"The suspect is an unknown Death Eater using a reformed version of Polyjuice potion to hide his identity and he owns a house elf which causes another set of issues." Alastor replied. "The house elves are taking care of the latter and so long as the traffic in and out of the castle is monitored, we shouldn't have a problem."
"Will Potter come on the Express or is Black making special provision for him?" asked Severus.
"We are not releasing that information." Minerva glared at Severus.
Septima cleared her throat. "What about the safety of the other students? If this…madman decides to attack the boy on the train, others will be at risk. Surely it would be better for him to floo in and for that to be released to the press?"
Albus noted there were a few nods of agreement around the room. "The safety of all the students remains a top priority. Lord Black and I are still finalising the decision regarding Harry's travel."
"It's good thing to question. We should all consider the safety and the security of the school every day." Alastor said bluntly. "If a colleague or a student starts to show unusual behaviour, report it to myself or Minnie. Personally, I've been appalled at the security and safety deficits of previous years. I'd like to think we won't have these issues if we all practice CONSTANT VIGILANCE!"
Albus smiled brightly at Alastor and ignored his ringing ears. "Well said. Are there any other concerns? No?" His gaze swept around the room. "Then, let's have supper and toast the beginning of another year!"
He decided to ignore the eye rolling of the rest of the staff.
o-O-o
September 1st 1994
Harry tried very hard not to laugh at Remus's appalled expression as he regarded himself in the mirror of the guest cloakroom on the ground floor of Black Manor.
Sirius sniffed at him. "What?"
"Why do I have to be the woman?" asked Remus bluntly, running his hand over the dress Sirius had hustled him into a mere ten minutes before.
"There are just so many comebacks to that, Moony, I can't settle on one." Sirius smirked at him.
Remus glowered at Sirius.
Harry snickered.
Remus arched his eyebrow at Harry. "We could always dress you up as a girl, Snitch."
"Ah, but then I'd tell Aunt Minnie and she would yell at you." Harry said confidently.
"Aunt Minnie is going to yell at us anyway." Remus adjusted his new cleavage and swore. "Bras are torture devices – why the hell do women wear them? And whose bright idea was this anyway?"
"Yours!" chorused Sirius and Harry together.
And it had been. Remus had stepped in and fixed the issue about how Harry was getting to Hogwarts rather ingeniously. There had first been a leak to the press that Harry would not be on the Express, followed by a confirmation to Dumbledore that Sirius would take care of ensuring Harry arrived at Hogwarts. But all the while the Marauders had planned to sneak Harry aboard the Express; going incognito to King's Cross was part of the plan.
Remus sighed.
Harry took pity on him. "I really do appreciate it, Remus. I really want to ride the Express and you've been brilliant thinking this up." He paused. "If it helps, the dress really, uh, suits you?"
"That doesn't help, but thank you, Harry." Remus said, smoothing down the folds of the plain navy blue dress. He turned back to the mirror and pointed his wand at his face and hair. It changed slowly; the faint scars of his werewolfism faded away under the glamour, replaced by a peaches and cream complexion. He changed his eyebrows to a plucked elegant shape and his nose and chin became more refined. His hair sprouted suddenly, growing and shaping itself into a tidy chignon. He looked like a respectable lady.
"Nice, Remus." Sirius pushed him away from the mirror. "My turn." The glamour took effective immediately as he tapped his head with his wand. His black hair was replaced by a short nondescript brown cut peppered with grey. His eyes shifted to the same brown colour while his face aged and took on more wrinkles. He swept the wand down his clothes automatically transfiguring the leather blazer, white t-shirt and smart jeans into a muggle suit in a non-descript black. He turned to Harry. "Your turn."
Harry felt the wand tap his head and he could feel the magic wash over him. He hurried to take a look in the mirror and grimaced. His hair had turned the same dull brown as Sirius, his face had taken on a more rounded shape reminiscent of Neville in first year and his eyes had been turned a muddy brown. Fortunately, Sirius hadn't transfigured his clothes into something else; his blue jeans, favourite green t-shirt and grey hooded fleece had been left alone.
"Right!" Sirius ordered briskly. "It is now…" he silently did the tempus charm and the time glowed briefly in the air for a long moment. "Huh. Exactly ten o'clock." He ushered them out of the bathroom and down the corridor to the reception room and the floo.
Harry's trunk sat on the floor near to the fireplace. Dobby had helped him pack the night before, ensuring everything was clean and tidily packed away. Hedwig had decided to fly rather than travel by the train so her cage wasn't needed.
Sirius picked up the trunk. "Are you sure you've got everything?"
Harry nodded. "Dobby was very efficient." And much better at packing than Harry. Dobby had cleaned, pressed and folded the clothes very carefully; arranged all the books, equipment and the potion ingredients so that everything would be easily unpacked at the other end.
"OK. I'll go first, you follow, then Remus." Sirius said briskly.
Harry took a deep breath as Sirius went through; he followed with an encouraging look from Remus and emerged out into a floo tucked away into a corner of platform nine and three quarters. Sirius nudged him and he moved away so Remus could floo through easily. The Express was already prepped but there were only a few families already on the platform. Strangely, hardly any families arrived early; most people arrived within twenty minutes of the departure time creating a frantic platform.
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