Reflections - Mattheo Riddle

Escaped

"This may not be an ordinary class, Potter," said Snape, his eyes narrowed malevolently, "but I am still your teacher and you will therefore call me 'sir' or 'Professor' at all times."

"Yes . . . sir," said Kirra, rolling her eyes at the man.

"Now, obviously the Dark Lord is highly skilled at Legilimency —"

"Yeah I get that, I'm strong enough to not let him in my head."

"The Dark Lord is at a considerable distance and the walls and grounds of Hogwarts are guarded by many ancient spells and charms to ensure the bodily and mental safety of those who dwell within them," said Snape. "Time and space matter in magic, Potter. Eye contact is often essential to Legilimency."

"Yeah I get that, but I dont need practice"

Snape eyed Kirra, tracing his mouth with one long, thin finger as he did so.

"The usual rules do not seem to apply with you, Potter. The curse that failed to kill you seems to have forged some kind of connection between you and the Dark Lord. The evidence suggests that at times, when your mind is most relaxed and vulnerable — when you are asleep, for instance — you are sharing the Dark Lord's thoughts and emotions. The headmaster thinks it inadvisable for this to continue. He wishes me to teach you how to close your mind to the Dark Lord properly and while yes, you are a great witch, we must make sure."

"It appears that the Dark Lord has been unaware of the connection between you, your brother and himself until very recently. Up till now it seems that you have been experiencing his emotions and sharing his thoughts without his being any the wiser. However, the vision you had shortly before Christmas —"

"The one with the snake and Mr. Weasley?"

"Do not interrupt me, Potter," said Snape in a dangerous voice. "As I was saying . . . the vision you had shortly before Christmas represented such a powerful incursion upon the Dark Lord's thoughts —"

"I saw from the side of what was happening, not what Tom saw."

"I thought I just told you not to interrupt me, Potter?"

But Kirra did not care if Snape was angry; at last she seemed to be getting to the bottom of this business. She had moved forward in her chair so that, without realising it, she was perched on the very edge, tense as though poised for flight. "you guys dont know what's going on with me do you..." Kirra suddenly realised, "its Harry you're actually worried about, you just dont want Harry and I to realise there's something completely different happening to us, that's why I am taking these classes right? To make it seem like it's the same thing?"

Snape fell silent. 

"How come Harry saw through the snake's eyes if it's Voldemort's thoughts he's sharing?"

"Do not say the Dark Lord's name!" spat Snape.

There was a nasty silence. They glared at each other across the Pensieve.

"Oh do shut up will you," said Kirra in annoyance, standing up with a huff.

"While you may feel secure enough to use the name . . . the rest of us . . ." He rubbed his left forearm, apparently unconsciously, on the spot where Kirra knew the Dark Mark was burned into his skin.

"Tell me what is going on with my brother," Kirra snapped

"He seemed to have visited the snake's mind because that was where the Dark Lord was at that particular moment," snarled Snape. "He was possessing the snake at the time and so Harry Potter dreamed he was inside it too. . . ."

"And Voldemort realised he was there?"

"It seems so," said Snape coolly.

"How do you know?" said Kirra urgently. "Is this just Dumbledore guessing, or — ?"