Before Harry Met Sevy

Chapter Twenty: Occlumency?
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Sebastian's strides were quick, and Severus had to struggle to keep up with him. They entered Flourish and Blott's, and Sebastian led the boy to a back room as he nodded to the proprietor. Severus frowned as he examined the room to which he'd been taken. Tattered books lined equally battered bookcases, and stacks upon stacks of them created the illusion of a makeshift maze.

His uncle wove his way easily through the stacks, until they reached a corner in which shadows loomed. The flickering candlelight did not reach this corner, and Severus' curiosity was piqued. What was back here that could not be kept in the front of the store?

Sebastian began sifting through the volumes in front of him, pulling out nearly half a dozen and handing them to his nephew. Severus glanced down at the books, the titles Mastering Your Mind and How to Keep Your Secrets Your Own catching his eye.

"What are these?" he questioned as he flipped through the books he'd been handed.

"They are books, as I am sure you've noticed," Sebastian retorted.

"Yes, but what are they for?" he shot back.

"Occlumency, Severus."

"And that would be...?" he prompted.

"The practice of blocking one's mind to outside penetration. Learning to shut off your emotions so as not to reveal your feelings to those you choose." He stopped going through the books, laying one final one on the boy's stack. "Now, we've precious little time before the start of term, so it'll have to be on your Christmas Holiday."

"What will have to be on holiday?" Severus questioned, feeling he was not getting anywhere.

"Your lessons, boy. You need to read the books before we begin your lessons."

"But why -" Sebastian sighed impatiently.

"You do not believe me that Braeden Malfoy is a dangerous man. So be it. But I will not allow you to become one of his pawns. Swear to me that you'll try, Severus. If you can shut your mind from Braeden, it will limit the weapons he can use against you." Already intrigued by the snippets he'd read, the boy nodded immediately.

"Good," he said emphatically. "Now, you will take one of these with you today, the rest I will send via Malichi at Hogwarts. He will see to it that you get them. And Severus- you must not breathe a word of this to anyone."

"I won't," he promised.

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They were reunited with Braeden and Lucius outside of Ollivander's.

"I thank you for allowing me to tear Severus away," Sebastian remarked as they approached the Malfoys.

"Not at all," Braeden replied coolly. "Everything is settled, then, I presume?"

"It is," Sebastian stated with a smirk. "Have a good visit, Severus. Enjoy the new term at school." Severus nodded as he watched his uncle walk away.

"Let's see it, then," Lucius announced as soon as Sebastian was out of ear-shot.

"See what?" Severus asked as they began walking back towards The Leaky Cauldron.

"Whatever it was you forgot," Lucius replied in annoyance.

"Oh, right." Severus held up the book, which Sebastian had charmed to appear as a Potions volume. "I've read it, of course- in Professor Melison's office last term- but Uncle Sebastian wanted me to have my own copy." Lucius sniffed, but said nothing. Apparently believing his friend, he began to talk about Knockturn Alley.

"The shops there are much more interesting than these hum-drum stores," Lucius sneered. "Not to worry, though - there's always next summer."

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When they returned to Malfoy Manor, Braeden turned to the boys and laid a hand on Lucius' shoulder.

"If you'll excuse us, Severus, I need to have a chat with Lucius. Why don't you explore the grounds a bit on your own? I doubt Lucius had a chance to show you everything last evening." The boy nodded, wondering what the two were going to discuss. As they walked away, he decided to take Braeden up on his offer to peruse his second floor Library.

After many unsuccessful attempts, Severus finally located the room at the end of the second floor corridor. As he stepped inside, his eyes drank in the surroundings. It was the most impressive library he had ever seen - bookshelf after bookshelf towered around the room, some of them higher than he knew the ceiling should be. He approached the nearest shelf and gazed at the top wistfully. Suddenly the desired shelf appeared in front of him. He grinned. This was going to be fantastic!

He reached for a book at random, then hesitated as the titles caught his eye. From the looks of these tomes, this library was very similar to his father's own collection. Frantically he searched the shelves for anything innocent-looking, but was faced with volume after volume of age-old curses and Dark wizardry. His heart was pounding in his chest as he took down a book and began to sift through it. Horrible images swam before him - wizards in various stages of pain and suffering, curses which afforded the caster incredible power at the sacrifice of the innocent trampled upon - he shut the book and quickly replaced it, looking for the way out.

His uncle was obviously right about Braeden, but Lucius would never- his thoughts were interrupted as he heard voices filtering through a panel on the wall next to him. Pressing his ear against the partition, it moved slightly, creating a space large enough for him to peer through. On the other side of the wall, Braeden sat behind a large desk - different from the one in Silias' study only by its ornate appearance - and Lucius stood before his father, his hands clasped behind his back.

"He will prove a useful ally when he is older," Braeden said, his expression thoughtful.

"What of his family?" Lucius asked.

"That dolt of a father won't protest his association with us. It's Sebastian with whom we should concern ourselves."

"He has no control over the boy, Father," Lucius stated firmly.

"Severus certainly seems to look up to him," observed the older man.

"Merely a pretense, I'm sure," the boy assured him. Lucius leaned closer to his father. "There's something about the boy I cannot place my finger on, but Severus will follow where I lead."

"Then we must take it upon ourselves to teach him the things which he needs to know," Braeden remarked.

In the other room, Severus' blood ran cold.

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