Harry Potter and Shafik

Chapter 110 Occlumency

Christmas is over, and Sirius' joy is evaporating quickly.As the day of their departure approached, he became more and more prone to what Mrs. Weasley called "episodic melancholia": taciturn, ill-tempered, often in his room for hours at a time.His melancholy spread through the house, seeping through the doors like poisonous gas, and infected everyone.

Harry didn't want to leave Sirius alone with Kreacher.In fact, for the first time in his life, he wasn't looking forward to returning to Hogwarts.Back to school meant a return to Umbridge's tyranny, and she must have forced a dozen more decrees.Besides, there was no Quidditch game to look forward to.As exams approach, the workload is likely to increase again.Dumbledore was still so far away.Had it not been for the Wizarding Union, Harry thought he might have begged Sirius to let him leave Hogwarts and stay in Grimmauld Place.

Something happened on the last day of the holidays that really made Harry dread going back to school.

"Harry, dear," said Mrs. Weasley, poking her head into his and Ron's bedroom, where they were playing wizard chess while Hermione, Ginny and Crookshanks watched, "would you like to come into the kitchen?" ? Professor Snape has something to tell you."

Harry didn't realize it for a moment. His car was fighting fiercely with one of Ron's pawns, and he was excitedly cheering it up.

"Squash it - squash it, it's just a pawn, you fool - sorry, Mrs Weasley, what did you say?"

"Professor Snape is in the kitchen and wants to talk to you."

Harry's mouth fell open in horror.He looked at the others, who all stared at him dumbfounded.Hermione managed to keep Crookshanks under control for a quarter of an hour, and now she happily jumped onto the chessboard, and the pieces screamed and fled in all directions.

"Snape?" Harry asked blankly. "Professor Snape, my dear," Mrs. Weasley said reproachfully, "come on, he said he won't be here for long." "Did he ask you?" Mrs. Weasley left, Ron worried asked, "You didn't do anything, did you?" "No!" said Harry indignantly, trying to remember what wrong he had done to make Snape come after Grimaud Square.Did you get a "T" in your last assignment?One or two minutes later, he pushed open the kitchen door, and saw Sirius and Snape sitting at the long table, staring angrily in opposite directions, the silence was filled with disgust for each other.There was an open letter in front of Sirius.

"Hmm." Harry announced his presence aloud.

Snape turned his head, his face framed by a curtain of greasy black hair.

"Sit down, Potter."

"I say," Sirius leaned back, tilted his chair up, and called out to the ceiling, "I hope you don't give orders here, Snape, this is my home."

An ugly blush welled up on Snape's pale face, and Harry sat down beside Sirius, looking across the table at Snape. "I should have talked to you alone, Potter," Snape said with his usual sneer, "but Black—"

"I'm his godfather." Sirius said louder.

"I'm here on Dumbledore's order," said Snape, his voice becoming more and more sinister, "but please stay, Black, I know you like to be involved." "What do you mean by that?" asked Sirius, slamming the chair legs back to the ground. "Just to say I think you must be quite - ah - quite upset and unable to do anything useful for the Order." Snape deliberately emphasized the word "useful".It was Sirius' turn to flush, and Snape turned to Harry with a triumphant smile on his lips. "The Headmaster asked me to inform you, Potter, that he wants you to study Occlumency this term."

"Study what?" Harry asked blankly.Snape's sneer became more pronounced. "Occlumency, a spell that protects the mind from foreign intrusion. A remote form of witchcraft, but very useful." Harry's heart beat violently.Prevent foreign invasion?But he was not possessed, everyone said that? "Why do I want to study big--things?" he asked. "Because the Headmaster thinks it's necessary," Snape said mildly. "You have private tutoring once a week, but you can't tell anyone, especially Dolores Umbridge. Understand?" "Understood." Harry said, "Who will teach me?" Snape raised his eyebrows. "Myself," he said.

Harry felt his insides melt, being tutored by Snape alone - what on earth had he done to deserve this punishment?He looked at Sirius beggingly. "Why can't Dumbledore teach him?" asked Sirius aggressively. "Why you?" "I think it's because the headmaster has the power to delegate unpleasant errands," Snape said tactfully. I didn't come." He stood up. "I'll be waiting for you in my office at six o'clock on Monday night, Potter. If anyone asks, just say Potions tutoring, people who have seen you in my class Neither will deny the necessity."

He turned to leave, a swirl of wind in his black traveling cloak. "Wait a minute," said Sirius, sitting up straight.Snape looked back at him and sneered. "I'm busy, Blake? Not like you. I don't have unlimited free time?"

"Then let me be straightforward." Sirius stood up.He was much taller than Snape, and Harry noticed that Snape's hand was clenched in the pocket of his cloak, which he assumed must be the handle of his wand. "If I hear you're trying to fuck Harry by teaching him Occlumency, I'll get you."

"How touching," Snape sneered, "but you must have noticed that Potter resembled his father?" "True," said Sirius proudly. "Then you should know that he's cocky and conceited, and criticism falls on his ears," Snape said tactfully.Sirius pushed back his chair and strode towards Snape, drawing his wand.Snape showed his wand too.The two struck up a pose, Sirius' face livid, Snape calculating, his eyes flicking back and forth between Sirius' face and the tip of his staff.

"Sirius!" Harry called, but he didn't seem to hear. "I warned you, Snotlite," said Sirius, whose face was within a foot of Snape's, "Dumbledore may think you've been remodeled, but I don't—" "Oh, why do you Won't you tell him?" Snape whispered, "Are you worried that he won't take someone who's been hiding out at Mum's house for six months?" "Tell me, how's Lucius Malfoy? Guess he's glad his pug is teaching at Hogwarts?"

"Speaking of dogs," Snape said softly, "did you know that Lucius Malfoy recognized you the last time you ventured out. Very clever, Blake, to be watched from the safety of the platform Arrived? Gives you an ironclad reason not to come out of the hole again, doesn't it?" Sirius raised his wand.

"No!" Harry cried, rolling over from the table to get between them, "Sirius, don't—"

"Are you calling me a coward?" Sirius snarled, trying to push Harry away, but Harry was determined not to move.

"Well, I suppose so," said Snape. "Harry—get out of the way—!" Sirius roared, pushing him aside with a slap.The kitchen door opened, and the whole Weasley family and Hermione rushed in, all in high spirits, Mr Weasley walking proudly in the middle, wearing striped pajamas over a waterproof raincoat.

"It's cured!" he announced excitedly to the whole kitchen, "It's completely cured!" They all stood frozen in the doorway, staring at the frozen scene in front of them: Sirius and Snape both turned to look at the door, wands Pointing straight at the other's face, Harry stood between the two with his arms outstretched, trying to push them away. "My God," Mr. Weasley's smile faded, "what's going on here?"

Both Sirius and Snape lowered their wands.Harry looked left and right, both with extreme contempt on their faces, but the sudden presence of so many witnesses seemed to bring them back to their senses.Snape pocketed his wand and strode out of the kitchen, ignoring Weasley and the others.When he got to the door, he turned around again.

"Monday at six o'clock, Potter."

He walked away, Sirius staring after him, his wand dangling to the side.

"What's going on?" asked Mr. Weasley again.

"It's nothing, Arthur," Sirius panted heavily, as if he had just finished a long-distance run, "Just two old classmates catching up?" He smiled as if he had put in a lot of effort, "? Are you cured? Okay ,very nice?"

"That's not it!" Mrs. Weasley led her husband to a chair, "The therapist Smethyke led Arthur to make a comprehensive examination. I heard that an American medical doctor was in charge. Professor Lingxu sent Come on. Arthur is fully recovered. He's learned his lesson from his Muggle tricks too, hasn't he, dear?" she asked dignifiedly.

"Yes, Molly," said Mr. Weasley meekly.

Dinner that day was supposed to be a very pleasant one, Harry could see Sirius trying to liven up the atmosphere, he forced himself to laugh loudly at Fred and George's jokes, and served everyone graciously, but other than that In addition, his face will be gloomy, appearing preoccupied.Between him and Harry were Mundungus and Mad-Eye who had come to congratulate Mr. Weasley.Harry wanted to tell Sirius not to take Snape's words to heart, Snape provoked him on purpose, and they didn't think Sirius was greedy for life and afraid of death when he listened to Dumbledore's words and stayed in Grimmauld Place, but they didn't find opportunities.Looking at Sirius' frightening expression, Harry suspected that he might not dare to speak even if he had the chance.He just whispered to Ron and Hermione about learning Occlumency with Snape.

"Dumbledore wants you to stop having those dreams about Voldemort," Hermione said at once. Nightmare."

The next day, they were going back to Hogwarts on the Knight's Bus, again escorted by Tonks and Lupine.Harry, Ron and Hermione were having breakfast when they entered the kitchen.The grown-ups seemed to be whispering to each other, but they stopped talking as soon as the door opened.

They had a hasty breakfast, put on their coats and scarves, and were ready to go.It was a gray and chilly January morning.Harry's chest was uncomfortably constricted, he didn't want to say goodbye to Sirius, he had an ominous feeling about this parting, and he didn't know when we would see each other again.He felt it was his duty to remind Sirius not to do stupid things - he was worried that Sirius might be planning to leave Grimmauld Place by now because of Snape's prodding.But before he could figure out what to say, Sirius called him aside. "You take this," he whispered, handing Harry a poorly wrapped, paperback-sized item.

"What's this?" Harry asked.

"If Snape bullies you, it will let me know. Don't open it here!" Sirius looked warily at Mrs. Weasley, who was trying to persuade the twins to wear gloves she knitted herself. "I suspect Molly Disapprove - but I want you to use it when you need me, okay?"

"Okay," Harry agreed, stuffing the pouch into the inside pocket of his jacket, but he knew he wasn't going to use it.He would never lead Sirius out of safety, no matter how much Snape had abused him when he was teaching him Occlumency.

"And this. I'll keep it as a souvenir for you." Sirius took out a photo from his pocket.

"Original members of the Order of the Phoenix, more than ten years ago. Marlene McKinnon. Two weeks after her entire family was killed...Alice and Frank, Neville Longbottom's parents, were tortured to death by the Cruciatus Curse. 14 years Yes, I miss your father every day. You can keep it."

"Let's go." Sirius patted Harry on the shoulder and said with a forced smile.Before Harry could speak, they had gone upstairs and stopped in front of the heavy chain and bolted front door, surrounded by the Weasleys. "Goodbye, Harry, take care." Mrs. Weasley gave him a hug. "Goodbye, Harry, watch some snakes for me!" Mr. Weasley said kindly, shaking his hand.

"Y-yes," Harry replied absent-mindedly.This was his last chance to remind Sirius, and he turned to look in his godfather's face and opened his mouth to say something, but Sirius put an arm around him and said gruffly, "Take care of yourself, Harry." ’ and Harry was propelled into the bitter air, and Tonks chased him down the steps (she was dressed today as a tall woman in tweed with iron-gray hair).

The door of number 12 closed behind them, and they followed Lupin down the steps.When he reached the sidewalk, Harry looked back. Number 12 was rapidly shrinking, the houses on either side stretched out and squeezed it, and in the blink of an eye it was gone.

"Come on, the sooner the car the better," said Tonks, glancing across the square, and Harry felt a little nervousness in her eyes.Lupine waved his right hand.boom!A bright purple three-decker bus descends from the sky and nearly hits a lamppost, which jumps back out of the way.A skinny guy in a purple uniform with protruding ears and a face full of acne jumped out and said, "Welcome aboard—"

"We got it, thank you," said Tonks quickly, "get in, get in—" She pushed Harry against the pedal of the car, and the conductor glared at him as he passed. "Hey-yes!" "I'll curse you if you call him by his name." Tonks threatened in a low voice, pushing Ginny and Hermione forward as well. "I've always wanted to ride in this," said Ron happily, and he got into the car too, just looking around.

The last time Harry rode the Knight Bus was at night, and the third-tier carriage was lined with brass bedsteads.It is early in the morning, there are all kinds of chairs on the car, not matching them, and they are randomly surrounded by the window. Get up muttering.Someone's shopping bag slid across the carriage, scattering frog eggs, cockroaches and custard.

"Looks like we'll have to separate," said Tonks decisively, looking for an empty seat. "Fred, George and Ginny, you sit in the back? Can Lupine join you?"

She and Harry, Ron and Hermione went up to the top floor, where there were two chairs at the front and two chairs at the back, and Stan Thornpark, the conductor, eagerly followed Harry and Ron to the back.Many people looked back at Harry as he passed, and when he sat down, the heads turned away quickly.Harry and Ron each handed Stan eleven Sickles, and the car started up again, wobbling around Grimmauld Place, twisting and turning, occasionally onto the pavement.Then there was another loud bang and they all rushed forward, and the piglet on Ron's lap wrenched out of the cage and flew to the front of the carriage with a chug, where it flapped and landed on Hermione's shoulder.Harry held on to the candle holder just to keep from falling, and looked out the window as they seemed to be speeding down a highway.

"Outside Birmingham." Stan happily answered the question in Harry's mind, and Ron tried to get up from the ground, "You're fine, Harry? What's the good thing?? I said to Ern, he wasn't that weird when we met him, it showed, didn't it?" He handed them the tickets, and continued to stare at Harry fascinated.Stan clearly doesn't care how weird a person is, as long as his name gets reported.The Knight Bus leaned horribly over a line of cars on the inside.Harry looked ahead to see Hermione covering her eyes and Piggy wagging happily on her shoulder.

boom!The chairs slid back, and the Knight Bus jumped from the Birmingham Highway onto a quiet country lane, full of twists and turns.As the car rolled over the curb left and right, hedges jumped out of the way.They drove onto a downtown main road, a viaduct in the midst of mountains, and then a cold, windy street between tall buildings, each time with a loud bang.

"I've changed my mind," muttered Ron when he got up for the sixth time. "I don't want to ride on this thing again."

"Attention, the next stop is Hogwarts." Stan said cheerfully, staggering over, "the domineering woman in front gave you a little tip to let you go down first. But we have to let Mrs. Marsh go down first." . . . " There was vomiting and a horrible clatter from the lower level, "She's not feeling well."

A few minutes later, the Knight bus screeched to a screeching halt outside a small bar, and the small shop dodged to avoid being hit.They heard Stan help poor Mrs. Marsh out of the car, and the passengers on the second floor murmured with relief.The car goes on, accelerates, until—bang!They were already driving through the snow-covered village of Hogsmeade, and Harry caught a glimpse of the Pig's Head pub in the alley, the signboard of the chopped-off pig's head creaking in the cold wind.Flakes of snow hit the big front windows of the car.The car finally wobbled to a stop outside the gate of Hogwarts.

Lupine and Tonks helped them get their luggage out of the car and came down to say good-bye.Harry glanced at the third-floor Knight bus and saw all the passengers looking at them with their noses pressed against the windows.

"It's safe to enter the school." Tonks glanced warily at the quiet street. "Have a good time, huh?"

"Take care." Lupine shook everyone's hand, and when it was finally Harry's turn, "Listen??" he whispered as the others said their final goodbyes to Tonks, "Harry, I know you don't like Sne Pu, but he is a superb Occlumency Master, we—including Sirius, want you to learn how to protect yourself, so study hard, okay?"

Even a successful date with Cho Chang at six o'clock in the evening wasn't enough to assuage Harry's sense of foreboding, it felt.Strengthening with every step he took towards Snape's office.

He paused outside the door for a moment, wishing he was elsewhere.Anywhere, as long as it's not here.Then he took a deep breath, knocked on the door and went in.

It was a dark room, with hundreds of glass bottles on the shelves, slimy specimens of animals and plants floating in colorful potions.A cupboard in the corner was filled with medicinal ingredients that Snape had - not without merit - accused Harry of stealing.But Harry's attention was drawn to the desk, a shallow stone basin engraved with mysterious symbols in the candlelight.Harry recognized it instantly—Dumbledore's Pensieve, and was wondering what it was doing there when Snape's cold voice came from the shadows, startling him. "Close the door behind you, Potter."

Harry complied, feeling terrified that he had shut himself up.When he turned around, Snape had already stepped into the light, turning Hilbert behind him.He looked at Harry seriously.Silently pointing to the chair opposite the desk.Harry went over and sat down, and so did the new Nep, staring at Harry with unblinking cold black eyes, disgust etched into every line of his face.

"Well, Potter, you know what you're here for," he said. "The Headmaster wants me to teach you Occlumency, and I can only hope you're a little smarter than you were in Potions."

"Yes." Harry replied timidly.

"This may not be an ordinary class, Potter," Snape's eyes narrowed menacingly, "but I'm still your teacher, and you're to call me 'Sir' or 'Professor' at all times."

"Yes, sir," said Harry.

"Well, Occlumency, I told you in your godfather's kitchen, is a spell that protects the mind from the intrusion and influence of magic."

"Why does Professor Dumbledore think I need it, sir?" Harry looked into Snape's hard black eyes, wondering if he would answer.Snape stared at him for a moment, then said contemptuously, "You should have figured it out by now, Potter? The Dark Lord is extremely good at Legilimency—"

"What does that mean, sir?"

"It's extracting sensations and memories from another person's mind—" Hilbert said.

"Can he read minds?" Harry asked immediately, his worst fears confirmed. "You're not paying attention, Potter," said Snape, his dark eyes gleaming coldly. "You don't understand the subtle distinction, which is one of the flaws that makes your potions so bad." Snape paused After a while, apparently savoring the pleasure of insulting Harry, he continued: "Only Muggles talk about 'reading minds'. Minds are not a book, you can't flip through them at will. Thoughts are not engraved in your skull, you can't Let people drill in and read it. The human mind is a complex, multi-layered thing, Potter—at least most minds are??" He laughed, "However, someone with Legilimency can study other people The Dark Lord, for example, can almost always see that someone is lying to him. Only someone who is good at Occlumency can seal feelings and memories that contradict a lie, and lie in front of him without being caught. Discover."

No matter what Snape said, Legilimency sounded like mind reading to Harry, and he didn't like the way it sounded at all.

"Then can he know what we're thinking now, sir?"

Snape glanced at Harry, running a long thin finger to his mouth.

"The routine doesn't seem to be working for you, Potter. The spell that didn't kill you seems to have established some kind of bond between you and the Dark Lord. There are times, when your mind is at its most relaxed and vulnerable. —For example, in your sleep, you can perceive the thoughts and emotions of the Dark Lord. The headmaster thinks that it should not be allowed to continue, and he wants me to teach you how to block your mind from the Dark Lord."

Harry's heart was pounding.This doesn't make sense. "But why did Professor Dumbledore stop it?" he asked suddenly. "I don't like the feeling of it, but it works. I mean?? I saw the big snake attacking Mr. Weasley, otherwise Professor Dumbledore Probably won't save him, can it, sir?"

Snape looked at Harry for a moment, still running his finger over his mouth, before opening his mouth slowly, as if weighing each word: "The Dark Lord seems to have been unaware of this connection between you and him until recently. Before that it seemed It's you who senses his moods and thoughts, but he doesn't. But that dream of yours before Christmas—"

"Mr. Weasley and the snake?"

"Don't interrupt me, Potter," said Snape savagely, "I said?? Your pre-Christmas dream invaded the Dark Lord's mind so badly—"

"I'm in the snake's head, not his!"

"I think I just said don't interrupt me, Potter!"

But Harry didn't mind Snape getting angry, he finally got it.He leaned forward, unknowingly sitting on the edge of the chair, his body tensed, as if he was ready to run away at any time...

"What I perceive is Voldemort's thoughts, why do I see things with snake eyes?" "Don't say the name of the Dark Lord!" Snape shouted.

There was an awkward silence as they glared at each other across the Pensieve.

"Professor Dumbledore said his name too," whispered Harry.

"Dumbledore is a capable wizard," Snape said darkly. "He might not mince his name?? But the rest of us??" He seemed to touch his left arm involuntarily, and Harry knew that It is the place where the Dark Mark was once branded. "I just wanted to know," said Harry, trying to keep his voice polite, "why—" "It seems you got into the snake's mind, because the Dark Lord was there," Snape growled, "and he was In the body of the snake, so you dreamed that you were in it??"

"That volt—has he found me?"

"It seems so," Snape said coldly.

"How do you know?" Harry asked hastily, "Is this just Professor Dumbledore's conjecture, or—?" "I said," Snape sat rigidly on the chair, eyes like two slits, "Call me sir." "Yes, sir," said Harry impatiently, "but how did you know—?"

"That's enough for us to know," snapped Snape. "The important thing is that the Dark Lord is now aware that you can perceive his thoughts and feelings. He also deduced that the situation could be reversed, that is, It had occurred to him that he might be able to sense your thoughts and feelings—"

"Maybe he's trying to manipulate me?" Harry asked, adding hastily, "Sir?"

"Possibly," said Snape flatly, nonchalantly, "it's back to Occlumency again."

Snape drew his wand from his robes, and Harry tensed.But Snape just lifted the tip of the wand to his temple and dug it into the roots of his greasy hair.When he took the wand away, there was a strand of silvery stuff attached to the tip, like a thick spider's thread.He tore it apart, and let it fall softly into the Pensieve, where it swirled silvery white, neither gas nor liquid.Snape raised his wand to his temple twice more, adding the silvery substance to the stone basin.He didn't explain, just lifted the Pensieve carefully to the side shelf, then turned and pointed his wand at Harry.

"Stand up and draw your wand, Potter."

Harry stood up nervously, and the two faced each other across the table.

"You can disarm me with your wand, or defend yourself in any other way you can think of," said Snape.

"What are you going to do?" Harry asked, looking fearfully at Snape's wand.

"I'm going to get into your brain," said Snape softly, "and we're going to see your resistance. I've heard you've shown resistance to the Imperius Curse. You'll find a similar ability to use here ? Now, get ready! Legilimency!"

Snape shot suddenly, and Harry hadn't had time to prepare to resist: the office swayed and disappeared in front of his eyes, and pictures flashed in his mind like a movie, and he could no longer see what was around him.

At the age of five he watched Dudley ride on his new red bicycle and he was filled with jealousy!When he was nine years old, Lippi the watchdog drove him up a tree, and the Dursleys laughed on the lawn.He wears the Sorting Hat and hears it say he can go to Slytherin.Hermione was lying in the school hospital with black hair all over her face?A hundred dementors surrounded him by a dark lake?No, a voice in Harry's head cried, you can't look at this, you can't look at it, it's private - he felt a sharp pain in his knee, and when Snape's office came back, he found himself on the ground, a One knee banged hard on the table leg.He looked up at Snape, who was rubbing his wrist, where there was a red, swollen welt like a brand.

"Do you want to use the Stinging Curse?" Snape asked coldly.

"No." Harry said resentfully, getting up from the ground.

"I suppose so," said Snape scornfully. "You let me in too far, you lost control."

"Did you see it all?" Harry wondered if he wanted to hear an answer.

"Some clips," Snape said, curling his lips. "Whose dog is that dog?"

"Aunt Marge's," whispered Harry, hating Snape to the core.

"Not too bad, for the first time, though." Snape raised his wand again. "You stopped me at last, though you wasted time and energy yelling that you had to concentrate and use your brains. Resist me, no wand needed."

"I'll try," said Harry angrily, "but you didn't tell me how!" "Polites, Potter," said Snape savagely, "now, I want you to close your eyes." Harry He gave him a hard look before doing so.He didn't like standing there with eyes closed and Snape standing in front of him with his wand. "Leave your mind alone, Potter," said Snape's cold voice, "Leave all your emotions?" But the anger at Snape was still rushing through his veins like venom.Let go of anger?Wouldn't it be easier to lose a leg? "You didn't make it, Potter? You need to discipline yourself? Focus your mind, start?" Harry tried to clear his mind, not to think, not to remember, not to feel? "Again! Now Hilbert is taking my place. I count to three! One-two-three- Legilimency!"

One after another childhood memories appeared in Harry's mind. He was curled up in a closet without a gleam of light, his body was covered with scars, his pale face was congested and swollen, he was crying softly, and murmured that his mother was not as high as the table. He was forced to prepare breakfast before dawn and was beaten and kicked for not satisfying his aunt
He squatted in the corner alone, eating leftovers
Hilbert trembled with anger.shouted "Get up! Harry! Harry Potter!"

He knelt on the ground again, buried his face in his hands, and his brain hurt, as if someone was trying to pull it out of his skull. "Get up!" Snape snapped, "Get up! You didn't do it, you didn't try, you're giving me a weapon by showing me the memory you're afraid of!" Harry stood up, his heart beating wildly, Snape looked paler than usual, and angrier, though not nearly as angry as Harry. "I - tried - tried - hard." He gritted his teeth and said. "I told you to let go of your feelings!" "Really? I find it hard to do now." Harry growled.

"Then you're easily exploited by the Dark Lord!" said Snape cruelly, "proud, sentimental fools who can't control their emotions, wallow in sad memories, and make themselves so easily stimulated— In a word, weak people, they are vulnerable to his magic! He can easily penetrate your mind, Potter!"

(End of this chapter)