Harry returned home to his small apartment and flopped down onto his couch. He read through his letter once again and couldn't help but feel excitement bubbling up inside him. Learning magic, actual magic; it was almost a dream come true. There was only so much he could learn on his own and going to Hogwarts he would be able to learn all kinds of new things. But going to this school would mean he would be stuck there, unable to leave and have fun. He would also have to quit work for a while and stop going to school. But it was magic, where he belonged.
He sighed. Decisions, decisions.
Well, going to this new school of magic meant he didn't even have to go to boring old high school. Harry could always find new ways to have fun, with new people too; that was always fun. But that left his work. He needed money to pay his bills and his rent and that was another thing, what would he do about his apartment?
Harry supposed he could pay the rent in advance, maybe even talk his landlord into lowering the price since he wouldn't even be there. Bills could always be forwarded or stopped since he wouldn't be using some of the stuff, like electricity. And work...he probably could have his boss hold his position until he came back and be a part-time worker. If that didn't work he could always get a new job...
Ugh. Too much thinking! He was going to bed.
xxx
The next day Harry decided to give Hogwarts a try. That decision made, he went to work. While there he told his boss about his plans for a new school. He had been understandably upset at having to lose such a hard, dedicated worker but it was an Ivy League school, who was he to stop him?...what? Couldn't he tell a little white lie? It's not like he could tell his boss he was going to a magic school. It had worked out for Harry in the long run. He would be taken off the payroll but he had a job when he came back for vacation so that was cool, even if it was just for two months.
Harry left work in a good mood and started home only to find his "followers" down the street, though there were fewer of them this time. They were having a hard time finding him even though they were in his general area. It probably had to do with his magic. He had run into some nasty people when he was living on the streets and had used his magic to hide from enemies or anyone who wished to do him harm. It had worked too because they never bothered him again, even if he was standing right next to them.
It obviously even worked on these experienced wizards because he was standing in the middle of the sidewalk and they didn't see him.
Harry decided to give them a break. "Hey!" he called out and they turned.
"Harry!" Sirius greeted in relief.
"You know I said I would think about it," Harry said.
"I know, but what if after you thought about it, you couldn't contact us to tell us what you thought?" Sirius explained with a big breath.
"I would have found a way, besides I found you didn't I?
"True. So have you thought about it?"
"Yes."
"And?"
Harry said nothing for a moment watching Sirius' eager face, like a puppy waiting for a treat. "I'm in."
Sirius grinned in happiness, "Did you hear that Moony? He's in!"
"I heard," Remus said tiredly.
Harry had to grin as Sirius started to bounce on the balls of his feet in his excitement. "So where's the pink-haired chick? She was cute."
"I thought you were gay," Sirius said.
"Gay? What gave you that idea?"
"The bar...." He trailed off uncertainly.
"Just because I was at a gay bar doesn't mean I'm gay," Harry stated.
"But- You-that guy-" Sirius sputtered.
"Oh. Saw that did you?" Harry shrugged.
"But Tonks...you said..."
"That she was cute, yes. I'm into girls too. The term is bisexual. Top, bottom, gay, straight. I don't care as long as I get laid." Harry explained simply.
"I...see..."
"So where's the rest of your possé?" Harry asked again, trying to get back to the subject seeing as Sirius was having a hard time comprehending what he just said.
"My what?" Sirius asked completely confused.
Harry rolled his eyes, "The other people that were with you yesterday?"
Dumbledore stepped forward and answered his question, "Kingsley and Tonks have returned to work and Professors McGonagall and Snape have returned to class."
"Ah. I see. So how do I get to this school of yours?"
"You take the Hogwarts Express at Kings Cross Station. Platform 9 ¾," Remus explained.
Harry nodded in understanding, "Cool. Well see ya," he waved and turned to continue walking.
"Wait! Where are you going?" Sirius suddenly cried out, following.
"Home," Harry answered still walking and they followed.
"Why?"
"Because I was at work and now its time for me to go home," Harry explained like it was the simplest thing in the world.
"You work?"
Harry looked at him incredulously, "How else do you think I'm getting by?"
Sirius shrugged, "You stole from a bank?"
"Yeah, that didn't work out." Sirius stared at him. "It was a joke."
"Oh. Haha haha ha..."
Harry rolled his eyes and smiled, "You didn't think I really broke into a bank did you?"
"You look like you could."
"Thanks for your vote of confidence," Harry said dryly.
"I try. Soo...what do you do?"
"I'm a waiter at a restaurant down the street," he answered gesturing vaguely behind him.
"Cool," Sirius said bobbing his head.
Harry glanced back behind him to look at Remus who was listening to them with a slight smile and Dumbledore who was looking at everything in absentminded interest. "You're following me," he stated stopping in his tracks.
"Yeah..." Sirius said uncertainly.
Harry thought about the pros and cons of letting them follow him home and decided to just let them. They would find it eventually. He sighed and continued walking, "Come on then."
Sirius grinned and jogged to catch up with him, Remus and Dumbledore following close behind.
"So why did you call him Moony?" Harry asked.
"It's his Marauder name," Sirius explained.
"What's a Marauder?"
"Well! Let me tell you..." Sirius then began to explain while they continued to walk.
xxx
"...so I turned Peter in and cleared my name," Sirius finished.
Harry was silent for a moment as they walked up the steps of his apartment complex. It was a lot to take in; animagus,' stories about his father, Peter, who they called Wormtail, betraying them somehow, (Sirius hadn't gone into detail about it and Remus didn't either; seemed to make them both sad, so he didn't ask) and being framed for murder.
"Wow," he eventually said, "My godfather broke out of prison. Awesome."
"I know right?" Sirius said proudly, "And it's supposed to be impossible to break out."
"It's not something to be proud of Sirius," Remus said with a disapproving look, but a hint of a smile hovered on his lips.
"The hell it isn't!" Sirius exclaimed.
"Well," Harry said, "Here it is." He pulled out his keys and unlocked his door to his apartment and let them in.
"Nice," Sirius said impressed as he looked around.
The front door opened to a small living room with a used mismatched couch and recliner facing a small TV. A kitchen nook was on the left that had the essentials: stove, microwave, toaster, and a small dining table with only 2 chairs. On the right was a door that led to his bedroom that had a connecting bathroom.
"It's not much, but it's home," Harry said simply as he put his bag on the couch and walked to the kitchen, "Want something to drink? I have water, soda, I can make tea..."
"I'll have tea, please," Dumbledore said.
"Tea is fine," Remus said
"Me too," Sirius agreed.
"Okay," Harry said, and put the kettle on the stove.
"How long have you been living here?" Remus asked taking a seat on the couch.
"Um...About six years."
"Only six?" Sirius asked, "Where were you before?"
"On the streets."
"On the streets?!" Sirius exclaimed.
"Yes well, they don't exactly let kids have their own place or have a job, but I managed to prove myself and got both," Harry said with a shrug.
Sirius gulped, "Was it hard?"
"I had my bad days," Harry said and didn't elaborate.
"Well now that you've had some time, maybe the Dursley's-" Dumbledore said calmly.
"No," Harry said flatly, narrowing his eyes in anger.
"No? Harry, my boy, I'm sure if you just-"
"No, and I mean no. I'm not going back to being their slave," Harry snapped.
Sirius and Remus sat up straight. "What do you mean slave?" Sirius asked sharply.
Harry got up and stomped to the kitchen as the kettle started whistling, "You heard me. They had me doing everything for them. Cleaning, gardening, cooking, I wasn't even four! And if I did something wrong, the slightest thing not to their exact instructions they would hit me. No, I got out and I am not going back. End of discussion. Here's your tea," he said shoving mugs at them.
Remus and Sirius glared daggers at Dumbledore. He had said he was safe!
"Surely it was not that bad?" Dumbledore asked.
"Oh, it was. And I'm not exaggerating. If anything I'm toning it down." Which was true, he hadn't even gone into his living arrangements, his hand me downs or his food portions.
"It couldn't be..." Dumbledore said in denial.
"I have the scars to prove it, if you want me to show you," Harry answered flatly.
Remus shook his head, stricken, "No, you don't need to show us."
They were silent, sipping their tea as they let it sink in. During the silence, Harry casually summoned the kettle over to them and poured himself more tea and settled it down on the table.
"That's impressive," Remus commented lightly.
"Thanks," Harry said stiffly.
"So...so, now that you are going to Hogwarts you're going to need school supplies," Sirius said, trying to lift the mood.
"I do?" Harry asked.
"Yeah. Books and robes and potion ingredients..."
"Where do I get that?" he asked with interest.
"Diagon Alley," Remus said, "You've been there before, haven't you. It's where you got your wand."
"Wand?" Harry asked confused.
"Yeah, it's how we do magic," Sirius said taking his out and showing him.
"Oh...I don't have one of those," Harry stated.
"You...don't have one?" Remus asked bewildered.
"Then, my boy, how have you been doing magic?" Dumbledore asked.
Harry lifted a brow puzzled before lifting a hand and flicking his fingers. The kettle on the table floated upward and poured tea into Remus' then Dumbledore's cup.
"Bloody hell!" Sirius exclaimed, "You can do wandless magic?"
"Yeah...so?" Harry said slowly.
"Wandless magic is very advanced magic Harry," Dumbledore explained looking at Harry with awe and admiration over his half-moon spectacles, "There are very few people who can do such a thing."
"Really?" Harry said sitting back on the couch, "Can you do it?"
"I can, although it is limited," Dumbledore answered.
"Can you?" he asked Remus and Sirius.
"No," Remus said while Sirius shook his head. "Wandless magic is very draining and takes a lot of concentration which is why few can do it. Only very strong witches or wizards are able to accomplish it."
"Really? I've never had a problem," Harry said.
"How often do you use it?" Remus asked.
"Every day for just about everything. Washing dishes, cleaning my room, folding clothes..."
"So just menial tasks?"
"Yeah. I had to knock out a dog that was chasing me once," Harry offered.
"How?" Sirius asked in awe.
"I just think it and it gets done."
"It seems to me that you will your magic into doing what you want instead of the usual incantations," Dumbledore said thoughtfully, "And with nothing else to channel it and lots of practice, wandless magic comes naturally to you. Fascinating."
"I didn't mean for that to happen. It's nothing special," Harry said sheepishly, scratching the side of his face.
"Nothing to be shy about Harry," Remus said warmly.
"Sure...so, I have to go shopping...?"
"Oh yeah," Sirius piped up, "We can take you if you want," he said gesturing between Remus and himself.
Harry thought about it but decided he wouldn't mind the company. "That would be great."
"We can go tomorrow."
"I have work tomorrow morning so we can go later."
"Sounds good. We'll be here."