Aspect of the Teacher
by Honeybat
A story in the Harry Potter universe. Takes place during an Occlumency lesson in year 5 of the original story.
x-x-x
"Tonight, you shall learn the dangers of unblocked Legilimency, Potter. You seem to be of the mistaken belief that it can be useful, a tool to gather information on the Dark Lord. You couldn't be more wrong."
Harry shrugged. "I hate being kept in the dark about everything. And, it saved Mr. Weasley's life, didn't it?"
"And what, pray tell, does the Dark Lord see through your eyes without you knowing?"
Harry blinked. He had not considered that to be possible.
"What are you going to do?" asked Harry, only slightly worried.
"You shall see...Legilimens!"
Snape plunged into Harry's mind, he could, as usual, not block the Professor from seeing all sorts of embarrassing memories. He pushed and pushed without success.
Then suddenly Snape was gone, only leaving the massive headache.
"Here, Potter," Snape handed him a vial with a swirling potion.
"Thanks," he mumbled as he accepted the headache potion. The pain immediately dimmed and went away when he drank it. "Now what?" he grouched.
"The full moon is in three nights, tonight you shall brew the Wolfsbane for Lupin," Snape stated and held out an arm towards an open door in the corner of the office. "Why don't you make yourself at home in my private lab, hmm?"
Harry blinked as he looked towards the door. To his astonishment, he knew exactly what was beyond it. "I don't know how to…" he quieted when knowledge on just how to brew the potion came to him. He turned and glared at the professor. "What did you just do?"
"I have transferred what is in Legilimency referred to an aspect of the Teacher to your mind. You now have the knowledge and skill to make that specific potion, as well as find your way around my lab while you do."
Harry frowned and concentrated on the information and knew that, yes, he could do it. "And you didn't put anything else in there?"
Snape smirked. "You'll just have to wait and see, won't you? While you do, consider what the Dark Lord might leave in your mind. I assure you it would not be something as benign and useful as the knowledge how to make a difficult potion."
Harry grumbled as he began making the potion, but soon got lost in the process of brewing. He found it interesting, calming and challenging all at once. When he was done, he knew it was perfect. He grinned delightedly, and in that instance knew what else Snape had done.
"You bastard!" he growled. "You made me LIKE POTIONS!"
A low, evil chuckle came from the shadows by the door. "No, Potter, from this day forward, you are obsessed with them, just like I am. There will be no more Quidditch for the Gryffindor Golden Boy, all your free time will go towards learning more about potions and brewing them. I shall be your new favorite teacher."
"No! You can't do this to me. I'll tell the Headmaster!"
"Why do you think he dumped the job of teaching you on me? He was afraid he'd inadvertently give you something from his own mind, something more damaging than this…"
"Please, can't you obliviate this? Or take it out like you placed it?"
"I guess I could obliviate you, but why would I?"
"I did not want this. This is cheating!"
Snape seemed to consider it, then "No. This was your punishment for not even trying to learn Occlumency. I tried for so long to teach you the proper way, but it seems this is the only way you would learn. Our lessons are over. Legilimens!"
Harry felt the spell hit, but instinctively pulled up a shield to protect his mind. The probe bounced harmlessly away from his thoughts and memories. "Hey! What did I just do?" he gasped.
"Congratulations, you have now mastered Occlumency and the Wolfsbane potion."
Harry frowned. He wanted to erupt in anger at his professor. "All these weeks of pain and humiliation and you teach it in five minutes like this?" his voice didn't rise, he felt annoyed but his emotions were under his complete control. He blinked, suddenly controlling his emotions and keeping his mind clear came as easily to him as flying...or potions.
"As you said, it's cheating. But since you weren't learning, or even trying, I had to resort to desperate measures."
"Who cares how you learn, as long as you do learn?" Harry challenged, then smirked right back, getting a really delicious idea. "How about you teach me to fight?"
"You realize that to fight like me, you would also need to learn how to think and how to move; like me? Those are things you cannot just switch on and off."
"I don't care. I would do almost anything to have a real and true chance to beat the Dark Bastard."
"Almost anything?"
"I wouldn't want to die doing it!" Harry replied.
"So, you don't care that you will probably turn into a Dark Wizard doing it?"
"What?"
"I am a Dark Wizard, Potter. I may be firmly against the Dark Lord's continued existence, but make no mistake, my magic is Dark. And, should you take on the aspect of my fighting skills, yours will be well tainted as well, as soon as you begin using the knowledge."
"Oh."
"Why don't you consider the consequences until next week. I do believe it's time for breakfast now," Snape closed the discussion.
"Huh, we've been up all night?"
"Indeed, my young apprentice!" Snape chuckled.
"Apprentice?"
"But, of course. How else are you going to satisfy your new craving for potions? I shall draw up the contract by the time we meet next week."
End