seventy-eight

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‹ MiraaChe ‹ has posted a new chapter!- ͙۪۪̥˚

┊❛ welcome to chapter seventy-eight❜┊˚ ͙۪۪̥◌

a/n: finally some moment with them lmao

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The dungeon was cold and uninviting, the walls lined with old, dark stone. Harry stood in the middle of the room, his wand in hand, facing Severus. The tension between them was clear, though it wasn't as sharp as it used to be. Still strained, but not entirely hostile.

"Focus, Potter," Severus said, his voice low and stern, pacing before Harry like a predator. "Occlumency is not something you can master overnight. You must clear your mind of all emotion, of all distractions."

Harry swallowed, his heart already racing. Occlumency lessons had never been easy for him, and each failure felt more frustrating than the last. His mind was too crowded, too full of fear and anger. But he knew this was important—especially now, with Voldemort invading his thoughts more and more.

"Legilimens!"

The spell hit Harry before he had a chance to brace himself. Immediately, his mind was bombarded with memories—Sirius laughing, his mother screaming, Cedric falling to the ground, lifeless. His heart pounded, his vision blurred as Severus' voice echoed through his head.

"Clear your mind, Potter!" Severus snapped, his voice distant as the images continued to flash.

But Harry couldn't. The memories swirled uncontrollably, pushing against his will, until suddenly, everything went dark, and he found himself back in the dungeon, gasping for breath. Severus lowered his wand, his expression unreadable.

"You're not trying hard enough," Severus said, his voice as cold as the air around them. "You let your emotions take control. Again."

Harry's frustration flared, but he bit back his retort. Instead, he wiped the sweat from his forehead and shook his head. "It's hard to just... shut everything out," he muttered, glancing at the floor.

Severus' dark eyes narrowed. "If you don't, Voldemort will take full advantage of that weakness. Do you want that?"

"No," Harry mumbled. He didn't. The last thing he wanted was to give Voldemort more power over him. But Occlumency wasn't coming as naturally as he hoped.

There was a brief silence before Severus spoke again, his tone a little less sharp. "My wife thinks you can do it," he said, catching Harry off guard. "She believes you're capable."

Harry blinked, surprised by the mention of her. "She does?"

Severus gave a slight nod, his expression unreadable. "She sees potential in you... though I, personally, don't see it yet."

There was a faint hint of teasing in Severus' voice, and Harry couldn't help but smirk just a little. "You know, she said something similar the other day. But she also mentioned that she thinks you secretly enjoy these lessons."

Severus' dark eyebrow arched, and for a brief moment, a tiny smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth. "Did she now?"

Harry, feeling slightly bolder, nodded. "Yeah. She said if it weren't for all the brooding and scowling, you might actually look like you're having fun."

Severus' lips twitched ever so slightly, but the smirk vanished as quickly as it appeared, replaced by his usual stern expression. "Rosabelle is far too optimistic for her own good," he muttered, though there was no venom in his tone. "Now, enough distractions. Focus."

Harry's grin faded, but the brief moment of levity had eased some of his tension. He stood straighter, nodding as he prepared himself for another attempt. "Alright. Let's try again."

Severus gave him a long, measured look. "You'd better."

There was another pause before Severus stepped closer, his eyes narrowing as if reading Harry's mind once more—though this time without magic. "Be careful, Potter. I know what you're planning."

Harry tensed, his heart skipping a beat. "What?"

"The Dumbledore Army," Severus said in a low voice, the name hanging between them like a secret. "Do you think I wouldn't notice? That I wouldn't see it in your thoughts during these lessons?"

Harry's mind raced. How much did Severus know? He wasn't sure, but clearly enough. The tension in the room grew as Harry tried to keep his face neutral.

Severus raised an eyebrow. "I'm not going to stop you. But understand this—Umbridge is dangerous, far more than you realize. Whatever you plan, you need to be careful. Don't let your emotions cloud your judgment."

Harry didn't know what to say. Severus had just admitted to knowing about the DA, but instead of shutting it down, he was... warning him? It didn't make sense. But then again, nothing with Severus Snape ever did.

"Why are you telling me this?" Harry asked, his voice quiet but firm.

Severus looked at him for a long moment, his expression hard. "Because Rosabelle would never forgive me if I didn't," he said, his voice low and serious. "She cares and trust you. And that's reason enough for me. I'll keep your secret from her for now."

Harry felt a lump form in his throat at the unexpected confession. It was strange, hearing Severus speak of Rosabelle that way—like she was the glue holding this fragile truce between them. But Harry wasn't about to argue.

"Thanks," Harry said, awkward but sincere.

Severus gave a small nod, stepping back to put distance between them again. His usual sharpness returned. "Now focus. We'll try again."

Harry braced himself as Severus raised his wand once more, his mind clearer this time. As the spell hit, he forced himself to think of Rosabelle's words, her belief in him. He wasn't alone in this. This time, he had everyone with him.

"Legilimens!"

This time, as the memories flooded his mind, Harry fought harder. He wouldn't let Voldemort in. He wouldn't let anyone control him.

Severus watched closely, his sharp gaze never leaving Harry's determined face. A faint smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

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