Chapter 10
When Harry met with Mac for his other lessons, she told him that today they would be working on transfiguration exercises. "It's not that hard…" Mac said, cheerfully. "Even if you're blind. It's just like any spellwork: concentrate on what you're doing and focus your magic."
"I… I don't know about this," Harry said, uncertainly, as he pulled out his wand.
"Concentrate and focus," Mac repeated. "Feel the magic and direct it."
Harry pointed his wand and Mac placed a rock on a desk in the path of Harry's wand. "What do you want me to change…? What… am I…?"
"Just a rock, Harry," Mac replied. "As for what you're changing it into… that's up to you."
Harry nodded and with a flick of his wand and a whispered spell, the rock changed into an elegant pewter goblet. "Did I do it?"
Mac smiled as she picked up the goblet and put it in Harry's hand. "See for yourself."
Harry pocketed his wand and rolled the goblet around in his hands. "It's… nice."
"Harry…" Mac said, taking the goblet and setting it aside. "I've spoken to your friends... and I can't help but think that you're keeping people at a distance lately."
"I've… always been apart from everyone else," Harry replied. "But… Since I've been blind… it's like…"
"Like you can't connect with anyone?" Harry nodded. "Unfortunately, Harry, it's a common occurrence with being disabled… particularly with being blind," Mac said, kindly. "Since you can't see even in a crowd you feel alone… cut off…"
"Is there… some way I can…?" Harry looked desperate as he asked his teacher the question.
Mac sighed. "Find someone you feel you can connect with. That's… about all I can suggest."
The door to the classroom opened and Harry heard uneven footsteps coming closer. "Mallory?" Harry guessed and was surprised to hear her voice.
"Okay, you're still blind, right?" Mallory asked, curiously.
"Yeah," Harry replied.
"So how'd you guess it was me?"
"Uh…" Harry looked dodgy but said, "Is Orion still in the Gryffindor common room?"
"He's playing with the 1st years like a big puppy," Mallory replied, her eyes narrowing as she looked at Harry. "You didn't answer my question."
"Well…" Harry sighed. "I… heard you…"
"You heard…" Mallory blinked in confusion. "You heard me what?"
"Miss Harper…" Mac said, sitting on one of the desks in the room. "Harry is… having some problems connecting with others. Perhaps you can help."
Mallory looked at her then at Harry. "You heard me walking."
"Your footsteps were… off…" Harry finished lamely.
Mallory ran a hand through her hair. "I… Come over here, Harry." She went to one of the chairs and with a wince of discomfort, got her left up on the seat. As Harry came closer, she said, "Hold out your hand."
Harry did so and felt the faintest tingle when Mallory took his hand and pulled him a little closer. "Mallory, what are y—" He stopped when he felt something hard around her lower leg.
"Let's just say…" Mallory said as she lowered her leg. "I understand what it's like."
"Harry, why don't you and I call it a day?" Mac suggested. "We'll work more tomorrow."
Harry nodded and pulled his cane out of the pocket of his robes and unfolded it before heading out of the room with Mallory. "So… what happened?"
Mallory sighed. "It's… something I was born with." Harry was silent as they walked back up to Gryffindor Tower, waiting for Mallory to explain. "My left ankle… doesn't have natural tendons. Healers and muggle doctors did what they could to correct the problem, but my ankle gets out of joint very easily so when I was 6 I was fitted for the brace."
"Is… that why your mother left?" Harry asked, curiously.
"Harry, no offense, but I really don't want to get into that, okay?" Mallory replied, coolly.
"My uncle didn't like me at the best of times," Harry said, conversationally. "When I started losing my sight he viewed it as the perfect opportunity to get rid of me."
"Sometime I'll tell you about it, Harry," Mallory said as they started up the last flight of stairs. "I just don't want to talk about it now, okay?"
Harry nodded in understanding. "Okay. But… I'm here if you need me."
"I appreciate that," Mallory said, giving him a smile.
In his quarters, Snape was looking at a worn and dusty photo album. Pictures of he and Lily when they were kids covered the pages and Snape couldn't suppress the heartache he felt when he saw Lily's beautiful green eyes. Those eyes had captured him from the start… No wonder others like James Potter, Frank Longbottom, Remus Lupin, and even Sirius Black had worked so hard for a date with Lily. Those eyes would captivate anyone who gazed at them…
A knock at the door brought Snape out his reminiscing and he looked up as Albus Dumbledore came into the room. "I wonder if I might have a word with you, Severus."
"Certainly, Headmaster," Snape replied, gently closing the photo album and setting it aside.
"First of all," Dumbledore said, sitting down in one of the armchairs nearby. "How is Voldemort responding to Harry's situation?"
Snape shrugged. "Strangely enough he hasn't been planning to attack Harry or make any extravagant moves. I believe he is unsure whether Potter's blindness blocks the visions."
"I suspected as much," Dumbledore replied. "In that case, Severus, we should consider Harry learning Occlumency."
"But when should Potter begin his lessons?" Snape asked, knowing full well that he would end up teaching the boy.
"Unless something happens, it can probably wait until after the holidays."
On a cool, sunny Saturday, Harry sat in the stands of the Quidditch pitch, Sirius sitting to his right and Mallory on his left. It was Quidditch tryouts for the Gryffindor team and Angelina had wanted Harry present. "For moral support," she'd sad that morning when she had come stridding up to Harry at breakfast that morning.
"I love Quidditch," Mallory said, wistfully. "Never played but I love watching. Dad was too scared I'd hurt myself if I played. Mom didn't care." Flicking her gaze at Harry she added, "Still don't want to talk about it."
"I didn't even ask, did I?" Harry replied, wishing he was down on the pitch, flying around. "I made the team my first year. Third year I won the Quidditch cup." After a moment, Harry asked, "Who are they trying out now?"
"Uh… It looks like the keepers," Mallory replied. "Your friend Ron is up right now."
"Hello, Harry," said a misty, lyrical voice behind Harry.
Harry turned and finally asked, "Who's there?"
"I'm Luna," the girl replied. "Luna Lovegood. Can I join you?"
Harry nodded and heard footsteps coming closer before someone sat down—he guessed—on the other side of Sirius. "You're not in Gryffindor, are you?"
"Ravenclaw, actually," Luna replied, scratching Harry's dog behind the ears. "I'm friends with Ginny Weasley. She's trying out for Seeker."
"I didn't know Ginny was good at Quidditch," Harry mused. "I hope she's gets the position."
"You miss playing Quidditch, don't you?" Luna asked, sagely.
"It was the first thing I loved about being a wizard," Harry replied. "The first thing I could do without any training or teaching whatsoever. Plus… it felt like I was closer to my dad… playing just like he had when he was a student."
"Sometimes we're closer to our parents than we think," Luna said, vaguely. "In time their strengths may become ours."
"I just whish I knew what I've gotten from my mother other than my eyes," Harry said, taking his shades off.
"You rocked in our first potions class," Mallory said, smiling. "Maybe your mom was good at that? And you've got your dad's good looks. You should see the girls giving you mushy love-goggle looks."
Harry shrugged as he donned his shades. "What girl would want me for a boyfriend? I'm blind, most of the wizarding world thinks I'm an attention-seeking liar…"
As Mallory glanced at Luna who was smiling serenely at Harry she thought, 'I can think of at least two girls who don't mind any of that stuff.' "Luna seems to like you, Harry," Mallory said out loud. "And… I really like you, too."
"Really?" Harry said, surprised.
Mallory took his hand in hers. "Yeah. I'm definitely sweet on you, Harry."