As soon as Snape left the rooms, Harry quickly fled to the window. He was rather surprised that Snape had tied the heavy drapes back allowing sunshine in. However, so far today the man seemed to be full of surprises. Harry glanced out the window and looked out onto the street. A few children were out playing a game of pickup hockey in the street, but for the most part, it was rather dead outside.

Harry allowed himself to let his mind wander. After all, he had nothing better to do while he waited. He sighed quietly and ran through his list of regrets. He had just reached his regret about not punching Malfoy in the mouth last year when Snape reentered the room.

However, instead of wearing his normal long black robes as he had been doing so far this summer, Snape now wore his white undershirt and gray pants with long flowing majestic silver and emerald Slytherin robes. In fact, Snape seemed to be more relaxed now that he wasn't in any black.

"Are you ready, Mr. Potter?"

"If I say no, what will happen?"

"Then I will wait until you are," Snape calmly replied.

"But we don't have time for that," Harry exclaimed.

"No. We don't, but I will not push you anymore. You must want to learn, Harry. I cannot do this for you. I ask you again. Are you ready?" Harry nodded. "Very well, Harry. Then block me like before."

Seconds later, Harry felt the horrible pain roar itself to life as it did whenever he practiced Occlumency. However, he did as Snape had instructed. He did his very best to ignore the pain. He focused on pushing Snape from the memory of the Mirror of Erised. It didn't work, though. Instead, Snape only delved deeper into the far corners of his mind. Soon, the splitting headache became worse, much worse. In fact, it became so horrible that Harry could barely see or think straight. Therefore, he did the only thing he could think of, he gave in.

Memories upon memories bubbled to the surface and played out in Harry's mind. The majority of the memories were of Hogwarts and of happy times. One such memory was Harry meeting Ron.

A sudden flash of something quickly brought Harry out of it, though. He didn't know if Snape was trying to remind him or not. However, the message was clear. He couldn't just take a stroll down memory lane. He needed to learn this before more people he loved died for him.

When Harry watched a memory of Sirius and him hugging, he then quickly pushed Snape into the nearest memory possible. Unfortunately, that memory featured the lovely Dursleys and their wonderful treatment of him. Forced to experience the night of living hell with Snape still watching everything, Harry knew it was the first of many nights where Vernon Dursley taught Harry his place in the family. Harry didn't even try to push Snape out. He didn't know why not, but he allowed Snape to view the memory. After all, it was time Harry revealed a deep dark secret of his own.

***

"COME HERE, BOY!" an extremely fat and purple-faced man yelled a few feet from a four-year-old skinny boy with deep emerald eyes. Plump hands then snatched the young child's rags and yanked the boy backwards. "What did I tell you, boy?"

"Not to," the young child whispered with fear in his eyes.

"And yet here you are disobeying me. Well, I'll teach you." The obese man smiled smugly. "Oh, I'm going to enjoy this." Throwing him forward, his smile turned even more sinister sneering at the boy.

***

The memory quickly changed to a memory that Harry couldn't recall. However, the change had been so sudden that Harry felt his stomach lurch, but the feeling passed shortly afterwards. He watched the unfamiliar memory, which was set in Dumbledore's office.

***

"Worse kind of Muggles, remember? Minerva told you that when you first placed him there."

"We both know if the boy remains in our world, those who seek vengeance for their master's demise will stop at nothing until he is dead. Severus, what would you have me do to protect the child?"

Locking eyes with the greatest wizard in a century, a slightly younger Snape simply stated, "For you to give him to me, Albus."