Emilla Potter

Around Chrismas

November gave huge rains and got cold winds to the students of Hogwarts.
Snape made some potions for Dumbledore so Fred, George, Ron and Harry forgott that Evelynn is raised by him. Flitwick still knew and they said it will stay that way.
Evelynn was practicing charms and transfiguration with Neville, the first year Gryffindor McGonnagal talked about almost a month ago. The boy was terrified of failing and thought very low of himself.
He was reminding her of someone but couldn't remember from where...
After the troll situation Hermione Granger were surprisingly friendlier with her and got friends with Harry and Ron.
As november passed Evelynn got better and better in classes and as Emilla, she got better in dueling.
December arrived with frost and ice cold wind, and not a drop of snow. But luckily after a week one night a huge amount of snow coated the school and everything around it in white.
Katie was on and on about Wood as the Captain of the quidditch team being "unbearingly obsessed" and scary sometimes. In november they played the first real match: Gryffindor against Slytherin. Harry almost fell off of his broom at a point, she was scared half to death by it. Quirell taught everything he need to, but had barely anything practical in class as he couldn't say the spells without stuttering. But he did them nonverbally. It just got more annoying 'cause of his stutter.
Snape practiced with her every week and he was teaching occlumency directly from the moment she realized and said it out loud. It felt awful as it meant to repeatedly getting attacked with the legiliments charm. She was way more easy target from the first try. It was harder to close her mind back after it got opened up by force. Lots of times she woke up in the middle of the night shaking from the cold sweat.
- Be completely cool in your mind. If you let your mind to be seen by your opponent you've lost - Snape was cold in dueling, and it got way harder to defeat him. Every round tired her out like running a marathon. They still didn't use really hurtful spells but some of them gave her black stains.
Her tactic started to be the listening. She listened to her own breathing, the sounds of her footsteps and Snape's. Every tiny movement made a sound and she was listening. Other times she was singing inside.
But now she was listening again. The clock. Ticking slowly in every second. The wind. The opened window let in a few little breeze. The fire in the fireplace dancing. The flick of Snape's wand, her jumping behind the closet next to her. She knew spells that she will only learn on class in fifth year.
She heard an armor flying in her Way and used depulso to completely destroy it. Then sent two stupefies and the living ropes in his way. She was panthing ten minutes later after throwing a chair away from her and sending back a bat-bogey hex. Few seconds later she got captured by the legiliments charm and she was only seeing the duel again. But now Snape was hearing everything She was thinking at the moment. As She thought of what to do, where to jump, which spells to use. After this she was on the ground breathing quickly.
While she sat up on the floor Snape gave her a glass of water. She took it and started to drink while the professor walked back to the desk and leaned to it.
- What's the matter? - he asked her.
- I don't know - she groaned annoyed - I'm not as fast As I need to be, I let my mind open easily and I'm not concentrating enough - she rolled her eyes and listed everything she thought her stepfather would list as mistakes. But he for her surprise shook his head.
- No, that's not what I meant - he sat down on a chair he previously repared. - I meant why do you think you are not doing good.
Getting the red flocks out of her face she looked at him and raised her eyebrows.
- I lose constantly? - she asked like it was obvious. - I can't win and I'm Way more tired since you started to get in my head every time.
- But you are doing incredible - he said, still in his monotone tone - A month ago I could see everything in your mind, old memories, memories that you cherish, memories that you are ashamed of and I have seen your fears - he said everything factually. - Do you know what I have seen today?
The girl shook her head as she got a chair for herself and sat down.
- I've seen the duel you just lost. - he smiled almost unnoticably. - You improved and I tried to see more, but you didn't let me. I could only see the moments before the spell hit you.
Emilla looked up and asked still a bit unsure - So... I improved in the last month?
- Most certanly.