Better Be Slytherin!

inside you. You must.'

Harry clutched the book on Occlumency to his chest and forced himself to draw a lungful of painfully freezing air. 'I will. I swear.'

A bright flash of light made Harry squeeze his eyes shut, and when he opened them a moment later, the Bloody Baron was gone. Usually the Baron floated away, through a door or wall, although every once in a while, he would do a slow fade into nothingness. Harry had never before seen him disappear instantly like that. Even worse, though, was the realization that the Baron was obviously nervous about something, perhaps even afraid of Voldemort . . . or rather, Tom Riddle. Considering Voldemort had murdered at least two people -- and probably lots more, to hear Draco's occasional stories -- he was obviously dangerous and probably a psychopath. But that did not explain why a ghost would fear him.

With trembling hands, Harry opened his book again and studied intensely for several hours before falling asleep.

TBC . . .

2nd A/N: I am so sorry it was so long between chapters. Three months? What is that? Sheesh. But my thanks to everyone who reads and/or reviews! Thanks, too, for those who have wished me well for my health. I'd like to be doing better than I am, but all good things in time, I suppose.

The next couple chapters will cover the first Occlumency lesson, plus the discovery of a particular mirror.

*Chapter 42*: Chapter 42

Better Be Slytherin! – Chapter 42

By jharad17

Disclaimer: None of this is mine!

Warnings: language

--

Previously on Better Be Slytherin:

Harry clutched the book on Occlumency to his chest and forced himself to draw a lungful of painfully freezing air. 'I will. I swear.'

A bright flash of light made Harry squeeze his eyes shut, and when he opened them a moment later, the Bloody Baron was gone.

HPSSHPSSHPSSHPSSHPSSHPSSHPSSHPSS

An explosive BOOM rocked Severus' chambers, but before he had a chance to rise from his chair and investigate, the concurrent flash of light nearly blinded him. He blinked hard once, then once more. When he could see again, the Bloody Baron was hovering directly in front of him, silver blood pouring from his chest, and looking nervous . . . which, for anyone else, was the equivalent of panicked.

'What is going on here?' Severus demanded, drawing himself up and tightening the belt on his dressing gown as if it were armor. Never let it be said he lost his composure in a crisis.

'I have just left Harry Potter,' the ghost intoned, as if that were enough of an answer. In a way, it was.

Severus gave his end table a significant look, where a vase of dried flowers and a wine glass had both fallen over due to the ghost's concussive entrance. 'You left his room intact, I imagine.'

'I would have to check to make certain. . . .' Severus was half way to the door, before the ghost finished with, 'But I have no reason to believe otherwise.'

'Despite the manner of your arrival in my chambers.'

'Indeed.' The ghost was gradually becoming less . . . frazzled. He peered at the side table then gave Severus an apologetic look.

Severus waved him off, then used his wand to banish the mess and turned back to his chair. 'Tell me what happened.'

'Harry Potter made a Wizard's Oath.'

In the process of sitting back down by the fire, Severus froze. 'He what?' His question came out strangled. How could the boy have done something so stupid? And since dinner? Fists clenched, he strode to the door, ready to wrangle a moment's peace from The Boy Who Would Not Leave Bloody Well Alone if he had to put him in a Body Bind to do it.

'He did not realize, I believe, what the result of his oath would be.'

Severus grabbed the latch and sneered over his shoulder. 'Is that supposed to make me feel better?'

'Of course not.' The Baron glided closer. Oddly, as the apparition approached, he seemed to bring with him an unnatural chill. Severus could see his breaths, and he repressed a shiver. 'He swore only to study Occlumency as hard as he can. To learn it, in order to protect his mind against the heir of Slytherin.'

Giving the Baron a sharper look, Severus let go of the door. 'What, exactly, did he pledge his magic against?'

'He pledged to guard his mind and dreams from the Dark Lord.'

With a small sigh, Severus crossed his arms. He traced his lower lip with an index finger, considering the ramifications. 'Perhaps that will not harm him overmuch.'

'I surmised that, as well.' The Baron's gaze was still intense. 'What concerned me more was the amount of power he brought to bear in making his oath.'