Harry Potter and the Crystalline Darkness

Chapter 21

The next morning found Harry waiting in the Guild classroom in an agitated state. Last night, just before he fell asleep, he had remembered something he had forgotten to ask the Night Master. He whipped around as the door opened and sighed with relief as he saw Nhean enter.

"Master Nhean!" he exclaimed. "I've got to ask you something."

Nhean looked at his young apprentice with surprise then drew the agitated young man over to two of the comfortable chairs he'd had brought in for when they discussed the more theoretical sections of the training. Once they were both seated, he raised an eyebrow.

"Now, what is it you wanted to know?"

Harry paused, trying to marshal his thoughts. "Master, when I found Professor Snape after he'd collapsed because of the poison, I saw that his normal energy colours were shot through with Murky-Yellow and Black."

"Yes, I've noticed that myself," Nhean observed. "They are common colours to see in one who has been poisoned."

"Yeah, I know. I remember that bit," Harry said with a frown. "But Hermione said that this poison is a long term one. It takes a long time to build up enough to take effect and than it takes a long time to kill the person who has been poisoned."

"So I've been told," Nhean said. "So what is the problem?"

"Why didn't I see the Murky-Yellow and Black earlier?" Harry demanded. "Why didn't you? Or Jun'ko? Or Tien? I had a Potions lesson with him two days before he collapsed and there was no sign of the Murky-Yellow and Black."

Nhean looked at Harry in surprise. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, absolutely," Harry replied firmly. "I would have noticed. I noticed when the Blood Red-Brown faded after he stopped being a spy; I would have noticed the Murky-Yellow and Black if they had been there."

Nhean nodded; yes, Harry would have noticed. He knew that his apprentice was rather fascinated by the energy colours. The diminutive Night Master settled back in his seat and thought for a moment.

"Was it a magical poison in the ink?" he asked.

"I...don't know," Harry replied hesitantly. "Why? Does it make a difference?"

"Yes, it does," Nhean replied absently then he looked intently at Harry. "It must have been magical in nature; that is the only explanation for there being no change in the energy colours until the poison struck."

"What do you mean?" Harry asked curiously.

"This was a long term poison," Nhean explained. "In that it was one that has to build up to a certain level in the body before it takes any effect. Now, if the poison is magical in nature then it can effectively hide itself. Thus is makes itself invisible to nearly every kind of detection possible, including Oversight. Only when there is enough of it the body does it activate itself. Then, of course, it becomes visible to anything that might detect it."

Harry let out a ragged sigh. "Thank Merlin," he breathed. "I thought I'd missed something."

Nhean smiled sympathetically. "No, Harry, you didn't. I saw nothing either; do not blame yourself for this. Lay the blame where it ought to be, with Pansy Parkinson."

Anger flashed across Harry's face at the mention of Draco's fiancee. "I heard she was released by the Aurors," he growled.

"Harry, be calm," Nhean warned. He waited while Harry took a few deep breaths and wrestled his temper down. "Yes, she was. Apparently her father is quite influential and wealthy. He negotiated her release by saying he would see that she remains confined at home. The Aurors were reluctant to condemn someone so young to Azkaban and agreed with his suggestion."

Harry snorted with contempt. "As if her father isn't in league with Draco," he said with frustration.

"I'm sure he is," Nhean replied dryly. "But without proof, the Aurors can do nothing."

Harry grumbled under his breath. Nhean watched him with rather muted amusement then clapped his hands together. Harry gave a start and looked over at his Master.

"Come, Harry," Nhean said encouragingly. "It's time to train."

Harry gave a deep sigh then grinned at Nhean. The Night Master gestured for Harry to move into the centre of the room and they began.

*********************************************************

After his training had finished and he had cleaned up, Harry wandered down towards the dungeons, unsure if this was really what he was meant to be doing. He normally had his Potions lessons with Professor Snape at this time but he wasn't sure if they were meant to continue with the man in the condition he was. Harry wasn't going to not turn up though; if he didn't and Snape waited for him, there would be hell to pay. He wandered into the classroom and found it empty. He hesitated for a moment then knocked on the office door.

"Come in," came the snapped response and Harry carefully pushed the door open.

He walked into the office to find Professor Snape hunched in his chair behind his desk, Orinda wrapped around one wrist and hissing soothingly. The Runespoor looked over and hissed a quiet greeting to his friend.

"Hello, Professor," Harry said carefully. "Is my Potions lesson on today?"

Snape looked at him through slitted, pain-filled eyes. "Yes," he snapped. "Fetch that leather-bound book from the table over there."

Harry looked around and saw a small book lying on a side table in the office. He breathed a small sigh of relief that there was only one; he really didn't want to test the man's uncertain temper by asking him what he might consider inane questions. He grabbed the book and walked over to hand it to Snape.

"Keep it," the Potions Master said. "There is something I wish to try since Orinda found it necessary to come down here." He unwrapped the Runespoor from his wrist and handed him to Harry. "I have found that while Orinda gifted me with the ability to -speak and understand Parseltongue, I cannot translate that ability into reading Parseltongue. The book you are holding was written by the Dark Lord in Parseltongue which is the reason I know it is possible. I would like you to attempt it."

Harry hesitated. "Er, Professor, I can't read this," he said slowly. "The Oversight doesn't work that way."

"I am aware of that," Snape said impatiently. "I was speaking to Orinda before you arrived and I asked him whether it would be possible for you to use his eyes via Legilimancy."

Harry blinked and thought that one through. "But I've never tried Legilimancy. I thought you said it was difficult to learn and almost impossible to use with animals."

Snape grimaced as the pain he was living with spiked momentarily. He took a deep breath and continued. "That is why you and I will link our minds together again. I have used Legilimancy on Orinda; that is how I reached you during the battle. I will link us into Orinda's mind and then you will attempt to see through his eyes."

"Okay, sir," Harry said nervously.

He settled back in his chair until he was reasonably comfortable and then closed his eyes and slowly lowered his shields. A moment later he felt Snape's mind nudge his and then they meshed once again. The moment the mesh was complete, Harry gasped as the pain the Potions Master was suffering flooded into his mind.

*Dammit!* he heard Snape mutter mentally.

He then felt Snape trying to shield the pain. He watched that mentally for a while then when he had worked out what the other man was trying to do he joined in. Between the two of them they managed to get the pain shielded to a level that made it possible to think. Harry took a few deep breaths, wondering how Snape was even capable of sitting upright, let alone able to teach.

*Pain can be endured* came the Potions Master's thought. He had obviously been following Harry's thought. *Now shall we try this?*

*Okay* Harry replied. *What do you want me to do?*

*Nothing for the moment* Snape replied. *Let me reach Orinda.*

Harry slowly opened his eyes and watched as Snape stared at the Runespoor wrapped around Harry's wrist.

"Legilimens," he whispered and Harry felt the jolt as they other man's mind entered the serpent's mind. Then he felt Snape trying to reach him. Harry frowned as that attempt failed. He could sense that the mesh was undisturbed; it just seemed that Snape could not actually move in the mesh while he was in Orinda's mind.

As he waited, Snape tried several more times to reach him and pull him into the Runespoor's mind but each attempt failed. Finally Snape withdrew from Orinda's mind and relaxed.

*Are your shields down?* he asked irritably.

Harry swallowed his own irritation. *Yes, sir. The mesh wasn't disturbed by what you did, it just felt from my end that you were stuck while you were in Orinda's mind.*

*Yes, that was the impression I got as well* Snape replied in a disgruntled tone.

Both men suddenly winced as the pain that the Potions Master was suffering spiked again. Harry gave his head a small shake and then something occurred to him.

*Sir? Is it possible for me to see through your eyes?* he asked curiously.

Snape froze for a second then looked at Harry with surprise and shock. *You would be willing to allow the mesh to deepen that much?*

*Er, I didn't know it had to.* Harry replied. He paused for a moment to think. *But...yes, sir. I would.*

*Are you mad?* Snape said incredulously.

*I do trust you, sir.* Harry said with exaggerated patience. *I think you've saved my life too many times for me to doubt that. I think we should try it.*

Snape stared at him for a long moment, his face opaque. Then he nodded slowly. *Very well. Bring the book around here.*

Harry stood and dragged his chair around the other side of the desk, the book tucked under his arm. He sat down again and looked over at his teacher, disengaging his Oversight.

*What do we do now?*

A set of instructions filtered into his mind and Harry sorted through them. When he was certain he knew what he had to do, he looked over at the Potions Master again and nodded. As they worked through what had to be done, they both felt the mesh deepen until it seemed that they were both one yet separate. Harry had closed his eyes during this and when he now opened them again, he gasped and nearly fell out of his chair.

Snape caught him and steadied him. *What is it?* he asked with uncharacteristic concern then he too gasped as his sudden actions caused the pain to swirl around inside him. Both men sat still and closed their eyes until their respective discomforts calmed. Then Snape opened his eyes again and Harry slowly followed suit. Again Snape picked up the distinct feeling of distress from the young man sitting beside him.

*What is wrong?* he asked.

*I can see what you see* came the choked reply. *I...I...I'd almost forgotten what it was like to see.*

That last thought came as a mere whisper and Snape frowned.

*But you see as Blaze, do you not?* he asked. *And you see through Oversight.*

*Yes but that's as a wolf.* came the eventual reply. *And not that often. This is seeing. Real seeing. Not just energy fields and ghost images.*

Snape thought that perhaps he understood a little of what Harry meant and he slowly began to look around the room. When he got to where Orinda lay curled up on the desk, Harry gasped.

*So beautiful.* came the admiring comment and Harry's lips curled in a delighted smile.

"I see you. You are beautiful," he hissed in Parseltongue to his Runespoor.

Orinda hissed in delight and curved up to look at Harry. "Harry sees?" the left hand head hissed questioningly. "How is that possible, Sightless One?"

"I see through Snape's eyes," Harry explained.

Orinda cocked his three heads to one side, looking amusingly curious. "You see through Black Snape's eyes? How odd," the left hand head said. The right hand head undulated on its neck. "They are human," it hissed sourly. "Everything they do is odd."

Harry laughed at Orinda's comment and Snape's lips twitched momentarily. The Potions Master then sighed.

*Harry.* was all he said though.

Harry sighed. *Yes, sir.*

He opened the book and placed it on the desk in front of Snape. The Potions Master looked at the page and Harry frowned.

*I think it's some kind of journal, sir.* he said after a few minutes. *Do you want me to try reading it aloud?*

*If you wouldn't mind, Mr Potter.* came Snape's reply.

Harry paused. *Give me a minute, sir. I've never tried reading in Parseltongue and speaking normally before.*

*Speak in Parseltongue then, idiot boy.* Snape said with exasperation. *Your Runespoor gave me the ability to understand it.*

Harry laughed ruefully. *I forgot.* He frowned and began to read in the hissing tones of Parseltongue.

My investigations into how the Potter boy managed to destroy my physical body have come to a standstill. I have many theories but each seems more fantastic than the last. How could a boy barely a year old destroy my physical form like that? I must be wary of him; such power is remarkable and quite dangerous. In some ways I am reluctant to use the Killing Curse on the boy again. Is it worth the risk that the protection from his Muggleborn mother would once again guard him in such a fashion? Though I now share in that protection somewhat, it is nothing compared to what surrounds the boy. No, the Killing Curse cannot be risked. The boy will have to be disposed of in far more mundane means.

*Enough!* Snape barked through the link, his distaste clear. *I do not think we need to hear what his plans for you were.*

Harry nodded his agreement and Snape flipped through the book slowly as Harry glanced briefly over each page, summing up what was on it.

*Wait!* he said urgently. *This page seems to deal with the crystal magic.*

*Ah!* Snape said with interest. He leaned forward then collapsed back in his chair as the pain suddenly overwhelmed his shielding and flashed through them both. Snape struggled with it and slowly managed to wrestle it down once again.

*Sir? Perhaps we should do this after you take the antidote.* Harry said carefully. *We know it works and I don't think this is so urgent that you need to...to...suffer like this.*

*I thought you were adamant that Draco was going to make a move against you?* Snape said irritably.

*He is but I don't think it's going to happen in the next three weeks.* Harry replied patiently. *It'll be in the new year sometime and we'll have time after Hermione's brewed the antidote to finish this.*

Harry felt Snape hesitate for a long moment.

*Sir, the more you rest the more you will be able to keep to your normal schedule.* Harry suggested.

Snape looked at him sourly, causing Harry to flinch as he saw himself through the other man's eyes. Snape muttered under his breath and loosened the mesh enough so that Harry could no longer see through his eyes.

"That was very Slytherin of you, Mr Potter," he said archly as he dissolved the mesh entirely.

Harry sighed as he re-engaged his Oversight. "Well, the Sorting Hat did want to put me in Slytherin," he said sadly.

"So you have mentioned before," Snape replied with a smirk then his expression softened fractionally. "You will have other opportunities to see through my eyes, Mr Potter."

"Thank you, sir," Harry replied softly.

The Potions Master stiffened and grimaced. "Now go," he said shortly.

Harry nodded and dragged his chair back around the desk and grabbed his cane before making his way out of the office. He was feeling very odd about what had happened. The diary was confronting enough but being able to see again, albeit through another's eyes, had left him feeling unbalanced and out of sorts. He didn't really feel like going back to the Tower nor did he really want to discuss this with Remus and Sirius. He stopped and dithered for a minute in the middle of the corridor then decided to head for the Room of Requirement.

He was just walking up and down the corridor outside the Room when he realized that someone was watching him. He finished his pacing then looked up to see who it was as the door to the Room of Requirement appeared.

"Mind if I join you?" Ginny asked quietly.

Harry shook his head and opened the door, gesturing for Ginny to precede him. The Room had manifested itself into a small cozy sitting room with a large comfortable couch in front of a fireplace. Harry slumped down on the couch and let his cane fall to the floor. Ginny made a small sound and picked it up and leaned it against the arm of the couch. She then sat down next to Harry and took one of his hands in hers. She slowly entwined their fingers together before curling up on the couch and leaning against her boyfriend. Harry responded absently by curling an arm around her and pulling her close. They sat like that for a long time, both just staring into space. Ginny did not want to push Harry; obviously something was wrong but if she pushed he might just withdraw further into himself. So she was content to wait, knowing there was a good chance that given time to think a bit, he might just tell her.

"Professor Snape asked me to try and read a journal he had," Harry said into the silence. "It was written by Voldemort."

Ginny gave a small start; she had fallen into almost a trance. "Why did you have to read it?" she asked softly.

"Because it's written in Parseltongue."

Ginny frowned. "I thought that Professor Snape understands Parseltongue now."

"He speaks it and he understands it but he can't read it," Harry explained.

"Oh, why's that?" Ginny asked with interest.

Harry shrugged. "I'm not sure. Maybe because he was given Parseltongue by Orinda somehow." He snorted. "I've asked him about that and I can never get a straight answer out of the wretched creature." Harry's tone was affectionate. "Anyway, Runespoors can't read so maybe that's why Professor Snape can't read Parseltongue."

"But you can?"

"Mmmhmm," Harry replied.

Ginny paused. "Um, Harry? How?" she said hesitantly.

Harry stiffened and Ginny gently squeezed his hand. The young man slowly relaxed and sighed.

"He...Professor Snape thought I might be able to use Orinda's eyes to read the book since Hermione's little device won't work on it." Harry gave a small laugh. "It doesn't understand Parseltongue."

"It sounds like that didn't exactly work though," Ginny said shrewdly.

Harry sighed. "No, not exactly. I haven't learnt Legilimancy and it's not easy to use on an animal anyway." He paused. "Actually you're not supposed to use it on an animal at all. Their minds are very different from ours and it's possible to get lost in their minds."

"So you weren't able to read the journal," Ginny said, knowing that she was wrong but wanting to prompt Harry into continuing.

"Erm, well, actually I was," he said uncomfortably and Ginny realized they had arrived at the matter that Harry so unsettled.

"How?" she asked gently.

Harry was silent for a long moment then he spoke in a barely audible voice. "We...Professor Snape and I meshed again to try and see if I could see through Orinda's eyes. When that didn't work, I suggested that perhaps I could use Professor Snape's eyes." He paused again for a moment. "We had to deepen the mesh which was...a little odd. I mean, we had to go pretty deep when we first meshed. You know, really get to know each other but this was...different." His voice trailed off.

"Did you succeed?" Ginny asked, not sure if she was worried or interested in this.

"Yes," Harry whispered. "I was able to...see through Professor Snape's eyes."

Harry fell silent again and Ginny wasn't sure what to say.

"I saw Orinda," Harry said softly, a small smile curving his lips. "He's beautiful."

Ginny smiled as well. "I know. I'm glad you were able to see him properly."

Harry suddenly turned and looked at her, running his free hand down the side of her face.

"I wish I could have seen you," he said intently.

Ginny blushed and leaned into the caressing hand. "I don't think Professor Snape would agree to that," she said lightly.

Harry chuckled. "No, probably not. I doubt I'd want to stop at just looking and he wouldn't like that much at all."

Ginny's blush deepened and she leaned forward and kissed Harry. The young man slid his hand around her neck and into her hair, deepening the kiss. When they finally pulled apart, both of them were rather breathless. Harry gently rested his forehead against hers, his hand still buried in her hair, and they stayed like that for a while. Then Harry gently extracted his hand and they slowly settled back on the couch.

"What was in the journal?" Ginny asked idly as she traced patterns on the back of Harry's hand.

"Voldemort's plans on how to kill me," Harry said with a trace of impishness.

"What?" Ginny gasped.

Harry's lips twitched. "They were old plans, Ginny. Besides Professor Snape wouldn't let me read too much about them. I think he thought that would be a bit distasteful."

"Good for him," Ginny said in a disgruntled tone. "Don't scare me like that."

"Sorry," Harry said in a contrite tone. "Most of the journal was just Voldemort's thoughts and plans but it looks like there some information on the crystal magic he was using last year."

"Really?" Ginny said. "What exactly?"

"We didn't really get into that," Harry admitted. "Professor Snape's in a lot of pain. I got to feel a bit of it through the mesh. How he's managing to stay upright is beyond me. I suggested we come back to this after Hermione finishes the antidote. We know it works and it's not that urgent."

"You're worried about him," Ginny observed.

Harry paused. "Yeah, I guess I am," he said slowly. "I know it sounds odd considering how he's treated me in the past."

"He doesn't treat you like that now," Ginny pointed out.

"Yeah I know. And when I've spoken to him in private he generally treats me like an adult." Harry paused. "I like that you know. He's still sarcastic and snide even then but it's much funnier and less personal. I think that's just the way he works, his personality, his sense of humour." Harry's tone had turned musing.

Ginny chuckled. "You realize that if you'd said this two years ago, we'd have thought you'd lost your mind."

Harry laughed as well. "Well, I guess both of us have changed a bit since then."

"Yes, you have," Ginny said soberly. She looked at Harry and abruptly decided that she wanted to change the mood. "But enough about that," she said mock-sternly. "Here we are in this lovely room, just the two of us with a very comfy couch. You're not going to waste this opportunity, are you, Mr Potter?"

Harry looked bewildered for a second then he slowly began to grin. He wrapped his arms around Ginny and lowered his head so that they were almost nose to nose.

"And just what did you have in mind, Miss Weasley?" he said in a soft, low voice.

"Use your imagination," Ginny breathed.