A Sirius Summer

22nd August 1995

The kitchen buzzed with activity. Mrs Weasley was busy baking for the order meeting that evening and Harry, Ron and the rest of the children were caught up in an exploding snap tournament that Fred and George had instigated just after breakfast.

Harry had not felt this relaxed amongst his friends all summer and was casually leaning against Fred's shoulder as he watched Ginny annihilate Ron in their match while George yelled encouragement in the form of insults towards his younger brother.

At the end of the table, Hermione sat next to Remus, reading a supplementary book he had lent her for the defence homework, which she was in the process of rewriting for the third time. Noticing the werewolf's grin at Harry's relaxed position, Harry sat up slightly, sending a small glare towards his old teacher. Both Remus and Sirius had been insinuating things about Harry's friendship with the twins and it was starting to get annoying.

"Alright Harry you are up, the final is between you and Ginny." George called putting on his commentators voice."

"We are all still finishing our summer homework after this game, right?" Hermione's voice cut across, eliciting a groan from all of the Weasley's.

"Come on 'mione its summer and we have been cleaning like house-elves all month. Let us have a break."

"Well house-elves do not get breaks and homework is important." Hermione sniffed. "Perhaps after this experience you will understand the reason behind S.P.E.W."

"If S.P.E.W means helping deranged elves like Kretcher I don't want to know." Ron grumbled leaning over to shuffle the cards, dealing them evenly between Harry and Ginny.

"Kretcher is not deranged. He is an old elf who needs a kindly hand..."

"Speaking as your ex-teacher, I think it would be beneficial for you all to finish your homework today." Remus cut over Hermione's rant to the relief of the rest of the kitchen. "If you all do it here then you can help each other and get it done that bit quicker."

Harry ignored Hermione's smug grin and Ron's muttered grumbles concentrating on the cards he and Ginny were alternately flipping onto the growing stack between them.

"Snap!"

BANG!

The kitchen was filled with the scent of smoke and Harry found himself and Ginny enveloped in a black cloud from where Harry had pre-emptively snapped a pair of cards that didn't match. They emerged from the cloud a few seconds later to the rest of the group grinning at their expense.

"Bad luck mate." Ron laughed slapping him on the back as Ginny took a victory lap of the kitchen table perched between Fred and George's shoulders.

"Alright, that is enough everyone." Mrs Weasley chided gently, clearing the cards away with a flick of her wand and floating a plate of biscuits and pots of tea to the table. "Remus had the right idea, I think you should all settle down with your homework for an hour until it is time for lunch."

Grumbles filled the kitchen as everyone slouched off to comply with Mrs Weasley's orders. Hermione merely reached down to the satchel that was by her feet, pulling several scrolls of parchment out onto the table and organising a small stack of books in front of her.

Harry lent over to pour himself a cup of tea, glad that his homework was out the way. Maybe he could hunt down Sirius and convince him to duel with him. Though his father had mentioned a new Ancient Runes worksheet over breakfast, so he wasn't to eager to hunt him down, just in case Sirius remembered to give it to him.

"Harry, why are you not doing your homework" Hermione asked sharply glancing from behind her barricade of books.

"I finished it a few days ago." Harry shrugged reaching for a biscuit, the excitement of the exploding snap tournament had left him feeling a bit peckish.