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Chapter - 32 : Reasons

"Ah, you see, teachers like Professor McGonagall and Professor Snape have also learnt Occlumency. Occlumency and legilimency can be learnt. Though it is not as powerful as being born with the powers, it can still prove to be extremely useful." Professor Dumbledore answered her question.

"Oh!"was Ava's only reply.

"And Hagrid? I can't hear him very clearly either."

"Ah. Can you hear the owls, my dear?" Dumbledore asked.
"No, sir."

"The thing is that Hagrid is a half giant so he's only half human. That's why you can't hear him that clearly."

"Ah!" escaped Ava's mouth.

"Yes, well, let's get to work," he said, "I want you to focus on my thoughts and try to invade them. I'm a studied occlumens but I'd like to see your force."

She had to concentrate very hard, though it bore no result. She was beaded with sweat and her face had turned pale with the power she was putting in, though she kept pushing herself.

After a few minutes of trying, Professor Dumbledore asked her to stop. His face had gone just as pale as her, as if it took a lot of his strength to keep her out.

He pointed her towards his desk where he'd kept a mound of cookies, some pumpkin juice and some water.

Ava hadn't realised how much it had tired her till she finished at least half the plate and more appeared. She guzzled down a glass of pumpkin juice and felt a new energy in her.

"Can we try once again?" she asked.

"Why not? But after this we'll start with the theory part of it." Dumbledore replied.

The second attempt was just like the first one, though Ava, and surely Professor Dumbledore too, had felt that she had been closer this time.

She stuffed herself once more with cookies and pumpkin juice and sat at the desk while Professor Dumbledore told her about how legilimency works.

"Legilimency is the act of magically navigating through the many layers of a person's mind and correctly interpreting one's findings. A person who practises this art is known as a Legilimens." he told her.

And he spoke about the advantages and disadvantages of this special branch of magic and so many more fascinating things.

"Well, I suppose we should stop the lesson here today. We shall continue next Friday. Till then I want you to keep trying to penetrate the minds of either me, Professor McGonagall or Professor Snape." Dumbledore concluded.

"Yes, sir. Thank you! Good night!" she called.
"Good night, Miss Ava."

She made down through the staircase and away from the gargoyle, to the Syltherin common room. All the while she kept thinking about one particular thing, why her?

Surely there could be many more talented students here who would be much better at learning this than her! But she made her way into her dormitory where Pansy was waiting for her.

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Always,
Ana