am-books Ch354- My People
Ch354- My People
Ch354- My People
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At this time, the door burst open, and in strode Professor McGonagall, her lips pressed into a thin, disapproving line. Her gaze swept over the gathered students, eyes narrowing at the sight of Harry standing at the front of the room. She looked royally annoyed, her robes swishing as she stopped near the center of the hall.
"Mr. Potter, I hope what I heard is not true," she said sharply, folding her arms across her chest.
Harry remained calm, though he glanced quickly around the room. Every single student was still present—no one had left, which meant McGonagall’s sudden knowledge of their activity was a mystery. Still, he didn’t let it show on his face. He tilted his head slightly and asked evenly, "And what exactly do you think I’m doing, Professor?"
McGonagall’s gaze sharpened further. "It has come to my attention that you are attempting to teach Occlumency," she said in a clipped tone. "That is not only an advanced and highly sensitive branch of magic, but it also requires constant, delicate guidance from a qualified instructor. You cannot simply ‘teach’ Occlumency to a crowd of students like this."
Several students shifted uncomfortably at her words, but Harry didn’t falter. He straightened, speaking with an ease that seemed to irritate McGonagall further. "With respect, Professor, I’m not teaching full Occlumency. That would be ridiculous. What I’m doing is showing them how to build basic mental defenses—something simpler, safer, and more practical."
McGonagall raised an eyebrow, clearly skeptical. "Simpler, you say? And what precisely does this ‘simpler’ method entail?"
Harry asked, “Please take out your magical book, Professor.”
McGonagall narrowed her eyes but didn’t refuse. With a quick wave of her wand, a thin, black-covered magical book appeared in her hand.
“Flip to the mental defense section,” he said, watching as McGonagall opened the book. Her lips tightened as the enchanted pages shimmered briefly, revealing the section Harry had mentioned. Without waiting for her reaction, he continued, “Now, activate the simulation mode. Just tap the bottom of the page with your wand.”
McGonagall hesitated for a split second before doing as instructed. The book’s ink glowed faintly, and after a moment, her expression changed—subtle, but noticeable to those paying close attention. Her brow furrowed slightly, and her usually composed demeanor wavered just enough for Harry to notice.
“It’s trying to influence your thoughts,” Harry explained calmly. “The goal is to recognize that external push and push back by reinforcing your own thoughts.”
After feeling for a bit, and reading the instructions, McGonagall closed the book, visibly relieved. Whatever skepticism she had carried when she walked in seemed to fade. She set the book down on the table, her expression softening as she gave Harry a long, measuring look.
“I admit, Mr. Potter, this... approach of yours is more thought-out than I expected,” she said, folding her arms, but without her earlier sternness. “It’s not quite what I feared, but you understand why I was concerned.”
Harry nodded, chuckling. “Of course. I get it—it’s advanced magic. This is just a way to give everyone here a shot at resisting without wrecking their minds in the process.”
McGonagall’s lips twitched, almost as if she were holding back a smile. “You’ve given this a lot of thought.”
“Had to,” Harry replied simply. “Professor Moody’s lessons might be helpful, but if someone messes up under the Imperius Curse even once, it can leave a permanent crack in their defenses. I figured it’s better to prep for that now.”
“I don’t,” Harry shot back, smirking slightly. “But if your brain breaks and you start acting dumber than usual, that’s on me.”
Laughter rippled through the crowd as students began filing out. Ginny gave him a quick wave before disappearing with Luna, who was still cheerfully rambling about “thought-eating Nargles.” Theodore muttered something about “mental torture disguised as extra credit” but didn’t complain further. By the time the last of them left, only a few stray echoes of footsteps lingered in the hall.
Harry shut the door behind them, turning back toward the room. He walked to one of the desks and sat down, letting out a slow breath as the tension of the evening faded slightly. He barely had a moment to himself before Nigel’s familiar voice echoed in his mind.
“Ah, teaching younglings the basics of Occlumency, Harry?” Nigel’s tone was as usual, with just the right amount of smug amusement to be irritating.
Harry didn’t respond immediately, pulling a scrap of parchment from his pocket and scanning it. After a beat, he said, “Just the basics.”
Nigel gave an exaggerated chuckle. “I’m not Professor McGonagall. I know exactly what you’re up to. This is just the first step. Once they get a grip on this, you’ll open the door for them to learn advanced mind-shielding techniques.”
Harry leaned back in his chair, tossing the parchment onto the desk. “Maybe. Depends on how fast they pick it up.”
“Of course, of course,” Nigel replied, voice dripping with mock approval. “You, the benevolent mastermind, single-handedly raising a generation of wizards too stubborn to be mind-controlled.”
Harry ignored the jab, tapping the desk with his fingers thoughtfully. “The Triwizard Tournament’s going to bring chaos, Nigel. If anyone’s stupid enough to try controlling my people, I want them ready.”
Nigel chuckled, "Your people?"
Harry smiled faintly, shrugging. "Yeah."
Nigel let out a short, mocking hum. "Very lordly of you. What’s next? Are you planning to brand them?"
Harry ignored the jab and leaned back in his chair. “If it keeps them from being cursed into mindless puppets, I might consider it.”
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