DISCLAIMER: I'm not blond, or british, or famous, and I'm broke, so obviously I don't own Harry Potter, I do however own Romulus, Leon, Adhara, and Zania, everything else belongs to Queen Rowling
THE KNIGHT BUS
"Oh I love the Knight bus!" Sirius exclaimed, excited
"Are you kidding? That thing is awful!" Harry said baffled
Harry was several streets away before he collapsed onto a low wall in Magnolia Crescent, panting from the effort of dragging his trunk. He sat quite still, anger still surging through him, listening to the frantic thumping of his heart.
But after ten minutes alone in the dark street, a new emotion overtook him: panic.
"Oh, so you do have some self-preservation then?" Leon teased
Whichever way he looked at it, he had never been in a worse fix.
"You must be joking" Ron looked at his best friend with wide eyes, looking as though he was seeing a mad man
"never been in…Harry, I really doubt that could be worse than our first year with the stone" Hermione said, amused
"Or the Basilisk, and the giant spiders, and Fluffy, not to mention dear Norbert…" Leon smirked
"Ok! Ok! I get it, it's not the worse, but it felt like it!" Harry pouted, the friends laughed without noticing almost everyone else in the room looking freaked out and looking at the teenagers
He was stranded, quite alone, in the dark Muggle world, with absolutely nowhere to go.
"You do have somewhere to go to Harry" Lupin said softly
"I know that now" Harry smiled at him
Lily and James looked at each other, millions of questions running through their heads
And the worst of it was, he had just done serious magic, which meant that he was almost certainly expelled from Hogwarts.
"It was accidental though" Bill reasoned
He had broken the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry so badly, he was surprised Ministry of Magic representatives weren't swooping down on him where he sat.
Harry shivered and looked up and down Magnolia Crescent.
What, was going to happen to him? Would he be arrested, or would he simply be outlawed from the wizarding world? He thought of Ron, Leon, and Hermione, and his heart sank even lower. Harry was sure that, criminal or not, his friends would want to help him now,
"Of course we would!" they chimed in, smiling at Harry
but Ron and Hermione were both abroad, and with Hedwig gone, he had no means of contacting them or Leon (since Harry had no idea of where he lived he couldn't just go to his home).
"You have rotten luck mate" The Weasley twins chorused
"You think?"
He didn't have any Muggle money, either. There was a little wizard gold in the money bag at the bottom of his trunk, but the rest of the fortune his parents had left him was stored in a vault at Gringotts Wizarding Bank in London. He'd never be able to drag his trunk all the way to London. Unless...
"Uh-oh" Leon and his sisters muttered, looking amused
He looked down at his wand, which he was still clutching in his hand. If he was already expelled (his heart was. now thumping painfully fast), a bit more magic couldn't hurt.
"Oh Merlin, What are you planning Harry?" Zania grinned
He had the Invisibility Cloak he had inherited from his father - what if he bewitched the trunk to make it feather-light, tied it to his broomstick, covered himself in the cloak, and flew to London?
"Harry James Potter! That is a terrible idea! It's dangerous and reckless and this is all your fault James!" Lily glared at her boyfriend
"What? How is it my fault?" the boy answered
"Well he didn't get all his recklessness from me"
Then he could get the rest of his money out of his vault and... begin his life as an outcast.
"Well, he's a drama king like you Jamesy-boy" Sirius smirked
"Oy!" father and son yelled, glaring at him
It was a horrible prospect, but he couldn't sit on this wall forever, or he'd find himself trying to explain to Muggle police why he was out in the dead of night with a trunkful of spellbooks and a broomstick.
"That would be a fun thing to watch" The Weasley twins chuckled, looking at the boy fondly
Harry opened his trunk again and pushed the contents aside, looking for the Invisibility Cloak - but before he had found it, he straightened up suddenly, looking around him once more.
Everyone tensed up, wondering what had happened to cause such a reaction from Harry
A funny prickling on the back of his neck had made Harry feel he was being watched, but the street appeared to be deserted, and no lights shone from any of the large square houses.
"Always trust your senses" both Remuses said, looking at Harry, who nodded amused
He bent over his trunk again, but almost immediately stood up once more, his hand clenched on his wand. He had sensed rather than heard it:
Remus and Lupin nodded, the younger one frowned in concentration at the book, reading ahead, Sirius chuckled fondly and poked him, nodding towards the room, Remus blushed before clearing his throat and continuing with the story, not noticing Romulus' eye roll, James' and Lily's knowing stare, or Lupin's wistful glance towards their little group
someone or something was standing in the narrow gap between the garage and the fence behind him. Harry squinted at the black alleyway. If only it would move, then he'd know whether it was just a stray cat or - something else.
"Please just let it be a stray" Molly muttered under her breath, holding unto her husband's arm
"Lumos," Harry muttered, and a light appeared at the end of his wand, almost dazzling him. He held it high over his head, and the pebble-dashed walls of number two suddenly sparkled; the garage door gleamed, and between them Harry saw, quite distinctly, the hulking outline of something very big, with wide, gleaming eyes.
Everyone tensed up, except those who knew who it was, looking at the book. James and Lily held Harry, scared for their little boy, Remus had started to tighten his grip on the book so Romulus put a hand on his shoulder, trying to calm down his brother and Sirius put a hand on his leg, Remus took a deep breath and put a hand on top of Sirius', Adhara and Zania looked at each other and then at Leon, who nodded at them and mouthed 'it's snuffles' at them.
Harry stepped backward. His legs hit his trunk and he tripped. His wand flew out of his hand as he flung out an arm to break his fall, and he landed, hard, in the gutter –
Almost everyone snorted
"very graceful Harry" Zania chuckled
"Hey, I'd like to see you in that situation" Harry pouted
There was a deafening BANG, and Harry threw up his hands to shield his eyes against a sudden blinding light –
"Don't just stand there! Move!" Percy yelled, surprising Harry and making him blush, since he didn't think that Percy cared about him at all
With a yell, he rolled back onto the pavement, just in time.
There was a collective sigh of relief around the room
A second later, a gigantic pair of wheels and headlights screeched to a halt exactly where Harry had just been lying.
"Woo, the Knight Bus!" the three Blacks cheered
They belonged, as Harry saw when he raised his head, to a triple-decker, violently purple bus, which had appeared out of thin air. Gold lettering over the windshield spelled The Knight Bus.
"I don't understand how you can like that" Charlie and Leon said, looking at each other in surprise before Charile grinned and messed Leon's hair
For a Split second, Harry wondered if he had been knocked silly by his fall. Then a conductor in a purple uniform leapt out of the bus and began to speak loudly to the night.
"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard. Just stick out your wand hand, step on board) and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this eve -"
The conductor stopped abruptly. He had just caught sight of Harry, who was still sitting on the ground. Harry snatched up his wand again and scrambled to his feet. Close up, he saw that Stan Shunpike was only a few years older than he was, eighteen or nineteen at most, with large, protruding ears and quite a few pimples.
"Well, isn't he a looker" Zania grimaced
"Bet he has a gigantic fan club" Adhara laughed
"What were you doin' down there?" said Stan, dropping his professional manner.
"What do you think?" Fred rolled his eyes
"He just fancied sitting there in the middle of the night
"Fell over," said Harry.
"'Choo fall over for?" sniggered Stan.
"It's not like he did it on purpose" Perce answered
"I didn't do it on purpose," said Harry, annoyed.
The Weasleys chuckled at that, and Percy's ears went slightly red at the tips
One of the knees in his jeans was torn, and the hand he had thrown out to break his fall was bleeding.
"Oh dear, you better make sure that doesn't get infected" Molly worried
"She's right, you better take care of that" James nodded looking down at his son seriously
He suddenly remembered why he had fallen over and turned around quickly to stare at the alleyway between the garage and fence. The Knight Bus's headlamps were flooding it with light, and it was empty.
"'Choo lookin' at?" said Stan.
"The bloke is not exactly the sharpest tool in the shed, is he?" Sirius smirked
"There was a big black thing," said Harry, pointing uncertainly into the gap. "Like a dog... but massive..."
The Marauders looked uneasily at each other
He looked a-round at Stan, whose mouth was slightly open. With a feeling of unease, Harry saw Stan's eyes move to the scar on Harry's forehead.
Harry groaned "Every time!"
"Woss that on your 'ead?" said Stan abruptly.
"Nothing," said Harry quickly, flattening his hair over his scar. If the Ministry of Magic was looking for him, he didn't want to make it too easy for them.
"Woss your name?" Stan persisted.
"Oh, just leave the lad alone" Bill sighed
"That must be pretty annoying" Romulus looked at Harry with sympathy
"It is" The boy answered
"Neville Longbottom," said Harry, saying the first name that came into his head.
His three friends laughed "just wait until Neville hears this" Leon teased "mind you, next time you should use a muggle name, 'Longbottom' isn't really common"
"I'm really hoping there is no 'next time'" Lupin stared at his nephew
"So - so this bus," he went on quickly, hoping to distract Stan, "did you say it goes anywhere?"
"Yep," said Stan proudly, "anywhere you like, long's it's on land. Can't do nuffink underwater. 'Ere," he said, looking suspicious again, ,You did flag us down, dincha? Stuck out your wand 'and, dincha?"
"Yes," said Harry quickly. "Listen, how much would it be to get to London?"
"Eleven Sickles," said Stan, "but for fifteen you get 'or chocolate, and for fifteen you get an 'ot water bottle an' a toofbrush in the color of your choice."
"Don't get anything, specially not the hot chocolate" Remus told Harry seriously
"What? Moons, are you feeling alright? You are telling someone not to get chocolate" Sirius said, mockingly taking Remus' temperature
"Don't be such a prat, I've been on the Knight bus, the only thing you would get if you got the chocolate would be burned legs, and that's if you're lucky" Remus sulked
"Speaking from experience Moony-kins" Sirius grinned
"Could you please continue?" Molly glared at the boys, Sirius grinned at her and drew Remus' in a one armed hug, but before he could answer Remus cleared his throat once again and restarted the reading, blushing.
Harry rummaged once more in his trunk, extracted his money bag, and shoved some gold into Stan's hand. He and Stan then lifted his trunk, with Hedwig's cage balanced on top, up the steps of the bus.
There were no seats; instead, half a dozen brass bedsteads stood beside the curtained windows. Candles were burning in brackets beside each bed, illuminating the wood-paneled walls.
"That sounds interesting" Hermione mused
A tiny wizard in a nightcap at the rear of the bus muttered, "Not now, thanks, I'm pickling some slugs" and rolled over in his sleep.
"Lovely" Ginny said looking disgusted
"You 'ave this one," Stan whispered, shoving Harry's trunk under the bed right behind the driver, who was sitting in an armchair in front of the steering wheel. "This is our driver, Ernie Prang. This ,is Neville Longbottom, Ern. "
Ernie Prang, an elderly wizard wearing very thick glasses, nodded to Harry, who nervously flattened his bangs again and sat down on his bed.
"Hold on tight kiddo!" Bill grinned
"Take 'er away, Ern," said Stan, sitting down in the armchair next to Ernie's.
There was another tremendous BANG, and the next moment Harry found himself flat on his bed, thrown backward by the speed of the Knight Bus. Pulling himself up, Harry stared out of the dark window and saw that they were now bowling along a completely different street. Stan was watching Harry's stunned face with great enjoyment.
"It's probably really funny, seeing people get in for the first time" Zania whispered to Fred
"This is where we was before you flagged us down," he said. "Where are we, Ern? Somewhere in Wales?"
"Ar," said Ernie.
"How come the Muggles don't hear the bus?" said Harry.
"Them!" said Stan contemptuously. "Don' listen properly, do they? Don' look properly either. Never notice nuffink, they don'."
"That's a little harsh" Lily frowned "they use enchantments so obviously they don't see anything"
"He's rather rude" Hermione glared at the book
"Best go wake up Madam Marsh, Stan," said Ern. "We'll be in Abergavenny in a minute."
Stan passed Harry's bed and disappeared up a narrow wooden staircase. Harry was still looking out of the window, feeling increasingly nervous. Ernie didn't seem to have mastered the use of a steering wheel.
"I don't think any of the drivers of the Knight Bus have ever mastered it" Remus told him seriously
"I doubt it's on the job description" Sirius smiled down at him
"Hey! I bet it would be great to work as a Knight Bus driver" James grinned, Lily shook her head but refused to say anything and nodded at Remus to continue
The Knight Bus kept mounting the pavement, but it didn't hit anything; lines of lampposts, mailboxes, and trash cans jumped out of its way as it approached and back into position once it had passed.
"Like magic" George said, nodding seriously
Stan came back downstairs, followed by a faintly green witch wrapped in a traveling cloak.
"'Ere you go, Madam Marsh," said Stan happily as Ern stamped on the brake and the beds slid a foot or so toward the front of the bus. Madam Marsh clamped a handkerchief to her mouth and tottered down the steps.
"Poor woman" Leon muttered
Stan threw her bag out after her and rammed the doors shut; there was another loud BANG, and they were thundering down a narrow country lane, trees leaping out of the way.
Harry wouldn't have been able to sleep even if he had been traveling on a bus that didn't keep banging loudly and jumping a hundred miles at a time. His stomach churned as he fell back to wondering what was going to happen to him, and whether the Dursleys had managed to get Aunt Marge off the ceiling yet.
"I hope not" Ron whispers
Stan had unfurled a copy of the Daily Prophet and was now reading with his tongue between his teeth. A large photograph of a sunken-faced man with long, matted hair blinked slowly at Harry from the front page. He looked strangely familiar.
"That man!" Harry said, forgetting his troubles for a moment. "He was on the Muggle news!"
The Marauders paled
"Maybe…Maybe it is Regulus, or another of your relatives" Remus said softly before continuing
Stanley turned to the front page and chuckled.
"Sirius Black,"
"WHAT?! But, but I…" Sirius was wide-eyed, looking at the book unbelievingly
"It must be a mistake" James said frowning
he said, nodding. "'Course 'e was on the Muggle news, Neville, where you been?"
He gave a superior sort of chuckle at the blank look on Harry's face, removed the front page, and handed it to Harry.
"You oughta read the papers more, Neville."
Harry held the paper up to the candlelight and read:
BLACK STILL AT LARGE
Sirius Black, possibly the most infamous prisoner ever to be held in Azkaban fortress, is still eluding capture, the Ministry of Magic confirmed today.
"We are doing all we can to recapture Black," said the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge, this morning, "and we beg the magical community to remain calm."
Fudge has been criticized by some members of the International Federation of Warlocks for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis.
"Well, really, I had to, don't you know," said an irritable Fudge. "Black is mad. He's a danger to anyone who crosses him, magic or Muggle. I have the Prime Minister's assurance that he will not breathe a word of Black's true identity to anyone. And let's face it-who'd believe him if he did?"
While Muggles have been told that Black is carrying a gun (a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other), the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse.
Nobody had dared speak while Remus read, the Marauders were pale, Lily kept shaking her head, eyes wide, unable to believe what she had heard
"No! That's not true! I would never follow Voldy-shorts! I wouldn't…I…" Sirius was shaking, Remus lowered the book and put one hand on Sirius' leg
"I'm sure it's a mistake, it can't be the truth" he comforted
"Yeah! We know you mate, and we know you would never join him" James reached out to place his hand on Sirius' shoulder, offering whatever comfort he could
"You say that now, but you don't know the whole story!" Molly glared at the boy, she hadn't said anything before, since she didn't want Adhara, Zania, or Harry to be upset, but she couldn't stop it anymore
"Neither do you Molly" Lupin spoke up "but everything will be explained, if only we keep reading"
Remus nodded and continued reading, sliding closer to his friend
Harry looked into the shadowed eyes of Sirius Black, the only part of the sunken face that seemed alive. Harry had never met a vampire, but he had seen pictures of them in his Defense Against the Dark Arts classes, and Black, with his waxy white skin, looked just like one.
"Great, so I'm a criminal and I look like a vampire, looking forward to the future" Sirius sulked
"Scary-lookin' fing, inee?" said Stan, who had been watching Harry read.
"He murdered thirteen people?" said Harry, handing the page back to Stan, "with one curse?"
"Yep," said Stan, "in front of witnesses an' all. Broad daylight. Big trouble it caused, dinnit, Ern?"
"Ar," said Ern darkly.
Stan swiveled in his armchair, his hands on the back, the better to look at Harry.
"Black woz a big supporter of You-Know-'Oo," he said.
"What, Voldemort?" said Harry, without thinking.
"Harry!" The twins, Leon, Ron and Hermione, groaned
"We'll need to work on that" Fred and George chuckled
Even Stan's pimples went white; Ern jerked the steering wheel so hard that a whole farmhouse had to jump aside to avoid the bus.
"You outta your tree?" yelped Stan. "'Choo say 'is name for?"
"Sorry," said Harry hastily. "Sorry, I - I forgot -"
"oh, don't apologize, they're being ridiculous" James rolled his eyes
"Forgot!" said Stan weakly. "Blimey, my 'eart's goin' that fast ..."
"So - so Black was a supporter of You-Know-Who?" Harry prompted apologetically.
"No, I'm not"
"We know Siri, we know" Remus calmed him
"Yeah," said Stan, still rubbing his chest. "Yeah, that's right. Very close to You-Know-'Oo, they say. Anyway, when little 'Arry Potter got the better of You-Know-'Oo -"
Harry nervously flattened his bangs down again.
"- all You-Know-'Oo's supporters was tracked down, wasn't they, Ern? Most of 'em knew it was all over, wiv You-Know-'Oo gone, and they came quiet. But not Sirius Black. I 'eard he thought 'e'd be second-in-command once You-Know-'Oo 'ad taken over.
"Oh come on! I'm not that stupid!" No one answered, those who didn't know the story were too scared of Black now that he looked angry, his friends thought it would be better to let him rant and those who knew the whole story looked at each other, wondering whether they should tell everyone or not
"Anyway, they cornered Black in the middle of a street full of Muggles an' Black took out 'is wand and 'e blasted 'alf the street apart, an' a wizard got it, an' so did a dozen Muggles what got in the way. 'Orrible, eh? An' you know what Black did then?" Stan continued in a dramatic whisper.
"What?" said Harry.
"Laughed," said Stan. "Jus' stood there an' laughed. An' when reinforcements from the Ministry of Magic got there, I 'e went wiv em quiet as anyfink, still laughing 'is 'ead off. 'Cos 'e's mad, inee, Ern? Inee mad?"
Sirus shut up then, for the first time feeling afraid of what was to come, he knew that reaction, and he really did sound mad in the future. What if it was true? What if he really did all those things? What if he became a murderer like the rest of his family? What if…he startled once he felt Remus taking one of his hands, as though he had heard his inner panic, Sirius calmed down slightly and continued to listen to his best friend reading
"If he weren't when he went to Azkaban, he will be now," said Ern in his slow voice. "I'd blow meself up before I set foot in that place. Serves him right, mind you ... after what he did..."
"They 'ad a job coverin' it up, din' they, Ern?" Stan said. "'Ole street blown up an' all them Muggles dead. What was it they said ad 'appened, Ern?"
"Gas explosion," grunted Ernie.
"An' now 'e's out," said Stan, examining the newspaper picture of Black's gaunt face again. "Never been a breakout from Azkaban before, 'as there, Ern? Beats me 'ow 'e did it. Frightenin', eh? Mind, I don't fancy 'is chances against them Azkaban guards, eh, Ern?"
Ernie suddenly shivered.
"Talk about summat else, Stan, there's a good lad. Them Azkaban guards give me the collywobbles."
"ditto" The Black twins whispered
Stan put the paper away reluctantly, and Harry leaned against the window of the Knight Bus, feeling worse than ever. He couldn't help imagining what Stan might be telling his passengers in a few nights' time.
"'Ear about that 'Arry Potter? Blew up 'is aunt! We 'ad 'im 'ere on the Knight Bus, di'n't we, Ern? 'E was tryin' I to run for it..."
"oh Harry!" Lily smiled amused
He, Harry, had broken wizard law just like Sirius Black.
"It's not really the same though" Sirius smiled slightly at his godson, who was blushing under the fondly exasperated stares of everyone in the room
Was inflating Aunt Marge bad enough to land him in Azkaban?
"No, it's not" Leon chuckled
Harry didn't know anything about the wizard prison, though everyone he'd ever heard speak of it did so in the same fearful tone. Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper, had spent two months there only last year.
"Hagrid? Why on earth would he have to go there?" Charlie looked surprised
"It'll be explained in the break" Teddy sighed
Harry wouldn't soon forget the look of terror on Hagrid's face when he had been told where he was going, and Hagrid was one of the bravest people Harry knew.
The Knight Bus rolled through the darkness, scattering bushes and wastebaskets, telephone booths and trees, and Harry lay, restless and miserable, on his feather bed.
"Such a drama queen Harry" Fred and George laughed
After a while, Stan remembered that Harry had paid for hot chocolate,
Remus shook his head sadly
but poured it all over Harry's pillow when the bus moved abruptly from Anglesea to Aberdeen.
One by one, wizards and witches in dressing gowns and slippers descended from the upper floors to leave the bus. They all looked very pleased to go.
"I wonder why" James snarked, hoping to get a reaction from Sirius, who just continued to stare at the book
Finally, Harry was the only passenger left.
"Right then, Neville," said Stan, clapping his hands, where abouts in London?"
"Diagon Alley," said Harry.
"Righto," said Stan. "'Old tight, then."
BANG.
They were thundering along Charing Cross Road. Harry sat up and watched buildings and benches squeezing themselves out of the Knight Bus's way. The sky was getting a little lighter.
"I really hope sleepless nights don't become a habit young man" Lily warned
He would lie low for a couple of hours, go to Gringotts the moment it opened, then set off - where, he didn't know.
Ern slammed on the brakes and the Knight Bus skidded to a halt in front of a small and shabby- looking pub, the Leaky Cauldron, behind which lay the magical entrance to Diagon Alley.
"Thanks," Harry said to Ern.
He jumped down the steps and helped Stan lower his trunk and Hedwig's cage onto the pavement.
"Well…it seems he likes you" James told his son fondly
"Well," said Harry. "'Bye then!"
But Stan wasn't paying attention. Still standing in the doorway to the bus he was goggling at the shadowy entrance to the Leaky Cauldron. "There you are, Harry," said a voice.
"Busted!" both sets of twins yelled
Before Harry could turn, he felt a hand on his shoulder. At the same time, Stan shouted, "Blimey! Ern, come 'ere! Come 'ere I"
Harry looked up at the owner of the hand on his shoulder and felt a bucketful of ice cascade into his stomach - he had walked right into Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic himself.
"Rotten luck kid" Romulus sighed
Stan leapt onto the pavement beside them.
"What didja call Neville, Minister?" he said excitedly.
Fudge, a portly little man in a long, pinstriped cloak, looked cold and exhausted.
"Neville?" he repeated, frowning. "This is Harry Potter."
"I knew it!" Stan shouted gleefully. "Ern! Ern! Guess 'oo Neville is, Ern! 'E's 'Arry Potter! I can see 'is scar!"
"Of course you knew" Ginny rolled her eyes
"Yes," said Fudge testily, "well, I'm very glad the Knight Bus picked Harry up, but he and I need to step inside the Leaky Cauldron now..."
Fudge increased the pressure on Harry's shoulder, and Harry found himself being steered inside the pub. A stooping figure bearing a lantern appeared through the door behind the bar. It was Tom, the wizened, toothless landlord.
"You've got him, Minister!" said Tom. "Will you be wanting anything? Beer? Brandy?"
"Perhaps a pot of tea," said Fudge, who still hadn't let go of Harry.
There was a loud scraping and puffing from behind them, and Stan and Ern appeared, carrying Harry's trunk and Hedwig's cage and looking around excitedly.
"'Ow come you di'n't tell us 'oo you are, eh, Neville?" said Stan, beaming at Harry, while Ernie's owlish face peered interestedly over Stan's shoulder.
"Why do you think?" Harry said amused, he found Stan to be quite funny right now, even if he was slightly annoying at the moment
"And a private parlor, please, Tom," said Fudge pointedly.
`Bye," Harry said miserably to Stan and Ern as Tom beckoned Fudge toward the passage that led from the bar.
"'Bye, Neville!" called Stan.
"Why does he keep calling you Neville?" Percy asked baffled "he knows your name!"
"I don't know, maybe he thought it was funny?" Harry shrugged
Fudge marched Harry along the narrow passage after Tom's lantern, and then into a small parlor. Tom clicked his fingers, a fire burst into life in the grate, and he bowed himself out of the room.
"Sit down, Harry," said Fudge, indicating a chair by the fire.
Harry sat down, feeling goose bumps rising up his arms despite the glow of the fire. Fudge took off his pinstriped cloak and tossed it aside, then hitched up the trousers of his bottle-green suit and sat down opposite Harry.
"I am Cornelius Fudge, Harry. The Minister of Magic."
Harry already knew this, of course; he had seen Fudge once before, but as he had been wearing his father's Invisibility Cloak at the time, Fudge wasn't to know that.
"I'm really looking forward to these explanations" Lily glowered at her son
"you have an invisibility cloak?" Fred and George asked, eyes shining
Tom the innkeeper reappeared, wearing an apron over his nightshirt and bearing a tray of tea and crumpets. He placed the tray on a table between Fudge and Harry and left the parlor, closing the door behind him.
"Well, Harry," said Fudge, pouring out tea, "you've had us all in a right flap, I don't mind telling you. Running away from your aunt and uncle's house like that! I'd started to think... but you're safe, and that's what matters."
Fudge buttered himself a crumpet and pushed the plate toward Harry.
"Eat, Harry, you look dead on your feet. Now then... You will be pleased to hear that we have dealt with the unfortunate blowing-up of Miss Marjorie Dursley. Two members of the Accidental Magic Reversal Department were dispatched to Privet Drive a few hours ago. Miss Dursley has been punctured and her memory has been modified. She has no recollection of the incident at all. So that's that, and no harm done."
Fudge smiled at Harry over the rim of his teacup, rather like an uncle surveying a favorite nephew. Harry, who couldn't believe his ears, opened his mouth to speak, couldn't think of anything to say, and closed it again.
"Well…I guess he seems like a nice person, the new minister" James said
"Ah, you're worrying about the reaction of your aunt and uncle?" said Fudge. "Well, I won't deny that they are extremely angry, Harry, but they are prepared to take you back next summer as long as you stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays."
Harry unstuck his throat.
"I always stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays," he said, "and I don't ever want to go back to Privet Drive."
"You won't, we'll find a way" Ron said
"You can stay with us, no problem" Leon offered
"Now, now, I'm sure you'll feel differently once you've calmed down," said Fudge in a worried tone. "They are your family, after all, and I'm sure you are fond of each other - er - very deep down."
"very, very, veeeeeryyy, deep down" Adhara said
"Deeper than hell maybe" Fred rolled his eyes
"nah, the only thing the Dursleys have deep inside is food…and hate…and a boring core I guess" Zania said
It didn't occur to Harry to put Fudge right. He was still waiting to hear what was going to happen to him now.
"So all that remains," said Fudge, now buttering himself a second crumpet, "is to decide where you're going to spend the last two weeks of your vacation. I suggest you take a room here at the Leaky Cauldron and"
"Hang on," blurted Harry. "What about my punishment?"
"Mate…are you seriously asking for punishment?" George looked
"That is your fault" James told Lily, who just rolled her eyes
Fudge blinked. "Punishment?"
"I broke the law!" Harry said. "The Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry!"
"Oh, my dear boy, we're not going to punish you for a little thing like that!" cried Fudge, waving his crumpet impatiently. "It was an accident! We don't send people to Azkaban just for blowing up their aunts!"
But this didn't tally at all with Harry's past dealings with the Ministry of Magic.
"Last year, I got an official warning just because a house-elf smashed a pudding in my uncle's house!" he told Fudge, frowning. "The Ministry of Magic said I'd be expelled from Hogwarts if there was any more magic there!"
"House-elf?" Romulus asked
"We'll explain later" Remmy grinned
Unless Harry's eyes were deceiving him, Fudge was suddenly looking awkward.
"Circumstances change, Harry... We have to take into account... in the present climate... Surely you don't want to be expelled?"
"Oh…it's because of me, isn't it?" Sirius asked, looking defeated
"Of course I don't," said Harry.
"Well then, what's all the fuss about?" laughed Fudge. "Now, have a crumpet, Harry, while I go and see if Tom's got a room for you."
"Not that you're going to use it for long" Leon grinned
Fudge strode out of the parlor and Harry stared after him. There was something extremely odd going on. Why had Fudge been waiting for him at the Leaky Cauldron, if not to punish him for what he'd done? And now Harry came to think of it, surely it wasn't usual for the Minister of Magic himself to get involved in matters of underage magic?
"It's definitely not" Lupin answered, frowning
Fudge came back, accompanied by Tom the innkeeper.
"Room eleven's free, Harry," said Fudge. "I think you'll be very comfortable just one thing, and I'm sure you'll understand... I don't want you wandering off into Muggle London, all right? Keep to Diagon Alley. And you're to be back here before dark each night. Sure you'll understand. Tom will be keeping an eye on you for me."
"Okay," said Harry slowly, "but why?"
"Don't want to lose you again, do we?" said Fudge with a hearty laugh. "No, no... best we know where you are... I mean..."
"He's not even subtle" Bill snickered
Fudge cleared his throat loudly and picked up his pinstriped cloak.
"Well, I'll be off, plenty to do, you know...
"Have you had any luck with Black yet?" Harry asked.
Fudge's finger slipped on the silver fastenings of his cloak.
"Definitely not subtle" Charlie agreed
"What's that? Oh, you've heard - well, no, not yet, but it's only a matter of time. The Azkaban guards have never yet failed... and they are angrier than I've ever seen them."
Fudge shuddered slightly.
"So, I'll say good-bye."
He held out his hand and Harry, shaking it, had a sudden idea.
"uh-oh" Ron grimaced "What are you planning mate?"
"Er - Minister? Can I ask you something?"
"Certainly," said Fudge with a smile.
"Well, third years at Hogwarts are allowed to visit Hogsmeade, but my aunt and uncle didn't sign the permission form. D'you think you could -?"
Fudge was looking uncomfortable.
"Ah," he said. "No, no, I'm very sorry, Harry, but as I'm not your parent or guardian -"
"But you I re the Minister of Magic," said Harry eagerly. "If you gave me permission
"No, I'm sorry, Harry, but rules are rules," said Fudge flatly.
"He just broke a rule though" Leon remarked
'Perhaps You'll be able to visit Hogsmeade next year. In fact, I think it's best if you don't... yes... well, I'll be off Enjoy your stay, Harry."
And with a last smile and shake of Harry's hand, Fudge left the room. Tom now moved forward, beaming at Harry.
"If you'll follow me, Mr. Potter," he said, "I've already taken your things up..."
Harry followed Tom up a handsome wooden staircase to a door with a brass number eleven on it, which Tom unlocked and opened for him.
Inside was a very comfortable-looking bed, some highly polished oak furniture, a cheerfully crackling fire and, perched on top of the wardrobe -
"Hedwig!" Harry gasped.
The snowy owl clicked her beak and fluttered down onto Harry's arm.
"Very smart owl you've got there, chuckled Tom. "Arrived about five minutes after you did.
"She's amazing" Harry smiled fondly, wishing Hedwig was there
If there's anything you need, Mr. Potter, don't hesitate to ask."
He gave another bow and left.
Harry sat on his bed for a long time, absentmindedly stroking Hedwig. The sky outside the window was changing rapidly from deep, velvety blue to cold, steely gray and then, slowly, to pink shot with gold. Harry could hardly believe that he'd left Privet Drive only a few hours ago, that he wasn't expelled, and that he was now facing two completely Dursley-free weeks.
"It's been a very weird night, Hedwig," he yawned.
And without even removing his glasses, he slumped back onto his pillows and fell asleep.
"That's all" Remus sighed and closed the book
"Alright, now would be a good time to take the break" Teddy chimed in, standing up "So…I'll go for some snacks and food while you…deal with the questions"
"I'll help" Remmy stated
"No, its ok, you stay" Teddy glared at his friend, who sat back down, looking dejected
"I have one question" Lily said "and I believe it's best to start here…what exactly happened in your last two years?"
"…Well that's a long story" Harry muttered, looking at the floor
"Don't worry, we have time" Remmy said, ignoring the glare that Harry sent him
"Alright, well, I'll start on our first year…"
Hey guys! IMPORTANT news here!
From now on the updates will be once every two weeks, since I already started school, and I'm slightly busy, sometimes they might come in early and smetimes they might come in late but I'll do my best!
Pairings! so far, I'm still having trouble deciding, but at least I made my mind up on some of them so here it goes
Het: Lily/James, Ron/Hermione,
OC Pairings: OC/Fred, OC/George, OC/Charlie
Possible/suggested pairings: Draco/Harry, Percy/Harry, Remus/Sirius, Remus/Tonks, Remus/Snape (this are pairing that people have suggested either in rl or here on ff, if you like either of this tell me, if they get a lot of votes they might be on the story)
so tell me what you think! subscribes and reviews help me ignore school and write more, don't forget it!