OCCLUMENCY

Hermione had just apparated for the first time and was now sitting in a daze on a chair in a room too big to be a office with Harry beside her. It was the first time that the reality had truly sunken in for her that all the things in the past month had not been a figment of her imagination or willful thinking but truth. Her first contact with magic had turned out to be quite dizzy. Harry had previously informed her that the place they were to take their classes was the wizarding bank Gringotts.

Having read almost all about the general workings of the magical world so she had naturally known that Goblins ran the wizarding world bank, but the books had been prejudiced, to say the least, on their description of how Goblins were a blood thirsty, war hungry race and were not fit enough to be equal to the wizards and how after their loss in the last war, only as per the wizards, they had further regressed and were now in their right places, beneath the wizards.

Harry had told her multiple times before coming here that though it was true that they were fierce warriors and ruthless to the wizards it was because the treatment they received from the wizarding community over the years. After reading about the treatment that muggle born witches and wizards faced in the community she was sure that they could be even more ruthless to other sentient magical creatures and thus kept a open mind while meeting with them.

The head teller soon arrived in the hall and was followed by a older looking wizard who harry was sure has to be curse breaker for Gringotts. Hermione politely greeted both the Goblin and the wizard. The head teller was pleased that the friend of Potter boy was sensible and did not seem to show the same prejudices that were generally visible on wizards when they encounter a Goblin. She was also very respectful while introducing herself and also expressed her thanks for letting her learn despite her background as a muggle born witch.

The head teller soon left the room so that the children could get along with their lesson. Occlumency is a very tough field to get hold on, one that requires utmost will power and control over their emotions. Harry was previously never able to get a handle on the art as his emotions were all over the place. After returning back he had noticed that he had become less temperamental and more tolerant leading to the peaceful sleeps he had been experiencing at nights.

In the last life Hermione had began her training a whole year after Harry had started his lessons with snape but was still able to completely master it before the search for the Horcruxes began even without a guiding hand. Harry was sure that she could complete it this time in a much less time frame and that he himself would be able to gain a basic understanding before the term for Hogwarts began and then continue working on it as the years progressed.

The course began with them having to control their emotions, keeping their mind blank and making happy memories appear at a moments notice. Unlike the last time when he was strapped for time and the professor had to use extreme measures he now had ample time and would not require for any ruthless methods. The instructor was with them for the next hour and asked them to practice what had been taught and that he would arrive one day a week to check on their progress and correct them if they were going astray.

Harry and hermione spent the next eight months learning and practicing. Harry informed Hermione that once the term began they were going to be in constant danger. Hermione having read the history of wizarding world naturally knew that Harry was very popular, so much that he was written about as kids fantasy stories. She also knew that Harry was this famous due to him being the vanquisher of a powerful dark lord who had almost successfully taken over all of Britain magical community.

It was now two months before the start of a new term of Hogwarts which meant that both Harry and Hermione are to get their respective letters for Hogwarts and they would have to face different scenarios at home so they promised each other to drop any further contact till they are safely on the Hogwarts express as any prior link between them, if noticed could lead to unnecessary trouble. Harry also said his goodbye to her parents stating that he will move away for the vacations and would visit only once schooling began.

Harry summoned minnie and instructed her to not have any further contact with Hermione and also to inform the goblins that he will now directly visit them when someone from Hogwarts takes him to visit the wizarding world. He also asked her to inform them that they have his gratitude and he will make sure to do everything in his power to fight for their equal rights and that he also sees them as family and would like the king's permission to visit them for the festivals whenever he has the opportunity.

Harry was now in the house and trying his best to avoid Dursley dudley. Dudley had been unable to find an opportunity to bully Harry along with his gang ever since he withdrew from school, Harry also seem to vanish everyday until dinner time to god knows which hole which had increased their frustrations and they had to search for another weak individual to vent it out on. It did not help that Harry had been keeping very low, doing every work to almost perfection and keeping out of any trouble with his parents. On the few occasions that they had cornered him on a weekend and tried provoking him using all the taunts they could think of, their effort was wasted as harry simply kept his head down and took any beatings he was given.

Harry had been taking all this because he understood that he would soon leave this place and enter the world where he truly belonged so there was no point in fighting back and creating more trouble for himself. Ever Since he stopped talking anything related to magic in the house and living on the bare minimum while never complaining, he noticed that his aunt and uncle also seem to tolerate his presence without necessary troubling him.

With all these thoughts in his mind Harry went to sleep as tomorrow was the day when everything changes. It was now a week to his birthday and that meant that he would receive his letter in this week.