Author's Note: Some of you may have noticed this story has been updated twice weekly since chapter one. Unfortunately life is not being kind or cooperative with that continuing. Chapter 12 will be coming next Friday and after that I'm not sure what the schedule will be. Hopefully things will swing in a better direction by then.
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Chapter Summary:
Premonition and memory collide as Harriet revisits the graveyard of her ancestors and the Riddles. But all dreams end and it is time to start a new day, Valentine's day actually.
Chapter 11: Predictions, Memories, and Waking Up
Harriet was in a vast barren stretch of snow covered land. Tilting her head back she looked up at the gold sky breathing in the cold, feeling it flood her lungs. Capturing Harriet's attention a particularly large snowflake was falling down towards her face. She felt a little hint of fear at the idea of reaching out to catch it but that fear only encouraged her on. As her fist closed around it the snowflake ceased to be, its existence replaced by a thread of magic. Closing her eyes Harriet willed the thread to sink into her. She tracked it with her inner eye as it traveled smaller and smaller, deeper and deeper, until it was at the very weaving of her existence in the universe. There was something more there. Something more she could see but it scared her too much to look. She traveled back the way she'd come until she was looking at the world around her with her eyes still shut. Closing her inner gaze she opened her eyes to the peaceful gold of the sky above her.
Releasing a breath she dropped her hand. The snowflake was gone and Harriet very much didn't want to think about what she'd seen of its final destination. Looking for a distraction from those thoughts she turned slowly in a circle until she spotted a cluster of glittering specs of gold out on the horizon. She didn't know if she wanted to visit the graveyard again… but looking around there didn't seem to be anything else to do.
At the entrance she bowed her respects to the founders of her House before heading in. She recognized the next pair of statues lining the path from her recent research into her family with books she'd found in the Black library.
To her left, Hardwin Potter the eldest of the first seven sons who fathered the first branches of their family tree. To her right, across the path from him stood his wife Iolanthe Peverell. Together they had founded her branch of the Potter line. It was considered a good match at the time they became betrothed. In both position and wealth the two families were matched but what appealed most to Iolanthe's family was that Potter blood had proven fertile. While Peverell was an old and respected house its numbers were dwindling. Iolanthe's generation had been the last in their branch to bear the name Peverell. As the eldest of a generation of daughters she'd brought much of the Peverell's wealth and heirlooms into the marriage.
A bizarre fact of Potter history was that every eldest child of their line had been boys. Most of the descendants of Hardwin and Iolanthe had in fact been male. Harriet had been the only first born female of their branch and the first girl in the family for generations. There had been rumors in the past that a spell or curse had been done to allow this but no one ever found any hard evidence to prove it. Harriet didn't know if there was any truth to the rumors but coincidences did happen.
As Harriet continued down the path she came across others she'd read about.
There was Pince Potter who was a renowned painter of portraits in his time, Willace Potter who helped negotiate a peace treaty with the Goblin Nation, Gloin Potter who had run a magical trading company, John Potter who had co-owned a racing broom manufacturer, and of course Ralston Potter a member of Wizengamot in the 1600s he'd supported the Statue of Secrecy which at time was seen with some scorn in Britain as the pacifist's approach. Those that wanted to declare war on the muggles saw it as cowardice. It was only due to the overwhelming global support the they went along with the Statute in the end.
Henry Potter, her great-grandfather was the only other Potter to hold a Wizengmot seat. While in the position he called for the magical community to help the muggles fighting in the first world war. His outspokenness along with the commonness of their surname in the muggle world sparked rumors that their house came from tainted blood but it didn't stop Ralston from speaking out.
Fleamont Potter, Harriet's grandfather who she knew better now thanks to both her reading and Sirius, had been named after his mother's family. As her siblings had passed on before they could have children of their own Fleamont's mother had not wanted her name to die with her. It had been her dying wish that the name live on so Henry obliged. Fleamont was known as a fine dueler and business man, quadrupling the family fortune with his invention of the Sleekeazy's Hair Potion. With two drops it could tame even a Potters' wild curls though her father, though much to his mother's exasperation James had refused to use it preferring his natural bird's nest.
Euphemia Potter, Harriet's grandmother hadn't been a fighter preferring peace and comfort and home. A former Ravenclaw she was a witch accomplished in transfiguration and charms. After figuring out what they were trying to do Euphemia had been the one to help the Marauders with their desire to become animagi. She'd helped them on a promise that they would continue to keep the ability a secret even once they were done with school and no longer needed the secrecy to help Remus. With the war heating up she wanted it to be an ace up their sleeve in case they ever found themselves in more than simple boyhood trouble.
As she reached her grandparents' statues they smiled down on her. Smiling back Harriet drew her wand. With careful spell work she transformed the top layer of snow around their bases into blooms. A mix of blue, grey, and white species and varieties for her grandmother to compliment the stones in her statue. Reds, yellows, and blues for her grandfather for the same reason. Once that was finished she moved on to her parents' statues to do the same though her mother got white blooms on a green leafy bed.
Having paid her respects Harriet considered what she should do next. Looking out past her parents she found her attention drawn to her own statue. Something was different. It wasn't immediately apparent what but she could feel there was something. Moving forward she went to get a closer look at herself. As she neared she saw the problem. On the back of its hand was an engraving.
With light fingers Harriet traced the smooth skin on the back of her hand where there should have been a wound, but there wasn't. There wasn't a single mark. No matter how many hours Umbridge drew out her detentions or how many days in a row she subjected Harriet to those blood quills it never took more than three to four days for the damage to heal completely. Snape was helping to treat the other students. He could take away their pain and minimize the damage but even he was having trouble with the words left behind on those most often subjected to Umbridge's 'lessons.' But Harriet needed almost no help at all. Snape took her pain and her body took care of healing itself. She felt guilty that the others had to bare their scars while she didn't but she was happy to look down and see smooth skin. She didn't like the idea that even though Umbridge wasn't able to mark her physically it was leaving an impression here.
Storing away her wand Harriet hoisted herself up besides her statue to get a better look. Holding on to Hedwig for balance she moved around the edge of the base for the best angle to read the words carved into the ice.
'Some Things Are Worth Lying For.' With her brow scrunched in confusion she read the words again before giving it some thought. At the start of the school year that wouldn't have been a statement she would have felt any connection with… but it did seem rather fitting. It was a good reminder to herself that while she may not like deception the world they lived in sometimes made it necessary. After all the D.A. wouldn't be able to operate if they weren't all lying about what they were doing. More, weren't they lying by omission to keep Sirius from becoming a soulless husk. There were some things worth lying for. There were some people worth lying for.
Looking out past her statue Harriet expected to see an endless stretch of snow under golden skies. Instead, hiding in the shadow of her statue was another base and on that base sat a cauldron with what Harriet thought was a very large snake curled around it. Carefully getting back to the ground Harriet didn't notice that the snow was no longer falling from the skies which had lost their rainbow and were steadily darkening.
From a distance it was hard to tell but as she got closer Harriet noticed that the design on this base was made up of very simplistic snakes. Towards the bottom the serpents were laid out and bent into ridged straight lines with their bodies fitting together like pieces in from Tetris but the higher up the base you went the unnatural geometry was lost as the snakes began fitting and crossing themselves together in a more organic fashion.
The snake atop the base was very different from the ones that made it. The ones on the base were extremely simplistic and unrealistic but the one on top was anatomically correct in its shape. Made from copper her surface had oxidized leaving her thigh thick, long body patina green. She was so long she was still able to over lap herself despite being coiled around an easily three foot across cauldron. Like Hedwig the snake had been done with her eyes closed and existed frozen in her pose. Beyond her lifelessness the most unrealistic thing about her were her scales which had been carved out with artistic stylization in mind rather than a replication of real snake's skin. Again, much the same as Hedwig's statue.
Looking down Harriet searched for the plaque she thought should be somewhere on the base. Eventually she found it. Unlike all the others she had seen before the plaque was not proudly displayed but off to the side and partially hidden with snakes creeping in if not outright crossing over it. What Harriet could see of it though was completely blank like hers.
Looking up Harriet moved as close as she could to the base and even went up on her tiptoes but the edge of the cauldron was still far out of her sight. She had a feeling there was something inside. She knew she should probably leave it alone. It was one thing to climb up on her own monument but to go traipsing on someone else's would be rude… But still. This base came after hers. Directly after hers. To leave this mystery alone would leave her an itching pile of misery.
Giving in to her Gryffindor recklessness Harriet hoisted herself up onto the base despite knowing deep down she should leave it well enough alone.
Using the snake as a step stool she stood up and looked inside the cauldron and immediately she regretted it.
Everything hit her at once. The sight. The sound. The smell! The smell made her heave and the sight of the thing in the cauldron didn't help her to keep her dinner down.
It was a thing she had no name for. She honestly hoped there was no name for it, that it was a singular entity in the universe that no one else had ever come across or thought to exist. The creature, whatever it was, flailed at the bottom of the cauldron in a mix of filth and swill and blood which she believed was the source of the smell. It seemed to Harriet the creature didn't like being there anymore than Harriet would have in it's place. It struggled and fought and flapped in the liquid causing it to spray up the side of the cauldron and dirtying the… thing further. It wasn't just the struggling though. Its cry! The inhuman odd sound that came out of the thing's mouth that hurt not Harriet's ears but her head to hear it as it vacillated through pitches while moving from a wail to a screech to a sob to a moan. Harriet didn't know how the thing could make a whimper let alone move about in the way it did. It was so malformed and emaciated it shouldn't have the strength. That wasn't even speaking of the wounds. The blood in the liquid was coming from flayed opened strips along the thing's scared and abused and diseased looking skin.
But as the initial moments of shock past, looking down on it Harriet couldn't help but to feel sympathy for the creature. She couldn't help but see the familiar in its features. It looked something like a baby almost, or a very old man. Naked and bald and so very skinny with its skin practically painted over its bones… But Harriet couldn't help seeing past the filth and other to a hint of humanity. Her heart went out to it as she could see that even though it was displaying an impressive will to live the small thing could do nothing to change its circumstances. She knew eventually its strength would wear out and what then?
'It might just be another statue. It might not even be capable of feeling anything," she told herself but even knowing that couldn't stop her from trying to help.
Holding her breath Harriet reached into the cauldron to retrieve the creature from its predicament. Her help did not appear wanted as once it was touched it only fought and cried harder. It continued flailing and struggling and scratching all the way but even still Harriet would not give up even if she did nearly throw up as she questioned just what might be was into her blood stream through those cuts left by it's little nails.
Once she had the creature out and into the air she tried bringing it to her chest hoping if it felt secure it would calm.
"There, there," Harriet tried to sooth as she used her sleeve to wipe off the remains of its disgusting bath. She focused most on clearing away the wounds. It was hard to go on comforting the creature with the smell but she forced herself to take another breath and keep on. "I've got you now. No need to cry."
But still it fought her.
At this rate she was afraid it would do itself an injury. Adjusting her hold, Harriet tried to restrain the creature from moving. When it could no longer fight it started to tremble and its bizarre cry morphed into a croaking wail.
"It's alright. You're alright," she told it worrying if she was lying. She was starting to panic as to what she would do.
But then the thing opened its eyes. Its very red, very human, very menacing eyes.
Harriet screamed as a horrible pain bloomed in her scar. She could feel the creatures hate burning through her and knew she had made a mistake. This was not a thing to help but to run from. It tried to cling to her but Harriet ripped herself free, throwing it back in the cauldron where it belonged.
She had to get away. She knew she had to get away. Gripping her aching head she stumbled ready to jump or fall off the base whichever could put distance between herself and that creature fastest. Then suddenly an Expelliarmus hit her in the chest. Her wand was ripped from her hand. For a wild moment Harriet was confused as she could not remember drawing her wand in the first place, but then she was falling backwards and there was no time to think.
She barely had time to flail before a tight spinning jet of pale yellow nearly translucent magic was coming at her, slamming into her stomach. Rather than simply falling she was flying, flipping, careening through the air parallel to the ground. Looking back she saw herself heading straight into her own statue with no way of slowing or softening the collision. Wrapping her arms around her head she prepared for it. She felt a second spell whizzing past her head, leaving a buzzing in her ear. It flew on ahead to her statue. When the spell hit the cold lifeless ice was transfigured into living rough dark grey stone which took on the appearance of an angel of death. With surprising agility the statue snatched her out of the air to bring her in to trap her against its form.
Restrained and wandless Harriet could only struggle fruitlessly and watch as the man who had attacked her emerged from behind the protection of the golden base on which she had been standing.
"Wormtail," she hissed at the treacherous little man.
Either he didn't hear her or the rat was simply ignoring her. Whichever the case Wormtail was focused on cowering from Nagini who was no longer a frozen statue but the snake herself. Slithering out of her protective coil she revealed bundles of kindling, herbs and other materials which had been bound together and placed under the cauldron to hold it up. With ease she slunk her way off of the base to the ground where she buried herself down in the snow disappearing from sight.
With the predator he feared having gone Wormtail produced spell Harriet did not recognize which set the bundles a light with a roaring green flame which flickered up around the sides over the cauldron, turning the shining gold black with soot and soot in seconds. Once the flame was light Wormtail pulled out a sheet of paper and laid it out before him. With all his focus on the words written there he proceeded with a ritual the likes of which Harriet had never seen before. As he chanted a design of eerily glowing magic and light stretched itself out above the cauldron. It was a complex symmetrical thing surrounded by nested rings which filled with what looked like runic text. Harriet didn't have long to study the design as no sooner was it completed then it dropped. Passing through the cauldron in its journey the mandala traveled down to join the flames underneath the cauldron. With the two occupying the same space and putting off competing green glow it was hard to differentiate them from one another.
Switching to English Wormtail imparted, "Bone of the father unwillingly given."
At Harriet's feet a bone floated out from the snow and through the air before splashing down into the cauldron.
"Flesh of the servant willingly sacrificed."
Turning his wand on himself Wormtail severed his hand from his body with a single spell. Screaming he fell to his knees. It was some seconds before he could compose himself enough to seal the wound. Harriet looked on him with disgust for the creature who let his life come to such acts.
Still obviously in pain, Peter gathered his severed hand and with great trouble managed to climb onto the base. He dropped his pound of flesh into the cauldron before turning his eyes on her. Realizing she had stopped struggling Harriet started her efforts a new.
With his wand pointing directly at her Peter declared, "Blood of the enemy forcibly taken."
Harriet couldn't scream for the pain as she scar burst open. Blood dripped down her face from the once long healed wound before floating off from her to journey towards the cauldron… but there was something more than blood being pulled from her. Harriet could feel her body and magic exhausting with how much was being taken.
Closing her eyes Harriet looked at the world around her with her inner sight. She could see the magic in the statue behind her that was keeping it in this form. She could see Nagini circling the cauldron's base under the snow. She could see the magic that came from the snake and something else, something like the creature she had taken from the cauldron earlier only less formed living within the snake. She could see Pettigrew and how his magic was working outside his body to take from her. She could see her own magic in her body and in the blood leaving her. She could see the threads, the tightly coiled threads of her magic had transformed into one for every drop of blood that was making its way through the air.
… She could see the magic at work in the cauldron. It was as inspiring as it was terrifying. She had no context for what she was seeing. She hadn't the education to understand it nor the vocabulary to describe it.
She watched as her blood combined with the potion in the cauldron changing everything. Suddenly the magic she was seeing took on another nature as the darkness and maliciousness was stripped away. This was no longer the dark ritual that was intended but instead of thing of good. The creature in the cauldron screamed, a man's scream of pain and fury but the fury was quickly dying to be replaced by fear as the brew evolved to its new form. His body was attacked as this new magic sunk down into his very heart and soul to take hold of him. Beneath the cauldron the flames were extinguished as the mandala turned a sparking white with the changing of its design and purpose. Bathed in this new light the cauldron was transformed. Gone was its soiled black. In its place was crystal clear ice.
The ground became filled with magic as did the skies. From above small coiled threads of magic began drifting down. Closing her inner eye and looking up physically again Harriet could see a golden sky stretched out above her with rainbow particles falling down form it to become falling snow.
Looking ahead again the only thing out of place with the view was Peter Pettigrew, dirty and bloodied, and dark in her world of gold and cold. In a flash Nagini lunged up out of the snow at the man. Taken by surprise at see the large snake coming for his face Peter screeched and coward backwards. His body shrunk down to that of Scabbers to in order to get out of Nagini's path. There would be no escaping for him this time however. Nagini was seeing to that. When the rat tried to run she gave chase, catching up to him easily she snapped him up in her jaw, but, she did not swallow him down choosing instead to merely hold him prisoner in her maw.
Harriet smiled with satisfaction and pride in the snake as she slithered over across the snow. As Nagini came closer Harriet didn't feel scared. She felt happy. Pointing out her foot from where it danged she angled it towards the beautiful Nagini. Hissing happily the snake reached up until she could wrap around the offered foot and continued to circle her way up Harriet's body.
"Mistress," she greeted as she rubbed her head against the side of Harriet's face.
Once she had comfortably draped herself over Harriet and the statue hey waited together watching through the clear sides of the cauldron across from them. To human eyes it looked rather like a snow globe that had been all turned about. A great blizzard trapped in a bowl until suddenly a hand shot clear of it. The skin was still painted over the bone with little meat between but the pale scarred human flesh had been scrubbed clean. The fingers were growing becoming far too long and out of proportion with the palm. With the hand gripping the rim of the cauldron it continued to grow until it looked like an average human hand, only large. Very large.
When a second hand emerged to drip onto the rim as well, the cauldron began to frost over. As the clear surface became opaque the pale human skin darkened shifting towards blue in hue. With a mighty yank the two arms ripped the cauldron apart releasing the blizzard from its confines to spraying out at the world. For a time all Harriet could see was snow and fog and sparks of magic in the air but as it settled, a figure on a golden pedestal became clear. The creature was gone and in its place stood a man but not a human man. He was tall but growing taller still. Seven foot? Eight foot? Nine foot maybe? Harriet didn't know. Taller than Dumbledore surely. Taller than any man she had ever seen besides Hagrid. When his growth finally began to stop ridges that almost looked like the result of ritual scaring grew out from the blue skin which covered all of his naked body.
What Harriet noticed most though was how his head was thrown back and his mouth clenched tight as he suffered with pain. She was glad he was no longer the monster he had been but she was sorry he had to suffer for it.
When finally the transformation was through Voldemort shuttered and fell to his hands and knees, his head dropping forward to hang loosely between his shoulders. He knelt there for some time panting as he recovered. When he finally did move it was to run his hand over his head only to stop as he felt his bald scalp and markings. Lowering the hand he placed it in front of his face to examine. Leaning back he sat on his shins so he could examine both his hands at once as well as his body. It let Harriet see his new eyes. They were still red but certainly not human. She liked them far better than what he'd had before.
Together Harriet and Nagini waited letting him have his time to adjust until finally he looked up to check his surroundings and spotted them. Immediately he tried to stand to walk to them but he fell back to a knees before he could fully rise to his feet. He looked confused at his own inability and tried again, slower this time. Even with all the care he was taking he was awkward as he struggled to learn his new form but he carried on with persistence until he reached the half way point between the angel's base and his platform. There Harriet's wand was lodged in the snow with the handle out. Crouching down Voldemort retrieved it, the brother to his own wand. With how dwarfed her wand was in his hand he looked like a father collecting his child's toy. Eleven inches of holly looked absurd in his large hand, but it didn't feel wrong to Harriet that he should wield it. With the barest flick of his wrist he brought the angel under his control. Under his command Harriet was lowered down to stand under her own volition with Nagini brought down with her.
Once she had her footing Voldemort approached even more slowly than before. When he stood a step from her the giant lowered himself to his knees at her feet. Bowing his head in supplication he presented her wand to her on open palms. Cautiously she took it but there was no trick. Relieved of his burden Voldemort lowered his hands back to his sides. From there he did not move. He did not flinch. He did nothing against her, not that she actually thought he would she realized with surprise.
"What now," she asked.
He answered but the word leaving his mouth did not match the motion. Not only that but it was not his voice.
"Harriet."
"Harriet," Hermione said again gently giving her shoulder a shake.
Startling into wakefulness Harriet sat up to blinked at her friend in a panic.
"Sorry," Hermione whispered apologetically. "But if you don't start getting ready now, you'll be let for your lessons."
Looking around at the dark of the dorm room Harriet tried to figure out what was happening but before she could move too far into waking up Hermione was placing a journal in Harriet's hands along with a quill.
Harriet looked down at the journal confused. What would she need this for?
Flipping it open she realized it was her dream journal which meant she must had had a dream she needed to record… didn't it?
Closing her eyes Harriet tried to remember. There was a sense of being cold, well and truly, blessedly cold. It made her shiver in pleasure just remembering. Without opening her eyes she wrote out cold in her journal before pressing on to see what else she could remember. There were flashes of a snake and a rat and blue skin. 'Voldemort's return?' she wrote alongside those three clues. She tried to think of anything else but couldn't. Sighing she let herself open her eyes.
It was February and she was still forgetting her dreams. Six and half months of this and she still didn't know why. Nothing she had tried so far allowed her to remember leaving her woefully unsatisfied and itchy. Reaching up to she absently rubbed at her ear then neck but the gloves on her hands kept her from getting proper satisfaction.
She stared down at the disappointing entry for a few moments but as the itch spread over her body she set those problems aside to grab her wand and start her day. Besides her wand was her clock which told her it was already 5:30 am. Completely forgetting about her dream and her memory problem Harriet discarded the journal on her bed as she rushed to get started on her morning routine. She had training with Snape in fifteen minutes and being late would not be acceptable.
Harriet still didn't know how to feel about her Professor. She was still suspicious of him but also grateful.
During the dementors' attack on her and Dudley Harriet had been shocked when a doe helped her Hedwig patronus to fight them off. For a wild moment she'd expected to turn and see the ghost of her mother. Instead it was her Potions Professor rushing forward to put himself between her and the threat. Standing there she flashed back to the night they faced Moody when Snape had put himself between the werewolf and three of his most loathed students.
Once the dementors were gone Snape had turned on her demanding to know if she was hurt even as he cast diagnostic spells on her.
Harriet didn't recall ever answering him.
"Dudley," she'd called running over to her cousin.
"Potter," Snape had shouted following after her.
It had been Snape who assured her Dudley would recover. It was also Snape who made her get her cousin up while he stood guard. She hadn't trusted him to be there for the right reasons. She hadn't been able to trust which side he was on given all the contradicting experiences she'd had with him over the years but then his patronus, the doe, had returned to him. He gave it a message to deliver to Dumbledore and some of Harriet's worry faded. She had her issues with Dumbledore but she trusted that if Snape was willing to report then he was meant to be there.
"The girl has been attacked by dementors. She had to cast a patronus. Mundungus is gone. I am seeing her back to the house and would appreciated backup."
The doe nodded at him before running off and condensing into a ball of light which zipped through the air. As it left it moved right past Mrs. Figg who was staring in shock. Harriet had been worried she'd be getting in trouble for exposing magic to a muggle only for the first word out of Mrs Figg's mouth to be a confused, "Snape?"
"Arabella," Snape returned with less disdain then he usually used when speaking to people.
As the two order members escorted them back to the Dursleys Harriet learned the truth about Mrs Figg and why Snape was there. The distain with which he said the name Mundungus Fletcher, the man who was supposed to be watching her, was more in line with what Harriet expected of her Professor.
When they approached the house Snape sent Mrs Figg back to her own home before letting himself into the Dursley's. He ushered Harriet in with Dudley first and then closed and spelled the door. While he was seeing to that Harriet worked to get Dudley to the living room so she could put him down. Once Petunia and Vernon got a look at Dudley the hysterics and accusations started. They were so focused on their son and blaming their niece that it took awhile for them to notice there was a black clad figure darkening the doorway. Petunia was the one to take notice of him first. Once she had her face moved quickly through surprise to fear to recognition and finished on disdain. "You," she seethed at him.
"Mrs, Dursley," Snape sneered back.
It was then that Vernon got involved but in his way Snape managed to put both the elder Dursleys in their place before getting them moving to the kitchen. He left behind the instruction for Harriet to, "Get some chocolate into you both," with a pointed look at the bowl of chocolate cover raisins Vernon had left on the side table.
Harriet had been all twisted up wondering how her Aunt knew her Professor when the ministry's owl arrived bringing word of her expulsion. After that there was plenty to distract her and time later to wonder about her Professor amongst other things.
Learning that Snape was in fact Dumbledore's spy and needed to treat her badly to keep up his cover… Harriet had begun to doubt herself. She couldn't help but wonder if she'd had the wrong end of him all along. She couldn't help seeing all their interactions through that lens of maybe, perhaps but it just didn't sit right. His diagnosis of Harriet's condition had confirmed for her that she was right to be suspicious but the care he showed in his treatment and lessons made her doubt whether he was to be distrusted just because he wasn't being completely honest.
'Some things are worth lying for,' Harriet thought thinking of Sirius and all she would do for him. But it didn't stop her not liking being lied to.
The night he'd told her the her problems were being caused by Voldemort's own condition Snape had instructed her to return the next day so he could instruct her in her care routine. When she arrived he sat her down and presented her with a practical crate of potions and products which he carefully explained while giving Harriet her instructions. Along with getting rid of all her clothes with synthetics or enchantments and trying to limit her consumption of certain foods Snape was insisting she switch out all of her previous toiletries for ones he had made as this way they could know all the ingredients and alter the formula until they had what suited her best. He also preferred these as he assured her she would be more likely to notice if anything had been tampered with.
As Snape went on about initiating a stricter elimination diet once she was home for the summer and away from the attentions of others Harriet could only imagine how the Dursleys would react to being told they needed to oblige by her special needs. It would not go well. Harriet had no interest in going through the trouble when it didn't seem like it should be necessary. If her condition was being caused by Voldemort's why would stimuli in her own environment effect it?
Harriet's suspicions of Snape only grew over the course of that meeting.
If he was lying to her about the diagnosis what else could he be lying about? What if none of the potions and things he was giving her were did what he said. With her paranoia riled up and John's words from his letters playing in her head that it was prudent and necessary that she look out for and stand up for herself Harriet decided to set down some conditions. She told Professor Snape that she would not be taking his potions or using anything he had made for her unless she was allowed to research it first and to see it made for herself. When John had been sending her things before Umbridge interfered, Hermione had tried insisting she do such things. Given that she trusted John Harriet had found it absurd and unnecessary. With Snape it seemed a prudent precaution.
She'd expected anger and talk of ingratitude and entitlement before being cast out of the room. At the least she expected a sneer. Instead Snape studied her seemingly testing her conviction by how she held up under his stare before a hint of reluctant approval crept into his eyes. "Very well Potter," he said.
Heading over to his desk he retrieved a quill and parchment. He took up over three feet with lists of what he had prescribed, what modifications he intended and suggested references for research. When he presented the roll to Harriet he told her, "Be prepared to brew the first six tomorrow evening."
"… Sir," Harriet asked confused by his willingness to indulge her.
"While I can provide you with what you need it would be more prudent that you make it for yourself. And I believe I can hope there will be less chance then that you will engage in folly if you fully understand what the reproductions will be. An added benefit will be that if you are asked you will be able to truthfully say you researched and made these things yourself. This protects my position as a spy for the Order. It would not look well if people learned I had such opportunities to do you harm but did not use them. "
It sounded plausible but still as Harriet made her way to lunch she'd gathered items from her wolly bag to test if their was some deception she was missing. Her efforts spoke of none.
By the time she arrived at the Great Hall Umbridge was ordering the doors closed. Harriet was only just able to slip through along with a few other students as the hall was sealed.
Hermione sighed with relief as Harriet sat herself next to Ron who asked, "Cutting it a bit close aren't you?"
Under Umbridge's edicts it was the duty of house Perfects to check which students were and were not at meals at the time the doors closed. With attendance of meals now required it was a detention for all those who did not have an 'acceptable' excuse for not being there. Those Umbridge didn't feel warranted her own personal bloody brand of punishment she sent to Filch who was all to eager to use the new options The Toad made available to him. Options which had previously been against school rules. It was the duty of Hermione, Neville, and the other Perfects to inform the Toad if anyone was missing. Most of them hated having to be the ones to report students to Umbridge to receive detentions.
After Giving a look over the table to double check Hermione looked to the other Perfects up the line and gave them a nod with Neville doing the same. With Harriet having made it everyone was accounted for. They would not be having to put the Toad on the hunt for one of their own Lions for this meal at least.
Looking around Harriet was able to see the Luna and Cedric along with the others in the D.A. were all accounted for. With great relief she settled in to wait with the others for the food to arrive which would not happen until all houses reported to Umbridge. From there the meal would not commence until every student was accounted for and those not with a suitable excuse were brought to the Great Hall. It worked well for turning students against one another if someone delayed the meal. Unlike in the past food was only available for the set meal time. If the meal was delayed the lunch period was not extended. For a time people had gotten around it by going directly to the kitchens or taking food out of the Great Hall when the meal was over, until Umbridge banned both options. Kids were relying on care packages and what things they bought and brought more than ever. The twins and a few others were making quite the business of procuring and selling on food stuffs. Those like Harriet and Ron who were in the throws of growing gave them a good deal of business as what they were getting from meals just wasn't enough. Dobby had begun helping the students in secret by leaving snacks in their dorms and common rooms. With all the teachers saying they hadn't ordered it Umbridge had gone to the elves to demand they not deliver food to the children. Dobby however, as an employ of Dumbledore, did not have to listen to her.
Sitting with her friends as they waited Harriet caught them up on her meeting with Snape and asked for their help getting the research done. Between classes and homework and then the D.A. Harriet simply wouldn't have the time on her own. As Hermione was already invested in treating Harriet and wanted to learn what Snape was prescribing she readily agreed to help. Neville was equally willing and Ron also even if he did pout about it. The twins and Ginny who were sitting with them agreed to lend themselves as well. With all the extra support Harriet was able to relax and enjoy her meal without worrying about how she would get it all done.
Later, when classes were done for the day, Luna showed up in the library to help even though neither Harriet nor anyone else had the chance to ask her.
"It's creepy you realize," Ron remarked while snacking on a jelly slug. "Having the two of you around just knowing things. It makes people worried nothings secret."
"It's called being a seer Ron. The casualty of which is a certain measure of clairvoyance," Harriet countered reaching over to steal a slug. Giving her an outraged look he tried to slap it out of her hand but missed. Smirking in victory Harriet chomped down on her slug taunting him, "Better luck next time Mr Keeper."
Reaching out Ginny snatched one for herself as well which Ron tried to get back but could not before it was popped into her mouth. "You really should work on your reflexes if you want Gryffindor to keep up our winning streak," his sister told him solemnly while she chewed.
"Honestly," Hermione said shaking her head. "Why must you all talk with your mouths full?"
Choosing to join in on the fun Neville snagged a slug for himself leaving Ron with only one left. He'd eaten the majority himself but the devastated look on his face made Harriet feel giving. Reaching into her bag she pulled him out the bag of toffeed nuts John had sent her and tossed them to Ron.
"Cheers," he thanked her happily only to frown as Hermione held out her hand wanting some for herself.
Together their group got the research along with their homework done in time to be down in the Great Hall again for dinner before heading out to make their way to the D.A.
The next day in Potions class looking Harriet directly in her eye Snape sabotaged her potion. As well as a hundred points being taken from Gryffindor she was given detention every night till Christmas even though he knew she wouldn't be here to serve them all as she would be leaving at the start of Christmas break. Harriet was certain it was all a cover for the brewing she'd demanded. She could have lived with the detentions but the point taking seemed excessive and petty at the time. As Neville pointed out, anything less and they would have been surprised so Snape was likely keeping cover but still Harriet was not pleased with it.
That night when she went to serve her detention she received her first lesson with Snape. When she arrived she found her Potions Professor looking oddly at ease. He directed her to one of the tables and stood at the one in front of it across from her. He ordered her to set up her work station while he set up his own. While they worked he questioned her about her symptoms and habits over the course of the last two days and told her off for eating so many sweets between meals. When they were finished setting up their stations he asked her about her research, questioning her thoroughly while reviewing her notes and making suggestions as to what she should look into later as to fill gaps in her knowledge.
They then settled in for their routine for the night. Snape brewed first explaining every step as he went and it would be down to Harriet to brew it after him. Twice. After two successful brewings they would move on. Shockingly to Harriet there wasn't actually a bad batch in the lot. They were by no means as perfect as Snape's but she felt she had done herself proud with her efforts. After each acceptable batch Snape would award her ten points. By the end of the night she had recovered what he'd taken in class and yearned Gryffindor an extra twenty points beyond it.
With the brewing done he put her through a review of what she learned while Harriet bottled the last batch and cleaned her station. He informed her that what she had would provide for her daily regime over the next month which he expected her to stick to. When her supply was running low she would brew it again under his supervision. He expressly prohibited her from brewing on her own.
"I do not wish to learn you or your friends have been brewing in the girl's lavatory again," he said giving her a pointed look, revealing that he knew something about what had been going on in Moaning Myrtle's domain during their second year.
At Harriet's surprised expression Snape smirked. It was almost a sneer but he seemed to catch himself in time and changed it. Harriet couldn't tell, was the sneer force of habit or a natural reaction he was choosing to hide. "We may not all be gifted with 'the sight' Potter but there are others means to getting answers. Such as where potion ingredients disappear to from my stores."
After a waited silence Snape concluded their lesson. "Detention concluded. Dismissed."
Nodding Harriet gathered her things and headed for the door. She almost made it. Almost, but rather like Sirius she didn't seem entirely capable of stopping herself from doing something she knew was foolish.
"Sir," she asked turning back around.
The ease Snape had at the start of their lesson was gone. In the moment he just looked worn. "Yes, Potter."
"In the last few hours I've learned more about potion ingredients and the fundamentals of potion making than I have in the past four and a half years of classes." Honestly given the way he was acting it was hard to believe she was dealing with the same Potions Master she'd come to know and despise since her first year. Which is why she couldn't help but to push, "If you can teach so well why don't you in your lessons?"
This time Snape did sneer. "Twenty-five points from Gryffindor Miss Potter and fifteen minutes until curfew. I will see you tomorrow after dinner. I expect you to be prepared."
Taking the points, the sneer, and the warning all seemed rather Snapey but still, once Harriet was out in the halls she found a secluded nook and pulled out the Maunders' map just to be certain she was dealing with the real Severus Snape and not a look alike as it had been with Moody. With how amicable he'd been since the summer and the odd readings and feelings she'd been getting off of him she would not have been surprised to see another name in the classroom, but there was only Severus Snape.
Once Harriet was safely in bed for the night, she hadn't been able to shake the feeling that something wasn't right about her Professor's behavior. She used every trick in her wolly bag to try and divine if maybe he was possessed or being controlled in some way but all signs pointed toward Snape having sanctity of self except for a few vows the nature of which were hidden from her and a life debt… to her… which made no sense to Harriet at all. Rather than giving her answers she found herself with only more questions. She was so irritated and itchy and unsettled that she'd have to sneak off to the room of requirement just to get some sleep.
Harriet tried getting answers from Professor Snape over the week of detentions and into Winter break. The only answer he would give was that she had inherited the life debt from her father. It was Sirius who told her the story when she asked and she wasn't pleased with him at all especially when he tried to treat it like it had just been a prank. A boyhood prank.
As predicted Sirius was not pleased that Snape was giving Harriet private lessons. He liked even less that in only a week these lessons had caused trouble between him and Harriet by stirring up the past. What he liked least was Snape having a claim on time during Harriet's holiday which brought him to Grimmauld Place and took away time that goddaughter and godfather could spent together. He could have no say in stopping the lessons and how they went at Hogwarts, but under his roof he put his foot down that he would be sitting in on their time together.
"I thought you were supposed to be teaching her Occlumency," Sirius had said accusatorially when the second day was going the same as the first with Snape trying to figure out what all would effect Harriet's condition, for better and for worse. Every step of the way Snape explained what they were doing and why, with Sirius chiming in where he could as well. It was providing Harriet with interesting lessons on the body, magical theory, and healing magics but her godfather had a point that it was doing nothing to help her protect her mind.
Snape sneered at Sirius. "Occlumency is a skill beyond most grown men," there was a sneer at Sirius who himself had not trained in the art, "to master. How do you expect her to succeed when she is thoroughly distracted?"
Rather proving his point he reached out to stop Harriet who had started rubbing at her wrist.
In between the fun parts of the holiday, visiting John, and sleeping with her frustrating inability to remember dreams continuing Harriet's break had been spent with Snape running tests on her, and meditating, and emotional control exercises but mostly, lots and lots of tests with Sirius throwing in his two sense as he worked on enchanting Harriet's things with stronger cooling charms since he didn't trust Snape to do it and Harriet couldn't being underage and out of school.
Once she was back at Hogwarts Snape claimed her nights for the detentions she had missed from being away for break. It seemed to ease some of Umbridge's upset at Harriet sneaking out from under her nose for break, to see her under the thumb of someone else who by all reports she hated and was hated by in return. But as pleased as The Toad was with it she must have missed her own time with Harriet as on the last night of Snape's claim Umbridge was waiting to hold her up from getting back to the Gryffindor Tower. She gave her detention for being out past curfew even though she wouldn't have been late if not for Umbridge.
Snape was not pleased when he heard. He was waiting for her down the hall the next night after her detention as he had every time before and since. He led her down to his quarters where he treated her hand while asking for the truth as to what had happened the night before. When he learned of the reason for her punishment he presented her with a solution for the future. He gave Dobby permission if asked to ferry students where they needed to go on school grounds whether that was bringing Harriet to her private lessons, returning students to their dorms, or bringing members of a certain club to their meetings in the Room of Requirement. Harriet didn't know whether to be more surprised that Snape knew about the D.A. or that he was helping.
Having Dobby to ferry them around had been a godsend. Harriet now believed they make it through the hole year without Umbridge catching them. To help further get Umbridge off their backs and calm some of the D.A's nerves they put on a show like the group had disbanded as they were too scared of Umbridge's growing power. While they walked around with some looking resentful or sad and some relieved, the smugness Umbridge exuded was sickening. She was so, so pleased with herself and found a way to give detentions for all those she suspected of having been a part of the group to make certain they'd learned their lesson. It got Harriet so worked up the situation tested the limits of the control Snape's care regime provided her.
Three times a day she took two potions with there was a booster doses to got her through classes when her emotions get the better of her or something simply triggered the itch too badly. In the morning Harriet had to take a cold, cold shower or bath using all the new toiletries she was making for herself. The tooth paste was alright but everything else came with some downfall. The scent of the shampoo irritated her nose, the conditioning hair mask that was meant to help her scalp made the itch worse before it made it better, the body wash smelled like Mrs Figg's house, and the elixir she had to apply all over her body after the shower had the consistency of chunky slime until it absorbed and dried. It was worth putting up with though as all together Harriet could tell they were helping. Harriet could now sleep through the night without injuring herself and could make it through the day without feeling like she'd go insane if she didn't nip off for a swim at the room of requirement. She did still visit most days though. While Snape's treatment helped with the itch and her emotions her swims helped with her growing pains and restlessness in a way nothing he tried could.
Monday and Friday night Snape would help her with her 'occlumency training' though from her research Harriet could not see any actual training in his lessons. He was helping her learn to meditate and have 'some self-control' but he wasn't actually teaching her anything about the mind arts, nor was he encouraging her to self-study. Wednesday evening was her health check as well as brewing lessons. Even when she was fully stocked Snape had taken to having her brew something. Harriet was learning so much in these lessons she didn't think to complain that potion making had nothing to do with protecting her from Voldemort. In class she was brewing near perfect potions which irritated Hermione as she was following what Snape had taught her during his tutoring rather than following the recipe and their textbook. Hermione's opinion of the Professor dropped with him for teaching the rest of them substandard techniques. They all quite enjoyed hearing her be the one to rant about Snape for once.
As useful as potion lessons were by far Harriet's favorite training came on Saturday and Sunday mornings when Snape worked on her spell casting and defense training.
With that day being Saturday Harriet had to rush through her morning routine to get ready. She brushed her teeth, held her breath through washing her hair and body, tolerated the hair mask, and then dealt with the elixir after. Getting dressed in her training gear she ran back into the room to grab her wolly bad and invisibility cloak. With Lavender and Parvati still sleeping Harriet made a stop for a whispered goodbye with Hermione who was sitting on her bed reading before running back to the bathroom. With the door shut behind her Harriet called out softly for Dobby.
"Good morning Miss Harriet," he greeted her in a soft whisper.
"Good morning Dobby. How was your day off," she asked.
The little house elf lit up with excitement, "Dobby bought new socks," he declared sticking out his leg to show her. They were bright pink with hearts, obviously of wizarding make as the hearts moved about.
"Very festive," Harriet complimented him with a smile.
Dobby beamed. "Is Miss Harriet ready to be going to her lessons?"
"If you don't mind," Harriet asked. Even if she knew he wouldn't she also knew he liked being asked.
With Dobby assuring her he never minded Harriet crouched down and covered the two over them with the her invisibility cloak. She then took his hand and they were off in an instant to the seventh floor, opposite the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy and his trolls.
"Thanks Dobby," she told him in a whisper. The halls were dead quiet as it was still so early. Even whispering seemed loud.
"Harriet Potter is most welcome," Dobby told her before heading back to his normal morning duties.
Making three sweeps along the hall Harriet imagined the room where she and Snape trained until the Room of Requirement revealed itself. Slipping inside entered a large familiar room with tall vaulted ceilings and little else as Snape liked to call for anything they needed and to have the room empty besides. Taking off her invisibility cloak Harriet stashed it in her wolly bag before placing the pouch next to the door. Taking only her wand she headed out to the center of the room to start warming up as Snape had taught her. It mostly consisted of practicing her footwork while casting spells. Snape wasn't happy that Harriet stopped so often during a fight in order to cast. He wanted her to be able to keep moving while fighting if she had to.
Everyone in the D.A. had noticed Harriet's increased skills as a teacher though only her close friends knew she was emulating her own tutor, passing on his lessons to them. But the D.A. was still far behind Harriet. While they were coming along and Harriet was very proud of them it was nothing compared to the leaps and bounds she was improving herself. Her own progress was startling and unprecedented.
Defense had been Harriet's best subject until she started divination. She had always been good at it but it required work. She didn't get a patronus on the first try, not even in the first day, and her corporal patronus hadn't come until she'd seen its form through her gift. Once she knew she could do it and what it should be summoning her patronus had been easier but still took effort. Her training with Snape was nothing like that. Everything seemed to come easily. Like breathing. It all flowed out of her like she was doing something as familiar as tying her shoes. While Snape was a good teacher he wasn't doing anything so far from the ordinary that it should have made such a difference. She thought perhaps she'd been dreaming of her training and though she couldn't recall the experiences they were still in her head, helping her.
Harriet had been working for some minutes on her warm up routine before Snape arrived.
"Potter," he greeted.
"Professor," Harriet returned.