Erised's Bane
Author's Note: The author's note from last chapter was a bit...erm...outdated. *blushes* Look at me, I had the chapter all finished and what do you know? I lost the disk it was on and deleted it from my computer, and I didn't have time to rewrite the chapter, and then I finally found the disk! Yeah, I know, late, but this does give me time to put up a couple of chapters so the Christmas chapter of the story will be just in time for the holidays!
So anyway, thanks for putting up with my delays lately, I know I've been a real pain in the butt. *grins wryly*
Legimency
A cold wind blew through Hogwarts in early November, leaving very few Gryffindors for very long to watch the game of Hufflepuff versus Slytherin except for Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who on that cold morning sat bundled up on their side of the stadium, shivering with the freezing breeze.
"It's cold." Ron said rather unenthusiastically.
"I hadn't noticed." Hermione said wryly, shooting Ron a piercing glance that made him roll his eyes in retaliation.
Harry didn't know whether to be appalled to accept the constant bickering as completely normal at this point, so used to the constant blathering as he had become. He waited in silence as Hermione and Ron continued their onslaught of verbal battery against one another, waiting until they had both paused for breath before he jammed a word in edgewise.
"If you hadn't noticed, Hufflepuff just scored five times in a row. And Luke Young seems to be taking notes."
Ron and Hermione looked down to where the scout was sitting, marking hastily on a piece of paper with quick marks. Ron squinted and leaned forward a bit. "Wish I could see what it said." He muttered.
"Anxious are we?" Harry asked as he looked over at his friend. Ron flushed even brighter than the pink he had already been turned by the icy wind and shrugged jerkily, alerting Harry to the fact that he may have just hit a little closer to home than he had intended.
"Look, it's the first year and her friends." Harry said suddenly, indicating Megan sitting a few rows down from them, with two other friends on either side.
"Those the ones you're training?" Harry asked, not forgetting that it had originally been who was to be teaching the muggle-borns. Hermione nodded as she watched them for a minute. She laughed when Megan jabbed the boy to her right in the ribs and the lad muttered a hasty retort, shaking her head.
"Don't they remind you of the way we were when we first came to Hogwarts?" she asked. "I kind on miss things back in those days. We didn't have as much to worry about back then."
"Yeah," Harry replied, though Hermione didn't even realize just how truthful were the words she had just spoken, "things were different back then. At least I only had one deranged servant of Voldemort on my tail, not entire legions."
Hermione frowned. "Oh Harry, you shouldn't...oh my, that was a joke wasn't it?"
Ron hooted. "It certainly was." He said with a grin. "Nice to now you can still joke about things, mate. I was worried you'd have lost your sense of humor by now."
"Nope, that's what Fred and George are for." He suddenly leaned closer. "And just for good measure, what exactly has happened in the WWW since plans last let off?"
"Surprisingly, they've done good for themselves. Mum reckons that the WWW wasn't such a bad idea after all, though she still mumbles about it once in a while."
"And have they let on who their mysterious benefactor is yet?"
"They're waiting till they become really successful before they do that." Ron said with a weak smile.
He turned back to the game to see Slytherin score a quick point. Across the field, adorned in a yellow scarf and matching cap, Susan stood up and began cheering loudly for her team. When she glanced in his direction, he waved slightly, though his fingers had become numb to the point that lifting his hand and physically moving it was like carrying around so much dead weight.
Harry leaned back, hand moving instinctively to his forehead when he felt the faint and now familiar tingle he had come to know so well. Hermione noticed and said nothing, whereas Ron winced slightly at the reminder of Harry's unfortunate connection, and the fact that Mr. Weasley was purportedly still not completely back to his lively old self, a year after the infamous deed took place.
"It doesn't hurt quite so bad now." Harry said after a moment. "The Occlumency, I think it might have helped a little. At least, enough to help me block my mind so he's not..." he shook his head, unable to say the words even though Hermione and Ron both understood.
A sudden cheer erupted from the stadium and Harry glanced back at the field, where Draco was holding the snitch high up above his head as his team gathered around him. "Slythering wins." Ron said with a grimace. "Should I break out the confetti or let you do the honors?"
"Disgusting prat." Hermione said with disgust as she watched praise being lavished on the arrogant, conceited bugger.
"My sentiments exactly." Harry said as he stood, despising Slythering and nonetheless thankful that the game was over, as he couldn't feel his nose anymore. "Let's go on in and see if we can snag a few bottles of butterbeer from the kitchen."
"Shouldn't you comfort Susan?" Ron said bitterly. Harry, who didn't interpret the scathing remark for what it was, shrugged.
"You know how it is when your team loses. The Hufflepuffs won't exactly be in a cheerful mood this evening. Best let Susan alone."
"Dean's going to play cards with Seamus and a couple of guys from Ravenclaw tonight." Hermione said, slightly rolling her eyes. "So I guess it's just the three of us."
"Good enough for me." Harry said. "Want to go to my room and hang out?" he asked. They agreed and went back into the safe warmth of the castle. All were glad to recover the feeling in their vital organs once more.
Sitting in the room, ignoring the faint twiddling of Hornswaggle's thumbs, they spoke beside the roar of his fire. "You don't get too lonely down here?" Ron asked, looking around.
Harry shrugged. "How can I with the lot of you all situated right above me? I heard your argument with Neville about socks yesterday morning, by the way. Stimulating stuff."
"Yes, well." Ron muttered without any real retort. "Not all fights can be manly and strong. Sometimes you have to fight over the little things."
"You know, I kind of missed this." Hermione said suddenly, interrupting the train of the their conversation. "It's been a while since it was just the three of us, you know."
"Well, we get older. Times change." Harry said. He leaned back into his chair and sighed. "Whether we think about it or not, we're getting closer to the end of our days at Hogwarts. We graduate in a year, and I can still remember the Sorting as clearly as if it were yesterday."
"Don't get my mum started on it." Ron said with a grimace. "Since Fred and George skivved she's been even more enthusiastic than I can remember with Bill and Charlie. And Ginny, can you imagine how she's got it being the last and the only girl?"
"My parents just hope that I don't disappear into the Wizarding world and completely leave them behind." She frowned. "They think they're losing me, as I've hardly spent a summer or winter break with them. I think ditching the skiing trip last Christmas was the final straw. They're saying I have to come home for the holidays, no matter what, so no Hogwarts over the holidays for me."
"Really?" Harry looked over in surprise. "I didn't know that."
"Well..." Hermione paused for a moment. "I was really kind of afraid to tell you, knowing how things have been going lately. I'll miss spending the holidays with you, but I'll write you a bunch of letters and I'll give you my gift the day we leave. All right?"
"Yeah." Harry replied. "And how about you, Ron? What are you doing for the holidays?"
"Mum has dinner planned for the bunch of us." He said. "All back at the Burrow. Dumbledore hasn't officially approved it yet, but we reckon most of the Order is going to be there, except Snape of course, and probably Madame Maxime won't be able to make it."
"Mmm..." Harry mumbled in response. "And I'm guessing Fleur will be there?"
Ron paled. "You think?"
"Well, she is engaged to your brother after all." Hermione interrupted in a patronizing tone. "And she's not in France, and she has to work and probably has nothing else to do for the holidays. No, why would she be possibly be at your Christmas party?"
"Gee, thanks for explaining that to me Hermione, I never would have thought of that on my own." He said dryly. "And will Dean-O be visiting the Granger residence?"
"Maybe." She said slowly, with more than a little blush. Ron hooted with laughter before turning on Harry. "And how about you, my good man?"
"I dunno." He said truthfully. "Honestly. Susan said something about dinner with her Aunty, and I don't know if she might be able to drop by the burrow or something."
"Because you don't see enough of her at school."
"Shut up." Harry said in response to Ron's hasty joke.
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Young caught him off his guard after a DA meeting and motioned him towards her office. "I know you must be tired," she said quickly, "but I'd like to talk with you a little bit."
Harry nodded, knowing that Young must have something grave on her mind to be acting so...average, without forgetting every word or two and stopping expectantly in mid-sentence without finishing. She opened the door the room and stood back to let him in before her, nodding as he passed. He took a seat in one of the chairs before her desk, which from the days of Defense against the Dark Arts teachers past had been changed multiple times. They were currently tall, yet strangely comfortable things that could either intimidate a person or give them courage, whichever the person themselves was inclined to do.
He noticed a few new additions to the swords on the walls, shining hilts drenched in various stones and inscribed with runes similar to those he had seen covering Hermione's homework time and time again.
Young took a seat behind her cluttered desk and clasped her hands together, staring into his eyes. "I've heard through the grapevine that you finally progressed somewhat in Occlumency, and no longer did he feel it necessary for you to take the classes. Am I correct?"
Harry nodded, making Young sigh. "But Occlumency, I fear, will do you no good when he has so many strong weapons on his side. Harry..." she paused a moment, and Harry could have sworn for a second that she had a strong look of indecision on her face, as if she were being torn in two over...something. "Listen, Harry, it isn't in my authority to tell you what you should and shouldn't do. But having some minor defense in Occlumency is nothing."
"What do you mean?" Harry asked, slightly affronted.
"I don't mean that it's an easy skill to learn. It is very difficult to master, and I must admit that even I only have a minor grasp of the skill. But the fact is Voldemort is strong enough to crack your defenses if he sees you resisting. But Voldemort himself has never been worried with defenses...he thinks it would be impossible for somebody to kill him, which makes him an even bigger risk because when he takes actions he makes calculations not for his own safety but his enemies demise." Young sighed and closed her eyes, shading them with one hand.
"Harry, I fear that if you have to confront Voldemort alone...which it is almost certain you will...then you will fall too quickly if you have no offensive measure, which is what I have been trying to teach you students all along. You have learned defense...let me take time to hone your attack."
Harry straightened his back to look straight into Young's eyes as she opened them. Cautiously she reached into her desk and pulled out a very old leather bound book that was somewhat dusty to be sure. "Take this. Read through it and come back to me when you are done. It contains everything you need to know about becoming a Legilimens. From what I've heard, when defending against a Legilimens attack you have been able to enter the attacker's mind. This book should help you sharpen that attack, control it so that you are able to enter the mind of your opponent."
Harry looked down at the book in her hands and slowly reached out, touching the cold binding. He looked at it and thought about the urgent tone in Young's voice, how it had seemed almost as if she were pleading with him, and he wondered what would make her worry so that she would volunteer training.
"Does Dumbledore know?" Harry asked slowly.
Young laughed, though the tone was empty of amusement. "He knows everything, doesn't he? Everything that goes on in this school, whether it's meant to be known or not. If he doesn't approve, I'm sure we'll be hearing of it soon. But tell nobody else." She leaned forward, hands still on the book. "Don't let on that you're learning this. And promise me one thing..." she released the book into his hands and straightened her back.
"Yes?" Harry said.
"Keep your mind closed at all times. You've heard this, and I'm certain you've attempted, but to a trained Legilimens your thoughts are clearly noticeable at all times." She narrowed her eyes. "Haven't you noticed how Dumbledore and Snape always seem to know what you're thinking even before you've even realized it Harry? They can shut it off, certainly, but when it comes to you they feel responsible to listen...whether for your gain or theirs."
Harry nodded slowly. "Close your mind, Harry. I can see your thoughts as you feel them, and I don't like knowing that you are so vulnerable. You have a potential for greatness, but your heart is your weakness. Don't let it get in the way of your destiny."
Young sighed and sat down on the top of her desk. She brushed some hair out of her face and looked into Harry's eyes. "Did you know that I knew your mother?" she asked slowly. Harry nodded, remembering Snape's memory of the past. "We were friends in school. That's how Remus and I know each other...and Snape too, I suppose."
"But you weren't in the Order the first time." Harry said.
Young shook her head. "No, I wasn't. I am now, Harry. Remember that." She stood and Harry took the oppurtunity to turn and leave. He heard the door click closed behind him and tucked the book under his arm as he went to his room, still clarifying the conversation he had just had with Young in his mind.
He had long disposed his muddled feelings that Dumbledore was training him into some sort of weapon--it had been an uncreative thought, and one that had been influenced by his confusion and frustration. But Young, it seemed, was doing just that and wasn't afraid to admit it. And then, on the other hand, she was on the lookout for him time and time again and had even debated his admittance into the Order.
Harry sighed. Young was currently the most confusing person in his life, and if he wasn't absolutely sure that there wasn't any Polyjuice Potion floating about he would have said there were two of her.
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A short chapter! I'm still getting back into the writing groove but fortunately the whole movie preview for the third Harry Potter movie has gotten me back into my freakish obsessive mode and now I'm all ready to get my fanfiction groove on!
Oh yeah, and I saw the third LoTR movie. It kicked ARSE!