Legilimency/Occlumens discussion

[chellblanc]

No: HPFGUIDX 163361

Jen wrote:
> The bathroom scene is the other opportunity to understand
> how Legilimency feels to the person experiencing the process:
> "The bathroom seemed to shimmer before his eyes; he struggled
> to block out all thought, but try as he might, the Half-Blood
> Prince's copy of 'Advanced Potion-Making' swam hazily to the
> forefront of his mind...
>
>Harry sees the copy of the book in his mind's eye and then 'he
> was staring at Snape again, in the midst of the wrecked, soaked
> bathroom', so for a moment Harry is not in the bathroom, he
> loses awareness of where he is and then his surroundings come
> into focus again.

chellblanc:
Hello, I am new to the group and certainly do not know as much as
everyone here seems to but I wanted to add a comment/question to
this discussion...
Are we sure that it is the legilimency that makes the surroundings
disappear and not the act of trying to block it?  When its stated
that the copy "swam hazily to the forefront of his mind..." couldn't
it be just that the harder you try not to think about something, the
more likely you will think about it?  Visions of the Stay Puft
Marshmallow Man come to mind - just a thought. (please excuse the
amateur snipping)