August 4th, 1997They waited days for Kreacher to return, growing more and more anxious by the
minute. Harry and Sirius practised duelling in the cellar, which had been emptied of
everything except a large, old, iron cage that Remus had used to secure himself during the
full moon before Grimmauld Place had been compromised. Meanwhile, Ron and
Hermione usually kept to the drawing room, Hermione reading the book of stories that
Dumbledore had given her and Ron playing with his Deluminator.
Making their way up the stairs from the cellar, Sirius could feel the tension in the
room as he watched Hermione's eyes narrow in on Ron while he clicked the little
instrument in his hands and watched as the lights went in and out of the nearby lamps.
Before she had a chance to completely snap and attack him, Sirius snatched the
Deluminator out of Ron's hands.
"Hey!" Ron glared.
"You'll get this back when you learn to do something else with your boredom.
You've got a hand fixation; go smoke," Sirius suggested, tossing his pack of cigarettes to
Ron.
Ron blinked at the small box, but before he made another move, his gaze switched
to Hermione, who looked absolutely murderous.
"Don't. You. Dare."
Ron flinched. Harry averted his eyes. Sirius grinned at her.
"I think I'll pass, mate," Ron said, handing the cigarettes back to Sirius, taking a step
out of the room, likely trying to avoid the potential blast radius.
Hermione turned her narrowed glare on Sirius, who was not only willing but also
eager to face whatever wrath she had in store for him. Before either could say a word,
however, the security curses shot off in the front hallway, and everyone banded together
in the drawing room, pulling their wands.
"Hold your fire. It's me, Remus!"
"Oh, thank goodness," said Hermione weakly, pointing her wand at Sirius's mother
instead; with a bang, the curtains swished shut, and silence fell. Ron, too, lowered his wand,
but Harry and Sirius did not.