Shadows of Slytherin Book 1

Mattheo

"Try to push me away," I whisper., "Today is the only day I'll give you a warning. From now on, during your training, I won't let you know when I do it..."

She nods, understanding the unspoken agreement, and I lean back up, capturing her lips in another kiss. We share a moment of shared intimacy, allowing her to mentally prepare, before my focus shifts to penetrating her thoughts. The barriers in her mind prove easy to breach, and soon I'm immersed in her consciousness. Her nails dig into my shoulder, and a slight gasp escapes her lips as she grapples with the intrusion.

I continue to explore her recent thoughts, immersing myself in the visions of her and I that have dominated her consciousness in the past few days. I sense her feeble attempts to resist, but her strength is weak. Remaining within her mind for another minute, I withdraw myself.

Her breathing quickens, evidence of the intensity of the experience. My grip on her waist tightens, drawing her closer against me, as the passion between us deepens. In response, she kisses me with a sense of passion.

My fingers sank into the curve of her waist, eliciting a soft moan that mingled with our passionate kiss. The intensity of our connection fueled my desire, but there was a deeper purpose behind our intertwined bodies. 

"You have to move the memories away from me as I approach them," I whispered against her lips, a tinge of urgency coloring my voice. I kissed her again, "Take them away before I can grasp them. Again."

With a nod of understanding, she reciprocated the kiss, pouring her determination and vulnerability into the act. There was no room for hesitation as I delved back into her mind, this time with increased force. As I advanced through the corridors of her recollections, she gasped and pulled away from me. Memories of a second encounter flooded my senses, unveiling fragments of images I was unaware of.

Visions emerged, vivid and startling. I witnessed her underwater, surrounded by creatures scratching her, her determination to rescue Fleur Delacour's sister, and her untying the rope around my ankle holding me down in the water. Viktor Krum's attack on her in the water sent shockwaves through me. 

As I approached the memory of her standing on the dock, her gaze fixed upon Pansy, it was snatched away. I pressed on, delving deeper into her mind, glimpsing her searching for answers in her surroundings, only for those moments to be forcefully extracted. The memory of Pansy bursting into Dani's room tugged at my consciousness, only to be swiftly yanked away. 

Good.

I extricated myself from her thoughts, and she collapsed into my embrace, her head resting on my shoulder. The weight of the intrusion falling heavy on her.

"I know... I know... I'm sorry," I whispered, my hand tenderly cradling the back of her head. "No more for today. You did so good, love. So so good." I kissed the side of her head gently.

Nodding against my shoulder, she wrapped her arms tightly around me, seeking solace and reassurance. I held her close, providing a sanctuary for her frayed emotions until her breathing steadied. Eventually, I stood up, still keeping her close to me and slowly carried her over to the bed, gently laying her down.

"I'm going to go get you some food, okay?" I whispered softly. She nodded, and her eyelids fluttered closed in response. Taking a moment to admire her, I leaned down, pressing a tender kiss to her forehead. I get ready to leave when her voice broke the silence.

"I love you... always..." Dani's soft words echoed through the air.

I paused, turning back to face her. "I love you, forever." She remained still as I walked out of her room, making my way down the hallway. Just then, I unexpectedly ran into Pansy and Theo.

"Hey! I was hoping I would run into one of you," Pansy exclaimed.

I looked at her with confusion. "Okay?"

"Enzo wanted me to let Dani know that he's going to take Luna to the Yule Ball," Pansy explained.

Perplexed, I asked, "Why would he want Dani to know that?"

"He mentioned that Dani had asked him to be her date for the ball, but he figured you two were probably going together," Pansy clarified.

I nodded, understanding the situation. "Got it."

Pansy glanced around and then focused her attention back on me. "So, where's Dani, anyway?"

"Come on, you can help me raid the kitchen," I suggested.

They both gave me a questioning look but decided to follow me. As we strolled down the hall, I elaborated, "I've been teaching her legilimency. It's time for her to learn it."

Pansy looked over at me, surprise evident on her face. "Already?"

I nodded, my expression serious. "We don't know when my father will return, but she needs to be prepared."

Understanding flickered in Pansy's eyes. "Wow, I didn't realize."

I nodded again, my determination unwavering. "I would rather not subject my girlfriend to such torment, but it's a necessity."

"At least she's learning from you instead of going through what we had to endure," Theo acknowledged.

I nodded in agreement. Together, we descended the staircase, noticing the absence of anyone else. It was nearing curfew, explaining the emptiness in the surroundings. 

"I want you two and the others to test her." I say.

Pansy looked uncertainly at me, her voice filled with hesitation, "You want us to use legilimency on her? Are you sure about this, Mattheo? We're not like you and Draco. It could get messy."

I nodded, my expression firm, "She needs to learn, Pansy. This is the only way she will truly understand. We'll start slowly, gently easing into it. But as time goes on, we'll push her limits. My father won't hold back, and she needs to be prepared for the worst."

"Do you think she'll be able to pick it up quickly? She learned everything else from us quite rapidly, except for transfiguration," Theo interjected, his curiosity evident.

I paused, meeting his gaze directly, "After the second attempt, Dani successfully managed to extract memories from my mind."

Pansy's eyes widened in surprise, "Do you think she might be a natural occlumus?"

"I'm not certain, but we're about to find out," I replied.

"Mattheo, if she truly is a natural occlumens, that means..." Theo trailed off, his voice filled with a mix of concern and realization.

I nodded, finishing his thought, "It means she has the innate ability to control her emotions and thoughts effortlessly. She can switch them off like flicking a switch. I'm aware."

Pansy voiced her worries, her tone tinged with apprehension, "If something were to happen to her, it would be catastrophic. She has been suppressing her inner darkness for years."

I locked eyes with her, "You see it too."

She nodded solemnly, "I noticed it the day she was sorted into Slytherin. Mattheo, we are the only ones holding her back."

I glanced at Theo, sensing his unease. "What is it?" I asked, concerned.

Theo looked at me, his expression troubled, and then shook his head dismissively, "It's nothing." Pansy and I exchanged puzzled glances. "I mean, it's just that she doesn't have many people left. Harry and Sirius are her only remaining family. We're all she has. If anything were to happen to us, she might lose control."

I hesitated for a moment, absorbing Theo's words, before asserting firmly, "Well, she won't lose us."

Pansy and Theo looked at each other, understanding the gravity of our roles in Dani's life. We stood in a brief silence, contemplating the weight of our responsibilities, before quietly sneaking into the kitchen. We gathered some of Dani's and our favorite foods and made out way back up to the Slytherin quarters.