A Rat on the Run

Godric's Hollow, July 14 th

Harry sagged into the chair, his head aching, but he had a certain air of accomplishment about him. While he still couldn't stop Snape from entering his mind, Harry managed to immediately detect Snape using passive Legilimency on him when he arrived, and he averted his eyes, managing to break the connection. Snape said it was a good sign that he was developing a self-awareness of what was and wasn't a part of his own mind.

The lessons were still brutal of course, and Harry was in pain for almost a day afterward. His father, godfather, and brother, upon first seeing the state he was in after the lessons, were ready to floo to Hogwarts and curse Snape. Fortunately, Harry had been able to explain that the pain was just a part of the training, and that it lessened as he felt himself improving.

Much as Harry expected after overhearing Snape's conversation with his mother, Snape began targeting memories of Calypso in order to find out more about her. In his four Occlumency lessons, Snape had seen memories of Harry and Calypso laughing, arguing, talking, and even dueling with one another. While Harry had been unable to stop Snape from seeing the memories, he had been successful in keeping Calypso's last name a secret.

"How much longer do you think it will take?" Harry asked, tiredly following Professor Snape into the kitchen where his mother waited with two fresh cups of tea for them. After spying on his mother and Snape's private conversation, Harry had decided to take tea with them after his Occlumency lessons. While he was sure his mother could find out the information from Snape at another time, it wouldn't be as fresh in the professor's mind as immediately after a lesson.

"You're improving, but you still have a great deal to go if you want to learn this before you return to Durmstrang," Snape said, having seen enough of Harry's thoughts to know that was indeed his goal. "My only advice is to work harder."

"That's always your advice," Harry muttered in annoyance.

"You can't expect miracles, Harry," Lily said. "From what Severus has told me, you've done very–"

"Lily! James! Are you there?" Dumbledore frantically called from the living room.

"In the kitchen, Albus," Lily said, standing up in alarm. "What's wrong?"

"Lily, I'm glad I caught you... Severus, what are you doing?...Oh, of course, your lessons with Harry," Dumbledore said. "It's good that you both are here. Lily, I have some rather grave news to tell you. Peter has escaped from Azkaban."

In a matter of seconds, Lily's face shifted from disbelief to horror. "That's impossible! No one has ever escaped from Azkaban."

"I'm afraid his cell was found empty by the dementors earlier today," Dumbledore explained. "The news is being suppressed for right now, but unless they can find him soon it will be made public knowledge."

"But how?" Lily demanded. "The Auror's were aware of his animagus form, and he was kept in a high security area."

A particularly angry look crossed Dumbledore's face "The minister, in his infinite wisdom, was scheduled to visit Azkaban today. The Dementors were moved into the Prison basement and the wards were relaxed somewhat in preparation for his visit. The Auror's believe Peter used the opportunity to escape his cell."

"Who was stupid enough to relax the wards? The minister has to visit Azkaban every year, this was never a problem befo–"

"The minister was never required to tour the high security wing before, Lily. Peter is Azkaban's only long term Animagus prisoner, and somewhere in the bureaucracy the proper procedures were ignored in lieu of the Minister's visit." A goat Patronus burst through the window and Dumbledore bent down to listen to it. After a moment, he turned back to Lily and said, "There will be time to discuss this later. Where are Nathan and James? They must be informed."

Lily's face paled. "They're in Diagon Alley with Sirius."

"Please have them all return as soon as possible." Dumbledore turned to Snape. "Severus, I need you to go and make use of your less savory contacts. Find out if anyone is going to be providing a safe haven for Peter."

Harry watched, slightly frightened, as his mother rushed out of the kitchen to contact his father, and Professor Snape nodded grimly before activating his portkey and disappearing.

"Everything will be alright, Harry," Dumbledore said softly. "We will catch Peter."

Harry looked up at the headmaster and was shocked to feel the slight intrusion of Legilimency against his mind. Rather than simply averting his gaze, Harry tried a trick Professor Snape had told him about. When a Legilimens was trying to get a passive look at someone's surface emotions, a skilled Occlumens could push a different emotion to the forefront of their mind to confuse the invading Legilimens.

Doing his best to suppress the fear he was feeling for his family, Harry focused on the anger he felt when he realized he had no friends in Ravenclaw. Harry remembered how they would bad-mouth him behind his back and try to subtly jinx him in the dorms. Doing his best to follow Professor Snape's instructions, Harry projected his anger towards Dumbledore.

Slowly, Dumbledore's expression grew more and more concerned as he continued to receive the false emotions. "My boy, are you alright?"

"It worked, didn't it?" Harry asked, immediately breaking eye contact with Dumbledore, effectively cutting the connection.

Dumbledore looked at the child in confusion. "Did what work, Harry?"

"You were using passive Legilimency," Harry said, ignoring the shocked expression on Dumbledore's face. "I tried sending you some false emotions. It worked, didn't it?"

Dumbledore shook his head in amazement. "I apologize, Harry. I merely wanted to sense how you were taking the news of Peter's escape. I must say that I am quite surprised that you have taken to Occlumency so quickly. I suppose that will teach an old man from trying to use such a tactic with you ever again. I was quite convinced you were about to attack me for a moment. I think I will ask next time I feel at all inquisitive about what you are thinking."

"I've never been able to project a different emotion before just now, sir," Harry said proudly. "I only recently learned how."

"Remarkable." Dumbledore smiled. "I do hope that when you are writing your memoirs, Harry, that you choose to leave out that I was the first person ever to be fooled by your mind magic. I do have a reputation to uphold."