Chapter 908 Occlumency

In fact, everyone was in a good mood these days. Although the experience of Neville's parents really made everyone miserable for several days, Mr. Weasley's improvement day by day greatly dissipated the sadness.

As the holiday came to an end, Harry became more and more unnatural, and the reason was none other than the decision of the Order of the Phoenix.

"Harry, dear," Mrs. Weasley said, poking her head into his and Ron's bedroom, where they were playing Wizard's Chess, with Hermione watching. Ginny and Crookshanks were playing happily, and Fanlin said he had something to discuss with Sirius.

"Can you go down to the kitchen? The Professor wants to say something to you." Harry didn't remember what she said right away; one of his castles was being violently attacked by one of Ron's pawns and he was shrugging excitedly. it.

"Squash him - squash him, he's just a pawn, you're so stupid. I'm sorry, Mrs. Weasley, what were you talking about?"

"Professor Snape, dear. He has something to say to you in the kitchen." Harry's mouth opened in utter disgust.

He was looking around at Ron, Hermione and Ginny, who were yawning at him. Crookshanks' Hermione was not easily restrained in the first fifteen minutes, jumping happily on the conference table, running around in hidden places, and howling louder than anyone else.

"Snape?" Harry said blankly.

"Professor Snape, dear," Mrs. Weasley said in disbelief. "Come over now, hurry up, he said he can't stay long."

"What does he want to do to you?" said Ron, who seemed to have lost his strength after Mrs. Weasley walked out of the room.

"You didn't do anything, did you?"

"No!" Harry said angrily, racking his brain to think of what he had done to cause Snape to chase him to the old house. Because he got a "T" on his last assignment?

After a minute or two, he opened the kitchen door and found Sirius, Fanlin and Snape sitting on the long kitchen table in the opposite direction. There was a silence between Sirius and Snape because of their mutual dislike of each other. A letter lay open on the table in front of Sirius.

"Well," Harry said, making his presence known. Snape looked around him, his face framed by greasy black hair. "Sit down, Potter."

"You know," said Sirius loudly, raising his feet behind his chair and speaking to the ceiling, "if you were not sent here, Snape, I think I would prefer this. It is my house, You know."

A terrible blush spread across Snape's pale face. Harry sat in a chair next to Sirius and faced Snape across the table.

"I wanted to see you alone, Potter," Snape said, a familiar sneer curling his lips, "but Black—"

"I'm his godfather," Sirius said, speaking louder than usual.

"I'm here because of Dumbledore's orders," said Snape, who instead became increasingly quiet and irritable, "but by all means stay, Black, I know you like to go by feel. This Very tricky.”

"What is a 'presumption'?" said Sirius, slamming all four legs of the chair back to the ground.

"But I'm sure you must be feeling - ah - frustrated that you can't do anything useful," Snape pressed him subtly, "for the Phoenix Order."

"Can't do useful things?" Sirius was furious. "Your eyes should have fallen into the basement, soaked in smelly water..."

"So, you think you can teach?" Snape said disdainfully.

When Snape was about to take Harry away, his lips moved in victory. "The Headmaster has sent me to tell you, Potter, that he wants you to learn the spell Occlumency."

"Study what?" Harry said blankly.

Snape's sneer became more pronounced. "Occlumency, Potter. A mind-defense magic to protect against outside intrusions. An obscure branch of magic, but a highly useful spell."

Harry's heart began to beat rapidly. To protect against external intrusion? But he wasn't possessed, they had all decided that.

"Why do I have to study?" Harry blurted.

"Because the Headmaster thought it was a good idea," Snape said quietly. "You will have private lessons once a week, but you are not to tell anyone what you are doing, least of all Umbridge. Got it?"

"Yes," said Harry. "Who wants to teach me? Fan Lin?"

Snape raised an eyebrow. "Me," he said.

Harry had the horrible feeling that his insides were melting. Bonus lessons for Snape - what did he do in the world to deserve this? He looked quickly at Sirius for support.

"Why didn't Dumbledore teach Harry?" Sirius asked aggressively. "Why is that you?"

"I suppose that's because it's not fun for a Headmaster to delegate with his privileges," Snape said diplomatically. "I promise I didn't ask for this job." He stood up. "I expect you to be in my office every Monday evening at six o'clock, Potter. If anyone asks about it, you say remedial Potions class. No one who has seen you in my class can deny that you need Do that."

He prepared to leave, his black traveling cloak flying behind him.

"Wait," Sirius said, sitting upright in his chair. Snape turned back to them, scoffing.

"I'm really busy, Blake. Unlike you, I don't have that much free time."

"I'm just saying this emphatically," Sirius said, standing up. He was taller than Snape, Harry noticed, and Harry made sure he had a clenched fist in his cloak pocket, clutching his wand. "If I hear you punishing Harry with Occlumency lessons, just wait and see."

"How touching," Snape scoffed. "But you must have noticed how much Potter resembles his father?"

"Yes, I noticed," Sirius said haughtily.

"Well then, you will see that he is so arrogant that criticism is simply a test for him," Snape said diplomatically.

Sirius pushed his chair aside grumpily and strode around the table towards Snape, drawing his wand as he walked out. Snape pulled out his own. They stared at each other, Sirius looking furious, and Snape considered, his eyes looking directly at the end of Sirius's wand pointed at his face.

"Sirius!" Harry shouted, but Sirius told him to leave him alone.

"I've warned you, Hooknose," said Sirius, his face looking at one of Snape's feet, "I don't care if Dumbledore innovates, I know better—"

"Oh, but why didn't you tell him so?" Snape whispered. "Or are you afraid that he won't listen to a useless person's suggestion?" (To be continued)