"Good Morning, Miss Nichols."
"Good Morning, Professor."
"Let's take a seat, and we'll begin."
Professor Mephisto led Maya to the back of the classroom where tables gave way to empty space. He dragged two beanbags over from the pile in the back corner, one for Maya and one for himself.
"So, what do you know about Legilimency and Occlumency?"
"Um, Legilimency is like mind-reading, and Occlumency is stopping someone from reading your mind."
"A very basic explanation, but not fundamentally incorrect."
Maya grinned, Professor Mephisto frequently reminded her of Professor Snape, with his exacting standards and his inability to award praise without first giving criticism.
"Legilimency is defined as being the ability to extract feelings and memories from another person's mind and interpret them."
Maya furrowed her brow, that sounded like a wordier and more complicated way of saying that is was mind-reading. Seeing her confusion, Professor Mephisto elaborated upon his explanation.
"Natural legilimens have a rare gift of being able to read and understand the minds of others without any training or eye contact. They can sense the feelings and memories of anyone near them and translate them into clear thoughts and words in their own mind. This is different from learned legilimens, who often need to look into the eyes of their target and extract and interpret their mental images. Natural legilimens are closer to the mundane idea of mind-readers or telepaths than learned legilimens."
"So natural legilimens and learned legilimens are different?"
"Yes and no. Studies have been done by the Department of Mysteries from various magical governments around the world and those who have learned Legilimency use the same wavelength of magic when performing it as natural legilimens do. In a magical sense they are essentially the same."
"So how are they different?"
"The difference comes down to our brains. Babies and children have different brain structures and functions to adults, which allows them to process information in unique ways. Because natural legilimens are born with the ability their brain forges neural pathways and learns to interpret the information it receives from the brains of others in a way that an older person learning the ability cannot."
Maya nodded, that made sense. It was similar to the learning cubes they used for learning languages and ancient runes. Her teachers had told her that learning cubes worked better for young people than for adults, because their brains were more adaptable and flexible. The magic of the cubes could create new neural connections more easily in a growing brain than in a mature one.
"I have a few books for you to read on the arts of legilimency, occlumency, and the subtle differences between those with natural abilities and those who learn the ability. It's interesting information but not entirely relevant to our lessons."
She nodded, it sounded interesting, and Damon would probably want to read the books as well. He was curious to know more about her abilities. Thankfully, he hadn't been at all mad when he'd found out that she'd been keeping it from him, he'd told her straight off that he understood why she hadn't said anything. She'd confided in him how Vernon had exploited her gifts for his own gain and greed, and that was why she had been afraid to tell him at first. He'd laughed when she'd confessed that she had later forgotten to mention it, because it seemed so natural to her.
They'd ended up sitting down and having a long talk about her abilities, not just her legilimency, but also her Parseltongue ability and her werewolf genetics and what that would mean for her in the long run. Damon had explained the new lessons Professor Aradia wanted her to take. She'd been slightly disappointed about not having swimming lessons anymore, but Damon had promised to find a swimming pool near the house where she could go instead. She was excited to improve her Parselmouth and legilimency skills, but she was wary of meditation. She doubted she could sit still and empty her mind, so she hoped that the meditation technique that Professor Aradia had chosen for her would be different from that.
"Now Occlumency is as complex an artform as Legilimency. In its simplest form it is a branch of magic that seals the mind against intrusion and influence. You've already developed rudimentary Occlumency shields as most natural legilimens do."
"How do you know?"
"Because natural legilimens who don't develop basic occlumency shields go insane from the constant barrage of other people's thoughts and emotions."
"Oh."
Professor Mephisto's smile turned empathetic at Maya's unsuppressed shudder. The thought that she could have been driven insane by her own abilities was horrifying.
"It's an extremely rare occurrence, but it has been known to happen. It's so rare that no-one knows how or why it happens. It's not something you need to worry about though, the fact that you've developed the shields that you have, means it won't happen to you."
"Is it a hereditary ability?"
"It's not considered to be no. Those who study such matters don't know how or why the ability appears. It doesn't follow any particular bloodlines and although there have been some cases of it occurring in children born to parents with the ability, these are far outweighed by the number of 'spontaneous' occurrences of the ability."
She nodded, relieved that she probably wouldn't pass it on if she chose to have kids one day far in the future. The only thing more horrifying than the thought of being driven insane by her ability was passing it on to a child and risking them being driven insane by it.
"Now. As I mentioned Occlumency in its most basic form serves to protect your mind, but it goes beyond that, you can use it to organise your mind and control your emotions. Learning meditation will also help with this and in the long run will help with your Occlumency. All the best Occlumens master meditation as a first step. Now Professor Aradia does not believe that you are suited to learning the most usual form of meditation and I'm inclined to agree, which is why you will be learning the technique of fighting meditation. Your first lesson in which will be this afternoon."
She nodded, already aware that her first PE lesson of the day would be in meditation. She wasn't quite sure how fighting could be considered a technique for meditating, but Maya guessed she'd find out this afternoon.
"In the meantime, I'll be teaching you to organise your mind and your memories. Occlumency isn't easily mastered it takes time and practice, and when I say time, I mean years. You don't have to master it if you don't want to, but the better at Occlumency you are the easier it will be to handle your Legilimency abilities."
"Okay."
"The best method for organising the mind is known as the method of loci or the mind palace technique. It's a technique that dates back thousands of years and even mundane's have been known to use it to improve their memory and recall. It involves visualising a room, or a series of rooms, in which you will organise and store your memories, attaching each memory to an item in the room. Once your room, or rooms, are developed and you've organised all your memories, you should be far enough along in your meditation practice to start working with your emotions and building up your mental defences. We won't be doing any practice today; I have some books you'll need to read before we begin. Do you have any other questions for me?"
Maya considered for a moment before shaking her head, she couldn't think of anything she hadn't already asked.
"Very well. Pop the beanbags back in their pile and I'll fetch the books, you can start reading them."
She stuck the beanbags back in the pile in the corner whilst Professor Mephisto fetched the books he'd selected for her.
"I recommend you read them in order, top of the pile to the bottom."
Maya accepted the five books and took her normal homeroom seat and started reading the first one. 'Building a Mind-Palace, by Simonides Ceos.'
Maya slowly swung the quarterstaff that Takeshi had handed her, to get a feel for it. Her newest teacher who insisted he was neither a professor nor a mister and told her that she should call him by his name, nodded approvingly.
"Aradia informed me that you have already had some lessons in fighting."
"Yes. Um, I chose Martial Arts as one of my PE lessons, I've only been doing it for four months though so I'm still a beginner."
"Hmm. Which forms have you been taught?"
"Mostly Aikido, with a little bit of Tai Chi."
"Both interesting traditions with rich histories. I will be teaching you to wield the quarterstaff, depending on how your lessons progress we may move on to other weapons in time."
She frowned slightly at that.
"I thought you were going to teach me how to meditate."
"And I will, but you will also learn how to wield a quarterstaff."
"I don't understand."
A grin flashed over Takeshi's face, so swiftly that she almost missed it.
"You will."
Her frown deepened, she had been hoping he would explain what fighting had to do with meditation, or how she would learn it from swinging a stick, not make enigmatic remarks. Takeshi chose not to explain any further instead showing her how to hold the staff properly and how to stand in order to maintain her balance. He then taught her what he called the six basic moves. The high strike and it's corresponding block, the body strike and block, and finally the low strike and block.
"Good. Now you strike I block. High, middle, low. Then I strike you block. High, middle, low. Understood?"
Maya nodded and slowly swung the staff towards him in the high strike move that he had shown her. Their staffs clacked together as he blocked her strike perfectly, he looked amused at how hesitantly she had struck out.
"Faster. No hesitation. You wont hurt me."
She swung with a little more speed and less hesitation on the body strike, but still too slowly for Takeshi's liking.
"Faster. Do not worry about striking me, think only of the movement of your body, let the staff become an extension of your arms, until it is as instinctive as breathing."
So it went, she would strike in the order Takeshi gave her, the movements coming a little faster a little more natural each time. Then he would strike in the same order as she used the blocks, he had taught her, back and forth, strike and block, strike and block, until he brought an end to the session.
"Good. You did well for your first time. Practice, mark a wall at the height of each strike and practice, every day. Take the staff with you, it is yours now, I will see you next week."
She shook out her arms, which ached slightly from the repetitive motions, and nodded her head.
"See you next week."
Dear Neville,
I'm glad to hear you had a good Christmas holiday, mine was really good as well. Your new wand sounds great, and I can't wait to hear more about it now that your back at Hogwarts and can actually use it. I'm sure the others will be willing to help you practise if you ask them to, Luna definitely will, and from what Ron said in his last letter, Daphne Greengrass probably would as well. Hermione will, you know she will, just make sure someone else is there to rein her in slightly.
I'm sorry your plant experimentation got cut short, but at least your gran waited for your uncle to flee before she banned you from crossbreeding any more. At least she didn't make you get rid of the ones you'd already grown, and given your allergies a plant is probably a better pet than a dog or a cat, and from your description just as good at protecting you. Also did she say the ban was forever, or just until you were older? I think waiting till your older is fine, it will give you more time to research and learn and come up with ideas.
Quidditch season is almost over here unfortunately, we won our match against the Salem Witches Institute on Saturday, which was great, but there's only one more match in the school league left to play. I'll be starting football after though which should be fun to learn, it's called soccer in America because apparently, they have another sport that they call football. Damon and Stefan are very insistent that I should call it soccer, so it doesn't get confusing, but Lexi and Enzo call it football all the time so it's already pretty confusing as far as I'm concerned.
I think it's great that the twins have offered you a partnership. All three of you have great ideas and different areas of expertise so I'm sure you can all contribute in different ways. Just don't tell Hermione I said so, she seems to think that the three of you will destroy Hogwarts if you team up. And don't tell her that I'm giving you ideas, she'd find a way to send me a Howler, I know she would. On that note though, in the muggle world there's this gas called Helium that they use to blow up ballons with so that they float. If you inhale it, your voice goes all high-pitched and squeaky, which I think would be a great idea for a sweet. Let me know what you think.
Damon took me to see Mary Poppins, a musical about a woman who becomes a governess to a couple of kids and takes them on adventures. I'm pretty sure she must have been a witch because she could fly, and her bag definitely had an undetectable extension charm on it. It was a really good show, and they made a movie as well which we watched, there was this one scene where they ended up floating on the ceiling because of how much they were laughing. I'm sure you can the twins could put your heads together and figure out how to replicate it magically.
How did the colour-change prank you were all planning go? What are you planning to do next? Write again soon, I miss you all, hopefully we'll be able to meet up this summer, Draco, and Luna both said Narcissa would try and arrange something.
Love, Maya.
P.S. One of my new teachers knows a lot about plants and his husband knows a lot about books, I've included a list of recommendations.
Maya ducked under the bludger that Kamal had sent hurtling towards her before giving her friend a grin and a wave and shooting off to search for the snitch. It was the last match of the season, and her team was trailing quite far behind on points, but they could still win as long as she was the one to get the snitch. Unfortunately, Dragon knew that as well and had begun to target her more and more, especially since they'd had to sub out their seeker after their original was knocked off his broom by a well-aimed bludger from her teams beaters. The new seeker was a good flyer but more accustomed to playing in the keeper or beater position, which gave Maya a definite edge.
As it stood, if Maya could catch the snitch, then Amarok would win not only the game but the cup. If the other seeker caught it, then Dragon would win the game and might have just enough points to edge out Amarok and take the cup for themselves. Even if Dragon scored a few more goals as long as Maya caught the snitch then her team would win the cup, even if they lost the game, but winning both would be better.
The match had been going for almost two hours and although she'd caught a couple of glimpses of the snitch, she'd been prevented from catching it. A whistling sound from her left was all she needed, Maya performed a quick barrel roll to avoid the bludger again, and took a quick dive, winding through Dragons chaser formation and disrupting their latest play when the bludger that she had avoided followed her into her dive. She banked sharply and shot upwards, out from amongst the rest of the players and once more surveyed the pitch for any sight of the elusive snitch.
There!
A flash of gold in her peripheral vision.
She turned her head, casually and slowly, towards the flash of gold, careful to make it look like she was merely scanning the pitch for any sign of the snitch. Which was currently hovering about fifteen feet to her right, just above the stands. A quick check told her that the other teams seeker hadn't spotted it yet. Dragon were currently on 280 points, Amarok on 140. If she caught the snitch now, they'd win the game and the cup.
She turned and sped towards the snitch, narrowly avoiding one of the bludgers as she did so. Screams of excitement from the crowd and the lightest brush against her side told her just how close the bludger had come to hitting her. She didn't dare glance around to see what the other seeker was doing, whether they'd spotted the snitch as well, or how far they were behind her. All of her attention remained on the tiny golden ball as it hovered for a moment before speeding away.
Maya sped after it, every time the snitch changed direction, she did too, at the back of her mind it vaguely occurred to her that this was what Takeshi meant when he'd said that the staff should become an extension of her arms. Her broom was just that, an extension of her body, reacting to the slightest change of movement from Maya, bending to her will as completely and as naturally as it always did. Flying had always been instinctive to her, since the first moment she'd sat on a broom. That was what Takeshi wanted her to achieve with the quarterstaff. Something to ponder later, first she needed to catch the snitch.
There was less than a foot between her and the snitch now, she lifted one hand reaching out as she eked that little bit of extra speed from her broom and closed her fist tight around the golden snitch. In the same instant another bludger came speeding towards her smashing into her arm with a sickening crack.
The pain was instantaneous and fierce enough to know that it was broken not merely bruised. Despite that Maya kept a tight hold on the snitch as she turned her broom towards the ground in a semi-controlled dive. She could hear the crowd cheering, the commentators announcing that Amarok had won the game by ten points and thus won the cup, but it was muted. The pain in her arm from the broken bone was the focus of her attention, that and not crashing into the ground.
Someone else grabbed a hold of her broom and levelled it out slightly, taking enough control to slow her down.
"Good game Maya, just hold on a little bit longer and I'll get you to the ground and Healer Faye can fix that arm for you."
Maya offered Ryuu a watery smile and let him guide both of them down to the ground, where their teams, Coach Flynn, and Healer Faye were all converging on them.
"I think her arms broken."
Coach Flynn and Healer Faye both nodded at Ryuu's words. Coach Flynn took charge of ushering the teams back to give them a bit of room as Healer Faye gently took Maya's injured arm in hand and began to run her wand along it, scanning for injury.
"Yep. The ulnar and the radius are both broken, good news is it's a clean break, no splintering, which means it's a simple fix. Just hold still for a second, Miss Nichols."
Healer Faye tapped her wand lightly against Maya's arm.
"Episkey"
The pain disappeared in an instant.
"There. All done."
"Maya!"
Healer Faye released her arm and turned her towards Damon and the rest of her family who had made their way down from the stands.
"Just a broken arm Mr Salvatore, nothing to worry about, it's already fixed."
Maya didn't hesitate to fling herself forwards into Damon's arms, he caught her and pulled her into a tight hug.
"We won, I caught the snitch and we won!"
"You broke your arm."
"Healer Faye already mended it."
"You broke your arm."
"But we won, not just the game but the cup as well."
"You broke your arm."
"It wasn't serious, if it was Healer Faye would have said so."
Damon just let out a groan and hugged her even tighter. She clearly wasn't at all bothered about having broken her arm, more concerned with the fact that her team had won the championship. Damon on the other hand was still recovering from the fear that had seized hold of him when the bludger had first hit her arm, she'd dropped almost ten foot in an instant. Sure, she'd regained control and Sora's brother Ryuu had helped to guide her down the rest of the way, but Damon couldn't get over the initial fall. He'd been terrified, was still terrified, even though she was safe, her arm fixed, and he could hold her, it didn't stop him from thinking about what might have happened.
Stefan clapped a hand on his shoulder and squeezed, the look in his eyes said the same thought was in his head. Quidditch was a horribly dangerous sport, and yet…
… Maya adored it, was proud of her achievement, of her teams achievement. And she adored it. The season might be over for this year, but they both knew Maya wasn't going to stop playing any time soon. Mio had been correct that first match. Damon was just going to have to get used to Maya playing such a dangerous sport, broken arms, and all.