บท 5: Chapter 5
Harry went inside a conflict of emotions raging in him, sadness as he saw that Remus had not even attempted to speak to him, anger at the way Dumbledore and the Order had come to see what had happened to him. No doubt they were scared that if anything happened to Harry then Dumbledore would be left with no one to sacrifice their lives for his so called noble ideals, he thought as he put his trunk down, and bitterness welling up in his heart.
All the others had families, people and friends who cared for them. Not like Harry who had no body and who was only a means to an end. Well no one except Hermione and he must make sure he did not push her or frighten her away by leaning too much on her.
He sighed and started taking out his things and removing them from the covers. He had bought almost a whole wardrobe of clothes, mostly robes and some jeans and tee shirts from the muggle section.
He put his clothes away carefully in one compartment and then put his books away into another and then he unpacked his old trunk and put the shrunken firebolt, invisibility cloak, photo album and his other precious things in one compartment.
The Grangers had bought some food for him while they were waiting in The Leaky Cauldron and Harry thankfully ate it after unpacking everything, except the book case. Deciding to see about the book case the next day, Harry fell asleep, exhausted and did not wake up till the Dursleys came home the next morning.
Harry woke up and went inside casting a notice me not charm wandlessly on him and marveling at the way the Dursleys did not bother to shout at him or ask him where he had been and how he had come home.
He went to his room and kept his things away and went down and removed the notice me not charm and watched his uncle's eyes bulging out of his head and his face purpling in anger and quickly cast the harmony charm on his uncle, aunt and cousin one by one and watched with fascination as the air went out of his uncle and he smiled at Harry.
Harry felt nauseous and almost wanted to go back to the shouting that was so much better than his uncle Vernon smiling at him but decided to keep quiet to check the time span of his spell when it was not removed.
His aunt requested him to do some work, starting with breakfast, very politely though and Harry grinned to himself as he started the preparations.
Apparently the charm did not cure her desire to make Harry work hard, though it would make her stop yelling and throwing pans at him. Well that was an improvement and Harry got going.
After breakfast, the charm still holding, Harry had the first morning in living memory that did not include shouting and yelling and grunting and sniping. It felt good and Harry decided to look up many household charms to make his work easier and finish faster so that he could escape upstairs and do some studying.
He went to his room later after he had finished all his chores and started with Occlumency and Legilimency first. He read a good portion of the text the whole day getting up only to the disturbingly pleasant voice of his aunt calling him to do this and that and after dinner Harry sat down to do the practical of what he had learned the whole day.
After another hour he got up giving it up as a bad job as the shields he had tried so hard to build were shaky at best and he had to hope Snape, Dumbledore or Voldemort would be a gentleman and not peep into his mind and allow it to remain private. He grimaced as he realized how ridiculous that was.
Well as his Occlumency would not become stronger than that, Harry decided to do the required practice everyday and concentrate on his wandless magic and to stop whispering the spells as he flicked his hand or fingers. He also decided to study the Dark Arts and Blood magic as well as Parsel magic and his other studies. He only hoped he would be more successful in them than he had been at Occlumency.
Legilimency was easy for Harry to understand as he had practiced with Hermione in the Room of Requirement and was moderately successful. He went to sleep that night a bit disgruntled about his lack of success in closing his mind, determined to do better in his other studies the next day.
The next one week passed much in the same way his first day had. Harry did not leave the house and he concentrated on his wandless magic and studied his first books on Blood magic, runes and the Dark Arts. He also used the time he was working, doing his chores for the Dursleys to clear his mind and also think deeply about issues that plagued the Wizarding World and also about the Order, Voldemort and his own role in everything.
The week rolled by and Harry received a short note from Snape that only said, 'Coming at four tomorrow. Be ready.' Harry wrote Hermione telling her he had received conformation from Snape and he would be leaving the next day. Harry had until then completely forgotten about the book case that he had placed inside his cupboard so that the Dursleys would not see it and take it away from him. He saw it as he opened the cupboard to pack things that he had kept there, things he did not use often.
He took out the book case in the night and decided to see how to open it without harming himself. He tried all the conventional ways at first and then tried wandless spells of 'alahamora' and other unlocking spells that he had learned in the past few weeks.
Nothing worked and then he remembered that some magical locks needed blood to open. Harry did not think further as it could have been very dangerous, especially if the books inside were charmed to attack. He would later be soundly scolded by Hermione and look very sheepish as angry words would appear on the parchment. At the moment though, he pricked his finger and placed a drop of blood on the case muttering the spell to open the book case.
As he did not use a wand to open it in a conventional way, Harry did have a doubt whether this would work but he decided to try anyway. The drop of blood fell from his hand on to the book case and for a moment there was nothing and then the whole book case glowed and the doors softly opened.
Harry was thrilled, but very careful as he put his hand on the first book on the top shelf and slowly ran down all the books seeing if they would bite, like Hagrid's monster books or would vibrate as Black magic books would like he had read in his introduction to the Dark Arts that specified the difference between Dark and Black magic.
There were more than sixty to seventy books there as the book case began to expand to twice its breath and length. There were more than a hundred books there and all of them seemed to be very old. Suddenly there was a parchment that appeared in Harry's hand. Unnerved Harry read it, his hands shaking.
To whomsoever who is the worthy recipient of this book case,
My name is Artemis Canogahn. This is the year 869. I am living in Ireland and I am an expert in the Dark Arts. This is a collection of rare books that I have compiled together from many manuscripts. Till date I have yet to find a worthy soul of bequeathing my legacy that are my books. If you have managed to open this book case then know you are an exceptional witch or wizard as the enchantments I have placed are massive but the unlocking is very simple. It is a Dark Arts spell combined with Blood Magic that will read your magic the moment you spill a drop of blood on the case.
These books contain great knowledge of the ancient arts and the important branches of magic that are prevalent today, like spell casting, ancient elemental magic, runes and Parsel magic along with the Dark Arts and Blood Magic and Healing. The fact that you have opened states that you have all these branches as your inheritance gifts or that your magic is compatible with all these branches and you are pure enough not to abuse these branches of magic for manipulation.
Read these books extensively and follow the rules laid out in them diligently. The world is yours.
Artemis Canogahn.
Harry sat back and for the next half hour all he did was to stare at the case. He had never even heard of this name, not that it said much, but this was amazing. All these books belonged to a period before Hogwarts and may be even before the Founders' were born. Harry was thrilled and he wrote Hermione and after scolding him for being rash, she too, was much exited.
The rest of the night till about three in the morning, Harry aided by Hermione went through the entire books one by one and then packed everything and then shrunk the book case and Harry placed a notice me not charm on his door and went to sleep. He was not disturbed till eleven, when he came down to find all the Dursleys gone somewhere.
He helped himself to a meal and then cleaned the place and cooked lunch just as his aunt came in. Harry hurriedly cancelled the charm and his aunt immediately turned to him only to find that he had finished all his chores. She frowned at him as if unable to understand how she could have forgotten all about him and after lunch went up still frowning.
Harry went up, all ready and packed and waited patiently if very nervously for Snape to arrive.
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One week earlier after seeing Harry was safe…
The Order had apparated from the Dursleys residence to Grimmauld Place and there Molly Weasley was waiting impatiently as was Ron, Ginny and the Twins. As the Order came in one by one looking very uncomfortable and rather sad, Molly was scared.
She truly loved Harry as her very own and she had wanted Dumbledore to send Harry to her for the holidays and she had made Bill her eldest child approach Dumbledore and ask him if he could train Harry. Dumbledore though had refused smilingly. She had always felt like McGonagall that Dumbledore was very harsh on a child who already had too much on his shoulders and now especially after Sirius.
She thought of Remus and her face fell into a frown. She had ranted to her husband and had even shouted at Remus. She remembered the way she had yelled at Remus and Tonks the next day.
All of them had gathered for lunch at Grimmauld Place, Remus, Tonks, Snape, Albus, Moody, McGonagall, Shaklebolt and her family except Ron and Ginny who were resting in their rooms and Charlie who was in Romania.
She had waited until all of them had finished with their lunch and then had taken Remus to the cleaners. "I really do not know how you can say that Harry was responsible for Sirius's death, Remus. You of all people know how he regarded Sirius, he had put Sirius in place of his parents' and you just come up with this."
Albus had tried to calm her, but had not succeeded. She had looked steadily at Remus, who had at least the grace to flush. Tonks had bristled angrily but she had simply glared Tonks down as well.
"If Harry ever came to know that you felt like this Remus I really do not think you could ever breech the gap and I suppose you think that James, Sirius and Lily would be very pleased with the way you are treating their child." Remus had looked up in horror as the remark she had intended to hurt, hit home.
"Molly, all that you say is true but the wolf inside me howls for Sirius. For nearly thirteen years I lived in the belief that Sirius had betrayed and after he came back to me he was snatched away. He would not have ventured out had it been anyone other than Harry, and he would have not died if he had not ventured out. I know I am wrong, the conflict is tearing me inside and I am working on it, believe me."
Molly had snorted, but had to back down after giving him a piece of her mind, as she knew the wolf in him was in mourning and to an extent he could not help it, but he need not have said it so openly.
Now she was almost jittery with worry as the Order members apparated in and silently went and helped themselves to the coffee, tea and biscuits she had prepared.
Arthur came in and he went straight to Molly and hugged her, and told her in low tones what had happened. When she heard that Harry spent whole holidays when he was younger in the shed and alone she was furious.
"What is happening here Albus? I feel we are coming close to the side we are fighting," she was cut off by Albus who raised incredulous eyes to her.
"Molly you cannot mean that, really."
"Of course I do. What kind of people have we left an orphan boy with? Because that is what Harry is and just because he has no one to stand up for him and no one to talk for him, we treat him like garbage and on top of that we expect him to save us as well?" she was equally incredulous as she answered Dumbledore.
"Well Sirius also left him there…" Dumbledore broke off as McGonagall interrupted him, "of course he did. We all did because we thought he was safe there. Safe from the death eaters maybe, but is he safe from his relatives Albus? What kind of people are they if they can leave a small boy who was probably seven, eight years old or maybe even younger for a few weeks or even a few days to fend for him self while they enjoy a holiday? I wonder what else they have subjected him to." McGonagall was her most scathing as she was almost shaking with anger.
Dumbledore was the picture of sorrow and he was surprised and worried as well. If Harry had been treated like this had he already gone dark? He looked briefly at Moody who was also looking very concerned and turned to calm Molly and McGonagall as best as he could. He was not very successful though.
All of them were uncomfortable with what they had witnessed and Ron and Ginny shared a look as they realized where the Order had been and what they were talking about and slowly the Order went on to discuss other things, though Harry's statement and the implications of how he must be treated was disturbing all of them.
Remus was the worst affected as he knew if it had been Sirius, Dumbledore or not, safety or not, he would have rescued Harry from that. Harry was being treated like he was treated in the Wizarding World and Remus bent his head in shame. But the damage had already been done. He had seen the brief glance Harry had thrown his way and he realized he had been no better than any other wizard or witch who was oblivious to the burdens Harry had to bear from since he was fifteen months old.
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Harry was waiting for Snape to come and take him away from the Dursleys. At half past three, he took his trunk and came down to find his aunt sitting in the drawing room, sipping a cup of tea. He told her he would be going away today and would not return until next year.
"Next year you will turn seventeen won't you?" she asked him stiffly.
He nodded, "I will come here for a week or two perhaps and then leave for good. You will not see me later."
"Good." She said, making Harry's lips curl sarcastically as he nodded too.
Harry sat on his trunk and waited for four. Sharp at four the bell rang. His aunt stiffened in displeasure and a little bit of fear as Harry went to open the door. Snape was standing there, his lips curling in total disdain at Harry, Harry's aunt, Harry's aunt's home, Harry's trunk and just about everything that his sharp eyes took in at a glance.
Harry glared at him fiercely and went inside and nodding to his aunt, dragged his trunk outside and followed Snape to the end of the road.
"I am going to apparate us to my cottage. Take your trunk in your hand." Snape told Harry softly and no sooner had Harry picked up his trunk than they were gone.
Harry landed in a heap as he looked at Snape who took his hand off Harry's shoulder and brushed off the non – existent dirt from his robes and looked at Harry raising his eye brows.
"You couldn't have told me before we left?" Harry snarled at Snape as he got up.
"Why I did tell you Potter, I cannot help it if you are slow to understand things." He replied smoothly, "Now are you coming or are you going to stand here arguing?"
Harry gritted his teeth and walked behind him. He had been with Snape for only five minutes and he was already foaming at the mouth. He had another month and three weeks to go before he would be free of the git. He shook his head and tried to look around, but they were really standing in the middle of nowhere. Behind them was a huge lake and there were hills beyond them. All of it looked very wild and extremely beautiful.
They would have walked for a minute, when Snape stopped, Harry almost bumping into him. "Give me your hand, Potter. I need to key you into the wards."
Harry silently held out his hand and Snape flicked his wand and took Harry's hand and placed it on the wards that buzzed loudly as they registered his magic and then Snape went into the wards and Harry followed him to see a very small cottage that stood a little away. Snape did not look back as he walked to the door and flicked his wand along with a long chant and the door opened.
The cottage was actually a big room that had the kitchen straight ahead of him on one side, a small table with two chairs near the kitchen space, must be the dining table Harry thought, two small single sofas with a center table in between the sofas and two doors on the left and two windows on the right. The cottage was warm inside even though Snape had opened the windows with his wand the moment he had opened the door. Next to the kitchen there was another door, must be the way to the kitchen gardens Harry thought.
"You will not be able to leave the wards Potter, whatever happens, do you hear me? So do not try unless you want to be roasted." Snape informed him going inside and removing his outer robes and hanging them on the pegs to Harry's left. Harry muttered something that could be taken as a yes; at least Snape took it as such and hanging his robes turned to meet him.
"This cottage is completely warded, that means you may do as much magic inside as you want, no one would detect it. There is only one bedroom and as that is mine, Potter, you will sleep here. I will transfigure a bed for you as well as pillows and other things. There are no elves so you will do the cooking for both of us and you will take care of your clothes as well."
Harry simply shook with rage, "If you really think I am going to cook and clean after you, you have another thought coming. If you make me do these things, I will, I will poison you." He finished desperately, wondering what the hell he had got himself into.
Sleep in the drawing room, cook and clean for Snape, Harry simply spluttered with rage. Snape however was very cool even in the face of Harry poisoning him.
"You do not realize Potter how alone we are. I have sealed the wards, which means you may not leave until I say so. This place is mine and until today no one has ever come here. So no one will be able to find this place and I hope you do as I say or I will wait for a week's time and simply tell Dumbledore you do not obey and he will ask you to train with Moody. In that one week I will of course punish you as I see it fit for wasting my time and being disobedient."
Snape watched with a frown as a peculiar expression came over Harry's face at the mention of working with Moody. He tucked it away in a corner of his mind to examine it later.
Snape had been shocked when Remus had spoken what he did at the Order meeting and Minerva's plea and her revelation that Harry had not breathed a word to anyone about what he had seen in the pensive and had taken Black to task caused him to re-examine the Boy-who-Lived. When he had seen Harry's interaction with Dumbledore and Moody, with whom he had been deliberately rude, Snape knew there was more to Harry than what he had believed.
He had decided then to push the boy as far as Harry would go and see what made him tick and if he was on the up as Minerva had said, Snape was willing to work with him and help him to take down the evil maniac. But first he had to know Harry, trust him and also make sure Harry would trust him.
Harry was frothing at the mouth as he heard the rules and after he heard Snape telling him what would happen if Snape went back to the Order saying he had failed with Harry, Harry knew being with Snape was the lesser of the two evils. So he had swallowed his anger and had nodded his head stiffly.
Snape was shocked. So Potter chose him over Moody. He wondered what that meant. He turned away and conjured a bed in the hall in one corner, and then curtains, a table and a chair.
"I will be back in half an hour; you may unpack, refresh yourself and make some tea for us. The bathroom is through that door. You share it with me. There are two doors and if one of us is inside the other door is automatically sealed. Be ready in half an hour." Snape strode inside and shut his door with a bang.
Harry fumed as he turned and stomped away to what would be his room from now on until the end of these miserable holidays. He dumped his trunk by his bed and went to wash his hands and face in the kitchen sink and started making tea.
He supposed his space was better than his broom cupboard but definitely not up to the second bedroom in the Dursleys. He smiled grimly to himself as he worked, that even the Dursleys was better than something.
Harry soon had a pot of tea and some biscuits he had found in the surprisingly well stocked pantry and removed them and placed them on a tray and took them to the small dining table that was meant for two as there were two chairs placed opposite each other.
Snape came striding in as if on cue and sat down in one sofa and gestured Harry to sit in the other. Harry poured the tea and handed it to Snape and waited. Snape raised his eyebrows surprised Harry had not poured tea for himself and silently gestured to Harry to have the tea.
Harry poured a cup of tea and sipped it nervously. All the while Harry had been fuming he had also been thinking, thinking that he should not anger Snape to an extent it would mean Moody or Dumbledore himself.
A sadness went through him as he realized Snape with his sniping and insulting of not only Harry but his father and Sirius as well, was better than Moody, Dumbledore or even the Weasleys, while Harry did know the others were not involved, his mind was now not in a state to deal with any of them as it would mean dealing with Ron and Ginny who might start working on him right away and Harry knew he would definitely snap and let the cat out the bag.
"If you have finished thinking and putting your mind to good use, Potter, perhaps you will be so kind to apply that working mind of yours and listen to your schedule that you will be following from today?" Snape asked him sarcastically, glaring at him a little.
Harry raised startled eyes to Snape and blushed a second later as what Snape told him registered. He nodded silently; vowing, he would do all Snape said and do it silently so that there would be no chance for Snape to belittle his father and Sirius or turn him over to Dumbledore.
Snape was astonished at Harry's compliance not that it showed on his face, he looked as inscrutable as ever. Instinct told him that there was more to all this and he decided to talk to Minerva and try to make sense of all this.
Thinking deeply, he set down his cup that he had been slowly sipping from, surprised to find the tea very good and looked straight at Harry.
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