the order - f.weasley

- c h a p t e r - n i n e t e e n -

 Gemma sighed tiredly as she flipped the page of her book.

Her friends and brother were playing Wizards' Chess upstairs, and she had a slight headache, so she chose to go and hide in the library instead.

Fred was off somewhere with George doing only God knew what, her dad was out with Moody and Tonks (to the father and daughter's dismay), and Sirius was...

Sirius was somewhere.

She had just finished a chapter when Mrs. Weasley tottered in and said, "Dear, do you mind coming to the kitchen?"

Gemma furrowed her brows at her tone, but she stood, sliding her bookmark between the pages, and followed the woman to the kitchen.

She was going to miss Grimmauld Place.

The closer the holiday came to close, the more and more anxious she got about going back to Hogwarts, which was unusual, and she hated it.

She had told her therapist that and then quickly backtracked because Gemma couldn't tell the woman domestic violence was happening at school.

Gemma shook away her thoughts when Harry came around the corner and whispered, "What the bloody hell does Snape want?"

Her head snapped to him, "What do you mean? Snape is here?!"

Harry shrugged, his face pale.

Gemma grabbed his hand tightly, panic holding her in a chokehold.

Why was he here?!

The two made it to the door, staring at it briefly, before Gemma whispered, "Here we go..."

Entering the kitchen was like walking into a wall of tension.

Sirius and Snape were seated at the long table, glaring in opposite directions, and the silence was almost painful.

Gemma looked at the letter opened in front of Sirius as Harry coughed, "Er—"

Snape's head snapped towards them and peered at them through his greasy black hair that framed his face, "Sit down, Potter, Lupin."

Gemma did not like him saying her name, but she did as he said, moving to sit when Sirius leaned his chair back, almost shouting at the ceiling, "You know, I think I'd prefer it if you didn't give orders here, Snape. It's my house, you see."

Snape's face went red as Gemma and Harry slipped into seats beside Sirius, neither breathing as they looked between them.

"I was supposed to see you two alone, Lupin, Potter," Snape sneered, his lips curling dangerously, "but Black —"

"I'm their godfather," Sirius was borderline shouting.

"I am here on Dumbledore's orders," Snape's voice was actually growing quieter with each word, "but by all means stay, Black, I know you like to feel . . . involved."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Merely that I am sure you must feel — ah — frustrated by the fact that you can do nothing useful for the Order."

Gemma could feel the air getting charged–Sirius's face was red, too–and she cleared her throat and said, "Professor, why are you here?"

Snape, who was smirking at Sirius, flicked his eyes to the two teens and said, "The headmaster has sent me to tell you, you two, that it is his wish for you to study Occlumency this term."

Gemma furrowed her brows, vaguely recalling the term as Harry asked, "Study what?"

Snape sneered at him, "Occlumency, Potter. The magical defence of the mind against external penetration. An obscure branch of magic, but a highly useful one."