Raised By Wolfstar: Slytherin Harry Potter And The Order Of The Phoenix

Chapter Twenty-Five: Occlumency

Kreacher, it transpired, had been lurking in the attic. Sirius said he had found him up there, covered in dust, no doubt looking for more relics of the Black family to hide in his cupboard. Though Sirius seemed satisfied with this story, it made Harry uneasy. Kreacher seemed to be in a better mood on his reappearance, his bitter muttering had subsided somewhat, and he submitted to orders more docilely than usual, though once or twice Harry caught the house-elf staring avidly at him, always looking quickly away when he saw that Harry had noticed.

Harry did not mention his vague suspicions to Sirius, whose cheerfulness was evaporating fast now that Christmas was over. As the date of their departure back to Hogwarts drew nearer, he and Remus became more and more prone to what Mrs Weasley called 'fits of the sullens,' in which one or both of them would become taciturn and grumpy, often withdrawing to an empty room for hours at a time. Sirius' gloom was especially overpowering and seeped through the house, oozing under doorways like some noxious gas, so that all of them became infected by it.

Harry did not want to leave Sirius all alone again with only Remus and Kreacher for company. In fact, for the first time in his life, he was not looking forward to returning to Hogwarts. Going back to school would mean placing himself once again under the tyranny of Dolores Umbridge, who had no doubt managed to force through another dozen decrees in their absence.

Then there was no Quidditch to look forward to now that he had been banned; there was every likelihood that their burden of homework would increase as the exams drew even nearer; Dumbledore remained as remote as ever; in fact, if it had not been for the D.A., Harry felt he might have gone to Sirius and Remus and begged them to let him leave Hogwarts and remain in Grimmauld Place.

Then, on the very last day of the holidays, something happened that made Harry positively dread his return to school.

'Harry dear,' said Mrs Weasley, poking her head into his, Theodore, and Ron's bedroom, where he and Ron were playing wizard chess watched by Theodore, Canini, Hermione, and Ginny, 'could you come down to the kitchen? Professor Snape would like a word with you.'

Harry did not immediately register what she had said; one of his castles was engaged in a violent tussle with a pawn of Ron's, and he was egging it on enthusiastically.

'Squash him—squash him, he's only a pawn, you idiot—sorry, Mrs Weasley, what did you say?'

'Professor Snape, dear. In the kitchen. He'd like a word.'

Harry's mouth fell open in horror. He looked around at his siblings and friends, all of whom were gaping back at him. Hermione's cat Crookshanks, whom Hermione had been restraining with difficulty for the past quarter of an hour, leapt gleefully upon the board and set the pieces running for cover, squealing at the top of their tiny voices.

'Snape?' said Harry blankly.

'Professor Snape, dear,' said Mrs Weasley reprovingly. 'Now come on, quickly, he says he can't stay long.'

'This can't be good,' said Theodore, looking unnerved as Mrs Weasley withdrew from the room.

'How bad at Potions do you have to be to get a house call?' said Canini, bewildered. 'Did you set your last assignment to explode before we had to leave?'

'No!' said Harry indignantly, racking his brains to think what he could have done that would make Snape pursue him to Grimmauld Place. Had his last piece of homework perhaps earned a T?

He pushed open the kitchen door a minute or two later to find Sirius, Remus, and Snape both seated at the long kitchen table, Sirius and Snape were seemingly in a death stare competition with Remus just sitting there awkwardly beside his husband. The silence between them was heavy with mutual dislike. A letter lay open on the table in front of Sirius and Remus.