Up and Down

Memory and Imagination

The presence is gone and she shakes her head, groaning at the feeling of a spike being pulled out somewhere near the base of her neck this time, another wave-like sound of rushing blood in her ears and it's over.

Once he gets more skilled he won't be dragging the mind of the one being affected along with him when performing Legillemency... but that will take a lot of practice, to make it nearly undetectable.

Sebastian snickers and she knows there is an unwelcome blush spreading across her cheeks and ears.

"What?" Anna snaps, folding her arms across her chest and looking away.

She knows he is wearing a shit-eating grin and she doesn't need to see it.

"Who knew you were smitten the moment you saw me? Not me, that's for sure."

"Hmph. Don't make me regret letting you into my head."

"I'm afraid it's too late for that," he turns her face back to him by the chin and leaves a kiss on the tip of her nose. Anna pushes on his cheek with her finger, giving herself some space and leaving a small pale dimple in his supple skin which fades quickly.

"At least you didn't faint this time," Ominis' hands run up and down her arms, smoothing the fabric of her blouse, "that is good, mortifications aside."

"I suppose."

"Again?" Sebastian twirls his wand between his fingers, his stance much more confident and relaxed as he rapidly gets used to the strange feeling of peeking into another person's mind.

"Don't you think it's quite enough?" Ominis' fingers tighten on her shoulders. Anna pats his hand gently.

"It's alright. It wasn't bad, just embarrassing."

"Maybe I can find something even more interesting?" Sebastian's eyebrow quirks up and so do the corners of his lips.

Anna considers what she read in the tome - of course she also read the tome. Legillemency can only project what the person knows or thinks they know... it cannot create what isn't there already.

But the person being intruded upon can create a false image. An imaginary memory, and as long as it is strong enough to withstand scrutiny it is how more subtle Occlumency is performed.

Is it better to block off the attack without knowing when it's being performed or is it better to know when someone is trying to invade your thoughts and let them see what you want to see?

Anna thinks - knows - that the latter is far more valuable.

But what can she imagine? Something that would surprise him, knock off that obnoxious grin and ground the tone of voice steadily becoming more and more drunk with the surge of power.

She smiles at her idea and closes her eyes, imagining the scene to the most minute detail. From scents to sounds to time of day. Then, she nods, giving the signal, the mirage in her mind so bright it's almost real.

"I'm ready."

Sebastian's wand cuts through the cool air.

"Legillemens!"

A home, their home, a roaring fireplace, the inviting scent of cooking supper. She turns to see him through the window, taller, older and broader, working in the garden of medicinal plants, the sunset streaming through his dark hair and colouring it in a reddish-golden hue. In an armchair in the corner of the living room, Ominis, willowy and elegant and meticulously dressed is dictating something quietly to his quill swishing up and down a page, a neat stack of manuscripts on the table by his resting hand, a glass of scotch lazily rolling in long slender fingers. They are far, far away from all the troubles and dangers and vicious gossip, safe and happy and sound and still very much in love, and there is peace in the air filled with the warm evening glow -

The vision abruptly ends as the presence in her mind is gone and Anna blinks, surprised to feel a hot drop rolling down her cheek.

In front of her, Sebastian gives a broken chuckle and she looks up at him to find his freckled cheeks also streaked with tears. He wipes his eyes with his sleeve and bites back a sob.

Ominis tilts his head in question, clearly surprised by such a drastic change in their mood, and Anna laughs through her watery eyes and wraps her arms around him, resting her head against his bony shoulder.

A second later, Sebastian barrels into the two of them, hugging them tightly.

"What is that about?" Ominis seems concerned and mildly amused.

"Our clever mastermind has shown me something... something I would suffer anything to get and would die to protect," Sebastian's voice is trembling slightly as he holds them and Anna laughs softly despite her eyes still stinging.

"And that would be?..."

"A future. A future for all three of us... together."

Ominis' arms come up to return their impassioned embrace, still a touch unsure, movement still laced with painful hesitation. Anna wouldn't stand for that and instead pulls him down by the collar into a kiss.

His doubts melt under the touch of her lips and he sighs into her, fingers coming up to weave into her hair.

"All of us, Ominis," she whispers as they part, her breath mingling with his, "if you would have us."

"Always," he responds, bringing them closer, this time without reservation.