A/N) Thank you to everyone who let me know their thoughts on short or long chapters. I've already written another 4 short chapters after this one, and I will try to make the chapters longer then they are from now on, but I can't promise anything, as it all depends on what is happening in the chapter. Thank you to everyone who has reviewed as well - your comments mean a lot to me.

Chapter Forty-Six: The Two-Way Mirror

Wednesday 15th September 1995

"The only way we can help your cousin, Sirius, is to extend an invitation into the Order of the Phoenix," said Professor Dumbledore, clasping his hands together after reading the letter that Andromeda had sent Sirius.

"She won't join," said Sirius immediately. "'Droma has already made that clear. She doesn't want to get involved with the war. I've seen 'Droma once since Azkaban and that was only briefly to ask her to look after Harry during one Order meeting. That was the only time she will ever come close to helping the Order in any form."

"Nymphadora joining the Order has already got Andromeda involved. It shows Voldemort what her loyalties are. They bought Nymphadora up not believing in the purity of blood but with honour and to respect all those who are different. It is too late for Andromeda to stay on the side-lines. She has to pick a side, Sirius, and if she wants our protection, she will have to join the Order. I cannot provide it unless she is. She doesn't have to work in our interests, just to join. You cannot be neutral in this war, Sirius. Voldemort will force her hand."

Sirius sat silently, his eyes glaring at Dumbledore. He had known all this when he had joined the Order when he had first left Hogwarts, but he hadn't joined for protection, he had joined to fight back against the darkness that had slowly been taking over their world. It seemed unfair that people who wanted protection had to join in order to receive it. The rules had changed since then. Voldemort, despite the recent attacks, was operating more in the shadows then he had done in the later 1970's, early 80's.

Sirius had no choice. He had promised to help her and he would. Now all he had to do was convince Andromeda to join the Order.

"You may wonder why I have to do this, Sirius, but we did have traitors to the Order last time round. An oath is required, one that magically binds them to the Order of the Phoenix. It is only then that the magical protection that I can provide will safely protect your cousin from Voldemort's wrath. If she does not take the oath, the magical protection will not be as effective as it could be," explained Dumbledore gently.

"Fine, but you are the one who will talk to her. She'll take it better coming from you," replied Sirius.

Dumbledore inclined his head, taking Sirius's demands better than he had been expecting.

"So then," Sirius folded his arms, "how is Harry coping with Occlumency?"

"Extremely well," reported Dumbledore. He smiled serenely. "Severus says he is almost ready. He'll have a few more lessons and then a test. He has done remarkably well in the short space of time he's had to learn the technique."

"Good," replied Sirius softly, a slight smile pulling at his lips. Wouldn't want Severus torturing Harry too much would we?

Harry felt Hermione nudge him in the arm as he dipped his quill into his ink. "What?" He looked up annoyed at her lack of thought for his homework (granted it was an essay for Potions) but she usually didn't nudge him. It was only then that he noticed that the Gryffindor Common Room had grown quiet. He had only just arrived back from his Occlumency lessons with Snape and had continued with his essay that he had started the night before. He glanced up and his mouth fell open in shock.

Sirius was standing there in the Gryffindor Common Room, a smile on his face. The remaining student body of the house that had yet to go to bed were whispering together, but Harry, with a grin on his face, got up from his table and walked right over to his godfather.

"What are you doing here, Sirius?" he asked.

"I had a meeting with Dumbledore. Figured I'd come to see you before I headed back home. Dumbledore gave me the password to the Tower." He shoved his hands in his pockets. He was still wearing his Auror robes. "Can we talk?"

Harry nodded and followed his godfather out of the portrait hole. They wandered down the corridor until they came to an empty classroom. Sirius locked the door and cast the privacy spell that would stop anyone listening in on their conversation. Harry sat on one of the desks, while Sirius leaned back against one.

"I have something to give you," began Sirius, "but I want you to promise me to use it when you absolutely have to. It's a way of communicating with me outside of regular channels."

He handed Harry a package wrapped in brown paper. Opening it he found a small, square mirror. It looked old and was rough around the edges. "What is it?"

"A two-way mirror," answered Sirius. He reached into his pocket and pulled out an identical one. "This is my one. If you say my name into it, you'll appear in my mirror and we can talk. James and I used to use them in separate detentions, but I want you to have your father's one. I found it amongst the possessions that had been salvageable at Godric's Hollow. If you ever need me, I will always have this on me, no matter where I am. I should warn you, we charmed the mirrors so that it would only answer to our names. If I have to call you, it will only recognise 'James' – only James would have been able to alter the spell to include you in it. It's a way for us to keep in contact without all the hassle of owl post."

Harry looked down at the mirror. To think that his father had once used this mirror... He felt a lump forming in his throat. He nodded. "Thanks." He slipped it into his pocket.

"Another thing, I want you to keep your invisibility cloak on you at all times. Dumbledore isn't always in the castle and if it is attacked, at least you'll be able to hide. Keeping you alive is my priority, so keep it with you, where ever you go."

Harry raised his eyebrows. "Professor Dumbledore isn't always here?"

"Ah," Sirius' eyes widened in surprise. "You are not supposed to know that. In fact no one in the school is meant to know that."

"I won't tell anyone," said Harry. "I know the Order is important." He ran a hand through his hair. "What about his hand? It looks dead..."

Sirius raised his hands, grimacing. "I really do not know what the story behind that is. He won't tell anyone. I suspect you'll find out soon enough as soon as your private lessons start with him, which, by the way, should be soon. I think you might have surprised Snape by how good you are at Occlumency."

Harry laughed. "I've got to be good at something he teaches..."

Sirius grinned. "Oh, James would love to have heard that from his son." His smile trailed off. It was evident by the expression on his godfather's face that Sirius' mind was taking him back through memories: memories that included Harry's parents. Sirius shook his head. "I should probably get back home... shouldn't stop you from doing your homework."

Harry shrugged. "It's only Potions."

"You probably never knew this... but your mother was brilliant at Potion's. Snape was always in our classes and he always sat next to Lily, much to James' chagrin. Lily and Snape were friends..."

"WHAT?" Harry was dumbfounded. "Why?"

"I don't know. They just were. He was probably hoping that your mother's skill at Potion-making had been passed onto you..."

"But it wasn't," finished Harry, sadly. "I never knew mum was good at Potion's. I guess that might be why he hates me so much..."

"And that you look too much like your father," added Sirius, quietly. He moved away from the desk. "I don't think he'll ever change. He hasn't changed since he was a kid. He's still a slimy, greasy-haired Slytherin."

Harry stifled a laugh, clamping his hands to his mouth. "Let's hope he wasn't passing and overheard you say that."

Sirius grinned. "Silencing charms, Harry, are very effective and dead useful. When you don't want anyone to listen in, use it."

By the time Sirius left Harry outside the Fat Lady, it was nearing eleven-o-clock. They'd been talking for nearly an hour before his godfather figured it would be better for him to leave. Harry had relayed everything to Ron and Hermione, trusting them to keep the secret that Dumbledore was not always in the Castle. Hermione had already noticed his absence but had chosen not to comment as she was sure the teachers didn't want the students to know.

The evening of Monday 20th September drew closer and Harry took the journey down into the castle dungeons where Snape was waiting for him for his fifth Occlumency lesson. By the end of the lesson Harry had hardly wasted any energy and rebuffed Snape's every attempt to get into his mind.

"Well, Potter, it looks like you may be ready to fend for yourself."

Good, thought Harry.

"However I will be testing you to make sure that you are keeping up with your studies. At some point in the near future I will appear unannounced and attempt to attack you... If you have been practicing every night and keeping your mind clear, you will be able to fend me off easily... however if you haven't been then I will be able to see all your deepest secrets and fears..." sneered Snape, looking at Harry over his hooked-shaped nose.

"Yes Professor," swallowed Harry. Snape still hadn't given him the dates for his week-long detention. He was sure that Snape was holding them back for the Gryffindor verses Slytherin match... Still, at least he had the satisfaction of no longer having to think about mastering Occlumency. At least he knew how to do it. He supposed Snape wasn't a bad teacher, especially since he had managed to master Occlumency: it was just Potion's he struggled with.

"You may leave, Potter," ordered Snape, pointing towards the door.

Harry turned swiftly, closing the door behind him. He leaned back against the door and centred his mind, waiting until he was sure that he was calm and at peace. Once he was sure that his mind was securely defended against penetration, he made his way back towards Gryffindor Common Room, where he sank down in front of an arm-chair by the fire and fell asleep.

To be continued...

Please let me know what you think!

Next chapter: Suspicions - in which Harry suspects someone, and Sirius finds himself charged with an important task... Coming soon

the-writer1988