A/N: Here we are at the final chapter! Thank you to everyone who has read/reviewed/followed this story since the beginning and are still here!

"Are you even trying, Potter?"

Harry scowled from his position on the drawing room floor. Snape stood over him, a smirk playing across his lips, wand held outstretched. Harry ached all over from being repeatedly thrown to the floor and he was trembling from the mental exertion of trying to throw Snape from his mind.

"Of course, I am," Harry said through gritted teeth as he stood up. "You're not telling me what to do!"

"Occlumency is not something easily taught. I have told you everything you need to know," Snape said. "The problem is that you're not putting that information into practice."

"How can I when you won't show me how?"

Snape and Harry glared at each other for a few moments. Harry's stomach felt queasy and his head ached, his scar prickling painfully. He trembled, dreading Snape's coming attack, knowing he would be forced again to expose his most private memories. Cedric's face had loomed larger than every other image, and he sensed that Snape was getting a perverse joy in tormenting him like this.

Snape sneered again. "Two sessions and you've not been able to repel me even once. I told you, Potter. You must practice. Occlumency is not like schoolwork where you need only study a few hours a week. It is something you must implement at all times."

"I'm trying!" Harry grumbled. It was true. He had tried to follow Snape's instructions, religiously clearing his mind every night before sleeping, but he was having little success. Cedric's face and Voldemort's were always there, as were the occasional flashes of emotion accompanied by a twinge in his scar that Harry somehow knew were not his own.

"Not nearly well enough," Snape said. "If you ever want to discover what is in that prophecy, you must master this. The Dark Lord could try and control you at any time. If he becomes aware of this connection-"

"I know, I know," Harry muttered, looking away and clenching his fists. "The entire world ends. I get it."

"I do not think you do," Snape said. "Perhaps you enjoy being special? Enjoy the power this connection gives you?"

Lamia hissed loudly in his pocket. "Arrogant imbecile. Do you want me to bite him for you?"

Snape's head twitched. "You brought that creature to this lesson?" he asked, his voice dangerously low. "I thought I told you that such an act would be foolish?"

"And I thought I told you that she is no threat to me," Harry said, his hand reaching defensively to his pocket. "What's the matter? Remind you of your other job?"

Snape's face contorted in rage. "Do not speak to me like that, Potter," he spat. "Do not forget, I am still your teacher."

"Not until tomorrow, you're not," Harry shot back.

Snape struggled for a moment, before regaining a calm, if strained expression. "No matter to me, Potter," he said. "These lessons shall resume after your return to school. We shall see then what happens when you speak to me in that manner."

Harry remained silent with difficulty. He knew he was being petulant and stubborn, but he couldn't help it. He was desperate to master Occlumency, desperate to keep Voldemort's thoughts away from him, keep himself safe from influence and most importantly finally hear the prophecy, but Snape was making it incredibly difficult. It was almost as if he didn't want him to succeed.

"One last attempt then, Potter," Snape said, raising his wand again. "Defend yourself!"

Harry tried not to scoff as he heard this. What exactly could he do here outside school without getting himself another hearing? How was it fair Snape was allowed to curse him?

As Snape opened his lips, Harry heard a hurried his from his pocket. "Lay your hand on me!" Lamia said. "Quickly. And trust me."

Despite his confusion, Harry obeyed without question, and laid his fingers along Lamia's smooth scales. A strange warmth seemed to be spreading through her and into his skin. His mind immediately went completely blank and blissful. He saw rather than heard Snape's cry of "Legilimens!"

He felt a surge of power flowing through Lamia and into himself. Instead of the usual feeling of Snape invading his mind and rifling through his memories, a solid wall of iron had sprung into the forefront of his mind. Something collided with it with great force, but the wall held, firm and strong. Several moments passed, her couldn't say how many, the wall unwavering, until Harry felt his knees crumple underneath him and the next thing he knew he was flat on his back breathing heavily, feeling like he was about to vomit.

After a few moments of his head spinning and stomach heaving, he shakily got to his feet. Snape was staring at him as he had never done before. Gone was the loathing replaced with curiosity, and incredulity.

"How did you do that?" he asked immediately.

"Wasn't that what you wanted?" Harry asked, annoyed.

"Answer me."

Harry paused, trying to think back and figure out what he had done, but it had all happened so quickly. "I don't know," he said honestly. "I – it was-"

He stopped and lifted Lamia out from his pocket.

"Did you do that?" he asked her, awed. "How?"

"I don't know," she said her speech slower than usual. "I just knew I wanted to help you. So I did. I don't know what happened."

Snape was staring at her now, putting the pieces together, Parselmouth or not.

"Snakes are said to be natural Legilimens," he said, glittering back eyes fixed on her. "It is said that Salazar Slytherin himself learned from them."

Harry couldn't believe it. "Why didn't you tell me?"

"I didn't know," she said, sounding very surprised. "I've never done it before. I didn't know I could!"

"How did she manage it though?" Harry asked, so curious he even forgot to be hostile to Snape. "All I did was touch her, and she did it for me."

"She evidently channelled her abilities through your mind," he said. "A result of the bond between you, I suspect." He trailed off, deep in thought. He frowned. "I did not know such a thing was possible. But it explains a great deal, about the Dark Lord's abilities in particular."

Harry gulped, and held on tighter to Lamia. Did this mean Voldemort was starting to influence him? Or was it just a coincidence he had discovered this ability in the same way? The similarities were unnerving.

Snape was still looking at him very strangely. Harry didn't know where to look. He suddenly felt very awkward.

"We shall leave it there for tonight, Potter," he said finally. "We shall resume this lesson on Friday evening at seven, my office. Practice until then. However," he said, suddenly strict. "Do not get complacent. Your little pet may have helped you, but your barrier still only lasted a matter of seconds, so do not think you can get away with not practicing. I shall do some research in the meantime. Perhaps the reptile may come in useful."

Lamia hissed angrily at him, but Harry was just desperate to get away. He flung open the drawing room door and bolted down the steps into the kitchen where he was greeted warmly by everyone there, preparing for a party that could begin now that Harry and Snape had vacated the drawing room. Their Hogwarts letters had come that morning and to everyone's expectations Hermione had been made Prefect, and to their shock, Ron had as well. Though once this might have bothered him, Harry was pleased for his friend. With everything going on right now with prophecies and mind-reading he thought he had quite enough to be getting on with.

"You alright, mate?" Ron asked him later that evening once the party was in full swing. His brand new broomstick was in his hands after he had proudly shown it off to anyone who cared. "You look a little done in."

"I feel it," Harry said, rubbing his scar. "I- I don't like Occlumency very much."

"I don't suppose anyone would like someone probing about in their mind," Hermione said reasonably.

"You don't think Snape's making it difficult on purpose?" Ron asked, glancing over to Snape who had entered the party to speak in urgent tones with Mad-Eye. "You know, making it easier for You-Know-Who to get access?"

"I thought about that," Harry admitted. "But I don't think so. Listen, you won't get what happened."

They listened wide-eyed as he told them about his strange linkup with Lamia. Hermione gasped.

"I always thought those stories were myths," she said, eyes shining with enthusiasm. "Slytherin pioneered modern legilimancy and he always claimed he learned from snakes, but most modern scholars dismiss it. It's never been proven."

"Yeah, but that's probably because aside from Harry and You-Know-Who there have hardly been any Parselmouths," Ron said. "No one else would have realised the connection, and even if they did they wouldn't go around shouting about it would they?"

"I suppose not," Hermione said, biting her lip in concentration. "This could be huge, Harry. Lamia could be the key you need to stand up against You-Know-Who!"

Harry stroked Lamia softly, thinking over her words. Could the solution for fighting back against Voldemort really be Lamia? That chance meeting in the Dursleys garden was now looking more and more like it was more than a coincidence.

"But how can snakes be natural Legilimens if she didn't even know about it?" Harry asked.

"I'm not sure, Harry," Hermione said, frowning. "Perhaps it's become a latent ability? Or maybe only snakes in contact with wizards become aware of it. I know I've got a book about this somewhere. I'll do some reading."

The partied wrapped up soon afterwards, and as Harry lay staring at the ceiling of his bedroom he wondered about the implications of this latest discovery. If it was true, then Lamia could protect Harry from Voldemort. But the fact remained, that Voldemort himself had probably also discovered this ability, and apparently used it with Nagini. Was this really a good idea? Was he becoming more like him?

As he thought of this, Lamia slithered over to him and settled herself on the bedsheets, keeping her cold scales away from his skin, but still touching through the sheets.

"Rest now," she said. "Clear your mind, as you are supposed to. If I can help protect you from your dreams, I will. Have no fear."

Harry smiled, and closed his eyes, preparing to surrender himself to the blankness of sleep. If a dreamless night was possible, he knew he could achieve it now.

The next morning was the usual chaotic shambles as five teenagers, their owls, cats, snakes trunks and adults all tried to congregate in the hall at once. Mrs Black's portrait awoke screaming obscenities several times. After a great deal of kerfuffle and Mrs Weasley's arguments with Sirius in dog-form they were off, he and Mrs Weasley walking through the streets of London towards King's Cross station.

Meeting Tonks along the way disguised as an old woman, and watching Sirius gambol around chasing cats, the journey was fairly uneventful. They arrived at the station in around twenty minutes, and met up with the others at the entrance, who had all come by different routes to throw off any followers. They were just entering the station and making their way towards the barriers when Harry heard someone shouting his name. He turned around and saw to his amazement and joy that Violet and Susie were walking towards him. Tonks and Remus made a move as if to step forwards, perhaps thinking them suspicious, but Harry dispelled their fears by happily moving towards them.

"I hoped I'd catch you here!" Violet said, grinning as she hugged him briefly. "I've been hanging around for ages. I know you get the train from here, but that's about it. You in a rush?"

Harry glanced at the clock overhead. "Nah, still got a few minutes. I'm glad to see you." He turned to Susie, seeing her beaming at him. "You're out of the house!"

"Yeah, long time coming, weren't it?" she said, smiling at Violet. "But I wanted to see you off. Vi says you're going to a boarding school up north somewhere and thought it'd be my last chance."

"How are you?" Violet asked him, surveying him critically. She looked over his shoulder at everyone else as if assessing them. They stared back clueless.

"I'm great," Harry said, more or less honestly. "Everything's starting to work out, finally."

"So glad to hear that, kiddo," she said. She paused a moment, glancing at the others. "And … uh, your friend?"

"You mean Lamia?" Harry said. "She's great too. Everyone knows about her now." He heard Lamia hissing from his pocket. "She wants to thank you for this summer. That goes for both of us."

"See, told it would work out," she said grinning.

"I assume you are the people Harry was living with this summer," Mrs Weasley said. Her voice was kind, but there was a steely suspicious note to it, as if she had not quite forgiven them for hiding him from her.

"Yeah, they took me in," Harry said, and he made a quick rush of introductions.

"Love your tattoo," Fred said, looking at the dragon patronus on her arm. "My brother works with them you know. Really cool."

"Works with dragons?" Susie repeated, frowning. "You mean lizards, right? Komodo dragons?"

"No, I mean-"

"Tattoo artists," Harry interrupted, shooting a warning glance at Fred who had only too late realised that Susie was not aware of the magical world.

"Oh, yeah, Charlie's got loads of them."

Harry could almost see Mrs Weasley shudder at the thought.

"I love your dog," Susie said, bending down to scratch Sirius around the ears. "He's adorable!"

Sirius was wagging his tail happily. He barked once, and glanced at Harry, his expression clearly suggesting that he at least forgave them.

"That's Padfoot," Harry chuckled, watching Sirius roll around on the floor happily.

"Blimey, kid, snakes, dogs, owls, you could open your own zoo!" Susie said, still rubbing Sirius' belly and looking at Hedwig and Pigwidgeon's cages. "Why d'you have owls anyway? Your school some sort of bird sanctuary?"

"Something like that," Harry said. Remus tapped him on the shoulder then and looked meaningfully at his watch. He sighed. "We need to go get the train, but I'm glad I got to see you. And I'm happy you're feeling better, Susie."

"You too," she said, winking. "What platform you on? We could walk you there."

"That won't be necessary," Remus said, probably sounding a little more harsh than he had intended, since Susie frowned.

"Let him on his way, Susie," Violet said. "He doesn't need us getting in the way."

Susie looked regretful, but she hugged him briefly and then Violet did the same. As she pulled away she spoke to him under her breath so Susie wouldn't hear. "Write, okay? Send the owl to my mum's house and she'll pass it on. Promise?"

"Promise."

"Harry," Remus said more urgently now. "The train-"

"I know," he said. "I'll see you."

Violet nodded. She looked to Ron and Hermione. "You all keep an eye on him, won't you?" she said, her voice colder than before.

"We will," Hermione said, and Ron also nodded. Violet looked satisfied.

"Well then, have fun at Hogwarts!" she said, winking. She turned and left, hand-in-hand with Susie, who said just before she was out of ear-shot: "What kind of a name is Hogwarts?"

Harry watched them for a minute, before allowing himself to be ushered away towards the barrier.

"They seemed nice," Hermione said.

"They are."

Ron was shaking his head. "How did you manage to live with a Muggle that doesn't know anything about magic? Didn't she get suspicious or wonder why you kept on hissing to Lamia?"

"Oddly enough it never came up."

After carefully making their way on to the platform Harry was greeted with the sight of the familiar scarlet steam engine belching smoke over the heads of packed families. He felt his spirits soar … he was really going back …

He waited on the platform for the others to come through and then Mad-Eye was coming towards them pushing their luggage on a trolley, disguised as a porter.

"No trouble?" he growled as he approached. "Good. Sturgis Podmore's getting as unreliable as Mundungus these days. He was supposed to be there this morning."

"What kept him?" Harry asked, and saw Moody exchange a glance with the other adults.

"Sturgis was supposed to be on 'guard duty'," Remus said to him, quietly, and Harry was under no illusions what it was he had been guarding.

"You think he's been caught?" Hermione asked.

"That's what I intend to find out," Mad-Eye said, scowling. "Now you lot, get on that train before it leaves without you."

There was a rush of hurried goodbyes, hugs, handshakes and good wishes as trunks were loaded and people clambered on board. Harry looked at Mr and Mrs Weasley.

"Thanks for everything this summer," he said. "Truly, you have no idea."

"Our pleasure, Harry," Mrs Weasley said, and drew him into another tight hug.

He paused before Sirius, and sunk down to his level. "You too," he said quietly. "I'll miss you."

Sirius whined and rubbed his head up against him. Harry turned back to him from the open window as the train began to move, laughing as he saw him chasing the train joyfully.

"So now I finally get to see this great school of yours," Lamia said from his pocket as he continued waving from the window. "I hope it's worth it."

"It is," Harry said. "This year is going to be tough, but I think I can handle it, as long as I have you and the others."

"Good," she hissed. "I've grown rather attached to you."

"Me too, Lamia."

He turned away from the window as the platform faded from sight, and Harry steamed forwards towards Hogwarts. Hopefully, all his cares, fears and troubles were far behind him now. His future looked far brighter now than it had done at the start of the summer.

And he was ready to face it.

A/N: Massive thanks to everyone who has read this story, especially everyone that has reviewed!

There are parts to this story that I have intentionally left open to be returned to at a later date, in particular the role of Lamia in Harry learning Occlumency and how this would impact the events of the Order of the Phoenix. I had intended to write Harry's entire fifth year with Lamia in the picture, but the beginning part took over and became a story all its own. In the future I fully intend to come back and write a continuation of this story the way I originally intended but it may not be for a while. I hope you have enjoyed reading the saga so far!

I have also decided to change my penname on this site. TeenMuggle sounded cool when I was 15, but I'm thinking I'm now a bit old for it now considering I'm now in my twenties! Still to decide what to change it to ... I'm SootyOwl on AO3 and WinterRaven on Nano, but I'm thinking of going down a LotR theme this time. Toying with Idril Telcontar (since I'm very into the Silmarillion now) or something else Tolkien-y. Any ideas, guys? :)

Thanks again for reading!