Previous Chapter - Tom leads Harry to his old quarters and hideout just off Diagon Alley In the process of bypassing and attuning the wards to himself Harry, and Tom, discover that Harry is a parselmouth. Tom gifts Harry with his old basilisk skin vest and enchanted robes.

Chapter 17 - Christmas Eve

-my-friend-tom-

The first few days of the christmas break went quickly. Harry spent a lot of his time sorting out all the tomes in the hideout. Then he started studying Tom's old school books plus a few of the others. He had been keen to move on to the more advanced material but soon discovered that Tom was correct in advising him to start with the basics. Though advanced compared to many other Hogwarts students, the material that Tom had been studying was near incomprehensible to him.

He also spent a good part of each day wandering the shops of Diagon Alley. Quality Quidditch Supplies was definitely his favourite and he picked up a number of magazines and posters. He took everything apart from the poster of Hogwarts from the walls and stuck up his own posters. There was still plenty of pale brown patterned wall paper displayed afterwards. Harry considered replacing it but eventually decided that could be a task for another visit.

By Christmas eve Harry, or rather Douglas Boots, a twenty year old half blood, had sampled many of the restaurants and cafes of Diagon Alley. His story was that he had been home schooled by his aunt who had sworn him to secrecy about his fathers and her identity. Only a few people enquired any further and he just made some vague stories about doing some odd jobs in Europe over the past few years. Telling them it had been nothing illegal but he still had had to swear secrecy oaths. He also learnt that asking questions about people's own interests often worked as a good distraction and it came with the added bonus that he met a number of people that had led truly interesting lives.

Late Christmas eve morning an excited Harry was met at the train station by Hermione's parents. For the first time since the beginning of the holidays he was back to his normal appearance and feeling much better for it. He had mentioned to Tom that he had been a bit lethargic and wondered if it was due to the hideout and after an hour of investigating Tom had worked out it was the glamours that were draining his energy.

'Yes, Harry. There are other glamours that use much less power but these are significantly better as they are extremely hard to detect. Even harder to do so subtly. Minor glamours are commonly used but using anything stronger is frowned upon. In fact the ones you are using to conceal your identity are restricted.'

"Restricted. So if I get caught I'd be in more trouble than if I used normal glamours?" Harry was more curious than worried, using any magic at his age was technically illegal.

'Yes. Though I would say having others learn that you knew such spells or knew a way to get around the trace on your wand would be more of a problem than any minor fine or reprimand given out by the Ministry at this time.'

He had initially wished to remove the glamours in the hideout but had changed his mind when Tom had suggested that learning to leave them on and get use to the feel of them and their drain would be a worthwhile exercise. Now that they were gone he felt like he was lighter and couldn't stop smiling at every little thing. So his smile when Hermione ran across the station to give him a hug was especially bright.

"Harry. Oh I've so looked forward to your visit. I know it's only been a week but I've so much to tell you. Come on, mum and dad's parked across the road. There is some work being done in the carpark and dad hates to get the car dirty. Did you know we went to Stonehenge on the way back from visiting my cousins in Bristol. Well of course not but you do now and guess what, I could feel magic nearby. Not from the stones though. Do you know why? Have you ever been there?" She paused for just a moment as she stood back and examined Harry and his small backpack with a small frown. "Didn't you bring anything more? You are still going to stay with us for a few days?"

Harry's smile was broader than ever. He had missed Hermione and her excited chatter. "Calm down I've got plenty of clothes in my backpack. Bigger than it looks remember."

Hermione flushed, "Oh. Silly me. We've been travelling with normal suitcases because my cousins don't know about… all that. So what do you think about Stonehenge? I thought all the stones were going to be real magical but it was strange. Just normal rocks."

"Tom. Any ideas?"

'Stonehenge that the muggles see is just a copy created over a thousand years ago when those that lived there decided to hide themselves from the muggles. The true monument is further north near surrounded by a magical community that you won't find mentioned in any ministry approved books. The people that live there are independent of the ministry. You can tell her that it's fake and the real one is further north. That at least is common knowledge that she could look up.'

Harry did so and he and Hermione chatted about other supposedly magical or haunted sites and wondered if they also might be magical or fake. Harry didn't ask Tom about any of them though. it was too complicated to try and work out what he had to keep secret and what not and it was kind of fun just to guess. By the time the traffic lights had changed and they had crossed the road to meet up with Hermione's parents they were trying to come up with the most unlikely stories about ghosts at the Tower of London.

After a round of greetings Harry and Hermione continued to make up fantastical stories all the way to the restaurant.

As Daniel parked the car Hermione exclaimed, "It's a French restaurant! You remembered. Thanks mum, thanks dad."

Emma smiled from the front seat, "So have you both been practicing your french?"

Hermione nodded like a bobble head toy while Harry gave a slightly tight nod. He had kept up his study but only an hour or two at the most per week. He now wished he had spent a bit more time. As it was he was lucky in that Hermione carried the conversation and Harry had no trouble keeping up. The waiters also kept their french to a fairly basic level so that even Daniel with his half remembered high school lessons could keep up. Emma was fluent and the waiters even complimented her on her accent. She promised Hermione and Harry that they could practice with her after Christmas. As it was, Emma spent the following drive to the cinema chatting in, and helping them with, their french.

After an enjoyable couple of hours they headed back to Hermione's home.

"Don't torture yourself. That's my job."

Harry chuckled, "Nice one. How about, you're so sweet, you look just like a little entree."

Hermione laughed and Harry joined in.

When the calmed down Harry wondered aloud, "I wonder if some of the books in the restricted area are like those books. It'd be great for getting a suntan."

"I was more interested in 'Thing'. Remember how Flitwick animated that apple? I think an enchanted hand would be great for cleaning up rooms. Though it'd be better if it could float."

Harry smiled thinking back to the hand he had conjured at the beginning of the holiday. It had only been partially physical. He would have to work out a way to show it to Hermione.

"It was pretty good. We could ask Flitwick if there is such a spell."

Hermione giggled, "He'd wonder where we got the idea. I'm really happy you enjoyed it, Harry. What's your favourite movie? We have a whole selection of tapes at home and its not far to Ritz Video hire if you want something different."

Harry shrugged and gave a cheeky little grin, "The Addams Family. Since that's the only movie I've seen."

At Hermione's surprised look he added, "It's a long way to the nearest theatre from where I live and my cousin is always watching TV. I don't get along with him so I rarely go into that room."

Harry noticed that the conversation in the front seat trailed off.

Hermione pursed her lips then asked, "But didn't you ever go out with your friends? Surely one of their parents could have driven you?"

"I didn't actually spend any time with my friends outside school. We did our own things. I spent a lot of time walking and reading. I didn't want to turn into a Dudley."

"Your cousins sounds a bit like a couch potato."

"A couch potato?"

Hermione giggled, "Someone who spends all their time sitting in a couch and eating snacks. I guess I've watched a lot more TV than you too."

Harry smiled, "Actually it's a perfect description, he also looks rather like a potato. Big, fat and round."

"You don't get on with him?"

Harry shook his head, "Naah. He's a small minded bully but he knows better than to mess with me or my friends. I live with my relatives but I don't get along with them at all. Much prefer coming to spend the christmas with you. Thanks again for inviting me."

"You're welcome, Harry. I'm so glad you accepted. Normally we have my cousin and his family from Liverpool staying with us or we go up and stay with them but they are travelling overseas this year. I was so happy when mum said I was allowed to invite you. Tomorrow is going to be a lot of fun. We'll open presents first thing then spend some time just lazing around. We will meet up with grandma Judy and go to church with her before back to her place for lunch. Then we'll go ice skating. For dinner we will go to grandma and grandpa Granger's place." Hermione lowered her voice a little, "They are a lot more fun than grandma Judy."

There was a little snigger from the front seat but neither Granger commented and they soon restarted their own conversation.

Before dinner they ended up watching Edward Scissorhands which Harry enjoyed and after they watched Ferris Bueller's Day Off which left him smiling for ages.

-my-friend-tom-

In the minutes before lights out a pajama clad Hermione dragged Harry into the piano room and set out a couple of yoga mats. "I'm ready for you to try and test my defences Harry."

Harry raised his eyebrows, "Are you sure? There is a good chance I'm going to see some of your memories."

Harry had admitted to Hermione the previous day that he had also been practising the Legilimency exercises both from the books Hermione had picked up and a few others. She wasn't really interested in the field but had decided it was certainly the best way to test her own Occlumency.

Hermione nodded and smiled hesitantly, "I trust you, Harry. I don't have any secrets from you. Well at least no important ones. You won't tell anyone what you see will you? I'm not sure…"

Harry held up a hand to forestall her, "I promise I will say nothing about what I see in your mind without your permission."

'Prepare yourself to be bombarded with the pitiful worries, woes and dreams of a preteen, Harry. This ought to be worse than daytime TV.'

"Shush you. This is important for her and that'll only happen if she hasn't put up strong defences."

'Yeah, like that is likely.'

Harry ignored Tom and made sure he and Hermione were comfortably seated across from each other. Both chose to kneel on thin cushions placed atop the mats.

"Okay, Hermione. I going to test your mind now. Just remain calm and don't fight it this time. I just want you to concentrate on the sensations you feel." Harry wanted to reassure her that without using his wand it wasn't going to be that powerful but if her defences weren't strong that could end up with her being devastated with her progress.

"I'm ready." Hermione's was less frightened than he expected. Harry wondered if she truly did trust him that much.

Harry peered into Hermione's eyes and everything else faded away. There was a flash of apprehension and trust as he passed through her surface emotions and entered into her thoughts and memories. He could feel himself pass through a number of barriers, almost like crossing over ward lines. He let them react and though each immediately started to strengthen they just as quickly relaxed and let him past.

There he was in the present looking at a frozen image of himself sitting crosslegged staring forward. It was a little disconcerting as it wasn't like looking in a mirror. Glancing around Harry was a little surprised that there were no other thoughts clamouring for attention. Either Hermione had very good focus all the time or she was just very good at calming herself. No other first year that he had briefly glanced at had such a clean mind even when they were relaxed to the point of near sleep.

'She has good focus, I'll give you that.'

Harry took a moment to look at himself and worked out why it wasn't like looking at a mirror. The scar wasn't as prominent, his eyes almost glowed and his clothes were poorly defined. This was how Hermione saw him and Harry was pleased to see that it was his eyes not his scar that was more noticeable.

'Are you staring at yourself, Harry?'

"Hey. I thought you couldn't see what I could when I was using Legilimency?"

'I can't. Not really. But I get faint echoes especially when you keep staring at the same thing for hours.'

Harry huffed but didn't reply. It was true he had been staring at himself for what felt like a minute though he knew it was probably less than a tenth of a second. Still a long time when dealing with magical thoughts.

He forced himself to move on, sending his consciousness deeper into Hermione's mind. Looking for and finding the beginnings of her subconsciousness.

A library. He wasn't surprised, most books advised you to try to create a familiar landscape where you felt in control. Still the sheer size of the library was an impressive modification. Miles of shelves stretched miles in every direction until they were swallowed into the darkness when they were so far away that it was no longer possible to distinguish book from shelf. The shelves also towered far above him until their top most shelves also became too small too see and darkness took them too.

Harry tried summoning a nearby book but nothing happened. A few more attempts at magic and he was pleased to discover himself in a truly muggle environment. Interesting considering how magical such a huge library was. He took a few steps forward noticing the feel of familiar of firm carpet under his boots. He pulled a random book from a nearby shelf. It was thick, well bound and old. The brownish leather cover was embossed with a flowery pattern. He opened it and discovered it was blank. Smiling he opened a dozen more books at random finding each with a different pattern but still blank.

It was an impressive defence. He glanced at the ends of the shelves but didn't try deciphering the coded index. Even if he could break the code it wasn't an indication either way that anyone else could. He withdraw and smiled as Hermione blinked.

"I felt that. Each of my walls recognised you as you crossed them and then I saw the library. But it was different than how it was when I imagined building it."

Harry nodded, "Even when you relax your walls they are still there. You built them well. They are the first warning system you have for an intrusion. The reason the library wasn't how you pictured it is much of our perception is related to our own personal experiences. The library was using my own memories and expectations to fill in characteristics that you hadn't strongly defined. I suspect that the texture and number of books were what you focused on. Things like the darkness in the distance and the carpet were taken from my own thoughts as those things I recognise from my old school library."

"Should I explain which books I imagine my thoughts to be in?"

Harry shook his head, "No, that defence should be yours but I will try to break it a different way now. First I want you to strengthen your walls, let them know that no one is free to enter now. Then I will attempt to subvert your library and you can try to stop me and if I break through you should try and expel me."

"I shouldn't try to expel you straight away?"

"No, I don't want you to tire yourself out too quickly. Allow me to at least attempt to reach your memories first. If I can achieve that then we'll talk about that for a bit and then we can practice resisting and expelling intrusions. That can be the most tiring so we should do that last."

This time Harry felt the walls fight back as soon as they noticed him. The first solidified into a massive wall of huge stone bricks in front of him. He imagined himself smashing them down with a huge sledgehammer, but it had no effect. Next he tried blasting it with overpowered curses, this time it went well and within moments there was a large hole through which he was able to move to the next. This wall likewise solidified out of the air into a massive stone wall, thicker and taller than the first. This time he took a moment to examine the wall and then he was suddenly smoke and sliding through tiny gaps between the bricks. He smiled as he sensed Hermione's surprise. As he approached where the third wall was waiting to be triggered he could sense Hermione's anticipation building. He paused as close as he could to the point where it would detect him. He took a moment to meditate then noted Hermione's confusion and then shock as he resumed his forward movement and no wall appeared to prevent him.

This time his sitting self was not alone in her present mind. Around him floated a number of textbooks, each with its pages rapidly flicking past. He was amused to note they were all occlumency books and she was already trying to understand how he had bypassed her walls. He was tempted reminding her to focus but decided she would have to learn that the hard way.

Another thought and he had moved on to the library. The library was the same but this time Harry was wearing wizarding robes. He flicked his wand out and pointed it at a book.

"Accio book."

The book didn't move.

He concentrated and brought his wand up in front of his face.

"Lumos."

The faintest light appeared on the end of his wand.

He smiled and pointed his wand at the book again.

"Accio book."

This time the book flew into his left hand.

He let the book fall open and reveal its blank pages. He carelessly dropped it to the floor and looked around.

"Accio memory book."

There was a ruffling of pages and shuffling of books from high up and after a moment a single book came flying down. He easily caught it and let it fall open.

Suddenly he was watching himself walking along a lake holding Hermione's hand. It wasn't the lake at Hogwarts and he quickly realized that this was at the park that Hermione's parents had taken him for a picnic.

Suddenly a wind sprung up and the book slammed shut. It was trying to make him lose balance but he resisted it and pointed his wand up, "Show me memory books."

Books scattered amongst those on the sixth and seventh rows of shelves started glowing. There seemed to be some sort of pattern to which books glowed and which didn't and he was just starting to piece together of the beginnings of the pattern when the floor suddenly dropped away and he fell into darkness.

He blinked at the sudden light as he looked at a breathless Hermione. She looked about ready to faint so he quickly shuffled forward and caught her.

"Ohh… what happened? Why am I so tired?"

Harry let her lean on him, "Expelling someone from your mind can be very tiring. Once you can learn to wield your magic internally without expelling it alongside the intruder, it'll be fine. I think that'll be enough for tonight. You did really well, I'm very impressed."

"But you got through my walls, one didn't even activate and then you cast magic in my library and saw all my memories. You could see all the books that I thought were so well hidden. "

"The walls were good. I'll teach you how to make them stronger and also the tricks I used to bypass them so you can build defences against them. It's all a matter of me using my imagination to come up with methods that you think should work, even if subconsciously. I was using your doubt against you. Doubt that the second wall was solid enough. Doubt that I couldn't just bypass your wall and finally, doubt that your library was resistant to all magic. You are so much further along that I expected, tomorrow I'll run you through a few little exercises but tonight you should just rest. Don't worry about rebuilding your walls, you're too tired."

"I am tired." Hermione yawned.

"Here, let me help you." Harry lifted Hermione off the ground and almost carried her to her bed and quickly tucked her in with a smile.

"Good night Hermione." but he got no response except the faint breathing of a girl already asleep.

-my-friend-tom-

Later as Harry lay in his guest bedroom he returned to a topic that he had been simmering in the back of his mind all day.

"Tom. Tell me more about the people at Stonehenge. I thought the Ministry of Magic was in charge of everyone in the U.K."

'They would like to believe they are and I expect for most that work there they probably also believe that. They have been spreading such propaganda for hundreds of years and there are few that care to dispute it. The village near stonehenge is named Henesbury, I only visited it once when I was in my late twenties questing for hidden knowledge.'

Tom paused for a moment and Harry had the sense that Tom was remembering the past.

'It was an unusual place, seemingly frozen in time. If you think the magical world under ministry control is backwards, believe me, you haven't seen anything till you have spent some time in Henesbury. Truly medieval in manner and dress, though a lot cleaner than it would have been. It's a mixed community of wizard and muggle though magic is not hidden within the wards that surround the lands. There are a large number of wizards of varied power, many of whom have apprentices. The most powerful rule, though most wield different styles of magic, each as varied from each other as they are to what is taught at Hogwarts. They do not take well to outside interference and I spent little time there before deciding that the time and effort to gain any secrets from them would be better spent elsewhere. They were not displeased to see me leave.'

"What do you mean by different styles of magic?"

'It's a rather complicated topic and without spending hours of just working through the groundwork no simple explanation can do it justice. If you are truly interested we can begin discussing them after the holidays, but let's just start with a simple example. When I visited Henesbury the head wizard was known for his ability to conjure and animate golems. He used a staff to channel his magic and frequently called upon the powers of storms to give his creations life. He taught his apprentices the same magic along with various common cantrips such as spells to create light, heat and move objects, those wandless. Together, you could say that was his style. I had hoped to learn from him but I found his oaths of apprenticeship demeaning and overly restrictive."

Tom paused to collect his thoughts,"The magic taught at Hogwarts is a combination of magics put together by the four founders of the school, each of which had their own personal style. The founders were not the first group to create a formalised magic system but they were the first to make it publicly available.'

Harry was surprised to learn this. Nothing he had been taught or read about mentioned anything like this. "So we are learning four different styles then?"

'No, according to those few that study such things Hogwarts teaches a restricted system of wanded magic. The four founders carefully selected certain topics to be taught, restricting much of their most powerful magic to only their senior apprentices, over the years the apprenticeship program has fallen into disuse and the ministry has further restricted spells and eliminated topics from the syllabus.'

"Such as dark magic?"

'So they say. Though their definition of dark magic is one of the vaguest of all that I've encountered. If there was a clear cut definition of what made a spell dark then it would be possible to create a ward against just those and any arithmancer or runemaster can tell you how impossible that is.'

"What about the unforgivables?"

'So named because they were a threat to spectators at duels, that's all. Sadly you'll find little written about such things these days unless you travel far and are willing to learn ancient languages. Though the ministry of magic has little political power across the water, its attitudes have spread like a plague. I'm glad you are interested in such topics but it sounded like Hermione was planning on waking you very early tomorrow so you better get some sleep.'

"But can't we talk just a..." Harry was going to put forward more of an argument before he cut himself with an involuntary yawn. "Ah, okay. Maybe tomorrow. Good night, Tom"

'Night, Harry.'

-my-friend-tom-

Author Notes: Thanks to those people that pointed out that I had referred to Hermione's mother's by two different names. I've settled on Emma Granger and corrected her name in chapter 4.

Would love any feedback on my take on Occlumency/Legilimency. Was only going to be a short piece but it grew. On the other hand I kind of expected the points I had to make about dark magic and unforgivables to be a lengthy discussion. Neither turned out that way I expected. If there is interest I could expand on those topics later or just leave tidbits throughout the story.

Yay for for my beta, Aletheya.

Replies to reviews posted at www fanfiction net/topic/135718/89507238/1/ or by pm if you request it.