*Wow, really sorry about not putting this up sooner! It's been sitting on my computer for days now! Ok, so Christmas break is over, and Raven is finally back at Hogwarts. Little does she know that a certain two professors know more about her extracurricular activities than she would like.*
As Raven walked down to the dungeons, she couldn't help but wonder, just what professor Snape could want of her after classes every other night. She was excelling much beyond normal standards in potions, what more could he want with her? She approached the door to Snape's room and knocked gently on the wooden door.
"Enter." A calm and cool voice drawled from the other side of the door. Raven cautiously opened the door and stepped inside. She saw Snape sitting behind his desk, smiling coolly. "Close the door Ms. Malfoy." Raven did as she was told, and stepped further into the room.
"I'm going to cut to the chase here, the headmaster and I both believe that, given your… out of school activities, you should be learning the art of occlumency." Snape told her, watching Raven's face carefully.
She struggled to keep it calm. "Occlumency? As in, blocking my mind from others?" She asked him, not sure where this was leading but not liking any of the possibilities playing in her head.
"Precisely." He said, his voice as oily as his hair.
"And why do you say that I might need it? What sort of 'out of school activities' does the headmaster think I've been doing, professor?" She asked accusingly.
"Let's not play games here Raven. You know very well what my job is." He drawled, discarding the pretense of politeness. "Unless you wish the Dark Lord to know even more, I suggest that you take these lessons."
"Even more? So I take it he was using Legilimency on me that night? How long has been using it on me?" She asked, putting the pieces together.
"That was the first time, I'm surprised you didn't notice. Though it seems that he didn't get many details other than shouting, your father's," Raven held back a growl at the mention of her father, "face, and then the cold street. You apparently suppressed him very well, but you have many natural barriers up. I am going to teach you how to strengthen the walls of your mind. On the count of three try and block me out. One, two, Three! Legilimens!" Shouted Snape, and suddenly Raven was back at home, she could hear her father downstairs yelling again, tears started to form in her eyes.
"NO!" She yelled forcing Snape back, back through her memories. Suddenly she was standing near a high-backed chair. "STAY OUT…OF MY MIND!" Raven screamed as she forced Snape all the way out and shut out everything. Raven opened her eyes slowly. Her head was pounding, and she had somehow ended up on the floor, utterly exhausted from the mental and emotional strain which left her physical strength depleted.
"Well done, Ms. Malfoy, well done." Raven slowly sat up and looked to see where the voice was coming from. "Get up. We will end here tonight."
Raven stood up slowly, as though using her legs for the first time, and turned to Professor Snape. "See you Wednesday Ms. Malfoy." He said, a satisfied smile on his face.
Raven started back to the common room, then checked her watch. It was only 7:00.
"I still have time." She turned around and headed for the library. As Raven entered the library she spotted Hermione Granger at one of the tables, her nose buried in a book. Raven took a deep breath and walked over to her.
"Um, hi." She said awkwardly. Granger jumped at the sound of her voice, and looked up.
"What do you want?" She asked seeing the Slytherin emblem on her robes.
"I, um, had a question for you." Raven said, trying to be nice. Hermione's look became suspicious, but more open.
"About what?" Raven sighed; she knew this wasn't going to be easy.
"I wanted to ask you what you know about Occlumency and Legilimency." Raven held her breath once she had finished, but just as she expected Hermione Granger jumped at a chance to display her knowledge.
"What do you want to know?" She asked cheerfully.
Raven smiled "Anything and everything." They talked for almost an hour, and when it was time for her to get back to the common room she thanked Hermione. "Thanks Granger. I had no idea you knew so much about Occlumency and Legilimency." She smiled
"Not a problem, I had no idea you were so different from your brother."
Raven laughed wistfully. "You have no idea." With that she headed off.
Raven reached the stairs and waited as the moved. When they finished moving, Raven could see a figure coming down them. She stepped back towards the landing and pressed herself flat against the wall. "I know you're there." Said a gravelly voice. Raven smirked and stepped away from the wall.
"Well, well well, look who we have here. Professor Moody." She said mockingly. "How wonderful to see you."
Crouch took a drink from his hip flask and shuddered. Raven made a face. Snape had showed her how to brew Polyjuice Potion and it was the most disgusting thing she had ever seen. Crouch laughed.
"It's either this," He gestured to the flask, "Or nothing."
Raven scowled. "Potter's noticed."
"So what? The old man's a nutter, he only drinks from his flask."
"Just be careful, or it'll be your head."
Crouch narrowed his eye, the other was still roaming around. "What do you know?"
Raven Smiled again, "Bye-bye." She turned on her heel and headed down to the dungeons.
Wednesday night came and Raven was again on her way to the dungeons. She didn't even bother knocking on the door this time. She was prepared when Snape used the spell, and she quickly emptied herself of any feeling or thought. She had been keeping him out for about a minute when something suddenly flashed before her eyes. She felt her legs give way underneath her and Aiden's face came into view. Panicking, she felt her hand go for her wand. Without a second thought she yelled "Crucio!"
Suddenly everything came into focus again. "What was that!" She heard a familiar voice shout. Raven sat up, and saw Professor Snape staring at her. He was also sitting on the floor. From the panic on his face, Raven guessed that her spell had hit him, and taken him by surprise.
"A spell, professor." She said calmly.
"I KNOW IT WAS A SPELL! WHY WOULD YOU USE IT?" He shouted. He was completely furious. Raven had never seen him so livid.
"Well, it got you out of my head and incapacitated you didn't it?"
"Get out." Snape said, now regaining his composure.
"'kay. But will I be seeing you Friday?" Raven asked wearily while she stood up.
"Yes, we need to work on your control."
"Yes Professor." And she left and headed for the common room with a smirk on her face.
*Woo! Thanks again for all the support guys!*
