Harry Potter and the Old Ones

"Do you want to make up for the Defense Against the Dark Arts class?" Zachary Smith blocked Harry in the foyer after breakfast on Saturday. He originally wanted to ask Harry about the training time of the Gryffindor House Quidditch team, but he unexpectedly After hearing the news, "Oh, Merlin, Harry, haven't you already chosen Tiera's Dark Arts class? Why do you want to learn Defense Against the Dark Arts again?"

"Well, it's because my godfather came to visit me a few days ago. You know." Harry racked his brains to compile reasons.

"Ah, I know." Zachary Smith said quickly, "Your godfather almost got into a fight with Snape."

"If Tiera hadn't stopped them, they might have really fought." Zachary Smith said unabashedly, "It's a pity that they didn't fight."

Harry:.

"But what does this have to do with you asking Snake to make up lessons?" Zachary Smith asked eagerly.

"Because my godfather doesn't allow me to attend Tiera's dark arts class. Sirius, he seems to be a little prejudiced against Tiera. He still believes that black magic will definitely stain our souls," Harry said half truthfully, half fabricated. Of course he came to Principal Dumbledore to discuss this matter that day. Although Principal Dumbledore failed to persuade him, he made him take a step back and only allowed me to attend the principles part of the Dark Arts course. I am in the practical class. If there is no way to be promoted to the Dark Arts practical class, I lack the practical credits required to join the Auror profession, so I have to find Snape's Defense Against the Dark Arts class to fill up the practical credits. And because of this Halfway through the semester, Snape refused to allow me to join his current class due to course selection regulations. So after Tiera and Principal Dumbledore took turns persuading him, he agreed to give me a separate small class. Then, Then I can get practical credit.”

"That's such a pity, that's so tragic." Zachary Smith shook his head regretfully. Apparently he also thought of his mother not allowing him to take the black magic class, but fortunately his mother would not come The school looked at him and would not go directly to Principal Dumbledore. This would be too embarrassing so that Zachary Smith could secretly take Tiera's dark arts class, which was much more interesting than Snape's.

After rejoicing for a moment, Zachary Smith asked, "Does this mean our training this afternoon will be postponed?"

Zachary Smith finally asked the question he was most concerned about. As a new member of the Gryffindor team, he was not very confident in his own strength. If it were not for the increasingly heavy courses, he would have wanted to Every minute and every second is devoted to Quidditch training.

"Ah? Oh, no, our training this afternoon is still as usual. That is, we may have to end it earlier." Harry said, "Maybe. It probably has to end at least an hour early. After all, Snape's private tutoring is still It's very energy-consuming. I have to prepare in advance and think about how to deal with him."

Harry thought of some of the books on Occlumency that Tierra had given him these days, and he felt like his head was spinning.

"Oh oh oh, that's such a pity, I wish you good luck." After Zachary Smith comforted Harry nonchalantly, Zachary Smith stopped asking in-depth questions and went to do his own business. thing.

This made Harry somewhat relieved, after all, he was really not good at compiling lies.

After sending away the nagging Zachary Smith, Harry took out the book "Occlumency: How to Close Your Brain" that Tierra had given him a few days ago and read it, looking forward to it. Use this little time to learn a little bit by yourself——

At least don't be too embarrassed by Snape at night.

How much Harry wished Tiera could be by his side now, to accompany him through this anxious and difficult time——

But for some reason, Tiera has been getting busier and busier lately.

This was something Harry noticed. Except during class, he almost never saw Tiera.

And according to Hermione's description, many Tieras were involved in the recent process of Horace Slughorn refining the Philosopher's Stone——

At least twenty Tiera rushed back from outside the castle, like bees returning to their hive, appearing in various spaces created by the Room of Requirement.

Either performing various calculations, or serving as an assistant in experiments, refining auxiliary materials for magic stones.

Although Harry spent the whole day reluctantly and depressed, time would not stop because of Harry's reluctance——

Finally, the time came to six o'clock in the evening, and even the intense and cheerful Quidditch training in the afternoon was not enough to alleviate the ominous feeling lingering in Harry's heart, and this feeling continued as he walked towards Snape's office Constantly improving every step of the way.

Harry stood outside the door for a moment, wishing he were somewhere else—

To be precise, anywhere is fine as long as it's not here.

Then Harry took a deep breath, knocked on the door, and pushed it open.

This is a dark and damp room——

Although Horace Slughorn took over the Potions class, he used his old age as an excuse to refuse to use the Potions office in the basement. Instead, he took a fancy to the Potions office on the second floor of Hogwarts Castle. An office facing the sun.

Therefore, Snape still used his original office, which was a dark and damp office in the basement.

Hundreds of glass bottles line office shelves, with slimy plant and animal specimens floating in colorful potions.

A cupboard in the corner is filled with items that Snape once——

Not unfounded - accusing Harry of stealing medicinal herbs.

But Harry's attention was drawn to the desk, where there was a shallow stone basin engraved with mysterious symbols in the candlelight.

Harry recognized it at once. It was Dumbledore's pensieve. Harry was wondering what it was doing there when Snape's cold voice came from the shadows, startling him.

"Close the door behind you, Potter."

Harry did so, feeling horrified that he had locked himself away.

Harry turned around. Snape had stepped into the light and pointed silently at the chair opposite the desk.

Harry obediently went over and sat down, and New Nep sat down as well, staring at Harry unblinkingly with his cold black eyes, disgust etched in every line on his face.

"Okay, Potter, you know what you're doing here," he said. "The Headmaster wants me to teach you Occlumency. I can only hope that you are a little smarter than you were in Potions class before."

"Yes." Harry replied without saying anything.

"This may not be an ordinary class, Potter." Snape narrowed his eyes sinisterly, "But I am still your teacher, and you must call me 'Sir' or 'Professor' at all times."

"Yes, yes, yes, sir." Harry said helplessly.

"Okay, Occlumency, as I told you in the Great Hall, this is a spell that can prevent the mind from being invaded and affected by magic." Snape stared at Harry for a while, and saw that Harry seemed With a confused look on his face, Snape said in a contemptuous tone, "I think you have figured it out by now, Potter? The Dark Lord is extremely good at Legilimency."

"What does that mean, sir?" Harry asked. Tiera often mentioned this word. It seemed to be a very bad magic, so Harry never dared to directly ask Tiera the meaning of this word, for fear of offending others. It brought back his sad memories, so when Tiera mentioned this word, Harry always pretended to understand.

Of course, Harry didn't want to ask Hermione, lest she look preachy and condescending.

Of course, Harry also thought about going to the library to check it himself, but

He always forgets.

Now that Snape had mentioned it, Harry raised his question, albeit reluctantly.

"The extraction of feelings and memories from another person's mind -" Snape explained.

"Can he read people's minds?" Harry asked immediately, and his worst worries and fears were confirmed.

"You're not paying attention, Potter," Snape said, his dark eyes flashing coldly. "You don't understand the subtle differences. That's one of the flaws that makes you mix potions so poorly."

Snape paused for a moment, clearly savoring the pleasure of humiliating Harry, apparently unaware or perhaps uncaring that Harry was already doing well in Horace Slughorn's Potions class.

Of course, Harry didn't want to contradict Snape.

Because he also wants the next course to be easier

Seemingly satisfied with Harry's silence, Snape continued, "Only Muggles talk about 'reading people's hearts.' The human heart is not a book that cannot be read at will, and thoughts are not words engraved in the skull and cannot be read. People dig in and read. The human heart is a complex, multi-layered thing, Porter—at least most minds are.”

Snape smiled, "However, people who can use Legilimency can study other people's minds and make correct interpretations under certain circumstances. For example, the Dark Lord can almost always tell when others are lying to him, but only if he is good at it Only a person with Occlumency can seal up the feelings and memories that are contradictory to lies, and lie in front of him without being discovered."

No matter what Snape said, Legilimency sounded to Harry like mind-reading, and he didn't like the sound of it at all—

Because it would remind Harry of the hurt and pain Tiera had suffered.

"Then, then, then, does he know what we are thinking now? Sir?" Potter asked with some fear.

"The Dark Lord is far away. The walls and grounds of Hogwarts are guarded by many ancient spells, ensuring the physical and mental safety of the school's personnel." Snape said, "Time and space have an impact on magic. Yes, Potter. Eye contact is often critical to Legilimency."

Snape paused and then said, "Not to mention that there is a Tiera who is following you almost every step of the way. At least for now, you are safe."

After receiving Snape's affirmation again, Harry seemed to be relieved.

Harry's performance was noticed by Snape.

"Okay, now let's get back to the course itself." Snape sneered a few times, stood up, and looked at Harry condescendingly, with an unclear smile on his lips, as if he was mocking Harry sarcastically. Reaction.

"Occlumency," Snape said, drawing his wand from his robes.

Harry's body tensed.

But Snape just raised the tip of his wand to his temple and inserted it into his greasy hair.

When he took the wand away, there was a strand of silver attached to the tip, like thick spider silk.

Snape tore it off and let it fall softly into the pensieve, where it swirled silvery white, neither gas nor liquid.

Snape raised his wand to his temple twice more and added the silver substance to the basin.

He didn't explain anything, he just carefully lifted the pensieve to the shelf next to him, then turned around and pointed his wand at Harry.

"Stand up, Potter, take out your wand, Potter." Snape said in a low voice.

Harry stood up nervously, and the two faced each other across the table.

"You can use your wand to disarm me, or any other way you can think of to defend yourself, including those playful little magics you learned from Tiera," Snape said.

"What are you going to do?" Harry asked, looking at Snape's wand fearfully and resolutely.

"I'm going to get into your brain," Snape said softly, "and we're going to see how resistant you are. I heard that you showed signs of resistance to the Defense Against the Dark Arts class taught by Barty Crouch Jr. in your fourth year. Resistance to the Imperius Curse? You will soon find that similar abilities are used here, in my office. Okay, now. Get ready.

"Legilimency!"

Snape suddenly took action before Harry could prepare to resist:

The office swayed and disappeared before his eyes. Pictures flashed through his mind like a movie. Harry could no longer see what was around him.

When he was five years old he watched Dudley ride on his new red bicycle and he was filled with jealousy.

When he was nine years old, he was driven into a tree by Aunt Peggy's guard dog Lippi. The Dursleys were laughing on the lawn. At this time, Harry's heart was filled with anger.

When Harry was eleven years old, he wore the Sorting Hat and was afraid and resisted when it said he could go to Slytherin.

There was also the despair and hysterical worry in Harry's heart when Tiera was lying in the school hospital in her second year, her body as hard as a stone sculpture, her face full of fear.

In the third grade, when he learned that Tiera had deceived him, Harry felt mixed emotions and anger like a volcano erupting in an instant.

A hundred dementors surrounded him by the dark lake

And when Tiera died.

When Tiera is resurrected.

Tiera

No, a voice in Harry's head shouted, you can't look at this, you can't look at it, this is private -

He felt a sharp pain in his knee. Returning to Snape's office, he found himself on the floor, knocking one knee hard on the leg of the table.

He looked up at Snape and saw Snape rubbing his wrist. There was a red and swollen whip mark there, like a brand.