The Desk
Characters don't belong to me
20 February
"Wake up Harry. Harry wake up!"
"Go away Ron, want to sleep."
"If you don't get up soon, you'll be late for lessons. It's McGonagall first lesson and you know how she get when we're late. Anyway there is a very big package here for you and I want to see what it is and where and who it is from."
"Right so it's not about getting me up on time, it's just your curiosity."
"Just get up and look at it Harry."
Harry got up, just to frustrate Ron went to the bathroom to get ready for the day, then went back to the dorm room to look at the package. As he got into the room he found all of the people in the dorm were waiting for him to tell them what the package was. He also realised that Transfiguration was not due to start for another hour.
"Guys I could have stayed in bed for another twenty minutes, you're so impatient."
"We could've allowed you to sleep, but where is the fun in that. Also we wouldn't have known what it is until the end of lessons today. Not to mention that you've got occlumency today so we probably won't know what it is until you got back from that." Seamus replied.
"Tough, if you can be annoying enough to get me up twenty minutes before I need to get up. I can decide not to open this until the end of my occlumency, and I won't."
"Come on Harry you've got to open it, or we will be thinking about this all day instead of lessons."
"No Ron, you will be. I have learned to control my curiosity. Now I'm going for breakfast."
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"Morning Harry, you're down for breakfast early. You might even have time to chew your breakfast today."
"Morning Hermione, I'm not down this early through choice, Ron woke me up early to get me to open a package that arrived in the dorm room for me this morning."
Hermione looked worried, "Did you open it? I hope you didn't, a parcel that is delivered to your room not to the Great Hall could be really dangerous Harry. You really shouldn't open suspicious packages like that on your own without a teacher present, to make sure that there is no jinxes or curses on it." She said very quickly.
"I haven't opened it yet, though I never thought of that. I just never opened it because I was annoyed at Ron for waking me up early. And I knew that not opening it yet would be the best way to get back at him, but your right I don't know who it's from so I'll ask Professor Dumbledore to look at it first before I open it. I have to talk to him anyway about my occlumency lessons anyway."
"You're not complaining about those lessons again are you? I thought you understood how important they are since Sirius died."
"Hermione of cause I know how important the lessons are. Have you heard me complain about them for the last year? Yes I may have complained about Snape being unfair, and any way he has been ok since about half way though the sixth year. But I haven't complained about the lessons since well before then.
"It's just that I don't think that Professor Snape can teach me much more. He can't get through my defences any more, Professor Dumbledore may be able to get through my defences now, but he would have to teach me how to block him. I've also been learning Legilimency and I'm getting quite good at it now. Professor Snape can't block me now, and he could block Voldemort! Even Snape has told me that I'm good enough that I no longer need any lessons, and you know that if Snape admits that I'm good at something it means that I am actually really excellent at it."
"I'm sorry Harry, I should know by now that you think things through now more than you used to. I guess sometimes I forget that you are growing up as well. I'm also a little jealous that you get to study such an interesting subject while I don't get to.... No need to smirk Harry, I know that that is just typical of me and my need to know everything, and not having others know more than me. I know my own faults too you know. What was it Snape called me that time? Oh yes, 'An insufferable know it all'. Oh Ron's coming over. Morning Ron."
"Morning Hermione, you wouldn't believe it right, there's this package upstairs waiting for Harr..."
"He's already told me Ron, and he was right to not open it. What if it is jinxed, hexed or cursed?"
"I never thought about that, it good job that you didn't listen to it and open it mate, and your right I need to stop being so curious. What is that muggle phrase? 'Curiosity killed the dog.'"
"Cat" Harry, Hermione and Dean said simultaneously.
"Anyway you guys need to hurry up and finish you breakfast, transfiguration starts in about ten minutes and you'll be late. You coming Harry?"
"Yeah, see you guys later."
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Professor Dumbledore had given Harry the pass word to his office at the beginning of Harry's sixth year. He realised his mistake of the past of not always being candid with Harry, while he had never lied to Harry, he had kept too much from him. Dumbledore has tried to make that up to Harry by making sure that he is always available to him.
"Hello Harry, what can I do for you today?"
"Hello Professor, I've come to talk to you about two things. The first thing is about my occlumency lessons..."
"Oh yes, Professor Snape has been to talk to me about the lessons earlier today, he believes that there is little left that he can teach you in the subject as you can block him easily when he tries to attack you. He even says that he can not block you when you use your legilimency skills against him.
"I was wondering if you would allow me to try and break your defences? I believe that if I am unable to penetrate them Voldemort will not be able to. I would also like you to try and penetrate my defences don't worry if you can not while it would be a handy tool to have against him it would not be essential."
"That would be fine sir, I'm ready when you are."
"Legilimens." Harry felt the strongest attack that he had even felt on his mind, apart from when Voldemort possessed him for those few seconds at the end of his fifth year. Even though this was the strongest attack apart from that Harry could repel the attack without feeling drained.
"Well done Harry," Dumbledore said, his eyes were twinkling more than Harry had seen them since the beginning of the second war. "The strength of the attack that I was using was enough to posses the majority of wizards the fact that you blocked it completely, is very encouraging. It shows great strength of character.
"I would like you to try and attack me now, unless you feel too tired to do so now? It probably took a lot of energy to stop that attack I made on you."
"I'm not feeling too tired to make an attempt, do you want me to do it now?" At Dumbledore's nod he made the attack.
"Legilimens." After saying the incantation Harry could clearly see pictures of event sweet that you can imagine in his head. He couldn't penetrate any more than that though.
"I can see sweets, but nothing more."
"Well done Harry that is better than I expected you to be able to do considering I was expecting the attack. I couldn't block you completely however I could divert you to a picture you will be able to tell when someone does that as they can only divert you to a still picture, and it will be something that truly represents that person.
"I see no reason for you to carry on taking occlumency lessons."
"Sir the second thing was something I need you to do for me. A very large package was delivered to the dorm room this morning and I'm not sure that it is safe to open. I was wondering if you could check it for jinxes and the like for me to make sure that it is safe."
"That would be my pleasure Harry. I'll do that for you tomorrow.
"I also have something to ask you, I know that you have a lot on your plate at the moment and I would like to ask if Professor Snape could help you with the DA? You would still be in charge he would be your assistant but I believe that it could cut down the amount of work that you do and increase the efficiency of the lessons."
"I think that you are right sir, but I'm not sure if all of the DA members would be happy with Professor Snape being in the DA meetings, as they are very relaxed and they would not like to be thinking about having detentions or losing House points in the meetings. I am worried that less people would come to the meetings."
"Don't worry, I will make sure Severus knows the rules of which he will be operating under while in DA meetings. I will insist that while he is in the meetings he will treat you as equals."
"I think that that would be ok sir, but I'll still have to ask the rest of the DA if that is ok with them."
"Thank you Harry, now did you wish to talk to me about anything else?"
"No sir."
"Then I'll see you tomorrow before breakfast then Harry. Sleep well."
"See you tomorrow sir, good night."