Posted: 3 October, 2009

Disclaimer: I do not own anything in this story that is recognisable from the Harry Potter books, movies, etc. Everything else however (eg. story plot, original characters, etc.) stems from my own imagination and belongs to me. No copyright infringement is intended and I am not profiting financially from this story in any way.

Chapter 5 - Mind Arts and Quidditch

Wednesday, 6 November, 1991

Neville was waiting for Harry in the classroom they'd claimed their own, reading over his Potions text. Potions class was on Friday and they were going pre-brew the assigned potion before the lesson, as had become habit.

Harry bounded into the room a few minutes later, a look of victory on his face, and dropped a book loudly on the desk. Neville looked up from his own text to glance at the blank-covered book, then gave his friend a questioning look.

"Harry? What's that for? To help with the Throat-Soothing Potion?"

"No," he shook his head, dropping into the seat opposite. "This Nev, is the reason I've been spending so much time in the library the last few weeks. I think I've finally found what I was looking for."

Neville immediately perked up. Harry had been spending hours searching through the library shelves. For what, the blond didn't know, as the other boy insisted on keeping it a secret till he found his answer.

"What is it?" he asked, staring at fascination at the plain book. "What were you looking for?"

"Well, I've sort of considered it from the first Potions class, but told myself it was just fanciful thinking. But then when you got that first potion right a month and a half ago, it got more obvious, and I began to wonder. That's when I started researching."

"What was more obvious?"

"Have you ever noticed in Potions it feels like Professor Snape is reading your mind?"

Neville nodded. "It's his eyes. They're just really … piercing. And creepy."

"Well, I get that feeling a lot. But I also get this feeling like a 'tickle' in my mind, but I can push it away."

"I've never felt that before," Neville said frowning.

"I know," Harry said. "I didn't think you had. I noticed that when he was doing the creepy eyes thing to me and I pushed the feeling away that he got frustrated and stared harder. But I'm the only one he gets frustrated with so I figured it was just me."

"So what was it?"

"Well at first I thought maybe I was imagining it. But then when you got the potion right for the first time, once he got over his shock, there was the tickle again, only it was more like … a slap."

"A slap?"

"Yeah, it gave me a headache. There was no way I was imagining it. So if it was real, I wondered what he could be doing that affected my head. And I began wondering: what if he really was trying to read our minds?"

"What? Tell me you're joking," Neville begged, looking aghast at the thought.

"That's exactly how I felt. And that's why I started researching."

"Why didn't you tell me? I would have helped."

"Because I frustrated him. It was like whatever he did, it didn't work right on me. I think when I was pushing back the tickling, I was deflecting the attack. I must have a natural defence against it," Harry explained. "So when I decided to do some research, I didn't want to risk tipping him off. What if he found any books in the library and hid them or something?"

Neville nodded understandingly. "And if you told me, he could have read it from my mind, because I can't even notice he's doing it."

"Exactly."

"And you found the answer?"

Harry nodded and pushed over the book he'd brought. Neville carefully picked it up and opened it to the first page.

"'A Guide to Occlumency and Legilimency'," he read. "What are they?"

"According to what I've read," he replied, "Legilimency is a skill that allows someone to extract emotions and memories from the mind of another. Advanced enough students don't need to say the incantation, but direct eye contact is often essential. So we have a teacher who, when he looks you dead in the eyes, it feels like he can read your mind. No way that's a coincidence," he asserted and Neville looked queasy at this confirmation of Harry's suspicions.

"What can we do?" he asked beginning to panic. "I really don't like the thought of Snape messing about in my head. And going through my thoughts! What can I do Harry?"

"Calm down Nev," Harry said soothingly. "There's a solution. Occlumency is the counter to Legilimency. It's the art of magically defending the mind from intrusion or external influence. From what I've read, I think I must have natural Occlumency shields of some sort."

"But this book will explain it?" Neville asked, clutching it tightly as though it was a lifeline. "And then I'll be able to do it too?"

"I've read it all through and tried the exercises. They seem easy to me, but according to the text they should actually take time to learn. I think I can teach you."

The other boy began to look relieved and hopeful, but then suddenly became worried.

"But what if he sees in my head that we have the book and takes it?"

"Don't worry. I've read the whole thing and I'm pretty sure I've got the gist of it. In the meantime, avoid direct eye contact with him. Okay?"

"Okay," Neville nodded rapidly, and repeated, "Okay."

"Come on, put that down and we'll go and make that Throat-Soothing Potion."

"Harry!" he exclaimed. "How can you even think about that? Shouldn't we start this Occlumency stuff right away?"

He shook his head. "You're too stressed. Let's leave it be for a few hours, and take the time to do this potion. After all you still want to pass Snape's class right?"

Neville was forced to agree and reluctantly relinquished the mind arts text. As Harry spent the next half hour guiding his friend through his brewing, he considered the previous conversation.

He really hated having to lie to Neville, not only in regards to how he discovered Occlumency and Legilimency, but also about all those other little things that cropped up. It was after Neville's first Potions class success, looking at his happy friend and imagining how that happiness would fall away if he knew Harry was lying to him, that the ebony haired boy had decided he had to do something about it.

The problem was that Neville's mind was an open book to anyone who cared to look. As much as he might wish to, the other boy was thus incapable of keeping Harry's secrets. The solution he quickly came to was to teach Neville Occlumency. The only problem was how to introduce it in a way that would not set off suspicions to anyone who spied on Neville's memories.

Eventually he had constructed a plan. He had his excuses and only needed to 'find' the answer in the library. He'd expected that to be the easy part, but was quickly proved wrong. It had taken him a solid month and a half to find a book on Occlumency and Legilimency; he'd forgotten how rare an art it was. Still, found it he had, and he rather thought he'd acted his part perfectly. Hopefully Neville would avoid eye contact with any Legilimens in future, but if someone managed a peek, there was nothing there to give Harry away.

..ooOOoo..

Saturday, 9 November, 1991

"Johnson back in possession of the Quaffle," announcer Lee Jordan's voice rang out across the stadium. "A clear field ahead and off she goes – she's really flying – dodges a speeding Bludger – the goal posts are ahead – come on, now, Angelina – Keeper Bletchley dives – misses – GRYFFINDORS SCORE!"

Immediately the Gryffindor section of the stand burst into cheers and whistles and the Slytherins moaned and booed. Sitting next to Neville, Harry's smile was wistful. Watching a Quidditch match was always good entertainment, but he'd rather be out there. He resolved to try out for Seeker next year. He leaned towards Neville to tell him just that, when a loud voice caught his attention.

"Budge up there, move along."

"Hagrid!" he and Neville greeted, squeezing together to give Hagrid enough space to join them.

Harry had renewed his acquaintance with Hagrid, going down to visit him firstly when he received invitation after the first week of classes, and after that of his own accord. Neville came along with him and whilst the other boy had been at first intimidated by the half-giant of a man, he'd quickly realised Hagrid was harmless so long as you avoided his rock cakes. The main difference between the visits this time around as compared to last time was that he didn't spend them pumping the man for information on the Philosopher's Stone. As far as anyone knew, he had no idea about what was being guarded at Hogwarts.

"Bin watchin' from me hut," said Hagrid, patting a large pair of binoculars around his neck, "but it isn't the same as bein' in the crowd. No sign of the Snitch yet, eh?"

"Not yet," Harry said.

As the game continued, Gryffindor scored again but so did Slytherin. The green team also tallied up more than a few fouls, which the red team took full advantage of. Watching the action, Harry remembered when he'd played in this game. Quirrell had cursed his broomstick till Hermione intervened, then he'd ended the game by almost swallowing the snitch. He was glad at least that he didn't have to deal with Quirrell/Voldemort's attempt on his life again. That was a positive of not being on the team.

Fate of course, no doubt hearing his thoughts, immediately set itself against him. All of a sudden one of the Bludgers that Fred (or was it George) was lining up to bat stopped midair and changed course. Harry watched with curiosity, quickly turning to alarm, as the black iron ball seemed to head directly for him.

"Duck!" he shouted at the last minute, pulling Neville down with him.

The Bludger soared over his head, wind ruffling his hair at its passing, smashed through the back of the stands, and then turned around for a second go.

"Shit," he cursed.

It seemed Quirrell wasn't passing up the opportunity for attempted murder after all. He was just changing the method to rogue Bludger, reminiscent of Dobby in his second year.

What was he to do, he wondered, dodging the ball a second time only for it to turn around yet again. He could stop the ball with a well placed Reducto, but that option had the twofold problem of risking injuring the other students with shrapnel, as well as revealing that he was far too advanced for even a genius of a first year.

Others seemed to have realised something odd was happening; unsurprising since the balls were supposed to be charmed to stay on field. Students around him were fleeing the stands, the teachers on the other side of the field had all gotten to their feet, and the game seemed to have stopped mid play.

Seeing the seats nearby were mostly cleared, but for Neville and Hagrid who were stubbornly remaining by his side, he reluctantly reached for his wand. A quick Reducto, then an even quicker Protego to protect he and his two friends was his best bet. Oh, but this would be very suspicious.

Before he could do more than draw his wand however, Hagrid stepped in front of him, shielding he and Neville with his girth.

"Hagrid!" he shouted worriedly, not knowing what damage a Bludger could do to a half-giant. "What are you doing?

"Stay back!" the hairy man ordered.

Ignoring this, Harry eased around him. He had a moment to watch the Bludger pelt towards the man who grimly but simply raised an arm. Then with a great *BANG*, the ball dented and fractured against Hagrid's fist, before dropping to the floor with a harmless *clang*.

His gaping was soon joined by Neville's who – realising the danger was over – had ceased trying to pull him from harm's way and instead stepped around Hagrid with him.

"Wow," the blond said, and Harry nodded dumbly in agreement.

The moment was broken by a flood of teachers, thundering up the stairs and bursting onto the stand, Dumbledore in the lead radiating magic rather impressively. The old wizard relaxed however, to see the situation was resolved.

Hagrid's rather amazing defeat of the Bludger was explained by Harry and Neville, with such awe and appreciation that the big man was soon blushing a rosy red. Dumbledore twinkled at the scene until Poppy hurried forward, quickly diagnosing the large man with two broken fingers and a fractured wrist.

After Hagrid was hurried toward the hospital wing, the Quidditch game rescheduled, and everyone assured by Dumbledore that the matter of the Bludger would be investigated, the two boys headed back toward the castle. Harry intended to go check up on Hagrid right away. He also made a mental note to get his large friend a fantastic Christmas present this year as thanks.

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