Emma Potter; Going to War

33: Occlumency

Kreacher,  it transpired, 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, it made me uneasy. 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 I caught the house-elf staring avidly at me, always looking quickly away when he saw that I had noticed. 

I did not mention my vague suspicions to Sirius, whose cheerfulness was evaporating fast now that Christmas was over. As the date of our 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 us became infected by it. 

I did not want to leave Sirius all alone again with only Kreacher for company. In fact, for the first time in my life, I was not looking forward to returning to Hogwarts. Going back to school would mean placing myself once again under the tyranny of Dolores Umbridge,who had no doubt managed to force through another dozen decrees in our absence. There was every likelihood that our burden of homework would increase as the exams drew even nearer; Dumbledore remained as remote as ever; in fact, if it had not been for the S.S., I felt I might have gone to Sirius and begged him to let me leave Hogwarts and remain in Grimmauld Place. 

Then, on the very last day of the holidays, something happened that made me positively dread positively return to school. 

"Harry, Emma dear," said Mrs. Weasley, poking her head into Harry and Ron's bedroom, where the pair of them were playing wizard chess watched by Me, Hermione, Ginny, and Crookshanks, "could you both comedown to the kitchen? Professor Snape would like a word with you."

I raised an eyebrow but Harry did not immediately register what she had said; one of hiscastles 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, dears. In the kitchen. He'd like a word."

 Harry's mouth fell open in horror. We looked around at Ron,Hermione, and Ginny, all of whom were gaping back at us. Crookshanks, whom Hermione had been restraining with difficulty for thepast 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?" said Ron, looking unnerved as Mrs. Weasley withdrew from the room.

"You haven't done anything, have you?"

 "No!" said Harry indignantly,I was racking my brains to think what we could have done that would make Snape pursue us to Grimmauld Place. 

 We pushed open the kitchen door a minute or two later to find Sirius and Snape both seated at the long kitchen table, glaring in opposite directions. The silence between them was heavy with mutual dislike. A letter lay open on the table in front of Sirius. 

"Er," said Harry to announce our presence. 

Snape looked around at us, his face framed between curtains of greasy black hair."Sit down, Potters."