Shadow Phoenix
Legilimency, Occlumency and Mind-Seals
@ April: Yes, he does.
@ Talonhunter3 (The Ninja): Yes, that's my (online) name. You don't have to worry about me stopping to write and post this fanfic. You however have to worry about it's posting slowing down once it's reached where I write at the moment.
@ GhostwriterMO: No problem mate, health goes first. I do want you to review my story, but It wouldn't do, if you forget to take care of yourself because of it. Harry heared neighter of these sayings, but he knows them anyway. In his hearth at least and that's where it's important.
@ firelordeg: Well, to be exact, Harry destroys these soul fragments and uses them to increase his power further, but the soul stealing power only enables him to steal the fragments out of Voldies Horcruxes...
And yes, he'll become a real parsel mouth. You know... forever is a long time and Harry would tell you, he's no immortal, but... honestly? Try to kill a phoenix. It's possible... but very difficult because of their powers and you've to 'kill' them twice, for the first time they get reborn. hehe
Harry will die of old age... at 500 or so... but just to get reborn as joung adult again.
He didn't try to become immortal. Not at all, but he's got a lot nearer to it, than Voldie, don't you think?
Betaed by Raina.
C22: Legilimency, Occlumency and Mind-Seals
A week and a half later, Neville's parents had both shown progress. They had repeated Harry's treatment on Frank, this time observed by several healers who had promised to keep Harry's involvement a secret. Afterwards, he had travelled back to Grimmauld Place accompanied by Moody, Tonks, Molly and Arthur, who was finally healed.
The Healers had, after many failures, managed to create an antidote to the snake's venom. In the process of doing so they had run out of Phoenix tears several times over.. After hearing of the delays caused by this shortage Harry had visited in his phoenix form and donated as many tears as he could, to the delight of the Healers on duty.
When they arrived, everyone welcomed Arthur heartily. After welcoming him back, Sirius turned to Harry.
“Snape wants to talk to you,” he told his godson. “He's waiting in the kitchen.”
“What could he want from you?” Hermione asked.
“There's only one way to find out.” Harry replied and went with Sirius into the kitchen. The Potions Master sat on the table, drinking tea.
“Snape.” Harry addressed his teacher.
“It's Professor Snape for you, Potter! Besides, I ought to meet you alone.”
“I'm his godfather and I don't trust you. I won’t let you alone with him in my home.”
“Well... seeing as this is likely the only time in half a year you feel useful, I'll permit it.” Snape said with a grin on his face.
Sirius sat himself at the table, growling low and staring at Snape. Harry sat down on the chair beside his godfather, facing his teacher across the table.
“Dumbledore wants you to study Occlumency this term..” Snape informed Harry.
“He wants me to learn how to shield my mind?” Harry asked. “I don't think this will be necessary.”
“You don't decide, on what is or isn’t necessary. Dumbledore wants you to learn it and for me to teach it to you. Neither of us has a choice.”
“I do have a choice.” Harry disagreed. “But, if you agree to make a bet on this, I'll consider learning Occlumency from you.”
“What kind of bet?” Snape asked annoyed.
“You're capable of Legilimency. If you're able to teach me Occlumency, I want you to use it on me. If you see a single memory of mine from after my eleventh Birthday, I'll let you teach me Occlumency. If you only find memories from before I turned eleven, you'll teach me Legilimency. Deal?”
“Do you really think, you could hide your memories from me?” Snape asked grinning wide.
“I don't think this is a good idea, Harry...” Sirius told him.
“If he can break my Mind-Seals, I need to learn Occlumency anyway.” Harry answered. “If he can't...” Now Harry was grinning wide.
He handed his wand to Sirius then turned back to his teacher.
“Deal?” He asked.
“Deal.” Snape accepted, drew his own wand and pointed it at Harry. “Legilimens!” They were in Harry's mind.
It was like meditation for Harry, with the difference of Snape being there and searching through his memories. He didn't seem to notice the Seals and the memories they contained. Harry let him search and observed him.
Dudley bullying him … him sleeping in the cupboard under the stairs … the Dursleys forcing him to work as much as he could … Freak … Freak … Freak.
He didn't know how often he remembered them calling him a bloody Freak. He was well beyond caring anyway. Slowly Snape was getting more and more impatient.
As he started emitting the feeling Harry began to hear Snape’s thoughts.
'Another old one... where are these memories? And why the hell didn't Potter kick me out of his mind already? He doesn't resist at all...'
'I can 'kick' you out of my mind any time I want, Snape. But we had a deal. So I don't.' Harry whispered within his mind.
'You can hear my thoughts?' his professor asked.
'You just think to loud.' He answered him. 'Shouldn't you be searching for something? But if you want to give up...'
'I don't give up that easily!' Snape got back to searching the unsealed memories within his mind.
He went further and further into the past, till he found a memory Harry didn't even know he had. It was his mother looking at him lovingly. He was so captured by it himself, that he needed a whole minute to realise the emotions coming from Snape.
Longing, sadness, loss, guilt, lust and love... deep love.
Every emotion contained just one thought.
'Lily...'
'Lily... '
'Lily...'
Harry got curious.
Snape was in love with Lily Potter, Harry's mother?
'Lily Evans...'
No, he realised. Snape had been in love with her, even before she chose James Potter. He just never stopped loving her. Harry was drawn in by those deep emotions.
The next thing he knew, he was in Snape's mind. He didn't loose any time. He might not know why he suddenly was inside his teachers head, but he decided to use the opportunity anyway. He resisted invading his more private memories and concentrated on his knowledge of spells and potions.
He copied anything he thought useful and put it into a sealed area of his own mind, not really knowing how he did it. He was just about to turn his attention to some private memories he was longing to see, when he suddenly was sucked back into his own mind.
Snape was suddenly using Occlumency, because he stumbled upon what Harry had searched for every night. The part of Voldemort’s rotten soul that was housed inside Harry.
'Thank you for finding it... I searched for it a long time...' Harry whispered in his thoughts, before he began to seal the piece of foreign soul.
Not once, but seal over seal over seal. He placed hundreds of seals around it, containing it, to make sure it couldn't get free again. Afterwards he put a single seal around his remaining memories and one around everything. Then he turned his attention back to Snape.
'I'll give you a reward for finding it for me, Professor..’ Harry whispered in his mind. 'But we have to go to reality again, now.'
He didn't kick or push Snape out. He drew him out, gently. They were back in reality. Both still sitting on their chairs.
Slowly Snape lowered his wand. Harry smiled before he burst into black flames and was gone.
A second later he reappeared, again in black flames. He put an empty pensive in front of Snape.
“What...?” began Snape to ask, but Harry already raised his hand.
His wand flew out of Sirius’ hand and returned to its master. Harry touched his temple with the tip, before he put a memory into the pensive.
“It's just a copy of my memory.” Harry explained. “But it's your reward for finding the wretched, miserable, pathetic excuse for a broken part of a rotten soul that Voldemort left within me, when he failed to kill me.”
“What?” Sirius asked shocked. “There is a part of Voldemort’s soul within you?”
“Yes, but he doesn't know yet... All he knows is that we have a connection. And now that I've sealed that part of him inside me, I have more control over this connection than he does.”
“And I began to wonder, why the two of you were doing this mind reading thing for a whole hour...”
“Now about you teaching me Legilimency...” Harry began to Snape.
“I didn't give up yet!” Snape claimed. “Legilimens!” Nothing happened.
“I fear, this wont work on me any more...” Harry mentioned. “While you've been occupied with my memories, I've been able to seal all of my mind. You can't get in any more.” The Potion Master was shocked.
“But back to the bet. I don't need you to teach it to me any more.” he said.
“What? Why?”
“Well... It's the fault of the memory I've given you a copy of really... It distracted you enough for me to get into your mind....”
“You did what?” Sirius and Snape said in unison.
“I was in your mind and looked for memories of spells and potions... unfortunately I didn't have enough time to look for anything else, but it's enough. I already know one of your secrets...” Harry pointed at the pensive.
“I know what you felt, when you saw this memory. You wouldn't be on her murderer's side. That's all I need to know. I trust you now Severus Snape.” Harry hesitated a moment, before he added: "I might even some day be able to like you enough to be your friend... if you change your behaviour."
With a flash of black flame, he was gone and left two shocked men behind. Sirius was the first to recover from it.
“What kind of memory is in there?” he asked..
“That's none of your concern, mutt.” The Potion Master replied, took the pensive as if it was something very precious and fragile and left.
Sirius Black couldn't help himself but laugh.
For the first time in so long, he felt sure they would win.