Chapter 13:: The Sight
The next three days went by in a blur. For being the first week, the professors were not taking it easy on the first years. She had homework in every class for the final day of the week. Most of her friends had Flying Lesson with Professor Fowl and then study period for the rest of the day before the weekend was upon them. Eva, however, had another course. She only assumed that this had something to do with her sight.
Everyday had been more difficult for her to get up. She consistently had the same dream over and over every single night. Every time she looked in a mirror she feared something would try to break free from the other side.
Today was her first flying lesson and all the girls were preparing for it by tying their hair back. Swan was nice enough to help Eva with her knot of hair. Eventually, it ended up in a bun that was held back with a red ribbon.
Everyone began to leave the dormitory at once and all walked together down to the Great Hall, their brooms in tow. Eva noticed that her broom was much older than all the other students. Theirs were shiny and had special gold engravings on the ends. On the end of her's all she saw were her soon-to-be uncle's initials, M.O.
During breakfast they were all comparing their brooms. There were so many different types Eva couldn't keep track; Nimbus, Comet, Bolt, Momentum. William Weasley then turned to Eva.
"You must know which one is the best since you are related to someone who plays."
"I don't know anything about brooms. He gave me this on though. I don't think it has a special name or anything," Eva began.
Jane peaked over the side. "What a hunk of junk? It doesn't even look like it was made by a professional broommaker. That will be embarrassing if it can't even fly.
Eva would have argued with her but her cheeks turned so pink that she couldn't even look at Jane. Sometimes that girl was very mean.
William, however, was stuck in the same position for a long while; eyes wide, mouth open, and bearly breathing. Finally, he managed to speak, "Is this his broom?"
Eva assumed that he meant Markl, "Yeah, he gave it to me since he uses a professional one."
"He gave you his old broom and not just that but one that he made." William was in awe.
Markl had never told Eva if he had made it. She didn't even know normal witches and wizards could make brooms. "How do you know if he made it?"
"Well, all broommakers put their mark on it somewhere to show that it is theirs, especially if someone famous is going to be riding it. Here are you uncles initials. And it is known that many professional quidditch players have studied the art of broom making. Some even create their own collection of brooms to sell but this just looks like your uncle made it to use in his spare time.
Eva was immediately gratified as all the Gryffindors (even some non-first years) immersed in her broom.
It was a beautiful day for flying. The sun was shining and there was a slight breeze in the air. Professor Finnius Fowl seemed like a hard man to please but he definitely never gave up on any of his students. He spent nearly five minutes trying to help Swan just get off the ground. Fowl even made a joke, saying, "For being named after a bird, you sure don't seem to take to air very well." This did not seem to be her element nor did it seem to be Sparrows, though he did manage to hover over the ground for a short while.
Eva felt in her element the whole time. Professor Fowl commented on her "stellar control". Everyone was at varying abilities to start. She was sure some of them had some help before they came to school.
After a while of hovering the worked on maintaining their balance while tossing around a red ball used in Quidditch.
Eva had hoped to get more of an opportunity to actually fly but class was over in a flash.
The whole way back into the school Swan complained about flying. She clearly was not to keen on the subject nor was she keen on the Professor.
As they walked towards the Gryffindor Tower, Eva realized she had to go the other direction to get to the Divinations classroom to meet with Madame Duquette. She had not told Swan of the extra class or about her gift and didn't want to bring it up. Instead she convinced Swan to take her wand back to the dorm as she had left something outside. Fortunately, this kept questions at bay at least for today but she needed to figure out a way to continue this for the entire year without questions from the others.
It was a long way up to the divinations tower. Eva was out of breath by the time reached the top and Madame Duquette was waiting outside of the door for her. Her demeanor seemed displeased as she stared down at Eva.
Looking up at her made her seem even taller and thinner then Eva remembered after their last conversation.
"Eva Highmore," she began, "you are three minutes late. I do not tolerate lateness. As a witch with the sight you will have the ability of projection which means you know what obstacles lie ahead. I will teach you how to use these skills."
Duqette led her into the classroom. It was circular along with all of the furniture. In the center of the room was a circular table with two circular chairs seated around it. One the table was a simple teapot and two circular cups.
They both sat down and Duquette poured her some tea.
"Now Eva, the most I know of your gift has come from the sorting hat and even then it gave me little information on how powerful your sight reaches. I have spoken with the Ministry which has returned with similar results..."
"You spoke with the Ministry?" Eva inquired curiously and rather rudely as Duquette's face turned sour.
"Of course, the Ministry knows every witch or wizard born to any magical or muggle family. They also have a good read on any magical persons that may have a special innate gift, such as the sight. I was informed of my gift during my second year of schooling. The Ministry came and gave me a test. I ranked as a level two in Sight," she took her own cup of tea and sipped on it.
Eva had yet to touch hers as she had so many questions. "What does that mean, level two?"
"Simply that I have the ability to see in two directions. Retrocogintion and modocognition; I can see that which has happened in the past and that which is happening on present time without any help from magical objects."
Eva wasn't sure where she fell in those categories.
"So, first, drink some tea and then tell me your encounters with your sight," Duquette drank her tea and waited while Eva sipped slowly, thinking of where to begin.
"Well, I remember before I came here I had dreams about magical creatures, people I didn't know, and places I had never been."
"Those are not dream, my child, they are visions when you mind is most clear. Continued."
"I saw a...vision or Michael, I mean, my dad when he was young before I knew what he looked like when he was young," she remembered drawing that picture which led to him saving her from the Institute.
"So, I see some retrocognition within you. The past always leads us to understanding of the present. Any other visions, perhaps those that reoccur?" Duquette sat calmly her seat, her face expressionless. Eva couldn't tell what she made of it all.
Eva her this feeling that she did not want to tell Duquette about the mirror dream just yet. She didn't understand why she would want to keep this from her. "Well, I haven't had this one for a while now but there was this vision of a woman with dark, tendril hair and dark frightening eyes. She would just be staring at me or laughing at me."
Duqette pondered her slowly, tilting her head back and forth as she thought. "That my dear sounds like a nightmare not a vision. Often times young ones can get their actual sights confused with what they dream at night."She paused and refilled the two cups with more tea. "Now, let us drink some more. The herbs in this tea will help us to relax and to focus on our visions. Just sit back for a moment and take deep breaths while you drink. I am going to try and enhance your ability to retrocognate. We must work on control without anxiety."
Eva sat back in her chair while she drank the warm substance. She breathed deeply and allowed herself to sink into the chair.
"Now, Eva, I would like you to shut your eyes and think back to your earliest memory. Let us use you as our way to build control, things that you remember," Duquette had stood up and walked around Eva slowly.
Eva thought back farther and farther trying to remember anything she could. She remembered being at the Institute but not how she arrived there.
Suddenly, Eva was standing at the gates of the Institute looking out at the road leading away.
"Where are we Eva?" Duquette asked and Eva turned to see the professor at her side looking out at the disappearing road as well.
"How did you get here?" Eva asked.
"I have the ability to see the past, you are allowing me to see this," Duquette said with a distrustful smile.
"I don't want you to see this," Eva said out loud not meaning to. She didn't want anyone in her present life to see where she came from.
"Eva, what are you doing out here?" came a familiar voice. Eva turned to see Dr. Augusta running up to her. "My dear, how did you get out? The doors are locked." Dr. Augusta then wrapped her gentle hands around Eva's shoulder and guided her easily towards the building. Though Eva tried to stop, as Duquette followed, nothing could be done.
"You cannot change the past Eva" she said as then grew closer to the doors.
"I don't want you to see this!" Eva screamed and in an instance she was standing at the entrance to Caterjune Square, Michael standing in front of her and leading the way into the magical town which she would call home. But Duqette was there again standing behind her.
"I asked you to go to your earliest memories. This is more recent," Duquette inquired calmly.
"I don't like this, get out please," Eva said not comfortable with this woman she barely trusted and who she didn't want to expose anything else about herself.
Her eyes opened and she was once again in the Divinations Tower. Madame Duquette was standing in front of her, her white styled atop hear making her even taller.
"Eva, let us go back to that first place, push to see how far you can go back. Farther than you remember."
"I don't know if I can," Eva murmured truly not wanting to go back to that place. She did not want this gift of seeing the past if that was what she had to see.
"Focus, my dear, the more you allow your mind to open the easier it will become."
"I feel sick," Eva said almost whimpering.
"I see, next week you will need to be better prepared. I cannot teach you how to control this gift unless you allow it to happen. I must see everything that you see."
With that, Duquette released her and Eva walked down the spiral steps nervous about next week.
The end of every week brought more challenges. Duquette was trying to get Eva to expand her mind focus. The days involved meditation or "finding your inner self, your subconscious." Eva just found it tiring and void of any merit.
When she was asked to go into her past something would stop her from going past that gate. Always that was where she started as if whatever was before that was erased.
Duquette was learning more and more about her history which was making uncomfortable. She had learned about living in the institute, Michael's adoption process, even about her relationships that were built in Caterjune Square.
Fortunately, none of the visions of the mirror arose as she worked extra hard to keep those hidden.
All of this work usually left Eva with an extensive headache and grogginess through until the morning. It was becoming more difficult to keep the questions at bay from her friends as well.
Once, Swan wanted to go down to the Quidditch Pitch to watch practice. Apparently, Avery Alvey would be there and she wanted to swoon. For that one she had to fake a stomach ache. For the others, it included homework that hadn't been completed, missing materials, study sessions with Francis for Tranfigurations, injuries, illnesses, lost cat (which Myster was not happy about), and many things Eva didn't even believe. The best days were when Swan got swept up in a conversation or argument with someone and Eva could slip away unnoticed.
Handling all of this, on top of her school work and her attempt at a social life, was becoming exhausting and overwhelming. She wrote to Michael several times asking for advice. Though his words were comforting, they didn't always solve her problems.
On the last lesson with Madame Duquette she gave her the assignment she would need to do over the holiday.
"It is essential we keep working on these skills. I would like you to remain clear for when you return. The next step will be to look into the pasts of others but you will never achieve this if you yourself are not centered. You need to push past that barrier your mind has put up, go past the fence. I recommend an hour of meditation a day with at least 30 minutes of retrocognition. I cannot move any farther without your support. Remember I am helping you for the future."
Eva was relieved to be rid of the woman for a short time. Whether or not those assignments would happen, she was determined to not let this sight become a hindrance on herself.
In a blink of an eye, Eva was on the train once again watching as Hogwarts shrank in the distance. She wondered what would happened when she returned, who would be there to meet her, what would happen during her first Highmore Holiday.