Harry's Thoughts

The first class on the morning after the less-than-pleasant trip to Hogsmeade Village was Potions.

This Potions lesson was as tediously boring as ever. It was nothing more than questions and answers, with Hermione Granger frantically answering every question and earning Slughorn's praise. Then, during the brewing portion, Tierra was always the first to finish, with Harry close behind. The other students, meanwhile, always stopped brewing to Slughorn's call, then glared resentfully and jealously at the first two to finish.

After Potions ended, Tierra held Harry back. Once all the students, including Ron and Hermione, had left the cold, damp Potions Classroom—

"Professor Slughorn!" Tierra stepped forward and said quietly to Horace Slughorn, "I was wondering whether you might have some free time. There's something I'd like to ask of you."

"Ah?" Horace Slughorn first looked surprised, then glanced at Harry, who was still standing at his potion station. "Oh, Harry, Tierra and I have something to discuss—"

"It's about Harry," Tierra said with a smile.

"Ah? About Harry?" Horace Slughorn looked even more surprised. "What about Harry?"

"I'd like you to tutor Harry in Occlumency," Tierra said.

"Tutor... Harry in Occlumency?" Horace Slughorn looked extremely troubled, as though he were hesitating over something. "Can't you teach him Occlumency, Tierra? You should be good at every kind of magic, shouldn't you?"

"I know Occlumency, but I don't know how to teach it," Tierra said flatly. "My talent lies in magic that can be learned through rational calculation. I'm not particularly good at this sort of magic, which leans more toward the spiritual side."

"And we all know that you're the most capable and accomplished teacher in all of Hogwarts—no, in the entire European Wizarding World," Tierra praised. "Even Dumbledore cannot compare to you when it comes to teaching."

"Oh, Tierra,