“Pass us the toast, Harry,” Ron said through a mouthful of scrambled egg. “What?!” he added as Hermione gave a disgusted tutting noise.
“Ron, did you mother ever teach you table manners?”
“Shwudaviktwoo.”
“Sorry?” Hermione said in an exasperated voice. Ron swallowed and looked over to his girlfriend.
“I said, ‘she would have liked to’. She gave up eventually and she did with George as well, although she still thinks there’s hope left for Fred. God knows why…”
Ron tailed off while Ginny sniggered quietly. “Yes, Ron. I remember that time when Elizabeth Millson and her husband came over for that meal Mum cooked a few years back. I seem to remember her complaining that it was something along the lines of ‘feeding time at the zoo’. The only reason why Mum thinks that there’s hope for Fred is that he was laughing too hard to actually eat anything, unlike you and George.”
“Yeah, well. I was hungry.”
Harry burst out laughing while Hermione scowled.
Harry’s laughter was short lived as a tall and wiry Eagle owl flew down onto the milk jug. The owl had a slightly bedraggled appearance, the dampness on its feathers really not helping the image. The owl’s dark eyes appeared to be infinitely deep and yet the cold stare it gave Harry was clearly one of contempt. Harry shuddered slightly.
Something tells me this owl, or its owner, isn’t exactly on my favourite person list…
Harry pulled the letter out of the owl’s beak, which promptly took off with a final, scathing glare. Frowning, Harry ripped open the letter and his face fell dark and stony as he read it. Ginny looked over Harry’s shoulder and sympathised with him at the contents.
Potter,
Be at my office at 9:45 this evening for your Occlumency lesson. I expect you to be there on time “ I want to get this over with since I have better things to do with my life than attempt to instruct you on the subtle art of Legilimency.
Professor S. Snape
“Harry?” Hermione said curiously.
“Here,” Harry said roughly, handing the letter to Hermione. “That git wants t-”
Hermione yelped in fear, dropping the letter as it burst into flame and fell smouldering onto the table.
“I guess whoever sent that didn’t want anyone else to read it then,” Ron said weakly.
“It was nothing important anyway,” Ginny said. “Snape was just saying for Harry to go to his office for an Occlumency lesson this evening at quarter to ten.”
Ron looked relieved. “Oh, I thought it would be something important. You know, like last time with You-Know-Who.”
Hermione frowned slightly. “That’s quite late; I wonder why he’d want to see Harry then?”
“That’s obvious,” Ginny said. “Snape doesn’t want anyone knowing Harry’s having the lessons, so late at night is the obvious time to do them.”
“What are you girls gibbering on about?” Ron interrupted. “Harry mate, don't think about it now, we’ve got Hufflepuff to beat before you have to worry about Snape.”
Harry nodded vaguely, his thoughts anywhere but on the game. Ron's ever increasing enthusiasm for Quidditch meant that even if the world stopprd turning, he would insist the game continued. Although Ron was concerned for Harry being with Snape again, Quidditch definitely came higher up his priority list.
Trust Snape to try and put me off this morning…
“You coming, Harry?” Ginny said from next to him.
“What?”
“Katie said we all have to be in the changing rooms by eight o’clock. It’s quarter to now and it’ll take at least ten minutes to get down there.”
“Yeah…” Harry stood up, stumbling slightly on the hem of his robes. For some reason, Harry didn’t feel at all in the mood for the game and his prickling scar wasn’t helping.
“Good luck Ron, Harry, Ginny!” Hermione called as they departed. “You’ll all be fine. Fingers crossed for an easy victory to Gryffindor!”
Secretly though, Hermione was worried that Snape’s letter had distracted Harry’s focus and she was afraid as to how the rest of the team would take to a defeat.
Harry barely heard a word of Katie’s pre match talk as he sat between Ron and Ginny in the changing rooms. It was only when Ron kicked him in the shins that he looked up.
“Harry? You coming or what?”
“Come on, Harry,” Ginny implored next to him. “Just forget about him for now, he’s not worth it.”
As Harry walked out onto the pitch, he barely even acknowledged Hufflepuff’s Seeker and, as Madam Hooch blew the whistle, Harry’s kick off wasn’t as slick as it normally was.
For nearly an hour, Harry flew forwards and backwards over the pitch marking the Hufflepuff Seeker rather than looking for the Snitch himself.
“YES! AND GINNY WEASLEY HAS SCORED AGAIN FOR GRYFFINDOR! 70 -10!”
Harry distractedly registered that Gryffindor were in the lead. No matter how much he tried to concentrate on the game, his thoughts kept drifting back to Occlumency that evening.
Why did Snape have to tell me before the match? He could have waited until later…
After around forty minutes of play, Katie signalled for time out and both teams landed on the pitch with Harry still not concentrating on the game.
“Look, well done guys for what you’ve done so far, we just need to keep working together so the other team doesn’t force use to scatter again.” Katie’s eyes were burning brightly and she looked over to Harry.
“Harry, we really could do with you catching the Snitch pretty soon. You don’t seem to be on form today but I hope you’ll focus more for the rest of the game…” she tailed off, looking both pleading and distinctly annoyed.
“I’ll try,” Harry promised as Ginny gave him a glare.
“Good. Now, Jack, I really want…”
“Come on, Harry,” Ginny hissed in his ear. “Waltzing around the pitch like it’s the first time you’ve ever sat on a broom isn’t going to win the match, is it? Look, I know you're worried about this evening with Snape, and I'd be scared witless if it was me, but can't you at least try to catch the Snitch first? Please?”
Ginny looked imploringly at Harry as she stood in front of him, her eyes silently pleading with him to concentrate. Something jarred in Harry’s mind as he took in Ginny’s scathing remark. The rest of the team were playing brilliantly but he was just milling around over the pitch not paying attention. If Gryffindor lost, it would be his fault and his insides curled with embarrassment. Ginny glanced at him again and Harry nodded to her.
“I’ll get the Snitch first, I promise,” Harry said, as Katie stopped talking to the Beaters.
“Good,” Katie said in answer, overhearing him. “In that case, ready to resume play?”
The team nodded and a few seconds later, the team was in the air.
This time, Harry started to look for the Snitch himself. As he did so, the familiar rush of adrenaline came back to him and he started to feel again the magic of Quidditch. After a further ten minutes the Hufflepuff Seeker, surprised at Harry’s change of attitude, shot into a dive. Harry followed but, as he did so, a flash of gold shot past the Gryffindor end and Harry turned sharply to follow it. The Hufflepuff Seeker was feinting and, in doing so, had missed the real Snitch.
Quickly, Harry sped after the speck of gold which soared at least a hundred feet above the game before dodging sharply and plummeting back towards the pitch. Although Harry had been closer to the Snitch than the Hufflepuff Seeker, the Snitch’s path turned and headed straight for the opposing Seeker.
“Faster,” Harry growled at the Firebolt. “Come on…”
Fifty feet below him, Hufflepuff’s Seeker looked up and, seeing the Snitch heading for him, lay flat on his broom and headed straight for it. Everyone, including both teams, hung in the air to watch both players fly flat out towards each other. At last, Harry reached out and snatched the Snitch from the air and swerved sharply to the left to avoid his opponent.
Ginning in triumph, Harry raised his hand in the air and flew up to the rest of the team.
“Wow Harry!” Euan, the second year chaser, yelled as Harry flew up to him. “Talk about style or what!”
“Spectacular!” Ron shouted, grinning in triumph as he sped over to Harry. “That Hufflepuff Seeker nearly fell off his broom when he realised he was flying straight for you!”
As the team flew back to the ground, every member of Gryffindor came running over to the team.
“That was amazing!”
“Can you teach me to fly like that, Harry?”
“That other Seeker never stood a chance!”
“Party, Common Room, now!” Katie yelled over the cheers and, as one, everyone began to make their way back up to the castle. Ginny fought her way over to Harry, her eyes gleaming.
“It’s good to know you keep your promises,” she said mischievously. Harry smiled broadly.
“Ginny, with you, anything’s possible!”
The party in the Common Room lasted all day and well into the evening after the match. Dean, using his art skills, had made a banner showing Harry’s spectacular catch which Hermione had animated for him using a technical little charm. Harry, Ron, Neville and Seamus and headed down to the kitchens and persuaded Dobby to bring up food to Gryffindor tower which they all ate throughout the day.
It was later, at around nine o’clock that Harry first remembered his lesson with Snape and, unwillingly, he excused himself discreetly and headed out of the Portrait Hole. After the noise of the party, Harry found the castle a little too quiet and he walked downstairs to Snape’s office hoping the sooner he arrived, the sooner he’d be allowed to leave.
“So you did decide to turn up,” Snape spat nastily as Harry walked through the dungeon door at exactly nine forty five that evening. “As I told you last year, you will tell no one of what you are doing. I expect you to work hard in these lessons, which I am giving up my evenings to teach you, and I insist that you call me ‘Sir’ or ‘Professor’ at all times…”
Harry’s mind drifted off towards Gryffindor Tower and the party which was still continuing in the Common Room, despite his absence. Harry longed to go back there to celebrate but he knew Snape would keep him here for as long as he could, purely out of spite.
“You are not listening, Potter,” Snape said dangerously, drawing Harry’s attention back to him. “From now on, I expect your undivided attention for the rest of the hour. Understand?”
“Yes,” Harry muttered sulkily.
“How dare you speak to me like that. Five points from Gryffindor. I shall ask you again, do you understand?”
“Yes Sir.” Harry knew it wasn’t worth arguing with Snape over the points so he kept silent.
Snape’s lip curled into a sneer as he raised his wand. “Legilimens!”
Snape caught Harry completely unawares and started recalling memories faster than Harry could keep track of them. After about five minutes, Snape raised his wand.
“I was under the impression from the Headmaster that you had grasped some skills required for Occlumency. If that display is anything to go by, you do not have even the faintest idea on how to even start!”
“I was trying,” Harry said through gritted teeth. “I just wasn’t ready!”
Snape rolled his eyes in disgust. “Potter, are you under the impression that the Dark Lord is going to tell you what he’s about to do when he uses Legilimency?”
Harry blushed. How did Snape always make his feel like a complete idiot? Snape smirked at Harry’s embarrassment.
“So then Potter, we shall try again only this time I expect you to actually bother to put up a shield and attempt to block me. Standing there like a lemon is not going to achieve anything.”
“I am trying,” spat Harry in answer.
“Well, I expect you to try harder. Legilimens!”
Once again, Harry felt the unbearable pressure pushing down on him as he felt Snape recalling memories. As if in a nightmare, he once again felt Snape draw out the memory of the night Sirius had died. Harry furiously tried to block Snape and, for the first time, he felt himself beginning to reduce Snape’s power over him. The memory changed instantly to when Cedric was hit by Wormtail’s curse back in his fourth year.
Just as Harry tried to collect himself again, the Potions Master switched to the memory of Dumbledore telling Harry the Prophecy. For some reason, Harry felt an invisible barrier rise up in his mind causing Snape’s curse to suddenly stop. Harry looked up, both angry and astonished, with his wand clasped firmly in his hand.
Just as Harry opened his mouth to speak, he caught site of his most hated Professor. The Potion’s Master was kneeling on the floor, his wand several feet away from him. Snape looked up at Harry, his eyes shrewd and calculating.
“What did you just do, Potter?”
Harry was dumbfounded, as far as he knew he had done nothing different from usual.
“I dunno.”
Snape looked at Harry disbelievingly. “Legilimens!”
Instantly, Snape put every ounce of force he could muster behind the spell; the unyielding and unwavering pressure bearing down on Harry like a ton of bricks as he targeted Harry’s memory of the Prophecy. Again, Harry felt the uncalled for shield stop Snape’s attack effortlessly and once more, Snape was forced to stop as he fell back onto his knees. The Head of Slytherin looked up, his charcoal eyes burning into Harry’s.
“For the second time, Potter, what are you doing?”
A sudden suspicion flashed across Harry’s mind.
…memories and thoughts can only be read if the rightful owner has given their permission. For thoughts to be revealed, the owner must give permission willingly “ nothing is revealed if the permission has been forced in any way.
The Clamcelo! The orb really had worked its magic; Snape had been unable to break through the ward the Secure Pensive had made. Harry grinned in triumph.
“I used a Clamcelo, Sir,” Harry answered, watching Snape’s reaction carefully.
“And where exactly did you obtain one of those from, Potter?”
“It was a birthday present; I’ve had it for over six months now.”
“Well, it certainly is not helping your Occlumency. You cannot practice, Potter, if you continue siphoning off every memory you fear,” Snape spat, snatching his wand and standing up. For some reason, Harry thought he could detect a faint trace of jealousy in his Professor’s voice. He disregarded the thought though as Snape raised his wand and shouted “Legilimens!”
A split second before the spell hit Harry, Snape’s knees buckled for the third time. This time, however, the Potions Master’s eyes began watering in pain as his wand dropped to the floor. For the briefest of seconds, it looked as if Snape was crying until Harry noticed the unexplainably violent jerk of Snape’s left arm.
As Harry watched in surprise, his scar seared with a sharp pain which abated as suddenly as it had come. Whatever had happened with Snape, it appeared he wasn’t as lucky as Harry as he still hadn’t stood up. Whatever the reason for Snape’s collapse was this time, Harry realised it was nothing to do with Legilimency; the spell had missed him by several feet.
The only thing Harry was aware of now though, was that Snape was holding his left arm just below his elbow. As he had fallen, Snape had pulled up the sleeve of his robes and was holding his pale skin with pain glowing in his eyes. Snape dropped his right hand and, for a split second, the Dark Mark was visible burning black. Harry froze in terror.
As Harry stood motionless, his Potions Master curled forwards again and released the smallest of cries of pain. For several minutes, Snape struggled against the pain in silence before he glanced up at Harry, his face white.
“Get out, Potter,” Snape gasped. “And don’t even think of telling anyone…”
Deeply unnerved, Harry bolted out of the dungeon and left Snape alone.
Still in his office, Snape carefully stood up and reached into his wardrobe just behind his desk, pulling out an ebony coloured cloak with a hood. Using only his right arm, Snape pulled on the cloak and reached for a small silver jar by the fire. Quickly, he pulled out a handful of glittering powder and threw it in the fire.
Hogwarts’ Potions Master hesitated for a second on the threshold of the fireplace, half considering whether to tell Dumbledore what he was doing. After a moments silence, Snape turned back into the flames and disappeared without looking back. He never saw his office door open in an explosion of stars and he didn’t realise a panicked figure dashed into the room only to see the sickly green flames die down into darkness.
A/N : I thought it was about time I left a cliff hanger! I really hope you enjoyed that and, as usual, your comments are highly appreciated, hint, hint…
Also, if anyone’s got any theories on what coming next, I’d love to know. : )