Disclaimer: NOT Blonde, Not rich, not living in Britain, initials are not JKR therefore don't own. Love the characters and the setting so I am just playing, I get nothing but the reviews my readers give me. Authorship shared with Darkshadowedrose. Beta read by Alix33.

A/N: Sorry for the long delay, muse issues, computer issues, RL it all adds up to a hard time getting this out. My thanks for your patience and for all the lovely reviews.

Trust is a Relative Thing

by Silverfawkes

Chapter 48

Remus felt hesitant about taking the job Harry offered. He really wasn't sure he believed the boy's stories about Albus manipulating the situation. But a job was a job, having a place to live thrown in...well, it was better than his last two jobs. It was almost as good as being a professor. He had met Miss Yaxley outside the building that housed his proposed flat as well as Potter Place.

"So Mr. Lupin, I hope you know your way around the muggle world."

"Mostly. It's always been easier for me to get a job there."

"Good. Here's your keys, the silver colored one is to the building. The lobby is locked before nine a.m. and after nine p.m. Guests have to ring up both during the day and at night, but during the day the building manager is in the office off the lobby. The brass key is to your flat, and the small brass key goes to the elevator that leads to Potter Place. It's the penthouse really, but there's a floo, and a secure office space that you can use. The Potter elves usually keep a small supply of muffins and fruit there in the mornings and bring a lunch in. Dinners you're on your own. Do you want to see the flat?"

"Yes, I think so."

"Follow me then." She led him to to the seventh floor to door 705. "Here we are."

Remus used the keys she had given him to open the door.

Cassandra wasn't surprised to see the flat was a mirror of her own, right down to bare essential furniture. "Harry said that you can have the day today to get yourself settled, but he hopes you'll be ready to start tomorrow. You'll need to stop by the offices of Corner, Davies, and Ogden for routine paperwork and a confidentiality oath either today or tomorrow, then I'll brief you on your job. Any questions so far?"

"No."

"You seem hesitant, is there some question I can answer?"

"I'm not sure I like the idea of spying on people."

"I don't blame you really. I wasn't too fond of the idea of doing the initial checks myself, but in many respects Harry's right. He's a kid that, based off what happened first year at school, is being maneuvered into things that he knows little about. Most of those manipulations come from high levels in our society. His best chance at a mostly normal and happy life is for him to have information to counter those things. Is it an invasion on the privacy of the people you'll be investigating? Yes, but most of the people you'll be keeping an eye on are people who like to play fast and loose with the rules. Most have definitely broken a few. Harry wants to know what they're up to for his own protection. I think that after a few months you will find yourself in a position of being fine with what you're asked to do, if not you can always quit."

"Somehow I get the feeling you don't approve of me."

"Mr. Lupin, I hardly know you." Cassandra wasn't about to admit he was right. She was glad that she was going to hand off most of the touchier monitoring to a full wizard, but she was more than a little skeptical about this choice of Harry's. This man was a little too in Dumbledore's pockets for her to trust. Plus there was the long list of the ways he had let Harry and Harry's deceased parents down.

Harry had persuaded her to go along with this by pointing out the wisdom in keeping your friends close and your enemies closer. This way he would know what Dumbledore was up to. Harry firmly believed that Mr. Lupin was in Dumbledore's camp. He was confident that he had shaken the man's faith in the Headmaster at least a bit, but was also confident that if push came to shove the werewolf was Dumbledore's man. He believed that habit alone would make that the case, firmly believing that the age and experience difference between himself and the Headmaster would make that the case. Harry had pointed out that the man's presence in Harry's employ would make the Headmaster feel as if perhaps he would be able to exert some influence when he wanted to and the Headmaster wouldn't try to plant a spy that had loyalties Harry wasn't aware of.

Cassandra always got a little nervous when Harry got all sneaky and suspicious like this but she had to admit Harry did generally know what he was doing. Petunia had trained him well, it was a shame she hadn't also managed to instill a true sense of self-worth or a belief in his being worthy of being loved in the process. Cassandra had figured out that Harry measured his self-worth by how useful he was to others, while at the same time maintaining his independence. To him it was okay to be needed, but not to need others. Harry didn't believe that love was something real at least when it came to him.

She supposed it was the fact that she was his employee that had allowed Harry to allow himself to be as dependent on her as he was. It helped that she was dependent on him as well. She hoped one day Harry's magic would lead him to a person that he would need and he would come to accept that everything didn't have to come from him, that he could take back too without shame. But she knew that day was far in the future.

She shook herself from her musings and back to the moment with Mr. Lupin. "I don't know you, Mr. Lupin. Harry has given you this job and that makes us co-workers. It's not my place to approve or disapprove of Harry's hiring you. It is part of my job to see that you get settled in your flat, that you get the paperwork and oath done at the solicitor's office, and that you're briefed on your job. Nothing more, nothing less."

Remus felt skeptical of Harry's assistant's truthfulness, but decided in the end there wasn't much he could do about it. He followed the directions he was given, reporting for his oath late that afternoon. The oath made him a little nervous because he knew that Albus would at some point ask about Harry. He had already proven that to Remus through past association. He looked at Horace Ogden, "Is that really necessary?"

"It's a standard oath for the employees of our firm. It basically boils down to: what you learn about Harry, his actions, and his interests is private both while he is your employer and after you no longer work for him, stays private. Since Harry is a public figure, we decided it was a good idea for his employees as well. Is there a problem?"

"No, I guess not. When in says all information does it mean all information?"

"It encompasses information that isn't publicly available. It refers to specific information that could only be learned while performing your job. We, Harry's trustees, understand that there are lots things that you will learn about Harry as you work for him. But if it isn't something that could be learned through casual observation of him, like say his favorite color, or if you learn it in the course of performing your duties, it is covered by your oath."

"Oh, um, okay I can understand that I guess. I, Remus John Lupin, swear on my magic, to hold private all information about Lord Harry James Potter that I learn in the course of my duties."

"Alright, Thank you for coming in, Mr. Lupin. Cassandra will brief you on your duties in the morning."

The next morning Remus presented himself to Cassandra. She calmly pulled a small stack of files out, said an obscure spell that he recognized as a privacy spell, then Remus' name and then she handed them over.

"These people, your files, are Ministry or Wizengamot personnel. These jackets contain what we already know and are yours to monitor. The three in blue are low priority, I might recommend hiring someone to loosely monitor them or checking if their assistants, friends or co-workers have loose lips. The red files are persons of high interest that have lots of shady connections. Monitor them closely but be careful, they are not nice people. The rest in gray we want to keep a bit more of an eye on but we don't feel they pose a high threat to Harry or his interests.

"Anything you find out gets added to the files." She handed him a thick stack of parchment. "Write up your reports on this. It's pre-spelled by the goblins. Having your flat keys and saying the spell video vidi visum will let you read what is written on it. A monthly summary assuming nothing too interesting is going on will be sufficient. Harry wants a summary of what their activities are. Things like: bills they're proposing in the Wizengamot, who they spend 6 or more hours with in a month not counting their family, if they add a new person to their group of friends, are they living within their means or not, are they indulging in any vices, or doing things out of the norm, that sort of thing."

Remus flipped through the files: Rufus Scrimgeour, Bartiemus Crouch, Delores Umbridge, Amelia Bones, Arthur Weasley, Corneilus Fudge, Marissa Edgecombe, Algernon Croaker, Augustus Rookwood, Pius Thicknese, Octavian MacMillian, Roman Grandfield, Amos Diggory, Gilbert Wimple, Ludo Bagman, Mafalda Hopkirk, Walden MacNair, Brodrick Bode, Matthew Perkins, and Arabella Canfield,. "Is it alright if I read what you already know?"

"Of course. Your expense account has a monthly deposit of thirty-five galleons. That is for taking care of meetings with informants i.e . dinners and drinks, it is also for paying informants. I've found if the goal is getting into files in the ministry a sickle or two is usually enough. Schedules for spying on someone usually run more like ten to fifteen sickles, actual information depending on how damaging is a galleon on up. I've never paid more than ten. Of course I've never dug deeply enough to justify spending more than that. Track your expenses. If you run short and I feel it is justified we can discuss upping it." Cassandra nearly snickered at the expression the other man wore. It was so obvious the man was a Gryffindor. It was a good thing he didn't know about Harry's other hire. Harry didn't even really know about his other hire.

When Cassandra had heard Harry's plan to hire full wizards to do his spying she had looked at their lists of people to keep an eye on and realized they desperately needed someone that could travel in Death Eater circles without comment. When thinking about it she realized finding someone was likely to be nearly impossible until she remembered Great Uncle Damian.

The Yaxleys were an oddity in the pureblood crowd. Most purebloods had small families with one to three children. The Yaxleys usually had ten to twelve, of course of those children usually three or more died due to complications from the family curse and usually only one or two a generation escaped it, Cassandra counted herself lucky to be the one in her generation to escape it completely.

Uncle Damian was not so lucky, like Aaron he had to be very careful. When Cassandra was a girl she had been hiding under a table when her mother and some of her friends were having tea and discussing Uncle Damian. Cassandra at the time hadn't understood the conversation but now she did.

Damian Yaxley had a reputation for perversity and not the run of the mill Death Eater brand of it either. Most of the rumors put him in the BDSM crowd. But unlike many of her family he didn't have a reputation for hating muggles. Cassandra had given her uncle a request that he keep an eye on certain people that ran with the Death Eater crowd and offered him twenty five galleons a month to do so; plus the opportunity for bonuses if he brought her any particularly useful information. She had been surprised because she had expected questions, instead he had just given her a knowing look, smirked a little and agreed.

Severus Snape had spent two weeks debating the pros and cons of helping Harry Potter become an occlumens. One thing he was certain of, Albus wouldn't approve; especially since Potter was asking for an unbreakable vow of silence on anything that he saw while in Potter's mind. In the end the chance to curry favor with the world's next most powerful wizard proved too much temptation.

"Mr. Potter, a word after class if you please?"

"Yes, Professor."

After the class had filed out. Snape began,"I will teach you."

"When?"

"On the weekends two hours early in the morning, you are an early riser are you not?"

"Yes, sir. I'll let Neville know so he can be our bonder. I'll also send to the goblins for payment if you tell me how much that will be."

"Twenty galleons a month, just have the goblins transfer it into my vault will get you two hours of instruction a week. You said you've gone as far as you can in self-study, what did you mean by that?"

"I've read books about it, some auror left the books to me. I've meditated and I believe I have created an effective mindscape in which to hide my memories however. I have no idea if I can hold it under pressure and I have no idea how to do any of the more advanced techniques, I just know they exist."

"Good, my office seven a.m. Saturday."

"Yes, sir."

"Good, then head to your next class."

Harry nodded then left and hurried to Arithmancy.

Saturday morning arrived and Harry and Neville knocked on the professor's office door at one minute to seven.

"Enter."

They went in.

"Mr. Potter, Mr. Longbottom."

"Professor." Both boys chorused.

Neville pulled out his wand. "Let's get started. Take hands."

Harry and Professor Snape took hold of one another's hands.

"Will you, Professor Severus Snape, use your skills as a legilimens, to impart the skills of an occlumens to Harry James Potter to the maximum ability he is able to learn it or until he decides to cease your lessons?"

"I will."

"Will you keep completely private all information which you learn from his mind in the course of his education?"
"I will."

"Will you teach Harry James Potter occulmency to the best of your abilities?"

"I will."

The third tongue of flames wrapped the wrists of the man and the teen. Then faded from the visual spectrum. They released their hold.

Neville tucked his wand away.

"Thanks, Nev."

"No problem. Good luck with the lesson."

Neville left. Leaving Harry and Professor Snape looking at one another. Harry took a deep breath then reached up, and for the first time since the night he'd gotten it, removed the necklace and its amulet from his neck.

"What is that?"Professor Snape asked.

"An amulet my mother made for me, to protect my mind." Harry replied. "For this to work I cannot be wearing it."

"I see. Well, shall we start?"

Harry took a deep breath. Then for really the first time since coming to Hogwarts he let his eyes truly meet the eyes of one of his teachers.

For Severus Snape it was a bit of a shock. He had known Harry had green eyes, but until he saw the emerald orbs he had never realized that Harry had never truly met his eyes before. Seeing the vivid green he had only seen in Lily's eyes made his heart catch for a moment. "I will cast the spell and you need to push me away from your mind. Do you understand?"

Harry said, "Yes."

"Legillimens."

Snape was surprised by Harry's mindscape. He hadn't know what to expect but a representation of the Camden town marketplace on a busy Saturday wasn't something he would have ever expected. He probed lightly, he was sure the memories were here but they were so well camouflaged he was sure he couldn't find them, so from that standpoint Harry's mind was well defended. He could feel some slight pressure to leave but it wasn't enough to move him. He stayed in Harry's mind and probed a little more to see if he could find anything, but he didn't so he exited.

Harry was sweat soaked and shivering. He hadn't known what to expect but that was not it. He had felt the Potion Master's mind pressing on his but he hadn't been able to budge it. The pressure had made his head feel like it was trapped in a vise.

Severus looked at the boy in front of him. "As passive defense against legilimency that is probably the best mindscape I have ever seen. I would have no clue where to even start looking for a specific memory. However your ability to push me out is nonexistent, and all of it lacks any semblance of subtlety. It is obvious it is a defense; a good one I grant, but crude nonetheless. So, how do you wish to proceed, Mr. Potter?"

"Teach me how to push you out. But before you do that, what do you mean subtlety?"

"A subtle occlumens places neutral memories in the reach of the legillimens guiding his thoughts to certain conclusions rather than jarring him with a mindscape such as yours."

"Oh. I thought the goal was to keep your thoughts and memories from your adversary."

"Generally the answer is yes, but a jarring mindscape leads the attacking legillimens to understand he is being blocked rather than the occlumens leading him to believe there is nothing to find. I have found this later path to be a safer one to tread."

"I see. I will consider that. In the meantime how do I go about pushing someone out of my mind."

"You must isolate what is you from what is the intruder and will him or her out. That is the way in which your defense, as it is, works against you. In such a setting there are an abundance of anchors and hiding places for a legillimens. They may not find out anything but it also will be difficult for you to force them to leave. It is through your will and magic that you will force an intruder out. Ready to try again?"

Harry gave a reluctant nod.

"Legillimens."

An hour and a half later, Harry stumbled out of the office with a pounding headache. The Potion Master had taken pity on him and given him a headache elixir. Harry knew that the potion would knock him out for about two hours. So he hoped to catch Aaron before he hit the library, to let everyone know he wouldn't be studying with them this morning.

Severus eyed the two inch light blue medallion Harry had accidentally left behind. He would return it to him in a while, but at the moment he couldn't resist the temptation of feeling Lily's magic once more. He reached out and lightly fingered the pendant. As his finger touched it he felt the slight pulse the pendent gave. It had obviously been keyed to Harry alone. The pulse however was just enough that he once again felt the tang of magic that was distinctly Lily. It wasn't a true scent but it reminded him of the perfume he had made for her every year from her twelfth birthday until their falling-out shortly after her sixteenth: citrus, bergamot and a faint dash of cinnamon. He blinked back tears. "I'm so sorry Lily. I'll do my best for your boy. He's like you, you know. I miss you."

Petunia smiled as she re-read the letter from her nephew. It was excellent that he had found someone like the Flamels to educate and advise him. Unfortunately he would only have two weeks this summer where he was actually available to visit with them. He and Dudley would be doing social dance camp at the studio most every weekday from eight until noon. She had spoken with Harry's kenpo instructor and Harry would likely be at the dojo three afternoons a week. Then he would be doing his magical studies at the Potter family apartment the other four afternoons; he would be his usual busy self.

She wondered briefly if the old geezer had made many moves to try and use Harry yet. She doubted it. Harry had a knack for keeping his actions behind the scenes. Part of her smirked, the day the old man tried to steer Harry would be amusing because she knew that Harry would take the knowledge he'd acquired and basically tell him to stick it. She just wished she could be there to see it.

Ragnok was steaming. He was glaring at the Unspeakable wearing the usual obscuring mask. "You want me to do what?"

"We wish to search the vaults of the inmates of Azkaban. There is reason to believe that an extremely dark object is in one of their vaults. If we find it we wish to use the object to trace others of its kind, and after that destroy it. It will never leave Gringotts' premises."

"We are obligated to protect that which is deposited."

"Even if the object in question doesn't belong to the person who placed it in the vault?"

Ragnok frowned heavily at the Unspeakable before him. "That is not the bank's concern."

"Look, You-Know-Who made the objects we're searching for. If one stays in the hands of his followers, they might be used to resurrect that murdering bastard. And that would be very bad for everyone. He'd be going around killing people, and people would hide in their homes, it would be bad for business."

"And if word got out that we let the Ministry enter the vaults of our depositors and destroy what we were entrusted with, that would also be very bad for business."

"Fine, let's cut to the chase shall we? What do you want in return for letting us do this?"

Ragnok couldn't help himself. He got a nasty grin on his face.