Snape the Occlumens

[evangelina839]

No: HPFGUIDX 79523

--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "sarcasticmuppet" 
<sarcasticmuppet at y...> wrote:
<snip>
The only thing I could possibly see wrong with it is this:  Would Voldemort 
> know that his Legillimency is being blocked?  If he looked inside 
> Snape's head and constantly found it empty, would he suspect 
> Occlumency or stupidity?  If he knew Snape was hiding memories from 
> him, would he suspect that Snape is a spy?  If so, what game was Mr. 
> V. playing before his downfall?

I've been wondering about this too, and I guess the best explanation is that 
Occlumenses (?) don't leave their entire minds empty of thoughts. What Snape taught 
Harry were the basics: you have to begin with emptying your mind before moving on 
to the more complicated stuff. A good Occlumens is presumably able to conceal just 
the memories and emotions necessary and leave the rest in, things that are not 
dangerous to him/her. And I guess an Occlumens that is referred to as "superb" is 
also able to cover up the blocking wall that the Legilimens can't go beyond. Really 
impressive control of the mind, isn't it? I guess Snape always had to constrain himself 
not to risk blowing his cover, not only by keeping Voldemort from noticing any 
unveiling memories, but also a suspicious lack of memories.

This also brings up questions abot Legilimency; I've been wondering if Snape is just a 
less skilled Legilimens than Voldemort since he has to cast a spell, or if it's just two 
different types of Legilimency. After all, Voldemort most often uses his Legilimency to 
tell if people are lying, while Snape was extracting memories from Harry's mind.

evangelina, who hopes this post doesn't look as messy as the last ones. Whatever I 
try, it just doesn't come out right.