Summary: In what could only be described as an act of god, Sirius manages to convince Dumbledore to let him take Harry out of the country for his summer vacation before fifth year. To get away from the dangers of Britain and see the world in peace, even if it's only for a couple months. A nice trip to Paris, perhaps a day in Berlin or Istanbul? With magic to help them, the world may be at their fingertips after all. But of course, nothing is ever so simple when your name is Harry James Potter.

Author's Note: Since so many people felt it worth mentioning, I will outright say it right here and now ~ Hermione will not be sticking/joining Harry and Sirius on their journey. At most, she will be present up through the next chapter and that's it. If you want an explanation as to why I chose her out of everyone, you can read my note at the end of the chapter. Also, I must admit, I had hoped people would take to the challenge of finding the little nods to other works of fiction more vigorously. I always considered that one of the greatest things that I enjoyed when it comes to reading and writing Fanfiction. Oh well, to each's own, I suppose. Anyways, please enjoy the second part of Harry's misadventures in Paris, France!

Challenge: Once again, I'd like to reiterate that this is one of those stories where I'm totally open to new ideas! I have only visited so many places and know so much, so any input anyone has for future destinations and adventures, please feel free to tell me in a review. Who knows, you might see your ideas in the upcoming chapters. I've already had a few people send me their suggestions and I am seriously considering quite a few of them!

~ Harry Potter and the World of Magic ~

Chapter 3

"Harry!"

Cue flying tackle hug.

"Oof!" Harry didn't have much warning before he was bowled over by the bushy-haired brunette, sending them tumbling onto the ground in a tangled mess. And of course, Hermione didn't even notice the somewhat intimate position they ended up in as she was too busy trying to squeeze the stuffing out of her best friend… And doing a damn good job at it too. At the rate she was going, Harry wouldn't be breathing soon. "Her-… mione…! Can't…! Breathe!"

"Oh! Sorry!" The girl immediately scrambled back onto her feet, sheepishly offering a hand to Harry and pulling him up. Hermione then stepped back and looked him up and down, as if still unable to comprehend that her best friend really was standing right in front of her in her uncle's house… in Paris. "Harry… I-... I mean… How?… What are you doing here?"

"Me? What are you doing here?"

Hermione huffed and crossed her arms. "Seeing as you're in my uncle's house, I think it's more appropriate for you to answer first. Shouldn't you be at your relatives? Does Dumbledore know that you're here?"

"Your uncle? You mean Léon?"

She nodded.

"Huh… What are the chances…" Harry mumbled, glancing at Sirius to see if he had planned this. Judging from the faint surprise in the man's eyes, he suspected not. "Well, Sirius and I are on vacation. He's taking me on a journey around the world. France is our first stop and your uncle knew my dad and Sirius years ago, so he agreed to let us stay with him for the duration of our time here. And Dumbledore knows about all this too. He's the one who got us the portkey."

"Oh, Harry, that's wonderful!" Hermione beamed. "I know how much you've wanted to spend some quality time with Sirius. You must be enjoying yourself so much!" She could practically see the difference the trip had already done for her best friend… The tension, the stress, the expectation of an unknown upcoming threat… All of it was gone. And he looked so different too, sporting new glasses, new clothes that actually fit him, and a stylish new haircut that was still messy looking, but in a far more charming way. It was almost unreal the difference a week could do. "So, tell me - What have you seen so far? Have you been to the Louvre? Or the d'Orsay? Oh, both are beautiful and there so much to see there! And what about-"

"Ahem," an amused voice said from behind them. "Care to introduce, dear?"

"Oh!" Hermione blushed. In her excitement, she had completely forgotten that there were other people in the room. "Sorry, mum. This is Harry Potter, my best friend from Hogwarts," she said, purposely leaving Sirius out of the introductions since he hadn't stopped grinning at them since their somewhat intimate position earlier.

"It's nice to finally meet you Mr. and Mrs. Granger," Harry said, shaking both of their hands.

"Oh, none of that "Mr. and Mrs." nonsense. Please, call me Jean."

"And you can call me Chris," her husband added good naturedly.

Harry smiled. He had only briefly met Hermione's parents in Diagon Alley on the summer before Second Year, but had never gotten the chance to properly get to know them. But now that he was face to face, and apparently spending the next week with them at their relative's home, he could take the opportunity to learn a little more about his best friend and her life outside of Hogwarts.

Hermione's mother, Jean, was a slim woman around her daughter's height, with chestnut-brown hair that spilled around her shoulders in waves and sparkling blue eyes, and while not as stunning as someone like Raquel, she nonetheless had a beauty that Harry could easily see and appreciate, much like her daughter. As for her husband, Chris, the man matched Sirius in height and build, but instead had shorter dark brown hair and chocolate brown eyes that were covered by a pair of stylish glasses. Both had an air of intelligence similar to their daughter and immaculate white teeth, no doubt a result of their professions. Of course, Harry's observations were abruptly cut short when a certain Marauder decided to remind everyone that he was still there.

"And since everyone seems to keep forgetting about me, I'm Sirius Black, godfather to the ungrateful brat your equally ungrateful daughter failed to introduce, despite knowing exactly who I am," Sirius grumbled, though the effect was ruined by the amused smile.

"So you're the infamous Sirius Black my brother has told me so much about," Jean said, shaking the offered hand. "I must say, it's a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Likewise. I see that my reputation precedes me."

"You could say that. I remember him mentioning you and your friend, James, back when you three first met."

A shadow of pain and crushing sorrow flashed across Sirius's face at the mention of his deceased best friend, but he quickly hid it with another smile. "Those were good times… Did he ever tell you exactly how we met though?"

Jean frowned, having caught the look of sorrow the Marauder had shown before he covered it, but a quick glance at Léon, who shook his head furtively, had her refraining from pressing and instead she answered, "He said the three of you met at a bar or something."

"Is that what he told you?" A positively evil grin spread across Sirius's face as he looked at Léon, who was rapidly turning white. "Léon, how could you lie to your own sister?!"

"Sirius, don't you dare…"

"Does Raquel know about this?"

"Non, je ne pas (No, I do not)," the French beauty answered, looking equally curious and suspicious of her fiancé.

"Sirius, you promised you'd never tell!"

"I did no such thing!"

"Yes, you did! You gave me a Marauder's Vow!"

"Exactly! A Marauder's Vow… And the Marauders are all about playing pranks, having fun, and, of course, making fun of our friends for the laughter of all and the embarrassment of the victim, which just so happens to be you."

Léon could only gape in horror, looking very much like someone had slapped him with a fish.

"Jean, Chris, Raquel, allow me to tell you what really happened back in the summer of '76. It involves a mouse, a pair of chopsticks, three wheels of cheese, and the actress Catherine Deneuve…"

"Cher Dieu, sauve-moi (Dear God, save me)…"

Deciding she was better off not hearing something so embarrassing about her favorite uncle, especially since the Marauders were involved, Hermione grabbed her luggage and looked at her best friend. "C'mon, let's go upstairs. I'm pretty sure I don't want to hear any of this."

Chuckling, Harry gestured for the brunette to lead the way and followed her up into one of the guest bedrooms. "So how long have you and Sirius been here?" she asked, disappearing into the closet with an armful of clothes in hand.

"About a week. Sirius didn't even tell me we were going on this worldwide expedition until the day we left."

"Oh." Hermione didn't even need to look at her best friend's face to know his brow was twitching. Sirius had a talent for inflicting that upon anyone he met. "That must have been annoying."

"You have no idea," Harry muttered, his eye twitching at the mere thought. "Still, it's been loads of fun so far."

"What have you done so far?"

"Well, we've seen most of the major sites like the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, the Notre Dame, and the d'Orsay. I've also been to the Catacombs." At this, Harry shuddered, much to Hermione's confusion. He refused to elaborate however, knowing that it would only upset her, even though the event had already passed. "I haven't been to the magical sector yet though. Léon said we would go there once you and your family arrived."

"I haven't been there either, though it's not for lack of trying." A wistful look crossed the brunette's face. "Uncle Léon and Alfred have told me so much about the 21st Arrondissement."

"You've met Alfred?" Harry asked in surprise. "What's he like?"

"You haven't?" the girl responded, looking equally surprised.

"Nope."

An amused and fond smile spread across the girl's lips. "Uncle Alfred is a character."

"A character? What do you mean?"

"Imagine Mad-Eye Moody's paranoia, combined with Professor Dumbledore's twinkly-eyed philosophical views, and add a truckload of conspiracy theories, and you've got maybe a quarter of what makes Uncle Alfred."

Harry just blinked. "Uh… Okay." He really didn't have a response to something like that. Probably better to just change the subject. "I have a surprise for you, by the way."

Now this was unusual. In all the years Hermione had known him, Harry had never been one for secrets or surprises. If anything, he hated them, especially since it usually resulted in some terrible catastrophe. Not that anyone could blame him, really. "What is it?"

"Now that would be telling." Harry quirked a mysterious smile. "But if you want to see it now, we can. It's in my room."

"This had better be good, Potter," Hermione mocked gripped, though the smile on her face completely ruined the effect. Grabbing his hand, the brunette quickly dragged him down the hall to his room, which, funnily enough, just so happen to be the one the girl usually stayed in when her family visited, something she commented on as she looked around, awash with nostalgia… At least until something caught her eye.

"Wow, Harry. Did Sirius get you this?" Hermione marvelled, looking at the beautifully designed trunk sitting at the foot of the bed. Unlike Harry's old one, this new trunk was wine red in color with amber veins running across its surface. It was also, surprisingly enough, made of stone, something the brunette correctly deduced was done for the purpose of making the runes enchanting the chest more difficult to damage.

"Yeah, Sirius has one too, though his is a brighter red. We got them at Diagon Alley," Harry said, tapping his wand against the top thrice. A loud click followed, after which the lid opened revealing a set of stairs leading down into the trunk itself. "C'mon. You're going to love this!" Harry said, stepping into the trunk and proceeding down the stairs.

Hermione, unable to contain her curiosity, quickly followed and soon felt her eyes grow wide in disbelief at what she saw.

"A library… You have a bloody library room in your trunk!" the brunette exclaimed, openly gawking in awe. She knew the trunk was enchanted and that it was similar to the one Harry described Mad-Eye Moody possessing, but never had she expected anything like this!

The room itself was circular, centered by the spiral staircase they had entered from and about a third the size of the Gryffindor Common Room, though with a much higher ceiling. Bookshelves (all of which were mostly empty) lined the burgundy-colored walls with windows streaming artificial sunlight at the north, south, east, and west points of the room, illuminating the place with a golden glow. And if that wasn't enough, Hermione could also see several armchairs and small tables situated throughout the room for comfort. All in all, a beautiful display.

And by the gods, she wanted one.

"C'mon, Hermione!"

Startled, Hermione looked down to see Harry was already at ground level and heading over to one of the tables. A table that had… No way. Impossible… But this was Harry they were talking about here. The boy who regularly was forced or ends up accidentally doing the impossible. Quickly going down the rest of the stairs, the brunette rushed over to the table and stared at the items atop it.

They looked real.

Tentatively, she touched one… Dear God, they felt real too. She could practically feel the magic coursing through the incredibly rare artifact. "A-Are those… Are they-… Harry, are those pensieves?!"

"Yup."

"You're not pulling my leg, are you? These really are genuine, working pensieves?"

"Yup. Well, the ones you're looking at. There are a few incomplete ones over here. Haven't the foggiest on how to finish them since I can't read the bastard's notes," Harry said, muttering the last part.

"Merlin, Harry, where did you get them all?" Hermione demanded, running her hands along the topmost one as if still unable to believe that they were real. "No one knows how to make them anymore!"

"It's a long story… Let's just say I got them from the original source."

"What?"

"I'll explain later. Just trust me that they're real and that one of them is now yours."

At that, Hermione's head whipped around so fast that it was a wonder her head didn't just fall off! She stared at Harry with wide, disbelieving eyes. "You… You're serious, aren't you?"

A wide grin stretched across the wizard's face as he gave a jovial nod. He knew how much Hermione had wanted a pensieve after hearing about the one in Dumbledore's Office. And to be completely honest, Harry had wanted one too. Unfortunately, Ron had crushed that hope when he explained how rare the magical artifact was and that no one knew how to make them anymore. Apparently, there were only a couple hundred working pensieves in existence… until now.

"Harry, do you have any idea how much each of these pensieves are worth?!"

"According to your uncle, close to a couple thousand galleons each."

Hermione's eyes, if possible, widened even further. That was significantly higher than what she had expected. "A couple thousand galleons?! Each?! And you're just giving one of them to me? Just like that?"

"Well, yeah," Harry said matter of factly, not really seeing what all the fuss was about. "I was thinking of giving a couple to the Weasleys too. They could keep one for themselves and sell the other. That should put their money problems behind them, at least for a while."

"That's really sweet of you," the brunette complimented with a smile.

"I guess. I just hope they'll accept without too much fuss."

Both of them knew how anti-charity the Weasleys could be.

Silence fell between them, with Hermione still marveling over the pensieves while Harry mentally reviewed the spell he had been practicing earlier… He'd have to show the brunette the Lair eventually. According to Sirius, the rooms there were so heavily warded that magic inside would not register with the French Ministry.

"Harry…"

"Hm?"

"How are you doing really?"

Harry didn't need her to elaborate to know what she was asking. The teen hesitated for a moment, tempted to tell the girl he was fine, but knew that she'd never believe him. He sighed. "Honestly, Hermione, I don't know," he admitted, plopping down into one of the armchairs. "Don't get me wrong, I'm really enjoying my time here in Paris with Sirius… Ever since the Tournament, I've felt this need to travel and see the world, and now, I'm really doing it! I've seen, learned, and experienced so much this past week and I'm loving every second of it… But at the same time, I feel guilty."

"Because of Cedric." Hermione whispered gently.

"He died only a couple weeks ago and yet here I am, in Paris, enjoying myself… I feel like I should be back in Britain, fighting or doing something to avenge him! It's like I'm insulting his memory… And with Voldemort back, I mean, should I really even be here?!"

In his moment of brooding and self-pity, he didn't notice Hermione approaching him and almost squawked upon seeing her face mere inches from his own. A soft hand cupped his cheek and just like that, Harry felt… something within him just melt away. There was no judgement, no pity, nothing of that sort in her eyes.

Only concern, genuine affection, and complete and utter understanding.

"I won't say that you shouldn't feel guilty or tell you what you should do, Harry. I wasn't there that night, so I will never fully understand what you're going through. This is something you need to figure out for yourself… What I will tell you is that I know, from the few conversations we've had with Cedric last year, that he would not blame you for what happened nor would he want his death weighing you down in any way. And you are most certainly not to blame for what happened."

"But-!"

"No, Harry!" The fierce protectiveness and concern in her eye immediately stopped any refute Harry might have had. "The one who is at fault is V-V-Voldemort!"

Harry's eyes widened. She just said Voldemort's name for the first time.

"And as for you travelling, it doesn't mean you can't still prepare, right?"

"… Sirius did say part of the reason for this trip was for me to get trained. I just learned a new spell today."

"There you go! You are preparing! You are training! And I'm sure Cedric would want you to enjoy life, not mourn his death and obsess about training because of something out of your control."

It was as if a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Harry could feel himself sag as the crushing guilt just disappeared… It was truly a relief and the wizard couldn't help but feel a surge of affection for the girl. "Thank you, Hermione."

"You're welcome," she replied, a beautiful smile on her face… before it disappeared under a stern and utterly terrifying face. "Now, are you going to tell me what happened in the Catacombs or am I going to have to hex it out of you?"

Harry instantly paled. Somehow, she had caught on. And shite, she had that look in her eyes… the one that everyone in Gryffindor knew meant that you either listen to what she had to say and follow it to the letter or get the hell out of dodge! Unfortunately, the two of them were inside a magically expanded room inside his trunk… There was no way he'd make it. Maybe he could talk his way out of it?

"Nothing really happened, Hermione…" Okay, now to subtly (not) change the subject. "Anyways, shouldn't we go back up? I'm sure Sirius is done embarrassing your uncle by now," Harry said, standing up.

Hermione's eyes narrowed. "Harry James Potter… What happened?"

'Oh bugger… She used my full name,' That meant he had about ten seconds before he got hexed unless he started talking. Or running… Frankly, running was more appealing. "Well, you see…"

He bolted.

~ Scene Break ~

Back in the living room, boisterous laughter could be heard from all the adults, minus one mortified host. Sirius was practically in tears as he struggled to finish off his story. "Haha! And then… heh, heh… And then Léon, face redder than a tomato and with a look of absolute horror, crawls out from under her dress with melted cheese dripping off his face, stammers an apology, and then runs off with the police chasing after him!"

This hilarious image kicked off another round of uproarious laughter.

Jean, between her snickers, could not resist asking, "Is this why you refuse to watch Lovers Like Us all those years ago? Because she's in it?!"

"Mon dieu (My god)…" their horribly embarrassed host groaned. "Quelqu'un m'a mis hors de ma misère, se il vous plaît (Someone put me out of my misery, please)!"

"Aww, lighten up, Léon," Sirius cackled. "It's all in good fun!"

"For you, maybe!"

"And everyone else in the room! I mean, look! Raquel still hasn't stopped laughing!" And indeed she hadn't. No one had really.

"She's going to tease me about this for months. I just know it…"

"I most certainly will, mon amour."

"You should tell your parents about this, Jean."

"Oh! Brilliant idea, Chris!"

"NO! Please don't, sis!"

"You can't stop me! Hah hah!"

"Look what you did, Sirius!"

"I could've told them about that one time at the Eiffel Tow-"

"Say anymore, and no one will find your body, magic or not!"

"Okay, okay! Haha, I'll stop."

Léon just sighed and checked his watch. "Well, as entertaining as this is for some people..." He paused to glare at Sirius who, of course, just waved cheekily back. "Raquel and I have some business to handle tonight, so I'll be out. And our cell phones will be off, so don't bother trying to call us."

Jean and Chris both frowned at this unexpected announcement. But at the same time, it was also clear that they knew something that Sirius didn't. This became all the more apparent when Jean shot a sideway glance toward him before looking back at her brother, silently asking a question to which Léon shook his head to and simply said, "Neither."

Jean sighed. "How long will you be out?"

"The job isn't too difficult for someone of my skills, so I should be back in the morning at the latest. And besides, the deadline is this coming Sunday. I want to finish this quickly so that we can spend as much time together as possible."

Jean's eyes soften at the explanation. With a sigh, she quickly gave her brother a tight hug and whispered, "You be careful."

"Do not worry, chère sœur (dear sister). Alfred will be monitoring everything and you know how he is."

An amused smile graced the Lady Granger's lips as she nodded. "Tell Alfred to come by then. I'm sure Hermione misses listening to all his conspiracy theories."

"I'll be sure to pass the message along." The man turned to glare at his guest. "And you."

"Me?" Sirius asked, pointing at himself with the most innocent look he could muster.

It failed miserably.

"No more embarrassing stories while I'm gone, or I'll tell everyone that."

Sirius turned white. To this day, the wizard had yet to figure out how Léon had pulled that off. He could still feel phantom pains from that incident. "Agreed. My lips are sealed."

Léon just smiled viciously before the couple left.

Silence followed.

"So." Sirius looked at Jean, who looked far too curious for the wizard's comfort. A shiver went down his spine. "What was that about?"

A Marauder never shied away from an embarrassing moment, be it their own or another. He was Sirius Black, a powerful and jaw-droppingly sexy wizard, dammit. He would not be cowed. He would not give in. And he would not, under any circumstances, be afraid of this woman-Oh dear Merlin, she had the same predatory smile Léon had. Quick! Escape maneuver number Twenty-Four! "It was nothing… So, how about I get the kids and we head out for dinner?"

Because we all know changing the subject and running away works so well.

Like godson, like godfather, right?

~ Scene Break ~

It was sometime after 2:00 AM when Harry found himself startled awake. His mind still fuzzy, the wizard tried to figure out what had woken him when he heard an unfamiliar voice shouting from downstairs.

"Chris! Jean! Are either of you here?!"

'This person knows Hermione's parents, but who is he? And why is he here?' Harry thought, now fully awake and alert. He quickly grabbed his wand and exited his room. Silently, he crept down the stairs and peeked around the corner, hoping to catch a glimpse of the intruder.

What he saw was… surprising, to say the least.

The man was short… and slightly chubby as well. It was quite a strange sight for Harry who, after being around Léon and Raquel, both of whom were quite tall and thin, so much in the past week, had begun to subconsciously think that most French people were of the same build. Especially since most of the locals he actually took notice to (cough… French girls… cough) were all fairly thin. So, to see a bespeckled and balding man who couldn't be taller than five foot three at most at Léon's house was more than a little perplexing.

Unfortunately, Harry apparently had not been as quiet as he had thought, as the second he had peeked around the corner, the man had turned to face him.

"Chris? No, you're not Chris… Who are you?" he demanded.

"Who am I? Who the bloody hell are you?! You're the one intruding at two in the morning!" Harry gripped back, his wand hidden behind his back, but ready should the intruder try anything.

"Intruding? Please, with the right tools, the world is but an open oyster ripe for the taking."

"… What?"

"Kids these days never read… Nevermind, kid. I have a key."

"Oh…"

"Harry? Who are you talkin-Alfred? Is that you?"

Turning, Harry couldn't help but feel relief upon seeing Chris, Jean, Hermione, and Sirius all groggily entering the living room, having no doubt been awoken from all the yelling.

"Chris! Jean! There you are! We've got a serious problem!"

"What?" Jean raked her fingers through her messy hair. "What are you talking about?"

"Its Léon and Raquel. Something went wrong with the job! They're trapped in the Louvre!"

That woke everyone up.

"Wait, what?!"

"The Louvre?!"

"What are they doing at the Louvre?"

"I'm not sure exactly how it happened, but somehow Léon tripped one of the alarms. The entire museum is on lockdown and the police are searching for him now!"

"What about Raquel?" Jean asked, seemingly taking command of the situation.

"She's at the rendezvous point in a different part of the Louvre, but she's trapped as well and I don't think she'll be staying there much longer."

"And when did this happen exactly?"

"The alarms went off seven and a half minutes ago."

"Are you in communication with them at all?"

"Unfortunately, no. The Louvre's security system also monitors all frequencies within a quarter mile around the museum. We had to stay dark for the job to work."

However, before Jean could ask any more questions, Sirius cut in. "Whoa, whoa, whoa… Will someone please tell us what's going on here? Why are Léon and Raquel in the Louvre at this hour?!"

"Sirius! Now is not the time for this!" Jean snapped.

"Like sodding hell it is! I want to help Léon too, but this is all just too much! You lot are making it sound like the two of them are art thieves or something!"

"…"

"…"

"…"

"Bugger. They are thieves, aren't they?"

"They're stealing a painting."

"Alfred!" Jean cried, looking at the man in shock.

"What choice do we have, Jean?!"

"But-!"

"It can't be helped now. What's done is done. And maybe they can provide some magical help anyways!"

Throughout all this, Harry could only look on in a state of stupefied shock. His mind was still desperately trying to understand this latest big revelation… Léon and Raquel are con-artists? Hermione's uncle was a thief?! But the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. The way both of them could seemingly disappear in a crowd or how evasive they were when asked a question regarding their professions… It was all coming together now.

And Jean apparently already knew! So too did her husband, if the pacing and concerned expression was anything to go by. A glance at his best friend was all the confirmation Harry needed to see that Hermione also knew of her uncles' illegal career choice.

And amazingly enough, she seemed totally okay with it! Maybe that's why she'd been so much more flexible with the rules back at school lately? Her actions against Rita Skeeter had certainly showed him that she was capable of not only breaking the rules, but outright breaking the law.

Huh. Maybe this wasn't as surprising as he had originally thought.

"Alright, I'll freak out about this later," Sirius grumbled. "Do you have any idea what went wrong with their little heist? I mean, what painting were they trying to steal anyways?"

"The Oath of Horatii," Alfred replied distractedly. "But I don't understand what went wrong?! We triple-checked all the security measures, all the blueprints, the layout, the patrol schedules and routes, everything!"

"The Oath of Horatii… Where have I heard that name before?" Sirius muttered to himself. "Who's the artist?"

"Jacques-Louis David."

"Hmm… I'm still drawing a blank. I don't think Jacques-Louis David was a wizard, but maybe the painting is on loan to the museum or something from a wealthy magical family. Either way, there must've been magical alarms underneath all the security features. Léon must have tripped them, which alerted the guards and put the place on lockdown!"

"Will any of the guards be magical?" Hermione asked, her hair more frazzled than normal.

"Almost definitely."

"Why can't Sirius just apparate them out?" Harry piped in.

"Well, because naturally, the Louvre is heavily warded, just like any other place of importance!"

Well, that certainly made sense. Otherwise, what's to stop a wizard from robbing a bank or stealing state secrets, or, hell, assassinating the bloody Queen of England? Unfortunately, that also ruled out several options, much to Jean's frustration. "Alfred, how did Léon and Raquel get into the Louvre in the first place?"

It was clear the con-artist did not want to reveal his secrets, but a glance at Jean and his concern for his friends quickly won over his usual tightlipped-ness. "We hacked their security system several months ago and isolated one of the windows from the main system, so that even if it was smashed open, it wouldn't be reported. We're also looping the footage of the security cameras in that area and I was able to hack the power controls so that the lights stay off, even if the guards try to turn them back on. That should buy them some time, but not for long."

"And their planned escape route?"

"Unfortunately, the same as their entrance."

"You couldn't make a second hole?" Jean asked, clearly surprised.

"No, the Louvre's security is too tight. Honestly, it was pure luck that we were able to make that single opening to begin with."

Jean lapsed back into silence, her mind clearly trying to use this new information to form some kind of rescue plan for her brother and his fiancé. Unfortunately, she wasn't getting anywhere. Every plan she thought up was immediately discarded, be it due to not enough people or time, or equipment. 'I can't let Léon get caught… C'mon, Jean, think… THINK!' As she continued to wrack her brain for some kind of solution, she looked up and her eyes met Harry's beautiful green ones… And in that moment, she remembered her daughter's comments of the boy's incredibly sharp vision when it came to flying… Flying! That was it! And it might just work. "Sirius? Harry? Do either of you have any flying brooms?"

Alfred eyes lit up, quickly catching on to Jean's idea. "We could do a Wally Burns!"

Jean nodded. "It could work… Though, we would need an extra person. And the only ones that could do it…"

"Do we have a choice?"

"No. We don't, unfortunately."

"This won't be easy, you know. Neither of them have any experience in this."

"Difficulties mastered are merely opportunity won. I'm sure they'll use what we teach them in the future."

"Wait, wait, wait," Sirius cut in. "What are you three talking about? What's a Wally Burns?"

"It's a plan," Jean explained, though she looked very uncomfortable. "And one I don't think anyone here is going to like it."

~ Scene Break ~

"We are so screwed."

"Gee… Great pep talk, Phantom."

"I try, Ghost."

"No, you don't."

"You just can't understand the sheer awesomeness of my speech."

"What speech? You just said that we're screwed!"

"Exactly. Which will inspire all of us to try even harder to succeed, thus insuring our success!"

"What kind of convoluted logic is that?!"

"My logic. And because its mine, its infallible."

"More like impossible. You're barking mad."

"Would you two shut up?!" The two bickering figures immediately cowed at the angry glare their third and final companion was shooting them. "Honestly, the two of you are acting like five year old children. We can't afford to be goofing off at a time like this!"

"Sorry, Specter," the two muttered.

"We're approaching our destination. Make sure your charms are still active."

With a nod, the trio swooped down and brought their brooms to a hover several dozen feet above the museum. Thankfully, their arrival went unnoticed, courtesy of Sirius's Disillusionment Charms, and the three took comfort in the dozen guards scouring the grounds in search of intruders. That fact alone confirmed that neither Léon nor Raquel had been caught… At least, not yet.

"Let's go," Phantom ordered, diving down toward the window Alfred had informed them of earlier. Taking a deep breath, the figure opened the window and sighed in relief when none of the guards below reacted, meaning that the alarm didn't go off. "Specter, you know what to do."

The disillusioned figured nodded and flew off toward the opposite side of the Louvre. Silence ensued as Phantom and Ghost waited… And waited… Seconds that felt like hours ticked by. Then suddenly, the guards below began shouting at one another and before they all started running in Specter's direction.

"Alright. Looks like we're clear. You ready?"

"Ready when you are."

The two silently drifted through the open window, making sure to close it behind them else it attract attention. They were now in the Sculpture Garden in the Richelieu Wing, where the beautifully crafted sculptures appeared almost alive in the moonlight. But the duo paid this no mind. Their minds were utterly focused on their task. And as soon as their feet touched the stone floor, their broomsticks disappeared leaving the two crouched down and on high alert in case anyone was approaching.

"We're in," Phantom whispered when it became apparent that no one was coming. "We'll rendezvous at the place we talked about in twenty minutes, okay?" His companion nodded. "Remember, we cannot use magic in here, so make sure you stay out of sight and you stay hidden."

"You too."

"I will. Stay safe, Ghost. I'll see you soon." Phantom's disillusioned body suddenly began to shimmer and shrink, transforming into something that remained unseen before darting off in one direction.

'Alright… I'd better get moving. But Merlin, why does this kind of thing always happen to me? I'm supposed to be on vacation!' Ghost, a.k.a. Harry James Potter, thought as he cautiously crept down the hallway in search of Raquel. According to Alfred, since the guards likely only thought there was just one intruder, not two, there was a chance that the French beauty was still at the planned rendezvous point or, if not, somewhere close by. Thus, Harry had been tasked with finding her instead of Léon, who undoubtedly would have to stay on the move, especially if he still had the painting in his possession.

Finding him was the job tasked to Phantom, a.k.a Sirius Black.

Given the man's animagus ability, Sirius would have a much easier time avoiding the patrols and locating Léon. He also knew how to cast the Disillusionment Charm, something Harry did not, hence why he had brought along his Invisibility Cloak for Raquel. With it, the two of them would be able to remain out of sight and escape…

Assuming he actually found the woman. So far, he wasn't having any luck and his nerves were all over the place. His eyes darted in every direction, flinching at every moving shadow, while his ears twitched at every sound. He could practically hear his heart pounding against his chest, so loudly that a small part of him actually feared that someone would find him from the noise. But all of these sensations were drowned by a roaring and exhilarating feeling that welled up inside him. This feeling… The anticipation and the adrenaline that burned within him… It was something else.

Something he had recently felt only days ago.

With that strange exhilaration pushing him, it only took moments for Harry to arrive at the rendezvous point. He didn't dare call out, in case someone other than Raquel was nearby, but instead quietly stalked around the room, particularly around the windows. Alfred had said that the French beauty typically hid around there.

'Bugger,' the teen cursed. She wasn't here. 'Maybe she'll be in one of the nearby exhibits.'

Unfortunately, the next two rooms he searched didn't yield any results. And he was running out of time too. The small window Specter had given them with the distraction was undoubtedly spent by now. 'I really hope Sirius is having more luck than I am.'

~ Scene Break ~

"Woof!"

"Siri-No, Padfoot, right?"

"Woof!"

"What are you doing here?!"

"Woof! Woof!"

"I can't speak dog, salaud (bastard)! Did you knock out that guard? How did-DON'T PEE ON HIM!"

~ Scene Break ~

'Yeah… I'm sure he's fine,' Harry thought. Taking another glance around the room, the teen turned to leave only to catch a slight movement out of the corner of his eye.

He immediately stopped to take a better look. All he could see was shadows… But maybe… Could it be?

'Is that…? THERE!' The shadow had moved again and it was only because Harry was specifically looking for it did he actually catch the movement. Creeping closer, he looked around once more to make sure no one else was near before whispering the code phrase Alfred had told him to say, "I saw a mockingbird in the park."

Silence… Then, "What color was the mocking bird?"

Harry smiled. That was it. "Raquel… It's me."

The shadow shifted again before a beautiful and obviously very much haggard French face appeared. "`Arry? Is it really you? I cannot see you."

"Yes, its me. You can't see me because I'm disillusioned right now. We need to go, now!"

"But ze guards! Zey vill see me!"

"I got something to help you with that. Here." Harry quickly handed the Invisibility Cloak to the woman. Seeing her confusion, he simply said, "Put it on."

Not seeing any reason not to, Raquel did so and immediately gasped upon seeing her body disappear from sight. "Mon Dieu!"

"Its an Invisibility Cloak… Used to belong to my dad. Make sure you're completely covered. Now, c'mon!" Harry hissed, taking the woman's hand under the cloak. "We need to get to the rendezvous point now."

"Montrer la voie (Lead the way)."

The duo quickly hurried down the hall, taking care not to make too much noise. Fortunately, their journey went uninterrupted and they were soon back in the Statue Garden in the Richelieu Wing, behind the statue, Equestrian Fame of Louis XIV.

"We're here," Harry whispered.

"There! I think I see them," Raquel whispered, tugging at his right side. A smile instantly broke out across his lips as he saw the distorted figures moving toward them, but he had to be sure. Time for the next code phrase.

"Many spirits haunt these halls," Harry whispered, immediately moving away from his spot the second he spoke. One can never be too careful.

"But only Specter, Ghost, and Phantom can rule them all," was the reply.

"That was the best code phrase you two could think of?" the somewhat disembodied voice of Léon hissed.

"Shut up. Don't forget we're saving your sorry arse. Yours and Raquel's, though hers is much nicer… Speaking of which, did you find her, Ghost?"

"Mission accomplished, Phantom."

"I am `ere, Sir-I mean Phantom… Mon amor, is that you?"

"Raquel!" The relief was evident in the man's voice. No doubt, if they could, the two would undoubtedly embrace and have the mother of all snogging sessions. "Dieu merci, vous êtes bien (Thank God, you're alright)."

"You can thank your young guest for that."

"… Ha-?"

"Shh! It's Ghost while we're in here."

"Right… Sorry. And thank you for helping Raquel. I would never be able to forgive myself if I was able to escape and she was not. You too, Phantom."

"Save it for later," Sirius gripped. "We're leaving. Now."

"You'll get no arguments from me. How are we getting out of here?"

"Brooms. You're piggybacking with me. Your girl is going to be with Ghost."

"Sounds good-" All of the sudden, what could only be described as the sensation of being hit with ice cold water washed over them all. "Eck… What was-Merde! I can see you!"

"What? Oh bugger!" Sirius cursed. He, Léon, and his own godson (who he really wished he hadn't let come with) were now exposed! Only Raquel remained hidden due to the Invisibility Cloak. "Looks like they activated some kind of ward that stripped away my Disillusionment Charms!"

"Why are they only activating it now?" Harry wondered.

"I don't know… I did disillusioned Léon a few minutes ago. They must've detected it and activated the ward."

"Does it really matter?" Léon hissed. "Alfred was able to hack this room's cameras, so we're okay for now, but we can't stay here for long. Help me strap the painting onto your broom. Raquel, can you keep a lookout?"

"Oui," the invisible woman answered, moving toward the nearest entry way. Unfortunately, the second she got there, she was immediately hurrying back.

"Someone's coming!"

"Merde! ETA?"

"Forty-five seconds at most."

"There's no way we can get out of here in time without the guard hearing us!" Sirius cursed. "Ghost, get under the Invisibility Cloak! No way am I letting you get arrested here."

"But-!"

"No buts! Hurry up!"

Before he could argue any further, Raquel's hand shot out and yanked Harry under the Invisibility Cloak with her. Any words of protest died the second he felt two very soft and very large pillows press against his back. And despite the situation, Harry could only do one thing… He blushed. Gotta love hormones.

"Siri-I mean Phantom! Can you cast a glamour on us so that we look like security guards?" Léon demanded as the flashlight got closer.

"Yeah. But won't that alert the magical guards where we are?"

"We don't have a choice! Just do it! Quickly!" Léon hissed. "Make sure you tweak our facial appearances too, not just our clothes. For now, my name is Dominque, or Don, Blanc and your name is Alexander Renaud. We received orders to investigate this area after getting an alert just now. That's our story. You let me do most of the talking, but make sure speak up sometimes to confirm what I say, got it? And shrink the painting so that we can hide it under the cloak!"

Confused, but knowing that there was no time for questions, Sirius simply nodded and quickly cast the spells. Within seconds, in the place of two intruders were two non-descript security guards. And just in time too as the second Sirius finished shrinking the painting and handing it off to their invisible comrades, the guard entered the room.

"Toi aussi (You two)! Tenir là (Hold it right there)!" A massive man, taller than anyone Harry had ever seen save for Hagrid, stomped up to them.

"Bonsoir, Monsieur (Good evening, sir)," Léon greeted amicably.

"Je ne reconnais pas l'un de vous. Identifiez-vous (I do not recognize either of you. Identify yourselves)."

"Dominque Blanc, Monseiur."

Sirius grunted, "Alexander Renaud. Bonsoir (Good evening)."

The man stared at them both, and for a brief terrifying moment, Harry feared that he had somehow seen through their glamours… Until, "Edmund Moulin. Que vous deux font ici? Je croyais être le seul à chercher ce domaine (Edmund Moulin. What are you two doing here? I thought I was the only one searching this area)."

"Nous avons pensé que la même (We thought the same)," Léon shrugged. "Nous avons reçu l'ordre d'enquêter sur ce domaine en ce moment. Ils ne disent pas qu'il y aurait quelqu'un nous rejoindre. Typique (We received orders to search this area just now. They did not say there would be anyone joining us. Typical)."

The guard seemed to relax at Léon's little quip at the higher ups. "Je vois ce que tu veux dire (I know what you mean)."

"Nous avons déjà vérifié cette pièce. Nous faisons juste un tour de plus avant de passer aux sculptures françaises du 5ème au 18ème siècle (We've already checked this room. We're just doing one more round before moving to the French Sculptures the 5th to the 18th century).

"Je vais tête en arrière et cherche la salle avec la salle d'art Mesopotanian (I'll head back and search the Mesopotanian Art Hall)."

"Ça m'a l'air bien. Espérons que nous allons attraper cet intrus bientôt afin que nous puissions tous rentrer à la maison (Sounds good. Hopefully we'll catch the intruder soon so that we can all go home)."

Edmund laughed, turning to leave. "Ouais… Au fait, qu'est-ce que les poste travaillez-vous? (Yeah… By the way, what shifts do you work)?"

Léon mentally cursed. They had been so close! He had been about to leave! And now, he was asking a question that would make or break their little ruse. "Nuit déplace tous les jours sauf le mercredi (Night shifts every day except Wednesdays)."

The guard stopped, a suspicious look now on his face. He turned back to face them and suddenly seem to tower over them even moreso than before. "Ce sont les mêmes temps je travaille et je sais que je ne l'ai jamais vu l'un de vous avant (Those are the same times I work and I know I've never seen either of you before).

"Vraiment? Peut-être que nous avons juste continué à manquer l'autre (Really? Maybe we just kept missing each other)," Léon replied nonchalantly, now mentally cursing up a storm. Of course he would pick the same days and times the man before him worked… Were they compromised? No, he could still make this work. Just play it cool. "Quoi qu'il en soit, nous devrions revenir à la recherche (Anyways, we should get back to the search)."

"Maintenant, maintenez le ici! (Now, hold on here)!" the patrol demanded, clamping his hand down on Léon's shoulder.

Big mistake.

Before anyone could react, Léon had reached up, grabbed the guard's wrist and twisted… hard, locking the arm in a painful hold, allowing the con-man to snap his captive's left elbow with a precise palm strike to the joint. The crack that resounded from that maneuver caused everyone in the vicinity to wince. He then swung the damaged arm around, nearly dislocating the limb entirely in the process, and stomped hard against Edmund's legs, forcing him down onto his knees where he took two punches to the face and throat, effectively cutting off any chance of screaming, and an elbow to the back of his head that finally sent him into blissful unconsciousness.

His body crumbled onto the ground.

And throughout all that, Léon hadn't said a word or even look remotely fazed by his sudden act of violence.

"Sweet Merlin," Sirius whispered in shock at what he had just seen.

Raquel didn't react whatsoever. Clearly, this wasn't the first time she'd seen something like this before.

"That…" Harry couldn't find the words. "That…" In less than five seconds, his charismatic hosts turned thief had somehow taken down a man a half foot taller than him and likely weighed a few dozen pounds more! What could he possibly say to something like that?… "That was awesome!"

Léon didn't say anything, instead looked directly at Sirius and asked, "Can we go now?"

"Err… Right."

~ Scene Break ~

Following that incident, the group made their escape, thankfully without any more interruptions. Mid-flight, they were reunited with Specter and the quintet quickly hightailed it back to Léon's penthouse. And almost as soon as they stepped through the front door, the group found themselves bowled over by a relieved looking brunette.

"Oh, thank goodness you're alright!" Jean sobbed, wrapping her arms around her brother and nearly crushing him in a hug. Léon, of course, just took it all in stride with his usual charming smile.

"You have no idea how happy I am to see you, Jean."

"I think I have a good idea," the woman muttered, stepping back… before walloping the man's arm. Hard.

"OW! What was that for?!"

"That's for worrying me sick and forcing me to send your guests and your niece to save your sorry arse!"

Léon blinked. "Wait, what? Did you just say…?" With disbelief written all over his handsome face, the Frenchman spun around to face Specter, the only person still disillusioned. He had assumed that the third member of their rescue party was Alfred or perhaps Chris. But if what Jean was saying is true… "Hermione? Is that really you?" A wave from Sirius's wand quickly dispelled the charm hiding Specter from view, revealing his niece looking very much like a cat burglar with her black outfit.

"Hi Uncle Léon," the girl smiled.

"That was you this whole time?"

"Yup!" Hermione laughed, before throwing her arms around her uncle. Instantly, all the stress and worry she had been feeling the past couple hours drained away as she relaxed in her uncle's arms. "I'm so glad you're alright."

The near constant shock he had been experiencing since the moment he had taken the Oath of Horatii drained away at the girl's words. A tender smile spread across his handsome face as he returned the hug, whispering in his niece's ear, "I am, thanks to you, mon cher."

Hermione just hugged him tighter.

Léon looked up. "And thank you… All of you. Especially you two," the Frenchman said, nodding at his two English guests. "Without your help, I'm sure Raquel and I would be in the hands of the authorities by now. You have our sincerest thanks."

"Oui," Raquel said, a beautiful smile on her face. "Zank you so much."

Sirius just waved them off. "It's fine. You're our friends after all. Just don't make us do something like this again."

Léon's eyes sparkled in amusement. "I will try my best. Marauder's Honor."

Sirius barked a laugh. "You're learning. Good!"

"Let's go to the kitchen. We can continue talking there." Léon sighed. "And I don't know about any of you, but I could really use a pick-me-up."

"Sounds good to me. Lead the way."

As it turns out, both Chris and Alfred were already in the kitchen, nursing a glass of wine. Next to them was a near empty bottle of Château Latour… Something that sent a twitch to Léon's brow. "You know," he drawled. "I'd appreciate it if you'd replenish my supply when you diminish it."

"Léon! Raquel!" Alfred exclaimed, jumping to his feet to embrace his friends. "You made it!"

"Yes, Alfred. And we have the painting too."

Alfred lit up even more. "Excellent! I'll have everything set up in a couple days. Where'd you stash it?"

"Given everything that has happened in the past couple hours, I haven't had the chance to stash it anywhere. And it's too dangerous to keep it here… Think you could hang on to it for now?

"Sure. I can put it in one of my safe houses."

"Which one?"

"I was thinking Tuesday."

"Tuesday?" Harry cut in. "Why did you call your safe house Tuesday?"

"Because I'm usually there on Wednesdays," Alfred answered nonchalantly, as if this was the most obvious thing in the world.

Harry blinked. "Uh… Okay?"

"Don't bother trying to figure it out, Harry. It's not worth the headache. Trust me," Léon laughed, fishing out a bottle and a couple glasses from one of his cabinets. "Anyone want a glass of Garioch Scotch?"

Raquel perked up. "What year? '65?"

"No, '58."

"Oh… Even better. I'll have a glass."

"Coming right up," Léon said, sliding the glass of liquor across the counter before pouring himself a glass. "And no, Al, you can't have any. You and Chris drank my last bottle of Château Latour."

Alfred pouted. "Where have you been hiding that bottle? I thought I found all your hiding spots."

"Not all of them. And I'm not telling you." Taking a sip of the hard liquor, Léon shuddered before heaving a great sigh. "So…" He looked up. "Anyone want to tell us what happened? One second, everything is going exactly as planned, the next, I'm doing everything I can to avoid the guards until Sirius found me. Alfred, do you know what went wrong? I thought we had accounted for everything."

The bald man grimaced. "We're still not sure, but Sirius thinks that the painting might actually belong to a wizarding family and they're loaning it to the museum. It makes sense when you think about it… If it had been painted by a wizard, we would've known when we checked with your contacts. But belonging to a wizard who's loaning it to the museum? That's not something we would've picked up on."

"Merde! Alright, so what happened after the alarms went off?"

Jean was the one who answered. "Alfred came to your house in the middle of the night, saying that the job went south. Obviously, he was in a bit of a panic." Understatement. "Anyways, after we got all the details, Alfred and I came up with a plan. We decided that a Wally Burns was the best option for extraction."

"I can see how that would work," Léon muttered. "One person distracting while the others get inside to whatever the prize is. I take it Hermione here was the distraction and why the alarms went off in the Denon Wing?"

"I picked the lock and used a disillusioned rope to pull open one of the windows on the second floor," Hermione admitted. Seeing the confused looks on her uncle and fiance's faces, she quickly explained further. "I didn't want to leave any possible evidence or set off any other magical protections, hence the rope. Once I got the window opened, I threw the rope inside so that the guards would think someone was there and they'd concentrate their search in the Denon Wing instead of where Harry and Sirius were searching."

Simple, yet brilliant. That was all the three professional con-artists could think of as they stared in shock at Léon's niece. To think, sweet Hermione, the girl who at one point had been a serious stickler for the rules (something they were entirely responsible for since she had originally disagreed with their profession), was now capable of picking a lock and purposely lead several guards on a merry goose chase so that her accomplices could find their targets and escape. That, more than anything, filled them with a sense of pride.

They were such an awesome corrupting influence!

"What have I been saying since I first met your little bookworm, Léon?" Alfred cried ecstatically. "She's a natural, even if she doesn't want to admit it!"

Léon chuckled. "Looks like it, Alfred."

Raquel smiled. "I must admit, Hermione, I am very impressed."

Hermione pinked, much to everyone's amusement.

If only they knew it was more due to a certain raven-haired teen sitting in the room.

"Anyways," Sirius said, cutting into the story. "Our plan had one problem… With the guards outside, there was no way we could escape or enter on foot, which meant we needed to fly in on brooms. And brooms only work when used by wizards, meaning that Harry, Hermione, and myself would have to be the ones to pull the job. Hermione would provide the distraction to pull the guards away while Harry and I searched for the two of you. I made sure we were all disillusioned and silenced before entering. Since I can transform into a dog, it would be easier for me to track you down and I can cover more distance. Harry, with his Invisibility Cloak, would find Raquel. The rest, as you know, is history."

Léon nodded. "Well, I must say, after hearing all that, I'm even more impressed. Again, thank you so much."

"You can thank me by answering some questions."

Jean jerked up and glared at Sirius. "Now is not the time, Sirius."

Sirius just scowled, refusing to back down. "After everything we've been through these past couple hours, I think I deserve some answers."

The Frenchman sighed, but nodded. "It's okay, Jean. I figured this would happen and it's alright."

"Are you sure, Léon?"

"Yes. Go ahead, Sirius. Ask away."

"Thank you," Sirius grudgingly nodded, feeling some of the frustration ebb away at Léon's willingness to answer his questions. "For starters, some things don't add up. I know now that you're a thief, but the way you were able to perfectly act as if we were part of the security team… And the way you took down the guard with your… uber fast karate moves. I don't think most con-artist can do that kind of stuff."

"That was mostly Aikido actually."

"Whatever! Point is… Who are you?"

"It's… hard to explain."

"Alright, fine. Let's start off with this - how'd you get into all this?"

"Well, to start, the truth is… I used to work for the French Secret Service as an infiltration specialist."

Silence ensued following that huge reveal, something, Harry noted in the back of his mind, that was happening a lot the past few days. And all Harry and Sirius could do was just stare at their host in shock. First, they found out that their host was related to someone they both knew, then they discover that the man was a thief, and now, the Frenchman was apparently a former agent of the French Secret Service! What was next?

"So, what? You were a spy?"

"An infiltration specialist, but yes, I was, as you call it, a spy before I left."

"That explains how you were able to act like a security guard and your mad kung fu moves."

"Aikido."

"Yeah, whatever. But you left?"

"Things were getting difficult at the agency."

"No surprise there."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you know spies," Sirius drawled. "Bunch of bitchy little girls."

"How would you know that?" Léon, Harry, and Hermione all asked at the same time.

"Dumbledore has a spy in Voldemort's circle. Believe me, that greasy bastard is a whiny bitch."

The two teens blinked, both silently wondering if the Marauder was talking about a certain Potions Master.

"So why steal art?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, you've just left the French Secret Service and could probably get a recommendation into any number of top notch jobs, but instead, you decided to do a complete 180 and become a con-artist. Why?"

"You have to understand that I joined the French Secret Service to help my country and the people. Several of my jobs involved infiltrating and interacting with high-profile targets. Almost always, these people turned out to be very wealthy, and they would just spend all their money on frivolity. Things like art, yachts, women… They never gave back to the people. And even when the Secret Service took these people down, their money would just end up back in the hands of the rich again…"

"So you left."

Léon nodded. "Yes. And I decided that I'd devote my skills to stealing from the rich and giving the money I earn back to the people. If you look around the city, you'll find that several of the foster homes and orphanages are named after my aliases."

Raquel leaned against her fiance and pecked him on the cheek. "He iz a modern day Robin Hood."

"But what about all this art you have in the penthouse?" Sirius asked, gesturing around the room.

"All replicas made by either me or Raquel."

At this, everyone's eyes, save for the three con-artists, widened. "All of them?" Hermione whispered.

"Yes. Raquel is the one who taught me. Apparently, I have a talent for this kind of stuff."

"Not quite as good as myself, but he is nonetheless very skilled," Raquel remarked coyly.

Léon just shot the woman a withering, but loving look before turning back to Sirius. "Any other questions?"

"Yes. Why didn't you tell us?"

The Frenchman smiled sadly. "Don't get me wrong, Sirius, I know that you're a trustworthy guy. But you have to remember that my entire career in the Secret Service involved me keeping secrets and it's a habit I still struggle to let go with, even today. Believe me, Raquel has been on my case more than once because of it." The woman nodded. "In addition, I didn't know what you two would think."

"Oh c'mon. I'm technically considered a wanted criminal. Did you really think I wouldn't think to at least get your side of the story first before I made any judgements? Have a little faith, Léon!"

"Well, when Jean and Chris revealed to Hermione that her favorite Uncles and Aunt were, in fact, criminals, she didn't take it so well. And she's family."

Hermione blushed, whispering, "It went against what I believed was right or wrong and I didn't want to become like them, especially since I knew it was in my blood. So I tried my hardest to be everything they were not, as in always following the rules and listening to those with authority. I was doing so well too…" She then turned and smacked her best friend on the arm. "Until you came along! All those terrible professors and you breaking every rule at Hogwarts at least five times before our Second Year!"

"OW! Well, sorry! It's not like I look for trouble!"

"No… But you're a bloody city-sized magnet for it."

Everyone chuckled.

"Anyways," Léon started, bringing the conversation back on track. "Hermione is far more accepting of it now, but I didn't want to take the chance to make you both uncomfortable. Hence why I kept it a secret."

Sirius nodded. "Alright, I can accept that." He sighed. "Well, I still have tons of questions, but it's getting late and I think we could all use some shuteye, especially the kids."

"Sounds good to me."

The rest of the group echoed their agreement as they ambled out of the kitchen, all very much looking forward to a good night's sleep. The excitement and adrenaline had long since worn off and they were now feeling the full effects of their nighttime adventures. Quickly going through his nighttime routine, Harry bade Hermione good night, getting a sleepy peck to the cheek in return, before trudging off to his own room.

And as he laid down, with sleep only seconds away from claiming him, Harry couldn't help but think that after everything he had already gone through in the one week - ONE FREAKING WEEK - in France… He wondered…

What would happen next?

Translations:

Non, je ne pas ~ (No, I do not)

Cher Dieu, sauve-moi ~ (Dear God, save me)

Quelqu'un m'a mis hors de ma misère, se il vous plaît ~ (Someone put me out of my misery, please)

Chère sœur ~ (dear sister)

Salaud ~ (bastard)

Montrer la voie ~ (Lead the way)

Dieu merci, vous êtes bien ~ (Thank God, you're alright)

Toi aussi! Tenir là! ~ (You two! Hold it right there!)

Je ne reconnais pas l'un de vous. Identifiez-vous ~ (I do not recognize either of you. Identify yourselves)

Que vous deux font ici? Je croyais être le seul à chercher ce domaine ~ (What are you two doing here? I thought I was the only one searching this area)

Nous avons pensé que la même ~ (We thought the same)

Nous avons reçu l'ordre d'enquêter sur ce domaine en ce moment. Ils ne disent pas qu'il y aurait quelqu'un nous rejoindre. Typique ~ (We received orders to search this area just now. They did not say there would be anyone joining us. Typical)

Je vois ce que tu veux dire ~ (I know what you mean)

Nous avons déjà vérifié cette pièce. Nous faisons juste un tour de plus avant de passer aux sculptures françaises du 5ème au 18ème siècle ~ (We've already checked this room. We're just doing one more round before moving to the French Sculptures the 5th to the 18th century).

Je vais tête en arrière et cherche la salle avec la salle d'art Mesopotanian ~ (I'll head back and search the Mesopotanian Art Hall)

Ça m'a l'air bien. Espérons que nous allons attraper cet intrus bientôt afin que nous puissions tous rentrer à la maison ~ (Sounds good. Hopefully we'll catch the intruder soon so that we can all go home)

Ouais… Au fait, qu'est-ce que les poste travaillez-vous? ~ (Yeah… By the way, what shifts do you work?)

Nuit déplace tous les jours sauf le mercredi ~ (Night shifts every day except Wednesdays)

Ce sont les mêmes temps je travaille et je sais que je ne l'ai jamais vu l'un de vous avant ~ (Those are the same times I work and I know I've never seen either of you before)

Vraiment? Peut-être que nous avons juste continué à manquer l'autre ~ (Really? Maybe we just kept missing each other)

Quoi qu'il en soit, nous devrions revenir à la recherche (Anyways, we should get back to the search)."

Maintenant, maintenez le ici! ~ (Now, hold on here)

Author's Note: I don't speak French, so a thousand apologies to anyone who finds my translations (Google Dictionary anyone?) horrendous or cringe-worthy. Hopefully, they're not too off-putting.

Author's Note: So, what did you all think? Seriously, did any of you honestly think I would not include an art heist in thecity where the greatest collection of art is held? It was just asking to be done... And I loved every second of it! It was like planning my own heist... Not that I would ever do that... Yeah... Ahem, anyways, I'm not sure if anyone noticed, but Léon, Raquel, and especially Alfred are all based off a specific TV Show I used to love. If you can figure it out, I'll give you a cookie! And maybe a spoiler if you ask nicely.

I've had a few people asking me why I introduced someone Harry knew so early in the story and specifically, why Hermione instead of, say, Fleur. To answer that question, I'll say this - It wouldn't be Harry's unique brand of luck if he DIDN'T end up meeting someone he knew and somehow suck them up in his misadventures. In addition, I felt introducing Fleur was too cliche and I certainly didn't want an enemy, so that removed Malfoy... Thus, I chose Hermione, as it is mentioned in the books that she had visited France before. It just all kinda worked itself out this way.

Other than that, please tell me what you thought of the chapter and, as I mentioned before, if you have any ideas you wish to share regarding where Harry and Sirius should go in their journey, please feel free to tell me! Until next time, folks! Au revoir!

Special thanks goes to Shaydrall, who agreed to BETA this HP Fanfiction Story and also for being an awesome guy. Whoo!