Liar. Harry Potter's sister ~ Book 2

chapter twenty-three

Friday evening rolled around much quicker than I would have liked it to. After dinner, Harry and I practically had to drag each other down to the dungeons for our first Occlumency lesson with Snape. There were hundreds of other ways I would like spend my Friday evening rather than cooped up in Snape's grimy old office, listening to him drone on about whatever it was we were going to be learning. With every step we took towards Snape's office door, the ominous feeling that hung over me like a cloak intensified greatly. When we finally reached the door, we gave each other one final look of complete dread before taking a deep breath, knocking and entering the office.

The shadowy room was lined with shelves bearing hundreds, if not thousands, of glass jars containing various coloured liquids, substances, and slimy pieces of plants and preserved animals. I grimace at the sight. In the far corner stood the entrance to another small room, with closed doors, which I assumed must have been Snape's private store cupboard. On top of the, slightly rotting, wooden desk next to the door was a shallow stone basin, engraved with all sorts of different runes and symbols that I recognised, at once, to be the Pensive that belonged to Dumbledore. I stare at it, with narrow eyes, wondering what on earth it would be doing here.

"Shut the door behind you, Potter." sneered Snape's voice from beyond the shadows. I turn around and do what I was told. I had a strange feeling deep in my stomach like I was imprisoning myself. When I turned back around, I saw that Snape had emerged from the shadowy corner and was now standing in the light and pointing towards two chairs opposite his desk. Harry and I give each other a look of slight fear, but oblige and sit down. Snape does the same.

"Well, you both know why you're here." Snape says, "The Headmaster has requested me to teach you Occlumency."

"Right," I say, tersely, not really knowing where he was going with this. We already knew why we were here and, let me tell you we didn't want to be, but why was he telling us again?

"This may not be an ordinary class, Potter," Snape says as he eyed me malevolently, "But I am still your teacher, therefore you shall refer to me as 'sir' or 'Professor' at all times."

"Yes... sir." I say, leaning back in my chair and hugging slightly. The things I could be doing right now. Snape glares at me with an intense look of dislike, but continues, regardless.

"Now Occlumency is a branch of magic, if performed correctly, seals the mind against magical intrusion and influence." He says, his lip curling.

"And why does Professor Dumbledore think that we need it, sir?" Harry says, looking directly into Snape's eyes.

Snape stared back at him for a second, blinked and continued contemptuously, "Surely even you could have figured that out, Potter? The Dark Lord is highly skilled at Legilimency-"

"What's that?" I cut in, "Sir?"

"It is the ability to extract feelings and memories from a persons mind-"

"You mean he can read minds?" Harry says, quickly, looking horrified.

"Only Muggles talk of 'mind-reading'. The mind is not a book to be opened at will. Thoughts are not etched on the inside of the skull, to be pursued by any invader. The mind is a complex, multi-layered thing, Potter." Snape says with a look on his face that suggested great annoyance. "However, those who have mastered Legilimency, are able to, under certain circumstances, delve into the minds of their victims and interpret and pick out thoughts and memories exactly.

"So he could know what we are thinking right now? Sir?" Harry says, looking severely scared.

"The walls of this castle are guarded by many ancient spells and charms that ensure the mental and physical safety of those within." Snape says, "Time and space matter in magic, also, Potter. Eye contact is also essential in Legilimency."