Harry Potter and the Wizard's Apprentice

Chapter Eleven

No Rest for the Weary

"C'mon, Harry. If you're not going to eat that, we might as well get a move on. I don't want to be late for class."

Harry looked up from the pyramid of mushy peas he was making and saw Ron and Hermione standing impatiently in from of him.

"What?" he asked, feeling puzzled.

Ron rolled his eyes. "Class," he repeated. "Like I said, if you're not going to actually eat your lunch, can we get a move on? I want to get good seats."

"Since when do you want to go to class?" Harry asked, looking to Hermione for help.

"Oh, Harry. How could you forget?" she said, looking at him worriedly. "Today is our first lesson with Tonks. Are you sure you're feeling okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Let's go," he said brusquely, dropping his fork and standing up to join them. This was a lie though; besides being up late trying to finish homework, he hadn't slept well at all. He had spent breakfast and lunch trying to remember the dreams that had left him feeling as if he were running towards an unseen cliff. He rolled his shoulders uncomfortably, trying to shake the uneasiness off.

By the time they reached the first floor, the Defence Against the Dark Arts classroom was already buzzing with the excited chatter of other students. The room was almost full, but Harry, Ron, and Hermione were able to edge past a pack of Slytherins to get three seats together towards the middle of the room next to some of their fellow Gryffindors.

Harry sat behind his desk and glanced around. Gone were the frilly decorations that had invaded both Professor Umbridge's office and her classroom. Instead, the walls were plastered with posters of wanted criminals - mostly Death Eaters - but Harry was amused to see that one of the older posters featured a very shifty looking Mundungus Fletcher. He was also painfully aware that the wanted poster of Sirius he had been so used to seeing in his third year was conspicuously absent.

"I still think Professor Tonks is going to be a vampire," Seamus Finnigan said loudly.

"Don't be ridiculous!" Ernie Macmillan retorted from behind Harry. "She couldn't very well teach in the daytime then, could she?"

Seamus turned to face him. "She could if the classroom was in the dungeon."

"Hmph. Does this look like a dungeon to you?" Padma Patil, Parvati's twin in Ravenclaw, retorted.

Harry heard soft laughter behind him, and turned to see Susan Bones sitting next to Ernie.

"Hullo, Harry!" she greeted him, smiling warmly. "Have a good summer?"

"Yeah," he said. "Wasn't too bad. How about you?"

"Terrible," she replied, pulling a face. "My mum and dad went on holiday to Spain, and left me with my Grandmum. Her idea of fun is having me read old issues of A Witch in Time to her... and her house always smells like mothballs."

Harry groaned in commiseration, but didn't have a chance to reply because Tonks walked in the room. He exchanged an excited look with Susan before turning to face the front.

"Hullo, hullo!" Tonks said warmly, greeting the class. "Let me introduce myself. I'm Professor Tonks, or just plain 'Tonks', if you prefer, and I am your new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, obviously." She walked around to sit on the edge of her desk, facing them. "Also, besides teaching you lot, I am an Auror with the Ministry."

"Oh, great," Terry Boot muttered under his breath. "We've had one of those before, and I can tell you it ended badly."

Tonks grinned. "True, true," she said, nodding emphatically. "But I promise not to turn any of you into rodents."

The class roared with mirth, and Ron nearly fell out of his desk, he was laughing so hard. Harry glanced up to the front of the room, where Draco was sitting with his housemates. He saw the Slytherin turn white with anger, a telltale flush rising high on his cheekbones.

Tonks motioned for the class to settle down, although she was smiling as well.

"You're an Auror?" Pansy Parkinson asked coldly from her seat next to Draco, her voice slicing through the other students' laughter. "You look a bit young, to me."

"So, you fancy yourself an expert on Aurors, do you, Miss Parkinson?" Tonks retorted, raising an eyebrow. "Had some experience dealing with them, then?"

At this, Pansy at least had the grace to blush, although she continued to glare at Tonks as if she couldn't believe her teacher had dared to insult her.

"As a matter of fact," Tonks continued. "I don't think that I'm too young at all." Then, with a series of small pops, Tonks's youthful, heart-shaped face morphed into an old woman's complete with a long nose and yellow teeth. Pansy gasped and clutched onto Draco's arm.

"Today we are going to study metamorphmagi, which you will soon understand that I happen to be one." Tonks smiled at the rest of the class, and Harry saw Neville recoil slightly. It did look a bit odd to see an exuberant smile radiate from such a weathered face.

"This is the first of many lessons regarding types of Magical Concealment that we will be learning this year..."

Harry's gaze snapped to Draco Malfoy, who had twitched suddenly, knocking Pansy's arm from his. Pansy looked confused, but Harry figured that Draco was still enraged over the ferret comment and dismissed him, turning his attention back to Tonks's lecture.

"Tonks!" Hermione exclaimed, once everyone else had left the classroom. She rushed up and gave her a hug.

"Hallo," Tonks grinned at each of them in turn. "What did you think of the first lesson? Did you have a question?"

"Actually," Harry began, but Hermione interrupted him.

"Oh, it was excellent!" she said enthusiastically. "I especially like the story about when you morphed into that Death Eater's mother and he--,"

"Ahem." Ron cleared his throat and looked pointedly at Hermione.

"What?" she asked, breaking off her monologue to stare at Ron and Harry.

"Actually, Tonks," Harry began again, in a much louder voice and ignoring Hermione. His head was starting to throb again. "We wanted to talk to you about the DA meetings."

"Right, right," Tonks said, bobbing her head. "I'm really looking forward to them! But, no worries, Harry. I'll just pop in and out - I'm not there to take over, Dumbledore made that very clear. When did you want to start?"

Harry sighed, feeling very relieved. He liked Tonks very much, but he also thought that the DA would work best student-controlled. He didn't think as many of his classmates would be interested if it seemed like just another lesson.

"We were hoping to have it Wednesday night at eight o'clock, if that works for you," Harry answered. "You do know about the Room of Requirement, don't you? The one on the seventh floor, by the tapestry of Barnabas the Barmy?"

"Yup," Tonks smiled widely. "Made some use out of that room in my day, I'll tell you - not for nearly as an educational purpose though, mind you."

"Urg," Ron burbled as they left Tonks' classroom. "She could've left that last part out - a bit too much information if you know what I mea--." He cut off abruptly as Blaise Zabini stepped around the corner to stop in front of them.

"A funny thing," Blaise said, smiling warmly at them. "I went back to ask Professor Tonks a question - she is delightful, isn't she? - and I couldn't help but overhear your conversation... about some meeting tomorrow night."

Harry froze, every muscle in his body tense. They had left the door to the classroom open, how could they have been so careless? He exchanged a dark look with Ron and looked back at Blaise, his hand resting lightly on his wand.

Blaise glanced down at Harry's hand, and raised his own in a conciliatory manner, backing up a few steps. "Easy there, Harry. I'm not about to duel with the Boy Who Lived, now am I? Besides, I just came to speak to Professor Tonks; you were the ones talking loud enough to hear down the hall."

"Well, Tonks is free now, Zabini," Harry spat. "Why don't you scamper on and ask your question?"

"It can wait," he said pleasantly, smiling again. "However, I am curious about this, what do you call it, DA meeting? Students teaching students Defense Against the Dark Arts. I must say, Harry, I didn't think you needed extra help in that department." He gave a short laugh.

Harry stared at him, but said nothing.

"Ah! I see," Blaise said, a light coming on in his eyes. "So you're the one who's doing the teaching, then? I would've thought our resident genius, Miss Granger, here, would've filled that post." He smiled kindly at her, causing her to blush in spite of herself.

"Get stuffed, Zabini," Ron growled, "flattery will get you nowhere!"

Blaise looked taken aback. "Come now, Ron. Is that any way to treat a fellow DA member?"

"You can't come," Harry said flatly, crossing his arms across his chest.

"Hmm," Blaise said thoughtfully. "Actually, I'm sure that I can. Professor Tonks is the sponsor, is she not? That makes it a school-sanctioned event, does it not? I hardly think you can keep anyone from attending."

"Come off it!" Ron shouted, seeming to lose all control over his mouth. "This is for people against Voldemort!"

Hermione, who had quietly taken in the exchange until now, put a placating hand on Ron's arm. "Ron--," she started to say, but Blaise interrupted her, his expression darkening.

"And what, exactly, makes you think that I am a supporter of Voldemort?"

"You're in stinking Slytherin for one!" Ron snarled.

It was Blaise's turn to glare, all traces of a smile disappearing rapidly. "I am disappointed that you, who have continually been persecuted for the actions of your family members, would judge another by what House he was Sorted into. And you," he turned to face Harry, "who have been judged by his appearance since he was a year old, and have faced the discrimination of being raised by Muggles... I just would have thought you might have learned something by the experience." With that, Blaise turned on his heel and stalked away.

"Well!" Ron huffed. "I never! I mean, to say--!"

"Ron," Hermione said more firmly this time, so that both Ron and Harry turned to look at her.

"He does have a point; it is a school-sanctioned event. We can't keep students from attending."

Ron stared at her as if she had just proclaimed today to be National Flobberworm Day. "We'll just have to change the time of the meeting," he said desperately.

"Ron, we can't," Hermione pleaded with him. "You know we can't. Besides, you heard what he said. We really oughtn't to judge--,"

"You're just saying that because he called you a genius," Ron retorted sullenly.

"I'm not! I just... well, I just think people should be given a chance, that's all."

"A chance! I've never heard such rubbish in my entire life - and I've lived with Percy, so that's saying something."

After Ron's tirade about the evilness of all Slytherins died down, they trudged down the rest of the way to Hagrid's cabin in silence - the excitement of attending their first Care of Magical Creatures class stifled from their encounter with Blaise. Harry pinched the bridge of his nose, trying to will his headache to go away. The sun beat down on the back of his neck, and he could feel sweat trickle into his robes and down his back.

"Merlin! Is it broiling today, or is it just me? I think my freckles are melting." Ron finally exclaimed, uselessly attempting to fan himself with a tattered copy of The Monster Book of Monsters.

"It is unseasonably warm," Hermione agreed. She pulled her hair, which was fluffier than normal, up into a bun and secured it with a feather quill. "Let's hope Hagrid has us doing something in the shade."

They reached Hagrid's cabin and joined the rest of the students - mostly comprised of Gryffindor and Hufflepuff - who were huddled together uncertainly around a large hole that had been recently dug in the ground.

"Alrigh' you three," Hagrid greeted them warmly. "Havin' a good week? Gather roun' the pit, here, but mind you don' fall in," he continued without waiting for an answer. He gestured largely with his thick arms for the entire class to step forward.

"Welcome back to Hogwarts. I'm excited abou' the year ter come! Now that you lot are in yer sixth year, we can really move on to sum innerestin' stuff."

"Dear lord," Justin Finch-Fletchley said, sounding not a little terrified despite the pompous tone in his voice. "If he considers the last few years to be boring, this year we'll have to start paying rent in the hospital wing."

Ron snorted loudly at this, causing Hermione to poke him sharply in the ribs.

Hagrid caught most of what Justin said, and exchanged a sheepish smile with Harry. Harry grinned back at him, forgetting about his headache for a moment. He was pleased to see how comfortable Hagrid was with teaching, now that Malfoy and his gang were no longer in his class.

"Well, now," Hagrid began, clapping his meaty hands together, and causing several Ravenclaws to jump. "I was goin' ter show you some Ashwinders an' all, but we'd need a great fire, and it's too bleedin' hot fer that. Instead, we're goin' ter study the Jarvey. It's a right cheeky creature so you lot should enjoy it."

Almost on cue, something small with pale grey fur darted out from a tunnel opening into the bottom of the pit. It had a twitchy pink nose, and looked rather like a ferret, in Harry's opinion. He smiled slightly, thinking of the jokes that could've been made at Malfoy's expense, had he been in the class.

"Oh, wow," one of the Hufflepuff girls exclaimed, and knelt down at the edge of the pit to get a better look. "It's adorable!"

"Hallo," the Jarvey said, tilting its head comically and looking quizzically at her.

"It can talk!" Neville exclaimed, and leaned to peer over the edge. "Hello, what's your name?"

The Jarvey turned and blinked at him. "Wally wazzock boy to pour the milk. Not even a great gumby prat like yourself can stop it. Hamby pamby git."

Hermione gasped, but Harry and Ron could barely contain their laughter at the look on Neville's face.

Even Hagrid could not contain a grin. "Yup. Told ya they were a cheeky sort. They can talk, but you can't reason with 'em. They're known for yellin' rude phrases to whoever tries to talk to 'em. That one must've taken a likin' to ya Neville, 'cause, believe it o' not, they're a bit shy. Bless them." He chuckled fondly.

"They live underground an' feed off vermin found near gardens an' such, like gnomes or rats, fer example. Handy little fellers to have 'round, if ya got an infestation an' don't mind all the cursin'."

"I would like to own one of those," Ron whispered to Harry. "I'd never have to de-gnome again, and as an added bonus I could get it to insult Fred and George."

The rest of the lesson passed quickly, and was one of the most entertaining of Hagrid's classes that Harry had attended. They took turns coaxing the Jarvey out of hiding, and then laughing as it insulted their classmates. Although he would have never admitted it to her, Harry privately thought that the funniest thing the Jarvey did was to call Hermione "little miss nosey-parker."

However, enjoyable as the class was, it did not alleviate Harry's anxiety completely. The throbbing in his head had turned into a big brass band, and as he wiped sweat from his brow, he couldn't help but wonder if there was something he was overlooking.

Harry sat down at the dinner table with relief after classes were over. He was tired to the bone, and could not wait to crawl in his bed later that evening. He felt out of control. Since classes had started, he hadn't had time to research any new spells, he was already behind on his homework, neglecting Quidditch, and all the while trying to cram in his other extracurricular meetings. If he was being honest with himself, he didn't know how much more he could handle.

"Potter," a voice sneered from behind him, and by the arrested looks on Ron and Hermione's faces, he knew it was not good news. He closed his eyes briefly before turning to face Pansy Parkinson and Millicent Bulstrode.

"What?" he replied shortly, wishing they would just leave, but somehow already knowing what it was that they wanted from him.

"We hear you're leading some Defense Against the Dark Arts class," Millicent grunted. "We want to join."

Harry glanced up at the head table, hoping to get some guidance from Dumbledore, but the old man would not meet his eye.

Instead, Harry stared at them unblinking for a full minute. He hoped he looked intimidating, but he was really just buying time until he could think of a way to answer. He finally settled on the truth.

"Fine," he said simply, ignoring the gasps of other Gryffindor students from behind him. "It's Wednesday, eight o'clock, in the Room of Requirement." He didn't bother asking if they knew where that was. "And if you ever use anything that I teach you against me or my friends, I will kill you."

Pansy's eyes narrowed. "Is that a threat?"

Harry smiled coldly, looking very much like a Slytherin himself. "No, Parkinson, that's a promise."

He turned back around to face his friends, who were gaping at him, not even bothering to see if Pansy and Millicent had finally left.

"Harry," Hermione said in a hushed voice. "Are you sure that was wise? You threatened other students."

"I don't care," Harry said stubbornly. "Maybe it will frighten them from coming tomorrow night.

"Er, they didn't look frightened to me," Ginny said, craning her neck around Harry to peer at the retreating backs of the two girls. "Perhaps you should come up with a new tactic."

Ron groaned and slumped down in his seat, causing Ginny to pat his back consolingly. "This is a disaster! We'll be overrun! They'll have us lying and cheating and - and - wearing green in no time!"

"Yes, what a tragedy," Hermione said dryly.

Harry wasn't listening. His eyes were trained on the steadily approaching figure of Severus Snape.

"But, our lesson is not supposed to be until tomorrow night," Harry protested, after Snape had dragged him out of the Great Hall. "I haven't prepared!"

"That's the point, Potter," Snape hissed, giving Harry a look that clearly indicated he was being dense. "Do you really think the Dark Lord will give you a moment to gather yourself before he attacks your innermost personal thoughts?"

"Well, I..." Harry began, but Snape cut him short.

"Save it, Potter," Snape said, rolling his eyes. "Just try to keep your mouth shut and follow me."

Harry bit his lip to avoid giving a scathing remark in return. Instead, he reluctantly did as he was told and followed Snape - albeit a few paces behind in a feeble attempt to pretend like he only happened to be going in the same direction as the surly professor.

Snape led him down the same dark, dank staircase that led to the Potions classroom, but when they reached the bottom of the stairwell Snape turned in the opposite direction, leading Harry down an even darker and danker hallway - lit only by torches sporadically placed on the walls. He followed Snape for several minutes taking various twists and turns down different corridors - each smaller and gloomier than the last, until Harry was sure he would never be able to find his way out alone. Snape kept silent the entire time, walking briskly and staring straight ahead. Harry quickened his pace to keep up with him as he did not fancy getting separated in this labyrinth beneath the school. He shuddered involuntarily as a large rodent (or a small, ugly cat) skittered past, its eyes glowing green in the torch light.

Then, without warning, Snape stopped. The passage ended abruptly at a... large blank stone wall.

"Great," Harry said sarcastically, unable to keep quiet any longer. "If you've taken me down here to kill me, then this is a perfect spot. I doubt any human has been down here in years. Who in their right mind would want to?"

Snape glared at him and tapped the wall with his wand. "Alohamora," he hissed and the wall slid back swiftly with a low, grating noise to reveal a sparsely decorated sitting room, furnished only with a few moth-eaten armchairs.

Harry goggled at him. "Is this your - are we in your chambers?!"

Snape ignored him and stepped over the threshold. Immediately, the candelabras on the wall and fire in the hearth flared, bathing the room with pale yellow light. Harry followed behind him and glanced around the room. Upon further inspection, he saw that several bookcases were lined up against the bare stone walls and there were two wooden doors against the wall opposite. Harry assumed one of them must lead to Snape's sleeping chamber.

Harry twisted to face Snape, feeling slightly awkward. This was the last place he expected Snape to bring him, and he just hoped that the lesson would start soon. He needn't have worried, for as soon as he turned, Snape hit him full force with the Legilimens spell. Harry flew off his feet and his mind was flooded with--

--Sirius bounding forward as a large black dog. Sirius laughing, his shaggy hair falling into his face. Sirius asking Harry to come live with him and being overcome with joy--

"No!" Harry shouted, harshly jerking himself back to reality and scrambling to his feet. Something mighty, like a gale of wind, shot out of his wand. Snape ducked and the spell hit the bookshelf behind him, sending several musty tomes flying.

Snape leered at him. "Ten points from Gryffindor for purposefully--"

"Legilimens!" Harry shouted, cutting him off. Immediately Snape's head snapped back, the whites of his eyes showing. Harry's vision filled--

--a much younger Snape was kneeling in front of a tall, hooded figure. "My allegiance, master," Snape croaked, as a thin, white hand reached out towards him--

Harry jerked involuntarily as Snape's mind snapped shut as effectively as a steel trap. Harry's eyes refocused to the present time, and saw Snape glaring coldly at him.

"Very well, Potter. First lesson learned; always keep your opponents unbalanced. Never give them a chance to prepare."

He raised his wand again, but this time Harry was ready. Just as the Legilimens curse left Snape's wand, Harry conjured up a magical shield just like what he had learned with Dumbledore - it was still relatively small, but big enough to do the trick this time. The spell hit his shield and rebounded onto Snape with such force that Harry was thrown into the air again, landing on his back before skidding to a stop several feet away. And again--

--Snape was kneeling in front of the hooded figure. Cold, white hands reached down to push back the left sleeve of Snape's robe. A whispered spell and Snape howled as pain seared through his--

--scar and Harry clutched at his own forehead. Then the real Snape was snarling and striding across the room faster than Harry would've thought possible. Harry grasped for his wand, which had flown out of his hand and rolled across the floor. Too late, Snape was upon him with wand raised and he saw--

--Sirius dueling with Bellatrix Lestrange. Sirius falling, falling... and Harry was chasing after Bellatrix. Harry shouting, "Crucio!" Then the pain shooting through his scar...

...and he was going to live with Sirius, he was going to live with his godfather! But, the Dementors were in the way, they were gliding across the lake towards a cowering Sirius. The Dementor was lowering its hood; it was going to give its deathly kiss--

"Expecto Patronum!" Harry shouted, and the dim sitting room was filled with brilliant white light as Harry's stag patronus charged at Snape.

"Finite Incantatum," Snape hissed, lazily waving his wand through the air. The patronus disappeared as quickly as it arrived, leaving green after-images burned into Harry's eyes. Harry groaned and rolled over to push himself up on all fours and was immediately sick on the floor. He felt his cheeks and realised they were wet.

"Why?" he croaked. "Why those memories? Why him?"

Snape grabbed him by the back of his robes, dragging him roughly to his feet.

"Because you're weak, Potter!" Snape leaned in so that their noses were almost touching. "You have been too pampered, too spoiled during your stay at Hogwarts. Your foolish sentiments will get you killed; Potter, and then the Dark Lord will win."

He let go of Harry abruptly, causing the boy to stagger backwards several steps before regaining balance. Harry wiped his eyes fiercely. Unrestrained anger and hate for Snape bubbled up from deep inside him as he stepped forward.

"Spoiled? SPOILED?!" he shouted, gesturing wildly. Sparks flew out of his wand and it began to emit a high-pitched whistle like that of a kettle about to blow. "My parents - Sirius - they loved me, and now they're dead because of me!" He tried to send the Legilimens curse back at Snape but it went wild, and Snape dodged it easily.

"See, Potter? You're letting your emotions overpower you. It's making you sloppy. What would your precious godfather think about that? Tarantellegra."

Harry barely had a chance to register the fact that Snape had just thrown a curse before it came hurtling at him. He dove behind an armchair just in time. The spell hit it a split second later and stuffing exploded all around him. Coughing, Harry pulled himself out from behind the chair.

"This is what you've wanted since day one," he spat angrily at Snape, "to duel with me. ISN'T IT? Rictusempra!"

Snape shielded his curse easily and again Harry had to duck behind the armchair to keep the spell from hitting him as it rebounded towards him.

Snape laughed coldly. "Duel? You think this is a duel? If this was a real duel you'd already be as dead as your godfather."

Harry jumped to his feet. "He's NOT - he's not - he's not..." he couldn't finish the sentence. Instead, he buried his face in his hands as gut-wrenching sobs racked his body. He was dimly aware that Snape pulled his arms down and led him to the other armchair where he sat limply, staring into the fire

For some reason, he could not stop the hot tears from rolling down his face. He thought he should feel humiliated for letting Snape see him like this, but he simply could not muster up the energy. From somewhere far away, as if underwater, he heard Snape say stiffly, "It was for your own good, Potter."

He didn't know how long he sat there, mourning Sirius. He knew at one point there was a hot cup of tea in his hands. Then, there wasn't. He thought he saw Dumbledore, but he must've been dreaming because the next thing he knew he was alone and the fire had burned down to embers.

Harry stumbled clumsily from the armchair and hobbled to the stone door, trying to work the stiffness out of his legs. He felt disoriented, not knowing what time of day it was in this windowless room.

He tapped the door with his wand and it slid open to reveal the dark stone passageway from which he had entered.

"Lumos," he whispered and instantly light flooded around him from his wand tip. He started walking, hoping he would be able to find his way out of the maze. However, he found himself stumped at the first fork in the passage. He tried to perform the locator spell, but his wand just spun crazily in all directions on his palm, the lighted tip sending wild shadows against the walls.

"Rubbish," he muttered to himself. "Is it so hard to get some help around here?" Almost immediately, he heard a rustling down the right corridor in the shadows past the reaches of his light. Harry gripped his wand tightly and strained his eyes in an attempt to see in the semi-darkness.

The next moment a brightly-plumed bird shot out of the gloom and headed straight towards him.

"Fawkes!" Harry exclaimed with relief. The bird glided in circles around his head, its song pulsating out in low waves and warming Harry from the inside. Fawkes then flew back the way it came, but slowly enough so that Harry was able to follow without difficulty. The return trip went very quickly, and before he knew it, Harry was standing outside the Great Hall. He bid farewell to Fawkes, and made his way up to Gryffindor Tower. He entered the Common Room and saw immediately that Ron, Hermione, and Ginny were curled up on various chairs and couches - sound asleep.

Ginny stirred slightly and opened her eyes. "Harry," she said warmly. "We waited up for you..." She smiled at him once before falling back asleep.

Outside, the sun rose above the horizon, bathing Harry in its warmth and covering his friends in a pink glow. Harry watched them as they slumbered peacefully on, and he realised that he was feeling something that he had not in a long time... hope.

12