Harry was the first one to wake the following morning. He'd slept well enough. He hadn't had nightmares since his first night back. He'd been too exhausted from school and detentions and dealing with all the emotions that came with it all. He was sure that wouldn't count with Snape though. But he didn't have to worry about it until 8pm. It was barely 8am. Harry knew he had quidditch practice to look forward too, and he should really make some headway on his homework.

But first breakfast. And maybe a walk through the grounds to help refresh himself. His first week had been so miserable he hadn't had the time to appreciate being back at Hogwarts. With that thought, Harry got ready as quietly as he could and made his way downstairs. He grabbed a pastry from the Great Hall and made his way outside. It was a beautiful day. Perfect quidditch weather. Harry didn't have any place in mind, so he wandered aimlessly in a random direction.

After a few minutes of walking in silence, enjoying not having to worry about anything for the time being, Harry heard someone call his name. He looked up, and realized he was walking past the owlry. Cho Chang was walking down the stairs. She waved at him when he looked. He waved back, and walked over to her.

"Hi Cho," Harry said brightly. "Sending a letter home already?" he added with a chuckle.

Cho laughed. It was a rather pretty laugh Harry thought. "I only just remembered when I woke up this morning that it was my mum's birthday. I had to hurry to send her a gift."

"At least you remembered," Harry said.

"Yeah," she replied. "What about you?"

"Oh I just came for a walk to get some fresh air," Harry answered. "Come on, I'll walk you back to the castle."

"Thanks, Harry," Cho said. They started walking back together, close enough for their shoulders touch. Harry thought it felt nice. "Hey, did Gryffindor ever find a new keeper?"

"Yeah, last night," Harry answered. "My mate Ron."

"One of the Weasleys? Is he any good?"

"Yes to the Weasley," Harry said. "I don't know about the being good part. I didn't get to go to tryouts. Detention." He shrugged his shoulders. "We have practice today, so I guess I'll find out soon enough."

"It's awful about Umbridge," Cho said quietly. "The whole school heard about what you did. About how you stood up for Ce…Cedric. It's awful the lies she's spewing." Cho stopped walking to look at Harry. "It was really brave, what you said."

"Thanks," Harry said quietly, unsure if he should say anything else. They walked a ways in silence. Harry took the time to try and sort out his thoughts. Cho had like Cedric. But it also seems that there is a possibility she likes me, he thought. She said I was brave. Harry glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes, and noticed how pretty she looked with the sun reflecting off of her hair. Maybe, he thought. Just maybe…before he could finish the thought, he looked back to the castle. He saw a familiar head of blond hair in one of the entryway windows. He turned back to Cho.

"Uh…hey Cho," Harry stuttered, trying to come up with something to say. Cho looked at him expectantly. "Uh…maybe we could get together and play quidditch sometime?" he asked finally. "I only ever get to play with my own team. It could be fun to play with someone else, and another seeker at that."

"Oh that sounds great Harry," Cho responded with a smile. "Maybe next weekend? If none of the other teams have the pitch?"

"Sounds good to me," Harry said. "We can work it out later this week?"

"Sure."

As the two of them made their way up the castle steps, Harry heard his name called out for the second time that morning. He looked up to see Ron waving at him. He said his goodbyes to Cho as she walked off to the Great Hall. Harry approached Ron

"What's up?" he asked.

"I was wondering if you would come practice with me," Ron said hesitantly. "You know, before I practice with the entire team."

Harry sighed. "I really need to make some headway on my homework. I didn't get a chance all week."

"We'll start tonight, promise," Ron said.

"I have an occlumency lesson with Snape tonight," Harry said.

"Oh," Ron replied, looking dejected.

Harry sighed again. He really couldn't just leave Ron hanging like that. It just wasn't in him. "Okay, okay. I'll go. But we spend all day tomorrow catching up on homework."

"You got it!" Ron said enthusiastically. "Promise mate." The two went upstairs and get their brooms before making their way to the pitch. They practiced for a couple hours, Ron standing in as chaser to Ron's keeper. Harry thought he wasn't half bad, but he could certainly use the practice. Maybe a bit of a confidence boost as well.

At lunchtime, they made their way back to the castle. They enjoyed their lunch while trying to ignore Hermione's lecture on their lack of work ethic. Afterwards, they went to the official quidditch practice, which in Harry's opinion was an unmitigated disaster.

Malfoy and his Slytherins spent the entire practice in the stands, offering their mocking commentary. The extra attention only made Ron's performance worse. As they trudged off the quidditch pitch, Harry saw Malfoy leave his friends to head back to the stands. Harry barely had time to register what he was doing, before he mumbled something to his teammates about forgetting something and turning to follow the blond.

He waited until he was sure everyone else, regardless of house, was out of earshot. "Hey Malfoy!" The blond stopped suddenly and swirled around. "Where you do get off making other people feel like crap!? Do you feel better about yourself by putting others down!? Are you so insecure that you can't help but mess with those around you!?" As Harry yelled he got closer and closer to Malfoy. The blond tried to back away, but he hit the back of the nearest set of stands. By the time Harry finished, they were face-to-face.

Malfoy's eyes had grown wide and somewhat fearful while Harry had advanced on him, but now that Harry was finished the anger crept in. "Insecure! Insecure!" Malfoy shouted back. "Are you joking!? As if I have anything to be insecure about. It isn't my fault other people make themselves easy targets."

"What is wrong with you!?" Harry yelled

"What's wrong with you!?" Malfoy shouted right back. They both stared at each other breathing heavily.

They were so close, Harry imagined for a second he could hear the boy's heartbeat. What he wasn't imagining was the smell. Harry thought Malfoy smelt rather like a fireplace in wintertime, and he thought it was quite nice. Then, he suddenly realized what he had just thought to himself, and quickly took a few steps back so he could no longer smell the other boy.

"Look," he said eventually, "I know we both agreed the other night was a one-time deal, but I'm just saying there are moments when it doesn't feel like that. And then there are moments like today when you're a total prat and I just want to sock you like Hermione did in third year."

Malfoy grimaced, whether at Harry's words or the memory Harry wasn't sure. "Well, what do you expect Potter? Are we just supposed to be best friends now because I was kind to you once? You want me to wrap my arms around your shoulders and we can skip to the Great Hall and giggle together like little school girls? You think we can just be friends now? With everything going on?"

"I see your point, no need to get snarky," Harry spat back, annoyance laced in his words.

"I mean…" Malfoy began after a small pause. "I suppose if you wanted…" he hesitated, looking at Harry who just raised an eyebrow at him, "I mean only if you wanted…I suppose if no one knew we were…friends…acquaintances…occasionally nice to one another it wouldn't be so bad."

Harry looked at the Slytherin in surprise. He wanted to agree. It actually surprised him how badly he wanted to agree, but he knew it wouldn't work. "So you want to be nice to me in private, and then take the piss out of my friends in public?" Malfoy looked at the ground.

"Well, I can't just start being nice to everyone," he said.

"Yes, actually," Harry responded. "You can. You are in charge of your life. You just don't want too. Or you're not brave enough."

"We can't all be Gryffindors," Malfoy spat out.

Harry sighed. "I can't be friends with someone, even secret friends, if they treat everyone like crap." Malfoy looked like he wanted to say something, but Harry decided not to give him a chance. He had wasted enough of his afternoon. Without another word, he turned and walked away.

His confrontation with Malfoy left his thoughts disordered, but he didn't have time to dwell on it. Instead, he put it in the back of his mind. He locked it in a box and hid the key. Then, he went find Neville. If there wasn't time for lessons, at least he could help his friend with their homework. They decided to spread out their work in the Great Hall. This way they wouldn't have to move for supper.

The two worked, ate and worked some more. After dinner, Ron and Hermione chose to stay with them. At first, Hermione refused to help any of them, arguing that they should have started sooner. Harry winked at the guys, and started giving Neville some wrong information for his transfiguration homework. Before anyone knew what was happening, Hermione was correcting his "mistakes," and once she started, she didn't stop. Ron, Neville, and Harry all tried to hide their laughter, and luckily Hermione was too in the zone to notice.

As 8pm approached, Harry reluctantly packed up his school things and trudged to the potion's classroom. He walked slowly. There was no point in getting there early and having to spend more time with his professor. When he finally arrived and knocked on the door, it was 8 on the dot.

"Come in," he heard Snape's voice drawled. Harry opened the door and walked in to see his professor waiting for him behind his desk. "Have a seat Potter."

Harry made his way to the front and sat down before his professor. For a moment, they stared at each other in silence. The continuous eye contact made him uncomfortable, so he looked away and waited for his Snape to break the silence.

"You are as easy to read as ever," Snape finally said. Harry looked up confused. "Over the summer I explained what occlumency is. Have you ever heard of legilimency?" Harry shook his head. "Essentially, it is the opposite of occlumency. One allows you to block your mind from others, and one allows you the ability to look into other's minds—so long as they aren't blocking you of course."

"So, you just read my mind?" Harry asked, anger rising.

"Oh calm yourself," Snape said with an eye roll. "I take no pleasure into looking into the thoughts of a 15-year-old teenager. But yes, essentially I just looked into your mind. I saw your anger and frustration at having to be here. There were no defenses at all. That is why it is so easy for Voldemort to get in."

"So how do I stop it?" Harry asked impatiently.

"Momentarily Mr. Potter," Snape said. "Black informed me you had quite the vision your first night here, is that true?" Harry nodded and recounted the dream for him. "I see. Have you had any others." Harry hesitated. "Well?"

"I haven't had any other nightmares or weird visions, but…" Snape raised an eyebrow at him. "Last night, when I was in detention with Umbridge, she touched me and it made my scar hurt. It used to do the same thing for Quirrell, because he was possessed by Voldemort." Snape looked at him in surprise. "I spoke to both Hermione and Sirius, but they both think it was just a coincidence."

"Yes it is possible," Snape said thoughtfully. "Unfortunately, I don't believe she is possessed. She is simply just that awful." Harry snorted. "Have you been clearing your mind at night?"

"Not every night," Harry admitted with a sigh. "Some nights I'm so tired I just fall asleep, but I have been trying. I did it last night."

Snape nodded. "I expected as much. You must make an effort to practice more. You need to take this seriously. Now, grab your wand and move to the far end of the room." Harry did as instructed. "Snape stood in front his desk, wand in hand. "Now, I am going to use legilimency to enter your mind, and you will use whatever means you can to repel me."

"What!?"

"You heard me loud and clear Mr. Potter. Now clear your mind."

Harry could tell there was no use arguing, so he tried his best to clear his mind. He couldn't manage it, not with Snape standing in front of him fully armed. Before he knew it, Snape had raised his wand and pointed it directly at him.

Images flashed through his mind, but what it settled on was Malfoy. It was earlier that day, when they were arguing outside the quidditch pitch. They were face-to-face, and Harry was just thinking about how good he smelt. Suddenly he remembered that Snape was watching this and he screamed and tried to pull back. Only he didn't know how. Suddenly he gasped for breath as he came back to himself and say Snape standing in front of him.

"Pathetic," Snape drawled at him.

"That's not fair," Harry replied. "I don't know what I'm doing."

"Did I or did I not say to repel me by any means necessary?"

"Yes, but…"

"Then, I don't know how to make myself clearer," Snape interrupted. "What was that? With Malfoy?"

"None of your business," Harry spat, trying not to blush. Why was he blushing?

"If you're harassing my students it is very much my business," Snape insisted.

"Oh, please," Harry said. "You know damn well if I was he started it."

"Language," Snape snarled. He raised his wand. "Again." Before Harry could protest, memories were once more flashing through his mind. He struggled to control the flow. He didn't want any more memories of Malfoy to resurface. It would raise questions he couldn't answer. Eventually, one of his detentions came to the forefront. Harry saw himself stoically writing lines. He could feel the pain of the words being etched into his hand all over again. It took less time for him to remember what was actually happening, perhaps because there was no Malfoy to distract him. Harry briefly thought he was glad Snape wasn't seeing his other scars, and no sooner had he thought it than he was back in the bathroom on that first day of class. He fought for what felt like hours, but was probably only a few minutes before he found himself back in the classroom.

"What was that?" Snape asked quietly, as Harry lowered himself into a nearby chair.

"Detention," he replied weakly. "With Umbridge."

"What was she doing to your hand?"

"She had me write lines."

"Then, why did your hand hurt?" Snape insisted.

"It's nothing."

"Show me," Snape said. Harry looked away and was about to protest when Snape slowly sat down in front of him and quietly held his hand out. "Show me," he said again. The scenario reminded Harry of when he showed Snape his scars at Grimmauld Place. He had trusted Snape in that moment. Without a word, Harry looked away as he held his hand up for Snape's inspection. He didn't turn back until he heard Snape's sharp intake of breath. Harry didn't think he had ever seen such angry across the potion master's face. And Harry had made him plenty angry over the years.

"This is unacceptable," Snape said through gritted teeth. "Or at least," he amended, "it should be." He let go of Harry's hand. "Even you don't deserve that." Snape sighed. "I suppose I am not the first to advise you try to stay off her bad side." Harry huffed a laugh and shook his head. "It is the best advice we can give you. No one can do anything about this, no matter how much they may want to. And be assured Potter, they want too."

Harry nodded again, and thought perhaps he would be excused now. He wasn't so lucky.

"Let me see the other ones," Snape ordered. Harry started to pretend he didn't understand, but Snape wasn't having it. "Don't bother Potter. I just want to check them." Harry reluctantly handed over his arm. Snape inspected it. "You remembered the healing spells I taught you?" Harry nodded. "If I hadn't seen the memory, I wouldn't have known you had done anything. Getting your hand sliced into wasn't enough?"

"This happened before," Harry said defensively.

"Oh?" Snape said with an eyebrow raise.

"Yeah," Harry said angrily. "Right after SOMEONE was a total ass and gave me zero points for a small mistake!" Harry was standing over Snape, yelling by the end. Snape looked at him in surprise. "Why?" Harry asked. "Why do you have to bully me like that? I've never done anything to you and yet you act like I'm the dumbest, most badly, behaved student in the room! Your own Slytherins are worse than me and yet I'm the one who gets punished!"

Harry was heaving when he finished. Snape, for once, had the foresight to look abashed. "I am…sorry that my actions drove you to such lengths."

That brought Harry up short. Had Snape just apologized?

Snape sighed and stood. "Believe it or not, I have been in your shoes Potter. It brings me no joy to think my actions drove you to do this to yourself." He turned and walked towards his desk. "You understand that I am a spy correct?" Harry nodded. "My Slytherins, as you called them, have, let's say rather nefarious connections. If they were to see me being nice to their enemy, it might draw suspicion on me. That makes sense to you does it not?" Harry nodded again. "You and I know that everything has changed, but we must pretend it hasn't. I will try to keep it reasonable."

Harry nodded. "I suppose that's enough," he said quietly. "For now."

Snape nodded back. "That is enough for today. Practice clearing your mind. Every night. That is most important. The more you practice clearing your head, the stronger you will be when I try to enter it."

With that, Harry made his way back to his dorm. He spent a few minutes reflecting on his day. So much had transpired. Seeing as he couldn't make sense of any of it, he decided to just go ahead and clear his mind, and just let it be for the time.

The following day saw Harry, Ron, and Neville knee deep in books, parchment, and ink, just as Ron had promised. Ron had spent the week practicing quidditch, Harry in detention, and Neville was just constantly behind. The three helped one another as best they could, and by the end of the day Harry had a splitting headache and wished he'd never see another sheet of parchment again. The three vowed to not let things get this bad. At least this week will be better, Harry thought.

This week was not better.

Monday morning saw a Daily Prophet announcement of the new High Inquisitor. Everyone's new least favorite professor now had the power to inspect, and fire, other professors. Harry was beginning to think he should have just let the ministry expel him.

That morning they trudged off to potions. Not trusting Snape to keep his word, Harry was extra careful not to give the surly professor an excuse to pick on him. He read all the instructions four times, and practically ignored everyone else. The final result may not have been a perfect potion, but it was certainly passable, and at this stage passing was Harry's best hope.

After lunch, and a rather depressing discussion of O.W.L. grades that did not boost Harry's spirits, he and Neville made their way to divination, only to discover they wouldn't have to wait until defense to see Umbridge. After what was an abysmal class, honestly Trelawney was bound to be sacked before the year was out, they proceeded in what Harry thought rather resembled a death march to their defense classroom.

To say Harry wasn't looking forward to seeing Umbridge was an understatement. However, one thing was certain: he was NOT going to get on her bad side today.