[HPforGrownups] Re: Still wondering why Snape trusts DD! (was: James the Berk?)

[James Lawlor]

No: HPFGUIDX 107322

> Alla:
> 
> Good point, Carolina. I also tend to think that Voldemort knows about
> Snape being an Occlumenc. He has to. If nothing else, Voldie would
> have learned about it when he would try to read Snape's mind and
> could not. That is one of the reasons why i don't believe that Snape
> does direct spying. On the other hand if he spied on Lucius mind by
> using his legilimenc abilities, that I see as more porbable version
> of the events.

James:

"The Dark Lord, for instance, almost always knows when somebody is
lying to him. Only those skilled at Occlumency are able to shut down
those feeling and memories that contradict the lie, and so utter
falsehoods in his presence without detection" - OotP pg 531 US Edition

I serously doubt that Snape would be alive if he was utterly blocking
Voldemort from his mind. Voldemort would know something was up and
stop trusting Snape. From what Snape said I gather that a highly
skilled Occlumens like himself would be able to close only the parts
of his mind that would betray him, while allowing Voldemort access to
the rest - so Voldemort has no idea that something is being hidden
from him. A moderately skilled Occlumens (perhaps Dumbledore, or maybe
Harry with some training) would be able to close their mind to
Voldemort entirely, which would be good in case of capture and
interrogation or Harry's mind-link with Voldemort, but not for
subterfuge.

- James Lawlor
jlawlor at gmail.com