Lost in spells and shadows

Chapter 59: Some Happenings in Holidays

Adelaide had returned sooner from one of the Slug club's meetings that was being held the last week before the holidays, as she was going to Dumbledore's office for extra training. Her legilimancy needed extra help and while she was getting better at clearing her mind of thoughts and emotions, she wasn't strong enough to through someone out of her mind before they could have a tour in her mind.

"Sorry that i am late, professor. I stayed a bit longer at the meeting due to professor Slughorn's insistence. My apologies." Adelaide said quickly to the headmaster who only smiled at her.

"You don't have to apologise, it is the last week before the holidays, you're very busy especially with reviewing and preparing for your exams and the prefect duties. I sometimes wished i have chosen someone else instead of you. You have too much on your plate, it's not fair to you for me to thrust more responsibilities on you."

"Oh no, it's fine." A lie. Adelaide was sleeping late, most nights, studying and trying to pull her life together till 1 and would get up sooner than most, it almost reminded her of her third year, after her mother's death. Now there were more complicated issues crowding her mind.

Dating William and trying to figure out how to pull him away from the evilness he was being dragged into, while also helping Severus to choose the right path was weighing on her mind. She was also worried for her family's safety with the rising amount of atrocities committed by Voldemort and his followers. She was also thinking about their encounter and trying to understand how she could win against him, not by chance but through a stable option, and trying to better prepare the world around her.

She could see Lily and Mary's haunted eyes, scamming the newspaper each morning, praying that the names on it, were not their family members and strangers. Selfish, yes but understandable whenever they let out a breath they didn't know they had held in. Life was tough for everyone, especially them, so Adelaide was thinking of ways to somehow do something worthwhile, no matter how childish her wish seemed, there was something she could do. The people in charge were not doing enough, the ministry was somewhat in chaos, so people like her, young and inexperienced were forced to sacrifice themselves and step up in their place.

Life was crowded and chaotic for Adelaide and she also cursed herself for accepting to become a prefect, but it was too late and she didn't want to disappoint.
Dumbledore only stared at her face and noted her eye-bags and tired face but nodded.

"Let's start again, shall we?"
Adelaide nodded and cleared her mind and she felt a cool mist in her head. Relax.
Dumbledore managed to enter her mind twice, and on the third time did Adelaide finally manage to not let him enter her mind from the beginning, for the very first time.

"Bravo, Adelaide! Let's do this again until i am sure you have gotten a hang on the skill."
Dumbledore attempted to pierce her mind four times but she managed to shield her mind and soon she could celebrate.

"You're a very talented girl, Adelaide. I was always sure you could soon understand this skill. We would practice them in our later sessions, continue clearing your mind before sleep each night. You may as well as learn Legilimancy itself. You saw how i did it, perhaps you can try it now."

"On whom?"
"On me. I will shield myself but weakly, as to let you pierce my shield. I want to see if you're going to be able to use it or not."

Adelaide nodded and pointed her wand at him and uttered the spell softly as she entered his mind. There was a shield, not too strong for her to be able to move through it and she soon saw where to strike and managed to get into his memories. She didn't want to see anything personal so she searched for his memories of talking with her and after she saw a few she exited his mind.