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When Harry appeared, after several hours of sleep, he found Zelda sitting on the couch in the living room, surrounded by her cats. He immediately thought of his batty, cat-obsessed old neighbor Mrs. Figg. He realized, though, that Zelda wasn't that old, and in fact she was kind of pretty. She was wore a bright red dress with big tropical flowers all over in gold, and her bare arms were lightly tanned. Her blond hair was shiny and soft, her blue eyes twinkled when she saw him. He was surprised that she'd think twice about a creepy guy like Snape.

"There are only three cats here, Potter, thank you for the compliment, and watch what you think about the man I love," Zelda said, trying to look stern, but failing.

Harry's jaw dropped. She was a Legilimens! But... Muggles couldn't do that... could they? Wondering if there was a trick, he reached instinctively for his wand, unsure what to do next, when she spoke again.

"I wanted to get your attention, Harry, and make you see that there's more going on than you realize. Please put the wand away and I'll explain." She rose and said, "Would you like tea, or coffee?"

"Tea, please," he replied. The mix of the impossible and the ordinary that he saw in Zelda made him dizzy. She, meanwhile, fussed at the stove for a few minutes, before bringing him a large mug of tea. She also brought a huge cup of coffee to the table for herself, and returned to get some milk, honey and lemon. She then sat down across from him, and poured some milk into her coffee.

"Now, about Legilimency," she said, "I didn't know until yesterday it existed, and I didn't know about Occlumency either. I certainly didn't know I could do it. But it was Severus... Harry," she continued, "you've been at Hogwarts for over six years. Do you have any idea how powerful he is? I feel that you don't."

Harry thought about Professor Snape... Remembering the cold voice, the sneers, the insults and the detentions. The way he always turned up in Harry's way. He remembered sitting in the common room with Ron and Hermione, abusing Snape... and then realized Zelda was seeing it too. "Get out!" he snapped.

"Goddess! I'm sorry," replied Zelda, "I did it without thinking. My magical manners are quite horrible, I guess... I didn't realize I was doing it!" She looked horrified and ashamed.

"It's okay," Harry replied awkwardly, disarmed by her remorse. "I guess if I'd learned Occlumency it wouldn't have happened."

She replied, "One subject at a time. Sorry for my bad manners, but it was a shortcut to the answer I need. In fact, I'd bet no one really knows what Severus is capable of doing. You need him, Harry," she added, "and I don't say that gladly. It's quite possible that when he goes back he'll be killed. My question is... can you trust him?"

Her face grew stern again as she spoke. "I saw a child's willful misunderstandings in your mind. You're not a child. You saw him kill Albus Dumbledore," she said, "Can you accept that it was part of a larger plan? If you can't get over it and learn to work together with him, Severus will likely die," Zelda's lips trembled then, and she fell silent.

"What about the Occlumency? You're a Muggle! How could he teach it to you?" asked Harry, avoiding the question of trust.

"There's so little time for us," she said sadly. "He opened his mind to me, reversed Occlumency, something he'd never tried before... and it worked... and it was easy. I found I could do it too. Now I know what it feels like, I can do it more easily, and more often."

Harry was stunned enough already at the thought of Professor Snape snogging someone. The idea of him opening his mind to another person was inconceivable. It must have happened though, because here was Zelda... a Muggle able to stroll into his mind at will. He began to wish that he could have learned it.

"Um, Harry..." said Zelda gently. "Severus mentioned that your scar is a connection to Lord Voldemort, and I gather his attempt to teach you Occlumency was unsuccessful."


"Well," Harry replied guiltily, knowing now, in retrospect, that he bore much of the blame for his failure to learn.

"Would you like me to teach you?" she asked. "You now know so much that if Voldemort invades your mind, you and Severus will both have loads of trouble."

Harry looked at her, and she seemed completely sincere. "Why not?" he shrugged. A Muggle teaching him Occlumency wasn't that much weirder than anything else in his life. "How'll you do it?" he asked, wondering if he needed his wand.

"Like this," she replied, looking into his eyes, and opened her mind gently to him. "Don't go too deep, Harry," she warned mischievously, and he realized she was speaking directly in his mind, "...or you may just see your teacher in a rather shocking way."

This was nothing like Snape's attack, he realized. Zelda's honesty and sense of fun were foremost, and the kindness, which he realized was what had disarmed Professor Snape. He saw her deep concern for Snape, and then caught an unnerving glimpse of Snape laughing into her eyes that caused him to draw back hastily. "He couldn't have done this with you," she said, mind to mind. "This isn't how he was taught, I don't know if anyone's learned it this way."

Harry was far more aware of his conscious mind than before. He was thinking furiously, puzzling it out. Her sudden mental voice startled him. "Now," she said, using her mind, "do you want me to shut you out... or do you dare to open your mind? Either way you'll learn."

"Close your mind, Zelda," he replied, knowing he had spoken directly to her mind. This might help him with nonverbal spells, he realized triumphantly. Harry felt her concentrate for a moment, and then the voice of her mind went silent. He probed clumsily at the barrier, noticing while he did that that her face had lost all expression. Her eyes had become cold and expressionless, like Snape's often were. She maintained the state of mind for at least a minute, and then inhaled deeply, smiling wearily at him.

"Severus assures me that with time and practice Occlumency isn't so exhausting," she said, "but it's all new to me." She refilled her coffee cup, and drank deeply from it. "What do you think?" she asked.

He grinned at her, and said, "I think you're brilliant! I can learn this."

"Drink your tea then, Harry, and get ready to try it," she answered, "You're lucky that I can't possibly force your mind like Severus can, but you'll know if you can keep me out."

Harry breathed deep, remembering Snape telling him to close his mind, but Zelda said, "Try to open your mind to me, just a bit, and then try to close me out. Can you trust me that much? I promise I won't ransack your memories."

He looked into her blue eyes, and she waited patiently. He fumbled a bit, and reached out to her mind. She opened hers to him, and he cautiously opened his mind to her. She didn't press much. He relaxed a moment, and tried to push her out. "Close your own thoughts down, Harry," she directed, "and you'll see." It was amazingly difficult, and just when he thought he had emptied his mind another stray thought escaped. Finally he realized it was done. He couldn't feel his own thoughts, and his contact with Zelda was gone. Triumph broke his concentration; it was a big first step for him.

Zelda was quite pale, he was alarmed to see, but she beamed at him delightedly. "Wonderful! Am I right that you've never managed this much before?"

"This is amazing!" he said with a delighted grin. "I'm already starting to see several things. I understand nonverbal spells better, and if I practice, I can do Occlumency." He looked carefully at her. "Are you okay? Maybe you should lie down, you don't look well."

He helped her to her feet, and led her to the couch, where she sank down gratefully. "I need to rest a bit, that's all," she said.

Harry had an idea. "Do you have any chocolate?" he asked. "It's a remedy for Dementor attacks, but it might help now."

Zelda looked quizzically at him, and replied, "The cupboard by the back door, top shelf." She breathed deeply and closed her eyes.

Harry found a huge bar of Swiss chocolate in the cupboard, and he broke some off and let it melt in his mouth. It was delicious, almost as good as Honeyduke's. It made him feel better already. He hurried back to Zelda, and shook her shoulder gently to rouse her. "Eat this," he said, breaking off a large piece, and putting it in her hand.

"I'm not hungry," said Zelda wearily.

"No, really. Come on, sit up and eat this, it'll help you," said Harry eagerly, and he knelt on the floor in front of her. She took a bite of chocolate, and after a moment she smiled. "I see what you mean," she said, "Thanks. Who knew I'd have a splendid magical remedy in my home? Would you please bring me some coffee?"

They sat companionably eating chocolate together until Severus came into the living room. He looked pale but alert, obviously able to think again. He looked at Harry, sitting on the floor next to Zelda, who was reclining on the couch, but said nothing, merely sat down next to Zelda. She sat up and leaned against him, and he put his arm around her shoulders possessively.

"Chocolate, Sev?" she offered, with a smiling glance at Harry. "I hear it's good after a Dementor attack." She kissed his cheek, and he put his hand on her cheek and kissed her mouth. Zelda forgot about Harry, responding enthusiastically, until Harry coughed loudly. She pulled back, laughing, and said, "The boy will suffer emotional damage if we don't stop!"

"Ignore Potter, my dear girl, he and Ginevra Weasley spent the last weeks snogging all over Hogwarts. Now it is my turn," Severus said complacently, twirling a lock of her hair around his finger, absently. "And why on earth would you put on a dress for Potter, when you have not done it for me?"

Zelda burst out laughing at the shocked expression on Harry's face, and the wicked gleam in Severus's eye made her laugh even harder.

Severus kissed her one more time to make his point, and looked enquiringly at Harry. "Have you been keeping out of trouble, Potter?" he asked coolly.

"Of course, Sir. I'm glad to see you're feeling better, you sound much more like your normal self," Harry replied in an obnoxiously polite voice. "Would you like tea? Or coffee?"

Severus said, "Coffee? All right, I will try it, thank you. Zelda, I see no evidence of Dementors. What caused you to need a quantity of chocolate?"

As Harry went to bring coffee, Zelda said airily, "Oh, I decided to teach Harry a bit of Occlumency, and we overdid it a bit. It was his idea to strengthen ourselves with chocolate, and I do feel much better now."

"Ah, Occlumency? Really? Did Potter mention that he seems somewhat impaired in that area?" Severus sneered, a cynical gleam in his eye.

"I must say, dear boy, the sneer's amazing," Zelda exclaimed admiringly. "You're more exquisitely annoying than anyone I know. Really, you take it to an art form!" She wriggled appreciatively, and continued, "Perhaps Harry needed a different instructor. Someone more sensible and businesslike, like me!"

"Do you mean to say you actually made progress?" Severus asked, sounding more startled than cynical now. He fixed his eyes instantly on Harry, who had just re-entered the room with the coffee. The boy then managed, without any warning, to empty his mind without much struggle. He resisted Severus's probing quite creditably for thirty seconds or so, before his defenses collapsed. Severus immediately withdrew, commenting, "That was not as bad as it could have been, Potter. Have some chocolate and practice more often."

He passed the slab of chocolate to Harry, sitting on the floor in front of them, and who seemed to have expected a different reaction.

Severus turned to Zelda and stared at her. "What made you think of it?" he asked. "It's amazing, and essential that he learn this."

"Harry knows more about you than it's safe for Voldemort to know," she said, "Since the traditional method didn't work, it couldn't hurt to try your new and improved method. Incidentally," she added, "you shouldn't always have to do everything."

Zelda beamed happily upon both of them, and as Harry looked at Snape, he found that Snape was looking at him. They managed not to look away for a moment, and Harry saw a complete absence of malice in Snape's black eyes before he looked down, confused.

Zelda grew serious, and said, "Sev, have you given any thought to how and when you'll go back? I think it's time for the plan, my dear."

"I think that depends on Potter, dear girl." He turned to Harry and said frowning, "Wait a minute. What day is it?" he asked, turning to Harry. "Aren't you supposed to be with your mother's family until your birthday? What are you doing here, and how did you find me?"

Harry looked guiltily at him and said, "Professor McGonagall and Hagrid talked to me before the Hogwarts Express left. They didn't believe what I said happened in the Tower. Everybody else did, but Hagrid convinced McGonagall to ask me again. He said he didn't believe it, that Dumbledore trusted you and there's something we don't know. They asked if I knew how to find you," he continued, "they thought maybe Dumbledore told me more than he did. I didn't tell them about the cavern... Dumbledore said I could only tell Ron and Hermione. I said I knew where I might find you, and it wouldn't be with Voldemort. But that was just so I could go. I wanted to kill you," Harry confessed. "I was really mad."

Severus was surprised and deeply touched that Hagrid had defended him, and had also defended Dumbledore's judgment without knowing the truth. He had not expected anyone to doubt his guilt.

"Harry, do you often do such impulsive things?" Zelda asked, concerned. "If no one knows where you are, this seems quite foolish."

Harry glanced guiltily toward Severus, who remained uncharacteristically silent, and sullenly said, "Yeah, I guess."

"It doesn't explain how you found Severus, though," Zelda said, "Do you know where you are, Harry? And if you don't, how'd you find this place?"

"Well, you sound American, so I guess that's where we are, Zelda," Harry said, "I apparated, so all I needed was to picture this place and come here. It took longer than I expected, but when I got here I recognized the house." Harry looked at each of them in turn. "I knew if I found the Mirror of Erised, there was nothing I'd want more than to find you," he said to Severus. "It took ages to find the Mirror, I looked all over Hogwarts for it, and then it showed me this house. I told McGonagall and Hagrid I was going, but not where I was going, because I didn't know."

"Ingenious, Potter," said Severus repressively, "and what of your faithful sidekicks, Mr. Weasley and Miss Granger?"

"I didn't tell them. Professor McGonagall sent word to the Dursleys that I wouldn't be on the train," he explained. "They think I'm staying at Hogwarts for another week. Hermione and Ron are prefects, they wouldn't know I stayed behind until it was too late."

"And what do you imagine they will do now that they must know that you have evaded them?" Severus asked. "You might as well have broadcast your plans to the Daily Prophet."

"No!" replied Harry, stung. "I sent an them an owl and Hedwig delivered another a note to the Burrow. It's all right, Professor!" he said, "I'm not a complete idiot. Professor McGonagall knows I've gone, and Hagrid too. They want you to come back. I didn't, but now I do. Please!"

"Potter, when I go back, I must..." Severus paused and took a deep breath, " ...go to the Dark Lord. That was the Headmaster's plan, and the only thing that makes sense. I was preparing to do it, when Bellatrix found me."

Harry said slowly, "Talk to Professor McGonagall before you go. She needs to know, someone needs to know what you're doing."

Severus thought briefly of seeing Hogwarts again, before returning to the hell of Death Eater society. He wanted someone to know the truth. The temptation was strong... but he said "Potter, if I can spy on the Dark Lord, I am very sure there is at least one spy at Hogwarts. I cannot risk it."

Harry stood up and pulled a folded, grubby piece of parchment from the pocket of his baggy jeans, and handed it to Severus. "The Marauder's Map isn't wrong, Professor. You can see everyone in the entire castle, even ghosts. Take it."

Zelda watched the whole exchange closely, realizing that Harry had made his choice. She didn't understand the significance of the parchment, but she felt Severus freeze, and his startled look told her this was enormous.

"Are you going to show me how it works?" Severus asked, slowly unfolding it.

Harry took out his wand and tapped the parchment, saying, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good." Lines began appearing on the parchment, and a huge map appeared. Harry looked at it, for a moment, and said, "I didn't know if it would work, Sir, so far from Hogwarts. I've never seen it so empty, though. To wipe it you just say, 'Mischief managed,' and it goes blank again."

Zelda watched Severus as he gazed at the map, smoothing out the creases thoughtfully. He traced his fingers along what looked to her like miles of endless corridors, and looked up, startled. "Professor McGonagall is here, I assume she is the new Headmistress," he said in a carefully controlled voice. "Horace Slughorn is infesting my old classroom, and I see Professors Sprout and Flitwick. Why are they still there?"

Harry said, "They're waiting to hear from the Board of Governors about whether Hogwarts will be closed. If Death Eaters could get in, they think it's not safe for the students to come back in the fall."

Severus tried to imagine Hogwarts closing, but found it far easier to imagine his own death. It was painful to think of it. "They cannot close Hogwarts!" he said, shocked at his own vehemence. "It would be a tremendous victory for the Dark Lord. This was not supposed to happen!"

"What was supposed to happen?" Zelda asked. "Do you know? Did Dumbledore tell you?"

"Albus Dumbledore never told anyone more than they needed to know," replied Severus, "but I believe just as he instructed me about what to do when he was gone, every member of the Order should be doing something. If he did not give them a specific task, I imagine they should carry on with what they have been doing." He looked down at Harry, who looked sad and distant.

"Dare I ask what you have been assigned, Potter?" Severus asked cautiously. "If you do not feel that you should tell me, I will accept it, but I am afraid that you and I were destined to meet again, were we not? Perhaps we may assist each other."

"Severus!" Zelda gasped, "If no one's to know everything, is this wise?"

"If my Occlumency fails, I am afraid it will be completely disastrous even without this," he said, "I never thought I would say it, but perhaps more communication between Potter and myself is called for." Severus looked sternly into Harry's eyes, and said, "He has long been very capable of seeing the bigger picture, and I wonder if now he is finally willing to do so."

"Horcruxes," said Harry, shrugging dismally. "Find and destroy four more Horcruxes, then kill Voldemort."

"What's a Horcrux, Harry?" Zelda asked.

"It's an object that a wizard's concealed a part of his soul in," answered Harry. "You have to commit a murder to do it, because that rips your soul apart. I don't know how, but you then put the ripped off part of your soul into something and hide it. Then if your body dies, part of your soul stays earthbound, so you won't really die."

Zelda thought about it for a moment, and then said, as the horror of it sunk in... "Eww!"

She looked down at Harry, sitting on the floor in front of them. He looked very young, he was younger than Elijah, she thought. She couldn't imagine how he would accomplish his mission, or what the cost to him would be. She turned a stricken face toward Severus, who was staring down at Harry as if he had never seen him before.

"What happened to the Horcrux from the cavern, Harry?" Severus asked quietly.

Wordlessly, Harry reached into another pocket and brought forth a locket. He held it out to Severus, looking warily up at him.

Severus opened the locket and read the note inside. He sat unmoving, lost far away in memory. Long moments later, he sighed sadly and whispered, "Merlin... Regulus... How in the blazes did he ever manage it?"

He laid the map aside on a table and closed his eyes. Only then did he ask Harry, "Do you know what this means?"

Harry said bitterly, "All I know is that Dumbledore drank that potion for nothing, and I still don't know what happened to the real Horcrux." He added, "The real locket, Salazar Slytherin's locket, doesn't look like this one."

"Who's Regulus, Sev?" Zelda asked, "and what does it mean?"

"Regulus Black was a young idiot, like myself, who joined the Death Eaters...." Severus replied, bitterly. "When he realized what he was involved in, like me," he said, "he wanted to get out, but the Dark Lord does not accept resignations. Regulus was suspected, and he was killed as a traitor. He was nineteen years old..." He closed his eyes again, briefly, "If we knew how he had managed to exchange this locket for the Horcrux, it could help us to acquire the others."

Severus added, "I cannot imagine when he could have accomplished this, and since the defenses in the cavern were intact, the Dark Lord must not have known of it. It is astounding..." The effort of speaking about it became too much for him, and he fell silent.

Zelda looked intently from Severus, consumed by bitter memories... to Harry, with his haunted, young face. "I think this conversation is no longer productive, " she said, mustering the energy to smile, "and we have other things to do." She stood, holding a hand out to each of them and pulled them to their feet, saying jauntily, "Let's go shopping, boys!"