"Legilimens!" Spell & Gift

[Steve]

No: HPFGUIDX 72153

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, IAmLordCassandra at a... wrote:
> 
> ... During ... Occulmency lessons ..., Snape has to say 
> ..."Legilimens!",... 
> 
> Why? Would Lord Thingy have to look into Harry's eyes or one of the
> Death Eater's and say "Legilimens!"  in order to see their 
> memories/thoughts?  
> 
> ...edited...
> 
> ~Cassie~ 

bboy_mn:

I think we are actually dealing with two separate but intimately
related things; the spell of Legilimancy and the gift of legilimancy.

Those who have the gift are intuitive Legilimense or Legilimators or
Legilimist or Legilimesizers or whatever the correct term is; in any
event, intuitive is the key. 

Many many more wizard are able to cast the Legilimens spell; although,
is suspect it is not a spell that is easy to cast, or it would be much
more common. I am also sure it is a regulated spell; you can just have
people wandering around peeking into something as private as peoples
thoughts and memories; so, difficult and tightly regulated.

Voldemort could certainly cast the spell and probe deeper into
someone's memories, but the references in the book are to Voldemort
having a strong sure intuitive sense of whether or not someone is lying. 

Also, notice the the memories seem to come in a series of random short
flashes, they are not detailed scenes like the ones you see played out
in the Pensieve. So, a great deal of interpretation goes into trying
to understand this surge of random flashed of memories. To see them,
the memories, is not necessarily to understand them.

Just some thoughts.

bboy_mn