Hey!

How are you all?

I'm sorry to say, that this will be the last Chapter for at least five weeks. Summer holidays here in Germany are starting and I'm away to spend some time in the sun.

I promise to update as soon as possible, so keep looking at your alerts! And don't forget to review while I'm away. There's nothing more motivating then coming back from the holidays and looking at a mail-box full of wonderful reviews!

I hope you enjoy the chapter!

Chapter 30

Harry pursed his lips when he stood in front of Umbridge's office. He had barely had enough time to eat some dinner and he had noted with a look at his watch, that he was late for half-an-hour already half an hour late. He was debating whether he should simply turn around and pretend to have forgotten about his detention, when the door opened.

"Ah, Mr. Potter!" greeted Umbridge him sweetly. "You are a little late. Come in and sit down."

Harry's eyes narrowed and he slowly entered the repugnant pink office. He sighed when he saw that even the walls had a slight pink hue now, as if Umbridge's pinkness had infected even Hogwarts herself. Umbridge went over to the right side of the room and Harry could only guess what she was doing at the shelf.

He grudgingly sat down on the chair in front of her desk and looked at the scars on the back of his hand. He idly wondered if Umbridge would do something like that again. Suddenly a cup of tea placed itself in front of him and when he looked at Umbridge he saw her waddling over to her chair with a cup of her own.

She sat down behind her desk and they simply stared at each other in silence. Then Umbridge blinked. "Your actions have clearly shown me, that the message still hasn't sunk in." she said stated, and looked at him with watery eyes while putting sugar into her tea.

"And I believe I have very clearly stated," Harry began and took a sip of his own tea without acknowledging the sugar she offered him with a sweet smile, "that, if I think you are not fit for the position of a teacher – and believe me, you've long shown me that this is the case – I will ensure that you'll disappear."

"Threatening me again, Mr. Potter?" Umbridge asked, but the sick smile still on her face. "We're already past that. You know that you can do absolutely nothing. Who is more believable? A mere student who is said to be mentally unstable, or an established Ministry official?"

Harry said nothing and stared at her, nearly snorting as he saw in her head what she was thinking about and then looked back at his cup of tea.

"You aren't drinking."

"State the oblivious, will you." Harry replied and rolled his eyes while Umbridge narrowed hers and her cheeks puffed out, giving her more and more the appearance of a toad.

"Well then, Mr. Potter…" said Umbridge and he saw with satisfaction that she was gritting her teeth. "Because punishment won't hasn't helped you, I've decided to simply have a little talk with you."

"Oh?" asked Harry and took a long sip from the cup, just to see her sick smile return. "And pray tell, Professor, about what?"

She raised her chin. "I'd like to know more… about the little club you and your friends seem to lead."

Harry said nothing and merely looked back at her with a bored expression. Not that he had been enjoying the conversation so far, but now he was entirely tired of it. He stretched his muscles and sighed. "You know… I'm considering whether I should curse you or simply kill you now."

Umbridge started to splutter and her face took on an ugly red color. He smirked at her and then shook his head, a mock sad expression on his face. "But both would mean a horrible lot of paperwork for our dear headmaster…"

"You insufferable ugly maggot!" shouted Umbridge, enraged. "How dare you? I'm-"

Harry made a dismissive wave with his hand. "Yeah, yeah I know, Undersecretary of the Minister of Magic, High Inquisitor of Hogwarts, Ugliest Bitch of the Millennium, self-deluded 'queen of pink' and whatnot. So?"

Umbridge clumsily whipped brought out her wand and Harry smirked at her, but made no move to take out his own. Instead he once again grabbed the cup of tea in front of him and took another sip from it. Umbridge blinked and finally her ugly grimace didn't morph into her sickly sweet smile (that was still ugly), but remained frozen in .

"I'll ask you again. What are you doing with all the students in your club and who's part of it?" she sneered at him and started to walk pace around in her office, her fists clenched..

Harry simply shook his head, his eyes following her while she stomped around like a raging elephant. "I know nothing."

"LIAR!" She shrieked bat him, and as Harry glanced at her, he wondered (due to the bulging vein on her forehead) if she was a distant relative to Vernon Dursley… she certainly looked the part…

HInstead of commentating on this observation, he stayed silent and closed his eyes, a dark grin creeping on his face when he saw her thoughts with the help of a little bit of Legillimency.

"I want to know where your little club always meets and what you are doing!" screeched Umbridge. "You are planning something against the Ministry!"

Harry cracked his neck and yawned. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

"LIAR!" screeched Umbridge again and Harry jumped just the slightest bit on his chair when a stunner flew past him. 'Ah, that's better.' he thought amused.

He raised his eyebrows and turned around, standing up while he did so. He waved the now empty cup around in front of her face and with a flick of his hand a small vial with clear liquid flew out of the drawer behind him, where she had been making the tea. "You've used Veritaserum on me. How can I lie?"

She froze for the break of a second and then she suddenly leaned towards him. "The sheer fact that somehow you haven't received a message from the Ministry when I send those dementors to you in the holidays is enough for me to know that you and the parasites you call friends are planning something!"

Harry looked at her in disbelief and then his eyes fell on her wand and then back to her ugly face. "„I didn't think that even you could sink that low. So you even send dementors after students.""

He uncorked the vial and carefully sniffed on the contents of the vial, while Umbridge seemed otto be in a trance of some sorts. 'I knew Snape wouldn't be so crazy and give her real Veritaserum… I gotta thank him later.' He thought and threw the vial into the open drawer. It surprisingly didn't shatter.

"„You are forcing leaving me with no other choiceto, Potter… I do not want to do this…,"" said Umbridge suddenly and she started waddling in front of him once more, "but sometimes circumstances justify the means… I am sure the Minister will understand that I had no choice."

"„There's always a choice," ," sneered Harry, who had caught another glimpse of what she wanted to do while still using Legillimency and Umbridge stiffened when he took his wand out of his holster. "„But you seem very eager to hurt me.""

"The Cruciatus Curse may be the only thing that will to teach you a lesson," said Umbridge quietly. "… and loosen your tongue."

His eyes darkened and he went over to her desk and placed his wand on it. "„I'm unarmed." he said and turned around once more. "Come on, harm a helpless student. I dare you."

Umbridge's hand started shaking and a sick smile made its way to her face and her breathing started to grow faster with excitement. "Very well."

Harry looked directly into her eyes and then down at the floor. Unbeknownst to Umbridge a satisfied smile made it'sits way to his face when suddenly the Unforgivable hit.

He looked at her, gritted his teeth and when she screamed the incarnation once more, he fell down to the floor with a loud gasp.

"CRUCIO!" she screeched once more.

His whole body shook and then he let out an ear-piercing scream and started to trash on the floor. Harry looked up at Umbridge - directly into her eyes - and saw that the crazed smile slipping off of her face. He closed his eyes again and grimaced while his body twitched. Suddenly he heard footsteps followed by a loud 'bang'.

He looked up. Umbridge was gone. Harry immediately stopped trashing, twitching and screaming and sat up. With a flick of his wrist his wand flew down to him. He smiled darkly when he stood up and took a small vial out of his robes.

After having uncorked it he put the tip of his wand against his temple and closed his eyes. When he opened them, a small silver string was attached to his wand and he carefully put it into the vial.

He closed it and then swirled the contents in front of his face. "Not quite what I was expecting…" he murmured amused, "but certainly better than everything else I had hoped for!"

His eyes fell on the disgusting ornament plates. The technicolor-kittens were mewing pitifully and loudly. With a roll of his eyes he stepped out of Umbridge's office and looked around. The toad was nowhere to be seen. Harry carefully let the vial disappear into his pocket and made his way to the Room of Requirement; all the while whistling a merry tune.

He stopped shortly before entering and adjusted his clothes that had crumbled slightly while he had been trashing on the floor. He chuckled. 'If Umbridge only had just the slightest idea that I didn't feel as much as a tickling sensation!' he opened the door and smiled at his waiting friends. 'One more thing and she's in for a life-long stay in Azkaban.'

…HPHPHP…

"SHE DID WHAT?" screamed Hermione the next morning, when he told his friends what happened in his detention.

The whole Great Hall grew silent and stared at her. They were all together sitting at the Phoenix table. And not only them, but nearly all the H.A. members were located on their desk, with the exception of Lavender and Parvati. Those two were, according to Ginny, still in bed.

Harry looked up at the staff-table and saw Umbridge pale dramatically, while Nicolas, who was sitting next to her, merely smiled and rambled on about whatever he was annoying her with. Harry had found out that the old Alchemist took a childish pleasure in tormenting her and he could only agree with him.

Hermione meanwhile was furious and stood up. Harry reacted just as she wanted to stalk over to the staff-table. "Let me go, Harry!" she said when he grabbed her arm and pushed her back down, next to him. "She is going to pay! That's illegal!"

He rolled his eyes, noting that the other students didn't pay attention to him anymore and had gone bag to chatting. He smirked. "Hey, she got cold feet and took a run for it."

Ron, who looked visibly shaken nodded. "Yeah, but mate… I mean, we have to tell somebody. We can't let her run around putting Unforgivables on students!"

"I don't think that she'll use them on any other students." shrugged Harry and took a sip of his pumpkin-juice. "You forget that she is out for my blood since the first day of school. And even then… I didn't feel the slightest sting of pain."

Draco, who hadn't looked up from his book once, raised one eyebrow. "At least we know that she's inexperienced in the use of Dark Magic then, but still, we can't simply let her get away with it." He sharply looked up at Harry. "Unless… you're planning something, aren't you?"

Harry just smiled and suddenly Neville frowned. "But… using the Cruciatus on a student is enough to send her to Azkaban… isn't it?"

Hermione nodded eagerly and Harry chuckled at his girlfriend's enthusiasm to get rid of Umbridge. "We just have to find a way to let Fudge know what she did. Harry, you after all ensured that he's totally behind you."

Harry made a dismissive wave with his hand and shook his head. "That'll only give her fifteen years at most. Add the use of a blood-quill and we're at twenty. That sounds nice and all but…" Harry smiled once more and took another sip of his juice. "I like the idea of her staying in Azkaban until the end of her life."

"Sadistic bastard," murmured Draco, but he also had a small smile on his face. "So you're waiting for her to do something that'll ensure her stay there, don't you?"

"Yup." was Harry's simple answer to that he looked at Hermione, who had a deep frown on her face while staring at him. "Yes?"

She sighed and shook her head. "Sometimes I don't know if I should be afraid of you or simply congratulate you."

Harry grinned and leaned over to her, resting one hand on her thigh and the other behind her head in her soft curls, entwining his fingers within them. "I like the idea of congratulations…"

With that he leaned forward and they shared a passionate kiss –earning them cat-calls from the other students on their table. That was until Ron cleared his throat and at Harry's raised eyebrow he just held up his hands. "I just wanted to ask you, if you could get a room for that. Watching your best friend snogging your other best friend is kinda… distracting, y'know?"

"Oh, can it!" scoffed Hermione irritably when Harry started to trail small kisses down her jaw-line. "We've kissed in front of you often enough for you to have gotten used to it by now."

Ron blushed slightly and Harry sniggered into the base of Hermione's neck, before continuing with his work, determined to finally leave another hickey.

…HPHPHP…

Five hours later Harry looked at the letter he had received via owl minutes ago. It was from Dumbledore who wanted him to be in Snape's office today at six o'clock for the first time session of his dragon-blood resistance training. He looked forward to it with mixed emotions. Sure he had endured a lot of pain and injuries while training with Draco and Fleur, but it was something different to go, knowing that it would cause you pain.

"Harry, are you really sure about this?" asked Hermione and bit her lip.

They were currently walking over the grounds – just having returned from a cup of tea at Hagrid's. The potions incident with the dragon-blood had been three days ago and it was a nice Saturday now. Draco, Ron and Neville were walking in front of them, the latter two trying to throw snowballs they had formed out of the still lasting snow at Draco, who was countering them with a simple heating charm.

"Yeah," nodded Harry. "Dumbledore's right. If Voldemort catches wind of my reaction to dragon-blood he won't hesitate to use it against me. It's better to be prepared."

Ron looked over his shoulder at him. "But why does Snape of all people have to be the one to help you with that?"

"Cause Nick has enough to do as it is," answered Draco instead of Harry, who nodded at his words. "He's in the Ministry, helping the Order quite often these days. And it's too dangerous for Dumbledore to do it, because Harry's Occlumency shields could break."

"That also worries me!" said Hermione with a frown on her face. "When they break Voldemort will be able to have access to Harry's mind again!"

Harry squeezed her hand. "Don't worry Mione. My Oclumency shields were intact after potions as well, so I believe when I get some of the Elixir right after it happened it isn't as bad."

"But still…" she once more bit her lip and Harry chuckled and leaned forward.

"Don't do that. Even though it looks cute," he whispered and gave her a soft kiss. "But you'll split it open."

Suddenly Ron gave a startled yelp and Harry and Hermione looked over to the redhead who had tried to creep up behind Draco to rub snow into his face. He was lying sprawled on the floor – but not only that - Luna Lovegood was lying on top of him, three bags scattered around her.

They all went over to the two.

"Ow…" Harry heard Ron mummer while helping Luna to her feet. "Sorry, I didn't see you there."

"No problem." answered Luna with her dreamy voice and blinked up at him. "The nargels also haven't told me that you were in the way."

"Eh… yeah, well…" said Ron and bent down to retrieve one of her bags. "Where are you heading anyway?"

"Into the Forbidden Forest." she answered simply and Harry raised his eyebrows while Ron nearly dropped her bag again.

"What are you doing there?" asked Hermione curiously and then gasped slightly when something red dripped out of a small tear in the bag. "Is that blood?"

She uninterestedly looked down at the dripping substance and nodded dreamily. "Yeah… I'm going to feed the Threstrals in the forest. That's some of the meat the houselves didn't use to prepare dinner."

"You know the way to the kitchens?" asked Ron baffled and when Harry looked at Neville, he saw the grin on the other boys face and had to hold back his own, when Hermione pinched him in the side.

She looked at him like he was stupid. "Who doesn't know the way, Ronald?"

"Err…"

"Do you want to feed them too?" asked Luna. "Maybe you could look out for the bags. The Thestrals can be very eager sometimes."

"I'm cold," Hermione stated then and Harry saw Draco snicker behind his hand. "Can't we go inside?"

Harry nodded and looked at Ron who was awkwardly staring at the bags in Luna's hands. "We'll be waiting in the Room of Requirement. See ya."

They left a slightly spluttering Ron behind and Harry smiled to himself when he pressed Hermione to his side. "That was evil, you little vixen!"

She simply chuckled and they made their way up to the seventh floor. When Neville began pacing in front of the wall Harry frowned slightly while surveying the boy. Neville was no longer the friendly idiot everybody had taken him for. Sure, he was still one of the friendliest people Harry knew and also one of the most loyal and honest, but he was far from being a naïve idiot. He had changed. He had a lot more courage and carried himself with confidence. Even though he still spoke a little hesitantly sometimes he didn't shy away from telling his opinion any longer.

When they entered the room Hermione turned around. "Oh! I forgot something!"

"And what would that be, honey?" asked Harry curiously and Draco rolled his eyes at his tone of voice.

She smiled. "We're allowed to go to Hogsmeade next weekend!"

Harry beamed. "Great! I can finally get my hands on some of those blood-pops... Selwyn seemed very curious about them when I told him about them… I'll probably send him some…" he looked at Hermione, who was staring back at him expectantly with her eyebrows raised in question and grinned. "Would you like to accompany me?"

She huffed. "I thought you would never ask. But I refuse to spend the whole day at Honeydukes!"

He chuckled. "As long as we don't go to Madam Puddifoot's… I heard that café is awful."

She nodded and and Harry looked at his watch. He had three hours before he had to go to Snape's office for the resistance-training. They made themselves comfortable around the fireplace, while Hermione went over to the large library section of the room to get some books. Draco had already begun to help Neville with his work.

"You see those patterns on the left?" he asked and showed Neville a drawing in an old book and waited for the boy to nod. "It's not necessary to be able to read them, but when you see wards drawn in this order it's definitely a blood-ward. Further you have…"

Harry tuned him out and enlarged the book he had been reading since yesterday when Hermione returned with a large stack of books about wards. Before opening his book however, he continued to look at Neville. His hand unconsciously went into his pockets, where Narcissa's time-turner was located. They still hadn't told the other boy about it and it seems that Neville needed a lot of time to get his animagus transformation down. He still wasn't able to change.

"Neville," said Harry then and took the device out of his pocket. "I'd like to tell you something and make a suggestion."

He and Draco looked up and Draco immediately understood, while Hermione's eyes lit up as if she was already starting to make a training schedule for Neville.

Harry shifted his hands so that Neville got a better look at the small hour-glass attached to the fine chain. "Do you know what that is?"

With a small nod Neville leaned forward and examined it. "It's a time-turner!" he whispered awe-struck and looked at Harry with wide eyes. "But where did you get it? Haven't you told me that… they're restricted by the Ministry?"

"Yeah, but-"

Harry was interrupted when the door behind him opened. Assuming it was Ron who had entered he turned around. And he was proven right. Ron came stumbling through the door with a grimace on his face. His cloak was a little tattered at the sleeves and he had a small bleeding scratch on his cheek.

"Absolutely loony!" he cursed. "That girl is totally barmy! Feeding those fucking Thestrals! Getting Ron eaten up by them fits better!"

Harry snickered and Ron threw him a glare when he flopped down on the remaining armchair. He didn't say anything, because he knew that his friend would explode when he did. Draco on the other hand wasn't as tactful and smirked at the redhead.

"What's wrong? Were you interrupted while kissing Luna?"

Ron's ears turned beet-red and his glare intensified. "Shut up ferret! Just shut the hell up! I was nearly eaten by Thestrals just now, so just let me be!"

"Oh? Didn't the Lovegood girl help you?" Draco chuckled and Ron groaned and sunk back into his chair, fumbling at the torn fabric of his sleeve.

"She laughed!" he huffed then. "She simply stood there and laughed while I tried to get the bags away from those invisible nuisances! D'you have a clue how eerie that is when you nearly get eaten by something you can't see?"

Harry sighed and handed the time-turner to Draco while Ron was busy sulking around and mumbling to himself. Neville was still looking at the time-turner – a slightly confused expression on his face, but didn't ask any questions when Draco pocketed the device.

Harry nodded at the blond. 'Tell him when I'm at Snape's. Maybe you can squeeze in two extra hours of training then.' He told him telepathically. Draco simply nodded and looked at Ron once more.

Suddenly Hermione giggled and shook her head, an amused smile plastered on her face while looking at Ron. "Why didn't you just drop the bags? I'm sure the Thestrals simply would've let you be if you had given them the meat in the bags."

"Spare me with your wisdom, you bloody bookworm…" mumbled Ron and rolled his eyes. "Do you th-"

"Shut up!" snapped Harry, but was smiling and threw the book he had wanted to continue reading at him. "Don't insult my girlfriend, mate!"

Ron dodged it and raised an eyebrow at Harry, before picking the book up and looking at the cover. Then his face broke into a huge grin. "The Tales of Beedle the Bard? Harry, you're reading children's' stories?"

He shrugged his shoulders and with a flick of his wand the book flew back into his hands. "I was interested in the kind of stories wizarding-children hear and read. So what?"

"Aww, be honest, you just wanted to see those pretty pictures!" cooed Hermione and petted his head as if he was a dog that had finally succeeded in fetching a stick. He sat there for a while unmoving and then pinched her in the side, making her squeal in surprise.

Draco meanwhile looked at Ron. "Sooo… tell me, are you going to invite Luna to Hogsmeade?"

"SHUT UP!"

…HPHPHP…

The prospect of a visit to Hogsmeade could not lighten the ominous feelings that intensified with every step Harry took towards Snape's office. Harry sighed when he thought about what was to come and quickened his pace –eager to get past over and done with.

He paused outside the door when he reached it, wishing he were almost anywhere else, then, taking a deep breath, he knocked and entered.

The shadowy room was lined with shelves bearing hundreds of glass jars with slimy bits of animals and plants that were suspended in variously colored potions. In one corner stood the cupboard full of ingredients that Snape had once accused Harry - not without reason - of robbing. Despite the rather dark atmosphere Harry liked the room. It looked like something out of a Hollywood-movie with old and elegant furniture.

"I don't think you understand the whole meaning of knocking on a person's door," was Snape's greeting. "You are supposed to wait until they tell you to enter."

Harry's eyes shortly snapped over to the large storage cupboard in the shadows where Snape was standing with his back turned to him. His attention however was drawn towards the large baroque desk where ten vials of deep red liquid stood – taunting him.

"Close the door."

Harry did as he was told then he turned back into the room, looking at Snape.

"Well, you know why you are here," he said. "I suppose I won't have to tell you that the time we'll spend here is going to be anything but pleasant."

"I know," said Harry replied simply, his eyes still lingering on the vials.

"This may mean that you could land in the hospital wing as well," said Snape, "Nicolas has given me some vials of the Elixir of Life, but over time, when we increase the dosage of the blood touching your skin, it's a possibility that it won't be enough."

"I understand Sir," said Harry courtly, not really wanting to talk much at the moment.

Snape continued to survey him and Harry could swear he saw a little bit of worry in the potion master's eyes, "Now, I believe it's best to start immediately. Even if Mr. Avery doesn't tell his father, your weakness won't be a secret for long."

"What's that supposed to mean?" asked Harry, looking directly into Snape's eyes and wondering whether Snape would answer.

Snape looked back at him for a moment and then said: "Mr. Avery's father is a skilled Legillimens and will, without a doubt looks into his son's mind for useful information. Avery senior is a Death Eater, if you didn't know that."

"I figured as much when the man was at the graveyard where Voldemort was resurrected."

Snape nodded and pointed at the vials on the desk. "I expect at least one of them to be empty when we have finished today. Building up a resistance to certain things is a very prolonged process and the more times you'll be subjected to the blood today, the quicker it will go to build a resistance."

"So I'll basically let some drops touch my skin and wait?"

"That's about it.", nodded Snape and gestured Harry to sit down on a chair near his desk. "But only on my command will you let the blood touch your skin. I will carefully examine your reaction before handing you the Elixir, so that maybe I can determine what exactly the dragon-blood does to your magical core and your body. No one after all, has studied your immediate reaction to the blood before, so maybe it'll give some hints."

"Well then, should we start?"

Snape eyed Harry, tracing his mouth with one long, thin finger as he did so. "The usual rules do not seem to apply with you, Potter." Harry frowned at that, not understanding what Snape wanted to tell him with that, but the potions master elaborated: "Any other person would be stalling right now to postpone the pain that's sure to come as much as possible."

He shrugged when Snape handed him one of the vials of dragon-blood and he carefully uncorked it. "I'm used to training under the influence of stress or pain… this is not much different from being thrown into a room full of Dementors, Sir."

Snape eyed him silently and nodded then. "Your training seemed to have been very tough. I'm surprised you lived through it toughall…"

A small smirk was tugging at the corner of the Professor's lips and Harry gave him a mock glare before looking at the vial once again.

"Five drops should suffice for now. Your Occlumency shields shall stay intact after all." said Snape and his voice sounded just as tense as Harry felt at the moment. "It's best if you use your wrist. The dragon-blood will get into your own blood faster because of the artery that's located there."

"You sure know how to reassure someone…" replied Harry dryly and shortly closed his eyes before slowly tilting the vial.

He didn't feel anything at first and carefully counted the drops of blood falling on his skin, but then it came.

Snape had reacted quickly and snapped the vial out of his hand when his breathing quickened and he gasped. The pain had struck before Harry was ready, before he had even begun to summon any force of resistance. The office swam in front of his eyes and he clenched them shut.

The familiar feeling of the burning pain coursing through his veins was there once again and Harry felt himself slip from the chair in the direction of the hard stone floor. He would have hit it, if it wasn't for Snape, who steadied him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Open your eyes, Potter." he commanded softly and Harry did so, the little bit of light blinding him slightly, while the pain grew steadily.

Snape raised his wand in front of his face and murmured some spells and then he examined his wrist and vanished the dragon-blood on his skin with a flick of his wand. Then his eyes returned to Harry's face. "Dilated pupils…," the tip of his wand lit up and Harry blinked, "and no reaction to light whatsoever…"

Harry clenched his eyes shut once more when another wave of pain – harder than the last – hit him. "Professor… he ground out. "As you said… I'd… I'd like my Occlumency… shields to stay intact…"

He felt Snape move away and in the next instant another vial was pressed into his hand. He cracked one eye open and then swallowed some gulps of the Elixir. The pain receded and only the familiar soreness of his muscles stayed.

"How are you feeling?" asked Snape after he had taken the now empty vial from Harry.

He took some time to answer, calming his breath and shook his head. "Sore, tired… I'm dreading to do this again…" he looked at Snape. "Did you find out something, Sir?"

"If I didn't know the cause for your reaction I would say you're under the influence of drugs." stated Snape and Harry stared at him like he was crazy. "This is indeed very strange."

"I look like I'm on drugs?" asked Harry slightly offended and curious at the same time while trying to stop his shaking hands.

Snape nodded. "On drugs or suffering from a very serious potions' overdose. Ragged breathing, cold sweat, shaking hands and an irregular heartbeat are all signs for those things and apply for you as well. And on top of that I was able to witness the violent bursts of your magic."

Harry nodded and carefully tested if his Occlumency shields were still intact. Snape seemed to realize that and didn't disturb him. Satisfied that everything was still in place he looked at Snape again, who was holding out the vial of blood to him once more.

He groaned and Snape smirked slightly. "You're here to build up resistance to it after all. Maybe you should try to block out the pain – ignore it, Potter… but you will need a lot of discipline for this… focus, now…"

Harry took a deep breath and with a nod poured another five drops on his skin.

A soft tingling was all he felt for maybe a minute while he basically concentrated on feeling nothing, but then suddenly the pain exploded and the fire spread through his veins again. This time however it was worse than before. Harry fell off the chair onto his knees, his face buried in his hands, his whole body trembling and sweat tickling down his face while he desperately tried not to scream.

"Get up!" said Snape sharply. "Come on, Potter, you can do this. Try harder to block it all out!"

Harry stood up again, his blood boiling and the pain intensifying with every ragged breath he was taking. "I - am - trying," he said through clenched teeth, staggering slightly and gripping Snape's desk for support.

"Then try harder!" bellowed Snape and Harry gasped, no longer able to hold himself up he sunk to the floor again.

A vial was pressed into his hand and he quickly swallowed the Elixir. This time however it took a little longer for the pain to fully disappear. When he no longer felt the pain – at least not the one that was caused by the dragon blood - he looked up at Snape, who was looking back at him with a strange expression.

"Perhaps it is enough for this evening. Your body isn't able to handle much more of the strain." suggested Snape.

"My body has handled much more strain than that," said Harry in a low voice after having tested his still intact shields. "I'll try it again."

"Very well." said Snape a little reluctantly after a little pause and handed him the vial of blood once more.

…HPHPHP…

He was on all fours again on Snape's office floor, his body trembling like a leaf in the wind. He pushed himself up again to find Snape staring at him – surprisingly with a hint of worry etched on his face.

"Are you alright?" he asked, eyeing Harry intently after the seventh time Harry had poured the blood on his skin.

Harry panted. "I've never… thought it to be that… that… that hard…"

"As I told you before: building up a resistance is painful and slow." said Snape.

Harry looked up at Snape. "What's the chance of me getting the hang of it before the summer holidays?"

Snape shook his head. "It's not a question of 'getting the hang of it' as you so eloquently put it, but rather how fast your body adapts to the reactions the blood inflicts upon you."

"So… how often are we going to do this?" Harry wanted to know, still slightly out of breath and wincing with every movement.

"Three times a week for now." answered Snape. "Your body won't be able to handle more for the time being and so neither would your Occlumency shields. I want you back here same time on Monday. We will continue to work then."

"Fine with me," Harry said. "Are you going to inform Nick about today?"

"I will definitely inform Nicolas of the things I witnessed this evening." nodded Snape. "Maybe he can make more out of the symptoms you endure than I can."

Harry nodded as well, a hint of a smile on his face. It wasn't very often that you saw Snape at a loss with something.

"You should try to relax your whole body every night before sleep. The strain this training puts on your muscles would cause bad injuries otherwise." Snape eyed Harry's slightly pitiful form and shook his head. "I'll give you a simple Pain-Reliever for now, so that you are able to walk back to your Common Room."

"Geez… thank you so much." replied Harry but smiled slightly nonetheless.

"And be warned, Potter… the next times will probably be as bad as today."

"Right," Harry mumbled tiredly and staggered to his feet after drinking the potion. He bid the Professor a good night and slowly made his way to the Common Room.

He had the feeling that it had taken him hours to finally reach the dorm when he fell into bed with a sigh. Never, since the beginning of his training, had he felt that sore. He didn't bother to change his clothes and closed his eyes, trying to relax his body as Snape had told him, but the occasional pain that shut trough his muscles made this task very difficult.

After ten minutes of trying without success he sighed once more and gave himself over to sleep.

Well guys... that was it for now. I hope you enjoyed it. Tell me your opinion while I'm away, okay? (Maybe I get the time to use the internet at the hotel for some mins...)

Dark Phoenix of Slytherin