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Chapter - 47 : Lessons With Hermione

The next day, Ava received another one of Professor Dumbledore's notes to come for this Friday's lesson. But this time he asked her to bring Hermione along with her.

She wondered what he'd be teaching her in Hermione's presence. That day, she quickly isolated Hermione and told her all about her lessons with Dumbledore and how she wanted her to join them that Friday.

"Me? Why?" she asked.
"I don't know," Ava replied blankly.

She was glad that Hermione had agreed to come and was going to maintain complete secrecy about it.

As asked to her, Hermione waited on the seventh floor for Ava some time after dinner.

They made their way to Professor Dumbledore's office and Hermione looked around just as Ava had on her first day.

"Good evening, Miss Granger, Ava!" Dumbledore's cheerful and calm voice said.

"Good evening, Professor!" the girls said in unison.

"Thank you for agreeing to come, Miss Granger," he said.

"My pleasure, sir!"

"Well, Miss Granger, as much as I wish to, I'm sorry but I won't be teaching you anything today. On the other hand, I shall need your help. You see, your friend here has achieved an amazing level of Occlumency at which nobody can penetrate her mind.

"But now I want to teach her, how to shield someone else's thoughts. And, if I'm not wrong, the two of you are the best of friends and you, Miss Granger, being an incredibly talented witch would be an excellent choice to try defending for." he said.

His last sentence made Hermione blush. But she replied, "Of course, Professor! I'd love to help!"

"Well, then, let's get to work!" Ava said.

Professor Dumbledore explained to Ava how she could protect someone's mind for which Hermione maintained notes (she really wanted to be doing something and she loved making notes!).

"But this is all just the theory part of it," he said. "You must focus how to defend, alright?"

Ava nodded.

"Let's try, now, shall we?"

Hermione sat in her chair, not knowing what to expect.

Professor Dumbledore simply raised his wand while Ava concentrated on finding Hermione's thoughts and focused on shielding them.

Hermione gasped. She could see Professor Dumbledore having access to each one of them. But he receded away from her.

"Ah! This is something we must practice, Ava," he said.

She nodded once more.

They repeated this at least half a dozen times now, after each of which Hermione ate a cookie kept on the table for it drained her too.

Ava felt helplessness wash over her. Why isn't anything happening? Why am I not able to protect her? she thought to herself.

That's when it hit her - like a bus in full speed. She doesn't need to focus on defending Hermione's mind externally, she had to get inside Hermione's head and shield it like her own.

She knew that this was going to be taxing for Hermione but she would understand.

"Professor, can we try once more?" Ava said.

"If Miss Granger is okay with it," he replied.

"Yes, sir" Hermione tried to keep her voice strong though her face was pale.

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Hi guys! I hope you're doing well! Thanks for reading today's chapters!

I read somewhere that Rowena Ravenclaw had picked that particular place in Scotland which was in a warty hog, that's why the school is called Hogwarts! I found it really fascinating so I thought I'd share!

Lots of love!

Always,
Ana