Beside the imposing marble fire place in the centre of the Manor's drawing room, Draco sits in an ornately carved chair, legs crossed ankle to knee. From the corner of the room, Narcissa casts a watchful eye over her son, drawing little comfort from her sister's willingness to help prepare Draco for what lies ahead.
Occlumency will play an essential role in concealing his impending mission from others - or so he's been told.
An hour has passed, and Bellatrix is trying her damnedest to put Draco through his paces, but his mind is calm and empty of thought.
It's been just four days, and breaking into Draco's thoughts isn't just proving difficult - it's borderline impossible. She may be a difficult woman to impress, but Bellatrix is inwardly astonished by the level of skill her nephew is demonstrating.
"Are you sure you've never done this before?" Bellatrix shoots at him, half impressed, half accusatory. Her eyes are narrowed in suspicion but a ghost of a smile rests on her lips.
"I don't see what's so difficult about it," Draco replies coolly. He maintains eye contact.
Bellatrix scoffs so softly it's almost a chuckle. "Hormonal teenage boys shouldn't have this much self-control."
Draco's right eyebrow raises just a fraction. "Perhaps you've underestimated this teenage boy in particular. Your Legilimency skills, on the other hand, aren't exactly living up to expectations. I was expecting more of a challenge."
Bellatrix glances over Draco's shoulder at Narcissa, who is still observing the scene from the shadows. Having been imprisoned for most of Draco's life, Bellatrix doesn't know the next thing about the person her nephew has become, yet his cocky demeanour still catches her by surprise.
"Are you hearing this, Cissy?"
"He's a talented boy. I've always told you that." Narcissa is terrified of what lies in store for Draco, but her pride is detectable in her unfaltering praise, nonetheless.
"Mothers have to say that about their children." A curt response followed by a moment of silence.
"So, what exactly were you looking for?" Draco sees no harm in asking. His tone is dashed with light provocation.
"If I told you that, dear boy, I'd never be able to break you," Bellatrix whispers, a dangerous edge to her voice.
Unperturbed, Draco uncrosses and recrosses his legs. Narcissa can't help but notice that her son seems relaxed. Too relaxed.
"There doesn't appear to be any danger of that."
Bellatrix's eyes narrow once more. She's not sure what to make of the boy's casual confidence as, yet again, he holds her eye.
She's the first to look away. "Class dismissed," she snaps childishly, waving a hand as if ordering him to leave the room.
Draco scoffs, a smirk pulling at the corner of his mouth. They may not have known each other long, but Draco already considers his aunt an extra body in a long line of those stupid enough to underestimate him, and he's only too pleased to have proven her wrong.
Like a fan to the flames, Draco's successful attempts to close his mind to an accomplished Dark witch only feed his determination to succeed in carrying out the deadly mission handed down to him by the Dark Lord.
When his so-called Occlumency training began several days ago, he was told it was a tricky art to master. Initially, he'd considered it a necessary hurdle; right now, whiling away time with his aunt was a mere inconvenience. He had planning to do.
He stands and makes to leave the room, stopped in his tracks only as his mother catches his wrist as he's passing by.
"Draco..." He's as tall as she is now; their eyes meet, hers searching his face with outward concern.
"I'm fine," he says quietly, relinquishing his wrist from her grip.
Those two words are all he affords her. Retreating to the confines of his room, his thoughts turn instantly to the Vanishing Cabinet that fool Montague managed to get himself stuck in last year - and he has a funny feeling that cabinet might just be coming in handy when term begins.
Author's note: I love how telling it is that Draco is able to master Occlumency - for me, it's a signal that there's a lot more to him that meets the eye, and shows just how in control he is of the version of himself he presents to the world. Shutting off emotions appears to be no challenge for a boy so adept at denying integral parts of himself as and when it suits him.
Here, I've portrayed Draco as very self-assured and a little cocky around Bellatrix - I don't think he'd allow himself to be intimidated by her, despite the things she's done (maybe, in part, down to an admittedly slightly foolish assumption that she wouldn't lay a finger on him purely because he's family). It's worth noting that I do believe Draco grows to fear Bellatrix, the more he gets to know her.
With an accomplished Dark witch seemingly unable to break into his thoughts after he's been practicing Occlumency for a matter of days, this is a welcome ego boost for Draco, and a moment that very much provides him with self-assurance that he's capable of living up to Voldemort's expectations.