Chapter 2
Well this was going to be fun.
„I don’t know what your playing at, but let me make this clear, you won’t get to play your silly games with me Potter!“, Snape snarled. He looked really furious and spit flew from his mouth.
„The headmaster thinks it's important for you to learn Occlumency.“
Oh yeah right, with all his thoughts focused on this new revelation he totally forgot his nightmares and the thing that happend to Mr Weasley.
„Why are you telling me this sir? Why isn't Dumbeldore talking to me about that? I’m sure he could explain it loads better than you“
He tried to lift his chin up, so Snape could know what Harry thought about talking to him.
There really was no explanation as to why Snape thought it was necessary to speak to him about it.
Actually Harry was a bit hurt that Dumbeldore would tell Snape about his nightmares. In his head he could briefly recall the headmaster telling him he needed to learn Occlumency and he would get a teacher, but he forgot the details.
„It’s headmaster Dumbeldore to you mister Potter. And I am telling you, because I am going to be the one teaching you.“
Now that was a nasty smile maybe he really was going to die today.
Ah, well, there was nothing you could do about it, he was sure Ron would take good care of Hedwig.
„Trust me Potter, I am as reluctant to this idea as you are, but let me tell you this one thing“,
and here he got really close. Harry could practically smell the man’s breath,
„you are going to behave yourself, or I swear to Merlin, you are not going to like the outcome.“
With those words Snape stepped away from him again.
„Other teachers and adults may tolerant your cheek, but I am not going to be lenient!“
Oh yes, as if he had to tell Harry that.
„Did I make myself clear?“
Harry just nodded, there wasn’t much else he could do really.
„Come to the potions classroom tomorrow after dinner, and don’t be late!“
Snape turned around and Harry took this as his sign that he was dismissed and took his bag to flee threw the door.
When he eventually reached his dorm the other students were already on their way to the great Hall for lunch.
Ron and Hermione pestered him about what Snape wanted from him and after he gave them a short version he asked Hermione if she could tell him anything about Occlumency.
She denied, but he could already see, how she planed to find something in the library.
The rest of the day just went by and in the evening he almost forgot about what would happen the next day.
That was until Hermione came banging into the boys doorm.
„You really are not going to like what I found.“
Great, just great!
„What is it Mione?
„So, actually I didn’t found out much, but what I did find was, that Occlumency is a branch of mind magic“
„Mind magic?“
„Yes! Mind magic. I can’t really tell you how or what, the books didn’t say. It was very hard to even find books that talk about it. I didn’t ask Mrs Pince, the whole thing just doesn’t sound very legal. Are you sure Professor Dumbeldore wants you to learn this?“
„Yes, yes he said he would get me a teacher, I just didn’t think it would be fucking Snape.“
„That's tough luck mate“, Ron chimed in. „Why isn’t Dumbeldore teaching you himself?“
„Professor Dumbeldore Ron“, Hermione admonished.
„Beats me, you know he was avoiding me the whole schoolyear till that thing with your father happend.“
„So is this going to help you with your nightmares?“
„I would guess so“, Hermione chimed in „Snape will probably try to find out what your nightmares are about, than teach you how to not let them in“
„You mean he is going to read my mind?“
That sounded fucked up.
„I don’t know, like I said the books don’t talk to much about it, but there seems to be some kind of opponent spell. Something to break your walls or stuff, but that part I didn’t really understand.“
Oh great, really just great. If Snape actually had the power to read his mind he was going to die. Maybe on Snapes and maybe if embarrassment, or maybe just because the universe was taking pity on him.
If Snape found out what he brew last weekend in the Room of Requierment…
If Snape found out what the potion revealed.
No.
He couldn’t let that happen.
The man probably was going to take him to Tommy boy to finish the job. Or even better he was going to admit him to sankt mungus.
He had to keep this a secret.
Nobody could find out.
Besides it wasn’t something that would aid him in the war.
Everybody was just going to be upset and it wouldn’t even change a thing.
Snape would still hate him, harry would still have to stay at the Dursleys over summer and no one else would care.
He didn’t even look like Snape.
Huh?
Weird.
That was definitely something he had to look into. Was that just a coincidence?
That night the saviour was plagued by nightmares and frequent awakening, imagining horror scenarios.
So he just decided to stuff all his knowledge of ‚the incident‘ in the deepths of his mind. It wouldn’t do him any good, if Snape could pick these information from the front of his mind.
The walk to the potions classroom the next day felt like a death sentence.
„Ah Mister Potter how nice of you to follow instructions once in your lifetime , I can’t believe you managed to come down on time“, Snape snarled.
Come on really?
He hadn’t even fully opened the door. A few Slytherins were already giving him weird glances from the hallway.
The door closed behind him and Snape chanted a few spells already. Harry recognised these as ones, that would keep their lesson privat so no one could disrupt.
If he was being honest he silently hoped some first year would come barging in and give some excuse so Harry could leave.
He wasn’t scared of the man since third year, but right now he frightened the shit out of him.
Even Umbridge falling through the ceiling would be a welcome intervention.
This was going to be hell!
„Occlumency is the art of protecting your mind from outside influences“, Snape stared, „the dark Lord is able, ro break into your mind and search for anything he wants to know“
„So like mindreading?“
„Do not, disrupt me when I am speaking potter!“ Snape looked positively angry now.
„You are here to learn and as much as it pains me there is no other teacher here, that could teach you. So I advise you to listen closely, I am not going to repeat myself!
Legilimency is not like mind reading. A professional can view memorys and thought, emotions straight from your mind.
The dark Lord is gifted in this area so you got to step up your game.
I was told you manged a corporal patronus in a matter of months, let’s see how well you will do, Potter!
Prepare your mind, keep me out!
Legilimens!“
First there was pain, it felt like his head might explode, then there was an uncomfortable presence. It felt as if his head was to small for so many viewers.
Then came the memorys and well that felt like a slap in the face.
In a matter of seconds his last hours flew by him.
There were a few of his childhood, just bits and pieces, harry saw ripper, aunt Marges dog a few times. The was Dudley and his gang, and
Change.
Next scene, oh that was from his roadtrip in first grade.
Change.
His first time flying on a broom, he actually felt as if the air was brushing his face.
Change.
Him, Ron and Hermione trying to brew a potion in the girls bathroom.
That was what set him back to reality, what reminded him he had to do something.
But what? How?
Just for a split second he reminded himself that there was some knowledge he needed to protect,
Nobody can find out.
He didn’t really knew what did it, but suddenly he stood back and the classroom.
Snape was looming before him with a disgusted look on his face.
„Pathetic Potter, so Lupin really was exaggerating. You need to do better than that!“
„Well maybe if you actually told me what to do, I could do it!“,
Yes, yes he knew, strategically speaking that wasn’t clever, but the fact that Snape saw everything he saw made him just slightly , very slightly jumpy.
The man made a complicated mimic with his face, Harry had noway of interpreting, before he spoke again.
„Mind your tone boy! We will try again.
Legilimens!“
And so the lesson continued in mostly the same style.
Snape would yell at him, Harry’s head would hurt even more and than there were memorys flashing before his eyes.
At the end when Snape finally called it quits for the day he could barely stand up straight anymore.
He was reminded to come back the next day and slowly made his way up to the doorms.
The only thing that could make his day worse would be Umbrigde showing up.
But he got lucky and as soon as his face hit the mattress he was out.