More voices drifted through the door. Sean listened in silence while Harry pressed closer, straining to catch every word.
"Well, Arthur, you must think it's right or you wouldn't do it.
But you're forgetting Albus Dumbledore.
As long as Dumbledore is Headmaster, nothing can hurt Harry at Hogwarts.
I'm sure he knows all about this, doesn't he?"
"Of course he does. We asked if he'd allow Azkaban guards at the school gates. He wasn't happy about it, but he agreed."
"Not happy? They're there to catch Black—why wouldn't he be happy?"
"Dumbledore doesn't like the Azkaban guards," Mr Weasley said heavily.
"Truth be told, neither do I… but when you're dealing with a wizard like Black, sometimes you have to join forces with people you'd rather avoid."
"If they save Harry—"
"—then I'll never say another word against them."
Mr Weasley sounded exhausted.
"Come on, Molly, let's go upstairs and finish this…"
Chairs scraped. The Weasleys were clearly heading for the corridor.
Sean tapped his wand against himself and vanished beneath a Disillusionment Charm. Seeing Harry standing there stunned, he cast the same spell on him with a quick flick.
The door opened. A few seconds later Mr and Mrs Weasley walked straight past them. The stairs creaked as they went up.
"He's looking for me…"
Harry whispered the words without realising, staring out the window as if Sirius might appear at any moment.
"Sean…"
Harry spun round, eyes wide with the look of someone clutching at a lifeline. His voice came out hoarse.
"You heard that, didn't you? He's looking for me…"
Harry remembered the stories—Sirius Black killing thirteen people with one curse, being Voldemort's most loyal servant, Fudge ignoring the underage magic and focusing only on keeping him safe…
Sirius's goal was obvious.
Somewhere down the corridor came the clatter of a waiter clearing tables. Harry snapped out of it and met Sean's calm green eyes. Strangely, the panic eased.
The Weasleys clearly thought the truth would terrify him.
But Harry secretly agreed with Mrs Weasley: Hogwarts was the safest place in the world.
Sean was there. Dumbledore was there.
Everyone said Voldemort had only ever feared one wizard—Dumbledore.
Sirius, his most devoted follower, would surely fear him too.
And then there were the Azkaban guards everyone spoke about in hushed voices. They terrified most witches and wizards. With them stationed around the school, the chance of Black getting in seemed tiny.
But…
Harry still couldn't understand one thing. Sean had said Sirius had other plans and wouldn't hurt him. Why?
While he was puzzling over it, Harry saw Sean gazing silently at a nearby chair. A small bottle floated over—the rat-strengthening tonic, left beside the seat the Weasleys had used.
Harry grabbed it, delighted. Sean nodded. They hurried out.
The moment they stepped into the corridor they spotted Fred and George crouched in the shadows on the landing, shaking with silent laughter.
They'd heard Percy tearing their shared room apart looking for his badge.
"We took it," Fred whispered, showing them the badge.
"We gave it a little upgrade."
The words now read Bighead Boy.
Harry's face twitched; he was clearly fighting laughter.
With the rat tonic in hand, Justin and the others finally managed to separate Ron and Percy.
Of course, everyone noticed Percy's sour expression—hard to stay cheerful when your shiny new badge said something quite different.
"Come on…"
Ron clamped a hand over his mouth and bolted out of the Leaky Cauldron. Once outside he couldn't hold it in any longer and laughed until they reached Flourish and Blotts.
Golden afternoon sunlight poured over Diagon Alley. Witches and wizards hurried past with pets weaving between their legs. By the time a blushing witch finally rescued the sixth Kneazle that had climbed onto Sean's shoulder, he was able to have a quiet word with Professor Quirrell, who had just appeared looking hurried.
Sean stood outside Flourish and Blotts while the others dashed inside, even Harry managing to set his dark thoughts aside for a moment.
"Professor, how did it go?"
Sean asked softly.
"I—I'm terribly sorry, Mr Green. I couldn't find him."
Quirrell's black robes trembled as he spoke.
"It's not your fault. If he's determined to hide, none of us will find him."
Sean's brow furrowed slightly.
"V—He's cunning. He has power beyond anything we can imagine, Mr Green.
That place has been his domain for so long…"
Quirrell glanced nervously at the crowded street before continuing, each word careful.
"With his magic, even in that form… he could still be alive. Not only alive—he'll be plotting.
You must be careful, extremely careful. He will return… If we are to… destroy him, it won't be in that forest.
You know that in such a form he cannot truly die. Even if we erase every trace of his evil… he'll still have a chance to carry out his plans…"
Quirrell looked deeply worried.
"For the time being, please keep searching. If anything happens, contact me at once through the Magic Hand Mirror. I'll have Tyra join you."
Sean spoke calmly.
He raised his hand and placed a small Bowtruckle on Quirrell's robe. Tira naturally slipped into the professor's pocket.
"Ah… ah…"
Quirrell stared at the tiny creature in a daze as it gently scratched his arm with its knuckles.
"She likes you. If there's an emergency she'll help you open the Magic Hand Mirror."
Sean said.
"Oh… she likes me. Does that mean I'm doing all right?"
Quirrell asked, still half-lost.
"You are facing the most dangerous danger and the most evil evil, Professor."
Sean replied seriously.