The Greatest Defence

Occlumency was a class that Carina had been looking forward to. She had jumped at the prospect of it and was a little eager to say the least. The mind was a very powerful muscle, this was something that Carina was well aware of. To defend it was of the greatest and uptmost importance, and the key to defending it was through Occlumency.

She knew that it was a difficult subject, and that it would require a lot of work. She hoped that, with time and practice, that she would be an effective and intimadating Occlumens. From Occlumency stemmed Legilimency. The Greatest Defence would bring the Greatest Offence. Knowledge was power.

Carina took a seat at one of the desks and waited impatiently for her classmates and the Professor to join her.

Artemisia entered the class and saw only one student, she wasn't overly surprized. She placed he bag down next to her desk then looked back towards the girl

"Welcome to Occlumency, Im starting to suspect you will be the only first year taking this class" she remarked

Carina sat up a little straighter in her chair when the Professor entered the room. She sighed a little when the Professor stated that she would be the only first year taking the class.

"Will you still teach, even if I am the only one?" Carina asked. She had really been looking forward to learning the art.

Valetina hurried into the occlumency classroom. She took a seat close to the front.

"Hello, Professor," she said. "Im not late, am I?"

Artemisia chuckle at the girl's question if she wouls still teach her " Well im paid to teach to those who want to learn, though mind you first year you don't actually learn any Occlumen practices rather prepartion for it

Artemisia then saw another student walk in "No your just on time" Artemisia then got up and stood in front of her desk

"Welcome to your very first Occlumency lesson, this art takes alot of slef determination and concentration. But for today's lesson we shall be learning and focusing clearing the mind" Artemisia then leaned back on her desk

"Ok so firstly close your eyes, and tell me what you see" she told the class

Carina was glad to hear that she would be getting taught either way, and she was even happier when another student walked in. Of course, this was not something she was going to display freely. She made sure that her expression stayed deadpan.

The Professor asked for them to shut their eyes and tell her what they say. So, Carina did just that. She was not all that surprised with what she had seen. Slowly she raised her hand, eyes still shut.

"The Killing Curse."

Artemisia then nodded slowly at the girls answer that she saw the killing curse, "Hmm... interesting continue to follow that, don't consciously think about anything just sit there and observe where that thought drifts and what else you see"

Artemisia was kinda of surprized that the girl saw the killing curse, she had only met one other witch who saw that same thing when they closed their eyes, her eyes then drifted over to the other girl to see what she would say she saw

Carina wanted to focus on the Professor's words and when she stopped speaking all the other sounds around her. Instead, she took in what the Professor said and then just let it go.

She seen the Killing Curse and she watched with indifference as it took it's path. It didn't stop when it hit the woman in the pub, instead it continued going. It left the pub and made it's way down the street. Everyone in it's path fell and Carina continued to watch. It left the street and continued onwards through the country, across the sea and behind there was a shadow.

Carina watched as it reached shores foreign to her. Everything the beautiful green light touched, a shadow was created and followed in it's wake. She bit her lip and shook her head, her eyes snapping open. Breathing heavily her shoulders slumped in a clear sign of defeat. She couldn't hold it. She hadn't wanted to.

Valentina let her eyes close. At first, she saw a boat in the distance. It was floating toward her on nothing.

Suddenly the boat started spewing out words and things. It only confused her, but she kept her eyes shut.

"I have no idea," Valentina answered truthfully.

Artemisia gave a concerned looked to the Hitrost girl see seemed distressed, the other girl said she had no idea what she saw Artemisia then smiled softly at her " Thats alright, your just begining"

"So now I will ask you to imgaine a black wall completely blank, nodd your head when you can see it" Artemisia said

Carina looked up to the Professor when she spoke again and nodded her head. A blank wall. She could do that, she was sure that she could do that. Carina shut her eyes again, finding it would be probably be easier to do if she could shut her eyes to visualise.

She focused on the image of a wall, an ordinary plan black wall. There were a lot of cracks in it and Carina had to try very hard not to focus on the cracks in the wall. Plain black wall. She had it.

Carina nodded her head.

The students indicate they had visulized the black " Ok good, now take note of what this feels like to have your mind completely clear, as for this is very important skill to have in defending your mind"

Carina could see a wall but she didn't feel as though she had her mind cleared. Her mind cleared, that was something different. It didn't involve a wall. When her mind was clear all she could see was mist.

The wall was an effort to hold, and it was so badly cracked. She had to ackowledge how it felt to have this wall though. There was some protection there for her, but it was weak. She much preferred the mist.

"Can you still be a good Occlumens if your wall isn't good just now?" Carina asked the Professor.

One of the girls asked her if they good still be a good Occlumen if there wall wasn't the best right now, Artemisia gave a soft chuckle

"Of course dear, this is only your first term in this subject pace yourself. Im sure once you get to second year and we start making barriers and defending our minds im sure you will done fantastically because who have started with the fundementals"

(OCC: Sorry the celeb change, still same personality though)

Valentina was having a hard time with her wall. Her eyes were as tightly shut as they could get. The wall kept threatening to break into a million little pieces.

But Valentina was determined. She tried her best to keep it up. She did feel a little protected, though.

Valentina kept the wall up, not making a noise.

Carina was glad to hear when the Professor said that one could still be a good Occlumens even if they struggled a bit. She was ever so slightly inclined to take the advice of pacing herself. After all, she had chosen to take a fairly difficult subject.

Taking a deep breath, Carina shut her eyes again and tried to erect a wall. A wall, a strong wall. Her passion was built into this wall, and it felt slightly stronger than before. There were fewer cracks in it this time.

"What do we do?" Carina asked, not wanting to say anything further lest it caused damage to her wall. She wasn't even really aware of what the other student in the class was doing.