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Author: RdeHwyll Story: Harry Potter and the Rampage of Ages Rating: Teens Setting: AU Status: WIP Reviews: 6 Words: 92,749
After the Potions lesson, Ron, Harry and Hermione headed for their next lessons, talking among themselves about the incident. “Well, at least Snape didn’t take any points away from those who followed the wrong formula,” said Hermione. “If he had done that, I would have registered a complaint with Professor Dumbledore.” “What do you think the Bloody Baron did to Peeves?” asked Ron. “I don’t want to know,” replied Harry. “But I’m sure happy to not be on the receiving end of whatever it was.” “Well, I’m off to Arithmancy--see you at lunch, Ron?” “I’ll be waiting,” he replied. Hermione gave him a quick buss on the cheek and ducked into the next corridor. “I’ve got History of Magic next, Harry--what do you have?” “Occlumency with Professor Dumbledore.” “I thought you finally learned how to do that, didn’t you?” asked Ron. “I can do it most of the time, but there are still times when I fail to block Professor Dumbledore. This is mostly just practice of the technique.” “Well it sounds more exciting than sitting through one of Professor Binns’ lectures,” sighed Ron. “I still have to learn what he teaches,“ explained Harry. “Since I won’t be able to attend the lesson, I have to cover what he teaches on my own. Think I can borrow your notes? That is, if you don’t fall asleep during the lesson…” grinned Harry as Ron’s ears turned red. The two friends parted company at the stairway on the second floor, Ron down a corridor and Harry continuing upward to Professor Dumbledore’s office. “Harry, wait up!” came a cry from behind him as he reached the statue of the griffin that guarded the revolving stairway. Harry looked back to see Ginny running after him, her red hair blowing back over her shoulders. “What are you doing here? Don’t you have any lessons?” asked Harry when she caught up with him. Ginny smiled, replying, “Of course I have a lesson to attend--the same one you do. I asked Professor Dumbledore if I could add Occlumency and Legilimency studies to my O.W.L.s this year, and he agreed. That way, I’ll be able to qualify for a better position at the Ministry when I leave school.” “Oh… Are you sure you want Professor Dumbledore looking at your memories?” “I don’t mind--besides, he’ll probably be letting me practice with you, so I’ll have to learn Occlumency all the faster to keep you from learning what I’m thinking--and of course with Legilimency, I’ll be learning all of your deep dark secrets, too,” she chuckled mischievously. Harry returned her smile, but felt a sudden apprehension at the thought of letting her see some of the things he had been thinking--like on his birthday when he had seen her in her new bathing suit or in the apple orchard when she… “Erm, uh--yeah.” Harry wondered if he was blushing and earnestly hoped he was not. “Sherbet Lemon,” he announced, and the griffin slid out of the way. As they reached the door at the top of the revolving stairway, Harry knocked and waited for Professor Dumbledore to admit them. A moment later, he felt a memory exposing itself and quickly threw up his mental wall, preventing Dumbledore from taking that memory. Ginny, on the other hand, began to slump to the floor, with Harry quickly grasping her arm and holding her upright as the Professor’s office door opened. “Well done, Harry--you blocked me completely. Help Miss Weasley to that chair by my desk. It seems she was quite unprepared,” Professor Dumbledore said as he stepped out of the doorway to allow entry. Harry did as asked, settling Ginny into the seat indicated as she seemed to revive. “Wh-what happened?” she asked, looking around wildly. When she saw Professor Dumbledore, her cheeks flamed scarlet and she was unable to meet his gaze. Harry noted that the Headmaster also looked a bit embarrassed and wondered what memory he had seen. “Erm, well, yes--To work now,” said Dumbledore as he cleared his throat and sat down behind the desk. Harry sat in the other seat, next to Ginny, who seemed reluctant to look at him as well, her cheeks still quite rosy. “Miss Weasley, I’m assuming that was your first experience with Legilimency, was it not?” asked Dumbledore. Ginny nodded an affirmative. “Do you see now why such importance is placed on the character of those who are taught to use it?” “Yes,” she replied. “It would be quite easy to exploit a person’s weakness or to find information with which to coerce them.” “Exactly. For example, what I learned from your memories --” the aged wizard began. “No, Professor!” Harry interrupted as Ginny once more flushed red. “Please don’t. Ginny has the right to keep her thoughts private--you can’t share them.” “--are private thoughts, not meant to be shared or discussed with just anyone. Please rest assured that your thoughts are safe with me,” Dumbledore continued as if he hadn’t been uninterrupted, but now smiling gently. “Are you willing to do the same for others?” “Yes, Professor. Legilimency is not something I take lightly. You have my word that I shall be both discreet and sparing in its use,” Ginny promised solemnly. “Not too sparing, I hope--you must make the attempt to use it as well as block it out, you know.” Ginny paused and looked at Harry before replying. “Professor, is it possible that Legilimency does not need a spell to work?” Dumbledore blinked. “Why do you ask?” “I--I’m just curious. It was something I found in my reading that piqued my curiosity.” “I see,” replied the Headmaster. “Well, there have been a few recorded instances where two, three or four individuals apparently developed such a deep rapport that they found they could detect the surface thoughts of each other. Mind you, it is not common in the least--I’m quite certain that there have been no recorded instances of the phenomena in well over a hundred years--and those parties involved had either worked together or were on extremely… shall we say, intimate?--terms for many years before they became aware of it.” Dumbledore watched Ginny quite closely as he explained. “What about the Brothers Questari of Corsica in the 1830‘s--weren’t they reported to be so close to one another that they actually experienced the pain of injury if the other were hurt?” Ginny pushed for an answer. “So it was rumoured, Miss Weasley.” “Then, is it possible that caring for the well-being of another person might make such a connection occur?” “I believe it could be possible, yes,” replied Dumbledore, nodding gravely. Ginny continued, “If such a connection were to occur, would it be possible for one to block the spell with Occlumency when the other uses Legilimency to glean information from the first’s mind?” Professor Dumbledore pondered the thought for several seconds before answering. “What you suggest would seem to be possible--but you must remember that you are stating a set of circumstances so low in probability that there are no records that it has ever happened, and seems quite unlikely to ever occur.” Ginny nodded, but Harry caught her giving him a sidelong glance. “One more question, please--can we make the arrangements for supervision as Harry tries to help me learn to throw off the Imperius Curse?” “Of course, Miss Weasley. Would you prefer morning or evening?” “Harry?” Ginny waited for his decision. “The hour before breakfast would be good--if that’s all right with you, Ginny.” “Do you believe once a week would be sufficient?” asked Professor Dumbledore. “Both Professor McGonagall and myself are available at that hour on Tuesdays and Thursdays--your choice of day.” “Tuesdays, Harry?” Ginny looked at him with a hopeful expression. “That day is fine by me,” he replied. “May we start next week?” “Of course. Just let me make a note of that…“ The Headmaster wrote a note to himself on the blotter on his desk. “That is enough discussion for now,” he announced as he finished writing. “You are here to learn Occlumency. Miss Weasley, you attended some of the sessions I held with Harry at The Burrow--did you manage to glean any knowledge from those sessions?” “Some, Professor. I understand the theory, I believe, but now having experienced the reality I’m not quite sure I understand the mechanics,” Ginny stated. “Then let me review,” Professor Dumbledore began. “Occlumency is the method of blocking the attempt to discern a person’s thoughts and memories through Legilimency. It is most easily achieved when the intended victim remains in a state of readiness. Achieving that readiness will be the focus of today’s lesson. First, you must clear your mind--you must determine your method of doing so. I, for example, maintain a mental image of an empty room filled with thick fog.” Ginny nodded understanding. “Mr Potter, on the other hand, uses the image of a blank brick wall--is that not so, Harry?” “Yes, Professor. I also imagine it as completely constructed, dropping into place when needed,” Harry answered, thinking that any information he could share with Ginny would help. “Shall we begin, Miss Weasley?” asked the Headmaster. “Close your eyes and try to empty your mind.” Harry watched Ginny do as instructed, then followed suit, mentally dropping his wall into place. “Legilimens!” Harry felt Professor Dumbledore’s mental assault hit the brick wall and rebound, though this time it felt different than usual--weaker in intensity, less focused. “A good first attempt, Miss Weasley,” he heard the Headmaster say, and opened his eyes. Ginny was sitting back in her chair, rubbing at her temples with both hands as though in pain while Professor Dumbledore sat and watched, hands clasped on the desk before him. “Ginny?” Harry reached out to touch her arm. “I-it wasn’t as bad as last time,” she said. “Professor Dumbledore didn’t seem to go as - as deep into my memories this time.” “As I said, a good first attempt,” the Headmaster reiterated. “You have a most interesting barrier already built up in your mind, Miss Weasley. With practice, it should grow stronger. Now, let us try again--ready? Legilimens!” Again, Harry dropped his wall into place, barring Dumbledore’s entry into his consciousness, but this time he kept his eyes open to watch Ginny’s reaction. She shuddered, grimaced as if straining against something, and then suddenly smiled. “Excellent, Miss Weasley! I only caught the one image that time,” applauded Professor Dumbledore. “If I perceive your barrier correctly, you have chosen better than you know for your imagery.” “T-thank you, Professor,” she replied. Harry once more noted that her eyes darted toward him in a sidelong glance, and she reached out to hold his hand. “Legilimens!” Dumbledore cried without warning. Something different altogether occurred as Harry dropped his mental wall into place--for a brief moment, he was aware that someone was aiding him--or was he aiding that someone? Dumbledore’s mental probe felt like no more than a tap on the wall--then suddenly Harry felt a second jolt on his mental barrier, one far more intense, and images flooded his consciousness: Peter Pettigrew helping him to drink a bitter, silvery liquid… The Basilisk responding to his commands to attack the Mudbloods… He sat within the ruins of Saint Paul’s Monastery in Flint at the borderlands, watching the sunlight paint colours on the floor… He felt the intrusion into his thoughts--It was that damned boy peeling away his memories--he had to block him out! He --… Harry felt his forehead burning, and something dripped into one eye. He felt disoriented, nauseated--Fear seemed to course through his entire being, yet it was not his own fear. It was— “Voldemort! He is in Wales--in Flint! The ruins of a monastery!” Harry cried out. “Saint Paul’s Monastery in Flint!” Ginny added before doubling over and spewing her stomach’s contents all over the floor. Her hand still held his, her nails dug painfully into his palm as tremors shook her body and she vomited once more. Harry had a fleeting image of an armour-clad knight fading into nothingness as Ginny vomited a third time, and then fainted. “Ginny!” cried Harry, leaping to his feet and catching her limp body before it could topple from the chair. “Ginny!” *** Madam Pomfrey had ordered Harry from the hospital ward, so he paced in the hallway outside the ward doors, listening at the doorway every few moments to try to glean any information about Ginny’s condition. Questions raced through his mind -- Was she harmed? Had Voldemort somehow attacked her? How had he been able to read the Dark Lord’s thoughts so easily? Had Dumbledore cast some arcane spell or charm and used him to find the whereabouts of Tom Riddle? How had Ginny known the name of the monastery? Why had he seen the vision of the knight? What had happened? The sound of footsteps racing up the stairway heralded the arrival of both Ron and Hermione. “What happened? Is she okay?” gasped Ron. “Professor McGonagall said there had been an accident,” explained Hermione. “No - not exactly an accident. I’m not quite sure what happened, but Ginny got sick and fainted when we were practicing Occlumency. Beyond that, I’m as much in the dark as you are,” Harry replied. He swallowed hard, then continued. “I--I think it was Voldemort.” “It both was and it wasn’t, Harry,” said Professor Dumbledore as he came out the hospital ward doors. The Headmaster looked pale and shaken by what had occurred. “As nearly as I can discern, you and Miss Weasley achieved a mental rapport at the same time that both I and Tom Riddle used Legilimency.” “A mental rapport?” “Much as Miss Weasley was asking about prior to the lesson,” explained Dumbledore. “But I thought you said--” “Even I can be wrong at times, Harry. I should have suspected something when she started asking all those questions.” The aged wizard sighed. “With the two of you working in tandem on Occlumency, Tom’s spell combined with mine and rebounded, allowing you to glean his memories in a sort of mental ‘echo‘, instead of he seeing yours. However, since you and Miss Weasley were so bonded mentally, she was also able to delve into Tom’s thoughts--I believe she may have seen many of the same images you did, as well as some you did not. For her to have so intimately touched a mind so warped by evil was both unsettling and unpleasant--you are aware of the results.” “Is she going to be all right? There weren’t any injuries or anything?” “I am happy to say that she seems none the worse for wear, other than the nausea from her own mind’s reaction. She’s shaken up, and will require some rest--Madam Pomfrey is seeing to that.” The aged wizard sighed deeply. “I am sorry she had to experience such an episode, but some good came from the occurrence. We now know where Voldemort has been, and have denied him the use of his base of operations. He and his Death Eaters are on the run--The Order was able to surprise them with the information the two of you learned, and three of his followers were captured. It also gave one of our operatives the chance to pass on what she had learned, and is now safely back home.” “You mean Mrs MacTeague?” asked Harry. Dumbledore nodded. “A most fortuitous event--we were all beginning to worry about Aurora. Anubis sends you his personal thanks, by the way. However, something more important is waiting--Miss Weasley was asking for you. I have convinced Poppy that your presence will do more good that possible harm, though I did have to promise that you would not disturb her patient more than a bare minimum.” “Thank you, Professor. Can Ron and Hermione come in as well?” “Only for a few minutes, Harry--Miss Granger has responsibilities she must attend to, and Mr Weasley has been absent from his lessons quite long enough already,” admonished the Headmaster. The trio found Ginny sitting on the edge of her bed, anxiously biting a fingernail. “Harry, are you all right?” she asked as soon as she saw him. Harry sat down next to her as Ron and Hermione shared the chair at the bedside. “I’m fine--but how are you?” “I’m--not sure,” she answered, then gave a small shudder. “I keep remembering what his memories were like, the things he remembers doing and - and it bothers me… If I think about it too much, it makes me physically ill.” She swallowed convulsively. “Then think about the good that you did. He and his followers have been run off from their base of operations, and have had to go back into hiding.” Harry protectively wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer as he spoke. “Wait a second, Harry--What do you mean the good she did?” asked Ron. “I’ve seen what nightmares You-Know-Who caused her to have when he took her over and used her to open the Chamber of Secrets. Is-is she going to have to go through that again?” Ginny responded, “Probably… but I’m not eleven years old any more, Ron. I think I can handle any nightmares in a rational manner.” Hermione had been keeping quiet, biting her lip. “Do you think the Dark Lord knows you were in his mind?” she finally asked. “I--I’m not sure.” “I don’t think he noticed her mental presence--he was too focused on my intrusion into his memories,” said Harry. Ginny gave a wan smile, then leaned closer to Harry. “I’m relieved that much was done, but --” she paused for a moment, “How can you stand it, Harry? How can you tolerate touching minds with someone as evil, twisted and perverted as him?” “It’s unpleasant, yes, but --” “It gives him nightmares, too, Ginny,” said Ron. “Merlin knows how many times he’s woken all of us in the dormitory by screaming out You-Know-Who’s name in the night.” Hermione had taken Ron’s hand into her own during the conversation. She now stood up and pulled him from the seat. “We have to go--Professor Dumbledore said we needed to get back to our lessons. We will come back this evening, Ginny--Harry has been allowed to stay. Just don’t try to do too much.” With that, she dragged Ron out through the doors of the wardroom. In the silence that followed, Ginny laid her head on Harry’s shoulder, taking comfort from his nearness. After several minutes, she spoke again. “Do you ever feel how much he hates you? I felt as if I could almost physically touch his hate, the way it pervades his thoughts.” Harry nodded. “I’m aware of it. He also hates Dumbledore and fears him. I think he’s begun to fear me, too.” Ginny nodded. “That’s what worries me most. People who react from fear are liable to do the unexpected, and with your life in the balance…” “I know. I just have to be prepared. “ *** Outside the doors to the hospital wing, Ron and Hermione were quietly arguing. “Why did you drag me out of there like that?” demanded Ron. “Because your sister needs to believe that Harry is going to defeat Voldemort, especially now that she’s felt his mind directly. You telling her that Harry wakes up screaming from nightmares will erode her belief in that,” responded Hermione angrily. “What do you mean?” “I mean that Harry is a hero-figure in her mind, and heroes aren’t supposed to have weaknesses. She needs to think of Harry in that way, both because she loves him and doesn’t want him to get hurt.” “Harry a hero? Ginny really thinks that?” questioned Ron. “Emotionally, yes. After all, he did save her from the Basilisk and Voldemort’s control over her.” “But that was four years ago--and she’s gone out with other blokes since then.” “And she was infatuated with him before they ever really met. That infatuation waned over the years due to Harry‘s disinterest, but she never really lost her love for Harry, and now that the two of them are a couple…” Ron shook his head in disbelief. “That can’t be what’s happening--can it?” “You know she loves him, Ron--you can see it in the way her eyes light up when he’s near her. He loves her, too,” Hermione explained. “Well, yeah, but --” “Ron, she needs to feel that way about Harry, or the fear for his life could drive her insane. Just think about it, and you will see it, too. Better yet, look at it this way: how do you think I would react if it were you in mortal peril?” There was a long pause as Ron tried to conceive that possibility. “…Oh… I -I…,” he finally responded. “…But this is Harry we’re talking about--you know that he’s going to win in the end.” “I want to believe that, Ron--and so do you. The same goes for your mum and dad, your brothers, the members of the Order, and lots of others,” said Hermione. “We cherish that thought because we want Harry to be the hero. Moreover, because she loves him, Ginny wants it too, only in a much stronger, more personal way. Any crack in that façade she has built up in her mind weakens it, and she needs that concept of Harry as a hero just to be able to handle the possibility of him dying. I honestly believe that Ginny will die of grief if Harry is defeated in that final confrontation.” “My little sister? The one who is able to both outsmart Fred and George and make them worry for their safety?” “I know she appears to be strong, Ron--and in many ways she is, but we’ve talked quite a bit over the past few weeks, and this much I know: she’s invested such a great deal of herself in her belief that Harry will win out in the end that it will shatter her emotionally if he doesn’t. I’m not sure if she even realises that she’s built so much of her life around Harry.” “Then there’s only one thing we can do, isn’t there?” asked Ron. “Make sure that Harry wins.”
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