Marauder's Daughter (Eventual Tom Riddle X OC)

Chapter 17: Fluffy

"Because you're the best there is at Occlumency, and I can't learn any more from Uncle Remus or from the books I have. I want to learn more, so I need to learn from someone who knows it the best, and that's you." I compliment him, hoping it will work. He finally looks up from his papers and locks eyes on me, and again I feel the tug on my mind, showing that he's trying to get in. I don't let him, I instead strengthen my mind. I can see this piques his interest, and he tries harder. I feel a harder tug, but don't relent at all.

"What are you trying so hard to keep hidden?" He asks quietly. "Your current level is only obtained from years of practice, you would have started from the age of a young child. Why?"

"My reasons are my own." I answer back. "But I will say, I have memories I can't risk being tampered with."

"What memories could you possibly have worth so much effort?" He asks with a sneer, though I can see genuine curiosity behind his façade.

I just smirk at him. "Perhaps if you train me, those memories could be your reward."

"As tempting as that offer isn't, I still fail to see why you would want more training. You are already... adequate." He says lowly, looking at me curiously.

"I dislike being adequate, sir." I tell him honestly. "It's one of my many Slytherin traits the sorting hat pointed out to me, I'm ambitious." I say arrogantly. "Well, if you won't train me, could you recommend some books for me?"

"Occlumency is not an art that can be mastered from a book." He scoffs, standing up and turning away from me. He debates for a long moment before turning back around. "I'm a busy man, Ms. Black, I will not have countless hours to train you. Occlumency takes time, and dedication."

"I have dedication, and I've already spent years, as you've said, training my own mind for it." I reply confidently.

"Saturday. I will test to see if you are even worth my teachings." He says with a glare. "Be here at 8 in the morning. Now get out of my sight."

"Thank you, Professor." I thank him, and quickly leave his room with a sigh of relief. That's potentially one hurdle down. I think I already have a strong foundation, but if I'm going to be mentally going up against Voldemort later, I need to be the best.

I checked in with Harry at dinner, but he seemed to be doing just fine for his first day. He said he had gotten lost in the castle earlier, so I spent about an hour with him and Ron showing them the easiest paths to their classes after dinner. I then left them to go do my own training, itching to get some magical and physical practice in after two months without magic. 

The next day went by similar, with double Charms in the morning and 'nap time' after lunch, which Roger keeps reminding me is actually called History of Magic class, not nap time. Finally, we all headed down to our first Care of Magical Creatures class with a Professor Kettleburn. Meeting this old, eccentric man was fascinating in and of itself. He didn't go to the feasts often in the last two years, evidently he prefers to eat with the beasts themselves. He is also more prosthetic than he is man at this point. He only has one arm, and even then, it's missing two fingers. The rest of his limbs are almost all made of magical woods or metals, and he has more scars than flesh. He almost reminds me of how scarred I used to me in the last life, but I at least kept all my limbs. All things considered though, he was an excellent teacher. Thanks to all our trips in the forest, the twins and I were very ahead of the class. 

When the class let out, I wandered over to Hagrid's hut to greet him before dinner.

"Hello Hagrid!" I say cheerily as I knock on his door. He opens it and beams at me.

"Abigail! Been wondering when you'd come down fer a visit." Hagrid ushers me into his hut and offers me a cup of tea.

"I would have come yesterday, but Harry needed some help learning the castle." I tell him honestly. "So, what fun new creatures have you gotten over the summer?" I ask innocently, knowing he got Fluffy.