1Best Served Cold

by LNLisa

Chapter Two- Wednesday, Part I

The next morning Harry woke up just as the sky was lightening. The night before he'd been too tired to put much effort into clearing his mind. Fortunately, there was enough dreamless sleep potion left in his system from the previous two nights that he didn't have any trouble sleeping. I wish I could always be that lucky, he thought sighing.

Leaning up on one elbow, he reached over to grab his glasses from the night stand, but instead his hand landed on the book he'd noticed before going to sleep. He put it down on the bed beside him and found his glasses. Once he had his glasses on, he looked at the title of the book, The Cerebral Fortress,. Harry raised an eyebrow, this sounded a little more defensive then the book Hermione had given him. He noticed a paper sticking out of the book. Pulling it out, he read:

Harry,

Sirius found this book for you. He wanted to help you with Occlumency. You'll notice he made several notes in the margins. He always did that. All of his school books–and our books too, if we were foolish enough to lend him one–were full of comments. We used to tease him that he even talked back to books. I guess it turned out to be a good habit after all. I hope this book is useful to you.

Remus

Harry put the book down blinking his eyes rapidly. He tried to imagine Sirius helping him with Occlumency. He would have laughed if he didn't feel so cheated. Harry couldn't imagine that Sirius, who always said exactly what he thought, would ever understand the idea of guarding his thoughts.

Harry sat up in his bed and turned so that his back was to the wall. He propped a pillow up behind him. The book Hermione had given him, Guide to the Inner Sanctum, sounded like it was all about feelings and dealing with emotions. He looked at the title of this book again, The Cerebral Fortress. He liked the title at least. A fortress sounded like exactly what he wanted, a safe place with strong walls and guards all around. Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.

Harry, opened the front cover of the book. On the flyleaf, Sirius had written,

To Harry,

So you don't have to take any more lessons from that greasy git!

–Sirius

Harry smiled bitterly. It wasn't fair, he started thinking. He was grinding his teeth, he realized. He always seemed to be so angry. Last year he had blamed it on Fudge and Umbridge, Voldemort, Snape, or whoever happened to be tormenting him that week. Now though...the anger just never seemed to go away.

He flipped to the table of contents wondering if this book had anything to say about anger. "Chapter Three: Anger and Occlumency," he read, "page 12." Harry turned to page 12. Sirius had written a note at the bottom of the page. Harry looked at it briefly, but he decided to read what the book had to say first.

Chapter Three: Anger and Occlumency

Occlumency requires full concentration of the mind, especially for the inexperienced. All one's mental faculties must be free and assessable to create the mental unity required for defense. An occlumens must always be calm and in control of emotion.

Anger, a reaction to stress, can create blocks in the mind, mental barriers. There are many ways to react to stress, for example by crying or making jokes. Unlike other reactions to stress, anger has many drawbacks.

Anger represses awareness of stress by focusing attention away from oneself. Often this involves blaming others and avoiding personal responsibility. By looking outward, one fails to take control of the emotional strain being felt and in essence hides from the cause of stress. This creates mental divisions which the legimens is easily able to exploit.

Understanding what anger is and learning to deal with pressure more effectively is therefore essential to the study of Occlumency. This chapter will discuss the reasons for anger as well as methods for coping with anger.

So Harry, what this bloke is trying to say in 1000 scrolls or less is that ANGER IS BAD! I wonder if he ever met old Snivellus though? With such a perfect target, can anyone help getting angry?

Harry laughed to himself as he read Sirius comment. He felt that same way about a lot of things. How could you help getting angry with Fudge bumbling around in the Ministry? Or when the only people you had to talk to for weeks were the Dursleys? Maybe he just needed to be more open about his anger, not hold it all in? Didn't Hermione keep telling him that he needed to talk more about what he was feeling? More and more he felt sure the plan he'd thought up the night before was a good one.

Harry put the Occlumency book back on his night stand and after a visit to the loo dressed for the day. He brought his clipboard, some parchment, and ink and quill downstairs with him and left them just inside the door of the dining room before continuing down to the kitchen. His feet slowed again as he approached the stairs to the basement. Hermione would be in there eating her breakfast now, he realized.

Monday had been the first day of the hearing. Harry had been the first witness. Now two days later, Hermione had to appear before the court. Ron testified on Thursday, and Ginny would follow on Friday. There would be a brief reprieve during the weekend, then on Monday, Neville testified. Luna would be the last of the six to testify on Tuesday. None of this was certain of course, but given that the teenagers were being kept out of the courtroom for security reasons until they were called on to testify, Dumbledore believed the Wizengamot would stick to that schedule.

I didn't just drag them into the Ministry once, thought Harry with bitter humor. Because of me they'll have to go there twice.

After Harry's friends testified, the hearing would still go on for several more weeks during which many of the staff and students from Hogwarts, Order members, Ministry officials, and other witnesses would all testify. Even Cornelius Fudge had been called as a witness. The Death Eaters would each have their own trials once the hearing was concluded, and there they would be able to testify in their own behalf. The recorded testimonies from this hearing would be used to support or deny any claims they made. Dumbledore had explained that the Wizengamot hoped to keep the witnesses safe from Death Eater attacks by carefully reviewing and recording all of the evidence during this preliminary hearing.

Harry sighed sadly wishing once again to change the past before he finally took the stairs down to the kitchen. Mrs. Weasley had a small feast already set out on the table. Remus sat at the far end of the table reading a muggle newspaper and sipping tea. Hermione, who sat near the middle of the table, was chewing her food in an even and mechanical rhythm, a sure sign that she was feeling anxious.

"Nervous?" Harry asked sympathetically as he pulled out a chair between her and Remus. Hermione jumped with a start noticing Harry for the first time.

"Unbelievably," she answered. She stopped trying to eat and looked down at her still full plate with distaste. "What if I say something that gets you or Ron or someone else in trouble? There are so many ways this could all go wrong, and it's just so much pressure. How did you get through two days of it? Any advice?"

"No!" said Harry with a startled laugh. "You'll do far better without my help."

"Imagine that you are part of the Wizengamot," said Remus. Remus gave her a slight smile. "After all, you might be some day, so ask yourself what you would want to know."

"Far more than I intend to tell anyone today!" Hermione responded with a grin. The smile was fleeting though, "I imagine it's time to go..." Hermione stood looking toward the door.

"Hermione," Harry called as she walked towards the stairs. "You've faced a Mountain Troll, life sized chess pieces and poisonous riddles, and that was just our first year. You'll do fine. You're a real Gryffindor." Hermione with tears in her eyes ran back behind him and put her arms around Harry's shoulders giving him a grateful hug. Harry, who was still seated, reached awkwardly around and patted her arm trying to hug her back, "Good luck, Hermione."

"Thank you Harry, and thank you for being down here this morning," she told him. She stood up and began wiping the tears away with the sleeve of her robes until Remus gave her his handkerchief.

They heard a clatter of footsteps on the stairs then, and Mr. Weasley hurried into the room followed closely by Hermione's parents and a very annoyed looking Mad-Eye Moody.

"MUM! DAD!" Hermione yelled in surprise running over to give them each hugs. "I didn't know that you'd be here!"

"Hermione, you may be a very mature young woman, but you are still only sixteen years-old," said her mother sounding stern. "There is no way that we'd let you walk into a court of law without us standing right behind you and giving you our support."

Her father winked at her, "Even if you were fifty, we'd still be here."

"Oh Mum and Dad," Hermione whispered completely choked up and crying again. She lifted the handkerchief to her face again, but then jumped back in surprise looking at it.

"Uh, I put a self-drying, self-cleaning charm on it," Remus told her nodding at the handkerchief. "Feel free to keep that one."

"Very handy that," commented Mr. Granger. "I don't suppose you have one my wife could use?" Remus nodded with a smile pulling another out of his pocket and giving it to Mr. Granger.

"Pocket's charmed too, so I always have a fresh handkerchief." Harry couldn't help but smile as everyone started laughing. Remus seemed to blush before he shrugged, "My mum insisted that gentlemen should always have a clean hankie."

Mrs. Granger took the handkerchief her husband had handed her and helped Hermione wipe away her tears. Harry felt an ache in his chest. He thought of his parents and Sirius. He couldn't help but wish for that kind of support and love. He watched Hermione's parents each put an arm around Hermione's shoulders and whisper something in her ears.

Then suddenly Harry felt a hand squeezing his shoulder. Harry turned to look back, Remus was standing behind him watching the Grangers leave. Harry felt a strange feeling in his chest as he suddenly remembered Remus staying in that same spot behind him during most of the hearing. He smiling a little to himself turned his attention back to watch everyone leave. Mr. Weasley stuffed two pieces of toast in his mouth simultaneously while trying to kiss his wife's cheek and put pieces of fruit in his pockets.

"We need to leave now," Moody growled impatiently from the stairs. Mr. Weasley began nodding and hurrying out the door behind Moody.

Harry sat back down. Mrs. Weasley started talking, but Harry didn't listen. Instead he ate in silence wondering how Hermione's day would go. Since Dumbledore would not allow Harry and his friends to read the newspapers during the hearing, the twins were saving all of the issues of the Daily Prophet and the Quibbler until the hearing was over. Harry tried to imagine what the reports on his testimony had been like. Not very positive, he felt sure. Hermione would be better at testifying then him at least.

"Good morning," said Luna as she sailed into the room. She sat down next to Harry. Harry, Remus and Mrs. Weasley each returned her greeting. Luna noticed that Mrs. Weasley was still cooking at the stove.

"Mrs. Weasley, for breakfast this morning, I would like...scrambled eggs, toast with orange marmalade, a bowl of Cocoa Wands, pumpkin juice and a green apple." Luna smiled at Mrs. Weasley before she took a napkin off the table and gently laid it on her lap.

Harry, who had been drinking his pumpkin juice when Luna began her order, had to fight to keep from spitting his juice out all over the table.

"Luna," said Remus hastily intervening, "Mrs. Weasley usually just fixes everyone the same thing. If you want something else you'll have to make it yourself." Mrs. Weasley's eyes had narrowed when Luna gave her order, but at Remus suggestion they opened wide in fear.

"No, no, that's alright," said Mrs. Weasley hastily when Luna started to get out of her seat. "I'll make the scrambled eggs for you today. Pumpkin juice and toast are already on the table, and the cereal and apples are in the cupboard–you can get those for yourself, can't you dear?" Luna nodded. "In the future, dear, just tell me the night before what you want, and as long as it isn't too complicated I'll just make it for everyone–less dishes that way, you know." Luna smiled in agreement skipping over to the cupboard.

That resolved, Mrs. Weasley began scrambling the eggs with a sigh.

Ron was the next to enter the kitchen rubbing his empty stomach, he immediately spotted his mum at the stove.

"I'm starved! What are you cooking, mum?" he asked.

"Scrambled eggs, but these..." began Mrs. Weasley curtly.

"Great, I'll have some too," said Ron yawning before he took the skillet out of his mother's hands and dumped the scrambled eggs onto a plate. Ron never noticed his mother's angry stare as he walked back over to the table and sat across from Harry.

Harry watched as eventually each of the other residents of Number 12 Grimmauld Place made their way into the kitchen for breakfast. When at last Tonks joined them at the table, Harry asked, "Is there anyone else still sleeping?"

"No, dear," answered Mrs. Weasley.

"Mrs. Weasley, do you happen to know where a pair of scissors are?" Harry asked.

"In the drawer there," pointed Mrs. Weasley in surprise. "Make sure to put them back when you're done with them."

"Sure, and thanks," Harry hunted among the utensils before he found the scissors. He turned back in time to notice Remus and Ginny giving him suspicious looks. He gave them both his most innocent smile before leaving the room with a chuckle. Harry's smile grew at the thought of his Godfather's reaction to his plan. Sirius would have liked this prank!

"What's he up to?" asked Ron. Harry didn't hear the answer before he reached the top of the stairs.

He gathered his things out of the dining room and brought a chair out with him. He put his clipboard and things on the floor across from Mrs. Black's painting. As he straightened up, he noticed the Elizabethan Knight watching him. Harry gave him a friendly wave before he pushed the chair so that it was just in front of Mrs. Black's painting. Holding the scissors carefully in one hand, Harry climbed onto the chair. He stood for a minute staring at the curtains. He had to be careful how he did this so that Mrs. Black wouldn't realize what was happening.

Wishing he could use a sticking charm, Harry positioned himself to cut the drapes. He cut across the top of the left curtain first using his left elbow and forearm to hold the curtain to the wall. Then came the difficult part. Still holding up the left curtain with his left arm, he began hacking at the right curtain. He finally pulled a bit of the cloth under his foot to create a counter weight and steady the fabric. Harry breathed a sigh of relief as he finished cutting through the right curtain which he'd some how managed to keep up with his right elbow and wrist while he cut. He noticed a movement to his left and saw the knight watching him and looking horror-stricken. Harry closed his eyes hoping he'd done the right thing.

Slowly, he lowered the curtains from the wall. Mrs. Black had her back to him. She obviously hadn't noticed the fabric being let down. She was stabbing a pillow with a dagger and muttering to herself. She really is mad, thought Harry watching her for a moment or two. He let the curtains fall gently to the floor before gingerly climbing off the chair.

Harry carried the chair to the opposite side of the hallway and sat down. He picked up his clipboard and slipped on a piece of parchment. Then he opened his ink bottle and dipped his quill, but he didn't know what to do next.

He looked over at the Elizabethan Knight, who now wore a scornful expression. Some of the paintings were sleeping, and the only other painting that seemed to be watching him was the old lady who'd stuck her tongue out at Ron. Harry read the plaque under her name, Miss Josephina Black. He looked back at the Elizabethan Knight to read his plaque, Sir Sirius Reginaldo Black. Harry's eyes opened wide as he stared at Sir Sirius in surprise.

"Harry, what are you doing?" Ron asked incredulously. Harry looked back towards the stairs with a start. Ron and Ginny stood at the end of the hallway staring at Harry in amazement. Mrs. Black had spun around at the sound of Ron's voice, and now she was screaming.

"FILTH! SCUM! GET OUT OF MY HOUSE! HALF-BLOODS! FREAKS!" Mrs. Black began yelling. Harry lifted his clipboard and began copying as many of the words she was saying as he could.

"WRETCHED BRATS! BY-PRODUCTS OF DIRT AND SLIME, YOU STAIN MY HOUSE WITH YOUR FOUL ODOUR! FILTHY BLOOD! TRESPASSERS!"

Ginny walked over looking at the clipboard. Touching Harry's shoulder to get his attention, she mouthed, "Fred and George?"

Harry nodded, and Ginny began to smile. She waved Ron over pointing out the clipboard to him. Ron's eyes widened in sudden understanding, and he too began to smile. Harry was furiously trying to keep up with the insults Mrs. Black was spewing at them.

"MUTANTS! FILTH! ABOMINATIONS! HOUSE BREAKERS! GET OUT VILE SWINE!"

Just then, Mrs. Weasley closely followed by Remus and Tonks came running into the hallway. They stopped in surprise when they saw Harry writing, and Ron and Ginny calmly watching him. Mrs. Weasley, after giving her children a confused look, stepped forward to pull the curtains closed. Finally, she noticed the shorn curtains on the floor below the painting.

"WHAT IS GOING ON?" yelled Mrs. Weasley. She is almost as loud as Mrs. Black, thought Harry.

"MOTHER OF FILTH AND SCUM!" Mrs. Black screamed insults at each of the three adults. "BLOOD TRAITOR AND MUTATING FREAK! AND YOU, WEREWOLF! YOU FERAL, NOXIOUS BEAST! GET OUT! THIEVES, ROBBERS, PLUNDERERS! FILTH!"

Ginny waved to get her mother's attention and then pointed out Harry's clipboard. Mrs. Weasley's confused expression didn't change. She started to say something to Harry, but whenever she opened her mouth the painting screamed louder and even more obnoxious insults.

Remus waved to get their attention and then pointed back to the stairs. The other four nodded in understanding, and Tonks led the group back to the kitchen. Remus walked just behind Harry and put up silencing charms in the hallway and the kitchen as they went. Everyone but Harry sat at the table once the charms were complete and the door to the stairs was closed. Neville, who hadn't come upstairs, watched them curiously, but Luna was working the crossword puzzle in Remus' muggle newspaper and didn't pay any attention to them.

"What happened?" Neville whispered to Ginny, but Mrs. Weasley interrupted before Ginny could answer.

"Now, will someone tell me just what is going on?" Mrs. Weasley asked crossly. Harry who had just put the scissors away, slowly turned around and faced them now.

"No one has been able to find the spell that will get that painting down," Harry told them. "But I'd bet galleons that the painting itself knows and could tell us if it...she wanted to get down."

"And how will you make it want to come down?" asked Remus.

"Outlast it, mock it, ignore it, or anything else I happen to think of," Harry said with a shrug. Remus gave him a surprised look. Harry sighed and quietly told him, "I thought it might even be a way for me to learn to control my temper better." Remus raised his eyebrows skeptically, and Ron snorted in disbelief.

"Oh this is going to be fun," Ron told Ginny, Neville and Luna. "Harry versus a painting, who can yell louder?" He put a finger to his chin as though giving the question serious thought. "I'll put three sickles down for Harry. Any takers?"

Harry reached over and hit Ron's shoulder lightly. Ron laughed, and Harry gave him an abashed look.

"You should have asked first," said Mrs. Weasley interrupting their by-play. "She'll scream all day and night with those curtains down!"

"I wonder if paintings get laryngitis?" Tonks asked curiously. Everyone laughed except for Mrs. Weasley and Luna.

"This isn't funny, Tonks, and don't you encourage them," she told him angrily. She turned to Harry and seemed to be about to speak, but then held back.

"About the screaming all night," began Harry before Mrs. Weasley decided what she wanted to say. "Fred and George mentioned that they would be coming back tonight for dinner, so I thought I would ask them to put silencing charms on all of the bedrooms and the drawing room." Harry was hoping that he would have to resort to using Fred and George, but after thinking about it, he realized, they at least wouldn't mind.

"You trust those two alone in your bedroom, Harry?" asked Ginny with a snort.

"I was going to follow them around," answered Harry making Ginny laugh even harder.

"Yeah, because watching them closely has ever stopped them," Ginny shook her head with a grin. "They love a challenge, and before you know it, you'll be locked in a cupboard, and they..." Ginny stopped short as she realized what she'd said. She looked at Harry nervously, and he quickly stared down at the floor. There was a moment of silence, then Ginny continued with new resolve, "You'll be locked in a cupboard and they'll put every embarrassing and uncomfortable hex they know on your room and the cupboard even with you sitting in it." Harry looked up in surprise and saw a challenge in Ginny's eyes. He stared at her in astonishment not knowing what to say or how to respond.

"I'll do the silencing charms," Remus quickly volunteered.

"I'll help," said Tonks her eyes twinkling merrily. Harry managed a weak smile to thank them.

"But why did you cut the drapes down?" asked Mrs. Weasley still upset. "Why not just tie them open?"

"For starters," Harry told her, "Mrs. Black can open her drapes, so it just makes sense that she could close them too. Tie backs might not be strong enough, and she'd enjoy annoying us while we figured out what worked and what didn't.

"The key to doing this," Harry told them, trying to put his thoughts into words, "is to make Mrs. Black believe the situation is permanent. She is trapped here in a prison she created for herself."

"Helpless," Luna startled him by adding. He hadn't realized that she was paying attention, but now he nodded appreciatively.

"That's it, helpless. All she can do is watch us and yell insults at us. She can't keep us from staying here. She can't stop the Order. She can't really do anything. Once she realizes that, maybe she won't want to be up there anymore." Harry thought about what he'd said. Hermione was so much better at explaining things than him. He looked up at everyone and shrugged, suddenly doubting his plan. "I had to cut the curtains down for it to seem permanent to her, but we could always buy new ones. The old ones were ugly and moth-eaten anyway. We were planning to redecorate, right?"

Harry looked around. The other four teenagers gave him encouraging smiles. Tonks was smiling to herself. Remus, however, was studying Harry thoughtfully.

"Harry, I don't think this is going to turn out the way you're expecting..." Remus began, and Harry suddenly felt a crushing weight as disappointment filled him. He'd counted on Remus' support, but then Remus continued, "Still, you may learn something in the process. In any case, I don't see that you're doing any harm by trying, and you are right. We can always buy new curtains."

Harry looked at Remus uncertainly. It wasn't a ringing endorsement like Harry had expected. Sirius, Harry was sure, would have been behind this project 100 percent. Remus had given his approval though. Harry wondered now what Remus thought he would learn. He turned and looked at Mrs. Weasley curious to hear what her reaction to Remus' pronouncement would be.

Mrs. Weasley sighed and sat down on the table wringing a dishtowel between her hands. "I still wish that you had asked first," she told Harry. "Everyone who lives in this house will have to deal with Mrs. Black now that the curtains are down." Harry felt a little guilty. "How long did you expect this project to take?"

"Until we leave for Hogwarts?" Harry answered tentatively.

"Three weeks...well, if I survived living with the twins for eighteen years, I suppose I can handle a few weeks of her screaming." Mrs. Weasley finished glumly. Ron and Ginny whooped in delight.

"I'll hunt down all of Dad's extra clipboards," Ginny told them. "Neville and Luna, will you try to find spare parchment and quills, check the desk in the drawing room. Ron you can set up chairs for everyone while Harry keeps taking notes."

Ron nodded and turned towards the stairs. Harry was still standing by the cupboard, and Ron stopped in front of him when he noticed Harry's surprised expression.

"You didn't think we'd let you have all the fun, mate?" Ron asked with a chuckle. "Besides, you have no idea how to use a clipboard."

"What was I doing wrong?" Harry asked.

"Nothing, you just weren't doing anything right," Ginny answered. "You have to see Fred and George in action to really appreciate what we mean, but Ron and I will do our best to show you until this evening." Ginny led the other three teenagers up the stairs.

"Poor Percy," sighed Mrs. Weasley standing up from the table and collecting dirty dishes. She turned the water on waving her wand absentmindedly over the sink. "He can't even look at a clipboard without wincing."

"Good to know," said Tonks with a wicked grin. Remus chuckled before turning his attention back to his paper. "You know," said Tonks to no one in particular. "I think I may have something that could help them." Tonks stood quickly almost knocking her chair to the floor before she left the room.

Harry watched her go. Remus coughed a few times drawing Harry's attention. After watching Remus a minute, Harry realized that Remus was laughing at Luna's answers on the crossword puzzle. Harry smiled to himself thinking he'd have to read them later. He watched Mrs. Weasley as she stacked the now clean plates all the while humming to herself. He realized that, despite being back in Grimmauld Place, he wasn't entirely unhappy, and a lot of it was due to these two people.

He stood silently next to the cabinet for several more minutes trying to get his thoughts in order. Finally, he turned and faced Remus and Mrs. Weasley, "Uh, I just wanted to say...thanks, thanks for letting me do this."

A/N: Thanks so much for the lovely reviews! One reviewer asked how long this story would be. Right now it is six chapters (chapter two has two parts though) and then there is an epilogue. It's all written, but not all revised, so the number of chapters might change. Thanks again for reading!