Chapter 75: Chapter 74: Serpent Dreams
The Headmaster's Office, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...
Each of the stone steps presented the rather angry Potions Professor with question after question as he neared the top. He had been unceremoniously summoned to the Headmaster's Office after having traveled for weeks avoiding the barrier guards whom Umbridge had put into place to keep Half-bloods out of the wizarding world. Both Tonks and Lupin had gone back to Black Manor at 12 Grimmauld Place and Draco returned to the Slytherin dungeons with his godfather as Hermione made her way toward Gryffindor tower. As he got ready to settle into bed after being newly returned to his quarters, Snape was issued a summons by Dumbledore to come to his office.
He wondered if it had to do with the mission to secure the werewolf alliance, which he had done dutifully.
The hushed whispers of the portraits outside as well as the seemingly distressed tones of Minerva McGonagall and what appeared to be the voice of Harry Potter had gotten his attention as he pushed passed the rather heavy oak wood door and made his way into the Headmaster's office. At once, Albus Dumbledore's weary icy blue eyes fell upon him.
"You wished to see me Headmaster?" asked Snape eyeing Harry Potter rather intently before turning his attention to the collective gazes of his colleague and employer.
The boy looked positively a fright with sweat dripping from his messy brown hair and his skin as pale as the winter's snow. His bottom lip had been bleeding which suggest it had been done to escape something quite unpleasant and equally terrifying. The trembling boy didn't even appear awake as he was help up in large part due to Minerva McGonagall's claw like grip.
"Yes...Severus come please...I'm afraid we can't wait...not even till the morning otherwise we'd all be vulnerable." said Dumbledore looking every bit the weary old man the children believed him to be. "There is an urgent matter in which I require your urgent assistance."
Harry glared at Snape whom had glared back in return. He had no idea what Potter was up to but he knew it couldn't have been good.
"I am at your disposal Headmaster." said Snape dutifully.
Dumbledore seemed to have been at peace with this and ushered Snape over toward his desk.
"It seems our young Harry is the victim of an intense magical link directly into the dark lord's mind." said the elder wizard. "Tonight he's told us of an attack on Arthur Weasley."
"And has it been confirmed?" asked Snape knowing all too well how plausible Harry Potter's apparent predictions or various forms of Intel had turned out in the past.
Dumbledore's blue eyed gaze met those of his employee.
"It has indeed." he replied wearily. "My request is for two things and I understand the late hour but the matters are equally urgent in their need to be resolved."
"And they are?" asked Snape not at all hiding his impending impatience.
"First, you must go to St. Mungo's Hospital and assist with the curing of Arthur Weasley in any way you can." said the elder wizard.
"And the second thing?" asked the Potions Master eyeing Harry Potter once more.
"You are to instruct young Harry on the basics of Occulemency." replied Dumbledore meeting Snape's inquisitive eyes. "Need I remind you Severus that this isn't a request."
"There is no need for that." replied Snape dutifully. "It will be as you wish...Headmaster."
Knowing that time was of the essence, Snape made himself ready for the trip to the muggle world leaving behind a protesting Harry Potter and an impassive Albus Dumbledore.
The Potions Professor figured they would discuss the events of the wolf counsel another time given Potter's presence.
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The Potions Classroom, Hogwarts Castle, Wizarding World...
Harry Potter had been scared out of his mind as the dour Potions Professor walked him down the numerous winding stone steps into his classroom by the wrist. The teen age Gryffindor wizard had been struggling with his vivid dreams for weeks now and it only seemed to get worse. Snape dragged him into the icy cold room and pushed him into a chair that had given the young boy the impression that it was used to torment unsuspecting students whom had been caught by him.
There was not an ounce of pity within Snape's cold obsidian eyes as he moved swiftly passed Harry and over toward a strange table as he unrolled a strange compartment device heavily filled with what appeared to be torture devices. Incredibly terrified, Harry Potter found himself at the mercy of his most hated enemy at Dumbledore's request.
"It appears there is a connection between the dark lord's mind and your own." said Snape in his usual emotionless tone. "Wither or not he is aware of this connection remains unclear...pray he remains ignorant."
Harry sat with his back pressed against the wooden chair.
"You mean if he knows about then...he'll be able to read my mind?" asked the sweaty and unhinged boy.
"Read it...control it...unhinge it." replied Snape in the same emotionless tone he always spoke in when not around Hermione. "In the past it was often the dark lord's pleasure to invade the mind's of his victims creating visions designed to torture them into madness...only extracting the last exquisite ounce of agony...only when he had them literally begging for death would he finally kill them...used properly...the power of Occulemency will help shield you from access or influence."
Harry had been unable to look away from the Potions Master as he stood before him swaying his mind with his surprisingly hypnotic words.
"In these lessons...I will attempt to penetrate your mind...you will attempt to resist...Prepare yourself..." instructed Snape readying his wand as Harry gripped the slim arms of the strange looking chair. "Legillimens!"
All at once, Harry found himself living through wave after wave of his memories with Snape along for the ride.
"Concentrate Potter." said Snape apparently weary as it were. "Focus..."
The weary teenager had been exhausted and in no way ready for the constant strain of having his mind invaded by his most hated Professor.
"I'm trying." growled Harry cringing from the pain. "I feel like my skull is going to split open."
"You're going to be feeling a lot worse than that if he dark lord gets a hold of you." warned the Potions Master.
"Fuck you Snape." growled Harry gripping the thin arms of the chair. "You're enjoying this because you get off on torturing children."
"I take no pleasure in sifting through the memories of a whiny little brat." hissed Snape raising his wand. "Again!"
They had been at it until day break unbeknownst to the rest of Hogwarts.
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