AN: Many thanks to Yen for running through this. Also, thanks to a special young lady who described just what this feels like.

"One more time, Potter. Do try to keep me out." Snape raised his wand. "One – two – three – Legilimens!" Riffling quickly through the swarm of thoughts and memories, he took only the time to identify their negative potential before moving on. He didn't want to know more about Potter than he already did, and this was a gross invasion of privacy that neither he nor the boy truly wanted. The faster his student learned to push him out, the faster they'd be done.

A very negative feeling memory came under his figurative fingers. Pushing it to the forefront, he was surprised to see it was the when Potter saved him from the Dementors near the Black Lake. 'Saving me might be the negative part, but surely this should be a happy memory – he saved his godfather and produced a corporeal Patronus.'

He could feel the Dementors coming but before they were completely there a shield spell hit him, pushing him back out of Potter's mind. Praise was grudgingly on his lips, when that same shield pushed past his own barriers – already weakened so he could cast the Legilimens spell – and into his mind.

Moving quickly, acting more on instinct than anything else, Severus quickly shoved Potter to the section of his mind that he kept ready for Voldemort. He'd deal with the fallout of the boy seeing him as weak later, but it was better than him stumbling across anything else in his mind.

Once the boy was there, he garnered his strength. "Enough!" He shouted and pushed Potter out, not expecting him to stumble back into his shelving unit, a few bottles falling off to smash on the stone floor. A quick Reparo repaired the damage and his anger started to boil. 'How dare this child-'

'Don't even think to take this out on him, Severus!'

The voice stopped him, his anger dissolving in the wake of the shock of hearing Danny's voice again.

'He did just as you told him to do – he got you out of his mind.' It was Clarence.

'Growl at him or something. The boy is about to go into a panic attack with you just standing there,' Oliver said almost coldly.

"Potter, sit down," Severus directed the teen towards the most uncomfortable chair in the room. Green eyes watched him warily as Potter complied. "A shield spell? Explain your logic behind it."

He was itching just to keep practising, to see if the boy could reproduce the effects, but with the voices back, he was wary.

'We were never really gone,' Ty said softly.

Potter rolled his wand between his fingers, his eyes on his knees. "It just seemed right. I didn't want the Dementors to get any closer, so I was trying to stop them." He looked up, not quite meeting Severus' eyes, "How did it work though? Where did I go? What were those images?"

"I shall be investigating how it worked." Severus leant against his desk as Clarence prompted him to finish answering Potter's questions. "You pushed too hard and ended up in my mental safe room."

Potter's jaw sagged slightly.

"It's a very dangerous thing to do – an accomplished Occlumens could trap you inside as easily as they can push you out." Severus watched as fear touched the teen's face. With a tap of his wand against his thigh, he straightened up. "You may go, Potter. Continue practising clearing your mind and possibly try using the intent of the Shield Charm around your mind as you go to sleep."

An uncertain look later, Potter was out his door. Severus wasn't far behind him after locking up, his own steps taking him quickly to his chambers. 'Hopefully, no one will need me tonight.' With that thought, he sank into his armchair.

Years ago, when he attempted to gain a semblance of control over one thing in his life, he tackled the only thing he could. Albus made him a spy, Voldemort made him a killer, they both made him a teacher, so he decided it was time to organize his mind.

He grew up reading Sherlock Holmes and worked his summers in offices organizing files and books. Using that and any bit of knowledge he could glean from psychology books, he faced his childhood friends – the voices in his head.

According to the psychology books he was supposed to accept them as nothings, as figments of his imagination, as part of a mental disorder, an auditory hallucination. But when it came down to it, he couldn't. Ty was still the emotional Ty, Oliver was still the calculating, ambitious Oliver, Danny was still the fun-loving, playful Danny. Clarence was just as knowledgeable as he'd always been. Since he was two they'd played with him – albeit in his head – when he was in trouble, when he was shunned, when he needed a distraction. They'd helped him understand things he'd never thought he could, helped him in exams and in class. Danny and Ty had taken his falling out with Lily hard, Oliver and Clarence had helped all three of them get through it. Clarence forced him to face the cold hard truth about Voldemort and Oliver helped him find a way to make things right. Danny and Ty had looked forward to teaching at Hogwarts.

Severus had mentally built a house instead of Holmes' library. Each room was given a purpose and within each room, he'd constructed ways of storing the memories. Then each room was given a keeper, one of his childhood friends. He'd shut them up in the house, closed the door on them, over fifteen years ago.

Standing now in his mental landscape, he stared at the house. It had once been a basic row house with fuzzy houses on either side. Now, one of the fuzzy side houses had become his mental safe room, actually rooms. Each spot held different memories he'd allowed Voldemort to view and the living room was where he always stored the information that he needed to have ready for a meeting. The other fuzzy row house was no more – his was now the last one in the strip and it was larger. A porch had been created and a garden filled with flowers and potion ingredients spread from it wrapping around the house. He couldn't remember making the changes.

Sitting in four rockers on the porch were his friends. They'd grown since he'd last seen them, as he himself had. Ty was still short, his platinum hair cut close and light blue eyes behind wire-rimmed glasses. Danny was sitting next to him, his feet tucked on the bottom rung as the chair rocked back and forth. He wasn't quite as tall as Severus was, but his black hair and dark eyes had him looking the closest like him. Both Danny and Ty were wearing jeans, Danny's top a t-shirt, and Ty's a rich red button-down. Oliver, dressed in black trousers and white button-up, had his rocking chair pushed back so far it wouldn't rock. Hazel eyes looked over him and a thin white hand pushed brown hair back behind an ear. Clarence held a book but wasn't looking at it. His dark blue eyes watched him with anticipation, a smile flitting around his lips. Dark auburn hair – so dark it almost couldn't be called red – glinted in the sunlight that was flooding the area. There was an empty fifth rocker sitting next to him, right in the middle of the group.

"Clarence explained why we needed to stay in the house, Severus," Danny called, "But I couldn't let you hurt your student anymore. I'm sorry, but …" he huffed, "but it's not what teachers are supposed to do."

Severus caught Danny's glance at Ty, but the blond kept his lips pressed closed. He approached the porch with a hint of trepidation. Could he send them away again?

Oliver shook his head and pointed at the rocker. "Sit down, Severus, we've got to talk."

Eighteen years of habit had him sitting, but instead of meekly listening, he raised an eyebrow, waiting.

"We've helped the best we could from the house," Oliver let his chair rock forwards, bringing him closer to Severus. "Clarence and I sort the information that needs to be in the next door living room. Danny shifts the childhood memories in and out so they aren't the same. Ty keeps all your emotions under control, only letting out ones that are needed at the time. We've got it down. Now, it's time for us to help you in other ways."

Danny jumped in, "I get it, we used to be too noisy – Voldemort or Albus would have learnt about us and way too much information if you hadn't given us rooms. But we've learnt how not to be noticed."

"Which means we can help you again," Clarence finished for him. "And you need it. You're missing too many things."

"I am?" Severus leant back when all four nodded.

Ty grinned, "I'm not going to tell you what you're missing emotionally – you don't need the burden or baggage it can cause. If there's something you need to handle though, I'll let you know."

A touch of relief coursed through Severus. The last thing he needed was to revert to the overemotional teen he'd been.

"But you're not noticing things about Potter – Harry," Danny said, "and things that are going on in your classroom."

"And there are things you can do about Umbridge, but I haven't been able to tell you," Oliver added.

Clarence just smiled.

Severus sighed deeply, dropping his head back onto the rocker's seatback. "You four are a symptom of a mental disorder. I'm literally sick in the head."

Clarence rested a hand on his arm, "Yes, we are, but we don't tell you to do bad things and we help you fix the things you do. You can think of us as your conscience if you want. You just have four instead of one. You've been following the psychology journals, you know that they are leaving voices like us alone nowadays. If we are not causing you harm or distracting you, then you're allowed to have voices in your head."

"If we were personality fragments, it'd be different," Ty shifted forwards, balancing his rocker on the front curves. "Then we'd need to be healed back into one entity. It would be extremely dangerous for you as a spy, teacher, and brewer to have multiple 'yous' with different names running about. But as it is, you're all you and we are … us."

Severus studied the porch roof, his eyes tracing the slates while his mind churned. Could he do this? Could he lose control of his mind?

"It'll be fine, you'll be in as much control as always. We've always been here helping," Oliver said. "We will just be a bit more direct in getting you to understand what things are, mean, or you should do. Like earlier with Potter."

"You would have lost your temper," Ty scowled, "I did. He wasn't supposed to be in that house."

"But I was able to stop you," Danny said. "He didn't deserve your temper. We've been paying attention during these lessons."

Severus looked cautiously at him, "Paying attention?"

Clarence gave him a sombre look. "I've catalogued the memories you've scanned over. When you're ready, you can view them."

"I was attempting not to invade his privacy!"

"But needs must – we have to know more about this child so we can protect him," Oliver cut off his rant.

"He's not a child," Ty mumbled. He held up his hands when Severus glared at him.

"From what we've gathered from the collected information, Harry does best at protecting others, not himself." Clarence drew his attention back. "In the memory you used last, he was protecting you and … that man. His shield was influenced by the memory."

Danny frowned, his eyes darting towards Oliver, "Oliver pointed out that at the end of every year Harry wins because he is trying to protect a friend. First-year was his Weasley and Granger, Second – Miss Weasley and his Weasley, Third – his Weasley at first, then Black, Fourth – Diggory."

"So, you need to work with this with his Occlumency," Ty continued for him, "He needs to see that him not learning it is hurting his friends."

Severus let his eyes close while he tried to decide what to do. The rocker moved smoothly on the porch as his mind felt empty. They'd hushed, and all he could hear was the movement of wood against wood and occasionally a shoe tapped.

Opening his eyes, he surveyed the garden before looking at each one in turn. "You may remain, no therapy, no locking you up, but please, for the love of Merlin, don't let Albus or the Dark Lord know."

§§§§§

Harry sank onto his bed, feeling worn out but not as tired as he had the last lesson with Snape. Rubbing a hand over his face, he flopped back. 'I was sure I was a goner when I broke into Snape's mind. I just knew he'd either kill me or make me wish I was dead.' He still didn't know what to make of Snape sitting him down and talking to him. He'd never seen Snape act like a teacher, but this is what it reminded Harry of. Someone being a teacher. 'Snape hates me. He doesn't want to be my teacher, he doesn't want me around at all. But, he didn't seem to hate me at that moment. He was curious, he … that was gentle for him.'

Staring up at the red canopy above his bed, he ran through the last lesson through his mind. It started as normal, then he cast the Shield Charm and saw the inside of Snape's mind, Snape look like he was about to lose it, but caught himself, told Harry to sit and they talked like a student and a teacher would.

'Was that really Snape's memories? Those weren't very nice, at least two of them weren't, and if he was locked in his bedroom like I am, then none of them are. At least he had access to his wand.' Crushing the spurt of jealousy easily, Harry turned back to the memories. Snape hadn't looked pampered like Malfoy, he had looked more like Harry felt he did when he wasn't at Hogwarts. Second-hand or more clothes, bullied, and lonely. But, unlike Harry, his robes were also second-hand clothes, looking even more threadbare than Ron's. 'What does he see when he looks at me? Can he see that I know how that feels?' His fingers brushed over his uniform – his brand new uniform from Madam Malkin's. His new books, his new trunk, his owl ... Everything Snape could see about him was new except his shoes, and honestly, how many people actually looked at shoes? 'How would I look at someone like that?' Malfoy flashed to mind and he shuddered, and then wondered that Ron even wanted to be friends with him.

'But I'm not stuck up, mean, cruel for no reason. Malfoy is, Snape is... Except he wasn't tonight. Why? Nothing's changed except I pushed him out so hard I ended up in his mind.' Nothing changed except he succeeded. 'Could that be it? I wasn't succeeding so he thought I wasn't worth the effort? It's not like I'm Malfoy, who's good at everything first try. Given everything, so I don't have to work for it... Except, if you look from the outside, I look like Malfoy. But, but I'm not mean!'

No, he wasn't, but if he really thought about it, he was disrespectful to a teacher. Would he act like he did in Snape's class in any other teacher's room? No, he wouldn't. He wouldn't talk back to McGonagall or Flitwick like that. He wouldn't halfway do his work in Sprout's. No, those classes he did his essays, he answered them with a respectful tone, he tried not to speak to his friends, he took notes. 'But, Snape started it! Our very first class, he disrespected me when I was being respectful!' He'd given up right then and there on the professor. Everyone in Gryffindor had warned all the First Years that Snape was mean, Snape was cruel, Snape hated them and would do anything to belittle them. The current First Years were told the same thing.

No Gryffindor was allowed to make their own first impression of Potions class. Harry curled his hands into fists. No Gryffindor was allowed to make their own uncoloured first impression of Professor Snape. How would have he acted if he hadn't been told about Snape before that first day in class?

'I'd been upset, mad that he was picking on me, but I would have not been so cheeky as to point out Hermione. I would have studied harder so I'd know that answers next time. I'd been the exact opposite. Instead, I knew it wasn't worth trying because that's what I knew from the others.'

Slamming his fist back into the bed, Harry felt a coil of dread, of uncertainty. Did he bring these last five years on himself? If he'd just gone on to do what needed to be done, gone on and acted like he would have if McGonagall had done similar, if he'd shown he'd been willing to learn from his mistakes, would have Snape treated him better? He wasn't super horrible to Hermione, not very nice either, but she associated with him and Ron. He wasn't nice to Goyle or Crabbe since they associated with Malfoy. They'd actually done nothing but stand around, but he still was mean to them.

'The one time he could see I was trying, the one time he could tell I wasn't just there taking up air and making it barely through, and he controlled his temper. I could see it. He was furious and then it was like something hit him and he calmed down. He treated me like … like Flitwick would. He asked questions, he said he'd look into things, he sent me away with the most solid piece of advice that I've had on this since the first day.'

His fists relaxed and Harry pushed up off the bed. He needed to go see everyone else. He wasn't sure if he was ready to run his revelation by Hermione, but he had a feeling that maybe, just maybe, he'd be stopping people next year from giving the Snape talk.

§§§§§

The week went by slowly. Severus kept expecting his fellow teachers to call him insane, crazy, mental. He expected Albus to take one look in his eyes and send him to St Mungo's. None of that happened. Lessons went as normal, but now Oliver and Clarence were periodically mentioning things about his students he hadn't previously registered. Danny complimented him on his use of voice in the classroom to control the students and not having them just writing all the time.

In Potter's class, Severus was shocked to see the Golden Boy obviously trying. He'd put some effort into learning techniques and the ingredients. It showed. There was still a lot to polish, but a small kernel of hope swelled. Maybe, just maybe the boy was not just a waste of space. He didn't compliment Potter, but he didn't criticise as much either. And when he did, it was more constructive.

Danny and Oliver convinced him to avoid Longbottom's vicinity for the rest of the week. Oliver wanted to test if the entire problem with his potions was his fear of Severus. He watched the area like a hawk, his students were under his care and he needed to be able to react, but he left the bumbling Gryffindor alone.

The next Monday, Severus sat as his desk, looking at the Fifth Year Gryffindor/Slytherin potions set neatly in a line across it. Longbottom's was passable. His from last week weren't, but the ones from the beginning of the avoidance strategy till now had been a steady improvement. There were also fewer exploding cauldrons. The teen was settling down, focusing, and doing better. His eyes shifted to Potter's potion. Once again, Potter had shown signs of trying. The potion was even better than his last one. Potter's attempt to do better also infected his Weasley. They just needed a strong remediation in the class and there'd be a chance for them on the OWLs.

'How do you remediate someone you can't even go near?'

'Assign him a tutor,' Oliver said. 'Figure out some way to get some remediation classes tucked in for NEWT and OWL years and then have someone help him.'

'Only problem is, Gryffindor boys are always so exhausted. It'd be worse to push them further.' Clarence sighed.

'Then I'll start drugging the entire dorm.' Severus joked then picked up his quill. Uncorking the first phial, he began grading them.

That evening, in his office, he looked closely at Potter, spotting the signs of exhaustion. "Have you had any success with clearing your mind and the shield?"

Green eyes darted to the floor. Rage started to build. 'He's not even trying!'

'Remember, Severus, he wants to protect his friends. Ask him what he's getting out of the connection. Don't blow yet.' Danny whispered.

Drawing a calming breath, Severus pointed to a chair and leant up against his desk. With as placid of an expression as he could manage, he asked, "Potter, do you want to learn this?"

The dark head shot up, green eyes widening, "Si … sir?"

"I asked if you want to learn this. If not, what is the advantage of not knowing it?" Severus waited, paying attention to every tick the teen gave.

Hands clasped and unclasped, "I want to learn."

Severus nodded once, "And the advantage with continuing the connection?"

"Well, it helped with Mr Weasley. We were able to find him in time because my dream." Potter didn't look up during the entire statement.

"So, even though you are not getting enough sleep, it's okay because you might could help someone?"

Green eyes darted up to him before dropping to the floor and a quick nod was given.

"What if I told you that your not getting enough sleep, your dorm mates not having enough or good sleep because of your dreams, is keeping certain professors from teaching you higher level spells and potions? That because we cannot trust you to be coherent in our classes, we cannot prepare you as much as we'd like?" Severus asked silkily.

"Sir? What? Why?" Potter sputtered.

"Professor Flitwick has covered the material you need for your OWLs and you're now reviewing, yes?" When Potter nodded, Severus continued, "He pushed the classes through in hopes of covering other material. Things that another ... professor is skimping on, but can fall into his class' domain. Things he cannot teach a sleep-deprived group of students. And he is not the only professor who has done this."

Potter raised a shoulder, not quite a shrug, and confusion marred his expression. "I've not woken anyone up at night. I mean, yeah, I've been dreaming, but it's just a hall with lots of doors and I am trying to get to one in particular. I don't know what will happen when I get there, but it's not like I am waking up screaming or anything."

'Voldemort's caught him with a mystery.' Ty scoffed. 'Break it for him. Let him know about the prophecy and get it all out in the open. Explain that Voldemort wants it and can't get it so he's tempting Harry. I mean, that's why Mr Weasley was there in the first place – to protect the room.'

'Albus wouldn't agree with this.' Severus thought back.

'Albus told you to teach him and this is preventing it.' Oliver rejoined, 'And you might as well let him know that if Voldemort is reaching out to him, there's a chance he can be affecting the entire dorm. At least messing up their sleep.'

Severus sat on his desktop and leant forwards slightly bracing himself on his hands. "A hallway with lots of doors and you are hunting for just one?" Potter nodded slowly. "Sounds like the place they found Mr Weasley in. He was sent to guard an item that the Dark Lord wants, one that he has since discovered that no one but you and he can touch. As it is in the Ministry of Magic, you, Mr Potter, have the best chance of retrieving it.

"This concerns me more now. Before, you had a small connection with the Dark Lord, but now it seems as if he is attempting to tempt you to get something that is well protected out of that protection. If he is reaching across the link between you, it could be what is harming your dorm mates' rest."

Potter stared at him, fear more pronounced on his face until he shook himself and whispered, "What does … he want?"

Narrowing his eyes, Severus came to a decision. Potter was after knowledge. He wanted it to protect his friends. "I can only tell you that, Mr Potter, once your mind is guarded."

Disbelief mingled with hope before resolve settled on the teen's face. "A shield? That is what I should imagine around my mind?"

Severus let the barest tips of his lips lift. "It would be a start. If I remember correctly, the shield spell you used last time was laced with the energy of the Patronus spell as well."

Potter's eyes widened. "How?"

"You were thinking about it when you cast the spell." Severus continued, "The Patronus is a magical protector or defender. Yes, most people associate it with defending against Dementors, but that is not all it can protect from. Dementors suck your happiness away – to do so they must be able to pull it from your mind. So, it stands to reason that a Patronus infused Shield Spell should keep out things that manipulate your mind, especially ones you perceive as evil or dark."

Potter drew a deep breath and then straightened, "Okay, sir, let's try this."

'He wants to learn!' Severus stood up, drawing his wand at the same time.

'Well, yes, you gave him ample reasons to do so.' Oliver's condescending tone almost made Severus raise an eyebrow.

'Reasons that make sense to him.' Danny chimed in.

'Be quiet, all of you.' And to Severus' surprise, they did.

"In your mind, hold the feel of both the Shield Spell and the Patronus Charm. Quiet your mind enough that that feeling engulfs it." He waited for a heartbeat. "On the count of three, Mr Potter. One … two … three... Legilimens."

There was actual resistance this time. Severus could sense the attempt being made, could almost see the wisps of the Patronus charm, but then he was past them and rifling through the teen's memories once again. Selecting the one where Potter first met Dementors, he was pleased to be pushed out, the mental shield forming behind him.

"Keep it up, Mr Potter, memorize that feeling." Severus gave him a moment. "Once again, on three."

He counted and cast, and this time the resistance was greater as were the wisps of silvery-blue. He still passed through, but didn't have time to hunt for a memory before he was pushed out. Sitting back, he tucked his wand away. "Hold that feeling, and calm the rest of your mind. Allow your thoughts to drift away, don't focus on them, don't force them away, just let them go."

Potter's eyes were partially glazed over and he looked ready to drop to sleep where he sat.

"Do you think you can remember the feeling, Mr Potter?" Severus waited.

"Yes, I think so," Potter finally answered.

"Then let it go."

A shudder passed through the teen's frame and his eyes became clearer.

"Now, head back to your dorm and pull that feeling up before you go to sleep, Mr Potter, and maybe your friends will sleep well tonight."

Severus watched as Potter left with a quickly mumbled thank you.

§§§§§

A week later, Severus watched the door close behind the boy.

'He's not a boy, Severus!' Ty huffed.

'Teen then,' Severus settled on his desktop. 'But it doesn't change that he is only putting so much effort into this. He's blocking his mind, but it's still too easy to get in. His ability is just slightly better than it was two lessons ago when he got the mental shield to work.'

'Occlumency is hard,' said Clarence.

'He should still be better.'

'He's pushing you out, just what he thinks you want.' Danny spoke up, 'You need to let him know what's expected.'

Oliver chimed in, 'So, threaten his friends – or rather his ability to safeguard them.'

Severus nodded even as the other three screeched at Oliver.