GNOSIS ARCANUM

prologue // keep in mind

"Clear your mind."

Diana Parry took one last look at her father's study before closing her eyes, though the image was remained stamped on the insides of her eyelids. She could still see the fuzzy outline of where he stood, leaning against his large oak desk. She squeezed the armrests of her chair, her fingers digging into the worn fabric.

"The first time one experiences the Legilimens spell can be quite disorienting. Focus on keeping me surface level."

She nodded, releasing a long breath. There was the sound of wood floor creaking as her father shifted his weight, then the rustle of his shirt as he lifted his arm. Diana screwed her eyes even further shut. Her mind was still racing, and she had no idea how to quell it.

Clear.

She imagined a clear summer's sky. Entirely blank and blue-no clouds, or white-yellow sun to distract her.

"Legilimens!"

Something tugged at the back of her head, and she was falling backwards. For a few seconds, she was still looking at that impossibly blue sky as she fell. A bright light shone across her vision, and she threw her arms up to shield her eyes.

When she opened them again, she was in the Great Hall, blinking away stars and the imprint of that burning light. She could only recognize her surroundings by virtue of it being her own memory.

"Week's detention, Parry."

She blinked stupidly as Professor Snape whirled away, black cloak creating a sort of smoke stream in the haze of her mind. Pansy Parkinson sat at their house table, eyes screwed shut with porridge stuck to her lashes, her cheeks, her greasy black bangs. Diana laughed at the memory in spite of herself.

A man cleared his throat beside her, and she started. It was her father, of course. She struggled to make her mind go blank again. Before she could, there was that dull tug at the back of her head, and she fell back again.

She struggled against it this time, but it felt like trying to resurface when pushed down by a wave. The thought sent her careening into another memory; holiday in France with her father and Lenore and Violet. Her sister pushed her into an oncoming wave, but Diana grabbed Violet's arm to drag her down with her. They lost each other under the sheer force of the water.

Another memory, the cold that the dementors had brought to Hogwarts the year prior. Diana pulled her sweater taut around her shoulders as she walked the campus, alone, on a Hogsmeade weekend.

A flash of light, and Diana sat in her father's study. It took her a moment before she realized this was true life and not another memory. She let out a long breath, squinting as she pushed herself against the soft back of her chair.

"Not pleasant?"

He lowered his wand arm. Diana realized he had only been in her mind for a few seconds-despite how time had felt when they were physically flicking through the memories.

"Interesting," she replied, cautiously.

"That business with the porridge," he ventured, gesturing around his face, "you did that?"

Diana eyed him suspiciously. "Snape said he was going to write a letter home about it."

"Professor Snape. I suppose it slipped his mind."

Or yours, she thought. "Maybe," she grunted with a shrug instead.

If he didn't remember, she wouldn't push it. She didn't want to relive the moment from the year before, when Violet had revealed to their house the truth about Diana's parentage. Nowadays, the two sisters (half-sisters, technically) only spoke with each other when absolutely necessary, which, to Diana's delight, was very rarely.