Chapter Twenty-three
"Aren't we going to go anywhere?" Harry asked in puzzlement. Snape had agreed to teach him what Harry wanted to learn, but they weren't leaving to go down to the Potions classroom, or somewhere bigger than Snape's quarters.
"The point of that would be—?" Snape raised his eyebrows as he set the book (which he had almost finished) down on the table.
"I dunno," Harry said, and he really hadn't a clue why he thought that maybe they'd be going into a more spacious area.
"Well, we don't need to," Snape said. "We're not going to be jumping about any, Potter. Now do you want me to teach you or not?"
"It's Harry," Harry corrected in an irritated tone. Why couldn't Snape just get it right; for once? "And yes, I do want to know how to do that."
"Well then, stop your questioning," Snape replied. "And concentrate." Harry looked at Snape in confusion, while Snape was looking at Harry in a, 'well do it!' look.
"You never told me what to concentrate on," Harry pointed out. "So how can I concentrate, when you never told me what it is that you want me to concentrate on?"
"You talk too much," Snape said curtly. "Just concentrate on not hearing that snake of yours' voice in your head. Do you want to hear his complaints and whines?"
"No," Harry said, squeezing his eyes shut and concentrating hard on not hearing Slyther's voice.
I do not complain, Slyther said. Or whine, you greasy human.
"Can you hear him?" Snape asked Harry, who was squeezing his eyes so hard it looked like he was in deep pain. "Can you hear your snakes voice in your head?" His eyes still squeezed shut tightly, Harry gave a frustrated sigh.
"Yes, I can!"
"Just keep concentrating," Snape advised calmly. Harry, finding it useless because he could still hear Slyther's complaints of 'Take it back!' opened his eyes and gave a frustrated frown.
"It's not working," Harry informed the Potions master. "It's useless. It may work on you, Professor, but it's absolutely not working on me. I'm a failure! Why can't I do this right?"
"You're not a failure," Snape contradicted. "If it makes you feel any better, Potter, I had some trouble mastering it at first as well." Harry looked up at Snape when he had said this.
"Really?"
Snape gave his head a sharp nod, as if he didn't like the subject they were in. "Yes. Why don't we try something… different on you?"
Harry considered this very carefully before agreeing. "Sure. Before we do, Professor, can I ask who taught you to be able to do this?" Harry asked tentatively.
"No one," Snape replied. "I taught myself." Harry's eyes widened in astonishment. He wasn't expecting that answer. Harry let his elbows rest on the table, and his body leaned in more in interest.
"So you invented this all by yourself?" He questioned. "Wow. You're smart! Okay," he cleared his voice, a sign that he was ready to start trying to block Slyther's voice out again. "You can tell me how to do it differently. Is it harder?"
"I'm not sure," Snape said. "Now, Potter, close your eyes and imagine a door." Harry closed his eyes slowly, but immediately opened them again.
"A door? Why a door?" Snape gave Harry a glare.
"Just do it, Potter." Harry moved himself in his seat so he could get more comfy. He closed his eyes, just as Snape had instructed, and imagined a door. A dungeon door, with solid, grey bricks framing the outline of the wooden colored door.
"Okay," Harry said softly, fearing that if he spoke too loudly he might make the door vanish from his mind. He wasn't exactly sure why he thought that, he just… did. "I can see the door. What now?"
"Is the door open or closed?" Snape inquired while Harry pondered the question.
"Er… it's open," he said, trying to concentrate on blocking Slyther's voice out, while still imagining the dungeon door.
This is ridiculous, Slyther commented. Why would you want to block me out? Absolutely ridiculous, I say, honestly…
"Okay," Snape started, "imagine the door closing. Slamming shut, and when it shuts, imagine that you're shutting out your snakes voice."
Harry gave his head a small nod. He imagined Slyther's voice on the other end of the dungeon door, just there, and as he shut it, he shut out Slyther's voice… like shutting the door on a prisoner…
Harry opened his eyes, staring at Snape, and then down at Slyther, who was on the floor huffing.
"I can't hear him," Harry said, a slow smile creeping onto his face. "It worked. I can't hear him!" Harry glanced down at the snake again. "Is he even saying anything?"
Snape nodded. "I have a mind as to block that snake out, myself. He doesn't ever stop talking."
Harry laughed. "I know. Professor," he started, "how can you not prevent yourself from not hearing Slyther's voice?"
"Close your eyes and imagine the door that you have created opening again," Snape explained. Harry nodded in understanding.
"Okay." Harry hesitated before adding, "Er… Professor?" Harry didn't wait for Snape to reply. "Thank you for teaching me that." Snape, not knowing just how to react, just gave a nod. "By the way," Harry said, "what is it called?"
"What do you mean 'what is it called', Potter?"
Harry sighed, not bothering to correct the Potions master. "You must've named it, right? Like… like how potions were named potions. You must have named what you just taught me," Harry explained. He looked at Snape in interest, waiting for Snape to reply.
"Actually, I haven't," Snape responded. "It didn't seem important."
Harry's eyes widened. "Of course it's important!" He cried. "Why wouldn't it be important? You can't just call it, 'the thing where you block out snakes voices' or whatever it is you call it now. It has to have a name." Harry looked down at Slyther, who was crawling up the leg of the chair to get on top of the table and in front of Harry. Harry could sense that Slyther was trying to say something, but he was having too much fun not listening to Slyther to open the door just yet. "I have a name in my head," Harry started, "for the… thing. Can I use it?"
"I couldn't care less," Snape said briefly, once again picking up his book. "What is it, Potter?"
"Harry," Harry corrected, becoming annoyed with the Professor. If only Snape would say his proper name just once, Harry would be happy. "And what about Impedio?" Snape looked up from his book with raised eyebrows.
"Impedio?" He repeated. "What does Impedio mean?"
Harry smiled. "My teacher, Mrs. Vye, knows Latin, you know," Harry explained. "She sometimes told us Latin words. Impedio means to prevent. I couldn't remember what 'Block' was, so I used prevent, and, well… do you like it?"
"As I said, I could care less," Snape said briefly as he returned to his book. "Use it." Harry smiled. Impedio… it almost fit, in a way, Harry found.
"Are you almost done your book yet?" Harry questioned. Snape never lowered his book or put it on the table.
"No. Why?" Harry, though Snape couldn't see over the book, shrugged.
"I don't know," he admitted. "I want to talk, but I can't since your reading."
"I'm only one the twenty sixth page," Snape said distractedly. Harry frowned as he looked at the book in Snape's hands.
"It doesn't look like it, Professor," Harry said. "It looks like you're almost done." Snape sighed and flipped his book back to the front and opening it again from there. He turned the book around to show Harry the insides.
"See? I'm only on the twenty sixth page. One hundred and fifty three more pages to go." Harry groaned.
"You did that on purpose, Professor," Harry pointed out with a scowl. "You went back on the twenty sixth page on purpose! I bet you were on the one hundred and forty fifth page before you turned it back."
"One hundred and fifty three more pages, Potter," Snape reminded Harry and went back to the Potions book, trying to read as slowly as he possibly could.
"No fair," Harry pouted, "you're a slow reader." Harry tried to imagine the dungeon door opening, but it stayed shut. "Professor, the door won't open," Harry complained to Snape. "Since you're reading I wanted to talk to Slyther."
"Try harder," Snape said distractedly. "I'm busy."
Harry sighed and tried to imagine the door opening again, but it still didn't open. "It won't work."
"Are you closing your eyes?" Snape asked in annoyance. "You have a better image if you close your eyes." Harry sighed again and closed his eyes, only seeing darkness. Slowly, the dungeon door surrounded by solid grey bricks suddenly fell into place, and Harry imagined himself reaching out and grasping onto the dungeon handle, the metal coldness of the handle in his grip. He turned it until the door swung open, and Slyther's voice was once again free to annoy.
How plain rude are you! Slyther cried as Harry opened his eyes and let the door be. BLOCKING me out! I swear, Harry, if I had the power to do that I'd definitely block you out too.
"Why don't you?" Harry asked, settling back into the chair by the table.
Ah, some people may call it laziness, but I call it, uh, being too tired to do something.
"Isn't that the same as being lazy?" Harry asked, his brow furrowing.
Humph. Well, I think I'll just… go somewhere. Away from you, Slyther said. Harry frowned.
"And where would that be?" Harry questioned.
Somewhere… Slyther responded, trailing off.
"You really have no where to go, don't you?" Harry guessed.
No, Slyther responded briefly. I just like being mysterious. Slyther slithered over by the fire, which wasn't even lit yet, and curled down on the mat. Harry looked at the snake, considering if he should close the door again or not.
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A/N: Ahh well I'm back! Thanks for everyone's reviews; they gave me something to look forward to! - Next two chapters will be up soon.