Chapter 50 - To Be Guarded With Utmost Diligence
Harry stared at his wristwatch and sighed, Monday evening came all too quickly for his liking. He had always dreaded potions but the idea of personal lessons with Snape sounded like an all-time low. Walking slowly towards the dungeons, Harry mentally prepared himself. The books from the Black library, though questionable and unreliable in contents, did give him a vague idea of the challenge ahead.
The door to Snape's office was in front of him. He knocked twice and heard a sharp response.
"Enter."
Harry followed the order, turning the knob and stepping into Snape's office, closing the door behind him. Snape was seated behind his desk, marking a stack of Potions essays. With Harry's entrance, he banished away the essays with a flick of his wand and stood up.
"Occlumency, it is the magical branch of protecting your mind and sealing it from outside intrusions," Snape walked to the side of his office. "It is a very precise art and I do hope your incompetence in Potions is not carried over to this."
Harry grimaced at Snape's casual jab but he held his tongue, he had learned from observing Anne. Silence is golden. Snape looked at him expectantly before snorting dismissively, turning to a Pensive and pressing his wand against his temple. Harry watched as Snape pulled out a silvery substance with the tip of his wand. The substance was sent to the stone basin of the Pensive before Snape turned his attention back to Harry.
"What was that for?" Harry asked, unable to resist the urge.
"This is still a lesson and you will address me as 'sir' or 'Professor'," Snape replied coldly. "Now, draw your wand."
Harry was slightly puzzled, all that he could glean from the Black library was that Occlumency had nothing to do with the wand. Still, he was not turning down the offered handicap.
"What am I supposed to do… sir?"
"You will be attempting to stop me from breaking into your mind and I will see how well you fare. You may try to disarm me if necessary."
Harry squared up and raised his wand, but Snape struck before he was prepared.
"Legilimens."
The mental sledgehammer hit his head and soon, his vision of Snape's office dissolved away as images flashed before his eyes. He was five, being chased up the tree by one of Aunt Marge's bulldogs. He was standing in front of Ollivander, staring at his holly wand in awe. He was rushing down towards the ground, the roar of a Hungarian Horntail behind him.
No! These are not yours to look through, get out of my head, get out of my head.
Everything came flooding back as Harry fell onto the floor of Snape's office, resting on his hands and knees as he panted heavily. He looked at Snape, staring down at him impassively.
"Did you see all of that?" Harry grimaced.
"Only flashes, but a more skilled Legilimens like the Dark Lord would be able to pry everything he sees. Nonetheless, a fair attempt," Snape sneered. "You forced me out of your head, though your screaming was completely unnecessary. Still, it took too long and your effort is not strong enough."
"What am I even supposed to do?" Harry hissed, climbing back onto his feet. "There was no instruction about how I'm supposed to perform Occlumency."
"Empty your mind, Potter," said Snape. "Let go of all emotions and focus on preventing my intrusion. Your mind is to be guarded with utmost diligence."
Harry snorted mentally, Snape made it sound unnecessarily easy.
"Legilimens."
Snape struck again and Harry braced himself, trying to follow Snape's vague instructions.
Once more, his defences shattered and his vision blurred into memories. He was standing with a wand in hand, fire surrounded him, the warehouse and crates were burning. He was looking at a blurry shattered face, the figure jabbing its finger on the name Lucius Malfoy.
NO! GET OUT!
Harry felt the world spin as he was thrown onto his back. He grasped at the stone floor wildly, he could not believe the possibility never crossed his mind. Snape was not supposed to see that. Panicked eyes swivelled to Snape, who had held onto the edge of his desk for support. The Potions Master was staring at him, black eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"What was that?" Snape asked with a deathly softness.
"What was what?"
"Don't make a fool of me, Potter," Snape spat harshly. "You were brandishing your wand, surrounded by fire."
"That was not a wand," Harry lied quickly, hoping Snape failed to clearly see the memory. "It was before I entered Hogwarts, I was playing with sticks when a fire broke out in my uncle and aunt's neighbourhood."
"You are lying, Potter," Snape drew himself up. "You have not only broken the rules by sneaking out of Hogwarts, you have broken the law by performing underage magic outside of the school."
"How would you even know if that's during a school term?" Harry retorted. "And if it was a wand and I've used it, shouldn't the Ministry already know and expel me?"
Snape paused at Harry's rebuttal, his lips twisted into a sneer as he considered Harry's reasoning.
"Black, I thought he was already irresponsible enough," Snape muttered. "To think he would drag you along with his reckless adventure. That explains why he was so secretive about his jaunt."
Harry bristled slightly at Snape's false accusation, but if Snape was about to jump to the wrong conclusion, Harry was not stopping him. Sirius had volunteered to forward the vague details - whatever scraps of it there was - of Harry's escapade with Anya to the Order, mainly regarding Black Mark involvement with the Death Eaters.
"Leave and practice closing your mind," Snape composed himself. "I will find out if you have been practising. In the meantime, I will have words with the Headmaster."
Harry nodded sullenly, leaving the office hastily. He made his way back to the Gryffindor tower, thinking about the lesson. The ease at which Snape pried his thoughts was disturbing, but it paled in comparison when Harry thought about Voldemort. He gingerly raised a hand and touched his scar, remembering the words Anne had said.
Voldemort was inside him, and after his lesson with Snape, Harry could begrudgingly understand the reasons Dumbledore had for asking Snape to teach him Occlumency. There was just a glaring error in the Headmaster's plan, Harry knew he could never learn from Snape. It was tiring, feeling the immense pressure of the looming war pressing down on him but receiving aid that was not helpful.
"And how many fifteen year-olds can perform Occlumency?"
Harry remembered Moody's words and made his choice on the spot, quickening his pace. Entering the Gryffindor common room, he sprinted up to his dorm, pulling out the Marauder's Map from his trunk. Once he had gotten the information he needed, he hastily left the common room, muttering a quick excuse to Ron and Hermione who had been waiting for him.
"Anne," Harry greeted his sister in a corner of the library.
"Yes?" Anya replied, looking up from her Transfiguration essay.
"What can you tell me about Occlumency?"
XXXXX
Auror Sterling looked through the pages of parchment which Madam Bones had provided them months ago for their mission for the umpteenth time. His first thought - as always, given his Muggleborn background - was to wonder why the Wizarding World stuck adamantly to parchment. His second thought was of frustration. Aurors Andrew Rowlan and Issac Stanning, one murdered in Diagon Alley in the late summer, the other untrackable whenever he was off duty. Both suspected by Madam Bones of having their loyalties bought, forced or coerced by someone else. Not that Sterling could blame Madam Bones, he was just as convinced Andrew Rowlan - despite his death - had a part to play during the fiasco at Edinburgh.
It was almost a relief Andrew Rowlan was dead, or tracking both Aurors would have been a nightmare.
"The Snitch is moving," said Sterling's partner, Auror Lestrange.
Sterling's first thought - as always, given his Muggleborn status - was to smirk at the irony of the teamwork between him and a scion of the Sacred Twenty-Eight. His second thought was 'about damn time'. He watched as Auror Issac Stanning left the door of the DMLE, talking with several other Aurors. All of them bore the fresh rank of Auror Lieutenant.
"He sure made plenty of friends during his officer course," Sterling commented. "The lean one with brown hair and crooked nose, he seems like a new addition to Stanning's social circle."
"If he's actually bought by someone else, Madam Bones' going to have to do a lot of pruning," Lestrange muttered. "Come on."
"Purge, more like," Sterling snorted, vanishing the pages of parchment with a flick of his and following his senior.
"He took the Floo," said Lestrange. "Fireplace number ten."
Sterling reached into his robes and pulled out a piece of paper, it had a Protean Charm cast on it, connected to the entry logs in the Floo Network Authority. He scanned for the latest entry recorded for the appropriate fireplace.
"Griffin's Roost, pub in Godric's Hollow," Sterling grunted.
"Large wizarding community," Lestrange noted, drawing his wand and transfiguring his facial features. "Griffin's Roost is practically the main Floo destination for visitors of Godric's Hollow."
"High traffic?" Sterling asked, mirroring Lestrange's actions.
"Ashwinder eggs are in season," Lestrange replied, now completely disguised. "And Belby's largest branch is in Godric's Hollow."
As someone who still went to their local Tesco and Asda for groceries, Sterling could only stare at his colleague.
"Which means yes," Lestrange continued lamely upon seeing the look on Sterling's face. "He'll blend easily."
Maybe that was the reason Madam Bones had paired them together, one knew the Wizarding world intimately and the other likewise for the Muggle side. It had been useful in tracking Stanning, who seemed to use both worlds to disappear from their watch. Sterling was already suspicious, Stanning was Pureblood - albeit no from an old family - but he seemed to navigate the Muggle world too well for Sterling's taste, especially after seeing the few occasions Lestrange stumbled during Muggle interactions despite the Senior Auror's experience.
"You take the vantage point," said Lestrange. "I'll be on the ground."
Sterling nodded and disapparated, reappearing at the top of the local church in Godric's Hollow, the highest point in the village. He brought out his omnioculars and began observing the pub, despite not being intimately familiar with Wizarding geography, his Auror training and duties still gave him an adequate knowledge.
The copper plate linked via Protean Charm on his wrist grew warm and he took a quick glance. Snitch leaving via side door. He readjusted his position, watching the aforementioned door. The door opened and Sterling could see their quarry exit the pub, walking out to the rows of quiet cottages. Stanning twisted on the disapparated, Sterling gave a small sigh of frustration, this was normally how their quarry slipped from their surveillance, it was nigh impossible to track the signature left behind.
He pointed his wand at the copper plate on his wrist and sent his message. Snitch disapparated.
Rendezvous at Snitch's disapparition point.
Sterling apparated to the spot Stanning had been standing on, waiting as Lestrange joined up with him.
"Tagged him with a tracking spell," said the older Auror.
"We've tried that before," Sterling replied, remembering a fruitless day some time ago.
"Not the one taught by the DMLE," Lestrange shook his head. "One of my family's spells."
Sterling arched an eyebrow, he had long accepted that facet of Purebloods in wizarding culture. At least this Lestrange was a trusted colleague rather than two certain mass murdering brothers who escaped from Azkaban.
"Carry on then," Sterling nodded. "I'll cover you."
Lestrange got to work, waving his wand in complicated charm work as he deciphered the leftover signature of Stanning's Disapparition. Following leftover signatures was a tricky business, Apparition was out of the window if the destination was unfamiliar and Lestrange had shared enough stories where Aurors got ambushed by blindly following the destination of a leftover signature. They would not portkey to the exact end point of the Disapparition, but that was the point of a tracking spell courtesy of Lestrange.
"Got it," said Lestrange, conjuring a glove and casting the Portkey Charm. "Portus. Here, grab on."
They grabbed the glove and they disappeared once more. Appearing in a busy Muggle street, the pair checked and secured their surroundings before Lestrange led the way. They weaved through the crowds of Muggles who were rushing home from work. Sterling could barely make out the back of Stanning, who had transfigured his robes to suit the Muggle environment.
Sterling gave his partner a nod and both of them disapparated, repositioning themselves around their quarry, casting Disillusionment Charms as they went. Stanning stopped at an alleyway before disapparating once more. The two Aurors moved to the now empty alleyway, Lestrange beginning to decipher the leftover signature once more.
"What in Merlin's name," Lestrange frowned, waving his wand.
"What happened?"
"I can't get a reading," Lestrange muttered. "The charm is giving more noise than actual information."
"That… shouldn't be happening," said Sterling. "Background magic?"
"We're in a Muggle environment," Lestrange shook his head.
"Finite," Sterling jabbed his wand in the air, feeling the pulse of magic radiate from his wand. "Try again."
"No, still no reading," said Lestrange after a minute.
"This is very inconvenient, and too much of a coincidence."
It took another two attempts.
"Strange, I can get a reading from the leftover signature now," Lestrange waved his wand, numbers and symbols hovering in the air.
"Sure the destination results aren't tempered?"
"Doesn't look like it," Lestrange replied, casting another Portkey Charm on the glove. "Come on."
One more portkey later and they were now in a forest, the two Aurors taking cover behind trees.
"Another problem."
Sterling looked at his colleague, the floating wand which had been pointing at Stanning during their tracking was now spinning.
"Your spell fell off?"
"It shouldn't," Lestrange narrowed his eyes. "My family's unsavoury spells are made up for with its effectiveness."
"The Snitch must have detected the spell," Sterling concluded. "Which brings up more questions regarding the 'hows and 'whys', makes me suspect the delay caused during the leftover signature was intentional."
"We'll need access to the National Ward Grid if we want to keep this up," said Lestrange.
"That," Sterling pointed at his colleague. "Makes me worry more about Madam Bones' suspicions."
XXXXX
"National Ward Grid disruption up," a Spook informed him. "Our person should be approaching anytime soon."
"Good," Leo replied crisply, leaning back on the bench.
The Spook vanished from thin air, leaving Leo alone to his thoughts. Edinburgh had been successful, the British Auror Rowlan doing his job before being murdered. Grey had to be watched, but that had always been the case, Leo was grateful it was just the nephew Nathaniel who was in Britain. Sergei was a sleeping giant, but sleeping nonetheless.
"Leo," the British Auror approached him, walking down the park footpath. "I didn't think you would be meeting me personally."
"But I am," Leo replied, taking out a pocket watch. "You're on time."
He pressed on the crown of the pocket and watched as more dials appeared, the timepiece turning into the magic spectrometer all Spooks used as sensory equipment. He had the entire park concentrated with neutral magic. If magic could be likened to colours, many things stood out easier in a white background.
"And you're being tracked," Leo mentioned casually, drawing his wand.
Stanning stiffened as Leo cast a counterspell.
"Sorry, I didn't realise," Stanning apologised.
"It matters not," Leo shrugged. "We have enough time and distance from whoever it is, enough for you to finish what you're here for and enough for my people to prepare for their arrival. But we are not here to discuss you being tracked."
"Everything is here," Stanning took out a folder, handing it to Leo. "Ward schematics and guard rotations."
XXXXX
"Harry, one of the things about Occlumency is that you would normally learn it from someone who has mastered Legilimency," Anya sighed, twirling her pen. "Legilimency is not something I know, and the way Snape hammers it in is a crude but effective method."
"Nonetheless," Anya raised her hand, cutting off Harry's reply. "Your concern over Snape digging through your memories is valid, and learning Occlumency without Legilimency is possible, albeit unorthodox."
"So you're going to teach me?" Harry said eagerly.
"No, I'll attempt to teach you," Anya replied blandly.
"Sure," Harry snorted at his sister's wordplay, beginning to rise from his seat. "Are we heading over to the Room of Requirement?"
"No need," said Anya casually. "We can do it here."
Harry looked around them, the library was not too far from closing but there were still a great number of students studying. Anya was not bothered by the potential witnesses, choosing instead to draw out a long script of runes on a roll of parchment. Harry sat back down, fidgeting slightly.
"Where do we start?"
"You mentioned you needed a long time to actually force Snape out?"
Harry nodded.
"That is active Occlumency. On the other end of the spectrum is passive Occlumency, where you don't necessarily force a Legilimens out but neither do you… bend over, so to speak."
"Why even bother with passive?" Harry asked.
"A good passive Occlumency can be undetectable to a Legilimens, but that's beside the point," Anya waved her hand distractedly. "The thing to take note of is that using active Occlumency and fighting the Imperius Curse have similarities."
"Yeah, Snape said the same thing."
"So we'll be practising using the Imperius Curse."
"In here?" Harry hissed, looking around the library. "Anne, are you crazy?"
"No," Anya tapped on the roll of parchment she was writing on. "These runes should mask anything trying to pick up dark magic. Occlumency has a lot to do with self-control, if you happen to scream… well, the library is an incentive to control yourself."
"What I'm about to teach you first is a cheap, dirty method," Anya drew her wand. "Remember when Professor 'Moody' had us under the Imperius Curse for Defence lessons?"
"Yeah, you bit your own hand." Harry chuckled, thinking back to a time when he had only suspected Anne's identity.
"Self-inflicted pain, with a mental push, can throw off most mind-related magic," Anya stated simply. "So… practice."
"What? Biting my hand?"
"Don't think of anything but the pain. If you can develop the mental fortitude to repeatedly bite your own hand willingly, you develop the same mental fortitude for Occlumency."
Harry blinked in disbelief, looking at his hand and then at Anya. His sister had no trace of humour on her face. Taking a deep breath, he placed his left hand in between his jaw. A nod from Anya and he shut his jaw tight, the sharp pain prompting him to quickly let go. Harry hissed in pain, staring down at the bruised hand where his teeth had failed to draw blood.
"Not bad," Anya commented. "Again."
"Are you out of your mind?" Harry groaned, waving his hand. "Look at this."
"Then it's good practice for your healing spells," Anya replied nonchalantly.
Harry noted the sick method of training his sister employed, grumbling as he drew his wand. The strange process repeated several times until Anya finally pointed her wand.
"Now throw off the Imperius."
The disconcertingly familiar sensation of the Imperius Curse washed over him and he moved, the rough bite on his hand drawing blood as he thought about the pain and throwing the curse off. It worked disturbingly well as Harry felt the curse being shoved away, the serene peace replaced with the glaring pain in his hand.
"That's a start," Anya nodded with a slight grin. "I'll be ramping up the strength of the Imperius with each successive round."
Like most of the time they spent together, the twins did not care about the curfew, with Anya putting Harry through his paces. Harry returned back to his bed in the Gryffindor tower mentally exhausted, but much more satisfied.
"Same place, tomorrow evening."
It was the first time Anya initiated a meeting, Harry certainly noted the increase in warmth she showed after Christmas. She was definitely a much better teacher than Snape could ever be, if only Sirius and her were the ones teaching him how to survive this coming war.
XXXXX
"Creativity is tolerable, Potter, but it will not help you in your sleep. By the next session, I expect you to do it the right way," Snape sneered. "Now get out."
Harry nodded jerkily and headed for the door as soon as possible. Leaving Snape's office, Harry let out an unamused snort, drawing his wand and cleaning up his bleeding hand.
"Expects me to 'do it the right way' but doesn't tell me what's the right way," Harry muttered, wincing in pain as he healed the bite on his hand.
Anne's small lesson had been disturbingly useful. Harry had been very hesitant at first, but with the looming prospect of having Snape enter his mind again, he had to do something. Choosing between Snape's 'empty your mind' - whatever that entailed - and Anne's crude but tangible suggestion, Harry opted for the person he trusted more.
His ability to throw Snape out of his mind jumped tremendously since the first lesson, and when an irate Snape told him to keep his hands away from his mouth, Harry merely resorted to biting his own tongue. It was a very painful method but Harry felt it was worth seeing the look on Snape's face.
However, Snape was not wrong in saying that the method he learnt from Anne was not helpful in keeping out the strange dreams he had been having. Rather, the dreams seemed to have increased in frequency. It was the same dream, of him walking down a hallway, shelves of orbs surrounding him. Then again, those dreams had been increasing in frequency for months, Harry had long assumed the two incidents to be unrelated.
As he came around a corner, Harry saw the back of two students at the end of the corridor, likely Slytherins as he was still in the dungeons. He let out a small gasp as he came upon a realisation, prompting him to dash towards the two students who seemed to be heading away from the Slytherin common room.
"An-Anya?"
"Harry," Anya nodded in reply, Astoria standing beside her as the two girls stopped in their tracks. "Just finished your lessons with Professor Snape?"
"Yeah," said Harry, noting Anya's Muggle attire.
"Lessons with Snape?" Astoria asked.
"Remedial Potions," Harry replied automatically. "Where are the two of you going?"
"None of your concern," Anya said evenly.
"Is Greengrass following you?"
"No," Anya gave a slight shake of her head as the Astoria gave her senior a small glare. "In fact, she should be returned to the common room."
"You owe me one," Astoria sighed, rolling her eyes as she headed back in the direction of the Slytherin common room.
Anya nodded, giving a slight grin before she broke into brisk steps. Harry immediately followed suit, walking alongside her.
"I can come along," Harry stated bluntly.
"No offence, Harry," Anya snorted. "If I had to bring someone along, I would rather choose Astoria. Besides, it's none of your concern."
"I remember some things, you let me remember some things," Harry hissed. "The Death Eaters are my concern. The Black Mark is your enemy, the Death Eaters are mine. We can work together."
"Not the point," Anya replied tersely, an edge to her voice.
"I can help," Harry insisted, quickening his steps to match Anya's increasing pace. "What if you get injured?"
"I could say the same for you," Anya replied, glaring at Harry.
"You let me help you the last time, you even let me keep some of that memory" Harry pressed. "Why not this time?"
"This time is different," Anya retorted.
"There's nothing wrong with another person watching your back."
"There's many things wrong with having…" Anya grimaced, the rest of her sentence giving way to a sigh.
She did not say another word as they left Hogwarts, heading in the direction of the Whomping Willow. The pattern was familiar to Harry, sneaking under the tree and making their way to the Shrieking Shack. Anya stopped at the doorway of the Shrieking Shack, facing Harry.
"Harry… just go back," Anya murmured.
Harry stared at Anya in disbelief, seeing the cold hard stare in her eyes.
"I'm not leaving you," Harry said again, eyeing Anya's left hand which slipped into the pocket of her jacket.
A flicker of emotions passed by Anya's face before she heaved a sigh and grabbed Harry's arm. Harry looked in puzzlement as Anya spun on the spot before he felt the sensation of being sucked and sent through a tube. His world turned upside down as he was sent landing onto a concrete pavement.
"Was that Apparition?" Harry moaned.
"Yes."
"When did you learn that?"
"Been trying to learn it for some time, just nailed it during the Christmas holidays."
Crawling to his feet, Harry saw Anya walking out towards the main street of a Muggle city, turning back once to give him a raised eyebrow.
XXXXX
"Empty," said Sterling, looking through a pair of omnioculars. "Figures, we took too long, Snitch would have left long ago."
Sterling looked to his partner for instructions. Lestrange had raised his wand, waving it as he muttered an incantation. Sterling felt a ripple in the air as his partner cast his spell.
"The place is still rich in magic," Lestrange reported. "If we happen to be lucky and Stanning is sloppy, there'll be breadcrumbs for us to follow."
Sterling nodded, following Lestrange to the Muggle park and beginning their work. It was tedious and monotonous, Sterling half expected to return to Madam Bones empty handed once more. However, he was brought out from his thoughts when Lestrange signalled him over.
"What is it?" Sterling asked.
"Portkey signature," Lestrange replied, his wand pointed at a dim ball of blue light. "Very faint."
"We can't be that lucky," Sterling noted. "We should head back to Madam Bones, or send a Patronus. We'll need backup."
"How many do you think Madam Bones could spare?" Lestrange asked.
Sterling felt a sigh raising up this throat, the Auror Corps had been underfunded and undermanned for years. Coupled with the fact that their target was a fellow Auror, he could see what Lestrange meant. The answer was none, it was going to be tough.
"Well… there's-"
Sterling stopped halfway as he noticed a disturbance in his periphery. A thunderclap nearly deafened his ears as the incantation left his lips. His Shield Charm barely held as a spell ricochet, throwing him off balance. The next several minutes turned into chaos.