Spell after spell was sent, colouring the classroom with each new charge of Magic they sent to harm the other. Rebekah's shield blocked most of the lesser spells and she blocked the others manually. She had to sidestep some of the nastier ones but Rebekah was never hit.
Rebekah was still very bitter and extremely enraged at Travers, time didn't diminish her anger for hurting Emperor. With a few carefully placed spells, Travers was on the ground with her wand in Rebekah's grip. She kneeled on the ground, grabbing one of Traver's arms and holding it out.
"Sectumsempra," Rebekah whispered and used Traver's wand to carve eight little words into the bottom of her forearm. Rebekah had to carefully trace each word she wanted carved in but she didn't silence her, the charm around the room was close to unbreakable. After she was done, Rebekah watched her handiwork before muttering, "Vulnera Sanentur," three times to heal it.
"I dare you to harm me again, Travers. If I can do this, I can do much, much worse," Rebekah said before standing up to watch the older Witch's tearful face. "But it's not like you'll remember anyway. Obliviate!"
Rebekah dropped Traver's wand before the older Witch could gain clarity. When she did, Rebekah jumped in and asked how she was, weaving an easy lie about how Rebekah found her injured after they had a pleasant conversation. She helped Travers get to the Hospital ward where Dumbledore was summoned.
The next hour was hectic as Rebekah refused to look Dumbledore in the eyes but she looked at his eyebrows to make it seem like she was. After a small conversation, Rebekah was brought back to the dorms.
Snape grabbed her arm and hurled her into his private lab. He shoved her in and then checked that no one saw that, before locking the door and silencing the room. With the grace of his Animagus form, he stalked forward until he was in Rebekah's face.
"What did you do?" He curled his lips back in a sneer as his eyes turned cold enough to intimidate even Rebekah.
Rebekah's sad face revealed the neutral one beneath. "Nothing, sir!"
"Don't lie to me, Miss Potter," Snape sneered. "I don't believe you did nothing while we found Travers injured with her own wand."
"Nothing bad,"
He glared at Rebekah before grabbing her shoulder and forcing her to look him in the eyes.
The room vanished as images of the last few days occurred. How she went back a full day, ate a late snack with Pansy and Theodore as the rest had a detention, visited Vibora and checked on the soon to hatch egg, her conversations with Tom Riddle, finally it landed on today's memories.
Fear ripped into her mind as Rebekah tried to force him out. She didn't want him to know about the Time-Turner, or Vibora, or Tom Riddle, least of all today. Imagining a door, she shoved every memory she had, every bad encounter with the older years, each new handshake when she was introduced, each gift she got every Christmas, every word, thought or action she ever did, behind the door and forced it to stay closed.
Snape stepped back with slight pride at her attempt of forcing him out, but it was quickly replaced with something Rebekah would have called resentment but she was not sure.
"You thought I wouldn't have recognised my own spell?"
"Well, sir, you gave me the book in my First year, I've memorised it by now," Rebekah shrugged at his nasty glare. "You should know me by now, sir."
"What you did was reckless!"
"It's not like she'll remember," Rebekah allowed a shy but smug smile onto her lips.
"If Dumbledore finds out…"
"He'll what? I'm the Girl-Who-Lived, I'm also a Slytherin and I am quite adapted to lying now."
"Do you even know how I found out about what you did to her? I used Legilimency to look through the folds of your mind when we were in Dumbledore's office," Snape said coldly. "You might not know but Dumbledore can access your mind too."
"I knew he could do a type of mind-reading, I would call it," Rebekah clicked her knuckles as nerves, worry, and anger overcame her body. "I felt him do it in my First year. I knew I couldn't look him in the eyes, I still don't."
"To be honest, I don't care what you did to Travers, I would have preferred it if you didn't do that but it can't be helped now," Snape loosely folded his arms. "Dumbledore can't know of your darkening nature, Potter. He wouldn't allow it."
"What am I supposed to do to stop him? If Legilimency is the act of invading a mind, what is the opposite?"
"Occlumency,"
"Where can I learn that?"
"There are certain books that can give you an insight into them but the true way is to practise,"
Rebekah sighed and mirrored his posture with crossed arms. "With who? You already give me extra Potions lessons each Thursday and Lupin gives me Patronus lessons on Wednesdays."
"I doubt that Lupin could do it," Snape almost muttered. "You're far enough in Potions to pass the OWLs now if you wished. We'll change from Potions to Occlumency until you mastered it. We can't have Dumbledore finding out because he would stop you from delving into the Dark Arts."
"Why would he? Magic is Magic. If I want to learn something a bit Darker, I should be able to,"
"Most people believe that only Death Eaters, the followers of He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, are practitioners of the Dark Arts. If they found out that the Girl-Who-Lived is learning about the Dark Arts, they would believe that you've turned to his side."
"I'm on no one's side but my own," Rebekah snarled before seeing Snape's unimpressed face then she calmed down.
"And you need to keep it that way. If Dumbledore finds out, he will do anything he can to prevent you from turning Dark,"
"Fine, I'll learn Occlumency. I don't need him, or you, in my mind again," Rebekah snapped, shuddering at the thought of anyone knowing what was going on in her mind.
"But you allow young Tom Riddle?"
"I don't allow him, it just happens. It's been happening since the Boggart lesson, every single night without fault. I really don't need Dumbledore finding out about that, or Vibora, or the Time-Turner,"
"Yes, how did you make it go back a full day instead of five hours?"
"Dementors made me fall and I broke it, a simple Reparo did the trick,"
"A Reparo on a Time-Turner, one of the things they experiment in the Department of Mysteries?"
"I don't know. The added time has helped my grades, I noticed Hermione has had trouble keeping up, but she's already dropped Divination, and I think she'll drop Muggle Studies next," Rebekah scoffed. "If I can use it, I will. I won't limit myself if I can help it."
"You need to keep away from Dumbledore until you have mastered Occlumency, or at least a grasp," Snape scribed a note before passing her it. "Show this to Madam Pince and she'll allow you to get the necessary books."
"Thanks, sir,"
For the next few months, nothing really happened. She went to class, went back in time, went to class, back in time, and went to class. Rebekah was quite used to it and the workload was much easier when she could go back a whole day to do her homework and study if she desired.
It confused Emperor, Fidele and Hedwig greatly but each of them quickly grew used to having two or perhaps three Rebekahs in the dorm at a time. For a whole month, Rebekah went back full days to start studying for her exams, she did two months' work within one and she was extremely proud of herself for that. Of course, she was tired but it would be worth it when she aced her exams in the following June.
Snape's lessons had really helped. Even with how bright Rebekah was and how fast she could catch onto a theory or method, Occlumency took a few lessons to even get the hang of it, but when she did, Rebekah was able to quickly master the ability. Rebekah needed to know how the spell actually worked, and that meant she needed to know how Legimency worked too.
Once a week, Rebekah ventured down to Snape's private office and they began their lessons.
"You're getting better," Snape said after trying to peel the layers of her mind back. "What are you doing to keep me from seeing them? I see some sort of reflection."
"I think my mind is like one-way glass," Rebekah said after she caught her breath. Occlumency was also physically draining after a few hours of constant use. "I can shove memories through the glass and I can see what is on the other side. The person invading, you, for example, can see what I shoved through the glass, everything else is behind the glass and completely protected."
"That is good for a beginner," Snape said and made Rebekah's mood sour slightly, she thought she was doing quite well. "But you need to control your emotions or the glass will break."
"My emotions are controlled,"
"What about when I went too close to a memory and you shot a stinging hex at me?"
"No one will know the password to my journals," Rebekah debunked. "No one will ever access that."
"Then rid yourself of emotions when someone tried to get into your mind,"
"The last time I did that, I cursed Travers," Rebekah gave him a look which he completely knew the meaning of, then she smiled and shrugged. "I do admit that I was still angry, though that may account for my cruelty."
"Nothing wrong with being ruthless, Potter, you just have to aim it and force it into being productive,"
"It was productive, she'll never know why she is so scared of me, only that I terrify her for no valid reason,"
Rebekah had made sure that when she Obliviated Travers' memories, Traver's would be left with fear and panic whenever Travers would look at her wrong. It greatly helped keep the older Witch away from her.
I dare you to trifle with me again.