The Truth and Nothing But

By:stu14688

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, J. K. Rowling does. Please don't sue.

"But Severus, this is important. We need to know what is bothering Harry, and if he won't volunteer the information, then we have to force it out of him. I don't want a repeat of last June."

Snape looked as if he would like nothing better than to hex Remus Lupin into the next galaxy, but he settled on looking as menacing as possible (which in Remus' opinion was very menacing). "Lupin, I am NOT going to make or give you any kind of truth potion. If Potter wants to be the arrogant fool that he is and not ask for help, then I most certainly will not stop him. I can only hope that one day he will ask for the help that he needs rather than concoct some outrageous plan that endangers everyone. Although, that's not likely seeing as how he has not changed any in the five years that I've known him. Don't ask me again or I will be forced to use my wand."

Lupin's face was red from anger. He knew that he had to leave lest he do something that he would only regret later. "Fine then, Snivellus. I'll just make it myself. I'm sure that with that library at headquarters, I can find the directions. Oh, and by the way, if I were you, I wouldn't be so quick to insult people. You may find that my patience has waned somewhat in the past few years, and I'm still quite efficient with a wand myself. Good day."

Lupin apparated back to Grimmauld Place from outside the grounds of Hogwarts, and was all but smoking when he got there. Harry took one look at the marauder and knew that something was wrong. "Moony, you look…err…distressed. Is everything all right?"

Remus looked at Harry. "I'll be fine. Just a little wound up after a chat with Snivellus , the good chap. If Prongs and Padfoot were here right now, we'd give him just what he deserves. Saying those things…how could anyone…It is times like these that I wonder why I even try to be civil to that greasy haired bat…" He continued to mutter under his breath while the trio looked on in amusement. They had never seen their former professor so utterly upset. He usually did not ever loose his cool with anyone, but obviously, Snape had pressed just an eighth of an inch too far. In Harry's mind, the potions master was lucky that he was not in the room right now. Harry decided that he better do something for fear that a door would be blown from its hinges or something. Personally, he did not like the way that Remus' wand was shaking.

"Come on, Moony. We'll get you some tea. I don't know what Snape said to you, but it's nothing to worry about. He's just being the center of irritation that he is. Don't pay him any mind." Harry moved to the stove where he started some tea.

Meanwhile at the table, Hermione and Ron was giving their professor questioning looks to which he could only shake his head. He mouthed that he would talk to them later and went to gather some cups for the tea.

When the four had their tea, Ron decided to venture into unmarked territory. "So, Harry, are you and Dumbledore going to get together again tonight?" Harry nodded in answer.

Well, that's not exactly what I was wanting. I guess I'll have to ask outright, thought Ron.

"What do you two do in there anyway?" Hermione glared at him from across the table and Remus got slightly choked on his tea. They could not believe that Ron had just asked that.

Harry looked at his friend and sighed. He stayed quiet for another minute or so trying to decide what he should say. Finally he chose a safe, one word answer, "Occlumency."

Ron did not look convinced. "Occlumency? That's it? Every other day for the entire summer, you've been practicing occlumency? Come off it Harry. Tell us the truth."

Harry thought for another moment more, then he looked Ron in the eye. This time he tried it without saying the incantation, and soon found himself inside Ron's head. "Alright, Ron. The truth is that I've also been learning legilimency too." He left Ron's mind as quickly as he had entered it.

Ron had jumped up off the chair at hearing Harry's voice in his head. "You…you…ho-how did you do that? I…I her-heard you in my…my head."

Harry looked at his friend and calmly replied, "Yes you did. That's because I entered your brain and thought to you. Now, you know the truth. Professor Dumbledore'll be here soon. I need to go. Talk to you all later." He got up and left three very dumbfounded people in the kitchen.

Hermione was the first to speak. "Great, just great! Now how are we supposed to find out what's going on in that head of his? Not only has he plainly accomplished occlumency, but also he's learning legilimency. What with Snape – the bat – not giving us some truth serum, we'll not ever get it out of him."

Ron was still in a stupor over what had just transpired in his head with Harry, and could not even think straight let alone talk. Remus' mind seemed to be working quite well, though. "After Severus refused to give me some potion today, I told him that I could make it myself. I'm sure that we can find the directions in one of those old books in the library upstairs. I could - "

He was cut off by Hermione. "Moony, it takes over a month to brew. Do you honesty want to wait that long? For all we know, we don't even have that long. Besides, how do you suppose that we give it to him with the potion here and him at Hogwarts?" She gave him an expectant look. Remus knew that she was right. They didn't have a month, and it would be hard to give it to Harry while he was at school.

"Okay. Well, do you have any other suggestions? Because other than beating it out of him, I just don't see another way."

Both Remus and Hermione were quiet for a moment, lost in thought. Funnily enough, it was Ron who spoke up first, though his idea was not any good.

"Wait. You two are forgetting about Harry's pensieve. Remember, Hermione, you said that he might keep it in there."

"Ron, honestly. I know that you may not be the sharpest knife in the drawer but I think that you outdid yourself on that one. If Harry is able to protect his mind, then whatever it is that is bothering him would be safer there than in the pensieve. Anyone can take it out of the basin, but not just anybody can break into his head – especially now." She slumped back into her chair and idly stirred her tea.

Mrs. Weasley bustled into the kitchen about fifteen minutes later to cook supper and found the three still sitting there lost in thought. They looked up when she entered. Suddenly Remus was struck with an idea. "Molly, do you know who all will be eating here tonight?"

She thought for a moment and counted on her fingers as she silently worked her way down the list. "I believe that there'll be us four, Arthur, Fred, George, Ginny, Harry, Albus, and Tonks. Yes, I'm pretty sure that's everyone. Why do you ask?"

"You know how something's been on Harry's mind, and how he won't tell anyone?" She nodded.

"Well, we – that is to say Hermione, Ron, and I – have been trying to get him to tell us. He hasn't so far, but we did find out that Albus definitely knows. Furthermore, Harry has mastered both occlumency and legilimency over the holidays. What I was thinking was that if we all got together and questioned both of them tonight, then we just might break their resolve. It'd be nine voices against two. I think that we could bug them enough to get one of them to break."

Molly walked up to Remus and put her hand on his forehead. "Do you have fever with those spells or is it just near the full moon? Really, Remus. We're talking about Harry Potter and Albus Dumbledore. If there are two people in this world who will not break a vow of silence, it would be those two. You know that as well as I do. We all want to know what is bothering Harry, but if he doesn't want to tell us, then he simply won't."

Hermione looked skeptical at Molly's words. "I don't know, Mrs. Weasley. He may break easier than you think. I say that we try it. The worst that can happen is that they'll get mad and not tell us. That's not too far from where we are now."

Ron did not know exactly what to say, so he said nothing. Molly looked at the two determined faces that were staring her down and finally relented. It was settled. When everyone arrived, they would tell them the plan. It just had to work.


A/N: Thank you wonderful reviewers! You are wonderful. A special thanks to xHeRmIoNexMaLfOyxZaBiNix and Crystallized Lilies. You are a very diligent reviewers, and I promise to check out some of your stories after I finish updating this one. Speaking of which, there is only one more chapter left. Will the rest of the group ever learn of the prophecy or will they forever be at a loss. (Well, they can't forever be at a loss because at some point in time the Final Battle will occur.) Anyways...Please R/R. I hope this chapter was somewhat satisfactory. Until next time... ; )