Thanks for the favorite stories and notifications, and the review I received. I was so excited when I saw the review that I started editing chapter two and uploaded it right away! Thanks again :)

Chapter two: Training starts!

Harry awoke with a start at the sudden, very loud, buzzing noise in his ear. Jumping up and at the same time grabbing his wand, he aimed his wand threateningly at the object that had startled him. An Alarm Clock. An alarm clock that happened to be silver with a green face with a snake on it. Imagine that. Harry frowned down at the still buzzing clock. He was pretty sure it wasn't there yesterday. Probably Snape, he thought. He grinned and with a flick of his wand, the alarm clock became gold, with a red face and a lion. He stopped grinning when he looked up to find everything else in his room had turned back to green and silver.

"Bloody hell." He said, groaning and putting his head in his hands, flopping back down on the bed.

"Language Potter." The professor stood lazily in the doorway, arms folded across his chest. He had a wide smirk on his face. Harry scowled at the professor. "I see you acquired some real taste in decor and chose to abandon the hideousness of Gryffindor." Harry scowled deeper and the professor smirked wider.

"I didn't do anything but change this clock's appearance." He said through clenched teeth, holding up the clock.

"Indeed? and did the room change at its own will?" He asked raising an eyebrow.

"I'm sure it had something to with the clock the mysteriously appeared to wake me up." Harry looked at the clock and noticed the time. "At 630." Harry was pretty mad. He hadn't slept well that night, having nightmares about the graveyard again.

"Perhaps you should know better than to trust an object that was so obviously out of place." He said smirking again. "Why didn't you do a background charm?"

"A what?"

"Background charm Potter! To see if the object held any jinxes or curses." He said impatiently. Harry scowled at him. He hadn't learned that in school yet. "I see that is another thing we will have to go over." Snape walked off, leaving a seething Harry. That was exactly his goal.

Harry scowled at the doorway. Snape acted like he asked to spend his summer here. He couldn't even complain to his friends about the professor. Reluctantly, Harry set off towards the bathroom.

Severus sat down at the table with his morning cup of tea and opened up the newspaper. Still no news of the Dark Lord, he noted. He smirked slightly when he read Dumbledore was apparently asking newts for advice. How amusing. Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lied...Well he isn't this time, he thought with a sad grimace.

At 7 30 on the dot, two things happened. Breakfast appeared on the table, and Harry Potter came rushing in, quickly sat down. "You were nearly late, Potter." At no response he lowered the newspaper and looked at the boy. His face was colored as if he had been running. "I trust you know not to run in a house?"

"Yes sir. I got lost again." he said. Severus noticed he had still not put any breakfast on his plate. "Aren't you hungry?"

"Yes sir. I was waiting for you to begin." Severus thought this odd, but then again, the boy was odd, so he didn't think to much into it.

"You do not need to wait for me to start eating Potter. I rarely eat breakfast." He went back to his reading.

"Any news about Vol- I mean You-know-who?" Harry asked hesitantly.

"No. However, you are in here. Almost daily, as a matter of fact." Snape lowered his newspaper to see the smug look on the boys face. There wasn't one. Just a look of shock and annoyance. But then again, the news hadn't exactly been flattering. That must be it. Snape thought.

"What does it say?" He asked quietly. Probably remembering the incident when Snape read about him and Granger's twisted love affair in potions class. He smirked at the memory.

"Read it for yourself." Snape put down the newspaper on the table and pushed it towards Harry. He grabbed it and Snape watched as his face contorted with rage as he read the headline. It grew even more angrier as the article went on. Soon Harry was seething. "What's wrong, Potter? Upset that just a couple of months ago, you were their golden boy, and they all turned their back on you?" He asked mockingly.

Harry glared at him. But then realized he was right. The wizarding world had turned on him in a matter of one night, really. Harry was trying to warn them and they mocked him for it. Harry knew they would only accept it when Fudge said so, and by then, if ever, it would be too late. He would then turn in to the misunderstood golden boy, once again.

He didn't answer the potions master, just stabbed his eggs in response. Who cares what he thinks.

"Were you watching me sleep?" Harry asked suddenly.

"Excuse me?"

"This morning, you were at my door when I woke up."

"I merely put the clock in there. I doubted that you thought of an alarm yourself." He said. Harry looked at him wearily. "You were mumbling loudly when I walked past your door, Potter. I decided to wake you up." He added seeing Harry's doubtful look.

Harry flushed. He had a nightmare about the graveyard last night. He wondered if the professor heard any real words and not just mumbling. He was too embarrassed to ask.

After breakfast they settled into the sitting room and Snape handed Harry a book. Guide to Occlumency. Harry looked at the professor in confusion. What the hell was Occlumency? Snape sighed at Harry's confused look. "I see you have no idea what Occlumency is. While I explain, you will not interrupt me, is that clear?"

"Yes sir."

"Occlumency is the magical defense of the mind against external penetration. It is an obscure branch of magic, but a highly useful one, as well. The headmaster thinks its a good idea for you to study this."

"Why?" Harry asked suddenly. "sir." he added.

"Obviously Potter, my instructions on No Interruptions was not clear." He said irritably. Harry didn't care for this mild insult. He wanted to know why. "The Dark Lord is highly skilled at Legilimency-"

"What that, sir?" He asked quickly. Snape gave him a look of annoyance.

"The ability to extract feelings and memories from the mind." He said smoothly.

"He can read minds?" He asked, now panicking.

"No, Potter. The mind to be opened at will and examined at one's leisure. Thoughts are not words etched on the skull that one could simply read. The mind is complex and multi-layered. Well, most are." he smirked while Potter glared. "Someone who is skilled in the art of Legilimency are able to extract feelings and memories, which is how the Dark Lord knows when one is lying to him. Only those skilled at occlumency are able to shut down the feelings and memories that contradict a lie, thus being able to utter falsehoods to the Dark Lord with out detection."

Harry wondered briefly if he was talking about himself then. After all, Snape had the Dark Mark, having showed it just a month before. "So could he know what we're thinking right now?'

"No. We are a great distance from him. Eye contact is also essential to Legiliemancy."

"Well then why do I have to learn Legilimency? I mean if I come close enough to Vol- You-know-who, I doubt he will use legi-thingy. He'll just try to kill me!"

Snape smirked. He took in what the boy said. He'll just try to kill me...This boy will fight to the end. Never to surrender. "The same rules do not seem to apply to you, Potter. I believe last year you had a dream involving the Dark Lord planning to kill you?"

"Yes-how did you know that?" he asked, shocked.

"The curse that should have killed you seems to have forged a connection to you and the Dark Lord." he said, ignoring the boy's question. "While your mind is the most relaxed and vulnerable, such as when you are asleep, you seem to be able to get into his mind. The headmaster wished this to stop. He wishes me to teach you to close your mind to the Dark Lord, and any other persons."

"But it was helpful, I knew he was up to something." He said in a panic. "I mean, what if I try and see into his mind to see what he is planning?"

"Think Potter! If the Dark Lord realizes this connection between you two, he can do the same! Its not a one way road. He will know you are here, he will know I am teaching you to defeat him! If you go too far into his mind, he will know, and he will do the same to you!" he said impatiently.

Harry didn't like that thought at all. "Which brings us back to occlumency" Harry said, dazed at the new information.

"Yes Potter. Which brings us back to Occlumency." he said, carefully studying the boy. He seemed to be taking it all in, and not liking it. "In order for you to become in accomplished occlumens, you must learn to control your emotions. you must clear your mind. Stand up, Potter." Harry stood quickly and Snape cleared the room. "You may use your wand to defend yourself or disarm me."

"Wait, what are you going to do?" He asked hurriedly.

"I am going to attempt to break into your mind, Potter." He said calmly. "I have been told you can resist the Imperius curse, you should do well to resist this." he noticed Potter was breathing heavily. "Calm down, Potter. Take a minute to breath deeply and clear your mind." He saw the boy breath. "Now, on the count of three..one..two, three. Legilimens!"

A rush of memories flooded Harry's mind. He was 6, watching Dudley eat an ice cream sundae, while he had nothing...He was in the common room talking to Sirius...Ron mad at him for being picked for the tournament...The firework he was about to start for the distraction Hermione needed for the potion...No, that would get Hermione in trouble!

There was a hiss and Harry looked up at Snape, who was bending over to pick up his wand. "You let me got too far in, Potter!" he said irritated. "Control your thoughts!"

"Did you see everything I saw?" He asked, casually, though he was very anxious.

"Most of it," He smirked. Harry glared at him.

"I saw you with that firework, Potter. Yet you were worried about Granger. Why is that?"

Harry flushed. "I'm not telling you. They're my memories, sir."

"Very well, hide them more efficiently then. Tomorrow, when we practice, I expect you to be able to do this with out any trouble, understand Potter?"

"Yes sir." he said, highly doubting that with one day of practice he'd have this down.

"Just to add incentive," He said with a smirk. "Everything I see while penetrating your mind, you will explain fully."

"That's not fair!" Harry protested. "This is new. I can't learn it in one day!"

"Lower your voice Potter." Snape said, threat lacing his voice. "Did you not learn how to transfigure everything in your room into Gryffindor colors last night? Did you ever do that before?"

"No, Sir. but-"

"No buts, Potter. If you apply yourself, like you did last night, then you should have no trouble with this! You resisted the Imperious curse completely within an hour, did you not?"

"Yes, but-"

"Quit making excuses! again, now! Legilimens!"

Once again, memories flashed through his mind...seeing Snape talking to Quirrel in the hallway, being tied to the tombstone.. the dementor rising above him, hearing his mother's screams to kill her, and not Harry...

It was Snape who pulled out now. He was looking agitated. "That dementor, is that what you heard every time?" he asked. Harry thought he sounded strange.

"Yea, sometimes I would hear my father telling her Vol- you-know-who was there." Snape closed his eyes for a moment. "Are you ok Professor?"

"Fine, Potter. I do not need your concern." he said harshly. Harry leaned against the wall. "Clear your mind, Potter. Rid your emotions! Again. Legilimens!"

This time, Snape didn't go full force in, afraid he would hear Lily screaming again. He saw as Potter's memories flash by, a dog chasing Potter...Diggory being killed by Pettigrew, he felt Harry's emotions, he felt hate for the Dark Lord, contempt about the potions master when he had humiliated him in front of the class. Then he suddenly saw his own. He was in a corner, crying when he was little...James Potter sending a bat bogey curse to his unaware self as he read by his favorite tree...

"Potter!" He yelled at the frightened boy. He seemed to be in shock. " I bet you enjoyed that, didn't you?"

"What? No I didn't mean to-"

"You're father was quite amusing wasn't he?" He asked, stepping close to Harry. Harry stepped farther away from Snape until he hit the wall.

"No-I-" Harry stuttered he didn't know quite what to say. His father was a bully. He suddenly took offense when he thought of when Snape had accused him of being just like his father. Harry was more like Snape if anything...

"If I ever hear that you repeated this to anybody, Potter I will kill you myself, is that understood?"

"Yes, I know..but I wouldn't tell!" he yelled at Snape. "I won't tell. Anyone." He promised, and he meant it. He would never reveal this memory of his father. Everyone had told him his father was so great. He was a bully. "and I don't see how you say I'm just like him! When have you ever seen me just curse someone for the fun of it?" He asked, stepping past Snape and heading back to his room.

He didn't feel like staying here anymore. He didn't want to train with Snape. He wanted to go to the burrow, he wanted to see Ron, and Hermione. Not Snape. He slammed his door hard and threw himself on his bed. He didn't care if Snape came in and hexed him into the next millennium.

"Potter! We are not done!" he said opening the door to Harry's bedroom. It was back to Gryffindor.

"I'm done! I don't want to train with you! Why can't Dumbledore train me?" he yelled back at the professor.

"The headmaster has more pressing things to do than train an overly emotional teenager, Potter. And I assure you, I was not hopping up and down in excitement when he asked me to do this. Come back down to the sitting room and continue training! Now!" Snape slammed the door and Harry heard footsteps die down.

He got off the bed and opened the door harshly. He stomped out to the sitting room where Snape was waiting wand up. "Legilimens"' He shouted before Harry prepared himself. A flood of memories came.

Harry asking Cho to the yule ball... Moody pointing his wand at him after the last challenge...the memory he just saw of Snape's and the betrayal and hurt he felt for his father for doing that...Dudley and his mates taking turns punching Harry...his cupboard..."NO!" he heard himself shout and Snape was thrown back a couple of feet.

"Block me with your mind Potter! Not your wand. Expeliarmus!" Harry put up a shield when he saw Snape raise his wand. The spell rebounded and hit the wall. "Give me your wand Potter. You will learn to block me with your mind." He said, holding out his hand. Harry hesitantly handed it over to him. "Clear your mind!"

"How do I do that?" Harry asked before Snape could try to break into his mind again. Snape lowered his wand and took a second before answering.

"Think of something peaceful. Something you do automatically, something you can do without too much concentration."

Harry thought for a moment. Something he did automatically. I could always clean without too much concentration or weed aunt Petunia's garden. "ok, I think I have it"

"Legilimens!" Harry tried to concentrate on weeding the garden in his mind. The feel of the weeds on his gloved hands, pulling, but that turned into a memory of his aunt coming out and yelling at him. Then a memory of Dudley pushing him in the dirt.

"Not working Potter. You need something that isn't tied to a bad memory. What did you do to deserve that punishment?"

"I didn't do anything. It wasn't a punishment, it was one of my chores." Snape snorted in disbelief,

"Think, Potter. What is something else that is tied to a better memory, and one that you wont get distracted by its bad roots." Harry thought for a moment longer and instantly felt like a fool for not thinking of it sooner. Flying, of course! He never had to think while flying. It came naturally to him. With a nod towards Snape, he thought of the feeling of flying. "Legilimens!"

Snape pushed hard and broke through right away. Memories flashed by and as much as Harry tried to push Snape out, he couldn't do it.

"Potter, concentrate! You have 10 seconds to Clear. Your. Mind."

Harry was finding that hard to do at the moment. But he took a deep breath, closed his eyes and tried to clear his mind. After a moment, he heard Snape shout "legilimens", but only heard it in the background. He concentrated on the clearing of his mind, the peace he felt. He felt no one could reach him. He was flything high above the trees, into the sky. The wind in his hair, making it even more out of control than usual. He felt peace. Peace and absolute freedom.

"Potter!" Snape shouted, bringing him out of whatever he was in.

"Yes sir?" he asked, a tad bit irritated.

"What memories did you see?"

Harry looked at him for a moment. "I didn't see any." he said to the potions master standing in front of him, wand finally lowered.

"It appears you have finally succeeded in clearing your mind, Potter." He said briskly. "Its time for lunch." Severus walked past Harry, who was smiling proudly. "Don't get arrogant, potter. You only did it once."

Snape's mouth twitched in slight irritation when he was sure Harry couldn't see him. After all, it had taken Snape a whole week before he could fully block out Albus.

PLEASE REVIEW it really helps me out!