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Chapter Seventeen: Leglimancy
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THE DARK LORD'S LAIR
"Leglimens," muttered the Dark Lord. It was difficult without eye contact, but he could still see into the Boy-Who-Lived's mind. Memories flashed before his eyes. He probed deeper now than he ever had before.
A burst of green light; a flying motorbike with a sea of lights below; a dark cupboard; unwrapping a pack of dog biscuits; standing on a school roof; letters flying down a chimney; Rubeus Hagrid sitting in a hut; an unconscious troll; a serpentine face in a dark chamber; a House-Elf in a Muggle kitchen; a flying Ford Anglia; a message daubed on the wall; the Chamber of Secrets; an obese woman inflated in that Muggle kitchen; Black's escape in the paper; a Dementor; falling from a broom during a storm; a room of battered furniture; aback a Hippogriff; a decimated Muggle living room; Frank Bryce's death; the Quidditch World Cup; the Goblet of Fire; a dragon; merpeople; Diggory's death; Prior Incantatem; a pair of Dementors; a Dark Wizard's house; a bloody hand; two boys riding brooms out of Hogwarts; someone being Stunned as seen from a high tower; the Room of Prophecy; Black falling, dead-
*****
"NOOO!" screamed Harry, closing his mind as tight as he could. "Protego!"
*****
The Dark Lord uttered no cry as his own memories flashed.
*****
An orphanage; a toddler being shut in a wardrobe; surrounded by older boys; a parchment letter; the Sorting Hat; Dumbledore before a class-
*****
"Occlumens," muttered the Dark Lord. His mind was stronger; he had had practise.
*****
DUMBLEDORE'S OFFICE
"Yes, Harry?" asked Dumbledore. Harry glanced round the room. A tantrum at the end of last year had cleared some of the tables. They were now full again with different gadgets.
"Professor, Voldemort used Leglimency on me," said Harry urgently.
"Really?" Dumbledore looked surprised. "Already? He must be desperate." Harry was absolutely bewildered. Dumbledore chuckled. "Voldemort is running out of ideas, so he is concentrating on how to kill you. From what Mr Weasley tells me, the job was nearly done for him."
"Yes, Professor - I've been meaning to talk to you about that."
"Though I regret to admit it, I cannot punish the culprits, Harry."
"What! But th-they tried to kill Hermione!"
"Yes, Harry, but their families will deny it, and will make considerable contributions to good causes to prove their legitimacy."
Harry could not believe his ears. "How can they get away with it?"
Dumbledore sighed. "The Ministry understands money - they always have and always will. Money is, in their opinion, the only factor to be considered when estimating a family's worth. They care nothing for character. Look at the Weasleys. Fudge disliked them for two reasons: they were blood traitors and were not millionaires. He favoured the Malfoys for their millions and unwavering 'support' of the Ministry."
*****
THE DARK LORD'S LAIR
The Dark Lord sighed. If nothing else, he had learned that Black's death was the Boy's most painful memory. He chuckled evilly, rose and looked in the mirror. Staring back at him was the most faithful servant. The only faithful servant, in fact.
Chapter Seventeen: Leglimancy
::::::-------------
THE DARK LORD'S LAIR
"Leglimens," muttered the Dark Lord. It was difficult without eye contact, but he could still see into the Boy-Who-Lived's mind. Memories flashed before his eyes. He probed deeper now than he ever had before.
A burst of green light; a flying motorbike with a sea of lights below; a dark cupboard; unwrapping a pack of dog biscuits; standing on a school roof; letters flying down a chimney; Rubeus Hagrid sitting in a hut; an unconscious troll; a serpentine face in a dark chamber; a House-Elf in a Muggle kitchen; a flying Ford Anglia; a message daubed on the wall; the Chamber of Secrets; an obese woman inflated in that Muggle kitchen; Black's escape in the paper; a Dementor; falling from a broom during a storm; a room of battered furniture; aback a Hippogriff; a decimated Muggle living room; Frank Bryce's death; the Quidditch World Cup; the Goblet of Fire; a dragon; merpeople; Diggory's death; Prior Incantatem; a pair of Dementors; a Dark Wizard's house; a bloody hand; two boys riding brooms out of Hogwarts; someone being Stunned as seen from a high tower; the Room of Prophecy; Black falling, dead-
*****
"NOOO!" screamed Harry, closing his mind as tight as he could. "Protego!"
*****
The Dark Lord uttered no cry as his own memories flashed.
*****
An orphanage; a toddler being shut in a wardrobe; surrounded by older boys; a parchment letter; the Sorting Hat; Dumbledore before a class-
*****
"Occlumens," muttered the Dark Lord. His mind was stronger; he had had practise.
*****
DUMBLEDORE'S OFFICE
"Yes, Harry?" asked Dumbledore. Harry glanced round the room. A tantrum at the end of last year had cleared some of the tables. They were now full again with different gadgets.
"Professor, Voldemort used Leglimency on me," said Harry urgently.
"Really?" Dumbledore looked surprised. "Already? He must be desperate." Harry was absolutely bewildered. Dumbledore chuckled. "Voldemort is running out of ideas, so he is concentrating on how to kill you. From what Mr Weasley tells me, the job was nearly done for him."
"Yes, Professor - I've been meaning to talk to you about that."
"Though I regret to admit it, I cannot punish the culprits, Harry."
"What! But th-they tried to kill Hermione!"
"Yes, Harry, but their families will deny it, and will make considerable contributions to good causes to prove their legitimacy."
Harry could not believe his ears. "How can they get away with it?"
Dumbledore sighed. "The Ministry understands money - they always have and always will. Money is, in their opinion, the only factor to be considered when estimating a family's worth. They care nothing for character. Look at the Weasleys. Fudge disliked them for two reasons: they were blood traitors and were not millionaires. He favoured the Malfoys for their millions and unwavering 'support' of the Ministry."
*****
THE DARK LORD'S LAIR
The Dark Lord sighed. If nothing else, he had learned that Black's death was the Boy's most painful memory. He chuckled evilly, rose and looked in the mirror. Staring back at him was the most faithful servant. The only faithful servant, in fact.