I'm back once more: without owning anything recognizable except for the plot bunny and guilt for not updating sooner.

Unfortunately, this is probably going to be it. But I have begun a different sort of AU- it's a crossover with Percy Jackson, but you can read them separately without worrying too much about the other.

Chapter Nine: Potter still chanced waving to his fellow Gryffindor, who waved back, as he trailed behind Snape.

Black was standing at the bottom of Potter's staircase that Saturday, shouting his absent godson's name.

"Harry, Harry, HARRY!"

Over at the front door Snape glowered at Lupin. "I thought we agreed that we wouldn't let him watch Chipmunks reruns anymore?"

Lupin shrugged helplessly as Potter half-tumbled down the stairs to collide with his godfather. Bemused Black helped up the teen by the back of his neck. Snape grumbled, "I can't see why we can't use the Floo Network- it'd be faster and cheaper."

"But I can't stick my head out the window with the Floo," Black pointed out as if this was a perfectly valid reason. Lupin rolled his eyes. "It can't be that bad, Snape. Besides the first and only time Harry used the Floo he got lost and I for one do not want to lose him."

Black's fingers tightened subconsciously on Potter's collar as he agreed, "Right."

"Overprotective mutts," Snape muttered under his breath as he opened the front door. Despite this he did not argue further. Out loud he said, "Let's go already. I need to restock some potions supplies while we're in London."

A handful of days had passed since the thunderstorm, and the quartet was growing close; most notably Snape was now almost affectionate in terming the other adult wizards 'mutts' while Potter had been eased into calling Lupin 'Professor Moony' in a compromise after a year of him being 'Professor Lupin'.

Today the foursome needed to go to Diagon Alley in order to obtain Potter's school supplies. So they loaded themselves into the station wagon and headed off to London. In his dog animagus form Black kept his head out the passenger side window the entire trip thanks to a slight breeze and clear skies.

First they grabbed some food at the Leaky Cauldron which seemed oddly quiet. Looking around Potter wondered, "Where is everyone?"

"At the World Cup, of course," Snape pointed out flatly. Potter blinked. "Oh. Right- that's today, isn't it?"

The others nodded. With a mildly regretful shrug Potter led the way to the back where Lupin tapped the wall- three up and two across- with his wand in order to access Diagon Alley. While the bricks rearranged themselves Padfoot scratched his ear with his leg. The group split up to do the errands: Lupin and Padfoot would handle most of the items on the list while Snape and Harry would do the potions supplies restocking and buying new school robes.

Rolling his eyes Snape inquired, "Why didn't you mention that you had outgrown your old school robes when we went for day-to-day robes?"

"I forgot!"

"You're as forgetful as Longbottom, Potter."

Potter just looked away from Snape, his cheeks bright red. "Well, I did."

"Speaking of Longbottom," Potter interjected, pointing at a pair nearby. "Isn't that Neville and his grandmother there?"

"It is," Snape noted curtly. "Let's keep going- I want to get this shopping over with."

Potter still chanced waving to his fellow Gryffindor, who waved back, as he trailed behind Snape.