What the Mind Hides
"Today we'll begin by covering counter-curses—or, more specifically, counters to mental jinxes and memory-altering curses. This category includes Confundus Charms, obedience jinxes, suggestion spells, emotional manipulation, and memory alteration," Wanda began gently as the students paid close attention, just as they did in every one of her lessons, which, as always, were fascinating. And this one didn't seem likely to be any different.
"Of course, against these kinds of spells, strong mental resilience, as well as Occlumency, can be extremely useful. Naturally, it isn't something easy to learn, which is why it's better to be prepared. But, as always, the real problem is figuring out how to tell whether someone has been placed under one of these spells or curses," Wanda said as her gaze swept across the classroom.
"One of the most obvious signs is confusion. Especially if the attacker isn't particularly skilled at controlling the spell. It can leave the victim mentally disoriented, cause personality changes, or even make them forget abilities they had once mastered.
"But if a wizard or witch is powerful enough—or highly skilled in mental magic—those gaps might not exist at all. Most of these mental jinxes have one thing in common. The victim is almost never aware they've been affected. That's why the real question isn't how to break the spell... but how to realise it's there in the first place."
"Well, unless you happen to have a special ability that lets you see things like that, it'd be pretty difficult, wouldn't it?" Wanda added with a smile, her eyes briefly settling on Harry, who had been listening to the lesson with great attention, knowing she was referring to his own magic.
"What happens if the memories were replaced with different ones? Or if they were sealed away?" Harry asked a moment later, raising his hand with genuine interest.
Hearing his questions, Wanda smiled.
"Then discovering it becomes much, much harder. And instead of asking that, the question you should be asking yourself is: why would anyone do something like that in the first place?"
"A memory can become a weapon. If someone doesn't possess it... then they can't reveal it either. Especially when there's a chance someone else might try to obtain that information through magical means."
"So the person doesn't even realise they're missing something?" Hermione couldn't help asking.
"Normally, no. The mind tries to fill in the gaps on its own. It's surprisingly good at doing that."
The way Wanda spoke about altering the mind sounded remarkably professional.
Well... it was.
Though, of course, that wasn't something her students needed to know.
After finishing that explanation, Wanda continued talking about mental spells, their various branches, and even their misuse, never once touching the textbook Umbridge had gone to such lengths to bring them, until the lesson finally came to an end.
"All right. For next lesson, I'd like everyone to bring me a twelve-inch essay on how to recognise whether someone has fallen victim to a mental jinx or memory alteration, and what you would do to help them," Wanda said with a smile.
Many of the students, already buried under homework and hoping their favourite professor wouldn't assign them any more, visibly slumped in disappointment, making no effort whatsoever to hide it.
Wanda smiled briefly at them, amused.
"It can't be helped. Remember, this year you'll all need to work a little harder. Every one of your professors has high expectations of you, because your results show not only how well we've taught you, but also how prepared you are to step into the real world," Wanda said gently.
Hearing those words, the students who had been complaining couldn't help feeling a little embarrassed.
Because if those words had come from Snape, they would obviously have been a lie and the professor would simply have wanted to see them suffer.
But if they came from Wanda, Narcissa, Pandora, or even McGonagall, then they were one hundred percent true.
"One last thing before you go. Memories are far more fragile than you imagine... and far more stubborn as well. If they're still there, they'll always try to find a way back to the surface," Wanda added calmly as she officially dismissed the class.
The students listened to her final words, said their goodbyes, and left the classroom.
When Harry and his group finally came out after everyone else, they headed towards the Great Hall while talking about today's lesson. But they couldn't help stopping for a moment when they spotted Professor McGonagall walking down the corridor with her usual composed stride, greeting the students as she passed.
Walking closely behind her was Christopher Miller, carrying exactly the same aura and personality, though somehow he seemed even colder than Professor McGonagall herself.
"Good afternoon, Professor McGonagall. Professor Miller," Hermione and the others greeted them immediately.
"Good afternoon," McGonagall replied with a modest smile, while Miller simply inclined his head towards them in a silent yet respectful greeting.
The two of them continued on their way.
Meanwhile, Harry watched Miller for several silent seconds.
"Is something wrong?" Hermione asked after noticing Harry staring at Professor McGonagall's new assistant.
"No," Harry replied simply. "I just think my mum enjoys giving us homework... and having a bit of fun at our expense sometimes," Harry added with a rather forced smile.
"But I already told you, it's Professor Maximoff while we're at Hogwarts," Hermione added immediately, correcting Harry.
Daphne instantly rolled her eyes at her friend's persistence, while Harry could only let out a:
"Yeah, yeah, I get it."
Only Draco seemed to pay closer attention to what Harry had said, and knowing his friend as well as he did, he couldn't help turning around to look at Professor Miller's back as it disappeared down the corridor alongside Professor McGonagall.
...
While the students continued filling the corridors on their way to the Great Hall, elsewhere in the castle a far less pleasant meeting was taking place.
Inside the Headmaster's office, the bitterness on Sirius's face was so obvious that anyone would have thought he would attack his visitor without hesitation if given the chance.
Sirius rested both forearms on the desk without taking his eyes off Dumbledore.
On the opposite side, the old man wore exactly the same calm smile he always had.
Though, unlike in the past, when that chair should have belonged to Dumbledore, the roles now seemed completely reversed. It was Sirius who sat behind the Headmaster's desk, while Dumbledore remained seated in one of the chairs before him, like nothing more than an ordinary visitor.
"I must admit, the new castle has exceeded my expectations," Dumbledore said, the first to break the silence.
His eyes, hidden behind his half-moon spectacles, slowly wandered around the office, as though searching for traces of the old Headmaster's study. Yet, like the rest of the castle, the room had been rebuilt until it was almost unrecognisable.
Sirius seemed to swallow down his anger.
He knew he couldn't attack the old man, no matter how much he hated him.
It didn't even matter whether he could defeat him or not.
Now, as Headmaster of Hogwarts, he had far too much to lose.
"What are you doing here, Dumbledore? I thought I'd made it perfectly clear that you're not welcome in this castle," Sirius said, his voice dripping with disgust.
"And I understand your anger. Your contempt for me. I can even accept your hatred. But the fact that you continue to cling so tightly to the past—"
Before Dumbledore could continue, Sirius interrupted him by raising a hand.
"Spare me the speech. You should know by now that hearing your voice for even a second doesn't make me happy. Who knows? You might be trying to manipulate someone again, just like you did your entire life with everyone around you," he said, his tone as dry as it was cutting.
Dumbledore fell silent.
For several seconds, he simply looked at Sirius.
"So, what brings the Supreme High Commissioner for Magical Education to my school? I think having your inspector making herself a nuisance in our corridors is already more than enough without her superior wandering around as well," Sirius said with his usual blunt sarcasm.
Dumbledore couldn't help letting out an exasperated sigh.
"I thought it would be appropriate to greet you personally, Headmaster Black," Dumbledore finally said. "Perhaps, in this new chapter, we might try to get along. After all, the only reason I'm here is because the Ministry also wishes for Hogwarts to remain the same respectable institution it has always been," Dumbledore added in a calm voice.
"You mean back when you were Headmaster?" Sirius replied with an amused, mocking tone. "Who's the one clinging to the past now? If that's all you came here to say, then consider your visit complete. You can leave."
His tone turned sharp once again.
Dumbledore looked steadily at Sirius for a few more seconds before rising from his chair.
"Then it will be a pleasure working with you this year, Headmaster Black."
The words this year carried a different weight as they left his mouth, making Sirius look at him with clear annoyance and disdain.
"Of course... a productive year," Sirius replied, his voice carrying an unmistakable threat.
The former Headmaster looked at him one last time before turning and leaving through the same door he had entered.
Sirius watched Dumbledore's back disappear beyond the doorway as a deep hatred settled once more in his chest.
But he forced it back under control and finally turned his attention to the stack of parchments covering his desk.
He had far too much work to do to keep wasting time on an old man incapable of accepting that Hogwarts no longer belonged to him.