The next chapter is about 40% done, so this isn't a herald of impending release. Just a little something I thought I'd share.
Douglas had, despite his claims of minimal control over his owndefenses, lowered his mental shields so thoroughly that Albus hadfelt no resistance whatsoever to his Legilimentic probe. No
sooner had he cast the spell than he had found himself in
Douglas' mindscape.
And what a mindscape it was! For someone utterly untrained inOcclumency, it was thoroughly realized and detailed, from thehuge, full -- indeed, almost gravid -- moon hanging low on thehorizon to the wooden sign before him reading "Welcome to
Wackyland! Population Thursday and Still Growling!" Structureswhose improbable shapes and stability put the Weasley home to
shame dotted the landscape, and in the distance were many small,
hopping forms. Faint hooting noises echoed across the strangely
smooth and brightly-colored terrain.
Albus smiled approvingly, then stretched forth his hand, palm up,with his wand upon it. "Point me hidden memories!" he commanded.
The wand spun like a wheel-of-fortune, then slowly came to restpointing directly at the moon.
Albus cocked a bushy eyebrow. "Fascinating," he murmured, and
began striding toward his target.
Like any good defensive mindscape, appearances were deceptive,
and Albus found himself standing before the low, full moon muchsooner than an inexperienced Legilimencer might have expected.Unlike its real-world counterpart, it hadn't receded from him tomaintain its apparent position in the sky. Instead, here in
Douglas' mindscape, it actually rested directly upon the ground;not the real moon of course, but an immense model, exquisitelydetailed. Albus spent a moment marvelling at the miniature
perfection of its mountains and maria before returning to histask. Another "Point Me" confirmed that this model moon was
indeed the vessel holding Douglas' lost memories.
"Well, now," Albus mused to himself. "How do I get in?" Hethought for a moment, then chuckled to himself before stepping up
to the miniature satellite and knocking firmly in the middle of
the flat expanse of the *Mare Serenitatis*. "Hullo?"
He had just begun to laugh at himself for his own puckishnesswhen a mote of shining silver appeared in the spot where he hadknocked. Almost as soon as he had registered it, it exploded
into a torrent of light. Albus calmly stepped to one side andwatched curiously as it first coalesced into a human outline,
then snapped with eye-watering suddenness into the appearance ofa human being.
It was a girl. No more than fourteen or fifteen years old, ifAlbus was any judge, petite even for that age, and dressed in a
high-waisted, floor-length gown of white silk. She wore a golden
breastplate over the gown, and golden bracers, all with fine
silvery filagree decorating them. On her head was the most
intriguing crown, very obviously magical -- Albus leaned forward
to study its six points, one each of earth, water, fire, ice,
lightning and metallic light. In her right hand she held a staff
of the same pale wood as the one Douglas owned, but unlike his,
hers had a headpiece: a golden mount holding a large crescent
moon made of crystal, with another crystal -- this one a faceted
sphere the size of a walnut -- blazing like white fire at its
center. Her hair was blonde and gathered into two slender
ponytails long enough to reach her knees. She was beautiful, a
girl no longer a child but not yet fully a woman, but still
hinting at the woman she would one day become.
Her eyes were closed, and an unexpected pang of longing shot
through Albus' heart at the expression of innocent serenity on
her relaxed face. Then she opened her eyes, and they were wideand sapphirine blue. Looking straight ahead instead of at him,
she spoke.
"Hello. If you're seeing this message, then you haven't acted in
a way which could be considered an attack on Doug-sensei's mind,
but are probably trying to help him." Her voice was high and
clear, and she spoke English as an American, although with a
faint and exotic accent which Albus could not place. "I ask that
you please go no further. Beyond this point are memories which
must remain sealed for now, but will in time return to him."
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.
Douglas had, despite his claims of minimal control over his owndefenses, lowered his mental shields so thoroughly that Albus hadfelt no resistance whatsoever to his Legilimentic probe. No
sooner had he cast the spell than he had found himself in
Douglas' mindscape.
And what a mindscape it was! For someone utterly untrained inOcclumency, it was thoroughly realized and detailed, from thehuge, full -- indeed, almost gravid -- moon hanging low on thehorizon to the wooden sign before him reading "Welcome to
Wackyland! Population Thursday and Still Growling!" Structureswhose improbable shapes and stability put the Weasley home to
shame dotted the landscape, and in the distance were many small,
hopping forms. Faint hooting noises echoed across the strangely
smooth and brightly-colored terrain.
Albus smiled approvingly, then stretched forth his hand, palm up,with his wand upon it. "Point me hidden memories!" he commanded.
The wand spun like a wheel-of-fortune, then slowly came to restpointing directly at the moon.
Albus cocked a bushy eyebrow. "Fascinating," he murmured, and
began striding toward his target.
Like any good defensive mindscape, appearances were deceptive,
and Albus found himself standing before the low, full moon muchsooner than an inexperienced Legilimencer might have expected.Unlike its real-world counterpart, it hadn't receded from him tomaintain its apparent position in the sky. Instead, here in
Douglas' mindscape, it actually rested directly upon the ground;not the real moon of course, but an immense model, exquisitelydetailed. Albus spent a moment marvelling at the miniature
perfection of its mountains and maria before returning to histask. Another "Point Me" confirmed that this model moon was
indeed the vessel holding Douglas' lost memories.
"Well, now," Albus mused to himself. "How do I get in?" Hethought for a moment, then chuckled to himself before stepping up
to the miniature satellite and knocking firmly in the middle of
the flat expanse of the *Mare Serenitatis*. "Hullo?"
He had just begun to laugh at himself for his own puckishnesswhen a mote of shining silver appeared in the spot where he hadknocked. Almost as soon as he had registered it, it exploded
into a torrent of light. Albus calmly stepped to one side andwatched curiously as it first coalesced into a human outline,
then snapped with eye-watering suddenness into the appearance ofa human being.
It was a girl. No more than fourteen or fifteen years old, ifAlbus was any judge, petite even for that age, and dressed in a
high-waisted, floor-length gown of white silk. She wore a golden
breastplate over the gown, and golden bracers, all with fine
silvery filagree decorating them. On her head was the most
intriguing crown, very obviously magical -- Albus leaned forward
to study its six points, one each of earth, water, fire, ice,
lightning and metallic light. In her right hand she held a staff
of the same pale wood as the one Douglas owned, but unlike his,
hers had a headpiece: a golden mount holding a large crescent
moon made of crystal, with another crystal -- this one a faceted
sphere the size of a walnut -- blazing like white fire at its
center. Her hair was blonde and gathered into two slender
ponytails long enough to reach her knees. She was beautiful, a
girl no longer a child but not yet fully a woman, but still
hinting at the woman she would one day become.
Her eyes were closed, and an unexpected pang of longing shot
through Albus' heart at the expression of innocent serenity on
her relaxed face. Then she opened her eyes, and they were wideand sapphirine blue. Looking straight ahead instead of at him,
she spoke.
"Hello. If you're seeing this message, then you haven't acted in
a way which could be considered an attack on Doug-sensei's mind,
but are probably trying to help him." Her voice was high and
clear, and she spoke English as an American, although with a
faint and exotic accent which Albus could not place. "I ask that
you please go no further. Beyond this point are memories which
must remain sealed for now, but will in time return to him."
-- Bob
---------
Then the horns kicked in...
...and my shoes began to squeak.