Harry Potter and the Book of Shadows

Mind Games

Apprehensive, Harry walked to his Occlumency lesson. He'd agreed to talk to Ginny after dinner, but she hadn't shown. Ron was still peeved enough to dismiss her absence, but Harry knew whatever was bothering her could be serious. His fight with Ron had taught him that much. Thinking if she wasn't in the common room after Occlumency and tutoring, he was going to go looking for her.

With a vague plan in mind, Harry tried to focus on what he'd learned from the three texts he'd gotten from the library. He hadn't gotten to the one Snape had given him and he knew Snape would know it. Steeling himself for an unpleasant lesson, he suddenly realized he should see what the Room of Requirement could bring up for Occlumency when he went to look for information on the Book of Shadows. Maybe Ron could help him practice, too. Since the night he'd ended up with detention with Persephone, he'd been toying with the idea of maybe telling Ron about Voldemort's plan. He was almost sure Hermione would never agree to help him find out anything about something as dangerous as The Book of Shadows, but Ron would definitely be interested. In any case, sitting in the room alone wouldn't be much fun. Taking a deep breath, he knocked on Snape's office door.

Harry had long since learned to have his wand at the ready before he entered, and as usual, Snape was standing in front of his desk, waiting for him.

"Potter."

Harry clenched his teeth.

"Legilimens!"

For once it was Harry who cast the first spell. Snape was surprised enough that Harry caught a glimpse of a jumble of images, though Snape forced him out before he could make any sense out of them.

Almost immediately, Snape counterattacked. He nearly broke Harry's defense, but Harry managed to block him. Another spell hit him almost instantly, but though Harry hadn't had a chance to fully defend himself, he felt Snape's mind almost bounce off the part of his mind he'd tried to hit.

Snape regarded him with a strange expression. "Have you read the book?"

Harry's eyes narrowed. Snape must have known he hadn't. "No, I haven't, sir."

Snape's expression darkened at Harry's obviously impertinent tone. Feeling reckless, Harry prompted, "Ready?"

Snape's expression hardened and Harry had only an instant to regret taunting him before the next spell hit him full-force. Trying to force him out, or at least redirect him, before he found something truly humiliating, Harry suddenly felt Snape stop just as he had before. Instead of barreling into the block as he had the last time, Harry felt him pause.

Just beyond that sensation, he could feel something else. Something waiting. Something watching. Forgetting Snape was still there in his mind, he tried to focus on the flicker of awareness just beyond his consciousness. What was it? He could feel it, almost calling to him.

"POTTER!"

Snape roared his name again before Harry realized where he was. He looked at Snape, still a bit dazed. There had definitely been something besides Snape in his mind. Was it Voldemort? Harry felt a chill. He couldn't tell. It was getting harder and harder to remember what it had felt like. What was the block Snape had hit? It felt like a wall, high and dark. Was it the same cloud of enveloping darkness Snape had warned him against?

"There was something..." Harry started. "Someone?" He was almost speaking to himself.

Snape narrowed his eyes. "The Dark Lord?"

"I don't know. It was just beyond...something," Harry tried to explain but already the sensation was fading, like a dream upon waking.

"Have you felt him trying to enter your mind again?" Snape glared at Harry, as though expecting Harry to lie.

Harry thought about the odd sensation he'd just felt, but it wasn't anything like what had happened with Voldemort. "No. This felt... different."

Snape gave him an odd look, but his usual acerbic expression quickly returned. "We will continue Monday. You will have read the book I gave you by then."

Harry wasn't going to argue, since at the moment, anything that would help him beat Snape would be welcome. Leaving Snape's office early was no hardship, either. As he left, Harry wondered if Dumbledore had told Snape to give him the book. Walking down the hallway, Harry didn't want to think about what else might be trying to get into his mind. A sudden unpleasant thought struck Harry. What if it was something trying to get out?

Now more so than ever, he wanted to see if the Room of Requirement yielded anything useful about Occlumency. Harry sensed that whatever was behind the block in his mind was, he wasn't prepared to meet it. The dark wall itself concerned him as well. Whether protective or detrimental, Harry knew the key to understanding what was behind it lay in removing it.

As he neared the tutoring classroom, he wondered if he had time to go back to Gryffindor Tower or if he should just wait there for tutoring to start. Pausing outside the doorway, he saw the door was shut, a note pinned to it.

Potions tutoring has been canceled. It will resume next week at the usual time.

"Well, I guess that answers that question," Harry said aloud to no one in particular.

He stood staring at the note for another moment wondering why she'd canceled. Suddenly, it all clicked into place. Free was gone. No wonder Ginny had been so upset the last few days. Deciding he had figured it out, Harry left the dungeons.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Somehow, Ginny had found herself at the top of the Astronomy Tower. She'd risked going back to her room to grab her diary, a quill, the spill resistant ink she'd borrowed from Harry, and the latest romance novel she'd borrowed from the Room of Requirement. She'd thought about seeing if the room was empty or maybe hiding in one of the back rows at the library, but almost unconsciously her feet had taken her to the top of the Astronomy Tower. It was cold, and still raining, so she sat in the enclosed circular room just below the open rooftop. After lighting half the sconces between the windows, giving the room a soft glow, Ginny sat on the floor and sighed.

Pulling out everything she brought, she stacked it next to her and looked at it for a moment before deciding she wasn't in the mood to read or write. She leaned back and watched the rain streak down the windowpanes. I hope Free found somewhere warm and dry to spend the night. Ginny suddenly sat up straighter. She listened again. It almost sounded like a high-pitched neigh. Unable to tell if it was only the wind, she went to the window. A gust of wind lashed rain against the pane and she heard the sound again. Opening the window, she leaned out, rain splattering her robes. The sound stopped. She leaned further, half hanging out of the window, just to make sure.

Suddenly, someone grabbed her around the waist and hauled her backwards. Struggling, she opened her mouth to scream, elbowing the person behind her as hard as she could.

"OW!"

Ginny recognized the voice and stopped struggling. "Harry! You scared me half to death! What do you think you're doing?"

"What were you doing halfway out of the window?" Harry demanded to know.

"I thought I heard something. I was just looking." She turned her head to look up at him. "What did you think I was doing?"

"I thought you were going to..." Harry trailed off, realizing how ridiculous it sounded. Seeing her half hanging out the window, he'd just reacted. At the time, thinking Free was gone and knowing Ginny had been rather out of sorts the past few days, it had made sense. Harry suddenly realized he was still holding her around the waist. He dropped his arms.

"Free is gone, isn't he?"

Ginny turned to face him, surprised. "How did you know?"

"Persephone canceled tutoring, and you've been..." He searched for the right way to phrase it. "...upset."

"He left today. I thought I heard a horse neighing, that's why I had the window open." Ginny looked up at the rain still blowing into the tower. "It was just the wind."

"Oh." Harry didn't know what to say. "Why did you come up here, then?"

Ginny shrugged. "I don't know." Her eyes flicked to the books she'd brought. "Why did you?"

"I was looking for..." Harry stopped. "Ron was worried about you."

Ginny's expression clouded. "So he sent you looking for me?"

"No, I-"

"Well, you can tell him everything is fine. Don't worry about me." Ginny walked over and grabbed her books off the floor. "It's getting cold up here. I think I'll head to the library."

She left before Harry could say anything more. He closed the window and latched it, wondering why he felt like he'd just done something wrong.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

There was barely any light coming through the tall windows overlooking the greenhouses, icy rain still fell steadily outside. Standing close to the windowpane, a faint mist clouded the glass with her every breath. It was late and dark and cold. Persephone had kept her night robe on, though it did little to dispel the chill she felt.

Footsteps sounded from further down the hallway, but she didn't move. Another reflection joined hers. Their mirrored eyes met. Some dark corner of her knew if anyone could possibly understand, it would be him, and perhaps that was why she turned away from the window. Her heart didn't break because she had to let Free go, it was because she had given him the kind of freedom she would never have.

Outside, the rain turned to snow.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It was cold. And dark. He blinked, wondering if he'd been asleep or if he'd only been staring at the dark so long he couldn't tell the difference between asleep and awake anymore. There was a soft sound. Foot steps, close and quiet. He tried to wedge further into the corner, knowing it was useless. They knew he was here.

They had put him here.

A door flew open with a sudden horrible flash of light. Time sped up. Arms grabbing, dragging. Someone screamed. Someone laughed. Faces he knew but didn't. No don't please don't no fear fight struggle no please begging fear screaming begging screaming screaming begging fear unbearable blinding pain pain stop stop pain pain pain laughing screaming screaming screaming screaming screamingscreamingscreamingscreamingscreamingscreamingscreaming

Silence.

Harry sat up violently, drenched in sweat, his heart pounding. Vaguely, he registered he was in Gryffindor, but the soul-destroying sense of pain and loss wouldn't let go. Thrashing the covers away, he struggled out of bed, his legs shaking so badly they didn't want to support him. Away, he had to get away. Grabbing for his glasses, he knocked over a glass of water on the nightstand, watching as it smashed on the hard, stone floor.

Glass broken glass run away cold snow run glass broken falling falling falling red snow moon stars cold snow red moon snow warm red snow red moon red red red

Stop it! Stop it! Harry fled the room, not caring if he'd yelled out the words or not. The nightmares weren't his, and he didn't know how to make it stop. He was already awake but the images kept coming. Stumbling down the stairs into the empty common room he saw the fire was down to glowing embers, giving the room dark shadowy corners. Panting at the bottom of the stairs, he didn't know where to go or how to hide from the images in his head.

Help me somebody, please. Help me.

Not knowing if the plea was his or the start of another rush of nightmarish images, Harry gritted his teeth and squeezed his eyes shut, willing the thoughts away.

"Harry?"

He tried to back away from the voice but there was nowhere left to go. Make it stop.

"Harry?"

Sliding down the wall, he landed with a thump. Help me.

"Harry?"

He turned his head away from the voice, closing his eyes tighter.

Someone gently touched his arm. A surge of intense rage suddenly replaced fear. Harry's eyes flew open, muscled tensed, preparing to strike...

"Harry."

And the feeling left as quickly as it had come. Harry looked up from his half-slumped position on the floor to see Ginny kneeling next to him, looking very concerned.

"Ginny..." he choked the word out.

"What happened?" she asked softly.

Finally finding something to ground himself with, Harry focused on Ginny's eyes. His breath was still shaky and short. "Nightmare." That wasn't right. "Nightmares."

Ginny reached for his hand. "About Sirius?" Somehow, she didn't think so, from what Ron had told them, and the one night his yelling had woken her up at the Burrow, Harry had talked, well yelled, really, during those. Not stood, eyes wide with terror, staring at something only he could see. His nightmares weren't like this. Unless they were getting worse.

"No. Not mine...someone else's." Harry tried to take a deep breath. "I couldn't... couldn't make it stop." The sense of utter desolation was still there, like everything he'd ever loved had been ripped away.

A frown creased Ginny's forehead. "Someone else's nightmares? Whose? How can you tell?"

Harry looked lost. "I don't know. I couldn't make it stop."

"It's okay. It's over." She took his hand and opened it gently. "You've broken your glasses."

Harry looked down at the mangled glasses in his hand. He'd never put them on. Gripped by fear, he'd clutched them so tightly he'd twisted and cracked the frame. It had cut into his hand. He was bleeding. Bleeding...

Blood snow melt red river bright moon...

"Harry!" Ginny's voice brought him crashing back.

Harry had squeezed his eyes shut and tried to scramble backwards, further into the wall. "Make it stop."

"How?" Ginny pleaded. "Tell me what to do."

"I don't know." Focus on something, focus on Ginny. Harry tried to take a deep breath, afraid to move, afraid to do anything that might bring the waking nightmares back. Ginny said his name again. It helped. "Keep talking."

Ginny looked around, hoping for inspiration. "About what?"

"Something. Anything."

Of course, put on the spot like that, Ginny's mind went completely blank. "I...uh...um..."

Harry took a shaky breath. Breathe, calm, focus. For some reason, random parts of the Occlumency texts he had read were coming back to him. It helped. Breathe, calm, focus. Ask her something. "How come no one else is awake?"

Relieved Harry managed a coherent sentence, Ginny raised an eyebrow. "It's the middle of the night."

"You're awake." Harry gave her a wry smile without opening his eyes.

Even so, she looked away. "I never went to sleep."

"What were you doing down here?"

Ginny paused. "Writing."

Harry finally opened his eyes. "Homework?"

Clearing her throat, Ginny decided she might as well be honest. "Diary."

"Oh." Feeling slightly calmer, a question that had been skating around Harry's mind since he'd first come across her diary came to the surface. "Why do you still keep one?" Before she could answer, he tried to clarify the question, "I mean, after what happened in the Chamber..."

Ginny's flush was evident even in the shadowy light of the corner. Harry stopped. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

"No, it's okay, really." Ginny laughed a short, mirthless laugh. "You know you're the first one who ever thought about that." Harry didn't say anything. "I know, you'd think I'd never want to write down my thoughts and feelings ever again. Not after..."

Harry saw the guilt and shame overtaking her expression. "Ginny, it's okay."

She gave him a watery smile. "I just got used to writing things down when I was upset or confused. Even with out someone telling me..." Ginny fought back the thoughts. "It helped. It still helps."

"I understand."

Ginny wasn't sure if he did but she nodded her thanks. "Do you think maybe we can move to somewhere more comfortable?"

Harry tensed, suddenly remembering why they'd started their late-night chat in the first place. Slowly, he sat up and inched away from the wall. Breathe, calm, focus. He stood up, Ginny watching anxiously. "Yeah. I think I'm okay now."

They sat on the couch facing the banked fire.

"Do you know what the worst part was?" Ginny asked suddenly.

Harry couldn't possibly imagine and so, said nothing.

"I really did think he was my friend." She looked into the fireplace. "Even after I found out what was really going on, it almost hurt more to think I'd lost my only friend than to know what I'd done."

"You have lots of friends, Ginny," Harry countered.

"Not really. Not like you and Ron and Hermione are friends. Or like Fred and George and Lee. Or even Lavender and Pravati." Ginny slumped forward. Who would want to be friends with a pathetic little girl like you? Even long after what happened in the Chamber, she still couldn't come up with a retort. "There's no one I really talk to. Just this." She picked up the diary she'd tossed aside when she'd heard Harry stumble down the stairs. "And it doesn't talk back anymore."

"Ginny..." Harry knew she wasn't joking. "What about Persephone? You seemed to talk to her a lot when you were helping with Free."

"And now he's gone." The misery rang out clear in her voice.

He thought desperately for the right thing to say, but came up blank. Ginny seemed lost in her own thoughts, staring glumly into the fire. Unsure of what to say, Harry glanced outside, noticing the windows were covered with a thin sheen of ice and there were delicate white flakes falling instead of heavy raindrops. Slowly, gently, they drifted down. After a moment, Harry's tired eyelids followed suit.

He jerked awake.

"Harry!" Ginny said, surprised. "Are you all right? Was it another nightmare? What did you see?"

She seemed bent on keeping the words flowing. Harry looked around. They were still in the common room and it was still dark.

"No." He straightened. "I think I was just uncomfortable. How long was I asleep?"

Ginny looked at the clock. "About ten minutes."

Noticing the quill in her hand, Harry guessed why she'd stayed. Other than the sudden awakening, his short nap had been uneventful. Since the nightmares seemed to be over, Harry was wondering if it was safe to go back to bed.

"Do you want to go back to bed?" Ginny asked, as though she had read his mind. The indecision on his face must have been obvious because she put down her diary and quill to ask, "If you're afraid they'll start again, I'll stay here with you."

Harry blinked a few times. "No! I mean, no. I'll be okay. I think."

"Do you want to talk about it?" Ginny asked, when he seemed to hesitate, she added, "Just to make sure it is over?"

Harry was torn between the desire to tell her in the hopes it would help him understand and the fear that saying something would bring the images back. Hoping he'd be able to stop it now if it did happen again, he decided to tell her. Once he started, the words fell faster and faster. "The first...the first one started out like a regular dream. I was in a room. It was very dark, no light at all. There weren't any windows, I don't think. And it was very cold. I was afraid, trying to hide in the corner, and I heard footsteps. They were coming for me, the people who had put me there. Then someone opened a door and it was too bright, I couldn't see anything. The people..." Harry paused. He knew he'd recognized them in the dream, but now couldn't remember whom they had been or what they'd looked like. "I don't remember. They dragged me away. Someone was laughing. Somebody screamed." Harry stopped. "I think it was me. After that, it gets...funny."

Ginny had been listening intently. "Funny how?"

Harry shook his head. It was already fading. "It was more like a rush of blurred images and feelings after that. Mostly fear. And pain. Something was hurting me and I couldn't get away. But I don't know what was happening. There was screaming and then nothing. Absolute silence. That's when I woke up. I knocked over a glass upstairs and when it broke, another dream started even though I was awake. Maybe that's when I knew it wasn't my nightmare. It was all jumbled images and feelings, something about broken glass and snow and the color red. I think it was the same one again when you said I'd broken my glasses."

"What does it mean?" Ginny asked quietly.

Harry had a sudden sinking feeling it had something to do with the block in his mind and whatever it was hiding. Whose nightmare had it been? If only he knew that, things would make sense, he was sure. Or at least, they'd make more sense than they did now. Since the nightmares hadn't come back as he explained them to Ginny, Harry decided it was safe to go back to bed. He said as much to her.

Before she got to the bottom of the stairs to the girls' dorms he turned. "Um, thanks Ginny."

"That's what friends are for, Harry."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Surprisingly, Harry found himself awake before Ron and the others the next morning, and not as groggy as he would have expected. Noticing Ron still sprawled across his bed, snoring, Harry made his way down to the common room, thinking he could look over the Occlumency texts while he waited for the others to wake up. They were due back to the library, and Harry figured he'd give them one last look before giving them up.

It wasn't long before Ginny and Hermione joined him.

"Where's Ron?" Hermione asked, sitting next to Harry.

Harry closed his book. "Sleeping."

"Hmmm. Well, I suppose it's still early," Hermione mused. "For him, at least."

"How did you sleep, Harry?" Ginny asked.

Hermione didn't seem to be interested in his answer beyond her normal concern and Harry mentally thanked Ginny for not telling her about his nightmares the night before. He didn't need anyone else to know and have more reason to fuss over him. "Fine."

Hermione caught the slight undertone to the brief exchange, but before she could ask, Ron stumbled down the stairs.

"Morning." He yawned.

Looking up, Ginny stifled a giggle. Hermione rolled her eyes. "That's a good look for you."

Ron regarded them blankly, and then looked down at his ensemble. Perplexed, he stared at his clothes for a moment, finally realizing he'd put his shirt on backwards and inside out.

Glaring at them as he took it off, Ron quickly turned his shirt right side out and struggled back into it. "Like none of you have ever done that."

"I'm just thankful you didn't forget your pants," Ginny snickered. She turned to Harry and Hermione. "There was this one time-"

"Finish that sentence and die," Ron warned.

Harry and Hermione watched with amusement. Ginny closed her mouth, almost choking on silent giggles.

As they headed down to breakfast, the sudden thought cropped up in Harry's mind that maybe the reason Ron had been so distracted getting dressed was he, too, hadn't been sleeping well. He slowed until he and Ron were a bit behind the girls.

"Rough night?" Harry asked, trying not to sound Hermione-like.

Ron shrugged. "No, not really. That's how it came out of the drawer." He sighed. "Maybe I do need to get more organized." Ron looked up quickly, realizing Hermione was right in front of them. Luckily, she hadn't heard. "Don't tell her I said that."

Harry laughed, relieved. "I won't."

After they had sat and helped themselves to various breakfast items, Hermione pointed to Harry's books. "Are you going to the library later?"

"Just need to return these." Harry figured this was as good a time as any to bring up his idea. Hermione and Ginny might not want to help with The Book of Shadows, but Harry thought they might be willing to help with Occlumency. He figured the more people he practiced with, the better. "I was going to see if the Room of Requirement has anything else on Occlumency."

Hermione brightened. "Harry, that's a fabulous idea! You're starting today, then?"

"Yeah. The books I've looked at have some techniques I want to try, but you really need at least two people." Harry looked at his friends meaningfully.

The other three exchanged surprised looks. Thrilled with the fact Harry seemed to want help, at least with something, they all hurriedly agreed.

When they were finished with breakfast, they made their way to the library first, so Harry could return his books. Hermione wandered off as soon as they entered, Ron trailing behind her in the hopes of keeping her from getting engrossed in some tome and forgetting about helping Harry. Ginny waited patiently as the sharp-eyed Madame Pince inspected Harry's books. In a few minutes they were done, and Ginny and Harry walked to the stacks to search for Ron and Hermione. They had just found them when an angry roar echoed down the hallway just outside the library.

"PEEEEEEEEEEEEVES!"

The few students seated at the tables immediately sat up. Madame Pince glared menacingly at the doorway. The foursome turned to one another in surprise, rushing to the door in unison, quickly joined by the other students.

Ginny, in front, had a clear view of someone pounding down the hallway at top speed, chasing a gleeful Peeves, who held something aloft in one hand while zipping back and forth across the hallway. As the running figure neared, she realized it was a very infuriated Persephone. Wearing only shorts and a faded grey t-shirt, she looked like had just fallen out of bed, her hair a wild tangled mess. Her feet were bare.

"PEEVES! Drop. Them. NOW!"

He only cackled in reply. As he shot by the students hovering in the doorway, they saw it was a pair of shoes he was holding, presumably Persephone's.

Without breaking stride, Persephone grabbed a long, heavy spear from one of the suits of armor lining the walls. Before anyone could wonder what she planned to do, she hurled it towards Peeves, who floated at the end of the hallway, taunting her.

"Obrigescere!"

Her spell hit the spear just as it passed through the poltergeist, embedding itself with a solid 'thunk' in the wooden window casement behind him, freezing the look of shock on Peeves' face, along with the rest of him. Everyone huddled in the entry watched in stunned silence. The only sound was the clop of Persephone's shoes hitting the floor and the scarcely audible slap of her bare feet on stone as she crossed the distance to pick them up.

Calmly, she put them on, ignoring the stares of the students in the doorway. Gathering her tangled hair, she twisted it into a messy bunch and stuck her wand through it. She walked past the library entrance without a word, the only sound the soft tap of her heels.

Not wanting to catch her eye, Harry quickly dropped his gaze as she walked by. In doing so, he noticed the image on her shirt: surrounding a picture of a thestral were the words, 'Fighting Thestrals Quidditch'. Ron quietly guessed it was Blackstone's House team, since there were no professional teams he knew of by that name.

"Wow, they must be really, really good," A boy Harry recognized as one of the Hufflepuff Chasers whispered behind him.

The girl next to him exclaimed, "No way! That's like two hundred and twenty something years!"

Harry and Ron exchanged confused looks until they saw the back of the shirt as she walked away, which read: AIMS- Undefeated Since 1779.

Ron turned to Harry. "I though she said AIMS didn't have a Quidditch team."

Glancing back at the girls, Harry gave Ginny an inquisitive look, but saw neither she nor Hermione understood it either. Harry frowned. It was one more puzzle piece that didn't fit anywhere, if it even meant anything at all. The other students quietly made their way back into the library. The foursome waited until Persephone had turned the corner at the end of the hall out of sight, and then followed.

Ron glanced over his shoulder to see Peeves, still frozen and impaled on the wall. "How long do you think she's going to leave him there?"

Hermione shrugged. "That spell lasts until it's removed, so I suppose it up to her. Or one of the other professors."

"Somehow, I don't think anyone will be rushing to get him down," Ginny said with a smirk.

"You really think they'll just leave him stuck like that?" Harry asked.

Ron grinned. "I imagine they'll welcome the break. He's been a pest for years."

"I wonder what The Bloody Baron will think of this," Hermione mused. "I wonder what Dumbledore will think of it."

Harry wasn't sure what Dumbledore would do, but figured Peeves had kind of had it coming. Filch certainly would have done something like it years ago if he could have. He said as much to the others.

Hermione opened her mouth to protest, but stopped when she realized he was probably right. "It is rather creepy, though."

They couldn't resist one last backwards look to see Peeves stuck to the wall, surprise frozen onto his features. They each tried not to listen to the small part of themselves thanking Persephone for doing what they'd all wanted to do at one time or another.

Soon enough, they found themselves in the Room of Requirement. The other three had allowed Harry to activate the room, figuring he would know best what to think about. Scanning the space, there appeared to be a fair number of books on the shelves. Harry recognized a few of the titles on the spines. The couch, chairs, and tables he'd gotten so used to while sharing the room with Ginny had been replaced with the large, squashy cushions they'd used during DA Club. Harry spied his invisibility cloak draped over one of the cushions and silently cursed himself for not remembering to get it sooner. He was lucky no one else had used the room and taken it. Folding it and placing it where he was sure to see it before they left, Harry turned back to his friends.

Ron saw the cushions and frowned, suddenly remembering when they had helped Harry prepare for the Triwizard Tournament. "Oh, no. I don't like the looks of this."

Hermione seemed to guess the direction his thoughts were headed and smiled reassuringly. "I'm sure it'll all be fine, Ron. Right, Harry?"

Remembering what his first lesson with Snape had been like, Harry tried not to remember how many times he'd ended up on his knees. Hiding his uncertainty with an encouraging smile, he said, "It'll be fun."

Hermione hid a smile as Ron snorted, muttering, "Fun, yeah. Fun for you...you're not the one always landing on the hard floor..."

"So, how should we start?" Hermione inquired.

Ron and Ginny looked to Harry expectantly. He cleared his throat, trying to think how they should begin. "Um, I guess you should try it with each other first and then we'll switch off. One person casts the spell and one person blocks." Ron and Ginny, already facing each other, shrugged.

"Cast or block?" Ginny asked.

"Um, cast, I guess," Ron replied uncertainly.

"The spell is 'legilimens'," Harry continued. "If you're casting, eye contact will help. There's no real counter-spell for blocking, everyone sort of finds their own way."

Raising his wand, Ron looked ready to start. Seeing Ginny's alarmed expression, Harry quickly went on, "Try clearing your mind of all your thoughts first. That helps. If you didn't block the spell, focus on pushing Ron out. You can use whatever other spell you think will help you either block or distract him." Harry hoped he was being clear enough. Occlumency was hard to explain. Now he sort of understood why Snape had just jumped right into the lessons, though Harry hoped he'd given his friends better warning.

Ginny regarded her brother with a wary look. "Just...be careful. Okay, Ron?"

They stood in awkward silence for a few minutes, Ron aiming but not quite able to bring himself to cast the spell at his sister.

"Legilimens!"

The spell hit Ginny and her eyes widened slightly in surprise. Harry felt odd seeing what it looked like, since he'd always been a participant, never an observer. Her wand dipped lower as her eyes glazed over. Her expression was almost trance-like, though Ron seemed to be barely concentrating at all. Suddenly Ginny jerked, and light shot from her wand, though it missed Ron by a good two feet. Blinking, Ron seemed to realize where he was. Seeing the scorch mark on the floor, he looked at his sister.

"That was...interesting. Are you okay?"

Ginny looked a bit upset, but Harry figured whatever Ron had seen couldn't have been that bad.

"What's it like?" Hermione asked.

Ginny frowned, obviously disconcerted. "Like someone is watching the thoughts in your head, but they're just memories at random. Mostly it felt...uncomfortable."

"Why don't you try it on Ron?" Harry suggested.

Taking a deep breath, Ginny squared her shoulders and faced her brother with a determined look. She quickly cast the spell, as though afraid if she waited too long, she'd lose her nerve. Ron's almost instantaneous counter-attack rushed past her right shoulder, blackening the wall behind her. Ginny jumped, and recovering, gave her brother a very odd look. Ron, now aware of his surroundings, looked a bit embarrassed. They all turned to Hermione.

"Your turn," Harry said.

She hesitantly raised her wand and pointed it at Harry. "Maybe I should try on someone else first?"

Harry shrugged and looked at the other two. Neither seemed eager to volunteer. Turning back to Hermione, he held his wand ready. "You'll do fine."

She mumbled something, but Harry didn't quite catch it. He cleared his thoughts and calmly held Hermione's gaze, waiting. It was so much easier when it wasn't Snape, he thought to himself. After a moment of hesitation, Hermione cast the spell.

What was a forceful blow coming from Snape, felt more like a gentle nudge coming from Hermione. Harry didn't force her out right away, sensing there was something to be gained from analyzing a different person on the other end of the spell. He had the feeling all she was seeing was a dark expanse, the same thing he thought of as he cleared his mind. Softly he heard ...quidditch...Hagrid's...Gryffindor common room... and realized it was Hermione, thinking of memories she would expect to see. Though whether she was conscious of it, Harry wasn't sure. Without even raising his wand, Harry gave a mental push and forced her out. He didn't think he needed to try to turn the spell back on her like he did with Snape.

She blinked at him, looking slightly confused. "I didn't see anything."

Ginny tried to reassure her. "Well, Harry's had a lot more practice than us. After all this time, I would hope he'd be good at blocking the spell, right?"

Hermione looked slightly comforted. Glancing back to Harry, she asked, "Your turn?"

Shaking his head, Harry resisted the urge to take a step back. "No! I mean, I really only need to practice blocking. Try it with Ron, then."

She and Ron looked at each other, obviously not entirely comfortable with the idea. Shaking herself, Hermione closed her eyes and mumbled, "Okay, clear my thoughts."

Raising her wand, she opened her eyes and waited for Ron. Ron swallowed and pointed his own wand at her.

"Legilimens!" Ron yelled.

After a few moments, Hermione's widened in obvious fear and she shouted, "Stupefy!" nailing Ron in the shoulder and sending him flying backwards.

With his contact broken, Hermione realized where she was and what she'd done. She rushed over to where Ron had landed, only half on one of the cushions. "Oh, Ron! I'm sorry! I didn't mean...I panicked!" Looking up to Ginny and Harry, who had also rushed over, she asked, "What did I hit him with?"

Ginny looked surprised. "You don't know?"

Hermione didn't answer, still apologizing profusely to Ron, who had sat up.

"You don't always know when you first start. Sometimes you'll shout things before you cast your counter-spell, too," Harry answered. "It was 'Stupefy'. A direct hit, too. You all right, Ron?"

Ron glared at him. "Yeah. Some fun."

Hermione bit her lip. "Maybe Ginny should try casting on Ron again instead-"

"No, go ahead," Ron said as he got to his feet. "You didn't seem to do much to Harry. Besides, can't be worse than what just happened, right?"

Hermione looked doubtful. "I suppose."

They faced off. Hermione raised her wand, Ron holding his up defensively. Staring at one another, Hermione cast.

Ron looked startled for a second, then all of a sudden, Hermione yelped and fell face forward to the ground.

"Hermione!" Ginny rushed over to where Hermione was on her hands and knees, breathing as though the wind had been knocked out of her. "Hermione, are you all right? What happened?"

Harry looked to Ron, who looked very confused. They joined Ginny on the floor.

"Mione, are you okay?" Ron asked worriedly.

"What happened?" Harry asked. Ron hadn't even cast a counter-spell.

Hermione seemed to be getting her breath back. "I don't know. I did the same thing as I did with Harry, but this time I saw something...I can't even remember what. And then it felt like I slammed my brain into a brick wall."

"Are you hurt?" Ron helped her up.

Hermione looked shaky, but fine. "Not hurt, really, just took me by surprise. It felt like..." She seemed at a loss for words. "It's hard to explain."

"Maybe you should sit a minute," Ginny suggested.

Hermione seemed relieved to do so, Ron still hovering anxiously, thus leaving Harry and Ginny standing, facing each other.

"Should I give it a try, then?" Ginny asked, hesitantly.

Harry nodded. Much as with Hermione, he felt more relaxed facing Ginny than during any of his face-offs with Snape. This time, he didn't even raise his wand, only calmly held Ginny's gaze.

Ginny's eyes took on a look of determination as she spoke the spell in a loud, clear voice. Harry was surprised to find that, while it wasn't the forceful blow Snape's spell was, it was a far cry from the gentle nudge into his thoughts Hermione's attempt had been. Memories started to surface but Harry stopped them from progressing as soon as he felt Ginny's attention focus on them. She never saw more than a second or two, certainly not enough to identify anything. Not wanting to force her out just yet, again hoping he'd learn something from a new person casting the spell, Harry let her continue. He could feel her concentrate harder, as though she was actively looking for something. Blocking memories as they popped up, Harry wondered if she was just searching for a weakness in general, or a specific memory. If she was even conscious of what she was doing at all.

Watching from the couch, Ron and Hermione could see Ginny's eyes narrow as she focused harder. It looked to them as if Harry were almost bored, allowing her to try to break through, but perfectly in control.

Ginny backed off for a second and regrouped, though she still worked to hold Harry's intense gaze. Snape can get through, how does he do it?

The memory of Cho turning him down to the Yule Ball surfaced and Harry quickly squashed it. It startled him since it was the first time Ginny had been able to hold onto a memory long enough to know what it was. The first time the Dursleys shoved him in the cupboard under the stairs came next and Harry tried to stop Ginny from going further. His first meeting with a Dementor on the Hogwarts Express...finding out his Nimbus 2000 had been destroyed by the Whomping Willow...Harry felt his control slipping.

Sirius' mirror showing nothing. No! Lupin talking to Mrs. Weasley. Stop! The elevator down to the Ministry of Magic...

"ENOUGH!" Harry yelled.

Ginny staggered backwards as though she'd been slapped, breathing hard and shaking.

Harry blinked, trying to slow his own breathing. "What did I hit you with?"

"N-nothing," Ginny said, her voice wavering. "I don't think."

Ron stood, looking concerned. "Are you all right? You don't look so good."

It took Harry a moment before he realized Ron was talking to him. "Fine. I'm fine. I didn't aim anything at Ginny?"

Ron shook his head. "Not that we saw. How did you stop her?"

Harry remembered during his first lesson with Snape he'd said that in time, Harry wouldn't have to cast a counter-spell at all to block the Legilimens spell. "When you advance you don't need a counter spell anymore. You can just use the force of your mind to block or force the other person out."

"Is that what you did with me?" Hermione asked from her position on the couch.

Harry blinked. "I think so. I've never done it without a counter spell before." He turned to Ginny. "Are you okay?"

Though she didn't look it, she nodded.

Harry considered her pale complexion and the fact her hands were still shaking. "Maybe that's enough for today."

Later that night as they sat around the fireplace, they all noticed a distinct air of awkwardness. It led Harry to wonder if practicing breaking into someone's mind was something you should really be doing with your friends. At least with Snape, he expected a certain amount of embarrassment and it was easy to cover it up with anger. With his friends, he was worried there might be unpleasant consequences.

"Maybe it wasn't a good idea," Harry said, suddenly breaking the silence.

The others exchanged looks. Hermione spoke first, "Well, it wasn't exactly smooth going, but it was the first time we've tried it. I don't think we should give up just yet."

Ron didn't look so sure. "Do you think it's helping at all?"

Looking from Hermione to Ginny, Harry considered. "It was useful to have someone other than Snape try. Just for comparison. I just don't want anyone to..." he trailed off.

The others seemed to fill in the blanks themselves. Ginny spoke up, "I see what you mean, but Hermione and I haven't gone against one another, neither have you and Ron. Maybe we should at least do that before giving it up."

They all seemed to agree and some of the unease dissipated.

"Should we try again tomorrow, then?" Hermione proposed.

"Why don't you start practicing clearing your thoughts before you go to sleep and we'll have another go next week at the same time?" Harry suggested when he saw Ron and Ginny were less than enthusiastic about doing it again so soon.

They quickly agreed. Hermione was secretly relieved since now she would have time to read over the books Harry had read. Any lingering discomfort between them vanished as conversation veered into other topics.