The Tug of War Between Occlumency and Legilimency in The Second Wizarding War
One thing in the Harry Potter Saga that I find to be fascinating is the concept of Legilimency and Occlumency. The turmoils and the turns of the mind games make the story what it is.
What is Legilimency?
Legilimency is the practice of invading someone else’s mind using magic. Legilimens can read minds, play tricks, and turn your mind against you. Legilimency is a learned skill but there are few exceptions. Severus Snape, Voldemort, and Albus Dumbledore expertised the craft with practice whereas Quennie Goldstein was gifted to read minds.
What is Occlumency?
Occlumency is the skill to shut one’s mind against Legilimency. It acts like a shield from the invasive intrusion of the mind. With the craft of Occlumency, no one will be able to read your mind or turn your mind against you. Severus Snape, Draco Malfoy, Albus Dumbledore, Voldemort, and Bellatrix Lestrange were all skilled Occlumens. Harry tried his hands at Occlumency under Severus Snape’s guidance to block Voldemort from tricking his mind.
Constant Battle between Severus Snape’s and Voldemort’s Mind
When Voldemort came back at the end of The Goblet of Fire, Dumbledore told Snape to join Voldemort and trick him into believing that Severus was on his side and betraying Dumbledore. However, Voldemort was a skilled and proficient Legilimens, so how did Severus manage to fool Voldemort?
The answer lies in the lore of Occlumency. See, Severus Snape never lied to Voldemort but he never told the whole truth either. He deceived Voldemort by telling half lies and half lies are more destructive than lies. First of all, Snape made the excuse that he thought Voldemort vanquished in Godric’s Hollows and supported his deeds in the ‘Quirrell fiasco’ with the reasons that he thought Quirell wanted the stone for himself.
But what after that? If Voldemort had looked into Severus Snape’s mind, Would he have not found the truth?
Voldemort saw what Snape wanted him to see
Severus was a very skilled Occlumens. He showed Voldemort what he wanted to see. Snape hated Harry and James and Snape used this to cheat on him. Whenever Voldemort invaded Snape’s mind, he saw how Snape hated the boy and even Dumbledore, which further solidified the Dark Lord’s trust in him.
Moreover, Snape gives crucial and confidential information to Voldemort such as the date when Harry is being transported, etc. He killed Dumbledore and that was the ultimate sellover for Voldemort.
Constant Battle between Severus Snape’s and Albus Dumbledore’s mind
Whenever I read Harry Potter, I wonder whether Severus Snape ever tried to read Albus Dumbledore’s mind. He was an accomplished Legilimens and if he did wouldn’t he have found Albus’s great plan for Harry’s death?
The counteractive to this statement is again that Albus Dumbledore was also a great Occlumens. He would have again blocked Severus’s invasion if Seveus tried to read his thoughts.
And what if Albus tried to read Severus’s mind? Would he have found that Severus’s patronus was a doe? I mean Severus must think of Lily and doe after all these years.
The answer to this is Severus was an Occlumens so if Dumbledore ever tried to read, he would shut his thoughts. Isn’t it interesting that both Albus and Severus were trying to read other minds and also blocking their thoughts at the same moment?
Or, they both vowed never to read each other’s thoughts as their relationship was based on true trust and loyalty rather than Voldemort’s and Snape’s bond.
There is a great saying that a war is fought in the mind-ground before it is fought in the battleground. The cat-and-mouse game of Legilimency and Occlumency reminds me of this.
