𝐊𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐂𝐇𝐄𝐑, 𝐈𝐓 𝐓𝐑𝐀𝐍𝐒𝐏𝐈𝐑𝐄𝐃, 𝐇𝐀𝐃 𝐁𝐄𝐄𝐍 𝐋𝐔𝐑𝐊𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐀𝐓𝐓𝐈𝐂. Lenna said she 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 Harry 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 Harry caught the house-elf staring at him avidly, not like Ansley ( the Potters' house elf ) would, but always looking quickly away whenever he saw that Harry had noticed.
Harry did not mention his vague suspicions to Sirius or Lenna, whose cheerfulness was evaporating fast now that Christmas was over. As the date of their departure back to Hogwarts drew nearer, Sirius 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.
Harry didn't want to leave Sirius again with only Kreacher for company ( seeing as Lenna and Morgana would be returning to work ); in fact, for the first time in his life, he was not looking forward to returning to Hogwarts. Going back to school would mean placing himself once again under the tyranny of Dolores Umbridge, who had no doubt managed to force through another dozen decrees in their absence; there was no Quidditch to look forward to now that he had been banned; there was every likelihood that their burden of homework would increase as the exams drew even nearer; and Dumbledore remained as remote as ever. In fact, if it hadn't been for the DA, Harry thought he might have begged his parents and Sirius to let him leave Hogwarts and remain in Grimmauld Place.
Then, on the very last day of the holidays, something happened that made Harry positively dread his return to school.
"Harry, Lena, darling," said Lily, poking her head into his and Ron's bedroom, where the pair of them were playing wizard chess watched by Alena, Hermione, and Crookshanks, "could you come down to the kitchen? Professor Snape would like a word with the both of you."
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