complicity [tom riddle]

vi.

9th October 1944

"Again."

Heidi's eyes snapped open, saw darkness, and then closed again falling boisterously back on the crickety olden chair.

"Again."

She started to pant, her head swirling, her senses screaming at her and her muscles burning excruciatingly.

"Again."

A large exhale escaped Heidi's bloodied mouth and her weak frame fell forwards into Professor DuLac's arms out of breath, limp, and busted.

It was a piercingly cold Monday morning in the dungeons of Hogwarts. It was quiet and sullen there. No light, no feeling, little joy. Total abyss and a rather nihilistic place all together. Purgatorial, if you will. Their first few occlumency lessons were marginally easy-going and welcoming considering how they were mainly introductory but now they became serious and calculated as the academic year went on and Tom Riddle became stronger and stronger by bounds unknown to anyone fighting for the "good" side.

Heidi had had her mind invaded, contorted, and tortured for the past half hour. Once she slipped out of control she was snapped awake and forced into submission to the spell again, DuLac was tough. He was adamant on her progress despite the immense pain she was clearly in. He wasn't letting her leave until he could physically feel the walls of her mind push him out. So far, no good.

This wasn't her strong suit.

Bullets of sweat rolled down her forehead and she coughed messily, blood trickling down her nose. The blood red as jam, slipped around her lips creating a forbidden gloss, aligning itself in the crevices of her lips. She was sweating all over and had the appearance of an overworked athlete. Her limits for this Monday morning had been reached with an unsatisfactory climax.

Professor DuLac configured a cold cloth and compressed it to her forehead looking for signs of consciousness.

She had passed out on his lap head-first and poorly. He carried her limp figure to a near stone bench in the dungeons and laid her down gently. He was disappointed but not totally dissatisfied with her efforts. He shook her awake.

"Heidi? Wake up, it's alright, it's just me." He muttered whilst applying the wet cloth to her face.

She didn't wake up at first but after a few minutes of rest her eyes finally fluttered open and wide. She shot up from her laid down position and her eyes flew wide open in confusion. She scanned her surroundings and realised she was still in the same place, realising something must've happened.

"What's going on? Have I failed?" She asked rapidly.

With a swish of his hand he replenished the coolness of the cloth and cleaned her face. Knowing it was inappropriate but in truth, nothing was appropriate about these lessons Dumbledore had arranged. Times of desperation.