By the time they reached Thomas' home, Harry had already told him what happened and why he was out on the streets. It was not the first time Thomas heard about how hard Harry's life was with his relatives, not to mention that he, Ron, Fred, and George had to break him out of that damn house one last year.
But he had to admit, Harry doing what he did to his aunt was not something Thomas ever thought his friend was capable of, then again, every single person has a bottom line and it so happens that Harry was his late parents. No matter how much you hate someone, you don't talk badly about someone who has died, especially in front of their orphaned kid.
Then again, like brother like sister. From what Thomas managed to learn, courtesy of Ron mostly about Harry's uncle, he could understand why, despite Harry not being a violent person, he would want to hurt them.
Trying not to think too much about it, Thomas decided to turn Harry's attention to anything else other than what happened a few hours ago.
"So, tell me, Harry, do you have a plan?"
"A plan… I don't. I'm still waiting for the ministry to come and take me away to answer for using magic outside of Hogwarts…"
Hearing Harry's response, Thomas realizes that his friend didn't know about the little, omitted clause put forth by the ministry regarding using a wand at home by a minor.
"You know, Harry, I would have thought, that Hermione would have told you this, but it seems she either forgot about it, or she didn't know that a wizard or a witch, who is not an adult yet, can use their wands at home, under one single circumstance and that is self-defense. Considering everything you have told me happened tonight with you, I'd say the reason why we don't see anyone coming after you is because you haven't done anything illegal per se. Then again, maybe you are just lucky." Thomas said while pointing at a newspaper he got on the bus.
Not sure why Thomas pointed at a newspaper, Harry decided to see what his friend meant. As soon as he grabbed the newspaper, Harry realized that it was the daily's prophet and soon he saw a large photograph of a sunken-faced man with long, matted hair blinked slowly at Harry from the front page. For some reason, the man looked familiar to him, and then a second later it hit him.
"That man!" Harry barely managed to mutter. "He was on the Muggle news!"
"That's Sirius Black. He massacred muggles before they caught him. But by now no one knows for sure. They bloody locked him without a trial."
With his hands shaking by this point, Harry decided to read the article.
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. I said it and I will repeat myself. The situation is under control."
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, the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse.
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.
"Let me guess, you think he's a vampire? Or worse a bloodsucker?"
"He massacred thirteen people in cold blood!"
"Aye, that's what they say he did, but look in his eyes and tell me, is that the look of a crazy murderer?"
Taking a closer look at the man, Harry had to admit that Thomas did bring forward a very good point, but that didn't mean Sirius Black hadn't killed those people.
"Did… did you read about this before?"
Thomas nodded his head at him.
"Unlike you Harry, I visited the Diagon Alley quite a few times over our holidays, and so you'd be surprised what little things you can learn from drunk wizards and witches. Apparently, Sirius Black had been found laughing, surrounded by dead people. Even when the Aurors captured him, he continued laughing like he was mad, but one of the Aurors, a middle-aged man who had retired from that line of duty, spoke about how there were tears on the man's face as he laughed, almost like he was laughing at the world, not because he killed those people."
Just as Harry was about to ask Thomas what he meant by the last part, a sudden knock at the door made both boys stop and before Harry could react, Thomas was already holding his dagger in hand while preparing for a fight. Seeing that Harry, despite being scared, grabbed his wand and he too stood beside his friend.
As the knock on the door stopped, both boys heard a voice coming from behind them, a voice that sounded extremely familiar to that of the Minister of Magic, Cornelius Fudge.
"Mr. Grayson, Mr. Potter, please put down your weapons and open the door. My name is Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic. I'm here to talk to Mr. Potter about something significant."
Both boys turned around in shock and saw the face of the Minister on the fireplace, looking at them with a serious expression. Thomas lowered his dagger and Harry his wand, but they did not move from their spot.
"Minister Fudge?" Harry asked, confused. "What are you doing here? How did you find us?"
"I'm the Ministry of Magic, Mr. Potter. I think finding an almost thirteen-year-old boy would not be such a problem for me. But to answer your question, I tracked your wand, after your little stunt from home."
Hearing that, Thomas went and opened the door before inviting the older man into his house. Once Cornelius sat on the sofa, he turned towards Harry, ignoring Thomas.
"Well, Harry," Fudge started, pouring out tea from God know where in a cup he grabbed from his pocket, "you've had us all in a right flap, I don't mind telling you and 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. Though I shouldn't have been surprised you would have gone to Mr. Grayson's home, after all, he is a good friend of yours, right?"
Nodding shyly as a response, Harry sat across the old man looking at Thomas for support. Noticing the short exchange between the two boys, Cornelius smiled similarly to how Dumbledore does.
"Judging by how you are almost begging Mr. Grayson over there for help, I take it, you're worrying about the reaction of your aunt and uncle? 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."
"I always stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays, and I don't ever want to go back to Privet Drive. I'd rather live on the streets than there again."
"Now, now, I'm sure you'll feel differently once you've calmed down. They are your family, after all, and I'm sure you are fond of each other … er … very deep down."
This time, even Thomas grimaced at the old man's words. Harry loving his aunt and uncle? Fudge has more chances of dressing Snape in a dress than those two loving Harry.
"So, all that remains is to decide where you're going to spend the last three weeks of your vacation. I suggest you take a room at the Leaky Cauldron or you could if Mr. Grayson's parents allow, live here for the time being."
"Hang on," exclaimed Harry. "What about my punishment?"
"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! Besides, it was self-defense for all we care, not to mention that we don't send people to Azkaban just for blowing up their aunts!"
"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!"
Unless both Harry's and Thomas's eyes were deceiving him, Fudge was suddenly looking awkward. Almost like they caught him lying.
"Circumstances change, Harry … We have to take into account … the present climate … Surely you don't want to be expelled?"
"Of course, I don't."
"Then that's settled," Fudge said before turning towards Thomas. "Mr. Grayson, I know that this might not be something you have a say or power to do, but would you allow Harry over here to stay with your family for the next few weeks?"
"Sir, with all due respect, I was already planning on making my friend stay here. I'm more than sure my parents would be more than happy having another child in their home."
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