Wulburga Black would have hated the silent calm left in the wake of her permanent removal, yet this was now, happily, a matter of mere speculation.
Sirius closed his eyes and smiled, his shoulders immediately relaxing, as the peace settled in his home. For a moment they all stood in the hallway with parted lips, hesitating even to breathe, savoring the absence, gleefully staring with wide eyes at the space where the portrait was.
"Hermione." Sirius turned after a long moment, facing her with hands clasped together. "I'm rather inclined to give you an embarrassingly large share of the Black fortune."
She smiled at this, blushing a touch and waving the implications away. "For all the torture that my constant citation of Hogwarts: A History has been to Harry, Ron, and really anyone that happened to be relaxing in the Gryffindor common room for the last four years, I suppose I owe it to the world to make some good come of it."
Harry looked around, taking in the scene with new eyes. "You know, Sirius, it really feels like a different home."
Sirius nodded, considering. "I've suspected for some time that the portrait's enchantments extended far beyond permanent attachment." He turned to the others. "You see, most witches and wizards turn to the darkness as a matter of utility. There are tools and methods available by means of dark magic that can be quite appealing in a pinch. My mother, however, embraced darkness as an expression of devotion. She longed for it, I'm afraid, to her beating heart. And she embraced every aspect."
He paused, breathing deeply. "After turning fugitive, it soon became clear that my home was the safest available shelter. Within hours of settling here I found myself feeling despair — not in the normal sense, associated with fears or anxieties related to Harry, or to Lupin, or to Voldy's return." His gaze shifted to the empty wall. "No, I began to feel despair at my very core. I began to forget what hope felt like, not exactly as if I was standing in the presence of a Dementor, but analogous to it. That's when I began attempting to remove that horrid portrait. My mother was capable of senseless cruelty, and dark magic has a way of radiating from her creations."
At this, he looked into the distance, and for a moment was lost in thought. Suddenly, he shook himself. "That's all gone now, it seems. If you're feeling that something has changed, it's likely that her portrait was an anchor of the darkness." He paused for a moment, smiling broadly. "I suspect the remaining aspects of our ever delayed remodel will fall into place soon enough."
"Don't suppose you're ready for another attempt at expansion charms, Sirius?" George spoke, leaning against the now empty wall.
Fred continued. "Not a bad idea, brother. We're thinking a potions lab. Terribly useful. A perfect replacement for that dusty old broom closet on the second floor."
"You won't miss it, Sirius. Who needs brooms anyhow?" George threw in.
"And who couldn't use a potions lab? We've learned from our past mistakes, don't you worry." Fred's plea was dressed in feigned confidence, and more than a little desperation.
Sirius shook his head with a knowing expression. "No, boys." He crossed his arms. "No. Obliviating the neighbors foolishly forced us into a precarious position. And you nearly tanked the wards my family has labored to maintain for generations."
"But—" George yelped.
"No." Sirius was immovable. "Not here. Not in this house."
They deflated visibly, a sight nearly as pathetic as the desperate plea it followed.
Harry laughed. "I've got a few cauldrons back at my place, guys. I'll need one of them, but you're welcome to the other."
Their eyes shot wide open, lit with excitement. To his left, for only a moment, Harry noticed Hermione biting her lip and fighting a smile.
"Cheers, Harry!" Fred exclaimed. He turned to George. "Brother, weren't we just reflecting on the grandeur of dear Harry's character?"
"Indeed, brother." George replied, wearing a playful grin. "Such generosity of spirit. So kind of him to mentor poor Ronniekins. A hard case, that one."
"Now hang on." Ron shoved in, his expression settling into a michievous smirk. "Harry here neglected to mention the conditions of such an offer." He leaned forward. "Whatever it is you're brewing, we get a cut of the finished product." He shifted beside Harry, puffed up his chest proudly, and crossed his arms.
George raised his eyebrows in feigned suprise, nudging his twin meaningfully. "You drive a hard bargain, Ron. I dunno. What do you say, Fred?"
Fred nodded, fighting back a grin. "Don't you worry, Ron. We'd already decided, you'll be the first to sample the fresh goods."
Vague confusion washed over Ron's features.
Harry clapped him on the shoulder, joining in the contagious laughter. "I'm not sure you got the better end of that bargain, Ron."
A moment later, Fred and George dissapeared momentarily to gather the ingredients they'd collected. After bidding farewell to Sirius and the others, they all headed toward the drawing room together.
Harry, Luna, Hermione, Fred, George, and Ron arrived in turn, and after a moment the group huddled in the midst of Harry's living room.
Ron's wide eyes scanned the walls and furnishings before them. "This is brilliant, Harry! You've got this place all to yourself?"
Harry nodded, briefly explaining the clever spellcraft of Dumbledore, and trying desperately to avoid any allusion of the purpose for it all.
In passing he mentioned that he'd been granted access to the Gryffindor common room. Fred and George lit up, stumbling to interrupt.
"Hang on." George threw in.
"You mean, you can come and go as you please, all year 'round?" Fred finished.
Harry nodded. "Dumbledore felt I'd benefit from access to the library, and, I suppose, the potions lab, as I prepare for exams."
George fought back the burgeoning hope that had overcome his features. "I don't suppose he'd extend such an invitation to your dearest pals?"
Fred nodded. "On an altogether different note, you're looking rather dashing this afternoon, Harry. Weren't we just reflecting on Harry's good looks, brother?"
"Indeed, brother. Such striking features wedded to unparalleled intelligence and remarkable charm. Hardly natural, that."
Harry rolled his eyes, laughing. "He didn't mention, actually. But I'll ask."
"Excellent!" The twins grinned happily.
Hermione stepped in. "I needn't remind you that Harry's studies are paramount, and the purpose of such access is to facilitate those studies. Any… nefarious disruptions will not go unnoticed." She crossed her arms, tapping her right foot and wearing a judgmental expression.
George immediately adopted a pained expression, feigning injury. "The injustice." He shook his head, exhaling slowly. "Never in my many tortured days has such a suggestion landed so heavily upon my heart."
Fred fought a smile, shifting his gaze to Hermione and capturing her attention. He held up his right hand. "I do solemly swear, Hermione Granger, on pain of hex, that we will do everything in our power to keep Harry's attention fixed solely upon his studies."
He smiled full at this, his eyes fixed on Hermione for a prolonged moment after speaking. She blushed, finally rolling her eyes and nodding in agreement.
Ron broke the silence, turning to Harry. "Aren't you going to show us the rest of the house?"
"Books." Ron said this flatly, entirely deflated. "The house is basically all books."
Luna stood between them. Hermione and the Twins had strayed to the potions lab, exploring the shelves of ingredients.
Harry nodded. "Yeah, I suppose. Aside from the potions lab, there's a few places to sit, a place to eat, and a pretty massive library."
He shook his head. "Sounds awful."
Luna's eyes went wide.
Harry laughed. "It's really pretty great, actually. Apparently my family has been collecting the finest magical texts for twenty generations."
Ron nodded, his brow furrowed. "That's great, I suppose, as far as it goes. But what do you do with your time?"
Luna didn't attempt to conceal her expression of dumbfounded shock. Ron didn't notice.
Harry rolled his eyes. "You read, Ron. Not everything is about Quidditch and Wizard's Chess."
Ron stumbled. "I know that. It's just. Books are for school, is all. Summer is for… you know… fun."
At this, Luna spoke, her melodic whispers capturing their attention. "You see leather covers and yellowed pages. You see words. Look further, Ron. Beyond those words is a world of striking beauty, of brilliant discovery. The spell woven by those ancient pages can stir your wildest imagination, grant you eyes to see enchanted mysteries. Profound power lies just beyond them."
She halted, shifting her gaze away. "Perhaps reading isn't 'fun' in the sense that you mean. But they're leading you to wonder, power, and purpose. In the end, to joy."
Finished, she turned to face him directly. "Isn't that better, Ron Weasley?"
Taken aback, his eyes darted from Luna's piercing gaze to Harry's observant expression. After a moment, he spoke, the words falling awkwardly. "I, er, I suppose that makes sense."
He shifted awkwardly from his heels to his toes, his hands anchored to his back pockets, desperate for a change of subject.
Harry eyes narrowed, barely noticable, and there was something like loss in his half-hearted smile. "I understand, Ron." He took a breath, steeled himself, shifting his gaze to the floor between them. "But listen. Even if you hated every minute of it. Voldemort's back. He's clever, and he's powerful, and he's surrounded by dangerous supporters. We aren't up to the task of resisting him, not yet. From this point on, wasting time isn't a luxury we've been given. Every moment we waste risks the lives of good people."
He raised his eyes to meet Rons, and held his gaze unflinchingly. "We aren't ready, Ron, and he's coming for us. It's time to grow up."
Ron's expression shifted, and something about Harry's words seemed to wake him from stupor. He set his jaw, nodded slowly. "Right. You're right."
He shifted his attention from Harry to Luna, and back again. "Okay." He hesitated. "Okay. I'm in. But I'll need help." He gestured vaguely to the stacks of leather-bound tomes. "I've never been great at this sort of thing."