Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of it's characters, plots, or settings. Have I really been reduced to the point where my disclaimers aren't even funny?

Chapter Nine

Alaina sat down next to her best friend Harry in his room. The Dursley's had let her come over much more often now that the Order had had a chat with them and her grandfather. Since they had gotten their letters from Dumbledore, they had been locked up in his room.

They had read through all of the Daily Prophet clippings that cluttered the room. Alaina turned her attention to Harry's empty trunk and snorted. He had not packed a thing yet. Alaina's trunk was packed and waiting at his door along with her owl, Archimedes, in his cage. It was very late now and Harry doubted that Dumbledore would come. They both began to doze off, but when the street lamps outside went out. They bolted upright.

"I told you so," Alaina snickered as Harry ran around grabbing his things. They could hear the doorbell echo through the house and Uncle Vernon crying, "Who the blazes is calling at this time of night?"

Harry froze with a brass telescope in one hand and a pair of trainers in the other. Alaina gleefully laughed.

"You forgot to tell them Dumbledore was coming!"

He shrugged and continued packing. He slammed his trunk shut and they ran down the stairs. And into the living room. Sure enough, the Dursley's were crammed on thee sofa and Dumbledore sat in an armchair.

"Aren't – aren't we leaving, sir?" Harry asked anxiously as he sat in the other armchair. Alaina sat at his feet on the floor.

"Yes, indeed, but there are a few matters we need to discuss first," said Dumbledore as he peered over his half-moon spectacles at the Dursley's, "And I would prefer not to do so in the open. We shall trespass upon your aunt and uncle's hospitality only a little longer."

"You will, will you?" Uncle Vernon wagged a winger.

"Yes," Dumbledore replied simply, "I will."

Alaina looked at Dumbledore and noticed his hand was blackened and shriveled; it looked as if it had been burnt.

"Sir – what happened to your -?" She asked, but Dumbledore put up his good hand to shush her and said, "Later, Alaina. First, I must say that a difficulty has arisen that I hope you will solve for us. By us, I mean the Order of the Phoenix. But first, I must tell you that Sirius's will was discovered a week ago and he wished to leave everything he owned to be shared between you two."

Vernon's head turned towards the shocked children. A lump had risen in Alaina's throat and she was unable to speak. All Harry could think of saying was, "Oh. Right."

"This is really straight-forward. Each of you receive a considerable amount of gold into your vault at gringotts. And you share all of Sirius's personal possessions. The slightly problematic part of the legacy –"

"Their godfather's dead?" Uncle Vernon interrupted.

"Yes," said Dumbledore without asking Harry or Alaina why they did not share, "Our problem is that Sirius has left you two number twelve, Grimmauld Place."

"They've been left a house?" Uncle Vernon interrupted again with greed shining in his eyes.

"You can keep using it as headquarters, right Alaina?" Harry asked.

"Oh, yeah. I – I don't really want it," she agreed. They both knew that they would never step into Sirius's old house again if they could help it.

"That is very generous," said Dumbledore, "We have vacated the building temporarily."

"Why?" Alaina asked as she shifted her position on the floor to lean against Harry's legs.

"Well," Dumbledore explained, "Black family tradition decreed that the house was handed down the direct line, to the next male with the name. Sirius was the last of the line. However, there may be an enchantment set upon it to ensure it is kept in possession of the Black family. So if this is the case, it seems that Bellatrix Lestrange has as much right to own the house as you."

Harry abruptly stood up, kicking Alaina in the process.

"Harry, please sit down," Dumbledore said calmly, "There is one simple test to find out if the house really does belong to you."

With that, he snapped his fingers and a with a pop, a grayish creature appeared. Aunt Petunia let out a cry, for nothing so dirty had ever been in her house. Dudley placed his feet upon the couch as if it had been a rat. And Uncle Vernon's face began to turn purple. The creature had large floppy ears with lots of hair coming out of them, however, this seemed to be the only hair the wrinkled creature had. It was hunched over and wore a pillowcase.

"WON'T! WON'T! WON'T!" It shouted as it ran in circles around the coffee table, leaving little footprints in its wake, "Kreacher won't go to the Potter boy! Kreacher won't go to the Prince girl! Kreacher wants Mistress Bellatrix!"

It wailed so loud that they could hardly hear Dumbledore saying, "Give him an order. If he belongs to you, he must obey."

Alaina and Harry both knew exactly what to order him to do, "Kreacher, shut up!" They shouted at the same time. Kreacher clutched at his throat as if choking and flung himself onto the floor, kicking his feet and waving his fists as if in some sort of silent tantrum.

"Well, I know, I don't really want him," Alaina said.

"Yeah, me neither, but we can't send him to Bellatrix," Harry reasoned.

"Exactly, who or what is that thing!" Uncle Vernon exploded after no longer being able to hold it in any longer.

"That is Kreacher, he belongs to Harry and Alaina," Dumbledore smiled down his crooked nose at Uncle Vernon.

"We can send him to work in the Hogwarts kitchens," Dumbledore suggested, "That way, the other house elves can keep an eye on him."

"Yeah, let's do that," Harry nodded.

"Kreacher," Alaina turned to Kreacher who looked up at her with an expression of complete loathing, "I - We want you to go work in the kitchens at Hogwarts."

Kreacher nodded and with a loud crack, disappeared on the spot.

"The next issue is that Sirius left you Buckbeak," Dumbldore continued calmly as Petunia left the room and came back with multiple cleaning supplies, "Buckbeak currently resides with Hagrid at Hogwarts."

"He can stay there," Harry answered, "I think he'll be happiest with Hagrid."

"And Hagrid will be pleased as well," Alaina smiled with the same thoughts in mind as her friend.

"Excellent!" Dumbledore clapped his hands together, "Then we must be going. I have one more errand to run and then we can go to the burrow."

"You are all packed then?" He stood up and walked to the door.

"Yessir," Alaina stood up and went to get her stuff. Harry followed her and when they were on the sidewalk Dumbledore turned to them.

"We are going to apparate. So please both of you grab onto my arms and hold tight," he held out an arm for each to take. They had never apparated before, but had seen people do it. She shut her eyes tight as she felt the breath being knocked out of her. Her insides squeezed and she almost thought she was going to be sick. Harry was doing a little better than her, but the feeling still wasn't pleasant.

When they touched the ground again, Alaina had to sit down on the ground before opening her eyes.

"Very good for your first time," Dumbledore mused, "Most people tend to get sick."

Onward! To the sixth book! Hoozah!

Ron: Erm…

Me: Haha, am I scaring you?

Ron: A little…

Neville: -Enters-

Me: -Evil Glares-

Neville: -Leaves-

Me: -mumbling to self- Yeah, that's right. I'll show him funny…