Chapter 24
Return to Hogwarts
(Opening song #2. ＷＲＫ by Millennium Parade, and Sheena Ringo)
(January 1, 1996. Grimmauld Place)
They were to return to Hogwarts on the Knight Bus the following day, escorted once again by Tonks and Lupin, both of whom were eating breakfast in the kitchen when Harry, Ron, and Hermione came down that morning. After a hurried breakfast, they all pulled on jackets and scarves. against the chilly gray January morning. Harry had an unpleasant constricted sensation in his chest; he did not want to say goodbye to Sirius. He had a bad feeling about this parting; he didn't know. when they would next see each other and he felt it was incumbent upon him to say something to Sirius to stop him from doing anything stupid, Harry was worried that Snape's accusation of cowardice had stung Sirius so badly he might even now be planning some foolhardy trip beyond Grimmauld Place. Before he could think of what to say, however, Sirius had beckoned him to his side.
"I want you to take this," he said quietly, thrusting a badly wrapped package roughly the size of a paperback book into Harry's hands.
"What is it?" Harry asked.
"A way of letting me know if Snape's giving you a hard time, or if the Triad decide to cause chaos again. No, don't open it in here!" said Sirius, with a wary look at Mrs Weasley, who was trying to persuade the twins to wear hand-knitted mittens. "I doubt Molly would approve - but I want you to use it if you need me, alright?"
"OK," said Harry, stowing the package away in the inside pocket of his jacket, but he knew he would never use whatever it was. It would not be him, Harry, who lured Sirius from his place of safety, no matter how foul Snape treated him in their forthcoming Occlumency classes, even more so if Yuno or the other decided to attack the school again.
"Let's go, then," said Sirius, clapping Harry on the shoulder and smiling grimly, and before Harry could say anything else, they were heading upstairs, stopping before the heavily chained and bolted the front door, surrounded by Weasleys.
"Goodbye, Harry, take care," said Mrs Weasley, hugging him.
"See you, Harry, and keep an eye out for snakes for me!" said Mr Weasley genially, shaking his hand.
"Right - yeah," said Harry distractedly; it was his last chance to tell Sirius to be careful; he turned, looked into his godfather's face, and opened his mouth to speak, but before he could do so Sirius was giving him a brief, one-armed hug, and saying gruffly,
"Look after yourself, Harry."
The next moment, Harry found himself being shunted out into the icy winter air, with Tonks (today heavily disguised as a tall, tweedy woman with iron-grey hair) chivvying him down the steps. The door of number twelve slammed shut behind them. They followed Lupin down the front steps. As he reached the pavement, Harry looked round. Number twelve was shrinking rapidly as those on either side of it stretched sideways, squeezing it out of sight. One blink later, it had gone.
"Come on, the quicker we get on the bus the better," said Tonks, and Harry thought there was nervousness in the glance she threw around the square. Lupin flung out his right arm.
BANG.
A violently purple, triple-decker bus had appeared out of thin air in front of them, narrowly avoiding the nearest lamppost, which jumped backward out of its way. A thin, pimply, jug-eared youth in a purple uniform leapt down onto the pavement and said, "Welcome to the -"
"Yes, yes, we know, thank you," said Tonks swiftly. "On, on, get on -"
And she shoved Harry forwards towards the steps, past the conductor, who goggled at Harry as he passed.
"Ere - it's 'Arry -!"
"If you shout his name I will curse you into oblivion," muttered Tonks menacingly, now shunting Ginny and Hermione forward.
"I've always wanted to go on this thing," said Ron happily, joining Harry on board and looking around.
It had been evening the last time Harry had travelled by Knight Bus and its three decks had been full of brass bedsteads. Now, in the early morning, it was crammed with an assortment of mismatched chairs grouped haphazardly around windows. Some of these appeared to had fallen over when the bus stopped abruptly in Grimmauld Place; a few witches and wizards were still getting to their feet, grumbling, and somebody's shopping bag had slid the length of the bus: an unpleasant mixture of frogspawn, cockroaches, and custard creams was scattered all over the floor.
"Looks like we'll have to split up," said Tonks briskly, looking around for empty chairs. "Fred, George and Ginny, if you just take those seats at the back… Remus can stay with you."
She, Harry, Ron and Hermione proceeded up to the very top deck, where there were two unoccupied chairs at the very front of the bus and two at the back. Stan Shunpike, the conductor, followed Harry and Ron eagerly to the back. Heads turned as Harry passed and, when he sat down, he saw all the faces flick back to the front again. As Harry and Ron handed Stan eleven Sickles each, the bus set off again, swaying ominously. It rumbled around Grimmauld Place, weaving on and off the pavement, then, with another tremendous
BANG,
they were all flung backward; Ron's chair toppled right over and Pigwidgeon, who had been on his lap, burst out of his cage and flew twittering wildly up to the front of the bus where he fluttered down onto Hermione's shoulder instead.
"Merlin's beard!" she heard Ron yell as he landed. Harry, who had narrowly avoided falling by seizing a candle bracket, looked out of the window as The Knight Bus swayed violently from side to side, nobody seemed to be paying much attention to either their transport or their safety.: they were now speeding down what appeared to be a motorway.
"Just outside Birmingham," said Stan happily, answering Harry's unasked question as Ron struggled up from the floor. "You keepin' well, then, 'Arry? I seen your name in the paper loads over the summer, but it weren't never nuffin very nice. I said to Ern, I said, 'e didn't seem like a nutter when we met 'im, just goes to show, dunnit?"
He handed over their tickets and continued to gaze, enthralled, at Harry. Apparently, Stan did not care how nutty somebody was, if they were famous enough to be in the paper. The Knight Bus swayed alarmingly, overtaking a line of cars on the inside. Looking towards the front of the bus, Harry saw Hermione cover her eyes with her hands, Pigwidgeon swaying happily on her shoulder.
BANG.
"Bloody hell!" yelled Ron again as fell on the floor, a few witches nearby snickered at him. Chairs slid backward again as the Knight Bus jumped from the Birmingham motorway to a quiet country lane full of hairpin bends. Hedgerows on either side of the road were leaping out of their way as they mounted the verges. From here they moved to a main street in the middle of a busy town, then to a viaduct surrounded by tall hills, then to a windswept road between high-rise flats, each time with a loud
BANG.
"I've changed my mind!" shouted Ron, picking himself up from the floor for the sixth time, "I never want to ride on this death trap again!"
"It's uncomfortable," said Hermione weakly, who was turning a sickly shade of green, "but I think I'd still rather prefer it than Portkeying, honestly."
Stan swayed towards them "Listen, it's 'Ogwarts stop after this." he said brightly. "That bossy woman up front 'oo got on with you, she's given us a little tip to move you up the queue. We're just gonna let Madam Marsh off first, though -" There was a retching sound from downstairs, followed by a horrible spattering noise "- she's not feeling 'er best."
"I can sympathize" Hermione groaned, looking even greenier.
A few minutes later, the Knight Bus screeched to a halt outside a small pub, which squeezed itself out of the way to avoid a collision. They could hear Stan ushering the unfortunate
Madam Marsh out of the bus and the relieved murmurings of her fellow passengers on the second deck. Harry watched her stumble down the steps, clutching her purse and, looking groggy, swayed away into the night. The bus set off again, gathering speed, until -
BANG.
They were rolling through a snowy Hogsmeade. Harry caught a glimpse of the Hog's Head down its side street, the severed boar's head sign creaking in the wintry wind. Flecks of snow hit the large window at the front of the bus. At last, they rolled to a halt outside the gates to Hogwarts.
"Thanks, Stan," said Harry as Lupin and Tonks helped them off the bus with their luggage, then got off to say goodbye. Harry glanced up at the three decks of the Knight Bus and saw all the passengers staring down at them, noses flat against the windows.
"How hasn't anyone gotten sued!?" Ron exclaimed as he stepped out into the snow, while Hermoine and Ginny looked as if she finally found land after being stranded in the open ocean for weeks.
"You'd need deep pockets to sue them," said Fred, jumping off the last step of the bus "and you'd probably have to wait for months before you saw any money."
"Most people go for compensation from the Ministry, but as there was no serious damage done they'll be out of luck there too," George added looking on as the bus disappeared.
Tonks and Lupin began to separate everyone's luggage and once she finished, she turned to the six of them. "You'll be safe once you're in the grounds," said Tonks, casting a careful eye around at the deserted road. "Have a good term, OK?"
"Look after yourselves," said Lupin, shaking hands all round and reaching Harry last. "And listen…" he lowered his voice while the rest of them exchanged last-minute goodbyes with Tonks, "Harry, I know you don't like Snape, but he is a superb Occlumens and we all - Sirius included - want you to learn to protect yourself, so work hard, all right?"
"Yeah, all right," said Harry heavily, looking up into Lupin's prematurely lined face. "See you, Then."
Before Harry could leave Lupin grabbed his shoulder. "and, Harry."
Harry turned to face him
"I'm going to tell you this, not as a student, but from one Auroa to another. Stay away from The Triad"
Harry opened his mouth to protest, but Lupin forestalled him.
"I know it'll be hard to keep your distance given how unpredictable and destructive they are. That said, the last thing you need on your already heavy shoulders is the Triad targeting you, or being provoked to launch another attack on the school." He said.
Harry sighed in acquiescence. "I can't make any promises. The least I can do is try."
"That's all I ask Harry," Lupin said giving him a pat on the shoulder
With that Harry followed the other, watching as Lupin and Tonks's retreating figures were eventually swallowed up by the dense grey of the snowfall. The six of them struggled up the slippery drive toward the castle, dragging their trunks.
"You're not gonna listen to a word he said are you," Hermione stated
"It's not that I don't want to, there's just no choice in the matter. We need to find the traitor in D.A. and fast. It's the only thing we can do" He told her.
Hermione sighed and fell into step with Ron and Harry, with twins and Ginny following right behind, as they set off toward the castle. Walking through the cold morning wind as the snow started to fall thicker and faster around them, making castle Hogwarts seem like a mere shadow looming in front of them.
Harry glanced back when they reached the oaken front doors; the Knight Bus had already gone and he half wished, given what was coming the following evening, that he was still on board.
(Meanwhile on The Hogwarts Express)
As the Hogwarts Express rumbled out of King's Cross Station that morning, its windows full, its corridors packed, there was no doubt that the train was fuller than ever before. On each of the luggage stands outside the compartments, trunks, cages, and bags had to be stacked five or six high.
Draco Malfoy sat comfortably by himself in the far back of the train, his eyes fixed on the window as he watched the fog whirl over the snowy mountain tops. As he leaned back into the plush of his seat, he suddenly heard the compartment door slide open.
"Figured you'd be back here." a female voice said. "Miss me?"
Draco's eyes flicked up to regard the white hair girl with emerald eyes and a jagged scar on the left cheek in the doorway. He rolled his eyes at her and huffed in annoyance.
"Yes, I was aching for you."
"I'm flattered" Arianna giggled, he shifted over to give her a little more space, and he leaned back against his seat once more. "How was your Christmas?" she asked him as she sat down.
"How do you think it was, Princess? Boring, as always," he replied rolling his eyes
"More "social networking" events I presume?" she shifted herself to face him
Draco grimaced slightly at the mention of his time spent at the latest party his family held."Exactly that. I had to spend hours talking to all the pompous, self-important, old pure-blood couples who all kept trying to set me up with their daughters. It was excruciating."
Arianna snorted "The daughters weren't much better were they"
"You have no idea." he said making a face "Most of them are insufferably dull. Just parroting whatever their parents say, and talking about nothing. I don't think a single one of them had an opinion, let alone an original thought. I swear, if I have to spend another second having a conversation about Ministry policy and Umbridge, I'll throw myself off the Astronomy Tower."
"Or you next time I could give you a portkey and you can party like a muggle for a couple of days," she said propping her feet on the seating on the other sides of the compartment.
"Hah, party like a muggle? I can't imagine a worse idea." he waived his hand off at the idea "I have a reputation to uphold I'll have you know"
"I know you secretly want to try out our drinking games"
"Pfft. No, I don't–-" he paused for a moment "… ok maybe a little. But it would just be to show you that what a muggle can do, a pureblood can do better."
"Least you're starting to admit it"
"Whatever, Darkwood," he huffed shaking his head with a smirk on his face
Arianna gave a snicker at his reaction. "So even despite the boring parties, did you get anything nice this year?"
"Unfortunately, the gift-giving was equally unbearable." He then gave her a sidelong glance, a smug smirk playing on his lips.
"But, on the bright side... my parents did buy me this." He slipped a hand into his cloak pocket and pulled out a small, black, velvet box. His smirk widened as he held when she gave a curiously raised eyebrow.
"You're supposed to open it. Just be gentle, it's expensive."
As Arianna carefully opened the box, she was greeted by the sight of a sleek, silver watch The brand of the watch was unmistakable: Bulgari. As one of the most high-end luxury brands in the wizarding world, it was clear that the watch must have cost a small fortune. Draco watched her closely as she examined the watch, secretly gauging her reaction.
Arianna eyed the watch like a rare jewel. "Heard about these, your parents have an expensive taste"
"Of course they do. I was raised to be surrounded by the best. The most expensive, the most prestigious, the most exclusive." He glanced at the watch in her hands as he spoke with a hint of smugness. "And only the finest watch brands for the Malfoys"
"Well I hope I can compete with my gift," she said, rummaging around in her pack.
Draco scoffed at her statement. "Compete? Nothing you give me can possibly be up to par with-"
"And making his return to Hogwarts this semester." She cut off him and then held out a white plush ferret with a pink bow tie that had his name on it. "Draco Malfoy, The Amazing Bouncing Ferret."
His face turned red with embarrassment as he saw the accursed plushie ferret. He gritted his teeth and snatched the doll from her hands, looking like he wanted to hex her on the spot.
"Who told you!? No- I don't want to know! There's no way I'm keeping this... monstrosity!" He exclaimed examining the stuffed animal "And is that a pink bowtie!?"
"My personal touch, I think it looks rather handsome with it on," she said proudly
"Darkwood!"
Arianna began to laugh at his reaction, only making Draco's irritation grow. He grumbled in frustration as he held the plush ferret, waving it in the air dramatically.
"Just look at it! It's humiliating!" He huffed, glaring at her as she continued giggling. "Piss off! it's not funny! It's insulting it what it is!"
She took out her wand(her dagger in disguise) while still laughing and held up a hand in surrender. "I'm sorry," she said trying to stop herself from laughing. "it's just too easy with you sometimes, I transfigured the actual gift into that, Just hold it up so I change it back,"
His face morphed into a mixture of relief and annoyance. He held the plush ferret up and shook his head. "Bloody hell, I should curse you right now for even presenting that thing to me. I hate ferrets."
Arianna waved her wand the plush ferret transformed back into a small wooden box. "There, that's your actual gift."
Draco glanced down at the box, examining it closely. His eyes flickered up to her. He raised an eyebrow, looking at her with a mixture of surprise and skepticism
"You're supposed to open it" she teased.
Draco let out a huff, rolling his eyes at her impish smirk. "Alright, fine." He shifted in his seat, holding the box in his hand. He lifted the lid and peered inside.
He was greeted by the sight of a silver wristwatch that had serpents engraved on the edges. Its numerals were emerald green and on the face of the watch was the Malfoy family crest. Draco's eyes widened slightly as he looked down at the watch in awe. He gently picked it up, holding it delicately in his hands as he examined it closely. He picked up the watch gently flipped it over and saw the back of the watch had the Slytherin coat of arms.
Draco blinked a few times, still somewhat in shock before he slowly slid the watch onto his wrist, closing the clasp firmly into place.
"Ari" he whispered in disbelief looking at the watch on his wrist. "Where-"
"Custom made." she answered before he could ask "The letters that you sent me over the break came with your family's crest. So I took it to a craftsman, gave some small details about you and, that's the result"
Draco's expression softened as he listened to her explanation, and slowly transformed into a subtle smile.
"You could've started with this y'know? Instead of that blasted ferret doll" he chuckled shaking his head.
Arianna giggled. "Someone's gotta keep you on your toes"
"Yeah, I should be used to you trying to get a reaction out of me by now. Seriously though, I can't believe you had this made for me. It's… I don't think I have the words" Draco admired the watch for a bit before slipping it on his wrist. He looked down at the watch and couldn't help but give a small warm smile. His eyes drifted to his hand and then let out a scoff.
"That said, I'm not letting you one-up me on the gift-giving, Darkwood." He said taking off his Slytherin ring and handing it to her. "Here,"
Arianna let out a small gasp in shock. "Your house signet? Draco, I can't take your this, It's your family heirloom!"
He waved his hand dismissively. "And now it's yours. As if I was going to let some Yankee witch outdo me with the gifts."
"But, this is-"
"Look Ari" he cut her off. "You're every bit as cunning and ambitious as the students that have come out of Slytherin in the past. Hell, you're more of a Slytherin than anyone in my house right now. So take the damn ring, it's yours."
He placed the ring into the palm of her hand, and closed her fingers around it gently, before moving his hand back to his side.
"Consider it a memento. So you'll remember that you're a Slytherin just like me and a damn good one at that. Plus, everyone in Gryffindor is going to riot when they see you wearing that ring."
Arianna didn't know what to say, this was the first time Draco had left her speechless. She gave a small warm smile and slid the ring onto her finger.
Draco gave a smug half-smirk. "Looks like I win this round Darkwoord. It's about time I left you with a comeback."
Arianna gave a slight laugh, then looked up with a mischievous smirk at his challenge. "Y'know, it's a bit early for us to be going steady, Dragon," she said leaning back smugly.
Draco's face flushed dark red, looked up at the ceiling, and slapped a hand dramatically to his forehead "Of course you'd come up with that." A frustrated groan escaped his teeth and he leaned back into the seat, running a hand tiredly over his face. "Don't you ever stop taking the piss, woman?
Arianna giggled at his reaction and leaned into his shoulder. "You walked right into that one"
"Yeah-Yeah fine I did." he huffed "You may have gotten me with that cheap engagement ring jibe, but you're wearing my house signet. So I still win, no matter how you look at it."
She rolled her eyes playfully and stuck out her hand to examine the ring. "It really is as beautiful as an engagement. You have to admit"
Draco let out an exasperated leaned forward, and wrapped an arm around her shoulders."I hate to admit it, but it does look good. But that's because it's a Slytherin ring. They're all works of art, just like the house itself."
"Even more of a reason to wear it." she mused. "Seriously though, I wasn't expecting anything in return, but this.." she looked down at the ring again. "beats any gift I got this year"
He smiled softly as he watched her admire the ring. "It's probably the nicest present you've ever gotten" he teased lightly."
Arianna couldn't argue, "Definitely in the top three"
Draco let out a mocking huff acting as if she had hurt his ego. "Only in the top three? I doubt the other things that beat this"
You'll never know" she teased
"Tch, yes I will." he gently pinched her side, causing her to squirm away
"Hey! Cut it out" she laughed as she shivered slightly.
"Ha, finally I found your weakness!" He started running his fingers along her side again "Now admit you've never gotten a better gift, and I'm the greatest gift giver ever"
'Ok, ok you wi-" she started to until Galin, who had a black eye and a few cuts on his face, burst into the room and yelled "Ari! It finally came!" showing off a large black leather belt with a gold emblem in the middle.
The sudden entrance startled the two of them causing them to bump the sides of their heads together accidently.
"OW!" they both yelped and then proceeded to glare at Galin.
"Does that pillock brother of yours know how to knock!?" Draco exclaimed angrily straightening himself up in his seat, rubbing the side of his head where it had collided with Arianna's.
"Unfortunately, he doesn't" Arianna grunted, rubbing her head and glaring at Galin. " You couldn't have waited until after we got to the castle, gym rat?"
Galin laughed carelessly and leaned against the wall of the compartment. Completely obvious to the earlier interaction "Nope. I wanted to show off my title belt!"
Draco raised an eyebrow at the strange belt. "What's the point in showing off that thing anyway?" he grumbled and continued rubbing the side of his head where it had connected with Arianna's.
Galin put the belt over his shoulder. "This is my champion belt I won over the break! I look like a badass carrying it around with the black eye and cuts," he said proudly giving a a closed eye ear-to-ear grin.
"You look like a twit who can't take a punch properly." Draco scoffed with a snicker.
"Well, the cuts were from the elbows the guy I fought landed" Galin explained pointing to the cut above his brow. "For a taller guy, his close-range game was pretty decent"
"And the black eye? Is that supposed to be 'badarse' too?" Draco replied, his eyes narrowing
"Absolutely bro!" Galin exclaimed
Draco felt his eye twitch "Your brother's a bloody nutter, Darkwood" he muttered, just loud enough for Arianna to hear.
"He's pretty good at fighting though. Made a couple hundred by promoting this last fight." she shrugged it off like it was nothing.
"It's fun dude, you should try it sometime-" Galin paused and gave a confused look "-It's Falco, right? Or something like that right"
"It's Draco, you idiot!" he said through gritted teeth "And I don't need a bloody martial art when I can knock someone out with my wand."
"Don't let him trick you Galin" Yuno, who now dyed the tips hair of his spikey blonde hair black, said coming up behind Galin. "He was secretly impressed by you making Crabbe and Goyle look like fools because they failed to punch you in the face. All he talked about in the common rooms back during October,"
He shot a seething glare at Yuno "Don't you have a library to hide in you little abor-?"
"Wait, you want to learn to slip punches!?" Galin interrupted before he could finish his insult, eyes wide with excitement.
"What? No!" Draco was momentarily caught off guard by the abrupt interruption. "I never said I wanted that!"
Galin sat across from him, not taking the hint. "Come on, it won't hurt to learn a bit, you'll love it!" he said while Dravo gave a pleading look to Arianna.
She pinched her brow and let out an annoyed sigh. "Leave him alone guys,"
"Thank you!" Draco sighed, grateful for her to step in as he crossed his arms over his chest.
Galin looked between the two, a pleading expression on his face. "Awe come on Ari, I-"
"Galin" she scolded.
"Fine." he huffed and turned to Draco. "But you're missing out bro" and gave him a hard pat on the back."
Draco let out a disgruntled "oof" in response to the hard slap on his back. "I'm sure I'll manage." He muttered, rolling his eyes at Galin.
Just then, the train lurched forward, signaling their imminent arrival to Hogwarts. Arianna looked out the window and saw the shadowy silhouette.
"Looks like we're here." she said turning to Draco "I'm guessing you're gonna have to take a carriage with some of the other Slytherins. So, I'll see you soon dragon" She kissed him on the cheek and got up from her seat
As she started making her way to the exit with Yuno and Galin, Draco suddenly got up and matched her pace, "Actually...I have an idea."
Arianna turned to look at him with a curious expression. "OH? Do tell then."
"Why don't we ride together in a carriage... Just the t-"
"I call backseat!" Galin chimed in suddenly.
Draco curled his hand into a fist "No you bloody don't you baboon!" glaring at him.
"Actually, that's not a bad idea if he tags along," she said looking up and twirling her hair in thought. "Better than Crabbe and Goyle staring at us awkwardly."
There was a moment of silence as he thought over the idea. "Fine, you have a point. He can ride with us, but I'm sitting beside you, Darkwood." he huffed as the four of them exited the train car.
"Works for me, I always take up a whole row of seats anyway" Galin admitted.
Arianna glanced back at Yuno. "Coming along Yuno?" she asked him. Yuno rolled his eyes. "As if. The less I have to deal with Malfoy, the better. Besides all the first years have to stick together. School rules"
"Yes, because you're such a rule follower," Draco said sarcastically.
"It's why I have better grades than you" Yuno sarcastically retorted back and joined the other first-years right before giving Draco a rude hand gesture.
Draco's temper flared when Yuno flashed him that gesture. "Why you little-!" he exclaimed, but he was cut off mid-sentence by Arianna grabbing his arm.
"It's how he is with everyone, don't take it personally."
Draco took a deep breath, trying to suppress his anger. "I think he needs a good thrashing with that attitude of his" he grumbled, still glaring after Yuno.
"Trust me, bro, you're not the only one who thinks that." Galin chuckled
He let out a heavy sigh and looked at Galin with slight irritation. "Don't 'bro' me. I'm not your bro."
"Then how bout Dracbroski?" Galin suggested hopping up into the carriage laying across the seat and putting his hand behind his head.
Draco cringed at the nickname "Never call me that…ever." he pinched the bridge of his nose, resisting the urge to hex him.
He turned his attention towards the carriage and helped Arianna into it before climbing in himself, taking care to choose the seat next to her. The carriage lurched forward, beginning to move with the other ones. Draco leaned back into the seat and looked at Arianna.
"Looks like another semester of Umbridge, and messing with Potter," she said glancing at the tower in the distance.
"Unfortunately, yes," he replied draping an arm on the back of her seat. "But with you around, it makes things a bit more interesting." He glanced back towards the Hogwarts Express seeing Crabbe, Goyle, and Pansy looking around in confusion for a carriage.
(9:30 pm , Professor Snape's offfice)
Harry 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 in which slimy bits of animals and plants were suspended in variously coloured potions. In one corner stood the cupboard full of ingredients that Snape had once accused Harry - not without reason - of robbing. Harry's attention was drawn towards the desk, however, where a shallow stone basin engraved with runes and symbols lay in a pool of candlelight.
Harry recognized it at once - it was Dumbledore's Pensieve. Wondering what on earth it was doing there, he jumped when Snape's cold voice came out of the shadows.
"Shut the door behind you, Potter."
Harry did as he was told, with the horrible feeling that he was imprisoning himself. When he turned back into the room, Snape had moved into the light and was pointing silently at the chair opposite his desk. Harry sat down and so did Snape, his cold black eyes fixed unblinkingly upon Harry, dislike etched in every line of his face.
"Well, Potter, you know why you are here," he said. "The Headmaster has asked me to teach you Occlumency. I can only hope that you prove more adept at it than at Potions."
"Right," said Harry tersely.
"This may not be an ordinary class, Potter,' said Snape, his eyes narrowed malevolently, "but I am still your teacher and you will therefore call me "sir" or "Professor" at all times."
'Yes… sir,' said Harry.
Snape continued to survey him through narrowed eyes for a moment, then said, "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."
"So, Voldemort-"
"Do not say the Dark Lord's name!" Snape spat.
Harry gave a subtle annoyed look "So, he doesn't possess me, right?"
"Correct, even with the connection between the two of you, The Dark Lord is highly skilled at Legilimency -'
'What's that? Sir?'
"It is the ability to extract feelings and memories from another person's mind -"
"He can read minds?" said Harry quickly, his worst fears confirmed.
"You have no subtlety, Potter," said Snape, his dark eyes glittering. "You do not understand fine distinctions. It is one of the shortcomings that makes you such a lamentable potion-maker." Snape paused for a moment, apparently to savor the pleasure of insulting Harry, before continuing.
"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 any invader. The mind is a complex and many-layered thing, Potter, or at least, most minds are."He smirked.
"So basically mind reading," Harry thought to himself thinking of the concept. "Snape and his goddamn semantics"
"It is true, however, that those who have mastered Legilimency are able, under certain conditions, to delve into the minds of their victims and to interpret their findings 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 can utter falsehoods in his presence without detection"
"So he could know what we're thinking right now? Sir?" Harry asked, feeling on edge with the new information.
"The Dark Lord is at a considerable distance and the walls and grounds of Hogwarts are guarded by many ancient spells and charms to ensure the bodily and mental safety of those who dwell within them," Snape explained. "Time and space matter in magic, Potter. Eye contact is often essential to Legilimency."
"It is true, however, that those who have mastered Legilimency are able, under certain conditions, to delve into the minds of their victims and to interpret their findings 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 can utter falsehoods in his presence without detection"
"So he could know what we're thinking right now? Sir?" Harry asked, feeling on edge with the new information.
Snape stared at Harry for a few moments, still tracing his mouth with his finger. When he spoke again, it was slowly and deliberately, as though he weighed every word.
"From what I have gathered, the Dark Lord has been unaware of the connection between you and himself until very recently. Up till now, it seems that you have been experiencing his emotions, and sharing his thoughts, without his being any the wiser. However, the vision you had shortly before Christmas -"
"The one with the snake and Mr Weasley?"
"Do not interrupt me, Potter," said Snape 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 -"
"I saw inside Nagini's head, not his!"
"I thought I just told you not to interrupt me, Potter?"
But Harry did not care if Snape was angry; at last, he seemed to be getting to the bottom of this business; he had moved forwards in his chair so that, without realising it, he was perched on the very edge, tense as though poised for flight
"How come I saw through the snake's eyes if it's Voldemort's thoughts I'm sharing?'
'I told you say not to say his name!' Snape snapped.
There was a nasty silence. They glared at each other across the Pensieve.
"Professor Dumbledore says his name," said Harry quietly.
"Dumbledore is an extremely powerful wizard," Snape muttered. "While he may feel secure enough to use the name… the rest of us…" He rubbed his left forearm, apparently unconsciously, on the spot where Harry knew the Dark Mark was burned into his skin.
"I just wanted to know," Harry began again, forcing his voice back to politeness, "why -"
"You seem to have visited the snake's mind because that was where the Dark Lord was at that particular moment,' snarled Snape. "He was possessing the snake at the time and so you dreamed you were inside it, too."
"And Vol— he - realized I was there?"
"It would seem so," said Snape repressively. "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 realised that he might be able to access your thoughts and feelings in return -"
"And he might try and make me do things?" asked Harry. "Sir?" he added hurriedly.
"He might," said Snape, sounding cold and unconcerned. "Which brings us back to Occlumency."
Snape pulled out his wand from an inside pocket of his robes and Harry tensed in his chair.
"Stand up and take out your wand, Potter."
Harry got to his feet, feeling nervous. They faced each other with the desk between them.
"You may use your wand to attempt to disarm me, or defend yourself in any other way you can think of," said Snape.
"And what are you going to do?" Harry asked, eyeing Snape's wand apprehensively.
"I am about to attempt to break into your mind," said Snape softly. "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 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 vanished; image after image was racing through his mind like a flickering film so vivid it blinded him to his surroundings.
But then suddenly, Snape's eyes widened as he suddenly found himself in utter darkness. He could barely see his own hand in front of his face. There was no trace of the room where they were standing nor anything recognizable at all except for the fact that they were floating high in the air.
He looked around, straining his eyes to see where Potter was, but everything was completely blackened. He could only hear a soft breathing, and it was unclear from where it was coming.
"Potter?" he called out, but his voice came out faint as if he was speaking from far away.
"Sorry Severus" a distorted voice boomed from the black void. "Potter has a secret he promised me he'd keep, and I can't have you finding it out"
Suddenly two sets of titanic purple catlike eyes opened and revealed themselves right in front of Snape. It was then followed by a wide Cheshire-like grin that had rows of sharp needle-like teeth. Snape stumbled back in horror, his face turning pale. He had never seen anything like this before, and it was clear that this was not Potter's imagination.
Without warning, he was forcibly ejected from Harry's mind, careening backward and crashing into the wall of the hallway with a sickening crack. He lay there for a moment, dazed and disorientated, trying to get his bearings.
"What, in the name of Merlin, was that?!' Snape breathed in disbelief.
Meanwhile, Harry, who had been knocked backward as well, found himself on the opposite wall of the office, panting heavily as he stared at Snape with equal parts shock and confusion written all over his face.
"Speaking of the old bastard," the same distorted voice said coming from Snape's left. Snape snapped his head in its direction and was greeted by the sight of a hooded figure in dark green shinobi robes with otherworldly runes on them
"I thought he had eradicated all traces of the practice of Legilimency. Good to know some knowledge escaped his grasp." Yuno said coldly. "That said, you knowing how to use it is a problem