One Day They'll Know Your Name

Class names

He glanced at his mirror. He had heard about Sirius being declared guilty even after his trial had proven him innocent. Honestly, that was pretty par for the course with the Ministry. They assume one thing, have the opposite proven, and then decide that their original thinking was actually correct.

He sighed and cast a quick Tempus. He'd long ago cast a ward that would make it seem like there wasn't magic cast in this room. It was just after lunch time, so he decided to take a quick peek and see if they were around the correct mirror. If they weren't, he'd leave it be until next summer, or perhaps Christmas.

"Vide locus," he whispered, waving his wand in a complicated pattern around the mirror. The front room of Grimmauld Place rippled into view a moment later. His best friend had charmed this mirror to see into the front room of Grimmauld Place, but never to hear, so he could see if his friend was home before he went anywhere.

Dumbledore's back was in front of the mirror, and he wrinkled his nose. Dumbledore often caused more problems than he solved, and he didn't believe for a minute that he was making Sirius and Harry's lives any easier by being there. He glanced to the Headmaster's sides, and saw Sirius with his wand out. He seemed to be... repairing things? And sometimes he was Vanishing them. This usually happened right after Sirius made a disgusted face. Harry seemed to be pacing and yelling, with much gesticulating and explosions, if Sirius' actions meant anything.

He could almost guess what they were saying. Dumbledore had said something that was not to Harry's liking, perhaps something about how he had had to stay with his relatives for a bit this summer.  Harry, naturally, was not pleased by that, and was blowing up. Literally it seemed, as an expensive vase shattered and Sirius cast what was probably Reparo at it. He could almost hear Sirius' voice, even though it had been years since he'd heard it, repeating Reparo over and over again under his breath, except when he made the disgusted face and Vanished whatever had offended him.

He smiled. Things were going well enough. At least they were alive and had somewhat taken his warning to heart. He closed the mirror.

****************

Harry fumed. What was Headmaster Dumbledore thinking? Telling him that it was for the best that he went back to his relatives for a while, even though the older man knew that the Dursley's didn't treat him well? He could have stayed with Neville or Draco! Probably not Ron or Hermione since they lived in a full house and the Muggle world respectively, but still. He had places he could go. Merlin's sagging ballsack, they could have even stayed in Grimmauld and put it under wards so no one could get to them or something. But naturally, Albus too much to do Dumbledore sent him to the place where he was abused for years with only a dog, that the Dursley's would have no problem killing if they felt like it, and even less compunctions if they found out he was a wizard, to help.

Another vase shattered in the background and Sirius' voice came as if from far away.

"Ugh, I'm glad you got that one. I always hated it. Evanesco. You know, Pup, if I knew Dumbledore was coming today I'd have brought out all the ugly breakables and hidden the nice ones. This is a great way to get rid of stuff without offending anyone. If they ever ask, I can just say, oh yeah, sorry, Albus Dumbledore got my nephew so mad he absolutely obliterated that vase. It was so lovely too! And then they'll be mad at Dumbledore, and you and I won't get blamed at all!"

Harry laughed weakly at the joke, but he was still burning mad. "Got anymore of those ugly ones, Pads? Or a room for me to destroy? Cause fucking Headmaster Dumbledore is a complete and utter fool for thinking I'd be grateful for him sending me back to those-those..."

"Yeah, Pup, I get it. I'd say language, but he deserves it this once. Let me see if I can find any from old Madam Greengrass. She had the worst taste in ceramic type ware."

A few hours later found Harry much calmer and Sirius with a few less vases. Harry quickly packed what he wanted from the house and prepared to Floo over to Longbottom Manor with Sirius. Sirius ruffled his hair and called out their location as they disappeared in a flare of green fire.

Neville met them at the hearth they stepped out of and grinned at seeing Harry.

"Glad you're doing at least mostly ok, Harry. I don't know what Draco would do without you."

Harry snorted. "He'd just go complain to Salmissra and you know it, Nev. How have you been? Anything exciting happen recently?"

The boys chatted for a while, Harry letting Jor off his arm to go wander around for a while, with strict instructions not to eat Trevor. Sirius wandered off to go thank Madam Longbottom. Harry and Neville found it absolutely hilarious that while he called Professor McGonagall 'Minnie' and Professor Dumbledore 'Albus', he was either too scared or just that respectful of the older woman that he called her Madam Longbottom rather than her first name. Harry suspected that he was scared of her more than he respected her.

The weeks passed quickly, with Neville and Harry spending time in the greenhouses and spending time with the rest of their friends. They talked together about which classes they wanted to take, and with all of them, besides Hermione who planned to take them all, would be taking all the extracurriculars offered. Ron was interested in Muggle Studies with Hermione to help him, as well as Divination and Care of Magical Creatures, since they seemed to be easier classes. Neville wanted to take Care, and Ancient Runes, and Draco and Harry wanted to take Care, Runes, and Arithmancy. A few days after they sent in their parchments for the electives, they received their Hogwarts letters for the year.