.usually.during.the.night,.or.else.following.one.of.those.strange.flashes.of.Voldemort.s.thoughts.or.mood.that.he.experienced.every.now.and.then.
.Nowadays,.however,.his.scar.hardly.ever.stopped.prickling,.and.he.often.felt.lurches.of.annoyance.or.cheerfulness.that.were.unrelated.to.what.was.happening.to.him.at.the.time,.which.were.always.accompanied.by.a.particularly.painful.twinge.from.his.scar..He.had.the.horrible.impression.that.he.was.slowly.turning.into.a.kind.of.aerial.that.was.tuned.in.to.tiny.fluctuations.in.Voldmorts.mood,
.and.he.was.sure.he.could.date.this.increased.sensitivity.firmly.from.his.first.Occlumency.lesson.with.Snape..What.was.more,.he.was.now.dreaming.about.walking.down.the.corridor.towards.the.entrance.to.the.Department.of.Mysteries.almost.every.night,.dreams.which.always.culminated.in.him.standing.longingly.in.front.of.the.plain.black.door..
.Maybe.it.s.a.bit.like.an.illness,..said.Hermione,.looking.concerned.when.Harry.confided.in.her.and.Ron...A.fever.or.something..It.has.to.get.worse.before.it.gets.better...
The.lessons.with.Snape.are.making.it.worse,..said.Harry.flatly...I.m.getting.sick.of.my.scar.hurting.and.I.m.getting.bored.with.walking.down.that.corridor.every.night...He.rubbed.his.forehead.angrily...I.just.wish.the.door.would.open,.I.m.sick.of.standing.staring.at.it.‐..
That.s.not.funny,..said.Hermione.sharply...Dumbledore.doesn.t.want.you.to.have.dreams.about.that.corridor.at.all,.or.he.wouldn.t.have.asked.Snape.to.teach.you.Occlumency..You.re.just.going.to.have.to.work.a.bit.harder.in.your.lessons...
.I.am.working!..said.Harry.nettled...You.try.it.some.time.‐.Snape.trying.to.get.inside.your.head.‐.it.s.not.a.bundle.of.laughs,.you.know!..
.Maybe…..said.Ron.slowly..
.Maybe.what?..said.Hermione,.rather.snappishly..
.Maybe.it.s.not.Harry.s.fault.he.can.t.close.his.mind,..said.Ron.darkly..
.What.do.you.mean?..said.Hermione..
.Well,.maybe.Snape.isn.t.really.trying.to.help.Harry…..
Harry.and.Hermione.stared.at.him..Ron.looked.darkly.and.meaningfully.from.one.to.the.other..
.Maybe,..he.said.again,.in.a.lower.voice,..he.s.actually.trying.to.open.Harry.s.mind.a.bit.wider….make.it.easier.for.You‐Know—..
.Shut.up,.Ron,..said.Hermione.angrily...How.many.times.have.you.suspected.Snape,.and.when.have.you.ever.been.right?.Dumbledore.trusts.him,.he.works.for.the.Order,.that.ought.to.be.enough...
.He.used.to.be.a.Death.Eater,..said.Ron.stubbornly...And.we.ve.never.seen.proof.that.he.really.swapped.sides...
.Dumbledore.trusts.him,..Hermione.repeated...And.if.we.can.t.trust.Dumbledore,
.we.can.t.trust.anyone...
*.
With.so.much.to.worry.about.and.so.much.to.do.‐.startling.amounts.of.homework.that.frequently.kept.the.fifth‐years.working.until.past.midnight,
.secret.DA.sessions.and.regular.classes.with.Snape.‐January.seemed.to.be.passing.alarmingly.fast..Before.Harry.knew.it,.February.had.arrived,.bringing.with.it.wetter.and.warmer.weather.and.the.prospect.of.the.second.Hogsmeade.visit.of.the.year..Harry.had.had.very.little.time.to.spare.for.conversations.with.Cho.since.they.had.agreed.to.visit.the.village.together,.but.suddenly.found.himself.facing.a.Valentine.s.Day.spent.entirely.in.her.company..