Chapter Three
"Home Again"

Page One

When Black, McGonagall and Harry got to the end of the alleyway, McGonagall turned to Black and said, "Sirius, we can't apparate with Harry, it's too dangerous and we don't have a fireplace or floo powder. We could call the Knight bus, but they'd see you and the Ministry of Magic would be here to take you back to Azkaban. What do you think we should do?"

Harry smiled and suggested, "We could call a taxi."

"A what?" asked Black.

"A taxi cab," explained Harry. "It's like a Muggle version of the Knight bus. Do you have any Muggle money?"

"A little," said McGonagall. "But, are you sure this is such a good idea?"

"Yeah, I'm positive. The Muggles have long since forgotten about Sirius and the taxi can take us to the Leaky Cauldron. We can use floo powder from there to get us to Hogwarts."

"Bright kid," said Sirius, smiling. "Just like his dad."

"Okay, Harry," said McGonagall. "Call this caxi tab, or whatever it is."

Harry smiled and reached into his pocket. He found a few pence and went down the street to a pay phone. He looked in the phone book and found the number of a taxi cab service. A few minutes later, he walked back to McGonagall and Black.

He smiled and said, "They'll be here in a few minutes."

"They certainly aren't as fast as the Knight Bus, but I suppose it'll have to do," shrugged McGonagall.

The three were silent for a few moments until Harry stated, "Sirius, could I come live with you until school starts?"

Sirius looked at McGonagall and then turned to Harry. "I'm afraid not. After all of this, I have to go back into hiding. The Ministry's still looking for me, I'm not scot-free yet."

"Well, then," sighed Harry, "We need to think, I need a place to go."

"I'm going to try and contact Arthur Weasley to see if they could take you for awhile before term," said McGonagall.

"That would almost be as nice as staying with Sirius," said Harry happily.

"We still need to go to Hogwarts to sort some things out," stated McGonagall plainly. "You can stay in Hogwarts until we find a place for you to stay."

Just then, the taxicab pulled up and a man got out of the car.

"Hullo!" he said cheerfully. He looked at Black and McGonagall and smiled.

"Actors are you? Great costumes!"

Black and McGonagall smiled. Black seemed to be fighting back laughter while McGonagall looked almost offended; it looked as if she were itching to tell him exactly what they were. Sirius smiled at the man and nodded to keep him blissfully believing them to be thespians.

The driver picked up Harry's trunk and placed it in the back of the taxi. He opened the back door so they could get in. Harry sat in the middle, Hedwig on his lap.

"Where'd you be off to today gov'nr?" asked the driver.

"London," said Harry. "Unsworths Bookshop, 12 Bloomsbury St."

"Yes, sir," said the driver. He started the engine; McGonagall and Black gripped the sides of car and jumped in their seats. They looked distinctly frightened.

"Calm down!" whispered Harry. "It's just the engine."

McGonagall and Black let go of the car doors and tried to relax.

"How do Muggles stand this?" asked McGonagall in a strained whisper.

Harry just laughed and looked out the windows.

A little while later the taxi pulled up next to Unsworths, a large bookshop right next to the Leaky Cauldron. Of course, no one saw the Leaky Cauldron except for Harry, McGonagall and Black; it simply went unnoticed settled between Unsworths and a record store.

Harry got some money from McGonagall and then paid the driver. McGonagall and Black got out of the taxi, with McGonagall holding her stomach, feeling a bit queasy.

"Good luck with the acting gig!" called the driver from the taxi.

Black got Harry's trunk out of the back and set it on the sidewalk.

"Well," said Harry, "At least we got here."

McGonagall and Black were both looking very uneasy. They started walking towards the Leaky Cauldron.

"Harry," said Sirius before they entered the pub. "Could you get out your invisibility cloak? There's no telling who could be in that pub, for all we know Cornelius Fudge himself could be there. I don't want to risk it."

"Invisibility cloak?" said McGonagall. "You don't mean James' cloak, do you?"

"Shh," whispered Black. "We can talk about it later."

Harry got out the cloak and handed it to Black.

"I'll follow you two in there and then get into the fireplace," said Black. "I'll get to Hogwarts first and hide in your office, Minerva. I need to get moving soon before the Ministry realizes I'm so close."

"Okay," said McGonagall. "Let's hurry, then. Come on, Harry."

McGonagall led Harry through the door as Black disappeared under the cloak.

"Why, if it isn't Minerva McGonagall!" called Tom, the owner of the Leaky Cauldron. He walked around the bar and came up to McGonagall. "I haven't seen you in here in ages! How ya' been?"

"Fine Tom, thanks," said McGonagall.

"Whoa and lookie who ya' got here," said Tom excitedly. "It's young Harry Potter. How are you, my boy?"

"Just fine, sir," replied Harry.

"That's good, real good," stated Tom happily. "So, what can I do you for? Brandy? Or maybe a tall mug of butterbeer, freshly imported today from Hogsmeade?"

"No drinks today, Tom," said McGonagall. "I'm afraid we only stopped in to borrow your floo. We need to get to Hogwarts quickly, business to attend to, I'm sure you understand."

"Of course, my floo is your floo. Nothing wrong, I hope," said Tom, a little disappointed.

"No, not at all. Just business," said McGonagall, trying to skirt the issue.

"Very well, then," said Tom going back to the bar. "You know where the fireplace is, there's floo powder on the mantle. Go on ahead. Really wish you'd stay fer a spell, Minerva. Been lonely around 'ere without ya. Ah well, I'll talk to you later,"

"Alright, sorry we can't stay. Thanks, Tom!" smiled McGonagall, who steered Harry towards a door to the right. She pushed Harry through the door along with Harry's trunk. She left the door open so Black could sidle through after them.

"I'm in," whispered Black.

"Good," said McGonagall. "Over to the mantle now, we need to get going."

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