A/N Hello! I'm back again, and hopefully back with regular updates! Thanks for the reviews last chapter, and I hope you like this one! xxx
Chapter Twenty-Four
Back at School Again
Now that Christmas was over, a sudden gloom had descended upon Grimmauld Place like a thick, intoxicating gas, which seeped through the rooms, soaking itself into the various inhabitants of the dilapidated house. Sirius was the worst, he disappeared into Buckbeak's room for hours on end, his annoyance and grumpy attitudes seemingly radiating out of the door. Tally was a close second. She was dreading going back to France, leaving them all again, and going back to Beauxbatons. She would not be able to see them until the summer, and would not be able to get hold of any information about the goings on with the Order of the Phoenix, or Dumbledore's Army, because Umbridge was still sniffing around. She repeatedly got into bad moods at the mere mention of any of those things, and soon, people avoided talking about anything relevant around her.
They didn't want to talk about Hogwarts much anyway, because for the first time ever, none of them were very happy about going back. Though Grimmauld Place was a stuffy and rather gross place to live, Hogwarts was no better. Amara had relished in the time they had which Umbridge was not a part of. The O.W.L exams were also getting closer, meaning they'd probably receive even more homework than they had been getting. Harry had it slightly worse – he had been banned from Quidditch too, which meant he didn't even have that to look forward too. The only thing that was making them want to go back was because of the D.A.
Amara also felt guilty about leaving Sirius again, because it must be dreadful, being in a house all alone, unable to leave, and only have Kreacher for company. Especially a house you never wanted to go back too.
On the last day of the holidays, Amara, Hermione, Ginny and Tally talked in Ron and Harry's bedroom whilst Harry and Ron played chess, and they occasionally watched. Tally was leaving that evening, as Lupin was going to take her to the airport to go home. She wasn't pleased about leaving, but had accepted it. She made them promise to write, even if it was in code, or if the letter was just full of rubbish.
"Harry dear," said Mrs Weasley, poking her head into the bedroom where they were all dispersed, "could you come down to the kitchen? Professor Snape would like a word with you."
Amara, who hadn't been listening very much, shot her head up in surprise. Harry, who was still egging on his castle, which was being beaten by one of Ron's pawns, didn't say anything until a few seconds after it had got into his brain.
"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. He looked at them, all of whom were gazing at him too, even Tally, who'd heard of Professor Snape now that she spent the whole summer with them. Hermione, who was gazing at Harry too, accidently let go of Crookshanks, who leapt happily onto the chessboard and made the figures scream and run for cover around the room.
"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?" said Ron, looking unnerved as Mrs. Weasley withdrew from the room.
"You haven't done anything, have you?" Hermione said unsurely.
"No!" said Harry indignantly. He left the room, looking rather scared, and the other five looked at each other worriedly.
"What does Snape want with him?" said Ron nervously.
"D'you think he'll let us in to hear what he as to say?" said Tally.
"No," said Ginny. "We could always use Fred and George's Extendable Ears, though …"
"Or just listen behind the door?" said Amara.
They headed out the room anyways, and met Fred and George on the stairs.
"What's the matter?" said George, looking at each of their faces.
"Snape's talking to Harry in the kitchen," said Hermione.
"What?" Fred said, gaping. "Why? What's he done?"
"We don't know," said Amara. "But we're going to go eavesdrop, want to join?"
Fred and George agreed and soon they had entered the hallway to listen at the door with their Extendable Ears.
Just as they were about to use them, Mr Weasley and Bill entered the house, Mrs Weasley following them in, all grinning brightly.
"Dad!" Ginny said, looking and sounding surprised. "What're you doing here?"
"I'm completely cured!" beamed Mr Weasley, wearing pyjamas and a coat.
"Really?" Ron said, as if not daring to believe such good news.
Mr Weasley nodded as Mrs Weasley gave him another hug. The rest of them surged forwards and started hugging and congratulating him too. Amara's heart lifted for the first time since seeing Neville in the hospital (they'd decided not to say a word of it to anyone or Neville himself).
"Let's go tell Sirius and Harry," said Mrs Weasley happily. "They're in the kitchen."
So the large group all trouped to the stairs and went down the small rickety stairs, talking brightly and exclaiming how well Mr Weasley looked.
They opened the door and Mr Weasley exclaimed loudly: "Cured! Completely cured!"
Then they froze as they took in the scene before them. Sirius and Snape were pointing their wands in each other's faces, whilst Harry stood between them, arms out, as if he was going to stop them from fighting.
"Merlin's beard," said Mr Weasley, the smile sliding off his face, "what's going on here?"
Both Sirius and Snape lowered their wands. Snape pocketed his wand and swept back across the kitchen, passing the Weasleys, Amara, Hermione and Tally without comment, as though Mr Weasley had not just suffered a snake bite. At the door he looked back.
"Six o'clock Monday evening, Potter."
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. . . ." 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.
Everyone, except Sirius, who was forcing himself to be, and Tally, who had to go to the airport, were very cheerful that evening. Fred and George made loads of jokes, they all ate lots of food, and even Mad-Eye, Mundungus and Lupin (who was there for Tally) came in and congratulated Mr Weasley on getting better.
Harry seemed rather preoccupied too, and soon told them why Snape wanted to see him.
"He's giving me Occlumency lessons," he said under his voice, "Dumbledore asked him too – it defends the mind or something."
"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!"
Amara nodded in agreement, she would hate to have extra lessons with her nearly least favourite Professor (Umbridge was obviously top of the list). And if he was getting into Harry's mind in private sessions too … that would make it ten times worse.
Tally left shortly before eight o'clock, suitcase in hand, and a grumpy expression as she said goodbye to everyone. Lupin was Apparating with her near the airport, a special place designed for wizards and witches choosing to fly, and was getting a night flight back over to France.
-OOOOO-
The next day, Amara would have happily Apparated back to Hogwarts, but they had decided to use the Knight Bus instead. Lupin and Tonks were talking them, the former of which looked slightly tired after taking Tally and waiting for her to fly off (Dumbledore's orders, as he didn't want Tally captured on her flight home). The adults were whispering to each other as they walked in for breakfast in the morning, but quietened once they realised they had company.
They had to wear jackets and scarves before they got outside – it was still chilly, as it was only January (this reminded Amara to get a present for her brother, whose birthday was on the twenty-first).
Amara watched, laughing, as Mrs Weasley tried to coax the twins into wearing hand-knitted mittens because it was still cold.
"No Mum –"
"We don't want to –"
"Everyone else is wearing mittens and gloves! It's cold out there!" said Mrs Weasley.
"But Mum, they're mittens!"
"So? Amara's wearing some!"
Amara raised her mittens and wiggled her hands at them, grinning evilly.
"But she's a girl."
In the end, they won, and Amara earned a glare from them as she continued to laugh openly.
Everyone started saying goodbye to Mr and Mrs Weasley and Sirius, all standing by the chained front door.
Tonks was disguised as a tall, tweedy woman with iron grey hair and wearing purple robes with a matching hat, and she ushered them out the door quickly. The air was cold and bitter, biting their noses and cheeks, and everywhere which hadn't been covered by clothing. Amara saw Fred and George rub their hands together, which were turning bright red.
"Should've worn those mittens, hmm?" Amara said slyly.
Fred and George glared at her, then shoved their hands into her coat pockets to keep them warm.
"Hey!" she said. "That's not awkward at all …"
"Come on, the quicker we get on the bus the better," said Tonks. Lupin flung out his right arm.
BANG.
The violently purple, triple-decker bus appeared out of thin air in front of them, narrowly avoiding the nearest lamppost, which jumped backward out of its way.
Stan Shunpike hopped down happily and began his welcome speech. "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, now shunting Amara (whose pockets were now free of Fred and George), Ginny and Hermione forward.
"I've always wanted to go on this thing," said Ron happily, joining them on board the bus and looking happily around the place. The bus had, once again, the same mismatched chairs as last time, all of which were very full up. Looking around, Amara saw them picking themselves up and grumbling – someone's shopping had slid along the floor, making frog spawn, cockroaches and custard creams scatter across the floor in disgusting heaps.
"You'll soon want to retract that statement," said Amara, and Hermione nodded.
"Looks like we'll have to split up," said Tonks briskly, looking around for empty chairs. "Fred, George, and Ginny, if you just take those seats at the back . . . Remus can stay with you. . . ."
She, Amara, Harry, Ron, and Hermione proceeded up to the very top deck, where there were three chairs at the very front of the bus and two at the back. Harry and Ron chose the back ones and walked that way (followed closely by Stan Shunpike) so Amara, Tonks and Hermione went to the ones at the front. Amara chose a chair near a candle bracket so that she could hold on whilst it started moving.
Amara, who had already given Stan the conductor eleven sickles, watched as various witches and wizards braced themselves for the jolt that meant the bus was moving again. It happened very quickly: there was a BANG, and they were suddenly speeding down a motorway outside Birmingham.
It was not a nice trip again. Amara hoped that they didn't have to spend another two hours being flung around the bus. Tonks managed to get a message to Stan and Ernie Prang, the driver, to get them to move the Hogwarts stop forwards, with the help with some more sickles.
BANG
They were driving down a county lane, line with hedgerows, and had many hairpin bends, which made Amara feel sick and Hermione to cover her eyes as Pigwidgeon flew over to join them, landing on Hermione's shoulder and looking out the window happily.
BANG.
They were on a main street in a busy town, where there seemed to be a market on. Amara clutched the candle bracket for dear life, because the seat she was on kept sliding about with each BANG.
BANG.
They changed location – they were trundling along a viaduct in the middle of gorgeous hills. Amara wanted to know where they were – the landscape was really pretty but with another
BANG
they had changed location once more (a windswept road between high-rise flats, each looking rather ugly compared to the lush green hills that had previously been on).
Tonks told them that they were getting off after one more stop.
They stopped outside a small pub on the outskirts of a town in east of England, and they heard a someone retching downstairs, followed by a splattering sound, which could only mean one thing.
There were relieved murmurings on the floor below as the person left, and soon they were gathering speed once more.
BANG.
They were rolling through a snowy Hogsmeade Amara watched the shops flash by as they continued to move towards the castle, which was getting closed. They stopped outside the gates, and they all trooped off, all feeling a little worse for wear.
Lupin and Tonks helped them with their luggage and then got off too, to say good-bye.
The people on the bus were very nosy, because they were all watching them get off and say goodbye to the two adults.
"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.
They said good-bye to Tonks again, who was still looking nervously down the deserted road.
The seven of them walked up the slippery drive with their trunks struggling behind them as the trekked up the hill. Amara felt the normal feeling of returning home (without Umbridge in her mind) and she couldn't help but feel pleased about seeing the castle again.
Hermione started nattering on about knitting some elf hats before they went to bed, but no one was really listening. They reached the oak front doors and started their ascent to the Gryffindor common room. Amara, having had enough of struggling with her trunk, cast Locomotor trunk, and managed to make it float up the stairs instead. The others, who all looked at the floating trunk, hastily followed suit, so they could climb the stairs with ease.
-OOOOO-
The next day was as boring as ever – they had the worst subjects on that, which put a damper on everyone once again. To make matters worse, D.A. members kept asking Harry when they were next having a meeting, so they had to try and get the word around that it wasn't happening that evening.
"I'll let you know when the next one is," Harry said, each time someone asked hopefully, "but I can't do it tonight, I've got to go to — er — Remedial Potions. . . ."
"You take Remedial Potions?" asked Zacharias Smith superciliously, after their lunch. Amara and Ron stood scowling, both wanting to hex the boy at the same time. "Good Lord, you must be terrible, Snape doesn't usually give extra lessons, does he?"
As Smith strode away in an annoyingly buoyant fashion, Ron and Amara glared after him.
"Shall I jinx him? I can still get him from here," he said, raising his wand and taking aim between Smith's shoulder blades.
Amara followed suit. "Which one shall we do?"
"Forget it," said Harry dismally and Amara and Ron lowered their wands in disappointment. "It's what everyone's going to think, isn't it? That I'm really stup —"
"Hi, Harry," said Cho from behind them.
"Oh," said Harry. "Hi."
"We'll be in the library, Harry," said Hermione firmly, and she seized Ron above the elbow and dragged him off toward the marble staircase, with Amara hurrying behind them.
They went to the library, Ron and Amara complaining the entire way ("It's the first day," Ron said.) but Hermione squashed their moans because they did have homework from Snape already.
Harry came back just before the lunch break had ended, looking very happy and practically bouncing down to greet them.
"Er," Ron looked at his happy face. "Care to share?"
"We're going on a date on the next Hogsmeade visit," said Harry, beaming.
"If you mean Ron, then I think you need to tell us something," said Amara seriously as Ron snorted with laughter.
"With Cho," Harry said, not even scowling.
They returned to the library after dinner too, as they had been given more homework and Harry had to go to his first Occlumency lesson with Snape. Amara was not envious of him at all and she wished him luck before he went.
Ron and Amara talked as much as they dared whilst doing their work – Madam Pince or Hermione would tell them off if they got too loud or annoying.
They had to focus, though, because Umbridge's new stream of homework was actually rather annoyingly hard.
"What did you get for this one?" Amara whispered to Ron and Hermione after half an hour of work. "I think I got it wrong …"
"Yeah, the answer is not 'the toad, commonly known as Umbridge'," snorted Ron, reading her work over her shoulder. Amara grinned, but Hermione shot them a look and told Amara the right answer.
All around them, fifth years were struggling with their work. Amara spotted Susan, Hannah and Ernie in one corner with Justin Finch-Fletchley, all peering blearily eyed at the book in front of them as the sky got darker outside. There was a clump of Slytherins, including Millicent Bulstrode, who looked too dumb to know what she was doing, and Daphne Greengrass, who was painting her nails instead. Amara, who was looking for a distraction anyway, remembered meeting Daphne Greengrass on the train ride to Hogwarts. She'd been very interested in asking Amara many questions, but had gotten affronted when Hannah Abbott and Anthony Goldstein had said Slytherins were normally full of bad wizards. She'd never spoken another word to her, once she was sorted into Slytherin. She was one of Pansy Parkinson's gang or girls, along with Millicent and Tracey Davis. Lily Moon, the other Slytherin, sometimes hung around with them too.
Looking away from Daphne and the other Slytherins, Amara saw some Ravenclaws working hard too, with Madam Pince stalking past them. Amara sighed and looked back down at her half-finished essay and continued to write.
She had nearly finished by the time Harry approached them.
"Harry – what's wrong?" said Amara, seeing Harry's face. He was white and shivery, and looked rather sick. "Are you alright?" he sat down opposite them.
"Yeah . . . fine . . . I dunno," said Harry vaguely, wincing.. "Listen . . . I've just realised something. . . the corridor I've been seeing in my dreams. It's the corridor leading to the Department of Mysteries – I remembered seeing it when I went there in the summer. And… I think there's something in there that Voldemort wants."
"So . . . so, are you saying . . ." whispered Ron, as Madam Pince swept past, squeaking slightly, "that the weapon — the thing You- Know-Who's after — is in the Ministry of Magic?"
"In the Department of Mysteries, it's got to be," Harry whispered. "I saw that door when your dad took me down to the courtrooms for my hearing and it's definitely the same one he was guarding when the snake bit him."
"Oh my God," said Amara as Hermione let out a sigh of realisation.
"Of course," she breathed.
"Of course what?" said Ron rather impatiently.
"Ron, think about it. . . . Sturgis Podmore was trying to get through a door at the Ministry of Magic. . . . It must have been that one; it's too much of a coincidence!"
"How come Sturgis was trying to break in when he's on our side?" said Ron.
"Well, I don't know," Hermione admitted. "That is a bit odd. . . ."
"Could've been forced, I suppose," said Amara, thinking.
"So what's in the Department of Mysteries?" Harry asked Ron. "Has your dad ever mentioned anything about it?"
"I know they call the people who work in there 'Unspeakables,'" said Ron, frowning. "Because no one really seems to know what they do in there. . . . Weird place to have a weapon . . ."
"It's not weird at all, it makes perfect sense," said Hermione. "It will be something top secret that the Ministry has been developing, I expect. . . . Harry, are you sure you're all right?"
For Harry had just run both his hands hard over his forehead as though trying to iron it.
"Yeah . . . fine . . ." he said, lowering his hands, which were trembling. "I just feel a bit . . . I don't like Occlumency much. . . ."
"I expect anyone would feel shaky if they'd had their mind attacked over and over again," said Hermione sympathetically. "Look, let's get back to the common room, we'll be a bit more comfortable there. . . ."
This proved to be false – any attempts Amara might've made to her very nearly finished essay were short lived, as Fred and George were demonstrating their latest invention to a crowd of shrieks and laughter.
"Headless Hats!" shouted George, as Fred waved a pointed hat decorated with a fluffy pink feather at the watching students. "Two Galleons each — watch Fred, now!"
Fred swept the hat onto his head, beaming. For a second he merely looked rather stupid, then both hat and head vanished.
Several girls screamed, but everyone else was roaring with laughter. Amara turned away from her essay and watched too, a broad grin on her face as she watched.
"And off again!" shouted George, and Fred's hand groped for a moment in what seemed to be thin air over his shoulder; then his head reappeared as he swept the pink-feathered hat from it again.
"How do those hats work, then?" said Hermione, distracted from her homework too and watching Fred and George. "I mean, obviously it's some kind of Invisibility Spell, but it's rather clever to have extended the field of invisibility beyond the boundaries of the charmed object. . . . I'd imagine the charm wouldn't have a very long life though. . . ."
"Knowing Fred and George, it probably will," said Amara, grinning and hoping she'd be able to buy a hat.
"I'm going to have to do this tomorrow," Harry muttered, pushing the books he had just taken out of his bag back inside it. He still looked rather ill, and Amara was concerned.
"Well, write it in your homework planner then!" said Hermione encouragingly. "So you don't forget!"
Harry and Ron exchanged as Amara snorted quietly, Harry withdrew the planner and opened it tentatively.
"Don't leave it till later, you big second-rater!" chided the book as Harry scribbled down Umbridge's homework. Hermione beamed at it.
"I think I'll go to bed," said Harry, stuffing the homework planner back into his bag rather roughly.
Amara, Hermione and Ron watched him leave the common room – dodging George, who was trying to put a hat on him – and up into the dormitory.
"I think you should go check on him," said Hermione anxiously.
"Why?" said Ron.
"Because he looked really ill from Occlumency," said Amara. "He's probably really weak – he might have another vision or something."
Ron nodded, stuffed his stuff in his bag, and walked to the boys' dormitory too.
Amara and Hermione were left in the noisy common room, both trying to finish their essays. After Amara had finished hers and stuffed it in her bag, she went to bed with Hermione, because the noises from the crowds were getting into her tired brain.