CHAPTER THIRTEEN
AMBUSH!
Harry awoke the next day with a start, he was covered from head to toe in sweat and he was breathing heavily. He looked around the room in quiet panic and calmed once he had regained his senses. Whew, that was a queer dream ... He thought to himself as he checked the time. Ugh ... It's only nine? He shook the remaining tendrils of his nightmare from his head and got dressed for his first weekend back at Hogwarts.
He looked around the room at the sleeping forms of Ron, Dean, Seamus, and Neville and smiled as Ron let out a solitary snore. He put on his robes and left his dormitory as quietly as he could and walked in silence down to the common room.
Hermione smiled in surprise as Harry walked into the room from the boy's dormitory. "Morning." She said beaming at him as she put her small red book and quill down on the couch.
He looked up, surprised that anyone would be up at this hour. "Morning, Hermione. I should have remembered that only you would be up at this hour on a Saturday." He grinned as he chuckled to himself.
She made an attempt to look cross but it seemed to melt away at his laugh. "I'm not a late sleeper I guess." She said with a slight smile. "Are you heading down for some breakfast?"
He nodded. "Care to join me, Miss Granger?" He stood up straight and offered an elbow to the young woman who smiled and accepted his invitation.
They walked arm-in-arm down to the great hall and sat at the Gryffindor table. Harry passed his secret girlfriend a muffin and a glass of orange juice as he started to pick at a croissant. He seemed to get lost in this menial activity and ended up pulling off little bits of the pastry, placing them in his mouth absently.
"Is something on your mind?" Hermione asked after watching him for a few minutes.
"Hmm? Oh, nothing really." He answered nonchalantly. "I'm just thinking about detention tonight and how I really don't want to go."
"I know what you mean." Hermione consoled him by placing her hand on his shoulder. After a moment of thought, she offered some advice. "Think of it this way: You have seven more hours before you have to attend. That's seven hours of doing something to take your mind off of it and we haven't been told what our backed up homework is, at least not yet." She smiled brightly at him.
Harry's mood took a visible leap from his forlorn daze into one of eager excitement. He filled a napkin with muffins and pastries then got to his feet. "Shall we go down by the lake for our breakfast?" His eyes were gleaming and a wide smile formed on his face as he offered her his hand.
She blushed for a moment and accepted his proffered hand in quiet agreement. They made their way into the entrance hall, out through the large double doors and onto the school grounds. The chill winds of fall had yet to make their appearance and the couple stepped out under a warm sun. The sky shown blue overhead and small, wispy clouds danced on an early autumn breeze that had not reached them. They made their way to a familiar tree by the side of the lake where they took a seat and enjoyed each other's company.
The day didn't stop after their picnic breakfast. After they had finished eating, Harry and Hermione took a long, slow walk down to the Quidditch pitch and then made their way around the boundaries of the school properties, making sure they were well within the new wards that were placed just a short time ago. The day passed with laughter and chasing as the two best friends fell deeper into their blossoming romance. The world seemed to be theirs and theirs alone.
Sixteen-hundred rolled around faster than either of the two had dreamt possible and they reluctantly bid each other farewell for the day. Harry hurried to Snape's office not wanting to gain any more detentions due to his tardiness. He reached the door and knocked at precisely sixteen and a disappointed voice beckoned him into the room.
"Ah, you've made it on time for once." The potions master sneered at him. "I was so looking forward to penalizing you further."
Breathe deeply. Empty my mind. Step back into the shadows of still and quiet thought. Harry recited subconsciously and he fell into the practiced state of occlumency immediately.
"Good. You have mastered the basic controls then. And here I was hoping you'd lose your temper so I could have some more fun." Snape tried as hard as he could to get a rise out of his pupil, but due to the lessons from the previous year, Harry had been able to block and dodge the emotions that would have caused any type of outburst. "Right then, shall we begin?"
Without warning, Snape whipped his wand at Harry. "LEGILIMENS!" He shouted in malice. Harry could feel his professor step into his mind and he immediately disarmed his attacker. Snape looked at him with a begrudged respect. "You've mastered the first form well, Potter." He bent to retrieve his wand. "But there are several layers to mind affecting spells, their reaction to the victim, and the counter curses that work best." He began placing more thoughts into the pensieve on his desk before he continued. "To many practitioners of legilimency, the ability to detect lies becomes so second nature that they do not even need a wand. Occlumency is a good protective measure, but you are not able to disarm abilities like that with a simple EXPELIARMUS hex."
Harry nodded as he listened diligently to his professor, he might not like Snape, might actually loath him unto the gates of hell, but if Dumbledore thinks it is best to undergo this training then he would.
"The best defense, Mr. Potter, is very often a good offense." He continued as more of his thoughts and memories were placed in the pensieve. "If you can reverse the flow of energy back at the mind of your attacker, you may learn something of them: A weakness, a plan or possibly nothing at all. The important thing is that you've disarmed their mind and made it impossible to detect your thoughts."
Snape picked up the magical bowl and placed it in a cupboard behind his desk then pointedly retrieved a key from his robes and locked the door.
Doesn't want a repeat of the last time, I see. Harry thought to himself, a slight smirk shining in his eyes.
Severus glared at him imperiously. "I don't need to say anything because I'm sure you understand the reason for that particular precaution. Even you aren't that thick." He sneered at Harry again as if it was his one true hobby that brought him any pleasure at all.
"Now, as I was saying." He continued again. "Dumbledore has told me that you were able to avoid a time stop charm. You must have been deep in a trance to have slipped past its effects. He also mentioned that he explained that to you. In addition, he mentioned your dream about you-know-who and that you were able to use the practice you've gained to break his control over your dream self and sever his connection to you." The bat-like man was pacing back and forth in front of Harry at this point. "You've discovered, of course, that there are several different ways for someone to control your mind. Illusion, domination, charm, and many other curses and hexes that allow others to control you can be defeated with the proper training."
Without blinking Snape turned on Harry. "IMPERIO!"
Harry stiffened as a familiar blissful, dreamy state overtook him and his thoughts began to flee from his mind. He'd felt this before and he heard the voice in the back of his head urging him to fight back. Harry instinctively slipped into his occlumency induced trance again and found that he was standing there looking at Snape.
"Now, Mr. Potter, why don't we try something simple? How about answering a question for me? Did you steal Gillyweed from my office two years ago?" Snape asked with cold determination.
"No." Harry replied simply.
Snape looked at him suspiciously. "I see that you went into a trance before the curse took hold." The older man said with a hint of disappointment to his voice. "As you have guessed, the ability to enter this state of mind makes it impossible for you to be controlled. I saw you stiffen when the curse struck, an indication that it has taken effect, usually. You would normally plod around at your master's whim, in a zombie-like state.
"You should be aware that most mind-affecting spells do not affect one who is neither in control of himself nor if they are without brains or the ability to think coherently." He nodded in satisfaction.
"Sir?" Harry began. He waited for Snape to look at him before continuing. "Is the killing curse a mind affecting spell as well? Say, convincing the person that they are dead and because of that realization cause them to die?"
The potions master looked at him with a hint of respect before turning towards his cupboard. "I'm afraid that isn't how the killing curse works." He said as he unlocked the doors. "That is an excellent question and it surprises me that you used your brain for once. It seems that Miss Granger is starting to rub off on you." He glanced at Harry as he pulled the pensieve from the shelf and set it upon his desk.
Harry looked at his professor quizzically for a moment. "Yes, she's constantly pushing Ron and me in our studies." He said at last.
Snape just sneered at him for a moment. "This 'detention' is finished. You will return here Monday after dinner to continue. You may leave now."
Harry didn't have to be told twice and he turned on his heel and left the room, closing the door behind him. He passed someone in the hall but it didn't register because he was deep in thought. I wonder how these curses actually work ... Maybe I can convince Hermione to help me find out ... He laughed out loud to himself. Right, convince her to do research? She'll jump at the chance!
He made his way to the great hall following an invisible path that only his mind could see. As he entered, he spotted his friends in their usual spots and moved to join them.
Ginny had been talking to Luna at the Ravenclaw table. When she saw Harry walk in she politely said good bye and took a seat next to her boyfriend. "Hi. I didn't see you all day, what's going on?" She asked as she gave him a sweet kiss on his cheek.
Harry smiled as he snapped back to reality. "I just got back from detention with Snape." He explained. "I'll talk to you about it later. You never know who's listening in around here." He whispered to her. "And that reminds me. Hermione, I'm in need of some research help, any chance you can meet me at the library tomorrow?"
She looked up at him in shock. "What? You want to research something?"
He smiled at her lopsidedly. "Do I have to remind you that I do read from time-to-time?" He picked up a roll and tossed it at her playfully.
"Don't do that!" Ron said crossly, "That's a waste of perfectly good food!"
Those who happened to be in earshot burst into fits of giggles and laughter as Ron's cheeks and ears went pink.
"Sorry, Ron, I didn't know that you were starting a new school campaign: S.P.H.F." Harry chuckled.
Hermione scowled at him. "What's that supposed to mean?" She huffed.
"The Society for the Protection of Hogwarts' Food." Harry said with a quick smile.
"Sod off, Harry!" Ron said with a smile, shoving another bite of hamburger in his mouth and punching his friend in the arm.
Hermione just shook her head and smiled. "I'll get S.P.E.W. off the ground one of these days."
"Uh-huh." Harry and Ron said in unison. Harry ducked just as the same roll he used as a projectile weapon came soaring at him. The friends laughed and continued their dinner with quiet talk of what they were expecting with their backed up homework.
Harry looked at his watch and winced. "I almost forgot that I have my first transformation session in a few minutes." He grabbed a last hamburger and some pumpkin juice and ate quickly. "This evening is just too packed." He stood up and apologized for his quick retreat, getting a hug from Ginny and a good luck from both Ron and Hermione then he rushed out the door.
It took him a few minutes to reach his head of house's office and he knocked softly as he arrived outside the closed door.
"Come in." McGonagall called from the other side and Harry quickly opened the door and stepped into her office.
"Good to see that you made it through your first detention of the year in one piece." She smiled as he made his way to an offered chair in front of her desk.
"It was an informative session that turned out better than I had hoped." He replied.
"Well, that's good news then." She nodded curtly as she shifted the discussion to the lesson at hand. "Now, Mr. Potter, we are here to help you understand your new abilities as an animagus. You might have found that some of these abilities have crossed over into your human form, such as your keen eyesight and night vision?"
Harry nodded, listening intently.
"Attention? From you? I should have been teaching you one-on-one from the first moment you arrived here." She said with a dry tone, but the glint in her eyes and the slight smile on her face belied her angst.
Harry smiled at the crack but sat still and attentive.
"As I was saying, you are now an animagus. You will soon find that you can transform readily into your animal form. Before we begin with the specifics of how you transform, we must review the rules that you are to follow from this day forth concerning this new facet of yourself. Firstly, you must never, under any circumstances other than those of life-threatening and dire needs, transform within sight of any muggle. Secondly, you must abide by all decisions that the Ministry of Magic proclaims in relation to animagi as a whole, you will find this information in the library and I expect you to read it. Thirdly, your particular form is that of a predatory bird. When in your beast state, you must obey the laws of nature and keep from harming the balance of the food chain in your local area. Finally, you must register yourself with the Ministry. They keep a register of all legal animagi."
Harry took notes as his professor spoke, making a special note to himself to ask Hermione to help him with researching the guidelines set forth by the Ministry. "Professor, why do we have to register ourselves?" He asked after putting down his quill. "I mean, wouldn't it be a good idea to keep this secretive until I face Voldemort? We could save it as a sort of surprise weapon or something?"
Minerva winced at the name and nodded at his reasoning. "That is a very good point, Harry." She admitted. "I'll speak with the headmaster before we register you."
Harry smiled his thanks.
"Now, if you have no further questions, I suggest we begin your metamorphosis practice." She motioned for him to stand in the center of the room. "The important thing you have to remember is that each of your forms has a distinct feeling about them. I want you to try and picture yourself in the form of an owl. Imagine how it would feel to be in that form. Then push yourself to fill that space."
Harry thought hard, he thought so hard that his face started to turn purple from the effort and he let out a gasp of air before he looked back at his professor.
"You're trying too hard. If you have any memories from when you were a child, imagining that you were something else, it is along those same lines. Just imagine that you are this other form."
Harry thought back to when he was younger, before he knew he was a wizard. Truth be told, it was very easy for him to recall the imagination he had been forced to use in order to escape, even for a few hours, life with the Dursley's. He pictured Hedwig and tried to think what it would be like to stretch out a pair of feathered wings and feel the wind catch under their span. He felt the room grow and his body shrink into a smaller form. He found himself looking up at his mentor.
"Very good! You've managed to do it on the second try!" His instructor applauded.
Harry looked himself over and hooted appreciatively at his translucent appearance. He tentatively stretched out his wings and ruffled his feathers. He hopped off the ground and tried to flap his wings but he felt clumsy and tripped over his own feet instead of the graceful liftoff he had expected.
"Settle down, Harry." Minerva laughed. "You have to learn to crawl before you can walk. We're just going to concentrate on metamorphosis this week. We'll work on the flying and such after the transformations become easier."
Harry looked up at her and twisted his head this way and that then did his best to nod which looked rather comical in his bird form as it looked like a series of quick bows.
"Now, to shift back into your natural form, just reverse the process. It will be more difficult this time because your mind is not quite as sharp in your beast form as it is in your human form. Imagine yourself as you were and concentrate."
He followed the instructions and after his twelfth try, he was able to return to his normal form. Well, that is, mostly return to his normal form. McGonagall chuckled slightly.
"What's wrong, professor?" He asked innocently as she held up a mirror for him. His head wasn't covered in his normal unruly, black hair, but a mass of ruffled feathers. He grinned slightly at the sight and concentrated in an attempt to correct this slight problem. It took him a few tries before he was fully back to normal.
"Good. I think you'll get the hang of transforming soon enough. For your assignment, I want you to practice transforming to an owl and then back to your normal form once per day before training. You are not to use any of your beast abilities. That means no flying, Mr. Potter. Just practice your flow from form to form."
Harry's face fell at the mention of homework for special training but nodded his understanding as he was given his instructions. "Speaking of flying, Professor, do you think my Quidditch ban might be lifted?"
"Oh, I had almost forgotten." She pulled a rolled up parchment from her desk. "Here are your reinstatement papers, Harry. It will be nice to have you back on the team this year."
Harry couldn't express how happy he was to have the ban lifted off him. All he could do was smile at the professor as he read the scroll over and over his smile growing wider with each reading.
"Now, as you're aware, the heads of house determine their Quidditch team captains. I would like to appoint you as captain of Gryffindor."
Harry looked up in shock. "Why me?" He asked. "I don't think I am the most qualified choice for the team captain."
"Why not? You've been on the team for five years now. You have the most experience of all the other players." She reasoned.
"I don't think I have the necessary background or skills to be captain, Professor McGonagall. If you chose someone like Ron who has been living and breathing Quidditch for most his life, I'd think that would be best. He has a lot of exposure to different strategies and tactics and you've seen him play, he's brilliant." Harry really didn't mind being captain, he just had a feeling that Ron might want something that Harry didn't have and Quidditch has been his life.
Minerva nodded as she considered his reasoning. "So, you don't want to be captain, but would rather Ron take the lead for the team?"
Harry nodded. "If there's one thing I know it's that Ron knows Quidditch."
"Very well, Harry. I'll consider your request and announce my decision tomorrow during breakfast. Tryout week has been moved to next week due to the circumstances at beginning of term so you'll have time to fill in the empty positions."
Harry smiled at the news. "Thank you, Professor. Um ..."
"What is it, Harry?"
"Could you keep this discussion between us? If you choose Ron, I don't want him to know that you considered me at all. He needs that."
The older woman smiled warmly at him. "I'll keep that in mind. Now off to bed with you. You've put your body through a good amount of stress today and you'll need to relax. You'll also be receiving your backlog of homework in the morning so that you can start to catch up. Our next session will be Monday after your detention with Professor Snape."
Harry nodded and left the office with a building enthusiasm. I'm back on the team! I'm not banned from Quidditch! He thought happily to himself.
He rounded the corner to the fat lady's portrait and spoke the password. The door swung open and as Harry stepped through the hole, he was surprised to find himself lying flat on his back holding his jaw.
Ron was standing over him with the reddest face he had ever seen. "What the bloody hell is going on, Harry?!" He said through clenched teeth as he threw a small book on Harry's chest.
Harry sat up and looked at the book with confusion spreading across his face. It was a rather plain book, really. It had a red velvet cover and gold leaf edging on the pages. He looked up at Ron, obviously confounded.
"Open it." He seethed.
Harry opened the front cover and stared in disbelief. My Diary, this book is owned by Hermione Jane Granger.