Burke, it turned out, had been lurking in the attic. Sune said he had found him there, covered in dust, no doubt looking for more relics from hamato family to hide in his closet. Although Sune seemed satisfied with this story, so did alex restless. Burke seemed to be in a better mood on his return, his bitter murmuring had subsided somewhat, and he sent orders to more docilely than normal, although one or two times alex trapped in the house-elf staring at her eagerly, but always looking away quickly when he saw that Alex had noticed.

alex did not mention her vague suspicions to Sune, if hilarity were evaporating quickly now that Christmas was over. Since the time of their departure back to Hogwarts approached, she became more and more inclined to what Mrs. Weasley called "fit sullens' where she would become taciturn and morose, often pull back to Buck's room for several hours at a time. His darkness seeped through the house, seeping under doorways like some noxious gas, so all of them were infected by it.



So at the very last day of vacation, something happened that made Harry positively dread his return to school.



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

Alexs mouth fell open in horror. She looked around at Bennett, John and Paugh, which were all gaping back at her. Patsy, who Bennett had been restraining with difficulty for the last quarter of an hour, jumped merrily on to the table and put the pieces running for cover, squealing at the top of their voices.

"Snape? 'Said alex empty.

'Professor Snape, dear, "said her aunt Kelora reproachfully." Now it quickly, he says that he can not last long. '

"What's he want with you? 'Said John, and as nervous as his mother withdrew from the room.' You have not done anything, have you?"

"No!" alex said indignantly, racking her brain to think what she could have done that would make Snape pursue her to her her aunt's house. Had his last piece of homework perhaps earned a '03 '?

A minute or two later, she pushed the kitchen door to find Sune and Snape both sitting at the long kitchen table, glaring in opposite directions. The silence between them was heavy with mutual aversion. A letter lay open on the table in front of Sirius.

"Uh," said Alex, announcing her presence.

Snape looked around at her, his face framed between curtains of greasy black hair.

'Sit down, hamato.'

'You know, "said Sune loudly and leaned back on his rear chair legs and speaking I prefer it if you do not give orders here, Snape. That's my daughter's house, you see."

An ugly flSune, facing Snape across the table.

"I talk to you alone, hamato," said Snape, the familiar sneer curling his mouth, "but hamato - '

"I'm her grandfather," said Sune, higher than ever.

"I am here on Dumbledore's orders." said Snape, whose voice, however, was becoming more and more quietly waspish, 'but by all means stay hamato I know you like to feel ... involved. "

'What does this mean? "Said Sune and let his chair fall back on all four legs with a loud bang.

"Just that I'm sure you must feel - Ah - frustrated by the fact that you can not do anything useful," Snape laid a delicate emphasis on the word, "to notice."

It was Pegasus's turn to flush. Snape's lip curled in triumph as he turned to Alex.

"Rector has sent me to tell you hamato that it is his desire for you to study Occlumency this term."

"Study what? ' said alex empty.

Snape's sneer bmagi, but very useful. "

Alexs heart began to pump very fast indeed. Defence against external penetration? But she was not being occupied, they were all agreed that ...

"Why should I study Occlu - thing?" She blurted out.

"Because the president think it a good idea," said Snape smoothly. 'You will receive private lessons once a week, but you will not tell anyone what you're doing, least of all to learn. Do you understand? "

"Yes," said Alex. "Who's going to be teaching me? '

Snape raised an eyebrow.

"I am," he said.

alex had the terrible feeling that her insides were melting.

Extra lessons with Snape - what on earth had she done to deserve this? She looked quickly at Sune help.

'Why can not teach Dumbledore alex? "Asked Sune aggressively. 'Why you?'

"I suppose because it is a rector privilege to delegate less enjoyable tasks," said Snape silkily. "I can assure you that I am not asking for the job." He got to his feet. "I expect you at six o'clock Monday evening, hamato. My office. If anyone asks, you are taking remedial Potions. Nobody who has seen you in my classes could deny you need them."

He turned to leave, his black cape billowing journey behind him.

"Wait a minute," said Sune sit up straighter in his chair.

Snape turned back to face them, mockingly.

"I am rather a hurry, hamato. Unlike you, I do not have unlimited time."

"I'll get to the point, then," said Sune, standing up. He was somewhat larger than Snape, as Alex noted, rolled his fist in the pocket of his cloak over what alex was sure was the handle of his wand. "If I hear you use Occlumency lessons to harass my grandson, it becomes worse for yourself."

"How touching," Snape sneered. "But surely you've noticed that hamato is much like his father? '

"Yes I have," said Sune proud.

'Well, then you will know that he is so arrogant that criticism simply jump from him, "Snape said slim.

Sune pushed his chair roughly aside and went around the table towards Snape pulled his wand as he went. Snape whipped his own. They square up to each other Sune looks livid, Snape calculating, his eyes darting from Sune's wand tip to his face.

"Grandpa!" alex said aloud, but Sune seemed not to hear her.

"I have warned you, Snape," said Sune, his face barely a fodu have reformed, I know better - '

"Oh, but why do not you tell him?" whispered Snape. "Or are you afraid that he might not take very seriously the advice of a man who has been hidden in his house for six months?"




Sune raised his wand.

'NO!' alex shouted, vaulting over the table and trying to get in between them. "Grandpa, stop he is not worth it! Snape put his wand away"



"At six o'clock, Monday evening, hamato. '

And he was gone. Sune stared after him, his wand at his side.