Chapter Six: Number Twelve Grimmauld Place:

Harry stepped into the hallway of number twelve Grimmauld place and looked around in awe. He knew his Godfather owned a house and he knew that he had workers (many versed in defense against the dark arts) to clean out and make the house habitable. Of course that meant he added a lot of muggle technology to the house, the workers had to come in and basically guted the house then rebuilt it up on the inside getting rid of much of the dark and evil feel the house had had with Sirius growing up there. What was odd was the fact that the aged house elf who lived here did not mind at all and was actually willing to help in what ever was needed of him. He didn't even protest when the portrait of his late mistress was removed and how could he when Sirius had found his brother had commissioned a nice painting of himself just before he did and that paining hung where Sirius mother had sat?

The house looked very Victorian and Harry loved it at once, he looked around this floor taking in the cozy parlor, across from which was the music room, behind the parlor was the large dining room and across from that was a room that Sirius reserved for potions making as there was more than one potions master or mistress in the making here. It was heavily warded so if there was an accident it would stay in the room and the magical emergency system could be activated. It was one of the few rooms that was lit by candles and torches and Severus had loved it at once wishing he could stay and brew here but with the war and such he had to spend much of his time doing his best to take care of his own godson. Harry walked up to stairs to the second level and put his satchel in the room he would share with Ron, it was a very Gryffindor room and he loved it. He poked around this level, seeing the sitting room, the Black family library and he saw Sirius's study but he did not go in. Finishing off this level was a good sized modern bathroom complete with toilet and sink.

"Dad is driving mum nuts." Ron said walking up looking around. "He says he is gonna set up the Burrow muggle style."

"Your mum would kill your dad." Harry said grinning.

"Yea she would at that." Ron said "I am still a bit jealous you got to grow up with Sirius Black and professor Lupin you know."

"Yea well they are brilliant but they keep on me about my homework and doing chores and all that." Harry said. "It was amusing when Fred and George found out they made the Marauders Map and that they are my brothers idols."

"Yea but if your mum finds out." Harry said looking a bit fearful, "I will have to go live with professor Snape as she will kill both Sirius and Remus!"

"I still cannot believe he is as nice as you say." Ron said, "he is so strict and favors Slytherin!"

"Well he is head of Slytherin." Harry said, "even so he is really a great man, he does not have to teach."

"I know, those robes of his spares no expense." Ron said rolling his eyes, "you would think though as rich as he seems to be he would spring for more colors than black."

"He likes black." Harry said.

"Dinner is ready." Came Mrs. Weasley's magically enhanced voice.

The boys headed downstairs to the dining room and sat at the long dining room table, Mrs. Weasley had cooked a great spread, with the help of Kreacher the food had been sent up from the kitchen to table above. Sirius had been very nice to Kreacher and treated him with respect, he had offered trying to be nice Kreacher freedom like Dora but Kreacher had refused and had felt insulted. They came to a compromise, Kreacher could say what he liked to his master and Sirius would not free him. Right now the elves were in the kitchen and so Harry did not see them at dinner. He was impressed by the silver plates, goblets and silverware though of course a china place made to look like sliver and a steel goblet and steel flatware were provided for Remus. Harry did not wish to see him break out like he had once picking up what he thought was a steel knife but turned out to be Sirius's sliver knife. It was one of the few times Harry had seen Remus upset and when Sirius laughed Remus had chased him all over the house and later Harry learned Sirius had been hung by his thumbs in the cellar for an hour.

"So um can I come to the order meetings?" Harry asked Sirius with pleading green eyes.

"Well normally I would say yes."

"Sirius!" Mrs. Weasley said looking shocked.

"Now Molly I have always told him the truth and never held back anything." Sirius said, "he had to know so he can be prepared."

"It's not like it is 100 percent me anyway, Neville knows the prophecy too." Harry said, "it could be either of us you know we were born only a day apart at the end of July."

"Still so much on your shoulders at such a young age." Mrs. Weasley said tearing up. "I know you have to know but I wish you did not have to go through this."

"I am not alone Mrs. Weasley, I have lots of help and I want to help to, can I come uncle Siri?"

"No, not this time and I think you know why." Sirius said.

"Yea Voldemort likes to chat with me via the mind, he may be doing it on purpose or not but you cannot take that chance." Harry said softly. "I really, really hate him and he is really ugly too."

"How ugly Harry?" Remus asked.

"He makes professor Moody look good." Harry said.

"Nice one Harry." Fred said grinning as his mother sputtered in anger.

"Harry James…"

"He calls himself ugly." Remus said, "says it's fun to scare the first years, between him and Severus it's a wonder the whole first year population did not melt down."

Mr. Weasley laughed along with everyone around the table. The Weasleys at first had been put off by Severus but when they had met the wizard outside of school they found he was very likeable. He could control the twins like no other and they respected him and when he told them to do something they did it. They were very good at potions and he was honing that skill teaching them as much as they wanted to learn if they would use caution in his classroom and tutor other students he would allow them a small room to brew their experiments. Mrs. Weasley liked mothering him and he allowed it when he visited, she even sent him pies and Ron went cross-eyed at that still. Once dinner was done the girls went to the music room which was much like the parlor with a piano in it and the boys went off to do play chess or study. Mrs. Weasley took up her knitting and saw Ginny was looking a bit down.

"Something wrong Ginny?" She asked her youngest child.

"I suppose I am a being selfish, and he cannot see anything in me but a star struck kid." Ginny said. "I mean yes we have snogged and all but does he really like me or see me as just a kid?"

"I don't think Harry sees you that way." Hermione said. "I was talking with him and he did say he liked you."

"He did?" Ginny said and then looked upset again. "But he seems so distant!"

"I think he is worried too." Hermione said, "he really likes you but does not know how exactly to say that to you."

"Really?" Ginny said, "I do care, it's not an infatuation, I would care about him even if he was not famous."

"That is good to hear, he is a good young man." Mrs. Weasley said looking up from her knitting.

"Mum when did you and dad know you were in love?"

"Oh I was your age and your dad was just a little bit older. We just knew, love like that is rare, most of the time it takes a lot longer to know who is the right one, sometimes years even." Mrs. Weasley said. "I think you and Harry are what is called soul mates, it's rare as I said before but it does happen."

"I hope we are soul mates." Ginny said wistfully.

"Well if you are there will come a time you will know." Mrs. Weasley said.

Meanwhile Harry was playing chess with Ron and Sirius was bored, and when he got bored something was going to happen. Harry was used to this and he saw the telltale signs his godfather was radiating and he went for his wand quietly as he knew what was going to happen. Sirius turned to Padfoot and charged the table and Harry cast his first nonverbal spell and Padfoot was hanging by his hind foot. He turned back to Sirius and laughed, until Harry and Ron walked out of the room. Remus looked up at Sirius and smiled quietly and walked away as well. It was at this time Severus came upstairs and saw Sirius hanging by his heel. He saw Severus and he grinned as much as he could upside-down.

"Hi Severus Harry did this great isn't it?" Sirius said, "I don't think he knows how to get me down could you?"

"I do know and no I am not letting you down uncle Siri." Harry said.

"Planning on using that in school?' Severus asked Harry.

"No sir that is not even funny!" Harry said his green eyes going wide, "I mean it's evil sir, in school and all!"

"So is leaving your godfather hanging Harry!" Sirius said, "um Severus mate please get me down."

"No, you look better up there." Severus said walking by.

"You are all dead!" Sirius said, "beware the wrath of a Black!"

"You are as far away from that bullying brat you were in Hogwarts Black." Severus shot at him.

"Well I had a few people put some since into me." Sirius said thoughtfully as he did get himself out of the Levicorpus curse and landed on his feet. "Looking back I was going dark."

"A lot of us were going dark at that time Mutt." Severus said, "if not for Aberforth I would be a death eater now."

"Well you are not and Harry you are going to get it for that!" Sirius said and Harry ran for it.

"Fear not I will save you Harry!" Severus said getting a terrified squeak out of Ron.

Severus smirked and ran after Sirius and Harry snuck back down the stairs as the grown wizards went through the house hexing each other. Finally the sounds of Mrs. Weasley yelling got Harry and Ron to run for the safety of the library even though she was not after them. They laughed as they heard two yelps of pain and walked out to see Sirius stagger up the stairs followed by Severus who looked a bit worse for the wear.

The next weeks passed by in a blur and Harry was allowed to know a bit about what was going on in the Order only if he continued to practice Occlumency. He was not the only one, Ron, Hermione and even Neville had been recruited into the training and they were using it on each other. Even with all this Harry still had nightmares about the graveyard and he could see Voldemort and the dead body of Karkaroff as he had come and had accepted his fate. On the worst nights his Godfather would come and take him back to bed with him much as he had done for the boy when he was younger and dreaming of a flash of green light and a cold high voice. One night was the worst and Harry could not calm down even in the arms of his godfather.

"Shh Harry I am here for you." Sirius said quietly.

"I see him, them and he killed Karkaroff why would he do that?" Harry asked sobbing.

"I don't know pup, but you are here, you are not there." Sirius said.

"But it is not over, it will never be over." Harry sobbed. "I have to kill him, and I don't wanna kill anyone."

"Shh pup I know but I am here as is Moony and the greasy git." Sirius said rubbing Harry's back and Harry almost smiled.

"Look you will survive, have a family, kids that turn your hair gray you know why pup?"

"Why uncle Siri?"

"Because I will do everything to make sure you do, as will the order. Don't worry about things now pup, when you have to face Voldemort you will be more than ready to take him out."

"He is killing even now I know it." Harry said, "it's my fault."

"Hush no it is not pup, it's not." Sirius said, "now you need your rest too, got to look good for Ginny you know."

Harry smiled and snuggled down by his godfather and went back to sleep and did not have any more nightmares that night. It did get better for him over the next day and weeks for him, he had quite a shock but he started to rally with good friends and what with that and the studying he had to do he had little time to himself. Fred and George were a great help at cheering him up and helping in his potions and Ginny was there to really help him out. He loved how she kissed him and talked with him and kissed him and talked and did he mention kissed him? Oh yeas he was looking forward to a new school year even with all that had gone on the year before…

Harry is struggling with what happened in the graveyard, it would not be good to just gloss that over. Sirius has become the man he should have been. He is kinder and gentler though still a prankster too. Thanks to Aberforth and what he did all those years before. Still there will be hard times, that will not change but there are so many people here to help and that is what is needed here.