Sorry long time no post, but here we are, hope you enjoy.
"I did it," she said to herself softly, as Snape came back into view.
"You did it once," Snape said in his usual unenthused tone, "You still have a lot further to go."
Atria's shoulder dropped as she leant back in her seat.
"The diary, Your uncle gave it to you yes?" Snape asked as he looked down at her.
"Yes," Atria said softly.
"What?"
"Yes sir," she said louder through her gritted teeth.
Snape nodded to himself appreciatively, "Tom Riddle isn't your greatest fear," he said as he took slow steps towards her, "Your uncle is," he said as he came to stand in front of her chair.
"Shall we try?" he asked as he held his wand methodically.
Atria's eyes remained locked with his, unblinking, "I think I would like to go to bed actually sir," she said.
"I think we should," Snape said ignoring what she said.
"Sir isn't that enough," she said standing up from the seat, "haven't we done enough, I'm exhausted if I could just go?"
"Sit down Miss Black," he said sternly as he walked closer to where she stood, ready to grab her if she tried to go, "If you keep fighting against this I will have no choice but to go to Dumbledore and find someone else to take my place."
"I am here," she reasoned, "I chose this."
"Then do it," he snapped at her.
She threw herself back down in the chair her hands already gripping the arms of the seat tightly.
He raised an eyebrow at her antics and she gave a rough shrug,
"Well go on," she snapped stubbornly.
He drew his wand quickly not giving her the chance to call it off if she tried, "Legilimens!"
"I'm sor-" but the apology never left her lips, it was hurled back into her mouth as his ringed finger met her cheek in a shattering slap.
The sound still echoed in the room as the top half of her body was thrown even further back and she brought her hand up to cup the now aching skin. The taste of blood filled her mouth and for a moment the only sounds that filled the room were his heavy breathing and her wounded whimpers.
It took time but she grew the strength to stare up at him as he straightened out his hair which had gone aray by the power of his swing.
"Draco told me your attitude was in need of an adjustment, but he didn't tell me just how much."
His hand snapped forward grabbing her by the roots of her long hair making her cry out in pain, her eyes scrunched up in pain and she felt him press something against her lips. The thick, Lukewarm liquid poured into her mouth and she felt smothered by its presents there.
She gagged as it finished, her palms burning the chair arms under them until they smoked and the small bits of broken cauldron lied around them on the ground.
"Again," he said, his wand ready, as she tried to collect herself, the first of her tears burning paths down her cheeks.
Her eyes darted around nervously and she felt her finger trembling, "But it's not going to work, it's too soon," she tried to reason as she moved to stand.
"Legilimens!"
"There she is," Lucius hissed in her ear, "right there where she always was."
"Stop it," Atria cried her voice now coming out in pained sobs, She felt herself being pushed over the edge as the glass in the mirror began to fragment. She tried again to push her self away from it but it was no use.
"You don't need a photo to see her," he continued cruelly. He moved in closer, she could feel his lips brush her ear as he whispered softly, "This is probably how she looked before she died."
The mirror burst, glass shattering in front of them as Lucius flew backwards, her windows splintered sending a cascade of glass, glittering through the air.
Once again she was pulled out, Snape was shaking his head angrily as he cleaned up the shattered glass of his cabinet.
"Sir please," she exhaustedly begged as her breath heaved, "I can't," and with a grit of his teeth he cast again.
"Legilimens!"
The memory flew in front of her as she lied on the floor of her bedroom the cold wood unforgiving on her sore body
Her cries stopped as she felt herself choke in pain. She looked up at his menacing face, coming face to face with his drawn wand.
"Please," she spluttered out, "Please stop."
"Crucio," He hissed.
"No!" She screamed out of the memory drawing all her strength to escape it, her body shooting straight out of the chair remembering she could stand on two feet, her body burning with the familiar fire but it was too late.
Snape had been knocked to his desk and her destruction was revealed. If it had been fragile or moveable it had been destroyed in whatever chaos he had created within her. The fire roared with un unforgiving nature while glass had been sent flying all over the room in every direction. The chair she had been sitting on remained intact, the arms however had splintered under her hold. she looked to Snape as he moved to stand and his hand went to his head where a stream of blood had started to run from a large gash on his head.
"I TOLD YOU!" she screamed at him, "I CAN'T DO IT!" she cried , "YOU GIVE NO WARNING OR TIME, I CAN'T THINK! WHAT DO YOU EXPECT!"
Snape straightened back up not in the least bit fazed by her outburst, "I think that will be enough for our lesson tonight Miss Black," he said looking down at the hand that had been pressed against his head, "You may go."
She didn't need to hear another word before she stormed out of the room wiping at her eyes desperately.
How dare he! Rummaging through her mind as if it was a box of trinkets at his disposal. These lessons where over. She had had enough. Enough of the embarrasment and the lack of respect, he treated her as something to be pocked and prodded at, not as anything with feelings and a mind of it's own.
This time he had gone too far.
He had seen too much.
He had seen.
Her feet came to a stiff halt as it crossed her mind, flashing red. He had seen. He had seen it all, every memory she had buried and sworn to herself she would take with her until the day she died. She turned quickly before breaking off into a sprint, back to the potion master's office and almost running into the door once she reached it.
"Professor?" she cried, knocking loudly on the door, but there was no reply, "Professor!" She was met with silence.
She twisted to doorknob, pushing to door open to reveal an empty room.
He was gone.
"Are you sure Severus?" Dumbledore asked him as the man in front of him paced angrily holding a cloth to his head.
"Sure!" The man snapped at him, "Of course I'm sure. I saw it!"
Dumbledore nodded sadly, "Remus did speak with me last year of his fears," he said, remembering the conversation about atria's boggart all too well, "I just could not bring myself to believe they were true."
Snape twisted his head, trying to release the tension in his head, which had grown with his anger, "How!" He yelled, "we knew what he was capable of, I told you!"
"Yes, you did and we have helped her," Dumbledore said standing up from his chair with the stealth of a man you get then his years, Severus gave the man a scalding glare, but Dumbledore had had enough of Snape's tone, "have we not? and we will continue to do so."
"But he wants her back," Snape hissed at him, "Lucius is a vengeful man, and she knows too much that makes her a threat."
Dumbledore knew he was right, Lucius was a vengeful man with a fragile ego, being crossed or disobeyed is not something he took lightly, and the young Atria Black had managed to do just that, "So we will protect her," Dumbledore said as he walked around his desk to snape.
Snape shook his head, "He knows something Albus, and he is certain that she will give in when called for."
"And we must make sure she does not," Dumbledore said earnestly as he approached him, "Severus, you must help her grow past this."
"There are things you never recover from or heal from," the dark-haired man said, speaking from experiences of his own.
Dumbledore shook his head, "Do not underestimate her Severus. She is stronger than she looks."
"I can't believe Dumbledore is even allowing it," Harry said as they sat next to each other on the wharf overlooking the black Lake, their legs dangling off over the edge.
"Well It was really bad last time," Atria explained as she looked down at the calm water below her, a subtle breeze blowing bringing serenity to the two teens of which they had not felt for months, "and I get so wrapped up in it and I cant get a hold of it or control it," she said hopelessly ,"It just all seems useless."
"What did he see?" Harry asked gently.
Atria cringed at the thought, "Everything," she said softly.
Harry could see the embarrassment burning in her cheeks, he couldn't say he would feel any different had it been he in her situation, "Was it bad?" He asked.
Atria bit the inside of her mouth, "Yes it was," she said bitterly.
Harry tilted his head looking down at the water below them, "What was it?" He asked as he leant his head a little bit closer to hers, his word coming out in a loud whisper.
She looked over to him, her eyes running over his face before she shook her head at herself, "You don't want to know."
Harry's brow furrowed, "I do if you want to tell me."
"Well I don't," Atria said coldly.
Harry's breath stopped for a moment not wanting to have crossed a line but he came in quickly to save the moment, "I'm sorry," he said softly, "It's just hard not to know, I can't help but think the worst things. Knowing that man I can't help but think it is."
Atria took a deep breath, her eyes becoming blurry but she refused to break under this pressure anymore. She smiled over at him as if the topic had never been brought up or discussed, an action which of guard , "It's over," she said simply as she stood up and walked a few metres over to the other side of the wooden pathway , "And I can focus on other things." She said looking up at the large castle that towered over everything as he walked up behind her.
"Like what?" Harry asked as he moved to stand next to her.
"Like," she said as she thought over the hundred of tasks she had, "exams."
Harry gave a huff, "I sought of have a free pass on exams, " he said with a smug shrug, "You know, being in a life-threatening competition and all."
"Oh lucky Potter," Atria said sarcastically.
Harry gave a fake wince, "I hate it when you call me that," he said looking at her from the corner of his eye.
Atria tilted her chin as she looked over at him, "Really," she asked cheekily.
"Yes, I like it when you call me Harry," he said bashfully.
"Why Potter, it's just a name," she teased.
His mouth gaped open as he played her game, "Stop it."
"Why do you like it when I call you to harry... Potter?" She asked, running the tip of her shoe over the waft edge.
"I never call you Black," he tried to reason as the devilish grin on her face grew.
"Very true, Potter."
Harry bit his lip, nodding as he took a step closer to her, only when he was close enough she could not escape did he go in for the attack. "Alright you," he said with a laugh before he wrapped his arms around her. He held her close and tight taking another step dangerously close to the edge.
"Potter, if you push me into that water," Atria said with a laugh as she clung to him. He smiled down at her with a cheeky glint in his eye but continued to push.
"Say my name," he requested.
She looked up at him, "Potter," She said earnestly before laughing as he pushed her a little further. She gave out a nervous shriek as the heels of her feet hovered over the murky water.
"Say my name," he asked of her again.
She looked up at him, she knew he didn't care if she took him down with her, so she gave in, "Harry," she said.
Harry nodded before backing up still holding her in his arms, "Thank you," he said softly, and Atria melted just a little more.
"Have a seat, Miss Black," Snape said, his back was to her as he stood over his desk.
Atria stood stubbornly by, "I will not."
He fought the urge to grit his teeth before he turned around to face her, "Miss Black I have already little to no patience with you sit down and I will explain."
She looked at the chair she had sat in night after night, before looking back up at her professor as he looked down on her, deciding it was best to take his offer and sitting down delicately in the chair.
Snape nodded before his hands came and clasped themselves in front of him, "Miss Black I have come to the conclusion that my methods have not been working so I have had to come up with another option," he said wistfully as his black eyes met with her intrigued grey ones."You know of Occlumency, I spoke with you about it last year."
"Yes sir," Atria said.
"What is it?"
Atria tongue became twisted as she nervously tried to answer, "Closing your mind to the power of Legilimency"
Snape nodded taking a step closer to her cautiously, "Clearing your mind at will on command, it is a skill I am going to teach you. It will also teach you mental discipline and make you able to cut these thoughts off before they get the best of you." He turned before walking to a chair that sat in the corner of the room and bringing it before placing it in front of her, "Now," he said as he took a seat in front of her, "close your eyes."
His request caught her by surprise and she didn't move fast enough for his liking before he asked again, "Close your eyes."
Her eyelids flickered closed and after a few seconds of blackness and silence, he began speaking slow instructions.
"Think of an empty room, not a room you have ever been in or physically seen, no windows, no doors, no patterns on the wall nothing distinguishable about this room it is plain."
She did so but what an empty room had to do with anything, she had no idea.
"Think of only that, Nothing can protrude this room, nothing can get in and nothing can get out, think of nothing else."
And so they began. Clearing her mind, sinking into a state of nothingness where thoughts had no cycle and could not be continuously moving.
It turns out a plain impenetrable room had a lot to do with occlumancy, locking yourself away in your mind where your thoughts couldn't reach you and neither could the person trying to see through your mind's eye. It was a skill she perfected in one night. It seems running off into a corner of her mind to somewhere safer where she couldn't be hurt was something that came very easily to her.
But that wasn't the challenge, the challenge was reaching that room before things got too bad, before she was pushed too far. So she opened her mind to him. He flicked through the pages, her memories, while she tried to slam the book before he could see too much.
Her nights with Snape became longer, he could see success was so close so he pushed her harder and harder until she was begging for rest. But one night as he pushed through the barriers of her mind, breaking down her thoughts he stumbled upon something, something she forgot she could not share.
She could almost smell the air of the dark forest as her body refused to move and as his beady eyes looked down on her. S he saw her father as she looked up into his grey eyes as he held her then as she said goodbye to him amongst the trees of the dark forest.
The memory was but a flash but Snape saw it, he saw Pettigrew's face and before she knew it she was back in Snape's office. She opened her eyes her breath heaving as she looked up at Snape who looked down at her with cold black eyes,
He stormed forward grabbing her by her forearm and hauling her out of the chair, "Come with me," he hissed before storming out of the room dragging her into the hallway. As he strides forward she hurried to keep up with him, " Sir, Where are we going?" She got no reply.
She could see the rain hit the glass of the windows and a black night beyond it. She did not know how late it was but she knew there was not a soul in this castle that could possibly be awake.
But maybe one was.
"Skeletal Sweets," Snape said to the large stone gargoyle, which moved from out of their way.
He dragged her up the stairs, his grip remaining firm and as the image of Professor Dumbledore behind his desk grew closer and closer. Snape moved faster in anticipation, Dumbledore hadn't even looked up before he started to speak.
"Peter Pettigrew is-"
"Alive," Dumbledore finished for him, peeking up over the rim of his glasses as he looked up at the angry professor and the now dishevelled student.
"Yes Severus, he is very much alive," he continued as he looked between Atria and Snape, "I did wonder whether or not you would stumble upon this memory or not but as you saw, the tale miss Black as well as Harry recounted last year is in fact true."
Snape all but through Atria away from him before raising his finger at her and angrily stating, "Albus this student is currently harbouring a criminal."
"Yes yes," Dumbledore said looking over to Atria, whose head was nervously flicking between the man with every verse they spoke, "I know that Sirius Black is currently residing with Remus Lupin at Grimmauld place but he is not guilty of the crime he was committed for and therefore not a Criminal," Dumbledore explained calmly.
"You know?" Atria asked dumbfoundedly.
Dumbledore eyes moved to rest on her before smiling softly at her, "Of course I know Miss Black."
"Albus," Snape hissed angrily as if a large betrayal had just taken place. But Atria could only focus on the fact the Dumbledore knew about Sirus and more so that he believed in his innocence.
"We will talk of this later," Dumbledore said as he slowly raised himself from the large chair, "I think Miss Black would be very exhausted after tonight."
"I'll Escort he-"
"No need," Dumbledore said, raising his hand to stop the man as he walked slowly around his desk, "I will take her."
Dumbledore placed his hand on Atria's back as he led her from the room, she looked back over to Snape who seemed to be trying to contain his rage, his glare settling on the two as they left, she felt it still even as they reached the corridor.
"Proffesor, " Atria asked nervously taking one last look behind her before turning to catch up with the Oldman, "How did you know about Sirius ?"
"Remus wrote to me," he said as if it had been a usual turn of events," he told me he had some business to discuss, he came and met with me and told me what had happened"
"And you believed him?" she asked in disbelief, her shock unwavering, "just like that?"
"Peter Pettigrew is alive Miss Black and if what you and Remus and Sirius say is true then I believe without a shadow of a doubt, Sirius is innocent."
"Severus has said you have been making progress in your lessons," Dumbledore said almost pridefully as he looked over to her.
She shook her head not wanting to discuss it, "Not a stunning amount sir," She said.
"It will work with time, just give yourself that time," he said wisely as the continued to walk slowly down the corridor and Atria began to settle.
"Speaking of time" Atria began, "Is the ministry still inquiring into who put Harry's name into the goblet."
Dumbledore lowered his chin to his chest, "Not to the standards I would like them to be," he said solemnly, "I think it has been assumed it was a harmless prank performed by another student."
"But you think otherwise sir?" Atria asked. She knew what Hogwarts was like, things happened in this castle, something alway was bubbling under the surface completely unknown to you unless you were part of it.
"I think there is always more than what seems to be," he riddled.
Atria nodded, "Yes that is the way it usually turns out," she said.
They continued to walk down the hallway in silence. Atria stole quick glances of the oldman as she thought over her and Harry's conversation. Dumbledore was a wise wizard and a powerful one at that, but surely if something would happen Dumbledore would not be the only one the wiser to it. The ministry would have to know, and all would be resolved. But she didn't know that, she could only guess what went on in the headmasters head.
Did Dumbledore really believe Voldemort would rise again?
Did Dumbledore know if Lucius was a-
"Something playing on your mind?" Dumbledore asked snapping her from her thoughts.
She let out a shaky breath, "Quite a few things actually sir."
"Anything I can help with?" he queried.
She looked over to him before looking forward. And in a move she would not usually make she through caution to the wind.
"Sir?" she asked, "do you believe my uncle was a death eater?"
Dumbledore gave a nod, "He was proved to be one Miss Black."
"No," she said, that was not what she had meant, "I mean a true death eater," she said in a hushed voice, "a true supporter."
Dumbledore gave a sigh as but he nodded to her agreeing to her question, "Miss Black I have taught at this school for many years I have taught many students including your uncle, and when I found out of his allegiances I was not surprised."
Atria stilled and Dumbledore stopped when he realised she had stopped walking. Her eyes had fallen to the stony ground and her brow furrowed as she began, "You taught my father as well sir," she said calmly, "You knew him."
Dumbledore stood still and cautious watching her with intrigue, his head tilted to the side and he surveyed her, his eyes glittering behind the glass. She grew nervous under his eyes and looked away, now they remained stuck on her shoes. She only looked up when the bottom of his robes came into sight she looked up as he stood before her, looking at her over his spectacles, "After your mother died and your father had lost you," Dumbledore began softly, "everyone noticed a difference in him. No one questioned that your father would have done anything to save you. There were no witnesses to Peter's crimes and after your mother died and your father had lost you everyone noticed a difference in him no one questioned that your father would have done anything to save you even if it meant going Voldemort."
Atria's throat grew tight,"But he didn't," she said miserably.
"Yes and that is certain. Sirius is innocent," Dumbledore said sadly, "I was blind to your father's innocence. I let facts and common sense get in the way of what I should have believed."
Atria nodded, as her eyes burned, they burned with sorrow and anger, with grief for another life she may have lived had the right people believed in Sirius at the right time. So with the bit of collection she had left in her she made her plea, "You wouldn't betray us would you sir," she asked softly, her voice breaking.
"Atria," Dumbledore spoke up, a level of command in his voice that was subtly but she knew to look back up at him, she did so in her own time and he gave a soft smile as his eyes rested on hers, " I failed your father," he explained, "as I failed you, A mistake I do not plan to make again."
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