Later
that day, Harry, Hermione, and Ron were extremely exhausted from all
the lessons, even though it was their first day back to school. The
three were in the Gryffindor Common Room, accompanied by Neville,
Parvati, Lavender, Seamus, Dean, and two third year girls who were
doing their homework.
"What did you teach the Huffelpuffs and
Ravenclaws today Harry?" asked Hermione, getting something out
of her bag.
"Oh, I just introduced them to the basics again,
as refreshment to their learning in first year. Then, I told them
that for the next two weeks we'll be studying history rather than
Defence Against the Dark Arts, but it'll be fun," he replied,
stretching.
"Hermione, what's that?" asked Ron, pointing
at Hermione's bag.
"This? It's thread, you know, for
S.P.E.W," she answered.
"What? You're still knitting
hats for those house-elves?" asked Ron in anger.
"Yes I
am, I told you that I won't give it a rest until they have decent
wages," replied Hermione.
"Sooner or later, there will
be no house-elves left of Hogwarts because of you!" roared Ron
furiously.
"I don't care, I'm telling you----"
Immeadietly, Harry took out his wand.
"Silencio!"
he muttered.
At once, Hermione and Ron both were silent, and
didn't open their mouths.
"I'm terribly sorry for that, but
it seems that there's no other way of calming you down," said
Harry. Five minutes later, Hermione and Ron ceased to be silent. They
talked again, about the house-elf issue.
"Look guys, I'm
very tired, I'm going to sleep, you can stay here all night arguing
about those stupid house-elves (Hermione's face was red)," said
Harry, yawning. Minutes after he went upstairs to sleep, Hermione and
Ron went upstairs too. No one was left in the common room.
For
the next month, students from sixth year have been learning quite a
lot. In transfiguration, they carried on with Human Transfiguration
and learned how to transfigure someone into two creatures at once. In
Herbology, they learned about Mush Roses, which were plants that had
the stem of a rose, and on top, a mushroom. They learned about its
properties, the most important is that it can produce a red liquid
that can burn skin. In Defence Against the Dark Arts, with Harry
teaching of course, students have learnt the impediment jinx and
reductor curse. In potions, they've only revised some potions from
previous years, such as the Draught of Peace. In care of Magical
Creatures, they've learnt more about Fixards, and then, they studied
Winged Monkeys, Jellycats, and Eagle Crabs. They were very
fascinating creatures indeed, they had lots of strengths. In
astronomy, they've learnt how every ten years, three gigantic stars
line up to make peace everywhere on Earth. The students were
sometimes just bored, with repeating the same thing on and on and on
in lessons, but in other times, they were just so excited. But, why
couldn't have the previous years been similar to this?
"When
will I ever get these corrected?" said Harry, looking at the
tests that he gave the fourth years. "There must be one hundred
and fifty rolls of parchment to correct."
"I know
Harry," said Hermione sympathetically," it must be
terrible. Staying over the nights to correct every single piece of
parchment, reading between lines, it must be very frustrating!"
"I
don't blame you mate, for how you feel," said Ron, clapping
Harry on the back.
"Tell you what," started Harry,"
I'll go correct these in my classroom, perhaps there I could check in
books for correct information students have written here when in
doubt."
"Do it if it suits you," said
Hermione.
Harry got up, collected all the papers which were a very
heavy load, and stepped out of the common room to head of to his
classroom. Filch, the caretaker, was there, checking if anyone was
out of bed. Although Harry was a teacher now, and had every right to
wonder along the corridors after hours, he didn't dare speak to
Filch. Deep in his heart, hatred of Filch filled it. He clearly
remembered all the grief Filch gave him since his first year at
Hogwarts, and remembered the time when Filch missed Umbridge because
she sneaked out of the castle last year. At last, Filch was gone.
Harry tiptoed to his classroom's door, careful to not make any noise,
and reached inside his pockets to get the keys, but his pockets were
empty.
"Not again, forgot the keys," whispered Harry to
himself.
Then, he reached to the other pocket in his robes, took
out his wand, pointed it to the keyhole, and said, "Alohomora".
At once, the door was unlocked. Harry entered, quickly went to his
desks and began to correct the papers. He was now correcting at least
the eighty fourth roll of parchment, and so far, every paper got over
ninety percent. He was a bit impressed with his teaching now, and
began to trust himself. His hands were feeling numb, and he couldn't
have moved another finger. Harry yawned and yawned, but still
resisted the dizziness, and continued on correcting the papers. At
least and hour passed, when suddenly, Harry heard someone approaching
his door. He wondered who it was. There was a quick knock on the
door, and then, Snape came in.
"Professor Snape," began
Harry," what brings you here at this time of night?"
"The
headmaster has sent me to remind you of something," started
Snape, with a wicked smile on his face.
"What?" asked
Harry, looking curious.
"You for sure remember the
circumstances last year. You have been having all those visions, and
not normal dreams. Am I correct Potter?"
"Yes,"
"Well,
the headmaster just sent me here to remind you of practicing
Occlumency every night before you go to sleep,"
"What?
But I don't have those dreams anymore, I mean I----"
"You
will do as you are told Potter. Believe me, this is not my wish, but
the headmaster's. Now, kindly listen to him, and do not disappoint
me, or I might report you,"
"Report me? This is
ridiculous! Honestly Professor, those weir visions-----"
"Potter!"
shouted Snape loudly." Don't forget that Lord Voldemort won't
rest until you are killed!"
Not only that this was the answer
Harry expected to hear from Snape, but Snape, for the first time in
six years, has dared to speak Voldemort's name.
"Well,
I-----" began Harry.
"Harry, listen to me. You are the
Dark Lord's target since sixteen years, when he tried to kill you.
What the headmaster and I tell you, is for your own good. Practice
freeing your mind from all of those thoughts, or else, Voldemort
will, again, manipulate them. I promise you Potter, that if you don't
practice, you'll be sneaking out of lessons, maybe even your lesson,
to go to the headmaster and explain the situation," explained
Snape.
"Ok," said Harry quietly.
"This was just
another warning, Potter. Remember, it's for your own safety,"
said Snape, now moving away from Harry's desk, heading to the
door.
"Good luck," said Snape, and he shut the door
behind him.
Harry was now completely bewildered by Snape's
attitude. He has spoken Voldemort's name, he spoke kindly to Harry,
and Harry noticed that this was a great change in Snape. Anyway,
after that, Harry returned back to correct the tests of the fourth
years. There were only twenty rolls of parchment left, he was feeling
wearisome. He had no wish to continue on correcting, but he insisted
on completing his work. Another half an hour passed. The castle was
absolutely silent. Suddenly, Harry's scar was burning so hot, it was
excruciating pain that he never experienced before. He put his hand
on it, and then, saw some red liquid on his hand. His scar was
bleeding. This was very painful. Harry got out of his chair, and
tried to calm down, but the pain came again, so sharp. He could no
longer stand it, then, he fell to the floor. His glasses were broken,
his eyes closed. He was beginning to sink into the shadows.
Harry
was in the corridors of the castle, looking very curious and
vigilant. He was looking around him, as though expecting any danger
to attack him. Then, he reached the eighth floor of the castle, and
turned to the right. He entered a room, so dark that he couldn't have
seen a thing. He lit his wand, and pointed it around. When suddenly,
he felt extremely cold… He was seeing ten tall hooded figures
approach him. They were dementors. He quickly said the incantation
"Expecto patronum," but nothing happened. The dementors
were coming nearer, and nearer to Harry. Then, they held his hand,
and were lifting him to the air. Harry wasn't able to speak a word.
He saw something, glowing in a green color. It was a gigantic wolf,
which he never saw anything like before. It was opening its mouth,
and then came the cold voice of Lord Voldemort. Harry was struggling
to get out of the dementors' grip, and run away.
"Harry,
Harry, Harry," spoke Voldemort," sixteen years I've been
waiting for this moment. Trust me, there will be no escape for you
this time. It's time that you die,"
Instantly, Voldemort
raised his wand, laughed, and said Avada Kedavra. Harry, at once, saw
flash of brilliant green light, and dropped down to the floor. He was
dead.
"Noooooooooo!" shouted Harry. He just awoke
from a terrible nightmare, or more likely, a terrible vision. Harry
was catching his breath now, his heart beating so fast. He got up,
repaired his broken glasses with Reparo, and went out of the
classroom. He didn't even care to correct the remaining tests of the
fourth years, he was in deep agony. He was running to reach the
Gryffindor Common Room. Quickly, he muttered Seftus Prefectous,
and the portrait of the Fat Lady sprang open. Straight away, he
climbed upstairs, and went to sleep. He wanted to relax, to free his
mind. Now, he began to see the true value of Occlumency.
