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<div class="chap-title">
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21. Chapter 21
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</div>
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<div class="chap-text">
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<p><em>Thank you all so much for your reviews! It's really nice to know how many
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people out there are still reading and enjoying this fic. You've made me very happy
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and I hope I can keep meeting your standards. Please do enjoy the next chapter, as
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promised.</em></p>
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<hr size="1" noshade="noshade"/>
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<p class='c1'><strong>Chapter 21</strong></p>
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<p>If one had thought that Harry's last Occlumency lesson was a reason for him and
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Snape to be standoffish towards one another, they would be wrong. For some reason,
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the harsh experience had forged an understanding between the two that brought them
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even closer together.</p>
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<p>While Harry absolutely loved working on potions, he loved it, even more, to do so
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besides Snape.</p>
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<p>"I'll let you in on a secret," Snape told Harry as the boy was about to start
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crushing his marigold flowers.</p>
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<p>Harry looked up from what he was doing and watched as Snape filled a bowl with
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lukewarm water.</p>
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<p>"Even the freshest of potions ingredients have had to endure at least a few hours
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outside of their natural habitat," Snape explained, "Most flowers – for example –
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will have already started dying since they are no longer connected to their
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stem."</p>
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<p>Snape took the marigold flowers from Harry and carefully placed them into the
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bowl. "If you allow them to soak up some water before you process them, the result
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will be that much better with less chance of outside contamination."</p>
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<p>Harry watched as the petals of the flowers – that had started to curl slightly –
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straightened out again. The dryness that had begun to set in was vanishing before his
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eyes and the colour of the pollen tubes seemed to be restoring. "There is no way that
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you made this happen with just water," Harry noted.</p>
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<p>"All it takes is lukewarm water and perhaps just a touch of magic," Snape
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said.</p>
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<p>"I thought magic could really mess up a potion," Harry noted.</p>
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<p>"It can," Snape agreed, "When used callously at least. Most of my students – even
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those in my N.E.W.T. class – are unable to fully grasp the effects magic can have on
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potions so I just forbid them from using any besides the mandatory spells. However
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-"</p>
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<p>With a flick of his wand, Snape removed the revigorated flowers from the water,
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carefully placing them in front of his charge. The petals seemed to throb with life
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as the droplets slid down from them. They were so much more beautiful than they had
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been only moments before.</p>
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<p>" – The right amount of magic, precisely distributed among the ingredients that
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can benefit from them can produce wonderful results."</p>
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<p>Harry smiled fondly as he listened to Snape's explanation. The Potions Master
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didn't often explain new things to Harry anymore but when he did, it was always with
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a careful reverence that motivated Harry into doing even better.</p>
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<p>"That's amazing," Harry said, "And so subtle, too."</p>
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<p>Snape chuckled. "Sometimes, the most useful and beautiful magic is not obvious or
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dazzling. Sometimes, all it takes is a small push."</p>
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<p>"Do you think I could do that too?" Harry asked hopefully.</p>
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<p>"If I didn't, I wouldn't have shown you this," Snape replied, "You have a very
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firm grasp on your magic. I'm certain you don't require me to tell you how talented
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you are. All you need to learn is to be more precise, like a surgeon handling a
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scalpel."</p>
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<p>Harry looked at Snape funnily. "It's easy to forget that you grew up in a muggle
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neighbourhood once we're back at Hogwarts," he said, "But then you say things like
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that."</p>
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<p>"And?" Snape asked, "If the analogy works and helps you understand, I see no
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reason not to use it."</p>
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<p>"Thanks for the vote of confidence, in any case," Harry said, grabbing his mortar
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and pestle to start crushing the flowers. "Will you practice this with me later?"</p>
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<p>"As long as no one earns themselves detention with me within the next hour or so,
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I would be amenable to that."</p>
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<p>After Harry was done crushing the flowers, he grabbed the vulture tongues he had
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ordered, carefully slicing them to bits.</p>
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<p>"Christmas is almost around the corner," Harry pointed out.</p>
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<p>"So it is," Snape replied casually as he went back to stirring a potion in one
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cauldron while he added parsley to another.</p>
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<p>"Are we going back to Spinner's End this year?" Harry asked. Hedwig had flown over
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to his station again and was now sitting comfortably on his cauldron. He hadn't
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started the fire yet since he was still preparing his ingredients.</p>
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<p>"That was my intention," Snape said, "Unless you would rather stay here?"</p>
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<p>"No, I want to go," Harry replied, now sliding the white clovers closer to him. "I
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was just wondering – since no one is really trying to kill me this year – if I could
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have my friends over for Christmas. Will that water work for my other flowers?"</p>
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<p>"Yes, it will," Snape replied, "And I don't think your friends' families will want
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their children away from them for Christmas. Is my company not sufficient for
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you?"</p>
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<p>Harry flushed somewhat, fearing that he had insulted his father and sputtered his
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denial: "Of course it is," he said, "I didn't mean it like that! I just thought
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–"</p>
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<p>Harry scowled when he caught sight of the amused smirk on Snape's face. "Git," he
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growled.</p>
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<p>"If you wish for it, you can ask them," Snape finally said, "But I wouldn't count
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on it. Especially not when it comes to Mr Weasley."</p>
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<p>Harry carefully lowered the white clovers into the water and watched as they too
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grew full of life once more.</p>
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<p>"It's a shame you can't do this with people," he murmured.</p>
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<p>"Of course you can," Snape said evenly. "Those flowers haven't died yet. They just
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needed a hand."</p>
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<p>"Can I burn them with magic or should I use a normal fire?" Harry asked once he
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retrieved the white clovers.</p>
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<p>"You want to burn them?" Snape frowned.</p>
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<p>"Yes," Harry said, "The ashes of the flowers should be absorbed by the potion
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rather quickly."</p>
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<p>"Hmm," Snape said, "While true, don't you think they might spread out too quickly
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in the form of ashes? This might cause a delay in the reaction which I assume you
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wish to avoid."</p>
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<p>"Er…" Harry hesitated. He hadn't thought of that.</p>
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<p>Snape looked at the rest of Harry's ingredients and grabbed the jar of honey that
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stood among them. "If you're planning on using honey, why not coat the ashes with
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it?" he suggested, "That way, they'll stick together long enough and you won't need
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to readjust your calculations."</p>
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<p>"Brilliant," Harry smiled, "That's why you're the Master, I suppose."</p>
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<p>"What are you going to use for a base?" Snape asked as he went back to his own
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cauldrons once more.</p>
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<p>"For now, I'm going to use plain water," Harry said, "Perhaps laced with rose
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water from the Rosa Mystica but I want to try without it first."</p>
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<p>"I advise you to try without it at first as well," Snape said, "I fear that
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<em>that</em> particular flower might be too specific for your wishes."</p>
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<p>"Perhaps," Harry said, finally filling his cauldron with water and placing it on a
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strong fire. "Well, wish me luck."</p>
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<p>"You don't need luck," Snape snorted, "You have me."</p>
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<p>Harry playfully rolled his eyes but smiled fondly.</p>
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<hr size="1" noshade="noshade"/>
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<p>Roughly two hours later, Harry was staring into his cauldron, his expression a mix
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of exhilaration and apprehension.</p>
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<p>"How is it coming along?" Snape asked. He was drying his hands with a cloth,
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having just cleaned up his work station.</p>
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<p>"It should be nearly done, but I get the feeling that something is missing," Harry
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said. He grabbed his notes once more and checked them over, clicking his tongue as he
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thought things over. Suddenly, he was disturbed by Hedwig's screech. Harry looked at
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her as she was nudging a cloth bag that contained bay leaves.</p>
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<p>"Ugh, I'm so stupid," Harry suddenly said, grabbing the bag. "Thanks, Hedwig. I
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can't believe I nearly forgot the bay leaves."</p>
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<p>He carefully picked out three bay leaves, inspecting them for any anomalies before
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tossing them in. As they dissolved into the slightly acidic concoction, the potion
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turned into an emerald green.</p>
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<p>"Of course it would look Slytherin green," Harry snorted.</p>
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<p>"Let it cool off for a while," Snape said, "I realize you're looking forward to
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testing this potion but it wouldn't do to have you scalding your throat in the
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process."</p>
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<p>"What am I, five?" Harry said, "I know not to drink boiling liquids, dad."</p>
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<p>"Oh, cheeky now are we?" Snape said, raising a sardonic eyebrow. "Just sit down
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and I can show you how to imbue magic responsibly."</p>
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<p>Eager to learn, Harry took a seat as requested and sat attentively with folded
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hands as he watched Snape refill the bowl with water.</p>
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<p>"At first, you should practice with your wand," Snape said, "But the result is
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much nicer if you manage the magic wandlessly. It is far more natural that way and
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the ingredients will react better to it."</p>
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<p>"Now," Snape said, "Every creature alive oozes magic, even muggles, animals and
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plants."</p>
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<p>Snape laughed at Harry's surprised look but held up a hand to stop his question.
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"I know how it sounds but listen. Magic is imbued within our own lifeforce. It tells
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our bodies to do mundane things like healing wounds, growing hair and the likes. Have
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you ever heard of mothers suddenly being able to lift heavy loads when their child is
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in danger? Loads they would normally never be able to lift? That is made possible
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with that same magic, even if very rarely."</p>
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<p>"Only a select few people are actually born with enough magical power to control
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and use it. But when we use magic to – for example – heal a muggle, or even use the
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Cruciatus curse on them, we make use of the magic already inside of them and make our
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own react to it. The same happens when we make a plant grow or befriend an otherwise
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vicious animal."</p>
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<p>"How about an object?" Harry asked, "We can transform a needle into a matchstick
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and I'm certain neither of those is alive."</p>
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<p>"That is magic you perform on an object, not with," Snape explained, "A reparo
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would not work on a broken bone just like an Episkey wouldn't work on glasses. The
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one works with the magic in a being while the other just makes things happen to an
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object. You can't invade an object's mind or torture it with the Cruciatus. You can't
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befriend a rock."</p>
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<p>"So there is no one born without it?" Harry asked.</p>
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<p>"There are some," Snape said, "These people are exceedingly rare and are often
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used as guinea pigs by wizards and witches when found. They are never able to perform
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magic but they are also impervious to all three Unforgivables as well as most other
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spells."</p>
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<p>"So you can't harm them with magic?" Harry asked in amazement.</p>
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<p>"You can," Snape replied thoughtfully, "But not directly. A cutting curse will not
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work but an Incendio will because the fire you create is all natural as soon as it
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leaves your wand. The same goes for blasting curses and the like. As long as the
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effect on the person's body is derived from the spell instead of a direct
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effect."</p>
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<p>"But what if –"</p>
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<p>"Harry, we have gone way off subject," Snape suddenly chuckled, "My point is that
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everyone has innate magic and it is this magic that I need you to control."</p>
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<p>"Why?" Harry asked curiously.</p>
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<p>"Because it communicates with the surrounding life forms on their level."</p>
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<p>"I think I get it," Harry said, feeling a sense of profound connection after
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learning this new bit of information. It was almost overwhelming. "That's
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amazing."</p>
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<p>"The meditative skills you learned while practising Occlumency will help greatly
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as you attempt to use said magic which is why I have no doubt that you'll be able to
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do this.</p>
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<p>"How do I find where it is?" Harry asked.</p>
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<p>"If you will allow me to, I can join you in your mind once more and guide you to
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where this magic usually sleeps." Snape sounded doubtful, as if he didn't think Harry
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would ever allow him to come that close again. But the boy surprised him, as he often
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did.</p>
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<p>"Sounds great," Harry said honestly, sounding somewhat relieved, "If you'll help
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me find it, I'm sure I can get the hang of this."</p>
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<p>Snape smiled and glanced over at Harry's potion, noticing that it had stopped
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smoking.</p>
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<p>"It would appear that your potion cooled down. Would you prefer to try that first
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or would you rather we venture into your mind before that?"</p>
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<p>Quickly, Harry got up from his seat. "Oh, I'm testing my potion first," he said,
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"I've been waiting for months to do this."</p>
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<p>Snape chuckled. "I thought as much. Go on then."</p>
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<p>Harry carefully measured what he deduced would be one portion and filled a vial
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with it. He noticed that Snape did the same and raised an eyebrow at him but Snape
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simply smirked as if challenging him to say something.</p>
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<p>"Well, bottom's up!" Harry said before downing the emerald green liquid. The first
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thing he noticed was that it tasted beyond foul. It was somewhat sour as if he was
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drinking old-sock-soup but with a hint of old cigarette buds. He grimaced and
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scrunched up his nose in disgust.</p>
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<p>"Well that was the worst thing I've ever tasted," Harry groaned.</p>
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<p>"Do you feel different?" Snape asked.</p>
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<p>"Not really," Harry frowned. He looked at his hands to see if anything was
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changing, then tried taking in his surroundings as if expecting to see the ghosts of
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his parents walk in at any moment. Nothing happened for a while until Hedwig started
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screeching viciously and flew up, anxiously making her way to Snape to nestle on his
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shoulder.</p>
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<p>Snape – who was sitting in a chair near the edge of the room – was slightly
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perturbed by the owl's sudden need for comfort but ignored it. Then the sounds began.
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Harry recognized the sound of wailing. It was as if it was coming from somewhere in
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the far distance but from multiple places at once.</p>
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<p>Snape frowned when he too heard the sounds. Harry's potion was supposed to work on
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a different plain of sorts. An outer-body kind of experience if you will. Whatever
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was happening now, Snape was not supposed to be a part of it. Hedwig buried her head
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under his wing, shuffling even closer to Snape. Absentmindedly, Snape stroked her
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feathers reassuringly as he kept a close eye on Harry.</p>
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<p>The wailing grew louder still and seemed to be approaching rapidly. Harry wondered
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if whatever he was hearing was going to collide with him and thought of seeking
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shelter. That was a silly thought though since he was the one that took the potion so
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instead, he held his wand at the ready and waited.</p>
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<p>Even though both Snape and Harry were expecting something to happen, they both
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jumped when the room was suddenly swarming with ghosts. And not just any ghosts. All
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of the Hogwarts ghosts seemed to suddenly be converging on this exact spot.</p>
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<p>"Severus," the bloody baron sneered, "What is the meaning of this, boy?"</p>
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<p>"Don't look at <em>me</em>, baron," Snape replied evenly, "It's Mr Potter that
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summoned you all here."</p>
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<p>"Harry!" Moaning Myrtle whined, "Why would you do that? I was quietly reliving my
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death in my bathroom stall when YOU RUINED IT!"</p>
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<p>"Sorry, Myrtle," Harry said, holding up his hands in defence, "I promise this was
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not my intention."</p>
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<p>"Well, I'm leaving!" Myrtle yelled and attempted to float through the ceiling when
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she was stopped by an invisible barrier. "Harry, let me GO!" she shrieked.</p>
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<p>"I can't!" Harry said, "It's this potion. We'll have to wait until it wears
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off."</p>
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<p>"How marvellous," the fat friar said, "It's positively wonderful to have such a
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young potioneer in our midst. Tell me, child, was this your intended effect?"</p>
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<p>"Honestly," the grey lady interjected, "Intended or not, this is highly unusual
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and most obnoxious. I demand to be released immediately."</p>
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<p>"That's odd," Harry said, more to himself than anyone else.</p>
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<p>"What is, Harry?" Nick asked him kindly, showing remarkable restraint.</p>
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<p>"I don't see Peeves anywhere," Harry said. "Isn't he a ghost?"</p>
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<p>"Not exactly," Nick explained, "He's a manifestation. That's slightly different.
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He came with Hogwarts, so to speak."</p>
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<p>"May I ask how you were all drawn here?" Harry asked, already furiously scribbling
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away on a piece of parchment. "Did you feel compelled to do so or did it feel more
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like a physical pull."</p>
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<p>"You dare use us for your experimentation?" The bloody baron howled, "You think we
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haven't more important business to attend to simply because we are deceased?"</p>
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<p>"And whose fault is that?" the Grey Lady asked, "If it weren't for you, I would
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not be in this mess."</p>
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<p>"Calm down everyone," the fat friar said, "We are the resident ghosts in a school
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and we should be thankful that the students are trying to learn."</p>
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<p>"I was a student myself," Myrtle complained, "But I got no help. From the living
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or THE DEAD!" She started wailing and hid in Harry's cauldron.</p>
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<p>"To answer your question," Nick suddenly replied, "It felt as if I was being
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pulled here by a large fishing hook."</p>
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<p>The other ghosts now started joining in and telling their own tales of how they
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felt they were drawn there while Harry scribbled furiously. Snape watched it all
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unfold while he absentmindedly stroked Hedwig, not wishing to get involved with the
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ghosts.</p>
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<p>It was exactly one hour and thirteen minutes later that the first ghost noticed
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that it could finally leave Harry's side again. The translucent beings bid their
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farewells and left, the fat friar telling Harry to come to him should he be in need
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of spiritual assistance before he did. Exhausted, Harry sank down into a chair,
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vanishing the rest of his potion with a lazy flick of his wand.</p>
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<p>"Well that was a failure," Harry groaned.</p>
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<p>"Look at it this way," Snape said, "You did not achieve what you intended but you
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still created a new kind of potion."</p>
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<p>"Oh yes, and it's so very useful too," Harry said sardonically, "Who wouldn't want
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to summon all ghosts within a twenty-mile radius?"</p>
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<p>"It might be useful for clearing out haunted houses," Snape offered.</p>
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<p>Harry made a noncommittal sound and made some more notes. "I think the white
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cloves were a bad idea," he said, "They probably made it so that ghosts were drawn to
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me instead of souls that have departed. And perhaps the vulture tongues…"</p>
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<p>"Harry," Snape said tiredly, "You're not going to be making any progress today.
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You've been at it for hours and I'm sure that you're hungry."</p>
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<p>"But if you'll just let me make this one adjustment –" Harry said, already
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grabbing a new piece of parchment when Hedwig nipped his fingers.</p>
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<p>"Ow, Hedwig!" Harry admonished.</p>
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<p>"She's telling you to listen to your teacher," Snape said evenly, a smirk on his
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face. "Clear your station, wash your hands and go up to eat something."</p>
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<p>"Alright, alright," Harry chuckled, "I'm going! Can we at least practice that
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innate magic you were talking about?"</p>
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<p>"Not today," Snape said, "I can see that these last hours have been draining for
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you. And if not, they sure have been for me."</p>
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<p>"Old man," Harry jibed but he yelped when he was hit by a mild stinging hex.</p>
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<p>"Brat," Snape sneered, fixing Harry with a pointed glare. Harry just shook his
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head at the man, packing away the remainder of his ingredients.</p>
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<hr size="1" noshade="noshade"/>
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<p>At dinner, Draco had joined their table again, basically stealing the entire
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platter of asparagus for himself. But Ron reciprocated by hoarding the potatoes.</p>
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<p>"So did you guys notice when all the ghosts disappeared all of a sudden?" Draco
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asked, "Peeves had a field day without the bloody baron around to tame him."</p>
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<p>"Oh no," Harry groaned, "What did he do?"</p>
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<p>"He knocked over some trophy cases and got muddy footprints all over the ceiling,"
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Ron explained, "Filch is not happy about it."</p>
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<p>"It's a good thing that Professor Bell was there to ask him to stop," Draco said
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evenly.</p>
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<p>"She managed to do that?" Harry asked.</p>
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<p>"Of course," Ron piped up, "I mean, look at her!" He gestured quite obviously
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toward the high table to indicate their History teacher. "What man <em>wouldn't</em>
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listen to her? Even if he is a poltergeist."</p>
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<p>"I didn't think she was your type," Hermione said haughtily, practically glaring
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at her plate.</p>
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<p>"How could you not?" Ron replied, "She's almost as beautiful as you are and nearly
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as smart."</p>
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<p>"Smooth," Draco whispered when Hermione blushed. Ron winked at him.</p>
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<p>"Anyway, about those ghosts," Harry said, "It was kind of because of my potion.
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Suffice to say it did not work as intended."</p>
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<p>"You're allowed to work on it now?" Hermione asked, envy in her voice, "That's
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great! Does that mean you mastered Occlumency?"</p>
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<p>"In a way," Harry said, not wanting to sound overconfident.</p>
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<p>"So <em>that's</em> what you were doing," Draco mumbled, "Man, you were screaming
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bloody murder the other night. It was scary as hell."</p>
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<p>Harry nearly choked on his potatoes. "You heard that?" he asked incredulously.</p>
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<p>"From the corridors nearby, yes," Draco said, not a hint of shame in his
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voice.</p>
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<p>"Were you eavesdropping?" Harry asked.</p>
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<p>"Me?" Draco asked, "Never! I simply wanted to visit my godfather. How was
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<em>I</em> supposed to know that you were already there? What were you even doing in
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there?"</p>
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<p>"Occlumency," Harry said through gritted teeth.</p>
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<p>"Well, it sure sounded hard-core," Draco said, "Nothing like anything I've ever
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practised."</p>
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<p>"I suppose you aren't good enough to practice what I've had to just yet," Harry
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sneered, smirking when he caught Draco's affronted expression.</p>
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<p>"You're joking," he said, "I'm sure I'm better than you."</p>
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<p>"Are you?" Harry asked, "Do you get tested by Dumbledore randomly as well? Do you
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think you could even stop him from getting in?"</p>
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<p>Draco's eyes widened as his eyes flashed towards the headmaster. Dumbledore smiled
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kindly at him when he caught his eye and Draco quickly looked away.</p>
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<p>"Ha, he's got you there, Malfoy," Ron said.</p>
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<p>"Shut up, Weasley," Draco growled, angrily mashing his potatoes.</p>
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<p>"On a different note," Harry said, "What are you lot doing for Christmas? You can
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come to my place if you'd like."</p>
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<p>"My mum would kill me if I did that," Ron said honestly, "Also, I'd rather not eat
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any limerick soup."</p>
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<p>"I'll ask," Hermione replied, "But I honestly doubt I'm allowed to. My parents are
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always really happy when I'm home for the holidays, you know?"</p>
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<p>"I'll come," Draco said easily, "If that invitation was directed at me as well, I
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mean."</p>
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<p>"Of course it is!" Harry said, happy that someone accepted. Quickly, he jotted a
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message down on his cuff.</p>
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<p>"<em>Draco's coming for Christmas!"</em> Harry wrote, including the exclamation
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mark.</p>
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<p>"<em>Marvellous</em>," Came the simple reply and when Harry caught Snape's deadpan
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expression, he couldn't help but laugh.</p>
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<hr size="1" noshade="noshade"/>
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<p><em>I would very much appreciate it if you could throw more reviews my way! They
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are my only payment for what I'm doing here. Let me know what you think; what you
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expect and even what you would like to see! I've got some pretty good ideas out of
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reviews before.</em></p>
|
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<p><em>Either way, expect the next chapter tomorrow.</em></p>
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