The Devil On My Shoulder

Harry glanced up from the scrap of paper as it turned to ash and drifted to the ground. He gasped in awe at a townhouse that most certainly wasn’t there when he had first arrived. 

“Congratulations you just got to experience the Fidelius Charm. Nothing was there, well would you look at that now there is.” Riddle’s tone was sarcastic but Harry barely paid him any attention. 

Professor Lupin smiled at him, “Come now Harry, let’s head inside.”

The silver serpent knocker on the door caught Harry’s eye as he was led inside by his old professor. The house had an eerie silence about it, as if you spoke just a touch too loud something disastrous could happen. This feeling was reinforced when the normally louder-spoken Mrs.Weasley came through a door at the end of the hall and whispered.

“Oh hello Harry, wonderful to see you dear. You’re looking a bit on the thinner side but dinner will have to wait until after the meeting. Head just up the stairs, second floor and the first door on your right. Ron and Hermione should be there, or just in the room across.” She pushed him towards the stairs, he stumbled slightly and scowled. “Oh and make sure to whisper in the hall, don’t want to make a racket.” 

Harry grumbled slightly but made his way up the stairs. He was shocked to spot house-elf heads mounted on plaques on the walls. 

“Ah yes, that’ll be the Black family. Always a slightly unhinged bunch, I believe your godfather’s father was Orion Black, he wasn’t a follower of mine exactly but he certainly followed us around like puppies enough to be considered one. His elder sister, Lucretia Black was officially considered one of the Knights back in our Hogwarts days.”  Riddle idly commented as Harry made it to the second-floor landing. 

He pushed open the door on the right, as Mrs.Weasley said, there sat Ron and Hermione on a twin bed. Within two seconds his vision was obscured by Hermione’s bushy hair. 

Harry coughed slightly and pushed her off. 

“Goodness Hermione let the bloke get a breath!” Ron chuckled good-naturedly. 

Harry glared at the two, he noticed there were marks on their hands, they looked like the marks an owl would leave if it pecked someone’s fingers. He smirked slightly, thinking back to telling Hedwig to peck their fingers if she must. 

“So, want to explain why you two didn’t bother to send a single letter? Why Hermione is even here in the first place? What this place even is at all? Why no one bothered to tell me anything at all?” He attempted to keep his voice level but his frustration leaked through. 

“Oh, Harry! We wanted to so bad! But Headmaster Dumbledore told us it wouldn’t be safe for anyone!” Hermione exclaimed with a worried undertone to her words. “And I have been so worried after we heard about the dementor attack! I can’t believe the ministry is actually trying to expel you! Of course, at your hearing, it will be easy to get off as you can’t expel an underage witch or wizard if they used magic in a life-threatening situation.” 

“This is the first I have even been informed that I have a hearing at the ministry at all.” Harry glared at her as he spoke. 

“Well I’ll be, it seems your friends really do follow the whims of Dumbledore over the care of their supposed best friend. I had wondered of course, and I knew Weasley was fickle, especially after the Triward Tournament debacle last year.”  Riddle commented. 

“Geez Harry lay off Hermione. What was she supposed to do? Go against Dumbledore’s direct orders? Plus is it really our fault you don’t know anything about the hearing?” Ron pushed off the bed and stood next to a nervous looking Hermione. 

“That is exactly what I am saying Ron! I was at the Dursley’s for days after the dementor attack and I sent you both bloody letters saying exactly what happened! You didn’t even bother to reply Ron! I was stuck with those disgusting muggles almost this whole summer without a scrap of news from the two people that are supposed to be my best friends! Instead, you ignore me the whole summer, just because Dumbledore said to! We have made a habit of breaking rules and technically even laws but you didn’t even bother to try and send me a letter!” Harry pointed a finger at Hermione, “And why couldn’t muggle post work if you were worried about owls being tracked? Think outside the box Hermione, aren’t you supposed to be the brightest witch of our age?!” 

Hermione appeared to be on the verge of tears and Harry felt a stab of guilt towards his treatment of his friends, yet that guilt evaporated the minute Ron yelled back at him. 

“You’re being ridiculous Harry! We don’t deserve you yelling at us just because we followed what Dumbledore said, especially Hermione! You know that she is more likely to follow what teachers say, especially Dumbledore! And now you are sitting here yelling at us, barely even letting us explain, plus blaming us for your ignorance! Which isn’t even our fault, you’re being a right bastard.” 

“I’ll have you know my parents were very much married, Ron.” Harry glared at him. “And I am not being ridiculous and you know it! We have gone behind the backs of teachers repeatedly, making a joke out of the school rules for years! Not even including the literal laws me and Hermione broke in our third year by illegally time travelling to help a fugitive escape!” 

“But Sirius was innocent! We were justified in our actions!” Hermione objected. “And we always broke the rules for a reason to block You-Know-Who!” 

At the word justified, Harry narrowed his eyes at her. His words came out in a snarl. “Oh because ignoring me all summer was JUSTIFIED?! Your excuses are the worst I have witnessed from you in all the years I have known you. You two both put the words of our Headmaster over the care you held for me! It is ridiculous that you both are trying to justify your brainless and half-baked excuses! You both kept me in the dark! Just like the Dursleys.” 

A red tinge of anger began to fill Ron’s face as he stepped right in front of Harry and pointed his finger in his face. 

“First off Harry, don’t you dare compare us to them! Second off, it was for your own safety that you were kept in the dark. Or did you forget that You-Know-Who is back and his Death Eaters are out to kill you?!” 

“Forget?! FORGET!” Harry pushed Ron back a few steps.”You think I could forget Cedric dying right in front of my eyes as I could do nothing! As that traitor, Pettigrew cut through my skin and used my blood to resurrect the man who murdered my parents! Forget the way that monster emerged out of a cauldron, risen from the literal dead! Certainly can’t forget the way I was tortured with the Cruciatus curse! Do you know what it is like to have the feeling of your nerves being lit on fire?! DO YOU RON?! Because I certainly will never FORGET!” 

Their arguing was cut off by a pop cutting through the air. The Weasley twins stood there glancing between them. 

“We couldn’t help-”

“But overhear viciously-”

“Violent arguing going on between-” 

“The three of you, especially you-”

“Harry and ickle Ronniekins here!” 

The twins bounced back and forth while talking, making it almost impossible to comprehend which one of them was speaking. George grabbed Harry’s right arm and began to drag him out of the room. 

“Let’s take you to calm yourself oh angry Harry,” Fred commented as he opened the door for him and George. 

George began to drag him up another set of stairs as Fred followed from behind them. Harry decided arguing with them would be a fruitless endeavour and let himself be dragged into the twins' room within Grimmauld Place. George pushed Harry onto one of the beds, taking a seat on his right. Fred shut the door and plopped down dramatically on his left. 

“So dear Harry want to tell us why you appeared to be on the verge of mauling our brother like a werewolf?” Fred questioned. 

“No one contacted me all summer and I am mad at them the most, we are supposed to stick together. They very much didn’t do that this summer, all because Dumbledore told them not to contact me.” Harry grumbled. 

“Well if it makes you feel any better, we tried to send you some letter covertly. Mum didn’t take too well to that oddly enough.” George said. 

“I wonder why.” Harry huffed and rolled his eyes. 

“Mum caught Lupin and Sirius sending letters too actually. Got into a whole argument at the beginning of the summer between the three of them about contacting you. Those two were adamant you be brought here immediately actually.” Fred informed him. 

George patted Harry on the shoulder. “They couldn’t understand how being with those muggles was safer than being in a strongly warded home with the Fidelius charm on it. Honestly, we don’t understand that either.” 

Harry sighed and leaned onto George’s shoulder. “So what is this whole place and everything?”

“You are at the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix, my direct opposers.” Riddle informed him

“This is Grimmauld Place, the current headquarters for the secret society that Dumbledore created, called the Order of the Phoenix. They are the opposites to the Death Eaters, fighting against He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named. Dumbledore originally formed it in the 70’s but he got them back together after the end of last year, and well that’s how we are all here.” George explained to him. 

Harry stood up and headed for the door. “I just need a few minutes to think alone, where is the loo?”

“Right across the hall,” Fred responded. 

He headed across the hallway into the restroom and his jaw dropped. It was just as dark as the rest of the house but was filled with luxury, with its black marble flooring and dark granite countertops. The light fixtures reminded him of the impressive ones he had seen back in his second year inside the Slytherin common room. The bath itself was made with matching marble from the floor and even the toilet was black! The shower was probably the simplest thing in the whole room, with a glass door and black tile. 

“Wow…” Harry glanced around and then sat down on the edge of the marble tub. 

“Now this is a wonderful example of the Black family wealth. This is what all their full restrooms look like, except the one on the top floor. That one is the size of a bedroom I believe, at least that is what Orion always said. I have never actually been inside that one, only these ones.” Riddle explained. 

“Wait, you’ve been here?” Harry asked, confused.

“Of course I have. This is where Orion and Lucretia lived, well some of the time. During the First and Second World Wars, they lived in Blackcliff Castle. Which is in North Yorkshire I believe. I did not visit here until after I had graduated, sadly I have never visited Blackcliff Castle.” Riddle remarked as Harry continued to stare around. “ It was the winter of 1945, the first Yule outside of Hogwarts since I was 11 years old. They had just moved back into London only the month prior, as the Second World War ended a few months before. Lucretia invited myself and a few other of my Knights to stay for a few weeks. Orion, who was 3 years younger, was ecstatic to see us as he couldn’t see most of us, still being in Hogwarts. He was always excitable in his youth and ended up telling me a large amount of the house’s history. Those few winter weeks remain some of my favorite Yule memories, along with my favorite birthday.” 

“Wait, birthday? When is your birthday?” Harry asked.

“December 31st, 1926.” Riddle informed him.

He huffed and laughed. “You’re kinda old..aren’t you Riddle? At least compared to my 15 years.”

Harry could feel the mental eye-roll that Riddle performed. “Thank you so much Potter, I appreciate your kind words so much. Plus, you should probably get going. You are literally holed up in a restroom at the moment, sitting on the tub no less.”

He decided that Riddle had a point and left the loo. Just in time to hear Mrs.Weasley screech throughout the house. 

“Meeting is over everyone! Dinner is ready, come on down!”

“I preferred when she was being quiet, I guess my happiness can’t last.”

“I didn’t even know you had the capacity to be happy,” Harry mumbled as he walked down the stairs, Fred and George came out of their room, following him down.  

Harry heard another woman’s voice screeching as he reached the bottom floor. 

“Filthy mudbloods and Blood Traitors! Infecting my sacred home! Leave, leave! Filthy creatures need to leave! Besmurching a Black house!”

“Now what in the name…” He muttered, standing at the bottom of the stairs. 

“Seems mum woke up Sirius’ wonderful mother. She screams like a banshee Harry-”

“It’s awful!” Fred finished George’s sentence. 

“Is that…Walburga Black?!” Riddle asked in shock.

“Harry! I am overjoyed you’re finally here!” Sirius barged through the door and hugged him. “I have wanted you here ever since we were able to secure Grimmauld. I think it’s stupid they wouldn’t let you come, but now they do.” 

“Sirius!” Harry returned the hug readily but huffed at Sirius’ comment. “Tell me about it, luckily Fred and George told me that you and Professor Lupin have wanted me here. I probably would have been mad at you both too, along with Ron and Hermione.”

“Yeah a little bit of your argument with them actually made it all the way downstairs. Somehow that didn’t wake up my dear old mother, but Molly's screaming did. I am starting to wonder if Mum does it on purpose cause she dislikes Molly more than everyone else. Shockingly enough, she barely objects to Remus’ presence.” 

Harry and Sirius walked down the hallway, passing the still-shrieking portrait. 

“That is certainly Walburga, seems even death can’t stop her from harping on people.” 

Harry snorted and tried to cover his laugh at Riddle’s comment but apparently didn’t do well enough as Sirius looked over at him oddly. Thankfully, whatever question Sirius was gonna pose was covered by Lupin dragging Harry into the dining room and pushing him into a seat. Sirius plopped himself down at the head of the table to his left and Lupin sat to his right, blocking him from the others. 

Harry wasn’t surprised to note that the dining room also had a darker atmosphere. A large chandelier hung over the oak table, that held enough seats for possibly over twenty people. As Harry thought about how much room he noticed in the house, he wondered if the house’s rooms were enchanted like the tent from the Quidditch World Cup last year. 

“Yes, the whole house is much bigger on the inside than it is on the outside. The only times you won’t see that in pureblood houses is in the case of a large manor house. Or in the case of the Blacks, a very literal castle.” Riddle answered his silent question for him.

He tried not to think about how unnerving it was that Riddle was able to read his mind and continued glancing about the room. A large antique cabinet displayed china much nicer than what Aunt Petunia liked to brag about to the neighbors. As Harry glanced through an archway leading out of the dining room behind Sirius’ chair, he saw a brief glimpse of Professor Snape leaving through a fireplace. 

“I made some wonderful steak and kidney pie for tonight! Everyone enjoy, I better not see any leftovers.” Mrs.Weasley said and winked at everyone. “Especially you Harry, looking much too skinny!”

Harry rolled his eyes but began to eat the food set in front of him. After being at the Dursleys, the food tasted as if it was crafted by the hands of divinity. He could finally feel the simmering anger he had held since his argument with Ron and Hermione fade into the background. 

“So Harry how was this summer with your aunt and uncle?” Professor Lupin asked him innocently as he bit into a piece of the pie. 

“It is never good spending my summer with them.” Harry scowled at his plate. 

“Apologies, hopefully next summer you will spend it here instead. Sounds like a much better alternative.” 

“I hope so, being here would be a drastic improvement than staying with my wonderful muggle relatives Professor.” As he spoke, Harry stabbed into his food with a touch of aggression. 

Sirius snorted at Harry’s words. “You’ll be here if there is anything I have to say about it.” 

Lupin tapped the table next to Harry’s hand. “Please Harry, call me Remus. You even used to call me Uncle Moony, well not that you pronounced it well. We were all so surprised at how quickly you picked up speaking at such a young age. It was very impressive.”

“Isn’t that the normal age to start speaking?” Harry inquired as he took a sip of his pumpkin juice. 

“More like you were speaking in short sentences before you were one, which was the impressive part. Your pronunciation of pretty much everything left a lot to be desired but you were still advancing much quicker than a normal baby.” Sirius commented. 

“They must stop before they somehow inflate your ego into the size of Hogwarts itself. I was just as impressive as a baby, makes no difference. Tell them to stop their incessant blathering about you.”  Riddle complained. 

Summoning all his mental strength, Harry was able to hold back the laugh that wanted to escape him. He debated the reactions of everyone at the table if he said the voice in his head told them to stop talking about him as a baby. While the reaction had a certain appeal to it, Harry decided against it and shook his head. 

“Even now you’re just as an impressive child Harry!” Mrs.Weasley commented, smiling widely at him. 

Harry coughed and averted his eyes awkwardly. “Ah thank you, Mrs.Weasley.” 

As he finished up his food he set the silverware on his plate and turned to Sirius. “So what’s new with dear old Voldemort?” Harry tapped the table with his nail. “I mean I assume he is doing something right? Some kind of movements, murders, kidnappings maybe?” 

“Mostly just rebuilding his numbers honestly, getting his old followers back together,” Sirius informed him as he set aside his drink, which Harry was confident was firewhiskey. “Oh, and he is searching for something.” 

“Searching for what?” He asked, sitting up in curiosity. 

“Something he didn’t exactly have last time, remnants from the end of the last war…” Sirius trailed off, staring at the wall, lost inside his thoughts. 

Harry jumped as Mrs.Weasley slammed her hand against the table and pointed her finger at Sirius.

“Sirius Black this table is full of children that do not need to be informed of war efforts and the movements of You-Know-who!” 

Harry stood up. “Well then, since I asked, me and Sirius can go into the sitting room just behind us.” He gestured to the archway that led into the room. 

“No! You are too young, sit back now right now! You do not need to be involved with Order business!” Mrs.Weasley protested. 

Harry heard Remus sigh next to him. “Just sit back down Harry, please.” 

He reluctantly sat back down but glared at his friend’s mother. “I am one of the most involved people with Voldemort than anyone else in this Order!”

“And little does everyone here know exactly how true that statement is, after all, I am in your head. I would say that makes you quite involved with me.”