Mindgames

Chapter 2 -- Mistaken Ideas

Harry slept remarkably well and, when he woke up, wondered about that second potion. He stretched extensively, enjoying the pain-free movement and looking forward to their first match tomorrow. Breakfast and morning classes passed swiftly, which couldn't have been better as it brought the Quidditch match closer all that much faster. Seamus was his escort today since they had all of their classes together, so he joined them all at lunch.

"Boy, you guys seem much quieter from here then you seem from the end of the table where I usually am," Seamus commented at one point.

Harry shrugged and noticed that Hermione was avoiding his gaze. He opened his mouth to ask her about that when a hand fell on his shoulder from behind. Harry turned to find Professor McGonagall there. "Potter, I need to see you. You have class this afternoon?" Harry nodded. "Well, after class then. Three-thirty?"

"Yes, Professor," Harry acknowledged. As McGonagall walked away Harry looked around the table at the collective faces that had turned to listen to that. When their teacher had left, Harry asked, "Anyone know what that is about?" Everyone shook their head. Hermione was wiping her mouth and didn't look at him. He shrugged at everyone and swallowed hard in concern.

############

Precisely at three-thirty, Harry knocked on McGonagall's door. "Come in, Mr. Potter," she said. "Have a seat."

Harry took the seat across from her and folded his hands in his lap. He found himself swinging his feet nervously as she put her parchments away. He forced his legs to stop.

"So, Harry. How are things?" she asked.

Harry, a little taken aback by this opening, said, "Fine."

"Good. Are you going to win tomorrow?"

"I fully expect to," Harry replied. Was this about Quidditch? he wondered.

She took off her glasses and folded them away in her pocket. "Harry, you do trust me, right?"

Another strange one. "Yes, Professor," Harry replied.

"Is there anything you want to tell me?" she asked earnestly. "About anything?"

Harry furrowed his brow and looked at her. He shook his head, knowing that probably wasn't the right response.

"You had detention with Professor Snape yesterday evening I believe?" She stood up and poured some tea for both of them. Harry would have preferred a butterbeer but he accepted the cup and saucer. "He is up talking with the headmaster right now I think," she added as she sat back down.

"Yeah, I was fighting with Malfoy and Sweeney," Harry said, the lie even smoother this time.

"What did you do for detention?" she asked slowly as though making conversation.

"Shelved potions," Harry said. "No big deal." Harry was regretting the detention lie now. It was a little unfair to Snape, really.

She sat sideways to her desk and sipped her tea. Harry could see the steam rising snake-like from the cup in the light of the window. "You have been down in the dungeons a bit more often than that though," she commented factually.

Harry fidgeted despite himself. "Yeah," he admitted. He really didn't want to talk about Voldemort and Occlumency. He didn't want to find himself tossed out of the castle for everyone else's safety. Although, maybe he should be.

"You want to tell me about that," McGonagall prompted him.

Harry frowned and set his tea down, untasted. "I've been having problems with Voldemort getting into my head again. Professor Snape has been giving me Occlumency lessons."

"You didn't tell anyone this?"

"I never told anyone it had stopped so I didn't think I needed to tell anyone it was continuing. Dumbledore seemed busy," Harry added, borrowing the phrase.

She faced him. "But you have control of this?"

"The lessons have helped a lot. I don't let myself get too tired. That was the problem last time: the lessons were too long."

McGonagall picked up her quill and tapped the end on her desk blotter for long moments. Harry watched the point leave little black marks amongst the large black stains. Finally, she said, "Professor Snape refers to you differently now."

Harry blinked at that and wondered how she knew. "Same Voldemort thing." At her questioning look, he went on, "Whenever Sn- Professor Snape said the name 'Potter' he was. . . sending this bolt of hatred at me. It made me lose my grip and. . .Voldemort was just stepping in."

She looked a little unhinged at that for just an instant. "But you have control?"

"Yes." Harry grinned a little at the memory of the threat he had used to get Snape to change his form of address for him.

She put down the quill and returned to her tea, drained it in one gulp, then set hers and Harry's untouched cup aside. She laced her fingers together and faced him. "Anything else you'd like to tell me?"

Harry shrugged. "About what?"

"Professor Snape."

Harry stared at her and tried again to figure this out. Her mood was almost deadly in its seriousness. Harry shook his head, knowing again that this was the wrong response. McGonagall frowned, prompting Harry to say, "Professor, you are reminding me of my Uncle Vernon. He would want me to tell him something and I would have no idea what it was and he would just sit there waiting like you are now. What do you want me to say?"

"It's not what I want you to say; it is what I want you to tell me," she said.

"That is really twisted, Professor." Harry's shoulders slumped. "Look, I don't remember doing anything wrong lately." Except letting Voldemort talk to Malfoy. . .

"You aren't suspected of anything," McGonagall insisted.

Harry rubbed the back of his neck. "I have a Quidditch strategy meeting to go to before dinner. . ." He trailed off at her expression of dark disapproval. Harry took a deep breath. "Honestly, Professor McGonagall, I trust you completely. I just don't know what you want me to tell you."

"There have been rumors, Harry, and a few students reporting to the headmaster which cannot be ignored." She paused. Harry sat completely still and waited for what he was sure was going to be douzy, not having the slightest clue what it might be. "Has Professor Snape done anything to make you. . . uncomfortable?"

"Uncomfortable?" Harry echoed. That was a very strange word.

"Potter," she said exasperated, "has he touched you inappropriately?

"What?" Harry asked, mystified for a moment before the puzzle pieces clicked into place in his mind. Sweeney's comments fell into the light and Harry gaped at her.

"Mr. Potter?"

"You’ve got to be joking. Sweeney, said this right?" She sat straighter. Harry went on, "I complained to Snape about the Slytherin's spelling the Gryffindor team before the match and he caught Sweeney ambushing Cho and I. Sweeney looked pretty upset. I think he said that to the headmaster just to get even."

"It wasn't just him, Harry. We wouldn't have taken his accusations quite as seriously given his past record. It was also Ms.Granger."

Harry froze. "Hermione?" Harry asked in a pained voice. He stared at the bookshelves trying to figure that out. His eyes fell closed as he remembered. "Oh," Harry breathed. "I know what that was." He imagined now that when the knock on the door had sounded last night, Hermione had actually walked in and back out before knocking. It would be like her to do that.

"I'm interested to hear," McGonagall said in a hard voice.

Harry tapped himself on the forehead. "Okay, there is one other thing. Which I didn't even think of." Her expression looked totally unforgiving which was a real switch from moments before. It made Harry angry. "Three times this term I've ended up having to go to Pomfrey for an injury. She said if I showed up again she'd file an incident report with the headmaster. So, when Sweeney kicked my ribs in yesterday afternoon I really didn't feel like going over there because it seemed like an incredible hassle."

"He broke your ribs?" McGonagall asked sharply.

"He's a foot taller than me and weighs twice as much, of course he broke my ribs. I showed up for my lesson with Snape and he tried to get me to go to Pomfrey but I refused. He took pity on me, I think, and healed them for me."

"Professor Snape does not take pity on anyone," McGonagall commented dryly.

"It is the fault of the students of his house that I had used up my hospital visits already," Harry pointed out.

"It isn't really in Professor Snape's purview to be healing students."

"It's his potion either way," Harry came back.

Proffessor McGonagall rubbed her forehead. "And that is all that happened?"

"Yes," Harry said with cold finality. Then felt a strange chill. "You said Professor Snape was up with Dumbledore right now?" Harry asked.

"Yes," she said and stood up. "I should go report to him."

"'We,' you mean," Harry said, standing also.

"You really wish to?" Professor McGonagall was clearly surprised by that.

"I insist," Harry said.

She threw her hands up. "Your choice, Mr. Potter."

As the escalator door slid open, Dumbledore said, "Minerva," in greeting then with some surprise, 'Harry."

Harry stepped past McGonagall and faced the Headmaster. "If you have a question for me, Professor, why not just ask me directly?"

Dumbledore's eyebrow went up and he considered Harry a moment. "We have procedures for these things for a reason, Harry. But if you insist. Harry, has Professor Snape made any sexual advances to you?"

Harry blinked at the blunt question, but answered, "No," firmly.

"And what Ms. Granger saw was. . .?" Dumbledore went on.

Harry wondered if Snape had told him anything or had just sat there stubbornly. He frowned as he responded. "She saw Professor Snape healing two broken ribs I got fighting with some Slytherins."

Dumbledore's gaze fell on Snape with a very strange expression, almost a teasing one. Harry resisted glancing over at the Potions master himself. "And you didn't go to the hospital wing because. . .?"

"Madame Pomfrey said if I showed up again she'd have to file an incident report. It’s truly ironic, Headmaster, but this exact scene is what I was trying to avoid." Harry did glance at Snape now. He sat with a completely closed expression, arms crossed, slouched slightly in his chair. Harry sighed. "And since Professor Snape doesn't seem to want to stoop to defending himself, I will point out that he did try to get me to go to see Madame Pomfrey." Harry looked down at his fingers now. "It was only after I told him I was going to fake an accident during the Hufflepuff match that he offered."

"You were going to do what?" McGonagall exploded.

Harry looked over at her, startled by the force of her outburst. Dumbledore's voice called Harry's attention back. "Let me make sure I understand. You forwent proper care because you were avoiding the complication of it being reported?" Harry nodded. Dumbledore adjusted his glasses. "I think we shall have to reexamine that policy." He looked Harry in the eye, "So, you have no complaints about Professor Snape?"

Harry looked doubful now. "Well, put that way. . . If you gave me overnight I could give you three feet of parchment on that. But on the topic we are discussing . . . no."

Dumbledore's eyes sparkled a little at that. "Well, Severus. It looks like Mr. Potter has explained sufficiently. I fail to see why you were too stubborn to explain on your own. But that is another matter."

Harry swallowed--his anger hadn't abated at all. "Headmaster," Harry began when he saw Dumbledore moving to wrap things up. "I don't get. . ." Harry started, then paused, trying to feel his way around his emotions. Dumbledore waited patiently for him. "I feel like I have proven myself able to look out for my own interests," Harry finally said, pretty pleased with that. It really got to the heart of what was bothering him.

"Harry, you certainly have, but that is not the issue here," Dumbledore explained gently. "I must confess that seeing you standing here I realize that the mere half second I comtemplated you as a victim of such a thing was in serious error. But Harry, this boarding school system has the potential to, and has in past, victimized the children in its care. Even this particular school. Usually twice over: once by the, predator, shall we say, and once by the system itself as it is often too inept to handle such things. I have zero intention of allowing that to happen on my watch, so we handle things a certain way, and I don't apologize for that."

How did Dumbledore do that, Harry wondered. Make you see his side of things so easily so that you had to agree with his position. "I see, Professor."

"Very good, Harry. I also see now that the system itself can create victims where there actually were none in the first place. I must think about that. It’s dinner time, perhaps you should head on down to the Hall."

Harry straightened and stepped over to the escalator and opened the door.

"Oh, and Harry." Dumbledore added. "I will inform Madame Pomfrey that she not to automatically report you, but to merely strongly encourage you to speak to one of us yourself. This is an exception only for you. I don't want you hesitating to visit our healer under any circumstances."

Harry nodded with a grateful smile and stepped onto the escalator. When the gargoyle closed behind him at the bottom, Harry started to look ahead to dinner and what he was going to say to Hermione. As he stepped into the Great Hall, already filled with impatient, hungry students, he tried to feel his way around this anger as well. It wasn't the same as the last. This felt more like betrayal.

As he sat beside Ron in the seat his friend had saved for him, Ron looked over at him. "About time! Where's Dumbledore? I'm famished. Where have you been anyway?" Harry locked eyes with Hermione across the table who frowned and flinched. Ron took note of this standoff. "What's up?"

Harry ignored the question. "I don't understand why you didn't just ask me," Harry said to her.

She pulled out of her whinge and said with some conviction, "I thought I was doing what was best."

"Do you know what you just put me through?" Harry asked. The students began shuffling. Dumbledore, McGonagall and Snape had walked in and taken their seats. Harry watched Hermione as she saw them. "All you had to do was come up to me and say, Gee, Harry, I went to escort you back from detention and saw something I wanted to ask you about." Harry calmed himself. "It would have saved enormous amounts of trouble."

"I wasn't sure that was . . . " She looked around them at the students nearby who were half-listening to them. Plates heaping with food appeared in the center of the table and everyone started serving themselves, eating, and making more noise. "What if you were under some kind of spell, or potion, and didn't answer me honestly?"

"Hermione, don't you think you could tell if that were true?" Harry didn't bother serving himself--he didn't feel very hungry.

Ron with a mouthful of mashed potatoes said, "What are we discussing?"

"So, what did I see?" Hermione shot back.

"Two broken ribs from Sweeney kicking them in."

"He did what?" Ron exploded. "That bastard is seriously in for it." Others around the table murmured at that.

Harry wasn't finished and stormed ahead. "I've had a hell of an afternoon, Hermione. It took McGonagall an entire forty-five minutes to even get to the point. I practically had to beat a comprehensible question out of her. By the time I realized what the point was, I not only had told her several things I never would have otherwise, she was certain I was hiding something and not just completely clueless."

The students around them were quieting to listen. Harry dropped his voice. "Meanwhile, Dumbledore is trying to grill Snape who it turns out won't dignify the accusations with an answer. So, here we are about to get a teacher tossed out, where by the way, his lifespan would be very short once the DE caught up to him, and me strung up in clueless collusion because you couldn't just ask me a simple question."

"What in the hell, are you two on about?" Ron demanded. He had actually stopped eating to listen into Harry's tirade.

"I did what the code said." Hermione stated harshly.

"And since when have the rules mattered in this friendship?" Harry retorted. He leaned back as something shot through his thoughts. He closed his eyes and swallowed hard. Fear filled him, making it impossible to blank his mind. "I'm not hungry," Harry mumbled and climbed backwards over their bench. He needed to get somewhere quiet.

"Ron, stop him," Hermione said as Harry started to walk away. Ron grabbed Harry's arm a few steps from their seats. They were quickly becoming a spectacle for the entire school. "What’s with you?" Ron asked him in a whisper, blushing under the audience.

Voldemort provided a few choice responses which made Harry nearly scream in frustration. "Ask Hermione what’s up--it is all in her head," he replied, also in a whisper, as he peeled Ron's fingers off his arm and stalked off.

At the head table Dumbledore rested his fist against his chin in thought. The door to the Great Hall boomed closed behind Harry. McGonagall leaned forward to look over at the headmaster as did Snape from the far end of the table. Dumbledore frowned and picked up his fork again.

############

Harry fell on his bed shaking. He ran through each Occlumency exercise Snape had shown him and felt a little better but he was afraid maybe Voldemort had just backed off to make him think that. He was glad he hadn't eaten because he was certain he would have vomited it back up already.

Eventually, he heard the other boys come in and settle into bed, so he knew he had been lying there for literally hours. The room quieted again and Harry wanted to scream out his jealousy of their uninterrupted sleep.

Then he heard a whisper. "Harry?" It was Ron.

"Ron?" Harry responded. His friend pulled the drape aside.

"Hermione is really sorry," Ron said very quietly. "Although about what, I'm not sure."

"Doesn't matter," Harry commented from inside his horror.

"What do you mean? You won't forgive her, ever?"

"No, it means I am in serious trouble here." Harry swallowed hard and tried to find an anchor in his mind, something he could rely on.

"Harry, what's going on?" Ron whispered, sounding like he had asked it too many times today already.

"Ron, please go get someone. Voldemort is in my mind and I can't shake him. Please, anyone. Except, you know, Filch."

Harry's voice was so odd and empty, Ron dashed from the room. The Fat Lady banged closed behind him as he flew through the portrait hole in his pyjamas and tore down the hallway. In the main corridor he stopped and looked desparately around. A light was on under McGonagall's door. Ron pounded over to it and ripped the door open. His teacher was already at the door at the sound of his running feet.

Ron grabbed her hand and pulled her. "Hurry, it's Harry!" he said desparately. McGonagall followed him at a light run. "He said he couldn't keep You-know-who out of his head," Ron managed as they reached the Fat Lady. McGonagall spat the password and swung the portrait aside forcefully and rushed in. In the boys' room, Professor McGonagall made the lamp flare high to see and yanked the drapes aside. "Potter?" She asked.

Harry lay still with his eyes half open. She lifted him to a sitting position. His skin and pyjamas were soaked with frigid sweat.

"What’s this?" Seamus said, peeking from between his drapes.

"Ron, go and get the headmaster. The password is 'Persnickity.' Hurry."

Ron repeated his earlier run, starting to get breathless. He called "Persnickity" repeatedly as he ran across the hallway and the gargoyle was already open by the time he got there. At the top, after sprinting up three steps at a time, a feat he didn't think he had in him, the door swung open. Ron tried to catch his breath as he found himself faced with both Dumbledore and Snape. They looked like they were sharing a drink.

"Harry," Ron weezed and pointed down the staircase.

They both stood up. "Mr. Weasley?" Dumbledore said in concern.

Between gasps, Ron said, "McGonagall said. . .. get you. Harry. . .He--. . .Who--. . . Voldemort."

They both charged past Ron who followed as fast as he could on very shaky legs.

In Harry's room, Dumbledore and Professor Snape found Professor McGonagall trying to rouse Harry. The rest of the boys were staring from their beds. "Let's get him out of here," Dumbledore said. Snape took Harry's legs and McGonagall hefted him under his arms and they maneauvered him down to the common room and onto the couch there.

"What happened, Mr. Weasley?" Dumbledore asked Ron, who stood watching them in horror.

"I couldn't sleep so I came over to see if Harry was awake and told him Hermione was very sorry and he said it didn't matter. That he was in serious trouble and to go get someone because Voldemort was in his head and he couldn't get him out," Ron related in despair.

Dumbledore shook his head. "This boy has two family members in this world and we managed inadvertantly to pit him against one of them."

"Back to your rooms!" McGonagall snapped and the doors leading to the common area that had cracked open, closed again quickly.

"Let us remove him a little farther," Dumbledore said. The professors hefted Harry again and carried him out into the hall. Ron tried to follow.

"Stay here, Mr. Weasley," McGonagall ordered.

Ron swallowed his reply and let the portrait close before him.

"Where to?" McGonagall asked the Headmaster.

"The spare office beside yours, perhaps."

They hurriedly carried Harry there. When they arrived, Dumbledore conjured a bed and they dropped Harry onto it gently. Dumbledore stood over Harry and pried his eyes open.

"Albus, not too close," Snape warned. He took up a position beside Harry and spent a moment clearing his own mind. He stared at Harry’s slitted eyes a long moment. "Don't make it personal, Lord," Snape muttered.

"Oh, dear," McGonagall breathed.

Snape tried again and then shook his head. He took out his wand and placed the point on Harry's palm. "I'm sorry, Potter, but this is going to hurt." He sent a pain curse, one step down from a Cruciatus, down Harry's arm.

"Ow!" Harry cried out and tried to jerk his arm away. He rolled over and sat up slightly and looked around.

"It helps to know that the Dark Lord is a bit of a wimp," Professor Snape commented. "Lie back. Blank your mind."

"I can't," Harry said, fear clearly tainting his voice. He realized that he was clutching a corner of Snape's robe and let go with chagrin.

"You have no choice and you have no time to argue," Snape snapped back at him.

Harry bowed his head and quickly disposed of every concern, like being banished from Hogwarts, and arguing with Hermione, and where they had dumped him, and what they were all thinking. Finally, out of sheer terror he threw them all away and floated free. He sighed as he felt Voldemort lose his grip.

"Got it," Harry said. His eyes were closed, so he didn't see the wave of relief go around the room.

"Harry, I think we shall leave a guard on you tonight. Perhaps Professor Snape as he is our expert at assisting you with this." At Harry's nod, Dumbledore stood straight and gestured for McGonagall to exit.

Outside in the corridor, Dumbledore said to her, "Speaking of unintentional victims." He shook his head. "Please be ready to relieve Professor Snape in the morning for the duration of his morning class. I want to continue to run things normally here. I will take your sections."

McGonagall nodded and went back to her office.

Harry listened closely to his own breathing. It served to remind him that he lived as a separate individual from that crazed evil wizard who wanted to destroy everything.
"Where am I?" Harry asked without opening his eyes.

"A spare office. Rest, you are getting distracted."

Harry finally fell asleep. In the morning the uncurtained window woke him early since he was used to the dark drapes of his bed. Harry stared for a long moment at Snape sitting at the foot of the bed, watching him. "I completely lost myself," Harry said.

"And now?" Snape asked in a dark tone.

"I feel a little better." Harry sat up. "I need to use the toilet."

Snape walked him down the corridor, orange-lit by the steeply angled light of morning. He waited in the hall until Harry re-emerged, his hair wet at the edges from washing his face with a lot of water. They walked back and Harry sat on the side of the bed and put his head in his hands.

"What am I going to do?" Harry asked in a muffled voice. "I want this guy dead so I can live me own life for a change."

"I think that will be managed eventually. Do no dwell on him; it will not help."

"Thanks for bringing me back," Harry said, still with his face buried.

"Think nothing of it," Snape said, sounding like he didn’t want Harry owing him.

Harry finally raised his head and looked at his professor. "Is it all right if I am scared to death?" Harry didn't feel like hiding anything anymore.

"You should be."

Harry stared at the wall. "I can't tell if he really gone for the moment or just lying in wait until I let my guard down."

"You simply must not let it down." Snape wrapped his arms around himself and scratched his elbow. "Professor McGonagall will be replacing me shortly. I suggest you rest. If you cannot do so I will bring you a potion to help you."

"I liked the last one," Harry said, looking sideways as Snape.

Snape's brow rose in slightly surprised acknowledgement. "If you wish."

A knock sounded on the door and McGonagall entered. "Since I am awake, I might as well relieve your early. Harry," she said when she spotted him. "How are you feeling?"

Harry nodded. "Better."

Harry napped through the day, helped along by another dose of potion. In the evening a meal was brought for him. Harry ate voraciously as he hadn't had anything all day. Dumbledore came in as Harry was finishing.

"Do you feel up to classes tomorrow, Harry?"

Harry gaped at him. "Can I, really?"

"I think we should try for normalcy as much as possible for you."

Harry stared at his hands as he rubbed them over each other in front of his dinner tray. "As opposed to tossing me out into the Forbidden Forest since I am a danger to everyone here?"

Dumbledore's eyes fell soft. "Harry, we are determined to see you through this." The old wizard held up one long finger and pointed it at Harry. "Remember that." Harry dropped his eyes in embarrassment. "You have been all right today?" Dumbledore asked. Harry nodded, he had already voiced his concerns to Snape so he left it at that. "I'll check on you again tomorrow morning then.""

Harry pushed his tray aside and stretched his back and wondered how he would ask to have a laundered set of pyjamas brought in. He decided it didn't matter, really, and stood up to pace a little since his legs were getting stiff.

Snape stood leaning back against the desk which had been shoved up against the wall. Library books were stacked on it in a neat row. Harry paced past Snape and around the bed and back again. He sighed and stopped to stare out of the window. The glass was rippled as though it were manufactured centuries ago, making it hard to see out of.

Annoyed at being cooped up, Harry turned around and felt his grip slip away as though his own personality were a strand of seaweed in the surf. He watched himself walk over to Snape, with his head tilted in question. "Didn't know you liked young boys, Severus," Harry heard himself saying.

Snape's chin came up and he pushed himself away from the desk and stood still, watching Harry closely. Harry hoped he was looking for an opening. Any opening.

He still approached Snape who didn't back off. Harry pounded away from the inside in one moment of insanity until he realized that didn't have a chance of working. He too settled back and waited, trying to submerge his own strangling desparation. Harry's hand reached up and stroked down the front of Snape's robe and he leaned against him with one leg crooked oddly. Snape grabbed his hand and held it to the side as he pushed Harry to arm's length, his eyes still delving over Harry's face.

"If that is what you want, I think it might be fun to give it to you," Voldemort said through Harry. "On the condition that you give me something in return." Snape didn't respond, he just waited and watched. "Just imagine, you don't eveb have to coerce him--I'll be controlling him."

Harry watched in horror as Snape let him come closer again. His mind reeled a dizzying moment as their bodies rubbed over each other. Snape's arms were around him and for a terrifying instant Harry thought he was going to be sacrificed. Then a stab of pain shot through his spine and his legs folded under him. Snape caught him and sat him on the bed.

"Back with us, Harry?" Snape asked in an oddly conversational voice.

Harry grappled for the edge of the bed and shifted himself away from Snape with the little strength he could muster. Horror still reverberated through him as though he were a large bell and the clapper had just struck hard. Snape stepped back to give Harry some space.

"Harry?" Snape tried again.

"Yeah?" Harry managed. "You are about to tell me to blank my mind again?"

"If you can," Snape said. He crossed his arms and watched.

Harry closed his eyes and found it surprisingly easy to blank his mind, mostly because he couldn't imagine rethinking what had just happened. "I only let my guard down for a moment," Harry explained quietly. "I was annoyed at being inside on a nice day. I should have said something."

"About what?" Snape asked calmly.

"That evening in the Potions classroom when I was waiting for the bone healing potion. I felt him come through. I think that is where he got this idea."

Snape took a deep breath and released it slowly. "That is where everyone got this idea. The worst thing you can do is continue to worry about it. Put it out of your mind."

Easy for you to say, Harry thought and at the unbalanced feeling that brought on, blanked his mind yet again.

"When you are feeling more in control. I want to teach you something new. I have been doing a little research while you napped. I think I have something that will help."

"That would be great," Harry answered, still with closed eyes.

When Harry felt more in control, Snape slowly and patiently walked him through a new mental shielding method. Harry was strained and exhausted but he doggedly followed his professor's instructions. At the end Harry nearly fell asleep at the desk. Snape pressed a potion into his hands which he drank even though his tired instiinct was frightened now of his professor as well. He passed out on the spot.

############

Professor McGonagall knocked on the door and opened it. She looked at Harry's sleeping form on the bed and said, "I can relieve you for the night."

Snape shook his head. He had stacked the books higher and was sitting on the desk, leaning back against the wall. "I do not think that is wise."

She sighed. "He lost control?"

"Only for a minute or so, but it was a complete take-over."

McGonagall frowned. "Are you going to make it for another night?"

Snape exhaled hard. "If you could bring me a potion from one of my stores, I would appreciate it. As well, if you are willing to stay I think that would be a good idea. The boy is frightened of me at the moment for reasons I do not feel like going into."

McGonagall looked him over and went out.

############

Harry woke with the early sun again. Snape sat crosslegged on the desk at the far side of the room, watching him just like the last morning. Harry tried to control the flush infusing his face as he sat up halfway. Clear mind, Harry. Clear mind, he said to himself and felt a little better.

He still felt tired as though the potion hadn't worn off, so after peering around the room he lay his head back again with a sigh. He gasped a moment later, rolled suddenly onto his back, and with fierce determination rebuilt the wall around his mind, one block at a time. Snape moved slowly to sit beside him.

When Harry returned to stillness, Snape said, "Harry?"

"I think he is gone again. I tried the Chinese Wall you showed me and it seems to have worked. Voldemort wanted me to give you a message though."

"I do not think we should cater to him, but if you wish."

Harry didn't reply, just lay with his brow furrowed trying to understand. His eyes studied the ceiling as though something were written there. "Who is Selene?" Harry asked.

Snape stiffened and stared at Harry. He stood then just as suddenly and paced away to stand facing the far wall. The door opened at that moment and McGonagall came in. "Everything all right?" she asked.

"Who is Selene?" Harry asked her. McGonagall's eyes went wide and she looked at Snape, actually walking over to lean around to see his face.

"He is still channeling the Dark Lord, obviously," Snape commented quietly.

"I'll take over for a while," McGonagall said. Harry could hear sympathy in her voice.

Professor Snape left with a determined stride.