Author' s Note: Wanted to thank those who have reviewed so far, I suppose it's safe to say that the introduction part of this story has come to an end with this chapter and in the next ones you will surely find out answers to some of the riddles previously mentioned and the more serious things are going to start happening, so fasten your seat belts, ladies and gentlemen, we are going down.
I still am having problems of keeping this story out of my head, it is becoming something annoying and I wish I could have more time and note this to yourselves- never try to write while drunk, never drink on a thursday evening, and never try to explain your stories in a bad gay club to which people come to get laid. I almost messed up all the plotlines...
Oh, and njferrell actualy thanks a great deal for your reviews, you seem to catch me off guard, and you have helped a lot, albeit a bit unknowingly;p , pointing out some things I overlooked while writing and helping me keep the plot straight.
With no further delay I bring you the last of the boring part (at least to me they seem so..). Enjoy!
-MercurialLeo-
7- Teachers and Lessons
Harry had literally jumped off Malfoy after what seemed to be him having healed the blonde. He didn't want to think, nor talk about it and they had just quietly spent their evening trying to restore the demolished classroom. It wasn't long before McGonagall appeared and dismissed them, seeing as nothing more could be done without magic.
After the boys had parted without words, Harry went back to the common room realizing that he was afraid to fall asleep. But all the negative aspects of seeing any dreams, or even worse- seeing Draco's dreams, that had risen to the upper surface of his mind were easily washed away as he fell into his bed and seemingly switched off the reality.
Harry only woke up when Ron had returned back from breakfast to the dormitory to get a couple of books. The boy shook Harry awake: "Get up, mate, blimey, did you sleep in your clothes? You better start moving because you're gonna miss Charms if you don't hurry."
With a little of Ron's help they both managed to arrive on time to Flitwick's class. They sat down next to Hermione that whispered to them: "Glamour Charms. And start taking notes!"
As Harry glanced around the room, most of the girls were listening carefully, fervently taking notes and from time to time they even giggled among themselves. Probably they were already making plans on seducing some boys; Harry didn't even want to know if he was one of their potential victims.
Flitwick usually wasn't the one to do a lot of talking, but seemed that he had decided to change his method for this lesson: "White Magic. That's what glamour is mostly called. But they can also be referenced to as beauty spells, enchantments, but those of you, who have chosen Muggle Studies this year and might have heard the term 'make-up', will come to realize that glamour charms basically are its equivalent and serves the same purpose. But maybe someone of you knows one more term that is rarely used to describe glamour charms," the short professor did his best to try and look over all the students. He seemed in a good mood and added a hint: "You have all heard this term, it's popular in both Wizarding and Muggle worlds, but only few know that in most of the earliest literature sources it means glamour charms. Come on, think harder."
"Love spells," came a drawl from behind of the classroom and Harry didn't even turn to see that it was Malfoy speaking.
"I can't believe, I didn't think of that," angrily Hermione muttered under her breath.
"Yes, Mister Malfoy, that is absolutely correct," Flitwick chirped and looked over the classroom that had erupted in whispers and shocked glances. "Maybe, Mister Malfoy, you can tell us more?"
Finally Harry did look around and found Draco looking a bit irritated. It seemed that he had only answered because no one else knew that answer and he was tired of waiting for Flitwick to go on with the lesson. But he clearly didn't want to start lecturing.
"I really don't know much, but it is still clear as day that, for example, in renaissance or rococo periods they would call them love spells because nobody looked really appealing. They didn't wash too often, had wigs on their heads that were basically a breeding farm for head louses. And most of the people were fat as elephants and stank. So if someone looked really 'glamorous' they really stood out becoming a phenomenon. In a meaning that a beautiful woman entered the room everyone would fall for her allure; afterwards thinking she used a spell to make them fall in love. It's mainly, as you, Professor, already said- a literature reference," Malfoy leaned back in his seat, arms once again crossed over his chest. He was smirking, enjoying the possibility to enlighten the class with something no one knew.
"Brilliant Mister Malfoy! Twenty points to Slytherin!" And with this small interlude Flitwick continued with another question. "Now who can tell me why is this type of charms is white magic?"
Hermione raised her arm in an instant and Ron rolled his eyes. After being allowed to speak, the girl said: "They are white magic because essentially they don't require a wand to perform the spells; they can require a potion ingredient, but not the whole brewing process. And mainly because it is never hundred percent sure that the spell will work properly or the desired effect will be achieved."
"Ten points to Gryffindor, thank you Miss Granger. So glamour spells are the trickiest part of magic. They are spells to change or to mask something or someone. But still those are only charms for the eye; they don't change substance as transfiguration spells. Glamour charms alter perception and sometimes are referred to in connection with fairies. But nowadays this magic segment has been commercialized mostly for a target market of females. I will pass on some of the product's that have originated through glamour," Flitwick levitated around some tubes and small cases. "But still there are some more serious applications for white magic. Those are difficult rituals that can exceedingly alter appearance. Can anyone tell the one thing that even the most advanced glamour spells are not good for, what they don't change?"
Lavender Brown reluctantly raised her hand, glancing around nervously, but she seemed to be the only one to know for sure the answer. Hermione skipped the ages of the Charms textbook to find the answer, but her huffing and puffing didn't help.
"Yes, miss Brown?" Flitwick clasped his hands together, curious to hear her answer. Harry figured that it must have been a really difficult question.
"Um, well, from what I have heard, these rituals can go even so far that a person is able to switch his or her gender…" she flushed a bit, not knowing how to explain what she wanted to tell, clearly embarrassed.
"Well, Miss Brown, you can give an example, not try to strain yourself by providing us a strictly theoretical answer. I would have a hard time myself," the professor smiled sympathetically at the girl.
Lavender brightened a bit and after thinking a bit started out: "Um… If a girl uses a glamour charm to change herself into a boy because she would want to attract a boy that is… er… homosexual… she would never be able to charm him. Because even if she looked like the sexiest boy alive, she would still stay a girl on the inside and radiate her real gender to the boy…"
The class fell silent for a moment. No one could ever think that something like that was possible. Some people started giggling and whispering, others just gazed at the professor to hear if it was true.
"Thank you very much, Miss Brown. Thirty points to Gryffindor," Flitwick just looked over the class that had settled in a weird silence. "That is a fact, actually, that glamour charms are linked together with sexual desires and the magical energy radiating from each person. You might be surprised to hear that even this energy has a gender. And that although glamour charms are meant to entrance people; they can never cross the boundaries of gender magic and/or sexual preferences."
"Maybe Lavender had tried something like that and now knows it's not possible," Ron whispered in Harry's ear as the dark-haired boy was looking at one of the magical facial glamour cream tubes. The redhead snickered as he looked at the girl.
"I don't think she has tried it herself. I mean, she's not good even at the simplest charms, but something like a complex ritual could be manageable for her?" Harry expressed his doubts.
"Mate, you can never know what a girl is ready to do to get a guy, even if she knows he is gay," Ron just looked at his friend meaningfully before shivering at getting up since the class was now over.
--
The next lessons went smoothly; Harry even tried to engage himself in various conversations with his housemates. When the Gryffindors came down for dinner, some boys whistled in the direction of the teacher's table.
"Look at Madame Pomfrey, Harry," Seamus nudged him as he sat down.
"I'm looking. So what? Is there something wrong with her?" to Harry the school nurse looked just like always.
"She's bloody hot, mate!" Harry looked again after hearing Ron's exclamation, but still, the nurse just like she always did.
"Um, aren't you all a little bit too young for her? I mean, she's about Dumbledore's age…"
Some of the boys at the table had the decency to blush. But many still stole glances her way. Harry looked over them worriedly and leaned to Hermione: "Herm, when did the guys start falling for Pomfrey? It's kinda' weird, don't you think?"
The girl looked at him and then over his shoulder at the other boys who were almost drooling: "It's been like this since the school started this year. You were just so shut off that you didn't hear them talking about the nurse constantly. She's not here at mealtimes always. And she looks just as tired as Dumbledore does. But I have heard that boys from all houses try to get in the infirmary without any real reason. So Pomfrey has put some wards around the wing to let through only the really injured ones. That's why we weren't allowed to visit you when you were brought there with Malfoy."
"Oh, yeah, you both didn't visit me… I hadn't even noticed that…" Harry started to feel a little awkward.
"What- you didn't notice? Harry! We always visit you in the infirmary; didn't it strike you as odd?" Hermione looked at the boy reproachfully.
"Um, I had other things on my mind then…" Harry blushed and desperately wished to find something to change the subject. "Maybe Madame Pomfrey is using some glamour charms, don't you think? The way everyone's acting, is kinda' strange."
"No, I just think their hormones have started to kick in is all. Besides it's always like that- you learn a new thing and then try to find references in real life for it. Glamour charms aren't as popular, everyone knows that they don't actually make people fall in love."
Harry nodded and turned back to his soup.
--
"So Harry, how's it going with Malfoy? Still feel carefree around him?" Lupin said as Harry had sat down in his usual chair in the ex-professor's sitting room.
"I don't want to talk about him," Harry stood up again, feeling restless. His day had been good so far, mainly because it didn't involve Malfoy too much, so he didn't even want to remind himself of the problem he would have to deal sooner or later.
"Alright, but I still heard about the attack on you two, it was just after the last lesson with me, wasn't it? I hope you're not feeling any backwash."
"No, no, everything is fine, but because of that incident, I would really want to try to learn some more harder and effective spells."
"Oh, of course," Lupin smiled and started excitedly explaining some of the most effective one's feeling like a teacher again.
Both of them got carried away with practicing various defense spells and after a late lunch they sent an owl to Dumbledore and Ron and Hermione to warn that Harry will not be there for his last lessons of the day, perhaps not even dinner. The Headmaster, being his new careless self, allowed Harry to take as long as he found necessary if Lupin's assistance proved to be so helpful.
Unnoticing they had switched to some attack techniques and till late in the night even found time to go over a few hexes.
"I think you should stay here over the night, Harry. Not only because it's long passed curfew in Hogwarts and anyone who found out that I kept you so long will kill me, but also it could be pretty dangerous to try to get back," Lupin said as they had taken some time off to renew their strength.
"Alright, I'm sure I can just stay here on the couch, I'll just summon some clothes… and maybe we could even practice tomorrow. That is, if you don't have some plans already," Harry was actually grateful for not having to go back to the castle. He was exhausted and thought that he won't be able to make it down the stairs.
Reluctantly, Lupin agreed, not liking Harry missing so many classes, but it was still for the boy's own safety.
--
Harry got to the castle only when it was time for his wandless magic lesson with Dumbledore. He was happy about his lessons, it was after all something he had always wanted and liked. And at the end these new skills will most probably save his life.
Wandless magic was much harder than he had expected, and Dumbledore seemed eager to end the lesson much earlier for some unknown reason. Harry spent the rest of the day with Ron and Hermione trying to catch up on the lessons he had missed.
"Hey, Harry, what are you planning on doing tomorrow, would you like to go flying?" Ron started a conversation as the three of them were walking up the stairs to the Gryffindor Tower.
"Yeah, I'd love to!" Harry brightened up, but then a realization hit him. "Shit! I can't. I almost forgot…"
"What? You have a date?" Ron smirked at him, wiggling his eyebrows.
"Um, no. I have this lesson with Snape. I don't even want to go… what could he possibly teach me?…"
"Harry, he is a teacher after all. And he does know a lot of important things about You-Know-Who he could tell you. Dumbledore trusts him, that's all you need to know," Hermione sent both of them scolding looks.
"Come on, Herm! The man's a genuine asshole! He couldn't even teach a dog to bark, it doesn't matter how much he knows," Ron stepped in.
"Harry," Hermione turned to the dark-haired boy for help. "You do think that Snape is anyhow useful, right?"
Harry took a step back from the both of them. He hadn't spent so much time with both of them together, so he had forgotten how to deal with their tantrums. Better just step out: "Oh, no! You will not involve me into this! Clear this out between yourselves."
They came into the common room and Harry used his sleepiness as an excuse to get away from them both.
--
The next day came and flew past Harry as is he was walking through a dream. It was usually so- when you anticipated something good to happen the minutes dragged like hours. But-
-when you had a planned lesson with Snape on a Friday evening about god knows what subject, you didn't even have time to blink when you were already heading silently through the dungeons and an imaginary funeral march was playing in the background.
That was exactly what Harry was doing right now- dragging his feet and trying to loose his way in the corridors like some great lummox.
Until he was grabbed by his upper arms and pressed against some wall before he even had time to recognize his attacker.
"What the fuck are you doing here, Potter? You could be killed!" it was Malfoy.
"Let me go, I am having a lesson with Snape and if you don't let me go, I'll be late."
Draco really did let Harry go; he stepped back and gazed at the other boy silently. As Harry looked back, he spoke: "You have been avoiding me, haven't you?"
Harry gaped in shock. Even he would have never given the blonde credit to say something like that and he was the one believing Malfoy had changed: "I have always been avoiding you, Malfoy. It doesn't get too fluffy when we both get together. I don't know how to break it to you, but we have sort of a tendency to fight and almost kill each other from time to time."
The other boy just smirked: "Not lately."
"Oh yeah, lately we seem to have stepped in a whole different level- now we inflict injuries on each other that don't heal."
Draco just stepped closer and put his hands on the wall on either side of Harry's head, thus both leaning in and slightly capturing the other boy: "Why- don't you like it? And you do know how to heal them, Harry…"
The voice Draco had used, that nicely vibrating low undertone, and purring out his first name, sent shivers up his spine and he didn't think he would be able to control himself. He had found a perfect excuse for each time something had happened between them. Because they did kiss only in emotional breakdown situations, as it seemed to Harry. But if he didn't control himself now… well, it would be bad.
"Don't try to act like you don't like it, you forgot already that I can read your mind?" the blonde just smirked evilly and Harry blushed. "I know exactly what you're thinking about in this moment."
"What?! No, you can't!" the Gryffindor blushed even more and pushed the other boy away from him.
"Of course I can't!" Draco seemed to be snickering about something hysterically funny. "But I think I guessed from the way you're acting."
Without another word Harry just turned away and started walking.
"You're late, Potter," Snape spat out as he opened the door. "I should have known you will not take these lessons seriously. Just remember this, Potter, I only agreed to do this because Dumbledore asked me saying that there was no one better for the job," the man then glanced once again at Harry who was still standing in the doorway. "Sit down, what are you waiting for- flying arrows to point you?!"
Harry stayed where he was, for a moment considering just turning away and going back to the Tower. Snape clearly would only be happy.
But instead he decided in making the grumpy professor even more irritated.
He stepped in the room and suddenly almost fell over by the overwhelming smell of potions and their ingredients. He took his seat as fast as he could, feeling his legs starting to wobble. Harry had no intentions falling unconscious in Snape's office and letting the old man do whatever he wanted with him.
Bad mental image!
"I'm sorry, something got in the way and I couldn't make it as fast as I could," Harry managed to squeeze the apology out of himself.
"Your apology warms my cold heart. Now shall we get on with the training, I have other things to do also."
Harry fidgeted in his seat, now knowing what he was supposed to do. In the note Snape had sent him was only the time and the place for their lessons. Not the subject.
"Erm, what exactly is it you will be teaching me, Professor?" Harry squeaked out, feeling suddenly like he had in Snape's first lecture. He figured that that probably was some Slytherin trait to be always prepared for the coming lessons and knowing the things that will be taught. That was most probably why Draco always was prepared and Snape awaited it from everybody.
"You don't even know?" now Snape looked really incredulous.
"Apparently Dumbledore forgot to tell me…"
"And you didn't even ask him… How Gryffindor of you to just wait for the things come to you!"
Harry fidgeted some more, trying not to get angry and start yelling, but it was pretty hard to do. Snape was openly provoking him: "Yes, well, Dumbledore hasn't been himself lately…"
"People trust Dumbledore to know what he's doing. He is probably just acting."
As Harry mumbled under his nose, he tried to do it as quiet as possible: "If someone asked me-"
"-Yes, that's exactly why they're not asking you. Potter, you are the only one who is in the opinion that your thoughts are useful or needed," Snape glared at him, but Harry didn't let it go by him unnoticed that even the professor was a tad bit unsure that Dumbledore really knew what he was doing. "Anyhow, don't let your already pumped up ego get even more bigger, but I will be providing you with exclusive information about the Dark Lord. Dumbledore doesn't know, and if you keep your beloved friends out of this and don't go bragging around, the full content of your training with me will remain, so to say, indistinct to him. Since the Headmaster seems to think of you as a child that should be protected a little while longer, I do not share the same opinion. Up till know you seem to have kept the Wizarding community by its wits. If something happens to you, I have no doubts that panic will arise. So it is better that you are well informed and trained."
Harry just stared at his professor eyes and mouth agape. If he didn't know better, it would almost appear that Snape had lost his trust in Dumbledore. The Headmaster did seem to take things and other occurrences rather lightly, but Harry supposed that he still was taking care of all the spying on Voldemort and his Death Eaters.
"Each of our lessons will take place in a different place, so they will not become an easily noticeable habit. I will teach you the Dark Lord's attack strategies and try to give you expansive information about all the Death Eaters, if something occurs and you are forced to duel with them. You will not write any on this down, nor will you repeat the things you will have learnt aloud at any times. And these lessons will continue for as long as they should, until I have a feeling that something is actually getting through your thick skull. Is that clear, Potter?"
Harry weekly nodded.
"So you might have guessed that the latest weapon for the Dark Lord are vampire ghosts. You have encountered one, but I doubt you will ever see her again. Right now the Dark Lord and Lucius Malfoy are concentrating mainly on the capture of Draco Malfoy, I take it as their personal revenge, but these plans have not been exposed to anyone else. I am still trying to find out what exactly was behind their original idea to use you in the attack."
With that Snape went on and on, and although he didn't seem to have lost track of time, the man kept Harry in his clutches until it was almost curfew. As the boy opened the door he felt numb and dead tired.
"And by the way, your detention will be on Monday evening in your default Potions classroom which you have been lately using as a replacement for your dormitory during my lessons. Try not to be late this time."
Harry left the dungeons and even as he had entered the common room he hadn't still recovered from the shock of Snape telling him things that he supposed even Dumbledore didn't know. He was surprised by the man's courage of exposing himself in such a manner that could only blow his cover.
"Oy, Harry! How did it go, mate?"
"Harry-? Is everything-"
There were some voices in the background; he thought they belonged to Ron and Hermione, but he didn't have the strength to turn his head around. He just went slowly for his bed and fell in.
The thought of Snape putting such belief in him and almost handing over his life to Harry, haunted him even in sleep.