Chapter fifteen: Occlumency lessons

Renee found herself sitting on the transfiguration room waiting for Isabel for the Occlumency training. I never thought that she would be serious when she declared that we will be borrowing professor McGonagall's room for it, until an owl approached her on dinner and told her to meet Isabel here.

I wonder what happened when she saw Mum.

Renee let her mind wander on my extra lessons with Snape yesterday. He taught her about various potions ingredients and together the two brewed pepper up potion for Madam Poppy. Her mind lingered on how he taught her various techniques on stirring, though she didn't managed to half hear him because she was too focused on his beautiful hands and his soothing voice…

This is unhealthy, she signed in confusion. I haven't thought about sorting these 'confusing things' on my head because of turn of events. And they told me not to tell everyone about my 'unique ability'.

I might explode any moment because of stress.

The door burst opened and Isabel entered the room. She was wearing black robes again, looked paler than the usual and her eye bags were more visible than Renee could ever imagine to her.

"Sorry I'm late. They asked me to have overtime at the pharmacy" Isabel smiled tiredly.

"Its okay, you could rest for a while if you want"

"No, I'm okay. We've already wasted so much time" Isabel took her wand out of her robes and lingered her fingers on it.

"Today we will start our Occlumency lessons. As you know Occlumency is a defense against external penetration" she starts to pace slowly while explaining the training.

"As for us, it is not just controlling the mind. But also controlling the ability to predict as it is also in our mind. Its like hitting two birds on one stone, you could learn to protect your mind and control your ability."

"Now, our training will be like this. I will try to penetrate your mind and you will try to push it away"

"How will I do it?" Renee frowned.

"Concentrate and control your emotions." she clutched on the table hard as she pointed her wand onto me.

Here goes nothing.

"Legillimens!"

Many memories swamped onto my head, like it was being fast forward or something. Then it stopped on my memory on the train with Neville. We were talking about Hogwarts, the classes…the teachers…the paintings…

Block me Renee, that's what you suppose to do; not just watch there like it was a movie! Isabel's voice rang to mind that it made her head pound. Renee tried to push the voice out of her head, making it ache more over.

It made her gasped as Isabel exited her mind and was sweating hard and slightly trembling. Renee tilted her head and saw her mother's face hard, she swallowed hard as Renee knew that she had already transformed to a vile teacher.

"Again" her voice was sharp, more on business like manner.

Memories swamped again, this time it was on the great hall. I shook hands with Hermione, stating how insane Ron could be. And I shook hands with Harry, electricity flowed on our hands. We flinched back and looked at each other, confused.

You're making it hard. Block me! Isabel's voice rang on her mind again.

Renee was breathing hard as she withdraws on my mind. She looked at her and Isabel was still deep in thought. I don't know if that memory made her curious. After a while she snapped back in reality and looked at her daughter angrily.

"You need to focus if don't want me to see your darkest secrets…yes I could bring it out on your mind. And if I saw something I didn't like…" her voice trailed. Renee looked at her in disbelief.

She's blackmailing me, again.

I thought about of the scenes with me and Snape. No, she doesn't need to see those.

For the next five hours, the two trained. Isabel keeps on penetrating on her mind and she tried to push her off. It was so hard that I was like pushing an elephant out my room from the small door. My head is like breaking into a million pieces, and too exhausted when she called the training off.

"Good try for a first timer" Renee glared at her mother.

I know she exceeded from the normal time of training, as always.

"I must warn you. You must brace yourself on the peek of the second stage. Whatever you will see, stay focus. Usually the peaked of that stage was the most powerful one. And those premonitions were not always good." Her words were becoming distant already.

"I was just thinking…how do you know that I was already time I needed these…trainings?" Renee's eyes were beginning to dropped, but still fight back.

She scoffed as if Renee had made a joke.

"Of course I 'will' know it. I'm your mother; where else would you inherit those? Now, clear your mind before you sleep, it could be helpful to you to drive off those premonition dreams" she informed her.

Renee nodded, too tired to answer. It was worse than physical worn out. She headed to the girl's dormitory, amused that she didn't faint on the way in and slept on seconds as she hit the pillow.

Just like as I thought, my schedule became jam packed because of the Occlumency training, not to mention my extra lessons with Snape. But it doesn't stop the overwhelming she was beginning to feel that Renee even dozed off while eating lunch on the great hall.

It's been weeks when Renee felt her training began to gained fruit. Her premonition dreams lessen until it disappeared. The only thing that I was bothered is about the having premonition on touching random objects.

It was really overwhelming when I first had those.

Harry was coaching her to fly, in his persuasion. Renee grabbed the broom from the closet to get ready. Then memories started to flash on her head. It was a blur; but she could see someone, a small boy maybe a first year ride on a broom and flew. He was a natural flyer than she am; it was already night time, and Renee assumed that he sneaked off to fly. He was laughing and gazing at the view…

"Renee?" Harry called and Renee snapped back; he was holding his broom, waiting for her.

"Oh, I'm alright…just tired" she looked on the broom she was holding.

"We could make this practice some other time if you want"

"I don't think I could have any free time again. Let's do this"

The two finished the flying lessons leaving Renee on one piece, on her relief. Harry taught her a few tricks to make herself balance easy, it actually helped me.

After dinner she went straight on the transfiguration room to meet Isabel. She was already there, seating on the teacher's chair. Her head was ducked on her shoulders, as if trying to get some sleep. She lifted her head and smiled timidly.

"Ready?"

"Ready when you are" the sooner I master this, the better.

She penetrates my mind again, bringing my memory of my first encounter with Malfoy. I tried to clear my mind, but still could see the fluffy ears I made with him. I could feel myself smile on the image for a while. I snapped and tried to push her off, this time I completely made her out.

I made her out! Renee couldn't stop herself from grinning.

"You made that to Malfoy?"

"Well…he's a bully" Renee let herself smug.

Isabel just grinned back; I think she liked the idea. She might me strict, but she still has that mischievous side. I was her daughter after all, where else I could get that side? The two finished the lesson after a few rounds which Renee made her out twice.

I was proud of myself that I was finally did it.

"You did great today" Isabel sipped to the cup of tea the house elf delivered.

Renee grinned brightly at her. She might be brutal when it comes to teaching and that makes her praises more special. She was hard to please, mind you.

Renee would just utter another word when she saw Isabel grasping her arm. She became ghostly white as she stood and went next to her drastically.

"Are you in pain?" Renee gripped her shoulder. Isabel shut her eyes and signed heavily as she shook her hand off.

"I'm okay… you go back on the tower. I'll see you again on the next lesson"

Before she could protest Isabel was already on her feet towards the door and didn't even glance back at her as she left.