CHAPTER 11
A/N: Dear all, I am sorry that my chapters are shorter than usual, but I have to study for my MA exams. Towers of books are waiting in the adjoining room. I enjoy writing this story because it relaxes me after studying, but if I have to make the chapters longer just for the sake of length rather than for the sake of the content, then this might end up going the same way as That Special Touch. Sorry; and many thanks to those who encourage me with their wonderful reviews – and patience.

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"Ohhhh, Harry, this is great!" Hermione exclaimed, peeling off the Invisibility Cloak and running up to a shelf of books.

"Impressive stuff," Ron agreed, looking around with wide blue eyes. Harry, too, studied the room eagerly. There were many books and a few pictures of wizards and witches on the wall. To his surprise, he noticed that Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape had their own portraits.

A banner hung over the pictures.

"Members of the Guild of Mental Magic," Harry read out. Ron and Hermione joined him, gazing at the pictures.

"How prestigious," Harry commented dryly, "Occlumency is definitely mental."

Ron snorted with laughter. Hermione turned to Harry and stared at him fixedly.

"Hey, why are you staring at me like that?" Harry asked, puzzled.

"Legilimens!" Hermione said, pulling out her wand and pointing it at Harry.

Harry felt a sharp tug at his mind; then it was gone.

"Did you feel anything?" Hermione asked.

"A kind of a tug at my mind, a bit like a vacuum-cleaner."

"Good, I think I'm getting the hang of Legilimency, I read a book in which it was written that the other person is supposed to feel a tugging sensation in the beginning…and if I can see just a faint haze of your memories, then it will be enough for some basic training…"

Both Harry and Ron were gazing at her in astonishment.

"Hermione, the fact that I felt a tug means that you're about to master the spell!" Harry said.

"Isn't she brilliant?" Ron said, half to himself, half to Harry. Hermione went an interesting shade of red.

"Oh, I just did a bit of reading when Harry started with Occlumency again," she said modestly, shifting her feet and smiling shyly at Ron.

They spent a good two hours in the Room of Requirement, choosing books, writing up a training schedule and allotting tasks. It was decided that Hermione and Harry would practise Occlumency while Ron and Harry focused on duelling. They decided to "book" the room on Saturdays evenings – hoping, of course, that it would not be occupied by other people.

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Harry managed to get out of his next duelling lesson thanks to breaking his ankle during Quidditch practice, which had been scheduled before the lesson. For once, Harry felt rather grateful that he could go to the hospital wing. He sent a note to the Potions Master with Hedwig, explaining why he couldn't come. Hedwig returned with another note. Harry read it tentatively. The succinct message was written in a small thin script.

Double lesson next Friday.

Harry groaned and banged his head a few times against the table.

"How typically Snape," Ron said, taking the note from him, "the git did not even bother to address you by name or even say that it's from him."

Harry shrugged.

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Severus found another way of belittling Harry and making him feel stupid and inept. When Harry arrived for his next Occlumency lesson, Severus was looking particularly spiteful.

"Maybe this will help you, Potter," he drawled, handing Harry a book which looked familiar to him. He glanced at the title and stared at the Head of Slytherin, puzzled.

"But I read this in my first year," he said.

"I am not at all sure about that, Potter. You obviously have to catch up on material."

"What is this – a joke?" Harry seethed.

"You are a joke, Potter. Read it for our next lesson. Dismissed."

He turned his back on Harry and strode away. Harry saw red and flung the book at the tall wizard's back. Severus did not even turn; he flicked his wand over his shoulder, and the book fell harmlessly onto the ground.

"My, my, Potter. What kind of tactics. Obviously, your duelling skills are nil as well."

There was a funny sound in Harry's ears. A jar shattered on the shelf. Severus swivelled around this time, black eyes narrowing, then widening as he saw that all the shelves in his office were vibrating ominously. There were four simultaneous crashes; the corresponding number of shelves had given way. A cauldron in the corner fell over on its side with a loud clang. Severus whipped out his wand but stumbled backwards and hit his desk as a jar went sailing past his face. Harry was glaring daggers at him, deathly pale; and he was starting to hyperventilate. Severus's desk tipped over with a deafening bang, and a chair suddenly launched itself into the air and smashed into the ceiling, causing bits of wood, plaster and paint to rain down liberally.

"POTTER! STOP IT!" Severus shouted, staggering to his feet and seizing the youth's shoulders. Harry was hyperventilating insanely now; he had bitten his lip, and blood was trickling down his chin. From the corner of his eye, Severus noticed a jar of powder slowly inch its way to the end of a vibrating shelf. Harry suddenly went limp and collapsed onto the floor. Severus hoisted him up in his arms and bounded out of the office, wand sticking out of his robes untidily. He rushed out into the corridor and shut the door with a non-verbal spell; and not a moment too soon, he heard a massive explosion rock his office. Strikingly pink smoke seeped out from underneath the door. Severus's hands were actually shaking a little. He stared at Harry's face; it was deathly pale, except for the feverish patches of red on his cheeks and the blood on his lips and chin. His spectacles were askew. Severus stroked back the fringe roughly; the scar looked normal. It had been a pure unleashing of uncontrollable magic triggered by pent-up rage. Merlin knew for how long it had been accumulating in Harry; short outbursts had not been enough at all to hold it in check or actually drain it. Refusing to feel even remotely responsible, Severus went to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey hurried towards him.

"What has he done now?" she exclaimed. "Put him over here, please."

Severus obeyed and placed Harry on the bed.

"What happened?" the matron wanted to know.

"He lost control of his magic," Severus said, trying to sound unconcerned, but he didn't manage to meet the matron's suspicious eyes.

"And what brought on this loss of control?" she asked in a dangerous tone.

"He went into one of his typical teenage tantrums and ruined my office in the process," Severus replied impassively.

Madam Pomfrey nodded slowly.

"You. Provoked. Him," she enunciated slowly, placing her hands on her hips, "no Veritaserum is needed to know what happened. Leave the ward. Now."

Severus Snape was much taller than Madam Pomfrey, but he seemed to shrink before her; he obeyed and left the enraged matron with her patient; Madam Pomfrey immediately proceeded to notify Dumbledore. The Headmaster arrived within half a minute.

"What is wrong, Poppy?"

"Severus provoked Harry, that is what happened!" she snapped. "Harry lost control over his magic. Our dear Potions Master seems more concerned about the damage done to his office, however. Goodness knows how much anger the poor dear has been eating into himself!"

She bent over Harry and ran her wand over his face and chest.

"He should soon wake up, but he will not be able to practise Quidditch for a week – and he is definitely not going to practise Occlumency or duelling with that – with Severus," she rapped out.

Dumbledore sighed softly. It was time for another talk with Severus. A decidedly disagreeable one at that.

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