The days at Grimmauld Place were all the same, and all boring. In spite of Lupin's attentive care, they didn't have much to talk about. Lupin was very reserved, and Harry only spoke to him when absolutely necessary.

On the second day after the attack on The Burrow, Lupin took Harry to the Ministry of Magic to take his Apparation test. Harry passed with distinction.

On the third day, there was another meeting of the Order, in which Snape reported what he had found through Lucius Malfoy.

The attack had been planned and executed by Dolohov and two minions. The other Death Eaters hadn't been informed of anything, and the Dark Lord had become furious with the not very auspicious denouement. The Dark Lord himself had punished the transgressors, but ended up forgiving them because, after all, they had shaken the Order to its foundation.

Harry listened to Snape's report attentively. Snape hadn't looked at him even once. Nonetheless, at the end of the meeting, before leaving, Snape stared at him for a long time.

~* ~* ~

On the next day, Fred and George Apparated into Grimmauld Place, and asked to talk to Harry alone. They seemed haggard and nervous. Harry led them to his bedroom.

"Harry, we're going to attack. We're sick and tired of waiting for the old loony. He doesn't do a thing. The Order's useless," said Fred.

"What? What do you mean? What are you up to?"

"We're going to finish off You-Know-Who," answered George. "We want to know if you're with us or not. We're looking for allies... You're the first we're talking to, because you're the best, Harrykins."

"What are you talking about? What are you planning to do? Go after Voldemort and fight him? That would be suicide!"

"No, Harry. We're going to gather a guerrilla force. We'll call it simply "The Clique", because, you know, it's ultra-secret. We're going to undermine his force, attacking the Death Eater cells one by one, until there're no more of them. To sum it up, we're not going to be rash. We're going to plan every move, but we're not going to stay put. We're going to act," explained Fred. "So? Are you with us or not? Can we count upon you?"

A thousand thoughts ran through Harry's mind. First of all, the prophecy. The twins didn't know anything about it. They didn't know that, in the end, it was he, Harry, who would have to face Voldemort- that is, if the prophecy was true. Second, Dumbledore and the Order. Dumbledore considered the war a political issue. He wouldn't agree with the twins' plans. And Severus? Where did he stand in all this? Severus would never disobey Dumbledore. Well, he had disobeyed before, once or twice... Oh, Merlin, what a headache.

"I have to think about that. I can't answer right now. You know, I'm still stuck at Hogwarts, and Dumbledore watches every step I take."

"You're right. Okay, Harry. We're going to give you a week to think about it, right, George?"

George nodded.

~* ~* ~

When the twins left, Lupin and Harry went and had tea in the kitchen.

"They are restless, aren't they?" asked Lupin, pouring tea for Harry and sitting at the table.

"Of course they are. How could they not be?"

Lupin helped himself to a cup of tea. Harry took a piece of toast and spread jam on it. The silence stretched on.

"Harry... are you all right?

"Professor..."

"Call me Remus, Harry. I'm not your teacher any more."

Harry smiled. "Remus. I'm so confused. I don't know what to think, what to do."

"It's normal, Harry. So much is happening too quickly, and you are in a difficult period of your life."

Harry rolled his eyes. "Everybody says that I'm in a difficult period of life, but my life has always been complicated!"

Lupin laughed. "You are absolutely right. I apologise."

"It's not your fault!"

Lupin took a bite out of his toast, thoughtful. Swallowing, he raised his eyes to meet Harry's. "I've seen the way Snape looks at you... and the way you look at him."

Harry felt a chill running through his veins and blushed immediately. "I don't..."

Lupin raised his hand to stop him. "Please, Harry, don't say anything. You would have to lie, I know. So, stay quiet. Just listen to me."

Harry grabbed the table's edge firmly, trying to calm down.

"I have sharper instincts than most wizards," explained Lupin. "I notice things others don't notice. I know that you're seeing each other. He looks at you as if you were... a piece of himself. As if he couldn't bear not to have you near him, or see anybody else touching you, or let you have a personal life or private thoughts... That's typical of Snape. He's a control freak."

Harry, who was becoming redder and redder, didn't say a word.

"While you, you seem mesmerised by him. If I didn't know both of you well, I might think he had put you under Imperius..."

"No!"

"I know, Harry. I know better. But you are completely fascinated by him."

Harry sighed. There wasn't anything he could do; he was in Lupin's hands. The awareness of his own helplessness made him relax.

"Severus would be the last partner I would want for you. Well, not exactly: Voldemort would be worse." Lupin gave a bitter smile. "Nonetheless, I trust him. Otherwise I wouldn't take the Wolfsbane he brings me every month."

"Why do you trust him?" asked Harry.

Lupin shrugged. "I trust my instincts. Sirius never accepted that I could trust Severus, but I always did. It would be funny, if it weren't tragic."

Lupin averted his eyes, and Harry lowered his. The memory of Sirius was still too fresh and painful for both of them. When Harry lifted his head again, he saw Lupin slowly turning to him once more.

"Severus's past is dark, and it follows him like a shadow. It won't be easy for you, Harry. Furthermore, your relationship is a forbidden one. I don't want to know anything about it... I don't want to know when, or where. I only want to know if you are feeling well."

"If I'm not well, it's not his fault," Harry replied carefully.

"Yes. I believe you. I feel that whatever it is that exists between you, it's doing good for both of you. That's not a surprise, because you both are so lonely; you need somebody to love, and to be loved back. The strangest thing of all is that, against everybody and everything, you could find each other."

Harry smiled. "You said you didn't want to know, but I can tell you it was a really strange story." Harry gazed at him with anxious eyes. "Remus... I need to speak to him. Do you think that..."

Lupin shook his head. "No, Harry. I'm not going to act as an intermediary for you. You are under my responsibility."

"I just need to talk to him. It's important. Please. I know how to call him. You just need to give me permission."

Lupin ran his hand through his hair. "All right. But it's just for a talk, nothing else. You will stay here, in the kitchen."