119 A Lesson on Mental Warfare (I)

Get up to 20 advanced chapters on Patreôn.

https://www.patreôn.com/SykoNex

Powerstone Goal: 54/300

https://discord.gg/S4YYqnF

***************

After Dumbledore leaves Snape looks into my eyes curiously, "How much do you know about Occlumency?"

"I know it is the art of protecting one's mind from others. To keep your memories, emotions, and thoughts from being read. It is an ancient art made to combat Legilimens from freely running rampant."

He nods, "That is the base of it yes. How much can you do?"

"I can make a wall, I am also able to tell when people are intruding and force them out."

"Hmmm, creating a wall is often only something a strong wizard can do, it is usually the last resort for poor occlumens."

I shrug, "I was never taught after all."

"Yes, there is no way you would have been… There are a few ways I can teach you, do you have any preference?"

I seriously gaze into his eyes, "The fastest."

His brows raise, "There is no rush."

"I usually prefer the most efficient method when doing things."

A rare smile graces Snape's face, "That is the perfect trait for a potioneer." His smile fades as he continues, "It will be painful, are you prepared for that?"

"I have a fairly high pain tolerance," I say with a slight smirk.

He stands up and waves his wand causing a nearly translucent membrane to form on the walls of the room. He waves his wand again and the door glows blue as it magically locks.

"Then we will do as Dumbledore instructed, and use this as a bonding experience… I am not just teaching you to protect yourself but to invade your enemy's mind in case the need arises. We will play a game of hide and seek."

I look at him confused as he steps closer "You will think of a secret and I will try to invade your mind to find it. If I win we will repeat the game, if you win you will get a chance to pry at my mind. Occlumency is more important so you must be able to beat me for you challenge me."

I nod at his words 'Even if it is painful this does sound fun.' I think to myself.

"First let me explain the basic ways to defend yourself. The first and most effective method… Be Nothing. Think of nothing, feel nothing, remember nothing. Against the vast majority of legilimens, this will work every time. That being said, it is far harder said than being done."

"The second method is to push the thoughts you are hiding down. Bring forth any thought to distract the intruder, be it embarrassing, scary, or downright annoying. They will eventually drown in your thoughts and be forced out."

"However, unless you are like Dumbledore or I these methods will not work. The third and final method... beat them. Use the power of your mind to force them out with your thoughts. I am not speaking of the brute force you have taught yourself. Create a power to force them out, use the most terrifying things you can think of."

"Say if Dark Lord were to try and force his mind into mine to scrape my thoughts. I would send him out with the feeling of impending doom, the feeling of dread. It does not have to be a feeling, it can be a thing, even your own fear."

"I understand," I say with a sigh as I begin to clear my thoughts.

"We will need to tie your arms. If not you will flail trying to hit me if you begin to lose yourself in your own mind."

I nod, "Sin, please." Sin crawls off my neck and wraps around the chair locking me in place.

Snape raises a brow, "A Lethifold?"

I smirk, "His name is Sin."

"Odd… Now clear your mind, I will begin."

*Snape's POV*

My brow raises as I see his scarf strapping him to the chair.

"A Lethifold?" I ask.

The child smirks at me cheekily, "His name is Sin."

I hide my surprise as I continue, "Odd," I raise my wand to his head, "Now clear your mind, I will begin."

He doesn't respond, instead, he begins to stare off into space. I notice the life hidden behind his eyes fades. Now I feel true surprise but I hold my words for the results.

I begin to intrude his mind and exactly as I had thought 'Nothing.' This child is truly talented, there is no chance a lesser legilimens would be able to read him. Good thing I am not a lesser legilimens.

I push deeper forcing my way through the nothing, with some force I tear a hole through his thoughts. I am quickly flooded by the information he was hiding. I retreat back to my mind as to not pry beyond my means.

"12 Grimmauld Place… What does that mean?"

The boy who was grimacing in pain just a second ago rubs his chin. "It is the location of the secret Black Family house."

I narrow my eyes at the boy "You should not use such precious secrets. This is just a game."

The boy shakes his head at me, "No, this is a bonding experience. Besides you may need it in the future." I roll my eye at the boy's smirk.

"We will begin again. Try the second method," Not giving him the chance to speak I raise my wand again.

Once inside his mind, I am barraged by memories of him practicing magic in a forest. They slowly show the progress he made in the nearly six months of practice. As impressive as these feats are I move past them to my objective. I scour deeper and deeper until I reach the center.

I quickly leave the mindscape as I stare at the child in unshown awe, "You killed him. The vampire leader that day."

The panting child smiles at me with a knowing grin, "Shhh," He shushes me as he leans back, "You know, this hurts more than I thought it would."

My thoughts run wild as the boy treats me with a nonchalant attitude. 'He is dangerous' I think to myself as my eyes linger on his 'scarf'.

"Hey, professor? Can I try a different method? I think I know a way to combine methods one and three," He says with a confident grin.

My brows rise in interest, "You are free to try it if you would like."

"I'll put my most precious secret on the line for this one… If you do succeed I'll tell you everything but you can't run away, deal?"

Curiosity fills me. 'This sounds like an awful deal.'

"Fine. I accept your terms."

The boy nods, "Then let's try it." As his words fall his gaze once again turns blank. But this time it is different, there is no life behind his eyes, but infinite darkness.

My curiosity is once again fired up, I raise my wand for the third time and invade his mind.

Inside his mind, I feel nothing, not that there isn't anything there, but it is simply dark. Darkness has reigned over his entire mind, there is nothing up, down, left, right. There is only darkness. I begin my traversal trying to break through the bounds of his mind but to no avail.

"Good, now try and force me out," I say still focusing on unlocking his secret.

The darkness churns as I begin hearing sounds from it… screams.

"NO PLEASE STOP!"

"HELP ME!"

"RUNAWAY!"

"MONSTER!"

The screams set me on edge as I trudge my way to the edge of his mind but I am brought to a halt. I can't move, I am not in control anymore. My vision peers around inside as vague faces appear and disappear around me. They are faces of mummified dead, I quickly look around as I try and move. They are coming closer.

I finally manage to back away but as I turn around a fifteen-foot tall dementor stands tall behind me. He moves his face closer as I find myself unable to move again. My projected 'body' is covered in darkness. The beast grabs my shoulders and begins to push me.

"REEEAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH"

A ghastly scream leaves the beast's mouth as I am forced out of Soren's mind. I fall back on the wall as I hold myself up. It is me this time who finds his head throbbing in pain, backlash.

I gaze back up at the boy who is grinning ear to ear "I did it!" He says with an unbelievably proud tone.

I grunt as I stand properly "That you did, Mr. Black."

*Soren's POV*

Seeing Snape leaned against the wall I feel proudness puffing up in my chest. "I did it!"

Snape grunts "That you did, Mr. Black."

I smirk as I think to myself 'If I had known my darkness could be used as a mental defense, I wouldn't have resented it so much.' I muse it to myself but I still hate it.

Snape move to the chair across from me as he sits down "Now you must train the second part of mental warfare… The attack."