Supported & Torn (HP) {Book 3 of the Wild & Free Series}

19. Occlumency

We all had noticed that Kreacher had been gone for a long time. He didn't even appear when Sirius called for him, but 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 Harry and 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.

Harry and 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. Then there was no Quidditch to look forward to now that Fred, George, Harry and I had been banned; 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 D.A., I felt I might have gone to Sirius and begged him to let Harry and me leave Hogwarts and remain in Grimmauld Place.

Then, on the very last day of the holidays, something happened that made me think otherwise of my return to school.

"Harry and Liana, dears," said Mrs. Weasley, poking her head into Harry, Rowan and Ron's bedroom, where Harry and Ron were playing wizard chess watched by Hermione, Ginny,  Crookshanks, Nymeria and me; Lucy and Rowan were also playing wizard chess, Rowan teaching Lucy patiently all the rules, "could you come down to the kitchen? Professor Snape would like a word with you both."

Harry did not immediately register what she had said; 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 — sorry, Mrs. Weasley, what did you say?"

"Professor Snape, dear. In the kitchen. He'd like a word."

I watched as Harry's mouth fell open in horror. He looked around at Ron, Hermione, Lucy, Rowan and Ginny, all of whom were gaping back at him.

"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," I said, not as upset about it as Harry.

Harry and I pushed open the kitchen door a minute or two later to find Sirius and Professor 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.
Professor Snape looked around at us, his face framed between curtains of greasy black hair.

"Sit down, Potters."