Chapter 1 Ungrateful
Merlin's balls she was going to be late for her meeting with Dumbledore!
Harriet hurriedly shucked off her quidditch gear and threw the muddy garments into the laundry basket as she pulled on her normal school robes.
Harriet met her green eyes in the mirror. Thank Merlin for Hermione and the contact lenses! When Harriet had complained to Hermione about how inconvenient her glasses were for quidditch, Hermione had bought her contact lenses for her birthday. It was so much easier to see the snitch now without a damned frame in the way.
Besides, she wasn't taking any chances after that dumb trick Malfoy pulled shouting "Accio glasses!" during one of her training sessions. Luckily her favourite beaters had been on hand to pelt bludgers at him and get her glasses back. Fred even said that the resulting week of detentions had been worth putting Malfoy in the hospital wing.
Her auburn hair, a direct cross between her mum's hair and her dad's hair she was told, was still windblown from quidditch practice and she hurriedly ran a brush through it.
“I told you to leave earlier," Hermione called after her as she slammed the door open and raced out of the girls dormitory.
Harriet was short of breath by the time she reached the gargoyles and wheezed "lemon sherbet."
They reluctantly shifted aside to let her through. Harriet did her best to catch her breath on the stairs. She didn't need Dumbledore to know how hard she had run to get here on time.
When she ascended the stairs to Dumbledore's office she heard a familiar low frustrated sneer. "I am so sick of constantly protecting the arrogant Potter girl's ungrateful ass -"
Harriet hesitated for a moment. Clearly this conversation was not meant for her ears but she was fed up with this annoying excuse of a teacher.
The words shot out of her mouth before she could censor them. "I'm so sorry for nearly getting murdered by your pal Voldemort all the time. Next time my ass will be sure to express its gratitude to you directly."
For a moment her words hung in the air. Hmm that had sounded different when she said it in her head.
Dumbledore's eyes twinkled from behind Snape's shoulder but Snape's gaze narrowed as he turned to look at her. "Detention, Potter" he hissed.
“Oh I'm so sorry Professor" Harriet said with mock sincerity "sometimes I just can't help being a smart-ass."
Dumbledore spoke quickly before Snape could retaliate again "we can continue our discussion another time, Severus. I have an appointment with Miss Potter and it would be most impolite of me to keep her waiting."
Snape turned on a dragon hide heel, his cloak sweeping behind him as he descended the stairs.
Harriet sighed, flopping into a seat across from Dumbledore. “I never asked him to save me. Next time he can save himself the effort."
Dumbledore's gaze did not meet her own. “On that note, I will admit, Harriet, I am concerned about these dreams you have been having. I think it would be best if you learned how to prevent unwanted intrusions into your mind. This particular skill is known as occlumency. I want you to learn occlumency with Professor Snape. Then perhaps you will be better positioned to protect yourself."
“What? No!" Harriet blurted "Snape is -"
“Professor Snape, Harriet.”
“He has had it in for me since I first got here" Harriet bit out, trying her best to sound calm and reasonable.
“His relationship with your father was...complicated."
Harriet opened her mouth to object again and Dumbledore sighed. "Professor Snape has kindly agreed to assist you. I would ask that you take these lessons seriously as it may mean the difference between life and death. I would also advise the use of restraint as occlumency teachers are rather hard to come by."
Harriet wanted to scream. Dumbledore had not been sharing any information with her. In fact sometimes it felt as though he was purposefully ignoring her. "Why can't you teach me, Professor?" She tried plaintively.
Dumbledore sighed deeply "I'm a very busy man Harriet. I'm sure that you and Professor Snape will both be mature enough to put aside your grievances, especially knowing what is at stake."
Harriet stifled a snort.
Fat chance.
