Harry Potter and the Curse of V'Ardian
Chapter 12
Of Parents and Proof
Standard Disclaimers Apply
oOoOo
Harry wasn't quite sure what to think of Snape's words. In one way it sounded as though Snape only cared about himself, and he retained his status as a spy only because he would be favoured no matter which way the war went. On the other hand it sounded as though maybe, just maybe, he had faith in Harry. Faith that he would defeat Voldemort.
But Harry was still seething at Snape's actions. How dare he try and force information out of Harry. He was still thanking whatever powers that were that Snape hadn't managed to extract anything of value.
The potion Snape had given Harry had made him feel a little better, though he still felt worn out. Now, as he trudged up to the room of requirement, he wished that everything could just be normal again. He wanted to feel healthy. He wanted to only have to kill Voldemort. He wanted his scar to be gone. He wanted to stop dreaming about the strange girl with the green eyes.
When Harry got to the Room of Requirement, he was distinctly disgruntled to see Draco Malfoy leaning up against the door. Malfoy didn't say anything, simply walked up to Harry and pressed a slip of parchment into his hand. Meeting his eyes steadily, Malfoy stepped past him and disappeared down the hall. With a sense of anticipation, Harry slipped into the Room of Requirement and unfolded the parchment.
Attack planned for Sunday night. Location unknown.
Harry snorted in disbelief. Malfoy had to be kidding. If this was the 'proof' that he had promised then Harry wasn't too sure about this deal. There were attacks almost weekly now and there was no certainty that Malfoy hadn't just guessed. Well, it wasn't Harry's problem. If Malfoy wanted the deal badly enough then he would have to do better than that.
Harry began preparing the room, and it was not long before Ron and Hermione arrived to help. He looked up, about to greet them, when he realised it wasn't them at all. It was the boy, Caydon Augustus, whom Harry had noticed weeks before. He had noticed him in classes too, since he had first seen him at the DA meeting weeks ago.
He walked with a calm, confident air, though he was quiet in class. He was good looking, thought Harry, with dark hair and pale skin. He strolled up to Harry and again he felt a shiver roll up his spine at the sense of familiarity.
"You're a bit early," he said. The boy shrugged.
"I wanted to ask you about that charm we learnt last week, the Parseltongue one."
Harry stopped what he was doing and turned to face him.
"Yes?"
"Well, not about the actual charm. I actually wanted to ask about you."
Harry raised an eyebrow. Usually people whispered rumours or asked their friends. They didn't come and ask him the truth. Maybe that it was for this reason that Harry was a little free with information for this boy who felt so uncomfortable to be around.
"I wanted to know how you speak Parseltongue."
Harry shrugged.
"I've always been able to do it," he said. "I don't think it's something you can learn."
"Oh," said Caydon. He sounded slightly put out. "Well it's just that I find it all very interesting, you see."
"All what?" asked Harry cautiously.
"Well, if truth be told, I'm quite interested in the Dark Arts. Not to use them, of course, but they're quite fascinating."
Harry was suddenly strongly reminded of Snape and Harry wondered if he could have been wrong about Katherine. Maybe this boy knew Snape. But the idea was impossible. He couldn't make assumptions based solely on someone's interests.
"My name's Caydon Augustus, by the way. I'm in a few of your classes."
"Yes, I've noticed," said Harry. "Well, if you like you could help me set up. The others will be arriving soon. I'm joining the two classes up from now on, so it's easier for me to work with you."
"Oh, good. Does that mean we'll be able to go a bit faster now?"
"Maybe," said Harry. "We're getting into some pretty complicated stuff right now."
"What will we be doing today?" Caydon asked. He seemed to have a thirst for knowledge, Harry thought.
"Well, since it's the first lesson since the classes have been joined, I thought we'd have a duelling competition and go over some of the more basic stuff. Just so everyone can get to know each other a bit."
Caydon nodded his approval.
"A break would be good," he said.
oOoOo
After the lesson, Harry left Ron and Hermione to clean the room so he wouldn't be late for his Occlumency lesson with Snape. The lessons bothered him; there was always the fear that Snape would discover something important, and he disliked the fact that it was Snape breaking into his mind. Perhaps it was just his fear and desperation that allowed him to successfully repel Snape, though he wasn't really improving. If truth be told he was finding it increasingly hard to keep his concentration lately and this worried him. He had been thinking about it a lot today.
Just as he turned the corridor, he saw Katherine, walking just ahead of him.
"Katherine!" he called out, and she turned around, he face a calm mask.
"Hello, Harry," she said.
"Are you going back to the Slytherin dorms now?" he asked.
"No, actually, I was going to see Professor Snape about something."
"Well, you could walk with me. I have to go and see him as well. Detention," he gave half a grin.
"Bad luck," said Katherine, a small smile gracing her features.
They walked in silence for a few minutes before Harry asked her something.
"So is your dad coming to visit?" he asked.
"No, he can't make it," replied Katherine.
"I suppose you'll be able to see him at Christmas, then," said Harry.
"Actually, I'm staying here for Christmas," Katherine said. "I won't be able to see him."
"Oh, well, that's a shame. You always seem to talk so highly of him. Do you get along well?"
A small smile covered her face as she glanced somewhat shyly at Harry, as though she were not used to showing emotion which, Harry thought, she probably wasn't.
"Yes. He's all I have left, really, so I can't afford not to. I do miss not being able to see him as much as I could."
"Well, better less than never," Harry said morosely.
Katherine looked at him, her face stony.
"I wasn't old enough to remember my mother before she was murdered. Do you remember your parents?"
It was the first time she had spoken openly to Harry about her parents, much less about his, and he was surprised. His face grew sombre.
"I remember them in dreams. And when I'm near the Dementors."
The two of them carried on, past the statue of the one-eyed which, and Harry thought about how their conversations always seemed to end up badly.
"What was your mother's name?" he asked.
"Evelyn Prewett. My father says I have her smile."
Harry stopped in his tracks.
"Prewett?"
Katherine stopped and looked at him.
"Yes. Why?"
Harry shook his head and started walking again.
"Was she related to Molly Prewett? And Gideon and Fabian?" Harry asked, remembering a distant memory.
Katherine looked at him curiously.
"I'm not sure. My father doesn't talk about her very often, so I don't know much about her family. I know my grandparents are dead, so I don't have any contact with any of my mother's family."
Harry nodded, intrigued at this new development. The time for talking was over however, as they approached Snape's office.
Harry knocked on the door and they both entered at Snape's command.
"Potter," he said, glancing up, not noticing Katherine. "Take a seat, clear your mind."
"Uh, sir," Harry said nervously. He didn't think it wise to let anyone know that Snape was teaching him Occlumency and frankly, he had thought that Snape was more careful than that. However, he looked quite involved with the letter he was composing in front of him and didn't look up. "There's someone else to see you first," he said as Katherine stopped beside him.
Snape's head snapped up and his eyes found Katherine.
"Ah, Ms Winters. I have Mr Potter scheduled for remedial potions at this time. Would you return later, please," he said, unusually polite. Katherine frowned and turned to Harry.
"I thought you said you had a detention," she accused. She clearly knew that something was up. She looked at Snape, her eyes fiery. "I will come back later," she said, and sped from the room.
Snape watched her go, a strange look on his face. He blinked and looked at Harry.
"Well, Potter? I believe I told you to take a seat," he sneered, back to his usual self. Harry moved to take a seat, but Snape had already raised his wand.
"Legilimens," he murmured, catching Harry unawares.
Images and flashes of memory assaulted Harry's mind, coming to rest on the one memory he had been recalling all day. The scene from the park played in his mind, slowing down as Snape watched it with interest. Harry could feel him probing for more information, intrigued at the surprise and fear radiating off of Harry. Harry knew he couldn't let Snape see that memory and so he yelled the first spell that came to his mind. It was a shield that his conversation with Caydon Augustus had reminded him about, the one in Parseltongue.
The effect was instant. Harry felt Snape's presence leave his mind, but he was still seeing memories, blurring his vision. He realised it had happened again, that he had invaded Snape's memories as he had last year. But now he found that he didn't want to stop. He felt Snape's surprise mingling with his own, and Snape's attempts to push him out. But there must have been one memory that was to the fore of his consciousness and it slipped through his defences. Beyond the mundane and everyday thoughts that Snape must have shown to Voldemort was another, far darker memory.
A dark haired woman lay on the ground, clearly dead, screams dying in the background and the sound of a baby crying permeating the thick darkness of the night. The Snape in the memory approached the woman, kneeling down beside her. He heard a whispered name followed by silence, though his shaking hands reached out to cup her face. The sound of a baby crying came again and Snape looked up, the hood of his Death Eater's robes hanging off of his shoulders.
But the vision ended there as Harry was thrown out of the memory and confronted by a pale and snarling Snape.
"Did I not tell you," he uttered slowly, "never to do that again?"
Harry sat still, unsure of what to say.
"It was the first spell that came to my mind," he said.
"Where did you learn that spell, Potter?" asked Snape, avoiding the previous subject of the memory. Maybe he had known it was unavoidable that Harry would pierce his defences at some point, but he seemed keen to talk of other things. Harry however, was wary of the question.
"I found it somewhere," he replied simply.
"That is a Dark Arts spell, Potter," spat Snape. "You would not have found it in any book in the Hogwarts library."
"No. I didn't," stated Harry shortly. "But it is a defensive spell, not a Dark spell."
"I would think, Potter," Snape sneered, "that I would know more about that than you, don't you think?"
Harry didn't answer and Snape dropped the subject.
"I will ask you not to use shield spells again. You will attempt to force me out of your mind with will power, instead of using magic. Legilimens."
Harry failed again and again, after that, forced to resort to spells to evade Snape's attempts. After half an hour of practicing, Snape finally accessed a memory that Harry didn't want him to see. But Harry was too tired after this rigorous lesson to block Snape any more, and he waited as Snape watched it freely.
It was over within a minute, but Harry felt the pain of it all over again. He had managed, for the last few weeks at least, to put it from his mind, but Snape had come along and opened it up like a raw wound.
When Snape withdrew on his own, Harry looked down at the floor, not meeting his eye.
"You may go," he said, and Harry fled. He didn't care what Snape thought. For all he cared Snape could sit there and laugh at him if he wanted. It wasn't the fact that it was Snape that knew, specifically, it was that he hadn't wanted anyone to know. He hadn't even told Ron and Hermione that he was never going back to Privet Drive, but now Snape knew, and Harry knew that Snape would use it against him.
Harry hurried back to Gryffindor tower not watching where he was going, and as a result he crashed into someone waiting just out of site of the portrait hole.
Harry mumbled a 'sorry' and pushed past them, intent on getting to his dorm, but the person spoke to him.
"Harry."
Harry stopped and turned to face her, knowing what was coming.
"Katherine. What do you want?"
"I want to know why my- why Snape is teaching you Occlumency," she said, and Harry knew she wouldn't be dissuaded. Then again, he didn't really see why she couldn't know. It surprised him slightly that she had comprehended Snape's words for what they were, however.
"He isn't," said Harry.
Katherine's face hardened.
"I know what I saw, Harry."
Harry sighed. He couldn't risk her knowing. He had no proof that his theory was correct but maybe it was time to take a chance. And then he remembered something, something that he should have realized the moment he heard it. He recalled Snape's memory, striving to remember the details that he hadn't really been paying attention to. It was the name that did it; the one that the Snape has whispered ever so quietly, so quietly that Harry had barely heard it.
"You know," he began, "when I look at you, I don't see what everyone else sees."
Katherine laughed out loud, but it had no humour in it. When she stopped she looked at Harry and her gaze held no mirth.
"If that is some cheesy pick-up line, Potter, then you can forget it, because I am not in the mood."
If the situation hadn't been so serious, Harry would have laughed as well, but he remained serious.
"No," he said, "what I'm saying is, when I look at you, I see a Snape."
Harry saw a split second of hesitation on her face before she denied what he'd said, looking at him as though he were being extremely rude.
"I don't know what you're talking about," she spat, but Harry felt her insecurity.
"I guess I was wrong about you," said Harry, his voice tight. "I won't mention it again." He turned to go, but felt her hand on his arm. He looked down at it and she withdrew it quickly.
"How…how do you know?" she asked, her voice hushed. "No one's supposed to know."
Harry sighed and turned back to her.
"He's your father," he said, and though it was a statement he hoped for her to confirm it. She did.
"Yes. But please, you can't tell anyone!"
As Harry looked at her he realised that this was not the proud, self-assured, calm and slightly snobbish Katherine that he had known before. Now she was vulnerable, maybe even frightened that he would give away her secret.
"I haven't told anyone yet, and I wasn't planning to. I know what could happen."
Katherine visibly sagged with relief. Harry hadn't notice how tense she was.
"How long have you know?" she asked.
"I've been fairly certain for a while now. I've suspected since I first saw you together."
"But- how? You said you don't see what others see when you look at me."
Harry wasn't sure how far he wanted to go with this, but he owed her an explanation.
"I can't see your glamour."
Katherine frowned.
"Why not?"
Harry hesitated.
"I can't tell you. And you can't tell anyone either."
Katherine nodded, seemingly back to normal.
"What about my father?"
"Definitely not him," Harry confirmed.
Definitely nobody who knows about the prophecy, he thought.
"So why is he teaching you Occlumency?" she asked.
"So that Voldemort can't see inside my head," Harry said.
Katherine nodded, not alarmed by his abrupt answer.
"He taught me as well, when I was younger. I've never had to use it."
"I can't really seem to get the hang of it, though. I still see things."
"Is it bad?" she asked, curious.
Harry didn't feel like going into it. The dreams had gotten worse since he had been bitten. His mind was weaker and he seemed more in tune with the Dark side of Voldemort.
"Sometimes it isn't so bad. Sometimes it's just meetings, and he talks to his Death Eaters. I can only see stuff when he's really emotional, like when he goes on an attack," Harry murmured, leaning back against the wall. "I see him murder people sometimes; children, babies, whole families. And the Death Eaters, they're no better. They abuse the women and torture children. They do it for fun and it makes me sick." Harry shook his head, remembering some of the dreams he had had.
They stood in silence for a moment before Katherine voiced what he had been thinking earlier.
"Our conversations never turn out happily, do they?"
Harry gave a cynical laugh.
"Well, that's what you get when two people with bad histories and lots of secrets talk," he joked.
Katherine laughed, throwing her head back and in that instant, Harry found himself suddenly unavoidably and desirably attracted to her.
Before he knew what he was doing, he had pressed his lips to hers, silencing her laugh and causing her eyes to drift shut. He pushed her gently backwards against the wall and out of sight, her body pressed to his. His hands found her waist and he deepened the kiss, hungry for more. But he found himself too hungry. There was a foreign feeling coursing through his veins, one that he identified as lust, and he couldn't control it.
His lips left her mouth, travelling over her cheek and past her ear. Her hands that had been around his neck went to his chest, pushing him away slightly, but he pushed forward against her.
"Harry…" she murmured, as his lips found a vein pulsing in her neck, pleasingly warm. "Harry!"
What happened next was possibly the only thing that stopped him from going further. He felt a sudden sensation in his mouth and felt something smooth gliding over the inside of his lip. The sensation startled him and he pulled away from her, spinning around with a hand over his mouth.
"Oh, Merlin! Temperamental, temperamental…" he muttered.
"Harry, what's wrong?" asked Katherine, trying to see his face. He shrugged her hand off of his shoulder as he tried to calm down, feeling the elongated teeth under his lip. He felt them slowly recede with slight ache and turned back to face her, and apology on his lips. Instead, she stepped back in surprise, her eyes widening.
"Harry- your eyes…"
"What?" he asked, a stab of fear making his heart race faster.
"Your eyes- they're black."
Harry conjured a small mirror and gazed at his reflection, his eyes big black orbs with no hint of green. As he watched, the blackness slowly faded back to the normal colour and Harry vanished the mirror.
"I'm so sorry, Katherine. Look, I have to go…"
He turned to leave, but she grabbed his arm again.
"What happened to you, Harry?" she asked, concern evident on her face. Harry shook his head.
"I can't tell you, Katherine. I think you should just stay away from me for a while," he said.
"Why can't you tell me?" she challenged. "I just told you the biggest secret I have. I think I deserve something in return."
"That's different, I worked it out," said Harry. "No one can know what my secret is, so don't ask me."
Katherine glared at him and Harry laughed.
"What?"
"Your sneer. It's just like his," he said.
"Don't change the subject, Harry," she retorted. Then she added, more quietly. "Besides, you can't just kiss me and tell me it nothing."
Harry turned away.
"I told you I was sorry," he said. The feel of her soft skin on his lips had been intoxicating; the blood pulsing and throbbing temptingly and enticingly beneath them. He doubted he'd be able to stop if it happened again.
So he walked away, leaving her standing in the corridor next to the statue. She didn't call out, and for that Harry was glad. He knew she would have thought it weak and undignified and for a moment he hated that she was like that. He wanted her to come running after him and force the truth out of him, but he knew she would never do that, because that just wasn't her.
He climbed through the portrait hole and swept straight past Ron and Hermione and into his dormitory, where he climbed into bed and angrily thrust the curtains into place. He felt as though he would drown in the frustration that his secret held him in. It was like a vice, squeezing tighter and tighter, the force of each burden pushing harder and harder against him. And he was powerless to stop it.
oOoOo
"Do you think Harry's all right?" Hermione whispered softly, clinging to Ron's hand.
Ron sighed.
"He barely talks to me anymore, you know. He won't tell me what's bothering him."
"Maybe you should go up and talk to him. You're his best friend, I'm sure he'll listen to you if you try and talk to him."
"You are too, Hermione. He's just going through a rough time at the moment. He'll get through it, like he always does."
Hermione sighed, leaning her head against Ron's shoulder.
"How do you think he'll cope with all the parents coming tomorrow?" she asked.
"I'm not sure, I mean, he's pretty used to it but…"
"I'm sure your mum will stand in for his parents."
"I suppose, but Harry still won't accept it."
"I know," Hermione sighed, "but what else can we do?"
oOoOo
Harry laid bed contemplating the note that Malfoy had given him. Sunday night…tomorrow night. The date gave him a sink feeling and as he drifted off to sleep he realized why. The parents were arriving tomorrow.
oOoOo
A/N: I like this chapter and I hope you do too! Please, please, please review! Thankyou so much for reading- Wujjawoo
Chapter 13: Of Murder and Mayhem