Harry could have heard a pin fall in the silence that followed. Professor McGonagall's eyes widened in surprise and she opened her mouth to speak, but shut it just as quickly. Harry saw the glance she shot Vandermine and he winced. Vandermine continued staring at him though, not seeming the slightest bit disturbed by what he said.
"Professor Dumbledore, McGonagall, Ron, will you please leave us for a moment." Vandermine looked at each one in turn. "I need to speak with him privately about this."
Professor Dumbledore answered for all of them, cutting off McGonagall's indignant reply before she could speak.
"Certainly, Lucas. We will wait outside until you call us. Minerva, Ron, let us be off." He picked up his wand and walked to the door. As he passed Harry, Harry saw him exchange a quick look with Vandermine. Vandermine held his gaze for a second and shook his head. Satisfied, Dumbledore hurried out of the office, taking Ron and the protesting McGonagall with him.
Harry felt his stomach lurch as the door shut. Vandermine turned to him slowly, as if unwilling to face him. His eyes looked tentative, almost afraid.
"What did you see?"
"I…uh… I saw something from your past, I think. You were looking for some people. One was a girl."
Vandermine moved faster than Harry's eyes could follow. He grabbed Harry by the throat and pushed him back against a bookshelf. Stars exploded in Harry's eyes as his windpipe was pressed together by Vandermine's iron grip. Harry opened his mouth to call for help, but something in Vandermine's eyes froze his voice before it left his throat. He saw genuine fear, and something that he could not place.
"Who was it? What was her name?" Vandermine shouted, trembling slightly.
Harry gasped for breath. Vandermine was choking him too much for him to speak. Specks of black crept into Harry's vision and he let out a strangled cry. Vandermine relaxed his grip slightly, enough to let him speak. Harry swallowed hard and spoke quickly, "It… it was Alice Longbottom. She had been captured by the werewolf, Outrider!"
Vandermine abruptly dropped him and turned his back. As Harry fell on all fours, sucking in air, he strode over to Dumbledore's desk. Harry heard him smack his fists together angrily. He swore loudly and Harry jumped.
They stood there for minutes, neither looking at the other. Harry massaged his aching neck, wondering silently what had made Vandermine react so badly.
"I am sorry for that," Vandermine said at last. He turned to face Harry, looking solemnly at the floor in front of him. "I lost control. For a moment, I thought that you had seen something else. Something that no one should see." He shook his head and sighed heavily. "It will never happen again."
"Never happen again? You just about choked me to death!" Harry took a step forward. "What was that?"
"You do not need to know."
"Don't need to know? You just-"
Vandermine waved his hand and Harry's voice died in his throat. Something tightened in his windpipe, forming a shield around his vocal cords.
"Stand still so I can fix your problem." Vandermine moved closet and raised his wand. "This might feel strange, but I guarantee that this will end the dreams."
Ignoring Harry's muted protests, Vandermine stretched out his arm and placed his wand on Harry's forehead. He whispered something that Harry could not hear and a jet of black energy reached out towards Harry. He felt dizzy for a moment, then a pleasant feeling filled his brain. He could not place it, but something had clicked in his mind. A weight that he had not even realized existed lifted suddenly, leaving him light and relieved. It was as if Vandermine had taken a heavy backpack off him.
Vandermine held his wand up for a second longer before releasing the energy. He lowered his wand and nodded to Harry.
"There. The memories will trouble you no more. Tell Professor McGonagall and go back to your dormitory. You'll need sleep for tomorrow." He headed for the door.
"Wait!" Harry moved forward and cut him off. He stared defiantly at Vandermine who eyed him coolly as he shifted to block his exit. "Tell me what just happened back there."
"I already told you, you do not need to know."
"Like hell I don't! You just about killed me!"
"What you saw was nothing more than a…" Vandermine glare at him and holstered his wand. "Get out of my way."
"What were you afraid of?"
"Harry, as much as I admire your abilities and your parents, this is one thing I must ask you to let go. All that you need to know is that you will not be bothered by the dreams again."
Vandermine put a hand on his shoulder and moved him aside gently but firmly. Harry pushed back against the hand, but allowed Vandermine to walk by him. He glared at Vandermine's back as he closed in on the door.
"Was it about Bellatrix then? Is that what you were afraid of? Something you did with her?"
Harry winced as the words left his mouth. Vandermine tensed and turned back slowly.
"No, it was not. Leave it alone, Harry. What I was afraid of is something that would blow your mind. You do not want to know what I thought."
"Tell me anyway."
"Harry, have you listened to a single word I have told you? Do you remember any of the lectures from the Dueling Club. If a wizard wants to keep a secret, do not meddle with him. Prying into what does not concern you is a serious offense, not officially, but personally."
"But I still want to know."
"Then you will have to be satisfied with nothing."
Harry let out a scornful laugh. "I will find out eventually, Professor."
Vandermine actually smiled. He shook his head slowly, eyeing Harry with something akin to respect.
"Just like your dad. No respect for authority or privacy. Good luck trying, Harry, but you will never find it out. This is a secret that only myself and Dumbledore need know. And you won't be finding it out from him, I can promise you that. Get to bed, Harry. You've had a long day.
Vandermine turned away from Harry before he could reply and left the room. Harry watched after him, already formulating a plan to discover the secret.
Author's Note: Sorry that this is so short and that it's been so long since I've updated. Life kind of hectic right now. Please review it and tell me what you think.