Chapter 7: Occlumency, The Detection Layer
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.
He sat in his chair in their designated room, waiting for Quinn to arrive. While he waited, Alan thought about Quinn's progress.
'If Mr. West perseveres with no complaints, it will take him at least another four lessons to construct that shield. If he loses motivation, it may take him an entire month to build the detection layer.'
He broke out from his thoughts when he heard the door open and saw Quinn enter the room. Alan immediately put on a smile, thinking about what kind of emotion Quinn would show when he would mess with him during the lessons.
As usual, Quinn sat on his stool and spoke, "Good morning, Mr. Baddeley."
"A good morning to you as well, Mr. West. Are you ready for another try at building your detection layer?" Alan saw Quinn nod his head, so he continued, "Excellent! Before we start. I will once again explain the process. I will use legilimency to enter your mind and make my presence known. When I enter your mind, you will feel a sensation of heaviness in your head, on which you will concentrate and try to build a layer over your mind with the intent of feeling the heaviness when faced with a mental attack."
Quinn once again nodded, "Please, start. I am ready."
Alan made clear eye contact with Quinn and then used Legilimency to enter his mind. The moment he entered Quinn's mind, he saw a thin layer over covering Quinn's mind. Alan's eyes widened when he saw the layer, and then he looked at Quinn's face, which had a smile plastered upon it.
"Detection Layer, constructed and ready to detect any mental attacks.", said Alan with a cheeky and smug smile on his face.
Alan was only reading Quinn's emotion right now because if he was reading his surface thoughts, then he would have heard, "Take that, you shitty old man."
Alan retreated from Quinn's brain and stared at him, surprised, "How did you manage to build that layer? Last time, you weren't even close to constructing the layer."
Quinn puffed his chest and explained,
"After you left, I wasn't happy with my performance, so I kept on practicing and failing, until yesterday when I was able to cover my entire mind with the detection layer.
I have to say, it wasn't easy to imagine the sensation of heaviness while trying to cover my brain without you constantly in my mind. It took me maybe a hundred tries to get that layer with the correct intent."
Alan kept staring at Quinn and felt an intense urge to dive into Quinn's mind and see how he did it, but restrained himself. One didn't live for more than a century and fail to build up some form of self-control.
"Now that I have this layer, what are we going to do next?" Inquired Quinn, excited to learn the next stage of Occlumency defense.
Alan snapped out of his thoughts and explained the next stage, "The next stage is to strengthen your detection layer. We need to improve your detection capabilities so that you could detect mental attacks from master Legilimens."
Quinn felt his excitement deflate as he asked, "Let me guess, you will attack me while masking your attack and then wait for me to pick up on the attack."
Alan had recovered from his surprise and was back to feeling joyous as he looked at Quinn's deflated figure.
"How very insightful of you, Mr. West. Let's start, shall we?"
Quinn groaned as he got ready for another day of rinse and repeat. He sighed and asked for the details, "So, how does the process of strengthening my detection layer work?"
"It is quite simple. You see, there are quite a few ways to attack the mind. What I will do is simply employ different ways to attack your mind.
For example, I can puncture a hole in your layer and then pass through it or treat your detection layer as a cloth or sieve and let my magic filter through your layer without damaging it at all.
Every Legilimens has their own unique way of attacking the mind. If I attack you with various methods, then with time and practice, your detection layer will become more and more robust, and in the future, your layer will know what kind of attack we are facing."
Alan explained the process to which Quinn asked a question, "What about a type of attack which I have never faced before. Will my detection layer still detect that attack?"
Alan nodded and answered the question, "Yes, it will. Mr. West, a major property of magic, is that it works on intent. If you want your layer to detect an intruder, it will. All we are doing is helping it along the way.
By having you face different methods, I am making you believe you can detect different attacking methods. And Mr. West, Intent simply is the belief that you can do what you want to accomplish."
Quinn wrote everything down and nodded to Alan. Then the new cycle of controlled mental attacks began. For the next three months, Alan would visit the West Manor twice a week and use various methods of attacking the mind.
Quinn's progress continued to surprise Alan. In twenty-four lessons, Quinn had learned to detect twenty-four different methods of breaking into the mind.
It was at that time when George asked Alan to give a report on Quinn's progress.
- (Scene Break) -
George and Alan sat in George's study to discuss Quinn's Occlumency progress.
"How is Quinn doing with his Occlumency lessons?" Asked George to Alan, who sat in the chair in front of the table.
Alan, with the usual smile on his face, reported. "Your grandson is extremely talented in Occlumency." Alan looked towards the table as he continued, "Your grandson isn't a natural occlumens, but I have seen no one who isn't a natural occlumens showcase this level of progress."
Natural Occlumens/Legilimens were people, who through pure instinct, learn how to perform Occlumency/Legilimency. If these people are taught mind arts, then their progress would be extremely fast. It was like teaching a Metamorphmagus how to do self-transfiguration. They would learn it without even trying it.
George tapped his fingers on the table and asked, "What are you implying?"
"I am currently teaching your grandson to detect mental attacks and am using different methods to attack his defenses. My original plan was to teach him to detect ten methods before moving forward to build his shields. But, in twenty-four lessons, he learned how to detect twenty-four different methods.
If he was a natural occlumens, he would have some kind of rudimentary defenses, but Quinn had no defense. I could walk into his mind like I was in the park."
Alan knew about this because he was a natural at both occlumency and legilimency. Before he even started learning both of these magic, he already had a rudimentary shield and could sense people's emotions when he looked into their eyes and concentrated. After he started learning, his progress was just as fast as Quinn's.
After hearing, George asked, "Then, what do you think is the reason for Quinn's quick progress."
Alan shrugged while giving his reason, "I have no idea. It just amazes me how quick he has progressed from scratch. He went from having no defenses to now being able to detect an intermediate Legilimens' attack with ease. I am quite excited to see his future progress."
[A/N: Novice < Intermediate < Master < Grandmaster(?)]
It would be a while before Alan would come to know the memories of Quinn's magical adventures and would think, 'Ah, this child is just good at magic.'
-*-*-*-*-*-
Quinn West - Eight years old - MC - Learning how to PROTECC his mind.
George West - Grandfather - Likes to spend time in his study.
Alan D. Baddeley - Teacher - Surprised to see Quinn's progress.
-*-*-*-*-*-
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Chapter 8: Occlumency, Defensive Shield
After three months of slaving away at detecting mental attacks, Quinn was finally ready to move onto the next stage. But, Quinn had to admit that the previous three months, even though tough, were extremely productive. His detection layer had gone from being a flimsy film to a potent screen that wouldn't let a legilimency attack go unnoticed.
Quinn felt excited as he was finally going to learn the next step. Just like for the past three months, Quinn arrived at the designated room and found Alan sitting in his wing chair. Alan could tell from Quinn's smile that he was excited about moving on to the next step.
Alan waited for Quinn to sit down on his stool before beginning. "Mr. West, you look excited. What is the occasion?"
If it had been any other day, Quinn would have glared at Alan for messing around, but today he was just too happy and excited to quarrel with Alan and laughed. "We are going to learn the next step. You said so in the last lesson."
Alan could understand Quinn's elation as he had been in contact with Quinn's emotion while improving Quinn's detection layer. While Quinn had been working diligently at improving his detection layer, he didn't find it enjoyable. He was fine the first month, he tolerated it in the second month, but in the third month, Alan could feel Quinn's boredom while working at new variations of mental attacks.
"Ah yes, the next step. So, Mr. West, can you tell me what is the next step?"
Quinn placed a book on the table and answered, "According to this book, the next step is building occlumency shields or simply mental shields."
The book in question was a book on Occlumency written by Alan. He titled it 'An Occlumens' Treasure Trove, Vol. 1.' Quinn was skeptical reading the title, but he knew better to judge a book by its cover, and he was right, as the contents of the book justified the gaudy title. Quinn hadn't completed reading the guide, but what he had read was insightful.
The book was one of the reasons that Quinn could complete twenty-four methods in twenty-four lessons. The book was filled with theory, tips, tricks, and experiences. Quinn had read that and applied everything he understood to the practical lessons with Alan.
And while the book was a pleasure to read, at the same time, it was torture as Alan had spelled the book so that he couldn't read ahead. The spell only allowed Quinn to read the content related to the upcoming lesson and not a word ahead of that.
The only thing Quinn knew that volume one of this book had everything Alan would teach him and that there were two more volumes that Alan would give at the end of completion of the occlumency course. And Quinn couldn't buy this book in the market as it wasn't publicly available.
"I am happy that you are reading ahead. And, you are correct. The next step is building a shield for your mind. You have a detection layer which is excellent as it will alert you to the presence of the legilimens' attack. But nothing is keeping the attacker from entering your mind, as even if you know that there is an attack, you might not be able to stop the attacker in time.
You need a shield that would block the legilimens out of your mind. Even if your shields are not strong enough to keep the legilimens out indefinitely, it is still useful as it would give you enough time to counter-attack the attacker before they could break the shield and enter your mind."
Alan finished with the benefits and uses of an occlumency shield, to which Quinn asked a question, "Is it possible to create a shield that would be impenetrable to legilimency attacks."
Alan put his elbows on the table and rested his chin on his palm, "Mr. West, understand nothing is perfect. There will always be some way to break an occlumency shield. If a method is not found today, then it would be found in the future.
I have a philosophy that has served me well throughout the world. I resent perfection; attaining perfection means that there is no room to improve, that you have stopped growing and have reached a plateau in your development. Perfection stops you from exploring new ideas and hinders progress.
That is why focusing on progress is the key. It motivates you to keep going and encourages a mindset of learning. When you make progress, it gives you a reason to celebrate and help you gain satisfaction from your work.
Perfectionism isn't sustainable because life is ever-changing. There will always be new trials and tribulations that will sway you from your target. You need to be nimble and flexible to manage all the challenges life hands you. By focusing on progress, you can easily overcome obstacles because you know there will be ups and downs. Know you don't have to be perfect. Know that the path to success isn't a straight line. This knowing keeps you on the path to success."
Alan's words mesmerized Quinn. He didn't understand the meaning behind Alan's words, but they sounded inspiring, and maybe someday he would understand them, but for now, he would just remember these words.
Alan cleared his throat, "Ahem, we got off-topic. Let's return to the topic on-hand."
Quinn shook his head, "No, that was inspirational, but yes, let's return to shields."
Alan nodded and continued, "Building a shield is a simple yet arduous process. Unlike the detection layer, where you had to complete building the layer in one fell swoop, we build the shield bit by bit.
You need to cover the bottom side of your detection layer with a shield. How you want to build that shield is up to you. You can build the shield, like building a wall with layering bricks next to each other, or you can paint the inside of your detection layer until shield layers pile up and result in a thick shield.
There is no fixed way of building a shield, and you have to see what suits you. In the book, I have mentioned many methods that you can use to build your shield, but you are free to think of a way of your own, and we can discuss it.
For now, let's discuss how the process works..."
- (Scene Break) -
After that lesson, Quinn opened Alan's book on Occlumency and found that the section with shield construction was now readable, so he began reading the given examples. After reading through them, he didn't find a method that appealed to him.
Thus began the find for a shield that would make Quinn believe it was strong and reliable. Alan had explained to Quinn that he needed his construction method to be strong, as the intent was important for the shield's success.
So, after a few days of thinking, Quinn came with a method that he thought was best for him, and in the next lesson, Quinn relayed his thoughts to Alan via a drawing of his shield structure.
Alan looked at the drawing asked, "Mr. West, why do you think this structure is best for you. I will be honest; my first impression of this structure is not positive."
On the sheet of paper was a honeycomb structure. Hexagons lined next to each other, one hexagon covered by six other hexagons.
Quinn nodded and explained, "I took inspiration from the beehive. I know the structure that this structure is strong and very efficient to build."
Alan sighed and argued, "Mr. West, you might be true, but you are building a shield. Each of these hexagons is a hole through which a legilimens could drive his attack through."
Quinn put out his counter-argument, "Who said that I am only building a single layer of this structure. I am going to build layers upon layers of this so that there is no gap left. I will connect each hexagon to six hexagons by the sides but also connect the layers to each other."
He looked at Alan and said, "And, Mr. Baddeley..."
"Yes?"
Quinn smiled and declared, "I believe that this method is strong."
Alan's eyes widened, and he ended up smiling, "If this is what you want, then we will proceed with this structure."
The reason Quinn wanted to proceed with layered hexagon layers was not that bees used it in beehives. But, because it was the structure of the strongest material known to man, Graphene. He wanted to emulate Graphene's structure and make an excellent base for his defenses.
Quinn did not know why Graphene was the toughest material and didn't understand the science behind it. He only knew that it was made of hexagons, so he chose multiple graphene layers as his shield.
Quinn felt that he didn't need to understand the science behind Graphene's strength and only needed to believe that it was strong, and Quinn did believe that Graphene was strong, so he believed his shield would be effective.
After finalizing the structure of Quinn's shield, Alan began explaining the process, "Mr. West, you will start by focusing on your detection layer, then you will build a hexagon underneath the detection layer. Finally, you will build hexagons and interlock them with each other.
One hexagon at a time, you will build the first level of your shield. Next, you will repeat this entire process again and construct another layer, which you will lie on the first layer and connect the two layers."
Alan continued to explain the finer details of the process, and after he was finished, Quinn asked, "How many layers do I have to build?"
Alan showed three fingers and said, "You have three months to complete your shield. It will be up to your hard work and understanding how many you can build."
Alan sat straight, "Just like the detection layer, I will attack you with controlled legilimency, but it will be only on specific parts of your mind. This method is my own creation; combining targeted legilimency and your completed detection layer would help you focus on those specific parts of your mind.
I will stimulate specific parts of your detection layers, which will help you focus on those parts, and you will build hexagons on the targeted parts."
Quinn nodded, and they began the process. When Alan used Legilimency on Quinn, Quinn felt quite different, unlike the last three months, where the sensation of heaviness covered his entire head, but this time only a small part of his head felt the heaviness.
Quinn didn't start the construction process and asked, "How are you doing this?"
Alan spoke as they maintained eye contact, "Mr. West, my legilimency skills are much greater than your occlumency skills. I can deceive your detection layer to make it think that only specific parts of your mind are being targeted.
This method only works when there is an enormous gap between the legilimens and occlumency. If the legilmens and occlumens are closely matched in capabilities, then the legilimens won't be able to deceive the occlumens' defenses.
Even if you have built a detection layer, I can bypass it without triggering any response. It will be years before you can keep me out of your mind."
Quinn sighed at the implied meaning. He knew that if he kept on working on his occlumency skills, and then by the time Quinn was ready to join a magical school, he would be capable enough to protect himself.
But, Quinn had a hunch that even by the time he was ready to join a magical school, it would be exceedingly difficult to keep someone like Alan out of his mind. Alan was a mind art specialist, and that a century of experience would be difficult to catch up in a few years.
Quinn began building his first hexagon, and just as Alan had said, creating shield hexagons was easy, but he knew that he had a long way to go as one layer of hexagons comprised of ten thousand hexagons interlocked with each other.
So, a lengthy process of creating countless numbers of hexagons began. In ten weeks, Quinn constructed ten layers of hexagons. And in the remaining two weeks of the agreed three months, Quinn went through every single hexagon and made sure that they connected every neighboring hexagon. Every layer also needed to be connected to the neighboring layers in an offset manner.
- (Scene Break) -
Quinn groaned as he banged his head once on the table. The past three months were yet another kind of struggle as Quinn had become numb while building one hundred thousand hexagons over three months.
He looked at Alan and asked, "Are we done? I don't think I can keep this up anymore. I would be happy to continue building more of my shield, but can we do it after some time? I am really sick of building hexagons every day."
While Quinn's production was the best when Alan was using legilimency on him, Quinn had taken upon himself to build hexagon shield-units outside of the lessons. He dedicated a couple of hours every day to his occlumency shield, and three months of this was Quinn's limit.
He hadn't said a peep to Alan in these three months, and even though Alan could feel the complaint through Quinn's emotions, but hadn't heard a single word of complaint from Quinn's mouths. But, after completing and connecting ten layers for his shield, Quinn begged for a change.
Alan smiled and gave Quinn the joyous news, "Mr. West, I had set the target time for your shield as three months, and in the last lesson, those three months were over, and I am happy to inform you that you have created a respectable shield, so we would be moving on to the next step."
Alan wasn't expecting Quinn to build ten layers. He knew Quinn was talented, but talent wasn't everything, and talent needed hard work to show extraordinary results. He thought Quinn would begin slacking off, and that thought was reinforced because he was in contact with Quinn's emotion in every lesson, so it was no secret that Quinn wasn't particularly thrilled doing the mind-numbing task.
But, Alan was wrong. Even though Quinn wasn't thrilled about the task, he nevertheless did the task without slacking off. The result showed work put in as Quinn had constructed and connected one-hundred thousand hexagons.
"The next and the final step to your defenses the last line of defense.", Alan said, revealing that they had reached the third and final part of an occlumency defense.
Quinn tilted his head and said, "The final step?"
Alan nodded and explained, "Let's imagine that a legilimens attack you; he or she passes through your detection layer, detected or undetected. Then they break through your shield by either breaking it or bypassing it without you knowing.
Now, what? We are at the mercy of the legilimens, so we will build a last line of defense. Something that will at least delay the attacker from accessing your mind."
Alan pointed to himself and continued, "For example, I am a legilimens, and when a legilimens attack you, they create a connection between mind, and I can use that connection to stop them by deploying a counter-attack."
"So, what will be my last line of defense," Quinn asked with excitement laced in his voice.
A smile appeared on Alan, which didn't bode well with Quinn, "Because I only trained you in the defense part of occlumency, your last line of defense would be another detection layer and a thinner shield."
Quinn was sure that he heard his mind broke, as he, for the first time since the start of the occlumency lessons, refused, "No, just no. I don't want to repeat that. Please, give me some alternate. I want to learn something else. You said that you can use legilimency as the last line of defense, teach me that."
Alan shrugged and replied, "Mr. West, I was hired to teach you how to defend your mind against legilimency. I am not contractually obligated to teach you anything else."
Quinn bit his lower lip and began tapping the table with his finger, and a few moments later, he spoke, "What if I ask my grandfather to alter your contract. Would you teach me then?"
Alan went silent and began thinking. This wasn't the first time a client had asked to extend or alter the service period. Usually, he would consider the pay and the student before extending his services, but never in his teaching career had he extended a service that came with a magical contract.
Magicals didn't like magical contracts binding them, and Alan wasn't any different. He only signed magical teaching contracts if the requirements weren't too severe and the pay was worth it.
Alan glanced at Quinn and thought about his latest student and the progress he had shown. People with natural talents were rare; he could count natural legilimens on his fingers. A magical like himself who was a natural at both legilimency and occlumency was once in a generation talent.
But, never had he seen a child who could learn this fast despite not being natural. Alan contemplated his options, and after thinking for a few minutes, Alan came to a decision.
He looked at Quinn and declared, "I would like to talk to your grandfather. Please, confirm if he is free to meet me right now."
Quinn's eyes shined as he wasted no time; he jumped off his stole and ran out of the room. It was ten minutes before Quinn returned to the room with a slight smile on his face, "Grandfather would like to see you know."
Alan nodded and stood up, ready to meet his client and see the future of his employment.
- (Scene Break) -
Quinn paced outside his grandfather's study. He didn't know what they were talking about as he wasn't allowed inside, so he could only restlessly pace outside the study, waiting for the two adults to come to a conclusion.
Quinn had to wait for half an hour before he was asked to come inside the study. He entered the study quickly and saw them sitting in their respective chairs, waiting for him.
He quietly sat on the empty chair before his grandfather asked, "Quinn, Mr. Baddeley, and I have come to a decision."
Quinn gulped as he waited for his grandfather to continue. George stared at Quinn as he asked, "We have decided to extend Mr. Baddeley's contract, and he would be teaching you another aspect of occlumency."
Quinn stayed silent, he was calm on the outside, but inside he was burning with curiosity and excitement.
Alan turned to face Quinn and asked, "Mr. West, do you remember the basic aspects of occlumency?"
Quinn immediately responded with the answer, "There are three basic aspects of occlumency; defense, emotion, and efficiency. I am currently learning the aspect of defense."
Alan nodded and said, "As you heard, your grandfather and I have come to a decision that I would be teaching you another aspect of occlumency, but the choice of said aspect is yours, so tell us which aspect would you like to learn?"
Not a second had passed before Quinn blurted out his answer, "I would like to learn the aspect of efficiency."
George and Alan watched Quinn, but they didn't ask him why, instead George put out some conditions.
"Quinn, if you want to learn another aspect, you would have to complete your defense aspect training. I heard you refused to work on it today, so if you want to start learning another aspect, you need to complete the current task."
Quinn fought the urge to groan and resigned himself to the conditions, "I understand."
That day it was decided that Quinn would learn another aspect of occlumency.
-*-*-*-*-*-
Quinn West - MC - Eight years old - Wants to learn something new.
Alan Baddeley - Teacher - Extended his contract before free agency.
George West - Grandfather - Has loads of money.
-*-*-*-*-*-
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