"Do what, Professor? You're going to try to expel me? For being attacked by you? Don't bother sending me to the Headmaster, Snape. I'm going there already." Harry gathered his brewing equipment, packing quickly, and strode out the door. As soon as he was in the hallway, he ran straight for Dumbledore's office. He could hear a shout of "Detention, Potter!" echo from the dungeons.
When he got to the gargoyle that guarded Dumbledore's office, he realized he didn't know the password. "Um... Lemon drop? Sugar quill? Honeydukes chocolate? Bernie Bott's Every Flavour Beans? Bernie Bott's Earwax Flavour Beans?"
"For future reference, Mr. Potter, I do prefer my password to be sweets that I enjoy." Professor Dumbledore was standing right behind him. "The password for today is Cockroach Cluster. Now, please, step into my office. Is there something you'd like to discuss?"
As they walked into Dumbledore's office, he sat behind his desk while Harry took a seat in front of him. Fawkes trilled in greeting.
"Hello, Fawkes!" Harry waved to the phoenix. The sight of the majestic bird always managed to lift his spirits. Turning to Dumbledore, he began recalling what had just happened in Potions. "Potions class was... well, it was pretty standard for what Snape teaches."
"Professor Snape, Harry. Do continue."
"Sorry. Well, just after Professor Snape vanished my potion, he looked at me straight in the eyes. I suddenly felt that I couldn't look away, and felt something in my mind, trying to grab at my memories. I think he was searching for something about Sirius. I managed to break away before he could get anything. That's when I left the classroom and decided to come to you. He may have given me detention for it, too, but I didn't stick around long enough to hear it."
A look of astonishment managed to cross Dumbledore's face for a second before returning to his kind, grandfatherly expression. "You're saying you felt Professor Snape probe your mind? And you managed to fend him off?"
"Yes, sir." Harry was growing agitated. Didn't Dumbledore care about what Snape had done to him? This had to be against the rules... if there were rules about this, at least. Harry wasn't sure about that. "It certainly felt like he was invading my privacy," he said with a scowl.
Dumbledore straightened up. "Harry, rest assured that what Professor Snape did to you was most certainly not proper conduct for a professor of Hogwarts. I will have words with him about this. I have one request, however."
"What is it, professor?"
"I would like to test your mental shields. Please trust that I will not take anything from you that you do not wish to give me. I only want to see the strength of your defences."
Harry thought for a moment. Professor Dumbledore can do that too? Well, at least he's more trustworthy than the greasy git. "Very well, Headmaster," he said as he looked straight into Dumbledore's eyes. He immediately felt some tendrils sweeping around his mental barriers, much more gentle than the prodding he felt from Snape. He felt more and more pressure from them, however, but just before he felt his shields crack, the tendrils retreated.
"Very interesting, Mr. Potter. Where did you learn to do this?" Professor Dumbledore's eyes were twinkling merrily.
"I'm not sure, sir. I didn't know I could do that until Professor Snape invaded my mind this afternoon."
Professor Snape burst into the room at that moment, his face red with anger. "Albus, that boy is not to be trusted! He is keeping secrets- dark secrets. He couldn't have learned Occlumency on his own! He must have helped that convict Black escape!"
Occlumency? thought Harry. The word triggered a flood of emotions and images in his head, but he kept silent.
Professor Dumbledore stood up to face Professor Snape. "Severus, you will calm down this instant. Harry Potter has not wronged you in any way. If you do not learn to let go of your old grudges, Severus, they will only haunt you for the rest of your life." Turning to Harry, he said, "You may go, and your detention has been cancelled. I will need to have some private discussions with Professor Snape."
Harry Potter left the office, confident that he had actually won a battle against Snape, for once.
Harry caught up to Hermione, who was making her way back to Gryffindor Tower. She was still making a point of ignoring Ron, and made a beeline for Harry when she saw him. "Harry! What did you do? What did Professor Snape do?"
Harry grabbed her wrist, quickly whispering "I'll tell you all about it, in the chamber." Hermione's eyes widened, and she quickly followed.
As soon as they passed through the chamber's doors, Harry quickly turned to Hermione and asked her, "Do you remember Occlumency?"
Hermione was startled by the question. "Occlumency? No... wait, yes! I do remember doing Occlumency! What does this have to do with... oh, Harry! Is that what Professor Snape was doing to you this afternoon? He was attempting to enter your mind?"
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