The Christmas break passed with unusually cruel speed, Hermione's return from France signalling the final weekend that positively flew by. The only bright part was Mr Weasley's impending discharge from St Mungos. He would be arriving at Grimmauld Place Saturday evening to rest up for a few more days, and then after Harry and the others had returned to Hogwarts he and Mrs Weasley would head on home to the Burrow.

Harry was still dreading his return to school, for nothing had or was going to change. His problems would still be there waiting for him. It would be another three long months until Easter break, and even then it was unusual for students to go home, particularly fifth and seventh years who would be preparing for their exams. But Harry had decided already he wasn't spending a second more in Hogwarts than he absolutely had to. Even the prospect of returning to the Dursleys over the summer didn't seem so bad. At least there he could count on one hand the number of people who hated him.

Then, on the very last day of the holidays, something happened that made Harry positively dread his return to school.

'Harry, dear,' said Mrs Weasley, poking her head into his and Ron's bedroom, where the pair of them were playing wizard chess watched by Hermione, Ginny and Crookshanks, 'could you come down to the kitchen? Professor Snape would like a word with you.'

Harry did not immediately register what she had said; one of his castles was engaged in a violent tussle with a pawn of Ron's and he was egging it on enthusiastically. 'Squash him – squash him, he's only a pawn, you idiot. Sorry, Mrs Weasley, what did you say?'

'Professor Snape, dear. In the kitchen. He'd like a word.'

Harry's mouth fell open in horror. He looked around at Ron, Hermione and Ginny, all of whom were gaping back at him. Crookshanks, whom Hermione had been restraining with difficulty for the past quarter of an hour, leapt gleefully on to the board and set the pieces running for cover, squealing at the top of their voices.

'Snape?' said Harry blankly.

'Professor Snape, dear,' said Mrs Weasley reprovingly. 'Now come on, quickly, he says he can't stay long.'

'What's he want with you?' said Ron, looking unnerved as Mrs Weasley withdrew from the room. 'You haven't done anything, have you?'

'No!' said Harry indignantly, racking his brains to think what he could have done that would make Snape pursue him to Grimmauld Place. Had his last piece of homework perhaps earned a 'T'?

He was most reluctant to go down there, to face Snape of all people. Aside from being a miserable git who constantly singled him out in class, Snape had literally tortured him just seven months ago - and Harry still had the scars to prove it.

Before he went back to Hogwarts in September he had naively thought that things would change between them, that Snape might quit giving him such a hard time during class. But it wasn't to be, and if anything Snape had been worse than usual.

At times Harry wondered if Snape was trying to protect his status as a double agent, anticipating that one day Voldemort would question Harry again, and that he would break. Snape had said so himself, that there could be no hint of sympathy or concern for Voldemort's enemies. Yet it just made him hate Snape even more, the gulf between them wider than ever and unable to be crossed - there would never be peace between them.

When he entered the kitchen he found Sirius and Snape sitting at the table opposite one another, just as they had a few months ago. Back then Snape had admitted to being the one who tortured him, convincing Voldemort it was the right move to let him go free. It felt strange that the three of them were back here again, and that little had changed between them.

Sirius and Snape were pointedly looking in different directions, avoiding one another like the plague. Hesitantly Harry entered the kitchen, holding his breath when Snape looked up at him, lifting his chin, his face framed between curtains of greasy black hair. Harry sat down beside Sirius, looking at him for an indication of what this was about, if something was wrong, but Sirius gave away nothing.

'I was supposed to see you alone, Potter,' said Snape, the familiar sneer curling his mouth, 'but Black –'

'I'm his godfather,' said Sirius, loudly.

'I am here on Dumbledore's orders,' said Snape, whose voice, by contrast, was becoming more and more quietly waspish, 'but by all means stay, Black. I know you like to feel … involved.'

'What's that supposed to mean?' said Sirius, letting his chair fall back on to all four legs with a loud bang.

'Merely that I am sure you must-'

Harry cut Snape off before he could continue, uninterested in listening to the two of them fight. 'What's this about?' he asked abruptly. 'What orders from Dumbledore?'

Snape dragged his glare away from Sirius and turned to Harry instead. 'The Headmaster has sent me to tell you, Potter, that it is his wish for you to study Occlumency this term. Occlumency is the magical defence of the mind against external penetration.'

Harry's heart fell into his stomach, realising this must be about Mr Weasley and that night. But his mind raced in confusion as he tried to understand, glancing at Sirius for clarification.

'But Voldemort wasn't possessing me,' he argued. 'I remember everything, so he wasn't possessing me.'

'No. The Dark Lord was not possessing you,' Snape agreed, looking impatient that he had to explain any of this. 'It seems that when your mind is most relaxed and vulnerable - when you are asleep for instance - you are sharing the Dark Lord's thoughts and emotions.'

'So I can see into his head?'

Things were beginning to fall into place. This at least made sense, and it was what he and Sirius had already been worried about - the notion that he might have slipped into Voldemort's mind accidentally, and that it might happen in reverse. Hearing it explained by someone else so plainly was a relief. Yet Snape didn't seem pleased, his eyes narrowing at Harry's relieved expression.

'No doubt you are labouring under the delusion that what you saw that night was a good thing.'

That hadn't been what he was thinking - at least not anymore - but the accusation annoyed him. 'It did save Mr Weasley's life.'

'And endangered yours.'

'Don't pretend to care.'

At this he knew he had struck a cord, but rather than being admonished, Snape only became more condescending. He lifted his chin a little, sneering down at Harry much in the way Lucius Malfoy did.

'Yes, I suppose someone who risks their own life to save another's does not care,' Snape said quietly.

Furthering Harry's annoyance he felt Sirius's hand on his knee below the table, a clear signal to settle down. Really? Harry thought to himself. Against Snape, Sirius wanted him to settle down? This was quite the change from the last time the three of them were in a room together.

'The Dark Lord was unaware of any connection between you and himself until very recently. Until now, you have been experiencing his emotions and sharing his thoughts, without him being any the wiser. Now though, the Dark Lord is aware and has deduced that the process can work in reverse. That is to say, he might be able to access your thoughts in return.'

Harry nodded, understanding. 'And he might make me do things?

'He might,' said Snape, sounding cold and unconcerned. 'Which brings us back to Occl-'

'How do you know?'

'How do I know, what?'

'You said he had deduced the process might work in reverse. How do you know that?'

Snape paused, staring at him. Beside him Sirius's tension grew, and he visibly shifted in his seat, he too wanting to know this answer.

'Because he told me.'

Harry was taken aback, blinking in surprise. It never failed to completely knock the wind out of him to think that Snape was part of Voldemort's inner circle. It was easier to just maintain the pretence that Snape was a much despised Potions teacher and nothing more. The very thought that he might be leaving Hogwarts to go to Voldemort's aid for anything was horrifying.

'What did you talk about?'

'The very thing that Professor Dumbledore fears. The opportunity for the Dark Lord to use this connection with you as means to use or harm you.'

'What's he planning?'

Snape grew visibly impatient with Harry's continued questioning, yet he answered.

'Nothing yet. But only a fool would trust that the Dark Lord would confide such plans in me. The only safe thing to assume is that he will utilise this connection for his personal gain, or to bring you to harm.'

'Why wouldn't he tell you? Haven't you proved yourself to him enough?'

'Apparently I did not,' Snape sneered, his upper lip curling.

Harry knew exactly what he was getting at, for it had been on his own mind too. Snape had tortured him at Malfoy Manor as means to prove his allegiance to Voldemort, to prove he had no interest in his wellbeing. Perhaps he hadn't done quiet enough to earn Voldemort's trust…perhaps he should have done more.

Finally Sirius spoke up now, trying to soothe Harry's concerns. 'We're planning for the worst. We have to assume Voldemort is going to try and hurt you.'

'Which brings us back to Occlumency,' Snape said shortly. 'It is Professor Dumbledore's instruction that you are to learn how to defend your mind against external penetration.'

Harry felt relieved to hear that Dumbledore was sorting this out, for the possibility of Voldemort using him or hurting him had been constantly on his mind - to him it was just a matter of when, not if. The knowledge that Dumbledore had a plan to ensure his protection was comforting, but Harry wasn't getting his hopes up. Instead he was waiting for the other shoe to drop. There was a way to keep Voldemort out of his head, Occlumency. But what was the catch?

Sitting there across from Snape the catch began to dawn on him, and his heart sank.

'Is Dumbledore teaching me?'

Snape raised an eye brow. 'I am.'

Sitting there in horror Harry just looked at Snape, wondering what on earth he had done to deserve this. He turned to Sirius for support, but none came. Sirius just sat there looking at the opposite wall, making Harry question why he had bothered coming in the first place.

'Why can't Dumbledore teach me?' he demanded angrily, disposing with any effort for decorum. 'Why you?'

'I assure you I did not beg for the job.' Snape got to his feet. 'I will expect you at six o'clock on Monday evening, Potter. My office. If anybody asks, you are taking remedial Potions. Nobody who has seen you in my classes could deny you need them.'

'Wait, that's it?'

He looked back at Sirius again, giving him another chance to do something about this, to defend him, but he did nothing. How could anyone expect him to be okay with this? At that thought he felt himself snap, weeks and months of fear and frustration peaking within him - and he couldn't take it anymore. He abruptly got to his feet.

'No!' Harry said angrily. 'No way!'

Stopping nearly at the kitchen door Snape seemed to close his eyes for a moment, looking as though he was praying for patience. But this only infuriated Harry even more. Who was he to need patience? Sanity was what he needed.

Taking a deep breath Harry looked from Sirius to Snape, trying to take a different tact. 'Look, I know why you did all of that to me,' he said reasonably, his voice still angry and harsh. 'I know you did it to save me. But it's bad enough I have to sit through class with you treating me like shit, now you expect me to do more?' He turned back to Sirius. 'I'm not doing it.'

Finally Sirius acted, standing up from the table and turning to Snape. Harry's heart lifted, certain that he had Sirius on his side now, that his godfather would never make him do what Snape had just told them. But inexplicably that was not to be the case.

'You can go,' Sirius said cooly.

Equally cool, Snape jerked his head in what might have been a nod of agreement. 'Monday evening, Potter. Six o'clock.'

Momentarily speechless, Harry watched as Snape simply departed, closing the kitchen door behind himself. 'Sirius, come on! You couldn't possibly think I'd be okay with this.'

'I knew you wouldn't be,' he said wearily, crossing his arms over his chest and then leaning against the kitchen table. He seemed unable to meet Harry's eye, to properly face him as he forced him into this. 'I don't like it either.'

'Why can't Dumbledore teach me?'

'Because the process of learning makes you vulnerable. If Voldemort knows Dumbledore is teaching you that's his window to attack. Snape will keep you safe.'

'Snape tortured me!'

'I know!' Sirius said abruptly. He looked up at Harry now, and the helplessness in his eyes was apparent. 'I felt the same way when Dumbledore told me what needed to happen. But Harry, this is too important. Do you know what Voldemort could do to you?'

'Yeah, I know. He could get into my head.'

Sirius stood up again, unfolding his arms as he came over. 'If he attacks your mind and you can't defend yourself, he could do anything to you,' Sirius said emphatically. 'He could put thoughts in your head that aren't real. He could make you hurt someone, or hurt yourself! Don't you see, Harry?'

For the second time Harry was speechless - for those thoughts had crossed his mind, but only as worst case scenarios. He hadn't let himself put too much stock in them, figuring he was being paranoid, that he was thinking the worst. Would Voldemort really go that far? Would he really manipulate him so deeply that he might hurt someone? Someone like Ron or Hermione?

He still wanted to argue - to say that he couldn't do this, that they were asking too much of him. It didn't matter how much time had passed, he was not strong enough to face Snape like this…

'There's got to be some other way.'

'Harry, you know Snape and I despite one another…but if Dumbledore trusts him then I have to as well. He saved your life Harry, and he didn't have to. I can't forget that.'

'He did have to!' Harry argued, looking for any thread that would allow him to continue despising Snape. 'If he wanted to stay on Dumbledore's good side he did have to.'

Sirius shook his head, arguing just as hard. 'He could have done nothing to help you, and Dumbledore would have been none the wiser that he didn't try. But he risked his life to get you out. And now he's doing it again.'

'Wh-what? Occlumency?'

'Yes. If Voldemort ever found out that Snape was helping you to this extent he'd be furious. Snape would have a hard time getting out of that one.'

Harry sighed, not knowing what to say next - how to express how completely awful this situation was. 'I know all of that. But I...'

He trailed off, unable to say it. He couldn't say that he was too weak to deal with this...too afraid. Not even to Sirius could he say something like that. Standing there in front of his Godfather, who once again was not the source of mindless support he needed, Harry had to resist the impulse to storm out of there. Where would he go if he did? Ron and Hermione would only ask what Snape wanted, and he would need to explain it all to them.

Like divine intervention the kitchen door opened, saving Harry from having to say anything more. The Weasley family, plus Hermione, came inside, all looking very happy, with Mr Weasley walking proudly in their midst dressed in a pair of striped pyjamas covered by a mackintosh. 'Cured!' he announced brightly to the kitchen at large. 'Completely cured!'

There was an awkward pause, the Weasley's realising they'd clearly interrupted something, but Harry was relieved. He couldn't face this right now. It was obvious that he was backed into a corner, and as usual there was nothing he could do to better his situation...and he just didn't have it in him to face that right now. In an instant he switched direction, plastering a genuine smile across his face while he pushed aside the miserable situation he now faced.

'That's great news, really great.'

'Yes, isn't it?' said Mrs Weasley, leading her husband forward to a chair. 'Healer Smethwyck worked his magic in the end, found an antidote to whatever that snake's got in its fangs, and Arthur's learned his lesson about dabbling in Muggle medicine, haven't you, dear?' she added, rather menacingly.

'Yes, Molly, dear,' said Mr Weasley meekly.

A/N Sorry for the short chapter, but the next one is kind of interesting! Thanks for the reviews, they are well appreciated.