The Dark Lord's Seer

Back in the Library

"There, that was much better!"

Rashaad nodded approvingly, "It took me a few extra seconds to break through that time."

I sighed, leaning against the nearest bookshelf, "But that's not really so great, is it? I mean, a few seconds ... what's that?"

"That's progress."

I smiled shyly at him, "Thanks, Ra."

He smiled back at me, then eyed me carefully, "How tired are you?"

"I can do more."

He raised an eyebrow at this, "Are you sure? Because we can't have you exhausting yourself. We have to be careful-"

"I can do more. I promise."

Both he and I knew that I was, in fact, pushing myself. We'd been practising all morning, and this sort of work was exhausting. But I was not yet beyond my limit, and I was determined to make the most of every moment we had together. There really was no choice. Even in the most optimistic estimation, I worried I'd be woefully unprepared if I had to defend my mind consciously against Tom.

I straightened up, kicking myself off the bookshelf, "Right. Ready. Time to try again."

"Alright. Once more. Remember, as I've told you a million times now: focus on nothing. Complete nothing. And you must hold it, as long as you can."

Our technique was as follows: I was supposed to think as I normally would. Then, when I felt him probing, very quickly make and keep my mind completely blank. It was incredibly difficult to do, and required a tremendous amount of mental discipline.

"Do you have a thought ready?"

He meant a thought for when he did in fact "break-in."

It was a fun little twist we'd added, just our way of making light of an otherwise stressful situation. And so, when he did in fact enter my mind, I'd share with him a secret thought: funny things, happy things. No mention of Tom, or anything else unpleasant.

I held a finger up in the air as I debated. Usually I picked simple memories, questions, thoughts. Mundane things like "What's your favourite kind of tea?" or "I'd kill for a chocolate frog right now."

I stared at Rashaad as I considered my new thought. And then I smiled.

"Ready."

At first, nothing as always. Just the two of us staring at one another. And then, I felt him. This step was critical, because when we'd first begun I was completely oblivious to someone slipping in my head or attempting to. It was always very subtle, but once detected, unmistakable. And now - there! I could feel him tapping at the edge of my mind, the periphery. Tapping louder and louder and louder until -

He was in.

I forced my mind blank. Nothing, just pure emptiness.

And it worked, if only for a short time. I could feel the "blankness" growing - I don't quite know how else to describe it, but imagine the thought of nothingness in the centre of the mind, and then pushing it further and further out, until it filled the entire space. Like spinning clay on a potter's wheel.

I could feel my mind pushing him out, or at least attempting to. He pushed back.

We stared at each other for a few seconds like this. Then he winked. The emptiness disappeared and he was in. He'd done it, again. Of course. No surprises there, Rashaad was an incredibly gifted Legilimens.

Time to give him my thought:

You're the best part of my day. Easily.

His eyes widened and he smiled at me. I'd surprised him, and that felt good. Less than a second later, I felt him dip back out of my head. He never lingered, not any longer than what was absolutely necessary. A simple courtesy but so appreciated, especially given how accustomed to Tom's constant violations I'd become. These days more than ever, respect and consent meant mountains.