Chapter 4: A Dilemma, a Job, and a Solution

Waking up in the late afternoon and rather sore, for more then one reason: First Transformation, Flying for hours, and his scar caused by Voldemort. Harry found dried blood on his forehead from where it burst open from pain. He looked at himself in the mirror and found he was a mess, plan and simple.

Heading for the shower to get cleaned up he seen the note he wrote to Dumbledore last night, but never got around to sending it. When he has visions of Voldemort he usually forgets them, and this last time was no exception. 'I'll read it when after I get cleaned up a bit and maybe I'll learn what Voldemort is up to.'

Walking into his room after a quick shower he noticed that Hedwig has returned with a package and a note from Ron. Freeing Hedwig of both, he read the note.

Harry-

Hey mate, I figured that you're probably pretty hungry since the last package was over a week ago. Not much is happening here, well except for Percy. He's acting all weird, ya I know he was already weird, but he's weirder now. I think that Penelope broke up with him or something.

Your friend,

Ron Weasley-

'Well Percy was already weird, so I guess nothing has changed', Harry then opened package and found all kind's of goodies, eating his fill, he put the rest under the loose board under his bed. Then remembering the note to Dumbledore he picked it up and read it.

Professor Dumbledore-

I just had a vision of Voldemort, I don't remember much but here's what I do. Macnair said that they have 3 possible recruits within the Ministry. Voldemort said something about not showing himself yet till he gains more power. Also the scar he gave me works both ways! Sorry but that's all I can remember.

Harry Potter-

'hmm, not much is going on with him, wait a minute.' He thought, then aloud "What? He can spy on me? Oh no, that's not good!" His mind was going bouncing all around of the different things he could spy on. "What am I going to do?" 'Well I can send the letter and hope that Dumbledore can give me some advice on the subject'

"Hedwig I need you to take this to Professor Dumbledore, ok?" Hedwig flew over to Harry and landed on his shoulder and nibbled his ear, He gave her an owl treat and got a "hoot" as a response from her. She flew out the window strait to Hogwarts.

"Well I guess I could so some research on curse links while I wait" Harry said to himself. He headed out the door, walking instead of running since he was deep in thought of what to do. If he could separate the link they shared should he do it, his vision's always provide useful information, yet he couldn't have Voldemort over hearing some of his conversations. 'What a dilemma.'

Walking into the library, seeing a few muggles in the back reading at a table, he walked back to the black door. Harry put away the books that he was done with, and started looking for books about links that people have. Finding a few books on the subject, he picked them up and went to the table and started reading. Learning nothing new by the time he walked home just as deep in thought as the walk there.

Getting his supper and heading up to his room, he walked past his cousin who punched him in the arm. Since he was still sore from the day before, he didn't want to push himself and try another form. 'I guess that's what Remus goes though every full moon, that's got to be horrible'. He picked up the 6th year potion book and read that till he was finished and picked up the Defense book. Soon it was morning once again.

'Hedwig hasn't gotten back yet, I guess Dumbledore is waiting a bit to write his response'. Doing the same thing as yesterday, except running to the library instead of walking, learning nothing on the particular link that he shared with Voldemort. Harry picked up some books to read during the night.

That's what Harry Potter did for the rest of that week, running to the library, learning nothing of anything in particular, taking books for night, and bringing them back in the morning or when he was done with them. He got a few minutes of sleep here and there, he usually never slept for more then 15 minutes because if he did the nightmares would set in.

Next Monday when Harry arrived at the library he was approached by a fairly young woman. She said "Hello young man, My name is Cathy Wilkens. I've seen you come in here everyday and stay till we close. I was wondering if you might like a job, so are you interested?"

"Sure, but what would you want me to do? Oh my name is Harry Potter." He extended his hand and she shook it.

"Please to meet you." She replied

"What exactly is the job?"

"Oh it's pretty easy; all you'll be doing is shelving books that are checked in and checking books out to people."

"Can I read while I work?"

She just chuckled and said "Oh course this is a library after all. When can you start?"

"Today, I was just planning on getting a few books and read though them."

"Good, let me show you to the desk you'll be sitting at and where to shelf the books. You won't have much to do, since not many people come to the library during the summer."

She showed Harry to the desk and around the library, where certain books go. It wasn't that complicated; Fiction books go on the right and in alphabetical order and Non-Fiction books go on the left sorted by number on them. After the tour She led him back to the desk where he sat down then, then he remembered his sleeping problem.

"Mrs. Wilkens, I don't sleep much at night, so sometimes I fall asleep during the day, its never for a long period of time. Will that be a problem?" Harry hoped it wouldn't since he couldn't really help it. Yes, he could brew and take some dreamless sleep potion but that can be addictive.

"It's still Miss, and please call me Cathy. It shouldn't be that big of a problem, because as I said before it's usually pretty slow, but since the former librarian retired recently, I have to take up her paper work."

"Ok, Ms err Cathy, thanks."

After she left to her office, Harry went to the black door and grabbed a couple of books and cast concealment charms on them so that they'd appear to be muggle fantasy novels.

He got a letter from Dumbledore the next day, saying don't worry about it the charms and protection spells on him were way to strong for him to get by anytime soon. Dumbledore's reassurance didn't set Harry's mind at easy. He kept up his research into curse links but was getting nowhere. Though He has learned a few useful spells and potions, but not what he was looking for. He noticed that he developed a very good memory, he could remember everything he read almost word for word.

That's how he spent the next few weeks, researching, shelving books, checking them out, reading. It was already the 3rd week of July, His birthday was nearing and still no such luck. He got the occasional package of food from Ron, one letter from Hermione saying that she was having fun in Bulgaria with Viktor. Thanks to his job, he bought some new clothes that actually fit and some food for him and Hedwig. Because of all his reading, he considered his knowledge above a sixth year, and maybe on par with a seventh year.

In his bedroom Friday nigh, he was reading an ancient spell and potion book. It was so old that it was written in the old form of Latin. But thanks to a language charm on it, it was in perfect English. This book was filled with some complicated spells and potions, since most of them had to be combined and timed perfect.

Harry was currently reading about the Fidelius charm, to perform it one must take a potion then seal it with a spell. Everybody takes the potion at the same time, then they say the spell (fidelius) and point their wands at the desired person (secret-keeper) and say that persons name.

After finishing reading that Harry passed out from shear exhaustion. He once again he had the nightmare, instead of waking up after it was over, he continued to sleep, mostly dreamless. He finally woke up the next day because his scar was hurting and swiftly changed from a nightmare to a vision.

~Vision~

Harry found himself once again in the black castle, just as evil feeling as before. This time he was in a room that was green with only one chair.

Voldemort sat upon his throne and summed only a few of his inner circle deatheaters; Macnair, Malfoy, and Wormtail. As they entered the room, Voldemort stood up and began a monologue.

"My most trusted followers; we have a spy within our group. I don't know who it is for sure, but I have reason to believe he's been with us for awhile and did not recently turn. I want you to find him out, report him to me, and I'll deal with him." After he was done he sat back down.

"Macnair, report your recruitment within the Ministry." Voldemort said with authority.

"My Lord, we have at least 5 willing to join, one of them seems to be rising rapidly within the Ministry. They await your mark, my Lord."

"Better, Lucius how is your 'special' job going?"

"My Lord, we have several spells and potions that will help, but the boy has too many spells on him, it will take a bit more time. My guess is we could have it by next week."

"Good news indeed. Wormtail, you're in charge of catching the spy, if you do not, well let's just say you don't want to find out."

~end vision~

Harry woke up from his trance like state and remembered everything very clearly. "Oh god, he knows about snape." He may not like him, but he certainly didn't want him tortured or killed. Quickly writing a letter to Dumbledore warning him about the danger that Snape could be in, he was feeling surprising refreshed, checking the time. It didn't make since how could it only be 8:00, I know it had to be around 7:00 when I fell asleep. He wondered, and then he realized that it was Saturday and that he slept for 24 hours.

After eating and cleaning up, Harry picked up the book where he left off. Turning the page he found just the spell he was looking for, at least he hoped it was. It's called the "Severritues Charm," like the Fidelius Charm it requires both a potion and a spell to be performed.

"The Severritues Charm, severs any and all magical links that one may have, it's commonly used to free people under the Imperious Curse."

The potion wasn't complicated in the least bit, Harry had all the ingredients and it brewed in 3 hours. The spell wasn't hard either it just had to be timed just right.

Harry started the potion and continued to read in the book while it was brewing. After he was done, he turned back to the severritues charm and reread it a few more times till the potion was done.

Soon the potion was done all that was left to do was drink it and perform the spell and he was 'should' be completely free of any type of link that Voldemort may have on him.

Harry was debating himself where or not he should go through with it. There were many pros and cons with both, finally the pro side won out with the reason; if he was going to have to face Voldemort then he couldn't be on his knees in pain because of the stupid link.

"Well here goes nothing" he said and downed a goblet full of the potion. Keeping time, on his watch that he bought with his money he earned at his job, he waited exactly 2 minutes before performing the spell.

After performing the spell, Harry felt something being ripped, against its will, out of his body. It was painful, he could feel whatever it was fighting against the charm, but it was losing. Soon it lost the battle and was gone, suddenly all the pain was gone and he passed out.

A/N: It's been a long week/end for me, everything has been going wrong. I still havent' gotten a new car yet, but I should be getting one this weekend. Hopefully I won't go too far in debt. I added a paragraph to this chapter and starting the next one. I should have chapter 5 up today and maybe chapter 6.