Chapter Nine
On the way to his first class the next day, McGonagall stopped Harry in the hallway.
"Potter, may I have a word?" she asked as she caught up with him.
"Sure professor, what about?" Harry replied.
"It's about Quidditch." McGonagall began. "We've only got two members on the team this year. We still need a captain and you've been on the team for nearly five years. Would you do it?"
Harry had to think about this for a moment. He wasn't entirely sure about this. He didn't think he would be very good at it.But then he remembered the DA.
"I'll do it," Harry assured McGonagall.
She nodded. "Alright then. Get to class. I believe you have McKinney now?"
Harry nodded and hurried off to class. He slid into a seat next to Hermione as McKinney was calling roll.
When she was finished, she set the scroll on her desk and stood in front of the chalkboard. "As you all should know, I'm Professor McKinney." She began. "You all have done magical creatures and a few curses. This year, we are going to be learning to duel and other such charms and counter spells."
"Perhaps," she went on, "I should tell you a bit about myself, and how this class will be run. I expect you all do turn in assignments on time and at least try and pay attention. We can have fun in here as long as you do what you're told. Everyone clear?"
There was a chorus of, "Yes Ma'am."
"Good. For the remainder of the class, please read chapter one of 'Dueling, a Complete History'."
Harry pulled out his textbook and read the chapter along with the rest of the class. Soon enough, the class was over.
"What did McGonagall want to talk to you about, Harry?" Hermione asked as they were heading for charms.
"Oh, she just wanted to know if I'd be Quidditch Captain." Harry replied casually. He slid into his seat in the charms room.
They reviewed the levitation charm and for homework and had to write a three foot essay on it for homework.
Ron, as usual was grumbling about it as they left for lunch. "How can you write three feet?" he groaned. "It makes things float. Swish, flick!"
Hermione rolled her eyes at him. "There's more to it than that!" he explained. "There's history, who invented it and."
Harry, by now had tuned them all out. He was thinking of Sirius again. It was just his luck to have Snape come up to him.
"Dumbledore has requested that I inform you of your-ahem-remedial potions lessons this evening at seven." With that said, Snape swept off back to the staff table.
Several younger Gryffindors snickered at this, as did the whole of the Slytherin table. Harry tried to glare holes in Snape's back, but looks can't kill so Snape was still alive.
Harry wasn't, of course, really in remedial potions, but the lesson was in fact one for Occlumency. Ron and Hermione both knew this. Harry caught Hermione's glance and smiled slightly.
The rest of the day flew by, as the day does when you're dreading something as Harry was. Nearly before he knew it, it was seven and Harry was on the way to the dungeons for his Occlumency lesson. Ron and Hermione had offered to come along for moral support, but Harry had declined.
He rapped on the door and waited for Snape to answer. "Enter," he boomed, and Harry did so.
Snape was grading papers when Harry walked in. The teacher stood upon the entrance, and strode over.
"Hopefully this time, you will be more competent," Snape said shortly. "Clear your mind."
Harry took a deep breath, and attempted to clear his mind. But before he could, Snape had shouted, "Legimus!"
The first attempt on his mind came unexpected and Harry fell to his knees. Sirius ran through his mind. From the day he met him to his death flashed before his eyes.
"I'm also-I don't know if anyone ever told you, but I'm also your godfather."
".Once my name's cleared, if you wanted a.a different home."
"Harry, take the prophecy and run!"
"Come on, you can do better than that!"
"POTTER!"
Harry snapped back to the present as Snape yelled his name. He was on his knees, bent over with his hands on his forehead. He stood up quickly.
"You are obviously not trying hard enough. If I can get into the memories of whom you care most about, then you are not even close." Harry could tell Snape was making an effort to say calm, and Harry had to wonder why on Earth he would bother.
"Now clear you mind," the potions' master snapped. "Think of nothing. Your mind has to be a complete blank."
Harry tried to clear his mind, he really did. But he couldn't keep the thought of a near-calm Snape out of his head.
"Legimus!"
"Portengo!"
Harry was almost ready this time. His shield was weak, but it was up. Snape's spell tore through it like it was nothing.
"Karkaroff.Harry, he was a Death Eater." Sirius's voice sounded far off, as though coming from a mile away. The shield had weakened the spell ever so slightly.
"You can do better than that!" He watched as Sirius fell gracefully into the arch.
"You can do better than that!"
"Better than that!"
"Better than that!"
"NOOO!!!" Harry broke the memories with his yell, to fine he was on his knees again, bent over onto the floor. Sirius was gone.and all Harry could think about were his last words. His shoulders started to shake slightly, tears gathering at the corners of his eyes.
"You are weak!" Snape yelled. "Get up! You should not care so much! People are weak, and if you expect to get by Lord Voldemort, you had better learn it! Caring will do nothing but get you killed."
Harry wiped his eyes and stood up, still shaking a little. Snape was right, he was being weak. There was nothing he could do about Sirius, or anything.
"Now get out!" Snape bellowed, stalking towards Harry. Harry dashed out of the room and Snape slammed the door behind him.
Harry walked into the common room, an hour before Ron or Hermione was expecting him. They were standing in front of the fire, not an inch of daylight between them. And that wasn't even the worst part. They were kissing.
A/N: I know, I know. I promised no more notes. But I really have to pt this here. I just want to say sorry for the cliffie, but it was very fitting. I'll have the next chapter up in less time than this one.
Also, thank you for all the support and reviews telling e not to rush the story. I love you guys; keep reviewing!
On the way to his first class the next day, McGonagall stopped Harry in the hallway.
"Potter, may I have a word?" she asked as she caught up with him.
"Sure professor, what about?" Harry replied.
"It's about Quidditch." McGonagall began. "We've only got two members on the team this year. We still need a captain and you've been on the team for nearly five years. Would you do it?"
Harry had to think about this for a moment. He wasn't entirely sure about this. He didn't think he would be very good at it.But then he remembered the DA.
"I'll do it," Harry assured McGonagall.
She nodded. "Alright then. Get to class. I believe you have McKinney now?"
Harry nodded and hurried off to class. He slid into a seat next to Hermione as McKinney was calling roll.
When she was finished, she set the scroll on her desk and stood in front of the chalkboard. "As you all should know, I'm Professor McKinney." She began. "You all have done magical creatures and a few curses. This year, we are going to be learning to duel and other such charms and counter spells."
"Perhaps," she went on, "I should tell you a bit about myself, and how this class will be run. I expect you all do turn in assignments on time and at least try and pay attention. We can have fun in here as long as you do what you're told. Everyone clear?"
There was a chorus of, "Yes Ma'am."
"Good. For the remainder of the class, please read chapter one of 'Dueling, a Complete History'."
Harry pulled out his textbook and read the chapter along with the rest of the class. Soon enough, the class was over.
"What did McGonagall want to talk to you about, Harry?" Hermione asked as they were heading for charms.
"Oh, she just wanted to know if I'd be Quidditch Captain." Harry replied casually. He slid into his seat in the charms room.
They reviewed the levitation charm and for homework and had to write a three foot essay on it for homework.
Ron, as usual was grumbling about it as they left for lunch. "How can you write three feet?" he groaned. "It makes things float. Swish, flick!"
Hermione rolled her eyes at him. "There's more to it than that!" he explained. "There's history, who invented it and."
Harry, by now had tuned them all out. He was thinking of Sirius again. It was just his luck to have Snape come up to him.
"Dumbledore has requested that I inform you of your-ahem-remedial potions lessons this evening at seven." With that said, Snape swept off back to the staff table.
Several younger Gryffindors snickered at this, as did the whole of the Slytherin table. Harry tried to glare holes in Snape's back, but looks can't kill so Snape was still alive.
Harry wasn't, of course, really in remedial potions, but the lesson was in fact one for Occlumency. Ron and Hermione both knew this. Harry caught Hermione's glance and smiled slightly.
The rest of the day flew by, as the day does when you're dreading something as Harry was. Nearly before he knew it, it was seven and Harry was on the way to the dungeons for his Occlumency lesson. Ron and Hermione had offered to come along for moral support, but Harry had declined.
He rapped on the door and waited for Snape to answer. "Enter," he boomed, and Harry did so.
Snape was grading papers when Harry walked in. The teacher stood upon the entrance, and strode over.
"Hopefully this time, you will be more competent," Snape said shortly. "Clear your mind."
Harry took a deep breath, and attempted to clear his mind. But before he could, Snape had shouted, "Legimus!"
The first attempt on his mind came unexpected and Harry fell to his knees. Sirius ran through his mind. From the day he met him to his death flashed before his eyes.
"I'm also-I don't know if anyone ever told you, but I'm also your godfather."
".Once my name's cleared, if you wanted a.a different home."
"Harry, take the prophecy and run!"
"Come on, you can do better than that!"
"POTTER!"
Harry snapped back to the present as Snape yelled his name. He was on his knees, bent over with his hands on his forehead. He stood up quickly.
"You are obviously not trying hard enough. If I can get into the memories of whom you care most about, then you are not even close." Harry could tell Snape was making an effort to say calm, and Harry had to wonder why on Earth he would bother.
"Now clear you mind," the potions' master snapped. "Think of nothing. Your mind has to be a complete blank."
Harry tried to clear his mind, he really did. But he couldn't keep the thought of a near-calm Snape out of his head.
"Legimus!"
"Portengo!"
Harry was almost ready this time. His shield was weak, but it was up. Snape's spell tore through it like it was nothing.
"Karkaroff.Harry, he was a Death Eater." Sirius's voice sounded far off, as though coming from a mile away. The shield had weakened the spell ever so slightly.
"You can do better than that!" He watched as Sirius fell gracefully into the arch.
"You can do better than that!"
"Better than that!"
"Better than that!"
"NOOO!!!" Harry broke the memories with his yell, to fine he was on his knees again, bent over onto the floor. Sirius was gone.and all Harry could think about were his last words. His shoulders started to shake slightly, tears gathering at the corners of his eyes.
"You are weak!" Snape yelled. "Get up! You should not care so much! People are weak, and if you expect to get by Lord Voldemort, you had better learn it! Caring will do nothing but get you killed."
Harry wiped his eyes and stood up, still shaking a little. Snape was right, he was being weak. There was nothing he could do about Sirius, or anything.
"Now get out!" Snape bellowed, stalking towards Harry. Harry dashed out of the room and Snape slammed the door behind him.
Harry walked into the common room, an hour before Ron or Hermione was expecting him. They were standing in front of the fire, not an inch of daylight between them. And that wasn't even the worst part. They were kissing.
A/N: I know, I know. I promised no more notes. But I really have to pt this here. I just want to say sorry for the cliffie, but it was very fitting. I'll have the next chapter up in less time than this one.
Also, thank you for all the support and reviews telling e not to rush the story. I love you guys; keep reviewing!