After James departure ,life of Gryffindors come back to the normal, without any visible change in particular.However ,James continues to live in their subconscious mind , affecting their actions.
Just like Dumbledore started believing more in Harry's abilities, along with his luck and less in the prophecy . That's why he started giving special training not only to Harry but to Ron and Hermione too, understanding their own individual importance in the upcoming danger , dropping his earlier belief of them being important in Harry's life but not in the war.
The training is going well with trio being together and Dumbledore being excellent but not tough teacher. The training commenced with non-verbal spells ,on which Harry mastered almost effortlessly, Ron was the second one who manages to summon a book non-verbally , however book went towards the Dumbledore and would have slammed him on his face ,if he had not use his magic.A second after Ron, Hermione masters the non-verbal spells ,by perfectly performing some complex magical spells. However Ron didn't shy away from showing off his ability to use the spells before her and Hermione had to remind him that who is better.
After three of them Masters the non verbal spells after a few days ,(Ron being the last one to able to cast it perfectly and Harry accompanying him with his deliberated bad performance, which was very well known by Dumbledore and Hermione even after Harry didn't show that) , Dumbledore started the lessons on occlumecy and Legilimency.
"I will sneak into your mind, trying to invoke memory of my benefit.You can feel my presence in your mind,You can understand that someone is violating your boundary but still you will be incapable to stop me . Vulnerable and impotent in front of a imposter . Unless you know how to stop them" Speaks Dumbledore gazing at the three Gryffindors who are standing in front of him attentively , listening to his words with uttermost attention.
"There are some simple ways to do so . But yet it is so difficult achieve" continues Dumbledore.
"Simple and Difficult " Speaks Ron.
"Yes, Mr.Weasly . Simple and Difficult. Theory is Simple. " Said Dumbledore." You have to stop the imposter either by blocking your mind completely, emptying it without any thoughts or by thinking about something which can never be beneficial for imposter. For example, You can think of chocolate frog " Speaks Dumbledore.
"That's so easy " Ron exclaimed ."Why can't you do that?"He turns to Harry.
"Go, Give it a try mate ".Speaks Harry insipidly . Dumbledore smiles at Ron's enthusiasm and Harry's apathy. He turns his blue piercing eyes towards Ron and in no time he can see Ron' s thought started with chocolate frog but then it travels towards the Dumbledore card Harry got in train in first year,then toward the Nicholas Flamel ,then to Hermione's suggestion to go in restricted section,then it turns towards basilisk because Hermione found about it in library,then towards Ginny being used to open the chamber,then towards the relationship between Ginny and Hermione....
And Dumbledore stops,just at the point of time, his thoughts linger towards the personal relationship of his students.
"Bloody Merlin!! That was .....it is impossible"Ron looks at Harry with wide horrified eyes with a feeling disgusted as if someone has seen something private about him.
Harry looks at him with a expression that tells 'now you get that'
"It's not impossible Mr.weasley. Difficult and Important,Yes but not impossible. ".Speaks Dumbledore " Now it's your turn Harry "
"Why don't you go with Hermione first ?" Speaks Harry, looking like he is about to raj away but somehow is standing at his position. "She didn't even get a chance to be introduced by this. I have share of my experience ." He added bitterly.
"Sorry Harry but I can't use Legilimency on Miss Granger". Speaks Dumbledore.
"Why not?" asked Harry and Ron simultaneously, receiving a glare from Hermione that is telling them that she is refraining from putting some brains into them only because of Dumbledore's presence.
"Our Thoughts are our personal space and we should always understand our limitations while dealing with ladies." Speaks Dumbledore calmly.
"Who's the lady here?" Ron asked earning a nudge from Harry,that brought his attention towards glaring Hermione." Oh! Yes . You.I keep forgetting that" Ron said turning away.
"So, Hermione will not learn this" asked Harry unsurely .
"I think,Minerva can help in this situation " Speaks Dumbledore as if he hadn't thought about it earlier " She will inform you about her time table as soon as possible, Miss Granger. Unless you can practice Legilimency. I hope that's fine for you"
"Of course " Speaks Hermione with hint of devilish pleasure in her voice. Harry got the feeling that it has less to do with her interest of learning. Then suddenly something clicked in his mind.
"On whom?" He looks at Dumbledore horrified with the thought" Hermione will practice Legilimency on whom?" He looks from Dumbledore to Hermione who scared him more with the smirk on her face.
"On you two, ofcourse" Speaks Hermione calmly with hint of suppressed laughter in his voice.
"No!!!" Ron , who was till now trying to understand the reason of Harry's fear , screamed. "You just can't allow that" He looks at Dumbledore with half fear and half hope
"Yes Professor ,This ...This....is not okay." Harry supported his best friend with equal urgency.
"Comm'on Harry . It's not like you two have some thought that you don't want me to know" Said Hermione casually, waving her hand in the air , dismissing the invisible wall of reluctance." Or you have?" She asked squinting her eyes at her two bestfriends .
"No... absolutely not" Harry speaks with a fake laughter and Ron looks at him like ' Really '.
"It's just... because..... It's.. It's discrimination. " He speaks looking at Dumbledore's face who seemed to determined to follow Hermione. He turns towards Hermione frantically. "....And you always stand against it"
This breaks Hermione last string of patience and she looses control over her laughter. A chuckle escape from the back of Dumbledore's throat too as his lips curved upward.
"Do you guys really think that Professor Dumbledore will allow that " Speaks Hermione amid her laughter."Practice of Legilimency is allowed only on those who masters Occlumency because the practitioner doesn't know its limit and can be unable to retreat from another mind. "
"Well Done , Miss Granger" Speaks Dumbledore and turns toward the boys ." Remember People with whom you are practicing your Occlumency know their limit but Voldemort and his death eaters has not been introduced with the word ."
"Neither did Snape ".Harry commented angrily.
"You have to understand the importance of this lesson" Dumbledore speaks eyeing at Ron and Harry one by one ." The success of your strategy depends on how much you have surprise element for your opponent and for that you have to keep your thoughts to yourself." He paused looking at Ron and Harry, both of them nodded sincerely .
"The training starts with me entering into your mind.Intially I will not influence your thoughts .I will see what you are thinking and if turns towards something personal ,you would find me coming back. I will not interfere into your personal space. You have my words" He eyes stops at Harry and he continues only after Harry nodded showing his confidence in him.
"You have to try to control your thoughts,divert it consciously towards something you wants me to know .Once you will learn how to control flow of your thoughts. We will move on next stage."
" In stage 2 I will try to influence your thoughts,to find some particular information. In that case , either you have to stick to the some non important thoughts or you have to learn to push me back. Once you will master that we will move towards stage 3.
"In stage 3 , I will not give you any warning before entering into your mind. I can do that any point of time of the day .You will have to learn to be constant vigilant to master this stage."
"Once you will master these three steps,you will able to stop any death eater to enter into your mind and even to voldemort only if he is not that much interested into your thoughts. Remember If you feel his presence in your mind, Don't try to push him back.Just try to stick with some useless thoughts. Made him think that you two don't know anything important " Speaks Dumbledore looking at Ron and Hermione.
"Won't he get suspicious when he found utterly useless thing in their minds?" Harry asked.
"Yes ,He will.That's why you have to learn to keep your thoughts to the informations that cannot be vital to him but at the same time cannot be useless for you " He said looking at Ron and Hermione." Just don't let him know about your abilities of Occlumency .His arrogance will help you very much." He said to both of them and then he turns towards Harry.
"Stage 4 of Occlumency is required for you Harry. Voldemort will not leave your mind soon without trying to look for Vital information. And Even if he tried a little, You would found yourself drowning into the cycles of thoughts that he wanted you to think.So, You have to master stage 4 ."
"In a stage 4 you would create a shield around your thoughts.So that even if you are thinking the imposter would never reaches till the thought." Speaks Dumbledore." How strongs you are protected depends upon how strong your shield is .The strength of the shield depends upon your determination "
"We can't proceed our lessons unless you all would master this .So put your whole efforts in it. " Dumbledore announced.
The training was going good for the trio but not for Ginny. With the training and regular classes Harry's time for Ginny becomes negligent ,he only meets him in the hallway or dinning hall with rest of students around him , everytime he remains in hurry that neither did he could greet her fully nor did he can say good bye.
This was not like her dreams that she has dreamt from her childhood. It is not like she is not trying to understand..She kept repeating to herself that Harry has whole bunch of responsibilities on his shoulder and he should keep them on priority but still it doesn't end the slight ache in her chest that keep telling her that no matter what, she will never be his priority. Inspite of all those things,She kept her hope intact in this relationship.
Harry too has not given up on the relationship. However after James he couldn't imagine Ginny as his wife but he couldn't end his relation with Ginny based on that. He still likes to spent time with her. She made him feel lively ,she made him feel young. It is not like he is some old man but with the responsibilities he mentally has aged more than his real age. Ginny made him feel that he is a young teenager boy. May be at some point of time he would not feel the same with her but it is not this time. He found hard to imagine a time when he would not feel any tingling sensation whenever her lips touches his or the flipping of his stomach whenever she looked at him like that. Moreover
Harry wanted to spent time with her.He had been trying to stole some time for them but it had become nearly impossible to manage with the classes, training and hunt for horcux. But still he didn't give up his hope from the relationship. He is happy with her .Afterall Ginny understands.