Harry Potter and the Prince of Slytherin

Chapter 6: Harry Potter and the Supreme Art of War

Harry nodded. "And you've got a memory palace like that?"

"I do, though I don't anticipate you seeing it anytime soon. Or at all. However, my memory palace is important to your future training. Since you seem bent on exploring Legilimency as well as Occlumency – and against my recommendations, as I've said – I have used my own memory palace to create a set of false memories. As you practice your Legilimency against me, we will see if you can penetrate my shields to discover the false information I have left for you. Frankly, you're not paying me enough to risk letting you see my true memories. My false persona, however, will be realistic enough to replicate the process of Legilimency thought-reading."

Harry nodded, but then, Mr. X paused.

"Not to beat a dead hippogriff, but you do realize that it is illegal for someone not properly registered by the Ministry to read the thoughts of another without either permission or a judicial order signed by the Chief Warlock, do you not?"

Harry stiffened slightly. He knew all this already, but it still made him nervous to edge as close to illegal conduct as he was now contemplating. He wondered how Snape got away with it for so long. Dumbledore's influence, he supposed. "I understand all that, Mr. X."

The man sighed. "I am contracted to teach what you want to learn, Mr. Potter. But I feel compelled to say it once more. You don't have to develop your Legilimency powers just because some school teacher tells you to, no matter how much regard for him you have. There are risks, both psychological and legal, to pursuing this path."

"I appreciate your concern, Mr. X. But I have this power. And I am afraid that I might be a danger to myself and others if I don't figure out how it works and learn to use it safely."

Mr. X grimaced and shook his head. "On your own head be it then. Alright, let's start talking about Legilimency exercises."

And after a brief and rather confusing introduction, Harry spent the next hour growing increasingly frustrated at how difficult it was to read someone else's mind with Legilimency, even when the intended target was actively trying to help you do so. By the end of his first Legilimency lesson, all Harry had to show for himself was a splitting headache and a vague feeling that Mr X (or rather the secondary persona whose false memories Mr. X had encouraged him to read) liked the Tutshill Tornados Quidditch Club, dark chocolate, and possibly a large orange tabby. Actual memories were still beyond the boy.

At the end of the lesson, Harry looked at the clock and saw that he still had a few more minutes before Artie and Mr. Y came in to oversee the Memory Lock Charm and ensure that Mr. X remembered nothing he might have learned from his psychic lessons with Harry. The boy thought for a moment and decided that there was no time like the present.

"Mr. X, before we break for the day, I have a question for you. Or more accurately ... an offer. I happen to know someone who is looking for a high level Legilimens for a job."

The other man, whose features Harry couldn't truly see due to special Notice Me Not Charms, studied the boy quizzically. "A ... job. I find it interesting how much portent you can impose on a one-syllable word like 'job,' Mr. Potter. If I didn't know you better, I'd be certain that this job was something of which the Ministry might disapprove."

Harry bit his lip. For one of the few times since entering Hogwarts, he was unsure of how to proceed in a conversation with someone else. He assumed it was because the other man was a far better Occlumens and Legilimens than he would likely ever be. Finally, he decided to bite the bullet, since the man was not expected to remember anything Harry told him in just a few minutes.

"Well, to be honest, it's not entirely legal." Harry swallowed. "Actually, in all honestly, it's pretty wildly illegal. But I can promise that it will pay a lot. And I am fairly comfortable in saying there's no way you'll get caught. My ... friend has ... some minds he needs read. And while I admit it's technically a criminal enterprise, I can promise you that it's for a good cause."