Chapter 1: Dealing with death

Harry Potter sat on his bed at Grimmauld Place. He was lucky enough to get out of the Dursley's early this year due to Uncle Vernon complaining about how much danger his family was in. Harry was enjoying the break he was getting but he couldn't help to think about Sirius' death. Sirius Black was the closest thing to a father figure Harry had ever had. Harry's parent were killed by an evil wizard named Lord Voldemort. He was orphaned at a young age and sent to his aunt and uncle's to live until he was able to join the wizarding world.

"Harry are you ok? You haven't said anything for days now and we're all getting quite worried about you." Hermione said opening the door and walking into the bedroom Harry and Ron shared.

"I'm fine, I just want to be left alone. I'll come down and talk to everyone eventually I just-" Harry was cut off.

"It's not your fault Sirius died. You didn't know he wasn't in danger, you can't blame yourself if anything it was Kreacher's fault." Hermione said sitting across from Harry on Ron's bed.

"It is my fault, I should have remembered that stupid mirror. I shouldn't have gone in the first place, I should have learned Olccumecy like Dumbledore told me to!" Harry said laying down in his bed.

"Harry you're right, you should have done all those things. You were worried about Sirius though and you were trying to help someone you cared about. I'll leave you alone now but promise me that you'll come down and visit with the rest of us soon." Hermione hugged Harry and then left the bedroom.

Harry felt better after talking with Hermione about it, he still felt guilty but now he knew that it really wasn't his fault and that he needed to stop blaming himself. Harry looked through his trunk and pulled out Sirius' mirror. " I want to talk to Sirius Black!" Harry yelled at it. He knew that he wouldn't see Sirius' face, like all the other times but he kept wishing he would. After a couple hours of brooding Harry went to join the rest of the people staying at the house.

"Harry it's great to see you mate!" Ron said shaking Harry's hand. Ron hated seeing Harry this way.

"Where is everyone else?" Harry looked around at the deserted living room.

"They went out to do order stuff, you know recruit members, see what Voldemort's up to. The usual stuff. Lupin's been waiting for you to come out of your bedroom though, he says he needs to talk to you about stuff that Sirius left behind. He refused to tell us more though, said it was between you and him." Ron said changing the channel to a TV that Hermione had brought for the house. " Stupid thing! Why don't you ever work?" Ron said pointing his wand at the TV. Harry and Hermione started to laugh.

"Ron, you can't just stare at it wishing the channel would change. Here use this." Hermione handing him the remote control and showed him how to work it. Harry had never noticed how complicated a TV set was until he tried to watch everyone try and use it.

"Anyways as I was about to say, We're going to Diagon Alley tomorrow if you want to come. If not I'll go and pick up your things for you, so you and Lupin can talk and such." Hermione said taking hold of Ron's hand. Hermione and Ron had become an item over the last few weeks, when Ron had admitted to Harry about liking Hermione since they're second year, and Hermione overheard. Luckily she felt the same way he did and told him so.

"I guess I'll stay here and talk to Lupin, I mean I have to sometime right?" Harry went over to a chair and sat down. He felt better being out of the room, but little things kept bugging him. Everything in the house reminded him of Sirius, which made sense since it had all belonged to Sirius at one point.

It took a while for the three of them to notice how much time had passed. Most of the order had gathered downstairs and Mrs. Weasley was almost done making dinner. The only person that didn't seem to be there was Lupin, and Mr. Weasley." Wow how long were we watching TV?" Ron asked coming back up from the kitchen.

"6 hours. I told you that the TV could be addicting." Hermione said rolling her eyes and getting up. " I think we should make our way to the kitchen, dinner should be soon." Harry, Ron, and Hermione went down to the kitchen. Upon entering they all found seats and waited.

"So Ron um, where's Ginny?" Harry said looking around. It seemed more quiet then it usually was.

"She's with Charlie in Romania, he decided it would be a good way for her to get away from everything. He invited me also but I wanted to stay here." Ron said looking at the table.

"Oh, you should have gone it would have been a nice little vacation." Harry said feeling guilty. He knew that Ron wanted to stay to watch out over him and Hermione.

A little while later Mr. Weasley apparated into the house followed by Lupin both looked like they had been running around like crazy. " What's wrong Arthur? You both look terrible." Came Mrs. Weasley's voice from the kitchen, she sounded extremely worried.

"It's fine Molly, there have just been so many raids that Lupin's put everyone on them. He's even helping out himself. He makes a better minister than Fudge did." Arthur said hugging Mrs. Weasley. Lupin had been made Minister of Magic when Cornelius Fudge resigned and appointed the next person whom walked by him. Lupin didn't really walk but fell in front of Fudge, but he took the job happily.

"Well, dinner's ready." Mrs. Wealsey said pointing her wand at the pot on the stove and magiking it to the table.