"Expelliarmus!"
"Bombarda!"
"Stupefy!"
"Wingardium leviosa!"
"Ah! Ah! Ah! Put me down right now, Anya!"
"Okay, okay," Anya replied, quickly pulling her roommate down.
"You're such a spoil-sport, Emma!" Becky said beside Anya. The two girls always had a healthy rivalry.
"Excellent, Anya, it's very impressive that you could pick up your friend like that. And thank you for pulling her down immediately when she asked," Yor praised. To have the magical strength to carry someone like that at thirteen was impressive indeed. With a pat on Anya's head, she turned to keep doing rounds and helping the other students.
"What did it feel to fly like that? Did you feel like a bird?" Pandora asked in her ever-dreamy voice.
"I felt more like an unwilling Wendy being kidnapped by Peter Pan," Emma huffed as she finished rearranging her clothes and hair.
"Oh interesting, I kinda want to try it now," Anya said, intrigued.
"Who in Merlin's name are Peter and Wendy?" Becky asked, confused.
"Muggle fairytale characters, I think," said Ewen, looking as bored as ever.
"And how do you even know that?" Damian asked, surprised.
"Well unlike you oafs, I do pay attention," Ewen drawled.
"But to muggle stories?" Emile asked, sounding disgusted.
"Lily told us about them," Pandora said beside them, "I asked her about fairy tales from the muggle world and she said that one was her favourite."
"Well, there is no accounting for taste, but given who her best friend is, I'm not surprised," Emma shrugged. She never liked Peter Pan and found the eternally young boy remarkably creepy.
"Oi, that's my cousin you're speaking off," Anya said, annoyed.
"Yeah, but he can be an asshole," Damian replied. He really had no lost love for the rude 2nd year. He especially didn't appreciate how rude he was to Anya.
Anya glared at him, her face turning red. She knew Severus was often rude but he was usually pretty nice behind closed doors. When the rest of the wixen society was not criticising him for having a deadbeat, muggle father or being a Slytherin, he could actually be very kind. He always helped her with her potions work and never made fun of her for her meagre talent in it. Talent that was expected out of a Prince. Especially the Heir to the House. Something she had also stolen from him. So it annoyed her whenever her friends, especially Damian who she now knew she really, really liked, were rude to him.
"Alright, enough from the lot of you or I will be taking points," Narcissa stepped in. She had noticed the argument as she had been going around helping Professor Briar give the students in the Duelling Club some tips. She'd also noticed how Anya's power was once more growing around her, which could only mean trouble as the girl still had little control of all the power that came as the Heiress of two remarkable pureblood houses.
"Anya, I believe your father is here for your additional training," Yor joined in as well. She had also been doing rounds and noticed the escalating situation, "Go get Severus so that you may go with him."
"Okay, mama," Anya replied, with a slight slump on her shoulders as she tried to release her tension. Damian noticed the controlled tone of her voice and felt a shiver run down his spine.
"Anya," he called out, trying to fix the situation. Maybe if he apologised she would forgive him.
"Not now, Damian," she almost growled back, making the rest of the group of 3rd years jump back.
"Anastasia," Yor interrupted, her tone a clear warning.
"Sorry, mother. I will go to it now," Anya replied, still tense.
Narcissa watched the girl that was now crackling with magical energy walk off to get her cousin and turned to Yor, "Professor, should I-?"
"Yes, go on. I think Loid will need all the help he can get today," Yor interrupted and sent her off.
"Now, what have we talked about being rude to our classmates?" Yor said, turning to the group in front of her. The tension in their shoulders and fear in their eyes only increased.
"Have you been practising your meditations?" Loid asked as his cousin and daughter entered the little office. He noticed Narcissa soon followed.
"Obviously," Severus answered while Anya only nodded hesitantly. She'd tried her best, really. But emptying her mind when she was often drowned by thoughts that were not even her own felt impossible.
"Very well, we'll test out your Occluding skills today then. Severus, you're first," Loid commanded and Severus immediately agreed.
"Legilimens," Loid said, wand pointed at the boy. He was starting them out easy. Actually using his wand and words to read their minds but most well-practised Legilimens only needed to use their eyes and mind. Severus fought him for a while, trying to keep him out but Loid only pushed a bit further. It took a few minutes but he got through.
"Well done but now I need you to think of a shield. Some memory, a distraction...even a mind palace of sorts. You need something that will help keep people out," Loid said.
"O… okay," Severus panted out. He felt like he'd run a marathon.
"Good, I'm sure Miss Black can give you some tips," Loid said, motioning for Narcissa to go help the boy.
"Of course, Professor," Narcissa replied with a tiny smile.
"Ready Anya?" Loid asked his daughter. The tween looked at him with a nervous yet determined look and nodded.
"Very well. Legilimens!" Loid said. Immediately, his mind was pulled into several memories, all flashing quick and fast, speeding through Anya's mind as she tried to push him out. Although he could catch the tiniest of glimpses, he couldn't get a hold of any of the memories in the chaos. It felt like a whirlwind, like a tornado surrounded him and kept him in place. In the multiple glimpses, he caught pieces of her childhood before he adopted her and memories that seemed out of place, like they weren't her own. Soon, he saw memories he was certain did not belong there for they were his own. Surprised, he tried to follow one but again could not reach it and instead felt himself fall out of her mind and back into reality.
"Well, that was new," Loid said, staring in surprise at his panting daughter who looked exhausted and frightened.
"I think that we should have a little talk. Miss Black, please keep helping Mr. Snape," Loid said. Without awaiting a response, he helped his daughter to make her way to their private dorms.
Anya inhaled the smell of her hot cocoa. Winter was always cold in the Scottish Highlands so she snuggled deeper into the blanket that covered her. Her papa sat on the armchair beside her sofa and the fireplace roared in front of them.
"Will you explain what that was?" Loid asked, quietly.
"I...I... I wanted to keep you out like you told Sev to do," Anya said, glancing at her mug.
"I really tried the meditation, I promise I did but I just couldn't. I couldn't shut the thoughts out, the memories. They're so, so many of them," she finished, sounding anguished.
"So instead you used the memories to overwhelm me and kick me out," Loid sighed, "Impressive but risky. What if I had managed to look into one of your memories and then discovered the truth?"
"I'm sorry papa," Anya said softly, looking down, "I just can't stop it. They're so many thoughts in my head. It's overwhelming. I feel like I'm drowning sometimes and I just can't shut them down."
Loid frowned at that, worried. Then he remembered the oddity of the memories, how they couldn't all be hers, how some were his.
"When you tried to kick me out, were you trying to get into my mind instead?"
"No, I don't think so," Anya frowned, confused.
"The memories, they weren't all yours," Loid said expectantly, "Some were mine and some were of people I didn't recognize at all."
Anya swallowed. She hadn't even realised she had those memories, let alone that she was letting him see them.
"I... I..." she started, hesitant, then remembered that if there was one person that knew almost all her secrets, the one person who knew her true origins was Loid. And if someone could understand and help her, it was her papa. Because for all that Bond was clever and a great listener, there was only so much a half-kneazle could do.
"Sometimes... I... ever since I can remember, if I look closely into people's eyes, I can see into their minds," Anya whispered, scared.
Loid froze at her confession. Thinking back at every interaction with his daughter, including their first meeting, every word, behaviour, and mannerism finally made sense. And those thoughts, those memories, she'd truly gathered them from others. No wonder her mind was so overwhelming, no wonder she struggled to organise and compartmentalise.
"Show me," Loid whispered, needing that tangible proof of what his mind just put together, "I will draw some memories into the forefront of my mind and you will read it."
"Okay," she agreed, hesitantly. She gave him a few moments and when he nodded, she focused her eyes on his and suddenly she was in his mind.
Several memories flashed before her eyes. Bits of her papa's childhood, moments with his parents, the strict father and dotting mother. Of a childhood and teenagehood lived during the Second World War and the loss such an event brought. Of fighting war after war in both the muggle and wizarding world. Of meeting her and adopting her. Of meeting Yor and marrying her. Of forming a family and watching Anya grow. The emotions that passed through with her memories overwhelmed her. She felt his loss. Of his parents and friends. Of his cousin until they finally reunited and he was able to save Eileen and Severus. She felt the joy that came with his new family. The way he couldn't stop feeling proud and happy at any and all of her accomplishments. Of the way he couldn't help but feel giddy when Yor smiled his way, soft and charming. The happiness that raising Anya and helping raise Severus gave him. The comfort of having Eamonn's paternal affection. The softness that exuded from him as he saw the younger Blacks fight for what was right, as they trusted him to help them. Overcome, Anya let go, closing her eyes as tears welled on them.
"Papa," Anya whispered, brokenly.
Loid reached out, pulling her close to him. Once on his lap, she buried her face on his chest. Unable to use his voice, as he was still overwhelmed by the memories he pulled her closer, burying his face in her soft, strawberry hair.
"Love you, papa," Anya whispered. She had never realised just how broken her father was, just how much affection he had yearned for for so long.
"Oh my darling girl, I love you too," Loid whispered, voice breaking and held her closer.
"Sir," Narcissa knocked on the door leading to the Forger-Prince dorms. Given how often she had visited in the past three or so years, Yor and Loid had long since trusted her with the location of its entrance.
"Yes?" Loid said through the door, voice sounding raspy.
"I am done with Severus. He appears to be a natural at Occlumens. Pretty organised mind, overall. Definitely needs practice, however. If he keeps at it, he may just be able to learn how to create fake memories to bury the real ones," She answered through the door.
"Very well, thank you," Loid said, opening the door to the dormitory, "Did you send him to dinner?"
"Yes sir," Narcissa said, looking at him carefully, noting the red, puffy eyes.
"I'm sorry to ask, but is everything alright, Uncle?" she asked, genuinely worried for the man that had helped her and Andromeda and Regulus and even Sirius so much.
"Of course, thank you for asking," Loid replied, softening, "We just seem to be needing a different strategy for Anya. Do you believe you could continue to assist me with Severus' training?"
"Of course," Narcissa answered, feeling pride at the thought that her assistance was required. As the youngest sister, it was expected that her sisters would assist her but recently, she had found more and more people who depended on her, needed her and she appreciated being needed.
"Thank you, Narcissa. Now go off and get your dinner too," Loid replied, squeezing her shoulder in a paternal manner. Narcissa nodded at the man she now considered her favourite uncle and went off to find her friends so they could all eat.
"Are Cissy and Sev alright?" Anya asked her papa. Her eyes looked bleary as she used her fist to clear the sleep from them.
"Yes, very much so. You and I, however, need to talk," Loid said, leading her to stand in front of him as he sat on the armchair. Once they were eye to eye, he continued, "You said that you couldn't meditate, much less occlude, because the thoughts and memories overwhelmed you?"
Anya nodded, "I'm sorry."
"No, it's okay, it's not your fault," Loid reassured her, "However, I think that if you can't keep them out of your mind and can't keep out of theirs, we can use that. Make your defence into an offence instead."
"What do you mean?" Anya asked, confused.
"Remember the memory-tornado?" Loid asked and Anya nodded, "Well, you kicked me out from there after I tried to get to the memories. So what if instead of just kicking them out, you go into their mind?"
"You mean like to use the memory-tornado as a distraction to go into their mind? Like maybe use their own memories against them?" Anya asked, processing it.
"Yes, exactly. What if they saw their own memories and thoughts instead of yours?" Loid said, "We still have to fine-tune the idea of course, and actually try it, but I believe you can make it work."
Anya hesitated, thinking it out. If she could really pull it off, not only would she keep the enemy out but she could get an in. She would turn her weakness into her strength and none would be the wiser. Looking at her papa, she nodded.
"Okay let's do this," the grin he gave her matched her own.