"He didn't do a single one of these things he claims," Harper muttered as she looked at the teachers table, Lockhart sitting as smug as possible during the feast. "Not a damn one."
"Oh how would you know?" Alicia stuck out her tongue, Angelina and Joy snorted into their drinks as Harper scoffed.
"By the end of the year, I'll prove it," Harper winked at her friend.
"Oh Harps, he had to have done those things! There's no other explanation to his brilliant accomplishments," Joy wagged a finger at her.
Harper laughed slightly, her head aching from the pressure around her. She tried to drown it out and ignore it with her own thoughts, but the pressure was like someone gently squeezing her temples continuously like a melon. She hadn't missed this sensation. A migraine began to form in her frontal lobe. Over the summer she had practiced occlumency per Snape's suggestion, but no matter what she was attempting to do, she was still in agonizing pain as thoughts pounded against her skull-her vision doubling for a moment.
The new professor is dreamy
I can't believe Harry and Ron
I hope I can write my parents about what house I got!
I wonder if George and Harper will finally admit they fancy each other this year
This thought made Harper snap her head up, her eyes looking at Joy who was innocently chewing a bit of bread. Harper lightly kicked Joy's shin under the table, the blonde's eyes going big as she instantly understood the signal.
Harper?
Harper looked away, seeing Angelina studying her, "are you still doing private lessons this year?"
"Yeah...I believe so, haven't heard differently."
It was going to be different this year. She was going to perfect it this time.
Harper shut her eyes tightly, humming a song to herself and focusing on the words and the vibrations of her vocal cords-anything else. There was a tapping on her knee, opening an eye Joy was making a face at her from across the table. Harper started laughing.
I really missed that laugh during the break
Harper's laugh turned into a cough, there was a flash of herself leaning back slightly as she laughed at Joy, feeling her heart rate pick up instantly-was it a reflection of his own pulse or just hers? She closed her eyes tightly, gripping her fork between her fingers as she tried to hum a song and tune out the pounding orchestra in her mind.
This was the perfect situation she needed though.
With a deep breath, Harper focused on the muffled screams that pounded on her skull, suffocating her.
I swear, those two. If they don't get expelled it'll be a miracle
Harper listened to Hermione quietly talking to herself about Harry and Ron's car stunt.
Please let this work Harper thought to herself, focusing on Hermione's voice, Harper started to imagine a wall being built between them. Hermione was still muttering to herself, but slowly Hermione's voice became among one of the many voices that were pounding on her skull-just another whisper, it wasn't heightened, couldn't distinctly make it out through the cascade of other thoughts. She smiled to herself, Angelina and Joy were frowning as they both quietly looked at their friend, briefly relived that no one else was paying attention to her.
Harper. This isn't funny.
Trying to bring herself out of her trance, she tried to see if she could make Hermione stop completely. Imagining the wall was bigger and thicker, it took all of her energy to build this, she was slowly beginning to feel tired-the bushy haired girl's voice was no longer distinct, just a dull hum that drilled into her skull.
Harps!
Harper looked over at Angelina who was silently pleading with her friend, worry was written all over Angelina's face.
We need to talk
Harper nodded slightly, absentmindedly going back to her plate, without a word George's knee touched her own leg. Suddenly the pounding and screams were gone.
There was only silence.
With a scowl, she moved her leg away from George's as nonchalantly as possible, the pounding in her head erupting instantly-it took everything in her to not make a noise or react. She let her leg fall again, touching George's, the pounding slowly ebbed away until it was silent yet again.
"Lee? Could you pass me that tart beside you...it looks good," Harper tried to say as calmly as possible when the food disappeared and was replaced with desserts.
What the hell was going on with her now?
***
"How was the beginning of the year feast?"
"All the whispering was there...I heard a lot of thoughts. That pressure was unbelievable! Worse than I'd ever experienced," Harper recounted the evening to the hook nosed man. It was late and she was exhausted, but Snape had demanded her presence once dinner concluded, the second they sat at down for the welcome feast.
"Did you practice a thing during the summer?"
Harper frowned at Snape who sat at his desk, fingers interlaced as he calmly studied the girl in front of him.
"When you heard these thoughts, were you looking at the person?"
"No sir," Harper shook her head slightly.
Snape was quiet.
"I did....I did attempt something at the feast." Snape raised an eyebrow as Harper took a deep breath to explain what happened. Except for the small part of George. She didn't feel comfortable divulging that information to the greasy haired professor. Even if that was a solution, she would not tell George about her ability until it was under control.
You're nothing but a cheat! a voice from her past screamed, making her shiver.
"Do try not to use the other students as...subjects," Snape sighed, "but that is progress."
"As I'm sure you're starting to suspect, you're a natural legilimens. With careful training you could be a powerful occlumens as well. Your mind is what needs controlling right now." Harper fidgeted in her seat, not liking this. "I do suspect that being versed in divination is also a small factor in all of this."
"Sybill isn't going to like that," Harper ran a hand through her hair, fluffing it out around her shoulders, chewing on the inside of her cheek, "then how do we get this under control?"
"We do not. It's you."
Harper frowned at the floor, feeling anxiety flow from her stomach to the rest of her body.
"I am trying, professor....no one wants this handled more than myself," Harper whispered, a wave of loss washed over her.
"I suggest that in your band of misfits, trusting them to help. The more people who can assist you, the better-"
"I've only told two of them. Until this is under control I swore I wouldn't tell a soul."
"The time may never come where this is fully controlled without more hands. Dumbledore impressed upon you the severity of controlling this. We're talking about two completely different things melding together. If you are a natural legilimens, this should be no matter of fixing, however...that remains to be seen."
That last comment stung slightly.
"It's because Voldemort was here? Do you believe that? That he's back somewhere in the world?" Harper asked, her tone of disbelief as she regarded the professor with a surprised look.
Snape's eyebrows twitched as he studied her, unsure what to say next. "Dark forces still exist in the world, Miss Nonemacker. Just because one source is considered gone, does not mean another can not arise any day. So yes, it is imperative to get to the root of your power in a rather fashionable pace. I don't believe you understand how powerful you truly can be, if a dark wizard does manifest and learn about your existence, it is imperative to get your mind ready."
"Get my mind ready? I thought we did that last year." Harper paused for a moment, "are you insinuating that if a dark wizard emerged....I would be in danger?"
"Last year I'd hoped that having you master the legilimens spell would cause you to be able to focus your ability into a single source, much an outlet of sorts. While I also theorized you needed direct eye contact which is needed to perform legilimens by ordinary wizards, that has been completely dismissed. You are certainly gifted at the charm itself, but your ability....there's something deeper behind it. During the quidditch games last year, what did you do?" Harper didn't feel much better that Snape ignored the second part of her statement.
"I followed your instructions: humming to myself and focusing on my own thoughts, with the earmuffs as well...."
Snape breathed deeply, lacing his fingers together. "And the pounding was always present?" Harper nodded.
They were silent for so long, it made Harper twitch in her seat.
"So what do I do now? Am I at square one? Was last year a waste?"
Snape shook his head, "on the contrary, you are a strong legilimens-"
"We already knew that!"
Snape rolled his eyes, "the next two months, each time your ability does something, write it down immediately, include every single detail and inform me. From there we will be able to work with that."
Harper glared at her hands, "really feels like we're at square one. Again."
Snape slammed a hand on the desk causing Harper to jump slightly, "I suggest you stop the back talk, Miss Nonemacker. This is crucial."
"Yes sir," Harper's face flushed slightly.
Snape studied her for several long moments, Harper fidgeted, she was already accustomed to having her mental block up around Snape-he would try to break through her memories without even a flick of his wand. Harper sat there, frantically building a wall as Snape's eyes bore into hers; she wasn't ready to mention George. She wasn't ready to divulge this secret to him, she needed to protect her memory from earlier.
There was a quirk of an eyebrow from Snape, his stone face turned into a snarled scowl.
He knew she was trying to hide something from him.
Harper felt panicked.
"I will give you two months to come up with observations and how you've dealt with them yourself...in the mean time, focus on classes and if I need you before then I'll keep you after potions," Harper was speechless, her jaw dropped-Snape was unperturbed.
She had to wait two months to continue her lessons.
"Now go." Harper got to her feet, too shocked to form a coherent sentence, "oh and Miss Nonemacker. I feel it is in our interest that you do no under any circumstances attempt to use your ability to look into a certain mind in this school." Harper quirked an eyebrow, "the over powering scent of lilac can be revolting to some. But a word of warning: you will put yourself in great danger if you attempt to go through that air headed brain."
Harper nodded slowly, "so he is a fraud."
Snape cleared his throat but didn't speak as he got from his desk and ushered Harper out.
When Harper arrived in the common room, she was met with loud music and chatting as students greeted each other. She looked around for her group but saw no one, thinking they must be in the boys' dormitory celebrating their return to school.
She got so fat
Look at that hair!
He said we'd be back together after summer, but he was seeing someone from Ravenclaw instead
Did you hear the rumor about Nott and Patil?!
So totally didn't forget my robes...I hope I can send a letter in the morning
Harper shook her head as thoughts piled atop her in a steady stream, clearing her throat she hurried up the stairs to her dormitory. Being met with silence.
No one was there
Harper frowned slightly, looking around and going toward her bed and laying out with a sigh. Her mind drifted over the conversation with Snape, feeling dejected and back to square one. Grabbing a sheet of parchment, she wrote out the common room like she was instructed to, resting her chin on her hands as she swung her legs behind her.
Two months. She had to wait two months for Snape to come up with something?!
Bloody hell
***
George grinned as a groggy looking Harper took her seat at breakfast beside him, she slowly reached for toast with a frown.
"What's going on?" George prodded, Harper huffed slightly.
"Didn't have a nice meeting with Snape....just...tired," she whispered.
George nodded as he frowned, looking over his time table for the term he saw that divination wasn't until the afternoons this time around. "Double transfiguration? First thing?! Gods..."
"Followed by potions....lunch....defense....then divination?!" Harper finished her juice and patted his shoulder, "and this year I'm not going to let you steal my essays."
"Oh Miss Nonemacker! So glad I caught you, how about a quick Herbology lesson this morning? I don't need the help persay, but I feel you would love a moment to learn about the Whomping Willow?"
"Oh! I'd love that!" Harper grinned, buttering a bit of toast and hurrying away with the professor.
The rest of the group appeared, George pulled out the map and looked around until he found the scrawled name flitting around there grounds, even her feet seemed to be skipping slightly. He smiled at the parchment.
"Freddie, what's the pool up to now?"
George looked up at Joy who had a huge grin on her face, "Oh yes, let me fix everything from the train ride and I'll update you," Fred smirked from over George's shoulder as he took a seat.
"Oi you lot are ridiculous," George huffed.
"The odds have got to be skewed now since you invited her over to your house," Alicia frowned as she bit into some toast.
"We learned a lot about her doing that," Fred shrugged. "It was the perfect setup."
"That's still cheating it so it's in your favor, Fred!"
"You need hobbies," Angelina snorted.
"You have thirty galleons in the pool, Ange."
***
"Welcome! We'll start with a pop quiz. About me!"
George had to stop his laugh at Harper's silent gag, passing the papers behind them.
"I told you. Fraud," Harper hissed in his ear, her breath tickling his neck, goosebumps erupted along his skin.
George chuckled as he looked over the questions, "he could just be really into himself, Harpsichord."
"The paper smells like lilac...." Harper made a wrenching noise.
"I prefer the scent of lemongrass," George commented without a second thought. When he realized what he said, his face turned red and he felt his ears heat up also. Nice going
Fred kicked George's chair from behind, trying not to laugh as he clasped his hands over his mouth and leaned forward. Alicia gave him a weird look from her seat beside him, oblivious to George's slip. Angelina and Joy were so busy with the pointless quiz they hadn't caught the slip up. George looked out the corner of his eye, trying to see if Harper had heard him.
"I should make those again," Harper mused as she turned over the paper. "Lemon lavender cookies."
Behind them Fred made a strangled noise as he tried not to disturb the class with his laughing. Joy had perked up that something was going on, she looked at Fred who was huddled over his seat shaking with laughter.
"Could you?" George stammered, "they were really good when you made them at the Burrow." I'd missed them all summer. He noticed Harper smirk slightly as they both attempted to fill out the quiz before them.
"As long as the house elves allow me," George couldn't help the smile on his face as he tried to catch a glimpse of Harper's own smile.
He had to admit he did think Harper was cute, he could fancy her given the right chance. But he wasn't going to ruin things, and he wasn't into thinking much about girls currently, the betting pool the group had just made him want to exaggerate how long before he finally broke and told her what he thought of her.
For now he would just play the waiting game. It wasn't like Harper was going to go anywhere.
***
Something sharp hit Harper on the nose, she looked around and found a pea sized ball of paper. She glared at it before unraveling it. Angelina's scrawl was crumpled but she could read it.
Are you lessons back on? Do you need me?
Harper frowned, huffing and crumpling the paper and chucking it with force at Angelina who fell off her stool. The boys looked between the girls who had a private stare down. Harper focused on Angelina's face, the class was quiet and so was her mind.
Well that was rude
Harper raised an eyebrow, scoffing slightly.
Can you hear me?
Harper gave a nod, immediately grabbed for parchment and a quill, scrawling quickly.
"Oi you two. What's going on?" Fred frowned.
"Nothing, Harper forgot her assignment in the dormitory I think."
Harper scrambled to the front of the class, jiggling the handle to Snape's office but it wouldn't budge. After a few seconds the hooked nose peered down at her with a raised eyebrow.
"I need to have a lesson tonight," she shoved her messy handwriting at Snape where she had written down what just happened between her and Angelina.
Snape read it over carefully, "do try to stop Miss Johnson before coming to me. At least twice."
Harper scowled as he walked around her to start class.
Still nothing.
***
"Told you last year that it's you who needs to be in an emotional state," Angelina said smugly as the two girls sat in the kitchens for dinner.
Harper rolled her eyes, "it's not like I have a complete handle on all this." Angelina laughed. "But thank you, Ange. You've helped me a lot get control of my legilimency."
"Control your what?"
Harper bit her lips shut as she silenced her screams, Fred sat beside Harper twirling a strand of her hair between his fingers with a frown. His eyebrows raised slightly, his eyes flashing as they studied her. They were brown like George's but instead of that soft, adoring look she often caught in George's eyes, Fred's were harsh and guarded.
"What's Angelina been helpful with?" Fred was frowning, his face was curious as he studied the girls.
"My studies, this year....it's been-"
"Come off it, Harper," Fred waved her off. He leaned his back into the table, taking another strand of Harper's waist long hair between his fingers as he frowned. "I've always thought you were an interesting girl....transferring here last year from who really knows where, a very tight bond with Joy and Angelina...as if. As if you could read their minds at times," Fred pointed a finger at her. "But that's not it...no no...because a friendly girl like you would tell her friends that kind of thing."
Harper frowned as she got her wand from her boot, "so again. What's the fancy word I heard you use, Harper?"
Harper woke up screaming in her bed, her nightmare causing her to jump off her bed. The girls in the room groaned as they all groggily got up. "Sorry sorry....bad dream, go back to bed. Sorry."
"Is this going to be an annual thing?" Alicia moaned from her bed.
Harper snorted slightly, taking her quilt and quietly exiting the room. The fire was still lit as she sat beside it. She took a poker and prodded the ashes, taking a charred piece and tapping the stick on the ground. The ashes fell lightly to the floor, Harper bent down and studied how they laid out.
"Ahhhhh useless," Harper huffed at the floor before brushing them all away.
"Are you alright?"
"I will murder you!" Harper hissed as she jumped about a foot in the air, Fred and George stood with a suspicious looking box in hand as they watched Harper.
"Fine. Then we won't warn you about tomorrow," Fred huffed, turning his nose up and walking upstairs.
George chuckled slightly, "alright, Harpsichord?"
Harper fixed her bun atop her head and sighed, "bad dream is all. Sometimes ashes can be used for seeing, just wanted to calm the nerves." She looked back at the floor and scowled, "but I think it just made me feel worse," she waved her wand slightly and the ashes disappeared.
"Your aunt taught you some interesting things," George grinned. Harper gave a small smile.
"So what's the warning for tomorrow?" Harper asked, wrapping her blanket closer to her body.
"Ah well you heard Freddie, no warning for you," George winked.
Harper pouted slightly, something flashed over George's face but before Harper could properly read the reaction it was gone.
"Would...would you like to sit and talk for a bit? Doesn't have to be about your dream if you don't want to discuss it."
"That sounds nice," Harper grinned, feeling her face flush slightly as they took seats on the couch.
In the morning the fourth years would find their secret lovebirds sound asleep on the couch, Harper wrapped in her quilt with her feet on George's lap and George sprawled on his side of the couch, his arm on the back of the couch.
"Christmas. This year. Definitely Christmas," Angelina grinned at Fred as they shook on it.
"They're so adorable," Joy breathed as she began pinching Harper's cheeks trying to wake the dozing girl.