I woke up in an incredibly cozy bed.
For a moment, I was confused about where I was, until the events of the previous day came rushing back to me.
Tired, I got out of bed and dragged myself to the bathroom.
Absentmindedly, I glanced at the ornate Roman numeral clock on the wall to check the time.
"8:15. Then I still have about two hours and forty-five minutes until my etiquette lesson with Sophie Grey."
I dragged myself into the shower and let the icy water cascade over me.
Afterwards, I put on a navy blue bathrobe and opened Aurelius' wardrobe.
I dressed in dark blue trousers and a white shirt.
Then I went downstairs for breakfast. According to Aurelius' memories, he often ate breakfast, lunch, and dinner alone, as his mother was busy with her work in the Department of Mysteries.
At the table, I was greeted by the house-elf, Billy.
"Good morning, young master. I hope you slept well."
"Good morning, Billy. Yes, I slept well," I replied.
After the delicious breakfast, I brushed my teeth.
Before my etiquette lesson, however, I had a bigger concern: the ability to read minds:
"Legilimency."
To counter it, I needed to learn "Occlumency" as quickly as possible. If Aurelius' mother practiced this mental art on me, I would be completely screwed.
I quickly searched through Aurelius' memories to find the location of the house library.
After a few seconds, I discovered that it was in the basement.
I descended the spiral staircase until I reached the lowest floor.
The basement contained a long hallway with several doors, none of which I dared to open.
"What could be inside? I'm in a magical world now, after all."
At the end of the hallway were two large doors.
The problem was, neither had a handle.
"Maybe it opens automatically when someone stands in front of it?"
I approached the doors, and with a soft "click," they opened. Beyond them lay an antique-looking library, spanning approximately 400 m² and arranged across three floors. Shelves were lined with ancient papyrus scrolls and magical tomes. A leathery scent hung in the air, illuminated by floating magical lights.
I stepped through the doorway, my footsteps echoing throughout the library.
"About two hours until class. I need to find a book on Occlumency before then."
My eyes scanned the library, quickly realizing it would be difficult to find a book on Occlumency.
Even thirty minutes later, I was still digging through the library. The problem was the lack of organization. A book on Animagus transformation sat next to a herbology manual, despite having little in common.
I was about to give up and read whatever seemed interesting, until I found it: The Mental Arts from Orion Black II.
"Finally."
After forty-five minutes, I had located it.
I carefully opened the book.
The Various Stages of Occlumency
"If a wizard is granted the necessary connection to the arcane forces, it seems not only advisable but even his duty to practice the art of Occlumency continuously. It would be a mistake to assume that Occlumency serves solely for the defense and protection of the mind. While the first two stages of this noble discipline primarily focus on defending against mental attacks, the higher levels aim equally at sharpening and perfecting intellectual faculties."
Occlumency is divided into the following stages:
Stage 1: Formation of Occlumency shields
→ Allows the wizard to shield their inner thoughts and feelings
Stage 2: Manifestation of the inner mental landscape
→ Allows shielding of inner thoughts and feelings
→ Suppression of one's own emotions. Long-term practice can lead to permanent emotional suppression
Stage 3: Sorting memories behind the Occlumency shield
→ Wizards often use a library to organize memories in preparation for stage four
→ Photographic memory
Stage 4: Magical amplification of the mind
→ Improves various aspects of the brain. Knowledge of brain anatomy is required to maximize magical enhancement
→ Wizard's cognitive abilities have limits (10–25% increase possible)
Stage 5: Temporary splitting of consciousness
→ Allows parallel thinking. Multiple splits may cause permanent mental impairment
"As far as I remember, this development of Occlumency is not canon."
"Could this be a parallel world?"
I dismissed the thought, focusing on analyzing the text, written in the complex style of the 18th century—a real pain to understand.
At the beginning it says: "If a wizard is granted the necessary connection to the arcane forces…"
Since when couldn't any wizard practice Occlumency? According to Harry Potter canon, anyone could learn it, even if only basic mind protection. Orion Black suggests one must have a sufficient connection to magic.
Perhaps I misinterpreted it—it might just mean one must be a talented wizard.
I found the last three stages the most interesting: photographic memory, enhanced cognitive abilities, and parallel thinking, though the latter would likely take a long time to achieve.
For now, the first two stages are the priority.
My current goal: master the first two stages of this mental art.