The return at Hogwarts was uneventful. Harry and his friends spent the afternoon on the train playing Exploding Snaps. The Weasley children were all relieved to see their dad making a complete recovery and the ride was as cheery as it could be. Harry did not have time to think about the upcoming lesson with Snape. Reality came back as they all stepped into the Great Hall packed with students returning from the holidays. Harry almost bumped into Snape who passed him a discreet note without a word. "Tonight, seven o'clock. DO NOT be late". Harry sighed, his blessed afternoon seemed ages away now.
"You're not eating anything" Ron stated, as they all sat down for dinner. "You'll need your strength to face Snape tonight."
This statement alone made Harry's stomach turn.
"Ronald ! Don't worry Harry, I'm sure it's going to be fine. Snape would never hurt a student, you know that."
"Yeah." Harry said, he was not entirely sure he actually believed that however. Snape had been decent enough to him while he was injured, but he was a git most of the time. Harry could not see how these lessons would be any different from Potions.
It was with a tense stomach he came knocking at Snape's door at seven that night. He was surprise to come face to face with Osborn as she opened the door to let him in.
"Good evening Potter." She then made her way out of Snape's office and was gone.
"Sit Potter" Snape told Harry as he came in. Harry automatically sat down, not wanting to give Snape a reason to curse him. He wondered why Osborn had been there when he came in. But he knew better than to ask. Snape sat across from him on the edge of the desk.
"Occlumency is a subject difficult to master and even more difficult to teach. Fortunately for you, you are in the presence of one of the top Occlumence in the world. The point of it is to allow one person control over his own mind. For you, this control will mean keeping the Dark Lord away from your mind. During these lessons, I will attempt to penetrate your mind, you will attempt to force me out. You can use your wand to defend yourself. I would prefer if you did not curse me. Are you ready ?"
Harry wasn't but Snape didn't wait for an answer. "Legillimens"
The feeling was odd. He was seeing flashes of his own past. He was seeing Sirius laughing with everyone at Christmas. The picture changed, he was now with Sirius and Remus talking about Osborn. Now he was with Osborn the night he was rescued. No! Harry thought, Snape was going to see what had happened that night. He could not let him see this. Harry felt Snape gliding through his mind, he could not stop it. He did not know how. He was standing in a corner of his room, hearing his Uncle footsteps. The sound alone made Harry's blood run cold. His Uncle came into the room, yelled and punched him square in the face. He then beat him, forcefully and repeatedly. Harry suddenly felt Snape's presence fade and they were once again in the office. Snape was staring at him. Harry felt so ashamed that someone had discovered his secret that he tried to flee. He tried to get up from his chair but Snape had conjured ropes that tied him to his chair.
"You can't do that!" Harry yelled as he tried to break free of the ropes. They were too tight for him to move unfortunately. Snape waited until Harry stopped fighting, his expression as unreadable as ever.
"Potter. You do understand that what I have and will observe in your mind remains strictly confidential. However, I would like to share what I have just witnessed with Professor Osborn. I understand you are meeting her once a week to discuss the state you were found in last summer."
Harry did not reply. In a way he felt relieved that his secret was finally out in the open. He did not like that it was Snape who had to make the discovery but it was the wake up call he needed.
"I.. I think I need to be the one to tell her." Harry said quietly. He had thought about coming clean with Osborn for a few weeks now. Snape's discovery just made things easier.
There was silence for a moment in the office. Snape was just staring at Harry, probably thinking he was not going to go to Osborn.
"How can I be sure you will tell this to Professor Osborn ?" He finally asked, his tone was not the usual sneer. It wasn't concern either. For Snape it was just neutral, which was a lot better than what Harry was used to.
"You just have to trust me" Harry said simply. He really had no other reason to give Snape. He knew better than anyone that Snape did not trust him at all, but this might be the exception.
"I don't trust you Potter." Snape replied, Harry could have sworn he had heard a chuckle in his voice. "We are going to see Professor Osborn together, and I will make sure that you do not forget anything." On the final sentence, Snape had his usual sneer back, which made Harry chuckle inside. He hadn't noticed it before, but Snape could actually joke. Harry nodded and Snape released him.
"You have your cloak on you don't you ?" Snape asked him. Harry took the cloak from the bag and threw it on himself, he liked carrying the cloak around, it allowed him to be alone for a little bit, unnoticed.
Snape opened the door and motioned Harry to follow him. They walked up to Osborn's office, it was not very late, so there was still a few people going back up to their common rooms. Nobody paid attention to Harry who was hiding under the cloak. It was actually funny to see the students abruptly stopping to laugh and walking a bit faster as they passed Snape. Snape knocked on the door.
"Enter!" Osborn's voice answered. She sounded annoyed. When Snape opened the door, Harry understood why. Umbridge was sitting across from Osborn's desk.
"Ah Severus, great minds think alike I see." Umbridge said, smiling her fake smile at Snape. He did not react and simply nodded at her. Harry actually saw Osborn rolling her eyes at Snape.
"I was simply asking Jane the reason for the many detentions she has given Mr Potter over the last few months." Umbridge went on. "It seems like I have much to learn about your teaching methods. I haven't been a teacher before and I am still learning."
"I understand." Snape said, his face unreadable.
Umbridge turned back to Osborn.
"I was just wondering, dear, if you those detentions are actually effective. If you find yourself in need of giving Mr Potter that much detentions, maybe he is not learning. Don't you agree Severus?"
Snape did not answer but visibly tensed. Osborn tensed too. Umbridge seemed unimpressed by the lack of response from Snape. She turned back to Osborn once again, and smiled even more, her face even more toad like than usual.
"Of course, I am just trying to improve the life of the school. I think Mr Potter is a danger to all students in Hogwarts. And the Headmaster's inaction on the matter is concerning to the Ministry."
Osborn tensed so much, she broke the pencil she was playing with.
"Dolores, I would advise you to tread very carefully here." Her voice was barely a whisper. "You have come to me several times with different issues. First, my teaching of spells that was deemed dangerous to the Ministry, then, you tried to question my intelligent by asking me why I was not working as a healer yet and now, you are trying to turn me against the Headmaster. I am one hundred percent behind the Headmaster's action at all times, I've always been and always will be. Your obsession with the Potter boy is unhealthy, and I will ask you only once to leave me to the dealing of my classes as I see fit. If I want to give Potter detention, I will. I don't have to justify myself to you." Umbridge tried to get up to leave but Osborn was quicker. Osborn was shorter than Umbridge but somehow seemed taller. "One more thing. I know about your "teaching methods", and I mean, all of them. Believe me, there will be consequences. And just so you know, when Voldemort does come back publicly, I will be the first to laugh at your funeral. Good night Dolores, don't bother coming to see me again." Umbridge's face was a mixer of green and white. She straightened her ridiculous robes and went to the door.
"You will here from me again. You'll see. Good night Severus" With this, she giggled and was gone.
The office suddenly fell silent. Osborn threw herself on her chair and sighed loudly. Snape sat in front of her and crossed his arms on his chest.
"Well that was stupid of you" He said, smiling slightly. This made Harry unsettled, he had rarely seen Snape smile and it was not exactly warming.
"I know. I just needed it to get out. I can't let her continue to treat students like this. Especially Harry." This surprised Harry, she had never called him by his first name. It was a strange addition.
"Jane I'm going to stop you there before you say anything you might regret. Potter is among us, wearing his special cloak of his. Come and sit Potter."
Osborn eyes widened as Harry threw away the cloak from himself.
"You told me about this cloak, but it is truly amazing how it works." She said staring at it. Harry handed the cloak to her so she could examen it. She ran her fingers on the silky fabric in awe. Snape cleared his throat loudly and she quickly gave the cloak back to Harry.
"So what can I do for you ?" She asked, she looked tired, the encounter with Umbridge had obviously been taxing for her.
"I can come back. It's not that important" Harry started but was awarded a stern look from Snape.
"It is important Potter. Professor Osborn needs to hear this and I will not spend the rest of the year chasing you so you can tell her. Talk. Now" Snape told Harry sternly.
Osborn gave Harry an encouraging look and he began talking. As he went through the events of the summer, he felt himself being relieved of a weight he did not know he was carrying. It felt good. Osborn remained silent, letting him talk, not even taking any notes. When he was finished she smiled at him.
"I am very glad that you confided this. I know it is not an easy thing to discuss. It does explain the state we found you in. Very well done. You can go to bed now, you earned it. Here, take this." She went through her desk and retrieved a small vial from it. It was labelled "Dreamless Sleep potion" in Snape's handwriting. Harry took it, knowing too well that it will not be enough for him to get a good night's sleep, but he appreciated the gesture. As she knew what he was thinking, Osborn said "I know the regular one doesn't work very well on you. This is a special variation Professor Snape has been brewing for me. It will work better. Now go and get some rest, classes start tomorrow." Harry got up, threw the cloak around himself and got out of the office. He started to leave but couldn't suppress an urge to eavesdrop. He made sure to make enough noise for the people inside the office to think he had left and began listening intently.
"Thank you very much for making him do this Severus" Osborn was saying.
"I didn't. He wanted to tell you in person. I was only there to unsure he was telling you everything." Snape replied.
"Well, nonetheless, you did well."
There was a small pause between them.
"Get it out Severus" Osborn said, sounding annoyed.
"You are getting attached Osborn. I warned you about this. You should not get attached to the boy." Snape replied, forcefully.
"Oh and you are not ? How long have we been talking about him ? You are as worried as I am. This boy does not have any sense of caring. You saw the way he looked at me when I gave him the potion. He doesn't understand what it means to be appreciated, even cared for. So yes. I am getting attached to him. He is a boy with a terrible history and terrible weight on his shoulders. I am not going to apologize for caring for him. Somebody has to." Osborn said, she sounded a bit like Mrs Weasley now.
"And this has nothing to do about Aden ?" Snape said quietly.
"Shut up Severus. You don't know what you're talking about." Osborn replied.
"Harry is not Aden, Jane. It is not going to end up like this this time. He is strong." Snape told her.
"Aden was strong. He had nobody. I should have been there for him, I wasn't, because people told me not to get attached. I will not do the same mistake again. Now leave me alone. I don't want to talk about it."
Harry heard Snape getting up.
"I just don't want you to get hurt again" Snape sounded almost caring now. This was very strange. Harry had a feeling he did not want to hear anymore. He left as quietly as possible and went back to Gryffondor Tower. He had told Ron and Hermione not to wait for him. He got up to the dormitories and was not surprised to see Ron asleep, fully clothed on his bed. He had obviously tried to wait for Harry but failed. Harry shook him awake and told him to go to bed. Ron, too groggy to protest, wished him good night and was quickly asleep again. Harry removed his glasses and took a sip of potion. He had millions of questions swarming in his brain. Why did Osborn care this much ? How was this Aden ? And what was going on between Snape and Osborn ? Before long, Harry was sound asleep. Undisturbed by any dreams.
A/N: New chapter up ! Read and Review !