Harry Potter is owned by JK Rowling. The members of the Secret Sealing Club are the creations of ZUN.

What do you mean, "Harry's supposed to be a prodigy at Occlumency?"

Chapter 09 – Candid Friend

A week before the issue of Luna's missing shoes resurfaced, Merry was fretting after her first Occlumency lesson with Harry Potter.

She had said the boy had the opposite of talent with regards to the Mind Arts, and she had meant it. Some people were just too honest and straightforward to learn the Art (a certain shrine maiden came to mind), but if one was being strict about it, you didn't need more than rudimentary levels of Occlumency to prevent your thoughts from being read–you just needed to clamp down hard.

However, such…inelegant methods didn't really sit well with her as an academic, and one's potential would be stymied by taking such a shortcut.

She did not think that any of her students would appreciate that.

Regardless, in the case of Harry Potter, there was definitely something strange going on, and she finally put her finger on what it reminded her off.

A possessed human, a few of which she had come across previously. How could that be? Add to that the strange feeling she had felt, of a boundary where none should exist...

Two minds? But I could only perceive Potter's. And any interactions he might have had with this other mind would still be in his memories – it doesn't matter if it's all in his head if it's a foreign element. But what if he regards it as a part of himself – or does that even matter if there is no complete integration?

"Merry?" At Renko's voice, Merry jumped slightly. "You alright? How was the lesson?"

"There are…things I need to look into." At Renko's questioning look, Merry held up a finger. "Not now. Tell me about the tea first!"

"It was okay, I guess." Renko hung up her shawl and her hat, and went to sit on the small couch. "I talked to Sinistra during the Welcome Feast, and she's not especially vocal, but she got quite excited when I mentioned Greenwich. Babbling just seems to be nice to everyone. And I had a debate with Vector about teaching maths to the students."

"So the usual number-y things?" Maribel moved and plopped down on the couch beside Renko.

"Yeah, yeah." Renko grumbled. "Oh, and Flitwick and Snape were there too."

"I saw Snape in Mr Potter's memories. He wasn't a particularly pleasant person in them." Merry frowned.

"He was just standoffish during the tea. I think one of the younger teachers dragged him there."

"Oo, oo, can I guess?" Merry perked up slightly. "Was it–"

"I don't know, so I can't confirm it for you anyway." Renko steamrollered over that line of thought. "Also, Flitwick wants a demonstration of your skills. He must have heard about your little stunt."

"You're no fun," Merry gave a small pout. "Also, what do mean my stunt? You were the one that cast a spell wandlessly."

"Seeing as that is one of the few spells I can cast at all, that's not saying very much. You, on the other hand, were doing some fancy dodging and silent casting yourself."

"Yes, but–" In lieu of a verbal retort, Merry instead went for a quick sequence of well-placed tickles, at which Renko let out an indignant squawk before being reduced to gasping for air.

~~[q]~~

"Stupefy! Stupefy!"

Cries of spellcasting were thick in the air at yet another meeting of the Nameless Club. Mats and numerous Cushioning Charms had been placed, and currently Ernie was facing Luna, and Neville Susan.

Today's exercise was on dodging spells. As Harry had logically pointed out, dodging was simply just quicker than needing to cast a Protego, and it wasn't as if that could withstand the Unforgivables.

"I survived Voldemort by running away," Harry had quipped. "I was lucky there were so many things to hide behind in that graveyard." There was a cold tendril of fear in his chest as he said it, but he had forced himself to joke about it anyway.

Therefore, dodge practice. Conveniently, that allowed whoever was casting to practice their speed and accuracy as well, which Harry counted as a nice bonus. However, the classroom wasn't big enough for everyone to let loose at once, so he had restricted it to two pairs at a time.

Not to mention the dangers of being hit by more than one spell at a time. Harry at least thought that two was an acceptable risk.

Ernie gave a cry of dismay as Luna's spell hit him in the ankle, and Harry motioned for Hannah to swap in.

"Ennervate." Harry lightly tapped the Hufflepuff's forehead, and he awoke with a groan. "All right there?"

"Yes, I'm fine." Ernie looked over at the pairs of duellers. "I can't believe Lovegood got me again. Isn't she a Fourth Year?"

"Yeah, she is." Harry thought of a pair of missing shoes, and looked over to Neville and Susan instead. "They're pretty evenly matched, aren't they?"

"That they are, Harry. Can't say much about Neville, but Susan's slightly experienced, her aunt being an Auror and all."

"Hmm." After a few moments of watching, Harry called out again. "Neville, swap out!"

"But Har–" The rest of his sentence was silenced as Susan nailed him in the chest.

"Elementary mistake, getting distracted." Susan smirked. "I should probably say that after he's awake, hmm."

"Don't get too cocky, now." Harry took his place opposite Susan, and immediately struck. "Stupefy!"

The red-headed girl was fast, and her end of her plait drew tiny waves in the air as she ducked down. "Stupefy!"

And so it went, until Harry misread a movement and dodged into an oncoming spell. Reacting on instinct, he drew upon one of the techniques he had tried to practice but had yet to pull off successfully.

Spell deflection. Or, for alliterative purposes, spell swatting.

Instead of casting a full-sized Protego, one channelled the magics of the spell into a smaller, more compact area at the tip of the wand, conserving magical energy and gaining more control over where to redirect the spell.

Susan's eyes widened an imperceptible fraction, as her seemingly on-target Stunner was haphazardly deflected away, only narrowly missing Luna, which allowed Hannah to score a hit. Not even bothering to register the surprise, Harry simply Stunned his opponent, then called for a time-out.

Huh, that worked.

"Okay, everyone. Let's wrap up here. If you have no questions about today you can leave…I guess."

Hopefully Susan won't ask too many questions.

Motioning for Neville to go on ahead, Harry approached the Hufflepuffs. "Ernie, Hannah, can I have a word?"

The two glanced at the odd one out, who shrugged. "I'll see you guys later." Susan left, but not before shooting Harry a contemplative gaze.

"Hey, Harry, what's wrong?" Hannah spoke, once they were the last three in the room.

"What makes you think something is wrong?"

"Your expression's not that hard to read, Harry. Are you okay?"

"I am fine." Harry put some stress on the pronoun. "You two are the Prefects, right? For Hufflepuff."

"We are indeed. Is there a problem?" Ernie spoke up.

"Well…" Harry said. Some things you needed to do alone, but there was no sense in not seeking help when it was needed. "Have you noticed anything wrong with Luna?"

"Lovegood?" Ernie questioned. "Not exactly."

"Like how she looks slightly dishevelled all the time, and can't find her items during meetings sometimes, and walks around with no shoes?" Harry pressed on.

"Well, yes, but isn't that just…how she's like?" Ernie spoke, slightly hesitant. "She's not the most…conventional, of individuals." It was clear that he was trying to avoid offending Harry.

"Yes, well, I have reason to believe she's being bullied." Harry spoke. "And that people are taking her things and such."

"Loony Lovegood," Hannah spoke with a frown on her face. "I've heard. I almost called her that during a meeting before."

"You wha–"

"Harry, she doesn't mean it that way, and you know it." Ernie cut across Harry's protests. "She's been called that by a lot of people. It sinks in."

"And it shouldn't." Against his control, Harry once again felt a tide of familiar anger.

"Harry, we're not–we're not condoning this behavior." So don't take this out on us, Ernie seemed to be saying.

"I know you're not. But can't you, I don't know, talk to the Ravenclaw prefects or something?"

"We can, but…it might not work." It was Hannah who spoke up. "Harry, she's been here for four years. I don't know how much anything will help now."

"Something's better than nothing. Besides, we shouldn't leave fellow Club members out in the cold if we can help it. And we can."

The Hufflepuff prefects exchanged a look. "We have Potions with them tomorrow. I'll find Goldstein then." Ernie spoke.

"You mean we'll find Goldstein, and Padma too." Hannah corrected. They turned to Harry. "That's the plan."

~~[q]~~

When he was finally alone, Harry tidied up the classroom, extinguished the lamps, and made his way to the Room of Requirement, where he set down a small mirror on an old table.

"Sirius Black!"

As always, his godfather responded nearly instantly. "Harry?"

"Hey, Sirius. Welcome to the Room of Requirement."

"Room of Requirement?"

"Yeah, in Hogwarts. Transforms into anything you need." Harry grinned, then angled the mirror around to show his godfather the room's interior. "Pretty neat, huh?"

"Anything you need…?" Sirius trailed off. "The possibilities, Harry! And how did you even find out about this place?"

"A house-elf told me," Harry said simply. "I've been using it to train up, seeing how useless Umbridge is. Want a demonstration?"

"Sure thing."

With that, Harry brought to mind one of the basic scenarios he had drafted…

Three-on-one. The corridors…no, somewhere open so Sirius can see.

…and leapt into action.

Golems in Death Eater robes sprung from the earth, and Stunning Spells immediately shot towards him. Without cover, Harry bobbed and weaved, even as the constructs circled around to box him in.

A Protego deflected two Stunners, and Harry saw the window to attack.

Reducto at the feet, Stupefy at the torso, minor jinxes wherever. He recalled the simple system he had put together and stuck to, whirled around to block another few Stunners, and sent a Reductor curse low and a pair of Stunners high.

Ducking down again, Harry forced himself to keep focus, and sent a Flipendo at the nearest target. It didn't fall over, but it stumbled, and he quickly shot yet another Stunner at it.

Two targets remained, and, instead of precision casting, Harry simply picked one and sent out three more Reductors. Plumes of dirt rose from the impacts, and he went for the opening–

Another Stunner shot towards him, and Harry narrowly sidestepped it, feeling the edges of his mind grow fuzzy as the spell grazed his elbow.

Right, screw this.

He cast, fumbled the cast, sidestepped another spell and stumbled out of the way of the other, before getting the wand movements correct. "Conseco Arctus!"

Harry's Ribbon Cutter cast about, in a wide, reckless arc, bisecting his remaining two assailants and one of the table legs. Hastily dispelling the spell, Harry rushed over to the table and snatched up the mirror before the table could tip over and pitch it to the ground. "So, what do you think?"

"Merlin's pants, Harry." Sirius stared at the grin on his godson's sweat-soaked face. "I think you've been practicing more than you let on…though your control could still some work. As a former Hit Wizard, I wouldn't say that I would have liked you on my team, not if you're going to slice off my limbs."

Noticing his godson's dismayed expression, he quickly raised a hand. "Ah, but you've leagues above the average Fifth Year, Harry. I'm proud. Just don't overwork yourself."

"No such thing as overwork when Voldemort's back." Harry said darkly, before returning to a more cheerful voice. "Did you find any spells I could use?"

"Like I said, Harry. Most of the stuff here is quite nasty, and there's a surprising number of things relating to politics and bloodlines and such…but I did think of something you could practice!" Sirius brightened. "It's a technique taught in the Auror Academy, called Spell Swatting. It–"

"Sorry Sirius, I already know that one."

"What?"

"Yeah, this place is full of old stuff sometimes. I think the elves just dump everything here."

"Huh, what I wouldn't give to have found this back in the day…" Sirius had a wistful look. "Looks like I'll have to find something else for you, then."

"Nothing too easy, of course."

"Of course, Harry. Maybe you should get Ron and Hermione in on it too–Harry?"

"I told you before, Sirius." Harry tried to control his voice. "I'm no longer speaking to them."

"Wasn't that only a short fight?"

"I don't even think there was a fight. It's just…I just don't feel like talking to them. It's just…something kind of clicked in my brain, after spending almost the entire summer alone, plagued with nightmares about Voldemort." Harry stood back up and swept his arm in an exaggerated arc. "All my life, I've just let things happen to me–no, that isn't quite right, isn't it? I've just went along with everything. Quirrell after the Stone? Yeah, go and rescue it, because nobody believes you. Ginny in the Chamber? Yeah, just go and charge right in, because nobody else is reliable. Sirius caught for execution?"

The aforementioned Sirius held his breath.

"'Three turns should do it. Good luck.' That was what Dumbledore said. He entrusted your life, Sirius, to two thirteen-year-old teenagers." Harry was not quite shouting, but his godfather could hear the agitation in his voice. "Say, Sirius. Do you know how I joined the Quidditch Team?"

"Didn't you just fly well at the tryouts or something?" Sirius questioned.

"Nope," Harry shook his head. Well, if he was going to air his grievances again, he might as well have the courtesy to keep the number of people he bothered to a minimum. "I pulled a stunt during my first flying lesson. McGonagall brought me to the then-Quidditch captain afterwards, got me a Nimbus Two Thousand, and I was on the team as Seeker." He shook his head. "At the time, I was just so relieved at not being punished that I didn't even realise I was being forced into doing something."

Sirius was speechless. "Harry, I–"

"Even when Ron stopped speaking to me last year, or even before that when Hermione got my Firebolt confiscated, it didn't even occur to me to talk to people other than those two. How was I supposed to know? I never had friends before Hogwarts! I don't know anything about making friends! I just sat there, and accepted–"

Harry's voice hitched. Sirius, looking as if he wanted to reach through the mirror at this very moment, tried another approach. "But Harry, they were your friends. They suffered with you, and shared good times with you. Didn't Ron break into your house and rescue you once?"

"But they wouldn't write me over the summer." And there it was, the one point that was stubbornly fixed in the centre of this entire issue, and the one point that Harry refused to let go of, no matter how unreasonable it made him appear. "I know, Sirius! I know what Dumbledore said! And I'm still angry! I know I shouldn't expect them to, I don't know, break rules to keep in contact with me, and I hoped for it anyway!" Harry paused, for it was becoming difficult for him to speak. "And then," he continued, "I realised I didn't really have much in common with either of them. I'm not a bookworm like Hermione, and I don't like Quidditch like Ron."

"You–you don't?"

"Being on the team was fun, and my teammates were all nice people. But I never really liked the sport itself, not like how I enjoy flying."

"That's no reason to stop talking to two of your oldest friends."

"Do you know Neville Longbottom?" Harry changed tack.

"Sort of. He's Frank and Alice's kid, right?"

"Something like that. The thing is, I've been exercising with him in the mornings since the start of term, and yet I already feel more comfortable talking with him then I do either Ron or Hermione."

"But just because–"

"Sirius, we can't all be the bloody Marauders." Harry cut across harshly, and Sirius took a sharp intake of breath. "And even that didn't last, did it?"

There were a few moments of silence.

"That was a low blow, Harry." Sirius spoke quietly, and Harry immediately cringed.

"I'm sorry–"

"It's fine. I know you've had a tough time recently. I just don't want you to, I don't know, casually discard your oldest friends just because of this incident."

"I know, Sirius. And sorry for bringing up–"

"Hey now, Harry. It doesn't matter to me anymore." Sirius frowned. "Well, not that much. Maybe a bit." Seeing that Harry was about to apologise, again, he decided a little levity was in order. "Enough apologies. You leave being serious to me."

Harry stopped short. "You did not just–"

"I did. And now that I've got my point across, can we just changed the subject. Come on, show we what else you can do!"

"Right then." Harry cheered up slightly, and waved his wand at the room. "I've been practicing fighting indoors too. Here!"

As row upon row of shelves manifested, each with dimly glittering objects, Sirius felt a mild sense of unease. Deciding that it was nothing, he instead laid back and watched his godson's performance.

~~[q]~~

"Padma said they'll both look into it," Susan said, as she slid into the chair beside Neville's.

"Thanks, Susan." Harry looked up from his Charms text for a moment. "Wait, you aren't a prefect!"

"Hannah asked me to pass on the message. Oh, and she and Ernie won't be joining us today." She gestured at a distant table in the Library. "Ernie says that Justin and the other Hufflepuffs are starting to be suspicious." At Harry's raised eyebrow, she elaborated. "Of why we're spending so much time around you, that is."

"What, we can't be friends now? Right, I'm the bloody Boy-Who-Lived, so normal rules don't apply to me."

"You are being slandered by the Prophet right now, though." Neville pointed out.

"Yeah, rub it in, will you."

"Hey, if we didn't like you, we wouldn't have agreed to sign that scroll in the first place." Susan gently pointed out. "It's just that they need to keep up appearances."

"And you don't?"

Susan smirked. "I don't. Care as much, that is. Auntie always said that a Bones should never bend to public opinion."

"Bet she told you to drink more milk as well." Harry snarked out, to Neville and Susan's confused looks.

The lighthearted mood instantly became a tinge heavier when a tired-looking Luna Lovegood approached the table and sat down.

"Everything all right there, Luna?"

"Eyah." She gave a small but cute yawn. "There was a significant Nargle infestation yesterday, but things are fine now." She began taking out her things.

Harry exchanged a look with Neville. They aren't, aren't they? His friend seemed to be asking.

No, they're not. But they'll soon be.

I'll make sure of it.

We'll see if that happens, Harry.

Not sure if I've explained this before, but: in canon, Sirius gives Harry the two-way mirror during Christmas. Let's just say that in this timeline, he finds it earlier and gives it to Harry before the start of term.

Also in canon, "Flipendo" is a jinx that knocks people back, but we already have "Depulso" for that. Instead, it's being used as the incantation to a jinx that trips people over. Well, either way you're being knocked on your ass.

I am also not good at writing fight or action scenes, since it always feels very silted to me. Leave a comment or something if you think they're weird, I guess. In fact, leave a comment if you think anything could be better written, in terms of execution, of course – the plot is already fully planned out.

Updates on the status of the next chapters can be found on my ffnet profile page.

Review please!