Summer had been uneventful this year in the Grindelwald home. The only change was that Y/n no longer tried to make conversation with Atticus like in the past and both boys ignored one another. Barring some snide remarks made by Atticus that Y/n choose to ignore.
Y/n instead chose to spend his summer studying. Both Ron and Hermione were out of the country and visiting Harry with his relatives was not an option. Weeks went by until Y/n learned that Ron and his family as well as Hermione would be spending the last few days of the holidays at the Leaky cauldron. Y/n asked his grandmother if he could do the same and to his delight she said it would be fine as long as he stayed with the Weasleys.
The day had finally arrived as Y/n was stood in the leaky cauldron with his grandmother.
"Now, I've given Tom the money to cover your room and food bill so do not worry about that." She told him.
"Thank you Grandmother." Y/n said gratefully.
"If you do need anymore Gringotts is not too far, but remember do not waste your galleons. Atticus has done enough of that already..." Y/n's Grandmother sighed.
"I was actually hoping to buy some Christmas presents for my friends as well as some new books for myself." Y/n told her.
"Well...I suppose that would be alright." His grandmother smiled then looked at a clock on the bar wall. "I'm running late. Y/n I'll have to leave you here."
"I understand Grandmother." Y/n nodded.
"Make sure you stay good. Focus on your studies. and remember...I'm very proud of you Y/n." She told him causing Y/n to feel smile.
She waved him a goodbye as he watched her leave the bar and now he was left alone with Noctis in her basket and his trunk.
"Let's go look for the others." Y/n said to his cat but she gave no reply. Noctis was far too comfortable in her basket to move. Y/n looked around the Leaky Cauldron as he wondered what he should do first but two familiar faces talking to one another made his decision for him.
"Ron. Hermione." Y/n called out their names and they turned around to see him stood in hand with Noctis in her basket and his trunk by his side.
"Y/n!" Hermione called back as she and Ron made their ways over to him.
Because of the basket in his hand Y/n had to give Hermione an awkward one handed hug as he greeted her.
Ron settled for a simple handshake which Y/n was glad for.
"I hope you are both well. How were France and Egypt?" Y/n asked them once they were all settled down at a table.
"Oh it was wonderful." Hermione quickly began to say. "I learned so much while I was there. Did you know the have a school there called..."
"Egypt was brilliant." Ron interrupted her and she frowned at being cut off. "Never had a holiday where all of us went to together like that. Mum couldn't believe it when Dad came home saying he had won the jackpot."
Y/n personally thought that the Weasley's probably should have used their money a little more wisely given how little the always lived on but he also supposed that they deserved a nice treat after the ordeal Ginny had gone through in what was only her first year.
"It feels like we are one short without Harry." Y/n said noting the absence of their friend.
"Actually he's supposed to be saying here Dad says." Ron said.
"Really?" Y/n asked looking to try potentially spot him.
"Where could he be then?" Hermione wondered looking around herself too.
"Knowing Harry? Probably in trouble." Y/n joked.
"Saying that...Dad told me Harry almost did get into trouble with the ministry. That's why he's staying here." Ron said causing Hermione to gasp.
"What did he do?" Y/n asked.
"Blew up his aunt apparently." Ron laughed now.
"That's not funny Ron!" Hermione told him crossly.
"Is it not possible for Harry to go even a summer without something happening?" Y/n sighed at this news.
"I just hope he hasn't gotten into trouble. There's supposed to be dangerous criminal on the loose." Hermione said worried.
Y/n had heard the news of a famous wizard known as Sirius Black escaping from Azkaban recently. Though he did not want to admit the thought someone could break out of Azkaban worried him deeply. Would his parents try next? He looked up to spot a wanted poster on the bar wall with Black's face moving on it.
"Maybe Harry is in Diagon Alley?" Y/n suggested to the two wanting to take his mind off the subject.
"I need to get my school stuff from there anyways." Ron shrugged then perked up. "Mum and Dad said they'd get me my own wand." He added excited by the prospect.
"Let me put my trunk and Noctis in my room then we go then." Y/n said.
It was now lunchtime and the three were sitting outside Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor enjoying Ice cream and discussing where Harry could possibly be when Ron suddenly got up.
"Harry! HARRY!" Y/n heard Ron shout out and both he and Hermione turned their heads to see Harry was indeed nearby.
"Finally!" said Ron, grinning as Harry sat down at their table. "We went to the Leaky Cauldron, but they said you'd left, and we went to Flourish and Blotts, and Madam Malkin's, and..."
"I got all my school stuff last week." Harry explained. "And how come you knew I'm staying at the Leaky Cauldron?"
"Dad." said Ron simply.
Ron had told Y/n and Hermione that Mr. Weasley, who worked at the Ministry of Magic, had heard about Harry accidently inflating his aunt in a moment of rage.
"Did you really blow up your aunt, Harry?" said Hermione in a very serious voice.
"I didn't mean to." said Harry, while Ron roared with laughter. "I just....lost control."
"You are lucky things didn't turn out worse." Y/n pointed out as he licked his ice cream.
"Exactly, It's not funny Ron." said Hermione sharply. "Honestly, I'm amazed Harry wasn't expelled."
"So am I." admitted Harry. "Forget expelled, I thought I was going to be arrested. " He looked at Ron. "Your dad doesn't know why Fudge let me off, does he?"
"Probably 'cause it's you, isn't it?" shrugged Ron, still chuckling. "Famous Harry Potter and all that. I'd hate to see what the Ministry'd do to me if I blew up an aunt. Mind you, they'd have to dig me up first, because Mum would've killed me. Anyway, you can ask Dad yourself this evening. We're staying at the Leaky Cauldron tonight too! So you can come to King's Cross with us tomorrow! Y/n and Hermione's staying there as well!"
Hermione nodded, beaming. "Mum and Dad dropped me off this morning with all my Hogwarts things."
"I asked my grandmother if I could spend the last day with friends and she agreed." Y/n said simply.
"Excellent!" said Harry happily. "So, have you got all your new books and stuff?"
"I bought my books and got my robes adjusted a few weeks ago. We've been shopping for Ron while looking for you mainly." Y/n admitted.
"Look at this." said Ron, pulling a long thin box out of a bag and opening it. "Brand-new wand. Fourteen inches, willow, containing one unicorn tail-hair. And we've got all our books." He pointed at a large bag under his chair. "What about those Monster Books, eh? The assistant nearly cried when we said we wanted two."
"I cannot say I blame him. My grandmother almost refused to let them into the house." Y/n said.
"What's all that, Hermione?" Harry asked, pointing at not one but three bulging bags in the chair next to her.
"Well, I'm taking more new subjects than you, aren't I." said Hermione. "Those are my books for Arithmancy, Care of Magical Creatures, Divination, the Study of Ancient Runes, Muggle Studies."
"What are you doing Muggle Studies for?" said Ron, rolling his eyes at Harry. "You're Muggle-born! Your mum and dad are Muggles! You already know all about Muggles!"
"But it'll be fascinating to study them from the wizarding point of view," said Hermione earnestly.
"As much as I admire your work effort, I still do not see how you can plan on taking so many subjects at once. Are you planning to eat or sleep at all this year?" Y/n asked her, while Ron sniggered.
Hermione ignored them. "I've still got ten Galleons." she said, checking her purse. "It's my birthday in September, and Mum and Dad gave me some money to get myself an early birthday present."
"How about a nice book? said Ron innocently.
"No, I don't think so." said Hermione composedly. "I really want an owl. I mean, Harry's got Hedwig and you've got Errol..."
"I haven't." said Ron. "Errol's a family owl. All I've got is Scabbers. " He pulled his pet rat out of his pocket. "And I want to get him checked over." he added, placing Scabbers on the table in front of them. "I don't think Egypt agreed with him. "
Scabbers was looking thinner than usual, and there was a definite droop to his whiskers.
"There is a magical creature shop just over there." Y/n said as he pointed to a shop in the distance. "It is where I got Noctis from."
"You could see if they've got anything for Scabbers, and Hermione can get her owl." Harry added.
So they paid for their ice cream and crossed the street to the Magical Menagerie.
There wasn't much room inside. Every inch of wall was hidden by cages. It was smelly and very noisy because the occupants of these cages were all squeaking, squawking, jabbering, or hissing. The witch behind the counter was already advising a wizard on the care of double-ended newts, so Harry, Ron, Y/n and Hermione waited, examining the cages.
A pair of enormous purple toads sat gulping wetly and feasting on dead blowflies. A gigantic tortoise with a jewel-encrusted shell was glittering near the window. Poisonous orange snails were oozing slowly up the side of their glass tank, and a fat white rabbit kept changing into a silk top hat and back again with a loud popping noise. Then there were cats of every color, a noisy cage of ravens, a basket of funny custard-colored furballs that were humming loudly, and on the counter, a vast cage of sleek black rats that were playing some sort of skipping game using their long, bald tails.
The double-ended newt wizard left, and Ron approached the counter.
"It's my rat." he told the witch. "He's been a bit off-color ever since I brought him back from Egypt."
"Bang him on the counter." said the witch, pulling a pair of heavy black spectacles out of her pocket.
Ron lifted Scabbers out of his inside pocket and placed him next to the cage of his fellow rats, who stopped their skipping tricks and scuffled to the wire for a better took.
Like nearly everything Ron owned, Scabbers the rat was secondhand, he had once belonged to Ron's brother Percy. Next to the glossy rats in the cage, he looked especially woebegone.
"Hm." said the witch, picking up Scabbers. "How old is this rat?"
"Dunno," said Ron. "Quite old. He used to belong to my brother. "
"What powers does he have?" said the witch, examining Scabbers closely.
"Er..." The truth was that Scabbers had never shown the faintest trace of interesting powers. The witch's eyes moved from Scabbers's tattered left ear to his front paw, which had a toe missing, and tutted loudly.
"He's been through the mill, this one." she said.
"He was like that when Percy gave him to me." said Ron defensively.
"An ordinary common or garden rat like this can't be expected to live longer than three years or so." said the witch. "Now, if you were looking for something a bit more hard-wearing, you might like one of these..." She indicated the black rats, who promptly started skipping again.
"Show-offs." Ron muttered.
"Well, if you don't want a replacement, you can try this rat tonic." said the witch, reaching under the counter and bringing out a small red bottle.
"Okay." said Ron. "How much...OUCH!"
Ron buckled as something huge and orange came soaring from the top of the highest cage, landed on his head, and then propelled itself, spitting madly, at Scabbers.
"NO, CROOKSHANKS, NO!" cried the witch, but Scabbers shot from between her hands like a bar of soap, landed splay-legged on the floor, and then scampered for the door.
"Scabbers!" Ron shouted, racing out of the shop after him and Harry followed.
Y/n and Hermione just stood in surprise and shock as they remained in the shop.
"What on earth..." Y/n had started to say as his eyes looked to the orange cat that had jumped on Ron's head.
"Crookshanks you naughty cat!" The witch beamed now getting the pair's attention and they saw her picking up the grumpy looking orange cat now.
"I wish you wouldn't misbehave so much." She then added disappointed before turning her gaze towards Y/n and Hermione. "Oh, I remember you!" The witch said crossing the shop to meet them Crookshanks still in her arms. "You are the boy who bought Noctis, My you have grown up a bit since then. How is Noctis is she well and behaving?"
Y/n just smiled as he recognised the witch now. "Noctis is doing very well these days, like myself she has grown up. She is only occasionally misbehaves but I suspect that she's just seeking attention." Y/n told her. "But I do worry that she might be lonely sometimes, I cannot be with her all the time after all."
"Noctis was a very friendly kitten who did enjoy the company of her brothers and sisters. When they were all bought and she was left alone she became terribly quiet and skinny. It was only when you came along did she show any signs of improving, I'm still so glad you bought her. It gives me great joy to hear she is doing well." The witch said fondly.
It was now she took notice of Hermione too. "Oh I'm so sorry dear, I got caught up there for a moment. Is there something I can help you with?" She asked her.
"I was thinking of purchasing a pet with some money I received as a birthday present." Hermione said.
Crookshanks let out a meow now signalling he wanted put down.
"Alright Crookshanks I'm putting you down." The witch said as she placed him down on the counter.
"Well as you can see w do have a wide variety of animals available for purchase. Ranging from the uncommon ones like snails and tarantulas to the most popular like Cat's and Owls." The witch said proudly.
Crookshanks the orange cat strode across the counter stopping at the end as it looked up and Y/n and Hermione.
"Oh look Y/n, isn't he gorgeous?" Hermione said as she stared down at the cat.
Y/n could tell that there would be no point in mentioning another animal to Hermione now, her heart was being won by this orange cat. "Are you sure Hermione, I thought you wanted an owl?" Y/n asked her to be certain.
"Well, I wasn't dead set on buying one." Hermione pointed out not taking her eyes off Crookshanks. "And it would be nice for Noctis to have some company if she is lonely." Hermione then added. Y/n could certainly see the appeal to her point as it would mean he didn't have to worry about Noctis being lonely anymore.
"Oh are you perhaps interested in Crooksanks?" The witch asked curiously. "He's been here for years the poor thing. He can be slightly grumpy but he really is ever so sweet." The witch sighed.
Hermione's mind was now made up. "How much is he?" She asked the witch.
"Six Galleons." The witch smiled.
"Then I'll take him." Hermione said as she began to take some galleons out of her bag.
The witch just smiled as she took the galleons from Hermione and signed a magical contract signing over ownership to her. "And there we are, A new happy home for Crookshanks." The witch said as Hermione scooped up the cat now. "Oh, and don't forget your friend's rat tonic." She added holding it out and Y/n took it. "Although I must say I think he might be better off purchasing a new pet entirely."
"I fear you may be right..." Y/n admitted. "Thank you once again for your help."
"It was no worries dear. Goodbye Crookshanks." She waved to the orange cat in Hermione's arms as Y/n opened the shop door for them and they exited.
They had just made their way back on to the street when they heard. "You bought that monster?" It was Ron who was stood his mouth hanging open in a look of shock and horror at the sight of Crookshanks.
"He's gorgeous, isn't he?" said Hermione, glowing.
That was a matter of opinion, thought Harry. The cat's ginger fur was thick and fluffy, but it was definitely a bit bowlegged and its face looked grumpy and oddly squashed, as though it had run headlong into a brick wall. Now that Scabbers was out of sight, however, the cat was purring contentedly in Hermione's arms.
"Hermione, that thing nearly scalped me!" said Ron.
"He didn't mean to, did you, Crookshanks?" said Hermione.
"And what about Scabbers?" said Ron, pointing at the lump in his chest pocket. "He needs rest and relaxation! How's he going to get it with that thing around?"
"That reminds me, you forgot your rat tonic." said Y/n, holding out the small red bottle to Ron who took it.
"Stop worrying, Crookshanks will be sleeping in my dormitory and Scabbers in yours, You've never had a complaint about Noctis before so what's the problem? Poor Crookshanks, that witch said he'd been in there for ages, no one wanted him."
"Wonder why." said Ron sarcastically as they set off toward the Leaky Cauldron.
They found Mr. Weasley sitting in the bar, reading the Daily Prophet.
"Harry! Y/n!" he said, smiling as he looked up. "How are you both?"
"Hello Mr Weasley, a pleasure as always." Y/n greeted him.
"Yeah fine, thanks." said Harry as he, Ron, Y/n and Hermione joined Mr. Weasley with their shopping.
Mr. Weasley put down his paper, and Y/n saw the now familiar picture of Sirius Black staring up at him. "I see they still have not caught him then?" he asked.
"No." said Mr. Weasley, looking extremely grave. "They've pulled us all off our regular jobs at the Ministry to try and find him, but no luck so far. "
"Would we get a reward if we caught him?" asked Ron. "It'd be good to get some more money..."
"Don't be ridiculous, Ron." said Mr. Weasley, who on closer inspection looked very strained. "Black's not going to be caught by a thirteen-year-old wizard. It's the Azkaban guards who'll get him back, You mark my words."
Y/n's good mood was dampened at the mention of that place but at that moment Mrs. Weasley entered the bar, laden with shopping bags and followed by the twins, Fred and George, who were about to start their fifth year at Hogwarts, the newly elected Head Boy, Percy and the Weasleys" youngest child and only girl, Ginny.
Ginny, who had always been very taken with Harry, seemed even more heartily embarrassed than usual when she saw him, perhaps because he had helped save her life during their previous year at Hogwarts. She went very red and muttered "hello" without looking at him.
Percy, however, held out his hand solemnly as though he and Harry had never met and said, "Harry. How nice to see you."
"Hello, Percy." said Harry, trying not to laugh.
"I hope you're well?" said Percy pompously, shaking hands. It was rather like being introduced to the mayor.
"Very well, thanks..." Harry uttered.
"Y/n!" said Fred, elbowing Percy out of the way and bowing deeply at the boy stood next to Harry. "Simply splendid to see you, old boy..."
"It's is nice to see you both too on such a fine day." Y/n chuckled as he played along with the twins feeling better now.
"Marvelous!" said George, pushing Fred aside and seizing Y/n's hand in turn. "Absolutely spiffing."
Percy just scowled.
"That's enough now." said Mrs. Weasley.
"Mum!" said Fred, as though he'd only just spotted her and seizing her hand, too. "How really corking to see you..."
"I said, that's enough." said Mrs. Weasley, depositing her shopping in an empty chair. "Hello, Harry, Y/n dears. I suppose you've heard our exciting news?" She pointed to the brand-new silver badge on Percy's chest. "Second Head Boy in the family!" she said, swelling with pride.
"And last." Fred muttered under his breath.
"I don't doubt that." said Mrs. Weasley, frowning suddenly. "I notice they haven't made you two prefects. "
"What do we want to be prefects for?" said George, looking revolted at the very idea. "It'd take all the fun out of life."
Ginny giggled and Y/n chuckled.
"You want to set a better example for your sister!" snapped Mrs. Weasley.
"Ginny's got other brothers to set her an example, Mother." said Percy loftily. "I'm going up to change for dinner."
He disappeared and George heaved a sigh. "We tried to shut him in a pyramid," he told Y/n and Harry.
"But Mum spotted us." Fred added.
Dinner that night was a very enjoyable affair. Tom the innkeeper put three tables together in the parlor, and the seven Weasleys, Harry, Y/n and Hermione ate their way through five delicious courses.
"How're we getting to King's Cross tomorrow, Dad?" asked Fred as they dug into a sumptuous chocolate pudding.
"The Ministry's providing a couple of cars." said Mr. Weasley.
Everyone looked up at him.
"Why?" said Percy curiously.
"It's because of you, Perce," said George seriously. "And there'll be little flags on the hoods, with HB on them..."
"for Humongous Bighead." said Fred.
Everyone except Percy and Mrs. Weasley snorted into their pudding.
"Why are the Ministry providing cars, Father?" Percy asked again, in a dignified voice.
"Well, as we haven't got one anymore." said Mr. Weasley as Y/n looked to the side feeling guilty. "and as I work there, they're doing me a favor... "
His voice was casual, but Y/n couldn't help noticing that Mr. Wesley's ears had gone red, just like Ron's did when he was under pressure.
"Good thing, too." said Mrs. Weasley briskly. "Do you realize how much luggage you've all got between you? A nice sight you'd be on the Muggle Underground...You are all packed, aren't you?"
"Ron hasn't put all his new things in his trunk yet." said Percy, in a long-suffering voice. "He's dumped them on my bed."
"You'd better go and pack properly, Ron, because we won't have much time in the morning," Mrs. Weasley called down the table.
Ron just scowled at Percy.
"Y/n, Harry you both have packed yes?" Mrs Weasley asked them.
"Packed and ready to go." Y/n said simply.
"Uh..." Harry stuttered.
"Good boys." Mrs Weasley said.
After dinner everyone felt very full and sleepy. One by one they made their way upstairs to their rooms to check their things for the next day. Ron and Percy were next door to Harry. He had just closed and locked his own trunk when he heard angry voices through the wall, and went to see what was going on.
The door of number twelve was ajar and Percy was shouting.
"It was here, on the bedside table, I took it off for polishing."
"I haven't touched it, all right?" Ron roared back.
"What's up?" said Harry.
"My Head Boy badge is gone." said Percy, rounding on Harry.
"So's Scabbers's Rat Tonic." said Ron, throwing things out of his trunk to look. "I think I might've left it in the bar..."
"You're not going anywhere till you've found my badge!" yelled Percy.
"I'll get Scabbers's stuff, I'm packed." Harry said to Ron, and he went downstairs.
Harry was halfway along the passage to the bar, which was now very dark, when he heard another pair of angry voices coming from the parlor. A second later, he recognized them as Mr. and Mrs. Weasleys". He hesitated, not wanting them to know he'd heard them arguing, when the sound of his own name made him stop, then move closer to the parlor door.
"...makes no sense not to tell him." Mr. Weasley was saying heatedly. "Harry's got a right to know. I've tried to tell Fudge, but he insists on treating Harry like a child. He's thirteen years old and..."
"Arthur, the truth would terrify him!" said Mrs. Weasley shrilly. "Do you really want to send Harry back to school with that hanging over him? For heaven's sake, he's happy not knowing!"
"I don't want to make him miserable, I want to put him on his guard!" retorted Mr. Weasley. "You know what Harry, Y/n and Ron are like, wandering off by themselves... they've ended up in the Forbidden Forest twice! But Harry mustn't do that this year! When I think what could have happened to him that night he ran away from home! If the Knight Bus hadn't picked him up, I'm prepared to bet he would have been dead before the Ministry found him."
"But he's not dead, he's fine, so what's the point..."
"Molly, they say Sirius Black's mad, and maybe he is, but he was clever enough to escape from Azkaban, and that's supposed to be impossible. It's been three weeks, and no one's seen hide nor hair of him, and I don't care what Fudge keeps telling the Daily Prophet, we're no nearer catching Black than inventing self-spelling wands. The only thing we know for sure is what Black's after..."
"But Harry will be perfectly safe at Hogwarts."
"We thought Azkaban was perfectly safe. If Black can break out of Azkaban, he can break into Hogwarts."
"But no one's really sure that Black's after Harry..."
There was a thud on wood, and Harry was sure Mr. Weasley had banged his fist on the table. "Molly, how many times do I have to tell you? They didn't report it in the press because Fudge wanted it kept quiet, but Fudge went out to Azkaban the night Black escaped. The guards told Fudge that Blacks been talking in his sleep for a while now. Always the same words: "He's at Hogwarts...he's at Hogwarts." Black is deranged, Molly, and he wants Harry dead. If you ask me, he thinks murdering Harry will bring You-Know-Who back to power. Black lost everything the night Harry stopped You-Know-Who, and he's had twelve years alone in Azkaban to brood on that..."
There was a silence. Harry leaned still closer to the door, desperate to hear more.
"Well, Arthur, you must do what you think is right. But you're forgetting Albus Dumbledore. I don't think anything could hurt Harry at Hogwarts while Dumbledore's Headmaster. I suppose he knows about all this?"
"Of course he knows. We had to ask him if he minds the Azkaban guards stationing themselves around the entrances to the school grounds. He wasn't happy about it, but he agreed."
"Not happy? Why shouldn't he be happy, if they're there to catch Black?"
"Dumbledore isn't fond of the Azkaban guards." said Mr. Weasley heavily. "Nor am I, if it comes to that...but when you're dealing with a wizard like Black, you sometimes have to join forces with those you'd rather avoid."
"If they save Harry..."
"Then I will never say another word against them." said Mr. Weasley wearily. "It's late, Molly, we'd better go up..."
Harry heard chairs move. As quietly as he could, he hurried down the passage to the bar and out of sight. The parlor door opened, and a few seconds later footsteps told him that Mr. and Mrs. Weasley were climbing the stairs.
The bottle of rat tonic was lying under the table they had sat at earlier. Harry waited until he heard Mr. and Mrs. Wesley's bedroom door close, then headed back upstairs with the bottle.
Fred and George were crouching in the shadows on the landing, heaving with laughter as they listened to Percy dismantling his and Ron's room in search of his badge.
"We've got it." Fred whispered to Harry. "We've been improving it. "
The badge now read Bighead Boy.
Harry forced a laugh, went to give Ron the rat tonic, then shut himself in his room and lay down on his bed.
So Sirius Black was after him. This explained everything. Fudge had been lenient with him because he was so relieved to find him alive. He'd made Harry promise to stay in Diagon Alley where there were plenty of wizards to keep an eye on him. And he was sending two Ministry cars to take them all to the station tomorrow, so that the Weasleys could look after Harry until he was on the train.
Harry lay listening to the muffled shouting next door and wondered why he didn't feel more scared. Sirius Black had murdered thirteen people with one curse, Mr. and Mrs Weasley obviously thought Harry would be panic-stricken if he knew the truth. But Harry happened to agree wholeheartedly with Mrs. Weasley that the safest place on earth was wherever Albus Dumbledore happened to be. Didn't people always say that Dumbledore was the only person Lord Voldemort had ever been afraid of? Surely Black, as Voldemort's right-hand man, would be just as frightened of him?
And then there were these Azkaban guards everyone kept talking about. They seemed to scare most people senseless, and if they were stationed all around the school, Black's chances of getting inside seemed very remote.
No, all in all, the thing that bothered Harry most was the fact that his chances of visiting Hogsmeade now looked like zero. Nobody would want Harry to leave the safety of the castle until Black was caught, in fact, Harry suspected his every move would be carefully watched until the danger had passed.
He scowled at the dark ceiling. Did they think he couldn't look after himself? He'd escaped Lord Voldemort three times; he wasn't completely useless...
Unbidden, the image of the beast in the shadows of Magnolia Crescent crossed his mind. What to do when you know the worst is coming.
"I'm not going to be murdered." Harry said out loud.
"That's the spirit, dear." said his mirror sleepily.