His senses were improving. It was something he had noticed happening when he started studying Advanced Occlumency, like the ability to feel the magic around him. His sense of smell had sharpened so dramatically that he could discern people by their smells alone. Ginny, for example, smelt of appleblossom - he'd noticed that when hugging her. Ron for some reason always smelt of mint with a bit of pumpkin. The twins both smelt of smoke and sugar, although Fred seemed to smell like pepper as well.

Probably due to the sweets they exploded, Harry thought.

His other senses were becoming stronger too: taste, feel, hearing. But the strangest was his eyesight. At times, usually when practising Occlumency in bed, the ceiling would swim into focus. It had become more frequent as the time passed and sometimes occurred during the daytime. He would have to take his glasses of to avoid satumbling from dizziness. It made him wonder why Dumbledore even used glasses if he didn't need them. He was a great Occlumens, right?

Another thing Harry noticed was that, as he became more skilled in Occlumency, rather than his visions from Voldemort subsided, they became much clearer. It had resulted in Harry's identification of the Death Eater who couldn't supply whatever it was that Voldemort wanted in previous visions. It also resulted in a rather important decision Harry made after this discovery.


'Albus, you can't be serious!'

'Oh, I assure you my boy, that I am quite serious.'

'Can't you just send them by owl? Why do they need special treatment again! The Golden Trio need theirs delivered personally by a professor. Can't Minerva do it? She's the brats' Head of House, for goodness sake!'

'My dear Severus, you know exactly why I simply cannot do either of those. And apart from that Mr. Potter needs his Occlumency skills trained.'

'What! Oh no! No, no, no! I've told you time and again that I will not teach Potter again. Be it Potions, Occlumency or anything else. He is hopeless and not worth it. And apart from that I have quite enough on my plate as it is. I do not have time to waste on Potter's education. May I remind you that I am supposed to brew a certain Potion of Connection. One that has not been brewed in over several centuries. One that is certainly not to bind two people in marriage!'

'I am in complete control of my memories, Severus and I cannot tell you why, but I will tell you this: Harry Potter is worth more than I am. He is worth the world.
Now, deliver those; assess Mr Potter's Occlumency skills; give me a report and go back to your work. I shall see if I can organize another Occlumency teacher.'

Professor Severus Snape nodded and turned to leave the room.

'Oh and Severus? I think you will be disappointed if you believe in your notion that you will not be teaching Mr. Potter any more Potions.'


Snape barged into the house and left the Black matriarch screeching in order to search for Potter.

Hall - No Potter

Kitchen - No Potter

Library - No Potter

Living Room - No Potter

Right, enough, no more Mr Nice Guy.

'Granger, where is Potter?'

'I don't know, Professor?'

'Weasley?'

A shrug.

'He always disappears at three, Sir. We can't ever find him until six.'

'Potter disappears at three and does not reappear until six and no one knows where he is?'

Two affirmative nods.

'Potter!'

The screeching stopped and Potter stepped into the living room.

'Ah, Professor. Good afternoon. Got our O.W.L. results, I presume?'

'That would be correct, Potter,' Snape sneered at him, 'I have, however, also the unpleasant task of assessing your Occlumency. The Headmaster still wishes for you to have lessons, although with your hopeless dedication to the work...'

'Give it your best shot, Professor.'

Snape stared at him, his mouth still open for what he was going to say. He closed it and sneered as he saw Granger and Weasley look at Potter with confusion.

'Arrogant, aren't we, Potter?'

Potter merely looked at him.

'Very well. Legilimens.'

'Legilimens.'

'Well, Professor, I believe that I have proven my point. Thank you for bringing our results. Goodbye.'

He turned to leave the room and then seemed to remember something.

'Ah, Professor. Tonight, before you say anything, give this to Voldemort will you? And don't tell it's from me.'

Snape flinched at the name even as he reflexively caught the package Potter threw at him.