WE'LL TAKE ON THE WORLD ; h.j.p.

21 | New Term

Sirius' cheerfulness was evaporating fast now that Christmas was over, and the new year had begun. 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.

The silver and golden tinsel had lost its lustre, cobwebs were once again covering the mistletoes whose lightsome singing had turned into annoying croaking until Mrs. Weasley unhung them from the doorways, and one morning, the Christmas tree had disappeared from the living room.

It was the last day of their holidays and they were spending it in Ron and Harry's bedroom, the two boys sitting in between their two beds in front of a wizard chessboard. Hermione was following the game from Ron's bed; Ginny and Allie from Harry's. Crookshanks was watching the moving figures with hungry, yellow eyes from Hermione's lap, who did her best to restrain him.

Someone knocked on the bedroom door, and Allison turned to spot Mrs. Weasley poking her head into the room.

"Harry dear," She said, "could you come down to the kitchen? Professor Snape would like a word with you."

Allison pulled a grimace. "Ugh. What's he doing here?"

"Allison, he's a teacher!" Mrs. Weasley said warningly.

Harry had apparently not yet registered Mrs. Weasley's words; 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 -" Allison swung one leg from Harry's bed to nudge him in the ribs. " - yes, 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. Allison, Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were mirroring his expression. 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 does he want with you?" Ron said, looking unnerved as Mrs. Weasley withdrew from the room. "You haven't done anything, have you?"

"No!" Harry said indignantly, getting up to follow Mrs. Weasley downstairs.

"We don't have any Extendable Ears left, have we?" Ginny asked, pushing herself up.

"No, don't think so..." Ron reached up to open a drawer of his nightstand and rummaged through it, only to unsuccessfully close it again.

"Well, maybe we can hear something from the stairs," Hermione suggested and picked up Crookshanks, who was chewing on one of Ron's chess figures.

"Beware, Hermione is being rebellious again," snickered Allison, and along with Ron and Ginny, she followed Hermione out towards the railing of the stairs.

They did not make it down a quarter of the stairs because Mrs. Weasley emerged from the sitting room on the ground floor, a tiny white owl on her shoulder and a letter in her hands.

Allison shared a look with Ron, who shrugged.

"Oh...but...oh, Merlin..." Mrs. Weasley stammered. A giggle escaped her lips.

"Mum? Are you alright?" Ginny asked, worry in her voice. Mrs. Weasley looked up at them. She was crying, but the wide smile on her face indicated that they were tears of joy.