The new training room was beautiful. The massive white walls were ordained with an intricate gold design. The floor was matted with some sort of leathery material that made it slightly bouncy.
"Now, Potter, what you're about to experience is absolute meditation. Tell me what you know about this."
Harry quickly recalls the information. "It is a method of focusing the mind that is done by sitting in a cross legged state on solid ground. Your focus should be on your breathing, steady even breaths that will even out your chakra and allow you into a state of equilibrium." This information was easy for Harry to remember, as they were both sitting cross-legged on the ground of the training room, and Snape had just told him to close his eyes and concentrate on his breathing.
"Very good" Snape responds, still satisfied with the answer. "And what is chakra?"
"Chakra represents the centers of spiritual power within the human body. While the average person, or muggle, has 7, magical beings can have up to 12 I believe."
"And where are they located?"
"Er, down the spine?" Harry responds, thinking hard to recollect the information.
Snape fills in the details for the boy, aware that the book neglects to explain the different centers.
"It's a bit more fine-tuned than that. While the location of the centers will vary from person to person, there are 5 that all people have in common, the chakra core. The most potent part of the core regards mental awareness, and is located at the base of the skull. To achieve equilibrium of this chakra point will grant you access to a vast amount of control over your own mind. Many of the things we do are instinctive. Once equilibrium is achieved, these things will start to flow towards the conscious parts of the brain.
However, this chakra point is also the most difficult one to achieve. In a sense, it is like the finish line. You must achieve all other points of the chakra core first. The other 4 components of the chakra core represent patience, strength, truth, and love, in that order, starting from the base of the spine.
Only after the chakra core has reached equilibrium will you be able to identify and achieve your other chakra points. So today we will start with the first one: patience. And we will do so by beginning your journey to absolute meditation.
Keep your eyes closed, and focus on the points of your chakra core. The energy radiates out from your back, towards your chest, and down your arms. It reaches up towards the top of your head and down towards the soles of your feet.
Focus on the T of energy that this creates, flowing tightly between your lungs as they expand in and out evenly with every breath. Stay focused but relaxed."
40 minutes later, Harry feels a hand on his shoulder. He opens his eyes to see a strangely satisfied Snape.
"Potter, there may be hope for you yet." he smirks.
Confused, Harry scans the walls for a clock, unaware of the amount of time that had past. The colors were bright in contrast to the darkness he had been staring at behind his eyelids. He had felt calm and even, though a bit tired now that his eyes were open.
Snape continues, "I performed a light Legilimency on you several minutes ago, I could feel the outer shield of your mind. Excellent work, Harry."
Eyebrows rise in shock as surprise fills the boy's green eyes. He had occluded Snape?! Harry grins up goofily at the potions master. Snape gives a hint of a smile in return, removing his hand from Harry's shoulder, as though just realizing it was still there.
Clearing his throat awkwardly, Snape conjures up two large arm chairs and a table between them. On it was a large teapot, two cups, several cookies, and two large books.
"You may help yourself. Before we move on with your lessons, there is some information I must share with you. I ask that you hear me out." Harry doesn't like the sound of this.
"Potter, it is very typical for my godson to visit for a week or two every summer's end."
Harry just stared at the Professor, confused. "Well, what exactly does that mean?" he responds with a question. Snape's godson is Malfoy isn't it? Harry feels his heart rate begin to quicken. This was about more than a petty school rivalry, this sounded dangerous. The potions professor was already in a precarious position.
Snape sighs. "It means, that we have several issues to address. I have a tentative solution and I will listen to your input, but you must wait until I finish explaining the entire plan. Understood?"
Harry nods, still feeling relatively calm from the meditation.
"For one thing, you must give your friends an excuse for your disappearing for one to two weeks, as we will commit to the magical portion of the house for the duration of his stay. I suggest you say something about your relatives being concerned for you." Harry notices the agitation in Snape's features as he says the last part.
"Furthermore, Nathan will likely be a sufficient cover name, but we will need to decide upon a last name. I will also need to place a strong glamour on you. I believe it would be best to have you pose as a student from another school. Which school, however, I am not sure of yet. I believe the Malfoys may have too many connections within Beauxbatons and Durmstrang… Regardless, this will require that you have sufficient knowledge of the school. Depending on your success with this, we may need to make you appear younger. That is up to you.
You must also learn the standards of a proper wizarding family. Any sign of unusual behavior will start Draco on a path to uncovering the truth, so we must also come up with a solid explanation of your bloodline.
We have about three weeks until Draco's expected arrival. This is sufficient time to tie up any loose ends, but we must not wait. Draco is adept in both Occlumency and Legilimency, which means that we must also broaden your knowledge of the studies of the mind."
Snape pauses, considering his charge. "Now, I can see how uncomfortable you are with this just by looking at your face. Before you relay your every protest, I want you to consider the positive side of this."
Harry continues to look at Snape skeptically, but remains silent, more nervous than upset.
Snape nods in what seems like approval. "You and Draco were destined to be on opposite sides of the fence from the very beginning. You can take this as an opportunity to get to know the Draco behind the mask."
Harry thinks about this. He knows that most of Draco's disgust was aimed at Harry Potter specifically, but why should he give a flying hoot about the 'Draco behind the mask'? Snape answers his question before he even gets to voice it.
"If anything, you should understand, more than most, how beneficial it may be to truly understand a person, to the point where you can predict their every move. The only way to do that is to know, really know, the workings of their inner mind." Snape is unreadable as he says this, dark eyes set on Harry's. To Harry, this single statement had tons of hidden implications.
Ever the Slytherin, Snape knew that the noble Harry Potter would inevitably empathize with the Draco that Snape would die defending.
Harry remains silent for several minutes, thinking over the plan and its requirements. Strangely enough, Harry's biggest urge was telling him not to disappoint Snape. Such a plan would require a lot of responsibility and brain power, which meant that Snape must have some degree of trust for a person he once hated with every fiber of his being. Harry could not, would not, disappoint him.. He nods in understanding, thinking furiously.
He knows he made the right decision when he sees that look of approval appear across Snape's features once more.
Snape had to admit to himself that the level of maturity the boy had just displayed was impressive. A far cry from the brat he was, or who Severus thought he was.
"Very well, I've made a written copy of the plan thus far, I would like for you to look over it before bed. For the next hour we will talk about wizarding etiquette" he says, picking up one of the books from the table. "From the moment a wizarding child is born they are taught properly to walk and talk, rigorously pushed from one manner to the next…"