Unhappy Endings

41: Fun In Class

"Cedric, can you tell me about hags?" You questioned during your study session. Exams had been cancelled for the rest of the term, but that meant nothing for the term following that.

"Uh, child-eating beast. It looks like a human, but very ugly."

"Ugly like this?" You morphed into a goblin behind Parvati Patil. Or was it Padma? You had difficulty telling the two apart. The girl jumped and everyone laughed.

"No, less pointy." Cedric laughed.

"Good! What else will help you identify them?" You asked. No one, however, spoke to answer your question. You added several fingers to your hands. "Seventeen fingers?" You morphed into each thing you suggested, as the students laughed. "Three eyes? Gills? Ass ears? A tail?"

Finally, after the laughter calmed down, you spoke again. "Four toes. Now, if you somehow are able to look past the ugliness of a hag, you can always check their toes! What must you check?"

"Their toes!" The class chanted.

"And that goes for many beings. Never ignore the toes. It's the little details that count."

"As it always is." Dumbledore's voice sounded off in your classroom and everyone turned to look at him.

"Welcome headmaster! Here for a glimpse of my perfect hag face? I modeled it partially after my sister. Purely for comedic revenge, of course."

The older wizard chuckled. "As much as I would like to see that, I have business with you. Class is dismissed."

Everyone looked at each other and stayed in their seats, unsure of what to do. Dumbledore raised an eyebrow at you. "It's okay class, I'll begin with it next time." Your face smiled and you made your teeth shine a brilliant white light. The tension dissolved and students began to pack up and leave. Once the last students had cleared out, Dumbledore paced around your classroom. "So, Professor, what is of urgent business?"

"You have such great rapport with your class that they'll defy the headmaster."

"I wouldn't say they defy you!" You had a concerned look. "They just want to make sure I'm well."

"Are you a skilled in Legilimency?"

"Not enough to use it wandlessly."

"How about in Occlumency?"

You paused for a minute. "You know that answer."

"I suppose, what I mean to ask, is do you think you could teach it?"

"To my students?! Why ever would I need to? It's particularly... painful. My mother taught me to protect me from my aunts. Especially... Bellatrix."

"To a single student only. The boy who lived, to be specific."

You paused. What need does the boy have to learn Occlumency now? It was strange times, and although you'd like to have said that it would never be a necessity, you supposed it was better too early than too late...

"Is the boy ready? It's very painful. Especially depending on the Legilimen."

"Severus is a talented Legilimen. Occlumency, however, is not the biggest strength in his repertoire. Highly skilled, yes, enough to protect him when focused from anyone. But the moment he becomes emotional..."

"I understand losing control." You laughed as flashed your eyes in a rainbow of colors. "Will we... be working hand-in-hand then?"

"Eventually. Not this school year. Perhaps not even the next. But I prefer for those I trust to know my plans. Besides. It might be in your best interest  to practice."

"Ohhh." You smiled. "I see."

"And perhaps I might suggest... not to get too comfortable. I hear a very nice room has opened up downstairs. And although absence does make the heart grow fonder, it sometimes it just simply absence." With a wink, Albus disappeared.