CHAPTER ONE

THE RETURN TO GRIMMAULD PLACE

Harry entered Grimmauld Place with his friends Ron and Hermione.

Even though the house had looked much better than the last time he had entered, it still left a foul taste in Harry's mind. Since Sirius Black, Harry's godfather, had died, Harry had ownership of Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. He didn't really want it that much. It had been Sirius's after all. But Professor McGonagall had thought it the best place for him to live. It was about a month after spring term had ended, and Dumbledore's funeral.

"You can stay here over the summer if you want" said Harry.

"Oh" said Hermione. "Oh no Harry we couldn't"

"Why not?" said Ron. "He's already offered"

"I just think it would be better if we"

"You will stay" said Harry firmly. "Crookshanks and Pigwidgeon are already here."

"What?" said Hermione. "But, I… but we Oh, very well"

"If I can just get that idiot Kreacher to make some dinner"

"Harry, don't call him that!" Hermione cried, positively affronted. "Ron's become a bad influence!"

"You're not still going on about spew are you, Hermione?" asked Ron incredulously.

"For God's sake, Ronald, it's not spew!"

"You guys, give it a rest!" Harry muttered. "KREACHER!"

There was a crack! And old house elf appeared out of thin air by his feet. "Insufferable mudblood in my mistress' house" he muttered. "Ought to have their brains for"

"Go make some dinner for us, Kreacher" said Harry.

The house elf looked up at him.

"Kreacher does not do Harry's bidding. Kreacher only does the bidding of his dear mistress"

"You will make us dinner tonight, Kreacher" said Harry sternly.

Hermione looked at the elf sympathetically.

"The little half-blood will regret his manners one day. Oh yes, madam, he will…"

Kreacher continued mumbling to himself as he walked off towards the kitchen.

"Mental, that one" muttered Ron.

"I can't believe you two" said Hermione. "I'm going to put my things in the upstairs bedroom."

As she went, she turned and kissed Harry on the cheek.

"You know I really appreciate you having us, Harry"

Harry nodded.

"No problem, Hermione."

She smiled, levitated her things into the air, and walked up the stairs, her luggage a few feet in front of her, and into the first room.

"I reckon I'll put my things in the next room, then." said Ron.

He carried his things up the stairs and into the second bedroom. Harry sat down on the couch in the entry, and stared at the ceiling. This house always brought back the memory of Sirius. Harry could almost not bare the thought that less than two years ago, he was having a blast with Sirius and the Weasleys. He tried to shut out the thought that Sirius would never again walk through the door of Grimmauld Place, never smile broadly like he used to, never be there to comfort Harry, never see Harry again. The wind howled outside, as Ron and Hermione came back downstairs. Hermione was carrying Crookshanks, her fluffy, ginger tabby, over her shoulder.

"Pig's too mental to have out" mumbled Ron.

"Is everything alright, Harry?" Hermione asked tentatively, sitting down beside him and depositing Crookshanks on the armchair next to them.

Harry jumped and looked over. He was still thinking of Sirius.

"What? Oh… yeah, I'm fine" he said hastily.

Hermione still looked at him with concern. Ron shoved Crookshanks off the chair and sat down. The ginger cat landed on the floor. He turned and hissed at Ron before retreating to the kitchen. Hermione noticed but was more concerned about Harry.

"I- I don't think you are, Harry."

"Really?" Harry leapt up, his temper rising. "Well, the fact that my godfather's dead might have something to do with it!"

The room grew silent.

"The fact that the closest one to a father I had is dead!"

Hermione and Ron looked at him, shocked.

"And, now, to help matters!" bellowed Harry, his eyes burning. "Dumbledore's been murdered by Snape!"

Before Hermione or Ron could say anything, he stormed off to the drawing room and slammed the door, locking it. He fell onto the couch, trying to draw breath. A tear slipped from his eyes and fell to the couch.

"Sirius" he began, his eyes now swimming with tears, "Don't leave me here…" Dumbledore's kind face appeared in his mind. He put his face into the cushion and moaned. "Dumbledore, please! DON'T LEAVE ME ALONE!"

The door burst open and Hermione rushed through it.

"You can't have expected that lock to keep me away" she said soothingly, gripping him on the shoulder and kissing him on the head.

"Hermione" he croaked, "You can't leave, okay? I'm sorry. Just please stay for the whole summer."

Hermione laughed.

"Harry, I was never going to leave!"

Harry tried to laugh but couldn't.

Hermione set him upright.

"Harry, I don't think I can quite understand the loss you've experienced, but Dumbledore was very dear to me too" she paused, wiping her eyes. "W-we have each other to get through this, Harry."

The door opened, and Ron entered the room.

"Ron… mate, will you stay?" Harry asked.

Ron grasped Harry's hand.

"Harry, you don't think I'd leave you and Hermione alone, do you?"

Harry actually laughed this time.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"Of all the things to say, Ronald" she muttered.

"Well, Kreacher should have dinner ready by now" said Harry, sniffing and wiping his eyes, standing up as he did so.

Ron and Hermione nodded and the three of them walked back into the entry and towards the kitchen.

Harry's spirits were starting to lift a little when he heard a voice coming from the kitchen. He thought it must be Kreacher muttering, but as he listened closer, he noticed it was a woman's voice. "You do have it here, don't you?" she asked, a note of nervousness in her voice.

"Kreacher always does what mistress asks."

Harry's insides froze. The woman in the kitchen was Bellatrix Lestrange.