Chapter 42:
It turned out that, to Sirius' assumption, Kreacher had been lurking in the attic. Sirius said he had found him up there, covered in dust, no doubt looking for more relics of the Black family to hide in his cupboard. Though Sirius seemed satisfied with this story, Alicia was not. Kreacher seemed to be in a better mood on his reappearance, his bitter muttering had subsided somewhat, and he submitted to orders more docilely than usual, though once or twice the house-elf was staring avidly at Harry, always looking quickly away when he saw that Harry had noticed.
Alicia had a sneaking suspicion he hadn't been in the attic all that time, but where he would go she was not sure. If Bellatrix had not been in Azkaban she's have thought him with her… seeing as he seemed to love her photo so much. Whether he was allowed to or not was another matter and what exactly he could speak about was also in question, as Alicia knew Sirius had forbidden him to tell details about the orders plans. But she hadn't at all forgotten that Bellatrix was Narcissa Malfoy's sister… could he have gone to them? To the Malfoys? Narcissa was still a Black, and she and her sister had married 'respectable pureblood husbands' so would he not like them more? As his Mistress did?
Alicia pushed the idea away, it was only speculation but she felt Kreacher would appreciate them better than he did Sirius, not that they'd probably treat him any better but she became more cautious around the elf all the same.
Alicia did not tell Sirius as to not worry him about it but she did believe that Kreacher should be kept out of the meetings from now on.
Sirius himself was beginning to get less and less cheerful now that Christmas was over. As the date of their departure back to Hogwarts drew nearer, he became more and more prone to what Mrs. Weasley called "fits of the sullens," in which he would become taciturn and grumpy, often withdrawing to Buckbeak's room for hours at a time. His gloom seeped through the house, oozing under doorways like some noxious gas, so that all of them became infected by it.
Harry had reminded Alicia that here in Grimmauld place was better than going back to Hogwarts, as the tyranny of Umbridge still loomed and she too had considered the idea of staying, though knew it was not an option.
"Yeah but if we don't go back we look guilty and we'd probably end up on the run. Not only that but Dumbledore wouldn't allow it if we tried." Alicia grumbled.
While Alicia had the D.A. meetings and Quidditch to look forward to Harry was still banned from the game. With exams drawing nearer and Harry and Ron's lack of organisation with their homework it seemed more of a dread for Harry than Alicia.
Unfortunately it seemed it was to get worse regardless.
"Alicia, Harry dear," said Mrs. Weasley, poking her head into Harry and Ron's bedroom, where the pair of them were playing wizard chess watched by Hermione, Ginny, and Crookshanks, while Alicia had her head in her Legilimency book, concealed by one of her bigger textbooks. "could you come down to the kitchen? Professor Snape would like a word with you."
Alicia looked up shocked.
"What?" she asked. Harry however did not immediately register what she had said; one of his castles was engaged in a violent tussle with a pawn of Ron's, and he was egging it on enthusiastically.
"Squash him — squash him, he's only a pawn, you idiot — sorry, Mrs. Weasley, what did you say?"
"Professor Snape, dear. In the kitchen. He'd like a word."
Harry's mouth fell open in horror like Alicia's. He looked around at Ron, Hermione, and Ginny, all of whom were gaping back at him. Crookshanks, whom Hermione had been restraining with difficulty for the past quarter of an hour, leapt gleefully upon the board and set the pieces running for cover, squealing at the top of their voices.
"Snape?" said Harry blankly.
"Professor Snape, dear," said Mrs. Weasley reprovingly. "Now come on, quickly, he says he can't stay long."
"What's he want with you two?" said Ron, looking unnerved as Mrs. Weasley withdrew from the room.
"You haven't done anything, have you?"
"No!" said Harry indignantly, racking his brains to think what he could have done that would make Snape pursue him to Grimmauld Place. Had his last piece of homework perhaps earned a T?
"Not that I'm aware of." Alicia mumbled.
The two moved down the stairs regardless and to the kitchen, Harry pushing the door open to find Sirius and Snape both seated at the long kitchen table, glaring in opposite directions.
"And teenagers are called childish." Alicia commented, earning a glance from Harry.
The silence otherwise was heavy with the metal dislike between them and a letter lay open on the table in front of Sirius.
"Er," said Harry to announce his presence.
Snape looked around at him, his face framed between curtains of greasy black hair.
"Sit down, Potter."
"You know," said Sirius loudly, leaning back on his rear chair legs and speaking to the ceiling, "I think I'd prefer it if you didn't give orders here, Snape. It's my house, you see."
An ugly flush suffused Snape's pallid face. Harry sat down in a chair beside Sirius, facing Snape across the table.
"Can we not start stupid petty arguments." Alicia decided giving Sirius a look as she sat beside Harry. It was like scolding a four year old. Sirius glanced at her before turning to look at the letter instead.
"I was supposed to see you alone, Potter," said Snape, the familiar sneer curling his mouth, "but Black —"
"I'm his godfather," said Sirius, louder than ever.
"I am here on Dumbledore's orders," said Snape, whose voice, by contrast, was becoming more and more quietly waspish, "but by all means stay, Black, I know you like to feel… involved."
"What's that supposed to mean?" said Sirius, letting his chair fall back onto all four legs with a loud bang.
"Merely that I am sure you must feel — ah — frustrated by the fact that you can do nothing useful," Snape laid a delicate stress on the word, "for the Order."
It was Sirius's turn to flush. Snape's lip curled in triumph as he turned to Harry.
"To be quite frank hiding Harry and I from the world is probable the most useful thing a person can provide so I think being able to give such protection outranks you giving your undying devotion to Voldemort." Alicia snapped back and Snape sneered at her.
"Alicia," Harry mumbled
"If they're going to be childish to one another I don't see why I have to put up with it. Them being rude is completely pointless anyway." Alicia replied as she sat back in her seat. She looked at Sirius who was looking proud and insulted at the same time.
"The headmaster has sent me to tell you both, Potter, that it is his wish for you to study Occlumency this term."
Alicia looked shocked.
"I'm sorry, wha—" but she didn't bother to ask. Of course that's what Dumbledore wanted. And she'd been questioning why he didn't do anything to stop these visions.
"Study what?" said Harry blankly.
Snape's sneer became more pronounced.
"Occlumency, Potter. The magical defence of the mind against external penetration. An obscure branch of magic, but a highly useful one."
"In order for you to keep Voldemort out of your head." Alicia explained simply "Stop him reading your mind."
"But I'm not being possessed, why do I have to study Occlu — thing?" he blurted out in response.
"Because the headmaster thinks it a good idea," said Snape smoothly.
"Just cause you're not possessed doesn't mean he can't get into your head Harry. This'll stop any more of those dreams." Alicia believed and Harry looked at her like he'd been betrayed, why was she agreeing to him doing more work?
"You will receive private lessons once a week, but you will not tell anybody what you are doing, least of all Dolores Umbridge. You understand?" Snape continued
"Yes," said Harry. "Who's going to be teaching me?"
Snape raised an eyebrow.
"I am," he said.
Alicia's groaned and banged her head on the table.
"Wait, why am I here?" she suddenly asked. Snape looked at her and looked as though he was battling his usual desire to ignore her with his requirement to answer.
"As you and Potter have such a connection that it's primitive you both understand—"
"So I am a legilimens?" Alicia asked grinning slightly, interrupting him. "Or is it something else?"
Sirius rose an eyebrow.
"And how have you learnt what a legilimens is?" he asked her
"Oh I've been reading a book on it for weeks now." she waved him away before turning back to Snape.
"You and Potter have a connection in which Potter also has with the Dark Lord, for him to block him, he'll need to block you too. Not only that, it is necessary for you to do the same."
"No one's been invading my mind as far as I'm aware." Alicia mumbled but didn't argue.
"Why can't Dumbledore teach Harry?" asked Sirius aggressively. "Why you?"
"I suppose because it is a headmaster's privilege to delegate less enjoyable tasks," said Snape silkily. "I assure you I did not beg for the job." He got to his feet. "I will expect you at six o'clock on Monday evening, Potter. My office. If anybody asks, you are taking Remedial Potions. Nobody who has seen you in my classes could deny you need them."
"That's your own fault for being a crappy person." Alicia grumbled and they all looked at her. Snape almost getting to looking murderous. "What? If he gave constructive criticism I can promise his students would have much better luck." she believed
"Well what's Alicia to say?" Harry seemed to want to take the attention off her comment.
"Extra credit." Alicia responded simply.
No one argued.
Snape turned to leave, his black traveling cloak billowing behind him.
"Wait a moment," said Sirius, sitting up straighter in his chair. Snape turned back to face them, sneering.
"I am in rather a hurry, Black… unlike you, I do not have unlimited leisure time…"
"I'll get to the point, then," said Sirius, standing up. He was rather taller than Snape who, Harry noticed, had balled his fist in the pocket of his cloak over what Harry was sure was the handle of his wand. "If I hear you're using these Occlumency lessons to give Harry a hard time, you'll have me to answer to."
"How touching," Snape sneered. "But surely you have noticed that Potter is very like his father?"
"Yes, I have," said Sirius proudly.
"Well then, you'll know he's so arrogant that criticism simply bounces off him," Snape said sleekly.
Sirius pushed his chair roughly aside and strode around the table toward Snape, pulling out his wand as he went; Snape whipped out his own. They were squaring up to each other, Sirius looking livid, Snape calculating, his eyes darting from Sirius's wand tip to his face.
"Sirius!" said Harry loudly, but Sirius appeared not to hear him.
"I've warned you, Snivellus," said Sirius, his face barely a foot from Snape's, "I don't care if Dumbledore thinks you've reformed, I know better —"
"Oh, but why don't you tell him so?" whispered Snape. "Or are you afraid he might not take the advice of a man who has been hiding inside his mother's house for six months very seriously?"
"Tell me, how is Lucius Malfoy these days? I expect he's delighted his lapdog's working at Hogwarts, isn't he?"
"Speaking of dogs," said Snape softly, "did you know that Lucius Malfoy recognised you last time you risked a little jaunt outside? Clever idea, Black, getting yourself seen on a safe station platform… gave you a cast-iron excuse not to leave your hidey-hole in future, didn't it?"
Sirius raised his wand.
"NO!" Harry yelled, vaulting over the table and trying to get in between them, "Sirius, don't —"
Alicia slumped her head into her hand. If she wasn't restricted with magic it wouldn't have been hard to stop the two of them from being stupid but Harry seemed to think it was better to jump between them.
"Are you calling me a coward?" roared Sirius, trying to push Harry out of the way, but Harry would not budge.
"Why, yes, I suppose I am," said Snape.
"Harry — get — out — of — it!" snarled Sirius, pushing him out of the way with his free hand.
The kitchen door opened and the entire Weasley family, plus Hermione, came inside, all looking very happy, with Mr. Weasley walking proudly in their midst dressed in a pair of striped pyjamas covered by a mackintosh.
"Cured!" he announced brightly to the kitchen at large. "Completely cured!"
Alicia looked up surprised. Why their appearance was almost perfect timing!
He and all the other Weasleys froze on the threshold, gazing at the scene in front of them, which was also suspended in mid-action, both Sirius and Snape looking toward the door with their wands pointing into each other's faces and Harry immobile between them, a hand stretched out to each of them, trying to force them apart. And Alicia, sitting and waiting for the two adults to act like one.
"Merlin's beard," said Mr. Weasley, the smile sliding off his face, "what's going on here?"
Both Sirius and Snape lowered their wands. Harry looked from one to the other. Each wore an expression of utmost contempt, yet the unexpected entrance of so many witnesses seemed to have brought them to their senses. Snape pocketed his wand and swept back across the kitchen, passing the Weasleys without comment. At the door he looked back.
"Six o'clock Monday evening, Potters."
He was gone. Sirius glared after him, his wand at his side.
"But what's been going on?" asked Mr. Weasley again.
"Nothing, Arthur," said Sirius, who was breathing heavily as though he had just run a long distance. "Just a friendly little chat between two old school friends…"
"So you're cured!?" Alicia asked grinning and getting to her feet. Sirius looked at her and then, with what looked like an enormous effort, he smiled.
"So… you're cured? That's great news, really great…"
"Yes, isn't it?" said Mrs. Weasley, leading her husband forward into a chair. "Healer Smethwyck worked his magic in the end, found an antidote to whatever that snake's got in its fangs, and Arthur's learned his lesson about dabbling in Muggle medicine, haven't you, dear?" she added, rather menacingly.
"Yes, Molly dear," said Mr. Weasley meekly.
With Mr Weasley back dinner was rather cheerful! Fred and George were cracking jokes, Mundungus and Mad-Eye had dropped in to congratulate Mr Weasley and conversations flourished. But it didn't escape Alicia's eye that Sirius, after every smile and laugh, brought back his moody and brooding expression. She wanted to comfort him over what Snape said, it wasn't his fault he was a fugitive and unable to be free. If the ministry would believe Voldemort was back there would probably be a chance he could be free but until then…
Harry told Hermione and Ron about the Occlumency lessons and they both had different opinions of the idea.
"Dumbledore wants to stop you having those dreams about Voldemort," said Hermione at once. "Well, you won't be sorry not to have them anymore, will you?"
"Extra lessons with Snape?" said Ron, sounding aghast. "I'd rather have the nightmares!"
"And what's a legilimens?" Harry asked Alicia
"It's someone who's skilled at legilimency." she said simply
"What's that?" Ron asked
"It's basically mind reading. Someone delves deep into the memories and thoughts of another and sifts through them. Like watching peoples thoughts and memories in a pensive only, in their head." she explained
"How do you know that?" Harry asked
"I have a book on it upstairs." Alicia confessed and Hermione looked surprised
"But where did you get it? I doubt the library would give books like that out easily."
"It didn't come from the library." Alicia said "I got it from the Room of Requirement."
"What's that got to do with defensive spells?" Ron questioned and Alicia shook her head.
"It wasn't our D.A. room. I went and asked for something different and it basically gave me a library of stuff."
"Why?" Harry wondered
"I was curious." she said simply.
The next morning the Weasley's, Harry, Alicia and Hermione were to return to Hogwarts via the Knight Bus. When Alicia arrived downstairs before the others she found the adults midway through a conversation which they halted the second they saw her.
"Oh haven't we moved past this?" she complained at their almost startled looks. Harry, Hermione and Ron came down the stairs behind her not a few minutes later and Mrs Weasley started making breakfast before having Harry and Hermione wake up Ginny and the twins.
After a hurried breakfast they pulled on jackets and scarves against the chilly grey January morning.
Alicia wanted to go and talk to Sirius before they'd left but before she'd had the chance he himself had sought her and Harry, pulling them to one side.
"I want you to take this," he said quietly, thrusting a badly wrapped package roughly the size of a paperback book into Harry's hands.
"What is it?" Harry asked.
"A way of letting me know if Snape's giving you a hard time. No, don't open it in here!" said Sirius, with a wary look at Mrs. Weasley, who was trying to persuade the twins to wear hand-knitted mittens. "I doubt Molly would approve — but I want you to use it if you need me, all right?"
"Okay," said Harry, stowing the package away in the inside pocket of his jacket.
"It isn't your two-way mirror is it?" Alicia wondered and Sirius grinned at her as an answer. "Perhaps I should give you the other of mine." she chuckled.
"What?" Harry asked
"It's what Sirius gave me for my birthday." Alicia told him.
"Let's go, then," said Sirius, clapping Harry on the shoulder and smiling grimly, and before Harry could say anything else, they were heading upstairs, stopping before the heavily chained and bolted front door, surrounded by Weasleys.
"Good-bye, Harry, take care," said Mrs. Weasley, hugging him. "Be careful Alicia."
"I'm always careful."
"More careful than we are." Fred smirked
"It's you I need to watch out for." Alicia replied smirking and he winked at her.
"See you Harry, and keep an eye out for snakes for me!" said Mr. Weasley genially, shaking his hand.
"Right — yeah," said Harry distractedly.
Alicia turned to Sirius and gave him a hug, squeezing tightly.
"Don't you dare let what Snape said get to you. He's a git who's never been able to beat you or one up you and now thinks he can. He's not better than you and you're right about his allegiance. Don't do anything stupid." she said in his ear "I couldn't bare it if something happened to you. And as soon as we've convinced the Ministry of Voldemort's return you will be able to leave the house again. I'm sure of it." Alicia smiled as she released him. Sirius smiled down at her warmly.
"You do have a way with words." he said
"Be careful. And if Harry doesn't contact you I will. Just don't be stupid okay." he rolled his eyes "No unnecessary risks until we can clear you. And I promise we will."
"I know you will." Sirius placed a hand on her head and smoothed her hair and she smiled before Harry turned to Sirius beside her. Sirius gave him a brief, one-armed hug. He said gruffly, "Look after yourself, Harry," and Harry wasn't given the chance to reply as Tonks began to shunt him and Alicia out into the icy winter air.
The door of number twelve slammed shut behind them. They followed Lupin down the front steps who was escorting them with Tonks. As they reached the pavement number twelve was shrinking rapidly as those on either side of it stretched sideways, squeezing it out of sight; one blink later, it had gone.
"Come on, the quicker we get on the bus the better," said Tonks, she sounded a little nervous as she glanced at the square despite being disguised as an tall tweedy women with grey hair. Lupin flung out his right arm.
BANG.
A violently purple, triple-decker bus had appeared out of thin air in front of them, narrowly avoiding the nearest lamppost, which jumped backward out of its way.
A thin, pimply, jug-eared youth in a purple uniform leapt down onto the pavement and said, "Welcome to the —"
"Yes, yes, we know, thank you," said Tonks swiftly. "On, on, get on —
And she shoved Harry forward toward the steps, past the conductor, who goggled at Harry as he passed.
" 'Ere — it's 'Arry — !"
"If you shout his name I will curse you into oblivion," muttered Tonks menacingly as Alicia quickly followed her brother and Tonks was now shunting Ginny and Hermione forward.
"I've always wanted to go on this thing," said Ron happily, joining Harry and Alicia on board and looking around.
It had been evening the last time the twins had traveled by Knight Bus and its three decks had been full of brass bedsteads. Now, in the early morning, it was crammed with an assortment of mismatched chairs grouped haphazardly around windows. Some of these appeared to have fallen over when the bus stopped abruptly in Grimmauld Place; a few witches and wizards were still getting to their feet, grumbling, and somebody's shopping bag had slid the length of the bus; an unpleasant mixture of frog spawn, cockroaches, and custard creams was scattered all over the floor.
"It's not all you think." Alicia said to Ron.
"Looks like we'll have to split up," said Tonics briskly, looking around for empty chairs. "Fred, George, and Ginny, if you just take those seats at the back… Remus can stay with you…"
Tonks, along with Alicia, Harry, Ron and Hermione proceeded up to the very top deck. Three seats sat at the front and two at the back. Hermione, Alicia and Tonks moved to the front while Harry and Ron took the back ones. Stan gave Tonks and the two girls their tickets and Tonks gave Stan orders to move Hogwarts up on the list of stops, for his own best interest, before Stan was allowed to move off after Harry and Ron.
The bus set off again, swaying ominously. It rumbled around Grimmauld Square, weaving on and off the pavement, then, with another tremendous BANG, they were all flung backward. A crash sounded and Alicia turned to see Ron's chair had toppled right over and Pigwidgeon, who had been on his lap, burst out of his cage and flew twittering wildly up to the front of the bus where he fluttered down upon Hermione's shoulder instead. Alicia chuckled and believed Ron wont like to take the bus again.
They sped down a motorway before it swayed alarmingly, overtaking a line of cars on the inside. Hermione had her hands over her eyes as to not see the traffic violations and Pigwidgeon swayed somewhat happily on her shoulder.
BANG.
Chairs slid backward again as the Knight Bus jumped from the Birmingham motorway to a quiet country lane full of hairpin bends. Hedgerows on either side of the road were leaping out of their way as they mounted the verges. From here they moved to a main street in the middle of a busy town, then to a viaduct surrounded by tall hills, then to a windswept road between high-rise flats, each time with a loud BANG.
A few minutes later the Knight Bus screeched to a halt outside a small pub, which squeezed itself out of the way to avoid a collision. They could hear Stan ushering tan unfortunate women out of the bus and the relieved murmurings of her fellow passengers on the second deck. The bus moved on again, gathering speed, until —
BANG.
They were rolling through a snowy Hogsmeade. Flecks of snow hit the large window at the front of the bus. At last they rolled to a halt outside the gates to Hogwarts.
Lupin and Tonks helped them off the bus with their luggage and then got off to say good-bye. Harry glanced up at the three decks of the Knight Bus and saw all the passengers staring down at them, noses flat against the windows.
"You'll be safe once you're in the grounds," said Tonks, casting a careful eye around at the deserted road. "Have a good term, okay?"
"Look after yourselves," said Lupin, shaking hands all round and reaching Harry last.
Alicia hoisted up her trunk and looked at the snowy drive with a sigh, knowing this was going to be a little difficult. They were likely to fall over ten times with the snow and the weight of their trunks.
Tonks and Lupin bid them one last goodbye before the seven of them struggled up the slippery drive toward the castle dragging their trunks. Hermione was already talking about knitting a few elf hats before bedtime.
Alicia crashed into her fourposter bed, wondering what and how Snape was planning on teaching them Occlumency. He would not be at all gentle about it and whether he even succeeded was another matter. Alicia thought it would've been more helpful if Dumbledore did it himself, but he seemed adamant in ignoring them. And this would definitely break that.
She didn't see how it could be enjoyable, knowing Snape.
I wonder why he so willingly does what Dumbledore asks when he really doesn't want to… Alicia thought, her eyebrows furrowing as she stared at the roof of her bed. Could it be Voldemort has told him too or he really is on our side… but even still what is it that makes him agree?
Alicia believed there had to be something and she drifted off to sleep wondering what it was Severus Snape owed Dumbledore, or what Dumbledore might have over Snape. Perhaps Snape just had an ulterior reason. But what was it?