MIND ARTS

Harry felt his entire body tense. His fingers twitched at his sides, his breathing shallow. The weight of what Nova had just told him pressed down on his chest like a heavy stone.

Dumbledore was going to die.

Unless Harry did something first.

He gritted his teeth. The old man had kept so much from him, manipulated events from the shadows, treating him like a pawn rather than an equal. And yet, the thought of simply letting Dumbledore walk into a death trap made his stomach churn.

He had a choice.

He could warn him. But that would mean explaining how he knew. And Dumbledore wasn't the type to just accept things at face value. He'd dig, he'd probe…

Harry inhaled sharply, his mind racing.

Wait.

Could Dumbledore read his mind?

His eyes snapped to Nova, suspicion creeping into his voice. "If I tell Dumbledore, he'll want to know how I found out. But… can he really read my mind?"

Nova chuckled, shaking his head. "No, Potter. Dumbledore's powerful, but he's not a mind reader."

Harry exhaled, relieved—

"However," Nova continued, his golden eyes gleaming with amusement, "he is a master of Legilimency."

Harry stiffened. "Legilimency?"

Nova smirked. "It's the art of navigating someone's mind, pulling out thoughts, memories… emotions." He leaned back. "Dumbledore doesn't go around breaking into people's heads all the time, but if he's suspicious enough? He might try to read you."

Harry's hands clenched into fists. "So you're saying he can do it?"

Nova nodded. "Oh, and he's not the only one." He tilted his head. "You ever wonder why Snape was so good at figuring out when you were up to something?"

Harry's blood ran cold. "…Snape."

Nova grinned. "Another Legilimens. And a damn good one, too. He just doesn't ask for information—he takes it."

Harry swallowed hard. His stomach churned as he thought back to every encounter with Snape—every time the man's cold black eyes had seemed to know what he was thinking.

Snape had been reading his mind.

That greasy bastard—

His hands curled into fists. He felt exposed, like someone had ripped away his defenses without him even realizing it.

"So what?" he muttered, forcing himself to stay calm. "What am I supposed to do about it?"

Nova smirked. "You learn how to stop it."

Harry's eyes narrowed. "How?"

Nova's grin widened. "You learn the Mind Arts."

Harry frowned. "Mind Arts?"

Nova's smirk didn't fade. "A broad term for various disciplines related to the mind—Legilimency, which we just talked about, and Occlumency, which is what you need."

Harry's frown deepened. "Occlumency?"

"It's the art of protecting your mind from intrusion," Nova explained. "A skilled Occlumens can block Legilimens, hide thoughts, even plant false memories if they're good enough." He leaned forward, his golden eyes gleaming. "If you want to keep secrets from Dumbledore, Snape, or anyone else who can pry into your head, you're going to need it."

Harry exhaled sharply. He didn't like the idea of someone poking around in his mind—Dumbledore, Snape, anyone. He thought back to his encounters with Snape, the way the man always seemed to know what he was planning. It made sense now. Snape had been reading him, picking up on every stray thought or emotion.

His jaw tightened. He wasn't going to let that keep happening.

"How do I learn it?" he asked.

Nova's smirk widened. "Now that is the right question." He tilted his head. "Occlumency isn't something you can just pick up overnight. It requires discipline, mental control, and a hell of a lot of practice."

Harry crossed his arms. "So? If Snape can do it, I can too."

Nova chuckled. "That's the spirit. But there's a problem—you don't have much time. Even a natural-born genius would take at least six months to build good enough mental shields to block Legilimency attacks from Dumbledore, Snape, or Voldemort. These three are powerful Legilimens and can easily bypass some of the strongest mental shields."

Harry scowled. "Atleast Six months? I don't have that kind of time." His mind raced. If Dumbledore was on borrowed time, then every second counted. If Voldemort or Snape could peer into his thoughts, then every moment he went unprotected was a risk.

Nova tilted his head. "There are ways to accelerate the process, but they come with risks."

Harry's jaw tightened. "Like what?"

Nova leaned back, golden eyes gleaming with amusement. "Traditional Occlumency training builds mental defenses gradually—layer by layer. But there are... shortcuts. Dangerous ones. If you're desperate enough, you could try a forced method, like using Mind Runes or memory compartmentalization spells. They can give you a basic defense quickly, but they come with side effects. Headaches, emotional instability, even memory fragmentation if done poorly."

Harry exhaled sharply. That didn't sound ideal. "And the alternative?"

Nova smirked. "You train the right way—but with the right teacher." He shrugged. "A master Occlumens and legilement could help you fast-track your training. You'd still need time, but you'd progress far faster than if you tried to learn on your own."

Harry frowned. "And where am I supposed to find a master Occlumens and legilement?"

Nova chuckled. "Well, there are a few options. Snape is out of the question—he wouldn't teach you even if you begged. Dumbledore? He might teach you, but that would mean trusting him with the fact that you're learning. Not exactly ideal."

Harry clenched his teeth. "And other options?"

Nova's grin widened. "Oh, there are plenty. But the best option? Someone who's skilled, neutral, and has no personal interest in prying into your mind."

Harry narrowed his eyes. "Do you know someone like that?"

Nova shrugged. "I don't know. But you can make it official—ask the system, and it'll give you options."

Harry hesitated. It made sense. The system had already given him information before—why not this?

After a moment, he exhaled and nodded. "Fine. SYSTEM, HOW MUCH DO I NEED TO PAY?"

---

[PROCESSING WISH: "PROVIDE ME WITH THE NAME OF A MASTER OCCLUMENS WHO CAN TRAIN ME EFFECTIVELY AND DISCREETLY."]

[EVALUATION IN PROGRESS...]

[ANALYZING AVAILABLE CANDIDATES… CROSS-REFERENCING WITH USER PARAMETERS… ASSESSING SECRECY REQUIREMENTS…]

[CALCULATING OPTIMAL MATCH...]

[TOTAL COST: 1200 GALLEONS.]

---

Harry groaned. "Figures." He reached into his pouch, counting out the gold. He didn't like spending this much, but if it meant keeping Dumbledore, Snape, and Voldemort out of his head, then it was worth it. Thanfully he had this much gold on hands.

Nova smiled cheekily. "Pleasure doing business with you."

-----

NOVA EARNED 1200 GALLEONS IN THIS CHAPTER.

TOTAL GOLD: 11,202 GALLEONS.

X-X-X-X

HELLO EVERYBODY, I HOPE YOU ALL ENJOYED THIS CHAPTER.

LET ME KNOW YOUR THOUGHTS IN COMMENTS AND REVIEWS.

ALSO DONATE SOME STONES FOR SUPPORTING ME.

IF YOU'RE ENJOYING MY STORIES AND WANT TO READ AHEAD, CHECK OUT MY PATREON! I POST [10+] ADVANCED CHAPTERS, ALONG WITH MY EXCLUSIVE HARRY POTTER FANFIC FOR FREE, WHICH IS ONLY AVAILABLE ON PATREON!

SUPPORT ME AND GET EARLY ACCESS TO NEW CHAPTERS!

READ 10+CHAPTERS AHEAD ON MY PATREON CHANNEL:- patreon.com/Ghost_0007

CHAPTER:- 22 [SECRETS] IS AVAILABLE ON MY PATREON