Chapter 202: Occlumency
Chapter 202: Occlumency
Before returning to the dormitory, Albert made a detour to the library to check on the situation. After all, he had caused quite a stir, and it was only natural to be curious about the aftermath.
As he passed by the library, he noticed a handful of students peering inside, seemingly intrigued by the events that had transpired.
"What's going on?" Albert asked one of the onlookers.
"Not sure," came the reply.
"Madame Pince is doing an inventory of the books in the Restricted Section," a girl chimed in with a gossipy tone. "I heard some books went missing from there."
"The books in the Restricted Section are quite dangerous," added another student who had wandered over to join the conversation.
Albert didn't linger to partake in the speculation. This matter had nothing to do with him anymore, as he had returned the 'borrowed' books to the Restricted Section.
Back in the dormitory, Albert retrieved ten Galleons from the hidden compartment of his trunk and placed them into a money bag created through Transfiguration.
If these ten Galleons could help him master Occlumency, it would be money well spent.
Until he had a firm grasp on Occlumency, Albert had no intention of revealing anything about the Diadem to Dumbledore.
When Albert arrived at Classroom 17, which was used by the Transfiguration Club, he found Isabelle already there, seated in her armchair and flipping through the latest issue of "Transfiguration Today."
"You're quite punctual," the girl said without looking up.
"Punctuality is a virtue," Albert replied as he pulled out a money bag from his robe's pocket and held it out to Isabelle. "As promised, the tuition fee. I believe we can begin now."
Isabelle closed her magazine, looked up at the money bag in front of her, and nodded. "Let's get started." She took the bag and placed it in her pocket without checking the contents.
"Aren't you going to count it?" Albert asked with a hint of a smile, teasing her. "For all you know, it could be filled with Knuts instead of Galleons."
Isabelle's expression froze, and she shot Albert a glance before pulling out the money bag and taking out a single... Knut.
This guy was definitely messing with her.
Realizing she had fallen for his prank, Isabelle glared at Albert, acknowledging his mischievous nature.
"My apologies, I was merely jesting," Albert said, unable to hide his amusement at having caught a glimpse of her momentary astonishment.
He then pulled out another money bag and handed it to Isabelle, with no intention of reclaiming the ten Knuts he had initially given her.
She took the new bag, opened it, and found the expected Galleons inside.
"I assume you've already read 'Advanced Guide to Occlumency,'" Isabelle said as she pocketed the money bag, a knowing look on her face. "I suspect you sneaked into the Restricted Section last night and borrowed that book without permission."
Isabelle bluntly pointed out that Albert was the culprit behind last night's commotion.
"No, I didn't have the chance to borrow 'Advanced Guide to Occlumency' from the library yet," Albert denied just as bluntly.
"Well, Occlumency is a type of magic that protects your mind from magical intrusion and influence," Isabelle continued, unperturbed by Albert's denial. She pulled their armchairs closer together so that they were only three feet apart, close enough for Albert to sense her heartbeat and breathing. "Wizards proficient in Occlumency are often skilled in Legilimency as well."
Albert openly appraised the Ravenclaw genius sitting across from him—a pretty red-haired girl with a cold or perhaps haughty aura.
However, geniuses often had such personalities, and Albert could understand that.
"...Some wizards are extremely adept at Legilimency," Isabelle continued, noting Albert's assessing gaze and raising an eyebrow. "They can easily tell if you're lying. Professor Snape, for example, always knows when someone is lying to him... Only a skilled Occlumens can seal away the feelings and memories that contradict the lie, thus avoiding detection by a skilled Legilimens."
"Apparently, you're not that skilled of a Legilimens, are you?" Albert teased, batting his eyelashes innocently.
"No, I'm not," Isabelle admitted readily. "But there's something you should know. Eye contact is often crucial for Legilimency, so... look into my eyes."
Albert had a bad feeling about this.
"It seems you're not entirely unfamiliar with Legilimency and Occlumency," Isabelle said after a moment of silence.
"Did you just use Legilimency on me?" Albert asked suddenly.
"Yes," Isabelle replied. "I opened a window into your mind through your eyes and extracted the feelings and memories I needed. Most wizards' minds are completely defenseless against Legilimency. Of course, learning it is no easy task."
"Do you know what I'm thinking right now?" Albert asked, his eyes shifting away as a mischievous smile played at the corners of his mouth.
"Flattery won't work on me," Isabelle said instinctively. "And whether or not I age prematurely has nothing to do with you."
"So, you saw right through me," Albert said, surprised as he studied Isabelle. "Your Legilimency skills aren't as mediocre as you claimed!"
"You're an annoying person. Stop with your pointless probing."
Isabelle's eyes flashed with a hint of embarrassment as she realized that Albert's words were a test of her skills.
Any woman would be concerned about her appearance, and the guy before her clearly knew this, using it to probe her proficiency in Legilimency.
"Alright, I'm going to enter your mind and see how well you can resist." Isabelle raised her wand and cautioned, "You need to clear your mind, set aside all emotions, and try to block me from invading your thoughts."
"I understand," Albert mumbled in response.
"Ready? Three, two, one, Legilimens!" Isabelle cast the spell. Despite Albert's mental preparation, he still felt a bit overwhelmed as the spell focused on him. The classroom before him wavered and disappeared, replaced by a series of scenes flashing through his mind like a movie.
At six years old, Albert was riding his new bicycle in the park, a gift from his parents.
At eight, he was sitting on the sofa, telling a fairy tale to his little sister...
Albert found the experience intriguing and was well aware that Isabelle was flipping through his memories.
After a moment, Albert began to consciously recall the economics and mathematics books he had read, using those memories to try and block Isabelle's intrusion, pushing away the feeling of someone rummaging through his mind.
"You did it!" Isabelle exclaimed, a hint of astonishment in her voice. She hadn't expected Albert to successfully resist her Legilimency.
Moreover, she sensed that he had instinctively created a mental maze to intercept her probing, blocking her from delving further into his mind.
"Hmm, it feels... strange and not very pleasant," Albert said, his breath a little rapid as he realized he was back in the Transfiguration Club's classroom.
"Let me rest for a moment." Albert took out a chocolate bar from his pocket and bit into it, then offered, "Do you want some?"
Isabelle glanced at the half-eaten chocolate, her mouth twitching slightly, but she didn't refuse Albert's kindness. She took the chocolate and broke off a piece from the untouched portion.
"You did very well, much better than my first attempt," Isabelle commented. "Now, you need to focus and use your mind to resist my intrusion."
After all, having accepted his Galleons, Isabelle felt obligated to deliver on her promise.
"I know what to do," Albert said casually, trying to access the skill panel in his mind. Unfortunately, Brain Seal Technique still didn't appear.
It seemed he would need to try a few more times.
Although he had expected this outcome, he still felt a bit frustrated. Even though Albert didn't mind someone seeing his childhood memories, he couldn't shake off a slight sense of annoyance.
"Clear your mind, focus your thoughts, and set aside your emotions," Isabelle reminded him. "I'm starting now!"
"Wait!" Albert suddenly raised his hand to stop her from casting the spell.
Isabelle's arm paused, and she looked at Albert, puzzled by his actions.
"Move the armchair aside and put the cushion on the carpet," Albert instructed. He then sat cross-legged on the cushion, relaxing his body and attempting to enter a meditative state. "You can start now."
"Three, two, one, Legilimens!" Isabelle cast the spell once more.
At nine years old, Albert was in the kitchen, helping his family bake a birthday cake for Niya...
In that moment, he was trying to empty his mind, focusing all his attention on blocking Isabelle's intrusion. The scenes in his mind gradually faded away.
Albert abruptly opened his eyes, catching a glimpse of surprise on Isabelle's face.
Indeed, even Isabelle hadn't expected Albert to grasp the Brain Seal Technique so quickly and successfully defend against her invasion.
"You did it!" Isabelle exclaimed. "I have nothing more to teach you."
As she prepared to get up and leave, Albert reached out and grabbed her arm. He had checked the skill panel again, and Brain Seal Technique was still absent.
"This isn't how you rip someone off," Albert said, feeling a bit helpless. "I don't think I've truly mastered the Brain Seal Technique. Let's talk about the intricacies of both Legilimency and the Brain Seal Technique. I've shown good faith, so I hope you'll do the same."
"Alright," Isabelle agreed after a moment's thought, perhaps realizing she had shortchanged him. She began to share her own insights and understanding of the Brain Seal Technique and Legilimency.
The two discussed the Brain Seal Technique for about half an hour.
Isabelle truly lived up to her reputation as a genius, offering unique perspectives on the Brain Seal Technique despite her recent acquaintance with it.
After listening to Isabelle's explanations and attempting the technique several more times, Albert finally noticed the Brain Seal Technique appear on his skill panel.
Seeing it there, he breathed a sigh of relief. It would have been a huge loss to spend Galleons without learning the technique.
Upgrading the Brain Seal Technique to Level 2, Albert closed his eyes to sense the changes brought about by the skill upgrade. When he reopened them, his eyes appeared somewhat hollow.
Isabelle, noticing this change, furrowed her brows slightly.
"I think our transaction is complete," Isabelle stated, rising to leave. But once again, Albert reached out and stopped her.
(End of Chapter)
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