Concealment

The Christmas holidays passed in a blur. Friends and family visited every day and Max spent a lot of time with Cygnus in the library. They discovered some books on Aurology and Max was allowed to borrow them to broaden his understanding of his gift. Despite the cold weather the older children spent a lot of time on the practice quidditch pitch in the garden, even Cygnus was persuaded to put down his book and join in.

Harriet's Godson, Teddy, visited a few times and Max was enthralled with his metamorphic ability. Max used his Aurology and was fascinated to see that Teddy's aura changed a second before his appearance did. Teddy took great delight in morphing to look like other people in the room. Even with Aurology Max had great difficulty telling which was which.

Once they were all back at school they fell easily back into the rhythm of classes and homework. Max's regular extra sessions had progressed to the point where he could control his wandless magic. Mastering Legilimency and Occlumency, however, was proving much more difficult. It was well into February, and one in a long line of unsuccessful tutoring sessions with Evan, when Max found himself laying on the floor panting heavily.

"I can't do it!" he cried in exasperation. "I can't stop it."

"Clear your mind." said Evan.

"I'm trying." snapped Max, and Evan arced his eyebrows. "I apologise," he said, slightly calmer, "but you really aren't telling me how to do it. Teaching is not one of your strengths."

Max was surprised when Evan threw his head back and laughed.

"You don't know how right you are." he chuckled. "Alright, let's try this. You calm your emotions, make yourself relaxed, then imagine a mist filling your mind. Create a fog that conceals your thoughts and memories and then create a barrier within the mist, one that will repel me from the thoughts you wish to hide. Let unimportant memories distract and confuse your attacker, while protecting everything else. Try to use the same technique you use to repress your full magic if it works."

"Alright," Max nodded, looking apprehensive, "once more." he held his wand tight in his hand.

"Legilimens!" said Evan, looking into Max's eyes.

Evan found himself in a foggy London street. Dirty brick walls loomed around and above him, the street signs obscured by thick mist, an unnatural silence in the air. He made his way down a narrow alley, the mist swirling but not dispersing, looking for a door or window. Posters flashed by showing him glimpses of Max's memories; Max and Dudley kicking a ball to each other, a grey cat sitting on Max's lap, Max laughing in the common room with his friends.

Evan found himself pushing against something in the fog, a flexible barrier, like a transparent balloon. He pushed again, hoping to gain access, and found himself laying on the floor of the disused classroom, panting heavily. Max stepped hesitantly closer, he looked confused.

"Did I do that?" he asked with a squeak.

"You repelled my attack," confirmed Evan, "tell me how you pushed me out so forcibly."

"I could feel you, like a tickle, but I kept calm." Max said. "I let you see random memories, but you found the barrier. You were pushing and I just pushed back. I didn't hurt you again did I?"

"More dangerous wizards than you have tried." said Evan, grimacing as he got to his feet. "Then again, I was slightly younger." he winced as his back clicked.

By the time the lesson had ended Max could throw Evan from his mind every time. Max left feeling tired but pleased and looking forward to starting to practice Legilimency himself next lesson.

As Max made his way up from the dungeons he heard a scuffle of feet behind him. He turned to find the corridor empty. He smiled to himself.

"Harry? Severus?" he said, to the empty corridor. "You best be careful, because I just left a lesson with your dad."

Severus appeared in front of him, the cloak draped over his shoulder, grinning at him.

"I know," he smirked, "I saw on the map."

"You need to work on your stealth," smirked Max, "you sounded like a herd of elephants behind me. What are you doing down here on your own, where's Harry?"

"Quidditch training again." Severus said with a sneer. "Westerton thinks our pranks are a distraction. Apparently Harry 'has a talent that I don't' and I should be 'supportive instead of jealous'. Twat."

"So why are you out here on your own?" asked Max, "Don't you need Harry for your pranks?"

"Not for putting Wartcap Powder in Westerton's boxer shorts." smirked Severus. "Wanna come to the changing rooms with me?"

"No thanks," laughed Max, "I like my ears where they are."

"Westerton will never know." wheedled Severus, waving the map.

A movement caught Max's eye on the parchment and he grabbed it and looked at the corridors near them. Seth Strychnine was moving towards them. Max pointed it out to Severus and they both pulled the cloak over them and pressed against the wall, just as Strychnine turned the corner. His eyes were glazed as he stumbled past them and towards the main entrance. When he had gone Severus whipped off the cloak and sighed in relief as he checked the map.

"He's leaving the grounds again." Severus said. "Probably needs a drink."

"He didn't look drunk," said Max, with a frown, "his eyes looked all weird."

"Maybe that's why he needs a drink." shrugged Severus.

"How many bloody snake statues do you Slytherin's have down here." laughed Max, as they passed a statue of a snake coiled around a plinth.

"Just him." said Severus. He went silent for a few seconds and then said, "He says he's sick of seeing you down here too, seeing as you are a Gryffindor."

"Wait, what?" said Max, stopping dead. "I didn't hear anyone talking. What do you mean 'he said'? Who's 'he'?"

"The snake of course," said Severus, "didn't you hear him?"

"He can talk?" said Max. "Let me hear."

Severus made a strangled hissing noise at the snake and its stone coils quivered as it moved up the plinth, its head level with Severus's. The stone snake swayed for a moment and then it's mouth opened and it made a noise similar to the one that had just come from Severus. Max couldn't believe his eyes, Severus could talk to snakes.

"See," said Severus, turning to Max, "he just called you annoying. You heard that right?"

"I heard hissing," said Max, "what did you say to him?"

"You heard me ask him to speak." laughed Severus.

"I heard you hissing," said Max, "but I couldn't understand a word. Didn't you know you could talk to snakes?"

"I never tried before," Severus looked worried, "you can't tell anyone."

"Why not?" said Max, "it's really cool, I wish I could talk to snakes."

"No," muttered Severus, "you really don't. The last person who could talk to snakes was Voldemort. People don't trust Parselmouths."

"Can't Harry do it too?" asked Max.

"I don't think so," said Severus, "and I don't plan on asking him. Seriously, this stays between us."

"I promise." said Max. "I won't say a word, but do you think you could teach me to speak or understand it?"

"I don't know how I do it," said Severus, "how can I teach you?"

"We'll figure something out." said Max. "Now we better get back to our dorms before Strychnine comes back."

"I'm making a detour to the changing rooms," smirked Severus, "I'll speak to you later." and with that he disappeared under the cloak and his invisible footsteps echoed up the corridor.

Max heard a hissing laugh and turned to see the stone snake, settling into the infinity position, shivering with snakey laughter.

XXXXXX

Blaise Zabini leant around the corner of a shop in Hogsmead. The Disillusionment Charm he had cast had rendered him invisible, but he still stuck to the shadows. Hogsmead was deserted. Villagers had barricaded themselves into their homes as night fell, protective wards strengthened. Bodies were still turning up regularly, bloodless and lifeless, dumped in alleyways and rubbish bins. No one who lived in Hogsmead dared to venture outside after dark, but a figure had stumbled around the corner moments before.

Blaise was pretty sure whoever it was would be up to no good. He edged round the corner into the dark alleyway and, seeing no-one ahead, broke into a jog until he reached the other end of the alley. He froze and pressed against the wall as he heard a dragging noise and a thump. Checking his disillusionment still held he poked his head around the corner.

Laying a few feet away, face down in the dirt, was a cloaked wizard. Blaise knelt beside the body, gaze flickering around the alley, looking for whoever might have dumped it, but he saw no one still. He rolled the body over, casting a spell to check vital statistics, and saw the glassy vacant eyes. The unknown wizard was definitely dead. The waxen skin and unseeing eyes confirmed what the spell had already told him. Once again the body was drained of blood. Blaise stepped away from the body, still scanning for threats. He had to get out of here, he didn't need to explain his presence to the Auror's. Blaise turned in a circle and apparated to the first place he could think of, Grimmauld Place.