29. Return to Hogwarts.

"Aha!"

With that one exclamation of vicious delight, the silence of the morning was obliterated, replaced by curious, thundering footsteps as everyone flocked to the source of the noise.

Exchanging a quick glance, Kirk, Spock and McCoy followed suit, rushing to the top of the stairs in time to see Sirius, in a musty corridor and surrounded by a watchful audience, glaring at Kreacher, who was clutching a book and muttering curses under his breath.

"So," Sirius exclaimed, looming over the elf, "you decided to come back, did you, you useless heap of shit?"

On behalf of Kreacher, Hermione flinched.

Kreacher's eyes narrowed and his hands tightened convulsively on the book. "The blood-traitor is attacking Kreacher," he muttered furiously, eyes never leaving Sirius, "he is disgracing his Mistress' wishes again – oh my poor Mistress-"

His voice broke off when Sirius snatched the book, which he had begun to stroke lovingly, out of his hands. "Got something else for me, Kreacher?"

"The touch of his hands insults my Mistress' book, if only she-"

"A book," Sirius spat, sparing a moment to read the title before throwing it to the floor in disgust, "from my dear mother."

The words "How To Preserve Blood Purity" seemed to reflect in Kreacher's large eyes even as the elf jerked involuntarily.

"Kreacher must get the book for his Mistress, but Kreacher has been ordered to stand still by the tr-"

"Tell me," Sirius said loudly, "where have you been skulking all this time? We've missed your filthy presence down here."

Kreacher maintained a loathing-filled silence.

"I order you to answer me," Sirius said angrily.

"Kreacher was in the attic," the elf reluctantly muttered.

"Why?"

"Kreacher wanted to rescue poor Mistress' book."

"I see," Sirius responded with equal contempt, stooping to pick up the object, which Kreacher was still eying hopefully. "I must have forgotten to throw this one out." He looked up and glared at the mutinously angry elf. "That's all, Kreacher. Maybe you should actually get some work done," he grabbed the protesting elf and threw him bodily down the stairs, ignoring the panicked shrieks, "for once."

Under the shocked gazes above, Kreacher hauled himself to his feet, straightened his rags and, dirty insults spewing from his wrinkled mouth, shuffled towards the kitchen.

With a brief jerk of his wand, Sirius slammed the door behind the elf, barring him from view.

"It's a pity he didn't die while he was up there."

Exchanging uneasy glances, the audience watched silently as Sirius stormed off, not even Fred and George daring to laugh.

"Blimey," Ron muttered, breaking the spell of shock, "what's got into him?"

A door slammed in the distance.

"No idea," Harry replied, wincing.

Sirius' mood continued to darken the closer they got to the date for return to Hogwarts. More and more he withdrew to the room in which he housed Buckbeak, staying there for hours on end and apparently brooding to such an extent that he was invariably more introverted when he returned to the group.

Finally, when Sirius had disappeared once more, leaving a disappointed and hurt looking Harry behind him, Spock had had enough. Ignoring questioning yet, on the part of Kirk and McCoy, knowing looks, he followed Sirius from the room, slipping almost soundlessly into Buckbeak's quarters.

"Mr Black," Spock said warily, closing the door behind him and remaining alert for signs of eavesdropping, "you must not continue to avoid your nephew."

He paused, weighing the human emotions screaming at him to continue against the stiff posture of the man before him, whose back was turned in order to hide the scowl of distrust. Finally, the need to warn another being, to stop him from making the same mistakes he had, caused him to take a step closer.

"There may be a time," he murmured, remembering for an instant the expression on his mother's face every time he shut her out, "when such a course of action may be regretted."

Sirius swung around to face him. "I'm not avoiding Harry," he said finally, voice and eyes harsh. Unrelenting.

Spock's eyebrow twitched, but he did not allow it to rise, instead keeping his features impassive. "Then what," he said softly, "do you propose you are doing currently?"

Sirius surveyed him for a moment before turning his back on him again, throwing Buckbeak another morsel of food. "I don't have to tell you."

"That is quite correct, you do not."

"Then why are you pestering me?" Sirius demanded irritably.

"Mr Black, I apologise for my apparent lack of finesse in this area of expertise," Spock said, voice slightly wry, "however, this is not a widely promoted practice among Vulcans."

"So don't waste your breath."

"I am merely attempting to render you assistance. Your actions, Mr Black, are beginning to cause emotional harm to both yourself and to Mr Potter. If this continues-"

"What do you know about emotions?" Sirius snapped voice heavy with irony.

Spock paused and contemplated the interruption, mind cataloguing and considering the different responses available before picking the most acceptable. "I am in constant contact with two highly emotional beings. I have learnt, somewhat, to identify the nuances of human behaviour."

Silence stretched between them for several moments. Sirius seemed to be resolutely ignoring Spock now, as though he was an itch that, after rubbing and prodding had proved futile, would simply fade away.

Spock did not move, but instead used the opportunity of silence, choosing his words carefully. "Mr Black, you have for an extended period of time been bereft of the opportunity to be in the presence of Mr Potter. Understandable if not regretful."

"But not my fault," Sirius snapped. "What's your point?"

"Perhaps you should, as you humans commonly say, 'make the most' of his presence. You do not know what the future may hold. If injury or accident should befall him-"

"Harry can take care of himself!"

Spock inclined his head. "Of that I have no doubt; however, the future is not predictable."

Sirius span around and raised his wand so quickly that, should a human be stood in Spock's place, the movement would have been too fast to see. "If you're threatening Harry-"

"That is not my intention," Spock said calmly, regarding the wand with apparent disinterest. "I am merely highlighting the facts. Should injury or accident befall him, you would be unable to reach him in your current predicament."

"Nothing," Sirius snarled, "could keep me from his side."

This time, Spock allowed his eyebrows to lift, but the rest of his features had softened slightly. "Yet you are here."

Sirius stared at him, a mixture of horror at the truth, and anger at who had revealed it twisting his features. "Who are you to dictate what I do?" He demanded suddenly, wand still raised, beginning to advance on Spock.

"It is not my intention to dictate."

"Save it," Sirius snapped. "I know what you're doing – you're trying to gain my trust."

"I am attempting," Spock said with a hint of frustration, "to prevent you from committing an error."

"You're trying," Sirius repeated, stepping closer, "to gain my trust so that you can use it!"

Spock opened his mouth to contradict him, but was forced to duck instead to avoid a curse.

"Don't argue with me! I know what you're doing," he advanced still closer, causing Spock to take his first step back, "and I don't need your help!"

Regret flickered in Spock's eyes but was repressed before Sirius could identify it. "Very well," he said tightly, walking out the door and closing it softly behind him, leaving Sirius alone with his thoughts.

"Well?" McCoy asked impatiently when Spock returned.

Aware that everyone was staring at him, Spock reclaimed his seat and sat down, face impassive as ever. "Mr Black refuses to listen to reason."

He resolutely ignored their glum expressions and opened one of the books he had received for Christmas, disappearing behind it.

As he began to drown his memories in the cold facts laid before him, he knew that he was being watched carefully by his captain.

Sirius' bad temper remained firmly in place for the days following Spock's advice, though he could still be seen occasionally eying Harry, his gaze unfathomable, his eyes slightly glazed as though he was preoccupied with something.

If Harry was unnerved by this, he never showed it. Instead, he allowed Sirius some time and space to think; as though he could somehow sense the effect he was having on his godfather. McCoy noticed with some concern that, though Harry laughed and joked with his friends as always, his green eyes retained a haunted quality, occasionally darting to where Sirius could be found brooding.

Whatever was going on between them, it was never spoken of, and McCoy decided not to pursue it.

Yet it was, unexpectedly, that last day of holidays which would bring them together, with the arrival of a shared hatred on their doorstep.

"Harry, Spock." Mrs Weasley poked her head round the door to the room in which a loud game of wizard chess was occurring. "Could you both come down to the kitchen? Professor Snape would like a word with you."

Spock, though he had been watching the game intently, stood up swiftly and was already halfway to the door when Harry spoke.

"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 with you and Spock."

A horrified silence descended upon the room. Unnoticed, Crooshanks leapt onto the table and began attacking chess pieces with ferocious glee.

"Snape?" Harry repeated blankly.

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

Mrs Weasley and Spock left the room, leaving everyone staring at Harry in shock.

"Well," Kirk chirped, "that's livened things up a bit."

"What's he want with you?" Ron asked, looking nervously at Harry. "You haven't done anything, have you?"

"Impossible," McCoy scoffed. "If Snape was here for punishment then he wouldn't need Spock."

"You'd better see what he wants then, mate," Ron advised, oblivious to the chess set lying in ruins behind him.

"Good luck!" Hermione called after the closing door.

Harry grimaced in reply before setting off down the stairs. Behind him, he could hear Ron swearing furiously at Crooshanks, and Hermione's angry voice simultaneously managing to both scold her cat and defend him against Ron.

A minute later, he opened the door to find Sirius and Snape sitting at opposite ends of the table, glaring in different directions. Between them and clearly unwilling to take sides was Spock, who glanced up as Harry entered the room.

"Er..." The boy seemed at a complete loss for words, clearly unsure how to diffuse the situation.

Snape's eyes jerked to Harry and fixed him immediately with an impatient glare. "Sit down and close the door, Potter."

"You know," Sirius said loudly even as Harry obeyed, "I think I'd prefer it if you didn't give orders here, Snape. It's my house, you see."

Spock remained wisely quiet as Harry took a seat beside Sirius, making the table awkwardly unbalanced, with two sides of mutual hatred and Spock in the middle.

"I was supposed to see you both alone," Snape said, ignoring Sirius' remark completely, "but Black-"

"I'm his godfather!"

"I am here on Dumbledore's orders," Snape said, his quiet voice contrasting Sirius' loud and belligerent tones, "but by all means stay, Black, I know you like to feel...involved."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Merely that I am sure you must feel – ah – frustrated by the fact that you can do nothing useful for the Order."

Sirius flushed even as Snape's lip curled in triumph.

"Perhaps," Spock said quietly before Sirius could form a retort, "we should focus on the matter of discussion."

In acknowledgement of Spock's words Snape turned to Harry, ignoring Sirius' fixed glare. "The Headmaster has sent me to tell you, Potter, that it is his wish for you to study Occlumency this term. Mr Spock," he added in a slightly more neutral voice, "is privy to this information because he has already succeeded in blocking your mind from the Dark Lord. The Headmaster believes Mr Spock's awareness of your lessons to be advantageous, should you require any additional assistance with your studies."

Harry's face remained blank. "Study what?"

"Occlumency, Potter," Snape sneered. "The magical defence of the mind against external penetration. An obscure branch of magic, but a highly useful one."

"Why do I have to study Occlu-" Harry faltered, having already forgotten the term in his excitement, "thing?"

"It is called Occlumency," Spock intoned impassively. Harry spared him only a glance before returning his attention to Snape, who had started speaking once more.

"Because the Headmaster believes it is a good idea. You will receive private lessons from me once a week, but you will not tell anybody what you are doing, least of all Dolores Umbridge. You understand?" Here he glanced between both Harry and Spock.

"Affirmative."

"Yes," Harry muttered.

Sirius broke into the conversation, suddenly aggressive. "Why can't Dumbledore teach Harry? Why both of you?" He glared at the Slytherins with equal distrust.

"I suppose," Snape said smoothly, "because it is the headmaster's privilege to delegate less enjoyable tasks. I assure you," he added, standing up, "that I did not beg for the job. I will expect both of you at six o'clock on Monday evening. My office. If anybody asks, Potter, you are taking remedial Potions. Nobody who has seen you in my classes could deny you need them. You, Mr Spock, will simply express an extra-curricular interest in Potions. Perhaps you wish, should you be unable to return home, to enter the field."

Spock inclined his head in acknowledgement as Snape turned to leave, black cloak flapping behind him.

Sirius suddenly sat up straighter in his chair. "Wait a moment."

Snape turned impatiently back to face him, dark eyes glittering. "I am in rather a hurry, Black. Unlike you, I do not have unlimited leisure time."

Sirius stood up, emphasising his slightly taller frame while Snape's hand inconspicuously travelled to the pocket of his cloak. "I'll get to the point, then. If I hear you've been using the Occlumency lessons to give Harry a hard time, you'll have me to answer to."

"Pitting yourself against two Slytherins," Snape purred, "how touching. But surely you have noticed that Potter is very like his father?"

The faraway look re-entered Sirius' eyes, but a proud expression crossed his features. "Yes, I have."

"Well then," Snape said, going in for the kill, "you'll know he's so arrogant that criticism simply bounces off him."

Sirius crossed the room at lightning speed, pulling out his wand as he went, looking livid. Snape, in response, pulled his out quite calmly, his eyes calculating. Both Spock and Harry were suddenly on their feet, moving to prevent what would surely be a duel.

"Sirius!" Harry called. Both wizards ignored him.

"I've warned you, Snivellus," Sirius said menacingly, "I don't care if Dumbledore thinks you've reformed, I know better-"

"Oh?" Snape asked, his grip on his wand tightening as Spock's features flickered at this new information. "Why don't you tell him so? Or are you afraid he might not take very seriously the advice of a man who had been hiding in his mother's house for six months?"

"Tell me," Sirius snarled, "how is Lucius Malfoy these days? I expect he's delighted his lapdog's working at Hogwarts, isn't he?"

Spock, who had been forgotten by most in the room, kept his face impassive as the missing pieces of their puzzled out theory fell into place.

"Speaking of dogs, did you know that Lucius Malfoy recognised you last time you risked a little jaunt outside? Clever idea, Black, getting yourself seen on a safe station platform-"

Spock, seeing the situation was getting out of hand, moved to stand between them. "Gentlemen-"

"-gave you a cast iron excuse not to leave your hidey-hole in future," Snape finished, "didn't it?"

Sirius, inarticulate with rage, raised his wand.

"NO!" Harry yelled, joining Spock in between them as fast as he could manage, "Sirius, don't!"

"Are you calling me a coward?" Sirius tried to dodge around the living barriers to get at Snape, but Spock forcibly stopped him, one hand against his chest, his Vulcan strength keeping the man in place. "Get off me!"

"Why yes," Snape said smugly, untouched by Spock and Harry, "I suppose I am."

"Harry!" Sirius roared as his godson dived for his wand arm, "-get-out-of-it!"

Just as Sirius finally succeeded in throwing Harry off his wand arm and moved to aim at Snape, the door opened to admit the entire Weasley family, Hermione, Kirk and McCoy, all of them smiling infectiously.

"Cured!" Mr Weasley announced to the room at large. "Completely cured!"

Kirk, who was the first to notice the scene, took a step into the room, leaving everyone else paralysed in the doorway. "Spock?"

Faces slightly surprised at having been caught in the act, both adults lowered their wands. Sighing in relief, Harry stepped back to Sirius' side. Spock, meanwhile, had let go of the formerly murderously angry man and approached Kirk.

"A...minor incident," he murmured. Kirk raised his eyebrows.

Snape pocketed his wand, turned sharply and headed for the front door, ignoring the Weasleys completely. "Six o'clock," he threw over his shoulder at Spock and Harry, "Monday evening."

As the door closed behind Snape, Sirius finally stowed his wand in his pocket.

"What's been going on?" Mr Weasley asked.

"Nothing, Arthur," Sirius replied, despite the fact that he was breathing hard. "Just a friendly chat between two old school friends." He smiled unconvincingly. "So...you're cured? That's great news, really great."

"Yes, isn't it?" Mrs Weasley replied, leading her husband to one of the few chairs that was still standing. "Healer Smethwyck worked his magic in the end, found an antidote to whatever that snake's got in its fangs, and Arthur's learned his lesson about dabbling in Muggle medicine, haven't you dear?"

Mr Weasley glanced at McCoy, who shrugged apologetically, before turning meekly back to his wife. "Yes, Molly, dear."

The atmosphere of that night's meal was strained, the interrupted conflict between Snape and Sirius never far from anyone's mind. Harry, in between furtive glances at a moody Sirius and after having argued the point of secrecy with Spock, explained to Ron, Hermione, Kirk and McCoy the reason behind Snape's unexpected visit.

"Dumbledore wants to stop you having those dreams about Voldemort," Hermione said practically, once Harry had finished. "Well, you won't be sorry not to have them anymore, will you?"

Ron looked much more sympathetic. "Extra lessons with Snape? I'd rather have the nightmares!"

Hermione rolled her eyes at him. "At least you're not alone, Harry."

Everyone involved in the conversation immediately turned to Spock.

"Can Vulcan mind techniques combine with Occlumency?" Kirk asked curiously.

"At this moment, I am not certain, as I possess limited knowledge on the subject of Occlumency. However, they appear to be of a similar nature."

"Has a human ever mastered Vulcan mental techniques before?"

Spock shook his head slightly. "Such an occurrence has never been recorded, Leonard."

"Wonderful," Harry muttered, stabbing at his food vehemently.

"However," Spock added, "that is little cause for concern. It is entirely possible that such occasions existed without the knowledge of the authorities. In addition, I am half human and am fully capable of performing them."

This didn't seem to cheer Harry much, despite both Hermione and Spock's efforts to encourage him.

The next morning found both Tonks and Lupin sitting at the breakfast table, ready to escort the large group back to Hogwarts via the Knight Bus. After a short explanation of their plans, the house was ablaze with emotional farewells, Sirius pressing something into Harry's hand before standing back, expression solemn.

The door of number twelve swung shut as the group descended onto the pavement, locking away the only escape from the frigid air.

McCoy gestured at Spock's hand triumphantly. "Now," he crowed, "your ears will be fine."

Kirk nodded in agreement, grinning madly. "It was considerate of Mrs Weasley to knit you a hat before we left, wasn't it, Spock?"

The Vulcan in question nodded, expression neutral beneath a garish, rainbow coloured hat with a pompom on the top. From large ear flaps dangled a string at each side, with a pompom at the end. They both swung like pendulums on either side of Spock's head as he walked.

"Indeed," he replied, voice carefully neutral.

"Lacks subtlety though," Ron interjected, grinning impishly.

"Come on," Tonks interrupted, leading them hurriedly further down the road, "the quicker we get on the bus the better."

Stopping abruptly, Lupin flung out his right arm.

The resulting "BANG" echoed down the empty street and caused McCoy to jump into Kirk, knocking them both off balance.

Spock regarded them both curiously. "Leonard?"

McCoy steadied himself, looking around nervously before scowling. "Damn it. This," he said angrily to Kirk, "is what happens when you force me to watch ancient cowboy movies!"

Kirk shrugged. "Being skittish can be an asset, Bones."

McCoy snorted. "Most of the time it's just an embarrassment."

A blindingly bright-purple, triple-decker bus had materialised before them, narrowly avoiding a lamp post. A thin, spotty youth in uniform bounded theatrically onto the pavement.

"Welcome to the-"

"Yes, yes," Tonks said quickly, "we know, thank you. On, on, get on-" She began shoving members of the travelling group on board at random.

"'Ere," the conductor squawked in excitement when Harry stumbled onto the bus, courtesy of Tonks, "it's 'Arry-"

"If you shout his name I will curse you into oblivion," Tonks muttered, clambering on board.

The driver quickly busied himself with closing the door.

"I've always wanted to go on this thing," Ron said appreciatively, looking around him.

The bus was crammed with haphazardly scattered mis-matched chairs, some of which had fallen over when the bus screeched to a halt. A few witches and wizards were still picking themselves off the floor, one of them angrily re-packing their shopping bag.

"Looks like we'll have to split up," Tonks said quickly, scanning the bus for empty seats. "Fred, George and Ginny, if you just take those seats at the back...Remus can stay with you."

The rest of the group climbed to the very top deck, where Stan Shunpike, the conductor, eagerly followed them to collect payment.

"Aren't you going to sit down?" McCoy asked Spock, gesturing at the empty seat beside him as Stan shuffled back downstairs.

"I believe that the journey shall be more comfortable should I decline a seat, Leonard."

McCoy looked vaguely offended. "Do I annoy you that much?"

"It is not a question of annoyance," Spock replied, "but of the speed of transportation."

McCoy glanced out the window, where the scenery was crawling by impossibly slowly. "Of course," he drawled sarcastically, "because the bus is moving so fas-"

BANG!

Suddenly, the bus was filled with shrieks and thuds as many of the occupants were thrown backwards, landing heavily on the floor. As they pulled themselves and their chairs back into position, Spock surveyed them from his standing position, having grasped a candle bracket in time to stop himself from falling.

McCoy sank back into his seat, rubbing the back of his head. "I think I see your point."

"Thank you, Leonard."

McCoy grimaced at him, bracing himself in the chair for the next sudden stop.

"Not very safe, is it?" Ron asked as, after another loud BANG, they sank into their chairs once more. "I don't think I ever want to ride on this thing again."

"Listen," Stan said, stumbling back up the stairs and heading towards them, avoiding a sick looking wizard, "it's 'Ogwarts stop after this. That bossy woman up front 'oo got on with you, she's given us a little tip to move you up the queue. We're just going to let Madam Marsh and him," he nodded towards the queasy wizard, "off first though-"

There was the sound of vomit splattering onto the floor downstairs.

"-they're not feeling their best."

A few seconds later the bus screeched to a halt once more and two very distressed passengers got off, to many mutterings of relief from those unfortunate enough to sit next to them.

"This has to be worse than a shuttle craft," McCoy moaned, his knuckles turning white with the force he was clenching the arms of the chair. "You'd think they could at least use magic to stop us from falling over every five seconds..."

"I might actually agree with you on that one, Bones."

BANG.

They were rolling through Hogsmeade, the buildings all glistening with snow. They caught glimpses of various shops flying past before they finally drew to a halt outside the gates of Hogwarts.

Lupin and Tonks helped lift the luggage off the bus, handing it to the appropriate person, before joining them outside to say goodbye.

"You'll be safe once you're in the grounds," Tonks said quietly, ignoring the faces staring from the bus windows. "Have a good term, ok?"

Lupin began shaking hands all around. "Look after yourselves." He lowered his voice when he got to Harry, but was unable to help the fact that Spock, with his Vulcan hearing, overheard everything.

"And listen, Harry. I know you don't like Snape, but he is a superb Occlumens and we all – Sirius included – want you to learn to protect yourself, so work hard, alright? And don't rely on Spock instead of Snape – we don't know which method might work best."

"Yeah, all right," Spock heard Harry say wearily. "See you, then."

Tonks and Lupin climbed back aboard the bus, which disappeared, leaving them all to struggle up the slippery drive to the castle, tugging their cases behind.