"I swear to Merlin she heard me!"
The girls where in Ginnys dormitory during their free period after breakfast, Hermione had suggested Ginny's because she thought that Black could probably hear her thoughts through the wall and at least Gryffindor tower was further away!
"Ginny how could she have heard you? We where the other end of the bloody great hall!"
Hermione was pacing up and down whilst Ginny was content lying on her bed.
"Ok but you're telling me that Black thought that daily profit joke was funny!? Even Ron wouldn't think that was funny! It was terrible!"
"Ok Gin let's say I believe you." Hermione sat on the bed by Ginny's feet. "Why would Black be listening in on our conversation?"
"I mean you had come straight from talking to her, maybe she wanted to hear what you told me. And come on 'Mione the timing was too perfect to be a coincidence. Even you said so at breakfast!"
"I know but how!" She was up and on the move again.
"I don't know maybe she..." ginny sat up like she had been shot "I'VE TO IT! BLOODY HELL I'VE GOT IT! 'Mi she was using Legilimency!! She was listening to our through, one of our minds! I swear I'm right! I mean come on it's just the sort of thing a Black would find hilarious. She the most childish person I know and I've grew up with the twins and Ron!"
"But how do we even know if she's good at Legilimency?"
"Oh come on! Leaving in the battle was planned there's no way she could hide that from Voldemort unless she was great at occlumency! And you can't be that good at one without being good at the other!"
"But I didn't feel anyone in my mind." She stopped at the window, looking out at the forbidden forrest. 'When Harry tried to teach my occlumency I could always feel him poking around!"
Ginny followed Hermione to the window and placed a hand on her shoulder, slowly turning the older girl towards her.
"But Harry isn't Black! How long had Harry been practicing before he tried with us? A week? A month? Black will have had years! Mark my words that's how she knew what I said!"
"Ok, Let's say your right. How would we even know? How would we stop her doing it in future!" She was back pacing again.
"God knows! But we've got DADA last period! Let's both pick something and think about it all lesson and see if she mentions it!"
"But if she's as good as you think surely she'll be able to see this conversation."
"For god sake Hermione, Will you sit still! Merlin's saggy ball sack!" Hermione sat back down on the bed but began fidgeting her fingers. "Look maybe she will see this conversation but maybe she can't delve too deep whilst she's actively teaching! And if it doesn't work? Well there's nothing gained nothing waisted! We just need to think of something that we wouldn't normally think of but something that's jucy enough for her to want to mention it!"
"ok but what?"
"I'm going to think about Dean all lesson, back when we where together. Surely black couldn't resist getting a pop shot in at the 'boy who lived' if she thought I was cheating on him. And you can..."
Hermione stared at Ginny excitedly!
"Maybe I can think about getting an 95% on my essay for Snape."
Ginny rolled her eyes so hard Hermione swore she could hear it.
"That's not exciting you always get high grades for Snape. Even if he hates you your work is always perfect!"
"That's my point! I've never got below a 97% on an essay ever! So there's no way she could know about that from annother teacher because it's never happened!"
"ok deal! Ohhhh Hermione getting a 95% on a test... how scandalous!!"
"I still think this could be a bad idea but what the hell! I'm never going to get a normal year am I?"
"You? Never!"
Hermione once again frog marched her friends to DADA but this time for a different reason. If they where going to test this theory she wanted to be as close to the witch as possible. She ushered them in to the front table and sat herself directly in front of Black's desk.
The witch in question swept into the room just as she had the day before, She once again perched herself on the edge of her desk with one leg curled under her. Unlike yesterday (when she wore pants) this time large portion of thigh was on display right in front of Hermione's face. When she spotted Hermione sat on the front desk she raised an eyebrow curious but quickly got on with the lesson.
"Right class, ss you should remember yesterday we were working on our shields, today we will be continuing that work. Quickly to start, I will send you each a stupify at a level I believe you can manage. You simply have to block it. We will work from the back corner with Miss Fox and finishing with our golden girl at the front."
As she said golden girl she shot Hermione a look that made her blush instantly. She was looking at her like she knew that Hermione was checking her out which... she was. But she didn't know she had been caught. As soon as the moment happened it was over and Black was quickly throwing spells around the classroom.
Most managed to block the spell with only a few failing but Hermione noticed many of the spells where a lot weaker than what had been sent at Hermione.
Finally she reached the final table. A pretty strong spell shot at luna who blocked it as if it was simply a butterfly flying her way. Ginny deflected a strong curse with a look of determination on her face.
"Neville remember calm. You've got this!"
A spell that looked like nearly full strength shot at Neville and he managed to block it. It was the best magic Hermione had ever seen from Neville. Who would have thought the compationate teacher than Neville needed would be black!
"Granger you ready? I'm going to hit you with full power!" She leaned in a little and whispered "I really want you to land on your arse. Payback time pet!"
Hermione channelled her embarrassment at the comment and tried to pull her anger from yesterday. The bright red spell shot from the wand just in front of her, Hermione flexed her shield and the spell bounced straight off, the defected spell hitting the door.
The class was gobsmacked. Not only had granger knocked Black out the day before but she just blocked a full powered spell from the witch. Everyone knew she had improved at dueling during the war but they had never really had the chance to whitness it. They had afterall been rather distracted during the battle.
"Well Granger, I'm going to have to think of harder things to throw at you. That's very impressive. 100 points to Gryffindor and 50 points to every other student who blocked my spell successfully. Now you are all good at producing a physical shield but how are your mental shields?"
Hermione and Ginny stared at each other in horror. They where completely right! She had heard everything that morning!
"Non existent am I right? It is no good having a physical shield in battle if your opponent can read every move you are going to make before you even make it. And Mr Midea I agree my tits do look great today thank you!"
The colour drained from his face but then was quickly replaced by a crimson blush.
"Don't worry I don't spend my life listening to your thoughts but believe me when I say I can if I want to! So once again we will split into pairs. But first does anyone have any expirience with occlumency?"
Only Ginny and Hermione raised their hands.
"Potter?" They nodded. "As I expected. Well Granger I believe after yesterday you owe me one. Join me if you will."
Hermione stood up and joined her Professor in front of the blackboard. Willing the ground to swollow her whole. She knew she had managed to kick Harry out of her mind before but this wasn't harry. This was Black. But she would keep her out. She has too.
"Ok everyone I want you to watch as I perform the spell the wrist movement is simple but do not underestimate the difficulty of this spell. Granger I want you to think of a memory a strong memory, almost like when casting a protronus. I want you to place that memory to the front of your mind. Only allow me to see this memory."
"But Snape taught Harry to clear his mind?"
"That is true for your first attempts at occlumency however you yourself have admitted to me you have some experience and I'm also a lot harder to keep out! Ready Granger?"
"As I'll ever be."
"Legilimens"
She thought of Christmas at the burrow. Harry and Ginny holding hands under the table, the twins causing meyhem in the kitchen. Memories that warmed her heart. Suddenly she was seeing herself removing her parents memories of her, then all of a sudden it was gone.
"You started off strong but got lost in the middle. Show me the memory, show we every detail. The more you show me that memory the less chance I have to push further. Again!"
Hermione was already sweating but she wouldn't be embarrassed in front of the whole class. She can do this.
"Legilimens"
She trys to really feel the burrow. The smell of roast dinner, Mrs Weasley screaming at the twins, Mr Weasley carving into the turkey.
The memory once again changed. She was staring up at a crystal chandelier as a dagger carved into her arm. The blade retreats and Bellatrix Lastrange is once again in view glancing down at her.
The memory is gone again. Hermione is shaking slightly and there is a large amount of sweat on her brow, Black also looks effected but not physically. The horror is all on her face.
"Well done Granger. Good try." it lacked any sincere emotion.
Hermione knew it wasn't. It was a terrible try.
"No I can do better again!"
"Granger trying to keep me out is difficult, give yourself a rest."
"Again, Professor. I can do this!"
Bellatrix walked towards Hermione looking into her eyes for a hint of fear, all she saw with the fire just behind her eyes. Hermione thought she finally had a better understanding on how to keep the witch out, now that she had some better expirience than Harry in her mind.
Black spoke softly so only Hermione could hear.
"Ok pet, but if i'm going back in there I'm gonna choose the times where you were checking me out." She winked before turning on her heels and heading back to stand just before her desk.
"Ok Granger. Last time! Legilimens"
Hermione was ready for her this time. The anger was burning at Bellatrix for calling her out and she would not be made to look like an idiot in front of her class.
She tried to think of her mind as a maze. With a new memory around every turn. She gave Black enough control to decide which direction she walked but only allowing her to see the memories that Hermione chose. The day she got her Hogwarts letter, The first spell she successfully cast, buying crookshanks, Christmas at Hogwarts and just as she felt Black retreat she conciously thought about how Black looked perching on the desk, a dangerous amount of thigh on display.
"Good granger! You gave me enough to believe that I had free choice but only let me see what you wanted me to see. Until the end at least."
There was a very subtle blush on the Professor's cheeks. Hermione put on her most innocent facial expression and said
"Oh no professor you only saw what I wanted you to see. I knew I could do better."
Black staired at her with eyes as big as saucers as she realised that Hermione had intended for her to see herself through Hermione's eyes. Black had tried to taunt her but two could play at that game.
Once she sat down she very deliberately scanned up her professor's body with her eyes. As she made eye contact she licked her lips and watched as Black tracked the movement. She then winked at her teacher and then started to write some quick notes in her book.
Black was flustered. She had teased many people with their own thoughts before but never had someone used them against her in quite this way. Damn this witch! Realising that the entire class was looking at her waiting for instruction she quickly jumped back into what she was doing.
"Ok into pairs! One will attempt to enter the mind of the other, once you believe you are there I want you to retreat, I don't want anyone wandering too far into someone else. The recipient must try to shield their thoughts. For now I want you to try to clear your mind and banish everything from your head. They can't see anything if there isnt anything to see."
The rest of the lesson flew by. It turned out that Luna was unusually good at occlumency. Maybe being teased all the time had made her good at protecting her inner most thoughts.
Many had not been able to put up even one intentional memory to begin with but by the end they had all managed to have at least some rudimentary mental shields.
As the bell rang everyone started packing away their stuff quickly to get to dinner.
"Granger remember, detention with me tonight at 7 sharp. The rest of you I hope I don't have to see you until next week. Please try to refrain from causing trouble over the weekend!"
With that she quickly left the room.