: Chapter 21
The next day Draco and Brianna stood outside there large mansion waiting for the Knight bus to pick them up. They were going back to Hogwarts today. Draco raised his wand and BANG. The night bus stopped and a pimple faced young boy stepped out and loaded there trunks. Brianna again had Nyx around her neck like always during travel. When there trunks were loaded the man turned back to them gapping when he looked at Brianna.
"Welcome to the Knight Bus. Were you headed." he smiled bug. Brianna's lip curled in disgust.
"Hogwarts." Draco snapped handing him money.
"Ogwart's. Eh. Here that Ern. Just picked up a lot going there as well. And what might your name's be. I am Stan Shunpike." said the boy.
"Draco Malfoy." Draco said flatly.
"Malfoy Eh. Pleasure. And you Beautiful." Stan ask Brianna reaching for her hand that Draco slapped back.
"Don't touch her." Draco hissed and Stan gulped stepping back.
"Brianna LeStrange. Can we get on now." Brianna said irritated. He nodded and stepped on first and they followed.
When they came up the steps and turned to look at the others there gaze landed on Potter, Granger, the Weasley kids, Lupin and Tonks all seated near the back. The only empty seats were two right behind the golden trio.
"Great." Brianna said as they made there way back there. When they got closer Potter and his party took the time to look at who had just board and there eyes bugged out when they saw Draco and Brianna. Lupin again was about to drool when looking at her and Tonks gave him a nasty look of jealousy. Draco and Brianna gracefully sat in there seats. Draco by the window and Brianna on the isle. A few seconds later. BANG.
And the bus was off. Draco and Brianna were prepared for the ride and braced themselves. Potter and his gang wasn't and all fell out of there seats. Draco snorted.
"Potter finally know your place. At my feet." he teased as the bus stopped again to let someone off and the golden trio picked themselves up.
"What are you doing on here anyways." Potter spat.
"Damn your slow Potter. Were going back to school and didn't feel like being bothered to ride on the train." Draco said arrogantly. Brianna turned her head when she felt someone staring. She caught the eye of Lupin who was sitting in the isle next to Potter next to a pink haired Tonks.
"Take a picture Lupin it will last longer." She snapped and everyone looked at him. He flushed red and turned his head.
"Sorry. You just look.." he mumbled but she cut him off.
"As hot as my mother yes I know. Did you have a thing for her too." She laughed.
"NO." Lupin almost yelled.
"Your girlfriend looks a little put out with your obvious drooling and I'm taken anyways." Brianna told him flashing her ring real quick. He caught site of it and paled.
"Sorry I didn't know. But that's a ring given by a wizard with an old family." he said.
"Duh you didn't think I'd let a filthy Muggle or Mud Blood touch me did you. And before you ask Granger it's none of your business." she said when Hermione opened her mouth. She snapped it shut after that and turned around.
"Probably a death eater." she heard Ron whispered. Draco and Brianna exchanged a look. The Malfoy's knew about Brianna and Snape and what Ron said just made it more funny. If he only knew.
BANG and the bus was off again. Ron fell out of his seat again.
"I change my mind. I never want to ride on here again." Ron said looking sick.
"Ogwart's stop next." Stan yelled. And Ron mumble "Thank god.". When it stopped Draco and Brianna walked out behind Potter and his bunch and they waited at the gates for Stan to unload there trunks.
"It was a pleasure Miss. LeStrange." Stan said smiling and Brianna gagged before levitating her trunk.
"Have a good term." Tonks yelled.
"Look after yourselves and Harry I know you don't like Snape, but he's a superb Occlumens and Sirius and I want you to learn so work hard alright." Lupin told him and he nodded.
Together along with Draco and Brianna they waited for someone to open the gates and let them in.
"Do you reckon they know were here." Ron ask. Brianna sighed and raised her wand and casted a non verbal patronus. Everyone by Draco gasp when a large snake shot out of her wand.
"Can you tell someone there are students waiting to be let in." she told the snake and it shot off towards the castle. She turned around and smirked at there shocked faces.
"What didn't believe I could do that." she ask and they shook there heads. Moments later Snape was walking down the path to the gate. Harry and Ron groaned. He opened the gate and they all filled in.
"Good to see you made it safe Draco, Brianna." she said nicely and they nodded.
"Potter." he sneered before leading them all to the castle. When they reached the doors he turned back.
"Remember Potter don't be late." he hissed before going down to the dungeons with Draco and Brianna following.
The next day classes started back and everything was back to normal. Potions was
fun as always and Snape was even more mean to Potter. He was dreading spending extra time with him.
By 6:00 Brianna was in Snape's office waiting on Potter sitting in a chair at the side of Snape desk. There was another chair in front of the desk for Potter.
"This should be fun." Brianna said, Severus just rolled his eyes but smiled at her. Potter came in moments later.
"Shut the door behind you Potter." he said coldly from the shadows. Potter turned and shut the door slowly before turning back around. Snape pointed wordlessly to the empty chair. When Potter sat so did Snape behind his desk. Brianna crossed her legs and watched.
"Well, Potter you know why you are here. The headmaster has asked me to teach you Occlumency, I can only hope that you prove more adept at it than potions." Snape told him.
"Right." Potter said tersely.
"This may not be an ordinary class, Potter, but I am still your teacher and you will therefore call me sir or Professor at all times." Snape said eyes narrowed. Brianna was looking back and forth between them.
"Yes….Sir." said Harry.
"Now, Occlumency. As I told you back in your dear godfather's kitchen, this branch of magic seals the mind against magical intrusion and influence." Snape explained.
"And why does Dumbledore think I need it, sir?" Harry ask looking Snape in the eye. Snape looked back for a moment and then said.
"Surely even you could have worked that out by now, Potter? The Dark Lord is highly skilled at Legilimency, the best actually."
"What's that sir." Potter interrupted.
"It is the ability to extract feelings and memories from another person's mind-"
"He can read minds?" Potter interrupted quickly clearly freaking out. Brianna snorted at him.
"You have no subtlety Potter. You do not understand fine distinctions. It is one of the shortcomings that make you such a lamentable potions maker. Only muggles talk of "mind reading" the mind is not a book, to be opened at will and examined at leisure. Thoughts are not etched on the inside of skulls, to be perused by an invader. The mind is a complex and many-layered thing, Potter…or at least, most minds are." He smirked and Brianna giggled. " It is true however, that those who have master Legilimency are able, under certain conditions, to delve into the minds of their victims and to interpret their feelings correctly. The Dark Lord for instance, almost always knows when somebody is lying to him. Only those skilled at Occlumency are able to shut down those feelings and memories that contradict the lie, and so utter falsehoods in his presence without detection." Snape told him.
"So he could know what we're thinking right now, sir?" Harry ask.
"The Dark Lord is at a considerable distance and the walls and grounds of Hogwarts are guarded by many spells and charms to ensure the bodily and mental safety of those who dwell within them. Time and space matter in magic, Potter. Eye contact is often essential but not required." Snape told him.
"Well, then why do I have to learn it." Harry ask. Snape eyed Harry for a moment tracing his mouth with one long finger that had Brianna wanting to kiss him.
"The usual rules do not seem to apply with you Potter. The curse that failed to kill you seems to have forged some kind of connection between you and the Dark Lord. The evidence suggest that at times, when your mind is most relaxed and vulnerable-when you are asleep for instance-you are sharing the Dark Lord's thoughts and emotions. The headmaster thinks it inadvisable for this to continue. He wishes me to teach you how to close your mind to the Dark Lord." Snape said.
"But why does Dumbledore want to stop it? I don't like it much, but it's been useful, hasn't it? I mean I saw the snake attack Mr. Weasley and if I hadn't, Dumbledore wouldn't have been able to save him. Would he? Sir." Snape stared at Harry for a few moments still tracing his mouth glancing at Brianna out of the corner of his eye before talking slowly.
"It appears that the Dark Lord has been unaware of the connection between you and himself until recently. Up till now it seems that you have been experiencing his emotions and sharing his thoughts without being any the wiser. However, the vision you had shortly before Christmas-" Snape said.
"The one with the snake and Mr. Weasley?" Potter broke in.
"Do not interrupt me Potter." Snape said in a dangerous voice. "As I was saying…the vision you had shortly before Christmas represented such a powerful incursion upon the Dark Lord's thoughts." But Harry broke in again.
"I saw inside the snake's head not his." he said.
"I thought I just told you not to interrupt me Potter." Snape snarled but Harry didn't listen.
"How come I saw though the snake's eyes if it's Voldemorts thoughts I'm sharing?" he ask.
"Do not say the Dark Lord's name!" Snape spat. They glared at each other for a moment.
"Professor Dumbledore says his name." Harry said.
"Dumbledore is an extremely powerful wizard. While he may feel secure enough to use the name…the rest of us…"Snape said rubbing his left arm where the dark mark was.
"I just want to know why." Harry said.
"You seem to have visited the snake's mind because that was where the Dark Lord was at that particular moment. He was possessing the snake at the time and so you dreamed you were inside too." Snape told him.
"And Vol-he-realized I was there?" Harry ask.
"Is seems so." said Snape coolly.
"How do you know? Is this just Dumbledore guessing or."
"I told you to call me sir." Snape spat.
"Yes sir. But how do you know." Harry repeated.
"It is enough that we know. The important point is that the Dark Lord is now aware that you are gaining access to his thoughts and feelings. He has also deduced that the process is likely to work in reverse; that is to say, he has realized that he might be able to access your thoughts and feelings in return." Snape said.
"And he might try and make me do things. Sir." Harry ask.
"He might. Which brings us back to Occlumency." Snape said then pulled out his wand and began removing memories and placing them in the Pensieve over and over. Potter watched dumbfounded not sure why he was doing this. Brianna knew why he was doing it. There were a lot of memories that Potter couldn't see, it would ruin everything.
"Stand up and take out your wand, Potter." Snape said moving to the other said of his desk to face a now standing Potter. Brianna also stood her black wand out standing near Snape's side.
"You may use your wand to attempt to disarm me, or defend yourself in any other way you can think of." Snape told him unconcerned.
"And what are you two going to be doing." Potter ask eyeing Snape's wand.
"Brianna will watch and intervene if necessary. I am about to attempt to break into your mind. We are going to see how well you resist. I have been told that you have already shown aptitude at resisting the Imperius Curse. You will find that similar powers are needed for this…..Brace yourself, Now…..Legilimens!" Snape said.
Potter yelled out and Snape looked like he was concentrating hard. Brianna enter Potter's minds as well and watched different memories plan out. When he was five, watching his cousin ride a bike, when he was nine and a dog chased him into a tree, getting his Hogwarts letters, shopping with Hagrid, beings sorted, kissing Cho under the mistletoe.
He yelled out 'NO' and a red light shot out of his wand and hit Snape in the hand. Potter fell to the ground hitting his knee on the desk. Snape lowed his wand and rubbed his hand. Potter looked up in time to see Brianna heal the sting on his hand.
"Did you mean to produce a stinging hex?" Snape ask coolly.
"No." Harry said bitterly.
"I thought not. You let me get in too far. You lost control." Snape said inwardly smirking. No matter what Potter did with him shifting in his mind so fast and hard he will never be able to build shields and with Brianna's help he was hopeless.
"Did you see everything I saw." Harry ask.
"Flashes of it. To whom did the dog belong?" Snape ask lip curling.
"My Aunt Marge." Harry mumbled.
"Well for a first attempt that was not as poor as it might have been. You managed to stop me eventually, though you wasted time and energy shouting. You must remain focused. Repel me with your brain and you will not need to resort to your wand." Snape told him.
"I'm trying but you're not telling me how." Potter said angrily.
"Manner's Potter." Brianna told him and he glared at her.
"I don't see why you're here anyways. I don't believe for one second you can do any better." Harry spat and Brianna raised an eyebrow.
"I assure you Potter that I have already mastered this long ago." Brianna told him.
"Prove it, show me what I need to do." Harry ask.
"Fine." Brianna said and turned to face Snape. They locked eyes before Snape raised his wand and said "Legilimens." Brianna let him into her mind for a moment before forcefully pushing him back. Harry watched as Snape staggered back for a moment before righting himself. Then they both turned to Potter.
"See Potter she was able to push me out without using her wand. Now I want you to close your eyes." Snape told him and he shot him a filthy look before doing so.
"Clear your mind Potter. Let go of all emotions. Your not doing it Potter. You will need more discipline than this. Focus now." Snape told him. Harry look constipated as he tried and Brianna covered her mouth to stop from laughing. Snape smiled at her as well. Potter opened his eyes after a while.
"Let's go again. On the count of three. 1...2...3...Legilimens." he said and Potter yelled out again. Brianna entered his mind as well while Snape flipped thought different memories of a black dragon, his parents, Cedric Diggory, Etc. Brianna used her mind to push down his shield he had up and kept them down.
"NOOOO." Potter yelled falling to his knees again.
"Get up. Get up! You are not trying, you are making no effort, you are allowing me access to memories you fear, handing me weapons." Snape said sharply. Potter stood up and glared.
"I-am-making-an-effort." he said though clenched teeth.
"I told you to empty yourself of emotions." Snape spat at him.
"Yeah? Well I'm finding that hard at the moment." Harry snarled.
"Then you will find yourself easy prey for the Dark Lord! Fools who wear their hearts proudly on their sleeves who cannot control their emotions, who wallow in sad memories and allow themselves to be provoked this easily-weak people, in other words-they stand no chance against his powers! He will penetrate your mind with absurd ease, Potter!" Snape yelled.
"I am not weak." Harry said in a low voice.
"Then prove it! Master yourself! Control your anger, discipline your mind! We shall try again! Get ready now! Legilimens." Snape spat slamming into Potters mind, Brianna followed pushing his shields down. They saw dementors and his uncle yelling, they saw his vision of the Weasley attack then they saw him drawing nearer and nearer to a black door at the end of a corridor.
"I KNOW. I KNOW." Potter yelled falling down again Snape lifted the spell this time.
"What happened then Potter." he ask eyeing him.
"I saw-I remembered. I've just realized." Harry panted.
"Realized what." Snape said sharply.
"What's in the department of mysteries." Potter ask.
"What did you say." Snape ask quietly.
"I said, what's in the department of mysteries. Sir." he repeated.
"And why would you ask such a thing." Snape said slowly.
"Because that corridor I've just seen-I've been dreaming about it for months-I've just recognized it-it leads to the department of mysteries…and I think Voldemort wants something from." Harry said.
"I have told you not to say the Dark Lord's name!" Snape yelled. They glared at each other in anger for some time.
"There are many things in the department of mysteries, Potter. Few of which you would understand and none of which concern you, do I make myself plain?" he told Potter.
"Yes." Harry said rubbing his scar.
"I want you back here same time on Wednesday, and we will continue work then." Snape told him calmly.
"Fine." Harry said.
"You are to rid your mind of all emotions every night before sleep-empty it, make it blank and calm, you understand." Snape told him slowly.
"Yes." Harry said.
"And be warned Potter I shall know if you have not practiced." Snape told him.
"Right." Harry said leaving quickly and slamming the door.
"Merlin I'd like nothing more than to kill that wretched boy, he is just like his father." Snape said plopping down in his chair exhausted. Brianna smiled and went and sat in his lap kissing him quickly.
"One day it will happen don't worry. But I think we helped open his mind some tonight. He will never learn how to close it." she said. He ran his fingers thought her hair before kissing her again.
"I know." he sighed. They kissed a few more times before Brianna left for bed.
Before she could even get changed her necklace started to heat up. Her father was calling. She fled to Snape's room and banged the door open.
"He's calling." They said at the same time. Snape grabbed his death eater garb and they made there way outside Hogwarts and Apperated to the Dark Lord. Brianna pulled her hood over her faces as they approached the room he was waiting in. Several others dressed the same were standing around waiting.
"Ah, now we are all here. Come child." the Dark Lord said holding his hand out for Brianna who took it.
"Tonight we are going to retrieve the others from Azkaban. There are 10 followers who will be broke free. You know the plan." he said and everyone nodded then he turned to Brianna.
"We are going to get your mother Brianna. I want you with us when we go but stay by my side. Are you ready for your first mission." he ask and she nodded eyes excited about getting her mother back.
"Alright lets go." he said and everyone apperate. The Dark Lord grabbed Brianna and apperated with her. When they landed she was looking up at a very tall, very spooky building that sat on the edge of a cliff surrounded by water and swarming with dementors. The other death eaters were standing on either side of there lord and princess waiting for his command, Brianna could feel Severus next to her.
"You know where they are. In the high security section. You know your jobs. Let go." he ordered and together like a well trained army they marched towards the door, the dementors parting letting them in.
