Thanks to my beta, Jestana.
This is basically a filler chapter, and will probably be short, and more a series of scenes, than one connected narrative. Sorry if this bothers you. This is almost the end of the story.
Chapter Fourteen: It's So Good to Have You Back Where You Belong
When classes resumed after the Yule Break, the difference in Harry Potter was noticeable. While he was still quieter than he used to be, he was definitely more upbeat than he had been before the holiday. His sense of humor had returned, and he actively participated in the activities in the Gryffindor Common room.
Flying was still Harry's way to blow off steam, and to give himself time to think undisturbed, but his thoughts were no longer running around in unproductive circles. They were more productive, and he ended up agreeing with what Professor Grey had told him. There was blame to share in Sirius' death, but he couldn't take all of it. In Cedric's death, the only blame belonged to Voldemort. His parents were targets due to their own actions, and he was actually being self-centered to think their deaths were his fault.
Professor Grey was not in as good a mood at the end of the holidays. He missed spending Christmas with Hermione. He felt her absence keenly during his time off. With no classes or students to distract him, he felt her absence to the bottom of his being.
He was glad when classes resumed. Watching Harry in class, he could tell he had taken Dorian's words to heart, and had believed them. His attitude was more positive, and his focus and intensity were improving.
When the two resumed Occlumency lessons, the difference was obvious immediately. Harry threw himself into the lessons with determination, and the passion that had been missing before. The improvement in Harry's level of skill came quickly after that.
The improvement in Harry continued throughout the spring. His nightmares lessened. He was applying himself to his class work and homework in a way he hadn't done before, and his grades began to approach Hermione's. Since Hermione and Harry were studying more, Ron had no choice but to follow suit. His grades improved as well. The intelligence that he had only applied to chess to this point began to be used in his class studies, and the three became some of the top students in the school.
Dorian began to start to think about what he needed to say to Severus. He remembered most of what had been said, but he needed to think of how to say it to make Severus listen from the beginning. After 25 years, some of the details of the confrontation had become fuzzy. Eventually, he decided to focus on the main points of what he wanted to say, and let the exact words come depending on the situation at the time, and hopefully it wouldn't sound canned or scripted. That would not work. Severus needed to hear the sincerity of what Dorian was saying.