In The Shadow Of Chaos (OC vs Sebastian Sallow)

Chapter 12 - Legilimency

The last day of classes before the weekend when Goblet will choose the champions is causing havoc all over the castle. No one can focus on anything. Everyone is discussing the possible champions for each school. Even some professors are slowly giving up. Great Hall is now overcrowded at all times with everyone staring at the Goblet, hoping for it to indicate the future. The library is no longer a quiet place to study, and Ravenclaw Common Room is in the worst state Riley has ever seen. And she is sure Zenobia and Everett are to blame. Undercroft is off limits as Sebastian is practising every single spell he can land his hands on, fully confident he is the Hogwarts Champion, causing Ominis mini panic attacks every time he tries a new spell and breaks something, or it backfires.

As Riley looks outside of the window of the empty classroom, she can see mainly Hogwarts students having a friendly competition with Professor Ronen, challenging him for his Master of Summoners Court position. From what she can see, they are failing miserably, as Ronen is beating them with ease. And if she's not mistaken Kogawa and Howin are joining as well. Everyone seems to be having a great time either there or in the Great Hall, yet Riley is stuck with the grumpiest of them all in the empty unused classroom, having her mind attacked over and over again. 

"For someone of your calibre, this is pathetic," Sharp says and shakes his head disapprovingly.

"I would take Ranrok and Rookwood all over again over this," Riley says as she stops staring out of the window and winces. Her head feels like it's about to explode.

"It was your idea," Sharp shrugs as he watches her, wand at the ready.

"Why is it so difficult!" It's not a question, more of an exasperated sigh. With her mind being tampered with so many times during her childhood, this is proving to be an even more difficult task than finding a happy memory for Patronus.

"Because you are not concentrating enough. Your mind is wandering. You need to stay focused and close it. You need to try harder, or else," Sharp says, still with the wand pointing at Riley.

"Or else what?" Riley asks as she collapses on a chair and holds her head in her hands. It feels heavier than usual.

"I will have to access memories you don't want me to. And that should force you to close your mind," Sharp lowers his wand and Riley looks at him through her fingers.

"I'm doing my best here," Riley says, still in the same position. She needs to remain calm to control her emotions. She needs to stay focused so he cannot penetrate her mind again.

"You leave me no choice then," Sharp says and points his wand at her. The urge to cast a curse on him is very strong, but she cannot do that. He's trying to help her. She has requested this. She needs to learn to control her mind, and somehow, she trusts Sharp.

Before Riley knows it, her mind is attacked again, but this time it's more terrifying. Sharp is going for memories that not only terrify her but are still haunting her to this day. She can see Ranrok's transformation into a dragon, Professor Fig lying on the floor talking to his dead wife shortly before he died as well, and Rookwood using Crucio on her, but it gets worse.

They are trapped in the Scriptorium. Just Riley, Ominis and Sebastian. There is a journal bit and bones in front of them. Faces etched into the stone, their expressions full of pain. The word Crucio. Sebastian's raised wand. And that awful pain again. Not as painful as when Rookwood cast it, and it certainly didn't last as long. But why is she reliving it again? Those nightmares were replaced by different events, so why now?

Next, the worst one is unfolding in front of her. The memory that causes her the most nightmares, still makes her anxious and causes her unexpected panic attacks. As much as losing Fig broke her down, this is the one she wants to forget the most. He was not in his right mind. It was all because of that Relic.