Hp: Hermione and Darkness

Fred gave the Extendable Ear a hearty tug; there was another loud crack, and he and George vanished. Seconds later, Mrs Weasley appeared in the bedroom doorway.

"The meeting's over. You can come down and have dinner now. Everyone's dying to see you, Harry. And who's left all those Dungbombs outside the kitchen door?"

"Crookshanks," said Ginny unblushingly. "He loves playing with them."

"Oh," said Mrs Weasley, "I thought it might have been Kreacher. He keeps doing odd things like that. Now, don't forget to keep your voices down in the hall. Ginny, your hands are filthy. What have you been doing? Go and wash them before dinner, please."

Ginny grimaced at the others and followed her mother out of the room, leaving Harry alone with Ron and Hermione. Both Hermione and Ron stared at Harry, trying to gauge his mood. He looked ashamed, his eyes cast downwards.

"Look…" Harry muttered, but Ron shook his head, and Hermione said quietly, "We knew you'd be angry, Harry. We really don't blame you, but you've got to understand, we did try to persuade Dumbledore-"

"Yeah, I know," said Harry shortly, and Hermione shut up. She didn't want the whole thing to start over again.

Harry glanced around the room, clearly trying to shift the focus. "Who's Kreacher?" he asked.

"The house-elf who lives here," said Ron before Hermione could open her mouth. "Nutter. Never met one like him."

Hermione frowned at Ron. "He's not a nutter, Ron."

"His life's ambition is to have his head cut off and stuck up on a plaque just like his mother," said Ron irritably. "Is that normal, Hermione?"

"Well – well, if he is a bit strange, it's not his fault."

"Hermione still hasn't given up on SPEW," Ron said, and Hermione thought she saw him roll his eyes.

"It's not SPEW!" said Hermione heatedly. "It's the Society for the Promotion of Elfish Welfare. And it's not just me. Dumbledore says we should be kind to Kreacher, too."

"Yeah, yeah," said Ron. "C'mon, I'm starving."

He led the way out of the door and onto the landing, but before they could descend the stairs –

"Hold it!" Ron breathed, flinging out an arm to stop Hermione and Harry from walking any further. "They're still in the hall. We might be able to hear something."

The three of them looked cautiously over the bannisters. The gloomy hallway below was packed with witches and wizards, whispering excitedly together. Professor Snape was at the centre of the group. The mere sight of him made Hermione's insides turn over.

A thin piece of flesh-coloured string descended right in front of them. They all looked up and saw Fred and George on the landing above, cautiously lowering the Extendable Ear towards the dark knot of people below. A moment later, however, they all began to move towards the front door and out of sight.

"Dammit," Fred whispered as he hoisted the Extendable Ear back up again.

They heard the front door open and then close.

"Snape never eats here," Ron told Harry quietly. "Thank God. C'mon."

"And don't forget to keep your voice down in the hall, Harry," Hermione whispered. Waking up Mrs Black would probably send Harry entirely over the edge.

As they passed the row of house-elf heads on the wall, they saw Lupin, Mrs Weasley, and Tonks at the front door, magically sealing its many locks and bolts behind those who had just left.

"We're eating down in the kitchen," Mrs Weasley whispered, meeting them at the bottom of the stairs. "Harry, dear, if you'll just tiptoe across the hall, it's through this door here-"

CRASH.

"Tonks!" cried Mrs Weasley in exasperation, turning to look behind her.

"I'm sorry!" wailed Tonks, lying flat on the floor. "It's that stupid umbrella stand, that's the second time I've tripped over-"

But the rest of her words were drowned by the horrible, ear-splitting, blood-curdling cries of Mrs Black.

Everyone snapped into motion except Harry, who stood in shock with his hands over his ears. Lupin and Mrs Weasley darted forward and tried to tug the curtains shut over the old woman, but they would not close, and she screeched louder than ever, brandishing clawed hands as though trying to tear at their faces.

"FILTH! SCUM! BY-PRODUCTS OF DIRT AND VILENESS! HALF-BREEDS, MUTANTS, FREAKS, BEGONE FROM THIS PLACE! HOW DARE YOU BEFOUL THE HOUSE OF MY FATHERS-" As she screamed, a chill seemed to settle over the hallway, and Hermione couldn't shake the feeling that these walls had witnessed horrors far worse than they could imagine.

Tonks apologised repeatedly, dragging the huge, heavy troll's leg back off the floor. Mrs Weasley abandoned the attempt to close the curtains and hurried up and down the hall, stunning all the other portraits with her wand. Suddenly, Sirius appeared in the hallway.

"Shut up, you horrible old hag, shut UP!" Sirius roared, seizing the curtain Mrs Weasley had abandoned.

The old woman's face blanched.

"YOOOOU!" she howled, her eyes popping at the sight of the man. "BLOOD TRAITOR, ABOMINATION, SHAME OF MY FLESH!"

"I said – shut – UP!" yelled Sirius, and with a spectacular effort, he and Lupin managed to force the curtains closed again.

The old woman's screeches died, and an echoing silence fell.

Panting slightly and sweeping his long dark hair out of his eyes, Sirius turned to Harry, who was standing with his mouth agape.

"Hello, Harry," he said grimly, "I see you've met my mother."

....

Want to read ahead by more than 60 chapters. Then join my pa*treon now.

Link: pa*treon.com/Amelie796 (Remove the *)

Free members will get 2 chapters for free.