Hermione stood at the doorway to the warm kitchen, eyes trained on Harry, silently watching, as he prodded through his breakfast with agonizing slowness. He was almost zombie-like in his movements. It seemed as though the taste of food failed to register in his brain, even as he chewed on a mouthful of bacon.

'Oh Harry, what has happened to you?' thought Hermione, as she walked into the kitchen, stopping her silent contemplation of Harry from the shadows. She sent him a small smile – he was staring sullenly at a spot on the far wall.

"Good morning, Hermione dear." She turned to face the Weasley matriarch. "I trust you slept well?"

"Good morning Mrs Weasley." Hermione replied as she headed to the older woman who was already busily getting her a sizeable breakfast.

"Nice to see you up so early, so unlike the others. They're probably still stuck to their pillows."

Hermione smiled. Ron was never one to wake up till just before noon, and Ginny tend to wake only in an hour's time. The twins had been out most of the time recently – leaving Ron, Ginny, Harry and herself to assist Mrs Weasley at the Order's Headquarters. In fact, they had hardly been in the house since Harry's initiation into the Order. 'Wonder what they've been up to?'

"Harry…" She turned to speak, only to find that he had left.

"The poor boy… so much to bear." Molly Weasley shook her head sadly as she walked over to collect his plate. 'He's eaten too little.'

~~~~~~~~~~

"Morning Harry!" greeted Ginny in an overly bright and chirpy voice.

He ignored her very existence. Walked right by her.

'Oh well… I tried.' She rolled her eyes. 'Prat.' In fact, she had tried since the first time she saw him after he had arrived. '…with such… dead… green eyes.' She shuddered involuntarily even as she shook her head forcefully to dislodge the frightening image of his eyes.

She trudged slowly towards the kitchen as her thoughts went back to the day Harry arrived at 12 Grimmauld Place for the summer. Dumbledore had been vague; Remus Lupin and Professor Snape refused to comment. Her mother had wanted to question Harry, but was stopped. 'No, something's wrong. I wonder if what Fred and George said is true? Then again, I'll bet most of it is just speculation.'

~~~~~~~~~~

Harry had left Hogwarts on a very sad note. His godfather, Sirius Black, (best friend of Harry's father, a marauder, ex-prisoner / fugitive of Azkaban, and an Order operative) had been murdered. Right in front of Harry.

Regardless of what the others had said, Harry was sure to have blamed himself for Sirius Black's premature demise. When he returned to the Dursleys for the summer holidays, Dumbledore and the others knew it would be the worst of the five years.

Nobody knew exactly how bad it was though – despite threats from Moody, Lupin and Tonks hanging over the Dursleys. Exactly a month later, Dumbledore had sent Lupin and Snape (to his greatest disdain) to collect Harry from them.

Fred and George Weasley had overheard bits of a conversation between Lupin and Dumbledore at the Order's Headquarters. Lupin had protested against Harry's return to the Dursleys, stating that Harry should remain with friends rather than his (hated) relatives. However, no one else knew the exact reasons for Harry's month-long stay and subsequent 'extraction' from the Dursleys.

When Lupin and Snape had turned up with Harry in tow, everyone was struck shell-shocked by his state. Paler and bonier than the last they had left him. The previous spark in his emerald green eyes was extinguished – as if it had never existed before. No words escaped his lips when Ron, Hermione, and Mrs Weasley had moved to welcome him. He had glared at them.

~~~~~~~~~~

Oh, she was not present that day, but Ginny had heard from the twins that Lupin and Snape had very appalled faces. ("As if they had seen unmentionable horrors." Fred had claimed.) However, nothing anyone had tried would get Lupin or Snape to say what had happened. So that was another mystery. 'Bet Dumbledore would know though.'

As she entered the kitchen, Ginny thought that the biggest mystery was what had happened to make Harry into such a recluse.  'What had happened in the month he was away?' That was the biggest question facing her for the moment.

"Good morning Ginny."

"Oh! Hermione!" Ginny startled when she heard the voice. "You scared me. Sorry, I didn't notice you there." She took her breakfast from her mother. "Morning Mum. Thanks!"

Hermione was quietly eating her breakfast at the table. "Lost in thought, I see." She smiled at the young redhead.

"Wha… Yes, a little too carried away, I suppose." Ginny vaguely dismissed Hermione's tactful query. She noticed that Hermione was already dressed for the day. "You are up early." Time for tactical diversion.

A raised eyebrow. "Yes. Thought I'll take a walk to the bookstore later. I've run out of books to read since I've pretty much finished most of the books here." She let the topic slip away.

'Damn. She's noticed my diversion.' Ginny looked at Hermione as she questioned. "So soon?"

"Yes. Well… there hasn't been much to do while I'm here, since my summer homework is done. Might as well catch up on some light reading." Hermione smiled briefly at Ginny's stunned look.

"Especially since lately, the teachers have not been eager to answer my questions on a few of the interesting transfigurations and potions I've some across." Hermione had emphasized on the word potion, which set Ginny giggling.

"And what, pray tell, do you find so amusing, Ms Weasley?" A voice purred softly from the doorway. The two girls jumped slightly in shock.

"Pro…Professor Snape" squeaked Ginny.

Severus Snape stalked into the kitchen in his habitual black gear. Heading straight to Molly Weasley, he gave a side glance towards the two girls. Ginny swallowed hard, wondering whether a hasty retreat would be too obvious at this juncture.

"Mrs Weasley, the Headmaster wishes to speak to you in his study." Snape relayed the message in a civil manner, then turned to stalk out. As he passed Hermione, he spoke. "Ms Granger, follow me."

Hermione stole a look at Ginny, puzzled. Ginny could only shrug. 'Git. It's the holidays and he still treats us this way.' She watched as Hermione left, trailing after the dark potions master.

'Wonder what Snape would want with Hermione.' Molly Weasley thought briefly as she finished up in the kitchen. She then left to answer Dumbledore's summons, leaving Ginny to muse over things alone.

~~~~~~~~~~

"Please enter."

Dumbledore had spoken before she had knocked on the door. 'Seems he has redecorated the room.' Molly mused quietly as Dumbledore looked up from a book in his lap.

"You called for me Headmaster?"

The wizened headmaster of Hogwarts looked at her from over the rim of his glasses as he placed a strip of leather between the pages and closed his book. Dumbledore seems more tired than before, yet, his eyes still retained its piercing gaze.

He spoke. "Ah yes, Molly, please have a seat. I wanted to ask you about Fred and George. I have not seen them much since Harry arrived."

"I wonder that myself, Albus." Molly Weasley sighed. "But knowing the two, I suspect they're up to some mischief. All I've got is a few sentences from them saying that they have something to do, and that they'll be back when it's done."

Before Dumbledore could speak again, she continued, "I don't suppose that's all you want to ask, is it, Albus?"

Dumbledore smiled. "Ever the sharp one, my dear. I actually want to ask if you are feeling alright?"

Molly eyed Dumbledore testily. "Albus…"

"Now, Molly dear, be honest." He stood, waiting for the inevitable outburst.

Letting out a sigh, Molly Weasley replied. "Albus… you know I'm worried about Harry. He's too young to join the Order. Sirius… Sirius has just died. Harry is not psychologically stable at this point..." She paused momentarily, overwhelmed.

"What were you thinking, letting him join the Order now, of all times?" Molly Weasley gathered momentum. "Albus! He is but a child still! How do you expect him to…"

For the next 47 minutes, Molly threw all her grievances out at Dumbledore.

Finally, she stopped. And started to cry instead. Dumbledore silently got up and offered her a large hanky.

"Thank you Albus." Molly Weasley sniffed, then wiped her eyes.

"Better?"

"Oh Albus, what are we to do? Harry…" She faltered. "He's withdrawing into himself. He's so young. He… He doesn't deserve all this. Children of his age should be happy and healthy. Not like this." Hands gesturing wildly to emphasize her words.

"Molly, there's not much we can do now. It is something that Harry must work out for himself. Give him some time and space to sort himself out. When he is ready, he will approach us." Dumbledore patted her shoulder comfortingly.

"I hope you are right."

"Sirius is Harry's family. A part of his parents' lives. He needs time, Molly. I can assure you, he is not mentally deranged." Dumbledore paused, images of the past regaling his weary mind. "He is not like others his age; he has never been. You cannot prevent him from stepping forward to face his destiny, Molly. It is time for him…"

~~~~~~~~~~

"What were you thinking, letting him join the Order now? Albus! He is but a child still! How do you expect him to…"

'So it begins.' Snape smirked. "Silensio!" He cast a strong silencing charm around his workroom – standing behind his desk.

It made Hermione a little nervous. The charm worked both ways; they could no longer hear the conversation between Mrs Weasley and the Headmaster, nor could anyone outside the room hear Professor Snape and herself.

'If Snape tried anything…" She stopped her train of negative thoughts. 'Whoa girl.  Don't go there. Professor Snape would never try anything weird...' Mentally chiding herself, she put on a brave front.

"Ms Granger…" Snape drawled lazily. "Are you unhappy with your current situation staying here at the Order's Headquarters?"

"No, Professor." Hermione gulped. "Why would you think that?" She looked up at her professor.

"I seem to have heard you complain earlier, did I not? Something along the lines of Professor McGonagall and myself being… unwilling… to help you with any questions you have." His voice took on a dangerous tone.

Hermione swallowed, her throat suddenly dry. "Yes, I received no replies to the questions I have owled to Professor McGonagall and you, professor. The library has a lot of books, but some of them are beyond my understanding. I was hoping to get some explanations…" She trailed off, squirming in discomfort.

"Understand this, Ms Granger." Snape glared at Hermione as he spoke. "Professor McGonagall and I have more important things to deal with at present, than to help you out with your curiosity." He opened a drawer at his desk, taking out a book to hand to Hermione.

"I believe the information in this book should suffice to assist your lack of understanding, Ms Granger."

'Snape being nice?' Hermione stared at him in shock as she reached for the book. 'The end of the world is near!'

"Now that it is settled… Ms Granger, what do you think of Potter's recent behavior?"

"Wha..?" That snapped Hermione back to reality. "Are you trying to find out some dirt on Harry, Professor? How very typical of you."

Snape eyed Hermione warily before letting out a long-suffering sigh. "While it gives me joy to no end seeing Potter learn the value of silence, I, most unfortunately, cannot enjoy it."

At this 'confession', Hermione looked Snape in the eye questioningly.

Snape eyed Hermione for a moment, and then turned to look out the window before answering in a low voice. "You and the others have not been told yet, but I am appointed as Potter's new godfather. I need to fully understand what is going on… before I can do anything."

The information hit Hermione like a ton of bricks. "God… god… godfather?"

"Believe me; I had not much choice in the matter." The potions master continued talking, looking out the window. "Yes, thus I want to know what you think of Potter's present state."

~~~~~~~~~~

"Where's everybody?" Ron stifled a yawn. He was bored. Fred and George had disappeared. Even though they teased him to no end, they were great company. Sure, Ginny was there, but it was just not the same. Not to mention that Harry currently possessed as much personality as that of a rock.

'Even Malfoy's goons… Crabbe and Goyle have more personality than him now.' Ron shuddered at that comparison. 'Urgh!'

He went to the kitchen but found no one. Though he did notice a plate of food left on the table with a short note next to it. It was his. 'Oh, breakfast.'

He settled down, attacking the food ravenously, only briefly noting that his mother had left a warming spell on it. 'Thanks mom.' Came the appreciative thought as he dug in enthusiastically.

Then, from the corner of his eye, suddenly, Ron noticed a snake staring at him. Blink. 'That can't be right? How did a snake get in?' Blink. He turned to look again.  'With the new wards added to this place, even a fly couldn't get through if it tried.' The snake was gone.

Blinking in confusion, Ron wrote it off as his imagination. If he had paid more attention, however, he would have noticed a snake slither pass underneath him, into the main corridor in search of its intended target.

~~~~~~~~~~

Slithering into the drawing room with its sole occupant, the doors swung shut. "Wess meetsss againsss, Harry Potter…"