Incorruptible
Chapter 4
Occulumency

Bits and pieces of his dreams darted in and out of unconscious memory, leaving Harry with a jumble of unordered dreams. He was eleven when Hagrid came to visit him, to tell him of his birthright. The half-giant's cake was squished yet Harry appreciated him all the same, glad to have cake for once on his birthday. It warmed his heart deeply, to have made his first friend.

Suddenly, he was in the Great Hall of Hogwarts, unfamiliar with the faces around him. This was a new world, one that would allow him to carve his place in history. He was special, even beyond all the others here that wielded same power that coursed through his veins. Tracing a finger on the yew wand, he raised his head to peer at the enchanted ceiling. The stars shined upon him with their ethereal glow, pulsating at times as if to confirm his thoughts. Sure enough, when the Sorting Hat was moved near him, it yelled Slytherin, not needing to come into contact with his head unlike the other students. Tom Marvolo Riddle broke into a grin, truly feeling happy for the first time that he could remember. He finally had a place where he belonged.

The world became jumbled once more, incomprehensible scenes flickering through his mind. Coherence started once more and he was flying his broom for the first time, wind sweeping his hair back and making it messier than it already was. The setting sun lit Howgarts with such a radiance that it was breathtaking to look at. Without realizing it, his feet were on the ground and he had been walking. From where he did not know and yet he crossed the grounds with purpose, the knowledge he acquired caused him to move with haste. Slughorn was the man he was looking for. If he possessed the knowledge, and Tom Marvolo Riddle was certain the Potions Master did, for his instinct was never wrong, then this would be the second best day of his life. With a Horcrux, he thought, it would be the second best day of his soon immortal life. Stopping once to gaze at the majestic castle, the one place he called home, he reflected upon its beauty before moving onto his destination.

The dreams flashed through his head, and many would be lost upon waking though some would stay ingrained in his head as part of his memory. Eventually he woke with a start, hearing the sound of Dumbledore whistling some tune. The smell of breakfast permeated the air and his stomach grumbled with hunger. As he readied himself to get out of bed, he could not help but think how vivid the dreams were, how real they felt. Yet it was somehow less potent, unlike the memories he gained underneath the water. All the same, he felt disturbed to have the dreams of Voldemort's childhood.

Thought, what really alarmed him was that it felt as if it was his own childhood. He could feel every emotion that ran through the young Tom Riddle. They were so similar yet so different. Both were jubilant to discover that they were wizards and both were at their happiest when they were sorted, that it was not some horrible joke. Very much like Harry, Riddle was ecstatic once he had found his place. With a start, it dawned upon him that during Riddle's walk to find the man named Slughorn, Riddle also considered Hogwarts his home, the one place they both never wanted to leave from.

Shaking his head to clear the thoughts running through his mind, he entered the common room. The fire crackled while the wood occasionally whistled. Polished stone decorated the elegant fireplace, created by Dumbledore's masterful spellwork. Leaves were dancing to a melody that whispered through the branches and the trees around them. In all, Harry thought it was quite relaxing as he made his way to the common room couch, also transfigured and charmed by the former headmaster. Though the cushioning charm provided him with great comfort, it often masked the couch's return to its natural state. That is, the charm would unravel the instant Untransfiguration had occurred, leaving him lying on a log without the slightest bit of warning. On the other hand, the armchair he created from a combination of his own talent and Voldemort's memories was nowhere near in an acceptable condition. Dumbledore, the eccentric man that he was, chose to sit in that chair.

"Good morning, Harry. A fine morning is it not," the man questioned, sipping on some rather aromatic coffee.

"Sir, I saw him again. Through his eyes, that is."

Dumbledore closed the little book that he had been writing in and placed it in his breastpocket. His face shifted from pleasant to a more serious state.

"Good or bad, Harry?"

He thought back to all the memories that he had seen throughout the past few weeks and they all were the same.

"Good, Professor. Like all the other dreams, it's been good. But Professor Dumbledore, you never explained to me about this term that keeps appearing, something that I don't quite understand."

He steeled himself, at once nervous yet excited, unsure of the cause of these emotions.

"Could you explain to me what a Horcrux is?"

Dumbledore peered at him over his half moon spectacles, the light glinting off its golden frames. The man's eyes seemed to peer through him, suggesting that all of his secrets were laid bare. A corner of his head felt light while an almost imperceptible sensation of itching took place beneath his scalp. No, he thought and gingerly resisted the Dumbledore's intrusion. The former headmaster pulled back his attack immediately. Dumbledore was a great Legilimens, but he was an even better teacher. As such, he was able to perceive the subtle invasion aided by a few weeks of mental healing and superb instruction.

"Well done, Harry. What tipped you off to my presence?"

Harry buzzed with excitement. The last time he had been able to detect Dumbledore in his mind was when he asked for his wand. He learned that Dumbledore had applied much more force that time, thinking that he would be going up against the mental fortifications of Voldemort. The man scaled back the strength of intrusion during the Occlumency sessions, reducing it so that it decreased each day. It forced him to take notice of the most minute of changes in his mind, greatly enhancing his perception within him and outside of him.

"My head was itching, Professor. Ever so slightly, like as if I hadn't showered."

The former headmaster laughed, breaking his serious mood.

"Thankfully, I've provided us with accommodations so that we would not have to face such unpleasantness from each other."

"And the accommodations are great, Professor. The water from the shower is always at a perfect temperature."

"Excellent, but we are digressing from the point. To answer your question, I'm afraid you must wait a bit longer. The seriousness of such a dark subject can only be discussed after our stomachs are full and our needs fulfilled. Only then, will our minds be up to the task. So, let us enjoy this wonderful breakfast that I have cooked, all without using a single spell."

The breakfast was quite wonderful as Dumbledore had said. The wizard was a man of many talents and he seemingly excelled at all of these talents. Very much like a polymath that Dumbledore had once met , a man named Walter Russell.

"The most important piece of knowledge I have gained from this man is his theory of light."

Harry bit down on the piece of bacon, eliciting a loud crunch. Dumbledore took a swig from his glass of pumpkin juice while Harry questioned him.

"What was his theory, Professor?"

Dumbledore took a moment to respond his brow furrowing, trying to formulate the correct words.

"Light is truth. I fear I am remiss for not quoting Russell's exact words but he suggests that light- which shines from the sun, the stars, the moon, and even lamp posts – holds information and knowledge, truth that cannot be manipulated."

"What does that mean, sir? Through schooling, I know the muggles send light between computers to transfer information and such. Fiber optics and whatnot."

"Though impressive and useful, it is quite trivial and simplistic Harry," Dumbledore made a gesture of dismissal and then became quite passionate as he began his lecture.

"While Russell was a muggle, one that I had met in America while on a mission, his theory goes beyond such naïve usage. It is something that, should one choose to accept it, would push the boundaries of what we know about magic and science. Russell had no knowledge of magic but I posited the existence of such a force and we began our thought experiment."

Harry leaned forward in his seat, expecting that Dumbledore was about to reveal some groundbreaking piece of knowledge. Throughout the past few weeks, he had learned much from the old wizard and he knew he would never view magic the same way that he did when he was at Hogwarts.

"What happened then," Harry asked with restrained excitement.

"Unbeknownst to Russell, I used real magical principles in our discussion. It led to a fierce debate on why such a powerful force would have laws that must be followed, but in the end we made quite a discovery."

To emphasize his point, Dumbledore reached into a robe pocket and placed a gleaming silver lighter onto their table. It was quite ordinary besides its highly polished appearance. In the past, he would have lost his excitement at the sight such an ordinary object, but Dumbledore taught him that not all things were as they appeared.

"This Harry, is a Deluminator, my most prized possession. It is the culmination of a lifetime of learning and perhaps, my greatest achievement."

"What does it do, Professor?"

"It allows the user to extinguish the light in a place by storing it in the lighter. After it has served its purpose, the light can be restored to its original location."

Dumbledore nodded at the lighter and Harry took the magical device in his hands. It was cool to the touch and was very light. Testing the nature of the device, he flicked open the top, pressed down on the striker wheel and lit a flame. To his surprise, it functioned as a regular lighter as well.

"As you have noticed, it does serve the purpose that you would expect it to. However, knowing what I have told you about Russell's theory and having been taught to broaden your perception, what can you discern is different about the Deluminator?"

Harry turned the Deluminator every which way, viewing it from all angles, searching for a hidden physical clue. There were no imperfections as far as he could tell and then the idea flashed into his head. Struck by the thought, he flicked the flint and an orange flame burst into life. Taking the napkin in one hand, he touched a corner of the napkin to it and watched it burn, ruining his theory. Disappointed at the result, his frowning face met that of Dumbledore's amused gaze.

"I was so sure that the flame was a fake. I thought that maybe, it wasn't real."

Dumbledore flicked his wand, sending a stream water from it which drenched the now ruined napkin. Satisfied that their tent wasn't going to burn down, he turned his attention to Harry.

"Very good, Harry. At the very least, you have verified that it is indeed a true flame, not one embellished by illusion," the rather wise wizard continued to speak but Harry paid him no heed, his eye was drawn to the flame from the lighter.

The fire was flickering, hues of blue at the very bottom and bright orange at the very top. It drew him in, dancing as if the flame was alive. He stretched out with his senses, with wonder and curiosity, knowing that there was more to this object. Then he opened his mind to impossibility and began to perceive it for what it really was and then, his thumb moved on its own volition flicking the flint wheel not down, but up.

Shock spread throughout his limbs as the fire transformed from a bright orange to a cool blue. He let out his breath which he did not know he was holding and it extinguished the flame. He had no idea what no idea what possessed him to reverse the direction of the wheel, but it had worked. Astounded by his success, he looked away from the blue flame to see Dumbledore's proud face. Dumbledore reached for the lighter and Harry handed it to him, the man pocketing it within his robes.

"Professor Dumbledore, I don't understand. How did I know to do that?"

"Magic leaves many traces and whispers many of its secrets. You Harry, have begun to hear such whispers of truth. This is a skill that is beyond Hogwarts curriculum, for it is quite difficult to grasp and the Ministry's in its infinite wisdom, long ago decided that there was no use for such a talent," Dumbledore got up from his seat and began pacing, taken up by his passion.

"I have repeatedly met with the Ministry, lectured them on the use of this magic and the advancement and understanding it could bring but they deemed it was too difficult. Have I ever given you a book from my collection or my own notes on such a topic?"

Indeed, Dumbledore taught him by experience with enchanted objects and during their practical lessons, sent spells close against his skin, teaching him to feel the different magic that whizzed through the air.

"No Professor, I learned from practice and feel."

Dumbledore snapped his fingers in agreement.

"Exactly! And I have tried to teach them of such magic, but with closed minds and without theories and incantations, they could not understand this talent," Dumbledore sighed with disappointment before continuing his diatribe.

"So, despite repeated attempts, I have not had success at implementing this skill into Hogwarts' curriculum. Yet today I feel quite successful, for you have learned to harness this talent and in doing so, you have passed your second test today."

"Then we can onto the next stage of Occlumency?"

"Precisely, I do believe it is time we start the next process in your education. But first, we must clear this table. A mess that is left alone will always remain a mess. I trust that your Scouring Charm will be more refined this time?"

Harry chuckled at Dumbledore's little quip, amused by the man's oddity.

"Yes sir, I've been working on it during my own time. I won't scrub off the finishing of the plate this time."

"See to it that you don't, Harry. Otherwise, you would gain more experience from the Reparo charm. Now, having become a learned man in the matters of Perception, do as I do and try to emulate the feel for how I'll cast this charm. Wand movements and incantations bind us into rigidity, but magic itself is beyond these limitations and does not require language and angles to work."

With that, the former headmaster waved his wand and Banished everything into the sink, splitting everything into two. Harry prepared himself for the task, taking into heart the advice that Dumbledore repeated so often.

"Scourgify!"

Dumbledore's wand motions were exaggerated yet precise but Harry always ignored this part of the test and focused on his goal. He prepared his mind to understand, to feel and to perceive, and this time he ignored the absurdity that he felt and listened to the magic. There was no light to accompany the spell but now, he could have sworn he felt it leave the man's wand. In previous lessons, he thought he had imagined it but this time he knew it was real. It felt purposeful and clean, yet there seemed to be a hint of lightness to it.

Harry's eyebrows rose up in surprise as he identified the lightness sensation. Dumbledore had cast some sort of levitation spell with the Scouring Charm. This was new to him, yet he raised his wand and mentally prepared himself before casting the spell. Harry was tempted to verbalize the spell in his head, but instead he pressed sensations of cleanliness, lightness, purpose, and belief through the wand, his mind's eye visualizing the desired effect. The dishes on his side of the sink rose, some nearly touching the ceiling but the dishes began cleaning themselves.

"Bravo," Dumbledore exclaimed, happy for Harry's success. Puzzled by Harry's overpowered levitation, Dumbledore addressed the issue with what Harry thought was a joke.

"…though I'm not sure if my dishes would be as clean since it does not have as high of an exposure to the air. Nevertheless, that was a magnificent first attempt and with refinement and practice, you will be quite capable."

"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore, for everything. Without you, I don't think I would have ever viewed magic this way or been able to do that."

Harry gestured towards the sink, his heart pounding with excitement from new capabilities. He was absolutely thrilled and it showed on his face. He felt the corners of his mouth spread into a big grin, happy for the first time in a while. It seemed so long ago when he had lost everything, but now he was truly content, almost unaffected by the past.

"Learning is one of the most amazing gifts in life, teaching an even better gift. Watching a student's eyes open wide with wonder and understanding brings me great joy. It is why I chose this job in the first place and for once, I was not feared."

"Feared, sir?"

"For a time, Harry, I was not the man I am today. I desired power and I used almost any means at my disposal to get it. I traveled far and wide and in many different circles, some involved in highly illicit activities. I was young and youth had made me a fool to its nature."

"What did you do?"

Dumbledore pinched the bridge of his crooked nose, unhappy with his past choices.

"Fear, intimidation, thievery were not above me. I made many friends and many enemies but in doing so, I gained knowledge and power, things I was looking for. But it was my actions after I realized the errors of my ways that created such fear."

"Your wand," Harry responded with certainty in his voice.

"Indeed, I had joined the Ministry as an Auror, learning to track, deceive, and infiltrate, turning my wand against many of my former acquaintances in order to redeem myself, though my methods may have been harsh at times. In doing so, my feats were published and chronicled, thus infiltration was no longer effective. I had built an incredible resume, and I would at times find myself in foreign countries on covert Ministry assignments."

"You were a spy," Harry asked with shock, knowing that he must looked awfully stupid with his mouth wide open.

Dumbledore looked terribly smug and demonstrated the broad knowledge held in his rather impressive brain.

"Well, you could say I was James Bond in a time when our office was known as the Secret Service Bureau."

"Wait, you mean like the Secret Intelligence Service? Isn't that a muggle branch?"

"Indeed it was. The SSB was the predecessor for the modern SIS. Following my rise in infamy, I disappeared into the muggle world for a time. With a forged identity and rather minimal use of magic, I joined the service, looking for a different challenge. I used my wizarding clandestine experience at first but soon mastered the muggle way as well. I maintained a few contacts within the Auror department and with the Minister of the time and when needed, took care of the more delicate assignments that required my unique talents. After eroded memories decreased my infamy, I returned to the wizarding world and immediately took the Transfiguration post at Hogwarts. The rest as you know, is a part of history."

"That's amazing, sir. I had no idea you were involved in anything like that. I couldn't imagine it. It's certainly not in any of the books."

"I know of no other wizard who has made this type of migration and my even then, my foray into the muggle world has never filled any books or articles. Very few knew of it at the time and even fewer are alive to speak of such things. But now that I have overburdened you with new knowledge and many tales, it is time for you to not just sense change in your mind but to defend it from attack, to guard your precious memories."

They settled into the clearing outside of their tent. It was well shaded. The canopy above them prevented the sun from shining through. They stood about twenty feet from each other, the normal distance for Dumbledore's dueling lessons.

"Now Harry, the method which I am using to teach you is nothing like what you have read about Occlumency. My books which I have lent to you are, like the other books, are meant only to guide you to a certain understanding. The rest will be up to you."

This was highly surprising. Dumbledore stressed theory and understanding yet now, he was going back on his words. But after learning so much from the man, he couldn't help but trust his words.

"What do you mean, Professor? You mean I won't be clearing my mind, or not let my emotions get to me? Should I shield my mind like how the books describe?"

"No, it is only one process. One avenue for you to reach your desired destination but I believe this method will help you build a much stronger foundation and will be much more flexible, enabling you to defend yourself to a broad varieties of attacks. It is one that will be created from my intellect, our creativity, and your intuition."

"I'm guessing it has something to do with Perception and your method of spell casting?"

"Precisely," he cried, sparks shot from the man's raised wand due to his excitement.

"I trust you've been working on those shielding spells?"

"I have, sir. Would you like a Prostatevon Shield?"

"Hmm…it would be apt for this demonstration. Do you remember what I taught you about the best defense against any attack?"

Harry twirled his wand, brow furrowing in concentration. He recalled the countless hours he spent looking over spells, trying to get a feel for what others might use against him even if he could not remember it all.

"You said the best defense was knowledge, to know and understand what curse or spell was being used by our enemies."

"Well put, and if your information was lacking?"

"Shield against the unknown, hoping our will and conviction are enough to fortify our defense."

"And should your shield fail to protect you…"

Harry could not help himself and laughed at the thought of Dumbledore's last piece of advice. It was so simplistic, yet it was effective.

"Get out of the way."

"Very good Harry. I see I have taught you well."

Dumbledore chuckled with his student, the pair acting as if they had no concern for the massive amount of Ministry resources that was most certainly directed toward finding the two fugitives. It was strange as the thought occurred to him, Dumbledore never mentioned if they could be found here in their sanctuary or when they were leaving. But he didn't have time as he noted with alarm that Dumbledore had pointed his wand against him.

"And now, I will demonstrate to you how I will break your trusted Prostatevon Shield with nothing more than a tickling charm. Do not attempt to counter it other than casting a shield. On three, Harry."

"One."

Harry prepared himself, unsure if Dumbledore was being serious. Dumbledore himself had said that he should use this shield as a last result since it could block a greater variety of magic than the standard Protego. It was possible that Dumbledore could use another spell, hoping to catch him by surprise. Perhaps it was to instill doubt in his mind, thus reducing his defenses.

"Two."

"Prostatevo," he incanted, a calm blue shield shimmered into existence.

"Three, Rictusempra," the bearded wizard intoned and the spell rushed from the outstretched wand with blinding speed.

Harry was tempted to mentally verbalize the counter in his head, thus fortifying the shield with knowledge like Dumbledore had taught him which would reduce or in this case, completely nullify the spell. The charm flew so quickly that he barely had time to Perceive it but when he did, it almost made him drop his wand in shock. He felt the currents of laughter in the charm but underneath, it was simply wrong, feeling as if it was an abomination against him. Sure enough, he was right as the Prostatevon Shield burst into a thousand pieces of sparkly golden motes and laughter escaped his mouth.

"Finite," Dumbledore intoned, silencing the laughter that echoed through the clearing. Harry was in shock, once again impressed by Dumbledore's abilities.

"Professor, what was that?"

"That, Harry, is how you will counter my Legilimency and any attacks on your mind. Tell me, how did it feel?"

Had Harry not learned about Perception, he would have thought Dumbledore was asking how it felt to be bested by the most powerful wizard in the world.

"It felt, wrong as if it was everything that I was not. It felt personal, eager to attack me."
Dumbledore placed his wand in his belt, and then clapped his hands together, beginning his lesson.

"That is exactly what I intended. Beneath its purpose, I imbued what seemed to be the opposite of your magic, your essence, everything which made you, you. In doing so, I was able to penetrate you shield and if the flow were…"

The former headmaster did not get a chance to finish as Harry blurted out the rest of what Dumbledore was trying to say.

"Reversed, one could use it to block as well, for something like Occulumency!"

Dumbledore smiled and his eyes twinkled, mirroring his pupil's exciting discovery. A gentle breeze entered the clearing, making seem as this place also approved of this discovery.

"Well done, and now I want you to place your wand on the ground. Upon resisting my intrusion, you will follow with a Disarming Charm, attempting to break my hastily forming Protego. This will be your exam, Mr. Potter."

Dumbledore appeared stern but Harry knew the man was all about appearances. It was his way of having fun.

"Alright Professor, I'm ready when you are."

"Then we now duel not with our wands but with our minds, Legilimens!"