A/N: I am just going to put up all the chapters I have so far, which may take me until tonight because I have school, but here is Chapter three. Please please review! I would appreciate it very much!
Elvin HeadsOver the next few days, Harry greatly improved in Occlumency and on the sixth day of Snape's stay, he was eagerly waiting for Ron and Bill to pick him up.
"Are they coming through the fire place?" was the frequently asked question of the week and Harry found it quite amusing that the Dursleys jumped at every little noise as the days of Harry and Snape's stay drew to a close.
Snape had become himself after the second day, telling Harry he was just like his conceited father and that he would never amount to anything. Harry at one point had gotten so angry with Snape that he hexed him, but immediately regretted it when Snape hexed him back, causing him to talk gibberish so the Dursleys had a laugh.
Harry sat rigidly on the sofa, hoping Snape would stay up in Dudley's room until Ron had arrived, but no such luck. Fifteen minutes before Ron and Bill were due, Snape carried what little belongings he had brought with him to the living room where the fireplace was.
"Are you leaving?" Vernon fervently asked.
Snape slowly turned, "I have told you too many times, Dursley, that I am leaving at precisely six o clock this evening. If I have to tell you again, I have a jinx with your name written on it.
Both the Dursleys and Snape being hard to live with, Harry found himself wishing they'd all vanish off the face the earth.
Ten minutes later, Ron first appeared in the fireplace, causing Dudley to squeal with fright and run off, then Bill.
"Hey Harry!" Ron happily exclaimed, walking over to him.
"Hi, Ron," said Harry, grinning as Snape walked back into the sitting room from the kitchen.
Ron's smile slid off of his face as he caught sight of their potions teacher, but he didn't say anything for which Harry was grateful.
"H…hi Bill," Harry awkwardly said, shaking his hand as he noticed Ron glaring at Snape. Snape didn't acknowledge Ron or Harry, but only sat on the sofa, which Harry had immediately unoccupied.
"Hey there, Harry. How's your summer so far?" he asked, grabbing Harry's trunk.
"Oh, it's alright. Could be better," he said, carefully watching Snape.
Bill's expression turned dark, "I know what you mean. Percy is being such a blockhead. Mum and dad are under a lot of stress as it is for the Order; they don't need him telling them how superior he is over them."
"Er…yeah…how's uh…Fleur?" Harry asked, trying to change the subject.
"Oh, she and I broke up a long time ago," Bill stated, although his face turned a bright shade of red and he looked away, "How's Cho?" he asked.
Harry was surprised, "Well, I'm not sure. Every time I go to talk about her all she wants to talk about is Cedric, and I don't want to talk about him at all. But then she cries her eyes out and it's really annoying," Harry babbled, letting out emotions and feelings he had kept in for so long.
Ron grinned and looked at Bill, "Basically he's broken up with her," he said, looking back at Harry.
"Well, we never really started going out, Ron," said Harry. He found it awkward to be talking about his love life in front of his most loathsome professor, and apparently so did he.
"Are you three going to hang around talking about your petty little love lives or are you going to leave?" he impatiently asked.
"Why haven't you left yet?" Harry demanded.
"Because, Potter," Snape softly began, "The head master doesn't expect me until six. I see you are just as thick as your relatives over there," he said, slightly gesturing with his head to the three Dursleys who had been standing in the doorway, watching the scene.
Harry glared at him, "You may be right about my dad, but you're not about me, so I suggest…" he began.
"I suggest you keep your mouth closed, Potter, or there might be a very good chance of failing Potions this year…" he trailed off.
"C'mon," Harry said, turning to Bill, "Do you have the floo powder?" he asked.
"Yeah," he said, pulling a bag of floo powder out of his robes. Harry took a handful, and without looking back, stood in the fireplace and said, as clearly as he could, "The Burrow."
He felt warm and a spinning sensation for a moment before his feet collided with the ground. He quickly departed from the Weasly's fireplace so Ron and Bill could get through.
"Oh Harry dear, it's so nice to see you again," Mrs. Weasly said before he saw her.
"Uh, yeah, nice to see you too," he replied, "Where's Hermione?" he asked.
"She's upstairs with Ginny. Are you hungry?" she asked.
"No, thanks though. I think I'll go find Hermione once Ron's arrived."
"Yes, that's fine. Just don't unpack because we'll be going to Gremauld Place first thing tomorrow morning," she said, clearly unaware she had just caused Harry to shudder.
"Alright," he quietly replied as Ron appeared in the fireplace.
"Hey Harry, Hermione's upstairs…I think…" was the first thing he said.
"Yeah, I was just going to go see her," he said as they headed up the old rickety, wooden staircase.
"Maybe if we're lucky," Ron whispered, trying not to make the stairs creak, "We'll hear them talking about you," he held a finger to his lips.
Harry only raised an eyebrow, but didn't say anything other wise.
As they got closer to Ginny's room, he heard her voice, "Have you ever liked him more than a friend, Hermione?" she asked.
Hermione didn't say anything for a moment, "No, of course not," another moment of silence the, "Well, yes. Yes I did, but not for very long. I started to like him in our fourth year, but I then I saw he had his eye on Cho, so I stopped liking him and supported him with his decision to date her."
"I used to like him. I liked him before I even met him. I used to have these fantasies where he would come flying in on a dragon and rescue me from a very tall tower."
Hermione laughed, "Really?"
"Yeah. I never thought he'd actually rescue me from You-Know-Who and a basilisk with a sword," she said, laughter in her voice.
"Why do you like him again?" Hermione curiously asked.
Ginny was silent for a moment, "I don't know. Michael turned out to be such a know-it-all…oh no, Hermione, not like you. He said unintelligent things that didn't make any sense," she interrupted herself.
Hermione gave a loud laugh, "I don't mind. I really don't care what people say about me as long as I have my friends."
"That's great Hermione," Ginny said with admiration in her voice, "I wish I didn't care what people thought about me. I'm always so self-conscience."
"Yeah, but Ron will always be there for you no matter how often he says you're annoying," Hermione laughed with Ginny.
Ron grinned at Harry and mouthed, "I told you so," at him, then said very loudly as he walked into the room, "Hey guys, we've just arrived."
Harry walked in to see the shocked expression on Ginny and Hermione's faces, "How much have you heard, Ronald?" Ginny demanded, slightly blushing.
"How much of what have I heard? I know Snape wasn't very pleasant when we met him at Harry's aunt and uncle's house…" he said as if they hadn't heard anything.
Harry tried hard to conceal a smile. He didn't know why, but he found the fact that Ginny liked him very comical.
"When is he pleasant, Ron?" Hermione asked.
Ron shrugged as he sat on Ginny's bed. Hermione and Ginny were sitting on the floor brushing Crookshanks. Harry stood in the doorway and crossed his arms.
"Anyway, I think Harry and I will practice some Quidditch with Bill after supper tonight," Ron said.
"In the dark?" Ginny asked.
"It doesn't get dark until nine-thirty, Ginny!" Ron exclaimed, "We'll have time after supper!"
"But what about the muggles…" she began to ask.
Ron interrupted her, "When have you ever been worried about muggles?" Ron asked, "We've practiced before and you haven't worried about them."
Ginny shrugged as she brushed Crookshanks down his tail, "I don't know. It's just that it seems reckless is all…"
"Reckless? You're worried about being reckless?" he asked, wide-eyed.
"You can't blame her, Ron, with the brothers she has," Hermione absent-mindedly said.
Ron gaped at her, "I'm one of her brothers, Hermione!"
"So, Ginny, how're Fred and George?" Harry asked, not willing to go through another fight between Ron and Hermione.
Ginny looked startled that he had said her name, "Oh, well…I suppose they're alright. They're supposed to meet us at Gremauld Place tomorrow, you can ask them yourself then," she said, never looking at him.
"Yeah, I suppose I could. How long are we going to stay there for?" he asked, wanting to keep Hermione and Ron from bickering as long as he could.
"How long dyou think?" Ron asked as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, "Until the school year starts, of course!"
"Oh," Harry said, looking down, "Right."
"How has your summer been, Harry?" Hermione asked.
He looked at her, then through Ginny's window, not wanting to talk about it, "Alright I guess."
Ginny gave him a questioning look while Hermione gave him an understanding one, "It's alright, Harry. I know you're sad that he's gone and I admit, you're going to be depressed for a while, but you can't bring him back."
"He was…" Harry began, then stopped. He was about to say, "He was like my father," but didn't because he knew what his father was really like.
"Was what, mate?" Ron asked.
"He was like another father to me," he said, looking back at Hermione. "I've never had someone like that care about me before. I mean, besides your mum, Ron. The Dursleys would rather see me dead than be part of their family. But your mum and Sirius…they were the closest to a mum and dad I've ever had," he said, looking to the ground.
Everyone was silent for what seemed like an eternity when Bill came up to the room, "Hey Ron, Harry, are you guys ready for some Quidditch practice?" he asked.
"Hey!" Ginny exclaimed, "What about me?"
"Oh yeah, and the pip-squeak," he said, smiling at her. She smiled back and it was clear to Harry that Ginny and Bill were close to each other as siblings.
Ron and Ginny followed Bill down the staircase and Harry was about to trail on behind them when Hermione caught his arm and walked slowly with him.
"Harry, I've been wanting to ask you…but I know it's not all that important…just something I've been wondering…"
"What is it, Hermione?" Harry asked, stopping their descent down the stairs.
"Well, you know how you can see the thestrals?" she asked.
He nodded, knowing what she was going to ask, "What about them?" he asked her as they continued down the stairs.
"I can't see them, obviously, so I was wondering if you could…you know…tell me exactly what they…er…look like?" she asked.
"Oh," he said as if he were surprised by the question. In truth he wasn't; he knew it was only a matter of time before she or Ron asked him, "They're sort of frightening, actually. They've got white eyes which is alarming, especially at first, and they're black. They kind of look like skeletons with bits and pieces of rotten cloth covering them. They're quite horrible. They look just like…like death," he finished.
Harry felt a shiver course through his body as they went outside.
"Here, Harry, Dumbledore sent this over ages ago," Ron said, handing him his Firebolt.
Harry smiled, "That's great, Ron," he said, examining it.
Ron's expression became sour, "Yeah, but I bet Malfoy will have the newest one," he said with disgust.
Hermione gave a short laugh, "I bet his whole team will have them."
"What's the new one?" Harry asked as Bill came back with three broomsticks.
"Do you want to play, Hermione?" he asked.
Hermione hesitated before answering, and when Harry looked around to her to see if she was breathing, he found her stuttering, "Uh, well…no…er…thanks anyway," as a blush creeped up her face.
"Anyway, the new one is called something like the…er…. well, I'm not sure exactly, but it's supposed to be the best one yet…"
"That's what they say about all the new ones," Bill sarcastically said as he mounted his own broom.
Harry rolled his eyes and couldn't help but think, well duh!
Ginny, Harry and Ron all mounted their brooms and kicked off from the ground. Harry felt the wonderful flying sensation that he hadn't been able to feel for the last two years, and laughed out loud, "This is great!" he happily yelled at Ron, who was nearest him.
"Dyou mind opening the trunk, Hermione, and throwing up just one quaffel?" Bill yelled down to her.
"Sure," she said, heading over to the trunk.
Harry gave Ron a questioning look, "When dad got the raise he thought it would be better for us to get something other than those ten-balls to practice with."
"I told him we could've just used Pig," Bill yelled from further away.
Ron rolled his eyes, "He's been teasing me about Pig ever since he found out he was mine," he lamely said.
"Well, if I were Bill I probably would too," Harry laughed, only causing Ron to glare at him, "Sorry," he said, trying not to grin.
Harry saw Hermione throw the quaffel to Bill, who caught it on the ends of his fingertips, and he threw it to Harry, but it fell short a few feet and Harry had to dive forward on his broom to retrieve it.
"Here, Ginny!" he yelled, just barely catching it and throwing it in her direction.
"Oh!" he heard her say and when he looked up he saw her fumble with it, drop it and turn bright scarlet, "Sorry!" she apologized, lunging to get it.
Ron smirked at Harry, "You're making her nervous," he teased.
"Shut it, Ron," he said back, but he couldn't help but grin.
Ron suddenly said, "Harry, you aren't…well, you aren't going to actually…you know…ask my sister out…are you?" he asked.
Harry laughed, "Oh right, I think she'd die of shock if I did that," he replied.
Ron gave a short, nervous laugh, "Right," he said as the quaffel smacked into his arm.
"You guys are hopeless," Bill said.
"Well, Harry's making Ginny nervous…"
"Ron!" Ginny exclaimed.
"And I happened to be talking to Harry," Ron continued as if Ginny hadn't said anything.
"Well, you aren't going to be talking to Harry like that during a real game, are you?" Bill asked.
"Well…er…I suppose not," Ron stuttered as Hermione picked it up and threw it back up to Ron.
"Thanks Hermy!" Ron teased her.
Hermione only laughed, which was contagious to Harry and soon Ron was also laughing.
Harry saw Bill and Ginny give each other questioning looks, shrug and start playing catch with each other.
"It's a long story," Harry told Bill, who raised his eyebrows.
Harry, Ron, Ginny and Bill continued passing the quaffel around until Mrs. Weasly called them in for supper.
"Your father should be home any minute," Mrs. Weasly told the room in general, glancing up at her clock.
Sure enough, not even a minute later Mr. Weasly walked through the front door and straight to his wife, kissing her on the cheek.
"How was work, dear?" she asked, continuing to put food on everyone's plates.
Mr. Weasly set his jacket and parcel down on an extra chair, then sat at the table, "Quite slow, quite slow," he said, sounding tired though he didn't look it.
"How many raids?" she asked.
"Only three today, dear," he said, looking at Harry, "Hi there, Harry!" he greeted him.
"Hi, Mr. Weasly," he replied.
"Having a good summer?" he harmlessly asked.
Harry hesitated, "Yeah, it's been great."
"I hear that your not so favorite professor has been rooming with you," he said, handing Mrs. Weasly his plate.
Harry looked down, "Yeah. Well, he never slept in my room. But he spent about a week at my aunt and uncle's house."
"Good, good," he said, taking his plate back.
"No dad, that's bad," Ron said, looking at Harry, then to Mr. Weasly.
"Well, it all comes out to good, Ron. You can't always look at the negative."
Ron looked at Harry again and they both shrugged, looking down to their plates.
"I agree with Mr. Weasly," Hermione spoke up.
"Big surprise," Bill muttered and Hermione threw him a nasty glare.
"It may have not been pleasant at the time, but Harry, would you rather have to deal with Snape and not have… him" she said for the sake of the Weaslys, "know what's going on in the Order, or would you like to not have to deal with Snape, but deal with guilt of giving him everything you know about the Order? Personally, I'd rather deal with Snape."
"I'd just kill them both," Ron said, moving his mashed potatoes around his plate.
Hermione rolled her eyes, "Unless it depended not only on your life, but several dozens of other lives too, Ronald," she said.
Ron only shrugged.
Hermione gave an impatient sigh and rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything.
"Is that enough for you to eat, Harry dear?" Mrs. Weasley asked.
Harry looked up at her, then back down to his plate, "Yeah, it's great Mrs. Weasley."
At that moment, Hedwig flew in through the door and landed on Harry's shoulder.
"Hey, Hedwig," Harry muttered, pulling the letter off of the owl's leg.
"Who's it from, Harry?" Hermione asked with interest.
"Mad-eye I'd expect," Mr. Weasly spoke up, letting his arms rest on the table.
Harry opened it and read it out loud,
"Dear Harry,
How are you? I got your owl at the beginning of the summer and I'm sorry that I haven't written lately, but I've been busy with you-know-what. How were your Occlumency lessons with Snape? I hope they went well. I know living with someone you don't exactly appreciate can be dreadful. You got to The Burrow alright, then? Send a post as soon as possible.
With Greatest Regards,
Remus Lupin"
"Oh, it was from Remus, then," Mrs. Weasley unnecessarily said.
"Yeah," Harry replied, reading the letter over again, "I'll write him another letter after supper," he finished.
"You sent a letter to Lupin?" Hermione asked.
Harry thought a moment, "No, no I didn't. I sent one to Mad-eye."
"So then, why did Lupin write you?" she asked.
He shrugged, "I don't know."
After supper Harry, Ron and Hermione all hurried up to Ron's room and quickly wrote a reply to Lupin.
"Dear Lupin,
I'm alright, yeah; I got to The Burrow fine. Snape was a menace after the first day he was there. It was complete and utter torture. What ever happened to Mad-eye? Didn't I send him an owl? Anyway, tell me how everyone is and send a post soon.
Sincerely,
Harry Potter."
"How's that?" he asked his two best friends.
Ron and Hermione read it over, "It's brilliant, Harry," Ron said as if Harry had just gotten an "O" on a potions paper.
"It's good, send it," Hermione approved.
Harry rolled it up and waited a few minutes for Hedwig to finish eating and drinking.
"Here, Hedwig," he told her, tying the letter to her leg, "Give this to Remus Lupin," he commanded and off she flew.
"Well, there's not much else to do," Ron said, slumping on his bed. Hermione sat straight up in Ron's desk chair, "It's too dark out there to practice any Quidditch and…well, there's nothing else to do."
"What about chess?" Harry suggested.
Ron gave him a dark look, "Mum put it up in the attic and put a charm on the door so that she'd know if any of us went up there without her permission."
Harry started at him. That did sound like something Ron's mum would do, but not for something like a chessboard, "Why?" was all he could get out of his mouth.
Ron shrugged, "I guess she reckons the pieces carry some kind of dark magic."
"But Ron, Dumbledore was the one who told your mum to put it in the attic. He's coming here tonight to pick it up," Hermione cut in.
Harry's eyes narrowed, "Dumbledore is going to pick it up?" he asked.
"Yeah," Ron said as if he were losing something he dearly loved.
"If Dumbledore thinks there's something wrong with it, then obviously there is something wrong with it. He's never wrong," Harry commented.
"That's what I tried to explain to Ron, but…" Hermione began before Ron cut her off.
"A chessboard and its pieces are harmless!" he demanded, "Honest! When have you ever heard of chess pieces conducting some kind of dark magic on its owner?" he asked.
Harry shrugged, "Your mum always said to never trust anything that can do things but doesn't have a brain…or…something like that, right?"
Ron looked down, "Yeah, but she's never taken chess away from us until now."
"I'm sure there's a good reason, Ronald. Especially if Dumbledore's getting involved," Hermione reassured.
Harry looked out of Ron's window, "Speaking of Dumbledore," he said as he saw him apparate next to the Weasley's pigpen.
"Bloody hell, Dumbledore…at my house…" Ron trailed off, then his eyes widened, "We haven't cleaned the house in days!" he exclaimed.
"Oh Ron, it doesn't look that bad. I'm sure it'll be ok," Hermione laughed at Ron's expression.
"Albus!" they heard Ron's dad's muffled voice exclaim. Ron looked as if he were going to be sick.
"Hey, at least it's not Snape," Harry told him.
"Welcome to our home!" his mum welcomed him.
They heard Dumbledore's voice, but Harry couldn't quite make out what he was saying.
"Come on," Hermione said, wrenching Ron's door open, "Let's go."
The three of them quietly walked down the stairs and into the sitting room where the two Weasley parents, Bill and Dumbledore were standing. Bill glanced at them as they walked in.
"You say this chess set has been…" Dumbledore began.
"Watching us, yes," Mr. Weasley finished for him.
Dumbledore frowned.
"Watching us?" Ron exclaimed, "How can a chess set watch you?" he incredulously asked.
"Ron, this isn't your place," Mrs. Weasley pleasantly replied.
Ron looked ashamed of himself for a brief moment until Dumbledore replied to him.
"You see, Mr. Weasley," Dumbledore started, turning to him, "I have reason to believe that someone has bewitched your chess men to watch every move your family makes so that Voldemort can spy on your family."
Ron stared at him, "I…I don't understand…" Ron stuttered.
Hermione spoke up, "Somebody wanted to spy on them for Voldemort (everyone except Harry, Dumbledore and Hermione shuddered) because of…" she let her sentence trail off.
The Order, Harry finished for her in his mind.
"And that was a brilliant way to do it. They figured you wouldn't think anything of bringing your set to the headquarters." she finished.
"Precisely my speculation, miss Granger," Dumbledore turned to her, "that is why we must carefully dispose of them."
Harry was confused, "But…who would do that?" he asked, "Surely you guys haven't let a death eater into your house…have you?" he asked, turning to Mrs. Weasley.
She shook her head as Dumbledore said, "I have my suspicions, but I would like to confirm them before I let anybody know. Now, where is that chess set?" he asked, looking expectantly at Mr. Weasley.
"We kept it up in the attic with the ghoul," he replied, "I'll just go and nip it," he continued, walking up the stairs.
"Well," Dumbledore said after Mr. Weasley had disappeared, "How about a nice cup of tea, Molly?" he asked.
"Oh yes, sounds wonderful," she said, then disappeared to the kitchen.
Hermione cleared her throat loudly, glaring at Ron.
He gave her a puzzled look, then his eyes widened, "Oh, yeah. Would you…I mean, have a…sit down?" he stuttered.
Hermione gave a pained expression, "Ronald is just asking if you like a seat," she asked Dumbledore for him. Ron turned red.
"Oh yes, yes of course," he said, sitting on the sofa while the three friends took seats opposite of him. Dumbledore looked directly at Harry, and Harry suddenly felt put on the spot, "Are you doing well, Harry?" he softly asked.
He hesitated and looked down, "Yeah…doing just fine."
"Harry," Dumbledore quietly said, "The loss of Sirius has grieved us all…" he started.
Why did Dumbledore have to start talking about Sirius now? Harry felt anger coursing through his veins, "I don't want to talk about that," he muttered, trying to keep his temper under control.
"Harry, you can't bottle it all up inside," Hermione soothingly said.
"I said…"
"We know, we know mate," Ron fearfully said, "You don't want to talk about it. You don't have to."
"Ron, yes he does. If he bottles it up like that it's going to build up and explode at some point ("Harry's going to explode?" Ron asked) and it's not going to be very pretty."
"Hermione has a point," the professor quietly cut in, "Harry, you do need to talk about it at some point. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but soon."
Harry didn't say anything. He didn't want to talk about Sirius. Harry was the one that had gotten him killed in the first place. He didn't feel worthy of even living.
"It's just that…" Harry began without intending to, "He wanted so bad to do something for…" he stopped as Mrs. Weasley came back in with the tea.
"Here you are, Albus," she said, handing him a cup, "Would you three like some as well?" she happily asked.
Ron and Hermione nodded while Harry muttered, "No thanks, Mrs. Weasley."
She sauntered back into the kitchen.
"What were you saying?" Hermione gently asked, touching his shoulder.
"It's just that he wanted so bad to do something for the Order, and when he finally got a chance to…" he cut off again as Mr. Weasley came down the stairs with the board and pieces.
If those pieces are really bewitched, Harry bitterly thought, I'm not going to be the one to give away anything about the Order.
"Ah, Arthur. Are all the pieces accounted for?" Dumbledore asked, standing.
"Yes sir," he replied, handing Dumbledore everything.
Dumbledore counted the pieces to double check, "I see. Well, I'll have Mad-eye take a look at these just to be sure."
"Brilliant," Mr. Weasley happily replied.
"Um, excuse me sir," Harry interrupted, looking at Dumbledore who turned to him, "But how did you come to realize the pieces were bewitched?" he asked.
"That, Harry, is a story for another time," Dumbledore patiently explained.
"Yes sir," Harry muttered, looking at the other two who seemed interested.
"Perhaps Ron can explain it to you when I have departed," Dumbledore continued.
"Oh, I don't know the story," Ron began.
Dumbledore looked at him over his half moon spectacles, "You will know in time."
He dissapperated and Ron gave Harry and Hermione, in turn, a confused look, "What's that supposed to mean? 'You will know in time,'?"
"I'm sure you'll find out soon enough," Hermione encouraged.
"I think he's gone loony," Ron muttered so that Hermione couldn't hear.
"I don't think so, Ron," Harry objected, "Dumbledore always knows what he's talking about."
Ron shrugged, "Whatever."
That night, after Ron and Harry had gotten into bed, they talked about the chess set.
"Dyou reckon Dumbledore's right?" Ron asked.
Harry thought a moment, "Ron, when have you ever doubted Dumbledore?" he asked.
Silence.
"I mean, he always knows what he's doing and what's going on. I wouldn't doubt him. What I want to know is…well…who would do that. Who would have a chance to bewitch the pieces?"
Silence.
"Have you let anyone weird into your house, Ron?"
Silence.
"Ron?" Harry asked, propping himself up onto his elbows to better see Ron.
Harry laid back down and almost immediately fell asleep…
Harry was circling the curtain again.
"What's in there?" he asked himself.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" came a cruel, cold voice.
"Yes," Harry answered to no one in particular.
A movement on the other side of the room caught his attention and a tall figure was walking toward him. His clothes were worn as if this man hadn't washed them in weeks.
"Sirius?" Harry whispered, his heart beating quicker, "Are you…are you back?" he asked.
Sirius only smiled at him and did not say anything.
"I can't believe…where…how…?" Harry left his sentence hanging.
Suddenly Sirius face changed…
Harry sat up and barely suppressed a scream.
"I told you, Ron!" Ginny's voice complained, "Mum told us to get up! Now we're going to be late!"
Harry wanted to tell Ron as soon as he could.
"Ginny, get out," he quietly said.
"What?" both Ron and Ginny asked.
"I said get out," he said louder, looking at Ginny.
She looked taken aback and hurt, "Sorry, how was I supposed to know you woke up on the…"
Ron was turning red in the face, "GINNY LEAVE NOW!" he yelled.
She stuck her tongue out at him and turned on her heal, slamming the door behind herself.
"What a…" Ron began, staring after her.
"Ron, listen," Harry hurriedly said, interrupting him, "I just had a dream…"
"Do you need more Occlumency?" Ron asked.
"No, but listen…" Harry explained to him what he had seen.
"You saw Sirius…alive?" he asked, "And then he turned into…into…"
Harry nodded, "Voldemort," he finished for him.
Ron shuddered, "Eerie," he muttered.
Harry and Ron quickly got dressed and ran down the stairs, meeting all the members of the Weasley family and Hermione, minus Percy, Fred and George.
"Alright, who wants to go first?" Mrs. Weasley asked as they gathered around the fireplace.
"Floo?" Harry asked Ron.
Ron only shrugged.
"Mrs. Weasley, aren't the floo networks being watched?" Hermione asked.
"Dumbledore gave his consent, I reckon it's alright," she said, examining the fire grate.
"I'll go first," Bill volunteered. He grabbed a handful of floo-powder from the flowerpot, stood in the fireplace and clearly said, "Number Twelve Grimauld Place, London!" He then disappeared behind tall, green flames.
Harry suddenly got an odd feeling, "I don't know about this, Ron," he muttered, "Did Dumbledore really…" he began, but Mrs. Weasley pushed him forward into the fire grate.
"Your turn, Harry dear," she said as he turned around, looking at Hermione. She only shrugged.
He grabbed a handful of floo powder and loudly said, "Number Twelve Grimauld Place, London!" and a warm sensation took over him as he threw the green powder down. He was spinning and spinning and he felt as if he would be sick to his stomach, but as soon as he felt it, his feet hit the ground and he fell, coughing from all the dust.
"Here," someone said, sticking his hand into the fire place, "Let me help you."
It was Charlie, smiling broadly and clapped Harry on the back when he stood up, "Harry! Nice to see you again!"
"Yeah, you too," he said, coughing again.
The kitchen was no longer dusty or musty, but brightly lit and looked as if somebody was actually living there.
"Wow," Harry murmured.
"I know, Remus and I fixed it up a bit," Charlie said, pridefully looking around the room.
Harry smiled, "Wow," he repeated, "This is great! What did…" he let his sentence trail off. He was going to ask, "What did Sirius think of it," but realized it was a useless question.
As if reading his mind Charlie said, "Sirius would have liked it. It doesn't feel so dank anymore."
"Yeah, sure," Harry muttered, now feeling worse than ever.
When Hermione and Ron came through the fireplace, the three of them went up to Buckbeak's room. It was definantly different from the last time Harry had been there. Now, instead of moth-eaten curtains and bed, there were several windows, a trough to put the ferrets in, no carpet but straw and dirt all over the floor. Buckbeak had made a nest with the straw and Harry was amazed at the change of the feeling of the house.
"Brilliant," Ron muttered, looking around the room.
Harry looked over at Hermione and found she was looking disgruntled.
"What is it, Hermione?" Harry asked.
"Did you notice the elf head in the hallway?" she asked.
Ron's expression turned to one of disgust, "Yeah, they haven't taken those filthy things down yet."
"No, there's one more up there."
Harry suddenly remembered when they had walked by the heads in the hallway that there actually was one more.
"But, Hermione," he started, "Only a Black could have done that. Right? So…so if Sirius is…is, you know…gone, then how did it get up there?"
Hermione shrugged, looking frightened, "I think it's time we had a chat with Dumbledore."
