Once again the disclaimer:  I bow in awe of J.K. Rowling genius.  All characters and things in the Harry Potter world are hers. Please do not sue me.  I make no money and you would undoubted piss readers off if you delay in continuing the saga as we anxiously await your next book.  I have cited other fan fiction articles which have inspired me to incorporate their ideas in this story as well.  I encourage you to read them.  Please read and review. Thanks~ Leyna

Chapter 3: Harry's Observation

Snape apprehended him at the entrance to the Gryffindor common room. "Mr. Potter," Snape said icily. "Your presence is requested the Headmaster's office."

Harry whipped his head around in surprise. Snape had a way of entering a corridor completely silent, with great stealth. You never knew when he was coming. Well, unless he had his godfather's map out. "Of course, Professor."

As they walked back toward Dumbledore's office, the Potions Master made a stop by the dungeons for a Dreamless Sleep potion for Hermione. Harry interrupted his focus, "If your looking for a sleeping potion I don't think she'll be needing one."

"I think since I am the Potions Master at this institution and you are not-- that Madame Pomfrey and I will be the ones to decide what Miss Granger requires and not consult thevast knowledge of the famous Potter," Snape said with dripping sarcasm.

Harry fumed. "What I meant to say," he clipped out, "is that Hermione practically passed out when we got back to the infirmary clothes and all. If she got one drop of asleeping potion, I think she'd sleep for 100 years!" Harry snapped, and he knew it, almost cursing himself as he heard his exaggeration. 100 years.

Snape looked up from his desk non-chalantly, feeling a bit of dissatisfaction with Harry as he saw the boy lose his temper so easily. He has a long way to go. He held the purplevial of solution in his hand. "I won't drug her to death Potter. She'll drink this tonight after dinner. If I gave it to her now she would certainly sleep until morning, not a century from now." Gods, he was looking more and more like James Potter every day. His gait and attitude, the unruly hair, the attitude... He rubbed the bridge of his crooked nose. He felt another headache coming on.

"Professor Snape? Can I make a request?" Harry was suddenly brave, he decided. Might as well as now.

Professor Snape's narrow eyes looked up from the desk to regard the boy, "Yes… what is it?"

"Could you call me Harry, instead of Potter? Sirius always said… well everyone always said I look so much like my Dad, I mean… When people call me Potter, I sometimes think they might still be referring to my Dad. And not to me." I'm not my Dad, Harry attempted to communicate to Snape though some sort of telepathy. And the sooner you remember that you slimy git, maybe we'll get along a bit better.

Snape's facial expression relaxed a bit, which was quite unusual. The last time they discussed Harry's dad Snape screamed and threw ajar of bugs at him. "You have much in common with your mother as well as your father, I have noticed. And I do know you are not James. However, due to the fact I call all students by their last names 'Potter' will have tosuffice for now." Still said with an acid quality, Harry knew it was as close to polite as Snape could get.

Wow, Harry thought, he doesn't seem nearly as vicious when it wasn't during the school year.

*****

Harry heard Snape mutter the password to Dumbledore's office-- always a sweet.

"Butterfinger." The word left an acrid taste in his mouth.

Harry stifled a laugh. Snape regarded him with a questioning look. Harry explained, "It's an American Muggle sweet." He knew Snape probably didn't like sweets, certainly any Muggle thing. That probably accounted for his sour disposition.

Harry sat in front of Dumbledore's desk as he saw the Headmaster make his way back from the upstairs library and sat squarely in his comfy chair. "Harry, I'm so glad you could come a help Hermione today."

"Is she going to be ok, professor?"

"Oh yes, yes…she just needs some good rest. I trust your summer was all right. Have you been sleeping well?" Dumbledore inquired, already knowing the answer, but Harry was never one to complain or share his problems easily, and certainly not in front of Professor Snape, who was sitting quietly in the chair next to him.

"I guess better than Hermione." He tried to divert attention from himself, and then knowing better than to avoid Dumbledore added quietly, "I miss Sirius. I was dreaming about him every night until June when my scar hurt…just a little, but I couldn't remember my dream. Then I just felt an urge to write to Hermione. I don't really know why. I guess I should've told Remus."

"Or me, or Professor Snape at the very least since you are taking Occlumency. Have you been practicing?"

"Yes!" Harry said quickly, in a defensive tone. He was still blaming himself for Sirius' death because he had not practiced keeping Voldemort's thoughts out of his mind. Stilling his mind before he went to bed each night was the only thing he felt he could do that would make his godfather proud of him. Constant vigilance.

"We will see soon enough what you have accomplished over the summer, Potter," Snape said coldly in disbelief. Potter was ungrateful and wasted time. Snape almost tested him by casting 'Legilimens' on Harry right there in the Headmaster's office, but then thought better of it. Dumbledore had previously lectured Snape about needlessly provoking Potter. Harry was feeling angry and misunderstood enough already. Welcome to the club.

"I'm glad you've been practicing, now more than ever, it is important for you remain calm. There are a great many things that will be going on enough to outrage any of us. If we all work together, no one person should have to bear the entire weight of this war." His eyes with their usual glimmer glanced to Harry and Professor Snape. Harry knew what Dumbledore was getting at. So did the weary former Death Eater turned spy.

Dumbledore so much as told Harry it was him against Voldemort and Harry was feeling more alone than ever after Sirius' death. Dumbledore had wanted to be honest with Harry, but he almost regretted some of his candor from last year, though it needed to be said, he knew it made Harry feel more alone than ever in the fight for the wizarding community and indeed the entire world. "Now about Hermione. Can you tell us your version of what happened between you in the infirmary?"

"Yes, sir. Do you think Hermione would be angry with me if I told you?" Harry asked.

Snape hardly felt it mattered, but Dumbledore replied, "I think that would be fine, as she has already described the events in detail, we'd just like to know what you're experience was, and to see if you had any thoughts on the matter."

"S-she… closed her eyes and concentrated. I was looking at her and Hermione asked if I was ready. Before I could answer, she took my hands and I felt…dizzy, like—a whirling feeling. Then I opened my eyes and I was standing on marshy ground near a dark forest, don't know really where. It was just the two of us. I thought it would be like, well—you know a Pensieve? But then I could talk to her and I realized I could interact with the vision, not just be a spectator."

Snape's eyebrows furrowed in thought at his confirmation of Hermione's story, interacting within a memory. Hard to believe. Dumbledore nodded, curious but remained quiet and let the boy continue.

"Hermione told me I was standing in the wrong place and she pointed at where I should stand, so I moved. As soon as we stood were we were supposed to be, a fog crept over the ground and 10 Death Eaters apparated between us. I reached for my wand and incanted 'Expelliarmus' disarming five Death eaters at once. I didn't know that was possible. At the same time dementors were surrounding us. As soon as I felt them, and it did feel somewhat real, I remembered that this was Hermione's vision and I cast the Patronus Charm. The dementors disappeared, and for the first time I could see Hermione, still on the opposite side of the field. The remaining Death Eaters raised their wands but before they could incant, Hermione flattened them with some spell. It was… I don't know what it was, it was like nature just shoved them down or something."

"Nature, Potter?" Snape spoke up for the first time in disbelief.

"It was like massive wind, earth, and rain all at the same time. I think the earth moved and I felt fine, it didn't affect me at all." Harry looked at Dumbledore with a surprised look on his face. He shrugged, "What do you make of it?"

"You tell us Harry." Dumbledore frequently returned questions to his students.

"I think Hermione's vision is the real deal. She's not someone to make stuff like this up," he said with conviction trying not to eye Snape too closely. "But I have to say, she's brainy, and a great witch and all, but for all our DA meetings and all the magic she knows, God, I never thought she could do anything like that. She looked…" he thought for a moment as he tried to remember her. "Powerful. Her voice was deeper, and what's really weird, this is going to sound stupid... her hair had gotten a lot longer than I remember."

"Did she seem different afterward?" Dumbledore asked carefully.

"Well, we almost immediately found our selves in the infirmary and you were surrounding us. We didn't get to speak. But Hermione, when she was in the infirmary I mean, she was almost out of breath like she'd been running or something, but in the dream she was totally still, focused."

Still, focused, very good. "Hmmm…Did she incant a spell?" Severus Snape posed. He was too curious to be rude. Harry could hardly believe Snape didn't have a sharp retort.

"I heard a deep voice on the air, but it was quiet. Commanding, but I couldn't make it out. It didn't sound like her, but it was just… her. That wasn't any kind of magic I've ever seen before. The air vibrated." Harry seems puzzled by his own observations, as he grew more concerned for his friend. How would she develop these abilities? What incantation had she said? Could I learn to do that?

"Thank you Harry. I assure you we will watch over Hermione quite closely until the term begins, and after that." He smiled his confident smile. However, we may need to consider restricting her visits away from the school, but I can hardly enforce that…if she decided to sneak off school grounds."

The way he looked at Harry told him that he needed to be the one to make sure Ron and him didn't encourage Hermione to do that very thing. "Yes sir, I understand."

Snape doubted the young insolent young Potter really did understand, even though the young Gryffindor was being trusted with more matters these days.

Hermione sat up groggy from an afternoon of sleep, but better for it. She couldn't wait to talk to Harry to process the dream. He would be the only person she could really talk to. No way would she speak to Trelawney about this. That hopeless teacher seemed lost in her own fantasies of premonitions and the only real ones she had, from what Harry said at least,she couldn't even recall. Amazing she had such a strong Seer in her family line— too bad she didn't inherit more of that gift.

Hermione had heard of people who told fortunes in the Muggle world, she wondered to herself if they were magical in some way too, or if there were Muggle people with only Seeing gifts. They were mostly portrayed as frauds, and cons to exploit hurting people's desire for answers. But maybe they were a choice few. She thought about talking to her mom, wondering if any of their family were rumored to have the gift, but had second thoughts. Best not to owl anyone. Don't write anything down if you don't want it read by someone who might intercept it.

She wondered if Dumbledore would know. But she knew better. Hermione's studious and respectful nature always demanded that she consult books and libraries thoroughly researching her answers before bothering a Professor. Their time was precious, though gracious to give it, especially for one of their finer students. Snape had snapped at her a few times her first year for asking questions where answers were easily located in her book. She learned that lesson right away.

She got up and took a shower, her first in a few days. She hoped she hadn't smelled too bad at the meeting before. Ugh. She stepped into the hot spray and washed off theworry from her face. She couldn't wait to try some new relaxer recipes for her hair. Now that she was back at Hogwarts she could brew. She really enjoyed potions, despite the potions master's grumpy (no, strike that) twisted disposition. He was vile to the students and yet he commanded respect. You pretty much got detention whether you were good or not, so she stopped taking offense at it after a couple of years. Fred and George Weasley had long since broken all records of rule infringement at school, and they survived okay. The twins actually inspired Hermione to be more daring with her adventures last year. Now that Dumbledore had returned she wondered if he would try to convince the young entrepreneurs to have someone else run their business while they finish their last year at Hogwarts. However, their new joke shop was so highly successful that she doubted they would consider returning. They really had quite a knack for potions, but their desire to skive off classes and blow things up really did irk Snape a bit. She really did somewhat admire their rebellious nature, Hermione had got caught up in it quite a bit herself when the troll that was Umbridge attempted to run the school. She smiled at that.

Hermione took a good look at her herself in the mirror. She had a more shapely frame than she did 2 years ago. She was taller and she now took more pride in her appearance than she used to. She didn't fuss over herself of course, but she took more time with her hair, choice of clothing. She wasn't one for dresses and short skirts, except on certain, special occasions. She felt feminine through and through, even though some of her closest friends had not yet noticed.

She slipped on her low-waisted jeans, a somewhat recent Muggle trend and was pleased with the most minor fashion sense she had ever had to pick these up. She added a v-neck white t-shirt thinned and worn from use making it more blousy than it's former self which amazingly managed to hint at cleavage. Her only chance to look feminine was without heavy robes, and since it was the summer, and she decided to be her Muggle self—the summer Hermione, a somewhat toned-down bookworm, and more of the young woman she knew herself tobe. It also made herself look a little more normal, and she still didn't feel normal.

"Think, say, do, be." She told herself in the mirror.

"That's the spirit, dear," the mirror replied. Didn't make her feel anymore confident. She put on a simple choker of a pink bead on a leather string she had picked up from an Italian festival near her parents home. Hermione hardly ever wore makeup, or at least it never looked like she wore any. Her face was remarkably clear despite her adolescence, and her lashes were long and dark, not requiring mascara. She only added a touch of lipstick to dot some color to pale lips.

Once Madame Pomfrey gave her reluctant permission, she grabbed her wand and headed for the Great Hall.

She ran into Harry on the way as he came down one of the ever-changing staircases that lead from the Gryffindor Common room. "Hey 'Mione. Feeling better?" She nodded. He wanted to let her bring up the topic of the vision and instead decided to ask about her break. "How was your summer?"

"Not too interesting, despite the obvious. After the visions started we decided not to go on vacation, so I instead bummed around the house and read."

"Imagine that." They both laughed.

"Sorry my life's not more interesting. What's up with the Dursley's? Bet you're glad to be rid of them for the rest of the summer. How'd you break out this time?"

Harry smiled, remembering the time Ron and his brothers had stolen the flying car yanking Uncle Vernon out the window as they flew away. Ah, sweet freedom. "Mrs. Weasley came to visit using Muggle transportation. It took her all day, but she was determined!" Hermione started giggling. "She actually walked up, knocked on the door and picked me up without so much as a warning. And it was 11pm at night mind you. Remus was with her. That tried to act "normal" but well you know how that goes. They scared the daylights out of my Aunt. I'm so glad Uncle Vernon wasn't there. It was priceless. I had already been packed, just in case you ever decided to rescue me again. So glad I did!."

"Harry, I wish you didn't have to stay there, but I know Dumbledore has his reasons." Harry saddened a bit at this. "Not too much longer and you'll be able to get your own place, once you graduate and all," she added, and Harry smiled. "Do you have any thoughts about where you're off to after next year? " She winced as once again she was grilling him about career choices like a guidance counselor.

"Well… I guess I hope to still be in school, if I want to become and Auror. It all noble and everything, but sometimes I just want toget away. It's too much pressure you know? Makes professional Quidditch look far more appealing." Hermione nodded. She knew all too well, how Harry, The-Boy-Who-Lived had been treated over the years. He just wanted to be a normal kid. But now with the wizarding world at war, everything was far from normal and Harry, Hermione and Ron wondered when he would be fulfilling his destiny to end the reign of the Dark Lord.

Now that Hermione was beginning to develop some secrets and destinies of her own, she felt the pressure to keep things secret and avoid thekind of publicity and gossip that Harry Potter had to endure. She knew if she talked to Harry, he would keep her secrets without fail. She didn't reallywant to exclude Ron, but the fewer people who knew, the safer she felt. She'd wonder how Harry would feel knowing he couldn't discuss this with his best friend. Then he launched into what he'd been avoiding.

"Hermione, do you want to talk about what happened?" Harry asked, as nicely as he could. She looked up at the now tall and handsome friend she loved as a brother.

She looked hesitant. "You think we could picnic outside near the Quidditch Pitch? The sun doesn't set until later and it's cooler outside anyway. I'm getting cabin fever already. Then we can talk without being overheard."

"I think I can arrange that," Harry said with a mock command in his voice and a half-salute. He put a friendly arm around Hermione's neck as walked toward the kitchens. After tickling the piece of fruit, the secret door to the kitchens swung open to reveal a handful of house elves, steadily at work preparing dinner. Dobby, an elf who Harry befriended and freed his second year stood proudly in front of them, wearing mismatched socks and hands outstretched with a completely packed picnic basket.

The pair gaped in surprise at the elf. "How did you know?" asked Hermione.

"Dobby is always knowing, Miss. Winky overheard you when she was cleaning the staircase. She ran to tell me and here it is! Miss needs to keep up her strength. Miss, you are going to be ok?" Dobby's huge eyes blinked back tears as he gazed hopefully up at the young woman.

She nodded. "I'm much better thank you Dobby. Only, could you not mention it to anyone else? That I was in the infirmary." Did everyone know she had been in the infirmary?

"Oh yes, yes… Dobby can always keeps secrets Miss."

Harry and Hermione smiled, thanked the house-elf and turned to head out to the courtyard.

Snape noticed them on the way to the Great Hall, but said nothing. He deduced they were a couple at first and then scolded himself for jumping to conclusions. Hermione was a superior student and Harry her best friend. No reason for them not to be interacting this way. He noted that Hermione was too smart for Potter. He needed her far more, in order to keep him safe from his own poor judgment.

Potter needs no distractions at this point in time, he thought. Snape himself had taken that advice since he turned spy. Allowing yourself to wallow in meaningless infatuation weakens the mind. A weak mind can be used by the Dark Lord. Snape was an introspective soul. Spending much time in silent contemplation of the war, his mistakes, and the myriad of responsibilities placed on his shoulders of late. It had only been a year or so since Dumbledore had brought him back into service. After he renounced his life as a Death Eater, Dumbledore had taken him in, no judgment, and made him a part of the staff. Since that time, perhaps even earlier, he had severed all ties and most friendships which not only helped to conceal him and support his mysterious nature, but Snape eventually preferred it that way. Solitude de provided secrecy, and secrecy time for study and reflection.

That Potter took too many risks and took his friends with him. Snape just hoped the girl could clear her mind free of the distractions that teenage hormones brought if she was to focus for meditation. Meditation— the girl seems too eager and over zealous to be calm enough for that. She excelled at everything she put her mind to, but a book won't save her from a decent Legimens, and meditation? There must be limits to even challenge the talented Hermione Granger.

He grimaced, the dark mark was hurting more frequently of late. He wondered how soon it would be before the Death Eaters began to take revenge on the Muggleborns in school. One by one, they lost relatives and parents—a punishment for sin of birth they had no control over. He swore to himself as he entered the Great Hall. Snape hoped he could teach young Hermione even though she irritated him. So inquisitive though, eager to learn. She should've been in Ravenclaw. Hers would be a mind too precious to lose. Death Eaters often made an example of Mudbloods. He secretly detested it. Not that he possessed no prejudice about Muggleborn children, but Lily Evans and other wizards over his time had proved their worthiness on numerous occasions. Recently, he had noticed Lucius Malfoy especially mentioned the Granger girl. Consequently, Snape had been worried for her safety for some time and was relieved to hear she would be avoiding Hogsmeade weekends. He resolved to challenge her as hard as ever tomorrow and the day after that to prepare for the worst.

*****

The grass under their bare feet was cool and calming as they spread out their dinner. There was an oddly patriotic tablecloth they unfolded on the ground, which reflected their House colors of red and gold for Gryffindor. A welcome breeze blew and lifted some of the summer heat as they ate.

"Harry, I'm so glad you're here." Tears began to well in her eyes a bit. "I don't know how you stand it, the nightmares." Hermione had a sharp intake of breath as she stifled a cry, shook her head and closed her eyes to shed the memory of her painful vision. She knew the storm, and perhaps the worst of the war against Voldemort was coming and there was nothing she could do to stop it. She felt the danger facing Harry more intently now than ever and it worried her for her best friend.

Harry placed a consoling hand on Hermione's arm and looked sincerely at her. "I'm sorry Hermione. At least, you seem to have a valuable tool. I see things as they are happening, I feel totally helpless. When I ran out last year to save Sirius nd it got him killed. I can't trust what I see anymore. And it causes so much pain. You know it's harder than ever for me to conjure the Patronus."

"But you've done it a whole bunch of times!"

"It's getting harder to think of happy memories that don't involve people that died." He was quiet.

"Oh, Harry." She whispered. She knew it must've been hard over the summer. The painful things always seemed to keep happening at end of term and then had no comfort from the Dursley's. "I'm so sorry about Sirius." Harry had no family left. Couldn't he just live a little of a normal life? But she knew what the answer was. Thinking about Harry having no family gave her an idea, but now wasn't the time to bring it up. She paused and let the moment hang.

"Just because I think I've been seeing things before they happen doesn't necessarily mean there will be anything I can do to stop it from happening." Hermione proposed. Truly she had been feeling just as helpless. How would she ever make use of this?

"Why not? You have such an advantage…"

"But I don't know when it's going to occur or what to change. This is going to take a long time to figure out."

"Maybe you'll be able to see how Voldemort gets defeated? Maybe it could help me figure out what I'm supposed to do." Harry winced in his uncertainty and looked at Hermione hopefully.

"I know you want answers Harry, and I wish I could do that. Believe me— I've thought about it. But I don't think I get to have visions about whatever I want." Hermione sighed. "Did you see what happened after you conjured the Patronus?"

"You mean when you totally kicked everybody's ass?" Harry chuckled. "Yeah I noticed."

"I'm serious, what did it look like to you? Could you hear anything?" Hermione was deep in concentration, hoping for the response she wanted. The incantation-- what was it?

"You mean you don't know what you said either? I just heard you speak low, and it shook the earth, and wind and rain pummeled the Death Eaters. By the way, that was a completely cool piece of magic. I thought you would be able to tell me. I guess it makes sense though. It's your memory and why would I be able to experience it any differently than you? "

"Yeah, I guess you're right. I hope I can stay here the rest of the summer. I so need to go to the library. Maybe I can figure out what that was."

"I knew you were going to say that. When you figure it out, let me know ok? I took five wands with one incantation and that is beyond me. I wonder if Remus could tell us."

"Harry, I have to ask you something. Can you…not tell Ron about my visions?" Harry was stunned. They told each other everything. "I'm sorry, it's just, it's such a huge thing. I'm really afraid that the more people who know, the more in danger we all are. Can you imagine if this got spread around? People might begin to think they could use me or something andI don't even have a grip on what's happening. You Dumbledore, McGonagall andSnape know. That's already enough." Please.

Harry hesitated but kept eye contact with his good friend, "Sure, Hermione. Don't worry. I know this is important. Let's not sneak around Ron whispering, okay? He'll know something's up. Just don't be afraid to talk to me if you need to, okay?" He wanted to leave that avenue open for Hermione, he didn't want her to only have teachers to run to. Her parents were Muggles, and well, they just wouldn't understand.

"Thanks, Harry."

Harry left after dinner to return to the Weasley's but not before asking Dumbledore if he could return to stay at the school with Hermione until the beginning of the term. Dumbledore knew what Harry was wanting but told him he could only return to school one week before the start of classes, and that Professor Snape would meet him for Occlumency lessons at the Headquarters of the Order of the Phoenix. Sirius Black was hesitant to leave the place to Harry. 12 Grimmauld Place was twisted with so many memories and souvenirs of the wretched Black family heritage, Sirius hardly wanted his godson to be around it. Instead he left the place to Dumbledore and the Order of the Phoenix so they could continue to meet there until Harry was old enough to decide whether or not he would actually choose to live there. Sirius lived there out of necessity. He had no desire to affiliate himself anymore with his family.