Post by Voluntis P. Pierce on Feb 16, 2017 14:35:44 GMT -5
VOLUNTIS x INTEGRA x GUNNAR
Voluntis had agreed to be a test subject for Integra. Anything in the name of science right? And having no way of blocking his thoughts from anyone really, he wanted to give a shot at Occlumency. Not that he had any formal practice or training, he had just read up on it in a book at some point and thought that maybe it would be useful. Slipping into the classroom where he was told to go, he waved to both Integra and Gunnar. "Sorry it took me a while, I got caught up on something."
She was more than excited to start her lessons for a few reasons. For one, Professor Strege was easy on the eyes, and for another she was eager to start learning her new skill. She'd been reading books on muggle mind science and the science behind memories. It was actually so fascinating that she hardly was able to pull her eyes from her book to look at Gunnar for more than a moment. When Voluntis entered, it forced her to close her book and she looked up at them both with wide eyes and a thin smile. ”Good chapter.”
Gunnar took a moment to gather his thoughts on the subject. "So, I suppose we shall begin? Integra since you've no doubtedly read over the procedures I sent you to practice, I want you to demonstrate how to penetrate Mister Pierce's mind." The last name still felt odd to him, but he quickly shook it off. "You may begin whenever you're ready, and Volu. Please do your best to prevent her gaining access." Gunnar waited patiently.
The dark haired eighth year gave Professor Strege a nod and cleared his throat looking to Integra. "I'm ready."
Nodding to her instructor, Integra produced her wand and stepped forward to face the boy who almost reminded her of a sacrificial lamb. Stay calm. Clear your mind. Open it up. Licking her lips, she raised her wand to Voluntis. "Legilimens!"
At first he felt nothing. Vol could hear her speak the words, but he waited and looked to her and rose a brow.
Gunnar could tell instantly that it wasn't working and he cleared his throat. "You need to mean it."
"Yeah they say that about a lot of spells." she says grumbling a little. Hexes came easy and she hardly meant them. Some of the time at least. Why was this going to be the one thing that challenged her? And in from of Gunnar no less. Shaking them both off, she clenches her jaw for a second and flicks her wand at him once more. "Legilimens!"
"Most of them actually." Gunnar waited again and watched while listening. She was a good student, but he could see frustration already starting to peek its ugly head. After one try no less, but then he saw it take form.
Voluntis could feel the wave of someone trying to find a weakened place in his mind. Urging himself to think of nothing at all, clearing his slate as best as he could, but it wasn't good enough. She had found her way in and it was a terrible feeling having someone poking and prodding. What she would find though? Kasyn? David? The countless times he stalked Barrett without his knowing? Or the numerous times he carved the dates into his own flesh? Speaking of, he was wearing long sleeves as usual. Covering the oozing wounds and scars.
She found it easier to concentrate if she closed her eyes. Letting her kids fall shut, the girl dug around in what felt like a foreign land. He was hiding something. Something bigger than just his thoughts. He was physically hiding something. Numbers flooded her brain but they were hard to sort out and a face came to her attention. A face not in the main frame of his memory, no one in the back ground. Beside the focal point. A face that made her jump, pulling out quickly as she flinched from him, trying to steal her breath back.
It felt like hours as she poked and he fought, but he was exhausted as it was. Then quickly she rescinded her hold on his mind. Eyes flitting up to see her, the way she flinched when she saw who it was, and then she breathed in deeply. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine." she said firmly as she leaned on a desk. Why him? Why had he been in Voluntis' memories? She was absolutely certain it hadn't been one of hers. And she hadn't even been thinking about her father much less did she expect to find him in someone else's mind. Rubbing her eyebrow, she straightened herself out. "You should put salve on your arms though." Despite her changing the subject it was clear she was every bit bothered by the memory.
A smirk played on Voluntis' lips as she played the tough card. No, he knew she saw her father, but there were more than just him in his memories. It was one of those memories that mingled with numerous others and he just shook his head. "The scars won't go away for another two weeks."
Curiosity burned inside her and something about that stupid look on his face infuriated her. Oh she'd mean the next spell that's for sure. Glancing at Gunnar she sighed hotly and suppressed the urge to jinx Volu's mouth clean off his face. "Again?"
Gunnar managed to wave his hand for them to continue.
It wasn't that it was a mean smirk, it was just the smirk his father had. Perhaps it came off as taunting, but by no means did he mean it that way. "Come on then."
Once more her wand raised in opposition of him, her arm locked and rigid in front of her. "Legilimens." she breathed darkly. Now she knew what she was looking for. Clawing her way through his thoughts she searched for Ichabod's face. "Why do you know him? Who is he with?"
Vol could feel her push straight through and directly to that memory. "Know who?" At this point the memory was as good as hers, but really... He didn't know who she was talking about.
When she wanted something Integra was used to getting it. And she wanted answers. But, she reminded herself that Voluntis was not her enemy. He was helping her, not hurting her and catching flies was easier with honey. Relaxing a little she concentrated on the memory. "That man there. To the left. The thin one. What is he doing here?"
He was confused, but her curiosity was more than he wanted to give her. His mind was way too full of things to have her poking around. So instead of letting her have it, Voluntis fought back against her, using the skills that he had read about. "Which? They're all skinny... And dark haired...."
Feeling him fight back she pushed farther focusing on the face she despised more than any other. "Him. His name is Ichabod E-... He's the advisor to the minister of magic." she could keep her secrets too.
Voluntis clenched his jaws tightly as he words echoed in his mind. "Thank you for clarifying. Now I can better figure out what it happening at the ministry." Vol's words were sharp and quick, seething actually.
His tone made her suspicious and only fed her curiosity. Relaxing she opened her mind up, melting into his. "What's happening at the ministry? Who are the other people? These are bad men, Voluntis, you shouldn't be dealing with them."
Vol happened to just laugh outwardly as she moved into him deeper and he tried to recoil, but couldn't. "Yes, I'm dealing with them. I am not just some peasant meddling in affairs."
As she studied the scene she strained to understand what they were saying to each other in hushed tones. "Who is he talking to?" she felt like a blind person feeling around in the darkness of the world. Feeling him try to push her out she tiptoed carefully around the memory. "Listen, I think we both know I could be poking around at a lot of other things in here, instead I want to know about this. I think we can help each other. But we have to work together."
Why she wanted to know who they were was beyond him. Why he agreed to this? For science of course. Knowledge was power, but these were things she didn't need to see. "Honestly? I would rather you poke around in my personal life."
He was annoying her, and she felt it harder to keep a good grip on the memory. "Well this concerns my personal life." she slipped a little but tried as best as she could to keep her focus. "Ichabod is my father. If you want information from him, I can get it for you. But you have to help me in return."
As she was annoying him. As her fingers started to give way he quickly pulled back the memory and thrust something else at her. He was done with that. "You shouldn't try to fix what you don't understand." His words hissed with that same annoyed tone David had without realizing it. "It's easy for me to get information Integra. So easy. Almost too easy it should be criminal. But I don't believe what I am doing is wrong."
Being forced into some trivial memory about a tone of voice, Integra irritatedly retreated, looking him hard in the face. She was going to have to fight for what she wanted. "I know you don't. And I don't either. But they will, so don't make me tell them what I know."
Voluntis just laughed and shook his head. "You think that they're going to believe you?"
Leaning over him she smirked. "If I show them, they just very well might."
His own lips curled into deep smirk. "Good luck. Because that memory was from last year."
"And my memory is from today. Time isn't a concern I have." straightening she looked hard at him, her honey brown eyes intense and alight with a mix of seething hatred and bold curiosity. "I think you're underestimating someone who's on your side."
"They'll question why you were there." Voluntis spoke slowly and shook his head. "Or how I got the information. There is no proof I was ever there. And I was here at school when it happened. Funny how alibi's work." The boy shrugged softly before rolling his shoulders back. "That is the thing though, Echoes. I don't know which side you're on. We've hardly spoke."
This was not a battle she was going to win. Shoulders dropping in defeat she stared at him harshly. He was right. They knew little of each other and somehow he'd covered all his tracks. "Fine. But, Voluntis, listen to me when I say this.... be careful." There was a softness in her warning. "If you ever find yourself in trouble with Ichabod Echoes he's incredibly weak if you come from the right. He took a spill once and that hip hasn't been the same so he's not as quick to turn that way anymore."
Time travel was a fickle thing, touchy actually. Frowned upon by the ministry, yet they have an entire chamber devoted to that skill. Any wrong move and he would be done for. "You don't need to warn me Integra. I don't plan on getting into any sort of physical altercation with anyone, it's all mental. A game of wits if you will. I will let you in, but I need to know that I can trust you completely. Fully. To know that you're not going to change sides or fault me in any way. If you do..." Volu shook his head softly and just laughed. "I will make you suffer."
His word made her laugh and in the corner of her eye a single tear threatened to break free. "You can't do anything to me or say anything to me that would ever make me more frightened or more battered than he already has. And I've endured that. For nearly 17 years."
"I'm aware." His words were soft and he shook his head again. "Just prove to me that I can trust you. And I will let you in."
Her eyes darted from him to Gunnar and back as she quickly swiped the tear from her eye. "What do you want?"
"You will need to figure that out." Voluntis words were sharp and cold, completely unlike himself in a normal everyday conversation. If she could go poking her head into his memories that easily. The thought of someone else skilled in Legilemency scared him.
"I can help you protect your secrets. If I can get in, anyone can. And if we're going to work together I'd like to protect both our memories. We can learn together." her eyes glanced up at Gunnar again knowing full well he told her he wouldn't be teaching her if she was doing this out of personal gain. She hated going against him like that but it had to be done.
Gunnar had just been listening to their conversation. As a neutral party, he was just here to make sure the both of them were safe. Nothing more, and nothing less. Creating a safe environment for learning was essential.
Vol took in a deep breath and then over to Gunnar who didn't seem to care either way. "We can talk somewhere else."
She nodded to Voluntis, still winding down from the excitement. Her heart still throbbing in her chest. The professors blaze reaction wasn't quite what she expected. "Are you going to tell the headmaster about this? Refuse to keep giving me lessons? Anything?"
Gunnar rose an eyebrow and just laughed softly. "What good would telling the headmaster do? And no, I'm not. I have a student that practices alchemy, which is forbidden, another that is sleeping with another teacher, and so on."
Her thin eyebrows rose in tandem with his as she surveyed him with caution. "Right.... well okay then." Turning her attention back to Voluntis she shrugged. "secrets safe with him I guess."
Voluntis shook his head. As much as he wanted to, he couldn't trust this room, the ears in it or the sanctity of the walls. "No, it's not."
Integra tried to understand his position and sighed meeting his eyes. "Let’s just continue this conversation later."