When they went to Diagon Alley for shopping, Harry had to really stop Sirius from doing things for him. Harry had to careful what he looked at in any of the shops because even if he gave passing glance to something, Sirius would buy it for him. Sirius had him buy so much clothes that Harry was sure that he could wear a new one each day. Then there was Gringotts.

Sirius had entered the bank and went up to a teller, "I need to see Gornuk."

"Do you have an appointment?" asked the teller behind the counter.

"He is my account manager and I need to see him", said Sirius.

"If you don't have an appointment, you cannot see him, wizard", said the teller.

Sirius said to him ever politely, "Please can you see if he will take some time out of schedule?"

The goblin snarled, "Can't you understand, Wizard? He cannot be bothered without an appointment."

Sirius's face steeled into determination, "In that case get me the forms for closure of accounts. I am going to close my accounts and take them to where I will be valued as a customer."

Harry could see that the Goblin was momentarily stunned, "I. I. I am sure that is not necessary. We are only following the rules."

Sirius barked, "Your pesky rules don't apply to House of Black. Either fetch me Gornuk or get me the account closure forms."

"I will check if Gornuk is available for a meeting", said the Goblin jumping down from his seat, "Please wait for a few minutes."

As the goblin left, Sirius turned to Harry, "A lesson for you, pup. Never get haughty with a goblin at first but if push comes to the shove then don't be afraid to remind them who is the in-charge."

About 5 minutes later, the goblin returned, "Gornuk is available for a meeting now."

Sirius stood and led Harry through a maze of tunnels to a side where there were offices lined in a corridor. Sirius stopped outside a door and rapped hard on the door. The door opened instantly and in the room, sat an old wizened goblin behind a huge desk.

When they entered, he asked, "State your business, wizard. We don't have time to waste for a minute wasted is a galleon lost."

Sirius nodded, "Alright then. Get me my Lord Ring and the heir ring for my godson here as I had instructed you in the letter yesterday."

The goblin pushed a box towards Sirius, "There you go."

Sirius opened the box and took out the ring, "With magic as witness, I Sirius Orion Black take the Lordship of the House of Black as being the heir of the house and appoint Harry James Potter as my heir. So I say so mote it be."

With that he slipped the finger in his ring and gave an identical ring to Harry to wear. As they were done, Sirius was again talking to the goblin, "Where is the ledger?"

The goblin produced a thick bound book to him which Sirius slipped into one of his pockets. Then he addressed the goblin again, "Send the monthly statements to me regularly addressed to Remus Lupin, Steward to Lord Black. I will wait for your suggestions about some investments this evening. Don't be tardy."

With that they left. They went to another office down the door from the office of the manager of House Black and Sirius rapped on the door. This goblin was a young and he ushered them in and then had them seated, "I received you letter yesterday, Lord Black. What would you have me do?"

"Do the identification test and then provide Heir Ring and the Potter ledger to Harry Potter here", Sirius said briskly in no non-sense voice.

The goblin nodded, "Right away, Lord Black. Anything else?"

"No. Be quick about your work. A minute wasted is a galleon lost."

About half an hour later, they were done with their business in the Bank. As they were leaving, Sirius had withdrawn more money to spend on Harry.

Harry learnt a lesson that day. It registered on him that Sirius was acting with the Goblins as if they were beneath him so they would remember that they were facing a pure blood lord and not just another wizard. Sometimes, being kind was not an option.

What do you study?

That evening, Harry received letters from his friends. Hermione's letter was as usual full of questions and a lot of details. Unsurprisingly she had already started on her homework and was halfway through it.

"Harry,

I hope you are fine and your relatives are not giving you hard time. I am enjoying holidays and have already started on my homework. Have you started working on your homework yet? Please tell me you are not keeping it off to the last moment like always. Have you heard from Ron? He told me that his father was trying to arrange tickets for the Quidditch world cup final. Wouldn't that be exciting? I will be going back to the Dursleys with a week remaining in the vacations. I hope I will meet you there.

Have you heard from Sirius? I remember he was not there on the platform waiting for you. Is he going to take you in? I remember he had taken your custody from the Dursleys. What I do not understand is why you would return to live with them?

Later.

Hermione."

Ron's letter was always as short as it used to be. It came to him via the Weasley family owl, Errol. When the owl did arrive, it was tired and had to wait on Hedwig's perch to catch its breath relax before being able to make its journey back.

"Harry,

Mate, dad's sure that he will get the tickets. We are going to watch the final of the Quidditch world cup. I hope you will be able to join us. Are the muggles treating you right? You just have to give a word and we will come to rescue you from them. Have you heard from Sirius? Is he going to take you in?

Ron."

Harry was reading the letters when Sirius came into the room, "Letters from your friends, Harry?"

"Yeah. Asking me if I have started on homework or not."

"So have you?" Sirius asked.

"No", Harry said sheepishly, "Generally I am not allowed to keep my books in here."

"I see", said Sirius, "What electives did you take?"

"Divination and Care of Magical Creatures", Harry answered.

"And why did you take these subjects?" he asked.

"Actually I had no idea what subjects to take. Ron and decided to take these subjects so that we can have someone to help and these are easy electives."

"That is disappointing", said Sirius.

"What do you mean?" Harry asked.

"What do you know about your parents?" Sirius asked "I mean about their years at Hogwarts?"

"Not much really", he said "In fact all I have ever heard is that my father was good at transfiguration and my mother was great at charms."

"Harry, your parents were brilliant students. To say that James was good in transfiguration is understatement. He was an expert and he was equally great at Runes and Charms. He was a prodigious duellist and very competent wizard. Lilly was the same. She was great at Charms but equally good at Runes."

"Runes?" Harry asked.

"Yes. Runes may be a very difficult subject but it is very useful for a lot of things and it is helpful in a lot of careers options that are available to us after NEWTs. Lot of magic that we did used runes. It also increases your understanding of magic. If James and Lilly were here, they would not have allowed you to take Divination."

"Can I change it now?" Harry asked, "I mean I want to leave Divination but not Care of Magical Creatures."

Sirius thought over it for a few minutes before acquiesced, "I will write a letter to Minnie, I mean Professor McGonagall, telling her that you are going to take Runes and drop Divination. I will also ask Moony to teach you enough so that you can take part in your fourth year classes. You will have to put in some extra work but I am sure that you can compete."

Harry nodded, "When can I meet Professor Lupin?"

Sirius laughed, "Call him Uncle Moony if you will, Harry. If everything had been fine, he would have been there for every weekly dinner at your parent's and taught you cool tricks. And we will see him soon. I have bought a house recently where we are going to live for the summer after leaving this place."

"Umm... Sirius, Ron was telling me that his father was going to get us tickets for the Quidditch cup final. I was hoping to go to the Weasley's for it."

"If you want to watch the world cup then we have the second semi final next week and Cornelius has already offered me passes for the semi final and the final. You can call your friends to come along. For the final, Cornelius has promised me seats in his top tier box."

Harry grinned in delight, "I can invite anyone I want?"

"Anyone", said Sirius, "Ask them to bring their families too, if they will."

"Now I am off pup. I have to meet someone for some urgent business", said Sirius, "I will return as soon as I can and if Dursley tries to do anything you are free to curse him."

Harry nodded, "Gladly."

Godric's Hollow

Sirius had gone to meet the Headmaster in the village of Godric's Hollow. Godric's hollow was said to be village where Godric Gryffindor, one of the founders of Hogwarts lived. It was one of the earliest dwellings of the magic users in Britain and there they had lived openly until the International Statute of Secrecy forced them to go into hiding. Still half of the population in the village was half muggle and half wizard and they knew about magic. Another curious little fact was that this was the same village where the Potters had lived before they were forced to go into hiding during the war.

"Sirius, I expect you understand what your task is going to be?" asked Dumbledore.

"I don't understand it completely", Sirius admitted, "You are talking about some weird magic that I have never heard about and then you told me something that has set my mind spinning still."

"I understand", said Dumbledore, "But we have to do things to save Harry Potter. You will have to do what I have asked of you. There is something else that I want you help with."

"What is it?" Sirius asked him suspiciously.

"Do you remember Horace Slughorn?" Dumbledore asked.

"The old Potions Master?" Sirius asked, "Would be hard to forget considering that he kept hounding Prongs and me to be a part of his slug club and we kept refusing him. I felt like we were trophies that he wanted to collect."

Dumbledore chuckled, "You are not wrong. Horace has a proclivity of trying to get close to people who were influential or who had the talent to become great in the future. He taught and helped a lot of his students in positions of power. I want you to connect with him. Seeing how close you are being with the Minister of Magic, I'd say that he would not be able to refuse you."

"Is there a reason you want me to do it?" Sirius asked.

"Yes", said Dumbledore, "One of his favourite students about half a century ago was Tom Marvolo Riddle who later became Lord Voldemort. Riddle may have found about that thing from books but he also had discussed it with Horace at a point of time."

"Old Sluggy knew about it?" Sirius asked incredulously "He never struck as the kind of bloke who would take active interest in dark arts."

"He never dabbled in practicing Dark Arts but he had vast knowledge of it. Even I don't know as much as he does about them and I think his conversation with Tom about the thing is very crucial to our plans. He gave me a copy of that memory but it is altered by him. He is hiding something of which he is either scared or ashamed. I want you to convince him to share his memory of that conversation with us."

"Why do you think he will do that?"

Dumbledore smiled, "If you asked him then no. But if you were to invite him to give private lessons to Harry Potter in potions, for instance then he won't be able to leave the idea of getting his hands on the boy-who-lived and make him a part of his collection. Also he won't let go of the chance to get close to the man who is the Minister's best friend at the moment."

"Dumbledore, Harry hates his fame", Sirius said matter of factly.

"Yet he used it to save a hippogriff from execution", said Albus, "he would agree to anything if you give enough reason to do so. He is very honourable that way."

"I don't like it, Albus but right now I don't think any other way out of it", Sirius said. "Alright, where can I find Horace Slughorn?"

"He is living in his family home in Canterbury in retirement", said Dumbledore.

"Anything else?" Sirius asked.

"Yes. I have made contact with the people that I was telling you about. You have to take Harry with you just after the Quidditch final. I have arranged a portkey to take you to the destination. And this can be our only hope to save Harry otherwise we would have to resort to the way that I had mentioned earlier this year to you."

Sirius nodded grimly, "It won't come to that Headmaster. What do I tell Remus?"

"You and Remus are two of the most remarkable men that I have met in my life. Keeping secrets from each other won't be helpful, I think. I believe that you should tell him everything."

"Let me leave then. I will have to figure out a way to tell this to him", said Sirius standing up from his chair.

"Sirius, there's more", Dumbledore said.

"More?" Sirius asked.

"Yes", said Dumbledore, "You remember that James and Lilly and Frank and Alice had to go into hiding towards the end of the war?"

Sirius nodded, "Yes. I asked Prongs about it but he told me that it was a secret worth more than his life."

"He was right", said Dumbledore "What I am about to tell is something that should not be told to anyone especially Harry until we are sure that he is his own person. Shortly before Harry was born, a prophecy was made. A prophecy which was about a boy who could vanquish Voldemort and it gave some specific parameters which fit to only two set of parents. Both of them were in the order and were expecting at the same time."

"You mean the Potters and the Longbottoms..."

"Yes, they were the set of parents that the prophecy alluded to. It was sheer misfortune that a servant of Voldemort was present at the time when the prophecy was made and he heard some of it before he was caught eavesdropping. I could not get to him before he escaped with the information and told of it to Voldemort. I knew of the prophecy and decided that I needed to save them. I met with James and Frank and told them of the threat that they faced. I forced James to go into hiding but it was not easy to cajole Frank into doing so. With Aurors dying each day, they were facing shortage in the work force and as such, it became essential for him to be seen in public. He tried to remain as much hidden as he could and he almost had forced Alice to remain hidden throughout that time. Initially the prophecy could have meant either of the boys but Voldemort chose Harry as his equal by attacking him on that night. Lilly stepped in front of the curse meant for Harry and gave an everlasting protection to him."

Sirius nodded, "As enlightening it is, what the reason for telling it to me is?"

"Down in the bowels of the ministry of magic is an obscure department called 'the Department of Mysteries'. The department while within the ministry is completely autonomous and the employees who work there are called 'Unspeakables'. While the general public does not understand what they do there yet I have known some of it. They deal with much of the complex subjects that we don't understand like time, love, thoughts, prophecies etc. In one of those divisions is the division which keeps the records of all the prophecies ever made. Of these prophecies, one belongs to Lord Voldemort and Harry James Potter and it can be removed from its shelf only by either Voldemort or Harry or the unspeakable who can undo the magic that guards the shelf. Whenever Voldemort returns, his first act shall be to get to the prophecy and learn its contents. Should he ever succeed in doing so, it will seal our doom. What you have to do is take Harry Potter down to the department sometime within the next week and remove the prophecy. I have talked to Algernon Croaker, the head unspeakable, who would escort you both there. But remember that Harry, under no condition, should hear the prophecy until he is his own person. You can send the prophecy to one of your vaults for safe keeping so none can find it. And as a word of caution, I would urge you to go there under glamour or wearing one of those masks as the unspeakables wear."

"Anything else that needs my immediate attention?" Sirius asked.

"Not now but I should tell you that I have decided to invite Alastor Moody for the post of Defense against the Dark Arts this year."

"Mad- eye?" Sirius asked in astonishment, "But why? I mean there is no other guy who is as paranoid as him on the whole planet."

"The Triwizard tournament is coming back to Hogwarts this year and one of the participants is Durmstrang Academy. I don't know if you know it or not but the headmaster of Durmstrang Academy is Igor Karkaroff who was a death eater during the war. He only got out after he had betrayed fellow death eaters and told their names to the ministry."

Sirius gravely nodded, "Something does not feel right, Dumbledore. I am feeling like there is something that is missing."

"I feel so too, my boy", said Dumbledore, "That is why it is important that we take all precautions."

4, Privet Drive

"Boy", bellowed Vernon Dursley, "Get down here."

Harry came down and Vernon Dursley was foaming at the mouth, "I have had enough of your antics, boy. Go and mow the lawn now and then do the dishes in the kitchen if you know what is good for you."

Harry was scared of his uncle at times but this time he was not going to be cowered by him. He said resolutely, "No, I am not doing any chores. Get Dudley to do them or do it yourself"

Vernon bellowed loudly, "This is it. You won't be here anymore."

Vernon ran towards him and suddenly there was a loud bang and Vernon Dursley was thrown back of the impact. Harry Potter stood there with his wand out and just having used a banishing charm at his uncle, who was on the floor groaning.

Petunia screeched, "What have you done?"

"What you are shrieking like a banshee, Petunia?", growled Sirius who had just apparated in the house.

"This. This boy has hurt Vernon", said Petunia in outrage.

Sirius turned to Harry, "What happened, Harry?"

"He wanted me to mow the lawn and do the dishes", Harry explained, "When I refused then he tried to hit me."

Sirius, in display of strength, picked Vernon up by the collar of his shirt, "What did I tell you, Dursley? You tried to hit my godson?"

"I am not doing charity here", Vernon growled, "The boy has to pay for his stay and the food that we feed him."

Sirius pulled out an envelope from his pocket and threw it on the table, "There you go. This envelope contains more money than you make in a month, Dursley. Take it and don't ever try to force him to d anything. Now leave me and my godson alone."

Vernon took up the envelope and his eyes spread in wonder at the contents of the envelope. There were new bank notes in the envelope and more than he had ever made in a month at the Drilling factory.

Sirius was taking to Petunia, "I'd have thought that you would have changed but no. You will never change. You tried to side with your husband who was trying to abuse a minor? Really Petunia?"

Before she could answer, Sirius took Harry by hand and they climbed up to his room on the first floor.

When they were in the room, Sirius gave a book to Harry, "This is the introductory book for Runes. Use it and learn the first language. You don't have to do anything but just learn the alphabet like what rune is used for what purpose. There are seven languages that you will be taught in the course of three years till your OWLs. I want you to study diligently and do the best that you can. I have also hired a tutor for you to teach you potions."

"But Sirius, I am not that bad in potions", Harry protested, "Why do I need to take lessons for potions?"

"Harry, this tutor used to teach at Hogwarts. He taught me, your parents and countless other students including Lord Voldemort. He knows something that we have to know so that we can defeat Voldemort. You will use these lessons to try and find what he knows about it."

"But I don't understand", said Harry.

"We need a memory from him but you can't ask him directly. That is for later though. What is important is that tomorrow we are going to the Ministry for some work", he said.

"What are we going to do at the ministry?", he asked.

"There is something that we need to take from there."

"Okay", said Harry and then his attention went to the owl that was sitting on the window sill.

"Oh, I am sorry", he said to the owl taking the letter from it.

It was the same letter with the red envelope and no name of the sender.

"Heir Potter,

I am glad that you took time to reply to my letter this time. I am enjoying my holidays and going to visit France for a week. Father just told me yesterday. We will come back in time for the final of the Quidditch World Cup and hopefully I will see you there.

Keep working and may be you can find who I am. Why do you hate Slytherin by the way? Also please tell me that you know you are the heir of House Potter.

Later"

"Letter from your friend, Harry?", Sirius asked.

"In a way it is from a friend but I really don't know", he said.

"Meaning?"

"I started receiving these letters from a girl who does not write her name in any of these letters. She wants to be my friend but really does not disclose anything about her except vague hints and calls me Heir Potter. And I don't understand all this heir business though."

"How do you know it is a girl?", Sirius asked, "It can be a boy who is pretending to be girl just to prank you."

"Who would do that?", Harry asked.

Sirius snorted, "Well, in our fourth year, Remus started writing letters to the worm pretending to be a girl. It took 6 months for him to catch on the fact that it was Moony who was behind it."

"How do I tell if it is a girl or a boy?", Harry asked suddenly scared. He could think of at least two boys who could do this to him as a prank. The Weasley twins were known to be ruthless in their pranks and while they had never pranked him yet he wouldn't put it past them to try.

"Show me the letters, if you have them."

Harry showed the letters to him and Sirius read each twice before he turned to Harry, "This is a girl who is writing this letter to you. I can tell because all of these parchments are scented, the hand writing them seems to be delicate and feminine and she writes as a pureblood heiress would do. Being around pureblood ladies, I sort of have some idea about these things."

"So what is this heir business? I mean I asked Neville about it but he wouldn't say telling me that it would take a long time to explain. You had told me that you will explain it to me."

"It had just slipped my mind, Harry. To understand it, you will have to go back a few centuries when the wizarding society was formed. I am sure you would remember from Binns teaching how the wizarding society of Great Britain was formed?"

Harry shook his head, "I can't stay awake in his class."

Sirius barked in laughter, "Same here Harry but that is no reason for not taking up a book and reading about it. Bathilda Bagshot's 'A History of Magic' is good for start. Read it later in detail. For now, I will tell you in detail. About millennia ago, a wizard named Myrrdin Emeris better known as Merlin was helping a royal turned commoner King Arthur claim his throne. He helped Arthur in establishing the Knights of Round Table which consisted of Lords of noble lineage who pledged themselves to King Arthur. To work in the backdrop and to stop other wizards from harming King Arthur or his campaign he sought the help of 13 wizards who were from the prominent wizarding families. These 12 wizards with Merlin helped King Arthur claim his inheritance and in gratitude, Arthur knighted all of them as Lords of the Magical World. These 13 went on to form what is today's wizarding world. Of these 13, one was Linfred of Stinchcombe who was a potioneer and made earlier versions of the skele gro, pepper up etc. He was called Potterer fondly by the people for his family business was of pottery. The Potterer was reduced to Potter with age. Linfred became the first Potter. Another of these was Ignotus Peverell, Lord of House Peverell which was perhaps one of the most powerful and influential of those times. Ignotus's grand-daughter Iolanthe Peverell went on to marry Hardwin Potter, the son of Linfred of Stinchcombe and both the houses were merged together. Another of these lords was my ancestor who started the Ancient and Most Noble House of Black. Those 13 are considered the first houses and deemed elite in the upper echelons of our world. The first sons are generally expected to become the next lord and are designated the heir at their eleventh birthday or when they are deemed ready for it. However the Lord also can decide to make second born or even third born as the next lord. It is due to our services to the crown that we were ennobled and we continue to exercise that privilege today even though it means nothing more than words for most these days. You are the only Potter left so it is no surprise that you are the heir Potter. If however, James had got around to thinking about another son, that would have caused some problems but I remember him telling me that one was enough because Lilly had threatened him that she would never let him..."

"Sirius, enough information", Harry wailed, "I don't need to hear that about my parents."

"So are you going to answer the last letter?", Sirius asked.

"I am already halfway through it", said Harry showing him the letter he was writing, "And when I am done, I need you to tell me more about this heir thing because I can see this means big deal to everyone."

The letter read:

"Dear,

My god father has arranged tickets for us to go to the Quidditch World Cup final and the semi final next week. I have no vacations planned yet but my god father says that we are going somewhere over the summer after the world cup.

I don't hate Slytherins but they hate me. I have never seen eve one of them being friendly towards me yet and I have no reason to believe that it will change. I don't care what house you are from till we are friends and you don't want to harm me or my friends.

Yes, I am Heir Potter and I am Heir Black.

Harry James Potter

Heir Potter-Black."

Saying bye

The rest of their time at Privet Drive was fairly normal. Vernon Dursley still was furious but the money that Sirius had contemptuously thrown at him seemed to control his tongue. Petunia seemed to be turning a new leaf for them when she would go out of her way to care for him like washing his laundry, insist that he take second helpings at lunch table and generally fussing over him.

In those two weeks, Sirius was more often than absent but Harry faced no problems at Privet Drive. The only remarkable thing that had happened was when Sirius hauled Dudley in the house one afternoon by his ear.

That day, Harry was in generous mood and to pass time, he was mowing down the front lawn of the Dursleys. Petunia had insisted that he do not do it but Harry told her that he liked to do things when he was not forced into them. Besides, he was caught up in his homework and this time, he was sure that he had done better with Sirius's help. Sirius was uncharacteristically hard when it came to his studies and pushed Harry to the extreme giving him new books to study which went beyond the course material prescribed for them. The one good that it had done was to teach him more hexes and curses than he knew before and many of the curses left him wondering about the creativity of their manufacturers.

Petunia was sitting in the lawn and Harry was working at mowing it. Vernon was home that day for it was his day off and was indulging himself in watch television. There was a commotion down the road from Privet Drive and curious, Harry and Petunia careened forward to watch. There was Sirius dragging the elephantine Dudley by his ear. Dudley fought with him and even tried to kick Sirius but the older wizard was too much for him.

"VERNON", Petunia roared from the lawn, "Come outside. Quick"

Vernon Dursley came running and panting and by then Sirius was nearing the house. Seeing him treat his son that way, Vernon bellowed "Leave me son, Black or I will kill you."

Sirius coldly looked at Vernon who looked like he might burst an artery, "QUIET! You will not speak to me this way. Inside now."

Vernon opened his mouth to say something and Petunia said quietly, "He is right! The neighbours are watching."

So they were led inside the house and as soon as they were in, Vernon bellowed, "Now tell me what the meaning of this is?"

Sirius scoffed, "Shut your trap Muggle. You don't know what your son is up to and you have the audacity to roar at me?"

Petunia tried the passive approach, "Tell me what has happened?"

Sirius contemptuously looked at her, "Your son was harassing a boy half his size and age. Two of his lackey held the boy and he was hitting him. Is that what you teach to your son?"

"My Dudders won't do something like that. Stop lying, you freak."

Sirius snorted, "Keep your mouth shut muggle and ask your son."

Vernon turned to his son, "Is he telling the truth?"

Dudley was in panic. He didn't tell his father but Sirius had terrified him. As they were hitting the young child, a dog the size of a hound had attacked them and then changed into a man. That was enough to set his friends shivering and wetting their pants. Piers was actually crying and sobbing and asking for his forgiveness. When Sirius left them, he had cast something upon his friends and they had fallen unconscious.

"Tell them boy", growled Sirius.

"I. I. I." He stuttered.

"Stop yammering and tell them the truth", Sirius barked.

"Father, we. We were smo... smoking and this boy was bothering us. He tried to attack me and..."

"Stop lying", said Sirius, "I saw what you were doing. You were smoking with your friends and started bullying the boy who was just passing through. When he said something, you had your friends hold him and then beat him blue."

"Is that true?", Petunia asked harshly.

Dudley whimpered, "Y. yes."

"Go to your room", Petunia barked, "Don't come out until you are called for. You are being grounded from this moment and I will take away your television, your video games and the computer we got for you. You will get up in the morning and do all the chores that are to be done including doing the dishes, washing the bathroom and doing the laundry until it is time to go back to school. We will also be taking back your pocket money for a month."

"No."

"Then I will throw you out of the house", she said.

"Pet", Vernon tried to reason with her, "You can't do..."

"This is your fault, Vernon", she growled, "You have spoiled him. You have made me feel inferior before them."

Harry then understood why his aunt was upright all of a sudden. Her perfect boy had shown them down in front of the freaks.

"Come Harry, let's get your started on your charms homework", said Sirius taking Harry away with him.

When they were in Harry's room, he asked, "You changed into your animagus form before muggles. Does it not breach the International Statute of Secrecy?"

Sirius barked in laughter, "I made all of them forget that I am an animagus. All they will remember is that I took them to task and then hauled Dudley away by his ear. Obliviate charms are handy things."

They had also gone to the Ministry and picked up one of those glass orbs from the Department of Mysteries. The label on it said, "Harry Potter and the Dark Lord" but Sirius won't let him hear it.

He had said, "Harry, prophecies are tricky things and they can often lead you astray in trying to understand their meaning. Even the seers who make these prophecies can't understand their clear meanings for they are often double meaning or duplicitous. Besides, you are not ready to hear the prophecy now. Trust me, when it is time I will let you hear it."

Harry really trusted the older man so he had allowed him to keep the Prophecy for the time being.

On the last day at Privet Drive, Harry asked him, "Sirius we are leaving today, right?"

"Yes, kid. We are leaving today."

"Where are we going?"

"To my new place."

"And how are we going?", Harry asked him.

"Well I thought about floo network but I haven't one installed there yet. I can apparate but I prefer riding there."

"You mean riding as in a hippogriff?"

Sirius snorted, "Can you imagine us riding a hippogriff in a muggle neighbourhood? No, we are going to ride a bike."

"A bike?", Harry asked in wonder.

"Yes kid. When I left Hogwarts, I owned a motor cycle which I had enchanted with a lot of charms. That night, I gave it to Hagrid to bring you here quickly from Godric's hollow. I had no idea what became of it after that night but recently Hagrid told me that he kept at Hogwarts and I was able to restore some of the functions to it. I have got it standing in the Dursley's garage downstairs and ready to leave as soon as you are ready."

Harry excitedly started to get ready. Soon, he was dressed in the finest muggle clothing that he had and went to find Sirius downstairs. Sirius to his dismay was dressed in dragon hide boots, a jeans and a leather jacket. Hs hair was pulled back in a ponytail and there was a pair of sunglasses on the table near him.

As he saw Harry he got up, "I am bringing the motor cycle out. Don't bother with your luggage. I have sent it to my place already and Hedwig will join us there."

As Sirius walked out, Petunia stopped Harry, "Harry, take this."

He saw she was extending him the envelope that Sirius had given to Vernon, "Why are you giving it to me?"

"I don't need to be paid to take care of my sister's son. I am sorry that it took me so long to look beyond my grudges with my sister. We are really close when we were growing up but she was the special sister. She got everything that I could not and I took it out on you. I know she would have taken Dudley in if something happened to me. I know you don't want to return here at all as your headmaster explained to me in a letter. I know you don't want to keep any contact with me but may be, you can drop me a line or two from time to time and I would know you are safe? I don't mean that you should write letters frequently but sometimes would be nice. And I will try to answer them as much as I can. And you will always have a place here with me till I am alive."

"Harry, we are getting late", Sirius called from outside and Harry started walking out, "I will remember to write letters, Aunt Petunia. I just wish you had shown some love to me while I was growing up. I turned up on your doorstep as an orphan with no one to call my own and the least you could have done is to provide me a home where I was loved. I will try to remain in touch. And keep the money as a gift."