Chapter 7: Occlumency, The Detection Layer (1/2)

Like the first lesson, Quinn sat on a stool in front of Alan, who sat on a wing chair. A table in between separated them. The room's door was closed, and Alan allowed no one to enter the room unless it was an emergency or of utmost importance.

Alan, with a smile on his face, began his lessons, ”Mr. West, before learning how to become an occlumens and learning occlumency, we would have to get you familiar with how Legilimency feels like. Last time, you weren't able to feel me using Ligilimency when I was inside your mind, but this time I will make my presence known loud and clear.”

Even though Quinn knew Alan wouldn't divulge any information Alan saw in his mind, Quinn couldn't help but feel fear. After all, a secret remained a secret if only one person knew about it.

Quinn took in a deep yet shaky breath and acknowledged.

”Good, rest assured, I will only read your emotions, so don't worry, for now, that is. Let's begin,” Alan assured Quinn.

Alan stared into Quinn's eyes, and Quinn clearly felt a strange pressure inside his brain. It wasn't like a headache but akin to a heaviness that spread throughout his head.

Quinn heard Alan speak in a calm and baritone voice, ”Mr. West, can you describe to me how are you feeling?”

He nodded and replied, ”There is a heaviness in my head that started out in the back of my head but soon spread out my entire head.”

”Excellent, this is how it feels to have a Legilimens inside your head. But, keep this in mind, my current approach is a gentle one. If a Legilimens, who doesn't care about his approach, could cause pain and damage to the target's mind,” There was a pause before Alan continued, ”Would you like to tell me about your current emotions?”

Quinn froze but then nodded, so Alan complied, ”You are currently feeling panic, fear, nervousness, and a bit of excitement. Am I correct?” Quinn nodded in agreement, and Alan spoke once again, ”Excellent, your current emotions are perfectly normal. Now, I am going to retreat from your mind, understood?”

After getting a confirmation, Alan smoothly retreated from Quinn's brain, ”I am out of your mind. You can calm down now.”

Quinn released a breath he didn't know he was holding and relaxed his shoulders. Alan once again leaned back into the backrest of his chair and spoke, ”How was it?”

Quinn closed his eyes and thought about his experience before speaking, ”It wasn't what I had imagined. I thought it would hurt.”

Alan chuckled and shook his head, ”Mr. West, I have been doing this for a while now. I know how to teach without causing pain,” Quinn breathed a sigh of relief, but he froze when Alan continued, ”Of course, there will be a time when you have built your occlumency shields. At that time, I will introduce you to brute-force legilimency, which might hurt if you aren't able to defend properly.”

Quinn glared at the shitty old man (Alan), to which Alan just laughed.

”Now that you know what Legilimency feels like. I would tell you what Occlumency can do for you. But, before I start, I would like to tell you that every teacher has a different way to teach Occlumency. So my method of teaching will be different from another teacher.”

Quinn dropped his glare and intently listened to Alan, ”There are three basic facets of occlumency. First is the defense aspect, which will help you protect your mind from external mental attacks.”

With each point, Alan uncurled his fingers, ”Second, emotional aspect, which will help you control your emotions. And, the third and final aspect is the aspect of efficiency, which will increase your brain's productivity.”

Quinn remained silent as Alan continued, ”Your grandfather hired me to help you with the first aspect, the aspect of defense. I will train you to build your occlumency defenses. The strength of your defenses will depend on your comprehension and hard work.”

Quinn uncapped a pen and jotted down Alan's words. Seeing this, Alan waited before continuing.

”Now, let's finally teach you something. The first piece of your occlumency defense will be the outermost detection layer. This layer will help you detect a Legilimency attack. Let me explain how this detection layer would work. In our first meeting, I used Legilimency without you noticing, but in my previous demonstration, I made my presence know, right?”

Quinn affirmed, ”I wasn't able to feel anything during our first meeting.”

”This detection layer would make a Legilimens' presence know to you. You would feel that familiar heaviness in your head.

Eyes can provide a gateway to the mind, and many Legilimens like to use eye contact to enter your mind. Of course, some are powerful enough to directly enter the mind without needing eye contact.

If the attacker is using eye contact to enter your brain, immediately break eye contact and then pull up your defense shields. If they are proficient enough to not using eye contact and can use legilimency with it, then again pull up your defense shields and keep them out.”

Quinn kept taking notes and asked a question that popped into his mind. ”If someone is using eye contact, and I break eye contact, am I safe from the attack?”

Alan shook his head and answered, ”No, sometimes just a split second of eye contact can give a trained Legilimens time to latch onto your mind. With that, they could keep on attacking you even after breaking eye contact. So, always activate your defenses no matter what the situation.”

Quinn nodded and noted down the instructions and let Alan continue, ”Now, keep those notes aside. It is time to build your shields. I will once again enter your mind and make my presence known. Next, you will concentrate on that heaviness, focus your magic, and create a layer over the manifestation of your mind. And, while building that layer, create with the intent of detection. Your intention should be clear that you want to feel the same heaviness when someone attacks your mind.”

Quinn had another question for Alan, ”Do I need to imagine feeling heaviness. Can't I imagine some other sensation?”

Alan clapped his hands and praised, ”Another excellent question! The answer to your question is that you don't have to choose heaviness as the sensation of choice. You see, everyone feels a distinct sensation when facing mental attacks.

This sensation can range from your heaviness, burning sensation, freezing sensation, slight dizziness, pricking sensation, buzzing sensation, pain from a choice of various options.

When I was being taught, I felt a burning sensation. In my research, I found that even though it is not necessary to choose your natural sensation, it is easier to imagine when building your detection layer.

Like a person who feels pain when attacked, no matter how gentle of an attack would have to choose some other sensation.

So, because you felt heaviness, it is advisable to imagine heaviness as your detection signal. My detection layer makes me feel a subtle burning sensation on the inside of my head.”

Quinn felt assured about Alan's capabilities as he was able to explain his query flawlessly.

”Ok, I will follow your advice and build my detection sensation to be the feeling of heaviness.”

Alan nodded, and by Quinn's permission, he entered Quinn's mind and made his presence know. Quinn felt a heaviness throughout his head, showing that Alan was in his mind. He began imagining a layer over his mind and concentrated on the feeling of heaviness.

After failing to create a layer for a minute, Alan spoke up in the same calm and baritone he used while using Legilimency.

”Mr. West, calm down and stop concentrating on the feeling of heaviness.” Quinn obeyed and stopped concentrating and soon felt Alan retreat from his brain.

Quinn furrowed his brows and looked at Alan, who started explaining. ”We will try in another five minutes. Every attempt will be a minute long and a five-minute interval between each attempt. When you are successful, both you and I will feel a layer over your mind. Now, relax till your next attempt.”

Quinn breathed out a sigh and thought back to his first attempt. He wasn't able to imagine a layer at all. He began contemplating how he could do it differently.

Alan silently watched Quinn thinking and said nothing to disturb Quinn. Building an occlumency defense was a slow and steady process. Each piece of the defense needed to be built one by one and then connected to close any loophole and complete a system that would protect your brain.

”Mr. West, five minutes are up. We are starting again.”. Hearing that, Quinn once again felt the heaviness in his brain and concentrated his magic to construct a layer over his mind.

Another minute passed, and Quinn yet again failed to construct a detection layer. By the end of the lesson, Quinn still had not created a detection layer and felt frustrated. Even though it was only his first day of constructing a detection layer, he felt like this was the repeat of his first year when he didn't have access to his magic.

”Mr. West, please don't feel disheartened. Occlumency is a gradual process. It will take time to build each individual layer. I am sure that you will build one, eventually.” In his mind, Alan assumed that it will take Quinn at least a couple of weeks to build the detection layer.

But that day, when Alan left, he failed to see Quinn's expression.

When it came to magic, Quinn was competitive to a fault.

- (Scene Break) -

Alan came to teach Quinn twice a week, once on Tuesday and next on Friday. Alan had left returned on the next Tuesday for their third lesson.