A.J RYAN IN THE ORDER OF THE PHOENIX

Chapter 38 - Clear Your Mind

After the incident with Professor Snape, he had refused to teach Harry Occlumency anymore; despite A.J's serious attempts at persuading him. Considering A.J was at Hogwarts for the Easter holidays, because Harry, Hermione and all the Weasley children were here, she took Harry aside during the first week. She led him into the grounds by the forbidden forest where she usually sat.

Harry stood and stared at her. "I know Professor Snape isn't giving you Occlumency lessons anymore. But you aren't listening to a lot of people that have told you how important this is to learn."

"Are you going to teach me?" Harry asked surprised.

"Just this once."

He nodded.

"I want you to focus on everything that is making you angry, upset, frustrated, and anything else."

He blinked at her and she raised her eyebrows; "Harry, I'm highly skilled in Occlumency." She threatened.

"Right, okay." His eyes focused.

She left it a few moments. "Right, now take it out on the trees." She gestured to the trees beside her.

His eyes widened. A.J smiled; "I do it all the time, watch."

She called out the curses as she threw a stream of them flying towards the trees.

She turned back to him; "No one can see or hear you. I'll be over there out the way."

She headed back to him after ten minutes and appraised the trees; "Nice." She nodded in appreciation.

He grinned.

"Okay, sit down." She plonked down, and he joined her. "Where's your favourite place to be?"

"Hogwarts...or the Burrow."

She nodded thoughtfully; "I'm not familiar with the Burrow, so can we use Hogwarts?"

"Yeah, okay."

"Now to clear your mind, I need you to close your eyes."

She waited until he closed them; "Now think of the Great Lake...think of the calm surface of the water."

Harry was trying to concentrate but had the nagging feeling she was staring at him, when he checked, her eyes were on the grass by his feet. He closed his eyes again.

"Different thoughts will cross your mind...but you need to push them aside and focus on the details of the lake, its colour...how cold you think it is...think of placing your hand in it to check the temperature...watch the small ripple that forms and spreads away as you disturb the water."

She looked up at him smiling; "Okay, you can open your eyes."

He looked at her.

"Tell me the thoughts that crossed your mind when you were supposed to be thinking of the Great Lake." She raised her eyebrows.

Harry looked apologetic.

"Think of the thoughts that came up again." She paused for a few moments.

"Okay, when you're focusing on the Great Lake, and these other thoughts intrude; think of the thought landing on a leaf and floating away from you at that moment. You're not supposed to forget or ignore them, we just need to push them to the sideline a little. I can show you?"

He nodded. She focused her eyes on the ground beside Harry and placed her thoughts into his mind, focusing on the Great Lake's calm surface. She placed thoughts - like the stress of exams coming, her final year of school ending, disgruntled at being at Hogwarts for Easter - on the leaves she mentioned and watched them float by out of range. She went back to focusing on the water, and the tiny ripples caused by the leaves floating away. Her focus was on determining the colour of the water, how deep it may be, and the reflections it held. She did this for a couple of minutes before re-focusing her eyes and retreating from his mind.