Hostile Takeover

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. This story is now on hiatus (See Chapter Notification for further details) Do not adopt.

"Harry, that's completely insane! You can't possibly imagine to hold your own against You-Know-Who's ability to get what he wants! It simply can't be done!"

"I just don't see why I can't do it, Hermione. You've got to admit, it's a brilliant plan."

"Brilliant doesn't necessarily mean you'll succeed-Harry, he'll kill you before you even realize what's happened! He can read minds, or did you not know that? He'll be able to see right through you no matter how well you practice or whatever it is you plan to do." Hermione paused and a look of dawning crept over her face as she watched Harry's sheepish expression.

"You weren't even planning on practicing?! How dare you! You and I both know that even you aren't that stupid!"

"So if he can read minds there must be a way to prevent someone from reading your thoughts." That seemed to give Hermione pause.

"There's a few books in the library. I'll get them for you when I'm there next." She seemed less put out with him, but that could be because he actually wanted to learn how to keep Voldemort from reading his mind.

"Occlumency is incredibly hard to learn on your own so we're learning together." Harry obliged and tossed her a book from the pile he was working on. The one he was reading was just explaining theory and barely touched on the practical application for actually blocking someone from getting into your head. Nonetheless, it was interesting and made Harry think that if he actually tried to understand how magic works he might just have an easier time in class.

The two studied late into the night most nights of the week. Even the seventh years were going to bed before them. The two studied relentlessly, and by the end of their fourth year had managed to devour all the books the library had to offer on the subject twice over. The next step for them to take was to start meditating and exploring their own minds.

Harry had tried to put this off for as long as possible, but even Hermione was getting fed up with all the reading they were doing. She felt it was time for them to move on to meditation, and that's just what they did.

It didn't take long at all for Hermione to get her mind in order the way the books described, but that same method wasn't working for Harry. Not only did he not want to think of his mind as a giant filing room, he was having a particularly hard time sorting out one particular part of his mind that just always seemed to be a bit darker and less willing to be organized than the rest.

Putting that part off as a bad job, he swore to Hermione that he'd spend the entire summer meditating and getting his thoughts sorted out so they can move on when the next school year started. Even though his idea of infiltrating Voldemort's side wasn't her idea and definitely wasn't up to her standards, she was treating it like it was her idea. Harry appreciated her and all the efforts she was putting forward-even if she didn't like why he was learning Occlumency in the first place.

The trip back to London was the same as usual-Ron complaining about not knowing if Harry would be able to come for the end of the summer like he usually did, Hermione complaining about a lack of wizarding books to study whilst staying with her parents and Harry poking fun at the both of them. He did pass Ron Hedwig's cage as they pulled into the station, telling him that Hedwig was on her way to the Burrow and would stay with them for the summer. Errol could use some time off and she wasn't going to get the space she needed at the Dursley's.

The Dursley's were late to pick him up-so late, in fact, that the workers at the station had all asked him if he was okay. It wasn't until after dark that a female employee approached him and gave him some fish and chips before asking if his family was going to show or if they might have just abandoned him.