MISS SNAPE || George Weasley Fanfic

16- PETRIFIED

I always happened to be in the teacher's lounge when someone ended up petrified. Each time I'd walk out with whichever teacher was in there- usually McGonagall- and we would warily look at the body and I would help bring them to the Hospital Wing.

They would always talk about their theories on who and what is petrifying the students. They know about the Chamber of Secrets and they fear that there's something in there that is petrifying the students. The only problem is they haven't a clue how to get into the chamber.

George won't stop apologizing. I told him it was fine since he didn't even remember it on account of him being completely shitfaced, but he says he's sorry every chance he gets. I know he's not a bad guy, alcohol just does bad things to people. I just wish he would drop the subject. I don't want to think about it anymore. Besides, I have more important things to worry about.

Amid the Chamber of Secrets chaos, my father has been meeting with Cordelia and I any chance he gets, especially on weekends. I don't get to see my other friends as much and I can't even tell them why. The last lesson with Father had been particularly traumatizing, and I have to do it all again today.

"Today we will be learning the art of legilimency and occlumency. The key to success in this area of magic is to rid your mind of any thoughts. I, myself, am a skilled legilimens and Mr. Rosier and I thought it be important for you both to be legilimens as well should any... conflict arise. This is a way of seeing into someone else's mind, blocking someone from invading your mind, and can also be used to relay messages to people. Fair warning, this is a painful and time consuming process. You may be here for hours today, but you must promise not to give up. I will now attempt to penetrate the minds of you both. Victoria goes first."

I prepare myself, attempting to clear my head as he casts the spell. I get shooting pains in my head and I believe I cry out in pain. 'I cannot be weak,' I think to myself, but I want so badly to give in, to go to sleep, to get my dad to get out of my head, to be with George.

George.

He's going to see all of the memories of me and George.

'I cannot disappoint Father. Be strong.'

I feel all the emotions dripping out of me. My mind becomes a museum of blank canvases and Father a disappointed visitor. I feel as though I am asleep, no, dead. When you're asleep you can at least dream but I am unable to think of anything. Moments later, I feel my father no longer in my head and I fall to the floor.

"Very good, Victoria. It's extremely difficult to achieve occlumency and you got it on your first try. Well done." I smile weakly. My body is exhausted.

Cordelia unfortunately was not as lucky.

She let out ear piercing screams and sobs. But she was resilient. More so, she was afraid of her father's wrath. Hours later, she got it down. I had to essentially carry her back to her common room in the middle of the night before I staggered back to my own. I had to pretend I wasn't in pain. I had to pretend there wasn't a secret I had to keep from my friends.

Outside of legilimency lessons, I spend most of my time in the library or on the astronomy tower. I don't want to be around my friends much. Having to see them means a higher chance of them asking why I get sick all the time or why I have nightmares or why I seem so frail all the time. It's because I am frail. My father is hurting me. And neither Cordelia nor I know how to handle it. I mainly study with her now, since she knows what I'm going through, and we keep eachother motivated. I used to always wonder what depression felt like, and now I wish I never knew. I feel like the Cruciatus curse is put on me every time my father tries to invade my mind, like he's sending daggers into my body and my blood turns to needles.