"Mr. Potter, Dumbledore requests that you be at his office after lunch. I shall accompany you and await your presence near the entrance of the Great Hall."
Harry nodded politely, watching silently as Professor McGonagall returned to her spot at the teacher's table.
"What was that all about?" Ron leaned in and whispered.
"Probably about my Occlumency lessons with Snape, or lack thereof." Harry returned to eating his lunch, dropping the matter entirely.
Hermione, however, didn't seem too keen on letting it go so easily, "How are you going to tell Professor Dumbledore?"
A shrug was all Harry could respond with, focusing on his plate and not letting his eyes near anyone at the teacher's table, especially not at Dumbledore or Snape.
After lunch, Harry exited the Great Hall, where Professor McGonagall stood, waiting.
"Ready, Mr. Potter?" Her question was met with a slight nod from the Boy-who-lived.
The walk to the headmaster's office was a quiet one, the halls filled with the footsteps of both student and teacher. As they arrived Professor McGonagall uttered the password towards the guarding golem, "Blood Pops."
As the statue gave way to the stairs, Harry followed closely, and as the door swung open, it revealed the sitting headmaster. Waiting, with his fingers steepled in front of him.
"Ah, Professor McGonagall and Mr. Potter. Please, do enter."
Both entered, Harry with slight trepidation. He stood in front of the headmaster, looking at him but not meeting his eyes.
A gentle smile arose from the ageing wizard, "Good morning, Harry. Lemon drop?"
Dumbledore gestured to the bowl of sweets on the table, Harry quickly responded, "No thank you, sir."
A nod and gesture towards the comfort chair in front him, Dumbledore waited patiently for Harry to settle in and be comfortable.
"Now, Harry. I believe that Professor Snape had some… Difficulties teaching you occlumency?"
The urge to scoff was strong, but Harry was somehow able to withstand it, "Yes sir."
A sigh of disappointment emitted from Dumbledore's lips, "I see, I had hoped that he could see the benefit of teaching you the necessary art to protect your mind and be able to let go of his grudges, if only until you had learned what he had to teach. Alas, it seems it was for naught."
Harry nodded, although he mentally laughed at the idea that Snape could let go of hating him for even a second.
"If you don't mind me asking, sir. How come you can't teach me?"
The inquiry was met with a smile from the old man, "I admit that I am spread a bit too thin nowadays, especially with Professor Umbridge's actions of recent times."
Professor McGonagall bristled at that statement, "More like her constant badgering of the teachers. Honestly Albus, she has been quite the annoyance as soon as she stepped foot in Hogwarts."
"Now, it is not polite to say such words, Professor McGonagall. Especially in front of a student." Dumbledore calmly said, although it was evident that he too had the same thoughts.
Returning his attention to Harry, Dumbledore started to speak, "Now, I requested your presence to ask of you; if you are willing to let Professor Snape teach you once more. It is important that you learn Occlumency as quickly as possible, so that you may curb the visions that Voldemort has been giving you, intentionally or not."
'Now or never.' Harry thought, stoking himself up for what was to come.
"Actually sir, I think I don't need Snape to teach me Occlumency anymore."
That intrigued Dumbledore, who leaned forward in interest, "And why ever not, Harry?"
For the first time since he arrived, Harry met Dumbledore's gaze, who in turn realised what Harry was implying and took the chance to check on his mental fortitude.
And the leader of the light's surprise was shown clearly on his face.
"You've developed a block." Dumbledore stated, looking pleasantly astonished.
A nod was all Harry responded with, leaving Dumbledore to silently mull over this piece of news. After a while, he spoke up, "Well, no point in having Professor Snape teach you anymore, it seems. Do you mind divulging as to whom has taught you in his stead?"
"A trusted friend, sir." Harry let the silence drone on, not letting up any new information.
Seeing the young boy's reluctance to further explain himself, Dumbledore tried to get the ball rolling, "And, who is this friend?"
Harry, however, was not budging, "Someone I trust completely sir, isn't that enough?"
"Of course, but we can not be too safe, I think it would be best if you introduce me to this friend of yours, to see if they are acceptable in further teaching you Occlumency."
Dumbledore said, as if Harry would see his point of view and follow his order.
"I'm sorry sir, but no."
A pin could have been heard from the top of the astronomy tower from how silent the room had gotten.
An expression of shock was on Dumbledore's face, along with a hint of disappointment, "Harry, I must insist that you let me meet your friend. It is imperative that we make sure that they can be trusted."
His words slightly irked Harry, "Isn't my word alone good enough, sir?"
"Mr. Potter, I don't know what has gotten into you but I'm sure the headmaster has your best interest at heart." McGonagall started but Harry cut her off.
"Really, Professor? I find that hard to believe." The bottled up feelings he had collected during the summer had finally erupted, "You say he has my best interest at heart, then was it in my best interest to be alone, right after experiencing the death of someone I had grown close to, and witnessing the return of my parent's murderer. A whole summer with my "relatives" who couldn't care less whether I end up dead on the curb or ran over. And to top it all off, having to go through everybody thinking I'm some sort of lunatic."
Harry was close to tears but he didn't relent in the slightest, "And Umbridge, God, do you even know what she's done in this castle!? You should take a look at Madam Pomfrey's records, see how many students have been asking for healing lotions or asking her for cures for curse scars. And you stand there, and say that Headmaster Dumbledore has my best interest at heart."
The sound of Harry's ragged breathing filled the room, trying his best to blink by the tears that threatened to fall. Professor McGonagall looked on with a sad and regretful look in her eyes, whilst Dumbledore solemnly took his words with his head down.
Harry stood up, getting the attention of both the inhabitants of the room.
"And despite all of that, I still think you did have my best interest. Because I trusted you, and now I'm just asking you to trust me in return."
The shining eyes of Dumbledore gave Harry the impression that he had gone through to his heart, and his next words only confirmed this fact.
"Of course, Harry. You may leave, thank you for giving us your time."
Harry nodded politely at him and Professor McGonagall, before taking his leave. Leaving two silent people in his wake.
"Albus, I-" McGonagall started but Dumbledore lifted his hand, silencing the Scottish witch.
"There are many days that I have felt the age gap between me and the current generation, and now I believe I felt it today most of all." He took his glasses off and massaged the bridge of his nose, "Please, keep an eye on young Harry, but do not make him think that we are intruding on his private space. I shall meet Madam Pomfrey and see if Harry is correct."
Professor McGonagall nodded and walked her way out of his office, before stopping at the doorway, "Albus, take this as a reminder that even though he may be a young man, he is anything but."
With her final parting words sinking in, she walked away, leaving the old wizard to ponder on his decisions.
Harry ambled his way towards the Room of Requirement, taking his time to mull over what had happened earlier. He hoped that with his actions, that it could get Professor McGonagall and Headmaster Dumbledore to actually do something with Umbridge, though he knew their hands were also tied due to ministry interference, but as long as they were aware, that was enough; maybe they could help him and Lilith with taking Umbridge down.
He entered the room, not surprised by the presence of Lilith, sitting on a couch waiting for him to return from his meeting with Dumbledore. Seeing him enter, she went up to him with a worried expression.
"How did it go?" She asked him, pulling him towards the couch.
"Well, I'm still a Hogwarts student, if that's what you're worried about." His joke elicited a laugh out of her, he then found his head laid upon her lap.
She rolled her eyes in response to the questioning look he gave Lilith, "Don't look at me that way. You need a moment to rest before we even begin to continue our Occlumency training."
He didn't deign to fight back, instead taking it in stride and closing his eyes. Letting her ministrations on his head of hair take him into nirvana. The ambient sounds of the fire crackling and the air wafting around bringing further relaxation.
The onslaught of sleep clouding his mind brought him to the memory of how their first Occlumency session went…
"Now, Snape had the right idea when he said to clear your mind, but not the whole "forcefully ripping his way into it" bit."
They were in the Room of Requirement, the room changing to Lilith's will. A lone couch with some scented candles on a table beside it, and two chairs facing one another, where they both sat.
Lilith resumed in her teaching, "The regular method is to go to your happy place; essentially just making it so your mind isn't as clouded and making it easier to notice and fight back against my attack. Now I want you to take your time and just signal to me when you're ready, and I'll test your defence."
A anxious nod was all Harry could muster. He closed his eyes tight and tried his best to follow her instructions; thinking of the great blue sky as he rode his trusty Firebolt, the wind sweeiping his hair, the cheer of the crowd. When he felt he was ready, he gave an "okay" sign to Lilith and he heard her whisper out, "Legilimens!"
When Snape had bellowed out the spell, Harry was immediately hit by a full brunt of magic entering his mind. This time, however, he could feel the magic sneaking in and sweeping the forefront of his mind. It was an odd feeling, it was like a finger was just hovering over his forehead, not touching but ever so close. The tendril of magic began seeping in and he tried his best to create some sort of wall…
All it took was a slight touch and his mind spilled out.
Harry hunting, the cupboard, Professor Quirrell, the Basilisk biting his arm, The one hundred dementors and Wormtail escaping, the lifeless corpse of Cedric Diggory, ghe blade cutting into his arm, watching in horror as Voldemort rose out of the cauldron…
After a second that felt like eternity, he recoiled out of pure force as Lilith quickly escaped from his mind. The room began to fill with the sound of sobbing, but not from the mouth of Harry, but from Lilith's.
Harry darted out of his chair and tried his best to comfort Lilith, holding her in his arms to give her the reassurance she needed; but the sobbing continued, her body shaking from trying to catch her breath.
"How… How can they do that to you!?" Harry wasn't sure who she was implying, but he could guess that she didn't mean anyone specific.
"It's in the past." Harry muttered out, not trusting his voice. Lilith shook her head violently, before hugging Harry back with as much force as a bear.
"How are you so calm!? I mean, I'm the one crying here!"
Harry patted her in the back, partly to comfort her, partly to let her hold relax a bit as he was slowly starting to lose the ability to breath. Fortunately, Lilith let up and look at him at arms length, with tears staining her cheeks.
"My life has had its fair share of bad moments, but it hasn't been all bad. I met Ron, Hermione, Hagrid, Neville, Luna, Ginny, Sirius, and most importantly, you. If going through all that meant meeting you, I'd do it all over again."
Had anyone else said that, she would have doubted them, but Lilith didn't doubt for a second that Harry meant every word of it and that urged her to bear hug him once again, this time with a teary smile on her face.
"Urk! Lilith, air, air!" Harry gasped out. Lilith let go of him once again and smiled sheepishly. Harry attempted to catch his breath but the pull of his hand quickly abolished that idea. It was when she pushed him on the sofa and sat right next to his head that he looked up in confusion. All Lilith did was pat her lap lightly, and Harry smothered a smile; with a tiny jump, he landed his head on her lap and made no attempt to restrain the feeling of soft fingers caressing his scalp. This moment brought him back go their first unofficial/official date, when everything he could have wanted was there; a quiet place, delicious food, and the love of his life, caressing his head so softly.
If life were a cartoon, a light bulb would have appeared atop of Harry's head.
"Wait, let me try one more time. I think I've got it." Harry jumped to his feet and quickly sat down on the chair. Lilith for her part, was slightly hesitant to get inside Harry's head once more, in lue of the sobbing session she just had, but she took the seat across from him and nodded, to signal to him to prepare for her attack.
Harry closed his eyes and envisioned what he thought would definitely work, and…
Tang!
The cognitive sound that his mind palace emitted rang in his head. His imaginary wall, which he envisioned to be made of solid steel, stood strong against Lilith's advances. The tendril of magic attacked a few more times, but nothing changed. Harry's wall stood firm.
With a satisfied smile, Lilith retracted her Legilimens and patted him on the head, "It's stronger. Not sure if it's strong enough to withstand someone as strong as Voldemort, but it's a good start. At least you'll have a fighting chance."
Harry smiled, rolling his eyes good-naturedly at how she was treating him, as if he was a child - Although he certainly didn't mind it at all - and poked her in the belly, eliciting a surprised gasp out of the young P.I.
"It's just as you said; just gotta imagine my happy place and my mind clears out faster than people running out of a room full of dungbombs." Lilith snorted at his attempt at a joke and poked his head with her finger.
"I dunno, seems like my Legilimens may have done something to your sense of humour."
Harry retaliated by blowing a raspberry at her.
Ding! Ding!
The sound of the clock chime caught the attention of the couple.
"Looks like it's time." Lilith said.
"Yep." Harry simply replied, "Let's prepare the room, we'll have to catch them up to speed."
Ron stood near the painting of Barnabas The Barmy, waiting with his D.A. coin in his hands, flipping it up in the air every so often. The footsteps of a group approaching caught his attention, making him look up and see three Slytherins walking up to where he stood. He stared them down as they neared, the boy stepping out in front of the other two girls and making eye contact with him.
"Good evening, Weasley."
The curt and polite greeting made Ron's hair at the back of his neck stand up.
"Good evening, Zabini, Greengrass, Davis."
They all nodded at him, acknowledging his greeting.
The silence drone on, the oppressive tension in the air thickening amongst them.
Which promptly disappeared when Ron got cuffed on the back of his head.
"Gah! Bloody hell Mione', what was that for?!" Ron yelped out, rubbing the back of his head.
Hermione scoffed and fixed a hard glare at him, "That was for trying to intimidate them. Honestly Ronald, if Harry can trust them, then so can we."
The glare disappeared and was replaced with an apologising gaze placed upon the three of them, "I'm sorry. Let us formally introduce ourselves: I'm Hermione Granger, and this numbskull here is my boyfriend, Ron Weasley."
A cough from behind her caught the attention of the green-trimmed Hogwarts students.
"Neville Longbottom, nice to meet you." Neville said, smiling politely at them. The two girls on his right then made themselves known, or rather the blonde one was by waving her hand airily in the air.
"Luna Lovegood, a pleasure to make your acquaintance, and hopefully your friendship!" The smile on her face was as serene as her gaze.
"And I'm Ginny Weasley. Ditto what she said." Ginny stated, an easy air around her.
Blaise nodded, appreciating the lightened mood, "Blaise Zabini, nice to meet you all."
"Daphne Greengrass, good day." Daphne's near monotone was offset by the toothy grin Tracy was giving to them all.
"Tracy Davis! Nice to meet ya'll!
The mood had certainly taken a lighter tone, and the creaking of the door from across from them all signalled to them to enter. One by one, they entered the room; to be met with a circular table, with several chairs circling around the table and a large whiteboard filled with diagrams and text indiscernible to them all. The duo of the hour stood in front of the board, bright grins stretching across their faces.
"Welcome! Who wants to take down a toad?"
Harry's boisterous question was met with smiles all around.
"Then better sit down, we'll need to debrief all of you." Lilith stated, gesturing to the chairs.
The group sat down, with Hermione, Ron, Neville, Ginny, Luna, Blaise, Tracy, and Daphne, each taking a chair.
"I hope the plan is as good as the theatrics?" Blaise inquired, a teasing smile on his face. Harry responded by taking his wand out and waving it around the table, causing identical manila folders to appear in front of them. The writing and drawings became clearer, though it raised more questions than it did when it was all muddled.
"We're taking the toad down, why not have some fun with it?"
With that, the debriefing began.
And by the end of it, everyone had wide smiles on their faces.
"Everybody knows their tasks?"
Firm and excited nods was what Lilith and Harry got. Harry then shouted out, excitement and conviction enveloping his voice.
"Then Umbridge is dead meat. Operation Avalanche is a go!"
A/N: Hoo boy! The spice is finally here! Leave a review, and bonus points to anyone who can guess my brand new fixation. Hint: It's in this chapter, and very much in plain sight