Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix- Chapter 12
Remus paced his office, running a hand through his light hair. Sirius sat on the desk in the front of Remus' classroom. Remus had put a charm on the door so no one would come in while Sirius was, well, human. It was very late and, as Remus paced silently, the clock struck 01.00.
"Remus, calm down." Sirius said soothingly, "Arabella is right. He can be trusted. Albus wouldn't make the same mistake twice. As much as I hate the git, if Dumbledore can trust him then I won't doubt Dumbledore's decision." Remus flopped onto his chair behind Sirius.
"I know, I know. I would like to believe Albus when he says that Snape will make a good, trustworthy spy, but I can't help but think of what happened to Lily and James because we trusted a spy. I have this horrible feeling that things will turn out very badly." Remus ran his fingers over his desk, deep in thought. Sirius regarded him for a moment before sliding off the desk.
"Come on, it's late and we need to get some sleep. Harry and you both have school tomorrow and we both need to be up and alert. Ugh, I remember Sunday nights, always dreading the Monday morning, Monday classes and the start of a whole, long, tedious week." Remus smiled at his friend as their memories slid over their seven years at Hogwarts. They both exited the room, Sirius as Snuffles sneaked back to Hagrid's hut, and Remus slipped into his own room.
* * *
Harry, Ron and Hermione reluctantly made their way towards Potions class. As they meandered along the hall someone brushed past Hermione, almost knocking her down. Harry and Ron glared up at the person and saw a pair of steamy grey eyes glaring back.
"Watch where you're walking, Mudblood." Draco Malfoy sneered. Snuffles, who was accompanying the Trio to class, growled at Malfoy. Harry and Hermione pulled Ron back, who had drawn his wand and leapt forward.
"Ron, forget it." Hermione hissed in his ear.
"We're too close to the Potions classroom. If Snape-" Harry was cut off by a smooth, icy voice.
"What? Fighting in the halls again, Weasley? That is 10 points from Gryffindor and if you don't find your seats in two minutes I'll ensure that each of you has five more taken off!" Snape turned on his heal and stormed into the classroom. Harry and Ron glared at Snape's retreating back and Malfoy began teasing them. Hermione grabbed Ron and Harry's arms and pulled them into the classroom muttering soothingly and trying to calm them down. The Trio knew, from past experience, that it was not a good idea to enter Potions angry, frustrated or on the edge.
Just as they class of Gryffindor's and Slytherin's had settled into their seats and Snape opened his mouth, the door opened. Snape turned to glare at the person who dared to interrupt his class. In stepped a pretty woman, Harry felt Ron nudge him and Harry realised that this woman was the same on Professor Lupin had been talking to a few weeks ago.
"Yes, Arabella." Snape snapped. Harry, Ron and Hermione looked shocked.
"Albus would like a word with you, please, Severus." She looked around the classroom, "I suggest you dismiss your class. There won't be time for you to teach them today." Snape sighed impatiently then waved her to the door. Mrs. Figg exited the classroom after a quick smile at Harry.
"I guess you had all better make yourselves scarce. Don't go making a lot of noise, there ARE classes being taken." With that Snape swept out the door and was gone. The class wasted barely a minute leaving that cold classroom.
Just as Harry, Ron and Hermione left the classroom too they were intercepted by Remus.
"Will you three be at the Duelling Club tomorrow?" He asked. They nodded.
"Good, good," he mused looking thoughtful, "Harry, I need to talk to you. Could you please come to my classroom when you have a moment."
"Actually, Professor, I have one now, Snape had to go see Dumbledore." Remus' eyebrows shot up.
"Really? Well, come along then. Don't worry Ron and Hermione, I won't keep him for your whole free lesson. Only about five to ten minutes." Harry had to jog behind Remus because of his log strides. When they reached Remus' office, he instructed Harry to sit down.
"Now, Harry. Professor Dumbledore and I have been discussing your power to do wandless magic." Harry swallowed and leaned forward. Remus' face looked so silent and grave compared to the happy expression he wore in Harry's pictures of his mother and father's wedding.
"We will have to train you to use your skills. So every afternoon at, shall we say, 19.00, you will come here." Harry nodded. Remus forced a smile on to his face.
"You may go then, Harry. And remember, if you have any questions, or if you need to talk to someone, I'm here. And if you need to talk to your Godfather, I'm sure we can arrange a meeting for you." Harry thanked Remus and left the room to find his friends.
* * *
Severus looked at Albus calmly. They stood in one of the rooms in the dungeons.
"I will go to the Death Eaters meeting tomorrow at five o'clock." Albus nodded.
"I know you will make the Order proud. You have sworn to protect the secrecy of the Order and I believe you, even if some of the members don't." Severus bowed to the ageing headmaster.
"I will never betray you. I would rather die." Albus smiled at him. Just then they heard a creak. Severus drew his wand, but Albus pushed his hand down.
"Yes? Who is there." He called out. There was a rustling sound then a soft "meow" sound. Severus snorted when a great ginger cat with a squashed face wandered into the room.
"Who does that THING belong to?" Severus asked the headmaster. Albus smiled again and stooped to pick up the cat. The cat hissed and ducked away.
"That temperamental creature belongs to Miss. Granger. He must have wandered out of the Tower when someone opened the portrait." He chuckled.
"We should return it to her." Albus reached down to collect the cat, but Crookshanks hissed and ran out of the room.
"Professor, if we just inform Granger of the whereabouts of her cat, she can come collect it." Albus nodded his agreement and he set off to find the young witch.
Remus paced his office, running a hand through his light hair. Sirius sat on the desk in the front of Remus' classroom. Remus had put a charm on the door so no one would come in while Sirius was, well, human. It was very late and, as Remus paced silently, the clock struck 01.00.
"Remus, calm down." Sirius said soothingly, "Arabella is right. He can be trusted. Albus wouldn't make the same mistake twice. As much as I hate the git, if Dumbledore can trust him then I won't doubt Dumbledore's decision." Remus flopped onto his chair behind Sirius.
"I know, I know. I would like to believe Albus when he says that Snape will make a good, trustworthy spy, but I can't help but think of what happened to Lily and James because we trusted a spy. I have this horrible feeling that things will turn out very badly." Remus ran his fingers over his desk, deep in thought. Sirius regarded him for a moment before sliding off the desk.
"Come on, it's late and we need to get some sleep. Harry and you both have school tomorrow and we both need to be up and alert. Ugh, I remember Sunday nights, always dreading the Monday morning, Monday classes and the start of a whole, long, tedious week." Remus smiled at his friend as their memories slid over their seven years at Hogwarts. They both exited the room, Sirius as Snuffles sneaked back to Hagrid's hut, and Remus slipped into his own room.
* * *
Harry, Ron and Hermione reluctantly made their way towards Potions class. As they meandered along the hall someone brushed past Hermione, almost knocking her down. Harry and Ron glared up at the person and saw a pair of steamy grey eyes glaring back.
"Watch where you're walking, Mudblood." Draco Malfoy sneered. Snuffles, who was accompanying the Trio to class, growled at Malfoy. Harry and Hermione pulled Ron back, who had drawn his wand and leapt forward.
"Ron, forget it." Hermione hissed in his ear.
"We're too close to the Potions classroom. If Snape-" Harry was cut off by a smooth, icy voice.
"What? Fighting in the halls again, Weasley? That is 10 points from Gryffindor and if you don't find your seats in two minutes I'll ensure that each of you has five more taken off!" Snape turned on his heal and stormed into the classroom. Harry and Ron glared at Snape's retreating back and Malfoy began teasing them. Hermione grabbed Ron and Harry's arms and pulled them into the classroom muttering soothingly and trying to calm them down. The Trio knew, from past experience, that it was not a good idea to enter Potions angry, frustrated or on the edge.
Just as they class of Gryffindor's and Slytherin's had settled into their seats and Snape opened his mouth, the door opened. Snape turned to glare at the person who dared to interrupt his class. In stepped a pretty woman, Harry felt Ron nudge him and Harry realised that this woman was the same on Professor Lupin had been talking to a few weeks ago.
"Yes, Arabella." Snape snapped. Harry, Ron and Hermione looked shocked.
"Albus would like a word with you, please, Severus." She looked around the classroom, "I suggest you dismiss your class. There won't be time for you to teach them today." Snape sighed impatiently then waved her to the door. Mrs. Figg exited the classroom after a quick smile at Harry.
"I guess you had all better make yourselves scarce. Don't go making a lot of noise, there ARE classes being taken." With that Snape swept out the door and was gone. The class wasted barely a minute leaving that cold classroom.
Just as Harry, Ron and Hermione left the classroom too they were intercepted by Remus.
"Will you three be at the Duelling Club tomorrow?" He asked. They nodded.
"Good, good," he mused looking thoughtful, "Harry, I need to talk to you. Could you please come to my classroom when you have a moment."
"Actually, Professor, I have one now, Snape had to go see Dumbledore." Remus' eyebrows shot up.
"Really? Well, come along then. Don't worry Ron and Hermione, I won't keep him for your whole free lesson. Only about five to ten minutes." Harry had to jog behind Remus because of his log strides. When they reached Remus' office, he instructed Harry to sit down.
"Now, Harry. Professor Dumbledore and I have been discussing your power to do wandless magic." Harry swallowed and leaned forward. Remus' face looked so silent and grave compared to the happy expression he wore in Harry's pictures of his mother and father's wedding.
"We will have to train you to use your skills. So every afternoon at, shall we say, 19.00, you will come here." Harry nodded. Remus forced a smile on to his face.
"You may go then, Harry. And remember, if you have any questions, or if you need to talk to someone, I'm here. And if you need to talk to your Godfather, I'm sure we can arrange a meeting for you." Harry thanked Remus and left the room to find his friends.
* * *
Severus looked at Albus calmly. They stood in one of the rooms in the dungeons.
"I will go to the Death Eaters meeting tomorrow at five o'clock." Albus nodded.
"I know you will make the Order proud. You have sworn to protect the secrecy of the Order and I believe you, even if some of the members don't." Severus bowed to the ageing headmaster.
"I will never betray you. I would rather die." Albus smiled at him. Just then they heard a creak. Severus drew his wand, but Albus pushed his hand down.
"Yes? Who is there." He called out. There was a rustling sound then a soft "meow" sound. Severus snorted when a great ginger cat with a squashed face wandered into the room.
"Who does that THING belong to?" Severus asked the headmaster. Albus smiled again and stooped to pick up the cat. The cat hissed and ducked away.
"That temperamental creature belongs to Miss. Granger. He must have wandered out of the Tower when someone opened the portrait." He chuckled.
"We should return it to her." Albus reached down to collect the cat, but Crookshanks hissed and ran out of the room.
"Professor, if we just inform Granger of the whereabouts of her cat, she can come collect it." Albus nodded his agreement and he set off to find the young witch.