Lady Katrina-Better written Cat later on, but at first, I wanted Harry's view and he wasn't paying too much attention to facial expressions.
Thank you for reviewing and J.K. again owns everything.
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Harry woke up to the smell of breakfast. Who's cooking breakfast, he wondered. He joined Ron and Hermione on the stairs. They all looked inquisitively at each other. In the kitchen, they found Lupin with pots and pans.
"Remus is quite an excellent cook," remarked Mrs. Weasley
"Yes, he is," agreed Mr. Weasley, but caught his wife's look, "Not as good as my wife's, of course."
"We'll be cleaning again today. Just watch," whispered Ron to Harry over the plate of blueberry pancakes His prediction proved true several minutes later when Mrs. Weasley said, "It would be great if the three of you could clean out the attic today."
"Right," said Hermione, catching the annoyed looks on Ron and Harry. The males mumbled their consent.
"Have you seen Crookshanks?" asked Hermione, "I haven't seen him since before Harry arrived yesterday."
"Don't worry, dear," said Mrs. Weasley, "He'll turn up." After breakfast, the three made their way up to the top of the house. Harry eased open the creaky, old door to reveal a dusty catacomb of junk and cobwebs.
"Spiders?" asked Ron.
"It can't be worse than Aragog," reminded Harry. Hermione held Ron's hand tightly. They worked diligently until close to lunch time when Hermione brought everyone to a halt.
"What is it?" asked Harry.
"Take a look around. This was a nursery," said Hermione and she pointed out that the walls had faded wallpaper decorated with strange creatures. There was a worn place in the floor from a riding horse and an abandoned stuffed dog in the corner, but most telling were initials written next to an unicorn: S.S., S.B., R. B. Harry traced S.B. with his finger.
"Who's S.S.?" asked Ron. Hermione shook her head and Harry shrugged, "I don't know."
Ginny came in and told them that lunch was ready.
"I'll be there in a bit," said Harry with a tone to his voice. Hermione gave him a little smile. They wouldn't tell Mrs. Weasley so she wouldn't worry. The headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix wasn't always so. It used to house the Black family until only Sirius remained. It was he that suggested the use of the house for the Order. Harry missed Sirius, horribly since he was killed a year and a half ago. He studied the S.B., the unicorn beside it and the forgotten stuffed animal. Then he realised something about Sirius and his animagus. Sirius would turn into a black dog just like this toy. It had to have been owned by his godfather. Harry picked up the large toy and noticed that it had hidden a partial Hippogriff. A strange feeling overcame Harry as if he was meant to find this. He could still hear Sirius singing, "God Rest Ye Merry Hippogriffs" before feeding his pet Hippogriff, Buckbeak.
"Buckbeak. Buckbeak," said Harry as something clicked. Sirius never revealed much or left much behind, but that didn't make sense to Harry. How could someone not leave anything behind except a house with none of his possessions?
Harry began looking for s complete drawing of a hippogriff and found one on the wall facing west Sirius had drawn himself riding its back. Harry touched the drawing, but there was no crack or catch. He got out his wand and touched it, but nothing happened.
"Buckbeak!" cried Harry and pointed his wand at the drawing. A small door appeared in the wall and it slowly opened, revealing a small room. Harry stepped inside to find a small desk and chair. He immediately began looking through stuff. Soon, he found a photo book, but was unable to open it. He tried every trick and the book would not open.
"It won't open yet," said Remus Lupin, coming in.
"Yet? When will it open?" asked Harry, setting it on the desk.
"It will open when the secrets within are ready to come out."
"What secrets? I knew Sirius."
"You knew Sirius for two years I knew him for fifteen. He always kept some stuff to himself."
"How do you know that would work?"
"Give me the book and I'll prove it." Harry gave it to him and Lupin opened it easily. He flipped through pages, making sure Harry couldn't see. Then Lupin held up two pages that contained nothing but Harry and his parents. Harry took it from him and the book sealed the other pages. Baby Harry smiled up at him from several different ages, including one with him in the birthday party hat from the dream he had.
"When was this?"
"That was your first birthday. Half the order attended along with their kids, kind of like this time."
Harry closed it and put it on the desk. There was the photo album, some papers, and odds and ends, including a slightly singed cloth doll with a plastic face and hands.
"How can he have so few things?"
"Voldemort doesn't leave much behind when he pays a house call," said Lupin, sadly.
"Voldemort came here?"
"No, Sirius owned a place up north, closer to Hogwarts."
"How did you know how to open the book?"
"One time, I went up to keep him company when he went to see Buckbeak, but he wasn't there. He was here at his desk, looking through the old pictures. He was glad I came because he wanted someone else to know about it. He made me promise that if something happened that I would make sure that you found this. I was going to give you until Christmas break."
Harry took the photo book with him when he left the secret room. Crookshanks did show up in the kitchen for food.
