Muscle Memory [Xavier]

[blaise leo zabini]

OPEN

10.03.2024

A month had already gone by since the fall term had begun. Blaise, in all of his infinite wisdom, had thought it was a genius idea to take up the offer of becoming the Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, a position that had been plagued during his time at school and seemed to have difficulty maintaining any sort of tenure since. That was exactly what he needed, really. As if being bored to death by Obliviators and the unsatisfactory itch of the Hit squad wasn’t bad enough, now he had a target painted on his head. In his defense, the professors during his years were never that spectacular, each having severe flaws of their own that ultimately led to their untimely removal. Seven professors in seven years. Quite the notable record, actually. The goal was to make it through the two terms, the subsequent summer, and onto the fall term. Compared to those that ‘taught’ him, and that was a loose definition of teaching, since only a few actually managed to do so, Blaise was of far superior intellect and skill. He knew that, and everyone else would soon enough as well, if they didn’t already. The survival rate of two stints as a hit wizard decreased with each passing year, and despite his second go at it only lasting a matter of months, these were trying times and certainly more dangerous than when he had first joined up straight out of school and still wet behind the ears.

The students now were different than when he was there as well, that much he knew from his own two children. With Liona gone, it was easier to handle just his son at school, and who seemingly avoided him outside of class. Blaise didn’t blame him, it was strange to suddenly have a parent around constantly. The rest of the student body, and that was an extensive group, with the introduction of the loud, obnoxious American children this year, was subpar with their skills in the art. They knew the basics, sure, but it seemed to be the same old material that had been taught during his time, with very little updating done since he was last in the classroom. His experience as a hit wizard had already reared its ugly head, showing the older students defensive (and a few less dangerous offensive) spells that actually worked against someone trying to kill them, one of the things he wished had been given to him during his school years. The younger ones were stuck with learning about creatures and side-effects of dark magic, which was unfortunately necessary. If he was going to be stuck doing this job for a few years, he would have to build a new syllabus from scratch in order to teach what he wanted to teach. Right now, sticking to the typical lesson plan had to happen, at least until he got a bearing on what Hogwarts thought was a proper education against the dark arts.

Currently, Blaise was seated at his desk, flipping through a pile of essays, if they could actually be considered that, and grimacing at the lack of thought put into any of them. These were bloody fifth years! They should have known how to write a proper research paper by this point in time. Sooner or later, Defense Against the Dark Arts was going to be turned into a basic literacy and writing class. Then the students would learn to take this seriously. A pressure headache building at the bridge of his nose, Blaise massaged the cartilage as he leaned back in his chair. Paperwork and incompetence would always exist. No matter how often he tried to escape both of them, they seemed to be there. At least now he had the opportunity to nip the latter at the bud.

[Deleted]

School was back in session. Already a month in and the strength of the freedom he felt grew everyday. Ondina wasn’t here anymore so at the very least his corner of the Weasley family wasn’t there to pry into his affairs. Neither of his siblings were there to bother him and most of his other cousins left him alone for the most part. It was a freedom he enjoyed thoroughly. He was away from home and didn’t have to worry about hearing them argue. He didn’t have to worry about his parents watching over him. All of this meant that he could really do what he wanted now without having anyone question him. Most of the professors were too stupid and weren’t quick enough to catch on to anything he was doing so that really meant he could do what he wanted to. Being back at school meant that he could experiment more freely. He could fulfill his own curiosities. This thought is what had landed him outside of the office of one of their newest Professors. Blaise Zabini was a relatively well known name throughout the likes of the wizarding world. He’d been a hitwizard in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement, which meant he was more than qualified to teach the subject he’d been hired to. Xavier had to admit though that his Defense Against the Dark Arts curriculum had been been terribly dull so far compared to the career he’d pursued before.

It was the reason he’d opted to take the course his final year. A new professor with experience. He’d expected better. Boring teachings aside, he knew that more interesting experience lay beneath that. And he was hoping to dig into that for his own gain. He’d always wanted to learn Occlumency. It was the only way he’d be able to keep anyone out of his head, to keep anyone from just peeking into his mind and stealing his spell ideas. And he knew there were people out there who would love to get their hands on his ideas, alignment aside. So he’d figured he’d approach someone who’d probably had practice getting into people’s heads. Or at the very least knew someone who did that. It was a first step to getting what he wanted. He knocked on the doorframe to announce his presence before entering. He could see the professor was in the middle of grading assignments. Or being annoyed by the grading of said assignments if the look on his face was any indication. He wasn’t doing anything important then. ”Professor, do you have a moment?” he folded his hands behind his back as he stood just in the doorway.

Tag; blaise leo zabini

[blaise leo zabini]

@xavier

10.03.2024

The sharp rap of knuckles echoing off of the doorframe at the front of the classroom drew only Blaise’s eyes up from the papers he was grading. The weakness in the sound didn’t deserve his full attention just yet. He was sure that he had done a sufficient enough job in scaring all of the first, second, and third years into asking their questions during class time, but there was something about the knock that had him dreading the student at his door was one of them. Blaise fully expected to see a tiny child hovering around the edge of the door, quivering lip and nervous eyes, but was pleasantly surprised that it wasn’t one of them. He would take the fiery red-headed Weasley children any day over the common whelps. At least some of the ones in that extended family had a semblance of intelligence. This Weasley though, Blaise couldn’t recall the first name. He was one of the less memorable ones, meaning that he wasn’t the child of any of his former bosses. Setting down the pen in he had been grading with, Blaise sat up straight in his chair and beckoned the boy to step into the classroom. There was no reason to talk across the room like that.

“A moment?” Blaise looked down at the papers and then back up at Weasley. “You can have all the time in the world if it’ll keep me from reading any more of this shite.” The papers were swiftly stacked and pushed to the side of the desk, Blaise making sure there was a distinction between those he had already graded, and those he had not. The last thing he needed was to get the two mixed in with each other and then waste even more of his time separating them. “So what can I do for you today Weasley?”

[Deleted]

Xavier waited while the professor acknowledged the words he was saying and was given a bit of a surprise at the crude language he used in response. He didn't know if that meant that he was clearly making a mistake in choosing to approach him about the subject or if this was exactly who he was supposed to ask. Someone who would use such language in front of a student probably wouldn't mind teaching a student Occlumency. He kept his face neutral as he walked further into the classroom towards the desk where he sat, as he was bade to, before he chose to respond. ”I would like to learn Occlumency. I was wondering if you would be willing to teach me or if you knew someone who would be willing to if you're not up for the task.” he stood in front of the desk, his hands clasped behind his back as he spoke. Xavier had never been one to beat around the bush or provide thorough explanation where none was requested. It was better to get his needs out into the open up front. He was sure the man was going to have questions about why he had interest in learning the skill and, if he voiced them, he would provide the answers that he could. ”I just want information on how to train to be an Occlumens if you're able to provide it.” He didn't want anyone rummaging around in his head, every. And while he knew it would be better to have an Legilimens to train in Occlumency, he didn't think he would need it. If he could just get the basics down, he'd be able to tweak the form itself to make it work for him. To make it so no one could get into his head, no matter how powerful.

Tag; blaise leo zabini

[blaise leo zabini]

@xavier

10.03.2024

There was something pleasing about having a Weasley ask him for help. While the ones when he was in school with, the parents of the current infestation, weren’t particularly inclined in any specific areas of study, the Minister being the exception of course, some of their children had brains to make up for their elders’ lack of. The one in front of him was one of the more intriguing Weasley clan members, showing interest in magic in a way that his peers either missed entirely or weren’t interested in at all. Asking to be taught Occlumency was one of those moments, and Blaise felt a grin trying to force its way onto his face. He kept it where it was though, not wanting to show his true feelings on the topic. Occlumency was difficult – that was the softest way to broach the topic. Blaise had struggled immensely with it during his first round as a hit-wizard, and if the Weasley boy wanted to attempt to learn the magic whilst still in school, that would certainly be an admirable feat. Simply giving him the tools to learn on his own wouldn’t work though. Occlumency was one of those skills that required a partner, or at the least, someone that was willing to break into your mind without a second thought. Finding another student to do that, and to do it correctly, would be very hard to pull off. Too many things could go wrong when delving into the mind, especially without a trained Legilimens or professional like himself.

“Before we get any further, I have to ask you this,” Blaise stated, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. “Why? Is it because you feel like you’ve accomplished all other forms of magic, or do you want to hide your thoughts from interested parties? I need a good reason if I’m going to teach you, and if it’s to hide dirty little secrets, I don’t want to be seeing them in my head as well.” Technically that would never happen, since he was incapable of using Legilimens, but the warning was out there regardless. Blaise had other ways to break into people’s minds, and ripping out memories and thoughts was easier than most would think. The average Joe wouldn’t stand a chance against a witch or wizard with a solid grasp at memory charms, and it was astounding that there weren’t more crimes related to them.

[Deleted]

He clasped his hands a little bit tighter behind himself as the question he expected to come from the professor was spoken. What pleased Xavier, however, was the fact that he did want to teach him. With the way he spoke, there was no doubt in his mind that Professor Zabini would be the one to teach him the skill. It was a step in the right direction but he really did need to think about this. Did he really want a professor and former Hit Wizard swimming around in his thoughts? Xavier had done plenty of things that would seem... morally grey. He was certain many people had, including the man sitting in front of him. There was the issue of him being a member of the Purifiers. So far he hadn't done much work for them anyway. And it wasn't as if he was glaring with anti-muggleborn and anti-muggle sentiments. How much information could be hidden from the professor while he attempted to break into the walls of his memories and thoughts? How fast would he be able to pick up the skill in order to block the man from rooting around in his mind? How far would he try to go into his mind? He was silent for a moment, concentrating on the best way to answer. ”Both," he answered after a few short moment, "My work with magic is my secret. I don't want anyone stealing any of my ideas.” He left the implied 'including you' hanging in the air. There had been plenty of ideas stolen from children and students over the years by adults, he knew. And his ideas were revolutionary. He didn't want anyone taking credit for the work he'd done. ”Really though, I am just looking for information to begin with.”

Tag; blaise leo zabini

[blaise leo zabini]

@xavier

10.03.2024

Of course Weasley wanted to hide both. Blaise kind of knew that already. Asking was only his formal way of getting the answer. The former of the two, to ace a new form of magic very few could, was admirable. That was the same reason Blaise had tried it. Why he never went full-circle to gain the title of a Legilimens was for a different day though. The best way he could put it was that he didn’t need the ability to mind-fuck someone with his own brain, when he his wand did it perfectly on its own. Learning the probing magic wasn’t necessary for one apt in spells that did the same thing. At least with the latter he didn’t have to see everything – he could pick and choose. Weasley’s choice to hide his ideas well under the second option, and Blaise understood that as well. Class thus far had proven the boy was decent in his studies and clearly striving for something Hogwarts couldn’t give him. Not all students were like that, such as the parasite of a student Blaise had attached to him currently. Weasley knew how to approach the situation unlike the Slytherin boy did, and had a good reason for it. Just because was not the answer Blaise wanted to hear.

“A book can’t really give you what you need for Occlumency or Legilimency. The basics, sure. Guarding your mind or ripping into one are highlighted in texts, as well as common practices to get to that point, but you won’t know if they’ll work without practical experience,” Blaise explained to him. This was completely different from practicing a spell out of a book, or reading about the poisonous effects a potion ingredient would have if ingested improperly. He wasn’t sure if Weasley understood that just yet.

[Deleted]

Xavier listened intently, holding in the annoyed exhale he wanted to push out. The professor was speaking words he already knew; nothing ever got accomplished with studying from books. You needed the experimentation, the action of putting theory to the test to know if something truly worked. It was as he’d pointed out, however; he knew that it wasn’t a good idea to have this person rooting through his mind. Professor Zabini had been Magical Law Enforcement after all and there were plenty of things in his mind that would raise red flags with the man. And though his ties to Elaine were flimsy even on the best days, they still existed and he had no doubt that they would try and use him to get to her. He couldn’t let that happen, for more reasons than just the fact that he would be danger. ”I know. I would rather get the information first though before I attempt to learn,” his voice was even as he replied before he paused in his words, thinking carefully about how he wanted to word his next sentence. ”What does it feel like? Having someone attempt to read your mind and you severing their magic?” Was it exhausting? How many times could someone do that before draining themselves? Any research he’d done hadn’t quite describe the feelings of it. Just practical uses for the skill. How well could occlumency be used in conjunction with other spells or skills? His mind raced once again with possibilities and theories, uses and ways to apply occlumency techniques he’d read about.

Tag; blaise leo zabini

[blaise leo zabini]

@xavier

10.03.2024

Was he relieved that Weasley said he preferred to gather all the necessary information pertaining to Occlumency prior to learning? Possibly. After putting up a fight against the Forrester boy’s attempts to learn, Blaise was yearning to have someone competent enough to teach. Weasley seemed like the sort that would be able to master it with only a little bit of practice. The real trick here was that he also wasn’t the type to allow someone else intrude on his mind. That meant Blaise was out of the question when it came to training him. Obviously a simple memory-probing charm didn’t have nearly the same effect as a full-fledged Legilimens did, but it was a similar enough concept to work. Maybe he could convince the boy to test that out instead. Forrester had allowed it, and Blaise hadn’t even needed to look at the actual memories to know what he was thinking. While Weasley was more closely guarded, he was sure he could figure quite a bit out without delving too far. That was the fun part about being the teacher after all.

Then Weasley asked what it was like to have someone attempt to break in. That was a tough question. Blaise let out a long sigh, settling into his chair more so he could explain. “It’s not pleasant. Their mind is an intruder. I’ve always imagined that the next closest thing to it is if a doctor is performing surgery on you and you’re awake and can feel them moving their hands around inside, but are otherwise restrained and can’t do or say anything to make it stop.” But this was much worse than that, since it was memories. Once someone was in, the damage they could do was infinite. Outright breaking a person was the nicest outcome a Legilimens could give. Making them question their very existence was far worse. A tug on certain strands could leave someone wondering if they remembered things correctly, or if they even happened in the first place. “Of course, Occlumency allows you to sever that connection, as you put it,” Blaise explained. “Forcing another mind out of your own feels like you’re reclaiming yourself. Now that doesn’t mean they haven’t done damage. Even when you’re trained to block it, it’s hard to prevent an attack preemptively. Paranoia will only make it easier for someone to find their way inside…”

[Deleted]

There was a beat of silence before the Professor exhaled in a sigh and answered his question. The scene he brought to mind was one that Xavier had hypothesized but he still listened intently as the man described it. It was unpleasant, something that Xavier thought was only attributed to the willingness of the person whose mind was being read. There were few people who wanted their minds read so the initial shock, the initial feeling was as much of a physical attack as a mental one. He’d always thought that feeling could be changed if the person was willing to have their mind read. Or if the person intruding wanted it to hurt, they would make it so. Either way,having the ability to break that intrusion was useful. It was work experimenting with. He would learn it, whether it was from this professor or someone else. The professor then mentioned that paranoia made it easier for someone to intrude into the mind. ”I don’t think I’ll have any problems that that. I think opposite, anyway, in a sense. Someone who is always on guard is harder to surprise,” his words came out in a grimace at first before he provided his own opinion on the matter as though he didn’t care either way. He wanted to laugh; the professor had no idea how deeply his paranoia ran. He had no idea the lengths Xavier had gone to in order to keep his work a secret. Paranoia, at times, didn’t aptly describe his certainty that someone would steal his work. Learning occlumency was only taking it all a step further. ”I imagine anyone who truly understands the dangers of Legilimency or anyway who pursues learning that or Occlumency harbor a bit of paranoia within themselves as well. Would that mean that those who practice make themselves more vulnerable to attack?”

Tag; blaise leo zabini

[blaise leo zabini]

@xavier

10.03.2024

Everything the Weasley boy said always led to a two-sided question. There was always a yes and a no involved, and Blaise disliked those sorts of questions. The kid was smart, that much was obvious, but the way he asked things was off. Blaise wasn’t inherently uncomfortable by them – he had heard and seen much worse things from hardened criminals over the years, but he couldn’t get past the fact that he felt like he was being probed. On the flipside, he liked the challenge of intelligence. Not many students at Hogwarts could do that, or were even interested in advanced forms of magic. He hadn’t been until he graduated and made it into the hit department. There also hadn’t been a professor so willing to show it during his time in school. “Think of it this way; being on guard during a horror movie means you’re mentally aware that there are going to be attempts at visual or audio spikes, a way to get those unable to predict them to jump or scream,” Blaise began, unsure if the muggle example would work on the boy or not. “But even the devout and hardcore enthusiasts can still get caught on the occasional jump scare, because the brain isn’t fast enough to process that you shouldn’t be scared of it. This is the same thing. Sure, you can guard yourself all you want, but unless you expect someone to be jumping into your head, they will be get in there before you can get them out. Especially when you’re asleep.”

Weasley went on to ask if learning these skills would make someone more vulnerable to an attack, and Blaise nodded his head. Another question with a potentially lengthy answer. “Yes, because those that learn them are usually either dangerous enough to have information that needs to be protected or are willing to break into other people’s minds to get something they need. The average person can’t sit down and learn them because they think it sounds ‘cool’ or ‘fun’. They are skills provided to those that are willing to go through the training because they need them.” He almost added that the same could be said for animagi as well, but the current Transfiguration professor was one and it didn’t seem like he was using his power for anything but jokes. Learning Occlumency or Legilimency could never be considered a joke, and both could be very integral for the darkest of secrets.

[Deleted]

This was a start. This was information, and hadn’t that been what he’d been searching for in the first place? He got lost for just a moment with the example that the professor had chosen to use, a little bit surprised by the fact that he was using a muggle item such as a movie to explain what he’d meant. Xavier knew muggle things. Some things. He thought them useless, as nothing he’d ever experienced, muggle wise, had ever intrigued him the way magic did. He knew a little bit of movies so he was able to glean just enough information to attempt to understand what the professor was saying. A quiet overcame him as he processed what was said before he threw it back at him curiously. ”This… jump scare that you mention. It sounds like something that is quick, right? So much so that the brain doesn’t have a chance in processing it before it is over. Isn’t that different? Isn’t Legilimency prolonged enough that the brain can recognize it for what it is and then you can protect yourself?” There was genuine curiosity as he questioned. He wanted to get as close to the experience without having to experience it for himself. Not yet, not from him. He didn’t even know if Professor Zabini knew Legilimency but he also knew that he wouldn’t use it without permission. He didn’t seem reckless enough to risk his job and reputation over a demonstration. The newer information seemed to trail off there as he repeated the obvious concerning those who went through the process of learning either magic. That wasn’t what he meant, and he figured the professor knew that. ”I assume that in your line of work you have been attacked mentally before, maybe more than once. Were you more susceptible after the first time? Did your reaction time worsen or get better? Shouldn’t you be more prepared after the first time?” If not then what was any rigorous training for? He worried for the answer but he waited patiently anyway. He needed to know if it was worth it.

Tag; blaise leo zabini

[blaise leo zabini]

@xavier

10.03.2024

The boy was starting to wrap his mind around the whole process. Admittedly, it was a lot to take in the first time learning about it, especially from someone like himself, who had experienced both ends of the front. The first of Weasley’s questions was slowly formulated, the sort of question that was going to require another lengthy answer. Blaise hated the notion of no such thing as a bad question, because there were bad questions. They were simply not pieced together the proper way. Weasley began with a well-constructed one, and then added the latter ones as a way to get as much information out of the professor as possible. It was a smart move because it allowed him to ask the educated questions as well as the basic ones all at once.

“You’re not wrong, it is a more prolonged sensation, if that’s the right way to put it. But there is also an initial snap of sorts. That’s the mind being broken into. It’s almost impossible to preemptively block that unless the person is standing in front of you attempting it.” If that were the case, learning the Legilimens bluffs would be all it took to stop them as they attempted to intrude. Of course that still left the other half of Blaise’s earlier example, which was that attacks tended to happen when the person least expected it, like during sleep. “The Legilimens is never going to get what they want right away either. They have to break through, find or plant what they want, and then leave. It’s like digging for buried gold on an island and only knowing there’s treasure somewhere.” Hitting jackpot in the first few moments was a slim possibility, and long enough for a trained Occlumens to stop it in time.

Weasley asked again, in a variation of his earlier question, about repetitive attacks, this time bringing Blaise’s personal experience to the table. He smirked at the student, unsure of how he wanted to proceed with his answer. “You seem to think there are more Legilimens out there than there actually are. Obviously there are unregistered users, just like animagi, but all of the ones that have attacked me personally have been on the list. I’m not a very useful person to go after, to be honest. My career in the Ministry was mainly spent breaking into minds and erasing them. Occlumency was simply another party trick to acquire.” Technically true, though it had its usefulness during his first tenure as a hit-wizard. Weasley didn’t need to know all the intimate details though.

[Deleted]

His mind was moving and processing the information quicker because the answers he was being giving were things that he expected. Which was making things sound a bit repetitive to him. He had mentioned that it was almost impossible to anticipate that moment when someone broke into the mind. Almost impossible meant that there was a chance that it could be blocked. Or that he'd known of people who could block the attack in its entirety. This was interesting; he was already trying to figure out a way to expand on the skill. Even if he didn't quite know it just yet. The second portion of the professor's answer had Xavier holding his tongue. He could understand this, yes, that one had to dig through the mind in order to find what they were looking for. Couldn't one call the thoughts to the surface though if the person who's mind was being broken into was coaxed into thinking about whatever it was the intruder was looking for? This was going to require more research on his own time. ”That makes sense but I also feel that if the perpetrator wanted the information badly enough, they would take care of that one way or another. The amount of time it take, I mean.” His reply came on the tail end of an exhalation that spoke of annoyance. Annoyance at whatever unknown foe would come for his mind one day. He needed to figure this out. The skill seemed just worth it enough for him to go through the training but he also knew he would need to experiment with it. Make it own. Revolutionize it.

With the words the professor gave in reply to the questions he'd asked about his own experiences came doubts that built up in Xavier's head. While he couldn't be so sure, he felt as if the professor was lying in one fashion or another. Attempting to downplay his role in the Ministry and yet not quite answering any of the questions he'd asked. He surprisingly let out a chuckle at the words and shook his head, caught only a little off guard by the declaration. ”Right. Of course.” he began. ”Well, this has answered a few of the questions I'd had. I need to do more research before I decide, however. Thank you for your time.” He gave a nod to the professor before he turned and began walking towards the back of the classroom to the exit. Before he could reach it, however, a final question popped into his head. One that he felt a need to ask because his curiosity wouldn't allow him to say no. ”Just one more thing. You say there are less Legilimens than I suspect there to be. How many have you encountered in your lifetime?” He was curious of what the answer would be. Xavier knew that there weren't a lot of Legilimens out there. Not many that were known anyway. He couldn't know how many were keen on the Purifiers' cause but he knew there had to be a few.

Tag; blaise leo zabini

[blaise leo zabini]

@xavier

10.03.2024

“Obviously,” Blaise answered. “Coaxing an answer out of someone in this manner is easier when it’s suggested. For example, if I wanted you to think of your mother, that’s all I have to say. Now you’ve thought of her,” he raised his hands in a shrug. “But you’re also thinking of these people as masters at Legilimency. I’d wager that most can only do the basic of tasks, similar to how the average Occlumens can only hold off a proper attack for so long. They will exhaust themselves eventually, and diving into memories and thoughts takes a lot more out of you than you realize.” He was positive that Weasley still didn’t understand the gravity of the questions he was asking. They bordered on paranoia, as if the boy actually had important things in his head that someone would want to steal. It was one thing if he wanted to test his magical prowess; in that regard Blaise had no place to judge him, since that had been his exact reason for it too.

The second answer didn’t seem to satiate the Weasley boy’s ravenous question, which left Blaise a little taken aback, once again reverting to the thought that the Ravenclaw really had no idea what he was talking about. It was like being told about his own magical abilities and experiences as if he was wrong about them. As the boy got up to leave, he stopped near the door and asked one more question, which Blaise happily answered by holding up one hand, with all five fingers up. “Five that have tried to get into my head. One was my trainer, another was a colleague when training ourselves, respectively. Two were while I was with the Obliviators, and I thought I had them fully under while extracting their memories, only to have them try to fight back at the last moment while they were unconscious. The last hit our whole hit-squad during a raid but luckily knocked himself out in the process because he tried projecting himself into too many minds.” Blaise felt rather smug about all of those experiences, especially the ones with criminals.

“As for people I know that have the power and use it for more positive things? I’d say two dozen in London alone. Those are the legal ones, of course. No telling how many have trained themselves outside of the law though.” But that was the same for everything. Those that were banned from having wands still always had them, and animagi and werewolves tended to have a huge lapse in registering themselves. Anything was possible, but only the paranoid really feared it.