Chapter Six: Reactions and Reflections

"She's been doing what?" Sirius Black yelled angrily, slamming a fist on the table and almost causing his goblet of Fire Whiskey to topple over into the fireplace.

"Calm down, Sirius," Remus Lupin, looking more devashled and tired than he had done in years, said with his usual soft and soothing voice. Sirius, who was visibly shaking with rage, did not look like a man fit to calm down anytime soon.

"As his godfather, I thought you ought to know." Professor Minerva McGonagall, clad in emerald robes and a matching pointy hat, said simply. "I have informed the Headmaster, and believe that actions will be taken to assure that this doesn't happen —"

"It doesn't matter if it happens again when Harry's already been mutilated!" Sirius roared. "Why Dumbledore ever let that hag teach in the first place I'll never understand. Even Snape'd be better than her, and that's saying something."

"The situation is difficult, we cannot simply accuse her on Harry's testimony alone. Given the Prophet's insistence that he is an attention seeking lunatic, I imagine any defence would say he had done it to himself to gain attention."

"So we're just supposed to sit back and let Harry be tortured, are we?"

"I don't like it any more than you do. But Potter pointed out, rightly, that we must choose our battles, Sirius. The Headmaster agrees with him."

"He has a point," Remus agreed, quietly. "It's not as if we can take on Umbridge without hard evidence of wrongdoing, not with Fudge protecting her every move."

"And that's okay is it? We just let her get away with it?"

Minerva scowled. "No-one said anything about getting away with it, Sirius. Rather we will strike when we are effective, better than wasting our resources and risk a blunder."

"If you ask me she should be thrown in Azkaban," Sirius muttered darkly. "See how she likes it. Malicious toad, if I ever get my hands on her she'll wish she'd never met Harry."

"Potter appears to be undermining her well enough as it is," Minerva commented, "Mundungus was correct, he and his friends have set up a defence group, with members from all four houses."

That seemed to stop Sirius in his tracks. He almost openly gaped at Minerva.

"They let Slytherins in?" Sirius asked, bewildered. "Harry? My godson, Harry Potter, is teaching Slytherins how to defend themselves from dark magic?"

He let out a bark-like laugh that echoed around the kitchen. "If James could see this. I swear he's more like his mother every day, she always did have a soft spot for Snivellus."

"Professor Snape," Minerva said coldly, "is unaware of Potter's actions. I did not think it wise to tell him that he is tutoring his students given their… history."

"No he'd hate it," Siris smirked with a twisted glee. "Who are they?"

"Daphne Greengrass and Tracey Davis."

"Good students," Remus chimed in, "very good. Tracey always seemed a little lost to me, part of the pack but never fit in."

"Greengrass," Sirius repeated, "why do I know that name?"

"Charles Greengrass is her father," Remus said.

"Bet she had a fun childhood," Sirius remarked, but there was no humour to his words. "Merlin's beard, wonder if Harry knows."

"If you are quite finished taking a trip down memory lane," Minerva interrupted, returning to her usual brisk manner. "I came to give you this."

She held out a small piece of parchment and Sirius snatched it from her, his dark eyes tearing over it eagerly. Remus shared a tired look with Minerva, before getting to his feet and fetching himself a glass of water from the kitchen sink. He drew his wand and silently cleaned the glass he had selected. The house was returning to its dishevelled former state with Molly Weasley no longer present to wage war on it.

"I'm guessing you spoke to Dumbledore?"

"Of course, the Headmaster thinks it to be a splendid idea."

Sirius was grinning, the vestiges of his anger ebbing away. "Can you wait, I've got something for him. It should help."

Without waiting for a reply he dashed from the kitchen. Remus leant against the counter, taking a sip of water. He did not reach for the letter. With the werewolf too tired for small talk, and Minerva never a fan of it, the two stood in comfortable silence until Sirius returned, clutching an ornate mirror in his hand.

"Knew I'd got it somewhere!" he beamed. "James and I used to use them at school. How we kept each other company in separate detentions." Minerva's eyebrows furrowed and Sirius continued quickly before she could interject. "But it should be perfect for Harry, just tell him that if he ever wants to talk to me all he has to do is say my name into it. That'll get through to me, and Umbridge won't be able to trace it."

"You're quite sure?"

"This is my godson we're talking about, Minerva. Yes, I'm sure."

"Very well, I will pass on your message, and I assume you are happy for him to stay over the holidays?"

"The more the merrier!"

"I shall let him know," and with that she collected the mirror and hid it in her robes before turning away and heading quickly out of the kitchen.