"The creature drank the unicorn's blood?"
Staring at his hands in his lap, Harry nodded, feeling sick. "It was silvery and . . ." He stopped himself before he said how good it had tasted. How pure and delicious and . . . God, how disgusting was he?
"What do you think, Albus?" Snape asked, a little louder than he had been speaking to Harry.
As Harry brought his head up in surprise, the Headmaster moved from the shadows of the room into the circle of moonlight surrounding Harry's bed. Oh, no. Had he heard everything Harry had said? It seemed so, for he said, "It seems the report Hagrid received from the centaurs was quite correct."
"How many, then?"
"Firenze told him they had found four bodies thus far."
"Someone's killing all the unicorns?" Harry asked, ashamed to hear his voice rise an octave. The sheer glory of the animal as it galloped through the forest, its power and strength and ethereal beauty had affected Harry very strongly. That someone -- that the creature he had seen -- was killing such wondrous animals was horrifying.
"I'm afraid so, Mr. Potter," the Headmaster said. He held his hands folded together in front of his chest, just above the ends of his long, white beard, and Harry could see how tensely they were twisted together.
"But why?"
"Can you not discern the reason?" Snape asked. "After what you saw?"
Harry shook his head, but then said, "You said it's not a vampire."
"No."
"But it needs the blood to live."
"What makes you say that?" the Headmaster asked Harry.
"I just . . . I don't know. But somehow, that's the feeling I got." His heart had beat harder, stronger, after he had drunk the blood of the unicorn. He had never felt more alive . . . Harry squeezed his eyes shut. No! That wasn't him.
There was a moment's pause before the Headmaster said, "I believe you are correct."
"It's Vol . . . I mean, it's You Know Who, isn't it? Who's killing them." Harry swallowed and looked at Snape. The professor's eyes held his, lending him the strength he desperately needed just now. He gestured to his scar. "'Cause I wouldn't have seen it otherwise. Right?"
"Yes." Snape made an abortive move with his right hand, as if he was going to put it on one of Harry's, as if he was going to try and comfort Harry. But he took his hand back quickly, with a glance at the Headmaster. "I am concerned, Harry, we are concerned you might have an unintentional connection to the Dark Lord and may have other visions like this."
Harry nodded, fiddling with the edge of the blanket covering his legs and wishing that he could be normal for just one minute. "Yeah, I figured."
"There are ways to counter such forays into your mind, Mr. Potter," the Headmaster said. "To stop the intrusion once it starts, or block the visions from getting in, in the first place."
"Really?" Harry felt the first tendrils of hope enter his heart. "How?"
Instead of answer, the Headmaster turned to Snape and gave him a long look.
Snape felt the weight of the older man's stare, but did not bend. He glared back. "Absolutely not. He is too young. His mind is not ready for that."
The Headmaster merely smiled. Even in the dimness of the Infirmary, Harry could have sworn he saw a sparkle in the old Wizard's eyes. "Did you not tell me previously that you believe he is a natural Occlumens? If so, I believe he just needs focus, and practice."
Snape's glare hardened into something more terrifying to behold, and Harry was very glad the look was not aimed at him. "Being able to cast me out of his mind is one thing. But to cast out the Dark Lord? It's too much. I will not jeopardize Harry's sanity like that."
"It's Harry now, is it?" the Headmaster asked, beaming at Snape. He waved one of his hands negligently. "He will need to know how to do it sooner or later, or I predict many more trips into Poppy's domain. And as much as I'm sure the boy enjoys her hospitality . . ."
Snape pressed his face into his hands and was silent for several long moments. Harry hated being talked about like he wasn't in the room, but his aunt and uncle had done so all the time, so he was well used to the feeling, and he didn't interrupt.
"Damn you, Albus," Snape muttered so softly that Harry was pretty sure no one was meant to hear. Then his head came up and he gave Harry a measuring look. Harry frowned back a little, confused, and not sure what Snape was trying to figure out. He just hoped whatever it was, he was doing it right. Then, to Harry's amazement, Snape mouthed the words, "I'm sorry," before he turned back to the Headmaster. Snape had apologized? To him? The last time, he had understood why, at least. This time . . . Harry's frown deepened as he gave his attention back to Professor Dumbledore, too.
"Very well, Headmaster," Snape said, more formally than he'd spoken before. His face was back in the blank mask that Harry knew so well, and for some reason, that alone was enough to make the hairs on the back of Harry's neck rise. "I will teach him. But I want a concession from you, as well."
The Headmaster's smile was absolutely radiant. "I will see what I can do, Severus. What is it you require?"
"If I am to teach the boy Occlumency, at his age, then I will need to have access to him year round. The Art is too delicate to leave to such an otherwise constrained schedule. That means we will work during holidays, too, both winter and summer, and I will not call upon him in that Muggle hovel. It is an inappropriate learning environment."
Harry held his breath. Not go to the Dursleys during the summer?? Was it possible for him to get that lucky?
The Headmaster was nodding before Snape even finished. "Winter holidays, of course you may work together. I imagine Harry, here," and Harry jumped, startled, at hearing his given name come from the Headmaster's mouth, "will be staying in Hogwarts then, regardless."
"Naturally," Snape said, in almost a snarl. Harry wondered why. Snape knew, at least somewhat, why Harry didn't want to go to the Dursleys. Did the Headmaster know, too?
"But the summer holidays . . . I'm afraid that is out of the question."
"Unacceptable."
"Severus, you know the Board of Governors does not allow any student to remain in Hogwarts over the summer holidays."
Snape swung around on his chair and pinned the Headmaster with the Look that made his students quail. The Headmaster did not seem ruffled. "Not even Harry Potter? Not even if you informed the Governors that his life will be in danger if he returns to their loving care?" The amount of sarcasm dripping from the Potion Master's mouth was nothing short of awe inspiring.
Harry watched the two of them battle it out -- over him! -- for another few minutes, hearing various things like 'blood wards' and 'statutes' and 'continuity of instruction' before the Headmaster sharply interrupted Snape mid-sentence, saying, "We will discuss this more at another time, Severus. I believe Mr. Potter needs his sleep more than he needs to hear our disagreements."
Snape drew himself up, obviously not used to people interrupting him -- recalling his one experience at doing so filled Harry with a fair amount of fear -- and nodded once, a mere jerk of the head. "As you say, sir." He rose from his chair and turned to Harry. "My apologies, Mr. Potter, for keeping you from your rest. Good night."