Harry Potter and the Power of Emotions

Chapter 12: Confrontation at Hogwarts

Harry's class was eager to do their homework now that it was set by a normal student, just like the rest of them. The fear of what had happened to Hermione during the lesson frightened them all. They didn't want it to happen to them also. The fact that Harry seemed to have concurred it and didn't seem affected by it, made them all think they could concur this ability also.

Luna, who had heard about the lesson wanted to know how it went, and if the rumour was true that Snape had penetrated Hermione's mind.

"Yeah," replied Harry, "I don't know what he found out though. I have a suspicion, but I don't know it for sure yet."

"You want to confront Hermione with it first, I suspect," said Luna.

"That's indeed my plan, as she's the only one I can ask about, is it?" Harry answered rather more crudely than he wanted.

Luna was still holding his hand despite of her boyfriend's crude answer. It was as if she wouldn't let go of it. It was almost as if she sensed that soon something would be happening to him that was life-threatening. Could hacking into Voldemort's mind be life-threatening? He knew Voldemort had the unfortunate habit of luring him into a trap. It would be nice if he could judge whether something was a trap or not. Sadly for him, the only one that could help him at this point was professor Snape. He was spying on Voldemort for the Order and could thus tell whether it was truly a vision, or just something planted into his mind by Lord Voldemort.

Harry Put his arms around Luna and kissed her twice on the forehead. It was if saying: "I'll be alright, my love. I will be alright!" Even though he wasn't too sure about that himself. But he sure was glad that Luna was his girlfriend.

***

As soon as Harry could get Hermione alone, he asked her what he had meant to ask her, ever since he had heard Snape's argument with Draco.

"Have you been kissing Malfoy again in the Room of Requirement?" asked Harry.

"No," said Hermione in a small squeaky voice, so unlike her usual voice. Harry knew she was lying.

"I know you're lying, Hermione," said Harry.

"You... you already know Legilmency?" stammered Hermione in reply.

"Off course not. Draco told me," said Harry, "or rather Snape did."

"He has no right," said Hermione indignantly.

"Oh, he has. He's head of Slytherin House and therefore he's allowed to tell anything to the students in his own House," said Harry. "He forbids Draco to meet you, outside lessons, or he'll get detention for a month. I will do the same with you. You're hurting Ron! He DOESN'T have the emotional range of a teabag, he just doesn't want to talk about his feelings."

"And who are you to decide, what I should feel?" cried Hermione angry.

"I am a teacher, and I do not decide what you should feel! Brake up with both, or at least one, because this can't continue," said Harry calmly. He had learned a lot in the last year about controlling his temper. "It can't continue, because we must be friends and nothing more, in order to save the school and our lives. We must stick together. This is not good, because you'll get the whole of Gryffindor House on your neck, when this gets out. Just like Malfoy will get Slytherin House on his neck when it comes out. Malfoy you must know is a coward. He's oh, so brave when Crabbe and Goyle are with him, but on his own, he's just a scared little boy," preached Harry.

"There is nothing little about Draco," said Hermione, "and how do you know he's scared?"

"That's easy. A lot of things have happened when he wasn't with Crabbe or Goyle that clearly speak that he's scared. He feels strengthened by the company of his friends. I guess, if you take Crabbe, Goyle and his dad away, Malfoy is likeable enough," said Harry.

Harry just thought of something as he said this to Hermione. If he really learned Legilmency, he could feed Voldemort bogus information, information about how Lucius Malfoy sold him out to the Order. Voldemort would kill Lucius and then Draco wouldn't be so cocky and such a show off. If he would do this, he knew that his scar would be burning like mad. It would all be worth it, his life would become so much easier. But still, wouldn't he feel guilty afterwards, because he had indirectly killed a man? And perhaps Draco would react otherwise than he thought, blaming Harry right away, just like Snape used to do.

For now he had to rest his plan, he didn't know Legilmency. His guess was his Shield Charm wouldn't always work to rebound Leglimency and turn it upon its caster. He needed a better and stronger shield, he needed to become nearly immortal. But then again he almost was. The only one, who was able to kill him was Voldemort. Maybe he could use Voldemort's own power against him in order to defeat him and then go in for the kill. He knew his Unforgivable Curses were weak, he had used the Cruciatus Curse on Bellatrix Lestrange last year in the Department of Mysteries. It was nothing short of a mere tickling spell and Bellatrix was nothing compared to Voldemort himself.

***

Harry had walked out of the now empty classroom, where he had confronted Hermione. A high-pitched voice suddenly filled the whole of Hogwarts with his voice: "Hello students! For who don't know my voice, I'm Lord Voldemort! This castle is going to be levelled up, if Harry Potter doesn't come outside now! Where I can kill him properly!"

Harry sprinted towards the Entrance. Before the school stood indeed a long thin man in black robes. He had gleaming red eyes and slits for nostrils. It was indeed Voldemort himself.

"Tom Riddle!" said Harry calmly. "Why come here and kill me when Dumbledore is so near?"

"Dumbledore wishes not to kill me, he can't. He's just a fool who loves his students too much!" Voldemort vanished.

Harry knew what was coming. He focused his whole heart and mind upon those people he loved the most. Instantly the faces of Luna, Ron, Hermione, Sirius, Lupin and his parents flew clearly into view. He had formed a shield of loving memories around him. A shield that Voldemort couldn't penetrate.

As Voldemort tried to get through the shield Harry cried: "Expelliarmus!"

Voldemort's wand flew high up in the sky, way out of his grasp. Voldemort was now wandless and unable to possess Harry.

"Accio wand," said Harry. Voldemort's wand flew into his own.

"Crucio," he called. Voldemort twitched in pain as he was hit with the curse from his own wand.

"I will not kill you just now, but I'm not going to give you back your wand. You want to kill me, I accept that. But it's more fun when you face a full-grown and fully-trained wizard, is it Tom?" asked Harry.

"Indeed," sneered Voldemort.

"Come back again in a year and a half," Harry said. He turned around. "Oh, and send my greetings to Wormtail, he owes me one!"

Harry said with a hint of a laugh in his voice. Voldemort was enraged at the fact that Harry could laugh at his attempts to kill him, but he fled all the same.

Harry knew why Voldemort had fled. He had embarrassed him, by not willing to kill him when he had the chance. "Voldemort would have a long think about that one," said Harry walking back to the castle with a broad smile on his face!