A Helping Hand

By Yui

Disclaimer: J.K Rowling is the wonderful author of everything Harry Potter (well mostly everything). I own nothing but this story.

Author's Note: Things will start to move more quickly hopefully very soon. ^_^ I have some great ideas for the story so be patient with me. Thanks to all who read and review! I heart you much.

Chapter 9

Magic old and new

Harry leaned against the bedroom door and closed his eyes, his mind suddenly void of thought. There was an absolute stillness to the room that he hated for a moment yet was scared just the same. He didn't want to be alone. It felt too weird. All ready he had heard the voice of Voldemort twice but apparently no one else did. Was he just crazy? Maybe the last school term had been too much for him to handle. Maybe he was just exhausted, under to much stress.

After a moment, Harry opened his eyes and saw that there were a few scattered candles around the room. Harry was glad for the light. There would be no more shadows to suspect. Finally he looked lazily up to the ceiling, not really looking just wondering. He took a deep breath. He could get through this no matter what could happen. He just had to keep it together. His right hand absentmindedly clutched his other wrist at his side when a small rustle in the corner of his room caught his attention.

"Hello, Hedwig," Harry said and smiled at his sleepy-eyed owl. She was sitting on his trunk, cleaning her snow-white feathers and when he called out her name, she quickly looked up and gave a soft hoot in return. "I brought some food up for you," he continued "It's not much but it will have to do."

After another hoot, Hedwig fluttered over to Harry and quietly perched herself on his right forearm, which he held out for her landing. Harry quickly removed the napkin full of bread and fruit and held it out for his owl. Her beck rummaged through the small bits and she ate it all within a minute.

"Good girl. You must have been very hungry," Harry murmured, his finger running down the top of her head. Hedwig straightened up and started the nibble a bit at his ear. Harry smiled. "Well it's good that you haven't changed. Things are getting so weird here. It really is. It's like a bad horror movie or something. I'm hearing voices, seeing things…" Harry sighed and looked down at his owl. "I bet you're not scared at all, Hedwig. Just as well though. Do you want to fly around tonight or are you too tired still?"

Hedwig gave a quick hoot before flying to a closed window. He laughed a bit and followed. "Well I guess that answers my question." Unlocking the window, he held it up far enough for Hedwig to move through it. "Be careful tonight." He closed the window and watched his owl fly across the night land, her white feathers surprising white against the gloom. He watched until she disappeared from site before lowering the window again and barring it shut.

Harry stood there for a moment, letting his eyes adjust to the darkness outside the bedroom window. The sky was clear bit there was no moon to give light to the land; but the stars where out and there were so many of them. In the corner of his eye, Harry glimpsed a streak of light running across the sky. He was quick enough to turn his head in time to see a shooting star torpedo across the darkness.

"Make a wish, Harry," he told himself as he continued to watch the star start to fall. He just wanted a normal life but that was out of the question of course. Or was it too hard to have a normal evening when a mad dark wizard wanted him dead? Harry supposed so. Speaking slowly and quietly, he said, "I wish…I wish I can defeat Voldemort once and for all." When the star had vanished from site, he moved away from the window and got ready for bed.

~*~*~*~

Pain woke him up the next morning. It was a sharp, piercing, and almost numbing pain in his left arm like someone has taken a red-hot knife to his skin and cut him while he was sleeping. Harry gasp in surprised, tears springing into his eyes, and hastily sat up, reaching for his glasses on the nightstand and throwing back the covers on the bed. He pushed the sleeve of his pajamas up to the elbow and his eyes searched to the source of the pain around on his arm.

It was coming from the bruise, which was now larger, darker, and almost like a circle, while in the middle of the circle was not thrashed at all. Harry looked closer, gently touching the painful welt. But soon his arm felt as though it was on fire and Harry squeezed his eyes shut. Then it stopped. Harry held his breath and slowly opened his eyes and he saw that the orbicular bruise was normal again, like it was yesterday.

He slowly lowered his wrist to the bed, the fingers of his other hand running across the bruise. It felt as if nothing had happened or did Harry just dream the change in his head? He didn't even know. He leaned slowly against the headboard of the bed, his brow wrinkled with confusion as he looked at the bruise again.

Harry was aroused from his thoughts when he head scratching at his window. Immediately he turned and saw that Hedwig had returned. He jumped off the bed, and threw open the window to let in his pet.

"Good. Harry is up! Lecai has come to tell Harry that breakfast in almost ready." A sudden voice made Harry spin around to find the house-elf sitting on his magically made bed. Lecai smiled at him quickly.

"Oh…um…thanks," Harry murmured, running a hand through his messy hair. "May I ask you a question? Do you like just popping up out of nowhere?"

Lecai made a small face. "Of course. That is the easiest way to travel," she replied.

"I see…"

"Did Harry have a good sleep?" the elf suddenly asked, eyes suddenly alert.

Harry just nodded as he stared back at her. He realized however that she was busy looking at his left wrist. Harry quickly hid it from view behind his back. "Listen, Lecai, it's just a bruise. It's fine, really. You don't have to worry any more because it will go away within a few days."

Lecai didn't look relieved one bit when she frowned up at him. "If Harry says nothing is wrong then Lecai will trust Harry," she slowly replied. "Harry better get changed soon. Heruamin is waiting." With a small pop, Lecai was suddenly gone and on the bed a new pair of clothes was stacked in a neat pile where she had sat.

~*~*~*~

"Today you will just be learning some few spell of defense," Snape instructed Harry as soon as the breakfast was cleared away. "They are older than anything taught at Hogwarts so I doubt that you will get them to work properly for you. You will have to practice."

Harry nodded but ventured to ask, "Why are they not taught there? If it's magic shouldn't it be?"

Snape gave his a quick glare before muttering, "Not many wizards find that they qualify to…work these sort of spells. If you were to work on of these and you were not qualified you could easily fall as a victim of another, far worsened curse."

Harry swallowed hard, nervously clutching his hands together in his lap. "So I guess that many wizards know of these, right?"

"Wrong, Potter. What I am about to teach you are also labeled Death Eater's Magic," Snape answered. "If you ever meet with Voldemort again you can be assured that you fight on the same terms. This magic is very much like a defense against the "Unforgivable Curses" and dark magic and is very advanced."

Harry really didn't think he had the stamina for any of the new spells. But as Snape rose from his set, he mustered all of his courage, he did too and followed Snape out of the room. Silence was thick in the foyer but their footsteps echoed loudly enough around the open space. They finally reached their destination after a few minutes.

It was a large room with a high ceiling and bare wooden floors. There was also tall windows lining the far wall, unclothed and barren, so that Harry could see an astonishing view of the tree-covered landscape. The room was like a version of the Great Hall at Hogwarts but only smaller and much more inadequately furnished. Snape walked into the middle of the empty room and turned to look at Harry.

"I trust you were not foolish enough to leave behind your wand," he said with a wicked smirk.

"No, I brought it." Harry pulled it out of his back pocket and slowly joined the professor his footsteps resounding in the room.

"First I am going to show you how you are going to protect yourself and other by controlling the darkness within you," Snape told him. "You point the wand at yourself and say 'Cohibeo Creperum'. Do you follow, Potter?"

Harry nodded and slowly repeated, "Cohibeo Creperum…." Harry shook his head and asked. "What does that mean? It sounds like Latin to me."

Snape nodded. "It means 'Hold Darkness' literally. Humor me and try it on yourself," he instructed Harry. "Who knows you might get it right the first time."

Harry took a deep breath and pointed his wand at his chest. "Cohibeo Cr..Creperum." Nothing happened. After a moment, Harry reopened his eyes and relaxed. "It didn't work."

"Then try it again," Snape replied, almost lazily.

He sighed and again pointed the wand. "Cohi…Cohibeo Creperum." Instantly a golden light shot out of the wand and encircled Harry like fine mist. Harry held his breath as he watched it begin to glow red and then white the closer it flowed around him until it actually disappeared inside of him. Harry felt himself shudder as the magic entered his body. It felt like white-hot fire was running through his system, from head to toe, and then the fire quickly dissolved into ice. This time it slowly began to travel through his limbs and bones and muscles, containing his darkness, wherever that was. Or so he thought it was doing. After a long moment the impact of the magic began to weaken and Harry slowly felt himself return to normal, but a little empty inside. It felt like he was missing something.

"I think it worked," Harry muttered weakly after a moment. He blinked and looked at Snape, who nodded silently.

"To reverse that spell you point the wand at yourself and say 'Abrogo Cohibeo'."

"All right," he replied softly. "Abrogo Cohibeo. I got it."

"That is of course if you can handle it," Snape muttered under his breath.

Immediately Harry shot Snape a glare and frowned. "I said I got it." Quickly Harry again pointed his wand at his chest and murmured, "Abrogo Cohibeo." At once the coldness inside of Harry melted and it felt as though a great force had left go of him. It even tickled a bit as the former spell was slowly annulled. "That's much better," he sighed when it was over.

"Good," Snape said stiffly. "You will need to use those whenever you think that you are angry enough to use magic absentmindedly. Now I'm going to teach you a protection spell."

"Don't we already have a spell that sort of like a protection? Finite Incantatem, isn't it?" Harry slowly asked.

Snape frowned and looked at Harry as if he hated being interrupted. "This spell protects you before another spell has time to affect you. When you are dueling time is a life or death matter. Also you might become disarmed while fighting. You do not need a wand to say this spell. It's Expletus Munimentum."

Harry blink after a moment, his mouth opened in amazement. "Are you kidding? I won't be able to say that! I'll be dead before I get it out of my mouth!"

"Then you must learn to talk faster," Snape replied with little compassion.

Harry glowered into space and let out a heavy sigh. "Expletus Munimentum…Expletus Min...No…err…mun-i-men-tum," he was careful to repeat. "Expletus Munimentum. How do I know if it worked?"

"When you are not dead," Snape quickly replied with a snicker.

"That's a lovely thought," Harry murmured half-heartedly. "Expletus Munimentum. Okay, I think I got it."

"Now I'm going to say a spell and you have to repeat yours quick enough to protect yourself from it, if you can do it that is," Snape added, pointing his ebony wand at Harry with a look as though he were thoroughly enjoying himself.

Harry narrowed his eyes at the twisted professor and returned, "Try it."

"Imedi-"

"Expletus…"

"-menta!"

Harry didn't know what had hit him. One moment he was standing and the next he was lying frozen of the ground, as solid as a rock. The spell was abruptly removed after Snape had did the counter curse and Harry sat up and rubbed that back of his head where it had hit the floor.

"It takes too long to say the protection spell," he complained again after a moment. "I can't use that in a fight. It's impossible!"

"You will have to learn how to," Snape replied, looking down at him. "Now can you possible tell me why you where not quick enough to see that spell?"

"Um…" Harry quickly searched for an answer in his head. The problem was that there was none. "You where too fast for me?"

"Incorrect. You spent all your time trying to be loud enough for me to hear you. One thing you fail to discern is that you need too say this spell as quickly as you can. The easiest way to do that it just whisper it under your breath and not to wait until I start another one. As a safeguard you should start to say it as soon as I open my mouth."

"Er…right…" Slowly Harry picked himself off the dusty floor and shook himself a bit. He needed to relax if he was going to show Snape. "Okay. Let's try it again."

Snape only nodded and raised his wand again. "Rict-"

"Expletus…

"-usem-

"Munimentum."

Harry held his breath and closed his eyes as he felt a soft gust of wind swirl around him and then dissipate within seconds.

"You will need to practice saying these spells fast enough, Potter. But I have another spell for you that will work just as well as the protection one and you do not have to use your wand for it either. When strong enough, you can use it to calm anything you want. But you have to be strong for it to work properly. It's Expletus Quietus."

Harry nodded again. "Expletus Quietus. Will at least it's shorter."

"If you think so," Snape lazily replied and raised his wand again. "Obliv-"

"Expletus Quietus!"

"Not bad, Potter," Snape commented quietly as Harry slowly relaxed. "But there will be times when you don't see either of the spells fast enough and you become the victim. If you are able to speak, say 'Extundo Vulnero'. It repels the harm brought by dark magic."

"All right," Harry replied. "Would I say that if the Cruciatus Curse were put on me?"

This gave Snape a pause as he eyed him warily for a moment. "No, the pain of that curse will fade. Expletus Curatio is better on account of that spell will heal you. Use this one when you are hurt. You use the other one, Extundo Vulnero, to stop another spell's effects."

"I see…I think…" Harry slowly answered.

Snape gave a stiff nod. "Eventually you will know these new spells but that is after you spend time memorizing them. That is the only way to learn them, memorization and practice. Now let's start from the beginning."

~*~*~*~

Author's Note: I don't think I made Snape mean enough. But what do you think?