9. Potter Succeeds

The friends left the dungeons after that remarkable potions lesson, hurrying to get away like the other Gryffindors, in fear of yet being called back and given assignments as an afterthought. No lost points, and no homework to finish before the next Double Potions lesson! A day to mark!

Hermione said she wanted to go to the library. This had been their last lesson before noon, and they'd been let off early too, so there was some spare time until lunch. She parted from her friends at the head of the Dungeons staircase.

Ron and Harry crossed the Entrance Hall to the doors of the Great Hall rather slowly. This was on Harry's account. He seemed to be dragging his feet in hesitation, as if being drawn back to the dungeons.

Harry had given up on wondering how he could imagine to know Snape's sister or whatever relative of his the strange woman surely must be, and his talks with the Headmaster came back to him.

When they were about half ways to the Great Hall, Ron tugged at his sleeve: "Come on now! I am hungry! There's no-one in there to attack you! You're supposed to attack them!"

"Well, yes..."

When Harry's reaction to this attempt at a joke were nil and his friend only turned around, away from the hall, Ron added: "Forgot something in the dungeons, Harry? Just don't bother to tell me!"

Harry did not react immediately, but slowed down some more still.

"Well, yes, I sort of did... I think I should... Sorry, Ron."

Ron said: "You can always get your stuff later! Let's eat now!"

Then, trying to change the subject, he nudged his friend and asked: "Harry, you and Hermione are kidding about Snape and that Dark Arts thing, aren't you?"

This pretty much hit the mark of Harry's pondering, and made him stop altogether. He did not answer. This was something he really had to do, and soon.

Finally, he said: "Ron, I am sorry – I did indeed forget something... I think I have go back and speak to Snape right away – this is so very important... No, I don't think we are kidding. Until I saw Hermione's reaction to my question the other day, I thought I was just being mental!"

"And you sure are, both of you!"

"Oh, Ron, but do think it over! I know I am right, and I hate it, too, but hating the facts does not change them a bit! It all makes sense that way! And don't tell anyone please, will you? Might get it done just as well right now, his distraction might be a help... See you later!"

Ron nodded his assent slowly, mouth agape, but Harry did not even notice. He had turned back toward the dungeons already, not hurrying at all.

Ron stared after Harry, shaking his head. His two best friends were both out of their tiny minds!

For an instant, he wondered whether he should run along with Harry to provide moral support, but eventually decided that he was really hungry, and if Harry absolutely had to get himself in trouble with Snape, he might as well stay out of it for the time being, and offer commiseration later. Ron resumed his approach to food and entered the Great Hall.

Thus, a redhead very much lost in thought sat at the Gryffindor table rather early and all by himself, and for once did neither notice nor respond to the sneering from the Slytherin table when they arrived; or to comments directed at him about that weird interruption of today's Potions lesson, or rumours who that woman really was, or about the uniqueness of having no pressing Potions homework to do, from his housemates. Hermione was not back from the library yet, so he just ate slowly, in silence, occasionally glaring at Ginny and her boyfriend at the other end of the Gryffindor table. They were another bother!

Malfoy called over: "Lost your appetite, Weasel? You better eat something now – you don't know if and where you'll find food again once you go home for holidays, do you?"

Ron didn't even hear him, so absorbed was he in his thoughts about Harry, and all the things that seemed to go wrong at the moment. Fred and George, for instance... Events seemed to take a strange turn lately, and he had a feeling that there were more surprises to come.

The dungeon classroom door was open. Once he was some steps inside, Harry could see his Professor seated at his desk with his back to him. The scratch of a quill could be heard at intervals. Nothing about the place hinted at the unusual events of the day. He approached the desk, still hesitating.

"Professor Snape..."

Snape wrote on for a while, ignoring Harry, but eventually he did look up.

"What is it, Potter? Trying to waste my time again? Or are you going to insult me for a change?"

Harry was not to be put off that easily this time.

"Professor Snape... I do want to apologise for... for... Sir."

Snape stared at him coldly and unblinking for quite a while, probing for his intentions. Harry did not like the mental intrusion at all, but patiently allowed the inspection. He felt rather weary of their quarrels. Harry held his teacher's gaze – and, after a moment, bid Snape enter his mind.

Harry had carefully rehearsed this, knowing he'd have to put forward something to his own favour after that initial failure, and show honest attempts at clearing his mind, too. So, he'd tidily imagined a long, rather empty corridor, like one of those on the upper floors of Hogwarts which were hardly used – and sort of let flow from his heart his apology, and a feeling of regret which was indeed there, its honesty surprising himself, about his inconsiderate action concerning the abuse of the Pensieve – and that event alone.

What he could not have imagined was what it felt like if someone, at one's own will and bidding, and while one was fully aware of it, entered the mind after it had been opened up for precisely that purpose. The sensation was not entirely unpleasant: a cool touch, a slight drain to the willpower…

Snape's movements within his head were gentle, and it felt to be a curious kind of intimacy, not altogether uncomfortable. Was his hated teacher being kind with him?

With a sting, Harry felt reminded of the Imperius Curse, and what that had felt like before he managed to shake it off during the false Moody's lessons: the odd comfort of not being responsible, and not having to care at all. But there was no force whatsoever behind that here, and it was weaker by far. This was another question, but he would not be distracted by the thought now: had he really been able to shake that curse off at the time?

He could feel Snape's being in on these new thoughts since they were unguarded, and the man's surprise at all of this. Moreover, he could feel his Professor looking around carefully within the images he had been offered, and even making an effort not to trespass beyond what had been set up for him.

After a while, he thought he perceived a very fleeting glimpse of the amazing agate-green colour he had seen in the eyes of a younger Snape in the Pensieve only recently, and after that, Snape leaving his mind-corridor - with a very tiny bow!

Then, there was nothing. That final perception could not possibly have been real, he must have imagined it. Not wishful thinking, either – beginning insanity, maybe?

With a jolt, Harry understood that he, in this one moment of overcoming his aversions and trying to make good, had learned more about the whole matter of Occlumency and Legilmency than in all the forced lessons combined so far.

Snape made a rasping noise.

"It is well, Potter. You may leave."

Harry turned, slow and obedient. He felt sheep-like, but that was not altogether uncomfortable. It also had been much easier than he'd thought, but Harry could not bring himself to voice what he knew he should, right away. Unable to ask that which he had come here to request in disregard of how much he himself disliked it, he left.

On this way back to the common room, Harry realised he felt exhausted like from a long run.

But weird enough, this had worked. Snape had not been friendly, but he had accepted the apology. Harry just knew, the masterful man needed not say so.

Harry was a tiny bit proud of himself. Not only had he done it again, and really soon – he even had very likely succeeded where he'd been sure any thought of progress was illusionary...

And run he did, to catch some lunch at last.

He was not all that late, and found Ron completely lost in thought.

His friend did not even ask if he was ok.

After lunch, when the Gryffindors were on their way to Quidditch practice, a seventh year Ravenclaw student called out to them.

"Potter – the Headmaster wants to see you after practice!"

"Oh, right, thank you!"

Harry had not expected to see the Headmaster today, but that was probably just as well. Fleetingly, he wondered if it had to do with that Silva woman. He pushed the thought aside, but wondered if he would see her again, or soon.