A/N: I recently changed my penname from fallenupwarddarkangel to RaSButterfly.

Disclaimer:I do not own jkrowling's characters, I own Oreo and Septimus

Chapter 3

The anxiety in the kitchen of Grimmauld was so palpable you could cut it with a knife. No one had made a sound for the last twenty minutes. They learned quickly in the first five minutes that all sound and most movements would set Harry off. He had reduced Ginny to tears, and when Fred and George got angry with him, he bound and gagged them using emotion fueled wandless magic.

Harry stood and looked around the room, when his gaze passed over the twins he saw them visibly flinch, and the corners of his mouth twitched up slightly. " I'm going to wait in the foyer for word." He said. Then he left the kitchen.

Ron hastily scrambled out of his chair, when the kitchen door closed, and untied Fred and George.

"We have to do something about Harry soon," Fred said after removing his gag.

"He's starting to act like a Malfoy." George finished Fred's statement. Fred nodded in agreement.

"He's going through a rough time. He recently lost his Godfather, and now he's worried about the potential loss of one of his best friends." Molly said, as she sat beside her daughter. "I don't want you boys making this worse for him." She sent a glare their way.

The twins knew better than to cross their mother at a time like this. They sat at the opposite end of the table and were whispering plans to each other. One of them occasionally shaking his head, indicating the currently discussed plan wouldn't work.

Mrs. Weasley kept shooting them suspicious looks, but was too busy consoling Ginny. Ron wanted in on their planning, he had already attempted to join their conversation and they just sent him a glare and moved closer together, whispering quieter than before if possible. Ron was tired of mean, cranky Harry; he wanted his best friend back. He knew the twins would tell him the plan when it they had perfected it.

They sat like this for another five minutes before Ginny stood with a determined look in her eyes. She left the kitchen, ignoring the protests of her family. She was fed up with Harry treating her this way, couldn't he see how much everyone cared about him. 'Especially me' she added as an after thought.

She just rounded the corner and Harry came into view. Her confidence faltered, only for a second, when he sent her a withering look. "Don't you give me that look, Harry James Potter, I'm waiting here with you, whether you want me too or not." Ginny half yelled in a perfect imitation of her mother. She plopped herself down in the chair beside his and grabbed his hand. At the astonished look on his face, she just smiled, and continued to hold his hand. When he didn't pull away her heart skipped a beat.

They sat like that in companionable silence, Ginny resting her head on Harry's shoulder. Harry had been taken aback when Ginny had been so forward with him. Her temper could match his own right now, and he liked that. He smiled and rested his head atop hers. " I'm sorry, Gin, for hurting your feelings earlier. Please forgive me." Harry said. Her hand in his was slowly calming him down.

Ginny laughed sweetly, " Sure Harry, I know you're upset." She said. Harry could get used to having her around. He was just noticing what a beautiful young woman she was becoming. Her hair was mid-back length and her chest had grown considerably. Harry blushed bright red; thankful no one was around to see his face.

At that moment the front door banged open and Hermione and Snape hobbled in awkwardly. Harry and Ginny jumped out of their seats just as Mrs. Black's portrait began her ranting.

" Potter, why's your face all red?" Snape asked, looking between them. They quickly dropped each other's hands. 'Teenagers' Snape thought with a sneer. " Potter, help Miss. Granger, and wait here." He said, handing Hermione over to Harry. She was half conscious.

"Mudbloods, blood traitors, fil…" Mrs. Black couldn't finish before Molly pulled the curtains closed. "Molly, come quick, Miss Granger has injured her ankle." Snape said to her in hushed tones, trying not to wake the portrait up again.

They headed back to the foyer, which was now crowded with Weasleys left and right. "Everyone back to the kitchen," Molly said while herding her children in that direction. "Severus, please carry Hermione into the kitchen and place her on the table, she looks dead on her feet."

Snape placed Hermione carefully on the table, and then sat down in a chair. Molly waved her wand over Hermione's left ankle, checking for breaks and fractures. " She broke two bones in her ankle and five bones in her foot." Molly said.

Ron was shooting suspicious glances at Snape, probably thinking he did it to her. Harry on the other hand, was looking at him with a thoughtful expression on his face. Harry wasn't sure if he should trust Snape, admittedly he saved Hermione's life, but he is a death eater. Harry knew he didn't want to take occlumency lessons with Dumbledore, too many new developments and secrets. He had to try for a truce with Snape, if he took occlumency lessons with him, he may be able to insure some secrecy.

Molly waved her wand over Hermione again and a purple light enveloped her and slowly faded. "There, why didn't you do this earlier Severus?" Molly had apprenticed with Madame Pomfrey when she had been at Hogwarts, and she was supposed to train at St. Mungo's, but she got pregnant with Bill and every time she thought she would be able to go back, she would get pregnant again. Not many knew that though.

" Foolish wand waving" Hermione answered for him, sitting up.

" Know-it-all as always, Miss Granger." Severus sneered at her. " I'm leaving now." And he swept out of the kitchen, robes swirling mysteriously around his feet. Hermione had spent weeks in the library looking for a spell that would do that. She never found it, so the next time she saw him she was going to ask him.

Harry got up and followed Snape out. " Wait up, sir." He said, jogging up to him.

"What is it Potter," Snape said with a sneer.

"Sir, if I could have a word, privately, in the sitting room, sir." Harry said, trying to emphasize the 'sirs' with as much respect as he could muster.

Severus had no idea what made him follow Potter into the sitting room; maybe it was a mild curiosity. He hadn't detected any disrespect from him.

"Sir, I want to thank you for saving Hermione." Harry said, trying to keep an expressionless mask on his face.

"Surely, Mr. Potter, you could have said that out in the hall." Severus said, his suspicious nature causing him to narrow his eyes.

"Too true, sir, but I also wanted to apologize to you," Harry began, taking a second to swallow his pride. " I shouldn't have invaded your privacy by going into your pensieve. I don't expect your forgiveness, but if it's alright with you, I would like to continue my occlumency lessons with you at the start of term." Harry finished. He extended his hand to Snape.

Severus looked at Harry's hand warily. " If you promise to practice every night until the start of term. And you must stay out of my pensieve." Snape said.

" I promise," Harry said. Then they shook hands and Snape left with the distinct feeling of being manipulated into a trap.

Harry let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding. Now the hard part was over, now all he had to do was get Dumbledore to agree. He sighed, and then returned to the kitchen.

"Harry, where have you been?" Hermione asked, launching herself at him.

"Glad you're okay, Mione. I was so worried." He said into her bushy mane.

"Yes, I know, everyone told me about the hell this kitchen became." Hermione said, with a disapproving look.

"Aw, well, um…" Harry began weakly, "You know it wouldn't be the same without you, Hermy."

"Not to mention, how would we get through exams without Mione cracking her whip and making us study." Ron piped in.

Hermione playfully whacked him on the shoulder. "Gees, Ron, you've grown a whole foot since I last saw you." She said. "And Harry too! But only two inches."

"You've grown too Mione, not as much as Ron, but you're only an inch shorter than me." Harry said.

"Alright, dears, it's time for everyone to go to bed," Mrs. Weasley said, ushering them out of the kitchen and up the stairs. "Hermione, dear, do you want a dreamless sleep potion? Severus left one here for you if you wanted it."

"Yes, Mrs. Weasley." Hermione said, looking relieved. She took the bottle and hurried to her shared room with Ginny. She downed the potion and was asleep before her head hit the pillow.

Severus walked towards Hogwarts, he needed to give Albus his report and tell him about Harry's sudden turn around. He admitted to himself that he had been harsher on Harry then any other student, all right, just downright horrible, because of who his father was. Lily had made him Harry's second Godfather. No one knew except him, Albus, Lily, and James. He was determined to start acting more like it now. Severus hardly noticed arriving at the stone gargoyle safeguarding the headmaster's office and private chambers. He was startled out of his reverie by a soft mewing sound coming from around his ankles.

"Hello, Oreo." Severus said, picking up the black and white kitten. Albus had arrived in his private chambers at the start of the holidays holding this kitty with a green and silver bow around her neck. 'Severus, you need some company down here in these lonely dungeons' Albus had said to him. At least he had abandoned his futile attempts at matchmaking. He shuddered. Albus had already named her and Severus had tried to rename her but it wouldn't work. He was attached to the cat, she would cuddle up to him at night, and insisted on leaving her white fur on everything. He set her down gently and she chased a spider down the corridor. He smiled and turned his attention back to reporting to Albus.

"Dinosours," he said and went up the revolving staircase. He knocked on the mini replica of the front doors.

"Enter," he heard from inside. "Ah, Severus, good to see you back safe. Dinosour?" Albus said motioning for him to seat himself and offering him a candy.

Severus looked disdainfully at the brightly colored chewy candies shaped like dinosaurs. "Albus, Dinosaurs weren't all reptiles, the stegosaurus for example was furry." Snape said matter-of-factly.

"I take that as a no." Albus said. " So how did your mission go." Albus was all business now.

"Luckily Hermione understood what was going on when the aurors arrived and took down one death eater beside her. So I only had to take out one. I grabbed her and apparated to the warded barn. She sustained minor injuries, she was healed when we arrived at headquarters." Snape reported.

"Good," Albus said, "Does she know?"

Severus knew he was referring to her ancestry. " Yes, at least what she was told by Lucius. I left her some dreamless sleep potion, so she wouldn't have any nightmares tonight." He said with a sigh. "Also, Mr. Potter will resume occlumency lessons with me at the start of term."

"You think that a wise decision, Severus," Albus said, looking into his eyes, as if looking into his soul.

Severus ignored the urge to shudder. He hated it when Albus did that. " Yes, Albus, he is my Godson after all." He hissed through clenched teeth. "Will that be all?"

Albus seeing the already decided expression on his colleagues face, "Yes, dismissed." He knew he couldn't change his mind. It was the same look he had when he refused to allow him to set him up on a date with Minerva. He was going to ask Harry when he went to headquarters in the morning. He stroked Fawkes before heading to his room.

A/N: Hope y'all enjoyed.

Reviews: Thanx everyone for the kind reviews

Mrs. Touchstone: I'm flattered you think so

Artemis Virgin Goddess: Nice Touch, eh! And thanx for the tip on the c- section thing. I'll ask my aunt, she had two that way, then I'll revise. I'm currently without a beta so things I miss during editing aren't checked again.

SidneySnape: Me too!

Snapedreamer: I'm sorry but I don't understand you review. Review at the end of this chapter and elaborate please.