― CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR ―
Jaquenetta was not looking forward to her first Occlumency lesson with Professor Snape. Harry's experience will be short lived and unenjoyable and her knowledge of this was clouding her judgement as she paused outside the door to Snapes office.
Jaquenetta took a deep breath, knocked and entered the office, shutting the door quietly behind her. The room was dimly lit and lined with shelves holding hundreds of glass jar that held numerous potions.
'Have a seat Miss Siroun' Professor Snape instructed from his place behind the desk. 'Now, Professor Dumbledore has asked that I instruct you in Occlumency. Occlumency is a branch of magic that seals the mind against magical intrusion and influence, while Legilimency is the ability to extract feelings and memories from another person's mind.'
Jaquenetta's grip on the chair armrests tightened at this statement.
'Those who have mastered Legilimency are, under certain conditions such close proximity and constant eye contact, able to delve into the minds of others, interpret their findings, know if someone is lying and in some instances even able to plant images and thoughts. Those skilled at Occlumency are able to shut down those feelings and memories, to effectively block what they do not wish to be known.'
Professor Snape turned his attention back to Jaquenetta 'Any questions so far?'
'Yes Professor' said Jaquenetta 'how much has Professor Dumbledore told you about me?'
Professor Snape looked at Jaquenetta with the same penetrating gaze Umbridge had used on her the day before 'I know nothing more than any other teacher' he said 'is there anything else?'
'No Professor' said Jaquenetta
'Very well. Stand up and take out your wand.'
Jaquenetta did as instructed and stood next to the chair she had just vacated.
'I am about to attempt to break into your mind and I want you to push me out. The key to Occlumency to let go of all emotion and clear your mind. It is emotion that opens the door to memories and information we wish to keep private. Brace yourself, now. Legilimens!'
Snape had struck before Jaquenetta was ready, before she had even started to try and clear her mind of emotion. The office swam in from of her eyes and vanished; image after image raced through her mind like a movie on fast-forward
She was five, sitting in bed while her mother read to her… she was six, in bed once more but this time she was reading the book… she was fifteen, her first kiss just after she graduated from secondary school… she was sixteen, first year at Cambridge, trying to fit in, reading Voltaire, getting her tattoo… and then she was at her desk in her room at Cambridge, reading, the image slowed down and came into focus as if zooming in on the book.
No, you can't see that, no one can know, it could put us all in danger…
Jaquenetta imagined Professor Snape's intrusion into her thoughts as if he was standing within the memory and focussed as much as she could on pushing him out of the way, back through the door to her room and away from seeing what she was reading.
Suddenly Snape's office came back into view and Jaquenetta no longer felt the restriction in her chest from exertion at resisting the intrusion.
'An adequate first try.' Professor Snape said as he sat down at his desk 'we will meet again next week, and until then you are to practice strengthening your mind. Every night before sleep you are to visualise putting the memories you do not wish to be accessed into a vault. If you catch yourself thinking about them throughout the week you are to visualise putting them back in the vault. I shall know if you have not been practicing.'
'Yes Professor.' Jaquenetta said.
This is a lot to go through just to keep Umbridge off my back, but it will help if she ever tries to give me Veritaserum. Though if she is a Legilimens then why would she need…
'Oh' Jaquenetta said as her thoughts came together.
'Is there a problem Miss Siroun?'
Jaquenetta turned her gaze to the seated Potions Master, the realisation dawning on her 'I'm not learning Occlumency because of Professor Umbridge am I?' she asked, her stomach twisting with sudden nausea, knowing the answer before she had finished asking.
'Miss Siroun, I thought you were smart enough to discern that for yourself.'
'Thank you Professor' Jaquenetta said, leaving Snape's office in a hurry, running back to the Gryffindor common room, the blood thumping in her ears, her stomach churning.
Jaquenetta felt sick with dread and was determined to shut herself up in her room for the night, calling out the password to the Fat Lady, dilligrout, as she neared the entrance not breaking her stride as she raced up the stairs, into her room and headed straight for the bathroom. In her haste to quell her nausea she did not notice the three sets of eyes that followed her hasty retreat.
Hermione turned her gaze away from her girlfriend as she ran up the stairs back to Ron and Harry, concern evident on her face.
'Should we uh, follow?' said Ron looking between Hermione and Harry.
Crookshanks jumped off Harry's lap as if in response and scurried up the stairs 'It seems as if we're not alone in our concern' said Hermione as she lead the two boys up the staircase to Jaquenetta's room.
As the trio reached the landing they saw Crookshanks pacing in front of the lioness painting before stopping and reaching up to with one paw to seemingly swat at the painting. Hermione was about to rush forward and pick up her cat when no sooner had Crookshanks' paw touched the painting than did it swing open letting him inside with a small roar.
'Blimey' exclaimed Ron 'Hermione your cat's probably smarter than Crabbe and Goyle put together!' as the three Gryffindor's followed after giving the password.
Jaquenetta heard the roar from the portrait she was exiting the bathroom. Upon reaching Crookshanks in the sitting area she bent down and gave him a scratch behind the ear as he walking around her legs. The portrait swinging open again had her returning to a standing position.
'Hey' Hermione said as she walked over to her girlfriend, pulling her in for a hug 'are you alright?'
Jaquenetta wrapped her arms around the younger witch's waist, pulling her in closer and breathing in the scent of her shampoo 'I'm much better now, I'll tell you later' she said as they pulled apart and went over to the couches where the boys had already sat down.
'Sorry, just an upset stomach.' Jaquenetta said to Harry and Ron about to sit down and relax when a loud crack filled the air and she found herself on her feet once more, heart racing, and looking at what she could only think was a house-elf.
'Dobby!' exclaimed Harry from his seat near the fire place.
'Harry Potter sir, Dobby has brought Harry Potter's friend something to settle her stomach sir.' The little house-elf in front of Jaquenetta said excitedly.
Dobby was only about 3 feet in height, with large tennis-ball-like eyes, a long thing nose and bat-like pointed ears. He was wearing mismatched socks on his feet and a knitted sweater that was much too long for him.
'Dobby is always happy to help a friend of Harry Potter's Miss.'
'Dobby, please call me Jaq.'
'Yes Miss Jaq. Dobby best be going now, Dobby has much to do' and with another crack Dobby was gone, leaving the goblet on the table.
Jaquenetta drank the contents noting it tasted much like a drink her mother would give her as a child whenever she had an upset stomach and sat down next to Hermione.
'So what did I miss?' Jaquenetta asked.
'We were discussing how we've got to do something about Umbridge' said Hermione
'I suggested poison' said Ron, earning a smile from Jaquenetta before Hermione shot him a look that had him close his mouth quickly.
'We were talking about how we're not going to learn any Defence from her at all. She has us reading, all theory and no practical, refusing to teach us.'
'It's the same in all of her classes I'm afraid, reading and copying from the book' said Jaquenetta.
'Well I was thinking today' Hermione started, shooting a nervous look between Harry and Jaquenetta 'that perhaps we should just do it ourselves.'
Jaquenetta listened intently as the three young Gryffindor's began discussing the possibility of forming their own group to practice what Umbridge would not allow them to. Ron and Hermione were listing off why Harry would be the best person to teach them and Jaquenetta could slowly see the anger rising in Harry knowing that on some level his friends were getting through to him. It wasn't until she heard Hermione say Voldermort's name did she place her hand on Hermione's arm start to speak.
'Harry,' Jaquenetta said pulling his attention from Ron and Hermione 'you have faced more evil in the last four years than anyone should ever have to. You have gone up against Voldermort and survived countless times. You may think that it was luck or that you had help from other people but the fact still remains that you are the only person who knows what it's really like to face him.'
'Just think about it' said Hermione quietly 'Please?'
Harry nodded and got to his feet 'I'm, gonna go to bed' and walked towards the portrait door.
Ron stood awkwardly and followed after Harry 'Yeah I'm off too… night' and he shot an apologetic look to both Jaquenetta and Hermione as he left.
Once the portrait swung closed Hermione's shoulders sagged and she let out a long sigh before turning to her girlfriend.
'I'm exhausted, but I think you need to tell me what caused you to run up here.'
Jaquenetta groaned, realising once again that Hermione never forgets.
