It was decided that they were going to take a short break, and allow people to stretch their legs a bit, and give Harry, and his new family a bit of privacy. Harry however, didn't care one way or another, though Remus and Sirius both tried to talk to him, he ignored them and continued on with his writing.

"Harry, for crying out loud. Will you just talk to us?" said Remus tiredly.

Harry spoke not a word, but continued to write in his notebook hurriedly. Then he reached into his knapsack and pulled out a large roll of parchment and began to write on that.

"Hey Monster," said Rudolph, trying to lift the mood. "What are you writing?"

"The essay." muttered Harry.

Remus blinked. "Harry, you didn't have to do it till Saturday." he said gently.

"Get's it out of the way and I can put all my thoughts down." said Harry plainly.

"Harry can we talk?" asked Remus.

"Can it wait till later?" asked Harry. "How long did you want it again? Oh yeah, three feet."

"Harry..." said Remus.

But Harry said nothing more.

Soon the students piled back into the Hall, Dumbledore came over and whispered to Leroy.

"How did it go?" asked Dumbledore.

"He's ignoring us. Tell McGonagall thanks for me, don't want that Granger girl adding fuel to the fire." said Leroy. "She's a bit emotionally ignorant about other people, isn't she?"

"I'm starting to believe that though it surprises me greatly. Mr. Weasley confided in me something very interesting, it seems that whether Harry is mad at you or not, once he has a task that had been thrust upon him to complete, he is quite irritable and will cease to even acknowledge your existence."

"Well, that won't make Remus any happier, but he did ask for it, grounding is one thing, but in front of everyone? And writing an essay? He needs to step out of Professor mode." said Sirius sternly. "I mean, even Snivellus took Malfoy out of the room."

"Severus, Sirius." corrected Dumbledore.

"Who'd like to read the next chapter?" asked Tonks looking around the room.

"Harry? Do you want to read with me again?" said Sirius after he volunteered.

Harry ignored him and continued to write.

Sirius sighed and took the book from Tonks.I'm going to kill Remus.

"The Knight Bus,"

"Ooh!" moaned quite of the adults.

"What's up?" asked Dean.

"Yeah, I'd love to go on there." said Ron

"You'll change your tune after you've ridden it once." said Remus with a slight smirk. He kept looking at Harry with guilty eyes.

Harry was several streets away before he collapsed onto a low wall in Magnolia Crescent,

"Collapsed? What do you mean by collapsed?" asked Dr. Clark worriedly.

"The trunk was too blasted heavy." said Harry as he rolled up his parchment and stuffed it neatly into his bag. Then he picked up the blanket and wrapped himself around in it. The chilly October air gnawed at his lithe arms and legs, and made his very blood feel cold. He pulled the blanket tighter around himself. He didn't move towards the bowl, he was still way over in the empty part of the hall.

"Want to come back over here?" asked Sirius.

"Nope, I'm good." said Harry, he didn't notice the hurt in the eyes of those in the bowl and the people around it. He was still trying to rid his mind of the feeling of betrayal.

panting from the effort of dragging his trunk. He sat quite still, anger still surging through him, listening to the frantic thumping of his heart.

"Aunt Marge's words were still beating in my brain." said Harry.

But after ten minutes alone in the dark street, a new emotion overtook him: panic.

"You don't panic when there is acromantulas, basilisks, dark wizards or anything like that, but being on a dark street?" said Seamus.

"Didn't someone already say that?" asked Ron.

Whichever way he looked at it, he had never been in a worse fix. He was stranded, quite alone, in the dark Muggle world, with absolutely nowhere to go.

"Holly's?" asked Dr. Clark.

"She's living with her mother." said Harry from phoenix quilt cocoon.

"Oh, right." said Dr. Clark. "What about Inspector Homes?"

"He was on holiday. He always goes on holiday this time of year." said Harry.

And the worst of it was, he had just done serious magic,

"Accidental magic." said Remus absently.

Harry snorted with slight disgust Didn't stop you from telling me to write an essay and get grounded did it? Oh, well...adults can be so difficult to understand..

which meant that he was almost certainly expelled from Hogwarts.

"You seem to be very nervous about being expelled, more so than any other student." said Professor Sprout.

He had broken the Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry so badly, he was surprised Ministry of Magic representatives weren't swooping down on him where he sat.

"They were too busy trying to get Miss. Dursley back down onto the ground. Before they could obliviate her, she gave several of them quite a few bruises and black-eyes." said Dumbledore with a smile.

"Should have left her hovering overhead for a while." said Fred.

"But would you want to look up into the sky and seeing her knickers floating overhead?" said Ginny with a smirk, as she picked up the chair her father conjured for her and walked over to sit beside Harry.

"AGGHH! Why did you have to mention that?" wailed the twins as they covered their eyes.

"Whether you like it or not, I'm sitting here." said Ginny sitting beside Harry.

"I've got a better idea." said Harry, he whispered something quietly into her ear and smiled as she giggled. They both stood up and Ginny magicked the two chairs to become "an immensely large sofa, much like what Leroy and Rudolph were lounging in. Harry stretched out at one end and Ginny laid beside him. Harry covered the both of them with the blanket.

Mrs. Weasley and Percy both stood up, but Mr. Weasley grabbed the both of them. "Let them be, it's not like they can do anything with all of us in here." he said with a smile.

Rudolph and Leroy had to keep Remus and Sirius in their seats. "Park it." said Rudolph, "they can't do anything."

Harry shivered and looked up and down Magnolia Crescent.

What, was going to happen to him?

"Now you ask that question..." said Snape shaking his head. "Didn't think about that when you left your house with a mass murderer on the loose."

Would he be arrested, or would he simply be outlawed from the wizarding world?

"The most that would have happened for accidental magic would have been you being sent to St. Mungos, to find out why your core is flocculating still." said Madam Bones. "And a talking to by the Headmaster."

"Intended magic will get you expelled." said Kingsley.

He thought of Ron and Hermione, and his heart sank even lower.

"Why? What was wrong with us?" said Ron defensively.

Harry was sure that, criminal or not, Ron and Hermione would want to help him now,

"Dude, we'd help you with anything." said Ron.

but they were both abroad, and with Hedwig gone, he had no means of contacting them.

"Should have told her to just hang out in the area." said Harry with a guilty smile.

He didn't have any Muggle money, either.

"I thought you get paid for those jobs you do." said Neville.

"Doesn't mean that the bank is on Privet Drive." said Harry with a laugh.

There was a little wizard gold in the money bag at the bottom of his trunk, but the rest of the fortune his parents had left him was stored in a vault at Gringotts Wizarding Bank in London.

"And that's where my money was. Just so I couldn't spend it, and the Dursley's would never find it." said Harry. "Uncle Vernon would kill to have the bank balance I do."

"How much money do you have in there?" asked Neville.

But Harry ignored him.

He'd never be able to drag his trunk all the way to London. Unless…

"It was the best idea that was presenting itself to me." said Harry.

He looked down at his wand, which he was still clutching in his hand. If he was already expelled (his heart was now thumping painfully fast),

Ginny leaned her head on his shoulder. "Poor sweet baby."

"I do what I can to get sympathy." said Harry roguishly.

a bit more magic couldn't hurt. He had the Invisibility Cloak he had inherited from his father — what if he bewitched the trunk to make it feather-light, tied it to his broomstick, covered himself in the cloak, and flew to London?

"That's a pretty good plan." said Lionus with a smirk.

Then he could get the rest of his money out of his vault and… begin his life as an outcast.

"Yeah, Harry Potter, the outcast." said Fred.

"Never happen." said George.

It was a horrible prospect, but he couldn't sit on this wall forever, or he'd find himself trying to explain to Muggle police why he was out in the dead of night with a trunk full of spell books and a broomstick.

"I'd love to see you talk your way out of that, lad." said Rivers with a laugh.

Harry opened his trunk again and pushed the contents aside, looking for the Invisibility Cloak — but before he had found it, he straightened up suddenly, looking around him once more.

"Paranoid much?" asked Zacharias snidely.

"I thought I had heard something." said Harry.

A funny prickling on the back of his neck had made Harry feel he was being watched,

That feeling saved me from being caught working several times. thought Harry with a smile.

but the street appeared to be deserted, and no lights shone from any of the large square houses.

He bent over his trunk again, but almost immediately stood up once more,

"What made you stand up that time?" asked Charlie.

"I heard something again." said Harry.

his hand clenched on his wand. He had sensed rather than heard it: someone or something was standing in the narrow gap between the garage and the fence behind him.

"How the bloody hell could you tell that was where I was at?" said Sirius in shock.

"I've just got skills." said Harry with a smile, the men in the bowl and Dumbledore were happy to see him in better spirits.

Harry squinted at the black alleyway. If only it would move, then he'd know whether it was just a stray cat or — something else.

"I was afraid it was a dark wizard, or at the very least, a rabid animal." said Harry.

"Well, you were close, it was a dark rabid dog." said Dr. Clark.

"Don't make me beat you." said Sirius with a faked scowl.

"Lumos," Harry muttered, and a light appeared at the end of his wand, almost dazzling him.

"So how did you not get a nice little owl from that?" asked Zacharias.

"Lumos and nox are lesser spells, they don't register on the trace." said Harry matter of factly. "You can't hurt or cause mayhem with those two spells, and muggles only think that you have a really thin torch."

He held it high over his head, and the pebble-dashed walls of number two suddenly sparkled;

"How far is Magnolia Crescent?" asked Hermione.

"About six blocks or so." said Harry, "at least that's the way I took, takes longer the other way. I cut across some of the neighbor's yards."

the garage door gleamed, and between them Harry saw, quite distinctly, the hulking outline of something very big, with wide, gleaming eyes.

"Nice description of me." pouted Sirius.

Harry stepped backward. His legs hit his trunk and he tripped.

"I didn't plan on that one, I expected you to recognize me." said Sirius.

"The last time I had seen you, I was drooling on a baby blanket." said Harry with a laugh.

His wand flew out of his hand as he flung out an arm to break his fall, and he landed, hard, in the gutter.

"Were you okay?" asked Ginny.

"I was fine, just banged my head a little bit, I thought I lost my bloody mind, when I saw what came up my way." said Harry.

There was a deafening BANG, and Harry threw up his hands to shield his eyes against a sudden blinding light…

"If it's what the title says, you'd better move!" said Professor Flitwick.

"You summoned it on accident?" said Tonks. "Didn't know you could."

With a yell, he rolled back onto the pavement, just in time.

"You seem to enjoy cutting it close." said McGonagall holding a hand to her heart.

A second later, a gigantic pair of wheels and headlights screeched to a halt exactly where Harry had just been lying.

"That didn't make feel any better." said McGonagall.

They belonged, as Harry saw when he raised his head,

"So you rolled out of the way, you didn't stand up?" asked Fred.

"I didn't have the time to stand up." said Harry.

to a triple-decker, violently purple bus,

"Only reason to have it that color, is so wizards know what to look for, so they don't accidentally climb onto a muggle bus and ask to go to Diagon Alley or whatever." said Moody gruffly. "Should have picked a better color. It's embarrassing to ride in that thing."

which had appeared out of thin air. Gold lettering over the windshield spelled The Knight Bus.

For a split second, Harry wondered if he had been knocked silly by his fall.

"Well, you did knock your head on the concrete." said Ginny rubbing the back of his head. "Want me to kiss it and make it better?"

"Can you reach back there?" said Harry moving his head forward a bit, he earned a playful smack to the back of his head.

Then a conductor in a purple uniform leapt out of the bus and began to speak loudly to the night.

"Gotta love a man who loves his job." said Kingsley with a dry chuckle.

"If only he'd do it the moment you get on the bus." said Tonks.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard just stick out your wand hand, step on board, and we can take you anywhere you want to go. My name is Stan Shunpike, and I will be your conductor this eve—"

The conductor stopped abruptly. He had just caught sight of Harry, who was still sitting on the ground.

"Seeing someone sprawled out on the ground would make me stare." said Leroy.

Harry snatched up his wand again and scrambled to his feet. Close up, he saw that Stan Shunpike was only a few years older than he was, eighteen or nineteen at most, with large, protruding ears and quite a few pimples.

"Sounds like that guy from the World Cup." said Hermione. "The one that said he was going to be the youngest Minister of Magic."

"He was the guy." said Harry.

"Good luck, Stan." muttered Tonks

"What were you doin' down there?" said Stan, dropping his professional manner."

"I'm checking the street for potholes." said Dean rolling his eyes.

"Fell over," said Harry.

"Oh come on, should've answered like Dean." said Ron.

"'Choo fall over for?" sniggered Stan.

"For kicks." said George.

"I didn't do it on purpose," said Harry, annoyed. One of the knees in his jeans was torn,

"Not like they weren't already torn and faded." said Harry.

and the hand he had thrown out to break his fall was bleeding. He suddenly remembered why he had fallen over and turned around quickly to stare at the alleyway between the garage and fence. The Knight Bus's headlamps were flooding it with light, and it was empty.

"I just backed up a bit, out of the way of the light." said Sirius.

"Why didn't you leave?" asked Tonks.

"Hey, I wanted to make sure he got on the bus alright." said Sirius.

"Why even go there?" asked Emmeline.

"I wanted to see Harry, and I had been waiting all twelve years to see him." said Sirius. "I wasn't missing out on this chance."

"'Choo lookin' at?" said Stan.

"There was a big black thing," said Harry, pointing uncertainly into the gap. "Like a dog… but massive…"

"Wow, you figured out what I was, that's pretty cool!" said Sirius.

"Not so hard, I heard you panting." said Harry.

"That sounds sort of creepy." said Ernie.

"Hey, it's hot under all that fur." said Sirius defensively.

He looked around at Stan, whose mouth was slightly open. With a feeling of unease, Harry saw Stan's eyes move to the scar on Harry's forehead.

"Woss that on your 'ead?" said Stan abruptly.

"Oh he's a brilliant one." said Fred.

"Nothing," said Harry quickly, flattening his hair over his scar. If the Ministry of Magic was looking for him, he didn't want to make it too easy for them.

"Hiding my scar didn't slow them down at all." said Harry with a smirk

"Woss your name?" Stan persisted.

"Neville Longbottom," said Harry, saying the first name that came into his head.

"What about my name?" asked Ron.

"I didn't want to risk anyone on the bus knowing your family." said Harry. "Also you were in the Daily Prophet, and they listed your name. It wouldn't have worked out."

"Oh, right." said Ron with a smirk.

"So — so this bus," he went on quickly, hoping to distract Stan, "did you say it goes anywhere?"

"Any where in Britain, anyway." said Remus.

"Yeah, if you want to go abroad then you have to get across to the continent on your own, then you can take the Continental Knight Bus." said Sirius.

"Does each country have their own Knight Bus?" asked Hermione.

"Well, kind of, each continent has their own, the larger the continent, the faster the bus." said Remus.

"Don't you have to follow the speed limit?" asked Colin.

Sirius and Remus looked at each other.

"Muggle police can't see the bus, so...no." said Sirius.

"How do they refuel? Do they use petrol?" asked Dennis.

"No, a simple motoring charm keeps it going." said Dumbledore with a smile.

"Yep," said Stan proudly, "anywhere you like, 'long it's on land. Can't do nuffink underwater.

"Has someone actually asked to go underwater?" asked Ernie.

"Yes, when the Knight Bus service first started. Some smart alec thought he could ask them to go to a sunken treasure ship. The bus sank like a stone, and it took three wizards and the aid of a city full of merpeople to get that out of the ocean." said McGonagall.

"Ere," he said, looking suspicious again, "you did flag us down, dincha? Stuck out your wand 'and, dincha?"

"He used his wand hand to break his fall." said Tonks.

"Yes," said Harry quickly. "Listen, how much would it be to get to London?"

"Eleven Sickles," said Stan, "but for firteen you get 'ot chocolate,

"Don't get that, you'll just have it end up in your lap, and hot chocolate there can be painful." said Sirius.

"It's not even very good hot chocolate." said Remus.

and for fifteen you get an 'ot-water bottle an' a toofbrush in the color of your choice."

"I'll bring my own thanks." said Hermione.

Harry rummaged once more in his trunk, extracted his money bag, and shoved some gold into Stan's hand.

"He said sickles, not galleons." said Zacharias.

"Didn't care, I just wanted him to just leave me be." said Harry.

He and Stan then lifted his trunk, with Hedwig's cage balanced on top, up the steps of the bus.

There were no seats; instead, half a dozen brass bedsteads stood beside the curtained windows.

"It's really hard to sleep on that bus." said Tonks."Trust me, I've tried."

Candles were burning in brackets beside each bed, illuminating the wood-paneled walls.A tiny wizard in a nightcap at the rear of the bus muttered, "Not now, thanks, I'm pickling some slugs" and rolled over in his sleep.

"He must have a very boring life if that's the sort of dreams he has." said Lee with a snicker.

"You 'ave this one," Stan whispered, shoving Harry's trunk under the bed right behind the driver, who was sitting in an armchair in front of the steering wheel.

"Working all day and into the later parts of the night, you have to be comfortable." said Bill shrugging.

"This is our driver, Ernie Prang. This is Neville Longbottom, Ern."

Ernie Prang, an elderly wizard wearing very thick glasses, nodded to Harry,

"You're lucky he was the one working Harry. My Uncle Barnaby is the other Knight Bus driver." said Neville.

who nervously flattened his bangs again and sat down on his bed.

"Take'er away, Ern," said Stan, sitting down in the armchair next to Ernie's.

There was another tremendous BANG, and the next moment Harry found himself flat on his bed, thrown backward by the speed of the Knight Bus.

"Thank God I wasn't standing up, I'd still be unconscious." said Harry.

Pulling himself up, Harry stared out of the dark window and saw that they were now bowling along a completely different street.

"I didn't think it was even the same town." said Harry.

Stan was watching Harry's stunned face with great enjoyment.

"This is where we was before you flagged us down," he said. "Where are we, Ern? Somewhere in Wales?"

"That should definitely answer your question about going the speed limit." said Dumbledore with a warm smile towards the young Gryffindor.

"Ar," said Ernie.

"How come the Muggles don't hear the bus?" said Harry.

"Them!" said Stan contemptuously. "Don' listen properly, do they? Don' look properly either. Never notice nuffink, they don'."

Dr. Clark smiled, "I can't even pretend to look insulted. It's kind of hard to miss a giant purple bus."

"Best go wake up Madam Marsh, Stan," said Ern. "We'll be in Abergavenny in a minute."

"I still cannot believe that she continues to ride that Bus." said Professor Sprout.

Stan passed Harry's bed and disappeared up a narrow wooden staircase. Harry was still looking out of the window, feeling increasingly nervous.

"Why, it's crash proofed?" said Neville wonderingly.

Ernie didn't seem to have mastered the use of a steering wheel.

"That would make me nervous." said Dr. Clark with a nervous smile.

The Knight Bus kept mounting the pavement, but it didn't hit anything; lines of lampposts, mailboxes, and trash cans jumped out of its way as it approached and back into position once it had passed.

"See? Crashproof." said Neville.

Stan came back downstairs, followed by a faintly green witch wrapped in a traveling cloak.

"'Ere you go, Madam Marsh," said Stan happily as Ern stamped on the brake and the beds slid a foot or so toward the front of the bus. Madam Marsh clamped a handkerchief to her mouth and tottered down the steps.

"Poor old dear." said Professor Sprout.

Stan threw her bag out after her and rammed the doors shut;

"They aren't very customer friendly are they?" said George.

there was another loud BANG, and they were thundering down a narrow country lane, trees leaping out of the way.

Harry wouldn't have been able to sleep even if he had been traveling on a bus that didn't keep banging loudly and jumping a hundred miles at a time. His stomach churned as he fell back to wondering what was going to happen to him, and whether the Dursleys had managed to get Aunt Marge off the ceiling yet.

"So you did feel some remorse. Why didn't you say that?" asked Remus.

"Because I would have liked to have done it again, only on purpose." said Harry. "But that's not an option."

Remus felt slightly uncomfortable, but he couldn't figure out why. He was in the right…right?

Stan had unfurled a copy of the Daily Prophet and was now reading with his tongue between his teeth. A large photograph of a sunken-faced man with long, matted hair blinked slowly at Harry from the front page.

"I wonder if you're picture self-recognized him." said Luna thoughtfully.

"I don't really know, never asked my picture self." said Sirius.

He looked strangely familiar.

"From the muggle news." said Sirius glumly, "not cause you remembered me from when you were a baby."

"Too bad you're only going to be happy at the end of the book." said Harry with a small smile.

"Yeah, I can't imagine that this book is going to be very good for my ego." said Sirius.

"It's going to be beaten to pulp, yeah." said Remus.

"That man!" Harry said, forgetting his troubles for a moment. "He was on the Muggle news!"

Stanley turned to the front page and chuckled.

"Sirius Black," he said, nodding. "'Course 'e was on the Muggle news, Neville. Where you been?" He gave a superior sort of chuckle at the blank look on Harry's face, removed the front page, and handed it to Harry.

"In a way, incarcerated." said Harry.

"Least you got to go outside." said Sirius.

"But the guards didn't beat you." said Harry.

"I had Dementors." said Sirius.

"I had to look at Aunt Marge for a whole week." said Harry.

"You win." said Sirius holding up his hands and smiling.

"You oughta read the papers more, Neville."

"I didn't renew the subscription yet." said Harry.

Harry held the paper up to the candlelight and read:

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."

"Good luck, you tell people not to panic, and they panic." said Kingsley shaking his head. "Human nature."

Fudge has been criticized by some members of the International Federation of Warlocks for informing the Muggle Prime Minister of the crisis.

"What they never seem to understand, is that the Ministers have to introduce themselves to the highest authorities of their respective country." said Dumbledore. "They don't agree with that little tradition."

"So does the Queen know about us?" asked a first year Hufflepuff.

"Yes she does." said Dumbledore. "Fudge has only met her once, when he came to office."

"How many times have you met her?" asked Hermione.

"Oh, I see her from time to time." said Dumbledore with a smile.

"I've met her a few times too, after the garden party." said Harry quietly.

"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 (a kind of metal wand that Muggles use to kill each other),

"They have other uses too." said Harry, thinking of Officer McFinn.

the magical community lives in fear of a massacre like that of twelve years ago, when Black murdered thirteen people with a single curse.

"Wasn't me!" said Sirius.

"We know that now." said Madam Bones apologetically.

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.

Harry slowly covered his head with the blanket as Sirius looked slowly over to him.

"The list of getting you back for stuff in these books is getting longer and longer." said Sirius, working very hard to keep a straight face.

"Scary-lookin' fing, inee?" said Stan, who had been watching Harry read.

"He murdered thirteen people?" said Harry, handing the page back to Stan, "with one curse?"

"That is an insanely powerful spell." said Remus, "Sort of why I believed you did it." he added apologetically.

"Yeah, Peter would never have done it, not the Peter we thought we knew anyway." said Sirius.

"Yep," said Stan, "in front of witnesses an' all. Broad daylight. Big trouble it caused, dinnit, Ern?"

"Ar," said Ern darkly.

Stan swiveled in his armchair, his hands on the back, the better to look at Harry.

"Black woz a big supporter of You-Know-'Oo," he said.

"What, Voldemort?" said Harry, without thinking.

"In my defense, it was a long and tiring day." said Harry to the looks he was receiving.

Even Stan's pimples went white; Ern jerked the steering wheel so hard that a whole farmhouse had to jump aside to avoid the bus.

"You outta your tree?" yelped Stan. "'Choo say 'is name for?"

"Sorry," said Harry hastily. "Sorry, I — I forgot —"

"Well, you'd pose as Neville perfectly." smirked Zacharias.

"Mr. Smith...last warning." said Professor Sprout.

"Forgot!" said Stan weakly. "Blimey, my 'eart's goin' that fast…"

"So — so Black was a supporter of You-Know-Who?" Harry prompted apologetically.

"Never was, never will be." said Sirius.

"Can we just say that almost everything about is incorrect, I'd rather not hear you whine and whimper about what is said about you." said Snape with a groan.

"Almost?" said Sirius sharply.

"Leave it." said Remus.

"Yeah," said Stan, still rubbing his chest. "Yeah, that's right. Very close to You-Know-'Oo, they say… anyway, when little 'Arry Potter got the better of You-Know-'Oo" — Harry nervously flattened his bangs down again — "all You-Know-'Oo's supporters was tracked down, wasn't they, Ern? Most of 'em knew it was all over, wiv You-Know-'Oo gone, and they came quiet. But not Sirius Black. I 'eard he thought 'e'd be second-in-command once You-Know-'Oo 'ad taken over.

Sirius growled softly and slightly bared his teeth.

"Anyway, they cornered Black in the middle of a street full of Muggles an' Black took out 'is wand and 'e blasted 'alf the street apart, an' a wizard got it, an' so did a dozen Muggles what got in the way.

'Orrible, eh? An' you know what Black did then?" Stan continued in a dramatic whisper.

"Don't you just love it how the facts are destroyed as they pass from mouth to mouth?" said McGonagall shaking her head. "The Aurors didn't corner the so-called culprit,"(making sure she didn't mention Sirius.) "and then the street blew up, the street was blown away before they even got there."

"What?" said Harry.

"Laughed," said Stan. "Jus' stood there an' laughed. An' when reinforcements from the Ministry of Magic got there, 'e went wiv em quiet as anyfink, still laughing 'is 'ead off. 'Cos 'e's mad, inee, Ern? Inee mad?"

"I think 'emotionally distraught' is more likely than mad." said Remus.

"Too bad you didn't think that years ago." said Sirius with a good-natured nudge.

"If he weren't when he went to Azkaban, he will be now," said Ern in his slow voice. "I'd blow meself up before I set foot in that place. Serves him right, mind you… after what he did…"

"Breathe, Padfoot." said Remus quietly. "Breathe."

"They 'ad a job coverin' it up, din' they, Ern?" Stan said. "'Ole street blown up an' all them Muggles dead. What was it they said 'ad 'appened, Ern?"

"Gas explosion," grunted Ernie.

Dr. Clark turned pale and and faced Sirius. "Where did that happen?" he asked in a faint voice.

Sirius told him the street. Dr. Clark took a deep breath. "My girlfriend got caught in that thing."

Sirius put the book down and looked sadly over to him. "I'm sorry. If I..."

"Not your fault, but I'd like to get my hands on the son of a b*tch that did it." said Dr. Clark angrily.

"We can help in that department, when the time comes." said Lionus with an evil smirk.

"An' now 'e's out," said Stan, examining the newspaper picture of Black's gaunt face again. "Never been a breakout from Azkaban before, 'as there, Ern? Beats me 'ow 'e did it. Frightenin', eh? Mind, I don't fancy 'is chances against them Azkaban guards, eh, Ern?"

Ernie suddenly shivered. "Talk about summat else, Stan, there' a good lad. Them Azkaban guards give me the collywobbles."

"You don't use Dementors in your prison, do you?" asked Charlie over to Lionus.

"Of course they do!" said Percy importantly. "How else can they keep the most hardened criminals locked away securely?"

"Don't chatter nonsense!" said Tempest. "We'd never allow such foul creatures in our prison, the moment they get too close, they get destroyed."

"What? But..." said Percy.

"We use Rangers, Dementors are highly unreliable. It's too risky to have them guard the prisoners. Every time we come across one out on an assignment, we destroy them." said Nightstrike.

"But why?" asked Percy.

"They were never supposed to exist." said Lionus. "They were created by dead bodies and dark magic, a sort of evolved form of Inferi."

"What...?" said Colin.

"Best tell you later." said Lionus.

Stan put the paper away reluctantly, and Harry leaned against the window of the Knight Bus, feeling worse than ever. He couldn't help imagining what Stan might be telling his passengers in a few nights' time.

"'Ear about that 'Arry Potter? Blew up 'is aunt! We 'ad 'im 'ere on the Knight Bus, di'n't we, Ern? 'E was tryin' to run for it…"

"If I'm not mistaken, he did sort of say something like that." said Tonks.

He, Harry, had broken wizard law just like Sirius Black.

"My dear boy, I don't think that inflating your aunt is the same as being charged with the murder of twelve people." said Dumbledore with smile.

Was inflating Aunt Marge bad enough to land him in Azkaban?

"Not even if you had whipped out your wand. Expulsion would have been the most you would have had to fear." said Madam Bones.

Harry didn't know anything about the wizard prison, though everyone he'd ever heard speak of it did so in the same fearful tone.

"I would ask, people would turn pale, mumble and then walk away." said Harry "And there weren't many books in the library about it."

"Of course not, don't want people to know too much about it, and try to make an escape when they get there." said Moody gruffly.

Hagrid, the Hogwarts gamekeeper, had spent two months there only last year. Harry wouldn't soon forget the look of terror on Hagrid's face when he had been told where he was going, and Hagrid was one of the bravest people Harry knew.

Hagrid blushed heavily. "Nice o' you ter say that."

"You are Hagrid, if I was ever in any real trouble, I'd come running to you and Dumbledore first." said Harry.

"Sure where do I rate?"

"Third." said Harry.

"Who's before me?" said Sirius.

"McGonagall." said Harry. McGonagall blushed faintly.

"Gotcha." said Sirius. "I can live with being in third place now."

The Knight Bus rolled through the darkness, scattering bushes and wastebaskets, telephone booths and trees, and Harry lay, restless and miserable, on his feather bed. After a while, Stan remembered that Harry had paid for hot chocolate, but poured it all over Harry's pillow when the bus moved abruptly from Anglesea to Aberdeen. One by one, wizards and witches in dressing gowns and slippers descended from the upper floors to leave the bus. They all looked very pleased to go.

Finally, Harry was the only passenger left.

"Right then, Neville," said Stan, clapping his hands, "whereabouts in London?"

"Diagon Alley," said Harry.

"Righto," said Stan. "'Old tight, then."

BANG.

They were thundering along Charing Cross Road. Harry sat up and watched buildings and benches squeezing themselves out of the Knight Bus's way. The sky was getting a little lighter. He would lie low for a couple of hours, go to Gringotts the moment it opened, then set off — where, he didn't know.

"Now how were you going to lay low in a pub, full of people who would know you the moment they saw you?" asked Kingsley.

"The moment I got off the bus and when they left, I was going to put on the Invisibility Cloak and just hang out in the pub, then left the moment the bank was opened. Then I'd hit the Muggle bank." said Harry.

"Where were you going to go?" said Sirius.

"Well, first to see where my parents lived, then I'd go off to try and find Dr. Clark on my own." said Harry.

"Good thing you didn't go looking for him, these would really be Memorial Books." said Nicodemus.

"Bad, was it?" said Sirius worriedly.

"We had problems getting in and out." said Lionus.

"Holy crap." said Remus.

Ernie slammed on the brakes and the Knight Bus skidded to a halt in front of a small and shabby-looking pub, the Leaky Cauldron, behind which lay the magical entrance to Diagon Alley.

"Thanks," Harry said to Ernie.

He jumped down the steps and helped Stan lower his trunk and Hedwig's cage onto the pavement.

"Well at least he didn't just toss your stuff." said Tonks.

"That's the service you get when you just shove gold in his hands." said Harry with a chuckle.

"Well," said Harry. "Bye then!"

But Stan wasn't paying attention. Still standing in the doorway to the bus he was goggling at the shadowy entrance to the Leaky Cauldron.

"There you are, Harry," said a voice.

"Dumbledore?" asked Charlie.

"Not that lucky." said Harry.

Dumbledore chuckled warmly. "I was unfortunately preoccupied arguing with the Warden of Azkaban. He would not let me leave to locate you."

Before Harry could turn, he felt a hand on his shoulder. At the same time, Stan shouted, "Blimey! Ern, come 'ere! Come 'ere!"

Harry looked up at the owner of the hand on his shoulder and felt a bucketful of ice cascade into his stomach — he had walked right into Cornelius Fudge, the Minister of Magic himself.

"I would have given anything to go to your aid, but Fudge said he would handle it." said Dumbledore.

"How did he know where he was?" asked Bill.

"I told him where he would most likely to find Harry." said Dumbledore with a slightly apologetic look to the white haired boy.

Stan leapt onto the pavement beside them."What didja call Neville, Minister?" he said excitedly.

Fudge, a portly little man in a long, pinstriped cloak, looked cold and exhausted.

"Exhausted form arguing with Albus." muttered McGonagall to Flitwick.

"The only time I can ever remember him winning." said Flitwick.

"Neville?" he repeated, frowning. "This is Harry Potter."

"I knew it!" Stan shouted gleefully. "Ern! Ern! Guess 'oo Neville is, Ern! 'E's 'Arry Potter! I can see 'is scar!"

"Idiot, you've already seen it." said Moody.

"Yes," said Fudge testily, "well, I'm very glad the Knight Bus picked Harry up, but he and I need to step inside the Leaky Cauldron now…" Fudge increased the pressure on Harry's shoulder,

"I was amazed that I didn't see nail marks when I took a shower the next morning." said Harry rubbing his shoulder.

and Harry found himself being steered inside the pub.

A stooping figure bearing a lantern appeared through the door behind the bar. It was Tom, the wizened, toothless landlord.

"You've got him, Minister!" said Tom. "Will you be wanting anything? Beer? Brandy?"

"He wasn't talking about you." teased Remus to Harry.

"I'm more of a fine wine, sort of guy." said Harry with a smile.

"You're going to love the wine cellar." said Sirius. "When you're older of course."

"Also known as ten months." said Harry with a smirk.

Umbridge struggled against her gag, most people had forgotten she was still there.

"What do you want now?" asked Nightstrike with a groan. He pulled the gag out of her mouth. She sneered over at Sirius.

"Your wine is gone, all gone!" said Umbridge madly with malicious laugh. With that, Nightstrike snapped the gag back on.

"I saw that you went through the Novice Cellar." said Sirius with a smirk. "You didn't find my regular cellar, had to hide that from a few people. Kept taking my wine without me knowing."

Umbridge blanched.

"You got the lesser value wine, nothing in there worth more than twenty galleons. The good cellar is full of rare wines."

"You wouldn't by chance have a Chateau de Éclat 1821, would you?" said Harry excitedly.

"You'll see this weekend." said Sirius with a smile.

"Try again." said Harry his face falling.

"Oh, right, well, week after next." said Sirius with a reassuring smile.

"Perhaps a pot of tea," said Fudge, who still hadn't let go of Harry.

There was a loud scraping and puffing from behind them, and Stan and Ern appeared, carrying Harry's trunk and Hedwig's cage and looking around excitedly.

"'Ow come you di'n't tell us 'oo you are, eh, Neville?" said Stan, beaming at Harry, while Ernie's owlish face peered interestedly over Stan's shoulder.

"They've always wanted someone famous to ride the bus." said Tonks.

"How do you know so much?" asked Ron.

"My father and his father are really good friends. We sort of grew up together." said Tonks.

"But she really loved to push him around." said Sirius with a smirk.

"And a private parlor, please, Tom," said Fudge pointedly.

"Bye," Harry said miserably to Stan and Ern as Tom beckoned Fudge toward the passage that led from the bar.

"Bye, Neville!" called Stan.

"He'll never let you forget that little jaunt." said Remus. "I'll bet you could be a Minister of Magic and still call you Neville."

"Wouldn't put it past him." said Harry with a smirk.

Fudge marched Harry along the narrow passage after Tom's lantern, and then into a small parlor. Tom clicked his fingers, a fire burst into life in the grate, and he bowed himself out of the room.

"Sit down, Harry," said Fudge, indicating a chair by the fire.

Harry sat down, feeling goose bumps rising up his arms despite the glow of the fire.

"Wasn't too sure what to expect." said Harry.

"You needn't have worried, at that part, he was hoping to use you as a figurehead at that point." said Kingsley.

"It feels so nice to be used." said Harry with a growl.

Never ever again. thought Dumbledore bitterly.

Fudge took off his pinstriped cloak and tossed it aside, then hitched up the trousers of his bottle-green suit and sat down opposite Harry.

"I am Cornelius Fudge, Harry. The Minister of Magic."

"We know that already." said Bill.

"But he doesn't." said Fred.

Harry already knew this, of course; he had seen Fudge once before, but as he had been wearing his father's Invisibility Cloak at the time, Fudge wasn't to know that.

"Good thing you had the sense not to tell him that." said George.

Tom the innkeeper reappeared, wearing an apron over his nightshirt and bearing a tray of tea and crumpets. He placed the tray on a table between Fudge and Harry and left the parlor, closing the door behind him.

"Poor dear, he should have been allowed to go back to bed after letting you lot in, just bring in a teapot and have you brew your own drinks." said Madam Pomfrey.

"Well, Harry," said Fudge, pouring out tea, "you've had us all in a right flap, I don't mind telling you.

"Walk a mile in my shoes, lets see how you managed." mumbled Harry darkly.

"He'd go insane, or wouldn't last the week." said Ginny stealing a kiss.

Running away from your aunt and uncle's house like that! I'd started to think…

"That's a switch, he's never thought before." said McGonagall with a sneer.

but you're safe, and that's what matters."

"Well he's got the right idea." said Sirius.

"It's a good thing you were actually innocent." said Luna.

"Aside from the obvious, why is that?" said Sirius.

"If you were a mass murderer, you would have come upon Harry sooner than anyone." said Luna.

Sirius and Remus gulped loudly. Dumbledore looked fearfully over to Harry, who wasn't listening at that particular moment, he was busy talking to Ginny about her favorite Quidditch team. Finally he looked up.

"What's the matter?" said Harry.

"Just worrying about you." said Dr. Clark with an unconvincing smile.

"Well, recently that's not something new." said Harry.

Fudge buttered himself a crumpet and pushed the plate toward Harry.

"Holly made the best crumpets, she'd add honey and cinnamon to them and oh man, they were delicious." said Dr. Clark with a fond smile.

"Eat, Harry, you look dead on your feet. Now then… You will be pleased to hear that we have dealt with the unfortunate blowing-up of Miss Marjorie Dursley.

"Pleased isn't the word I would have chosen." said Professor Flitwick gleefully. "Disappointed is more appropriate."

Two members of the Accidental Magic Reversal Department were dispatched to Privet Drive a few hours ago.

"Moron, it was only about forty-five minutes ago." said Harry.

Miss Dursley has been punctured and her memory has been modified. She has no recollection of the incident at all. So that's that, and no harm done."

"Well, damn. I was hoping she'd be scarred for life." said George.

"If it's any consolation, she's afraid of heights now." said Harry.

"Not enough." said Fred.

Fudge smiled at Harry over the rim of his teacup, rather like an uncle surveying a favorite nephew.

"Beats the hell out of what Lockhart was." said Sirius. "But I'm not too comfortable with him just using you."

Harry, who couldn't believe his ears, opened his mouth to speak, couldn't think of anything to say, and closed it again.

"Ah, you're worrying about the reaction of your aunt and uncle?" said Fudge.

"Was more worried about what trouble I was in with the Ministry. I knew that I was in for it at the Dursleys." said Harry.

"Well, I won't deny that they are extremely angry, Harry,

"That's Uncle Vernon's default setting where I'm concerned." said Harry.

but they are prepared to take you back next summer as long as you stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays."

"He stays there anyway!" said Hermione.

"What happened when you came back home?" said Remus.

"Nothing good." said Harry. "I don't want to talk about it."

Harry unstuck his throat.

"I always stay at Hogwarts for the Christmas and Easter holidays," he said, "and I don't ever want to go back to Privet Drive."

"That should give the Minister a hint that something isn't right." said one of the Hufflepuffs, who's parents worked at the Ministry.

"Now, now, I'm sure you'll feel differently once you've calmed down," said Fudge in a worried tone.

"Wonder what he's worried about?" said George.

"Worried that Harry's going to cause problems." said Sirius with a snarl.

"Or that he didn't know how to handle the situation, he was never very good with kids." said Madam Bones.

"They are your family, after all, and I'm sure you are fond of each other — er — very deep down."

"How deep down is he expecting you to go?" asked Ron.

"Alot further down than where I can go." said Harry.

It didn't occur to Harry to put Fudge right. He was still waiting to hear what was going to happen to him now.

"So all that remains," said Fudge, now buttering himself a second crumpet, "is to decide where you're going to spend the last two weeks of your vacation. I suggest you take a room here at the Leaky Cauldron and…"

"Oh, if the Minister was here, I'd give him what for!" said Mrs. Weasley angrily. "Leaving a child in an Inn all by himself."

"Tom was more than willing to watch him." said Kingsley, "And there was always an Auror in Diagon Alley, and the Leaky Cauldron."

"Not to mention a Ranger with him at all times." said Lionus.

"How come you didn't try and find Sirius Black?" asked Zacharias.

"We weren't' confident that he was guilty. But Harry was proving to be very fascinating."

"So why didn't you notice what was happening?" said Remus.

"We only focused on him when he left the house, for his 'jobs'." Nightstrike. "So, when he ran away from home, we followed him."

"No one else came on the bus, though." said Ron.

"We rode on top." said Nightstrike. "More exciting that way."

"You're nuts." said Remus.

"Hang on," blurted Harry. "What about my punishment?"

"He wasn't going to give you a punishment!" said Sirius. "Wow, you really are different from your parents, even they wouldn't bring up punishment if it wasn't mentioned."

Fudge blinked. "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.

"Blowing up a family member isn't what I'd call a 'little thing'" said Madam Hooch with a smile.

"It was an accident! We don't send people to Azkaban just for blowing up their aunts!"

"That would be sort of funny to see that on an arrest report." said Tonks with a giggle.

But this didn't tally at all with Harry's past dealings with the Ministry of Magic.

"Smart lad." said Moody with an impressed smile.

"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 Harry's eyes were deceiving him, Fudge was suddenly looking awkward.

"And he acted as if he had heard it the first time at your hearing!" said Madam Bones angrily. "Oh, when I get my hands on that man!"

"He still with your people?" asked Percy over to Lionus.

"Yup, he aint leaving today either. Seems the Chief wanted to have a word with him." said Lionus.

The Rangers groaned loudly.

"What's wrong?" asked Charlie.

"Doesn't mean anything good, when an elected official has to have a chat with the Chief." said Nighstrike.

"Circumstances change, Harry…

"The Law is the Law." said Moody.

We have to take into account…

"Like how much is in your bank account." said Harry darkly.

in the present climate…

"Don't want the possible chance that someone would hear Harry being expelled." said Charlie.

Surely you don't want to be expelled?"

"Of course I don't," said Harry.

"Well then, what's all the fuss about?" laughed Fudge.

"It's cause it didn't make any sense." said Harry.

"Now, have a crumpet, Harry, while I go and see if Tom's got a room for you."

Fudge strode out of the parlor and Harry stared after him. There was something extremely odd going on.

"Least you're keeping your wits about you." said Lionus with a smile.

Why had Fudge been waiting for him at the Leaky Cauldron, if not to punish him for what he'd done? And now Harry came to think of it, surely it wasn't usual for the Minister of Magic himself to get involved in matters of underage magic?

"Didn't stop him from doing it last summer." said Sirius with a snarl.

Fudge came back, accompanied by Tom the innkeeper.

"Room eleven's free, Harry," said Fudge. "I think you'll be very comfortable just one thing, and I'm sure you'll understand… I don't want you wandering off into Muggle London, all right?

"But that means you can't get your Muggle money!" said Neville.

"Not like I needed to go there anyway, I didn't have any appointments or need the money from that Bank." said Harry.

Keep to Diagon Alley. And you're to be back here before dark each night.

"Does he not know that the shops close before the darkness completely falls on Diagon Alley?" said Emmeline.

Sure you'll understand. Tom will be keeping an eye on you for me."

"Okay," said Harry slowly, "but why?"

"Don't want to lose you again, do we?" said Fudge with a hearty laugh. "No, no… best we know where you are… I mean…"

"Thank Merlin he didn't try out for an Auror position, he'd never make it." said Moody rolling one of his eyes.

Fudge cleared his throat loudly and picked up his pinstriped cloak.

"Well, I'll be off, plenty to do, you know…"

"Have you had any luck with Black yet?" Harry asked.

Sirius snorted, "Bet he was hoping you didn't ask."

Fudge's finger slipped on the silver fastenings of his cloak.

"Called it." said Sirius with a laugh.

"What's that? Oh, you've heard - well, no, not yet, but it's only a matter of time. The Azkaban guards have never yet failed… and they are angrier than I've ever seen them."

Fudge shuddered slightly.

"So, I'll say good-bye."

He held out his hand and Harry, shaking it, had a sudden idea.

"Better be careful with him, he isn't the most flexible person." said Speckerton.

"Er — Minister? Can I ask you something?"

"Certainly," said Fudge with a smile.

"Well, third years at Hogwarts are allowed to visit Hogsmeade, but my aunt and uncle didn't sign the permission form. D'you think you could —?"

"Didn't know you were that desperate to go." said McGonagall.

"I asked you, the most straight arrow teacher I've ever seen if she could bend that rule." said Harry. "How much more desperate do I have to be?"

Fudge was looking uncomfortable.

"Ah," he said. "No, no, I'm very sorry, Harry, but as I'm not your parent or guardian —"

"But you're the Minister of Magic," said Harry eagerly. "If you gave me permission…"

"He won't give it, especially not that year." said Kingsley.

"No, I'm sorry, Harry, but rules are rules," said Fudge flatly. "Perhaps you'll be able to visit Hogsmeade next year.

"Yeah, after what happened to Aunt Marge? He's delusional." said Harry.

In fact, I think it's best if you don't… yes… well, I'll be off. Enjoy your stay, Harry."

"After you dashed his hopes of seeing Hogsmede?" said Bill.

"Hey! Remus! Why didn't you sign his form?" asked Charlie.

"I actually would have, if he had asked me, but two things stopped me from telling him. One: I thought Sirius was out to kill him and keeping him in the castle was the safest thing to do. And two: I had a feeling he had already been there when he and I had a private chat." said Remus with a smile.

And with a last smile and shake of Harry's hand, Fudge left the room. Tom now moved forward, beaming at Harry.

"If you'll follow me, Mr. Potter," he said, "I've already taken your things up…"

Harry followed Tom up a handsome wooden staircase to a door with a brass number eleven on it, which Tom unlocked and opened for him.

Inside was a very comfortable-looking bed, some highly polished oak furniture, a cheerfully crackling fire

"Whoa, he gave you one of the better rooms in the Inn!" said Neville.

and, perched on top of the wardrobe —

"Hedwig!" Harry gasped.

"How the bloody hell did she know you were going to be there?" asked Bill.

"She's brilliant." said Harry with beaming smile.

The snowy owl clicked her beak and fluttered down onto Harry's arm.

"Very smart owl you've got there," chuckled Tom. "Arrived about five minutes after you did.

"Bet that took him by surprised." said one of seventh year Slytherins.

If there's anything you need, Mr. Potter, don't hesitate to ask."

"Please tell me you waited until morning." said Madam Pomfrey.

"I did." said Harry.

He gave another bow and left.

Harry sat on his bed for a long time, absentmindedly stroking Hedwig. The sky outside the window was changing rapidly from deep, velvety blue to cold, steely gray and then, slowly, to pink shot with gold.

"So you stayed up all night?" said Sirius.

"Not like I've never done that before." said Harry shrugging.

Harry could hardly believe that he'd left Privet Drive only a few hours ago, that he wasn't expelled, and that he was now facing two completely Dursley-free weeks.

"It's been a very weird night, Hedwig," he yawned.

And without even removing his glasses, he slumped back onto his pillows and fell asleep.

"I woke up and Hedwig had taken my glasses off my head, I thought it was pretty cool." said Harry with a smile.

"Well, we can tackle another chapter before dinner." said Speckerton.

"What about the Recollection Scrolls?" asked Sirius.

"Well, now that we have seen Harry's childhood, I don't think another one will show up for some time." said Speckerton. "I think they will become as rare as the Scattered Shots are."

"Dang, I liked the happy ones." said Sirius. "Well, who wants to read the next one?"

"I will. " said Ginny, getting off the couch and walking over to take the book.

"You two enjoying yourselves over there?" said Sirius in a whisper.

"Yeah, actually. Since we can't go on a date this weekend, we'll have our dates during the readings." said Ginny with a wink.

Remus started to speak but Ginny stopped him.

"Don't worry about it, Harry realizes what he said was wrong, but he does seem a bit put off of you for right now. He says you should have done it in private, not public."

Remus looked shamefully down.

"How about you leave the whole punishment thing to me?" asked Sirius.

"And me, you take a break from it before it puts you in real deep water." said Dr. Clark.

"Sounds good to me." he said quietly.