Chapter 6
Snape's Lesson
"Harry, I'm trying to study." Hermione sighed as she noticed Harry was staring at her, "I thought you wanted to study too."
"I said before lunch," Harry complained. "We've been going at this for almost six hours now."
"And you're still not done, are you?" Hermione finally gave up looking at her book and dared a glance up at Harry. A glint in his eyes told Hermione that Harry knew he had won. "Fine, we'll break for a while."
Just as Harry was about to suggest something, a soft pop was audible from the hallway the study adjoined. "That must be Snape," Harry whispered. Arising to his feet, he lent his hand to Hermione and pulled her up.
"Thanks, I'm going to go see what Ginny is doing." Hermione sighed, "be polite. He's taking time out of his day to teach you."
"Umm," was all Harry could manage as he walked her to the door. When he opened it a thoughtful Snape stood a few feet down the hallway.
"I'll talk to you later." Hermione said giving him a hug before walking down the hall.
"Harry," Snape began.
"Professor," Harry returned in his politest fashion, but an eerie silence fell over the hallway. Snape and Harry stood; looking at each other for several seconds neither willing to give ground.
"Potter," Snape and Harry both gave a sigh of relief, "are you ready to start trying this time?"
"Yes," Harry said simply not wanting a lengthy argument.
"Shall we go in that room?" Snape asked with a tone that sounded almost like his usual voice. Harry led the way into the now empty study where Hermione and Harrys books were still spread out on the center carpet. "Studying were you?"
"Yes, professor."
"I see," Snape said looking around the contents of the books, noticing that the potions essays were at the top. "Let us begin then?"
"Clear your mind," Harry did as he was told. He tried his best to not let his emotions interfere with what he was mental cleansing. "Are you ready?" Snape did not wait for a response before casting the Legilemancy spell.
Suddenly images of the last two days flashed before him, thoughts of his godfather and of the letters he received. The image of Hermione smiling, giggling as Harry tickled her, flashed before him. Next a scene from Mrs. Weasley's motherly rules, her warning him because he was alone with Hermione in his room, passed through his mind.
Harry remembered what he was supposed to be doing; he focused on the thoughts of the room he was in. He focused on Snape standing there his wand pointed at him, only to be shifted to thoughts of Hermione and himself lying on the ground studying. "Ahhhhh enough," Harry finally yelled as he pushed Snape out of his mind.
When Harry opened his eyes, he was kneeling on the floor; his hands on his head. Snape gave Harry a weak smile, "that was interesting. I would never have thought you and Hermione."
Harry gave him a confused look, "What? What about Hermione?" Harry shook his head, the affects of the spell still rattling his mind.
"That was better than any of your previous attempts." Snape sighed, "but you are still not clearing your mind enough, and allowing me to get too much control." Snape took a step towards Harry, reached in his pocket. "Have you been practicing at all?"
Harry shook his head, "I haven't had too much time to think about what happened." Snape withdrew a chocolate frog from his pocket. "You know, the death of my godfather and all." Harry said the last part with a scowl.
"Surely you don't blame me," Snape looked perplexed. He continued to open the chocolate frog.
"No, it's my fault." Harry scowled again. Snape looked at him, offered him the chocolate frog.
"Take this; it will help you regain your strength." Harry sighed, knowing the treatment well from his run-ins with dementors. Harry took a couple bites from the chocolate and stood up.
"I'm ready to try again." Harry said has he stretched and cleared his mind. Without warning Snape cast the spell again, with the same eventual result. Harry was able to push Snape out of his mind just a bit quicker than the time before.
Harry's training continued for another two hours, eating a bit of chocolate frog after every time. When Snape was prepared to leave, Harry was exhausted.
"Harry, I'm trying to study." Hermione sighed as she noticed Harry was staring at her, "I thought you wanted to study too."
"I said before lunch," Harry complained. "We've been going at this for almost six hours now."
"And you're still not done, are you?" Hermione finally gave up looking at her book and dared a glance up at Harry. A glint in his eyes told Hermione that Harry knew he had won. "Fine, we'll break for a while."
Just as Harry was about to suggest something, a soft pop was audible from the hallway the study adjoined. "That must be Snape," Harry whispered. Arising to his feet, he lent his hand to Hermione and pulled her up.
"Thanks, I'm going to go see what Ginny is doing." Hermione sighed, "be polite. He's taking time out of his day to teach you."
"Umm," was all Harry could manage as he walked her to the door. When he opened it a thoughtful Snape stood a few feet down the hallway.
"I'll talk to you later." Hermione said giving him a hug before walking down the hall.
"Harry," Snape began.
"Professor," Harry returned in his politest fashion, but an eerie silence fell over the hallway. Snape and Harry stood; looking at each other for several seconds neither willing to give ground.
"Potter," Snape and Harry both gave a sigh of relief, "are you ready to start trying this time?"
"Yes," Harry said simply not wanting a lengthy argument.
"Shall we go in that room?" Snape asked with a tone that sounded almost like his usual voice. Harry led the way into the now empty study where Hermione and Harrys books were still spread out on the center carpet. "Studying were you?"
"Yes, professor."
"I see," Snape said looking around the contents of the books, noticing that the potions essays were at the top. "Let us begin then?"
"Clear your mind," Harry did as he was told. He tried his best to not let his emotions interfere with what he was mental cleansing. "Are you ready?" Snape did not wait for a response before casting the Legilemancy spell.
Suddenly images of the last two days flashed before him, thoughts of his godfather and of the letters he received. The image of Hermione smiling, giggling as Harry tickled her, flashed before him. Next a scene from Mrs. Weasley's motherly rules, her warning him because he was alone with Hermione in his room, passed through his mind.
Harry remembered what he was supposed to be doing; he focused on the thoughts of the room he was in. He focused on Snape standing there his wand pointed at him, only to be shifted to thoughts of Hermione and himself lying on the ground studying. "Ahhhhh enough," Harry finally yelled as he pushed Snape out of his mind.
When Harry opened his eyes, he was kneeling on the floor; his hands on his head. Snape gave Harry a weak smile, "that was interesting. I would never have thought you and Hermione."
Harry gave him a confused look, "What? What about Hermione?" Harry shook his head, the affects of the spell still rattling his mind.
"That was better than any of your previous attempts." Snape sighed, "but you are still not clearing your mind enough, and allowing me to get too much control." Snape took a step towards Harry, reached in his pocket. "Have you been practicing at all?"
Harry shook his head, "I haven't had too much time to think about what happened." Snape withdrew a chocolate frog from his pocket. "You know, the death of my godfather and all." Harry said the last part with a scowl.
"Surely you don't blame me," Snape looked perplexed. He continued to open the chocolate frog.
"No, it's my fault." Harry scowled again. Snape looked at him, offered him the chocolate frog.
"Take this; it will help you regain your strength." Harry sighed, knowing the treatment well from his run-ins with dementors. Harry took a couple bites from the chocolate and stood up.
"I'm ready to try again." Harry said has he stretched and cleared his mind. Without warning Snape cast the spell again, with the same eventual result. Harry was able to push Snape out of his mind just a bit quicker than the time before.
Harry's training continued for another two hours, eating a bit of chocolate frog after every time. When Snape was prepared to leave, Harry was exhausted.