oh, no. Nothing is wrong. We just thought it'd be better if Vernon dropped the boy round now. That way you don't have to worry about picking him up… you can of course just send him back in the evening on the bus – he's old enough now."

"Of course, that's very thoughtful of you and your husband." She was wincing internally at her own obsequious tone, whilst also thinking rather darkly – of course they wanted to drop Harry round – that way he wouldn't be around for their precious son's birthday, but at least Harry would be with her for the day.

"Yes, well – I'm glad I managed to catch you before you left. I must be off now – Goodbye!"

"Bye." Bella muttered as she heard the dull sound of the dial tone; she really could see no resemblance to Harry's mother in Petunia at all. Harry would be here soon though, so replacing her things, she settled down to wait.

Bzzt! It was the cursed doorbell, which frankly reminded Bella of the sound of a Glumbumble once set aflame (courtesy of her cousin Sirius, along with the drapes in their study). A quick check through the peephole, confirmed it was Harry and his uncle, and placing her best 'cheery' smile on her face – she opened the door.

"Mr Dursley! And Harry. It was very nice of you to drop him round, Mr Dursley, it wouldn't have been much trouble to collect him." She never missed her wand more than in the presence of Vernon Dursley – overweight, and physically repulsive, he never missed the chance to rake his eyes over her form – leaving her fuming internally, whilst trying to remain calm outside in order to continue seeing Harry.

The older man merely grunted in response, before adding, "Here's your wages for taking him for the day." Handing over the requisite amount of cash, he continued, "I must be off now. It's good of you to do this on such short notice Miss Black." Then turning to Harry he remarked, "You'd best behave boy, and no funny business for Miss Black. Understood?" Vernon Dursley didn't wait for a response before nodding a sharp goodbye to Bella and leaving.

"Well. Thank Merlin that man is gone. How you manage to refrain from accidental magic around him is beyond me."

Harry peered up at her with a grin, "Nice to see you too, Bella. I thought you were supposed to be my teacher on etiquette."

"Oh, shut up brat. What are we doing today? I'd thought we should discuss what to do when you get your Hogwarts letter."

"Really? When do you think it will arrive?" The enthusiasm in his voice was hard to miss.

"Soon."

Harry glared at her for her one word answer.

Bella sighed, "This really isn't my strong point. I'm better at thinking on my feet, not planning out what to do. And you're pretty much the same…"

"I thought Slytherins were supposed to be cunning and able to manipulate those around them…"

"Or they can be ambitious and driven – like myself… and you, for that matter…and we're cunning and manipulative… we're just not… particularly good at strategic thinking…" Bella stumbled through her argument, it was all true after all, and brought up a good point. "You must not get sorted into Slytherin."

"Why not? Aside from the whole Death Eaters' children out for revenge…" Harry trailed off for a moment - thinking, "and the Wizarding world thinking their saviour has become Dark, or worse that I stopped the Dark Lord through being an even greater Dark wizard… okay, so try not to go into Slytherin. But what happens when I get my letter?"

"Apart from the 'Do not let the Dursleys get their hands on it'?" She didn't wait for a response, "You reply, asking if this is real, and send it back with an owl. Hopefully they send someone to check up on you… and then they'll take you shopping to get your school supplies. First to Gringotts for money, then the supplies and then they'll probably dump you back here. You just have to fool whoever they send into thinking you're a nice lad with no knowledge of the Wizarding world."

Here she was interrupted with a mutter of, "I am a nice lad."

"Anyway," she continued, ignoring Harry's subsequent pout, "After you're back, I'll try and remove the tracking from your wand – we'll catch the Knight Bus, and do some real shopping – a wand for myself from Knockturn, a second wand for you, books on some of the more obscure arts – your Parseltongue for instance… more on magical theory – see if we can figure out how you managed to speak it. And even books on," here she winced, "Occlumency and Legilimency – the mind arts, which Snape and Dumbledore practice. We'll need to learn enough of it to block them from our minds."

"Our minds? Will you be coming to Hogwarts with me? Isn't that dangerous!" Harry had been busy jotting down notes as Bella spoke, but the last thing she had said had shocked him into stillness.

"No, I won't be going to Hogwarts. It would be nice to stay close by… but I think… I should be hunting for the Dark Lord." Left unsaid was what she'd do if she found him. "Occlumency and Legilimency will be useful to know at any rate… And we must pick up information on how to become an Animagus."

"That seems like a lot of stuff, Bella. Are we even going to have time? I mean we'll have August and not much more, since term starts on the first of September."

"Better to have the information at hand. Besides since my escape I've wanted to become an Animagus – though I don't think I'll be a bird."

"Huh?" Harry gave her a puzzled look, whilst motioning for Bella to elaborate.

"I escaped after Cissa smuggled me a potion. One time use only, a variant of the Polyjuice potion, which I've mentioned to you before – only it turns the user into an animal. I became some kind of bird of prey, and simply flew out of the prison. Cissa left a substitute in my place to stop anyone coming after me. Thankfully the effects of the Dementors are greatly reduced when in animal form – I think because their thought processes are different than that of humans. Anyway, having an unknown Animagus form could be very useful."

Harry nodded solemnly in agreement. It was probably one of their greatest joint fears – if Bella were found – she'd be put back in Azkaban; so having an escape route, no matter how odd would do wonders in easing it.

Plans set; they started on their other plans for the day – making lunch, Bella teasing Harry with his wrapped present, testing Harry's knowledge of spells and his ability to dodge questions. Such as, "Have you ever seen Bellatrix Lestrange?" to which he calmly replied "No." before winking at her, and she realised her flaw in questioning.

"Have you ever met a Death Eater?" was also an easy question for him to dodge, the answer "I don't think so," sufficed. Leading to him explaining he had considered they were asking if he'd met anyone who ate Death, which to his mind wasn't possible. They whiled away the afternoon and before long it was time for Harry to return.

Walking him to the start of Privet Drive, Bella wished Harry a good night, and began the walk back to the bus stop.

AN: Okay… this is mainly a filler chapter…the next should be coming fairly soon…. Other news - since a lot of people seem to be intensely against slash and I'm not all that certain about writing it… It will not happen. In all honesty – the closest I suspect this will get to a pairing is flirtatious comments… I will warn that I intend him to get kissed at least once. Although knowing my inability to write 'love' scenes – said kiss might just be a) one of Mrs Weasley's motherly ones, b) a platonic one from Hermione/Luna/Other female character, c) Myrtle (cause we all know she has a large crush on Harry), or d) Padfoot slobbering all over the poor boy (as Padfoot…I really don't mean that in any smutty way)… Anyway thanks to all those who reviewed! MagicallyInclined, Darklight, Willow-Bee the Cat, Rob, PoisedDesecration, TheSmallestGhost, Akari.no.Aizou, ShyOrangette, ZanyMuggle, Mercsenary, Anders1, IP82, C. Rose, ranma hibiki, Exiled Rain, sadfru, Der Joker, zafaran, evansentranced, Zephyrl and illachi. If I missed replying to you and answering any questions – then apologies! Also apologies for taking so long to update…