The Hidden Power

by breached

In a world where Darren Potter, Harry's twin brother, could be the-boy-who-lived. Where age old predjudices between the houses mean nothing. A story where Harry puts his family before the wizarding world. What does it really mean to be a savior or a hero.

28. Chapter 28

DISCLAIMER: THE BOOK BELONGS TO J. I HAVE ONLY BORROWED BOTH CHARACTERS AND PLOTLINE.

I would like to thank those that have added 'The hidden power' as their favorite story it leaves a very sweet feeling in its wake and spurs me on to keep writing.

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CHAPTER 28

It was their first lesson with Snape in the evening. The man was being so very difficult to work with. The first time they had come into the room he had barely acknowledged them and sat at his table grading his papers as if they weren't even there. Finally Draco who couldn't tolerate being ignored by anyone walked up to him boldly and said "Sir it's going to be curfew soon, if we don't start now then today would have been wasted."

Looking at his Godson disparagingly, one eyebrow raised Snape slowly stood up and sighed "Right" he said "Remember Draco, the only reason I agreed to teach you Occlumency is because you especially, will probably need it in the future. You insisted that I teach Mr Potter with you so let me be frank with you Mr potter it is because working with a partner actually helps in mastering this art I agreed. Should you prove incompetent I will not hesitate to stop teaching you."

"This is the kind of magic that comes with intense practice only. At the end of each practice you will feel raw, angry and irritable. A Stranger violating the sanctuary that is your mind automatically puts you on the defensive."

"I will not lie to you; it is painful and very stressful. But, that is exactly how I want you to feel. I will be brutal but precise and I will try my hardest to drive you over the cliff, because it is only when you are at breaking point will you build barriers in an act of desperation."

"Whining and complaints will not be tolerated. If I hear one "Professor Snape aren't you being too hard on us" I will forget that I promised to teach you. Endurance is key in Occlumency. Only the man with the strongest of minds and will of steel see this to the end."

So saying he asked Draco to stand in the middle of the room and said 'Legil…'

"Sir!" cried out Harry earning a murderous look from the Professor.

I'm sorry for the interruption Sir but I was just going to ask you if we could use the pensives first to remove our thoughts."

Professor Snape's eyes narrowed and looked almost calculatingly at the boy and then spat out, "What thoughts could a child possibly have, that he wishes to hide so much."

Harry glanced imperceptibly at Draco and said "It's not that Sir the feeling of violation that you have already spoken of would be reduced greatly and we'd be able to go on longer only for the first few classes of course Sir."

Draco turned to the Snape and said "I definitely want to use the pensive. I'll be honest there are things I don't wish others to see."

"Very well" Snape relented "but only initially, like I said I need you to feel the desperation."

Pointing to a cupboard behind him, he told them to quickly bring two pensives. Extracting all thoughts that they wanted to keep hidden, Draco once again stood in front of Snape.

'Legilimens' Snape cried, almost instantly Draco's body jerked and a blank look stole over his face. "You have to want to hide your mind from me." Snape said softly, slowly easing into his thoughts. A small grimace passed over Draco's face, the foreign presence in his mind felt too alien, so uncomfortable, he really wanted to throw it out.

Suddenly he saw his own mind fall open to him it was so vast, so deep, he couldn't pinpoint the source of discomfort to stop it. "Focus, Draco Focus" he could hear vaguely from far away he tried focusing really hard but felt frustrated he could feel his thoughts slipping away, being fingered and sullied by the intruder and he wanted to hurt the trespasser, to eject him from his mind. Slowly he felt himself getting closer to the perpetrator, when everything went blank.

He found himself waking up on a hard, cold floor and saw Harry's worried face hovering above his own. Looking around he realized he was in the potions room and remembered why. Sitting up he turned to look at his godfather who threw a large piece of chocolate at him. "It was not a complete failure Draco. You've left your mind too open for attack that I can easily make my way in. What you have to do is section off your thoughts with barriers consciously, making it difficult for the person. Also when you do that focusing on where the attack is coming from will become easier."

"So starting from today before sleeping, clear your mind and start thinking of barriers. Make the available attack zone smaller. If possible its better you work together with Mr Potter in case you fall unconscious again." flushing Draco stood up and nodded.

"Right Mr Potter it's your turn next, try to remember what I've said to Draco because the same rules apply to you as well. Concentrate on the spot where I'm attacking you from and try to remove me from your mind."

"Ready one, two…"Snape called out 'Legilimens' before Harry could gather himself. On entering Harry's mind Snape was shocked. It had been neatly compartmentalized already. Only problem was that the barriers themselves were very weak. One tiny nudge and Snape made his way in.

He was a little surprised to find that Harry's thoughts were not that of a boy his age. The boy thought like an intellectual and Snape actually found himself getting interested in one or two ideas Harry had about some changes he had made in potions, altering the number of stirs, the ingredients and time needed to make them.

While he was discovering these amazing thoughts, Harry himself had been having a very painful time. Already so afraid of attention, to have his innermost thoughts being probed by an outsider felt like a sacrilege. He felt each attack by the Professor like needle pricks jabbing relentlessly and mercilessly.

Becoming a little desperate, he quickly searched for the source and found it faster than Draco did since his mind was already well organized. He tried to counterattack, but it was so weak, he watched helplessly as his defenses fell one after another. When Snape withdrew himself from the boys mind, Harry also found himself on the floor like Draco, but conscious. Snape handed him a chocolate while Draco pulled him up.

"Mr Potter" Snape said looking a bit strangely at him; "Your mind has already accomplished the first step on its own. But your barriers feel like water, I could simply glide past them so therein lies your weakness. First you must consciously strengthen each barrier and later we can work on your attack."

"Now remember its better you don't try Legilimens on each other just yet. It can be quite damaging for the other person. So I will be the one to do it until you master barriers. You can have the pensives and use it for every practice, always keep chocolate with you it helps, trust me and you can come back in a week after you've practiced. Lastly if anyone finds out about these classes we will stop immediately. Do you understand? Right, now get out and get to bed."

Closing the door behind them Draco clutched his knees with both hands and started laughing softly in his bent position "God, the man's evil isn't he?"

Harry fervently agreed and walked with Draco to the end of the dungeon feeling lightheaded and dizzy. Wishing Draco goodnight and deciding to meet up tomorrow in their secret classroom after dinner to practice, they split up and went in opposite directions to their towers.