Disclaimer:

J.K. Rowling is the owner of Harry Potter. Stories she has written and characters that she created are not mine. I don't take credit for any of her work. I do thank her for providing such a wonderful universe to dream about and write in.

Harry Weasley and the Reflection of Vengeance

By: Starwin

Chapter 10 – The Upsidedown Room

Harry stood awkwardly outside the door to the room that Snape had indicated on the parchment. Unlike any other room in the castle this one had names on the door. Harry was sure he must be going crazy but he read them again.

Occlumency Lessons for Harry Weasley

Professor Severus Snape Presiding

This was certainly the place. Harry had followed the directions exactly. Go to the seventh floor, walk this corridor several times and think very, very hard about attending Occlumency lessons. The strangest thing was that Harry was sure this door hadn't been here a few moments ago.

Unsure if he should knock, Harry decided simply to enter. It was an incredibly strange room that lay beyond. There were no desks, no chairs. In fact it hardly seemed to be a room at all. Instead of walls it had a series of staircases that led in every direction, some were even upside down or sideways so that it would be impossible to walk on them.

"You're early," came Snape's voice from high above. Harry looked up to see Professor Snape walking… down… maybe… one of the sideways staircases. If Harry had known nothing of magic he might have thought he was going insane. However he had to admit he'd seen stranger things.

Snape vanished into an archway at the landing. A moment later he was standing in front of Harry.

"What is this?" Harry asked throwing a nod out at the strange room. A curt grin came to Snape's face. Snape's eyes slid sideways as though he were admiring his handy work, or his brilliance.

"A training room," Snape said slowly his voice sly and quiet. "It is where you shall start you Occlumency lessons."

"I'm sorry sir but isn't Occlumency the art of magical mind defense?" Harry asked. Harry wasn't quiet sure where that fact had come from. He had been meaning to look it up before coming here but he had never found the time. Snape raised an eyebrow.

"There may be hope for you yet, Weasley," Snape said. "It is indeed."

"Then why the room? Aren't you just going to use Legilimency on me?" Harry asked. Again it was a fact Harry hadn't known until he said it. It almost felt like someone else was speaking for him, filling in the gaps. Snape gave no praise this time and his eyes narrowed instead.

"Yes," Snape said simply. "Follow." Snape led Harry up one of the staircases. "Occlumency is more then just a spell or a skill, it is a state of mind." They turned and started up… or maybe down… another staircase. Harry thought he might feel queasy or disoriented by the change but it was just like walking anywhere else. Even though he was upside-down now he still felt fine. At least he thought they were upside-down.

"To understand how to protect yourself you must be attacked, both mentally and physically." Snape said softly. Harry had given up trying to track where they were now in the maze of steps. "Every other professor," Snape paused, he sounded displeased, "has told me, to great extent, how they think you are the brightest student they have ever seen."

"Except for maybe Hermio… uh the Head Mistress," Harry interjected.

"Yes," Snape said emotionlessly and his mouth twitched. They stopped walking. Harry had no idea where they were. "Since you are so great, I have decided to start your training at the appropriate level… extremely… advanced. Your lesson ends when you make it back to where we started."

"Wait? What!" Harry exclaimed. But obviously the game was on for Snape wasted no time.

"Legilimens!" Snape cried giving no warning or time for Harry to react.

Everything stretched out like it was very far away. Images began to flash before Harry's eyes. The time he and James had fought in the fountain at the center of Primina Square. The first time he had ever ridden a broom. The birthday party only a few months ago. His Mother's warmth as she hugged him. Cedric Diggory lying dead in the graveyard and Voldemort standing over him, laughing.

The connection broke. Harry was out of breath. He was shaking. As quickly as the memories had boiled to the surface they receded and his mind was left blank. Harry looked around trying to spot Snape to avoid the next attack. But Snape was gone.

Harry struggled to his feet and started down one of the stairs.

"Legilimens!" Snape cried again from somewhere above, below, Harry didn't know! Why was this room all mixed up!

Again the memories rushed forward. He was five, he and his mother were taking their first ride together on the rail cart down to the Gringotts vault. Now he was seven, his left arm was broken from a rather nasty fall off his broom while playing Quidditch with some local wizard children. Now there was a stab wound in his chest, blood pouring down his front, he was dieing. The connection broke again.

Harry's brain was addled. Now he was even seeing his nightmares. He didn't want to remember, didn't want to see these things. Feet racing and heart pounding in his chest Harry fled down the steps, stumbled and crawled up the next staircase.

"Legilimens!" Snape shouted a third time.

"NO!" Harry roared. This time the spell didn't affect him completely. He could still see the memories flashing by but they were distant and out of reach. When the spell ended he couldn't remember any of them.

Harry darted down another flight of stairs and paused under the archway at the bottom. He closed his eyes and listened as he tried to slow his breath and bring calm. Slow footsteps echoed off the walls. There was no way he would be able to find his way out. He didn't know…

Harry's eyes flashed open. A thought had just come to him. Harry didn't know the way but Snape did. Harry took a deep breath and prepared himself. Then he stepped out into the open baiting for an attack.

"Legilimens!" Snape shouted almost at once.

"Protego!" Harry shouted at the same time. For a very brief moment it was like something was pushing against Harry's forehead, trying to get in. But then the world spun outwards and he was looking in on someone else's memories, Snape's memories. Harry saw images of his father looking defiantly back at him… at Snape, it was an odd feeling to be someone else.

'How do I get out,' Harry thought trying to ignore the images before him. He concentrated on the one thought, the one desire… escape. The other memories became a blur as he raced deeper into Snape's mind. Then Harry stopped. He knew he was going the wrong way. He was going deeper into the mind when he should have been looking for… Harry pulled back so he could see the surface thoughts and there it was. The path, the way out!

Harry broke the connection. Without a moments hesitation he raced this way and that down the last few flights of stairs until he was standing at the entrance door. A few moments later Snape joined him.

"I am impressed Weasley," Snape said softly. There wasn't praise in his voice, but there wasn't contempt either.

---

Professor Snape escorted Harry back to the Slytherin common room, as it was far too late for any student to be out of bed. The lesson seemed to have only taken a few minutes but in fact it had been nearly two hours later when they left the room.

The wall to the common room slid away as Harry approached, before he had even had a chance to get close to it. At first he thought it might be because he was escorted by a Professor however this was not the case. Harry could see that the door had opened because of the person standing on the other side.

"Out of bed eh Weasley?" Ragnos said snidely. "Well you …" Ragnos stopped, his eyes found Professor Snape. "Professor? I… I see you've caught Weasley out of bed." Ragnos smiled darkly.

"No," Snape replied, his voice unreadable. "Weasley's advanced defense lesson simply ran long. I was escorting him back to the common room." The smallest flicker of disappointment crossed Ragnos's face.

Neither Snape nor Ragnos said anything as Harry passed Ragnos and moved quickly through the green-lit common room and down to the dormitories.

---

Alex and Chris were playing with a deck of exploding cards. They were in the middle of building a great, tall, castle, complete with working drawbridge. Kris was sitting on her brother's bed, a book open in her lap and her hand pressed against her forehead in concentration.

Alex was the first to spot Harry and for a very brief moment Harry thought he might shout out with excitement but all he could do was smile.

"Harry!" Chris shouted. His sister jumped, the book falling from her lap. Parchment flew out in all directions as her homework escaped in the tumble.

"Look out!" Harry cried as one of the rogue pieces of paper zoomed at the card castle. However beyond Harry's words of warning no one else was able to take any action to stop it. With amazing speed the paper crashed into the side of the castle and bounced off harmlessly.

"You did that on purpose!" Chris shouted angrily turning towards his sister, who didn't look innocent at all.

"Well maybe it wouldn't have happened if you'd have let me copy off your homework instead of making me do it all by myself!" Kris shouted back.

"Enough!" Harry said. His voice echoed loudly around the room and everyone became silent. All eyes were on him now, but he didn't care. "Why do you two always have to bicker? For one goddamn night can't you just shut the hell up!?" Only the crackle of the heater in the center of the room made any sound. Kris stood suddenly, picked up her book from the floor and ran out of the room, pushing her way past Harry, her mismatched eyes wet with tears.

"Ah, Kris, come on!" Her brother pleaded getting up and moving towards the door after her. Chris shot Harry an unpleasant look as he followed his sister. Harry looked at Alex as though he expected some form of protest from him, but Alex just shrugged and continued with the card castle. His anger still boiling inside him Harry roughly pulled off his robe, got into bed without undressing and fell asleep.

---

There was a knock at the door.

"Enter," said Harry. It was Professor Snape who appeared. Harry didn't much like dealing with him. He had shown where his loyalties lay long ago. Snape approached the desk but did not sit. "How did it go?" Harry asked and he was aware that his voice sounded different as he spoke.

"Though it pains me to say it, the boy has at least some skill at Occlumency, unlike his father. His mind is well guarded," said Professor Snape.

"Sit," Harry ordered. He knew Snape didn't like to sit, especially when he was ordered to, that was why Harry always asked him to do it. Snape sat, his face was impassive but Harry could tell there was masked dislike behind his eyes. "What did you see?"

"As I have already said," and Harry was certain there was disdain in Snape's voice. "His mind is well guarded."

"Don't Severus," Harry said. There was the faintest flick of anger at Snape's lip. "I asked you to do this because you are one of the best at Legilimency in the world. But so am I. If I have to do this and I find out you're lying to me…"

"There were flickers of thoughts that didn't belong," Snape cut in. Harry folded his hands before him.

"How bad is it?" Harry asked.

"I must again state my protest to this," Snape said, his eyes locked on Harry. "Dumbledore has told us that…" Harry stood sharply and Snape stopped speaking.

"I don't care what Dumbledore says!" Harry shouted angrily. Harry turned away from Snape and walked slowly towards the windows that looked out on the school grounds. This meeting was over, he had no more time to deal with Snape.

"Dumbledore isn't here anymore." Harry continued coldly. "Perhaps he never should have been. I'm the headmistress of this school now. When I ask you to follow my instructions I expect them to be followed." Harry glanced over his shoulder at Snape who looked murderously back at him. "Now get out." The scraping of a chair against the floor echoed to Harry's ears followed by the sound of footsteps departing.

"And Severus," said Harry coming to a stop at the window that looked out over the Hogwarts grounds. "I shall know if you speak any of this to the traitor." There was a pause and then the sound of a door shutting.

Harry could see his reflection in the glass but it wasn't him who was reflected, it was Hermione. He was seeing through Hermione's eyes.

"I hope for all our sakes that Dumbledore is wrong about you, Harry Potter." Hermione whispered to herself.

Authors Notes:

Well, well, well… another day another chapter.

This is an interesting chapter. It made its entrance late into the story, just as I was closing in on the end, this unfortunately pushed all my chapters up, so I had to go back and renumber things.

Thanks as always for taking the time to read, some reviews would be welcome as well so don't feel shy and leave some feedback.

Starwin