A/N: Yesterday I said I was only going to update once a week. Guess I lied
as I'm uploading the next two chapters today. I'm not patient enough to
wait.
CH2: Stay Inside The Lines
"'Welcome to the real world',
She said to me condescendingly,
'Take a seat, take your life,
Plot it out in black and white'.
Well I never lived the dreams of the prom kings,
And the drama queens,
I'd like to think the best of me,
Is still hiding up my sleeve.
They love to tell you 'stay inside the lines',
But something's better on the other side."
June 30, 1996
A few days later, a brown barn-owl swooped into Harry's open window.
^Dear Harry,
How are you? Foolish question to ask. I know you are still blaming yourself for Sirius' death, but, as I told you before, the blame lies with me.
I should have told you about the Prophecy years ago. I realize that you are mad at me, so I have no right to ask of you what I am about to.
Harry, I am asking you to continue your Occulumency lessons over this Summer break. We have acquired intelligence that Voldemort will be trying to break into your head agin and it is imperative, now more so than ever, that he does not gain access to your thoughts. I hope I have your full cooperation in this.
Remus Lupin will be stopping by Mrs. Figg's house at noon tomorrow for your first lesson.
Sincerely sorry,
Albus Dumbledore^
'"It is imperative that Voldemort does not gain access to your thoughts." Why? Why now more than before? Is it the same reasons as last time? Or something new? Why won't he tell me these things?
'I'm sick of him treating me like I'm a child. Of everyone treating me like a child. I am not a child. I've never been a child. I lost my childhood the minute he sent me to the Dursleys.
'And way should I even listen to him anyway? If he wanted me to trust him, why didn't he trust me enough to tell me the Prophecy? The one that will decide my whole future? I doubt something like that just slipped his mind .... '
Harry's thoughts continued along the same train until he drifted off to sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 1, 1996
Harry Potter woke up and rolled out of bed. In barefeet, he padded across the room to find some clothes. He rummaged around the bottom of his wardrobe, picking out some jeans and a shirt, and stood up. His head smacked straight into the self.
"What the - " Harry rubbed the spot where his head hit. 'I'm sure that self was higher yesterday.'
Looking around the room, he noticed everything was lower. 'Huh? This has got to be some kind of practical joke .... maybe Fred and George came .... what is going on?'
He quickly turned to the mirror and clapped a hand to his mouth.
Harry was taller. Not just taller, but 5'7'', a full 5 inches taller than he had been the day before. And his hair ... his hair had grown down to middle of his neck.
"How the hell .... what .... huh?" he stuttered.
'What is going on?'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ah, Harry, Come in," greeted Mrs. Figg. "Make yourself at home. I'll go get Lupin."
Harry gazed around the room. It hadn't changed much: still old fashioned and smelling of cats and cabbage. He sat on the couch patiently until Professor Lupin came into the room.
"How are you, Harry?" his former - and now current - teacher asked.
"Good, Professor. You?"
"I'm not your professor anymore, you can call me Remus. And I'm fine. Now, we -" He did a double take. "Did you grow? And you're hair...."
"You noticed, too? Here I was, thinking I was going nuts, not knowing how tall I was," Harry said casually, while Remus kept blinking at him.
"You're taller than you were when I saw you at the train station."
"I'm taller than I was yesterday."
"How much taller?"
"Er, about five inches I think."
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Weird."
"You don't know what's going on?"
"Not a clue. I'll have to check my books when I get home ... maybe it's some sort of magical growth spurt ... I don't know what to tell you."
"Alright," Harry asked after a few minutes of silence. "Er ... what do we do now?"
"Right!" Remus snapped out of his pondering. "Occulumency. What did Snape teach you last year?"
"I'm not sure really. He just said to focus on clearing my mind and try to block his mental attacks ... "
"Wait, that's it? He didn't tell you the basics, the dynamics, theories, how to block out intrusions ... ?"
"What?"
"No wonder you didn't learn anything! He didn't he didn't even try to teach you!" he exclaimed angrily.
"He - huh - what?!?"
"I guess we've got to start at the beginning."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Are you sure you're ready for this, Harry?" Remus asked, preparing to enter Harry's mind.
"I'm sure."
They had just gone over the entire history of Occulumency and it made a lot more sense than last year.
He was going to kill Snape when he saw him.
"Remember, you can feel the probing at the edge of your mind. Key in on it. Focus your thoughts on it. Then force it out. Repel it." Remus raised his wand. "Legilimens!"
Harry was in the ocean. A deep, rolling, black ocean. He spun around - there was nothing. Then, a light appeared in the darkness, speeding straight towards him. He was mesmerized by it, drifting off into the brightness, floating, entranced by the pure energy of it ... before he realized it was going to hit him. He brought his hands up to block it and ....
..... found himself back on Mrs. Figg's living room floor.
He looked up at Remus. "Was that - did I - "
"You did it, Harry!" Remus beamed. "You've got it!"
"Yes!" He jumped up and did a little victory dance. "That was great!"
"I told you that you could do it if you put your mind to it. You've got a long ways to go, but soon you might be able to do it without thinking at all. And remember," he added. "This only to protect your mind from being manipulated. There's no guaranteed that you won't sometimes enter the Dark Lord's mind."
"It was just like fighting the Imperious Curse. There's no way Voldemort's getting into my mind." Harry couldn't stop grinning. Finally, he'd be free.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Harry. Same time."
"See you, Remus. Oh!" he remembered. "You're going to look up this weird growth spurt, right?"
Remus had a sudden idea. "You really look like a whole new person, Harry."
"Your point?"
"I'll see you tomorrow," he said again, enigmatically.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Harry practically skipped back into 4 Privet Drive, clearly on a success- high. He even cheerfully waved to his aunt, who just gaped at him.
"What happened to you?"
"Oh, you mean you don't like my new look?" he asked sweetly.
"No," she said bluntly. "What did you do?"
"Nothing. I think it might be some sort of 'magical' phenomenon." He reveled in Petunia's expression. "I'll be up in my room if you need me. 'Night."
'Actually,' he later thought. 'This wasn't such a bad day after all.'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 2, 1996
"Hello, Remus," Harry greeted as he went back for his second lesson.
"Don't get too comfortable, we're not staying long," said Remus.
"Why not? I mean, there are still tons of things I need to lear - "
"Later, Harry. You did really well yesterday. So, we're going on a field trip!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The Mall?" asked Harry dubiously. "This is our 'field trip'?"
"I told you," Remus said as he steered Harry through the doors. "You look different."
"So?"
"And wouldn't it be nice to walk to walk down Diagon Alley and have nobody pointing at you? Total anonymity?"
"You think we could - "
"Yup. With a few finishing touches, only people who know you will be able to recognize you. Trust me."
"Remus," Harry began. "Have I ever told you that you are my favorite person in the whole world?"
"I know. I know."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Thank you," Harry said for the millionth time that day. He was a totally new person. His hair had been cut a bit shorter than normal, making it a bit less messy; he had clothes that actually fit; and add on a Muggle invention called contact lenses .... "This is one of the best things anyone has ever done for me."
"And for the piece de la resistance .... this." Remus whipped out a dark faded blue sporting cap, with a black Puddlemere United Quidditch logo on it - his favorite team.
"You're the best!" He happily pulled the cap onto his head - it effectively covered his scar. "This is great, Remus, but you shouldn't have spent so much money on me."
"It's no problem, Harry. Sirius - " He stopped abruptly. "I have the money now. Um, I'll see you in a few days for your next lesson."
"Why won't you be here tomorrow?" Harry asked, still uncomfortable at the subject change.
"Full moon."
"Oh. Okay, I'll see you then."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'I wonder who they'll send now?' Harry thought as he walked back to his aunt and uncle's house. 'It doesn't matter really as long as it's not - '
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 3, 1996
"Get in here quickly, Potter!" Snape barked when Harry came up the walkway. "The sooner we finish with this, the faster I can get out of here!"
Harry groaned inwardly. 'What did I do to deserve this?'
As soon as he entered the door, Snape pounced.
"Legilimens!"
The water was back again. The energy came for him - glowing .... a bright green. He flashed back to the night his parents died. This time, Harry didn't hesitate in pushing back the light.
And Snape was the one on the floor.
"What was that?" he breathed.
"What do you mean, sir?" he added the last bit condescendingly.
"That feeling. When I hit your block I felt something. What were you imagining?" Snape's breathing was ragged, like he had just run ten miles.
"Well, I do have a pretty unique memory of being hit by the Killing Curse."
The professor paled. "Where did you learn to do that?" he demanded.
"It helps when you have a good teacher," Harry answered, not mentioning the fact that he had never done that before. "Remus actually taught me things."
If Harry was not mistaken, Snape turned red this time. "You will talk to me with respect, you little - "
"Frankly, I don't care what you think I am."
"I think," he practically shouted, "that you are arrogant egotistical prat, Potter. Just like your father. I don't care if you think you are better than everyone else. You're not. You have been held up on a pedestal by the world, basking in their attention, and you have been dotted on by your relatives, spoiled to the core. But it all ends in here. To me you will always just be a stupid boy."
And Harry just snapped. "Is that what you think? Well then, let me clue you in, Professor. I spent my childhood in a cupboard. There were four rooms in my relatives house, but I didn't get one of them. I was stuffed into the cupboard and forgotten. I never got enough food. Before my second year here, they tried to lock me in a room and starve me to death. They despise me. I - I never knew love. Just pain." He raved on, not caring what he was saying anymore.
"My cousin, Dudley, got whatever he wanted. While they used me as cheap manual labor, he sat on his arse all day, watching TV. You want to talk about a spoiled child? Go visit him. He had mountains of toys and games, and all of his parents attention. They thought he was an angel - the most perfect child on Earth.
"He wasn't
"He and his friends use to beat me up. Do you know why I can escape so well? Haven't you ever wondered? Because I had to learn it or else they'd.....
He was getting hysterical. "Have you ever wondered why I'm so protective of my friends? It's because I've never had any before. Dudley use to scare away everyone who even tried to get close to me.
"I didn't even know about my parents until was eleven. My aunt told me they died in a car crash. I never even knew what they looked like.
"I do now. Whenever there is a Dementor nearby, I can hear them. Right before Voldemort murdered them. My mother died protecting me. Did you know that? She died pleading for my fucking life.
"Anyway, then Hagrid showed up. I was overjoyed that I would finally get out of there. But I was shoved into the position of a hero for something I barely even remembered.
"Now, I have the entire world following my every move, waiting for me to screw up. I have an evil wizard trying to kill me and everyone that I care about.
"And even though my life is a living hell, it's still better than it was before.
"So, is that what you wanted to hear, Professor? I'm sorry I broke your image of the Golden Boy of Gryffindor. It must have thrown your whole life off balance to know that you have no real reason to hate me as you do. Well, other than a grudge against my father. Something that I didn't even do and don't agree with.
"I'm sorry you had to go through with that. I know what it's like.
"But life isn't always fair."
Harry started out the door, but stopped at Snape's insistent stuttering.
"What - How - Don't walk away from me after .... after doing that!" He was trembling in anger, but Harry just glared back.
"I never did anything to you, Professor."
Snape composed himself, not wanting to lose to a Potter. "It was more the fact that you were born."
"Think about who you just sounded like and then give me an answer." He stomped out of the house.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'That arsehole, thinking he's better than everyone because he's gone through hardships. He thinks he's got a right to treat the entire world like dirt because he's hurting. Everyone has got problems. He's so self- centered....' Harry was back in his room, pacing again about the stupidity of people he knew.
'Okay, maybe I shouldn't have gone off on him like that, but seriously ... I've had enough. He's got no right to treat me that way. Me or anyone else. Someone had to tell him that.
'You know, I'm sick of everyone right now. Dumbledore's keeping things from me, Snape is acting like a prat, Remus is trying to forget about Sirius .... is everyone in the magical world nuts?'
CH2: Stay Inside The Lines
"'Welcome to the real world',
She said to me condescendingly,
'Take a seat, take your life,
Plot it out in black and white'.
Well I never lived the dreams of the prom kings,
And the drama queens,
I'd like to think the best of me,
Is still hiding up my sleeve.
They love to tell you 'stay inside the lines',
But something's better on the other side."
June 30, 1996
A few days later, a brown barn-owl swooped into Harry's open window.
^Dear Harry,
How are you? Foolish question to ask. I know you are still blaming yourself for Sirius' death, but, as I told you before, the blame lies with me.
I should have told you about the Prophecy years ago. I realize that you are mad at me, so I have no right to ask of you what I am about to.
Harry, I am asking you to continue your Occulumency lessons over this Summer break. We have acquired intelligence that Voldemort will be trying to break into your head agin and it is imperative, now more so than ever, that he does not gain access to your thoughts. I hope I have your full cooperation in this.
Remus Lupin will be stopping by Mrs. Figg's house at noon tomorrow for your first lesson.
Sincerely sorry,
Albus Dumbledore^
'"It is imperative that Voldemort does not gain access to your thoughts." Why? Why now more than before? Is it the same reasons as last time? Or something new? Why won't he tell me these things?
'I'm sick of him treating me like I'm a child. Of everyone treating me like a child. I am not a child. I've never been a child. I lost my childhood the minute he sent me to the Dursleys.
'And way should I even listen to him anyway? If he wanted me to trust him, why didn't he trust me enough to tell me the Prophecy? The one that will decide my whole future? I doubt something like that just slipped his mind .... '
Harry's thoughts continued along the same train until he drifted off to sleep.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 1, 1996
Harry Potter woke up and rolled out of bed. In barefeet, he padded across the room to find some clothes. He rummaged around the bottom of his wardrobe, picking out some jeans and a shirt, and stood up. His head smacked straight into the self.
"What the - " Harry rubbed the spot where his head hit. 'I'm sure that self was higher yesterday.'
Looking around the room, he noticed everything was lower. 'Huh? This has got to be some kind of practical joke .... maybe Fred and George came .... what is going on?'
He quickly turned to the mirror and clapped a hand to his mouth.
Harry was taller. Not just taller, but 5'7'', a full 5 inches taller than he had been the day before. And his hair ... his hair had grown down to middle of his neck.
"How the hell .... what .... huh?" he stuttered.
'What is going on?'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Ah, Harry, Come in," greeted Mrs. Figg. "Make yourself at home. I'll go get Lupin."
Harry gazed around the room. It hadn't changed much: still old fashioned and smelling of cats and cabbage. He sat on the couch patiently until Professor Lupin came into the room.
"How are you, Harry?" his former - and now current - teacher asked.
"Good, Professor. You?"
"I'm not your professor anymore, you can call me Remus. And I'm fine. Now, we -" He did a double take. "Did you grow? And you're hair...."
"You noticed, too? Here I was, thinking I was going nuts, not knowing how tall I was," Harry said casually, while Remus kept blinking at him.
"You're taller than you were when I saw you at the train station."
"I'm taller than I was yesterday."
"How much taller?"
"Er, about five inches I think."
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Weird."
"You don't know what's going on?"
"Not a clue. I'll have to check my books when I get home ... maybe it's some sort of magical growth spurt ... I don't know what to tell you."
"Alright," Harry asked after a few minutes of silence. "Er ... what do we do now?"
"Right!" Remus snapped out of his pondering. "Occulumency. What did Snape teach you last year?"
"I'm not sure really. He just said to focus on clearing my mind and try to block his mental attacks ... "
"Wait, that's it? He didn't tell you the basics, the dynamics, theories, how to block out intrusions ... ?"
"What?"
"No wonder you didn't learn anything! He didn't he didn't even try to teach you!" he exclaimed angrily.
"He - huh - what?!?"
"I guess we've got to start at the beginning."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Are you sure you're ready for this, Harry?" Remus asked, preparing to enter Harry's mind.
"I'm sure."
They had just gone over the entire history of Occulumency and it made a lot more sense than last year.
He was going to kill Snape when he saw him.
"Remember, you can feel the probing at the edge of your mind. Key in on it. Focus your thoughts on it. Then force it out. Repel it." Remus raised his wand. "Legilimens!"
Harry was in the ocean. A deep, rolling, black ocean. He spun around - there was nothing. Then, a light appeared in the darkness, speeding straight towards him. He was mesmerized by it, drifting off into the brightness, floating, entranced by the pure energy of it ... before he realized it was going to hit him. He brought his hands up to block it and ....
..... found himself back on Mrs. Figg's living room floor.
He looked up at Remus. "Was that - did I - "
"You did it, Harry!" Remus beamed. "You've got it!"
"Yes!" He jumped up and did a little victory dance. "That was great!"
"I told you that you could do it if you put your mind to it. You've got a long ways to go, but soon you might be able to do it without thinking at all. And remember," he added. "This only to protect your mind from being manipulated. There's no guaranteed that you won't sometimes enter the Dark Lord's mind."
"It was just like fighting the Imperious Curse. There's no way Voldemort's getting into my mind." Harry couldn't stop grinning. Finally, he'd be free.
"I'll see you tomorrow, Harry. Same time."
"See you, Remus. Oh!" he remembered. "You're going to look up this weird growth spurt, right?"
Remus had a sudden idea. "You really look like a whole new person, Harry."
"Your point?"
"I'll see you tomorrow," he said again, enigmatically.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Harry practically skipped back into 4 Privet Drive, clearly on a success- high. He even cheerfully waved to his aunt, who just gaped at him.
"What happened to you?"
"Oh, you mean you don't like my new look?" he asked sweetly.
"No," she said bluntly. "What did you do?"
"Nothing. I think it might be some sort of 'magical' phenomenon." He reveled in Petunia's expression. "I'll be up in my room if you need me. 'Night."
'Actually,' he later thought. 'This wasn't such a bad day after all.'
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 2, 1996
"Hello, Remus," Harry greeted as he went back for his second lesson.
"Don't get too comfortable, we're not staying long," said Remus.
"Why not? I mean, there are still tons of things I need to lear - "
"Later, Harry. You did really well yesterday. So, we're going on a field trip!"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"The Mall?" asked Harry dubiously. "This is our 'field trip'?"
"I told you," Remus said as he steered Harry through the doors. "You look different."
"So?"
"And wouldn't it be nice to walk to walk down Diagon Alley and have nobody pointing at you? Total anonymity?"
"You think we could - "
"Yup. With a few finishing touches, only people who know you will be able to recognize you. Trust me."
"Remus," Harry began. "Have I ever told you that you are my favorite person in the whole world?"
"I know. I know."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Thank you," Harry said for the millionth time that day. He was a totally new person. His hair had been cut a bit shorter than normal, making it a bit less messy; he had clothes that actually fit; and add on a Muggle invention called contact lenses .... "This is one of the best things anyone has ever done for me."
"And for the piece de la resistance .... this." Remus whipped out a dark faded blue sporting cap, with a black Puddlemere United Quidditch logo on it - his favorite team.
"You're the best!" He happily pulled the cap onto his head - it effectively covered his scar. "This is great, Remus, but you shouldn't have spent so much money on me."
"It's no problem, Harry. Sirius - " He stopped abruptly. "I have the money now. Um, I'll see you in a few days for your next lesson."
"Why won't you be here tomorrow?" Harry asked, still uncomfortable at the subject change.
"Full moon."
"Oh. Okay, I'll see you then."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'I wonder who they'll send now?' Harry thought as he walked back to his aunt and uncle's house. 'It doesn't matter really as long as it's not - '
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
July 3, 1996
"Get in here quickly, Potter!" Snape barked when Harry came up the walkway. "The sooner we finish with this, the faster I can get out of here!"
Harry groaned inwardly. 'What did I do to deserve this?'
As soon as he entered the door, Snape pounced.
"Legilimens!"
The water was back again. The energy came for him - glowing .... a bright green. He flashed back to the night his parents died. This time, Harry didn't hesitate in pushing back the light.
And Snape was the one on the floor.
"What was that?" he breathed.
"What do you mean, sir?" he added the last bit condescendingly.
"That feeling. When I hit your block I felt something. What were you imagining?" Snape's breathing was ragged, like he had just run ten miles.
"Well, I do have a pretty unique memory of being hit by the Killing Curse."
The professor paled. "Where did you learn to do that?" he demanded.
"It helps when you have a good teacher," Harry answered, not mentioning the fact that he had never done that before. "Remus actually taught me things."
If Harry was not mistaken, Snape turned red this time. "You will talk to me with respect, you little - "
"Frankly, I don't care what you think I am."
"I think," he practically shouted, "that you are arrogant egotistical prat, Potter. Just like your father. I don't care if you think you are better than everyone else. You're not. You have been held up on a pedestal by the world, basking in their attention, and you have been dotted on by your relatives, spoiled to the core. But it all ends in here. To me you will always just be a stupid boy."
And Harry just snapped. "Is that what you think? Well then, let me clue you in, Professor. I spent my childhood in a cupboard. There were four rooms in my relatives house, but I didn't get one of them. I was stuffed into the cupboard and forgotten. I never got enough food. Before my second year here, they tried to lock me in a room and starve me to death. They despise me. I - I never knew love. Just pain." He raved on, not caring what he was saying anymore.
"My cousin, Dudley, got whatever he wanted. While they used me as cheap manual labor, he sat on his arse all day, watching TV. You want to talk about a spoiled child? Go visit him. He had mountains of toys and games, and all of his parents attention. They thought he was an angel - the most perfect child on Earth.
"He wasn't
"He and his friends use to beat me up. Do you know why I can escape so well? Haven't you ever wondered? Because I had to learn it or else they'd.....
He was getting hysterical. "Have you ever wondered why I'm so protective of my friends? It's because I've never had any before. Dudley use to scare away everyone who even tried to get close to me.
"I didn't even know about my parents until was eleven. My aunt told me they died in a car crash. I never even knew what they looked like.
"I do now. Whenever there is a Dementor nearby, I can hear them. Right before Voldemort murdered them. My mother died protecting me. Did you know that? She died pleading for my fucking life.
"Anyway, then Hagrid showed up. I was overjoyed that I would finally get out of there. But I was shoved into the position of a hero for something I barely even remembered.
"Now, I have the entire world following my every move, waiting for me to screw up. I have an evil wizard trying to kill me and everyone that I care about.
"And even though my life is a living hell, it's still better than it was before.
"So, is that what you wanted to hear, Professor? I'm sorry I broke your image of the Golden Boy of Gryffindor. It must have thrown your whole life off balance to know that you have no real reason to hate me as you do. Well, other than a grudge against my father. Something that I didn't even do and don't agree with.
"I'm sorry you had to go through with that. I know what it's like.
"But life isn't always fair."
Harry started out the door, but stopped at Snape's insistent stuttering.
"What - How - Don't walk away from me after .... after doing that!" He was trembling in anger, but Harry just glared back.
"I never did anything to you, Professor."
Snape composed himself, not wanting to lose to a Potter. "It was more the fact that you were born."
"Think about who you just sounded like and then give me an answer." He stomped out of the house.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'That arsehole, thinking he's better than everyone because he's gone through hardships. He thinks he's got a right to treat the entire world like dirt because he's hurting. Everyone has got problems. He's so self- centered....' Harry was back in his room, pacing again about the stupidity of people he knew.
'Okay, maybe I shouldn't have gone off on him like that, but seriously ... I've had enough. He's got no right to treat me that way. Me or anyone else. Someone had to tell him that.
'You know, I'm sick of everyone right now. Dumbledore's keeping things from me, Snape is acting like a prat, Remus is trying to forget about Sirius .... is everyone in the magical world nuts?'