Chapter three; Does learning Occlumency from your enemy defeat the purpose and A surprise meeting

When Harry proudly announced that he was done with his homework only to start unpacking several books from the large box Dumbledore sent him, he noticed Voldemort looking upon him with curiosity. The curious expression on his face reminded Harry that he had seen quite a few not quite Dark Lordly expressions on Voldemort's face this past week. It also confirmed that neither of them had been able to regard this situation exceedingly seriously since the start. Oh well, maybe that was a good thing…

"This is your fault actually." Harry said at last after deciding that curious just wasn't a good look for a dark lord.

"Oh really, what have I done this time?" Voldemort sounded amused.

"Well it was you who decided to kill me and therefore creating a connection that I need Occlumency to block, wasn't it?" Well at least amused was more suiting than curious, right?

"Yes, I suppose you're right about that. But I could rectify that by helping you'd like? I am, after all, a master Legilimens."

"Wouldn't that sort of defeat the purpose?"

"You may start with reading those books of yours, then I'll be kind enough to answer any inquiries you might have and then when you feel more secure about your shields I could test them… gently of course. What do you say?" Voldemort smirked unpleasantly with a glint in his eyes.

"I'll think about it."

Voldemort cackled evilly inside his mind. The full prophecy was as good as his. Given that Dumbledore had told it to the brat of course…

As it turned out Harry did do what Voldemort had suggested by which he also learned Legilimency as a side effect. Because to understand what a shield was exactly Voldemort had let him examine his own shields and to be able to do that, it had obviously been necessary for him to learn Legilimency as any experimentation with their mind-link only could end in pain.

Well to be precise, actually learning Occlumency was a process that lasted through the entire summer. It was also a process that almost made their deal come to a brutal end several times as it brought up several memories that both of them rather liked to avoid, but they solved it by locking themselves in their rooms and focusing on other things, or rather in Voldemort's case: stalking off and cursing some Death Eaters. Undoubtedly quite a few of them got confused by their Lord storming from his quarters instead of to them seeing as very few of them actually met Harry that summer. Though the first meeting that occurred was ironic in many ways:

One day maybe three weeks after the beginning of Harry's stay in enemy camp he got the honour of opening the door when it was politely knocked upon, because the chambers true inhabitant currently was in the shower. Harry wasn't sure it was such a good idea for him to open, but the Dark Lord insisted and who was he to protest against the Big Bad Dark Lord?

Draco Malfoy was quite nervous when he descended into the dungeons to reach the Dark Lords quarters. He had a feeling that his fathers resent mistakes wouldn't make his situation any easier either. So it was that, when he with trepidation had knocked on the door, he kneeled; trying to give his Lord fewer reasons to curse him as he had heard he was prone to do lately and without any reason at all apparently. When the door then opened he kept his eyes directed downwards and as such his first thought upon seeing the person opening the door was the Dark Lord sure has small feet. It almost distracted him from speaking but he gathered his wits about him after a second or so.

"You sent for me, My Lord." he said submissively. Only to, after seconds of an oppressive silence, get the shock of his life:

"Not that I don't enjoy seeing you on your knees before me Malfoy, but I do think you should be more careful when you decide to open yourself up for attacks like that." He heard a familiar voice say. "If only I hadn't promised not to attack anyone during my stay here." The voice continued with remorse colouring its tone.

Draco raised his head.

"Potter!?"

"Yes, imagine seeing you here. Though it was quite expected I suppose."

Draco never had a chance to say anything else before his rival continued:

"Why don't you come in and relax for awhile. Voldemort's washing his hair." Harry couldn't contain a snicker. "Oh, and I would avoid his desk if I were you."

Draco wasn't quite sure how to react so he stood and went over to the sofa to sit down. He watched as Potter closed the door and walked over to an overstuffed armchair with a book lying face down upon it. He kept watching as Potter then picked up the book, sat down and started to read. Then after maybe two minutes of silence he finally couldn't take it anymore and spoke:

"What the hell are you doing here of all places, Potter?!"

Harry looked up, seemingly weighing options in his mind, and then he simply said:

"Relaxing."

If anything that just made Draco more frustrated. Maybe it was luck that the Dark Lord showed up just then, hair moist and with a towel wrapped around his shoulders to protect his robes, or maybe not. Draco watched bewildered as Potter and his Lord exchanged some looks whereupon Potter stood and disappeared into another room. Draco couldn't help but stare at them both. But then it was as if a change had come over his Lord as suddenly it really was the Dark Lord standing there in front of him and Draco once again felt very, very nervous.

Maybe it was Malfoy that made Harry realise who it was that he was actually living with. Because when he left him and Voldemort alone and went into his room he just collapsed on the bed. He was living with his parent's murderer and enjoying it. He felt guilt and shame rising through his throat and tears forming in his eyes. Sirius. Would he be disappointed in him now? He missed him, so much that it hurt. Sure he wasn't always that responsible but he was his, a father figure and big brother in one.

Then he thought of Voldemort who actually wasn't that insane and he could actually understand why he had done some of the things he'd done. He remembered one of their biggest fights after he had moved in; they had been talking about stuff in general and gotten onto the subject of Dementors, courtesy to the resent mass breakout from Azkaban. When Harry had remembered just what it was he heard when the creatures got close, and from there on it had only escalated:

"You killed my parents!"

"They were my enemies, of course I killed them. And besides, I gave your mother a chance to step aside as I'm sure you recall."

"You… You…"

"What?"

"You're just an insane fucking murderer! Sure my parents were your enemies, but what about all those innocent muggles, huh?!"

"Well, they are good stress relief for some of my more vicious followers."

Harry couldn't help but mutter:

"You should just let them kill each other instead."

Though his anger hadn't abated just yet so he continued:

"And why do you always have to try to kill me? I mean if your schemes weren't so easy to find out and if they didn't involve me there would be no need for all this shit. You say you don't like me always spoiling your plans, but then DON'T INVOLVE ME IN THEM!"

Voldemort glared at him and said:

"I should give you a nice dose of the Cruciatus right now. But I won't, instead I will let you watch a few memories of mine and then you will go to your room and stay there while I go and take care of some work."

Harry fell silent. Not really because of the words or the glare, but because of the fierce pain in his scar that showed exactly how angry his mortal enemy truly was. It reminded Harry that maybe it wasn't so smart to yell at a person who could kill you within the blink of an eye and who wouldn't regret it because he had tried to do so before!

After that little situation and the viewing of a string of memories that showed how Voldemort's carrier had started out, not to forget the rather tense discussion afterwards when Voldemort had returned, they had felt more at peace with each other and Harry had gotten some more inspiration for DWIB.