1Snape's Warning
As five o'clock approached, Harry checked his watch obsessively whilst ensuring he had left nothing behind. His trunk was packed fit to burst with books, clothes and the now worn photo-album Hagrid had given him at the end of his first year. When he wasn't looking at his watch, he was checking and re-checking Snape's note about the time, in case it had changed since he read it last. He half knew this would probably not be the case, but Harry would put nothing past Snape.
At ten minutes to five, Harry persuaded Hedwig to fly alone to wherever he ended up. He knew she would find him – she always did – but even he wasn't sure of his end location. He supposed it would be Grimmauld Place, the Order's Headquarters, but maybe he wouldn't be able to return there this summer, not after…
With a start, Harry realised the small silver orb in his hand was glowing green. Casting a final look around, and making sure that the Dursleys would see the note he had left, he gripped his trunk, to which he had strapped his Firebolt and Hedwig's cage, and looked back at his watch.
True to Snape's word, Harry felt the now familiar tug behind his naval as the Portkey whooshed into life. Harry closed his eyes until he hit the floor unsteadily. Screams of hatred confirmed his location almost immediately.
"There he is, nasty little traitor! Killer! Murderer!"
Harry looked up from his uncomfortable heap on the floor of number twelve, Grimmauld Place and saw the curtains billowing as Sirius' mother shouted threats and accusations from her portrait.
'Traitorous child, a curse upon you and yours for defiling the noble house of Black! Worthless god-child of my worthless son!'
Harry felt the anger surge immediately through him as he stood quickly – too quickly – causing a blood rush to his head.
"DON'T YOU DARE, YOU HIDEOUS OLD HAG!" He screamed.
Hurried footsteps behind him made Harry turn. Stuck with the choice of Mrs. Black's insults and the infuriated Potions Master bearing down on him, he thought he'd rather deal with Mrs. Black any day. Fortunately, he saw Mrs. Weasley hurrying along the hall after Snape, who sneered nastily at him, and he was ushered through to the kitchen, leaving his professor to battle with the curtains used to cover the now hysterical portrait.
"Harry dear, you look like you haven't slept a wink!" Mrs. Weasley started her usual fussing, quickly brewing tea and browning toast, then bewitching it to land directly in front of Harry.
"What's all the…Harry!" Ron exclaimed. "I didn't think you'd be here this early." Ron stretched and yawned at the same time, giving Harry the impression that a red-haired tree had split a knot in its trunk.
He grinned. "All right Ron."
Ron returned the grin apprehensively and sank down onto the chair next to Harry. "All right. How's it been?"
Harry knew immediately that Ron was alluding to Sirius' death, but nonetheless answered. "The Muggles? Same as ever. Hideous as a skrewt and twice as useless."
Ron laughed but there was a hint of nervousness in the sound. "So did Snape tell you why you're here so early this year?"
Mrs. Weasley slapped toast down in front of Ron. "Professor Snape, Ron." She reprimanded.
Ron smiled grimly.
"He's given me a place in his N.E.W.T. class."
Mrs. Weasley shrieked with delight, Ron however turned a pale shade of green.
"Oh Harry, that's wonderful." Mrs. Weasley gushed. "Well that's sure to increase your chances of becoming an Auror."
Harry glared at Ron. "What? I didn't know you wanted to keep your career choice a secret!" Ron said defensively. "And she wouldn't stop banging on about how wonderful it would be if we took jobs at the Ministry, you know, follow in dad's footsteps." He added in a whisper. "I think she had some hope of Percy…"
But whatever Mrs. Weasley's hopes for Percy had been Harry didn't find out. A loud crack disturbed the peace of the kitchen as George and Fred Apparated into chairs opposite him.
"Ah," said George knowingly, "We wondered if the old cow's shrieks of joy had anything to do with you." The twins grinned, their identical faces beaming. Harry grinned back in spite of the nagging thought in the back of his mind which told him the last time he had seen this kitchen was when he'd tried to contact Sirius.
"I'm actually a bit tired. I think I'll go for a nap." Harry looked pointedly down at Ron who immediately stood up.
Ron nodded. "Me too. I only really came down to see what all the noise was about."
Harry grinned thankfully at Ron, who had picked up on his tone rather quicker than Harry expected. Grabbing the rest of the toast Ron moved towards the door saying, "Come on, we're in a different room this time. Wait until you see…" He was cut short by the appearance of Snape in the doorway.
"Mr. Potter, I wonder if I might have a brief word." It was a command, not a request. Harry stared up at him.
"Actually, I was just going to bed." He made to walk past Snape, who put a hand on his shoulder.
"This will only take a moment, Potter."
With a backward glance at Ron, Harry allowed Snape to steer him towards one of the many doors along the hallway of Grimmauld Place. Harry had never appreciated the sheer size of the place before, and wondered just how many rooms the house held.
Snape pushed open a door and motioned for Harry to enter the room beyond. What he saw caused a sharp intake of breath. The room looked almost identical to the dungeon in which he had suffered five years of Potions. The sound of the door closing woke him from his surprise and he turned to face Snape.
"Take a seat, Potter." Harry did as he was told and sat uncomfortably on one of the chairs facing a large, silver cauldron. "As I mentioned in my letter, you have been granted a place in my N.E.W.T. class for the coming year. Do not, however, make the mistake of thinking I am happy about this. The Headmaster feels your…talents…should be encouraged. And although it pains me to say, you showed a marked improvement by the end of your fifth year." Harry shifted on his chair, keeping his gaze level with Snape's. "The invitation to study at N.E.W.T. level is one that should be taken very seriously. If you intend to pass your first year and therefore be considered for your second, I shall expect just as much time and effort put into my classes as you put into Quidditch. Am I understood?"
"Yes." Harry paused, "Sir."
Snape's mouth twisted into an unpleasant smile. "Very well Potter, you may go. However, I shall expect you here at nine o'clock tomorrow morning. If you are late once, my invitation will expire. If you show any of your famous insolence, arrogance or less than one hundred percent concentration, my invitation will expire. If you once cross me, or question me in matters unrelated to this subject, my invitation will expire."
As he stood and swept from the room, Snape's robes billowed around him giving the appearance of ship's sail. Harry however, did not notice. He sat motionless on his chair, wondering, not for the first time, if he wouldn't have been better off staying at Privet Drive.
As Harry left the room that he had no doubt he would spend a good part of his summer, he readied a smile for Ron. As predicted, his best friend was standing slouched against the banister waiting for Harry. Smiling his most convincing fake smile, Harry sprang lightly up the stairs and followed Ron towards their new room.
Stepping through the door Ron held open, Harry's jaw dropped. Half the room, Ron's half, was newly orange and had posters of the Chudley Cannons covering almost every inch of wall the room had to offer. Harry's side, or at least, Harry presumed it was his, resembled very much their dormitory at Hogwarts. Harry turned to Ron who grinned enthusiastically.
"Mum didn't know what you'd want done with the place, so we settled on this. Thought you might feel more at home." Ron offered by way of an explanation.
"It's great." Harry replied, the sincerity in his voice hard to miss. Mrs. Weasley had done amazing things with this room, and had even placed Harry's trunk at the bottom of his bed, exactly where it would be at Hogwarts. "Thanks mate." Harry said quietly.
There was an awkward silence in which neither of them spoke. A silent understanding that the moment needed no words. Harry was the first to speak. "Well, I suppose I'll try and get some sleep."
Ron nodded and collapsed thankfully onto his bed. Grateful for the lack of questioning about Sirius, about the Dursleys and about Snape, Harry took off his shoes before he too sank happily onto his four-poster. Hardly a minute had past before he and Ron were lost to their dreams, the silence only punctuated by Ron's occasional snores.
"Harry!" Hermione rushed towards her friend and pulled him into a hug. "It's great to see you. Did you sleep well? Did you like your room? I looked up everything I could find on scouring spells and changing charms. I even managed to persuade Dumbledore that your four-poster would be better off here being slept in than in Gryffindor Tower." As she paused for breath, Harry cut in.
"Yes, I slept fine. The room is great, and it doesn't surprise me that you leapt at the chance to read a book." Even though he'd only slept a few hours, Harry couldn't resist a playful dig.
Hermione looked momentarily put out until she saw the grin twitching at the corners of Harry's mouth. Fixing him with her most stern look she replied, "Well there's nothing wrong with getting a head start on the reading we'll probably have to do later this year anyway." She sat down heavily opposite Ron. "Still not thought about your essay?"
Ron grinned. "Nope, because I know fine well you'll cave in at some point. Honestly Hermione, you're more dependable than the Hogwarts Express." Looking slightly superior, Hermione raised an eyebrow at Ron then turned her attention to breakfast.
"Did Snape tell you why you're here so early this year?" Hermione asked. Harry nodded sullenly.
"Yeah, he's got a room along the hall done out like his dungeon. He seems to think I'd benefit from a few extra lessons before term starts." Buttering his toast, Harry continued gloomily. "Honestly, if he has so little faith in me, why did he agree to teach me in the first place, the bad tempered, slimy…what, Hermione?"
Hermione had widened her eyes and was almost imperceptibly shaking her head.
"Good morning, Mr. Potter, Mr. Weasley, Miss. Granger." Harry felt his face redden.
"Good morning , sir ." Hermione replied. Ron grunted and Harry simply watched Snape as he made his way to the stove. After making himself a mug of coffee, Snape sat elegantly at the head of the table looking at the three with mild distaste.
"After little thought, I have decided our lessons should start next week, Potter. I'll have to give myself time to prepare myself for such an ordeal." Snape's mouth curved into a sneer as Harry fixed him with a black stare. The silence in the kitchen was complete, Ron had even stopped eating. Within seconds, however, Mrs. Weasley had bustled in and was chattering away happily, seemingly unaware of the frosty atmosphere.
Harry watched impassively as the table before him filled with bacon, eggs, sausages and other foods. Just as he was about to ask if they were expecting the entire school for breakfast, he heard the doorbell ring followed closely by shrieks and screams from the portrait in the hall.
Snape rolled his eyes and left the table, gracefully sweeping out of the room to open the door and tackle the curtains once again. Harry listened hard from where he sat to try and decipher the voices becoming louder as they moved closer. He knew one voice for certain.
"Wotcha Harry! Good to see you!" Tonks almost bounced into the kitchen, her hair a shocking blue to match her dragon skin boots. "Merlin, I'm starving!" And without waiting a second more, Tonks settled into a chair next to Hermione and started loading her plate.
Another familiar and even more welcome voice cut in over Tonks' and Hermione's chatter.
"Harry." Harry stood and turned to greet Lupin, who looked even more tired but less patched than usual.
"Hi." Harry managed. Lupin put out a hand and rested it on Harry's shoulder before taking the seat next to him.
Other members of The Order filed in, Alastor Moody and a woman Harry didn't recognise sat together at the end of the table. Arthur Weasley followed next, yawning and stretching before greeting Harry in his usual, jovial way. Harry allowed himself to get lost in the chatter of the table, piling food onto his plate even though his appetite had left him. Forcing himself to eat steadily, Harry caught snippets of conversation around the table.
"Worst night shift ever," Mr. Weasley was commenting. "Three Muggle-baiting cases in one night! I haven't seen anything like this since the last time old…"
Tonks and Hermione were laughing about something, Harry thought he heard Tonks mention Mundungus Fletcher and a stolen broomstick but didn't catch the joke.
"How are you, Harry?" Lupin's question startled Harry away from his plate, and as he looked up into his old Professor's face he saw the sadness he knew rested in his own eyes.
"Okay, I suppose." Harry didn't want to talk about this now, not here. Lupin seemed to take the hint as he lingered on Harry's face for a moment longer, then poured himself some coffee and continued with his breakfast.
The screams from the hallway finally died down and Snape's unwelcome presence once again reminded Harry of why he was really here. Before he could get lost in that particular thought however, Fred and George Weasley ran into the kitchen, followed closely by Ginny.
"They're here!" Fred panted.
"Just arrived." George agreed. Harry looked at them both, confused, then at Hermione who had turned a delicate shade of green.
"O.W.L.'s.," she managed to say quietly before standing hastily, running from the room and slipping straight into the bathroom.
Harry swore he could hear faint retching sounds from the hallway. He also thought that if his heart started to beat any harder the entire table would hear. An uneasy calm, full of anticipation had filled the room. Ginny handed Harry a letter, sealed in wax with the Hogwarts crest, then passed one to Ron who looked exactly how Harry felt.
"Let's wait for Hermione." Harry suggested. Nodding gratefully Ron agreed as Ginny placed Hermione's letter gently next to her plate.
Harry looked at the letter with mixed feelings of dread and excitement. The contents of this particular letter would decide which N.E.W.T..'s he could take, and which he couldn't. He was wishing, hoping for passes in Charms and Transfiguration. Those, coupled with Potions and Defence Against the Dark Arts would lead him onto, hopefully, a career as an Auror, although he was unsure as to which subject he would keep for his fifth N.E.W.T.
Hermione broke Harry's concentration as she came back into the room. Harry suppressed a grin. He knew that Hermione could not have done anything but passed all her O.W.L.'s and it amused him slightly to see her puffy-eyed and still a little green as she took her seat at the table.
"On the count of three?" Ron suggested. After nods from both Hermione and Harry Ron counted, "One, two…two and a bit…three!"
The three friends fell silent for a moment as they each studied their results. Hermione let out a squeal of delight that both Harry and Ron knew meant she'd passed each and every subject with an 'O'. Looking like she was going to pass out, Hermione fanned herself with her envelope, eyes still locked on the parchment she was holding.
Ron and Harry looked at each other, both surprised to see the other was grinning.
"A pass in everything except Divination." Ron laughed. "As if I was ever going to pass anyway! Come on mate, how did you do?" Hermione looked over at Harry expectantly.
"'O's." Harry said simply. "A lot of 'O's." He kept staring down at the letter. "An 'A' in History of Magic, Divination and Astronomy. 'E' for Herbology."
"And?" Questioned Ron.
"'O's." Harry said again. "'O's for all the others." Harry felt his hands beginning to shake. This was it; this was the chance he'd been wishing for. Hermione and Ron whooped and roared, the twins and Ginny adding their own cheers to the racket. Before he knew it, Harry's hand was being wrung by Lupin, then Mr. Weasley. He looked over to Ron who was in danger of suffocation trapped by one of Mrs. Weasley's more enthusiastic hugs.
"An 'O' in Defence Against the Dark Arts, oh Ron!" Tears of happiness were streaming down Mrs. Weasley's face, but it was mere moments before she noticed Harry. Pulling him into her hug, Harry found himself uncomfortably crushed between Ron and Mrs. Weasley's arms.
"Put them down, Molly." Lupin said kindly. "You don't want to kill them before they can even let anyone else know." Mrs. Weasley relinquished her hold of Ron and Harry, only to pull Hermione to her in an equally huge hug.
"Smart, clever Hermione!" She kept saying, "Your parents will be so proud!" Hermione managed to pull away gently and turned to face Harry and Ron. The three looked at each other in silence for a moment before leaping up and down, their arms around each other, screaming for all their worth.