The Unknown of the Order (Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery

Lupin's Haven

"Ready to try again?"

Barnaby nodded, though sweat was dripping from his hair into his eyes. The contents of his stomach careened like the inferi-infested waters of the cave guarding Voldemort's horcrux. 

"Okay. One...two...three. Legilimens!"

He was running as fast as he could uphill toward a wayward chimera. He was gorging himself on sweets during a Halloween feast. He was studying for the OWLs in the library with Rowan. 

"You've got to fight it," Sarah's voice sounded in his head. "Control your mind."

"I'm trying," Barnaby whined, though he had no idea if he spoke aloud or not. 

He was playing quidditch, knocking a bludger at a Hufflepuff with such force that she slipped sideways off her broom. He was sitting in the courtyard on a starry night. Sarah had rested her hand on the stone ledge beside him. Barnaby felt his stomach turn. Come on, sissy, he thought, just reach out and...

A loud thud. 

Barnaby was lying on his back, staring up at the roof of the tent. Sarah appeared, leaning over him with a knitted brow. 

"You alright?"

"Yeah. What happened?"

"You sort of leaned over until you fell out of your chair," she said, miming the exact motion he'd performed in his memory, sliding his hand across the stone bench to reach for hers. He saw the corner of her mouth twitch as she attempted not to smile in amusement. 

He tugged at his collar as she helped him to his feet. 

"How much did you see?"

"Less this time. And what I did see was blurry. You're getting better. You really are."

Barnaby stretched his sore muscles rather than sit back in the chair, trying to signal that he was ready to quit for the night without saying so. 

They'd been practicing for weeks now. Every morning, they packed up their tent and moved to a new location. Then, Diego and Merula would set out for information on Death Eaters or the Order, and Sarah would work with Barnaby on his occlumency until late into the night. 

"Have you felt anyone else in your mind since we've been practicing?" Sarah asked. "Besides me, I mean."

"No."

The Andrels had either dropped connection with him completely, or they'd become so skilled at legilimency that he had no idea of their presence. He tried not to dwell on that last possibility. 

"Good," said Sarah. She glanced around at the candles set up on the nearby table, now the only source of light. Darkness outside had fallen over an hour ago. 

"Diego and Merula should have been back by now," she said. 

"Should we go look for them?"

She smirked. "Anything rather than more occlumency, right? No, we have no idea where they went. I'll give them a little longer before I use legilimency on Diego."

She cringed. 

"You don't like using it on him?"

"I don't like using it on anybody. Its...invasive. Everybody has thoughts they deserve to keep private. To have control in their own minds."

"Except for me, apparently."

He'd meant it as a joke, but her face clouded over as she looked away from him. 

"Sorry," he said at once. "I didn't mean it like that. I know you're only doing what you have to so we're all safe. I appreciate that you've steered clear of my...recent memories."